Chapter 20: Magnar

It took a while for Jon and the sailor to put on the Skagosi furs, leaving behind the butt naked dead corpses. They were at least kind enough to hide their bodies from sight, before they were on their way.

Jon left everything behind in a small alcove except for his Valyrian swords, there was no way he could leave it behind. It gave him a very substantial edge in fights, and he didn't know what he was getting into. Anyways he already had a story in hand, he could just say he picked it up from the 'so called escapee he chased down' when he ran back to where they landed.

"Hey boy," Jon called out to Fenrir as the direwolf rubbed his muzzle against him.

Patting it, Jon ordered, "Shadow behind us a little while back and make sure to stay out of sight, okay."

The direwolf gave a simple bark as it nodded its massive head and before it left into the forest of evergreens it gave him a lick for good luck. "Alright come on," Jon said to the sailor as they begin to follow the trail that the wild men left behind. It wasn't long before they came upon the muddy tracks left behind by the train of prisoners and Skagosi.

Large numbers of men can never erase their tracks and the Skagosi didn't even seem to be trying at all.

Down the trail, Jon was constantly on the look out as if someone would pop out of the trees at any second now. He at least was very orderly about it as the sailor on the other hand was very fidgety and the fear on his face was evident.

After a long trek and Jon was starting to wonder if they were on the wrong trail, the forest started opening up and Jon spotted something up ahead. Hurrying along with the sailor right at his heels, Jon made up an ancient stone keep which was built inside the foot of a mountain range that continued on into the distance. Not too far off Jon could spot a beachside with waves gently washing along the shore.

At the entrance of the keep stood two Skagosi men who looked bored out of their minds, one of them spotted Jon and the sailor. "Did you capture the one that escaped, Gonarr? Vigrad said you were hunting him down!"

"No, he killed two and we had to kill him," Jon replied in very simple Old Tongue. He had his furs on tight obstructing most of his face to prevent them from seeing his face, and it seemed to work as one of them shook their heads.

"You should have dragged their corpses, they could have nourished the Weirwood trees."

"Mhmm," Jon simply said as he forced his way in. What was it with savage folk and sacrifices. He figured the inhospitable climate could make people do some very dark deeds, but still it had his stomach roiling and his anger flare up.

Walking past one of them spotted his sword at his hip and he smiled, "You should show that to the Magnar. He always would like a new outsider's steel weapon. Who knows the Magnar might even give you a pick of the females to breed with."

"Uh huh," Jon nodded his head as he entered the keep, it wasn't long before the cavernous walls of the mountain surrounded him. The Keep was some pretty advance stonework for people like the Skagosi, but inside was just as primitive as he expected.

Playing it cool as he made his way down the long twisting tunnels of the place. Someone was kind enough to point him towards where the prisoners were housed, remembering as the man gave him a toothy grin he chuckled out loud, "What to get a peek at the prisoners before the ceremony, huh?!"

Nodding his head to the men standing guard, Jon entered inside. The place was very dark, but he could still see the cages lining the walls filled to the brim with prisoners. Jon was glad to see that most of his men and the sailors were fine, but the others didn't look to be as one sailor noticed him and thinking that he was one of the savages, spat at his feet.

"Hey could you come in here one second," Jon called to the guard.

"What is it?" the man asked as he peeked in, "are they causing some trouble?"

"No, I just need your keys," Jon answered honestly.

"Wha-..." before the man could finish what he was saying, the sailor that was disguised in furs smacked the man in the back of the head, knocking him out.

Jon quickly grabbed the keys and begin to unlock the doors. "Alright come on," Jon said as he threw back his fur hood which he was getting sick of with how god awful it smelled.

"My lord," the captain of the ship called out, he looked to be very haggard, but spry enough to jump up.

"Good to see you captain," Harry called out as he swung open the gate. "We don't have enough time so we need to skip the pleasantry, and be on our way before these savages come looking. Your ship is out in anchor, damaged, but still whole and we can sail it with a bit of repair."

It wasn't long before they were tiptoeing out of the prison chamber, however things weren't as simple as he thought. First of all the place was a maze, the tunnels winded and turned, and even came up to dead ends at some points.

The other were the Skagosi they ran into, they were able to overpower them since they outnumbered the small groups they ran into, but Jon didn't doubt that soon someone would be able to raise the alarm soon.

And that was exactly what happened, two Skagosi were able to get away as they split up shouting at the top of their lung. Jon was able to get in a luck shot as he flung his sword out in desperation going right through the man, but the other escaped.

Then it wasn't too long before they had Skagosi on them.

Jon was holding the rear guard as they ran through the tunnels and just as Jon was about to pull his hair up and just give up, they entered a massive chamber with light sneaking up from the opening up above down on the massive Weirwood tree below. Surrounding the tree where people chanting and singing around the great tree as they swayed hypnotically. When Jon and his group entered a few bone mask people standing at the front with Weirwood staffs and other fetishes turned to look at them.

Standing nearest to the tree was a very massive man with a burly figure, blazing red hair, and some painting on him. He took them all in and his eyes seemed to zone in his eyes, "Ahh, the prey come crawling in to us, and right in time as well!"

"Fuck," Jon swore, it was just his luck to run into this sort of shit. The men chasing them pile in at that moment with teeth bared. "Alright men form up," Jon shouted, but the big man pointed at him with his ax that someone brought forward.

"You there, yeah, you little runt! I take it you are in charge of these men, huh?"

Jon simply just raised his eyebrow, just as he was in charge this man was also in charge of this Keep. He must be this Magnar that the Skagosi man he killed for his clothing was talking about. "Yeah, that would be me," Jon answered as he unsheathe his Valyrian sword as it rung in the air.

"Haha, good, good, then I challenge you before the eyes of the Old God. Let this matter come to a quick conclusion."

Narrowing his eyes, Jon wondered what his game was his men were haggard and worn out with barely any weapons in hand while on the other hand the savages looked primed and ready even if they were half naked. He guessed it was the foolish showmanship

Whispering low to a solider next to him, "If things are looking bad for me, stab him in the back!" Jon was a bastard, he threw his honor a long time ago when he popped out of his unweded mother's cunt.

Then Jon stepped forward at the loud protest of his men, they knew his father even if he was a kind and honorable lord would have their heads if died on their watch, but Jon didn't back down. If he won... well better not to get his hope up until that happened.

Even though Jon was tall for his age and had plenty of room to grow compared to the Magnar he was like a little child and he a massive tree and him a twig that could be snapped in half.

Getting into a familiar stance, Jon knew he couldn't be counting on his strength, speed would be the key to wining this.

"You ready?" the brute of a man asked.

Jon didn't respond at all except for going in for the first attack. His sword sung for him it was a bastard sword which fit perfectly in his hands he guessed. The giant man blocked his attack with his attack, the sound of it rung it and his sword cutting deep into the ax blade.

It was metal which was a advancement for who Skagosi who were as back water as wildlings, but it stood no chance against his Valyrian sword. The red haired man eyes nearly popped out at the damage he witness, and Jon took that chance to attack again.

But this time, the Magnar stepped back from the blow with a bit of nimbleness that Jon didn't expect on a man that big. He struck out, and Jon didn't take any chance just the first exchange had his arms aching so he dodge, ducking under the blow that came at him.

Coming up quick he took that chance to strike at the ax blade hoping to shatter it under his Valyrian sword might. Once again the big man proved to be a bit hard to catch as he dodged to the left, and then he followed it up with a wild swing.

"I shall be taking that sword for myself when you lay before me dead," the giant man announced as Jon stepped back from the blow.

Seeing he was having no luck, Jon pretended to be going for the big man who pulled back but at the last minute Jon went for the ax handle causing the ax head to drop to the floor while the big man was left with a simple wooden handle in his hands.

That was when Jon smiled, but said nothing deciding it was best to persevere his energy then taunting.

Snorting out loud, the red haired man tossed aside his ax handle and charged right at him. Jon eyes nearly pooped over and all he had time for was to hold his sword in a cross guard as the man struck out with his blade.

Jon immediately had the wind knocked out of him and he could feel his ribs creeping while his feet was dragged a few feet back on the ground. He looked up to see the Magnar just stare at his bloody hand and then shake it off as if it was nothing then go in for another strike.

Jon wasn't passive, he returned blow for blow, and they seemed to go on forever.

It wasn't long before they were panting in and out, his muscles felt sore and he was sure he had a few broken bones. Meanwhile the red haired man who he still didn't know his name but would like to was a bloody mess, blood was pouring out of his deep gashes and you could see bones with the way his sword cut deep.

Then it was Jon's opponent that broke first, suddenly the big man took a knee as he held a fist to the ground to steady himself.

"That was indeed a good fight. You fight honorable," Jon declared as he stepped forward.

"I can say the same about you!"

"Your name?" Jon asked.

"Magnar Sven!"

"Well met!"

Without another word, Jon slashed down and Magnar Sven head rolled down the ground while his body dropped to the ground lifelessly.

Before Jon could fall down, one of the men that his father sent with him grabbed him, Jon grabbed at his ribs which ached and burned. He would need to look at that later, but for now his men crowded in him tighter.

They eyed the Skagosi who were silent, until one of the bone masked man stepped forth. "The Old Gods have bore witness!" he shouted as he spread his arms wide.

Jon watched behind the man as Magnar's blood touched the roots of the Weirwood tree, he could have sworn he saw the tree move for an inch as the face marked on it changed.

But quickly his eyes focused on the Skagosi who started throwing down their weapons, then they decided to take up a chant. "Magnar, Magnar, Magnar."

Staring about, Jon wondered what he got himself into.