Sigurd Hring's Story

Iskjerne Cave...
The gateway between the realms...



Back at Iskjerne Bay...
The multi-cultural Viking settlement...

Niihama/Gaia The gateway

In the ensuing days since the attack on the Self-Defense forces stationed at the gate, the Taiyou on the other side worked diligently to clean the bodies, so that they would have a proper burial, at least for the Taiyou soldiers. Self-Defense personnel, along with Ten-Shi Zaibatsu personnel, soldiers of the Imperial Taiyou Army, and a handful of officers from the Inter Solar System Police were hard at work cordoning off the area, securing the surrounding caverns, and taking lots of pictures.

The Taiyou bodies were cleared out first, with Detective Onamura taking a few notations on a paper pad.

"There's a lot of equipment missing, small arms, ammunition, flashlights..." He commented as he looked down as they carried the last deceased Taiyou soldier away.

"The Alien warriors will be taken to autopsy, and it looks like two dogs were recovered; they'll be euthanized." The Detective added, turning over towards his partner, and then back to the metal gate that was fitted over the gateway, with a fine wire mesh over the bars to prevent things like grenades, molotovs, or sacks of angry bees being tossed into the chamber again. Two Machinegu emplacements were being established in positions perpendicular to the gateway to provide overlapping fields of fire. Amid the chaos, the elevator rattled, clanked, and shrieked, the doors opening to reveal five people.

Yukiko was the first to emerge from the elevator, her face buried into her phone as she shot off a brief text message. She shot a look over towards Kayabuki, whom kept her gaze affixed onto the gateway.

Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki had doubted the mission from the beginning, and had at times questioned Emperor Takayama on the wisdom of sending his sister, and herself into the gateway like this. She had sat through countless deliberations with him, and they seemed to always arrive to the same conclusion; if these primitives were hostile, and the men that came through the gate were indeed an attacking party, Yukiko, and Kayabuki were surely walking into certain death.

Kayabuki quietly, but briefly affixed her gaze to Azaka, and Kamidake, whom were charged with protecting them, and her feelings of trepidation began to wane.

Kamidake took up the front, approaching the gate, and clasping his wooden staff tightly while the soldier unlocked the latch, then swung the gate open.

"We'll be fine." Seno Miyagi commented, clasping his hands in front of him, as he cast a sidelong gaze to Yukiko, then to Kamidake, who was moving to channel energy into his staff, the red orb in Kamidake's staff glowing brightly, casting a brilliant white light into the chamber on the other side.

Kamidake stepped through the gateway first, his mind clear, an invisible forcefield forming in front of him.

---

Iskjerne Settlement

The time spent with Bruce of Essex was both rewarding, and educational for Takao as he took the opportunity to take as many notes as he could, filling dozens of books with script during his travels through the settlement. Though to him, the Vikings appeared simple, and primitive, in a way he seemed to envy their simple life. They were closer to nature, whereas the Taiyou lived in cities that devoured the landscape.

Conversations that went on about Taiyou culture were innterwoven with Bruce's lessons about the Norse. Takao explained, through careful communication that the Taiyou were an empire that spanned millions of worlds, and was as vast, as it was powerful. Takao explained their traditions, their reverence for the three Choushin entities that guided the evolution of reality, but above all their reverence for their Emperor, whom Takao explained was a young man, brilliant, and shrewd.

"Our Emperor is revered as descended from the heavens." Takao explained one night.

Takao even tried to teach Bruce Taiyou, using simple things to explain the meanings behind the words, explaining their surroundings in Taiyou. Takao explained that the word Taiyou literally meant 'sun' in their language, and they were literally called the People of the Rising Sun.

One concept Takao attempted to explain was space travel, that his people had ships just like the Vikings, but they did not sail the water, Takao explained that his people had ships that sailed the stars.

On the fateful sunny morning that Sigurd opted to approach Takao for the first time, the King would find Takao amidst one of his many lessons, a chart of Taiyou Hiragana was written with their respective english characters next to them, a sort of translation guide that Takao took from his translation book.

Briefly the young Taiyou looked up to Sigurd, quietly offering him a seat at the table. He slid the chart over towards Sigurd, to show him the sounds.

He pointed to the symbol "あ" first on the chart, and looked up to Sigurd. "Ah." He said aloud, then he pointed back to the symbol. "Ah..." And then to the letter 'A' on the chart. "These sound the same."

Takao then paused for a moment, then he put pencil to parchment, and started to write. "たかお." He then put his finger on the first symbol. "Ta." And then the Second. "Ka" And then the third. "O"

"Takao." He said, sliding the paper over towards Sigurd, even as Brian left, Takao figured whatever it was, it was an internal affair among the northmen.

Takao then wrote three more symbols down on the paper. "しがど." "Shi ga do." He interated, before he wrote the word. "Sigurd." On the paper. "You try." He said, handing the great king a pencil. "Copy me." He drew the Hiragana symbols more slowly this time, so Sigurd could see the stroke order, and then he wrote the words in english slowly, giving the King the opportunity to see, and copy his stroke.

Iskjerne Caverns...
Deep inside one of the cave tunnels...

Jarl Evan Skjalsson and his leidang were spread out through the cave tunnels, all fifteen free-men having painted themselves with ashes and divided themselves into four groups of four. All of them were heavily armed, wearing thick furs, dark blue robes and armor, carrying large round black viking shields bearing the symbol of the raven. These four small bands were charged with patrolling the cave tunnels and protecting the Iskjerne settlement from any unwanted invaders, being fully aware to the presence of the Taiyou gateway to their world. Jarl Evan and his gang would patrol the tunnels like clockwork, being the first line of defense in case of an attack. They were supported of course by about two dozen guards from the watchtower at the cave's surface, and the invisible remnant of Jarl Omar's ten remaining ghost warriors, all of whom had seperated into five pairs of two and were hiding stealthily in the darkness, setting an ambush for any unsuspecting trespassers. Jarl Evan stood over six feet tall with a shaved bald head covered in tattoos. The large Norwegian commander scratched his bushy red beard, the runic symbol of an upward pointing arrow called Tiwaz painted in black ashes on his forehead.

"Follow me" Jarl Evan said as he started to walk down further into the cave, followed by two other companions, as a third one named Ivan had ran back to the surface to inform King Sigurd of the conflict that had recently taken place under Jarl Omar's command. It wouldn't take long for Jarl Evan and his other two patrolmen to reach the tunnel to the cave chamber where the sound of fighting had come from. But they would approach with caution as they entered the cave chamber, so by the time they arrived, Kraiger had already slipped passed them. He didn't make it far however, as the guards at the watchtower would seize him as soon as he reached the surface, having been forewarned ahead of time by Ivan himself. Instead what Jarl Evan would find was a barricade and fine mesh-wired fencing around the gateway. Jarl Omar, Honz the Old and Augee the Archer were nowhere to be found. But what they found was Detective Onamura and a handful of ISSP officers doing their own investigation into the matter. Jarl Evan whispered for his men to halt as soon as they heard the commotion. "Wait," he said, motioning for his two comrades to hide as they ducked off behind a large rock around the corner from the gateway, the sound of cameras flashing and the Taiyou ferensics team being heard on the other side of the gateway.

"Hverjir eru þeir?" Ryan the Freeman would ask quietly. "Ég veit ekki. Hvar er Omar?" Evan whispered. Just then, the latch on the gateway was unlocked and the gate swung open. Evan would peak through the darkness through a crevice in the rock, watching as a Taiyou soldier opened the gate and Kamidake stepped through. "Watashitachiha daijōbudesu," a familar voice said. Jarl Evan recognized it to be the voice of Seno Miyagi, one of the Taiyou leaders that King Sigurd had negotiated with. He watched silently, taking a mental note of the glowing red orb staff that Kamidake was holding right before he was suddenly blinded by a brilliant white light which illuminated the whole cave chamber. Jarl Evan was forced to duck back around the corner and divert his eyes, so bright was the light that seeped through the rock's crevice. Evan was now temporarily stunned, but Ryan Skjalsson and his other Norwegian brother Rolind could see the light cascading against the wall beside them just inside the chamber.

"Ekki skjóta! Ekki skjóta!" Jarl Evan shouted, stepping out from behind the wall. He had dropped his spear and shield, and would step out into the open chamber with his hands raised in the air to show that he was unarmed. "Ekki skjóta," he repeated again as he stepped slowly into the light, keeping his hands where the Taiyou could see them. Ryan and Rolind would remain hidden, listening quietly as Jarl Evan took the lead. Evan's eyesight was slowly returning to him, but he squinted at the sight of the blurry figures in front of him, their faces and costumes indistinguishable to the slightly stunned Norseman who stood before them.

Iskjerne Bay...
Within the Viking ring-fort's pallisade...

King Sigurd had approached Takao Eguchi with the desire of learning how to be literate. Takao would show the king his books and share with him some of his many writings. Eguchi took a few moments to teach the king how to pronounce basic sounds and write both their names on parchment, in English and in the Taiyou dialect. Sigurd Hring was extremely observant, patient and attentive. As the king sat down inside the mammoth skinned tent on one of the wooden chairs at Takao's writing table, he carefully followed the young Taiyou's instructions, putting pencil to paper for the first time in all of Norse history. They would spend several minutes practicing their calligraphy together before the ruckus started, commotions rising from the approaching gathering. Lord Bruce would re-enter the tent moments later, looking to the Dano-Swedish king. "Brunnard the blacksmith is here to see you sir," Bruce said respectfully, again never bowing or saluting the king for whatever reason. "Send him in," King Sigurd responded as he patiently finished writing something down on parchment.

"太陽の人々... Taiyō no hitobito. People of the sun" King Sigurd would say slowly, his expression remaining serious and void of emotion. Takao would smile to him and nod his head, impressed with Sigurd's performance. The middle-aged king was finally beginning to understand. Just then, Brunnard walked in holding his welding mask and a canvas kitbag made from hemp. "My King, I report to you from the Forges of Bifrost with some important news," the blacksmith said as he brought his welding mask to his chestplate and bowed his head. King Sigurd would finish his writing before setting the pencil down, closing the book, and handing it to Takao to do with as he pleased. "Come, sit down" Sigurd said, motioning for Brunnard to take a seat. Brunnard would set the kitbag down on the table, sitting down on a wooden chair across the small table from his king. "What is this?" the king asked. "It's what we've been working on, my lord" the blacksmith answered, pointing to the kitbag. "This is canvas," Brunnard said with a smile as Sigurd felt the kitbag's fabric with his fingertips. "It's strong and easy to make," Brunnard explained as he pulled a leather toolbelt out of the bag.

The toolbelt was newer and had more toolspace, designed by simple means using Norse craftsmanship. But the tools it carried were a different matter entirely. The belt consisted of pliers, screwdrivers, a tape measure, chalk strings, a hammer, wrenches, a ratchet and other strange tools that King Sigurd had never seen before. "What's this?" Sigurd asked, pointing to one of the tools. "It's based on something they made," Brunnard answered, nudging a shoulder in Takao's direction. Brunnard pulled the tool out of its looped slot on the leather belt and clicked the single button on the side of it, causing a clear bulb at the end of it to light up and project a beam up to the pitched ceiling where it formed a bright circle. "I call it a Firefly," the blacksmith said, although Takao Eguchi himself would perceive it as an ordinary flashlight. Brunnard clicked the button again, causing the tool in his hand to cause a strobe effect as the light blinked rapidly. He would click the button one more time. "Three clicks," the blacksmith explained as he turned off the device and slid it back into the looped slot on the toolbelt and set the whole toolbelt aside.

Next he would reach into the kitbag and pull out a variety of other inventions, reverse engineered from the items King Sigurd had handed to the smiths, and from the items Kraiger Nallesson had confiscated from the Taiyou chamber. There was a hard work helmet with a built-in headlamp and gasmask, a firstaid kit with bandaids and bandages, a phone radio, a chrome butane liter and a box of soft metal-tipped 5.45x45mm cartridges, which melted in mid-air and thus had been unintentionally converted into incinerating bullets. Unlike the armor piercing tungsten tipped rounds, the Norse blacksmiths had forged metallic lava-like bullets which melted when discharged, creating flaming tiny fireballs which splashed and splattered whenever they hit something, burning through flamable objects slowly like napalm until the metal fragments were cool enough to solidify. "We have enough to arm half the village," Brunnard said as he presented the box of ammunition before his king.

"There's more too," he said, waving for Bruce of Essex to bring in his guests. Just then, Lord Ivan would enter the tent, pulling Kraiger in shackles behind him. Kraiger would fall to his knees between Takao Eguchi and Sigurd Hring, his armor and clothing stripped, his face bloody, bruised and dirty from being pummeled by the guards who had arrested him many days ago. Kraiger was skinnier now, having been starved in a cell inside the watchtower for days. His shoulder wound had been treated and bandaged by one of the handmaidens, but otherwise he was in poor shape with one swollen eyes and a fat lip. Kraiger gazed up to the king quietly, fear in his eyes as he shook his head with disbelief, humbled by the might of the Dano-Swedish king. Sigurd would glance down at Kraiger before looking over to the other men inside the tent.

"My Lord, I only did what was best for our-" Kraiger was suddenly interrupted. "Silence!!!" the king roared, standing up slowly. Sigurd would take one more look at Kraiger before scratching his chin and pacing back and forth. "My Lord-" Ivan tried to speak, but Sigurd raised his hand in the air to stop him. "Let me think," Sigurd said, continuing to pace around in silence for a moment. "Kraigr, you are hereby relieved of your status," King Sigurd commented. "My Lord, I-" Kraiger was interrupted abruptly. "You have only brought war upon our people, Lord Kraiger, is that what you think is best for my establishment?" King Sigurd would hear no more of it. He walked back to the table, reached into the canvas kitbag and pulled out another small capsule-shaped device with wires attached to it, examining it quietly before looking over to Takao and Brunnard, obviously curious about the function and purpose of such a device.

"What is this supposed to be?" King Sigurd asked, glancing over at Takao Eguchi for answers. "Omar cut it out of the golem they constructed. It is not a monster, it is some kind of armor," the battered prisoner interrupted before getting punched in the face again by Lord Ivan's metal gauntlet. "Speak only when spoken too," Ivan commanded, reminding Kraiger of his place in the conversation. Takao would pause nervously before flipping through his books and showing King Sigurd a diagram of a Taiyou operated Yunboro mechsuit, before pointing to a picture of the Yunboro's CPU or power cell. King Sigurd scratched his chin quietly, studying the picture in silence for a moment before deciding what to do next. "Lord Ivan," the king said softly. "Escort Lord Kraiger back to the dungeons until I decide what to do," King Sigurd insisted as he shewed the ghost warrior away from him. "And see to it that he gets fed. I want to give him a fair trial," Sigurd added as Ivan saluted him before dragging Kraiger out of the tent by the metal collars around his throat and wrists.

"Brunnard, thank you for traveling so far. Please, enjoy yourself at the great hall," Sigurd said calmly before turning to look at Takao's books again. "Tell me more," the king said, fumbling with the Yunboro's power source. Sigurd Hring stared at Takao Eguchi quietly, listening and waiting stillfully for answers.

Iskjerne Bay, the Cave Chamber

Kamidake kept his staff out, and his eyes affixed to Jarl Evan as the man seemed to plead with them not to shoot. Kamidake looked to Evan as if he understood the words perfectly, and while Kamidake's lips moved to speak Taiyou, Evan would hear the words in his native tongue, as easily as if a native viking was speaking to him.

"We mean you no harm." Kamidake said, his voice calm, but firm, his hand firmly clasping the orbed staff as the light emanating from it began to subside so that it was tolerable to those inside the cave.

Keeping his eyes on Evan, Kamidake took another step forward, holding the staff up so that he was illuminated. The first thing that was noticeable was Kamidake's clothes. A traditional white kimono, worn under a light blue haori jacket, which gave Kamidake's appearance a soft pastel appearance, a contrast to the dirty, ashen vikings.

Completing Kamidake's attire was an armored chestplate that went over his shoulders in wide arches, attached to his Haori with two red orbs, the armored chest-plate appeared to be made from finely carved wood, crystallized with sap from an ancient tree. The ornately wrapped hilt of a katana sat secured to the obi of Kamidake's Kimono. After a moment, Kamidake moved to allow Prime Minister Kayabuki, a middle aged woman in a red pantsuit to emerge through the gate, followed by a woman in cargo pants, hiking boots, and a fur lined nylon jacket.

Seno was the third person to step through the gate, and the last man, an older man similarly dressed to the young Kamidake, the legendary guardian Azaka, however his staff orb, and chest-plate orbs were blue, as opposed to red.

Azaka clasped his staff firmly, as the gate shut, and latched behind them, he took a position besides the Science director, and the Prime Minister, surveying the chamber quite intently.

It was Prime Minister Kayabuki's turn to speak, so she took a step forward, standing directly besides Azaka to address the Vikings in the chamber, like Kamidake, her voice carried through the chamber in their native language, even if Kayabuki was speaking Taiyou.

"We are an envoy sent on behalf of His Majesty, the Emperor Shimizu Takayama, of the Taiyou Empire of Greater Niihama, I am Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki, this is Crown Princess Yukiko Takayama, and this is Director Seno Miyagi, head of the Science Division of the Ministry of Technology, and Culture. We have come to seek an audience with your king, and to demand answers as to why our people were attacked unprovoked."

"If you choose to attack us, you will be swiftly defeated, so it is better if we go quietly, so that we may meet with your King, and reach a mutually peaceful solution." Yukiko commented, sliding her cellular phone into her jacket pocket.

Kayabuki kept her eyes fixed onto Jarl Evan, while the woman was smaller in stature, she commanded great respect among the rest of the entourage, and as with the Princess Yukiko, the guardians would lay their lives down in her defense.

---
Iskjerne Settlement

Takao quietly sat and watched as Brunnard placed the kit bag on the table, and his eyes widened at the technology inside. Surely the Vikings couldn't have come up with this in such a short period of time. He looked to the shell casings, and while lacking the precision machining that went into the tecnology produced by his people, the craftsmanship was exquisite.

Takao was visibly uncomfortable at the events playing out before him, the lighter, the flashlight, all of this meant that they either were shared the technology, which, given the lack of contact, or the Self-Defense Commander's unwillingness to even open a dialogue, was unlikely.

"You must have taken..." Takao said in English quietly. "You must have taken, made war..." Takao said as he slowly stood up. The look of fear, and panic crossed his face as he began to speak in Taiyou, and speak quickly, with great fear and concern given in the tone of his voice. "Anata wa naniwoshita! Watashi no hitobito wa kitto ima hōfuku surudeshou! Anata wa jibun jishin ni fukō to shi o motarashimashita!" He cried out, pointing angrily at Kraiger.

He regained his composure quickly, though and looked back to the great king. Perhaps this display would appease the envoy that would inevitably come before them.

He looked to the diagram of the Yunboro, and then to the power cell, glaring at Kraiger. "It is called Yunboro, it not armor, not weapon, Yunboro for build, move great stones easy, make easy build house, one yunboro do work of one hundred men, it no threat, but Omar attack?"

Takao took a breath to calm himself, before he looked up to Sigued. "My people angry, but not likely make war, my people peaceful, they may come, demand justice, demand answer, war is last resort."

As the 6-foot-tall Northman of Iskjerne Bay stood before the five well-dressed Taiyou figures in front of him, Jarl Evan Skjalsson provided a Norwegian contrast to their Asiatic culture. He was large, stocky and muscular with a bald shaved head and reddish beard. His head and body were covered with vinework tribal tattoos which could barely be visible over his black painted skin. Evan had a tiwaz rune symbol painted on his forehead and was dressed rather crudely, more for comfort and maneuverability than for looks or fashion. His greenish blue eyes were squinted upon Kamidake and his red orb staff as his vision returned slowly. Kamidake's own eyes were fixed on Skjalsson as he spoke to him in a language the Northman understood. Kamidake would introduce Jarl Evan to the Taiyou prime minister Yoko Kayabuki as crown princess Yukiko Takayama, the sister of Taiyou emperor Shimizu Takayama, entered behind her, followed by the science director Seno Miyagi and the guardian Azaka with his blue orb staff.

"We are an envoy sent on behalf of His Majesty, the Emperor Shimizu Takayama, of the Taiyou Empire of Greater Niihama, I am Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki, this is Crown Princess Yukiko Takayama, and this is Director Seno Miyagi, head of the Science Division of the Ministry of Technology, and Culture. We have come to seek an audience with your king, and to demand answers as to why our people were attacked unprovoked."

Jarl Evan watched them all carefully, obviously distrustful about their intentions. For a moment he glanced back to his shield and spear, both of which were just a few feet behind him leaning against a rock. He turned and looked at the prime minister silently before Yukiko slid her cellphone into her pocket and warned him not to do anything stupid. The jarl had never seen a cellphone before, but he didn't trust Yukiko or any of the other Taiyou in the white robes, nor the devices they were carrying. Something about them was fishy, and the Norse petty chieftain had his own questions. "How do you know our language? Where is Omar?" he asked suddenly, never bothering to introduce himself. He turned his attention then to Seno Miyagi, recognizing him by his glasses. "And you, where is that medicine you promised?" Jarl Evan glared distrustfully at the science director before turning his attention back to Kamidake and his red orb staff. The petty chieftain stood there quietly, unthreateningly but also unafraid. He was stalling the Taiyou so that Ryan the Freeman and Rolind Skjalsson, his two younger brothers, could sneak away and escape. Ryan, Rolind, Evan and their other brother Erling Snake were all sons of Skjal the Merciless from the House of Norway, and so it was Evan's responsibility as a jarl and a brother to protect his kinsmen and his king.

Ryan and Rolind would listen quietly to Jarl Evan's conversation with the Taiyou, then creep away silently and forewarn any of the other Norsemen they came across throughout the cave tunnels. The word of Princess Yukiko's arrival spread quickly to the surface where the two dozen guards from the watchtower were already waiting. Meanwhile, another small group of guards led by Lord Ivan were escorting King Sigurd's prisoner Kraiger Nallesson in chains up to the the long stone stairway to the watchtower, where they would imprison him inside the tower's lightless dungeon. As news of the princess's arrival spread, other goings on would occur back at the Great Hall that would eventually effect the Norsemen's relationship with their Taiyou neighbors. King Sigurd had a great deal of issues to consider now as he looked around the animal skinned tent where the young Takao Eguchi was standing, somewhat frantic and confused by the Norse attack on the gateway.

But as Takao unleashed his own frustrations, King Sigurd remained silent, listening to everything while making his own mental decisions. It wasn't until Takao became too excited around the king that Bruce placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, causing the young man to instantly stop talking and take a seat. Suddenly the Taiyou researcher wasn't angry, he was afraid. Lord Bruce of Essex stood idly by though, awaiting orders as the news of Seno Miyagi's return reached the gates and the Norsemen began to gather in the great hall. King Sigurd would turn to look at Bruce once more before looking at Takao and smiling. "You will be going home soon my friend. Be sure to tell your people good things about me... Make sure he doesn't leave," King Sigurd smirked, patting Takao on the shoulder before turning and leaving the tent. "This is not good," Bruce of Essex shook his head with a sigh, waiting quietly by the tent entrance, as he was still sworn to accompany and protect Takao as his personal bodyguard against any of the other Norsemen who might've wished to kill him over the time he had been Sigurd's guest.

Brunnard the Blacksmith had also taken King Sigurd up on his offer and had gone to the great hall, where everyone waited for the king to take his throne again. Takao and Bruce would stare around each other in ackward silence, Takao tapping lightly on his own knees while staring at the ceiling as Bruce bit his own lip and lowered his head quietly just staring at him. But despite the humor, there were other forces at work in Iskjerne Bay that would soon disturb the silence. "Tap-tap-tap!" three slender arrows would suddenly bounce off the dome shaped walls of the tent. For although the tent was covered with multiple layers of animal furs, they had been weatherproofed and strengthened, and were reinforced by large megafauna bones which deflected the arrows with ease. Bruce and Takao were under attack. "What was that?" Takao asked quietly, looking up at the domed rooftop. Bruce of Essex would pick up his shield and unsheath his sword, turning to step outside and intending to investigate the matter when suddenly he was impaled right in front of Takao, a sharp steel sword protruding from Bruce's back shoulder before he was pushed back into the tent and the bloody blade was withdrawn from his body. Bruce stumbled and fell over at Takao's feet as a black knight entered the tent wearing full crusader-type body armor holding the bloody sword in both hands while looking at Takao Eguchi from behind a full-visored helmet.

The transition into realspace was sudden, and abrupt. But the organ didn't stop playing, as slender fingertips danced across the keys, drawing fourth an eerie melody. Surrounded by towering marble pillars, a glimmering marble floor, and the vast interior that he called his throne room, Shimizu Takayama manipulated the instrument to bring fourth sound that was pleasing to his ears.

"Tennoheika, we're in orbit above Gaia, just beyond the technological interference field, if we move any further, we risk damaging the Soja." A voice called out over the somber melody of the organ, and Shimizu stopped playing to look up, a projection superimposed on the ceiling of the Ship's Commander.

"This is far enough, calibrate the transit array, and prepare for my disembarkation." He said, pulling his hands away from the keys, and rising to his feet. "These people, and their insolence will inevitably cease to amuse me."

Briefly, the man surveyed his surroundings, the elaborate throne room that he called home, where he administered the daily operations of his Empire. Being mobile aboard the Soja had it's advantages. One of them being that he was incredibly difficult to track, which meant would be assassins would be fooled.



After taking several paces, he placed his hand upon one of the cobra statues that guarded his throne, then he checked the hilt of Tenchi-Ken, the Sword of Heaven and Earth, and symbol of his authority. The Sword seemed at first glance to be a simple wooden hilt, carved from an ancient tree and crystallized with it's sap, three red gems rested in the pommel.

"These savages will be made to account for their insolence." The man said quietly, as arcs of energy began to form before him, the air warped, and bent. "I will slaughter them all myself." He said with a grin, brushing hair away from his face, and then he composed himself, bringing the wicked snarl back into a straight face, smoothing his attire, which consisted of a simple black Yukata with white undershirt, and tan colored overcoat.

---

"At large." Kayabuki replied in response to the question regarding Omar. "After he slaughtered a dozen security officers, and then escaped into our city." The Prime Minister answered, her lips speaking Taiyou but her words carrying in the nordic languages that the others could comprehend.

"Our language is being translated for you, through magic, likewise your language is translated into a tongue we can understand, it's a simple alteration, but one that is effective." Kamidake elaborated, glancing briefly to his staff, and then back to Evan.

"The medicine is coming, but your king needs to explain a few things to my superiors, before they decide to fulfill our end of the bargain." Seno said calmly. "Your friend Omar... I presume that is his name, crossed the gateway and killed my people on the other side, there he fled the cave chamber, and into our city, where he is on the run." Seno explained, taking a step forward, briefly casting a glance over to Yukiko, and then Kayabuki. "Word of this reached our Emperor, whom is displeased. I had hoped to arrange medicine be brought, but that arrangement was denied." Seno admitted, briefly glancing over towards Skjalsson for a moment, as Kamidake too took a step forward.

"It is imperative we be shown the settlement, and granted an audience with the King at once." Kamidake insisted, but Azaka seemed to be distracted. He spoke in Taiyou to Kamidake, intently obscuring his words so that Skjalsson couldn't understand him.

"Watashi wa chōdo Watashi wa chōdo Sōja ga kidō ni notte kuru no o kanjimashita."

Kamidake looked briefly back towards Azaka, and frowned. "Watashi mo kanjimashita."

The pair of Guardians turned back towards Evan, a sense of urgency playing on his face. "The fate of your people rests on this meeting, we must make haste."

---

Inside the tent, there seemed to be an awkward silence since the King left. He was visibly confused after the King left, and his agitation died down, the commotion of the settlement wasn't lost on him. Were his people retaliating for Omar's attack? What did King Sigurd mean about him going home soon. All of this played as visible confusion on the man's face, as they sat there in silence, at least until the sound of arrows hitting the tent could be heard.

Takao quietly nodded as Bruce went out to investigate the noise, but that silence was abruptly interrupted, the sound of metal in flesh filled the tent, and the Taiyou researcher jumped back, gasping as his eyes were fixated on the sword, Takao was certain he was going to meet his end, as he backed up against the far wall of the tent, swallowing back bile, and vomitus from the sight of the dying Bruce before him. Words lost upon him, only a wide-eyed stare at the strange armored figure before him.

As the black crusader entered Takao Eguchi's animal skinned tent, he wiped the blood from his blade and looked down at the young Taiyou boy from the single eyeslit of his cylindrical black knight's helmet. The knight was covered in medium armor from head to toe wearing a black tunic over chainmail, with thick padded gloves and black leather boots. His entire face was masked by his visor, and on one of his shoulder plates was an engraving of a large S-shaped serpent entwined around a cross. The mysterious figure stepped forward into the tent, looking down at Lord Bruce of Essex before turning his gaze on Takao Eguchi who was now unarmed and unprotected. "What's this? You aren't the man I'm after," his deep voice growled from behind his visor. But the knight raised his sword above his head anyway as Takao raised his arms in front of himself and closed his eyes tightly as the long broad sword came slashing down at his skull. "Cla-cling!" suddenly metal struck against metal as Lord Bruce of Essex rose back up from his fallen state, putting his own blade between Takao and the man who was trying to kill him. Bruce would stare at the black knight with hatred in his eyes as he pushed the crusader's blade away before elbowing him in the side of his helmet. The knight would suddenly stumble sideways as Lord Bruce stood up between him and Takao, gripping his slightly shorter viking sword with both hands, blood running down his right arm from the painfully deep shoulder wound that the knight had inflicted on him.

"Takao quickly, take my axe!" Bruce shouted, refering to the small axe he had contained on the back of his belt. Takao had never really seemed to notice it before under Bruce's cape, but now that Bruce's back was towards him, the short bearded axe was standing out to Takao like a sore thumb. Whether the young man had been in a real fight before or not, he very soon would be as the black knight turned and swung his longsword wildly at Bruce's abdomen. Lord Bruce was ready this time however, deflecting the crusader's blade with his own sword before slicing upwards under the knight's armpit and slamming his pommel into the knight's forehead. The mysterious warrior would stumble backwards again, regaining his composure just in time to be ran through. Bruce of Essex would lunge forward, thrusting the tip of his blade into the black knight's narrow eyeslit before running his sword through the back of his head. The masked crusader would fall to his knees, blood rushing from the bottom of his helmet as Bruce placed a boot on the dead man's chest and kicked him over, removing his blade from the black knight's helmet. He then pushed the knight's body over with his foot, glancing down at the S-shaped serpent and cross on his metal shoulder plate. "Impossible," Bruce expressed with disbelief just as two more black knights in similar garb entered the tent, one holding a glaive-like halberd while the other had a morning star on a chain. Somehow the outer wall of the Norse fortress had been breached by Christian raiders looking to kill King Sigurd and destroy his Heathen kingdom.

But since there was no sound coming from the guards at the gate entrance, it appeared to Lord Bruce that someone must've secretly helped them breach the compound from the inside. The snake on the cross meant only one thing to Lord Bruce, that King Sigurd was now in grave danger, for the crest belonged to King Erling, a merciless rival Christian warlord who would stop at nothing to wipe them all out, even if it meant killing a few Taiyou as well. Lord Bruce and Takao were about to have the fight of their lives as the two other black crusaders split up inside the tent and surrounded them from both sides. It wouldn't be long before everyone else in the ringfort was aware of the infiltration. It couldn't have come at a worse time either, for there in the sky above appeared another strange phenomenon. The Soja, a mysterious looking ship sent down by the Taiyou had also just arrived. On board this large creepy vessel was Emperor Shimizu, himself preparing to wage war on King Sigurd's viking settlement. The guards protecting the outer wall of the concentric ringed fortress would gaze up at the skies with disbelief, the Soja's sudden appearance in the clouds distracting most of the Norsemen from the handful of Christian raiders on the ground, who only appeared to be looking near the tents.



Meanwhile, the majority of villagers and Norse settlers had once again collected in the Great Hall at the highest most central point within the ringfort as King Sigurd took up his throne again to hold a public discussion about the sudden drastic chain of events that were happening. It seemed that the battle scarred konung could never get one moment of peace in his own kingdom and it was starting to really bother him. In fact, he was becoming quite furious, growing ever more impatient and less kind to those around him. "Bring me my armor!" he shouted angrily, plopping down on his throne before a large audience. "Who in Hel's name do these people think they are, coming into my realm and trying to make demands of me? Don't they know who the fuck I am?!" Sigurd slammed his fist down on the table, so hard that the table would actually crack beneath his fist. "My Lord, you are-" Sigurd suddenly pulled out a dagger from his boot and hurled it across the room, sticking it into the ashwood beam beside whoever was talking. "I am Sigurd Ringtaker, king of the north!!!". He would stand up and pace around the tables, singling people out by pointing his finger at random individuals inside the hall. "Not you! Not you! Not you and not you!!! ME!!!" he roared furiously, his voice loud and deep, echoing throughout the great hall as people backed away from him in fear. "Now who gives any of you the right to undermind MY authority?! Huh?! WHO!!!" he roared again, retrieving the dagger from the wooden beam as he walked by it. "If any of you would rather be king, go ahead. Do you see that throne over there? Kill me, right here right now, and you can have it eh?" Sigurd stuck his arms out to the side and looked up towards the ceiling, closing his eyes. He waited patiently for someone to sneak up behind him and slit his throat, but nobody dared to try. This seemed to only infuriate him more as he squeezed his eyes shut, shouting as loud as he could. "WHO, WANTS TO BE KING?!!!" Sigurd's voice was like thunder.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, only one person would approach Sigurd Hring, and only to place the king's battle crown above his head. "Every man here would give his very last breath for you King Sigurd, son of Randver, every last one of us" a gentle voice spoke to him. King Sigurd would open his eyes and turn around slowly only to see hundreds of men, women and children all nodding their heads in agreement. The man who spoke to him would place the king's breastplate on his chest and attach it to his body as Sigurd kept his arms extended to the side, looking around the room. In a short time period under his rulership, several Norse cave miners had been injured by Taiyou carelessness, some of the Skjalsson brothers had betrayed him by starting a war with them, a paid berserker had tried to assassinate him, and more tensions were rising throughout his kingdom that he wasn't even aware of yet. But despite the non-stop drama and Sigurd Hring's growing anger, the Iskjerne Vikings still understood and supported him as their leader. Several of them would stand up and place a closed fist to their own breastplates, saluting King Sigurd with the utmost respect. Others were now dawning their own chestplates and armor, or else stomping and tapping their spears on the wooden tables above the soft turf floor in a rhythmic melody and manner. This they all did to honor their oath rings, and their king.

A circle of young redheaded ladies were brought into the hall at that moment. They were all dressed in long white see-through linen dresses, being completely naked underneath with cat-skinned belts, feathered scarves and long thin white gloves, adorned with an assortment of jewelry decorated with raven feathers, cat bones and many colorful gemstones. There were five of them in all. Every one of them was still a virgin, and all of them were sisters, being born from the same mother. These five young ladies would dance barefoot in a circle around their king, mumbling and chanting amongst themselves in a song and language that was foreign to him, while one of them called upon the various Norse gods for help. "We call upon the spirits of the ancestors to protect this settlement, this kingdom and its people. Sigurd, son of Randver, high king of the north. May you be granted the wisdom of Odin, the mercy of Frigg, the courage of Tyr, the strength of Thor, the swiftness of Skadi, the winds of Njordr, the magic of Freyja, the eyes of Heimdall, the fairness of Freyr, the healing of Eir, the longevity of Baldur, the vengefulness of Vali, and the humor of Loki" the young fair maiden chanted swiftly and quietly, poking her fingertip with a needle before drawing a blood red Dagaz rune on the king's forehead to protect him in battle, specifically against any magical weapons or spells which might be used against him by the Skjalssons, who were known to follow Odin.

Meanwhile, around the time when Omar was in a gunfight with Takashi in Niihama City, something else was taking place deep down in one of the chambers of the Iskjerne Cave, one of the high ranking earls of Norse society standing all alone in front of the five Taiyou political leaders who demanded to see the king. They warned Jarl Evan that his people were at great risk, causing Evan to raise his head and glare at them quietly. Were they trying to help? Or were they trying to kill the king? Evan contemplated for a moment. "If you are lying..." the jarl paused, lowering his arms as he looked at Yukiko and Kamidake more closely. "I will kill you myself... Now follow me" Evan said with a slight nod, before turning to go pick up his spear and shield. But as he turned around and motioned for them to fillow him back into Iskjerne's cave tunnels, the Taiyou in the white robes would notice that on the back of his toolbelt, Jarl Evan had already had a magic weapon hidden behind him the whole time. It was a curved bone dagger made entirely of a single fang from a smilodon. It had been fitted with a pitch black gem, and the whole handle had been carved to grip with runic engravings all over it going even up the spine of the blade. The dagger had been gifted to him as a present, and Evan kept it always for backup.

Back up at the surface, within the clouds, other things were taking place in the sky. Above the planet's atmosphere, from a safe distance above Gaia's surface, an alien ship cast a dark shadow over the face of a daylight moon, something like a grey cloud descending from outer space, its occupants no doubt peering down over the Weargtooth Mountains to the Iskjerne viking settlement in the middle of its frozen arctic, where a hundred or more Norse guards gazed up at the sunny blue sky in awe, witnessing the shadow over the moon, which seemed to them like a bad omen. "Ragnarok!" one of the Norsemen shouted, for an old prophesy foretold that the black wolf Managarmr would one day devour the moon signalling the end of their world. Others called the dark wolf by another name however, Hati Hróðvitnisson, the warg pup of Fenrir the Famous, a monster feared by gods and men alike. It was at this time that one of the patrolmen noticed that a couple of the animal skinned tents were smoking. Someone had set the tents on fire, and it wouldn't take long to realize that there was a small band of intruders. The crusader knights had infiltrated one of the outer wall's many lookout towers, assisted with help from one of the guards, a Norwegian archer named Edill Skjalsson who had killed the other two guards on duty before sneaking the Christian raiders into the tower. Despite their appearance, however, and the fact they were wearing better armor, these were not crusaders. They were vikings. They were led by Edill's brother Erling Snake, a contesting King of the North who had slipped back in time in an attempt to change the course of history. If only he could kill King Sigurd, his empire would be complete.

From northern far, in, a deep chill seeped, to the bone, through the scale, up the roots. White pockets of fire erupted throughout- advancements made by those within and foreign tools come here for final rest ceasing to exist with a flash and bang. A lament was cried from the Bez Daha Trees to Saggitae, to Gaia, to anyone who could hear and would, that again did Eras breathe upon this realm; and would continue to breathe, continue to inhale their realm, continue to flex chaos and destruction, until Gaia drew breath no more.

From northern far, in, a deep chill seeped, to the bone, through the scale, up the roots. White pockets of fire erupted throughout- advancements made by those within and foreign tools come here for final rest ceasing to exist with a flash and bang.

As if the gods themselves were angry at this transgression of their divine order, a massive thunderbolt struck down out of the blue, destroying much of the Taiyou gear and production facilities in the dead of the night when the craftsmen were away from their posts. Miraculously, everyone would escape injury, but the guns and other tokens of Taiyou affection were melted into slag heaps or damaged beyond repair. Many crystalline powered weapons were not left to spare, too suffering under the wrath of who?

A lament was cried from the Bez Daha Trees to Saggitae, to Gaia, to anyone who could hear and would, that again did Eras breathe upon this realm; and would continue to breathe, continue to inhale their realm, continue to flex chaos and destruction, until Gaia drew breath no more.

In the midst of the Viking settlement at Iskjerne, among a group of tents, and in front of the great hall. There was a crackling of energy, a brilliant sphere of green light began to materialize, crackling with power, arcing with green bolts of lightning which leapt from the sphere, and into the ground.

Pops, and crackles of sound emanated from the green sphere of light, before the light opened up, forming a person sized silhouette of black within.

The person stepped forward, and there was an audible snap of sound, like the cracking of a great stone before he came into the full light of the sun, and the portal snapped shut behind him with a loud pop.

His hair was neatly combed to one side, thin, soft strands blowing slightly in the frigid wind of the Iskjerne bay. A shiver ran down his spine as the cold slowly seeped through his clothes, and into his skin.

The overcoat deflected much of the wind from his body, but the smell brought a brief wrinkle to his nose, the settlement was primitive. This was what the Science Ministry wanted to investigate?

Slender fingers moved towards the sword Tenchi, which was secured at his belt, it had been some time since he had tasted blood, but he would only act in self defense.

Pulling the wooden hilt free from his belt, he clasped it firmly in his hand, and looked up to the norse guards, and he could hear the commotion within the longhouse.

His eyes darted to the flaming tents, and he focused his will for the slightest of moments, igniting Sword Tenchi as a brilliant shimmering blue blade of light jutted fourth from the wooden hilt. There were raiders, wearing some kind of heavy armor. The Longhouse would have to wait, as Shimizu caught the sight of two heavily armored men entering a tent, was that a Taiyou inside the Tent?

Shimizu suddenly vanished from where he stood, flickering out of existence for a brief moment before reappearing just outside the tent, upon the heels of the two black knights that entered.

He stormed into the tent, and would be the first thing that Takao would see. Shimizu lunged forward at the first knight, the one closest to Takao before the Knight could react. He brought Sword Tenchi across the man's armored torso in a wide cleaving motion, sweeping the sword from right, to left. The Black Knight would have scant moments to react before the white hot blade of pure cosmic energy cleaved him clean in two in one fell, effortless sweep.

"Okurete!" The young man called out, and Takao didn't hesitate, kicking himself back as the young man turned to face the second black knight, the blue light of his blade glinting, and reflecting off the armor.

The young man who, to Bruce didn't seem like much, while Tall, the young man was a scant one hundred and sixty three pounds. He held the shimmering blade in the Hasso no Kamae stance. Holding the blade paralell with his body, with the hilt at chest height, the shimmering blade held close to his face. He kept his feet shoulder width apart, and watched both Bruce's, and the Black Knight's next move.

----

Quietly, Kayabuki and the Taiyou party followed Evan and his people, they knew that time was growing short.

Suddenly, a large object could be seen approaching from the distance. From out of the great chill came what looked like an avalanche from the mountains. A huge cloudy mist started to close in on the viking settlement as a large blanket of snow started to cover the area. It was a dragon ship, the largest one the vikings had ever built. Hrollaug had daringly sailed it down the mountainside and towards the bay area. As the ship slid across the blanket of snow, one could make out a crew of about a hundred or more vikings.

Sinfrost watched from a distant peak in the Weargtooth mountains. Great dark thunderclouds shot colorful lightning down in Iskjerne bay. He had felt the great shift, and the great chill, narrowing his black eyes at the scene afar. A foreign object loomed over the continent. Something was amiss across Ellaria.

Sinfrost, hatching just after the great Colossi were sealed away so long ago, didn't quite recognize the signs for what they were. He didn't hear the trees as they cried from the south, domain being of ice and water and rock. He stayed safely disguised as a rock formation, and watched.

Shimizu kept himself in the sword stance as he stared down at the englishman, but Takao could only stand by and do nothing, calling out the words 'Tennoheika!' and immediately prostrating himself at Shimizu's feet once the two knights had been felled.

"Kare wa yūjin, watashi no Tennoheika."

Shimizu briefly cast a sidelong glance down at Takao, and then he brought his eyes back to Bruce before the shimmering blue blade of light disappeared with a hissing sound, followed immediately by a popping sound.

The man spoke english, this brought a raised eyebrow from Shimizu, and he chose to answer in almost perfect english, lilted by a strange accent that was unlike those of the Taiyou who attempted to speak english. Shimizu's accent was closer to someone from Greece, or Rome who was speaking the Anglic tongue.

"Of course he knows me, I'm his Emperor." Shimizu replied, slowly bringing Sword Tenchi back down, and letting it clip to a small loop around his belt. "This settlement is under seige, and it seems our technology doesn't work here." Shimizu added, his words still in english.

"Your leader has some explaining to do, please; take me too him." Shimizu implored Bruce. "I see you have treated this man well, you will be rewarded for your efforts."

The arrogance was seeping from Shimizu's words like venom, he regarded these primitives with incredible disdain, but that disdain was well concealed by a veneer of calm, and even a reassuring smile.

Shimizu kept himself in the sword stance as he stared down at the englishman, but Takao could only stand by and do nothing, calling out the words 'Tennoheika!' and immediately prostrating himself at Shimizu's feet once the two knights had been felled.

"Kare wa yūjin, watashi no Tennoheika."

Shimizu briefly cast a sidelong glance down at Takao, and then he brought his eyes back to Bruce before the shimmering blue blade of light disappeared with a hissing sound, followed immediately by a popping sound.

The man spoke english, this brought a raised eyebrow from Shimizu, and he chose to answer in almost perfect english, lilted by a strange accent that was unlike those of the Taiyou who attempted to speak english. Shimizu's accent was closer to someone from Greece, or Rome who was speaking the Anglic tongue.

"Of course he knows me, I'm his Emperor." Shimizu replied, slowly bringing Sword Tenchi back down, and letting it clip to a small loop around his belt. "This settlement is under seige, and it seems our technology doesn't work here." Shimizu added, his words still in english.

"Your leader has some explaining to do, please; take me too him." Shimizu implored Bruce. "I see you have treated this man well, you will be rewarded for your efforts."

The arrogance was seeping from Shimizu's words like venom, he regarded these primitives with incredible disdain, but that disdain was well concealed by a veneer of calm, and even a reassuring smile.

Shimizu surveyed his surroundings for a moment longer, there was the clang of battle outside, the sound of thunder rumbling through the skies, and it seemed it was starting to get dark. Something strange was happening around this settlement, and it unnerved the Emperor slightly. He didn't pay much attention to Bruce's wound, or the fact that he was going to take him to Sigurd instead he moved swiftly outside, and took a look upwards.

His radio didn't work, and he was effectively cut off from communication with the Soja, he would have to meet with the approaching diplomatic party, and arrange transit.

"Anata wa, kare no kizu ni nari-gachidesu." he instructed, once again his words bore an accent, the way he spoke Taiyou didn't sound exactly like the others, but Takao understood him as he moved swiftly towards the entrance of the tent, looking up to the sky, and then out to the retreating Christians. He also noted the damage to the outer wall. Things were beginning to heat up.

With a swift movement, the man stepped out of the tent, grasping Tench-ken free from his belt, he started towards where Sigurd was standing adjacent to the settlement entrance, and the great hall.

Shimizu's footfalls crunched on the soil, and with a swift jerking motion, the blade ignited once more, hissing, and then humming, as the solid blade of blue light shimmered against the darkness of the changing environment.

"Rex Sigurd!" Shimizu called out angrily in Anquietas, Staring upwards at the much larger Scandinavian monarch. "Dicere mihi ut quid Ego non uro hic mundus in cineres abit!" The Taiyou monarch called out again, these strange words sounding much more natural to him. He was still walking towards the King before him, as lightning bolts split the skies asunder, anger welling inside the Taiyou Emperor for the humiliating attacks against his people.

At that moment, the Taiyou Party would have come to the outer gate with Jarl Evan, Kayabuki the first person to spot Shimizu approaching the longhouse, and King Sigurd with Tenchi-Ken ignited. The Prime Minister stumbled over her shoes on the rough terrain, but her voice carried across the wind in a shrill panicked call.

"Tennoheika!"

This caught Shimizu's attention for the briefest moments, and his gaze hardened as Kayabuki tried to climb over the rubble, with Azaka, and Director Miyagi in tow.

---

Inside the Tent, Takao moved quickly to pull some gauze from a small first aid kit he was keeping hooked to the belt in his Tobi. he moved quickly towards Bruce and tried to look at the wound. First aid training was given to everyone who worked the mines, inn the event of an accident so that aid could be rendered quickly.

He feared for his Emperor, but he also feared for Bruce's life. Takao moved quickly to try and unfasten the armor so he could get to the wound. If he succeeded he would pull the fabric away, wincing at the sight of blood before putting the Gauze onto the wound. "Hold pressure, stop bleeding." Takao implored. "We must stop Tennoheika, before he start war." Takao added, offering to help Bruce out of the tent, and after Shimizu whom had stormed out.

The great shadow of the great vessel beyond the clouded sky shifted in a strange sort of way. Eras great stronger, and as he did some of those on the ground would notice something happening. Glowing stones of power forged in peaks far south began to minimally, but steadily, weaken. The same with the great hurricane on the hip of the foreigner from rocks far beyond.

Other forces were at work. Above, the great Sagittae, for a moment, shone that much more bright. Far to the south, in the great forest of Ellaria, shone a benben onto the most important of travelers. From the bay it would be nothing more than a ribbon of light connecting sky to land beyond the northern teeth.

As below, so above- the forces of evil and the hope for good; eternally struggled for the fate of the Gods. This enraged Eras.