Johan couldn’t say anything as the island came into view. He could only watch as the flames licked at the charred remnants of the place he had only just started to call his home.

  The houses were soot black, hollow, and most roofs had caved in. Those that were still standing had lost everything but the structure.

  They were too late.

  The silence was deafening and Johan took a shuddering breath as they walked up the beach, the smell of smoke still lingering in the air.

  A horrible feeling settled deep in his stomach. There was no-one there.

  Silently they walked through the village, taking it all in when suddenly Emil rushed past him.

  “No…” Emil muttered breathlessly, coming to a stop in front of a house. The familiar blue color was all gone, replaced by burned planks and debris laying strewn on the ground around the damning pile of black roof tiles. “Mom! Dad!”

  Emil fell to his knees and screamed.

  Johan swallowed. They were all dead. Attacked in the middle of the night, while they were sleeping. Odin, Hilda, Leif, Astrid… Everyone. They were all gone. Everyone except Emil. And now Johan couldn’t even find the words to comfort him.

  Loud and ugly sobs came from Emil.

  No apologies or comforting words would help now. Especially not from Johan.

  He bowed his head low, hoping to every being that Signe was able to get them safely.

  A raven screeched and Johan jerked back as claws landed in his hair, a small black head appearing from above. He weakly swatted at it but the only thing it did was fly off for a second before landing right back down in the same spot.

  Emil sniffled and turned halfheartedly at the noise.

  Johan swatted at it again but it kept dodging and instead landing on him in different places or snapping at his clothes and pulling when it got a grip. Johan let out an angry breath, getting fed up, and the next time it landed on his head he was prepared. He snatched it up in his hand and threw it.

  With a loud screech the raven flew away into the trees.

  Johan huffed quietly. “Sorry about that.”

  Emil just gave him a sad smile and turned back to the house.

  Suddenly the sound of thundering footsteps came from the forest. Johan turned in shock as a small white sheep practically flew out from between the trees, the proud raven perched on its head.

  “Lambert?” Emil asked, wiping his face with his sleeve.

  “Lambert!”

  Much to Johan’s horror the sheep didn’t slow down though. He sailed past Emil and right into Johan, almost knocking him to the ground and by the time he regained his balance, the sheep had bit down firmly on the leg of his pants.

  “What are you doing?!” Johan cursed loudly. He lifted his leg in the air the best he could but Lambert still held on to it, getting up on his hind legs to keep his bite on Johan’s pant leg.

  The raven flew and started pecking on Johan, grabbing the shoulder of his cloak with its talons and trying to fly off. Johan flailed with his arms, trying to get the animals off of him.

  “I think they want you to follow them.” Emil said and sniffled.

  Johan paused at the words and was almost pulled over by Lambert. He met Emil’s eyes, his pale face was flushed red and covered in tears. Johan eyed the animals worriedly but he stopped fighting them.

  Within a couple seconds they seemed to realize he had stopped struggling and started pulling him more consciously in one direction. Lambert finally let go of his leg and ran around him to start pushing from behind instead, herding him towards the forest.

  “I think you’re right.” Johan said slowly.

  “Where do you think they’re taking us?” Emil asked, getting to his feet and following Johan.

  Hopefully not towards something worse, Johan thought but didn’t dare say.

  Johan just shook his head in response. The raven now flew ahead of them, leading the way and circling back around every now and then to make sure they were following.

  It took a long time before they got there, further and further up the mountain. Then the realization hit him. He had been here many times. They were going towards -

  “Viddi’s cave.” Johan muttered to himself, his heart skipping a beat and an idea hit him.

  There was no way right…?

  He surged forward and ran.

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  Emil yelled after him but Johan didn’t stop until he stood breathlessly at the top of the hill.

  “Johan!” Emil yelled, staggering up behind him and wheezing for air and Lambert happily passed by them now, having reached the destination. But Emil wasn’t the only one that yelled his name.

  “Johan!” Johan’s legs felt weak at the sight. Odin was right there, waving at them. Johan couldn’t remember the last time a voice sounded so comforting.

  His eyes started tearing up and his whole body shuddered in relief.

  Thank the Jotun.

  Odin and Viddi stood at the opening of the caves.

  Mindlessly Johan staggered forward, crossed the distance.

  “You’re alive-”

  “My boy!” Odin laughed and before Johan knew it he was engulfed in big, strong arms.

  “Are you alright?” Viddi asked concerned and a shadow descended over them.

  “I’m fine.” Johan grunted and took a breath before pushing away from the hug. He turned to see his travel companion staring at them with tears streaming down his face. “Emil get over here!”

  “Emil.” Odin said silently, almost to himself. Johan looked up but Odin just shook his head somberly. Johan frowned. There was an aura surrounding them that he, immersed in his own relief, hadn’t noticed before then.

  “What’s going on?” Johan asked, quietly so Emil wouldn’t hear. “Where’s everyone else?”

  “Inside.” Odin said shortly with a strange look in his eyes. “Come.” Odin turned and walked inside. Johan looked up at Viddi but the giant refused to meet his eyes.

  Suddenly Emil ran past, a huge grin on his face. He ran after Odin, right into the caves. Johan followed slightly behind.

  Johan stopped right inside. As Odin said, the rest of the villagers were there, all spread into this first room of the caves, no giant in sight other than Viddi. They were all probably further inside. Big, flat stone bowls covered the floor, all containing what looked like porridge, all of them full.

  “Grandpa! Einar!” Emil ran for his family where they sat by the wall to the left. “You’re ok!”

  Johan didn’t miss the glances from the other villagers as he said that, however brief they were.

  “Emil, give you grandpa some room to breathe.” Odin scolded weakly. “Johan get over here.”

  Slowly he walked over. Johan nodded a greeting to Sigurd, Emil’s grandpa, where he held Einar in a tight hug, and noticed the tears.

  “Emil.” Odin started strongly but faltered. He hesitated for a long second. “I’m sorry, son. Your parents are dead. As is Astrid.”

  Johan froze.

  Emil stood there, completely still as he stared at Odin with big eyes. Then slowly he looked around the room.

  “I’m so sorry.” Odin started.

  “Why?” Emil interrupted, eyes snapping to Odin. He was breathing heavily now.

  “Around one in the morning we were woken up by screaming. Astrid had gone into labor.” Odin started. “ A few hours later most of us were awake and waiting for the big moment when suddenly we became aware of the danger as the ships were sailing past. Large, longboats with dozens of archers.

  Odin shook his head with a deep frown. “All we could do was spread out to try to get as many as possible out of the village. Ulfhild went to get your father but their house was one of the first to go. In the end there was only enough time to throw Einar out the window before the ceiling collapsed. ”

  A gruesome expression had grown on Emil’s face as he spoke. “But I was only gone for a day. It was only one day!”

  “Emil…” Johan muttered and suddenly Emil turned to him.

  “You.. Johan, you could have done something.” He flinched. “You’ve saved my dad before from that beam! If you hadn’t come after me you would have been here. And Signe and Note! You three could have saved them! You could have done something!”

  Johan didn’t say anything. Emil was right. He could have done something.

  Tears ran down Emil’s face as he screamed, then he stopped, a horrified look slowly taking over and he staggered back. Emil lifted a hand to his face. “I.. if I hadn’t left. If I hadn’t left this wouldn’t have happened…”

  Emil sat down and fell silent, his head in his hands.

  Odin sighed and put a comforting hand on Johan’s shoulder as he continued.

  “I understand this was supposed to be an ambush while we slept. The rest of us were lucky. We got out. Luckily we were awake when Frey came with the warning.”

  Johan's mind whirred to a stop.

  Frey had been here?

  Odin stared at the wall, eyes shining as he worked his jaw, but he didn’t cry. “I carried Astrid here, but unfortunately without a healer to help with the birth…she didn’t make it.”

  “She had her baby?” Emil looked up weakly.

  “Yeah. The child is alive.” Odin smiled gently, tears still visible in his eyes. “Once this is all over, that little boy will have a hell of a story to tell about his birth when he grows up.”

  “It’s a boy?” Emil asked and Johan squeezed his eyes shut.

  “Yeah. Trygve, after your brother.” Emil made a squeak before burying his head in his hands again, then, sobbing uncontrollably, he got to his feet. “I want to see them.” Before he even said the words, Odin pointed him in the right direction.

  Odin watched him run off then turned to Johan. “You don’t want to see the child?” His sad smile immediately fell when he saw Johan though. “What’s wrong?”

  “Frey was here?” Johan asked, feeling numb.

  Frey had been here. Just hours after trying to convince Johan that Greed was innocent, he had been here. Frey- the only one that knew where they were.

  Frey’s loyalties had only ever laid with one person and Johan was stupid to think that had changed.

  “Yes, he was. He warned us about the ships just in time.”

  Johan met Odin’s eyes. “Do not trust Frey.”

  Odin didn’t answer right away, his face cautious. “I’m going to need more information than that.” He said quietly.

  Johan wasn’t listening though.

  “How dare he.” Johan hissed, hands clenching into fists. Three people were dead because of him. Ulfhild. Trym. Astrid. All of them were dead because of Frey. Johan shook with anger. How dare he come back here after betraying them. How dare he go back to the sins. How dare he do this to the village.

  Johan turned around. Three people had died. It was time to finish this.

  “Johan, answer me.” Odin ordered.

  “Frey betrayed us yesterday and took us to face Heaven.” Johan said and Odin’s eyes widened.

  “Note and Signe-?”

  “They’re fine.” Johan said. “Frey let us go, but then he brought the enemy here.”

  A worried look settled on Odin’s face. “Johan, don’t do anything stupid.” He pleaded. “Stay here with us, where it’s safe.”

  It wasn’t safe here. It never was.

  Johan didn’t turn back.

  “I’m going to do what I should have done a long time ago.”