Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 01

"You can stay of course till your new teacher arrives; he should be here in a few days."

He then said."Eric this was not the first incident. It was the first you noticed. My flier suddenly malfunctioned, caused by a Harpoon charge wired to the Arti grav. I escaped by sheer luck. Jan and Hein almost died as they ate a fish cake send for me, it was poisoned. No one remembered how the cake came to be on the counter." He threw his hands in the air."I hoped it would ease but no it got worse. Now they attacked my wife."

He sighed. "I have contacted Mr. Silverzweig and he is now in charge of your Off Planet accounts and all this and I have before the elders declared that I have no interest in controlling or checking over that what Ragnarsson was. I don't want to be a big clan leader. I want to be a simple Innkeeper and I must provide safety for my family first."

I was sitting up all night in the Inn at the table. I did not know where to go or what to do. I did not want to go back to the Rock. I knew if I would go now, no one would ever see me again until I confessed or declared before the elders that I stepped back and accept Lothar as the real heir.

Part of me thought it would be a good idea. I wanted to go join the Fleet. I could care less what Lothar had and what not, but having father wins after all this time. Triumph over mother, Uncle Hogun and everyone. No I must not give in! I would survive somehow and then kill them all! A dark cloud came over my thoughts as I sat there all by myself. Maybe I needed to be even more evil than my father. I killed four men and I knew without a distant weapon or a trick. I could kill the entire Circle of the cursed Elders, forget about the Loki cussed traditions and kill everyone in that cold rotten Burg.

Not leave anyone alive, not the Servants, not the Low men, everyone who carried or was associated with that Odin spat on name Olafson!

I barely noticed the old man that walked in the door with the first morning light. It seemed Uncle Hogun did not slide the bolt to lock the door, but he rarely did anyway. I sighed and expelled these thoughts. I could not be a criminal if I wanted to join the Union fleet.

"Go home old man it is way too early and we are not open. All rooms are booked."

He was deeply shrouded in a hooded Fangsnapper-fur coat and despite the thick coat appeared thin. He walked supported by a walking stick and his entire body was bending forward. I did not see much of his face but a few whisks of gray hair and a sharply hooked nose that stock past the furred brim of his hood. It was still Short Summer so I wondered why anyone would dress in a fur coat like at this time of year. He looked around and noticed me. Now I could see his face. It was the face of an old man deeply wrinkled, his chin covered by a thin ragged looking beard of a gray yellowish shade. His eyes had almost no color and had an enormous intensity to them. He reminded me instantly of the Ancient but it was not him. This man did not have the kind and warm twinkle in the eyes. His where cold as that of a fish.

He walked towards the table reserved for Hogun and his family and sat down, completely ignoring me "Young warrior. A nice strong tea be nice, with lots of honey and a good helping of Vodka."

"We don't serve guest that early and I don't even know if we have tea."

"Oh you do, you do!" Was his answer.

Before I could make it to the kitchen door, Uncle Hogun came out holding two steaming plates with breakfast. He saw the strange guest and said." Odin's blood. Egill Skallagrímsson. Is it really you?"

The old man pushed the hood back." Of course it is me."

"I bring you some special tea right away. You still drink tea right?"

"I still do. Even at my age I still manage to hold a cup and drink tea."

"So you are the teacher that is supposed to take Eric. I wondered who it would be; the Old Arguer was not specific."

"He never is specific, that Old Geezer. He runs around pretending to be an Arguer and all he foretells are things he knows will happen!"

"How old are you now anyway?" Uncle Hogun asked as he opened a locked cabinet under the counter and revealed a modern Serv-Matic and rows of spirit bottles, most clearly not of our world. The machine produced a steaming cup of tea in no time and my uncle poured a more than generous helping of a clear spirit in it and served it to the strange visitor.

"I am not entirely sure but I think I am well into the fourth quarter of my fourth century."

It was not entirely proper for me to simply burst out but I said." You are over 450 years old then?"

He croaked a dry laugh."Indeed young whelp. This is not so unusual nowadays as I understand."

Hogun said."Eric, this is Egill Skallagrímsson. He lives all by himself on a small rock in the Southern Strom Sea, and does that for a very long time."

Egill declined his head."This is so. Some call me a Hermit. The clan of Elders calls me the Holy One and some say I have mystic powers. Myself I am not really sure what I am other than an old man living all by himself with a few peculiar traits and opinions."

He sipped his tea and looked at me. "So you are the young Warrior that made such an Impression on that Old Arguer last year."

Then unfastened a stained and dirty looking little leather bag from his belt, nestled with the string closure and emptied what it contained on the table. Perhaps a dozen or so ivory colored rectangular things fell on the table surface

"Ah yes, you are the Son of Isegrim and the lovely daughter of Ragnarsson." He nodded forlorn. His long, spidery fingers pushed the ivory cubes around and sighed. "It is such a shame what he had done to her. There is so much movement and trickery going on that I am surprised to find you all alive!"

I wanted to say something. I wanted to ask what was going on and why this old man was talking that way, but Uncle Hogun gave me a stern look and placed his index finger on his lips, then shook his head. So I remained quiet and the old man kept pushing the little pieces around. "I never saw anything like this. We must talk young Eric Olafson. We must talk indeed and I need to throw the rune stones again for you, when we are at Skalil Rock, the pillar of Nilfeheim."He brushed the pieces back into the leather bag and then drank more of his tea.

Into the silence Uncle Hogun finally said. "What about me, Old Seer. Have you seen a son or a daughter of my own in your runes?"

"I told you before that you need to take your wife and go with her to a doctor. You will never get a son or any children if you do not both go there. Once you done that I see a house full of children, sons and daughters too!"

I never seen Uncle Hogun blush before but my giant uncle seemed embarrassed."It's something we Norse rather not do, talk to an Off-Worlder about such things."

"I expected you to be a little more open minded, after all you have been off world for quite a spell before you returned and got married."

This surprised me, but also explained a few things. Uncle Hogun had been off planet!

Hogun spread his humongous hands."It's not so much me. I find it difficult to talk to her about that."

"She is a Midwife for Odin's sake. She knows more about these things than even perhaps the local doctor. Take her to the clinic, no one on Nilfeheim will ever know. The doctors take their oath very serious. In such things the Off=Worlders are even more traditional as we are"

"I will follow your advice, Old man."

"No you most likely will not. I am certain you will ask me the same thing when I return in a few years. But surprise me, proof me wrong."

The Old Man got up started to go to the door and turned." What are you waiting for young Eric, are you not coming?"

Hogun nodded."Go with the Old Wizard. He is the one you spending your summer break with!"

Uncle Hogun handed me a back pack." In packed a few things for you and your other things will be safely kept."

I simply I followed the Old Man outside I decided it was simply best to give up any questions and render all control over my life to others, but I did remember the Ancient one taking about this. As he did say he had arranged for my further education and visited Hogun in his guise as Arguer to predict all this

Despite his advanced age he was quite fast on his feet and headed for the harbor. I had to run to catch up with him."Why am I going with you and where are we going?

"You need to learn to ask one question at a time, young Eric. Once you receive an answer you might ask another."

"I don't have to follow you either, Old Man. I might as well go back to the Inn, take my things and live somewhere by the Mountains. No one really cares about me. You are another old man who comes into my life and wants me to do things. I have no idea what it is or were we are going, but for one time I would like to know where I am going and what is expected from me."

He actually stopped and turned. "You do have the mind of your mother. She always was a very free spirit and she had a very sharp tongue you know." He wiped his nose with his sleeve, "I know about your family as I know about almost all families on Nilfeheim. I knew your mother, her mother and her Grandmother. I know the Olafson clan all the way back to Lothar Ironfist Olafson. I am not a Wizard mostly because I have no idea what a Wizard is supposed to do or know. I am living on my rock and unlike your Ancient Friend I was never hiding myself."

He nodded."Yes I am supposed not to know about anything that goes on under Muspelheim. What is important that I am the Eldest, the one whose seat is always empty, and other Norse usually follow my command and advice. Even though I do not interfere with the Circle of Elder business on a daily basis."

I was about to tell him where he could stuff the Elder business of his. I had enough of these self righteous men who thought they could run the lives of everyone. No one dared to question them but something made me stop.

And he turned once more and nodded."Wise decision Eric the Warrior. You are wrong there are those who care greatly about you. That Old fool I told you about came to me twice in all my life to ask me to teach a young man. You see I am a Hermit by choice. I like being alone and having a snot nose around might not be my idea, but you see I care a lot about that Old Fool and he cares a lot about you. Which leaves you and me in the same boat, you don't like Elders and rather spend the school break in the Hills of Bifrost and I don't like company or rather join our mutual friend on his grand tour around Union Space. There was another person however who asked me to teach you a few things if I can, long before the Old man did and I gave her my word. So can we agree on that?"

I nodded."I think we can, Sir, but do you say she?"

He didn't seem to have heard my question and we had reached the boat slip at the fishermen's terminal. Only one sub was tied there at the moment. I couldn't identify the type and that was strange, like any other boy of my age I knew every Sub type and could identify them.

He laughed." Yes I can see it in your face, young Olafson. You can't identify her."

"No I sure can't. I never saw a sub with a tower that far back, and it has no harpoon turret either."

"This sub is even older than me, but don't let that scare you. It is well maintained and has some surprising features. It has no harpoon turrets, because it is not a hunt boat but a war boat. Besides if I ever do I hunt Tyrannos the old way and while you with me you will prepare for the ancient challenge and I will teach you all there is to know to mark the test so no one can oppose it."

I followed him aboard the old submarine. "Did you really know my mother?"

"Yes I did and I have something for you that might make this a memorable day for you."

He fished something out of the inner pocket of his shabby coat. It was a single holo Pic print, rolled up. The kind they send out for Yuletide with a single Image on it. I unrolled it and the three dimensional picture of a young beautiful woman in a maroon velvet dress with golden seams came to life. She held a small child in her arms.

A voice I never thought to hear again said. "I hope this reaches you in that lonely old tower of yours. Behold, this is my Firstborn, my son Eric. Promise me you shaggy old Wizard to teach him some of the things you know, and let him, when he comes of age, listen to your great wisdom. He is born into this beautiful but hard world. He is, as you well know son to a very hard father who will demand much of him, but if you teach him like you have taught me, my dear gone brother and my beloved father all the things about the ancient Rite of passage and the truth he will triumph so he can rightfully choose whatever path he wants to go. Happy Yuletide Old Man, yours Ilva Olafson." The woman kissed the child, the rest washed away as my tears in could not hold back dripped on the holo emitter. This was Ilva my mother! I watched it several times again, while the Old man had taken the sub under water and we were on our way. My mother had known him and he had trained Grandfather and her brother, the son grandfather lost in a Sub Accident. She had asked him to train me and not some chance meeting, not some person with ulterior motives, but mother and I as if she had spoken directly to me I would not just try my best to make grandfather proud. I would learn everything there was to learn about the ancient challenge and then demand to be tested before those cursed Elders. My revenge would not have to wait till I was sixteen. I would kill father and that brood infesting my Burg!"

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Chapter 18: Egill Skallagrímsson

It took Egill and me almost 4 weeks to reach his rock. His sub was quite fast, but no submarine could match the speed of a flier. He showed me how to guide the sub and I let me steer it from the helm. Despite its age, it was equipped with a Computronic and a sensor array that would put modern Hunt subs to shame. He told me stories about Earth, when submarines were used in warfare against other nations and never for hunting fish. He said that during the last great clan wars, many hunting subs were used or altered to attack other subs and that this one was a purpose build craft from that time.

The boat was perhaps seventy meters long, and generated power from a small Hydrogen Fusion Plant. It had a small galley and originally had room for a crew of six but the old man had re purposed these rooms as he did not have a crew, but he had prepared me a bunk in what he called the torpedo room.

The boat was armed with six torpedo tubes and had still twenty of these fast underwater missiles ready to be loaded. These torpedoes carried war head and could rip a boat or sub in pieces.

I asked him what was so traditional about that and it was using distance weapons and Off World Tech. He explained that the use of fishing boats and hunting subs came into use because the traditional way of hunting them was so dangerous, that many men were killed each year and the acceptance of subs and boats became accepted with traditions. I snorted at that and told him what I felt about traditions that could be altered when it fit the men and first born but was as rigid and unchangeable when it came to the rights of others. He simply ignored me and told me that during the height of the clan wars, boats were armed and blowing up another clan's boat was a "Thing" and therefore the use of torpedoes and such was perfectly alright. Those men inside these boats were a secondary effect as the boat and not the men were attacked.

Again the Elders and Vikings went out of their way to justify something with twisted logic. Egill said that this was the reason however, clan wars were out lawed as the use of Off-World tech was getting out of hand.

The boat smelled of wet wool, grease, Tyranno oil and other rather unpleasant organic odors and the hermit was not a pleasant conversationalist as the Ancient Keeper, he grunted most of the time. But he gave me the Old stories to read and the old poems and made me recite them. It was part of the ancient challenge to recite from memory one of the ancient poems, and the Elders testing could pick an easy one or a hard one.

He insisted I would learn them all. The second part of the Ancient challenge was a test of skill with three selected weapons. He was not satisfied with my skill level and pointed out that there was room for much improvement. He let the boat on auto helm every day and I had to exercise on the slippery hull before the conning tower of the sub and more than once fell, slipped and slid into the water. It took him a while to get the boat stopped and made me catch up instead of turning around. He was not friendly and never had a word of praise but he knew my mother and she wanted him to train me and I would not fail her last wish!

I would keep the Holo open and let it repeat the message. No music could have been sweeter to me as my mother's voice.

Finally we reached Skalil Rock. It was a tall thin pillar of rock sticking out of the ocean at least 50 meters, but for sure no more than 20 meters across.His burg melted with the shape of the stone column into one dark gray shape against the sky.

There was a very narrow quay on one side of that rock with metal bollards were he instructed me to secure the sub with thick Artifib-Ropes. I thought with disgust about the two faced no good for nothing elders, that damned modern technology and improvement but used it wherever they found it practical. I would have respected them if they lived what they preached but this hypocritical approach made me think of them less every time I was thinking about these fools.

An open basket came down from the burg hanging on a chain and he motioned me to step in. He did as well and the thing lifted us past the almost vertical rock walls of the pillar up and into a small outhouse like building sticking like a Kissing fish to the side of a Triple-Finner. An electric winch stopped humming and he said. "That is a wonderful thing to keep unwanted guests away."

I wondered how many unwanted guests would ever find this place anyway. If you didn't know its exact coordinates you'd never find it in the vastness of Nilfeheim oceans.

As if he heard my thoughts he said."If you are long enough at the same place they find you. Those who think I have answers or would use my influence to change a decision of the Elders."

I wondered how he knew what I was thinking about, but then he probably just kept explaining to me why he had this lift.

His burg consisted of only one house that was built into the base of his tower and it was like the boat a horrible mess. Books, rotting leather, wool, and dirty dishes piled up everywhere. And the air was even fouler than aboard the boat.

He barked."If you don't like how it smells and looks you are welcome to do something about it."

He must have guessed what I was thinking seeing my face. "Well I don't mind cleaning the place a little. Do you have cleaning supplies?"

He shrugged." If I do I don't remember. On top of the tower is a small flier. You can use it to go to fly to Isen and get what you need."

I looked around and found the narrow stairs. Its rails covered with incredibly dirty rags and laundry. As I climbed it he jelled"While you there pick up some to eat, some tea and a bottle of Vodka or two."

After leaving the ground floor and climbing the spiral stair case the trash became less and the air better, but judging by the finger thick dust, no one had been up here in ages. The flier was indeed there, a small two-seater with a tinny cargo area. It too was covered thick with gray dust. Only because the Olafson clan didn't believe in updating tech. I knew that thing in the back was pre Zero Point power cube technology. That Nuco-Bat was ancient when my 400 hundred year old Instructor was in his crib. Surprisingly according to the indicator, it held twenty percent power and that was plenty to take that thing twenty times around the planet. A rusty winch opened a side of the Tower, no electric motor there, and after checking the Arti grav and the on Board Computronic I took the think out. The Arti Grav worked fine but its propulsion unit, two ducted turbines sputtered until a lodged dirty sock or something similar came loose and the flier went south in a trail of dust.