The Sage of Einar

Goi who was taking care of the outside of the camp could feel how a small snowflake fell on his nose, so when he raised his face and could look through the branch of the trees, the sky was completely gray.

'I suppose the goddess Skade must have some surprise for us, and I hope it's a good one because the last thing the expedition needs is for something to happen ...'

Goi's thoughts were interrupted when one warrior handed him a small ceramic cup that had water boiled with pine needles.

"Goi, you should take a brief break, as this snowfall may turn into a blizzard.

So it wouldn't be a good idea to be tired when we can't see beyond our noses because of the snow. "

Goi closed his eyes for a few moments and accepted the cup his partner was offering him "I guess you're right, I just hope Jarl Sven and the rest of our partners can return safely"

While this was happening, in the small ramshackle cabin, Derick woke up suddenly, when he could hear how the door closed behind him, taking advantage of the moment that the insane monk was not around.

He used his hands and forced the chains that were stuck to the wall of the cabin since he had noticed in the night, that although they seemed to be fixed on the wood

These loosened more and more, so he was sure that if he continued to move them continuously, it could remove them.

The monk who had left the hut formed a smile on his face. Seeing the snow that was outside it, the snowy wasteland, and the rays of the sun reminded him of the purity of the world.

Taking a deep breath and ignoring the falling snowflakes, he walked over to where the tree stump was, which he used to cut wood.

Once he got to it, he took the ax that he had stolen from the Viking and used it to cut some small logs that he had, as if he already knew it by heart, he took the first log he found, placed it on the stump and using his two hands tore it apart in one fell swoop.

The more he split the logs, the happier he was, even taking the time to hum some prayers he learns in the temple.

While this was happening, Derick freed his left hand from the chain that was oppressing it, so using that hand he forced the chain of his other hand.

Little by little the nail that held the chain in his right hand loosened, so using all his strength he pulled it out of the wall.

But this caused the chain in his hand to hurt his wrist as the nail came out with such force that it hit him, not to mention that the muscles in his shoulder that were injured by the monk's bite ached from the movement he made.

Fighting his urge to scream in pain, Derick gritted his teeth and tried to free his feet from the chains that held him up.

After a time that seemed eternal to Derick, he released his two feet from the chains that had oppressed him.

Once free, Derick searched the hut for something to eat and drink as he had tasted no food in recent days.

As he searched the hut, he managed to find a small sack that had some dried plants and mushrooms on it, so using his hand he took a handful and put them in his mouth.

Feeling a lot of flavors in his mouth, he just swallowed as best he could and continued feeding on the dried plants that were in that sack.

When he felt that he could no longer swallow because his throat was dry, he took the rusty iron bowl that was on the stove and drank from the water that was there.

When he felt the cool water on his mouth and dry throat, he continued drinking until he almost ran out of air in his lungs. After finishing drinking, he took a deep breath and looked at the door with hatred.

"I will kill you, you fucking son of a bitch, and take care of shitting on your corpse."

The monk who had lost himself in the thoughts of the snow did not realize how late it was until he could feel how what had been a snowfall turned into a blizzard.

So grumbling, he took as much of the wood he had cut as he could and went to the hut, when he reached the door, he opened it, ignorant of what was inside, because the logs he carried in his hands blocked his vision.

As he entered the hut, he felt something pushing him against the snow, making him fall into the snow and causing the logs to fall on his face, breaking his nose.

"Today you are going to die cursed !!"

Trying to get up from the snow, the monk felt like the person who had shouted kicked his stomach. This caused him to vomit part of his gastric juices.

But he did not have time to lament because, opening his eyes, he looked at the sinner who had freed himself from his chains, biting his tongue the monk managed to avoid the second kick that the pagan was about to give him.

To do this, he put his hands in the snow and pushed his body back, which caused the pagan's kick to only throw some snow on his face.

The monk's actions surprised Derick, so he rushed at him hastily and placed his hands on the monk's neck as fast as he could.

"Go dead!!!"

Using all his available strength, he squeezed the monk's gaunt neck as tightly as he could, hoping he would suffocate to death.

The monk, using what little strength he had, used one of his hands to reach one of his bags that had his robe.

Feeling his life slip from his grasp, he could feel the touch of the rusty dagger in his hand so he held it with all his will, and pulling it out of his tunic he pierced Derick's side.

Hoping that with it the damned pagan would leave him alone, but it was that at that moment he understood that his attempt had been in vain, because even though the dagger had pierced the pagan's side.

The latter squeezed his neck with much more force, causing the monk's last strength to be exhausted, so seeing a small ray of hope he touched the wound from the bite that he had made.

Derick endured the pain biting his lip so hard that blood came out from the corner of his mouth. The monk, unable to breathe, could only let his hands fall limp.

So in his last seconds of life, he could feel how the man who had spoken so much to him invited him to go with him to his domain, this caused his face covered by the blood from his nose to form a smile before he died.

Derick realized that the cursed monk had passed away as his body convulsed for a few seconds before they left him lifeless.

So he released the neck of that corpse and using his left hand touched the side of its body and it was then that he felt the dagger that the monk had buried him.

Knowing that if he left her inside, perhaps she could die, he squeezed it with all his might and yanked it out, holding back his urge to scream, held the dagger in his hand, and buried it in the corpse's chest.

"DAMN!!"

Derick yelled with all his might as he stabbed over and over into the monk's chest, over and over again until he was satisfied.

Upon seeing the monk's bloody chest, he realized that the revenge he had been planning had not brought him the tranquility he expected, however, he could be sure that he had survived because of the pain he felt in his body and the cold air that covered his whole body was telling him he had finally achieved freedom.

After enjoying the feeling he had a bit, he got up from the monk's corpse and went to the hut since he had to burn the wound on his side to prevent it from bleeding, not to mention that he also had to check the place where the monk had it. had bitten.

When he was about to enter the hut, he could feel his strength beginning to fade and he felt his sight begin to blur.

"Nei ..."

As he said that word he fell to his knees and before completely losing consciousness he was able to remember the shape of the dried plants he had eaten.

That's when he realized that he had eaten a lot of poisonous mushrooms. With watery eyes, he fell to the ground where he took his last breath before dying.

The place was completely silent, the only noise being that of the blizzard which covered the bodies of the monk and Derik in the snow.

Leaving them completely covered by a white cloak that hid their bodies inside.