A shower of arrows rained down on them from the mist, and Thori instinctively reached for a shield. He raised it just in time to deflect a volley aimed at his chest. Cries of pain rangout around him as warriors fell and chaos descended upon the longship.
“Shields up!” Thori roared. The remainingeinheriobeyed, taking up defensive positions.
Their assailants remained unseen, hidden by mist and sorcery. Why wasn’t Finna breaking down the enemy’s disguise?
Thori spotted hisvalaat the bow, trying to chant through the blood gushing from her mouth, an arrow protruding from her throat.Hel.
More arrows poured down on them from a different angle this time. Thori could sense that their power was magnified byseiðr, making them even more deadly and able to break through shields and armor.
“Brace!” Thori shouted, diving to avoid the onslaught. A sharp cry of pain next to him made him flinch.
“Frey!” Rune sank to his knees, covering his chieftain with his raised shield and body.
An arrow was buried in Frey’s left shoulder, and blood was turning his golden armor bronze. Thori’s heart thundered with panic.
He needed to stop this attack.
They needed to retreat.
Now.
“Rune, take the helm!”
Drawing on the power surrounding them, Thori steeled himself.
“But—” Rune crouched protectively over Frey, and Thori knew his brother would be safe. Relief washed over him.
“Take the helm. Retreat.”
“Thori,” Frey choked, face white and hands trembling.
Swiftly leaning down, Thori kissed his little brother’s brow.
“Tell Freyja not to worry. I’ll be back with you in no time.”
“Thori, no—” Frey’s eyes were dark with panic and pain.
“You have the command, Rune. Bring my brother back to Asgard safely.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“We’re not leaving you!” Frey protested, his voice raw with desperation.
“That’s an order!” Thori was already focused on their enemies. He could feel the rottenseiðrhiding them from view.
Power sizzled at his fingertips as thunder rolled in the distance. He could make out the outlines of their attackers’ longships now, three ghostly shapes lurking in the fog. Thori raised his shield.
“Thori!”
Frey weakly grasped his cloak, but Thori was already running.
Sprinting to the bow, Thori jumped. He let the power of thunder and raging storms carry him across the water and onboard the largest enemy ship.
As he landed, cloaked in rain clouds, lightning struck the ship next to him, felling the mast and setting the blood-red sail on fire. Screams and panic erupted around him, and Thori grinned. He came over the enemy warriors in a whirlwind of fury. They wereVanir, raiders and priestesses alike, and they must’ve known of their presence. Their mistake, preying on a ship from Asgard.
Shield crashing against bodies, Thori spun in graceful circles, his heavy battle ax bringing death to his opponents. He cleaved through armor and flesh alike; his war cries echoing over the fjord. Fighting like a man possessed by a berserker’s rage, Thori was determined to bring doom to his enemies despite being hopelessly outnumbered.
Roaring with anger, Thori threw a man off balance with his shield. He cut the throat of another and called lightning from the skies with the same breath. Yet, even Thori’s strength had limits. For every raider he felled, two more seemed to take their place.Worse, dozens of priestesses countered his thunder’s power with their fierce chants, leaving Thori barely able to deflect theirseiðr.
