It must be well over a millenium now, the time of the norsemen, am I really that old ? Yes I truly am that old, and somedays I feel like it. Most days I get through with some happiness, as long as I don't remember the past or maybe if the day is quiet and my services not needed then I don't have to change my form and the memories of those long ago days brought back to me. I still look the same age as back then, in my early thirties, many people wish for the fountain of youth or to live forever, me I have wished for death often , too long a life. Valhalla awaits. Though I pray more for a Heaven so I can see my beloved again ...
I don't have the traits of Scandinavian people. My bright red hair is part of the curse. The curse of my human form is to take away the thing that makes me who I am and was. I remember the language but if I try and even say 'hejsan' it comes out as 'hello', pure and clear English and that is all I speak. The final and most heart rending part of the curse for me, is the granite form. If ever I raise my axe, which is my skill, something I can still hold onto from the days of the longships, then I am changed and my movement is slowed. An ugly form. Did I truly deserve this curse ?
Odin loves his punishments. I learned from my mistake though, I never profane the gods anymore but it doesn't look like I'm ever going to be forgiven for what I did ....
My anger was immense that day, enough to tumble mountains it seemed. The loss of my six year old daughter Linnea, killed by a wolf pack. I had no need to be away that day hunting. We had plenty of provisions for the Winter, no need for more. The sight of rended flesh and blood felt like a knife plunging into my heart when I realised the horror I saw with my eyes. My wife Silaya unreachable with her sorrow, a blooded hair ribbon held in her hand while she sobbed uncontrollably. The Gods had to answer.
Taking my axe in hand, as if an axe could strike Odin, I ran and headed to the nearest mountain to scale it and tell him what I thought. Odin is sometimes translated as fury and this was to be proven to me that day. With no measure of time and how long it took me, I felt the pangs of hunger but these were secondary to my thoughts of retribution, I managed to get to the highest point. Standing on a precipice I took my two-handed axe in hand.Fjärel or butterfly I called her, for the twin curved patterned blades that reminded me of butterfly wings. I shouted to the heavens and sealed my fate..
'Odin! You evil curr, why did you take her from me ? She was the purest of them all, loving and caring , her laughter and songs warmed hearts. You had no right you whoreson dog. You should have taken me !
With this I grabbed the bottom of my axe in both ands, spun round and launched it into the sky. My strength of wielding this huge heavy battle axe over the years had given me a massive amount of power and with the rage inside me this was doubled. The axe climbed to an incredible height. Suddenly it came to the top of its arc and stopped. Hovering in the sky, held in limbo the wrath of my God was about to be shown.
'You dare to curse the Gods puny mortal ! I have destroyed men for less but you shall have worse ! Living or dying is part of nature fool ! I do not choose, these things are beneath my notice. Men, women ,children and even babies die - it is the way of things !
'I feel no pity,I understand anger though, and for this reason I will not take your life. The punishment will be worse, and will be with you till the end of days. You will have to achieve true greatness to be forgiven and have your life back.
'Begone and beg and pray that one day you will feel my mercy, because death will be unreachable for you !
The axe travelled quickly towards me with such force. the blades struck me flat against the chest, any other direction and I would have been split in two. I was sent flying backwards and into unconsciousness and to the first of many nightmares.
Suddenly returning from my past thoughts, the day that could have been bareable was now going to be another painful one. The taste of salt on my lips from the tears I could never stop forming from my worse time in memory. I grabbed my axe. If I was going to be unhappy today I may as well do something good, maybe good enough to be forgiven ? Probably not today, I have patrolled many times and nothing. I can hope though ...
So in your everyday lives people of Paragon, you may see someone, that you judge. Maybe they are ugly to you or maybe look cold eyed. Maybe they are flame haired and you feel laughter inside for there misfortune. Maybe you see a beautiful blue eyed woman who looks like she's a wonderful caring person. I say don't ! You do not know what is truly beneath, and they may never even let you close to find out what they truly are. The ugly man could be the most good and decent, and the beautiful woman the most bad and ugly inside. Remember that.
A short story. Forgive the grammar.
The Origin of Red Cleaver
When did it happen ?
It must be well over a millenium now, the time of the norsemen, am I really that old ? Yes I truly am that old, and somedays I feel like it. Most days I get through with some happiness, as long as I don't remember the past or maybe if the day is quiet and my services not needed then I don't have to change my form and the memories of those long ago days brought back to me. I still look the same age as back then, in my early thirties, many people wish for the fountain of youth or to live forever, me I have wished for death often , too long a life. Valhalla awaits. Though I pray more for a Heaven so I can see my beloved again ...
I don't have the traits of Scandinavian people. My bright red hair is part of the curse. The curse of my human form is to take away the thing that makes me who I am and was. I remember the language but if I try and even say 'hejsan' it comes out as 'hello', pure and clear English and that is all I speak. The final and most heart rending part of the curse for me, is the granite form. If ever I raise my axe, which is my skill, something I can still hold onto from the days of the longships, then I am changed and my movement is slowed. An ugly form. Did I truly deserve this curse ?
Odin loves his punishments. I learned from my mistake though, I never profane the gods anymore but it doesn't look like I'm ever going to be forgiven for what I did ....
My anger was immense that day, enough to tumble mountains it seemed. The loss of my six year old daughter Linnea, killed by a wolf pack. I had no need to be away that day hunting. We had plenty of provisions for the Winter, no need for more. The sight of rended flesh and blood felt like a knife plunging into my heart when I realised the horror I saw with my eyes. My wife Silaya unreachable with her sorrow, a blooded hair ribbon held in her hand while she sobbed uncontrollably. The Gods had to answer.
Taking my axe in hand, as if an axe could strike Odin, I ran and headed to the nearest mountain to scale it and tell him what I thought. Odin is sometimes translated as fury and this was to be proven to me that day. With no measure of time and how long it took me, I felt the pangs of hunger but these were secondary to my thoughts of retribution, I managed to get to the highest point. Standing on a precipice I took my two-handed axe in hand.Fjärel or butterfly I called her, for the twin curved patterned blades that reminded me of butterfly wings. I shouted to the heavens and sealed my fate..
'Odin! You evil curr, why did you take her from me ? She was the purest of them all, loving and caring , her laughter and songs warmed hearts. You had no right you whoreson dog. You should have taken me !
With this I grabbed the bottom of my axe in both ands, spun round and launched it into the sky. My strength of wielding this huge heavy battle axe over the years had given me a massive amount of power and with the rage inside me this was doubled. The axe climbed to an incredible height. Suddenly it came to the top of its arc and stopped. Hovering in the sky, held in limbo the wrath of my God was about to be shown.
'You dare to curse the Gods puny mortal ! I have destroyed men for less but you shall have worse ! Living or dying is part of nature fool ! I do not choose, these things are beneath my notice. Men, women ,children and even babies die - it is the way of things !
'I feel no pity,I understand anger though, and for this reason I will not take your life. The punishment will be worse, and will be with you till the end of days. You will have to achieve true greatness to be forgiven and have your life back.
'Begone and beg and pray that one day you will feel my mercy, because death will be unreachable for you !
The axe travelled quickly towards me with such force. the blades struck me flat against the chest, any other direction and I would have been split in two. I was sent flying backwards and into unconsciousness and to the first of many nightmares.
Suddenly returning from my past thoughts, the day that could have been bareable was now going to be another painful one. The taste of salt on my lips from the tears I could never stop forming from my worse time in memory. I grabbed my axe. If I was going to be unhappy today I may as well do something good, maybe good enough to be forgiven ? Probably not today, I have patrolled many times and nothing. I can hope though ...
So in your everyday lives people of Paragon, you may see someone, that you judge. Maybe they are ugly to you or maybe look cold eyed. Maybe they are flame haired and you feel laughter inside for there misfortune. Maybe you see a beautiful blue eyed woman who looks like she's a wonderful caring person. I say don't ! You do not know what is truly beneath, and they may never even let you close to find out what they truly are. The ugly man could be the most good and decent, and the beautiful woman the most bad and ugly inside. Remember that.