985 AD. Aarhus, Kingdom of Denmark. One year before the events of the main story.
—No situation is worse for a kingdom than having a weak and inept king—
—Since King Harald Bluetooth ascended the throne of Denmark, he has focused on his foreign campaigns, which he has repeatedly lost. His only victory, in Norway, turned out to be a loss as he was forced to relinquish those territories to the Roman Empire in the south—
—And speaking of the Roman Empire, after its emperor, Otto I, humiliatingly defeated him, one of the conditions for his victory was the Christianization of Denmark. King Harald, in an attempt to divert attention from his defeat, lied to his people, claiming that he had been baptized and converted to the religion of the Magical Carpenter by a saintly prophet. This has resulted in the current persecution of the ancestral religions of the Danish people—
—So, in addition to living in extreme poverty, burdened by the king's wasteful expenses on his military ventures against Sweden and Norway in an attempt to 'spread' Christianity, his people also suffer persecution and the destruction of sacred places. Families are killed simply for having a simple Yule tree in their homes. Our lord Odin hung from the branches of the Yggdrasil tree for nine days, and for his people to be unable to honor his sacrifice is an act of blasphemy!—
These words were spoken by a hooded man in a grayish habit, who was kneeling before a blond man seated on a rustic wooden throne.
—That is why, Prince Sweyn, I have been assigned by the wisdom of our lord Odin and the light of our lord Freyr to grant you the necessary power to stop your father— the man in robes continued.
The prince Sweyn was the son of Harald and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Denmark. His hall was spacious, albeit quite rustic and made of wood. He had a carving of the Yggdrasil tree behind his throne as a clear challenge to his father's Christian practices. The hall was adorned with an exquisite red carpet and illuminated by a set of torches.
Beside the prince, two soldiers stood guard. They wore silver helmets that covered even their eyes, long brown capes with silver chainmails, and furry boots. Their swords, adorned with golden embellishments on their hilts, were sheathed by their sides.
As for the prince, he was young with blonde hair, a slight beard on his face, and beautiful purple eyes. He wore a crimson cloak and brown clothing. Around his neck hung a pendant with the symbol of Mjolnir, Thor's hammer, which served for good luck and warding off evil spirits.
The young prince sat on his throne, displaying an air of defiance and boredom. The idea of rebelling against his father and seizing power had begun to circulate in his mind. After all, he was the commander of the most powerful Viking army, the Jomsvikings. However, when he encountered this man in the streets of the city of Aarhus speaking about the end times or Ragnarok, he became intrigued by his prophecies. Could he really be an envoy of Odin and Freyr as he claimed?
The prince fixed his beautiful violet eyes on the man who knelt before him, while the guards by his side grew nervous at the stranger's challenging words to the king.
—Do you know that I could flay you alive for daring to challenge my father's kingdom with such insults?— the prince retorted, as an attendant poured some wine into his golden chalice.
—I have seen within your heart, your majety— the mysterious man responded.
—You are a brave warrior and the supreme commander of the Jomsvikings, an order established by our lord Odin himself. Within your heart, your love and devotion to the gods in Asgard are true and pure— the man concluded.
The guards, who had been prepared to draw their swords against the stranger, were then dismissed by the prince.
—Leave me alone with this man— he said, gesturing with his left hand for them and the servants to go.
The guards and servants bowed and left the prince's throne room.
—And even if that were true, why should I believe you? What proof do you have of being blessed by our lord Odin and our lord Freyr?— the prince asked.
—My lord Sweyn— the hooded man said, —one of your guards is a devout Christian, and at this moment, he is planning to inform your father about this. But I have stopped his heart. If you examine him, you will see that he carries a crucifix with the naked carpenter that that filth worships—
Suddenly, shouts were heard outside. The prince stood up, throwing his wine cup to the ground, and rushed to the door. When he opened it, one of his guards was lying on the ground while the other soldiers examined him, and the servants screamed in terror.
The prince shouted, —Quick! Let me see the man!—
The men and women stepped aside, and the prince examined the soldier. Indeed, he was dead. Beneath his chainmail, there was a crucifix just as the mysterious man had said.
—He is dead— the prince said brusquely. —Take him to the infirmary immediately to determine the cause of his death—
—Yes, sir!— the guards responded and carried the body away.
The prince ordered the others to return to their duties and not to interrupt him. He returned to his chamber and closed the doors. The hooded man remained on one knee, waiting for him.
—Now, can you see the extent of my powers, my lord?— the man commented.
—How can I trust that you won't do the same to me?— the prince asked, his face showing concern.
—I am a servant of the great lord Odin, as I mentioned— the mysterious man said. —I would never do anything against my master—
—Very well, I want to see you again, but not here— the prince said. —I have a place for that. There is a cottage outside the walls of Aarhus, near the great cedar forest to the east. Go there tomorrow evening—
—Yes, my lord— the mysterious man said as he stood up. He then bowed and withdrew.
As he left, Sweyn sat back on his throne and smiled with a malevolent grin.
—Soon, I will be the king of Denmark— he thought.