Cull the Strong, Spare the Weak

Daimon and his pack stopped before a massive, frozen, forest. He turned to regard the candidates and bellowed over the strong snowstorm, "This is the starting line of your trials. The area is surrounded by runes so once you enter you may not turn back. Your only chance of survival is to find the three items and bring them to the peak of the mountain. There is no time limit so you may begin when you are ready. However, I should warn you that animals and plants are scarce on these mountains, so unless you wish to starve, it would be best not to take too long. If there are any who wish to turn back, speak now for when we leave it will be up to you to find your way back down the mountain." Daimon waited for a minute to allow for anyone to step down and as he expected, no one did.

"Very well," He said solemnly. "Then let your trials begin." Before anyone could even move, Vinga rushed into the forest with Hilde and Niel trailing right behind her. Daimon himself almost seemed impressed by their confidence and eagerness.

"Come everyone, glory awaits!" Verina yelled courageously as she ran towards the forest with Svana. Yulla gave a loud, obnoxious huff, before making her way towards the forest as well.

"Before we go in, I'm going to go pray with Ivana." Kindra said.

"Alright, we will be here when you're ready." Astria responded.

"Please, don't take too long." Selda said as she shivered over dramatically.

Kindra simply shook her head and rolled her eyes. Astria gave a slight chuckle. Kindra was usually pretty passive, and it was only Selda that could bring her to annoyance. So, watching Selda poke fun at Kindra quickly became their favorite pastime. She continued to chuckle slightly as she watched Kindra walk over to Ivana, who had already begun kneeling in the snow with her head bowed down and her hands clasped together.

"Never understood Christians. If your god is so good, then why does he demand that you kneel in the snow just to talk to him?" Selda said curiously.

"Says the one who worships a god that murders families in drunken rages." Astria lightly retorted. Selda simply shrugged and said, "At least you know what you are getting. Besides, that actually makes more sense."

"How… never mind." Astria said shaking her head.

While they were conversing, Daimon had turned back into his dog-wolf form. He howled and then began descending the mountain with his pack. Astria ignored Selda's ramblings as Daimon walked past them. The two exchanged glances with him as he passed. He lowered his massive head to her as he passed. She gave him a nod back before returning forward. Astria had no idea what waited ahead but as long as she relied on her training and her friends then she felt as though she could overcome anything.

It was not long before Kindra and Ivana finished their prayer. They went their separate ways as Ivana headed towards the forest and Kindra headed back over towards them.

"Does Ivana not want to travel with us?" Astria asked. Kindra shook her head and said, "No. She says she will be fine as long as Jesus Christ walks with her."

"I thought your god's name was God? There's a Jezus Chryst now?" Selda asked confused.

"Yes, but I will endow you with a biblical lesson later. For now, just know there is a god and Jesus is his son." Kindra answered.

"Ooooh. Like Odin and Thor. So does your god also have multiple children?" Selda asked.

"What," Kindra said in horror. "Of course not!"

"Then who's going to lead in his stead if Jezus dies." Selda asked with her eyes narrowed.

"Jesus will. He has already died once and now he lives as an eternal God in heaven." Kindra answered proudly.

"That's impossible. Doesn't Ragnarök affect them?" Selda asked in disbelief.

"Well… there is a sort of Ragnarök in the bible, but the evil is slain by the end and the kingdom of heaven prevails." Kindra said, clasping her hands in joy.

"Sounds like a load of crock." Selda said unconvinced.

Before Kindra could get upset, Astria stepped forward and said, "Okay you two, that's enough. I'd rather not freeze to death while listening to you two bicker." They both huffed and folded their arms, but nonetheless stopped their argument.

"Good, now let us become Valkyrie." Astria said with a warm smile. Kindra and Selda could not help but returned her smile before they all drew their weapons and ventured into the deadly tundra together.

"Keep close." Kindra said as they quickly but carefully trekked through the frozen forest.

Astria and Selda both nodded in response. Astria did her best to survey the forest as they continued forward, but the rushing wind stung at her eyes, and the thick veils of snow hid what lied ahead. She tried to listen to her surroundings but between the loud crunch of the snow beneath them and the frigid wind whipping past them, Astria could hear almost nothing save for her own heartbeat and breathing. Even her touch was failing her as she could hardly feel the weight of her spear or her shield in her hands. She could not even feel the hand that grasped her ankle as she walked.

"Astria!" Kindra yelled as she raced towards her.

Astria was shocked by the sudden impact of snow against her face, but she quickly regained her bearings just in time to grab her spear, twist, and pierce the draugar in its head before it could stab her with a knife. This was not enough to kill it, but it was enough to stun it long enough for Astria slam her shield against the thing's worn wrist, breaking right through it. She quickly got to her feet just as Kindra arrived.

"Are you alright?" Kindra asked worried.

"No, but I am alive." Astria answered a bit shaken.

"That's enough for now." Kindra said before turning to look around them.

Astria joined her and with her heightened sense of awareness due to the rushing of her blood, she felt as though she could both see, feel, and hear far clearer than before. Off in the distance she could she shades of figures creeping towards them and could even hear their soft footsteps around them. Warm sweat began to coat her body as the number of shades and footsteps increased.

Ten, twenty, thirty, forty…

It was as if Hel had opened, and the dead were flooding out.

Sixty, eighty, one hundred…

Astria could feel her body tremble and her heart drum as she began to lose control of her breathe.

There are so many and more just keep showing up. Where are they coming!?

As her thoughts raced against the invisible onslaught, her body began to lighten. She found herself slightly falling backwards, but fortunately Kindra was there to catch her. She held her back against Astria's and simply said, "No time to lose your head now." It was not much but along with the feeling of Kindra's back against hers, it was enough for Astria to calm her nerves and regain her focus.

Soon Selda met them where they were and as soon as she reached them, she said, "There's an entire horde surrounding us. How the Hel are we supposed to fight them?"

"We don't. They are primarily coming in from the north-west and a few from the north-east. We need to head towards their smaller advancement while sticking close and circling around the trees to avoid them," Kindra said pointing to the direction she wanted them to take. "I don't know how deep into the woods these things are but if there is a Jotun on our way towards the peak then they can't be all over the mountain. The Jotun would destroy any draugar that comes near and most likely set up some sort of fortification as to dissuade nonstop combat with them. Once we reach that point, we can turn around and pluck the liver from any remaining draugar before continuing forward." Kindra spoke fast, but her message was clear. The trio wasted no time heading towards the direction she pointed out.

"I will take the lead while Selda covers the rear and Astria guards our flanks." Kindra said as she raced slightly ahead of them with the others following.

Without even looking at her, Astria knew Selda was not at all happy with covering their rear, but against Kindra's brilliant mind she did not argue. However, with her massive Zweihander Selda was excelled at fending off attackers that came too close. However, within this thick forest it would be a nightmare for her to freely swing her blade around, which is why making vertical swipes from the rear was favorable. She would not only be able to easily fend of nearing draugar but also the many arrows that they would launch at them, which she did perfectly. Astria had no idea how such a small woman could wield so great a weapon, but Selda did with little effort. She twired and swung her massive sword just as easily as Kindra did with her single-handed sword, blocking the several quick arrow shots that would have pierced their necks, or worse, their legs. Losing their footing either to a free flying arrow or a hidden draugar beneath the snow was not an option. If they were slowed down at all or could not move at all then the draugar would catch up to them and tear them apart, and none of them were at all eager to meet such a grisly demise.

While Selda kept her guard, Kindra cleared a path for them upfront. She swiftly decapitated any draugar that dared to impede them from the sides and easily knocked over the ones that came before them. Watching her fight was what Astria always imagined how a Valkyrie should. It was like watching a black smith forging weapons, or a bard sing a ballad. Seeing such raw talent and grace was more than enough to be both awestruck and inspired. It was no wonder why Verina and Hilde were so jealous of her and why even Vinga admired and respected her. For much like Vinga herself, Kindra was born to be a Valkyrie. Even Astria found herself to be jealous at times. It was not for her high aptitude for being a Valkyrie candidate, which was nothing to Astria since it was only a means to be free of her bondage. No, for her it was much simpler than that. Astria was jealous of Kindra's sheer strength, intelligence, and prowess for if she was born with all those attributes, then Astria knows she could have saved her family.

Either way, whether it was jealousy or regret, Astria dispersed those heavy feelings. The task ahead was already arduous enough and she felt that if she could prove herself during, then that would also be enough. Astria did her part along with her companions as well as she could. She blocked incoming arrows from the sides and stabbed, and sliced, at the draugar hands that grasped at them from below. The blood rushing through her veins kept her body warm enough to move and her hands firm enough to keep hold of her weapons. However, she could still feel the terribly frigid air and numbing ice all around her, and it seemed to be getting stronger. Astria had no idea how long they had been running and fighting, but either way she could tell that the cold was getting to them as they were all moving slower. Astria wanted to ask how much longer they had to travel, or if they could even keep this up. However, between pride and embarrassment, Astria kept her mouth shut and endured. Luckily, Selda had no such feelings.

"How… much… further… Kindra?" Selda yelled between ragged gasps.

"I don't know, all I see are trees up ahead." Kindra yelled back as she swiftly knocked a lumbering draugar's skull off.

"Okay… then… just give… me… a… heads up… when-"

"We'll let you know as soon as we see anything Selda, just keep quiet and keep swinging." Astria interrupted. She assumed Selda got the message as all Astria heard behind her was the swing of Selda's sword.

Everybody knew Selda was strong for a runt. Strongest in sheer strength in the whole group save for maybe Hilde. Nobody knew how she was so strong and just assumed it was either some form of magic or blessing from the gods. However, as impressive as her strength was, she greatly lacked in endurance. Astria, Kindra, and Selda herself all came to the conclusion that the power of her muscles quickly drained her body, which seemed to have been proven to all of them by the humongous amount that Selda ate. Whatever the case, this trek from the beginning was harder for Selda than anybody else. For Astria could feel the cold and exhaustion wear her down, and although she could not see her, she knew it was wearing Selda down even faster. She was worried that if they did not find some sort of respite soon then Selda would fall behind. And if that were to happen then well…- Astria did not want to think about it.

The women forged on ahead as best they could. At this point Astria could even hear Kindra begin to gasp for air.

"Kindra," Astria yelled, trying her damnedest to push down her panicked. "We cannot keep going like this!"

Kindra said nothing for a while then yelled back, "I know!"

In that next instant, Kindra swung around a tree and disappeared from Astria's sight. Between the flurrying blinding her vision, the Draugar clawing at her feet, and her own movements, she did not notice Kindra was behind them until Selda yelled, "What are you doing?"

Even with everything going on, both of them stopped in their tracks as soon as they noticed where Kindra was. She was a good distance far, but not too far away. Even through the current onslaught, both women turned to help their friend until Kindra herself told them not to.

"Stay back," Kindra yelled as she banged her shield loudly, dodged an arrow, and decapitated another draugar. "You two go on ahead while I defend the rear!"

Even though her breathing was harsh, and her body shook from exhaustion, Selda was ready to ignore Kindra's command and rush towards her. Astria on the other hand, was not. Before Selda could even move, Astria grabbed her arm and dragged her forward. Although she was worn out, Selda was still a force to pull away from her friend. Fortunately for Astria, pulling and holding Selda by surprise while their battle raged on allowed enough time to pass for there to be too many draugar in their way towards Kindra.

"Selda, we need to move now!" Astria yelled as she continued to fend off both arrows and rising draugar. Selda said nothing for a while until a mighty roar bellowed for her lungs.

"YOU BETTER NOT FUCKING DIE ON US KINDRA!" she roared before turning and heading in the direction that Kindra was originally leading them.

Astria let Selda move ahead first so that she could watch her back. She also wanted to turn back and see how Kindra was fairing. Hell, she even wanted to go back, but both her and Kindra knew that this was the best action to take to save all of them. Even if none of them liked it.