Chapter 13: Chapter 13 - The Only Path

The thick stench hit Eirik before he even saw the Frost Pit — sweat, blood, cheap ale, and something he couldn’t quite name. Roaring, baying, chanting wall of sound emanated from the vast stone bowl sunk into the frozen ground near Stormkeep’s outer wall. Torches cast flickering shadows on the packed earth tiers where commoners and off-duty guards jostled for a better view.

Eirik moved through the throng near the upper entrance reserved for minor nobles and visiting merchants. He slipped past a pair of bored-looking guards stationed at the entrance to the private galleries — a raised section overlooking the pit, shielded from the worst of the rabble by carved wooden screens and thick hangings.

It offered a grim panorama.

Below, the fighting pit was a rough oval of packed, blood-stained snow and ice. Heavy chains were bolted to the frozen walls at irregular intervals, remnants of past horrors. Across the arena, opposite the galleries, a thick iron portcullis was lowered. That was the beast gate.

The galleries were surprisingly quiet compared to the roaring pit. A few minor functionaries huddled near braziers, their interest more in the warmth than the impending carnage. And then, he saw her.

Isolde Fenrir stood near the railing, her back rigidly straight. She was bundled in a heavy cloak of deep Fenrir blue. Even swathed in winter layers, the outline beneath the cloak hinted at curves that would have been striking under different circumstances.

Eirik approached silently.

“Lady Fenrir,” he said. “Thank you for coming.”

She didn’t turn immediately. When she did, pulling the hood back slightly, Eirik saw a face that matched the description — petite, almost delicate features, framed by dark hair pulled tightly back. But her eyes were chips of glacial ice, boring into him with a ferocity that momentarily surprised him. There was no grief there yet, only fury, humiliation, and a terrifying maternal protectiveness.

“You dragged me to this… charnel house, Stormcrow,” she hissed, “Speak quickly. Every moment my son spends in the Ice Cells is a moment I envision ripping your throat out.”

Eirik kept his expression impassive, leaning casually against the railing beside her, his gaze sweeping over the pit below, not meeting her furious stare.

“Your messenger was inadequate, Lady Fenrir. He offered pennies for the life of your heir and House Fenrir’s future. I won’t waste time pretending this is about apologies or blood money. Let’s discuss reality.”

He finally looked at her. “Leif’s future is ruined. Attempted murder of a noble with lethal magic, in front of Marshal Gunnar and half the garrison. My father Cedric will make an example. It reinforces his authority after having just legitimized me and sworn to protect me. And frankly,” Eirik paused, “He doesn’t care about tears. Especially the tears from a widow of a declining House that’s on the brink of total collapse.”

Isolde flinched, the hatred in her eyes flickering with raw panic she instantly suppressed.

“You… you did this! You provoked him! You humiliated him!”

“I beat him,” Eirik corrected calmly. “Fairly. Under rules he demanded. He then chose to act like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. That choice put him in the Ice Cells. Not me. His actions, Lady Fenrir.”

Before she could retort, a thunderous roar shook the galleries, louder even than the crowd. Below, the iron portcullis groaned upwards with a terrifying screech of metal on stone.

The troll emerged.

It wasn’t particularly tall, maybe eight feet, but densely muscled and thick-limbed, covered in shaggy, matted white fur crusted with ice. Its face consisted of beady black eyes, yellowed tusks, and snot-crusted nostrils. Frost seemed to cling to its very presence, misting the air around it.

Three men, ragged and terrified, were shoved stumbling into the pit from a smaller side gate opposite the beast. They wore only thin tunics. One clutched a rusty short sword, another a crude wooden club studded with nails, the third nothing but a length of heavy chain.

“Time is short, Lady Fenrir.” Eirik remarked coldly. “Shall we continue?”

Isolde tore her horrified gaze from the unfolding brutality below, focusing back on Eirik with renewed venom. “What do you want, Stormcrow? My house is bleeding. We cannot pay five thousand talons and the Skyfrost Cloak! It would ruin us!”

Below, the troll roared again, charging the man with the club. The man swung wildly, the club bouncing harmlessly off the troll’s thick shoulder. A massive, furred fist backhanded him. The sickening crack echoed even over the crowd’s roar as the man crumpled bonelessly, his head twisted at an unnatural angle.

One down. Two to go.

“I don’t want to ruin you. Eirik said. “I want to use you. More accurately, I want House Fenrir to be useful. To me.”

Her eyes narrowed in utter confusion. “Useful? What nonsense is this?”

“Your son is currently worthless. A hot-headed fool who nearly got himself executed and dragged his house through the mud.”

“He is my son!” she spat.

“And unless we act, he’ll be a corpse swinging from the executioner’s gibbet by week’s end,” Eirik shot back ruthlessly. “Or broken beyond repair in the mines. Your choice. But I’m offering a third path.”

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper forcing her to strain to hear him over the chaos.

“I will speak to Cedric. I will request leniency. Not just sparring your son’s life, Lady Fenrir, but also sparing your father the mines.”

Isolde stared at him, the hatred momentarily frozen by sheer, dumbfounded shock.

“You… you could do that? Why?”

“Because I need men who owe me everything,” Eirik stated flatly, “And women. Leif could become more than a spoiled brat. He has the Realm Rank, but he lacks discipline. Control. And purpose. I can give him that.”

“You must be joking!” The disbelief warred with a terrifying hope flickering in her eyes. Below, the remaining two prisoners were desperately trying to flank the troll. The man with the chain lashed out, wrapping it around the troll’s thick ankle. The beast stumbled. The man with the sword lunged, driving the rusty blade deep into the troll’s thigh. Dark, almost black blood spurted.

The troll roared in pain.

It looked down at the sword protruding from its leg… and yanked it out with a casual, horrifying strength. Black blood flowed freely for a moment… then slowed. The edges of the vicious wound visibly knitted together before their eyes, steaming rising as frost swiftly sealed the rent flesh. The wound didn’t vanish, but it became a deep scar in seconds.

The audience gaped in horror as the prisoners’ hope shattered. The troll bellowed and snatched the chain-wielding man. With a sickening tear, it ripped the man’s arm off at the shoulder. Blood fountained. The man’s scream was lost in the crowd’s ecstatic roar. The troll flung the twitching limb aside and turned its baleful gaze on the last man, trembling near the wall, sword forgotten.

“Which part of what I just said sounds like a joke to you, Lady Fenrir?” Eirik asked coldly, still looking at the pit where the last prisoner was desperately trying to climb the icy wall. The troll advanced with chilling deliberation.

The raw brutality was breaking through Isolde’s noble reserve.

“How?” she asked. “How could you transform him? He hates you!”

“Because hatred can be focused,” Eirik countered. “Better he hates me productively than dies pointlessly. But it requires your cooperation. Complete, unwavering loyalty. To me. House Fenrir becomes an extension of my will.” He locked eyes with her. “This isn’t a negotiation of terms. This is an ultimatum. You are either fully, irrevocably, on board with my plans for Leif and for your house, trusting me implicitly to navigate this, or you are against me. You choose. Now. While there’s still something left to save.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Trust you?” she choked out. “You, who engineered this disaster? You expect me to hand my son and my house over to you on faith?”

“Not faith,” Eirik corrected. “Necessity. Look down!” He pointed.

The last prisoner had given up climbing. He stood, chest heaving, facing the troll. He looked at the discarded club nearby, the useless chain, the bloody sword… then past the troll, towards a large, overturned iron brazier near the wall, its coals spilled and glowing faintly amidst the bloody slush.

“See that man?” Eirik said urgently. “He has no choice but to trust his instincts. To fight with everything, using his wits because he lacks strength. That’s your position. Can you do it? Can you trust your instincts that I am the only chance your son has? The only path that doesn’t end in his death or utter ruin?”

Below, the prisoner feinted towards the troll’s massive legs, drawing a clumsy swipe. As the troll lurched, he dove, not away, but towards the spilled coals. He snatched up a handful of glowing embers, ignoring the sear on his palm, and threw them directly into the troll’s face.

The troll shrieked — a new sound, high-pitched and full of agony. It stumbled back, clawing at its eyes where the embers sizzled against frost-resistant but not fireproof flesh. Smoke rose. The man didn’t hesitate. He scooped more embers, hurling them, forcing the troll back towards the blood-slicked wall. He grabbed the heavy chain the other prisoner had dropped. Using the troll’s momentary blindness and agony, he lashed the chain around its ankles again, tangling it.

The troll roared, thrashing, trying to free its legs. The man saw his chance. He snatched up the bloody short sword dropped earlier. Instead of stabbing, he ran towards one of the thick chains bolted to the wall. He slammed the sword’s pommel against the massive iron bolt holding the chain.

He’s loosening it? Eirik’s eyes narrowed, impressed despite himself. Clever.

Once. Twice. The bolt, rusted and stressed by countless fights, groaned. The troll, ripping its legs free of the chain, lunged at the man, blinded and enraged. The man threw himself sideways. The troll slammed headfirst into the wall, directly onto the loosened bolt. With a final, deafening CRACK, the bolt sheared.

The end of the heavy chain, no longer anchored, whipped downwards like a colossal iron whip. It caught the stumbling troll across the back of its neck. The impact was horrifyingly loud. The troll’s head snapped back with brutal force. There was a sickening crunch of bone. The massive creature slumped to the bloodied snow, twitched once, and lay still.

Silence. Then an eruption of noise from the crowd — cheers, gasps, boos at the beasts’ defeat. The lone prisoner stood amidst the carnage, panting, covered in blood and soot, holding the bent sword, staring at the dead troll.

He’d won. Through terror, quick thinking, and using the environment against a superior foe. He’d survived.

Eirik turned fully to Isolde Fenrir.

“Like him,” Eirik said while pointing at the bloodied survivor now being roughly led away, “your son needs cunning. He needs direction. He needs someone ruthless enough to use him effectively. I am that person. This,” he gestured towards the pit, the dead troll, the fading roar, “is what stands on my way. Decide. Now. Will Leif Fenrir be broken on the wheel of his own stupidity, or will he become a weapon in my hand? Your loyalty, Lady Fenrir. All of it. Or nothing.”

Isolde Fenrir hadn’t moved.

She’s cornered, Eirik thought. Time to crack that final layer of resistance.

Her voice, when it came, was barely audible over the departing crowd’s rumble. “Exlpain,” she demanded, still not looking at him. “What… what precisely would this ‘direction’ entail? What… what would you do tomorrow? Your plan? You cannot possibly think I’ll just trust your empty promises.”

“Lady Fenrir,” Eirik turned fully to face her. “Understanding the plan means crossing a line. Once spoken, you cannot unhear it. If you choose to hear it, then you must be fully onboard with it. If I detect a smudge of treachery tomorrow, I will make sure Baron Cedric crushes Leif and House Fenrir. Do you understand?”

Isolde’s breath hitched. The sheer intensity in Eirik’s gaze pinned her. It was a look she had never seen on that face before — not fear, not weakness, but ruthless certainty. It was terrifying.

Slowly, her head dipped in a fractional nod.

“Lean closer,” Eirik ordered.

She flinched but obeyed, bending her head towards him, her hood created a small, private space between them. The scent of expensive oils on her hair warred with the arena’s stench. Eirik’s lips moved, directly into her ear. For a moment, the sheer physicality of the act sent an unexpected jolt through her. It was strangely… intimate. The thought was instantly crushed, drowned out by the sheer, shocking audacity of the words pouring into her ear. Her eyes widened, pupils dilating, as he spoke. Brief sentences painted a picture so bold, so politically treacherous, yet so possible. She saw maneuvers, alignments, subtle pressures applied. He spoke of her role — actions she must take, specific reactions she must display tomorrow.

Eirik leaned back.

“So,” Eirik said, his voice regaining its normal volume. “Much of this hinges on you, Lady Fenrir. You need to play your role perfectly for this to succeed. Can you do that?”

Isolde swallowed hard. The hatred hadn’t vanished, but it was now overlaid with a chilling respect and the terror of a cornered animal that finally sees the size of the predator. She nodded again. “I… understand.”

“Good,” Eirik stated. He paused, as if remembering something minor. “Oh. And the Skyfrost Cloak. Have it delivered to my quarters in Stormkeep. Tonight. Discreetly. If it doesn’t arrive, or if I hear even a whisper of its delivery… well. Consider the bargain void.”

Isolde stared at him. The man before her was a stranger. The hunched, avoidant shadow of Eirik Stormcrow, the bastard everyone kicked, was completely gone. In his place stood a man who radiated an unsettling clam, whose every word carried the weight of command.

“It will be done.”

Seeing her stare, Eirik offered a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Now, there’s one more piece of tonight’s puzzle.” He gestured towards the stairwell leading down towards the holding pens below the arena stands.

“Follow me. Discreetly. Don’t draw attention.”

———

In a marginally cleaner side chamber, a large wooden tub sat steaming faintly in one corner. A shirtless figure stood in his back, scrubbing dark blood and grime off his arms and chest with rough rags and icy water from a bucket. He was powerfully built, muscles knotted across his back and shoulders, but covered in a tapestry of scars — whip marks, knife cuts, the pale lines of old burns. He turned as they entered.

“Olaf. Got some nobs want a word.” A guard stepped back, leaning against the doorframe, making it clear he found this visit tedious.

Eirik met Olaf’s gaze squarely, ignoring the guard. He focused, visualizing the [Identify] ability slotted into his first Mana Slot. A familiar, faint chill radiated from his core as he channeled mana towards it. Blue text flickered into existence overlaid on Olaf’s form.

[CASTING: IDENTIFY]

[MANA: 1/5 → 0/5]

[TARGET: OLAF STENSON]

[REALM: SNOW (RANK 2)]

[STATS: STR 9, END 15, AGI 17, INT 13, CHA 5; Mana: 3/10]

[SKILLS: ARCHERY: (C-); SHORT BLADE: (D); TRACKING: (D); SURVIVAL: (E); OTHER (LOCKED)]

[TALENTS: SHARP EYES (PASSIVE): Enhanced visual acuity and distance judgment.]

[ABILITIES: FOCUSED SHOT (LOCKED – REQUIRES BOW); ]

[AFFLICTIONS: BRANDED (THIEF); CONDITION: EXHAUSTED, MINOR BRUISING]

The blue text superimposed over the scarred man confirmed Eirik’s gut feeling. Snow Rank Two. High Intelligence, surprisingly high Agility. This was probably a hunter or outrider — someone who relied on precision and brains over brute force. Archery at C-, and Sharp Eyes made him more than adequate for a marksman.

Olaf finished wiping his face, tossing the filthy rag aside. Water dripped from his shaggy brown hair. He didn’t bow.

“I saw the fight,” Eirik stated, “You used your head. Congratulations on your well earned freedom.”

“Did what I had to.”

“Indeed,” Eirik agreed. “And what do you plan to do now? Freedom’s a fine thing, but the world outside this pit won’t welcome a once condemned man.”

A flicker of something bleak crossed Olaf’s face. The reality of his situation was clearly dawning.

He said nothing.

Eirik pressed the advantage. “But I could use a man like you.”

Olaf’s suspicion flared. “Who are you?”

Eirik pulled his hood back just enough to reveal his face clearly in the dim light of the chamber’s single torch. “Eirik Stormcrow. Third son of Baron Cedric.”

“Stormcrow? The Bastard?” Recognition surfaced in Olaf’s eyes. “Heard you were softer than a whore’s tits. What use could you have for the likes me?”

Eirik saw Isolde tense beside him, hidden by her hood.

“You’ve been confined too long, Olaf,” Eirik said, his voice hardening. “Go out. Ask around Stormkeep. Ask about the duel in the training yard this morning. Ask about what happened in Cedric’s court yesterday. Ask about the bastard who was legitimized. See if the word ‘spineless’ still applies.”

Olaf stared back as Eirik. A spark of wary interest replaced the scorn.

“Lady.” Eirik turned slightly towards Isolde.

Understanding his cue, Isolde reached into the deep pocket of her cloak. She pulled out a small leather pouch, and tossed it towards Olaf. It landed with a heavy, metallic clink at his feet.

“Clean yourself properly,” EIrik said, “Buy decent clothes. Eat a meal that isn’t gruel. Then, if you want a hundred times more silver than what’s in this bag… if you want to use that survival instinct for something more than just scraping by…” He let the offer sink in. “Report to my quarters in Stormkeep. After midday tomorrow. Tell the guards you have my personal invitation.”

Olaf bent slowly, picked up the pouch, hefting its weight. At least twenty talons by the feel of it. The disbelief warred with the visceral appeal of silver and purpose. He looked from the pouch to Eirik’s face. The promise, the sheer audacity of it, was staggering. A hundred times more? Work for the Baron’s Bastard son, who suddenly seemed far more formidable than what he had previously heard?

Eirik gave him no time to dwell. He pulled his hood back up, turning to leave as Isolde followed.

“And try not to smell like a troll pit when you arrive.”