Chapter 2
After the long night he had Kol is still sleeping well into the day until he wakes up to the hurt of Ragnar kicking him in the ribs over and over.
“Did you really think you could hide in here and not pay me what you owe maggot?” Questions Ragnar stopping for a second to change from kicking to punching.
Through all the hits Kol tries to talk. “I have the money, I wasn’t trying to avoid you Ragnar. I just over slept!” He yells.
Stopping Ragnar stands over him with a smile. “We’ll see boy, get up and get outside now or it’ll be double.”
Kol nods his head right away getting out of his bed in the hay of the run down barn, right after Ragnar is gone he goes to his hiding place for the money getting just enough to pay Ragnar for this week saving the rest to leave afterward, he had hoped he would have been able to leave before he had to pay but things didn’t work out that way, no choice now but to pay.
Outside of the run down building that has served as Kol’s home for a long time is the fend known as Ragnar and the usual group of homeless kids that he shakes down. Most of them are skin and bone barley alive from starvation and as far as he knows none of them are demigods except for him and Ragnar.
“Ah here he is, the loser son of Loki. Maybe I should give you another beating like my father does to yours all the time, what does everyone think?” He questions pushing Kol into the wall and sending a small amount of electricity through him.
“Rot in Helheim Ragnar.” Says Kol.
Every one of the other children gasp wondering what will happen next knowing that no one ever talks back to Ragnar.
“What did you say boy?” Questions Ragnar getting in Kol’s face.
Balling his fists Kol stares at him straight in his eyes. “Thor has always been known to be a great wise god, who is fair and just. I bet he’s ashamed to call you son.”
Without a word Ragnar starts beating the hell out of Kol. He tries his hardest to fight back but with Ragnar’s powers he’s no match for him and soon he is on the floor bleeding all over.
“That’s right, I like it when my girls bleed. You know what I think you’re going to have to give me a little more than just the money this time.” He says grabbing his crouch.
Defiantly Kol spits at Ragnar in answer.
“We’ll see if you spit when I’m done.” He laughs dragging Kol by his hair back into the house and slamming the door closed behind them.
Kol tries to crawl towards the door but before he can reach it Ragnar laughs stomping on his back so he freezes in pain hoping that his back isn’t broken.
Licking his lips Ragnar grabs Kol’s pants pulling them down followed swiftly by his own but before he can do anything more Kol rolls over onto his back lashing out punching Ragnar with everything he has.
Swiftly Ragnar gets over his surprise kicking and punching Kol again, then pulling a knife from his pants he gets ready to plunge it deeply into Kol’s chest but before he can Kol disappears reappearing at the far end of the room surprising them both.
Regaining his composure Kol stands staring at Ragnar literally glowing with power and anger. “Your time of hurting people has come to an end Ragnar, your father will not save you and tonight you will sleep in hell.” Says Kol shooting daggers of magic at Ragnar.
Easily Ragnar blocks each of the daggers with his knife stunning Kol into complete silence.
With a laugh Ragnar pulls up his pants glowing with power of his own. “Did you really think you could defeat me punk? I am the son of Thor! Now I’ll cut you up and while you bleed to death I’ll have my way with you, then I will drag your dead body out of the house and make sure none of the others challenge me ever again.”
“No Ragnar you won’t.” Smiles Kol as a wooden board pierces Ragnar’s back and exits his chest. “Did you really think that I’d just attack you from the front?” He smiles watching him die slowly.
Choking on his own blood Ragnar finally stops moving as Kol watches calmly as mixed feelings course through him, with a sigh of relief he walks over to the dead body checking his clothes for money. After a few minutes he has all of the coin that Ragnar had taken from the other kids outside. He smiles as the thoughts of what he could do with that much money fill his head until suddenly he remembers the starving kids outside. With a sigh he heads back outside to the starving kids.
“Ragnar will bother none of you anymore.” He says flatly beginning to hand out money to the others who take it gladly before running off.
“What have you done Kol?” Questions the last child named Hagar. “Do you know who Ragnar worked for?”
Kol had never thought about it before, all he had known was Ragnar. He never thought he might have worked for someone else, with a questioning look he glances over at Hagar. The poor boy was half starved and short for a Norseman even at his age, he was only five foot four with brown hair and eyes to match, his face had just begun to produce hair but unfortunately it was only growing in patches making him look even more ridiculous.
“Who did he work for?” Questions Kol.
“He worked for his older brother Calder.”
Kol had been on cloud nine until he heard that, now he had shivers running up and down his spine as fear crept back into his heart. Everyone had heard of Calder and his gang of thugs, he was twenty five years old and was basically the older and uglier version of Ragnar. He held everyone in fear in the city of Skaalholt including the king himself, everyone paid him money every month and those who didn’t were never heard from again.
“I didn’t know Calder was Ragnar’s brother.” Says Kol suddenly feeling sick to his stomach as well.
“That’s why Ragnar was collecting from us, it was his bothers way of training him to join him eventually, when he finds out you killed Ragnar he’ll have your head on a pike.” Shakes Hagar in fear looking around.
“Then I better leave now, thanks for the heads up.” Says Kol running towards the forest.
As he runs full speed Kol suddenly stops hearing noise behind him, without breaking stride he flips into the air turning and landing facing the opposite direction with his dagger drawn. To his surprise Hagar is running up completely out of breath.
“What do you want?” Questions Kol angrily.
“I want to come with you, there’s nothing for me here Kol. I yearn to see the world and find adventure, I promise I won’t be a burden, I’ll carry my own weight and watch your back.” He answers bowing slightly.
“Get up fool, I’m not your master.” He snaps. “I’m not sure you coming with me is a good idea Hagar, I would feel responsible for you and if anything happened to you I’d feel bad, not to mention the gods would frown upon me more than they already do.”
“As of right now I resolve you of any and all responsibility for me; if I die, I do so because of my own fault and say now that you cannot be held responsible by the gods.” He replies.
“I don’t know.” He pauses thinking about it.
“I can watch out for you both.” Come’s a familiar voice.
Kol turns to see Bjorn appearing from the forest.
“I thought you said you didn’t want me around, you told me to get a different life.”
“And it seems you ignored by advice, killing Ragnar plunged you into this life whether you like it or not. So now that you’ve got no choice and are going on the road you and your friend may follow me as my apprentices, in exchange I will train and protect you both until such time as you are ready to go out on your own.” States Bjorn happily.
“What’s the catch?” Frowns Kol skeptically.
“Who says there has to be a catch?” Laughs Bjorn.
“Because when something sounds too good to be true in our world, it usually is.” Answers Hagar for them both. “I mean how do we know for sure you that you will keep your word and not sell us into slavery the first chance you get?”
Without answering Bjorn throws a dagger in between the two young men barley missing them both.
Reacting to the t
hreat Kol pulls out his dagger ready to defend himself and Hagar drops to the floor cowering in fear.
Unfazed by the dagger Bjorn calmly points to a spot behind them. Reluctantly, Kol turns to see a young man lying face down in the dirt, on his right forearm is the tattoo of an eagle carrying an axe, the symbol of Calder’s followers. Finally, Hagar gets up off of the ground staring at the dead man along with Kol in silence.
“Is that proof enough? If not, I believe Kol can vouch for me, if I had wanted to kill him or enslave him I would have last night.” Stares Bjorn firmly.
Hagar stares at Kol in question, nodding his head for a moment Kol looks at Hagar meeting his gaze.
“He’s right, had he wanted to he would have last night. In fact, if he wanted to kill us or enslave us right now I’m sure he could.” Says Kol somberly.
With a sigh Hagar nods in agreement. “Will you train both of us?”
“Of course I will son.” Replies Bjorn. “So, what is your decision?”
“I accept.” Bows Kol for a moment.
“As do I, can I ask you something though?” Queries Hagar shyly.
“By all means ask away, but let us begin our journey. I’m sure that more men will be arriving shortly to kill you that will complicate our journey.”
As the three of them begin walking through the forest they all fall silent for a moment, Kol looks over at Hagar to find him staring intently at the ground.
“Well what did you want to ask him?” Questions Kol impatiently.
Shaking a little bit from Kol startling him Hagar looks sheepishly from Kol to Bjorn whose back is still to them walking silently.
“I was wondering sir, I mean I’ve never had a father and well you called me son earlier so if you didn’t mind…” He begins with his voice trailing off.
Kol looks at him stunned to be hearing this, and then stares back at Bjorn curious at what he might say.
Without turning Bjorn coolly answers with a slight chuckle. “I don’t know about that boy, let me think about it for a bit alright?”
“I understand sir.” He sniffs miserably beginning to cry a bit.
“Understand this child!” Barks Bjorn, spinning on Hagar. “I would never have a child so weak as to cry over something like that! You know what? Yes, I’ll be your father because obviously you need someone to beat the weakness out of you.”
Hagar smiles. “Oh thank you father I will…”
Before he can finish the back of Bjorn’s hand connects with his face knocking him to the ground.
“If I ever catch you crying over something like that again I’ll kill you myself, is that understood?” He questions standing over him.
“I…I understand father.” He says rising to his feet dropping his head in shame.
Grabbing his chin in his hand Bjorn forces Hagar’s face up to look into his eyes. “Never feel shame son, a choice that ends in your defeat in anyway is no more than a life lesson you have learned from. You understand it, learn from it and move on. Is that understood?”
“Yes father.”
With a satisfied look on his face Bjorn turns back around walking again. “And what about you Kol?”
“What about me Bjorn? I have a father and no matter how absent from my life he has been I’m not looking for another.” He says flatly.
“Excellent answer, you see son that is the kind of confidence I wish to instill in you.”
“Yes father.” He whispers quietly.
“Now where shall we go?” Asks Bjorn.
“I am heading to Greece one way or another; if you have other plans then you can forget about our agreement right now.” Answers Kol.
Laughing Bjorn stops to look at them. “And why would you want to go there little one? Our gods don’t even rule there, the Olympians do, I’m not sure your father would even answer your prayers there.”
“He doesn’t answer my prayers now and I don’t need my father to hear me anyway, all I need is for him and the other gods to see my deeds, besides to get there we have to travel a great distance, we can travel through our lands and many others to get to Greece. Between here and there many dangers and adventures await us, many monsters and challenges we will face and with them we will become legends.”
“What say you son?” Bjorn questions as he looks to his new surrogate son.
“Let’s make history father.”
“Then to Greece it is and may the gods watch us and take stock of our deeds.” Smiles Bjorn.
The three of them begin jogging through forest excited about the adventure to come.