Prey in the High Hall
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Prey in the High Hall was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description
Eivor and Wulfhilda continue their investigation on the beast of East Anglia.
Dialogue
Wulfhilda directed Eivor towards a section of the woods.
- Wulfhilda: Should be up there in the trees ahead. Can you smell it? It stinks of death and evil.
- Eivor: I know that scent well. Carrion and death. Loki's reek.
Near the carcasses the abbess wanted to show Eivor was the old farmer Eivor had interrogated earlier surrounded by a pack of wolves.
- Anglo-Saxon Woman: Saints save me!
- Wulfhilda: The maulings have drawn in a starving wolf pack.
Eivor killed the wolves and talked to the woman.
- Eivor: Did the wolves get a bite of you?
- Anglo-Saxon Woman: No, I am unhurt. Thank you, Dane. I... misjudged you.
- Eivor: No need. But tell me what happened.
- Anglo-Saxon Woman: These beasts came scavenging for fresh meat.
- Eivor: I meant, why are you out here with the dead cattle again?
- Anglo-Saxon Woman: I'm searching for my best milch-cow. She's missing.
- Eivor: And you found her?
- Anglo-Saxon Woman: No, but I found a Danish axe. It belongs to Hrothgar, leader of their war-band.
- Eivor: You know for a fact this axe is his?
- Anglo-Saxon Woman: Yes! He brandishes it about the village, demanding ale.
- Eivor: I will speak to this Hrothgar and his war-band.
Eivor approached Wulfhilda.
- Eivor: That woman is certain a nearby band of warriors caused these maulings. We have no other clues.
- Wulfhilda: I know the men she means. They're staying at the church near Brisleah Farm. Come, meet them. Their leader, Hrothgar, is a great man ... for a heathen. He is no cattle killer.
They started to walk towards the church.
- Eivor: You have curious opinions, Wulfhilda. And an uncommonly opened mind.
- Wulfhilda: I should say the same of you. Most heathens would point to witchcraft or monsters, but you seek an earthly cause.
- Eivor: I have seen many strange things, but the answers are usually close at hand, if only hidden.
- Wulfhilda: True, yet in this case, the Church has tasked me to explain the unexplained. That at time introduces ... unholy ideas.
- Eivor: And your Church accepts your ... unholy ideas?
- Wulfhilda: They tolerate it. Lucifer is a deceiver and God Himself works in mysterious ways. So, I too must remain open to all possibilities, mundane and otherworldly.
- Eivor: Which is why you tolerate a heathen like me.
- Wulfhilda: Perhaps. Or perhaps all of us, heathen and Christian, stand within the folds of a greater mystery.
As they approached Brisleah Farm, dismal scenes came into focus, with dead people and burnt patches of grass and buildings leading to the church.
- Wulfhilda: Something's off, Eivor. Hrothgar's men are rowdy sorts, but the air is far too still.
- Eivor: Stand back, priestess. This is war-work.
They entered the church and found dead Danes.
- Wulfhilda: Hrothgar and his men, they ... they were good to me.
- Eivor: Have a care, Wulfhilda. The killer may yet linger here.
- Wulfhilda: Their leader, Hrothgar. I do not see him among the dead.
- Eivor: I shall find him.
Eivor noticed some mold on a body near the altar.
- Eivor: See, more fresh mold. Same as in the fields, on the cows.
- Wulfhilda: The villagers say it is the Devil's Mark. What do you say, Eivor?
- Eivor: I say find the mold and we find our killer.
She inspected other bodies.
- Eivor: The same marks as before. Bite marks, a mauling. These are not weapon wounds.
- Wulfhilda: What manner of demon can fell so many well-armed warriors?
They noticed a pool of blood near a stained glass window.
- Wulfhilda: Eivor, look up. More blood.
- Eivor: Someone crawled into the loft. Or dragged a body up there.
Eivor released the ladder leading up and climbed up, finding an injured Hrothgar.
- Hrothgar: Back, you! Back, I say. I can still draw blood.
Eivor approached the man.
- Eivor: You are Hrothgar, leader of this war-band?
- Hrothgar: I am. A Finnmark raider, and proud of it. For the little time I have left.
- Eivor: I bear ill news. Your warriors have fallen. Who or what did this awful thing?
- Hrothgar: The monster did this thing. It killed us while laughing. Laughing. It broke my axe and gouged me. I ... I crawled up here to die.
- Eivor: What was it? Did you see?
- Hrothgar: A foul Jotun ... a night-goer from the world's rim ... it spoke, named itself Grendel ... said it would return.
- Eivor: Good. We shall wait for it to come back, you and I.
- Hrothgar: Not I, my wounds are too great and my spirit takes ship. Send them to Helheim ... for me.
- Eivor: Ride with the winged women, friend. I will handle this Grendel, whatever manner of monster it may be.
- Hrothgar: Wait, warrior. There were ... two ...
Hrothgar died.
- Wulfhilda: Best hide to not scare the demon off when it returns.
- Eivor: We'll wait up here for it to show itself again.
- Wulfhilda: Get your rest, warrior. I'll stand vigil with prayer.
They awaited for a while up on the loft.
- Eivor: Wulfhilda, be still. Something stirs.
Eivor defeated the so-called monster, a giant man with hands covered in mold.
- Grendel: Play. Grendel only want to play. You make Grendel hurt. Mama. I want to go home.
He closed his eyes and passed away. After a moment, Wulfhilda approached.
- Wulfhilda: By all that is holy and bright. What manner of monster is that thing?
- Eivor: Not a monster, but a man. Strange to behold, but this Grendel is ... was .. a man.
- Wulfhilda: But where did it come from?
- Eivor: All men have mothers. This one called out for his, in the end.
- Wulfhilda: And all of us, even the most hideous, have souls. O Lord, forgive this ... man ... his sins and grant unto him your grace and everlasting love.
Eivor looked around.
- Eivor: Mold, everywhere. Stay here, Wulfhilda. I'll follow this trail...
The abbess kept praying.
- Wulfhilda: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May all these souls rest in peace.
Outcome
Eivor killed Grendel and decided to follow his trail to where he came from.