He emerged from the forest and returned to the fortress.

Eric’s words still echoed in Lagman’s mind.

’The things I believe in...’

’By any means necessary?’

’But Harald is my brother... He’s my brother.’

Lagman murmured, his thoughts growing muddled.

When he came to his senses, he found himself in an unfamiliar place. At the end of the corridor was his father’s room.

’How did I get here?’

Lagman shook his head.

"Lagman."

A familiar voice called out.

Lagman turned to see the speaker. It was his brother, Harald.

"Harald, you’re still awake?"

"I’d like to be, but my wounds won’t give me any peace. It seems Frigga has decided she’s done with me."

Harald gave a wry smile and rubbed his shoulder. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He had grown thinner after spending so much time recuperating in bed, but some healthy color had returned to his tan skin.

"You’ll get better."

"Speaking of which, are you going to see Father? Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No..."

Lagman’s immediate instinct was to deny it.

But Eric’s words echoed in his mind again, forcing him to stop that denial.

"I’m planning... I’m planning to leave, Harald."

"Where will you go?"

"Wherever the sea leads, there is fortune to be found."

"Sigurd?"

"Yes. I don’t belong here. Maybe I should seek glory elsewhere, do something that I truly want. Just like our ancestor, Boneless Ivar."

"That’s quite the ambition. But what do you have now?"

"That’s right, I have nothing. That’s why I need your help. Get Father to give me at least one ship." Lagman stepped up to Harald.

"And what about a crew? You can’t take Father’s warriors to chase your own glory."

"I have a crew."

For the first time, Lagman detected a hint of spite in his brother’s voice.

"You mean that group of slaves? Fine, perhaps they did win their freedom today."

Harald shrugged and laughed, then turned to leave.

But his arm was quickly grabbed.

"Brother, I feel this is my destiny calling to me. Will you help me?"

"But..." Harald looked conflicted.

"Please."

"Alright," Harald nodded.

But no sooner had he agreed than Lagman was pulling him, running toward their father’s room.

"Whoa, whoa, brother, calm down! Let’s talk about this tomorrow. Father might already be asleep."

"My apologies, brother. This is just really important to me."

A rare feeling of agitation washed over Lagman.

Just as he reached his father’s room, he heard a furious argument from inside.

The door was then violently kicked open, and a large man strode out. It was Sigurd.

Sigurd looked furious, but his anger vanished the moment he saw Lagman.

"Lagman, I think highly of you. Much more than that foolish, stingy, treacherous father of yours." He clapped Lagman on the shoulder before shouting back toward Godred in the room.

With that, he strode off quickly.

Lagman then met his father’s gaze from inside the room.

"What do you want?"

Godred watched Lagman calmly, his demeanor nothing like Sigurd’s.

"And you, Harald."

Hearing his father address him, Harald turned his head away.

"Father, there’s something I need to tell you," Lagman said, pulling Harald into the room.

"Harald, didn’t I tell you to patrol the coast and guard the ships against attacks from the Scots?" Godred ignored Lagman and looked at Harald.

"Ah, Father, I forgot. I’ll go at once." Harald said, turning to leave.

He had only taken a few steps before Lagman grabbed him again.

"Wait, brother."

"Now is not the time. Can’t you see Father is displeased?" Harald hissed in a low voice.

"You promised me."

Lagman knew the timing wasn’t good.

But he suddenly had a feeling that if he let this chance slip by, he might change his own mind later.

"What is it, exactly?" Godred said, his eyes narrowing.

"I want to set sail. To find a land of my own. I need a ship, Father." Lagman did not mention Sigurd.

"You’re not going anywhere. Go to bed, child."

"You know I don’t belong here! There’s nothing for me here! You never entrust me with any important missions, you give me no tasks, no responsibilities!" Lagman’s voice rose.

"Is this how you speak to your father? What happened to all that etiquette you hold so dear? You will do as I command!"

"Harald supports me. You should understand me too, Father."

"Harald?"

At the mention of Harald’s name, Godred took a long breath, seeming to regain his composure.

"I... I feel it wouldn’t hurt to give Lagman a ship. Everyone deserves a chance to chase their destiny, and I think we can spare one for him.

However... after Sigurd so brazenly insulted you, Father, I refuse to help him obtain anything from you." Harald’s tone shifted completely.

Lagman was stunned by his brother’s betrayal.

’How could he bring up Sigurd?’

"You are very clever, Harald," Godred said. "Unlike your brother. Lagman, you will get no ship, and you will get no men. This matter is closed."

...

Perhaps he’d been in the cell for too long. The voices of the men around him gave him a headache. Leif was exhausted, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

He found himself missing his days in Greenland—the unique sound of its waves.

The only silver lining was that the wound on his thigh no longer hurt. Whatever that bastard Priest had given him worked surprisingly well.

His thoughts drifted aimlessly. Time trickled by, and the surrounding noise slowly faded.

Just as his consciousness began to fade, he suddenly sensed something. His eyes snapped open, but in the next instant, a hand clamped over his mouth.

He immediately targeted his attacker’s neck, his fist striking out on instinct.

But just as his fist was about to connect with the man’s face, he froze.

It was Eric.

Seeing that he had stopped his punch, Eric quickly released his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I’m doing? We’re escaping, you idiot! Are you half-asleep? You want to wait until they use you for cannon fodder again tomorrow?"

"Oh."

Leif froze, then remembered. Snapping out of his daze, he quickly responded to Eric.

He scrambled to his feet and scanned his surroundings, realizing all the other prisoners were gone from the camp.

"No time to space out. Let’s go."

Eric waved Leif over, stepped out of the bushes, and led the way.

’They had promised them freedom after the victory, but who knew if they would actually keep their word?’

’Besides, they were far from the mainland. It was unlikely they’d dispatch ships just to transport a group of newly freed slaves.’

’More likely, they’d be forced to keep fighting as cannon fodder.’

’Even if they weren’t used for fighting, just being abandoned here was a death sentence. This damn island had no food.’

After pushing through the bushes and walking for another ten minutes or so, the two reached the shore.

A few flickers of firelight were visible by the water. Leif grabbed Eric, instantly on alert.

"Someone’s there!"

"It’s fine. They’re with us."

Eric waved his hand dismissively and pulled Leif toward the shore.

A group of men was gathered by the sea, the firelight coming from the torches they held. They were the members of the prisoner army.

Beside them were several tightly bound Man Island Warriors, who had clearly been assigned to guard the ships.

"So I was the last one?" Leif asked, grabbing Eric again.

"Well, your leg is injured, isn’t it?"

Eric nudged Leif’s shoulder and chuckled.

"Is that so?"

"Of course. A devout believer in God never lies," Eric said with a completely straight face.

He then waved to the others, signaling them to begin.

Working together, the men began to push a longship from the shore into the sea.

Everyone scrambled aboard. As the ship moved further and further from the shore, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Then they saw more and more torches appearing on the shore. The Vikings had spotted them.

"HAHAHA! Come on, you Viking dogs! Come and get me!"

"May God grant you eternal damnation, you Heretics! Eat shit!"

"Look at them scrambling! Where are their false gods now?"

The men on the boat roared with laughter, freely mocking the Vikings on the shore.

But in the next moment...

"FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! Goddammit, they’re catching up! ROW! ROW! ROW!"