Secret meeting

The following night, Prince Sweyn arrived at the designated meeting place, disguised with a brown cloak to avoid recognition. He pretended to be a simple merchant in the village.

The hooded man was waiting for him, but standing beside him was another figure, one who was incredibly tall, too tall to be considered human. Sweyn had never seen someone of such size.

—Could it be two meters tall or even more?— he wondered with a terrified look as he observed the man.

—You have nothing to fear, my lord. As I told you, I am a servant of the great Odin, and this man is a jotun— the hooded man said.

—A jotun? One of those giants who live in the other realms of the Yggdrasil tree? Are you serious?— the prince nervously asked.

—The mere presence of him in this place, Midgard, the land of humans, is proof of my words and that I have the favor of the gods— the hooded man calmly replied.

—Alright, I believe you— Sweyn replied as he approached the cottage and opened the door, avoiding direct eye contact with the man as he feared for his life.

The prophet and the giant entered the cottage as well. The so-called jotun had to bend down to fit through the door, which ended up slightly breaking the lintel.

Inside the cottage, everything was dark and disordered. The smell of dampness and mold was strong, and the sound of mice squeaking could be heard throughout the house. There was a table and a few chairs, barely visible in the moonlight. The prince had chosen not to light the fireplace to avoid drawing any curious eyes.

—No problem— the hooded man said.

It was dreadfully cold. The prince shivered from the cold and was increasingly tempted to light that stupid fireplace, but he resisted the urge. However, he noticed that neither the hooded man nor the giant seemed affected by the cold.

—And tell me, what plans do you have to give me the throne, prophet?— Sweyn asked bluntly.

—We? None— the hooded man replied.

—Are you telling me that you're just wasting my time? Are you seeking my life, then?— the prince nervously responded.

—No, my lord. Please do not misunderstand me. We are servants of the great father Odin, and we will only ask for something in return for his victory— the hooded man replied calmly.

—What exactly?— the prince asked.

—We want you to hang every Christian and traitor you encounter along your path, even if you choose to execute them with the serpent pits they so love; we need their nearly lifeless bodies to be hanged and presented to the great Odin— the man answered.

—Why would the execution hold any significance?— Sweyn asked.

—These are our conditions. If you do it, we will grant you supernatural power in the war against your father. That's why I said we have no plans. You will need to convince the Jomsvikings to join you against your father. I don't think you'll have any trouble, as Your Majesty is quite strong, skilled, and charismatic; a better candidate for the throne than your savage father— the hooded man said.

—Just executions then? It all sounds very suspicious— the prince pondered further.

The same concern had made him stop feeling the cold; although now he felt a nervousness that permeated his entire body, like a trapped fly seeing a spider approaching to devour it.

—Because human sacrifices please our father Odin. Don't you know, Prince Sweyn? Ragnarok is approaching, and if you don't want him to die at the jaws of the wolf Fenrir, you must grant him more and more power for him to emerge victorious. Your father, King Harald, is trying to prevent more warriors from reaching Asgard to fight alongside our father Odin. Do you want the cosmos to be destroyed because of your inept father?— the hooded man spoke with a voice that seemed irritated.

Sweyn finally saw the prophet's eyes—they were violet but almost red, filled with anger and terror.

—I'm sorry, I didn't know any of this— the prince nervously replied.

—Don't worry, Your Majesty— the hooded man responded with a calmer voice. —You must then see yourself not just as a mere king of Denmark but as a key figure in the victory of our father Odin against the forces of evil— he continued to explain.

—I understand. I will not only save Denmark from my father's tyranny but also assist our great lord Odin— the prince replied excitedly.

In that moment, the prince began to envision himself feasting in the banquet hall in Asgard alongside Odin and fighting by his side as an Einherjar, human warriors who would be resurrected and join the gods in Ragnarok.

—That's right, Your Majesty. Father Odin will grant you the throne of Denmark, while you help him defeat your enemies and prevent the forces of Asgard from falling into enemy hands— the hooded man replied, a malicious smile forming on his face.

—Alright, starting tomorrow, I will begin executing every Christian I can find. By hanging them, is that acceptable?— the prince asked, filled with excitement.

—We have a deal then, Your Majesty, King of Denmark and savior of our father Odin— the hooded man said and bowed.

The giant did not bow, so the hooded man discreetly kicked his leg, causing the over two-meter-tall man to also incline.

The men left the cabin, leaving Prince Sweyn alone, enveloped in darkness and cold. Something crossed the prince's mind, and he rushed to the door, opening it to catch up with the two men, but they were gone. They had completely vanished.

—Did I dream it all? Could it be because of the intense cold here?— the young prince wondered, feeling puzzled as the excitement diminished and the cold returned to his body.

—Regardless, I will do what that man asked of me. After all, whether it helps our god Odin or not, eliminating Christians and eradicating their filthy religion from our lands is an unquestionable goal that I also desire— the prince thought as he tried to warm himself by crossing his arms.

Prince Sweyn left the rustic hut and made his way back to his palace in Aarhus.