Thirteen Valkyries

The bold statement sends shivers down the soldiers' spines, and a deep pride glows in their eyes. Their beloved leader has openly rejected the gods' wish to end mankind!

"Ah… To think we would hear those mighty words again! We truly are blessed," an elder exclaims, fighting back tears.

The story of Hannibal's pledge, of the words that shook the Mediterranean antiquity to its very core is unfolding once more, right before their eyes!

***

Anyone could tell you the tale of Hannibal, son of the great Hamilcar Barca, the tale of the great Carthaginian general who made Rome his sworn enemy. Some say that he was born for it, that commanding the Carthaginian army was his destiny. However, Hannibal's magnificent story truly began 9 years after his birth, in 238 BC.

"Father… I shall go with you," the young Hannibal said then.

At the time, Hamilcar was beginning preparations to subjugate the Iberian Peninsula. It is said that the man rejoiced upon hearing his son's wish, that he thanked the heavens for gifting him such brave offspring. Some say that the exact opposite happened, and that the angered Hamilcar made the boy swear he would rise against Rome. Thus, the question remained unanswered for the longest time. Was Hannibal chosen by his father? Was his will to fight praised? NO!

"This is war, son. Why… do you want to go to war?" Hamilcar asked.

"Because I'll never be a friend of Rome. I shall never think twice about taking the head of my enemies." Hannibal paused, moving closer to his father. "Carthage isn't in need of righteous men, but of soldiers who will win those wars. And I swear, as soon as the age will permit… I will use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome."

Even in Hamilcar's well-lit room, the shadow that fell over the boy's features was ominous enough to make a grown men cower. A smile parted the general's lips, for in front of him stood his son no more, but a soldier who would sacrifice everything for Carthage's victory.

"Before we're Carthaginians, perhaps even before we're human, we're soldiers," Hamilcar replied, agreeing to the boy's request.

Hannibal's journey began soon, when he accompanied his father to war for the first time. He would sharpen both his mind and body, helping Hamilcar win countless battles. An exceptionally skilled fighter, he fought on the most gruesome battlefields and lived to tell the tale.

Years passed, and, after the deaths of both Hamilcar and Hasdrubal, it was Hannibal's turn to lead the army. He was only 26 when he became commander-in-chief, but he was already well-known throughout the land. Hannibal of Carthage. That was the name that sparked fear in the hearts of the Romans!

With an incredible ability to both determine and exploit his opponent's weaknesses, Hannibal would later win battle after battle, even earning the respect of his enemies. Trebia, Lake Trasimene, Cannae and many others… Whatever or whoever would stand in his way would simply get destroyed. But! Such feats were to be expected of Hamilcar's son. One moment, however, burned itself into the soldiers' minds. Before his very first battle as commander-in-chief, Hannibal uttered the words that would forever change the Carthaginian army's outlook on war.

"The Romans have been running amok, conquering and pillaging our land. Many lives were lost, including my father's. So heed my words! For those who came before us, we shall fight! For those who will come after, we shall win!" he shouted, and the army responded in kind. "No soldier shall stand in front of me, for I am your leader. No soldier shall die without meaning, for I am your protector. Now… it's my turn!"

***

Hannibal's feet kick the ground as he breaks into yet another reckless sprint, and, by the time Artemis' hand touches one of the arrows, he is already within attack range! As if the heavy armour adorning his body was weightless, the general nimbly thrusts his sword towards the goddess' neck. Her eyes widen as she notices the attack… but it's already too late.

"One of those was more than enough, goddess," Hannibal remarks coldly.

The blade grazes Artemis' neck, and a string of blood starts to trickle down on her collarbone. A displeased grimace flashes across the deity's face as she retreats hastily. Now, putting distance between herself and the enemy is her only choice! Hannibal, however, seems to have other plans. Like a lion pursuing its pray, he dashes after Artemis, determined to back her into a corner.

"The human's strike has managed to injure the gods!" Heimdall makes an effort to sound excited, but his voice shakes as he speaks. "Mankind's representative has regained his confidence, but is this enough to turn the tide of the battle?"

Ignoring the pain caused by the arrow stuck in his chest, Hannibal presses on. And, despite her clear advantage, the goddess continues to run away. But just as the general closes in on her, Artemis finally manages to grab an arrow and loads her bow in one swift motion. A faint smile appears on her face as she lets go of the bowstring, this time aiming straight for Hannibal's head. And instead of trying to dodge, the man responds in kind, by swinging the falcata with all his might!

"Um…" the watchman hesitates, a deep silence filling the air. He scratches the back of his head, stealing glances in the supreme gods' direction. "They both missed I guess? I-I mean… Both the goddess and the human missed! How could this happen!?"

Indeed, both Artemis' arrow and Hannibal's blade whizzed past each other's necks, missing by a hair's breadth! But, in spite of the seemingly obvious stalemate, the goddess still has the upper hand. Hannibal's momentum is now working against him, and he can't halt the descent of the blade!

"You've fought well, human. Now die," Artemis declares, reloading her bow.

Then, as soon as the words leave her mouth, it happens. With a barely audible sound, the arrow slips through her fingers and falls harmlessly to the ground, immediately followed by a wet gurgle. Blood spouts from Artemis' left shoulder, and a gasp of shock escapes her. The sudden pain causes her to briefly lose balance as a burning sensation shoots through her body. Panic-stricken expressions emerge on the deities' faces… and the goddess' arm falls limp to her side.

"Take that," Herfjötur mumbles, but she is pale as a ghost. Determined to put on a brave front, she is staring daggers at the gods. "His attack might've looked out of range to you… but don't forget about what us Valkyries can do."

The one to fight in the first bout as Hannibal's weapon is none other than Kára, the twelfth of the thirteen Valkyries. The meaning of her name is… "The Wild, Stormy One"! Her Völundr has a unique property, which allows her to use the air surrounding the weapon as an extension of the blade, increasing both its sharpness and effective range! Thus, Hannibal's attack didn't miss in the first place!