Meanwhile, in New Oslo…
The day of sorting and staging essential gear and equipment for Manning's division of Úlfheðnar had gone by quickly from Primus's perspective. Working under the guidance of Alvíss, he was anxiously anticipating to spend the next five days working to learn new things that would help him best prepare for the battle of Gwynedd, in case he was forced to defend himself against the might of the talented Jomsvikings. After their travels through York to gather equipment and rations, they made a quick stop by Primus's village to grab the sword Manning passed down to him. Skofnung was sheen and radiant, and Primus would be excited to learn just how to properly wield it in conjunction with his Vættirtol, a feat he was one year shy of learning in regular training.
Children nine to eleven years of age would focus on learning to master their Vættirtols, and after they turned twelve, they'd learn to implement all traditional weaponry. Primus, being eleven, hadn't had such experience quite yet, so he was eager to get ahead of the rest of his peers in terms of combative applications.
The two of them had permission from Manning to traverse to the nearby training grounds, where the Balderklan's warriors exercised, honed their skills, and practiced their combative tactics. There were many of these grounds scattered across England for the Balderklan to utilize, which were ritualistic shrines of honing and perfecting the combative arts. Today, it seemed that there were some groups of elder Úlfheðnar that were utilizing some of the designated spots in the vast clearing, and there was a vacancy toward the middle of the grounds where Alvíss led Primus to do some one on one training.
As they entered the vast training grounds, Primus watched as older, much better fighters than himself performed tactics and displayed power that he wasn't even beginning to pretend that he could manage to mimic. They were fighting with swords, axes, shields and spears in conjunction with their iconic and uniquely designed Vættirtols, sending booming slashes and beams that collided either with their opponents or the ground behind them, which decimated the firm grasslands with craters they would fill in afterwards. The roaring of echoing wolf roars were commonplace, and the ground shook like the world was crumbling around them in response.
Some of these warriors watched as the two of them arrived, making coy comments to one another under their breaths, pertaining to the shock of seeing such a young trainee amongst them in a place that was designated for Úlfheðnar Alvíss's age and above. Alvíss paid them little mind, only nodding respectfully as some of his peers noticed them and waved before carrying on with their own preparatory sparring sessions.
"Pay them no mind, Primus." Said Alvíss, "It's not every day they see someone of your rank amongst them. They'll mind their business, so long as we give them no reason to distract themselves recklessly. After all, being here is a privilege that doesn't allow room for gawking or hazing. Display respectul use of the space, and you'll only receive it back tenfold."
Primus nodded weakly while he watched Alvíss strap his leather Vættirtol onto his forearm, and his cyan aura began to emanate off his person like a flowing river once it was firmly fitted. The roaring sound of that thunderous, Balderklanian wolf chimed and echoed when the equipment was acclimated and ready for use, until Alvíss gestured for Primus to do the same.
Primus would take out the silver oath ring from the protective hide sack tied to his belt and bent the raven-headed tips around his wrist so it fit snugly, resulting in his yellow-green aura to flow off his person like a misty, less potent fog. Only the sound of a neutral hum emanated from the application of his Vættirtol.
"That color looks good on you, Primus." Complimented Alvíss, wearing a patient smile on his face, "Now then, we're going to jump straight into it with the customary spar, just so I can see how well you understand the basics. After that, I'll teach you how to use Skofnung properly."
Primus stood like a single weed amongst a garden full of vibrant flowers and crops. The sounds of roaring power and clashing strikes bellowed out from the other warriors as they fought all around him, and his own anxiety seemed to affect his stance as he got into a less than confident fighting pose.
"I'll do my best, but I doubt I'll make a dent in you." Muttered Primus with reluctance tainting his tone of voice.
"Just do what comes naturally." Affirmed Alvíss with patience. "Use the muscle memory your training provided you and try to land as many strikes as you can. I won't hit back hard, but I will try to teach you how to better attack against my defense based on what you show me. We're going to skip the formal glima and mix it all up into one fluid spar. Now, come at me."
The moment was at hand for Primus to begin the spar. They would exchange a respectful forearm shake, and after they did, Primus almost went for a grapple, but instead tried to mix things up by leaping backwards a bit and, clenching his fists with his elbows pinned to his sides, began charging his aura so it amplified his strength and endurance by three-fold. His aura began flowing with more fluidity, taking the time doing so to charge an initial attack.
However, as he was doing this, Alvíss had a hand aimed out at him, where a cyan orb formed in his palm. "Charge in between attacks, don't give the opponent time to take advantage of you right off the get-go." He said, before interrupting Primus's charge with a basic blast of potent Lifeblood that shot out towards him.
Primus's eyes widened before he narrowly avoided the attack by shifting on his feet to the left, and retaliated by firing a yellow-green flurry of grain-sized beads from his fingertips at him. Alvíss avoided them effortlessly by pivoting on his feet, spinning to the side, before running forward with his arms illuminating brightly, aiming to close the space between them and fight in close quarter combat.
Acting on muscle memory, as he was instructed to do, Primus would cease fire and bring his forearms up vertically in front of him to block the first few basic punches that made them feel numb, followed by a stinging pain that almost made him recoil.
"Hey! You said you wouldn't hit too hard!"
Alvíss didn't respond. So, Primus would wait for an opening and, when one was graciously provided to him, he'd parry a fist by dragging it to the side with his now potent forearm, extending his free hand forward, and letting out a formidable blast of Lifeblood point blank to Alvíss's chest.
"Not bad," Said Alvíss, as the blast landed its mark with a hiss, "but it isn't potent enough. Figure out how to amplify your output between the attacks."
After he said this, Alvíss wasted no time retaliating by doing a front stomp to Primus's now broken defense, sending him straight to the ground with little effort on his end. He'd give Primus a gracious second or two to recover, and when he got back up, rage rather than anxiety guided his movements. With a sneer, he'd get up and try to tackle Alvíss by ducking low, grabbing him by the waist, and using his now amplified strength to try and force him backwards, aiming to bring him to the ground as their clashing auras flickered and danced recklessly against one another.
Alvíss responded by first solidifying his stance and prepared for a counter, grabbing Primus's arms to try and wriggle free, before he slid his dominant foot forward next to Primus's to support his weight and, after grappling his arms around him, sent his non-dominant knee into Primus's abdomen with a hefty thud.
This made Primus cough out spit and exhale sharply, wincing before barely opening his eyes to meet Alvíss's. Bringing his weight back and forcing Primus to let go, he'd follow up with a cross punch to Primus's right cheek, which made Primus stumble backwards a few steps, before he shook it off and shoved his hands forward, connected at the base of the wrists, and let out a kiap of defiance that amplified a two handed, 1.5 foot diameter blast of Lifeblood to Alvíss's front. His Tenacious Devastator at half capacity would aim to overwhelm at best, or at least, force Alvíss to stagger and reveal yet another gracious opening.
"Already using special attacks, are we?"
Said Alvíss coyly, as he quickly bringing his forearms up to defend himself in an X formation, yet was pushed back a good few feet from the impact before he spun out of its way, letting it fly behind him and slam into the ground, dissipating into a flashy particle effect from the exceptional crater it left in its wake. Primus ceased fire and instinctively went into a quick defensive stance, which blocked the counter blast heading his way, and he used the time to take heed in Alvíss's words and charge up his endurance and now his speed, completing the full charge of three times baseline statistics.
Once Alvíss's blast ceased, Primus did his best to close in again and try to grapple Alvíss, but this immediately resulted in his forearms being gripped and, before he knew it, he was being lifted up off the ground and spun around, before being let go, where he barely landed on his feet before he was then struck with a hardy orb in the face that knocked him back down. This made Primus wince in pain and made it difficult for him to stand back up, as he had to gather his bearings, since the pain from the orb to his face stung and throbbed harshly.
Now covered in loose grass and dirt, Primus wasn't able to get back up in time before Alvíss closed in with a razor thin cyan beam illuminated from the tip of his index finger pointing directly at his nose. It didn't seem like Primus could avoid immediate retaliation if he moved, so he lowered his face to the ground in defeat.
"I concede." Muttered Primus, panting and scoffing, before Alvíss took him by the back of his shirt and picked him up to his feet.
"You're too brash, kid." Said Alvíss, helping him dust off the grime. "You're quick to adapt, though. Now that I have an idea of your style, we can now work to fine tune a basic understanding of your approach and tactics. But before that, why don't we try to work with weapons first? I want to see your handle with Skofnung before we begin polishing the basics with and without equipment."
"We're jumping straight into it, aren't we?" Asked the reluctant Primus, to which Alvíss nodded.
"Indeed. We've only a few short days before the battle, and from what little I've seen, it's clear that you need to be fine tuned and more capable than ever before. Gather your bearings and get ready for some tough training, because today is now all about establishing new muscle memory."
While Primus caught his breath, Alvíss dragged a training dummy to their area, along with the smallest set of weighted chain mail armor he could find that would hopefully fit the young Primus and one for himself. There were some onlookers shaking their heads at their earlier performance, but this only motivated Primus to continue forward by displaying his initiative to learn quickly and adapt even quicker. After all, they only had a few days to prepare him for real combat that wouldn't allow him to make as many errors, lest his life be taken prematurely. Immortal or not, he knew that there would be no wiggle room for mistakes going forward, so with his anxiety high yet keenly focused on his training prowess, he felt like the time was ripe for him to endure with the patience and persistence his parents instilled in him.
After Alvíss set up the dummy, he would take Skofnung from the ground and toss it to Primus. Primus barely caught it by the hilt, almost tumbling over from its weight. Once he readjusted, Primus stood before the dummy, ready for his next lesson.
Alvíss watched him take a fighting stance, which was rather embarrassing to witness firsthand. It was sloppy and immature at best.
"That ain't how you do it. Here, let me show you."
As Alvíss took hold of his own arming sword, he'd display how to stand as he walked Primus through the process. He would mimic to the best of his ability.
"Feet need to be shoulder width apart. Since you're a lefty, which is quite rare, you want your left foot forward to maintain balance. Bend slightly at the knees, and stand square with your opponent."
Primus did this, slowly adjusting his stance with the sword pointing upwards in his grip. He was still rather firm, however, so Alvíss corrected him further with a calm and collected voice as he displayed his next example for Primus to emulate.
"You want to stand more relaxed than that. If you're too stiff, it messes with maintaining equilibrium and makes swinging the sword more awkward, if not difficult. Try to stand on the balls of your feet, and get a feel for a more fluid stance."
Focused and determined, Primus would adjust himself further, patiently getting used to this form. He felt it almost natural to do the opposite, and was feeling awkward in feeling it out. Looking back and forth between himself and Alvíss to correct himself, he'd eventually find some comfort in bouncing in place, which pleased Alvíss considerably.
"There you go. Nice! Get a feel for it, and when you're ready, we'll try some basic strikes and jabs."
Primus felt the praise uplifting his spirit, making his aura flow with more natural gusto around his person. Instead of a fading mist, it flowed with more solid upward motion. After feeling out the stance for a good few minutes, he felt ready to begin his striking attacks.
"So," Alvíss said, "when it comes to attacking the enemy, one mustn't be afraid to move around and strike from the side. Consider it a combative dance, where you rely on the opponent's movements to guide your own. Attacking from the front alone will only allow the enemy to block with their sword and shield, so what you want to do is try to attack from the side of their defense to strike their body. From there, after the approach, it comes down to muscle memory and survival instincts working in tandem."
Alvíss gestured for Primus to move to the side so he could display what he meant.
"So, once in the fighting stance," he said, square with the dummy, "you're going to want to utilize side stepping. We'll spar tomorrow to get used to the instinctive movements, but for today, I want you to get used to moving around like this."
Alvíss would proceed to slowly walk him through the process, first by stepping forward with his dominant right foot, before bringing his sword at a diagonal downward motion to the dummy's left side, pulling it out toward himself after contact was made in a slashing motion. He'd move around fluidly, as his feet danced about to strike it again and again, making his strikes land in the same place for the sake of education. He'd show this to Primus a few times before he stepped to the side and gestured for him to stand square with the dummy.
"Alright, does that make sense? Show me what you can do."
Primus nodded and took his place in front of the dummy, getting back into his fighting stance slowly before he mimicked Alvíss in striking from the opposite side. Using his left foot to step forward, he brought the blade at an angle in a downward direction to the dummy's side, before tapping the side of it, slicing and pulling outward. His movements were slow, focused on getting used to handling the sword, which was rather heavy for him, making it a bit hard to get used to right off the bat.
Alvíss would walk him through the motions by going through it step-by-step, side-by-side, instructing him through each movement.
"Step forward, pivot. Bring it down, slice it back. Get back to your fighting pose. You got this."
Primus was noticeably sweating now, and so he decided to lessen the strain by amplifying his strength and endurance between each movement he was being walked through with his Vættirtol. When he stepped forward, he would quickly charge his aura. When he brought his sword in to strike, he'd charge again. When he sliced toward himself, his aura thickened vibrantly. When he got back into his original fighting pose, his strength, speed and endurance were charged threefold. He'd repeat these movements with more fluidity and with less strain in his body, which allowed him to practice faster and faster, until he seemed to get a good handle on these basics.
"Good job, Primus!" Praised Alvíss, "You're getting the hang of it! You're quick to adapt, which is beyond admirable. Now, try to stab from the front and side."
Primus, gritting his teeth and snarling like a wolf, would maneuver around the dummy's extended shield and jammed Skofnung directly into its chest, before pulling back, slamming the blade into its side like before, and now using all of his amplified brute strength, he sliced it clean through to the other side, forcing the upper portion tumble to the ground with a defeated, singular thud. Skofnung was radiating with potent Lifeblood, and when Primus assumed the fighting stance with glistening, proud eyes, Alvíss crossed his arms as he watched this happen, before walking over and feeling the open wound with his index and middle finger.
Some onlookers watched for a quick moment, before bringing their attention back to their own fights.
"A clean, warm cut. I'm impressed! Even with its thickness, you certainly got the hang of using your sword in conjunction with your Vættirtol now. A bit too early in our session, but hey, you don't see me complaining!"
Primus threw the blade into the dirt as he spun to meet Alvíss, jumping with his success gleaming from his eyes.
"I did that! I cut him clean in two! Odin be damned, I didn't think I could do something so damaging!"
"Easy there, kid. It's only a dummy, after all. The opponent won't be standing still in Gwynedd. Caught off guard or not, they're the most diligent foes we've ever faced, and getting an opening to cause such damage won't be easy. Let's get some exercise to build some muscle. Tomorrow, we're going to fight one on one, to get a better handle on revealing those openings. That is, if you're talented enough to do so. Here, put this on."
Alvíss picked up and tossed the small yet heavy chainmail armor to Primus, which nearly made him fall onto his backside when he wrapped his arms around to catch it. After he equipped it, the two would go through some aerobic exercises that made him sweat, and he wasn't allowed to use his Vættirtol to amplify his baseline strength to make it easier. However, using those precious breathing exercises he learned in between each movement, he was rewarded with the essential endurance to see through these exercises without a single break.
The rest of the day would be arduous for the young Primus. He'd put every effort into his training to meet each expectation and push himself even further beyond. After what seemed like an eternity, the sun began to set. Alvíss felt that enough progress was made for the day and would help Primus unequip the chainmail armor, since Primus's body was beyond sore at this point to do so on his own.
"That's enough for today, young one. Let's get you home for some well earned food and rest. Tomorrow will be even harder than today, so prepare yourself. Eat plenty, sleep well, and get in the right headspace. We've four more days to go, and since you're so quick to adapt, we'll make use of the daylight to make sure you're most prepared for the battle in Gwynedd. Come. I'll walk you home."
After they filled in the crater from Primus's Tenacious Devastator and other Lifeblood attacks, the two would head back to Primus's village, as he walked with some well earned strain in each step forward. By the time they arrived, Primus's family were winding down and a plate was prepared for him, to sit and rat before he went to bed. Sore, tired, and demanding a bath, Primus entered the house, where his parents and youngest brother awaited his arrival. Alvíss would enter with him, to which Manning would be more than pleased to see them both, covered in grime and sweat.
As Lars ran up and wrapped his arms around Primus like a present, Manning and Sigrid would greet Alvíss, though Soren was already in bed snoring away, unable to stay awake long enough to greet Primus despite his best efforts. It was an equally productive day for him as well.
"Primus! Ew! You reek!" Said Lars with the utmost enthusiasm, "I'm so glad you're home, though! We missed you at the fjórir tree today!"
"Ah, good to see you, Alvíss!" Exclaimed Manning, while his wife gave him a big hug after the two men shook forearms, "I take it you two worked hard today?"
Alvíss chuckled bashfully. "We made more progress than I could have ever anticipated. I've no doubt he'll be ready for combat when the time comes."
Sigrid gave them a worried glance as she prepared the bath. "Better to be prepared than not, I suppose. Don't go too hard on him, though. He's still too young to be pushed as hard as you've been in your own training."
"Fret not, dear Sigrid," reassured Alvíss, "the boy is quick to learn. If, by chance, Manning can't keep him safe from harm for even a moment, his training will surely preserve his life until help arrives.
Sigrid merely shook her head, while Manning brought a hand to Primus's back, guiding him to the dinner table. Lars begrudgingly let go of his eldest brother before running over to meet him at the table.
"Eat, young Primus." Instructed Manning, "You'll need all the food you can to strengthen yourself for tomorrow's trials. I assume that today set the bar high enough for you to eventually hurdle over in the coming days?"
Primus smiled as he made his plate, full of elk meat and grains. "I am incredibly hungry, no doubt, and worn out beyond measure. I hope I can keep up with the demands, but either way, I'll do my best!'"
As soon as he was seated, Primus began scarfing down while Lars sat down next to him, eyes glistening with curiosity as he leaned on his hands, elbows supporting his weight on the table. "What did you do today? Did you learn anything new? Can you teach me what you learned about using Skofnung?"
While the brothers conversed, Manning helped Alvíss to the door. "So, how did today go? You said he's quick to adapt?"
Alvíss nodded as they exited the longhouse. "He has grand potential, Manning. I taught him some basics and helped him learn how to use Skofnung and his Vættirtol together. He didn't give me any reason to believe that we're wasting any time in preparation for the battle at hand."
Manning provided a proud smile. "I knew you were right for the job. Just keep teaching him the essentials. Be creative about it. Make him end each day stronger than the last. Show him what I've taught you, and before the last day ends, I've no doubt that he will wind up living up to his high expectations during and after the battle."
"If I may ask," Alvíss inquired, "what exactly does that entail? His purpose in our clan, that is."
Manning smiled gently as he stared out into the star filled sky. "He is meant to teach us many things about the nature of life and death later on in his life. Help me maintain his mortality for as long as possible, so that when that fateful day does come, he is best prepared to translate what he experiences."
Alvíss nodded slowly. "I see. I'll admit my ignorance, Manning. I'm not well versed in your family's destiny, but I will help him however I can. Hopefully it will be enough."
Manning rested an affirming arm across Alvíss's shoulders. "One step at a time is all it takes. You're benefiting mutually, and I have faith in your ability to help him ascend to realms beyond even my own understanding. Be sure to remember that he will need every ounce of your insight to do so, and if you need any help, just let me know."
"Try to help me understand, for the sake of context. What IS Primus? I mean, he is miles ahead of where I was at his age in terms of adaptability and motivation. He's a cut above the rest, from what I have seen, even if he doesn't belive it himself."
Manning thought for a moment before articulating his insight. "My sons, as well as Mathias's children, are referred to by him as 'the next stage of human evolution'. What that implies in the grand scheme, I have only guesses. However, it will take all of us to help them achieve their high standards, patiently and persistently. I, above all else, even Sigrid, would prefer him not to join us in Gwynedd, but if both Balder and The Grand Elder demand it, with insight that surpasses my own, I see no reason to doubt their wisdom."
Alvíss shrugged, but eventually turned to exchange a farewell forearm shake. "I'll do whatever I can to help. Who knows? Maybe he'll wind up saving MY life out there!"
Manning merely smiled. "Sleep well, Alvíss. And thank you, from the depths of my heart. You've no idea how much I appreciate your help."
They eventually released each other before Alvíss turned to walk home. Tomorrow would begin early for him and Primus, who had passed out in the warm bathwater. After Manning went back inside, he saw Sigrid drying off their barely conscious son before they both helped him to his bed. He was quick to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep, where Manning stood over him with an unusual expression for a while, before he was called by Sigrid to help put the energetic Lars to sleep.
"You really think he will be alright out there?" Asked Sigrid, after they retired to their shared bedspread.
"I never break my oath, this one being no exception. He will be just fine. One way or another, we will secure Gwynedd and force the Jomsvikings and remaining natives to their knees."
"I just wish there was another way."
"We've tried using diplomacy. It will take more than words to prove them wrong. It will come down to raw talent."
Sigrid rolled over in her bed, while Manning rested his interlocked hands over his chest while he stared at the beams supporting their ceiling. Enough time passed before the Odhinkar longhouse was in a collective slumber, prepping for the day ahead.