by Njord Kane
With difficultly, Rowan pulled the ax from the thing's head. It was too deeply embedded and he had to put his foot on the thing's chest to gain leverage as he freed the ax.
The creature, although greatly weakened from the iron, persevered in its struggle to get free.
Rowan knew what he had to do; there was only one way to end all of this madness. Gulping in disappoint to the task of which he had to preform, he raised the bloodied ax over his head once again and this time aimed for the creature's neck. He swung down with all his force and struck the draug's swollen, unnatural neck.
It took Rowan two more chops to separate the creature's head from its body. The abomination's body was so large and had swollen to such an unnatural size, there was nothing simple about it.
To Rowan's relief, once the head was detached the creature's body stopped moving and went limp.
Horrifically, even though the body appeared to be dead, the creature's head was still alive!
Rowan grabbed the head by its hair and lifted it up to look it.
Its dead, lifeless white eyes were still open as was the mouth as well. The thing was actually trying to growl, although the only sound emitting from it was a drowned incongruous gurgling sound.
Repulsed by it, Rowan tossed the head on the ground. He rolled it over with his foot so that its face was towards the ground so he didn't have to look at it.
He knew what he had to do at this point. The burden of his dirty work was not yet complete. There was simply too much risk of this thing coming back alive. The only way to make sure it was dead and stayed dead was to burn it.
Rowan began gathering dead wood that was around the area and started stacking the firewood on top of the creature's corpse.
At first he was going to dig a hole, roll the creature in it and then burn it in the hole so it could be easily covered up. But when he tested out this plan he discovered that the beast simply was too great in weight. The thing's headless body was uncannily heavy. He wasn't able to budge it in even the slightest manner. It was like a solid rock that would take a team of horses to move.
So he decided to burn it on the ground where it laid.
He would need proof of killing it however. Although he was not happy about having to deal with its still-alive head, he really had no choice. He would have carry it back to the Jarl as proof of the creature's demise.
Rowan gathered the ghastly still active head with its dull gurgling growl and placed it in one of the buckets he used to carry the iron scraps up the mountain.
Having gathered enough firewood to make a fire big enough to burn the creature's body to ash, Rowan set the hastily built funeral pyre on fire.
He watched the black smoke of the great fire roll into the sky for a couple hours until he was satisfied that the corpse was going to be reduced to ash, never to rise a again.
The Sun was only an hour or less until it was going to set for the day. Rowan made a torch and lit it from the bonfire's blaze. He gathered his things, including the bucket with the moaning head in it, and made his way down the mountainside towards the village.
Chapter 14 - The Triumphant Return
Rowan arrived at the village's edge just a few hours after night fall. He pondered for a moment trying to decide where to go. Either to the longhouse of his mistress, the blacksmith's wife and wait until morning to announce his defeating the dead walker; Or to continue on and go to the Great Hall of the Jarl now.
One thing was for certain, he needed to take a short break first. He was exhausted. Even though he killed the creature, he didn't want to be in the mountain's forest at night. The now defeated creature wasn't the only threat that laid within the forest and on the mountain. Rowan had come to learn there were many things in the wilderness that were more of a threat than wolves and bears.
He set his bundle down, thankful of the moonlight that lit the way. The moonlight enabled him to trek through the last stretch of forest. His torch had burned itself out already and he didn't make another because he was somewhat still able to see without using a torch. Even though he could have devised one rather quickly with a dried branch before the previous one burned itself out, he decided not to bother and keep going.
Feeling rested enough from taking a short 'breather,' Rowan gathered up his things and made his way towards the Great Hall. He knew the Jarl and a majority of the men of the village would the there. There simply was no better time to do this than now.
It wasn't long until Rowan was standing just outside the Great Hall. He could hear the muffled voices of the men inside. He set everything down by the outside wall and retrieved only the bucket containing the head. He could still hear its muffled groans. It was strange how this body-less head was still alive.
He walked up to the doorway and stood there a moment. He was still hesitant to just walk inside. As he was just a lowly thrall and wasn't exactly permitted to enter without a master or without a really good reason.
Silly thought. This was reason enough, he reassured himself as he gathered the courage to enter.
As soon as he stepped foot in the Hall, his presence was immediately noticed by men near the door. One was about to confront him, but another man standing next to him, seeing what Rowan was carrying in the bucket, stopped him.
A guard that was standing by the door who had also seen what Rowan was carrying, called out loud enough to be heard above the other conversing voices and merriment in the Hall, "My Lord!"
The hall quickly went quiet as everyone turned and looked at Rowan. The guard motioned Rowan to go to the Jarl and followed behind him as he walked towards the Jarl.
As Rowan walked toward the end of the Hall where the Jarl was seated, men stepped aside and allowed him passage. Whispers and murmurs grew among the men, as they inquired amongst each other as to what was going on and why the thrall was in the Hall.
With a degree of uneasiness Rowan walked past all the gawking men, whom at first looked upon him disparagingly until they seen what he was carrying inside of his bucket.
Rowan made his way past everyone and stood before the Jarl, whom was sitting in his throne looking at him with a questioning expression on his face. Rowan tried to keep his eyes lowered, not wanting to provoke anyone's wrath upon him, especially that of the Jarl.
As soon as he got in front of the Jarl's throne, he set the bucket down before the Jarl's feet and took a step back before he kneeling down.
"My Lord, I present to you the dead walker's head."
The Hall lit up in an almost instant roar upon hearing Rowan say this. Some voices cheering the creature's vanquish, while others contested it with their doubts.
The Jarl leaned forward in his chair and looked in the bucket. Seeing the back of the grotesque bloodied head of the creature, he was immediately revolted by the sight of it.
Even though the Jarl was a seasoned warrior who had seen many battles, he still didn't like the sight of blood or dead things. But he was the leader and he couldn't show even an ounce of weakness, no matter how much this thing repulsed him.
Needing to verify the thrall's claim, he reached down into the bucket and flipped the head over so he could see its face. As soon as he flipped the head over, he quickly pulled his hand back and stood up.
The room quietened when they seen him stand up so fast.
Jarl Erling looked at Rowan and then turned his gaze to the other men in the hall and announced, "The beast has been slain!"
The Jarl's confirmation caused the room to erupt in cheers.
He then sat back down and looked at Rowan and asked, "the head is still alive?"
Rowan nodded. "Yes my Lord, the body died when I chopped its head off, but the head somehow remained alive."
There was gasping by the men who peered over and looked at the head in the bucket. Rowan could hear the talk behind him as many of the men in the room debated whether it was the creature's head or not. There were many men trying to step forward and look over each other to see the head to verify this for themselves
.
The Jarl called over to one of his guards and told him to fetch the lawspeaker. The guard nodded and immediately turned, making his way through the crowd before disappearing out the Hall's door.
Seeing how the men inside of the Hall were crowding each other, trying to see the creature's head inside of the bucket, the Jarl stood up and said, "Calm down men. There is no need to crowd each other."
The Jark reached down while being careful not to let the thing bite him and pulled the head up out of the bucket. Unfortunately, as soon as he picked it up, it slipped from his grip and fell back into the bucket making a barely audible thud sound when it landed.
The nasty rotting thing repulsed him, but again he kept it hidden from his men. Rowan, however, was able to see the Jarl's distaste at touching it and offered to take it out of the bucket.
"My Lord, there is no need for you to touch such a repulsive and vile thing. Please allow me."
The Jarl nodded. "Place it on the floor so all may see it."
Rowan nodded and carefully reached into the bucket and picked up the creature's head. He held onto its ears so it wouldn't slip out of his hands as it did when the Jarl tried to pick it up. Rowan lifted the head up and turned to face the men in the hall. He held the head up high above his head for a moment so everyone in the Hall could get a good look at it before setting the head down on the ground.
Rowan made sure the head was upright and facing the hall, so everyone could examine it as they pleased. He then wiped his hands on his tunic and stepped back, away from the head on the ground. Rowan knelt to the side so he would still be facing the Jarl, but also so he could see the head and the men in the hall.
Rowan was permitted to quietly just kneel there and began getting barraged by questions from the men in the Hall about how he managed to kill the dead walker and why was the head still alive.
The Jarl interrupted their inquiries and announced, "be patient until the lawspeaker arrives and everyone shall have their questions answered. Leave the thrall be for the moment."
The creature's head was still looking around with its dead eyes and occasionally emitted a growl. Although the muffled growls could barely be heard now over the noise in the Hall. Everyone looking at it could still see its mouth move as it was trying to growl and roar.
Another man pushed his way through to get a glimpse of the dead walker's head and angrily asked, "How did you possibly kill it. There is no way a mere thrall could have done such a thing. Especially after it slayed so many seasoned warriors."
As Rowan was about to answer the man's question, Jarl Erling calmly lifted his hand signaling Rowan to not answer.
"I sent for the Lawspeaker. We shall wait to hear what happened when the Lawspeaker arrives and only then. I want him to hear the details as well so we can get his take on all of this."
Seeing how many of the men were growing impatient, the Jarl said in a louder voice, "Please men, just be patient and enjoy the mead I have provided. Your wait for answers and to hear the thrall's story should not be very much longer. I sent for Alvis the Lawspeaker. He should be here any moment."
The Jarl had his own thralls bring more mead to be distributed in the Hall. Many of the men settled down and took in the mead, compliments of the Jarl's hospitality.
The wait for the Lawspeaker wasn't much longer as he finally arrived, assisted by the Housekarl that was sent to fetch him. The elderly man was seated in a chair provided for him in front of the Jarl, so he could see the head on the floor.
The old wise man examined the gruesome head for a few minutes from his chair without saying a word as the Jarl and everyone else looked on. The men in the Hall were discussing it among themselves and coming up with their own conclusions. After a few moments, the old man stopped looking at it and relaxed in his chair. He looked up at the Jarl and nodded, indicating that he ready to speak.
The Jarl stood up and raised his hands up and said, "Quiet! Men, I need the Hall to quieten."
The Hall began to quieten with the help of a few men telling the other men, relaying the Jarl's command.
When the Hall fell silent and with everyone's attention, Jarl Erling announced, "Now Alvis the wise, bearer of our laws, is ready to hear the thrall Rowan's testimony. The thrall named Rowan will now speak."
The Jarl sat down and motioned the now wide eyed Rowan to speak.
"Tell us Rowan, how you've come to possess the head of the very creature that has slayed our men and become a plague to this village."
Feeling ever uncertain, especially because the last time he was forced to speak before the Hall he was accused and was nearly executed for murder, Rowan obediently stood up and began to tell his story.
"The first two times that we confronted the creature, it was noticed that iron hurt it. In fact, it appeared to have burned it. I knew something had to be done about this creature because I knew it wasn't going to leave the folk of this village alone."
"What makes you think that?" blurted out a man. "Perhaps if we left it be, it would leave us be."
A few other men in the Hall agreed with him.
"Because we didn't even know it existed until it came to kill one of us in the night. It preying upon some of our livestock permitted us to track it to its lair." Rowan stressed. "Whatever drove this creature, wasn't going to stop. It came after us and you can bet it was going to come back, again and again."
"Okay let's say that it was going to keep coming back. What was your idea?" asked one man.
"I noticed the iron hurt the creature, so I thought I would be able to use iron to trap and kill it."
Many men listening were nodding in agreement to Rowan's rationalization.
"So I gathered up a net, some rope, and lots of scrap iron. I made a trap to lure the creature into. I figured if I found a way to cover the beast in iron, it would weaken and I'd have the opportunity to slay it.
"Did this work?"
"Yes." Rowan motioned towards the beast's head on the floor. "I was able to lure it into a trap and get the iron wrapped around it. Once it was subdued, I tried to kill it.
"Tried to kill it? Didn't it die easily once it was subdued with the iron?"
"No, as you can see on its head. I tried to bury my ax in its head but it did not kill the creature. So I chopped its head off instead. It was then that its body died, when Its head was severed off. But strangely, its head remained alive. Even now, the head lives without its body."
"Where is the dead walker's body now?"
"I stacked wood over its body in a sort of funeral pyre and burnt it. It was the only way I could be sure it would not come back to life."
"What made you think it would come back to life and needed to be burned?"
"Because the head was still alive, I didn't want to chance the body coming back alive."
"It was a wise move." Jarl Erling said. "To burn the body. That way there would be no way the creature could come back or its body searching for its head."
After hearing Rowan's story, the men in the hall began debating among themselves and exchanging their own personal feelings on the matter. Some were deciding whether or not they believed Rowan's story.
The head Rowan brought back was undeniable proof that he'd accomplished killing the creature. The fact that the head was still alive was also proof it was indeed the creature. It was undeniably something unnatural.
After a few moments of discussion, the Jarl finally stood up and said, "Quiet men, we have heard the thrall's account and he indeed has brought proof of the creature's death....well, mostly dead, as the head remains alive. We must now hear what the lawspeaker has to say after hearing all of this."
Jarl Erling turned towards the Alvis the lawspeaker and said, "Tell us wise one, what do you know of such things. Would he have been able to end this creature and why is the head still alive. Tell us what black magic this is that keeps the abomination's head alive?"
The lawspeaker spoke as loud as his frail elderly voice would allow.
"I have no
t seen a dead walker personally, but I do remember an incident with one when I was a young boy. Our village was under attack much like this one was and men had been dispatched to kill it. After a several failed attempts and the loss of lives to several brave men, they did finally manage to kill it. It was said that they burned the remains of the monster. They had rid it permanently by burning it. I do not know why this creature's head is still alive, that is something of knowledge that perhaps the Völva would be able to tell us. The creature that plagued us, they never separated the head and burned all of it when they finally managed to slay it"
The Jarl nodded, acknowledging what the Lawspeaker was saying. "We will have to send for the Völva from the neighboring village and see what knowledge she has of this creature, if any."
The old man nodded his head agreeing with the Jarl and said, "She may or may not know why, but she may know of some lore as to why we were plagued by this creature in the first place. Perhaps something we should have done straight away to rid ourselves of it or prevent another one like it from coming in the future."
The Jarl raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. "I agree."
The old man then turned to Rowan and said, "It was a good thing you didn't just bury it. The creature probably would have risen again, with or without its head."
There seemed to be much agreement in the Hall with the wise lawspeaker's statement.
"Did you know there was a reward for killing it?" The Jarl asked Rowan.
"No, my lord. I am not aware of any reward for killing the creature." Answered Rowan, shaking his head.
It was true, Rowan wasn't aware of any kind award. This was new information to him and was also somewhat puzzling to him. He wasn't sure what was to happen now. He instantly grew worried, because the last time he'd come into this Hall he'd been accused of murder and almost lost his life. He remembered how he was chained to a pole as well. He wore a neck ring, but it was always just symbolic of his status as a thrall. The blacksmith never chained him to anything, not even once.
