The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

The Scorched Continent

The days had blurred in that inconsequential way when things became repetitive. I remember them passing with John, Kaden and I becoming all the more restless. We had raided the captain's alcohol stores one night and wrapped ourselves around the ship's mast with merriness as we shouted out an off key tavern song as loud as our throats would allow.

Why do I think on this now? Well I suppose one always draws back to how it starts before it all escalates into the usual mess called life. More specifically, we were running for ours.

"Wh-hy are—we making for the—winds as if the devil—pursues!" John shouted through pants as we rounded yet another sandstone corner of a tightly packed building in the port city of Jwendra.

It was a well established trade port of the vast continent and the most frequent port for continental vessels making imports and exports between. It was evident in the towering stone buildings, the intricately carved pillars that made up bell towers, the water fountains, marble walkways, the—

"TAYAH!" Kaden roared grabbing my arm to grind me to a halt.

I took in the men bent over on winded lungs and hefting our saddlebags of gold with them. We still had six remaining...

"Why in gods are we disappearing? We have been docked but slithers and—"

"We cannot be anywhere near them when the captain finds out." I told them urgently. My eyes flickered to the Valkyrie and she stood impassively under the shade of a wall with curious eyes.

"I second the buffoon. I have never seen you quite so flustered..." She mused.

Kaden threw her a glare before crossing his great arms.

"Explain."

"I will, in excruciating detail but we must move now. Or there will be no story to tell." I grit out through heavy breaths.

The men exchanged a glance before shrugging. John hefted two saddlebags before readjusting his new shield on its back holster and gesturing for me to lead with a nod. Kaden grunted as he adjusted the gleaming new axe on his back, along with multiple bags no man should be able to carry. 

I gave them quick half smiles before ducking down another narrow alleyway. I felt the Valkyrie's presence without any laboured breathing. Her form stuck to the shadows and a few steps to the side. Her dark hood hid her face and burning eyes as we put more distance between us and—

A crossbow bolt suddenly buried itself in the dirt road a few paces to the right of me. I dared a glance back and saw them.

The Bear Clan.

"What the hell did you do?!" John yelled as we darted down a sharp turn and emerged into a courtyard thick with stalls selling wares in the midday sun.

"Siay bashi nuo dex!" A man shouted at me, throwing a rug in my face to encourage me to spend coin.

I glared death at him but he did not retract it. Did he have no sense? I drew a hunting blade in a flash and levelled it at him. But the dark skinned man simply shrugged and turned to Kaden instead, as if this were a regular occurrence.

I stared at him in shock as the men burst into chortles.

But the moment did not last as we soon heard shouts from our furry pursuers. I grabbed John's arm and pulled him away from the seller. Kaden was tight on his heels and the Valkyrie—well I lost her. Gods know where she had disappeared to but we did not have the luxury of time to find out.

We dodged yet more crowds of customers, donkeys, snakes... realm save me. Finally we broke through the madness and darted up a stone set of stairs. They ascended onto a large rooftop that was furnished with hung tapestries that flowed colourfully in the wind and protected loungers from the burning rays.