THE KING IN THE NORTH

10

ICE HELLchapter 10 

Carl and his fellow archers had hidden themselves on the tree, all wrapped in green leaves, while Martin had hidden themselves within the walls of the Vikings. They stayed there some times, waiting for the Easterners to attack the territory.

"I think they aren't coming; they are all focused on the battlefield," one of the warriors said.

Martin made him a shhh sound. They should keep quiet. Not long enough, the Easterners start creeping into the territory. They were very careful to avoid making noise. Carl had seen them from the top tree. He made a sign that his fellow archers should follow his lead. They will only attack if he gives them the go-ahead. They kept silent as the Easterners all walked into the territory. They divided themselves into two to look for a Viking that had remained in the land to kill, not knowing that they had been surrounded. Carl made a ready sign, the archers ready their bow to the Easterners from the tree. On the count of three from Carl, they released the arrows on the Easterners; arrows rained on them and killed many because they didn't expect it. The few who had covered themselves with shields were attacked by Martin and his warriors, and they started slaughtering the Easterners. Carl and his fellow archers had to come down from the tree; they helped in killing the Easterners. The Easterners were helpless and had no where to run to as they had been surrounded by the Vikings. Carl was brutal with his sword; he made sure no one was left alive. Martin showed no mercy until the whole Easterners were killed. One of the Easterners tried escaping by running into the forest. Carl stretches his archer towards him and releases the arrow; it went straight to his head, and the Easterner who tried running died, making it a zero survivor for the Easterners.

"That good shot, Carl." Martin praised Carl's shooting.

"We have to get to the land of Zues immediately," Carl said.

"Not in a hurry, we need to clear this and make it a sign," Martin held back Carl.

"What should we do?" Carl asked.

"All hands on deck, warriors," Martin shouts.

He started picking up the Easterners sword and shield; the other helped out; Carl and his warriors started collecting back the arrows that had killed the Easterners; they picked up all the arrows, while Martin and his warriors picked up all the swords and shields.

"Follow me, warriors," Martin instructs.

They followed him; he took the sword to an empty room, where they dumped all the swords and shields of both the Easterners helmet shields. Martin went back to carry the dead bodies to the front of the territory. He would throw the dead bodies into a pit that had been wild open for a long time.

"Why are you doing that?" Carl asked.

"These had to be done," Martin said.

"Ok, the territory had to be cleaned up, but that's after the battle; the war is on in the land of Zues; Ina might need us right now." Carl cries out.

"We will get there at the perfect time," Martin said reluctantly.

He and his warriors continue to get the dead bodies to the pit. Carl isn't happy with Martin and doesn't know if he will leave Martin and return to the land of zues or help him get the dead bodies to the pit to fasten the movement. He thought for a while and joined Martin with the work; his fellow archers joined as well, as their leader had joined hands with the others.

In the land of Zues, the Easterners are waiting for the Vikings response. While the Vikings are waiting for the Easterners to retreat, the Easterners have already sent their warriors to the Viking territory, not knowing they had been slaughtered already. The wait was more than an hour; Erik can't wait again.

"I.N.A.! Get me the head of the Easterners general now!" Erik shouted at Ina.

"Aye Vikings!" Ina is charging her warriors.

"Ahhhu!! ahhhu!!  Ahhhu!!! " The Vikings responded.

They hit their sword against their shield; it made a strangling sound, which the Easterners could hear loudly. The Easterners now knew the war was about to begin.

"We are not afraid; we are always conquerors; we are destroyers of fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. Let's get these Easterners and show them a lesson of their generation." Ina shouted to anger her warriors.

They shouted back at her in response, hit their swords with their shields, and marched their legs to the ground. The ground was vibrating, the dust was too much, and they flaws up to the cloud.

The Easterners general begins to give his warriors a last-minute word to trigger them to stand against the Vikings.

"They had taken our kind, killed our people, destroyed homes, and took away our treasures. Let's fight with what we have in us; we fight for honour; we fight for the lives lost; for our families, our land, and our treasures," the general screems

The Easterners roared in motivation; they brought out their sword, hit it to their metal helmet, and it made a noise; they marched their feet to the dust; it's flames went up to the cloud; the Easterners divided themselves into three groups; the first group was given instructions to attack; they ran towards the Vikings; the Vikings awaited them.

Lars stepped out with his archers at the front of the sword men; they raised their arches in the direction of the Easterners.

"Halt!!!" Lars shouts at the arches to follow his order.

They wait for him to give his orders. The Easterners were coming so fast. As they were 100 meters close, Lars still held his archers, eighty metres close. He still held his archers, fifty metres close. He made a ready sign.

" fireeeee" Lars shouted 

They released the arrows. It rained on the in-coming Easterners; it poured on them like rain. They tried to stop it with their shields, but it was very difficult because of the closeness and velocity it used to meet them. It killed so many of the Easterners; the remaining started coming with their shields, blocking the in-coming arrows. Lars was instructed to move back by Ina.

"Form your position, maintain your stance, and move forward." Ina orders 

The sword men came close to themselves, covered their shields, and started moving forward with one or two steps until they clashed with the Easterners. They started fighting themselves. The Easterners remaining from the archers were a little compared to the Vikings, who had countered them, so it was easy for the Vikings to slaughter them.

Erik was pleased with the first defence to attack played by the war leader (Ina).

"This is a brilliant attack; I didn't see this coming," Erik said to his brother Janssen.

"She has a lot to offer, but the war is not won yet." Janssen isn't pleased yet.

The next Easterners that were coming forward were moving in one or two steps slowly. Ina couldn't figure out what they were up; she ordered them to go after them, and the Viking swordmen ran after them.

The Easterners coming forward had their archers with them; they continued coming slowly, and as the Vikings were approaching, they released their archers. What the Vikings saw was the cloud of coming arrows.

Maintain formation," "Ina shouted.

It was already too late to cover up the arrows, killing many of the Vikings. Some had formed the formation by covering themselves with their shields. The force was great, but their shields were too strong to stop the arrows. The Easterners got close to the Vikings and started killing them. The Vikings fought back, swords killing from left and right. Ina was very strong; she fights well with swords. Kristen saw what's going on; he thinks the Easterners might have overpowered the Vikings; he orders his horsemen to attack; they ride to the battlefield; they start killing the Easterners. Ina was pleased by Kristen's coming at the right time, but she was a bit upset.

"Why did you attack? " Ina asked angrily.

"You needed help, "Kristen replied.

"Oh, thank you, but I never asked for help; everything was in control," Ina said.

"Not what I saw; you had almost been eaten up by the Easterners," Kristen fires back.

They continued fighting the Easterners. Lars joined up with the fellow archers; they had brought out their sword to join up the battle; the horsemen of the Easterners joined up for the battle; the battle heated up; the Vikings were killing the Easterners at some point; the Easterners started throwing oil at the Vikings, which made them slippery; the Easterners had to use the advantage to kill the Vikings.

"What's that? This is good technique by the Easterners, but they got it all wrong," Erik says.

He (Erik) and Janssen joined the battle with his warriors, who strengthened the Vikings but weren't enough as the Easterners were still winning.

"What other plan do you have, Ina?" Lars shouted at Ina.

"Where are Carl and Martin?" Kristen asked.

"Blow the trumpet," Ina orders.

The trumpet couldn't blow because of the oil. At this point, Ina thought she had failed her first battle; she remembered what Erik had said to her. She rushed the trumpet man, took it from him, and tried it herself, but no sound could be made.

Will this be the end of the Vikings? The Easterners are becoming stronger, killing the Vikings. The generals and other Easterners warriors joined up to finish the battle, and the Vikings are becoming weaker.

Erik can't call off the fight; the Vikings never retreat from a war; the battle was going in the favour of the Easterners; Ina can only stand and watch her men being slaughtered by the Easterners; she thought of giving up by taking her own life; at the moment, she was about to cut her neck. Theirs comes an arrow flying from the skies to the Easterners. Ina looks sideways; it was Carl and his men shooting the arrows. She looked left side. Martin was running with his warriors to the battlefield. She was encouraged; she shouted in joy and to motivate the other Vikings still alive.

"We never give up in a war; we fight till the end; we are Vikings!" Ina shouted 

They start fighting back, like there was another energy added to the Vikings. They start killing the Easterners. Martin meets up with the war and starts killing ruthlessly with his warriors. Carl was fighting with his archer, shooting arrows at any Easterners he sees. If he shoots, he gets close, takes his arrows back, and fires the next person. The battle was controlled perfectly by the arrivals of Martin and his brother Carl. The Vikings begin to win the battle. Ina sees the Easterners going down; she sees the general very strong killing the Vikings; she hears the voice of Erik in her head, "Get me the Easterners general head." She starts going in the direction of the general, killing every Easterner who is blocking her way.

Everyone was busy fighting, killing, and slaughtering the Easterners. Martin began to look for Ina, as he hadn't seen her. He began to kill to find Ina. As he was killing, he found Kristen still fighting strong on his horse.

"Kristen! Where is Ina?" Martin asks Kristen.

"Don't know Martin, I am happy you're here; let's teach these Easterners a lesson." Kristen response 

Kristen didn't figure out what Martin was actually asking him. Martin looked ahead and saw Ina fight to meet the general; he followed her up. Ina never knew Martin was coming for her. She met the general.

"I gave you a chance to return home, but you brought your people here to die," Ina shouted at the general.

"The war is not won yet," the general said.

Ina rushed to fight the general. Carl, from behind, shot the general to the chest. At the same time, Martin threw his sword to hit the general. Ina was surprised, as before she could get to the general, he had been shot and pierced. She looked at Carl and Martin, and they smiled at her. Ina took off the general head and raised it up.

"Here are your general Easterners," Ina shouted.

As the Easterners saw their general head, they started running away. The Vikings started capturing them and killing some of the Easterners, who were stubborn. The Vikings start rejoicing over their victory.