"You stay here Eric. I shall attend to this grave matter and then we will talk." He walked by me and said.
"I know what has transpired!" to the fat man he said." You however shall come along."
Everyone left and I was suddenly alone in the Chambers. There seemed no moment I could rest my mind and think and come to some sort of solution. As soon as I somehow started to see some light at the end of the tunnel something else happened. Maybe I should have not been so eager to come here. The evil doings of my own father and his schemes had caused the death of that boy, but I was the reason. I did not know him, but I felt ultimately responsible for his death. Was I worth all this? Would my mother be still alive if she didn't have me? Or maybe instead of me if she had a girl that meant nothing to my father, could not inherit. Grandfather most certainly would not have made a girl his heir. Who else would have to die before my father reached his goal?
Maybe I should simply abandon my desire to kill him and do the very same thing. Removing me would certainly end my father's quest after the Ragnarsson riches and perhaps if I was dead I did not have to wake up when I dreamt of mother.
I still had the knife, a quick cut across my throat would only be painful for a few moments and nothing in compare to the pain he inflicted on me with a single whip lash.
"Don't even think about it." Someone said and as I turned the old man stood there. I did not hear the door open or close. He was a ghost after all! And he could sense my thoughts!
"You are a ghost, Old Man. You can see inside my mind. Tell me do the dead see other dead? Could I see my mother?"
"Seeing you standing there, holding the knife to your throat does not take supernatural powers to deduct what you wanted to do. I don't know if the dead can see other dead, but I am almost certain that those who commit suicide do not go to the same place as those who got murdered. If there is such a thing as an existence after death, that is!"
I had not realized I had the knife already pulled. I lowered it. "If you are no ghost why is it no one knows about you, there can't be two First Guardians and then there is the empty house!"
"I am not a ghost Eric."
There was a loud noise that made me turn. The door flew open and the fat man came in, his face deep red and full of anger, breathing heavily he held a sword pointed at me and yelled."Before I am thrown out of here I make sure you are dead. It was a deal before now it is personal! Do you have any idea what it means to be thrown from here? Why did you not simply die as we had planned, but I shall remedy that now!"
He was fat and lumbering but he was armed and a grown man, but I had about enough being pushed around by others and being forced into situations I didn't want to be in the first place and I hissed at him." I frankly don't care what it means, you overgrown fat coward! Sending a boy to do your dirty work. To fat to get that ass of yours up the scaffold yourself, I bet you don't need to walk those stairs back down, you roll just fine!"
He howled in anger." I don't know who you are old man but I will hack you to pieces if you interfere! I am going to kill that unwanted Olafson brat!"
I kicked a heavy chair in the way of the approaching sword wielding keeper and yelled." If you're no ghost Old Man get behind me."
The fat keeper stumbled and hacked the sword into the chair splintering precious and expensive wood. From behind him I could see through the open door down the long corridor and the white bearded Keeper came running accompanied by three others. The Fat man heard them too, and lunged himself forward screaming and cursing."I kill you now!"
I was with my back to the big desk... he would reach me before I could escape either to the right or to the left. The sword was sharp as I saw the result the blow did to the chair, I handled out of pure reflex and threw the knife I was still holding and it spun and struck true, hitting the fat keeper, point first into the right side of his chest and plunging past tunic and skin deep and all the way to the hilt.
He gargled, his momentum still carrying him forward but his sword strike missed me and hit the surface of the desk behind me as he sank to his knees right before me dropping the sword and clutching the knife sticking out of his chest. He looked at me with an expression of wonderment, pain and hatred. I heard the Old man speak behind me. "You aimed well Eric!"
At the same moment the white bearded Guardian and his company had reached the Chambers and stormed in. The fat man, still on his knees turned and whined," I am hurt! This cursed Olafson spawn has stuck me with his knife!"
The White bearded Keeper spoke and anger vibrated loudly in his voice."This is going to be the least of your worries, Son of the Lindbergh's. You will leave Hasvik Keep now and I care not how you reach the bottom of Mount Muspelheim.
"Those with him were quite bulky muscled keepers and two of them grabbed the fat man on each side and struggled to get the heavy man to his feet and then dragged him out without saying a word.
The wounded Keeper of the Cellars however whined and moaned and begged for mercy."I am wounded. I will die and bleed to death!"
One of the keepers that had arrived with the White Bearded one closed the door behind them as they dragged him out and the First Guardian took a deep breath and surrounded the big desk as the others closed the door. As I turned to face him I did not see the Old man anywhere!
"You are the cause of more commotion and events in two days then all the other visitors did the last 50 years!" the First Keeper said as he sat down with a sigh.
"It was not my intention. I assure you Sir. I did not ask to be here or the cause for all this."
He actually seemed to smile behind his beard. "The last time we had this much locomotion here was when another Erik was here, the one you are named after. Only he did cause himself! I am not faulting you, Eric. I know what has happened and I know of your situation. "
His hand moved over the deep mar the sword had left on his desk.
"You say you have been let in here by an old Keeper right?"
I nodded."I did not believe in ghosts and he denies being one, but he was here just moments ago. The fat man has seen him too!"
"I know Eric and he has indeed accepted you as a pupil. He will explain it all to you in time. But the dismissal of a Keeper is a very serious matter and he is attending it."
"He is no ghost?" Was all that came to mind."Who is he if you are the first Keeper?"
"No Eric he is no ghost, even though he manages to move quite fast for his advanced age and he manages to surprise me even after all this time know him. He is the First Keeper indeed, the very first.
He has simply retired from the official administrative part so to speak, but again he insisted that he is going to fill you in. In the meantime we will however clean you up a little. Even though there are Neo Vikings who think that body hygiene is not important and not needed to be a warrior. I assure you there is nothing nontraditional about soap and water."
"Yes I would like that, Sir."
Chapter 21: Keepers
The white bearded keeper led me to a cage like contraption in an adjourning room. It turned out to be an elevator, he pulled a string and the thing started descending sown a dark stone shaft.
"I was under the impression you reject all technology?" I asked him.
"No Eric, we only reject technology that takes away from the human experience.
This is a concept that is not always understood.
When Earth ascended from a single planet society to become a galactic one, it was not a graduate change as it happens with most other civilizations that reach that point when faster than light technology becomes available. Humanity more or less advanced overnight. But even before the Ascent of humanity to the Galactic stage. Technology was replacing many aspects of daily human life.
But when the Sarans had landed on Earth, revealing that humankind was not alone in the universe and gave Earths civilization the technology to travel to other worlds it happened overnight so to speak. Along with Faster than light technology came a whole lot of other advances and Erikson t
he leader of the Odin movement was of the opinion that it all happened to fast and that humans were not ready for it. He saw much evil and misuse. Cooking and preparing meals already on the decline was replaced by Robo kitchens, food synthesizers and cheap Insta-meals. The traditional family dinner were members of a family would come together at least once a day no longer happened. People ate on the go.
The simple skills to prepare food from raw ingredients was becoming a lost art. This is just one example of what Erikson lamented and his group rejected. They promoted a simpler lifestyle focused on family and community rather than progress, occupational success and public social welfare, Erikson believed that most so called public welfare was not needed if the family was intact and would take care as a unit of its infirm and old. He believed that there was a fundamental difference between women and men and that these differences should not be artificially erased by senseless, artificially enforced equality of everything. Equal in his philosophy did not mean that women were less than a man but simply different. He believed that there were occupations a woman should not pursue simply because all common sense said she could not. While he found that the feminization of men was equally bad and that this would lead to a loss of values and thus morals.
"He found the answers in the romantic perceptions of a long gone culture of his own home country; this culture was called the Vikings. He actually knew very little about the factual live of the real Vikings and his sources were books and popular media and he fashioned a new society so to speak based on his believes and what he thought Vikings stood for. He gained quite a few followers and his movement grew. Folks who knew more than him about the real Vikings added our old holy book, the Edda and with it came the religious element into the movement. The worship of the gods known as the Aseir."
I listened fascinated to his words barely noticing that the cage elevator had already reached its destination. He stroked his beard and opened the door. Motioned me to follow and he continued his explanation:" Out of the original idea of Erikson for a simpler back to the roots of humanity grew a popular movement, especially what was called the Scandinavian and Germanic regions of Earth. They found a new identity for themselves that allowed them to connect with their past and their cultural heritage and whenever lots of people come together original ideas and concepts do get modified and twisted. A core group within that movement called the Church of Odin felt oppressed by the prevailing other faith called Christianity and claimed that this faith was forced upon them.
"Long story short, Earth was over populated at that time and the advent of faster than light technology allowed humanity to spread out to other worlds. We don't know today if Erikson's group asked to leave or if the Earth government offered it, but they decided on Nilfeheim to be their new home. Again how exactly these decision was made and why they choose Nilfeheim is lost to us as the records of that time are not complete anymore, but they received the genetic tailoring that is still evident today in your gills and they came here.
All this happened a very long time ago, and out of these many roots and ideas developed our very own culture. We are called Neo Vikings as you know, but we do not have all that much in common with that old Earth society. Besides we exist now far longer than they ever had."
We walked through a damp green tiled corridor and the air was warm and got warmer. He opened a stainless-steel door and I marveled at a tiled basin of enormous size filled with steaming water. On one side was a row of big bath tubs. The ceiling was not man made but seemed to be that of a natural cave.
"These are the baths of Hasvik. The water comes from a heated mineral spring and it has curative properties. The actual spring is in the middle of the pool and is near boiling temperature. So, you can choose how hot you like your bath by going closer, but I suggest you use one of the tubs so I can give you soap. When you are done, you will find fresh garments on those benches over there and someone will fetch you in an hour or so. "
The water was wonderful and about neck deep. Warm baths were virtually unknown on the Burg and only women were allowed to heat water to bathe. We had showers at school but no baths; the experience to submerge myself in warm almost hot water was as exhilarating as it was a new experience. The closer I got to the center as he said, the temperature increased. The center was easily recognizable as the water swirled and bubbled while being fed from that spring below. I had not realized how cold I was and how sore. The water seemed to seep into my bones and undo knots and aches and I wondered if one could sleep right here under water, but then I was told to be ready in an hour and judging the passing of time while you enjoyed yourself was quite difficult without a PDD I did submerge myself however and wondered if I would be able to breathe this fresh water and if nothing else It would moisten and rinse my gills.
I felt no discomfort as I tried it and it seemed that unlike the fish on Nilfeheim, Neo Vikings felt no difference in fresh or salt water. Having warm water circulate through my secondary respiration system was an equally new sensation and I decided I liked cold water better in that regard.
The water had a distinctive taste I could not clearly describe. Almost like eating sand perhaps but without the grit. It certainly smelled a bit like wet sand.
I could not be sure but I felt it had to be close to the hour and with a pang of disappointment I swam towards the steps. The place was quiet, the splashing and dripping of water echoed whenever I moved and I for the first time in a very long time I felt content. The garment laid out for me was a robe like thing, girded in the middle reaching to my ankles, just like the one the Fist Keeper had worn, except the belt was black and there was no embroidery on the chest. It was actually quite comfortable and reminded me of mother's dresses. There was a pair of sandals. I would have preferred my own boots but to my surprise my won soiled clothing had disappeared. Someone must have taken them while I was submerged.
But there was a hair brush and as I combed my hair out, braided it and sat down on one of the many stone benches around the pool. Somewhere dripped water, otherwise it was very quiet. My thoughts returned to the boy that fell of the scaffold and I my good mood evaporated.
I waited and kept on waiting and I was certain more than an hour had passed. I was eager to hear the explanation of the Old man and why he decided to make me think he was a spirit.
Then I heard footsteps, but I was utterly astonished seeing a woman coming through the door. She wore a garment quite similar to my own; her hair was red and surrounded her head with tiny locks that reached past her shoulders. Judging by her face she was perhaps thirty or forty years of age. She smiled and said." I was not informed a new girl had arrived. When did you come?"
I turned as to see if there was someone else in the room and then I said."I know nothing of a new girl, woman." I am Eric of the Olafson clan and I was told to wait here till someone comes to fetch me."
Her smile changed into a grin. "I must say for a boy you actually look very pretty."
I was not certain if I should have been angry, somewhere inside her comment pleased me but then I decided that a Neo Viking needed to be quite angry and offended and I said."Either your eyes have tricked you or maybe it is the dim light down here, but I am Eric and I am the First Born of the Olafsons."
"Oh the famous young Tyranno Slayer, I have heard of you."
I was wondering what a woman did, here at the Halls of Hasvik, but nothing had been as it should have been so far.
As if she read my mind. "It is not the privilege of men to worship the gods. Are there not two female Goddesses represented up there?"
She was right of course, but somehow I had not expected a woman in this epitome center of Nilfeheim tradition. "I did not mean any offense, Lady."
"I am not offended. I did come to fetch you, the Ancient One has told me a new Adept was waiting down here. I was just taking aback when I thought I saw a girl. Don't be offended, young Eric. You still have a youthful face and nature has not yet granted you the facial hair all men are so proud off. To all this I
must say you have the most amazing hair color and some girls would be proud to have braids that long."
"Maybe I should cut them somewhat." I mused aloud.
"Don't cut them just yet and you better come with me now. There is dinner and tomorrow I shall begin to instruct you in fighting with spear and lance."
I got up and then blinked as I had to make sure I had heard right."You are going to instruct me in weapon training?"
"Indeed that is what the Ancient said. He wants you to pick up a few skills while you are here and I am the best when it comes to the spear. Have you ever seen a Valkyrie without one?"
I had seen the mythical female Warrior spirits depicted in many murals and book illustrations, sent by the Gods to guide fallen warriors to Valhalla, and she was right they were always depicted having spears. I suddenly had a revelation. The Old man said something about Odin loved disguises on top of the stairs. He appeared and disappeared like a ghost and now a woman was talking about Valkyries. Could it be? He was no ghost as he said but that did not mean he was no god. Was he Odin? Was this the secret? Did the Gods hear my prayers for revenge and help?
I was afraid to ask and more afraid of the answer. There as the Feather cloak in a display case upstairs. The old man knew so much about me and even about Midril. In my mind it the pieces started to fit together, down here I walked among the Aseir. I followed her in a dazed quite frightened state of mind and said." Please do not take offense to anything I said or thought!"
She turned while we walked down the corridor but past the elevator, gave me a puzzled look then giggled and said."I told you I did not take offense."
The corridor widened into a huge cavern and became a small path leading downward into this cave inside Mount Muspleheim. A bright ball of light floated underneath the natural ceiling and below something I had seen previously only in Virtus in school, a large tended garden with tidy rows of plants. A wire enclosed area with brown bird like animals to the right. I identified them as chicken as my mind recalled the page of a Cerebral uploaded book, these were birds from Earth.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 175
