Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 16 Gathering
Known as the chosen one by the locals, Vig didn't feel much resistance. He had come to this world inexplicably and truly deserved the title of "chosen one."

Having witnessed the power of the Chosen One, Leonard accepted the invitation on the condition that his neighbor, Ulf, also join him. "I don't trust this guy. If I go out to sea to plunder alone, he might take the opportunity to attack my territory."

Left with no other choice, Vig agreed to go to Konsel to persuade Ulf.

Compared to Leonard's territory, Konsel appeared extremely dilapidated, with only about sixty households in the entire settlement. The residents on the streets were hunched over and looked malnourished, not much different from a slum.

"So poor, no wonder they have to steal other people's prey."

After tying up the horses, Vig pushed open the wooden door of the lord's longhouse. The room was dimly lit, and a tall, thin middle-aged man draped in a tattered fur coat was curled up dozing by the campfire. He went over and shook the man awake.
“I am Ragnar Rosbroek’s shieldbearer, inviting Lord Ulf to Gothenburg. Where is he?”

The middle-aged man rubbed his eyes and yawned as he replied, "I am Ulf. Thank you for Ragnar's kindness, but unfortunately I can't get away for the time being because my neighbor Leonard is about to launch an attack. Sigh, to make such a fuss over a reindeer, he's really not like a Viking."

Amidst the other party's incessant complaining, Vig heard a completely different version. The prey had initially been shot by an arrow from Ulf's shieldbearer, escaping wounded into Leonard's territory, which then triggered a series of disputes.
With differing stances, both sides had their own version of events. Vig wasn't interested in determining right or wrong, and simply replied, "I've reached an agreement with Leonard. He's willing to put aside our differences and participate in the raid, on the condition that you come along."

"You convinced this stingy guy?"

Ulf's voice suddenly rose as he ordered his wife to pour a glass of mead for the guest. "How did you do that?"

"I made a kite that brought the thunder from the sky into the clay pot."

With the territory's security guaranteed, Ulf agreed to participate in the raid. If he didn't make some extra money, he probably wouldn't even be able to pay the salaries of his eight shield guards.

Two days later, Ulf and Leonard held a sacrificial ceremony in an open space, vowing, under the witness of the gods, never to attack each other for three years.

Upon returning to Gothenburg, he reported the results of the mission to Ragnar, who repeatedly mentioned the nickname "Chosen One," saying, "I didn't expect you to have such a talent. Well done. Including Leonard and Ulf, a total of twelve nobles have pledged to participate in this raid."

With these nobles leading the way, Ragnar estimated that the raid would gather at least three thousand Vikings. To transport this large army to Britain, he would be obligated to provide sufficient ships and various supplies, which would undoubtedly be a huge expense.

Noticing the other person's troubled expression, Vig decided to invest his savings in the robbery for two reasons:
First, these goods are inconvenient to carry around, and if they are stored in Gothenburg while you are away, there is a high probability that they will be stolen.

Secondly, this move will help him gain some influence in this raid and further enhance his reputation.

"Is this true?" Deeply moved to learn that his subordinate was willing to invest all his savings, Ragnar rose from his seat to pour him a glass of mead.
"Thank you for your generosity. After the raid is successful, we will divide the spoils according to our contributions. If the operation goes smoothly, this investment of twenty pounds of silver will at least double!"

In March of 843 AD, as the weather gradually warmed, Vikings from various regions arrived one after another, and hundreds of longships anchored on the sea west of Gothenburg. More than three thousand outsiders flooded into the village, completely shattering the peace of this coastal town. Frequent brawls caused the shield guards responsible for maintaining order a major headache. "Stop, don't force me to take action."

Seeing that his attempts to dissuade them were futile, Vig was forced to knock down the two drunken men and throw them into a nearby pigsty. Before he could catch his breath, he heard a woman screaming from not far away.

"Why haven't we set sail yet? We can't take this anymore!"

Not long after, Bjorn arrived with two men and casually replied, "King Eric is the only one left. That guy has a big entourage and always likes to make his appearance last. I bet that old bastard hasn't set off yet."

As time went on, the security situation in Gothenburg deteriorated rapidly. Ragnar's second wife, Sora, lost several strings of jewelry, Ivar's silk was stolen, and even Björn's collection of maps disappeared, despite a long and arduous search.

Vig breathed a sigh of relief, thankful he had included that shipment in the looting operation, otherwise he would have suffered losses as well. In this tense atmosphere, he would sleep every night with his chainmail under his pillow and his Dragon's Breath Sword clutched in his arms, fearing that these two top-tier pieces of equipment would be stolen.

In mid-March, King Eric arrived in Gothenburg with twenty longships. The raid involved thirteen nobles, including Ragnar, and a total of over three thousand five hundred raiders, including a quarter of the Shield Maidens.

In terms of equipment, no more than three hundred people possessed iron armor, and the vast majority of them only had a round shield and an iron axe.

On the eve of the expedition, Ragnar specially invited a group of shamans from Uppsala to hold a sacrificial ceremony. Vig was not used to such a bloody scene, so he went to a secluded corner and stared blankly at the leaden gray sea to the west.

(Note: Uppsala, located near present-day Stockholm, Sweden, was a sacred site of Norse polytheism during the Viking era.)
"The renowned Chosen One has actually avoided the sacrificial site. Is there some special reason?" A shaman wearing a black cloak walked out of the alley. Finding that the other party was too lazy to pay attention to him, he simply took off the cloak and introduced himself as the Raven Whisperer.

"Is there something you need?" Vig was very wary of the bald man in his thirties. He was tall and thin, with pale skin and several dark blue rune tattoos on his face, giving him an unforgettable and terrifying impression.

The Raven Whisperer's eyes were sharp, as if he could see through Vig's thoughts. "You feel aversion to the sacrificial ceremony, and I feel the same way. It's just a pity that tradition has always been like this. The elders hold the power, and the newcomers have no room to object. Rashly proposing changes will only bring disaster. In this respect, Uppsala is no different from ordinary territories."

Vig retorted insincerely, "Change? I have never made such a proposal."

At that moment, taking advantage of the other party's inattention, the Raven Speaker suddenly stretched out his cold, pale hands and gripped Vig's wrists tightly like iron clamps.

"Vig Hackenson, chosen one of the Aesir, you are destined for greatness, and I am your best assistant. You may not trust me now, but one day you will accept my help. The road ahead is long, may your journey be successful."

(End of this chapter)