Flames roared into the midnight sky as the fire the buildings. Bodies strewn everywhere, their lifeless eyes filled with fear and anguish. They had reached Hafsloekr.
Urses and the group quietly hid along the tree line, looking to one another. Druhd spoke up, whispering to Urses. "Brother, the village is lost, we can only hope your mother and our people got away safely, t here is nothing more we can do." Druhd rested his hand on the mans shoulder as he lowered his head. The thought of his wife and family he left behind, now laying in the streets dead, or far worse.
"No, we have to see what numbers the hold inside, we had orders, we can stop this from happening to other villages." Urses said as he looked to the group, watching them as they stood still for several moments before nodding in agreement.
Laughter and howls echoed inside the village over the crackles of the fire, the east-men were still inside. They had gathered around a mass of bodies, stacking in a pile. Urses' heart sank as he stared at the bodies before Druhd grabbed him and pulled him into a pulled with the rest of them. "Brother, what did you see? What is it?"
Urses shook his head as he tried to force the thoughts from his mind, the horror still filling his heart. "Bodies, man, woman and child. Stacked and burning in the center, I..." Druhd looked as his eyes went wide, he shook his head and muttered. "Did... Did you see her?" Druhd watched as Urses shook his head, he gripped his shoulder tightly and nods firmly. "Then let us soak these plains in east-man blood."
The east-man snorted as he removed his helmet, setting it down on the table as he moved to pillage some of the baskets and boxes that lay near a small hut. His hands rumaged through the contents, scoffing as he found nothing, pulling back the curtain that covered the door. His eyes grew large as he gasped before the large hand pulled him closer, burying the blade deep within his this throat. Druhd and the other three men quickly came around as Urses laid the body down, beginning their assault.
Druhd's blade sunk deep into the chest of another east-man as the group continued to try and push further into the village shortly before another group of east-men rounded the corner. Urses cursed under his breath as one took off, screaming and hollaring. "North men! North men have returned! To me! To..." A gurgle replaced the mans words as he stopped in his tracks as a balanced axe found its way embedded within the back of his skull.
It was to late, rustles of armor and clanking of plate rattled about the village, though there was a far more terrifying sound that started to echo across the hills. Horse hooves, and what sounded like something moving across the plains. Howls and shouts came from behind them as the group of men were stilled with fear.
Chariots rode over the plains, armored in iron and black ash. Blades spun like an angry maw upon the wheels, whilest the passenger shot those who ran with a tightly strung recurve bow. White horses, painted with various colors galloped across the land, hooves kicking up dust and dirt behind them. What added to the fearsome sight, was the heads of their northern brethren that hung from the chariots and horses saddles. The army that stood as their reinforcements where no more.
"Urses, what are those?!" Druhd asked ask they quickly tried to prepare themselves, fear rising in their hearts as they listened to their friends words. "Wainriders.. Read yourselves! Shields! Aim for the ones holding the reins!" Urses yelled, placing his shield upon his back as he picked up a body of an east-man, shielding himself from the arrows.
Druhd and the others stood beside him as the army encompassed them. Druhd's back pressed to Urses' as they stood, looking all around. "Fear not the end brother, we go to meet our families and the Father. Stand proud, and die with honor... And take as many east-men with us as we can!" Urses smiled and nudged his friend, watching the group stopped, completely surrounding the five men.
One man dismounted his horse, smiling as he walked over to Urses. "You! Northman, bend knee to me and live." He snapped, pointing to the grey-haired man who was now laughing. "I'm sorry lad, say that again? I couldn't hear yeh, hard to hear you with yer head shoved up your rear so tightly." Urses scoffed, then spit at his feet. "The only knee that will be bent this day, will be yours as I take your life. Run back home little pup." The east-man brought his hand back to slap Urses but froze as he quickly closed the gap, the north-mans short sword resting on his upper thigh. "Do it, and I'll take yer putrid filth from this world."
The east-man laughed as Urses took the brunt in of a spear to the side as another soldier grabbed him by his hair and pulled him away. He struggled and fought, watching his comrades being given the same treatment. Urses growled as he tried to shake the grip, but found only a boot across his face and the world ousting like a burnt out lamp.
