15468/FLASHBACK: The Early Days of War

FLASHBACK: The Early Days of War
Date of Scene:	26 July 2023
Location:	Palace - Asgard
Synopsis:	Back in the mists of time! Asgardians face the early war.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Brunnhilde, Sif

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Thor has posed:
    The waves washed across the bow of the weathered vessel Ferringr, its dragon figurehead standing rampant and defiant as the very ocean surrendered to its will and the winds carried it on its way to find battle. Though not the battles of yor, that the crew had been used to. But a new kind of battle. One for the fate of the entire world they were told when the Gods arrived. They had seen the power in Odin's spear. They had seen how the Gods did battle. They had embraced their ways. And now it was to war they sailed.
    And when sailing long distances a song is required.
    Deep voices boomed, roaring warriors moving about the ship, swinging from the twisting mast, stomping down the aisles between the benches. All voices raised.

"The ritual of blood is a gift!"
"To the spirits of the sea!"
"They will help us reach!"
"The place of our glory!"

"Through the sea!"
"Through fire!"
"Through honorable death in fighting!"
"We will come to the sacred land!"

"Nothing stops us!"
"Nothing breaks us!"
"Our father awaits us!"
"In the golden halls of Valhalla!"

    And the crew of the Ferringr knew no fear. For in truth they had the Gods among them.

Brunnhilde has posed:
The golden warrior known as the Valkyrie had been one of those Gods taking part in the battles. Right at tip of Odin's spear and giving no quarter. Battle raged in her blood and death sang in her soul, ready to take those worthy of her embrace towards those golden halls that were Valhalla. Where only the best of warriors would go to. The bravest.

With few equal in prowess the Valkyrie stroke a figure of lean perfection. Winged helmet atop intricate braids done the viking style. Sharp blue eyes, vibrant and energetic, fueled by the braveness of these vikings that sailed to war. Golden armor of the valkyries that fit her powerful build perfectly and a long wolf cloak. For weapons she had brought but one. The fabled Dragonfang which rested upon her scabbard as she joined the others in song.

".. Our father awaits us! - In the golden halls of Valhalla!"

And all the while her eyes sought through the mists their destination. The place where they would fight the invaders. Where blood would be spilled. In the name of Asgard and Midgard.

Sif has posed:
Sif's voice was as loud as any man because, of course, she had to. Not because they asked it of her. She was still young, for an Asgardian, and full of those impetuous ways, feeling that the old warriors might be looking down at her. Being female just added to the belief she needed to pull her weight and some extra to prove herself. She didn't want to be thought weak nor that she needed to be protected.

Even if she had already proven herself, this was ever in her mind at this time. And she was known to be a good warrior. Even if she was greener than the more experienced warriors.

She sang along, her voice a nice alto but she wouldn't be making a living as a bard at any point in her life. She could sing without making cats howl to the heavens in pain at least. And thus she was standing at the back of the ship, hand on the side, as she raised her voice to sing with her fellow warriors. She was dressed in silver, red and white. Not the typical colors for armor but it suited her well. The winged helm atop her head, her dark hair contained a duo of braids down from each side of her head and falling to her back. It had to be it would be in her face with the wind coming from behind them and filling the sail.

Thor has posed:
    Captain Hrafngr stood at the tiller, guiding the ship as it surged through the waves, the sail snapping back and forth. These were the times when the ship was at its boldest, when the crew had not the need to pull upon the oars, but instead could eat, drink, and indulge in song and camaraderie. And the strong figures of the Gods, they were so like them... and yet so unlike them.
    For there was the Valkyrie, bold and powerful in her golden armor, looking like a being descended from on high, a fable given form. And there was Sif, queen of blade and sword. She and Brunnhilde formed the perfect counterpoint one to the other. Perfection in form and movement, spear and steel. And then there was Thor. The Son of Odin. Yet he was perhaps the most approachable of these visitors from Asgard. For he was like them. Ever a warm word and a supportive voice. Oh he was arrogant, and a touch rough. But that made him just like the warriors in the boat.
    And... he had a sense of humor.
    "Sif... oh no, Sif!" Thor said as he leapt down onto the deck of the ship between the oars, his hands outstretched in panic. "I dropped my hammer overboard. We have to go back!"
    Already some of the vikings were laughing.
    Then there was a sudden /WHUM/ and a splash of water from off the side of the ship as the Mighty Hammer Mjolnir leapt out of the waters and into his hand.
    "Oh nevermind, here it tis." Thor's grin was wholesome... if insufferable.

Brunnhilde has posed:
And here was the Young Prince. For all his boasting he had proved himself at the battlefield as the strongest of them. Valkyrie laughs with them as well, vibrant and full of life, a clear contrast to the death and pain she has to tend to in the battlefield.

"Worry not, Prince Thor." She replies, still through a laugh, "We can help you learn to handle your new toy if you so need." her tone sharp yet joining in with the rough humor. Because there was no doubt what she meant by 'toy' in those words!

She lifts one arm then amidst new laughs from the crew, finger pointing towards a spot in the mists. "I see something!" she calls out.

Were they close to their destination?

Sif has posed:
Though Sif would like to be annoyed, she couldn't help but smirk a little bit at the joke. Because, honestly? If she had a weapon that returned to her hand, she would certainly be doing the same sort of thing. Just to test the limits. Okay, and because it was funny.

"Perhaps it should be in the hands of someone else, that is worthy of such an honor but will treat it with all due respect," she suggested in a too-casual tone. "I am certainly there are many warriors worthy on this ship to wield such a formidable weapon."

Thankfully they were saved from that challenge getting taken up on as Hilde spotted something. Sif pushed off from the side of the ship, already having her sea legs so more than comfortable as the ship moved beneath them. She peered off into the distance where something might be?

Thor has posed:
    "Oh I have no need for lessons, as you can surely attest, dear Brunnhilde." Thor says as he chides her, grinning and hooking Mjolnir to his hip as he starts to advance along the aisle between oars. He moves toward the front where the valkyrie and Sif stand, his gaze distant and upon the mist. He caught no sight of whatever held Brunnhilde's attention, yet that did not stop him from looking. Though he had enough wherewithal to reply to his childhood friend.
    With a slight sniff he tells Sif, "I am clearly the only one worthy, see it says so even on the side." He motions to the hammer. But then another voice comes to the fore."
    The captain had learned not too long ago to trust the lady's vision. Hrafngr turned toward the one he considered his right hand and said simply, "Pharn, oars."
    It was then Pharn's job to repeat the order loudly, "OARS YOU INSUFFERABLE LITTLE FOOLS, OARS!"
    The vikings without protest drew the oars, placed them, and simultaneously pushed them into water, causing the ship to urge forward even as the sail was struck.
    

Brunnhilde has posed:
The more they navigated now the further those mists wrapped about them. Unnaturally so? Hard to tell. Yet to most human vision they could barely see past a palm in front of their nose such was the thickness of the fog. Perhaps an herald of things to come.

The song had given way to the sound of men at work with the oars, the push and pull as they made way to where Brunnhilde had called out having seen 'something'. Land? Another ship? Something else?

Blue eyes narrow and she puts one foot up on the front of the ship, leaning forward as she tries to spot whatever it was that she had seen. "Odiiiin!" she calls out, voice carrying and echoing through those mists. She waits a moment and looks over to Thor and Sif.

"The song of blood and death is in the air. I do not like this." her voice sober now.

Sif has posed:
It hadn't taken long for Sif to learn to trust Hilde's instincts. As a valkyrie, she was able to sense things that were beyond that of Sif herself. Beyond many of the warriors of Asgard, truth be told.

At those words of ill, Sif fell silent and listened. The sound of the water, the oars sliding in and out, the creak of the wood that made up the ship. Breathing of the men working the oars.

There was the wet feel of of the fog around them, cool on the skin and leaving that hint of moisture due to the denseness. Her left hand rested on her scabbard, below the crossguard on her sword so she would be able to draw it easily should something go amiss.

She listened to hear if there were other oars to be heard but the thick fog was like a blanket, making it difficult to tell if that was something else or just an echo. No sounds of leather such as might be from gear or horse tack. No shouts or cries from a battle field.

Just that eerie calm.

Thor has posed:
    "Whatever it is," Thor says as he stands beside the two Asgardian women, one of the vikings stepping up to take a look as well. "We will face it and defeat it." Then he adds with a slight half-smirk, "Even if it is naught but a case of nerves plaguing our good Valkyrie."
    Though those words were likely nothing more than wishful thinking from the young man now called Thunderer amongst the warriors. He took a deep breath, held it, then listened. Giving time for the dark and shadow to tell them its secrets. Yet naught was to be heard. Now at the least.
    It was in this calm that Thor spoke again, though soft and aware of what could be at stake. He motions with a slight lift of his chin toward the right some. "The water quickens, perhaps we are near a shore." Which would make sense as the ships would often hug near shore for navigation.

Brunnhilde has posed:
The Valkyrie is in full serious mode now, making her ignore the lil jab by the Prince, jumping down from the front of the ship to the middle. She strides over to pick up a bow. Arrow set on fire and she shoots it towards where Thor had motioned towards. Seeking shore.

The arrow flies. Long. Longer than any mortal could hope to shoot such a bow before it eventually becomes still, the burning fire a beacon through the mists. "There!" she points. "Land!" yet whatever excitement she may have at such is quickly cut at as she narrows her eyes.

Something amiss. The sounds of movement on the water. More lights than the arrow she shot.

They had found land, but they were also not alone.

Sif has posed:
"Get us to shore," Sif hissed in the direction of the captain. Not the men on the oars as they were not hers to command, though they likely would listen to her.

She drew her sword from her side, listening to those noises getting louder as they approached. Preparing to leap into the fray. Then she realized that is precisely what she should do. Though, she'd be leaping in blind? Not the wisest of paths to take.

Yet she was already shifting her weight from foot to foot as she took in the various lights that were coming on at the shore. Trying to pinpoint commands or words being said, sounds of weapons being drawn or them being under attack before they even hit the shore. They needed to land quickly.

Thor has posed:
    It takes a touch more to draw the seriousness out of Thor. But with the sight of those distant lights, that would do it. He unhooked Mjolnir from his hip and he gives a nod to one of the vikings near. Just a small gesture of solidarity but a palpable thing. For these warriors had seen what their enemies could do. Were it not for the Asgardians... many a battle would have gone ill.
    He looks toward Sif when she makes ready and gives her a nod as well. His focus shifts toward the land beyond, and he murmurs. "We should go ashore, espy what we can."
    Hrafngr steps up, his great fur cloak covering his shoulders as he dons his helmet. His eyes slide toward the Asgardians and he nods. "We will hold here until your return or the sound of battle. Then we will do what we do, and let Odin look well upon us."
    Thor looks to the others as if for objections, then he nods as the ship moves closer to land...