The Edge of Winter [Reserved]

The sky was overcast as a cold wind blew through the ranks of soldiers, waiting until the cover of darkness to launch their assault. This winter was going to be a grueling one, and they needed supplies or their community would suffer a significant loss. Soft mutterings to Odin could be heard as the tension rose and the sun dipped lower into the horizon. Rúna, however, was not concerned with the rituals of others, for she knew that the only way to honor the Gods properly was with blood. She spent these moments smiling, waiting for the chance to come to show her devotion and slaughter many in the name of Odin and Thor. Her grip tightened on the biting cold metal of her hammer as she fantasized about crushing bones and collecting more trophies. A hand subconsciously drifted to the collection of different bones attached on a string to her hip. Some were longer bones, others teeth, but they were all yellowed and spattered with remnants of dried blood. Most of the other warriors kept their distance from her as she sat in the lightly falling snow, drawing small but intricate symbols into the fluffy powder.

Dusk was finally upon them, and Rúna grabbed her hammer, waiting for the horn to sound the invasion and allow her to finally let loose. She hadn't killed since - probably last week. A grin crept onto her face as the horn blasted, signaling their charge. Torches lit up the fading daylight with an angry orange light, all advancing toward the wooden Palisades that bar the way to their goal. Another horn sounds out as the force is about halfway to the small town, one within the walls - they've already been alerted. Arrows flew through the darkened sky as their warriors stormed out of the gates as if they knew this would happen. This was not enough to stop Rúna, however, and she quickly sprinted toward the approaching force with zealous ferocity. Her hammer swung out and met soft flesh, accompanied by the harsh crunch of bone. Her smile widened as the man's blood sprayed onto her face, coating it in a thick layer of crimson. She moved on as an axe blade passed precariously close to her head, but she hungrily ducked and tackled the man to the ground. She grabbed the hunting knife from her belt and drove it into the exposed flesh of his chest. His pained screams fell on deaf ears as she pressed the blade upward, cutting through bone and exposing more of his innards. She plunged her right arm into the exposed cavity and grabbed his still-beating heart. With a sickening sucking sound, she pulled the organ up and out of the man's body and squeezed the warm blood over her face. She raised the blood-soaked hand to the sky, an offering to the Gods for her protection. She was in complete euphoria as she looked for another victim, her crystal blue irises scanning the battlefield.

Before she could react, an arrow pierced her back, followed by another and another. She stumbled forward, baffled as to why the arrows were able to penetrate the protection granted to her by Thor. Her vision sharpened as another combatant rushed toward her. She loosely gripped the hammer in one hand and the knife in the other. Rúna threw the hammer at the man, hitting him square in the chest before she rushed him with the knife. Every movement she made caused searing pain to shoot through her abdomen. He recovered more quickly than anticipated and managed to deliver a solid kick to her sternum. As she flew through the air, the world moved in slow motion, blades clashing, blood spilling. Her clan was losing. At least she would be welcomed into Valhalla. Her back impacted the hard ground, driving the arrows deeper into her body. The unbearable pain eventually faded into darkness, which enveloped her vision. She stood in the middle of this darkness as fire appeared in the distance, crackling and giving off a faint orange glow. All of the pain that she had felt but moments ago was long gone, like an echo of a memory far gone. She slowly approached the small blaze, which began to grow in size as she got closer. Soon, the inferno grew and stretched into the heavens as far as she could see. Before she could process what was happening, the flame spread around her to surround her. The heat was becoming unbearable as symbols formed inside of the burning wall. They didn't make sense; nothing made sense. Was this... The language of the gods? She reached her hand out to touch one of the symbols, but the fire caught onto her flesh, and she began burning. This time, the pain came rushing to her, even more intense than what she had felt in the battle. She began to scream into the void; no one was there to hear her. Had she not been welcomed into Valhalla? What had she done wrong?

Breath came back to her as she quickly sat up, screaming, remembering the burning pain that she had just experienced. This was the wrong move as a stabbing pain shot through her chest and abdomen. Her curious eyes glanced around the room, examining everything, looking for her hammer. It was nowhere in sight. Her gaze eventually fell onto the woman, someone who she didn't know. Was she captured? Rúna's hand crept toward the knife that she kept on her belt, only to find it missing. Muttering a curse under her breath, she readied herself to spring into action if needed, though she felt no hostility from this woman.