The Fires of Apollyon

Warband

Several Vikings sat around a campfire and roasted meat from a bear they had killed earlier that day.  One of them, an axe-wielding Berserker, perked up when he heard snow crunch behind him.  The Raider was standing behind him, with Lukas looming behind him, hood drawn over his helmet.

"Um, hello?" Runa, a Valkyrie, said as she saw the two men.  Several of her fellow  Vikings turned to see these new arrivals.

Lukas stabbed his shield into the snow and leaned on it.  The Raider crouched next to the Vikings.  "You are Warborn, some of the most fearsome of Vikings.  Why do you sit here and kneel like weaklings?  Get to your feet.  I will lead the Warborn to their prior glory and restore their legends.  My cause has even brought Lukas, one of the most skilled of the Black Priors.  Join me, and once more will the Warborn be feared above all clans," the Raider said as the Vikings nodded.

Several hours later, the warband arrived at the village ruled by Ragnar, a Viking who took advantage of the position Apollyon put him in and had stolen and hoarded up food for his own people.  Lukas looked from his hiding place to see the gate fully guarded.  He gestured for a throwing axe and reared his arm back and planted it dead center of a guard's skull.  Screaming Vikings ran from the woods, heading straight for the village gate.  As they ran in, the Raider and Lukas walked in after them.  Warriors spread out to find the food stores while the leaders headed for the great hall.  Lukas walked up to the doors and pushed them open.  He stood aside as the Raider walked in.  Ragnar turned to see his uninvited guests.

"You," he said as he looked at the Raider.

"Ragnar! Have you no shame?  Our people starve while you feast.  Give up your stores or face the consequences," the Raider said as several Vikings approached him, but were frightened by a menacing Lukas who stood to the side.  Ragnar looked at the door and made a run for it with the Raider in hot pursuit.  Lukas ran out behind him and took across country.  He knew the area enough to know that Ragnar was likely fleeing to the harbor.  As soon as Lukas reached it, he saw the Raider retrieve a hatchet from a stump and hurl it into Ragnar's shoulder, knocking him from his horse.  By the time the Raider had reached Ragnar, Lukas had him by his vest and had  his sword at his throat and his shield stabbed in the snow nearby.

"What have you to say of yourself?" The Raider asked.

"I'll never join the Warborn!" Ragnar shouted.

"Then you'll be alone," the Raider said as he turned to leave.

Ragnar broke free and lunged at the Raider, but he was grabbed by Lukas.  Lukas slammed his neck onto the top of shield, stunning the Viking.  Lukas stepped away then raised his sword and cleaved through Ragnar's neck.  Even the Raider was impressed with the severe sentence.  The rest of the Warborn arrived, followed by Ragnar's men, who swore allegiance to the Warborn.

The following day, the Raider led a warband to retrieve prisoners of a Viking warlord named Siv.  Siv had captured several members of the Warborn, including Stigandr, the Leader of the Warborn.  Siv had built her stronghold near the top of a mountain, to give her lookouts the best line-of-sight.  The Raider pointed to several cages with Warborn.  Lukas nodded and snuck to one cage that had a raider that was a woman.  He guessed she could easily benchpress him.  Lukas drew a knife and started cutting the rope tying the cage closed.  The Raider came out and stretched.  She retrieved her battle-axe and cracked her neck.  "What's a knight doing out here in Valkenheim?" she asked.

"Fixing the problems I made when I helped Apollyon.  I'm with the Warborn and the Raider to rebuild Valkenheim.  I'm Lukas, by the way," Lukas said as he held out his hand.

"Alfrin.  I was hunting when I got jumped.  I woke up a few days later to find myself here," Alfrin said as she followed Lukas to the center of the field where the Raider had several other Warborn Viking warriors.  A alarm sounded from the fortress and soldiers ran out.  The Warborn army charged up the hill and hit the enemy as the Raider saw the main guardhouse unguarded.  Siv soon joined the fight and hacked at soldiers with her twin axes.

Siv stopped and looked around, looking for the Raider.  "RAIDER!  RAIDER!!" Siv screamed as Lukas stepped forward, seeing the Raider wasn't around.  He stabbed his shield into the ground and slung his sword belt over it and drew the sword.

"I'm afraid he's indisposed at the moment.  I'll be more than a challenge for you," Lukas said as Siv leaped at him, but he he held his sword up and caught the blow, causing Siv to stumble back.  He swung, but she dodged the attack.  She raised her axes to strike, but Lukas punched her in the face and threw her over his shoulder and fell backwards, falling on her.  Siv, after having a two hundred pound man plus armor dropped on her, was quite stunned and she staggered to her feet.  Lukas picked Siv up and held her over his head.  Then he dropped her over his knee, shattering her spine.  He threw the corpse down and gathered his gear.  The Raider walked up, followed by Stigandr, a Warlord who wore the head and hide of a bear of a hunt.  Stigvard nodded at Lukas.

"So, you this Black Prior I've been told about?  Can't say I'd expect you to have joined us so easily and readily, but we'll take what we get," Stigvard said as he shook Lukas's hand.

"I'm not joining.  I'm helping rebuild Valkenheim however I can.  If it means helping some crazy Vikings, then I don't have much choice," Lukas said as he threw his hood up.  "As for now, the Blackstone Legion has a garrison in the shipyards to the south.  I suggest that be our target.  You lot will clean up the mess.  I'll clear it,"  Lukas said as he mounted a horse and rode to the shipyards.