They would make for Helsng. Apparently, Utgar had questioned several surrendering soldiers, and they had agreed that he should go there. Helsng wasn’t the capital of the Empire – that was Elenrul, far to the north. But Helsng did guard a sealed Wellspring, and the soldiers had said it was the main Imperial fortress in Kinsland. That was where the Empire’s representatives would be.

So Helsng was where they would go. Taelord knew they needed to make their intentions clear; they had just slain Ahnvad and left Srung an empty husk. The Empire could easily assume they meant to attack. They would need to have some sort of treaty if they were to find a place in Valhalla where they could live in peace.

So they left, Volcarrens and soldiers forming a long line. Nearly all were men. Vraen’s camp had contained plenty of women and even children, but they had been massacred when the camp was attacked. Now the only women were Volcarrens like Fera, who had been at Srung, or Vel, and they were nearly impossible to tell apart from the men, both being shrouded in black clothing, walking in a separate line beside the Volcarrens. That line was completely silent. Taelord found himself edging away from them as he walked.

The only supplies the Volcarrens carried were in packs on their backs, nearly all of it food taken from Srung. It didn’t amount to much, but Taelord wasn’t worried. Volcarrens knew how to survive on little food.

The soldiers told them Helsng was a good eight days away on foot, and that most of that journey would be through the Red Flats, a deserted area of Kinsland, hot, dry, and barren. That didn’t bother the Volcarrens. They were too used to living in deserts to care.

Still, the sun was hot on Taelord’s back as the line moved steadily westward, leaving Srung abandoned behind them. His pack provided some relief from the glaring heat, but it wasn’t much. He wore only a rough woven shirt, and the sun’s rays seemed to cut through it as though it weren’t even there.

Adding to his discomfort was a sword, which he had strapped to his pack. It was a long, heavy weapon, nearly as tall as Taelord at the shoulder. It thumped uncomfortably on his back with every step he took, and although he had wrapped the blade in some scraps of cloth to protect from the sharpness, he could still feel bruises forming.

He had hoped to find a spear in the armory beneath Srung. They were ideal weapons – light, easy to walk with, able to keep an enemy at bay. But all of those had been taken by the time he got there. The armory had been nearly stripped clean, the only weapons left a selection of heavy axes and broadswords.

Still, the broadsword Taelord carried was better than no weapon at all. They were entering Valhalla for the first time – he hoped for peace, but wanted to be prepared.

After a few hours of walking, they came to the Toxic River, a kyrie-made waterway, a barrier which separated the Volcarren from the rest of Valhalla. It wasn’t wide or deep, but no one had survived crossing it; steam billowed up from it, and its banks were crusted with white and yellow deposits – evidence of the poison within.

There was only one bridge across, put there to allow supplies to reach Srung. It was solid stone, but it was also very narrow, the wooden railings somehow doing nothing to prevent the sense that they could topple over the side at any moment.

They crossed in silence. It was an eerie experience for Taelord – once he got part way across, the steam from the river obscured both banks, so that he seemed to be walking in a hot, endless cloud, which smelled of poison.

Eventually, looming out of the acrid clouds which enveloped them, two watchtowers appeared. They flanked the end of the bridge, black squares against the pallid sky. They were deserted now, kyrie having flown ahead of Utgar to warn the soldiers not to attack. Usually they would be manned, Imperial scouts watching the bridge, ready to shoot down any Volcarren which tried to cross it. In the early days of their imprisonment, many Volcarrens had suffered that exact fate – circumventing Srung only to die at the bridge, and be cast into the Toxic River.

Soon they passed the watchtowers, the Volcarrens and Vel silent, and left the Toxic River behind. They camped for the night at the foot of some small hills, pushed up against the banks of a wide lake the soldiers called the Volcarren Sound. Taelord had been looking forward to seeing water, but the Sound looked no different than the Toxic River – steam covered its surface, and its banks were crusted with solid deposits, varying in color from white to yellow and orange. An acrid smell hung in the air, and Taelord was eager to continue moving the next morning.

Soon they came upon the Red Flats. It was, as Taelord had gathered from the name, completely flat. He still wasn’t ready for it. The Volcarren had been pitted and scarred with canyons and ravines. Nothing there had been flat. Here there was just… nothing. A wide open, blank expanse of desolate ground, sandy, hot, and apparently devoid of life.

Still, after they had walked through the Red Flats for a few hours, Taelord had to admit it was more fertile than the Volcarren. An occasional shrub dotted the landscape, and in places the ground was cracked – a sure sign that water ran here occasionally. There was even grass in places, sparse, rough, and gritty, but still there, hidden amongst the sand. Taelord had heard of grass, but he had never seen it before. He ran his hand through it as they passed. Strange.

They spent four days in the Red Flats, eating the food from their packs sparingly, catching small desert creatures whenever they could. There was far more life here than in the Volcarren, and the creatures they caught all seemed to have more meat on them. In the Volcarren, everything had been armored, thin, or outright poisonous to eat. But here, creatures seemed practically designed for food. Hares bounded away from them, an easy target for even the slowest Volcarren. Their meat was one of the best things Taelord had ever tasted.

After four days in the Red Flats, the novelty of being in Valhalla was beginning to wear off. Taelord started to hear Volcarrens wondering what would happen next, and the recurring theme seemed to be how the Empire would react.

“What do you think they’ll do,” he overheard one Volcarren asking as they walked, “when we walk into Helsng?”

The soldier next to him shrugged. He didn’t look like a soldier anymore – he had removed his helmet, and his armor was dusty and scratched by sand. “Who knows?” he said. “They’re afraid of you.”

“Of us?”

“Of course,” the soldier said. “The Empire is weak. All the northern Imperial cities have grown fat off of good food and more luxury than they know what to do with. Conflict for them is about politics and social maneuvering. They won’t know what to do when an actual army shows up.”

The Volcarren laughed.

“They’ve always been afraid of you,” the soldier continued. “No one in Kinsland ever liked the idea of the Volcarren being so close. There were always tales of some barbarian from the Volcarren killing a group of soldiers, or assassinating a commander… now that you’re free? They’ll be quaking in their boots.”

The Volcarren laughed again, the sound making Taelord shiver despite the heat.

“We shouldn’t walk into Helsng,” another Volcarren said, joining the other two. “We should take it. If the Empire is as weak as you say, it ought to be easy.”

The first Volcarren nodded. “Utgar might be content to make some deal with the Empire,” he said, “but I’m not. My family was slain by Imperial soldiers – I’ll bathe my blade in their blood before there’s any talk of peace.”

Everyone made sounds of agreement, including the soldier.

“We aren’t here to start a war,” said a familiar voice. Taelord turned, and saw that Runa had approached the group unseen. She had formed a strange habit of appearing near Taelord at random times, though at the moment she was frowning at the Volcarrens who had spoken.

“Start one?” the first Volcarren said. “I’m here to finish one. The Empire put us in that Wasteland. Well, now the tables have turned. We have a Wellspring. We have an army.”

“And my father has given orders,” Runa said, unfazed, “that no one is to attack the Imperials when we meet them.”

“Of course,” the second Volcarren said. “It gives him time to feel them out. See the strength of their armies. Find their weaknesses.”

“You actually think there will be peace,” the first Volcarren said to Runa, chuckling. “Peace is for the Empire. We are Volcarrens. We don’t need peace. We don’t want peace.”

“You’ll be disappointed then,” Runa said.

The Volcarren laughed again. “Tell yourself that if you want, Valkyriesdaughter,” he said, leaning closer to her. “But this will end in bloodshed, and I’ll be there when it does.” He shook his head and sped up, moving further down the line, his two companions going with him.

“He’s wrong,” Runa said quietly, watching him go. “The fighting is over.”

“I hope so,” Taelord said.

She turned to him. “You don’t think it is?”

Taelord hesitated. “I want to,” he said. “Believe me, Runa, I really want to. Utgar has the Wellspring, and I know he doesn’t want a war. But the Volcarrens…”

“They’ll change,” Runa said confidently. “You’ll see. Once we arrive at Helsng, everything will be fine.” She sped up, leaving him to watch her, his mother at his side, silent.

He didn’t know what to make of her. They weren’t friends – he had put her in danger more than once. But she seemed to want to talk to him – something Taelord was sure Utgar didn’t know, and wouldn’t approve of if he did. He shook his head.

He hoped she was right. He really did. True, the Volcarrens wanted blood, but Utgar didn’t. And Utgar had the Wellspring. And yet…

Taelord looked down, watching the ground pass beneath his feet. Maybe it was just Ahnvad, whispering poison in his ears. But Ahnvad was dead. He was dead, the Wellspring was theirs, and they were free of the Volcarren. Was it too much to believe the fighting was over?

Still, it would take a fool to say the Volcarrens didn’t want war. They were ready for it. Taelord didn’t doubt that, had one of them drunk from the Wellspring, they would be on their way to besiege Helsng right now, not approach it peacefully.

Fortunately, Utgar hadn’t revealed the location of the Wellspring. He, Runa, Taelord, and Kirav were the only ones who knew, and for that, Taelord was grateful. He was sure that if the location were known, some Volcarren would try to sneak in and steal some water.

Even without the location being known, the Volcarrens wanted Utgar to use the Wellspring. More than once, Taelord had heard kyrie suggest that Utgar give the water to Vydar and others, making more Valkyries, or that he use the Wellspring to summon an army to defeat the Empire – something the ancient tales said a Wellspring could do.

But Taelord knew Utgar had considered both options. Vydar had suggested summoning the moment he met Utgar and realized how small their army was. But Utgar had refused. Summoning from across space and time was something not even the Archkyrie had dared do. It would open Valhalla to other worlds and other races… there would be no coming back from that.

Runa herself had suggested sharing the water with others, and Taelord could understand why: more Valkyries would ensure peace. What other option would the Empire have? But it could also cause war. Multiple Valkyrie with practically unlimited power… what happened when they had a disagreement? Utgar had seen this, and refused, and Taelord was glad he had.

But Runa hadn’t understood. Taelord had seen her frown when Utgar made the decision to keep the water for himself. She was trusting, perhaps too trusting. But Taelord agreed with Utgar: when it came to the Wellspring, very few could be trusted. If any.

His thoughts were interrupted by a word rippling down the line, passed down by a scout who had flown ahead.

“The Empire,” came the whispers. “The Empire is approaching.”

Five days after the death of Ahnvad

Srung. Fortress of the Empire, erected here to make sure the Volcarrens never escaped their prison. Ahnvad’s citadel. Taelord’s cell.

Most Volcarrens looked at Srung with fear, and Taelord could see why: the walls were high and thick, the stone black. It was like a patch of night in the otherwise glaring sun of the Volcarren. But Taelord had learned to see it differently. It was just stone, blocks upon blocks, and those stones were being worn away by sand. Not even Ahnvad had been able to stop that. Up close, the fortress looked weathered and old, sand pushed up against the walls, as if eager to claim them.

He had been trying to escape from Srung ever since he was old enough to realize he was a prisoner there. Not that Ahnvad had exactly kept him locked up. He had been free to roam the halls and rooms within. But he hadn’t been allowed outside the walls.  

It was a strange feeling, standing before it now, looking up at the dark stone walls which rose vertically out of the sandy, rocky ground, and not needing to hide or run. Stranger still was the sight of the gates being wide open, soldiers pouring out of them in a line, throwing their weapons to the ground. They were surrendering, joining Utgar without so much as a single sword-swing. No one wanted to fight a Valkyrie.

The first thing Utgar had done upon killing Ahnvad was to revisit his old home. It hadn’t been much to look at: the shell of a Greater Ranta, mostly buried in the sand. Taelord could have easily walked right by it and assumed it to be nothing more than a skeleton, which he supposed was a good thing, as it hid the Wellspring.

Utgar hadn’t let him or Kirav inside. Instead, he had taken any spare waterskins they had, ducked under the shell with Runa, and emerged a few minutes later with several skins full of Wellspring water.

He had then sworn them to secrecy. They could not reveal the location of the Wellspring. Taelord had agreed easily. The Wellspring wars – when the Wellsprings across Valhalla had all been unsealed – had lasted for at least a hundred years. He had no desire to repeat that.

They had then met up with the five hundred raiders which had been absent when Ahnvad ambushed Nearv and slew Vraen. It had been a pitifully small force, but numbers didn’t matter with a Valkyrie. The Wellspring was under Volcarren control, Ahnvad was dead; it was time to assault Srung.

It had taken them four days to cross the Strip – the stretch of barren canyons and ravines which separated Srung from the Bone Desert to the east. On the third day, they had been joined by the Vel, warriors from the south who had agreed to fight with Vraen.

The Vel were legendary. The Volcarren clans had learned to not provoke the Empire, and accept their presence instead. The Vel never had. It was said that they had kept up a constant resistance the entire time they were in the Volcarren. As a result, every one of them was a deadly warrior. They wore loose black clothing against the sun, and hid their faces behind black masks, which only added to the air of danger they seemed to exude. Their weapons were carved from bone, and tipped with sharpened Ranta claws, or coated with paralyzing Taklay venom.

Their leader was a tall, heavily muscled kyrie by the name of Vydar. He had greeted Utgar, learned of Vraen’s death, and quickly agreed to join Utgar in assaulting Srung.

Except there had been no assault. No one wanted to fight Utgar. As soon as they were within sight of Srung, the doors were flung open, and soldiers began filing out, throwing down their weapons and armor, pledging loyalty to Utgar on the spot.

Now Taelord stood before Srung, Utgar nearby atop a small outcropping of rock, watching as the Vel and Volcarrens flooded into Srung, eager to salvage food, water, and weapons.

Taelord glanced at Utgar. He looked exactly like Taelord thought a Valkyrie should: tall, weathered by the desert, black hair whipping about his face in the ceaseless Volcarren wind. He wore the breastplate of a soldier he had slain, and a long bone knife was sheathed beneath it. In one hand, he carried the enchanted axe of Ahnvad – really more of a halberd – the tip of its haft resting on the ground. He looked towards Srung with an expression Taelord himself felt: triumph. The Empire was beaten. Their imprisonment in the Volcarren was over.

Runa and Kirav stood beside him. Runa had been uncharacteristically subdued since her capture by Ahnvad, but now that she was back with her father, she was beginning to return to her old self. She looked out over the milling soldiers with eager curiosity, her hair whipping in the wind just like her father’s.

Kirav stood just behind her, his face a mask, one hand on his axe. Utgar had charged him with keeping Runa safe at all times, and Kirav had taken to the task with unexpected fervor.

The fact that Utgar had trusted anyone to keep his daughter safe had surprised Taelord. Utgar seemed to value Runa’s safety over anything else, and he seemed to trust virtually no one. He certainly didn’t trust Taelord. At Runa’s insistence, he had agreed to let Taelord live, but that was all.

Taelord couldn’t really blame him. He might have done his best to salvage an impossible situation, but he had still gotten Vraen and his men massacred, and very nearly gotten Runa killed.

He could only imagine how Utgar might react if he learned who Taelord’s father was.

As the soldiers continued to leave Srung, Taelord approached the rock Utgar stood on. Kirav turned to look at him, but made no other movement.

“Utgar,” Taelord said, once he was just over a halberd’s length away. Utgar turned. Because of the rock he stood on, Taelord had to look up to meet his eyes. “I need to find my mother,” he said. “Ahnvad kept her here – I must find her, make sure she is safe.”

Utgar watched him for a moment, a slight frown on his face. Was he considering, wondering how much of a risk Taelord was? Taelord didn’t look away, or bow his head as others might have done. He held Utgar’s gaze. That was one thing he had learned from Ahnvad.

Utgar glanced at Srung. “Very well,” he said, looking back to Taelord. “But Kirav will go with you.”

“Fine,” Taelord said. He turned, and started walking towards Srung without waiting. He knew where the Wellspring was, and in Utgar’s eyes, that made him a danger. He hadn’t sent Kirav with him as protection, but as insurance. Kirav would kill him if he tried to divulge the Wellspring location. Runa might not have thought so, but Taelord knew better.

None of the soldiers exiting Srung were harmed. Utgar had given very clear orders: no killing unless there was resistance. He had just ended one conflict, and had no desire to start another. That was something else Taelord agreed with: they were both ready for peace. Whatever that might look like.

He entered Srung, Kirav behind him, pushing past Volcarrens and soldiers. Inside the fortress it was dark, the passageways lit only by blackened lanterns. It wasn’t cooler inside the walls though; if anything, it was hotter. It would be cooler down below, where the armory was, but Taelord first had to find his mother. And she would be near the top of the fortress.

They passed rooms and stairwells, all equally crammed with Volcarrens trying to salvage something. Taelord saw furniture which had been imported from the North smashed, chests he had never seen unlocked now broken open, charts and maps scattered on the floor. Srung had been a symbol of imprisonment for the Volcarrens – they wanted to destroy it, along with everything it held. Taelord did too, for that matter.

After climbing several flights of stairs – each one increasing the temperature of the air around them – they finally emerged in a narrow hallway, completely devoid of lanterns, and leading only to a single wooden door, fastened with a heavy iron bolt.

Taelord pulled the bolt back with some difficulty, and shoved the door open. Within was a small room. It was a circular chamber, housing a bed, a small table, and a few chairs. A door in the far wall led to a privy.

Despite the size, the room was well-furnished. There was an expensive – if threadbare – rug on the floor, and the bed was massive, with imported northern furs and woven sheets. The single stone window – narrow and shuttered – even had a piece of patterned cloth over it to keep the sand out. Ahnvad might have been cold and heartless, but he had at least given Taelord’s mother some comforts in life – as long as she didn’t fight him.

She was there, sitting on one of the chairs. She looked uninjured, and Taelord breathed a sigh of relief. Ahnvad had threatened her life as a means of getting him to cooperate – he had half expected to find her bruised and bloodied.

She seemed fine however, and rose as he entered. “Taelord?” she said. “Taelord, you’re safe?” She rushed to him, and grasped him in a tight embrace. “I was worried,” she whispered. “Ahnvad said you had been captured.”

Well, that much was true. Taelord was willing to bet that Ahnvad had left out the part about forcing him to spy on Vraen, though.

“I’m fine, Mother,” he said. “I came here to get you out.”

“Out?” she echoed.

So Taelord explained what had happened. How Utgar had found a Wellspring and was now Valkyrie, how Ahnvad was dead, and how Srung was emptying as they spoke. “We can leave now,” he finished. “Utgar’s going to lead us out of the Volcarren.”

His mother had sat down as he spoke, and now looked up at him, worry on her face. “It won’t be safe,” she said.

“It would be unwise to stay,” Kirav said, speaking for the first time from behind them.

Taelord’s mother glanced at him. “And you are?” she said.

“Kirav. Soldier of Utgar.”

She inclined her head slightly. “Fera,” she said. Then she turned her back on him pointedly, and took Taelord by the arms. “Taelord,” she said, “we must stay here. We’ll be safe here.”

“Safe…” Taelord grimaced. He had been afraid of this. When he had been young, his mother had been the one to suggest they escape Srung. Now she rejected the idea. She had been that way for some time – Ahnvad’s doing.

“Mother,” he said, “they’re probably going to burn this place down. Even if they don’t, it will be deserted. All the soldiers are leaving. The food is being looted right now. We can’t stay.”

She frowned. “Alright,” she said. “But we’ll have to hide as soon as possible.”

“Hide?” Taelord echoed.

She smiled at him, a sad smile, as if he were confused. “There will be war, Taelord,” she said gently. “You think the Empire will just let this pass? This Utgar – you said he doesn’t want conflict, but it will come. I want us to be somewhere safe when it does.”

“The safest place is with Utgar,” Taelord said, frowning. “He’s a Valkyrie, Mother. No one in their right mind would attack him.”

She tilted her head. “I suppose that’s true,” she said. “For now, the safest place would be with the Valkyrie. Yes.” She nodded to herself. “But Taelord,” she added, “we must leave at some point. We must find somewhere safe, away from the coming war.”

Good enough. There would be plenty of time to convince her later. “Gather your things, Mother,” Taelord said. “Utgar wants to move out soon.”

She turned, gathering what few possessions Ahnvad had given her: blankets, cushions off of chairs, a variety of small gifts Ahnvad had brought her – all rewards for letting him control her.

Taelord watched her with a frown. Ahnvad had taught her to always expect the worst – in this case, war. That was how she lived now, preparing for the worst, taking life’s simple comforts as they came. Taelord remembered when he was little, that she had used to dream of leaving the Volcarren. She had used to try to escape, to beat Ahnvad. And now that she could be free, the first thing she did was insist on staying.

But Ahnvad hadn’t won. He was dead, and Taelord’s mother could return to who she had been. It all came down to Ahnvad. Taelord had to prove that he had been wrong. That life wasn’t about war, and death, and ceaseless sand. That there was a better life, and that they could have it.

Taelord thought that Ahnvad’s death might have proven that to his mother, but apparently not. She still thought there would be a war. Fine. He’d just have to prove it to her another way. Once they left this place, and entered Valhalla, then she’d see. Utgar would negotiate some sort of treaty with the Empire, and they would settle down somewhere they could be alone. Somewhere near water perhaps. And then, eventually, his mother would realize Ahnvad had been wrong.

Then they’d be able to start over, and rebuild what Ahnvad had torn down.

Five years before the discovery of the Volcarren Wellspring

“Again? Really? Why does Ahnvad keep bringing them back? What does he get out of it?”

“What does Ahnvad get out of anything he does?” a tense voice replied. “I never asked, and I don’t care to find out.”

The voices came to Taelord slowly, their words distorted through the fog in his mind. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn’t. He was barely aware of anything. Only the two voices, speaking at the edge of his mind.

“What did they try this time?” the first voice asked.

“Carts,” came the reply.

“The supply carts? They were trying to escape the Volcarren, not just Srung?”

“Can you blame them?” Tense-voice asked. “I’ve thought about it myself a fair few times, and Ahnvad pays me to be here.”

“Still,” the first voice said. “Those carts were empty. That plan was never going to work.”

“What do you expect? They’re desperate.”

Some of the fog was beginning to recede. Taelord felt cold, and his arms and shoulders were stiff. He finally managed to heave his eyelids open.

Darkness met him, a void full of undefined shapes. There was light, in the form of a dancing gray shadow, only slightly lighter than the rest of the darkness. It flickered and moved, the afterimage of an obscured flame. Perhaps the light from behind a door, which was itself behind him, out of view. Where was he? What had happened?

“What will Ahnvad do, you think?” the first voice asked. It was much clearer now, and definitely came from behind Taelord, muffled by a door.

“If he wanted them dead,” Tense-voice replied, “he would have killed them long ago, the first time they tried to escape. So he’ll let them live.” There was a pause for half a heartbeat. “Honestly I don’t know why he bothers. They’ve defied him, tried to escape plenty of times… if it’s a woman he wants, he could take his pick from Ter.”

“I think he’s trying to prove something,” the other speaker said. “He calls them his family.”

There was a snort. “If that’s what he calls a family, then he’s even more deranged than most of us think. He’s not proving anything to anyone. The only thing I’ve learned is that those two can’t escape.”

Taelord’s head was clearing. They were talking about them: him and his mother. That was obvious. They had tried to escape, using carts as they had said. And… And they had been found. Taelord couldn’t remember much after that. The soldiers must have drugged them to keep them from fighting, and brought them back here, to Srung. To Ahnvad.

The guards outside continued to speak, their voices hushed. Taelord blinked several times, trying to see where he was, but it was pointless. He was in Srung, of that he was sure. No other structure in the Volcarren had stone walls or floors like this. He could feel them through his bare feet, the stone chilling him.

His arms were tied somewhere above him. He pulled experimentally, but whatever held him didn’t give. He was tied to a wall somehow. Perhaps a metal bracket. He could feel the stone at his back.

He could make out shapes in the darkness, black edges of sharp objects. The armory. It must be. Srung didn’t have a proper dungeon – there had never been any need, with the Volcarren ready-made just outside – but the armory was close enough. There was only one door in or out, and plenty of handy sharp objects for… persuasion. None of those had ever been used against Taelord, but he had heard the screams on some dark nights, animal-like cries of pain leaking up from below the stone floor where he slept.

The voices of the guards suddenly fell silent. Footsteps echoed in a hallway, and then light blinded Taelord, as the door behind him was thrust open. His eyes squeezed tight shut, he heard heavy booted feet approach, turn, and then stop before him.

“The door, Kel,” a cold voice said. “Leave it open a crack.”

The light dimmed, and Taelord blinked, his vision still blurred by the light. It flickered dimly – lanterns, in the hallway beyond. He blinked, and slowly the dark figure in front of him sharpened.

It was Ahnvad. Taelord’s father. Silent, arms folded, regarding him with a slight frown. He wasn’t drunk – Taelord could see that. That was good. He got angry when he was drunk. He wore armor though. It was scratched, and sand had ground its way between the plates. His black hair was full of it as well, and his face was dusty. Had he gone after them himself?

He didn’t say anything, and neither did Taelord. They simply stood there, staring at each other. Taelord wondered if Ahnvad could feel the heat of his anger. It built within him the longer he stood there.

“Why, Taelord?” Ahnvad eventually said. “Why do you keep trying to leave? And why do you insist on poisoning your mother against me?”

Taelord glared at him.

“You can’t win,” Ahnvad said. His voice wasn’t raised, or sorrowful, or even curious. It was simply there. Cold. Unmovable. Unchangeable. As if every word it spoke were an absolute truth. “Why do you keep doing this?”

“Because we can win,” Taelord spat, unable to stop himself. “We can escape, we can leave this… all of this behind.”

Ahnvad regarded him. “And do what?” he said. “Live in some secluded corner of Valhalla? Just you and your mother? You really think that would happen? You really think you would be happy?”

Taelord wouldn’t let him do that. His mother had begun to listen to Ahnvad’s poison, but he wouldn’t. “We can be free,” he said stubbornly, glaring at Ahnvad.

“Free?” Ahnvad repeated. “Free from what, Taelord? You are Volcarren. You can never be free.”

“Yes we can,” Taelord said. The words sounded hollow, standing here before Ahnvad, tied to the wall. But they were true. They had to be. “We can all be free of you. Every Volcarren. You’ll see. Someday, the Volcarrens will unite, and rise against you. Then you’ll see.”

“Hmm,” Ahnvad said, nodding. “Is that so? And what then? When these Volcarrens have slain me and claimed their freedom from this wasteland, what will they do?”

“Be free of you,” Taelord spat.

“Free to do what?”

Taelord looked at him for a moment, confused. “Free to… do whatever they want. They’ll have peace. Food. Safety.”

Ahnvad shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong,” he said. “I’ve sheltered you, Taelord, kept you safe within these walls. You don’t know the wasteland as I do, nor the Volcarrens who live within it. Perhaps if you did, you would understand. Perhaps…”

He studied Taelord for a long time. Too long. “Yes,” he finally said, drawing out the word. “If you knew, if you understood, then you might agree with me.”

“I’ll never agree with you,” Taelord said automatically.

“Of course you won’t,” Ahnvad said. “At first, anyway. You’ll insist you are right, and search for a way to escape. Then, when you are foiled, you’ll curse my name. You’ll begin to realize the truth. And then, when you meet reality and stare into the cold heart of truth, you’ll understand. You’ll know.”

“Know what?” Taelord growled.

“That you can’t be free,” Ahnvad said, his voice quiet. “You can never be free. None of you can. You are Volcarrens.”

“That makes no difference,” Taelord said. “Volcarrens can be free just like anyone else.”

Ahnvad raised an eyebrow. “If I were to set all the Volcarrens free today, what do you think would happen?” He paused, watching Taelord. “Do you think they would find a piece of land, settle down, become farmers?”

Taelord was silent.

“They are fighters, Taelord,” Ahnvad said. “Survivors. Barbarians. They know nothing of peace. They know only war and conflict. They must have it in their life, the same way you and I need to eat to stay alive. If they were free, they would bring that conflict to all of Valhalla. By keeping them here, I am preventing a war, a slaughter.” He shook his head. “You speak of a future which cannot be, Taelord. Until you accept that, you will know only misery.”

He watched Taelord for a moment, and then turned to leave.

“You’re wrong,” Taelord said.

Ahnvad paused. “Am I?” he said, glancing at Taelord. “Your mother doesn’t seem to think so.”

“She’ll never believe you,” Taelord spat.

Ahnvad glanced at him, a look almost like… pity? “She already does,” he said.

And then he left, walking beyond Taelord’s range of view. The door opened, Taelord squeezed his eyes shut, and then there was darkness.

“You’re wrong,” he said into the blackness. “You’re wrong, Ahnvad, wrong.”

“Wrong,” he whispered, slumping against the wall, his arms held tight.

“Wrong.”

Outside, the Volcarren wind beat against the stone walls, sand grinding against them in a fruitless battle.

Valkyrie introduces Utgar, a Volcarren, and his twelve-year-old daughter, Runa. They are prisoners, exiles from an ancient war, sent to a Wasteland known as the Volcarren, and forgotten about. That was several generations ago. Now, the descendants of those original prisoners – Volcarrens, as they are called – have to fight to survive within the harsh landscape. Dominated by the Bone Desert, and ruled over by vicious barbarian clans, this is no easy task.

Utgar was once a barbarian, a ruthless killer. But he fell in love with a Volcarren woman, and left his life of brutality when Runa was born, seeking a future where she might be safe. He carved out a home for himself in the desolate Bone Desert, far from raiders or Imperial patrols.

Teya, his wife, was slain when Runa was still young. A lone raider found her alone at Utgar’s home. She treated him with kindness, feeding him and offering him water. In return for her trust, he slew her.

Utgar raised Runa alone after that. They survived in the Volcarren, Utgar learning to keep his anger and hatred under control, and Runa learning to see everything with the optimism her mother had taught her. And then one day, everything changed.

Runa was taken from Utgar’s home, kidnapped by Imperial soldiers and flown to Srung, fortress of the Empire, erected to keep the Volcarrens as prisoners. Utgar went after her, first filling his waterskin from the spring beneath his house.

Utgar was forced to ambush and kill several Imperial soldiers to get to Runa. However, he was eventually captured, and brought to the camp of Ahnvad, the Imperial commander of the Volcarren.

Ahnvad had a dark reputation, even among his own soldiers, who regarded him with a mixture of awe, fear, and hate. Utgar was kept alive, the soldiers guessing that Ahnvad might find a use for one with such skill at the art of murder.

Utgar was placed in a tent with four other captives. Two were men. One was a boy, Taelord by name. And one was Runa. She was unconscious, and Utgar could not wake her, though he did determine that she was still alive.

That night, the camp was raided by Vraen, an old friend of Utgar’s from his days as a barbarian. Vraen had attacked the camp by chance, as the Empire was beginning to encroach on his lands. Recognizing Utgar, he freed him and the other prisoners, and brought them back to his village, Nearv.

On the way there, Utgar discovered that Runa had been tortured, burned with irons. He tipped some of his water into her parched throat, but she still wouldn’t wake.

Safe at Nearv – Vraen’s clan being large enough to ensure safety from all but the most determined Imperial force – Utgar learned that one of the prisoners Vraen had freed was in fact a spy for Ahnvad. Vraen forced him to reveal that Ahnvad had taken Runa because he believed she knew the location of a Wellspring.

Wellsprings were mystical sources of power scattered across Valhalla. No one knew where they came from, only that they granted those who drank of their waters incredible, god-like powers. Wars had been fought over the thirteen Wellsprings for centuries, until the Archkyrie, fearing their civilization would destroy itself, sealed them all, and struck all record of their location from Kyrien knowledge.

A few were rediscovered – one at Helsng, one at Elenrul, and one at Caelios. But they were all sealed, protected by an invisible barrier which could not be breached. But now it seemed that Ahnvad believed there was one in the Volcarren, an unsealed Wellspring. And he thought Runa knew where it was.

How he had reached this conclusion, Utgar couldn’t guess. The spy said Ahnvad had methods of detecting a Valkyrie – one who drank from a Wellspring – and that these devices had led him to Runa. But Utgar didn’t believe him. His daughter? A Valkyrie? He would have known. She would have known.

However, the presence of the Wellspring was soon revealed to be more than fantasy. Returning to Runa – who was now awake – Utgar discovered that her injuries were gone. One of the abilities of Wellspring water was to heal the drinker, and nothing else could have healed her so completely – somehow, she was Valkyrie, though even she couldn’t guess how. She knew of no Wellspring.

Knowing it could be days or weeks before Runa’s powers faded, Utgar convinced Vraen to launch an assault against the Empire, and make a bid for freedom. Vraen agreed reluctantly, and began gathering barbarians and raiders from across the Volcarren to form an army.

The first target was an Imperial outpost – the only Imperial outpost – in the Volcarren. Here, Utgar met an inexperienced raider of Vraen’s, Kirav by name. Kirav was frightened of the coming fight, and Utgar helped him to overcome his fear.

Runa launched an attack against the outpost, using her new powers to spread a cloud of poison at the back gate, preventing escape. Vraen’s army charged the front gate, and were winning the day, until Ahnvad himself appeared.

Ahnvad wore black armor and carried a magical battle-axe, enchanted to send flame against his foes. He turned the tide of battle, and Utgar, seeing this, engaged him. The two fought, wounded each other, and withdrew as the outpost was overrun. Ahnvad swore he would remember Utgar, before escaping.

Runa’s demonstration of her Valkyrie powers was enough to make recruits begin to flood into Nearv. Even Imperial soldiers began to join – no one wanted to fight a Valkyrie. Vraen was cautious. He wanted to be sure the Empire couldn’t attack Nearv once he set out for Srung, and set about clearing any Imperial forces out of the Volcarren. He sent Utgar south to negotiate with the Vel – Volcarrens who had never accepted their place in the Wasteland, and had instead kept up an unending string of attacks against Vesng, the southern Imperial fortress.

Stuck at Nearv, Runa met Taelord, the boy Vraen had freed along with Utgar. While everyone else either bowed to her or feared her as Valkyrie, he did neither. He seemed unintimidated by her, and actively tried to avoid her. This piqued her curiosity.

She formed an uneasy friendship with him, and though he tried to prevent it, came to see him as honest and peaceable – a welcome relief amongst the warmongering of the other Volcarrens. He was still a mystery to her, as was why he continued to try to push her away.

 Soon, Vraen was ready to attack Srung. However, the spy he had captured, Meren, made an offer for his life, telling Vraen that Ahnvad had a force of several hundred soldiers hiding in the Bone Desert, waiting to attack Nearv the moment Vraen left it. Vraen dispatched Utgar, Kirav, and a force of his finest fighters to eradicate the threat.

However, while they were gone, Meren was found dead, and the attack was traced back to none other than Taelord. Vraen assumed he had slain Meren to silence him before he could relate more of Ahnvad’s plan, and prepared to kill him as a second spy. Runa pleaded for his life, sensing that he hadn’t done the deed, and Vraen agreed to wait one day and reconsider, though only because she was Valkyrie.

Runa spoke to Taelord, but he refused to offer any evidence in his defense. Something was wrong. Runa was convinced he was being set up by a real spy, but the lack of evidence, and his refusal to help himself… she spent the night restlessly.

And then, quite by accident, it came to her. Her house sat over a natural spring of water. In fact, the only spring of water that far into the desert. What if she had never found the Wellspring, as Ahnvad had assumed, but had in fact been living over it her whole life? What if that was how she had the powers she did?

It made sense. In an attempt to free Taelord, Runa told him where the Wellspring was, hoping that he could then tell Vraen, and thus prove his loyalty. Upon telling him though, Taelord only asked her to tell no one else, and that she needed to trust him.

Meanwhile, Utgar and Kirav returned from dealing with the Imperial soldiers. They had gone ahead of their force, and thus were the first to see the smoke rising from Nearv. Upon arriving at the now-burned and destroyed village, they found Taelord waiting for them.

Taelord then related that Ahnvad had attacked Nearv, slain Vraen and his armies, and taken Runa. He knew where the Wellspring was, and was searching for it now. However, he wouldn’t find it.

Taelord related that he too had been a spy for Ahnvad, though not willingly. Ahnvad held his mother captive, and to keep her safe, Taelord had been forced to return with Utgar, and contact Ahnvad if Runa ever remembered where the Wellspring was.

There was a complication. There was a spy within Vraen’s camp, one Taelord didn’t know. He only knew that he was positioned to hear anything Vraen did. Thus, when Runa told Taelord the location of the Wellspring, Taelord knew he couldn’t tell Vraen, because then Ahnvad would know, and get there first. So he devised a plan.

Taelord related a false location of the Wellspring, and sent Ahnvad chasing off in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, he misjudged Ahnvad’s response. An Imperial force ambushed Nearv in the night, slew Vraen and his armies, and Ahnvad himself took Runa. He assumed that she had served her purpose in uncovering the location of the Wellspring for him. Thus, there was no need to allow Vraen and his forces to exist any longer.

Taelord’s plan – once Ahnvad was off looking for the Wellspring where it didn’t exist – had been to tell Vraen the real location, secure it from Ahnvad, and thus win their freedom from the Volcarren. With Vraen dead, he now told this location to Utgar: the Wellspring was directly below his home.

At this point, Utgar realized that he had filled his waterskin from the spring beneath his home when Runa had been taken, and had been drinking from it sparingly ever since. Thus, he was now Valkyrie. He confirmed this, releasing a blast of heat into the air.

Taelord told him and Kirav where he had sent Ahnvad. Utgar, though he was angry at Taelord for putting Runa in danger, decided to withhold judgement for the moment, and they departed together, to stop Ahnvad and rescue Runa.

After a meeting with Ahnvad, involving Kirav pretending to be Valkyrie and Taelord attempting to sneak Runa out of a cave behind Ahnvad’s back, Utgar was forced to reveal himself to Ahnvad. Ahnvad warned him that using his powers in an enclosed space such as the cave they were in would bring down destruction upon them all, and Utgar believed him. This gave Ahnvad the advantage, and he and his soldiers attacked.

The battle was hard-fought, but Utgar eventually triumphed, slaying Ahnvad with his own axe, and claiming the weapon for his own. He, Kirav, Taelord, and Runa then went to the Wellspring. From there, with its power, they would free themselves and all Volcarrens.

Welcome one and all, to yet another fan fiction. I’ll keep this introduction brief, as there’s a lot to the story below, but there are a few things I want to point out which you should read first, some things you definitely should not read first, and some general introduction to the story which I want to mention before you begin.

Firstly, Dawn of Darkness is a sequel to Valkyrie. If you have not read that story, I would suggest that you do so before starting this one. Unlike most of my other tales, this story relies heavily on its prequel. There is a recap before the story proper, but it only covers the basic plot of Valkyrie; there are a lot of little details which are not mentioned, which will serve you well while reading this story.

Following this Introduction, there are two maps, one for Kinsland and one for Helsng. These contain no spoilers, and I suggest referring to them throughout reading as needed. Following the maps is a Glossary of the terms found within this tale. The first half of the Glossary is a list of locations, and is spoiler free. You can refer to it while reading as required. The second half of the Glossary however, does contain some minor spoilers. I would suggest only looking at it to remember/confirm who someone is, and not reading through it before the tale. Nothing in it is story-breaking, but you’ll get more out of reading certain things in the text for the first time.

Following the Glossary will be a recap of the prequel to this tale, Valkyrie, as I already mentioned. If you’ve read Valkyrie recently, you can safely skip this recap. If you are new to the world of Valhalla, I would suggest skimming through it, as it goes into a bit more detail about Wellsprings than Valkyrie did.

After the story proper, there is an Author’s Note. This is completely skippable if you’re only here to read the story. The Author’s Note relates how this story came to be in the form it now is, as well my plans for the future concerning writing in general. It also goes over some areas I think this story is weak in, and some areas where it is stronger.

Finally, strangely, there were a lot of typos in this tale, along with words which were either missing, or actually the wrong word entirely. Additionally, there were several instances where people acted as though they didn’t know things they should, and where things like the passage of time was not recalled correctly. I’ve obviously corrected everything I could find, but if you discover any further errors, don’t hesitate to let me know.

Without further ado, it’s now time to start the Dawn of Darkness. I hope you enjoy!

Kinsland is a unique province in Valhalla, in that is is nearly cut off completely from the mainland by water. Only a narrow strip to the north connects it to Anund, and thus the rest of the Empire. This, along with the harsh, dry, and mountainous nature of the terrain, made it an ideal area for military occupation after the defeat of Migol, and subsequent imprisonment of the Volcarrens.

Since then, Kinsland has relied on trade through the Kinsland River, and a steady export of fish, grain, and leather to keep its people fed and sheltered. Life is generally difficult, though in the south of the province, forests and the relative abundance of food makes things slightly easier.

Kinsland boasts the highest population of Southern kyrie in the Empire, and as such, is constantly beset by rebellions and guerrilla warfare against Imperial targets. For this reason, practically the entire southern contingent of the Imperial army is stationed there, many at Helsng, many at Deraan, the rest scattered throughout the land. Soldiers generally resent being stationed in Kinsland, far preferring the easy food and comfortable climate of the north.

Places

This list is spoiler-free.

Anund – A province north of Kinsland

Barrier Hills – A small range of hills separating the Volcarren from Kinsland

Bay of Fire – A large bay of mostly toxic water, north of the Volcarren

Braunglayde – A province west of Kinsland, separated by the Kinsland River

Crevcor – A village located on an island south of Braunglayde. Known for its isolated life style and strange customs.

Deraan – An Imperial garrison at the northern end of Kinsland, kept well maintained by the Empire

Erianor Empire – A large tract of land in the southwest corner of Valhalla, which declared its independence from the Valhallian Empire around the time of Migol’s defeat. Has maintained an uneasy truce with the Valhallian Empire, helped by several trade agreements. Seen by most as being populated by backwards primitives wielding spears, though the few reports of encounters with the people of Erianor speak of deadly warriors and a rich capital. Largely shrouded in mystery.

Elenrul – The distant northern capital of the Empire, where the Emperor rules from

Eleva – A remote Imperial garrison isolated on the edge of the Jutanguard peninsula. A waystop for fishers and traders.

Fedir – A remote fishing village in southern Braunglayde, on the coast of a heavily forested peninsula. A common stop for traveling fishers. Well known for its rebel sympathies.

Helsng – An Imperial fortress constructed to protect a Wellspring, located in western Kinsland

Kinsland – A province west of the Volcarren, separated by the Volcarren Sound and the Bay of Fire

Kinsland River – A major waterway for trade, separating Kinsland and Braunglayde

Kiris – An Imperial fortification on the western edge of Laur, an important stop for fishers or traders hoping to cross to Nastralund via land (the sea north of Kiris is usually full of ice)

Leis – A village in southern Kinsland, producing mainly grain and lumber, much like Taeleron . A final inland stop for boats about to leave the Kinsland River.

Montfre – An Imperial garrison responsible for maintaining order in Anund. Generally seen by soldiers as a place of exile, due to the desolate land and isolated location.

Red Flats – A barren stretch of land in central Kinsland

Red Mountains – A mountain range which dominates most of the western half of Kinsland

Srung – An Imperial fortress, erected to guard the Volcarren prisoners and prevent their escape to the west

Sy’El Ves – A large city on the banks of the Midland Lake, responsible for shipping ore from the Midlands north to the Empire and west to Erianor

Taeleron – A farming village in southern Kinsland

Valhalla – A vast continent, home to the kyrie people

Volcarren/The Wasteland – The desolate prison the followers of Migol were banished to

Volcarren Sound – A large body of water south and west of the Volcarren, toxic close to the Wasteland shore, but also home to several scattered islands with remote fishing colonies

Vysor – A southern fishing village in Kinsland. Due to its remoteness from the rest of the Empire, Vysor has been the starting point for several failed rebellions in the past. It is said that Migol came from Vysor, though this is impossible to confirm.

Yafell – An isolated island village in eastern Nastralund, rich by profiting on the trade which must pass by it. Answers to the Emperor, though the people there maintain a proud heritage of independence.

People

This list contains minor spoilers. It is recommended to check this list only during reading, to confirm names/identities, and not before.

Aiiva – The sister of Rehs

Ahnvad – An Imperial commander who was sent to oversee Srung and the Volcarren

Dar – An Imperial sympathizer who lived in Helsng

Dered – A Volcarren who Utgar appointed as a bodyguard

Einar – Leader of the Southern Rebels

Elet – A tanner who lived in Helsng, and a loyalist supporter of the Empire

Ena – A woman who lived in Helsng

Eres – An Imperial sympathizer who lived in Helsng

Eten – A freeman bounty hunter who lived in Helsng, head of a family of bounty hunters

Fera – The mother of Taelord

Geren – A freemen bounty hunter, the son of Eten

G’shar – The father of Rehs

Hev – An Imperial soldier who was assigned to Helsng as a guard

Jandar – A high-ranking general in the Imperial army, known for putting down past riots in Anund

Jer – An influential farmer who lived in Helsng

Jyre – An Imperial sympathizer who lived in Helsng

Kar – A rebel

Kel – A soldier who served Ahnvad in the Volcarren

Kelen – An Imperial warlord known for several campaigns against Southern rebels in the Midland Mountains

Kiran – An infamous rebel sympathizer and instigator, known for breaking out of several Imperial prisons and inciting people to riot.

Kirav – A Volcarren warrior, trusted by Utgar

Kran – A Volcarren warrior

Leran – A farmer of Helsng

Marenn – An old friend of G’shar’s from the Midland Campaigns

Migol – Leader of the Great Uprising, which ended with the Volcarrens being imprisoned

Neresa – A skilled Imperial weaver of Helsng

Nrat – An Imperial soldier assigned to Helsng

Nya – A woman of Helsng

Rehs – The son of G’shar

Runa – The daughter of Utgar

Syafa – The mother of Rehs, wife to G’shar

Taelord – The son of Ahnvad

Teya – The mother of Runa

Utgar – A Volcarren responsible for freeing the Volcarrens by the use of a Wellspring

Veth – A Volcarren warrior

Vraen – A barbarian clan leader of the Volcarren

Vydar – The commander of the Vel forces

Yesen – A Southern fisher

Yen – An Imperial sympathizer who lived in Helsng

Yiven – The regent of Helsng

Helsng, center of Imperial operations in Kinsland, designated as the first fortress of defense in the event of a Volcarren attack.

At least that’s how the city began. However, as the threat of a Volcarren assault dwindled over the years, the city became less of a military installation, and more of a trading hub.

The city sat on some of the little farmland available in the South, and had ready access to the Kinsland River, a valuable waterway leading to the Midland mountains. Both of these things combined to make Helsng one of the largest cities in the southern empire, and thus the main Imperial stronghold in a land otherwise sympathetic to the rebel cause.

The city is constructed around the Rows – lines of merchant buildings. Goods are stored in these square complexes, the front of which double as merchant stalls, where wares can be sold.

Beyond the Rows is the Docks, a combination of actual docks and a series of sod storehouses just before them. In these storehouses, the Imperial merchants keep both their overflow goods, and the items they plan to trade with the rest of the Empire. The Docks are always a busy place, with boats and people coming and going.

Just below the Rows is the Keep, the original building of Helsng, constructed to guard the Wellspring, and expanded as the city grew. It is a traditional kyrien structure, built to withstand assault. However, it is also old, and has failed to keep up with advances in kyrien siege weaponry. If it was ever attacked by a proper Imperial army, it likely would not last long.

Next to the Keep and extending outwards, is the ever-growing Maze, the collection of ramshackle huts and homes the common people – the workers or laborers – dwell in. These buildings were constructed without any street design in mind, houses placed wherever there was room. For the kyrie, this matters little, since they simply fly to their destination. Streets are merely for hauling goods or materials when necessary, and rarely for walking.

Helsng is surrounded by a low earth wall, designed to keep animals out. Beyond this wall, there are farms. North of the city, bordering the edge of the Rows, a waterfall splashes down the side of the mountain. It’s just a small stream – and so not overly audible – but it does feed into the Kinsland River, allowing boat traffic.

Helsng remains home to the main garrison of Imperial troops in southern Valhalla, as well as the primary stop for merchants, traders, and Imperials looking to profit off of the unrest in the land.

However, as the Volcarrens – now free from their prison – approach the city, all of that might change…