05-30-2017, 01:59 PM
Odin took a few steps into the warm water of the Animus River. Closing his eyes, he held out his hands and focused on his next project. A few minutes later, water splashed up against his thighs, displaced by the small longship that had suddenly appeared. The two men pushed out toward the middle of the river and jumped on board. The All-Father took his place at the bow, and Geir manned the rudder.
No more than an hour had gone by when they heard the scream. Without even a nod, the two men moved to the oars to speed their progress. More screams, shouts, and a loud crash were added as the men drew nearer.
When they came around a bend, it became apparent what all the commotion was about. A crocodile nearly 50 feet in length was in the middle of a village. It was thick enough around the middle to come to a man's chest when it was lying down and could probably swallow a horse whole. Two huts had already been demolished. Most of the villagers, however, seemed to have gathered in a group about 100 feet away. Geir gulped, but Odin directed him to land the boat near the survivors.
As the ship came ashore, the two men jumped out. Grier pulled it further onto the sand while Odin approached the village people. Immediately a woman came tearing toward them looking more distraught than most. A man followed behind her more reluctantly. "My son!" she cried, "You have to save him. He was still in bed!"
Odin eyed the beast as the others moved closer to hear his response. The man reached her and put his arms around her as she nearly collapsed. He was probably her husband and the boy's father. He watched Odin as well but seemed resigned.
"Gier!" Odin commanded as he moved wide around the village.
"My Lord," was all Geir responded with as he slowly moved directly toward the village.
Once Odin was away from everyone else, he started picking up rocks and chucking them at the croc. The thing was too big and dumb to notice some pebbles, however. Instead, it rutted around in one of the collapsed homes. With a curse, Odin summoned Gungnir and approached from the opposite flank as Geir. He crept into striking distance and struck out with his mighty spear. The blade clanked off the monstrous scales, but it got the reptile's attention. It turned faster than anyone would have guessed, and Odin failed to back away quickly enough. He just barely got his spear up in time to prevent the jaws from getting around him, but the impact sent him flying into knee deep water.
On the far side of the village, Gier made his move. He slunk quickly and quietly toward the house that had been of so much interest to the creature. The crocodile took a few steps toward Odin and whipped its tail in frustration. Geir was forced to leap over the unintended attack, and it smashed into the wall of another hut, bringing it down.
Odin climbed to his feet and cleared his head just as the beast reached him. He drove Grungnir into its lower lip, but it continued to advance. The blade managed to punch through one of the scales and draw blood as Odin was driven further into the river. He was now waist deep and his boots had sunk into the mud. With a twist of hits head, the croc ripped Gungnir out of Odin's hands and sent it flying onto the shore.
Geir got to the wrecked home and heard someone crying underneath the rubble. He tried to push a fallen beam off the top but it was stuck. Even putting his back against it and pushing with all his might barely budged it. Suddenly, he heard the sound of feet around him. Opening his eyes, he saw that some of the villagers had come to help. As a group, they moved the beam and the wall that was under it. The boy was alive but bloodied. His father started to lift him, and his son cried out. Both of his legs flopping unnaturally.
"We have to get him out of here," Geir said sternly. The father's face turned white, but he nodded. This time when he lifted his son, the boy only grunted and whimpered. The group quickly moved back out of the village and to safety. Geir looked over his shoulder as they did so and did not like seeing that Odin was fighting from the water.
Well then, there was no saving this for later, thought Odin, freeing his feet from his boots. As the lizard went to bite the god in half, Odin started to grow. Fur sprouted all over his body, and his face elongated into a snout. He moved with a quickness that he simply hadn't possessed as an old man. He grabbed the outside of the scaly jaw with one clawed hand and flung himself from the river and onto the monster's back. It tried to turn, but Odin was already racing toward its tail and the beach. He landed on the sandy shore with a roll, picking up his spear, and turning to face his foe.
The crocodile growled a low, earth rumbling sound as it turned toward the All-Father. Were-Odin was far faster now, though. He darted in at the beast's neck before it could get its jaws around to face him. Then he turned, facing into its bulbous eye and drove Gungnir deep into its skull. A great shriek drove every bird within a mile into the air as the monstrous lizard thrashed. Odin yanked the weapon free and dashed back out of the monsters way.
It wasn't dead, but it had enough. With a splash, it moved to the middle of the river and disappeared.
Odin turned to return to the villagers and fell to his knees. Quickly reverting to his original form. I guess I know my limits when it comes to that, then, he noted and returned to his feet.
As they continued down the river, Odin reflected on the recent events. They were left more vulnerable than before. He wasn't sure how long it would be before you could use his powered up form again; it would probably be sometime after finding the dark water. The villagers gave them valuable information, however, and that meant the stop had probably been worth it in the end.
No more than an hour had gone by when they heard the scream. Without even a nod, the two men moved to the oars to speed their progress. More screams, shouts, and a loud crash were added as the men drew nearer.
When they came around a bend, it became apparent what all the commotion was about. A crocodile nearly 50 feet in length was in the middle of a village. It was thick enough around the middle to come to a man's chest when it was lying down and could probably swallow a horse whole. Two huts had already been demolished. Most of the villagers, however, seemed to have gathered in a group about 100 feet away. Geir gulped, but Odin directed him to land the boat near the survivors.
As the ship came ashore, the two men jumped out. Grier pulled it further onto the sand while Odin approached the village people. Immediately a woman came tearing toward them looking more distraught than most. A man followed behind her more reluctantly. "My son!" she cried, "You have to save him. He was still in bed!"
Odin eyed the beast as the others moved closer to hear his response. The man reached her and put his arms around her as she nearly collapsed. He was probably her husband and the boy's father. He watched Odin as well but seemed resigned.
"Gier!" Odin commanded as he moved wide around the village.
"My Lord," was all Geir responded with as he slowly moved directly toward the village.
Once Odin was away from everyone else, he started picking up rocks and chucking them at the croc. The thing was too big and dumb to notice some pebbles, however. Instead, it rutted around in one of the collapsed homes. With a curse, Odin summoned Gungnir and approached from the opposite flank as Geir. He crept into striking distance and struck out with his mighty spear. The blade clanked off the monstrous scales, but it got the reptile's attention. It turned faster than anyone would have guessed, and Odin failed to back away quickly enough. He just barely got his spear up in time to prevent the jaws from getting around him, but the impact sent him flying into knee deep water.
On the far side of the village, Gier made his move. He slunk quickly and quietly toward the house that had been of so much interest to the creature. The crocodile took a few steps toward Odin and whipped its tail in frustration. Geir was forced to leap over the unintended attack, and it smashed into the wall of another hut, bringing it down.
Odin climbed to his feet and cleared his head just as the beast reached him. He drove Grungnir into its lower lip, but it continued to advance. The blade managed to punch through one of the scales and draw blood as Odin was driven further into the river. He was now waist deep and his boots had sunk into the mud. With a twist of hits head, the croc ripped Gungnir out of Odin's hands and sent it flying onto the shore.
Geir got to the wrecked home and heard someone crying underneath the rubble. He tried to push a fallen beam off the top but it was stuck. Even putting his back against it and pushing with all his might barely budged it. Suddenly, he heard the sound of feet around him. Opening his eyes, he saw that some of the villagers had come to help. As a group, they moved the beam and the wall that was under it. The boy was alive but bloodied. His father started to lift him, and his son cried out. Both of his legs flopping unnaturally.
"We have to get him out of here," Geir said sternly. The father's face turned white, but he nodded. This time when he lifted his son, the boy only grunted and whimpered. The group quickly moved back out of the village and to safety. Geir looked over his shoulder as they did so and did not like seeing that Odin was fighting from the water.
Well then, there was no saving this for later, thought Odin, freeing his feet from his boots. As the lizard went to bite the god in half, Odin started to grow. Fur sprouted all over his body, and his face elongated into a snout. He moved with a quickness that he simply hadn't possessed as an old man. He grabbed the outside of the scaly jaw with one clawed hand and flung himself from the river and onto the monster's back. It tried to turn, but Odin was already racing toward its tail and the beach. He landed on the sandy shore with a roll, picking up his spear, and turning to face his foe.
The crocodile growled a low, earth rumbling sound as it turned toward the All-Father. Were-Odin was far faster now, though. He darted in at the beast's neck before it could get its jaws around to face him. Then he turned, facing into its bulbous eye and drove Gungnir deep into its skull. A great shriek drove every bird within a mile into the air as the monstrous lizard thrashed. Odin yanked the weapon free and dashed back out of the monsters way.
It wasn't dead, but it had enough. With a splash, it moved to the middle of the river and disappeared.
Odin turned to return to the villagers and fell to his knees. Quickly reverting to his original form. I guess I know my limits when it comes to that, then, he noted and returned to his feet.
As they continued down the river, Odin reflected on the recent events. They were left more vulnerable than before. He wasn't sure how long it would be before you could use his powered up form again; it would probably be sometime after finding the dark water. The villagers gave them valuable information, however, and that meant the stop had probably been worth it in the end.