Nifflheim

The End is the Beginning Pt. 1

I shudder awake to the shouts echoing a few meters in front of me. The sharp hum in my ears muffle the words they carry.

"Steady!"

"Hello?" my throat scratches out, not receiving an answer.

A coarse cloth is wrapped tightly around my eyes. It's rough edges cut into the sides of my head like thin daggers. Groggy and exhausted, I lift my head to follow the words fluttering around me. Chains rattle from firmly clasped restraints strangling my wrists. The scorching metal burns my skin like it has been cooking in the sun for hours. I pull against them but they anchor on the wooden beam I am firmly pressed up against.

"Hello! Can someone tell me what's going on?" I yell, dread overtaking me.

"Aim!" The word breaches my distracted ear.

Aim?... I need to get out of here!

I twist my body frantically. My heels carve a foothold into the dirt and I shove my back against the pole. The air in my lungs escapes my lips on impact. The cloth shifts and lays askew across my tender cheek. The sun blinds me, bright and hot like searing coals pressed into my eyes.

There must be something that I can use. Something, that can get me out of here!

My eyes adjust to the yellow haze and now witness a line of archers standing in front of me, bows drawn, motionless, like stone statues. The owner of the unknown voice to their right. My heart skips.

Rage bubbles in my chest and replaces the confusion and dread. "What are you doing to me!"

I struggle against my bindings in a last-ditch effort to escape.

"FIRE!"

A flurry of arrows flutter towards me in slow motion. They dance elegantly, without a care, quietly advancing to their unfortunate target. Fear slithers back into my helpless mind.

Is this really the end?

The array of arrows pierce my torso with ease. Sharp, white-hot pain resonates through my entire body as if molten metal has replaced the blood in my veins. A stiff, beautiful red feather, caps the arrow stems and matches the blood staining my clothes. A deep black hue creeps from the outskirts of my eyes until only darkness remains.

No... I don't want to... I cant...

My thoughts dissolve and my head sinks to my chest. The pain fades and my heartbeat slows. I focus on its rhythmic beating going thump-thump... thump-thump... thump-thump...

*****

I jolt awake. Wind swirls around me with unforgiving howls. I can't help but to shiver as it steals the grey clouds escaping my lips. I sit up. Icicles break off my frosted body and shatter on the ground around me. A foul odor overtakes my defenseless nose.  My frostbitten fingers move to shield my nose and rub against my thick, coarse beard.  A few short, black strands fall as my other hand rummages through my hair, brushing off the frost and dirt that has collected there.

"How long have I been lying here?" I grumble to myself.

The frigid touch of water nips at my feet from the colorless, endless sea before me. The elegant motion of its waves crack and tear the ice on its surface and push it to shore. A faint moon-like light radiates from the sky above, however, there is not a moon nor stars within sight. Just a pitch-black sky gazing down upon me with daunting oppression. My head throbs and visions of arrows plague my mind.

The arrows!...

My hands glide to my chest, anticipating their touch but are instead greeted by chilled armor.