Eric Olafson, Fleet Cadet 16

Chapter 16: Dark Blade

I did not feel like celebrating but I sat down with the others at the big table and was asked to tell them about my time at the academy. I gave them a very rough and condensed version and I did not even finish part of it as there was too much to explain and I could tell I had lost them as I told about the formal dinner, so I recalled the events around the duel and that was well received. I also told father that I would not be here for long and that a ship was on its way to pick me up.

Elena was quite disappointed I could tell but she told me that father was about to be engaged again with Sigfrida. I liked Sigfrida and I knew he could not beat her to death. Thinking about mother’s fate by the hand of my father once again brought up the image of my mother’s bleeding body and the countless times he had beaten and tortured me.

My hand cramped around the grip of Mördaren and the thought of splitting my father from head to toe in half was very attractive.

I was almost there when a voice thundered in my head.” Eric, I must see you.”

It was Tyr.

All thoughts of killing my father left me and the dark images of my memories were washed away with the joy I felt hearing his mental voice. I got up and told them I needed to retire and rushed before anyone could say much out of the Great Hall.

Something grabbed me, it was not like the instantaneous teleportation I experienced with Narth but I passed through walls and flew with open eyes and faster than any flyer across the ice without feeling the wind or the cold.

In mere moments I crossed almost halfway around the planet and found myself solid and on my feet in the underwater cave, deep below the Pillar burg only a few hard beats later. There in the natural stone basin, floated the largest white Tyranno Fin of Nilfeheim. This enormous predator, this being of such tremendous power was Tyr and he was a mentor but also a great friend.

When I first saw him in this cave I was afraid, this time I simply felt joy to see him awake so I could talk to him before I had to leave again.”Tyr.” I jelled both with my voice and in my mind and reached out to touch his enormous snout.”I am so glad you are awake.”

“Not for long little fish. I must return to the sleep soon, but I had to see you before you return to the stars.”

“I expected you to be asleep otherwise I would have been seeking you first.”

“I know that little fish and your uncompromising dedication and fondness to an old big fish makes me feel quite warm. Now I must talk of urgent matters to you. I have had a very special visitor. That visitor is the reason I am awake. The Narth has been seeking me out and it pleases me beyond my ability to express that you found friendship there.”

“I guess I should have kept silent about you but I shared my Inner something with my best friend and there was nothing I could or wanted to hide from him.”

“All is good Eric. I have done the same with the Narth Supreme and I must say I am richer for it, but you must leave your sword with me.”

“Of course. I got it right here.”

There was suddenly a strong sense of resistance. Why would the fish want my sword? What possible use could Tyr have for a simple steel weapon? It was given to me by my grandfather. The thought to raise the weapon against Tyr suddenly occurred to me.

I marveled about my own thoughts, Tyr did not need to explain to me why he wanted anything. He was my friend and that was reason enough to give him whatever he desired.”

I unhooked the belt.

“Eric, this sword is not what it seems and it has disguised itself to look like a Viking broadsword and it is waiting for you for a very long time. It is yours and no force in the Universe can separate you from it for long, but you are not ready yet. You must master it, right now it is trying to master you and that must be avoided at all cost.”

I tossed the sword from me.” I knew it. I felt it. I know I am a savage more than I like to admit, but what I did in the Halls was not me.”

“You are strong. You are able to separate yourself. I am relieved it was not too late.”

“But Tyr, it is only an object, just a sword. How can it have a will and try to make me do things?”

The sword on the ground changed its shape and form right there. It grew longer and turned into a strangely shaped two hander. It was still a sword, but it had an odd almost talon shaped cross guard; unlike the Great War swords I had seen in the weapon chamber of our burg, it had no false edge, but a long grip. There was a skull like symbol on the blade just above the hilt and a similar shaped skull shaped the pommel. The entire sword was made of a very dark metal.

Tyr said. “This is Dark Blade, a token of power and a piece of a cosmic puzzle if you will.”

I still stared at the transformed weapon and there was an urge in me to go and hold it, just once. It knew me, and I knew it.

I stepped back. I trusted Tyr more than this strange temptation and said.” I have seen this winged and fanged symbol once before. It was a symbol on the robe of a man worshipping the Dark ones.”

“When the puzzle is completed Eric, a battle will be fought. A decision must be made and this decision will affect if the Rule remains intact or will be broken forever.”

“All this is beyond me, Tyr. I am only a Neo Viking with a strange desire and the knack to get into trouble and I like to see the future as not yet established and not predestined.”

“Eric you are far from a simple Neo Viking. Yes the future is shaped by the decisions we all make, but there are certain forks in the road, mile markers if you will, that must happen. I was destined to meet you Eric, the reason I became sentient was because it was destined you will be born on this world. You wanting to leave Nilfeheim and roam the stars are not entirely your own ideas but this desire comes from something within you. For now I have the power to make you forget and forget you must, so you can make your own decisions and grow and become ready, for it is you who will make that enormous decision I have spoken about.”

“Tyr, don’t make me forget about you again.”

“It must be so. No one, not even Egill will remember I exist, and you will carry a replica of Mördaren back to the Burg. I guard now two of pieces of the puzzle, and these pieces are too dangerous to fall in the wrong hands and no hands are more wrong and dangerous than yours until you are ready, the Master must not return before that. Do not despair, it is just temporary and we will meet and know each other again.”

I woke early and found myself in Elena’s bed chamber. I must have had more to drink than I realized. I never was much of a drinker and never drank to get drunk, but I remembered lifting more tankards than one and there was plenty of Aquavit between the beer and the ale. At least I didn’t feel groggy or sick.

I was certain Elena brought me here and I blushed deeply finding myself wearing a silky nightgown of hers. My Uniform and my Viking garments were both laid out on a divan across the room.

My own room was as far as I knew still all the way up in the main tower and dragging me up there would have been a chore, but this was no small burg and we had guest quarters.

Elena knew of my deepest secret of course, but finding myself undressed and wearing a feminine gown was not exactly how I wanted to wake up.

Elena being the daughter of my father’s bastard brother, evil Hogun was not my sister but my Cousin; she became my sister as Father officially adopted her.

A message had been sent do me on my PDD while I was asleep, it blinked red and I could see the fleet logo. I took the PDD of the nightstand. It was a recorded message by Captain K’Tngnk, a Klack insectoids. He informed me that he would be here tomorrow at 0400 hours and expected me to be ready.

Someone knocked at the chamber door and hastily pulled the cover up to my chin and said.”Who is it?”

The door flung open as an answer and it was Elena. She had an impish smile on her face and it made her eyes sparkle with mischief.” By Odin you became quite the Norse while you were away. What do they teach you besides flying star ships? Is there a class for drinking?”

“No not really, but I guess I did drink a tad too much. I can’t even remember how I got here and how I got in this night gown. Even though I have a strong suspicion.”

“You’re my brother, you saved my life. Changed my life and avenged my mother. Never mind the technicalities how I came to be your sister. We share our secrets and that is why I thought you might enjoy that gown. You still have those feelings, right?”

I could not help but blush again.” Well I did not have any opportunity to indulge myself, but yes I still do. Waking up like that reminded me that I was far from cured.”

She sat on the bed and folded her hands.” I am glad it is so. Even when you are away I always know I have someone I can talk to about everything. Isegrim lets me make much of the business decisions and while he doesn’t really push it or say much. I think he wants me to get married. I do have my eyes on Rodney the firstborn of the Stavanger clan and I know he likes me but I am not really in a hurry.”

“I saw his brother on the space port. He is an officer with the Port Authority. I think I remember him too, but I would lie if I say I knew anything about him.”

“He looks very much like his brother. He is the older brother, but not by much and I told him I make my decision after you had a chance to see and talk to him.”

“Elena, that decision should be yours alone. If you feel he is the one then my opinion should not matter.”

“I know and more so I know you think that way, besides I already made up my mind, but you are not only my brother but you and Siegfrieda are my best friends and I told him much about you.”

“I sure hope you left out the part how we met.”

She giggled.”Of course.” She then got up and made a gesture around the room.” I hope you don’t mind that I have put you up here. It would be inappropriate for the heir to sleep in the guest chambers and I have the tower renovated. Besides that cold and drafty room up there is not exactly hospitable.”

“Well I do like my room up there. If it could be heated a little it will be perfect. Not that I have plans to move in anytime soon”

“I will have it done, just in case you do change your mind. You might have noticed the scaffolding. We are putting a GalCom relay module up there. SII Com pays us a handsome monthly rent fee with a hundred years contract. Ever since you left the demand on Gal Com units has increased around Nilfeheim and now they are going to settle Ygral the fourth planet.”

“It seems things do change around here, perhaps not as openly and readily noticeable.”

“Not very much and I think that is good that way. I don’t want Nilfeheim to change to fast and too much.”

I agreed with her and said.” I need to leave tomorrow morning, but I am back if not this year then by next year during my leave then.”

Her face fell.” I hoped we could go to the Space Port mall for old times’ sake.”

“I don’t think I still make a very convincing girl. My voice has changed and so has my body.”

“I noticed, but I still think you would look good, you aren’t more muscular or tall as Siegfrieda and she turns every man’s head.”

“She is really going to marry Isegrim?”

“Yes. I think she will be able to tame him and in a more natural way than your evil stepmother did. She has wrapped him around her finger by natural means and he is still Isegrim.”

“I know her fighting skills. She was one of my teachers after all.”

She pulled the cover back with a giggle and said.”Time to get up, Midril wants to see you and has breakfast ready in the kitchen.”

“Elena.” I protested. “I am your brother not your husband.”

She went to the door. “Tonight we go out. I have kept your stepmother’s auto dresser you know.”

“I wanted to go to Hasvik and put a torch up for Astrid.”

“Yes let us go there after breakfast and after you met Rodney.”