(Collaboration between ConstableWalrus and KuroTenshi)

[i]Ragnarsson Household, Trellenborg[/i]

Vigi finished removing his beads and placed them into the pouch that also held his coins. He glanced over to Anndrais starting to boil water, the Christian was far larger than him and seemed on edge. He didn’t know much about the man, including whether or not he’d attack him if he felt threatened.

However the two of them were completely alone and there were questions he needed answer.

He gripped onto a beam and used it to hoist himself up then he made his way over to the door. Opening it he cautiously stuck his head outside and looked around. There was not a soul in sight, no chances of them being overheard.

Vigi slowly shut the door, but stayed there a moment to collect his resolve for this conversation. “What do you know of seidr, monk?” He asked, turning around and heading back to the sleeping bench to sit down. “What do you know of people like me? Of our powers?” 

Anndrais looked up from tending to Robbie, watching him walk to the door and he frowned, he should be sitting down not looking outside. He grumbled to himself “Fool…” And when he actually spoke to him he glanced up.

He could hardly hide the smile “You are a healer, you have mentioned that your kind have visions, you are like the Druids that used to be prevalent in my land before the conversion to Christianity, save not running nude into the glens chanting madly saying that you are possessed by the spirit of an animal.”

He chuckled, and he snorted slightly at the mention of powers “Powers? Vigi, if I thought you had any actual power, I would be worried for your soul… But I doubt you have anything past a rudimentary knowledge of the native plants and some healing techniques.” He glanced over at him “No offence of course.”

Vigi pressed his lips together and rolled his eyes. “I can’t even feel insulted by you. I know far less of your god and his magic, at least you have somewhat of an understanding of mine.” He arched an eyebrow. “Even though you chose to believe it does not exist.”

“I do have visions though. Sometimes it is visions of the future…” He trailed off for a moment before slowly leaning forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and looking Anndrais straight in the eye. “Other times it is of the past. When I was outside the walls searching for the young Jarl, Odin, our Alfather graced me with a vision of the origin of this curse.” He paused to let that sink in and study Anndrais’s face. He hoped he would not be scoffed at. “Monk, Anndrais. This curse is the doing of your people, of the Christians.” He gingerly leaned back and held up his hand. “Please do not think I am accusing you or your people of such evil purposefully. After all it was my people’s bullheaded raiders that brought the damned curse to our land.” 

He shook his head, trying to dispel the slaughter he had witnessed. “Let me explain what I was shown. I saw raiders pillaging a church, a Christian church and when they moved to the basement...Inside of a heavily locked room was the ancient remains of a draugr, dressed as one of your holy men. The raiders broke open the door and one of them was bitten before the draugr was killed. We now know that when a man is bitten, the curse moves to him. Obviously the raiders did not know this and brought the man back and then this,” He waved his hand toward the walls of the longhouse. “Happened.”

“I will keep this information to myself, only one other man knows this and he has agreed to hold his tongue. He isn’t a raider and he does not appear to hate your people.” He frowned slightly as his mind strayed to the dark haired hunter, Einnar. He’d been a great source of comfort when he’d awoken from his nightmarish vision, acting as an anchor to keep him grounded in reality. He hoped the man was well. “I just wish for answers Anndrais. Do you know anything of this? I spoke to that giant slave, Wilfred I believe, and he said he was a priest but he claimed that this magic that brings the dead to life is not of your religion. Was he lying to me or did he simply not know?”

Anndrais sighed and he grit his teeth, the constant explanation of this was going to drive him mad; and he looked up at Vigi “I should be used to that comment by now, Vigi Christians hold no magic, no power, save faith, and the entrance into God’s grace once we pass from the world. There is no magic, no spells or curses.”

When he spoke that Christians were to blame he frowned his brow narrowed “You dare accuse Christians of bringing this upon you? Absurd!” He said and stood up “If anything your people brought this upon yourselves. This is dark magic, evil in the purest form.”

His voice was rising Anndrais could not help it, but he had begun to shout “This is nothing of God, whatever breed this is evil, there is no soul left in these husks… They are just walking boxes, only hunger dwells in those eyes now, any humanity or soul there was departed once they passed from the world.”

He glared at Vigi “So no, it did not come from Christians you are very mistaken… and if it did, how has this never happened before? Rome would have known about it, it would have been everywhere! News travels throughout the world not just where you lay your head Vigi.”

He grit his teeth, and rolled his jaw “There is nothing in our scripture or text, that involves raising the dead, only one could do something like that and that is God on high, and he never did evil, and he did not reanimate a husk, to eat and gnaw and gnash, whatever plague befalls you is not of our God.”

He spit at the mans feet, and sat back down to care for robbie again not wanting to see Vigi’s face, for fear he’d strike him.

Vigi had known the monk would be outraged with the information, and he couldn’t stop himself from flinching when Anndrais stood, sure that a fist would be coming toward his head. Thankfully no such thing happened and he had to remind himself to stay calm as the man ranted and raved. Having them both angry and shouting at each other’s throats would solve nothing. 

“I did not wish to anger you.” He said after letting silence stretch for a long while. “I do not want to blame you or your god of anything to merely make myself feel better. When Odin showed me that vision I was relieved because I thought that you would have the answer to how this could happen and how it can be stopped.” He hung his head slightly and shut his eyes. “Because in our legends, the only way a draugr can be stopped is to be defeated by mighty warriors in battle. No magic can work on them, no charms or spells can be cast to make them truly dead. I thought that because this originated with another religion that some magic could be used against them to break this curse. But if you speak the truth, and I know you are, then it seems we’ve only that option. To fight them.”

He opened his eyes and looked down at the rivers of dried black blood running down his hands. “I will try my magic, see if anything can be done. I will speak to the gods themselves if I must.” He lifted his head to look at Anndrais again. “I apologize, truly I do. I did not mean to offend you or anger you. I promise to keep this information to myself, I will take it to my grave.”

Anndrais sighed and rubbed his brow he suddenly felt really tired, the entire day starting to sink in and he let out a large sigh “Nothing can stop them save a blow to the head… We’ve learned that by now. And thats better than anything…”

He didn’t think he had ever felt this exhausted, emotionally or physically he just wanted to sleep but he knew that was not possible, and he rolled his shoulders “I do not wish to fight with you, but I have never heard of such a thing. If it is the work of someone it’s the work of Evil, not of my God.”

And he leaned back, to tired to argue about charms or spells or magic. and he let out another sigh “Christian’s do no possess magic, or spells… We do not curse others and even if we had the power to we would not, as easy as that would solve many problems with your people, this is no work of any Christian.” 

He sighed and again rubbed the bridge of his nose “Anyway, sit down. Get some rest, I’ll bring you some water and a cloth and you can wash that blood off.” He looked up to eye Vigi “Our God is one of peace, love, forgiveness… Whomever caused this to happen. He was no true Christian, but a monster as much as these things are.”

“That we can agree upon.” Vigi nodded, leaning against a post and shutting his eyes as he waited for the water to boil. 

When it was done he carefully pulled off his blood soaked tunic and tossed it to the side, wanting the tainted cloth as far from him as possible. After snooping around he found the soap easy enough and began scrubbing as hard as he could, hoping he was in no danger of becoming cursed himself. 

“You should sit and rest yourself Anndrais.” He said before splashing water onto his face to rinse it off. “You ran into a burning building after all. I can give you a thorough check up in a minute. My rib is bruised or cracked, but not broken. There is not much that can be done with it save let it heal with time and take something for the pain.” Washing his hair was a bit of a feat but he managed it and when he was finally clean he picked up the bucket filled with the cursed water and carried it outside to dump into the snow.

He left it out there and hoped again Ragnar did not take their heads for what they were doing. Luckily if he was angry, Vigi had a way to placate the warrior. 

Still not wanting to push his luck he borrowed one of the slave’s tunics to cover himself and turned to Anndrais, feeling a bit better in mood now that he was clean. “So have you any injuries yourself?” He asked, motioning for him to sit on one of the benches before taking a seat himself.

Anndrais waved him off “I am perfectly fine, and I can take care of myself… I know Medicine you know, I am fine.” He breathed out a sigh “Thank you though, i’m just exhausted, and can’t wait to get back to the longhouse, and fall asleep on my books.”