Is this the will of the gods? Vali thought. The Viking laid behind a log across the snow-covered ground. His eyes gazed upon the sky above, attempting to discern the omens above. Perhaps the clouds had answers to his questions. Have you abandoned me, Odin... Defeated. There were no omens in the clouds. The Viking needed a sign, anything so that he could continue moving forward. All this time he thought he was doing everything possible for the sake of his people. Why did it suddenly feel like he hadn't done enough?"Why have you bestowed the crown of the King upon me if you would allow my kingdom to be stripped from me..." He whispered. Earlier this day Vali had received the terrible news that his village had been destroyed by the enemy.

A good leader would have left immediately to tend to the village, but he had lost the will. He was discouraged after his embarrassing defeat by the God of War and even more so embarrassed that it happened so quickly. He had allowed Fenrirs power to turn him into a monster and do exactly what he said he'd never do. He had become greedy and all of the power within him had eaten his conscience. "What am I supposed to do?" he sighed. Suddenly, his nose picked up an unfamiliar scent. It was a weird scent and it had been moving directly towards him. The young Lord remained still though. He was behind a log, fully stretched out, maybe nobody would see him.

At first, he wasn't at all intrigued, but as the being approached his ears noticed that they were speaking Iceberg. Still, Vali didn't move. Apparently, it was a woman who hadn't been comfortable yet with this country. She yearned to feel at home. Then, the woman sat on the log, which could also have served as a bench. Her voice was strong and confident, like Priscilla's - except Priscilla had the voice of someone dangerous. This woman did not. Voices didn't matter if the face made up for it. He'd need to look into her eyes to see what type of person she was. The Jarl allowed her to talk, soon discovering that she thought herself to be a monster. She had the blood of another being within her, but Vali was unfamiliar with a velociraptor. He had heard of pre-historic animals but had believed them to be dragons. There was no need to divide them with species names because they no longer mattered.

"All from Iceberg become monsters one way or another." He couldn't help it. His tongue was extremely fluent in the Icergic language- proper even. "Everyone in this country is also a monster... no matter where you go, there will always be monsters." He began, still laying in the snow behind the Log bench. "Be happy that you are a monster and not the prey." His mouth had been moving, but his attention was still on the gods. He couldn't shake them from his mind.

Vali laid in the snow, eyes deep within the clouds. It seemed impossible for him to look at her, he was far too disgusted with himself to look another being in the soul. His guilt could no longer be ignored. However, the woman still gazed upon his golden pupils. His face would reveal absolutely nothing about himself, it would not reveal anger, regret, or any other emotions. From the corner of his eyes, the Lord of Vikings could see her scarlet locks. Still, his eyes remained lost within the sky. In the back of his mind, he had been talking to them still. The red-headed woman had apparently concluded that the giant desiertan was from Iceberg.

He found her response Odd considering he was speaking in Icebergic. Then again, maybe he was going mad. Perhaps he had been talking in the common tongue since he first spoke. In the end, he decided to ignore that tiny instance. The woman sounded like she was fresh off of a ship from home. The werewolf could smell Iceberg on her skin. It was refreshing really... I miss home... he thought. Then the woman had asked a question, and it was similar to the question Vali had been asking; why? It all came down to "Why?". "..." Vali allowed the question to marinate. Then, after a moment, he spoke.

"Perhaps the gods are playing with us, like little children with toys. They pick their favorites and discard the others all for their entertainment..." He began in Icebergic. The words rolled off his tongue with ease, indicating his status in the Viking world. He and his family were famous people, known all throughout the small country of Iceberg so speaking was a very important skill to have. "...or perhaps the gods have forsaken us long ago." He concluded. Finally, his mind had been brought back into his body and slowly his head turned towards the girl. The Jarl had finally looked into her eyes. She had the eyes of a killer, but not like a warrior. Her eyes were like those of a hunter.

Vali noticed her scales with his peripheral, but his eyes never left hers. "I heard you earlier asking yourself how you could make this your home. If you are looking for a place to rest your head, then I would have no problem giving you a place to call home. You are Icebergan after all." He smiled lightly. Then his head turned to face the sky again. His voice was cold yet it was also genuine. This was the first time that he had ever said that. It was taboo to allow any Icebergan to enter your village. Alas, Vali did not care about such things anymore. Iceberg was in ruins because of the Demon invasion, to reject his own people would be allowing the false god to intervene with their lives.

"I am Vali Onfroy. Heill to you." The Jarl finally introduced himself.

There it was. It clicked for the woman. She had been familiar with who Vali was. Still, Vali's expression hadn't changed much. The girl's name was Raquin, and she never imagined she'd meet an Onfroy. Vali was rumored to come from the descendent of Tyr, much like a handful of other people on Iceberg rumored to be descendants of the gods. Vali extended his arm, shaking her hand from the ground. Her name was pretty known as well now that he thought about it. "Storvarg... the Volva family..." The Jarl raised an eyebrow. "I haven't heard of a Storvag since I was a child. Pleasure to meet you too."

Raquin expressed that she'd never thought they'd meet. The Titan could see why too... they were from two different types of families. They would never have a reason to cross paths. The great... he repeated in his head. "Aye. Surely the gods have a reason for introducing us." He smiled. Those golden orbs focused on the clouds above him. The snow beneath him still managed to act as his bed. "This country has fresh land, Land in which the King neglects... land in which I have managed to take." He said as if it was no big deal. "Skaal has claimed a portion of this land for the sake of a better future for our people."

Raquin's comment made Vali chuckle. Her having knowledge of who his family caused the young leader to recall the rumors he's heard about the Onfroy's, knowing that most of the rumors were positive reminded the Jarl where he came from. He came from a family of powerful Vikings who worked hard to protect those he held dear. For Vali to have walked a different path almost didn't make any sense. Then Raquin mentioned that she too was someone who believed in fate. These days the Titan didn't know if he even still believed in fate. "Aye." he simply responded. Despite how young Val may have seemed, his wisdom was on par with men and women much older than him. He had seen things, felt things, and bore burdens that many people could not have handled.

After offering the Scarlet haired hunter a home, and telling her his reason for moving to Fiore, Raquin seemed to understand. Taking free land was the logical thing to do. Granted Fiore was a bold place to begin, it was a risk the Viking was willing to take. The King had to have some reason for not taking over Worth Woodsea though. Still, this was where his brother was killed. This was where he needed to be to take vengeance. As Rquin spoke, Vali's eyes lowered. He remembered why he was laying in the snow behind a bench in the first place... and it wasn't to celebrate. Skaal had been attacked. A messenger from Skaal informed Vali today that the village was in bad condition. As Jarl, he was supposed to be there, but he did not have the will to rush. In any case, his father was reported alive so he would takeover in Val's stead.

The hybrid offered a couple of helping hands. The Mad Titan turned to Raquin, this time the pain in his eyes was obvious. Even in the midst of all this chaos, the world seemed to present him, genuine people. The gods really were playing games... "Thank you, Raquin." he said. "You have Sheild Maiden potential." he said looking into the sky again. He would not tell Raquin just yet that he was the new Jarl of Skaal. Anyone from Iceberg wouldn't know that he succeeded his father, but it was better that way for now. "...What about you? Why did you come to this beautiful country?" he asked. Raquin proved to be interesting, and she was easy to talk to. She looked capable of holding her own in battle as well, but Loyalty wasn't as easy to discern.

For a moment Raquin stopped talking. At that moment, the Jarl turned to face his new friend. A much different emotion could be seen within her eyes; fear. Suddenly, the sound of nothing was washed away by the woman's words. She talked about a creature who was strong enough to destroy her entire village. She mentioned that only she and her grandfather were survivors and that was the reason for them being here. Vali thought for a moment about why his father had come to Fiore. Old Skaal was destroyed by the monsters of Illumin. It was that god who had allowed his warriors and enemies alike to use Iceberg as a battlefield. He wondered if these monsters were the same as the creature Raquin had been talking about.

The young woman said that this creature left nothing behind, devouring whole humans. Then, Vali saw it. Liquid began to rise in Raquin's eyes, but quickly she wiped them away. The Titan's eyes widened then suddenly he looked away. Raquin's pain carried onto his own shoulders. It was what leaders did, no matter if they wanted to or not- empathizing was an important character trait.  His eyes lowered, he was saddened by Raquin's story. "It is sad that death is what brings us together. It shouldn't be that way..." he murmured. "My village has suffered a similar fate. An army of creatures from a world not of our gods destroyed Skaal. They have likely ravaged most of Iceberg by now."

Vali shook his head in denial. "I am sorry that you had to go through that...nobody should have to witness that." The Titan sighed. "It means a lot that you and your grandfather are still here. It seems like the gods may favor you both." he smiled. Still, he could not give up on his gods so easily. What a woman Raquin must have been to remain alive, a true survivor. Then, the young leader remembered that soon he would have to meet his men to travel towards Worth Woodsea. "Aye, where is your grandfather at now? I would like to meet him before I leave the capital. You two are also welcome to leave with me today if you so choose."

"Nonsense. Weep if you need to. Let it remind you that you are not a monster after all." He responded to Raquin's apology. Crying is not a weakness just as vulnerability is strength. There was nothing for her to feel sorry about. Then, Raquin made a comment that'd cause the noble Viking to raise an eyebrow. Her faith in the gods was still very present as this was now the second or third time she mentioned fate. This time though, she used as a means to prove that the gods care. She thought that since Vali met her, that the gods did love them. However, Vali did not feel the same way. In fact, he was fairly sure that the gods didn't bring him to her for his own sake, he was probably a piece in her puzzle. Even so, just because the gods brought them together didn't mean they cared.  "..."

The young leader was wise. He needed to be in order to run an entire village. Raquin struck him as a fresh mind who although he has been through a lot, hasn't been pushed far enough to break mortal barriers. Still, time seemed to be on her side and with Vali, she would truly grow- it was inevitable. The titan had other thoughts about the gods. He was set on understanding them and perhaps figure out how and why they make certain things happen. For all he knew, entertainment was the sole reason the gods manipulate fates. Then, he popped up, ready to move with Raquin to meet her grandfather. As they walked, she mentioned someone named concord. Apparently, he was annoying but friendly. The Jarl only nodded, simply following Raquin as he towered over her.

Finally, they arrived at Raquin's home. Once she opened the door she announced her arrival, then her grandfather revealed himself. At first glance, one wouldn't have thought he was a grandpa already. He was fit and tall, like an Icebergan. Vali stood at seven, looking down at the man as Raquin introduced him. When the elder man heard his name, his face lit up. He offered Vali a seat and food to show his respect. With a light and warm smile, Vali nodded. "Aye." he let out as he sat. "I won't be long, but Some ale will do, thank you." He said to the man.

"Raquin told me that you two came here as a means to escape the tragedies of your village... I can only imagine what you have seen. I am sorry for all that you have lost..." His voice was stern as a leader's voice was supposed to be, but he empathized with the man, even looking down at the floor for a moment. "I am tired of fighting..." he paused before turning to Raquin, then back to her grandfather. "I have taken it upon myself to recreate Skaal in Worth Woodsea. Skaal is in ruins back home so Fiore became our safest option." He clenched his jaws, remembering how he had to execute his own mother.

"My father came to Fiore with a ship of others months after I arrived. Soon the new Skaal was up and running smoothly.." Quickly, he returned back to the point of this conversation. " As Jarl, I am personally here to invite you to Skaal. If there is anything you need, I will do try my hardest to accommodate." He finished with a slight bow to the two of them. Even though he was the noble, he was taught to always show respet to women, and elders.

Vali watched the little blue creature move to the kitchen. It was an odd animal, but Vali understood it. It looked like something only Iceberg could create, and for that, the creature made him feel at home. Concord was it's name, and soon he returned to the conversation with Ale. With a smirk, Vali took the cup.  "Aye, skoll." he lifted his cup to the creature as he moved away. The old man's pain could be heard through his words, his voice carried trauma and perhaps a hint of fear? All the Jarl could do was give his undivided attention, and feel what Svend was saying. Everyone had different reactions to things, everyone was different. Svend's trauma affected him differently, there was no ay Vali could fully understand what he was going through.

In the end, the decision to move to Skaal was fully in the hands of Raquin. Sven seemed to have accepted his fate as a man living in his granddaughter's world. Raquin was the protagonist in this little world of theirs. Vali turned to her and showed her that respect as she spoke. The titan gulped his ale, while Raquin admitted to her grandfather that she wanted to help Val and contribute to Skaal. The young Jarl smiled widely at her spirit. She definitely was an Icebergan woman. The scarlet haired hunter had her own goals too. "Aye." Vali nodded after she spoke. He was about to continue, but he suddenly heard another voice in his head. The voice introduced himself as concord and said that he could only communicate with telepathy.

The werewolf's eyes landed on the creature before a friendly smirk arose. No needs to thank me, concord. I am glad to have you on board. he nodded towards the animal. Then, the Jarl spoke aloud. "I will make it my business to do what I can to help you both." He began before taking another gulp of his ale. "After a little thinking, I believe that Cryptid Hunters are needed in Skaal now, more than ever. We are in foreign lands, and there are many unknown creatures in Worth woodsea." he sighed and sat back with his eyes closed. "So I want to give you a team of able men to officially restart the Cryptid Hunter organization in Fiore. Train them, teach them, do whatever you need to do to expand Skaal's knowledge of the creatures that surround." he said as if it was no big deal. Truthfully, it actually was a big deal. Warriors were not cheap but he was being bold and taking risks.

A small part of this was to stroke Vali's ego. He was in a space of self-hatred. Most of it, however,  was to do ensure the safety of Skaal. Worth was a large and mysterious place, after all. "Anyway, we should be leaving." he smiled warmly. Quickly he shot up to his feet. "When we arrive home, we will feast, aye?" He said proudly. Slowly he stood to his feet, looking around at his new friends waiting for them to get ready. The transition was probably abrupt, but it was worth it. They were vikings and as such were automatically targets for those that knew. In fact, at this point, any Icebergan was probably in more danger than they realized thanks to Vali's own mistakes. "You ready Concord?" the Jarl smiled lightly.

Vali's decision to make Raquin and her grandfather the commanders of a new faction in Skaal made her excited. It was like music to her ears as she expressed it was her dream come true. Vali was happy that he could make the two of them happy. For some reason, he knew he'd be depending on them a lot. Aside from Priscilla, his father, and Bunda, there was really nobody else for him to trust. "Aye." He smiled warmly. The titan watched Raquin with a feeling of comfort as she then fetched her belongings. The hunter was quick and before long she returned ready for her new journey to begin- for their new journey to begin.

The Cryptid hunter turned to her grandfather asking if he was ready to leave. The elder asked for some time to get his own things together. "Of course." he responded. Concord seemed to be excited to feast, adding a comment about how he disliked Fiorian food. "I don't blame you, I hate that stuff too. It's...too plain." the leader concluded. With moments to spare he glanced over at Concord, then at Raquin, then towards Sven's direction. I think Svartr can carry us all... he thought, referring to his Wyvern. She was bigger, and healthier now- especially since she had been freely feasting on the creatures of this country. Vali couldn't wait to see their reactions when he introduced his steed to them.

When Sven was finally ready, Vali would nod. "Aye. Let's go home." he'd say gently before following Raquin and conord out of the house.