Cursed Blessing

She had searched for him traveling across lands and sea. Always just behind him. She had gotten frustrated at the beginning but now she enjoyed the challenge. She had grown not only physically but mentally and magically. She'd seen and done so many things. Her travels now were told by villages as she came to the next they welcomed her openly. Now she stood at the sea once again, but this time she waited. Her stones had told her to wait and he would come to her. She'd heard he had gained his name again along with a ship.

Strapped to his back, a massive one edged axe gleamed in the light from the sun, it’s entire surface was filled with runes with magical properties. The axe was extremely heavy, constructed by the heavy metal from an asteroid. If it wasn’t for his demi- god like strength he would never be able to wield it. He was again seen as a hero in the lands and made a living by killing plagues of villages all over. In return he usually got gifts, food, drink and lodging.

He was also offered women, but he always refused them, not knowing what would happen to them. For all he knew his ‘condition’ could spread. And now he was walking through the knee high snow towards the town where they promised to make him a ship.

She had watched the village finish the boat before the first snow. It was impressive craftsmanship. Bundled against the cold, her beaded waist length hair peaked out from her hood; the beads were charms, carved with rune markings and other powers. She turned from the sea and return to the inn to warm herself.

The thick cloak kept him warm in the cold; it was snowing very lightly, the snow flakes almost hovered down. He had been walking for days, not eating anything, he was hungry and tired. He walked thru the town, most people were inside and warming them self’s with their fires, the few that were outside was in a hurry to get out of the cold. He came to the inn and stopped at the door. His breath could be seen warming the air around him in great puffs. As much as he was famous, he never liked crowded places anymore.

She had found a place to sit and enjoy the warmth. She scanned the crowd; most people here were travelers of the sea or trade from inland.

After a few moments, the Viking pushed the door open; the wind filled the room with snow particles and cold, blowing hard at the fires inside. Some were extinguished; other flickered, making the lighting in the room dim a great deal. The heavy man walked inside, his heavy feet could be heard over the wind.

Her eyes were drawn to the door as it opened, the cold causing others to grumble. The man that had entered was massive, she could not see his face but she tingled with recognition. She had found him. She pulled her hood further forward to hide her face, turning slightly away from his view.

He closed the door and the room settled. He shook himself so the snow on his shoulders fell to the floor. He sniffed the air; he could smell that many of the men in here were interested in sex, even some women. But there was one smell that stood out from the others. Not the smell of filthy men, nor the smell of the whores. It was… it was…

Narrowed red eyes could be seen in the darkness in his hood. He could actually see the smell traces in the room; each smell could be tracked back to its origin. He followed the smell that stood out to someone sitting at a table further in.

After a moment, the red eyes faded only to show shadow inside the hood. The man walked inside and took a seat on the empty table. The strong chair just barely managed to hold him; he pulled the axe from his back and placed it against the table.

She saw and felt the patron’s mood shift. Some moved away from him. The maids quickly smoothed her hair and pull her dress to show more of her cleavage then grabbed some drink and food for him, hurrying over to him. She stifled a giggle at the act the maid was putting on. The maid bent low placing them on the table in front of him, batting her eyes.

"Is there anything else I may do for you?” she asked in a sweet, suggestive tone.

“Mead” was all the massive man said, he pulled down his hood. His hair was clean, combed and in a braid, his long mustache as well.

The maid smiled and hurried back to get him more drink and returning to him. The poor maid pouted a bit but returned to her duties.

His back was too her so she studied him. He had grown in mass, his hair longer. Her eyes went to his ax and studied it. He had done well for himself. She heard a woman whisper to her companion.

"A beast and a shaman in the same place. I tell you no good will come of it. No good at all."

She frowned, Superstitious idiots.

Without warning, the axe went flying thru the air, going straight between the two gossipers and hit the wall with a massive bang. It shook slightly from energies in it, the two now sat silent with their hair on end from the energies jumping from the axe to them, it was not painful unless he maxed out the output, but it made its point.

The large Viking just sat there drinking his mead.

She was shocked at the power he had gained. He used and controlled it very well. She decided to see if he remembered her. She rose, walked over and sat in the chair across from him, drawing back her hood.

“Long times no see” he said calmly, just looking into his wooden stein.

"So you remember me. It has been a long time. You’re not an easy person to catch up too. But you've done well for yourself."

“Not by looks, but I remember your smell. You were the one who offered me the tool of control after all”

She looked down at the necklace resting around his neck. "Yes. My mistress was angry at me. She thought I had lost or sold it."

“You should not be near me however; I have noticed that the necklace is not always enough to keep the anger at bay”

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you be my mistress said for me to find and stay with you until further notice. So I am afraid you are stuck with me."
“Yeah, yeah, I wouldn’t put my faith in her if I were you”

She shook her head "Don’t be a fool. She is trying to correct this. She will find a way and who."

“It has been years, just face it, she is just as any other god” he stood up, walked over to the axe and pulled it with ease out of the wall.

"This is not the place to discuss such things anyways." Looking at those in the inn, their faces leery of them. "I was given instruction and I will keep my promise. Just like she kept hers to you."

“She didn’t keep her promise, she abandoned me after giving me this curse” he pulled the hood over his head and walked through the door.

She quickly followed him out. "REALLY? You are the champion of beasts. For none can defeat you. No weapon can do you harm. And another thing she did not curse you it was someone else."

“Uhum. I am immoral and destined to wonder the lands seeing myself kill everything. I am the destroyer, it’s a curse. And just so you know, no one other than her was there when she gave it to me”

"So you think. Believe what you want. But it still won't get rid of me." She pulled her clock tight around her and walked after him.

The wind had started to pick up, it would seem that a snowstorm was heading in. He figured if he ignored her long enough she would go away. He needed to find a nice and quiet place to sleep. The inn was not something he wanted to sleep in.

She shivered as the wind began again to blow, carefully stepping in his tracks to make it easier to walk. Snow whipped around both of them. She placed a finger to her lips and looked up. "SHHHHhh!" The wind faded. "There that’s better."

He rolled his eyes, not only was she annoying, she was a show off too. He just kept walking, soon he found a rock formation that gave a little cover from the elements, it had a cave not more than a few meters deep, but it was enough for him. He placed he axe on the rock face and sat down, just looking out over the sea. He had missed the earlier days, when he had a crew and he was a chieftain. He killed his entire crew in his rage the first time he tried to use this ‘gift’.

She snapped off branches from the trees, cleared some snow off the ground and stacked them.

"Flame'"

The wood lit. Once satisfied with the fire she went and sat beside him.

He drew a deep breath and blew out the flames.

“You are giving away our position”

He didn’t need a fire to get warm, he could just turn himself into the big wolf and his fur would do the job.

She glared at him. "I didn’t know you were hiding. There are no enemies around here anyways."

She drew her legs close to her body under her cloak. He was trying to freeze her away. Well it wouldn’t work. She kept promises.

“I have lived long enough to know the hard way to never lower your guard” he pulled his cloak off his back and wrapped it around her, it size alone was like a blanket.

The warmth of the cloak surrounded her and smelled of him. "Thank You. But who do you really have to fear? You have defeated trolls, dragons and even sea beasts."

“It is not for myself I fear”

"Surely you don’t fear for me? I've traveled all this time alone and had to defend myself. I am well capable of doing so."

She burrowed her face into the cloak breathing in his scent.


“No, I fear for the poor souls who try to banish me from this world”

"Oh. They only fear what they don’t understand."

“A fear that will lead to their deaths” he sighed and leaned up against the cave wall.

She yawned and leaned against him. "I will help you find away to correct this."

“I doubt you can do anything” he sighed deeply as he relaxed. He shifted himself into the wolf form, his jet black fur softly reflecting the light from the full mood that now showed through the parted clouds.

She rubbed her cheek on his fur. "Just know I give my word I keep it no matter what."