Chapter 1

"Come find me, boy."

Bjorn Grimr bolted upright in bed, sweat dripping from what seemed every pore on his body. After an eternity of fumbling around, he found his phone to check the time. 05:45. Then he got up to use the bathroom to wash the sweat off of him.

'What was with that dream just now, he thought to himself. The dream consisted of an elderly man in chains, with a deep commanding voice he had spoken, 'Come find me, boy'. There was only one problem. The man in chains was someone he knew. But there was no way. His grandfather disappeared 5 years ago on an expedition through Norway for Nordic Artifacts. 'What a way to start my first day on the job', Bjorn mused, while dressing and heading out the door.

As he slipped behind the wheel of a matte black Tesla Roadster, Bjorn couldn't help but let his mind wander to the time he spent with his grandfather. Bjorn's parents were killed in a plane accident when he was 13, and just when he was about to be shipped off to an orphanage, his Grandfather Havi took him in. It was his grandfather that started him down the path of archeology, why he applied at the University of Oslo, and why he applied to be an intern on a dig site.

Bjorn pulled up to the location of the dig site shortly before 0730, to find it completely deserted. The site itself wasn't much to look at, just a bunch of stakes in the ground marking out the location of a Longhouse about 60 meters long and 10 meters and a small shed 5 meters by 5 meters. The view, on the other hand, could only be described as breathtaking. Sitting in the inlet of a massive fjord with the walls towering more than 130m over the site. Lush green trees and shrubs surrounded a private little beach. Looking down the fjord, Bjorn could just barely make out the Atlantic Ocean.

"Breathtaking view, isn't it?", a voice spoke jolting Bjorn from his thoughts. He turned around to find a tall, handsome man with almost porcelain-like skin, slender features, and a smile that could bring even the most stubborn woman to her knees. The subtle smell of coffee and cannabis wafted Bjorn's direction when he spoke, "You must be the new intern. My name is Professor Lopt, ill be running this operation. You must be excited to start your first day."

"Yes Sir, I am really itching to get to it.", Just then Bjorn could have sworn he heard a distant voice. 'Come find me', Just like in his dream.

"Did you hear that?" Bjorn asked, turning towards the part of the fjord wall where the voice came from.

"Hear what?", Professor Lopt replied with a quizzical expression.

"Nothing, it must have been the wind whistling through the fjord."

"Well then if there is nothing more I shall be off, I have a meeting with the school board I can't be late for. I just wanted to be here to welcome you on your first day. My assistant should be here shortly and can help you get set up."

"Sounds like a plan." Bjorn shook hands with the professor and watched him as he turned.

As the professor walked away. Bjorn heard the voice again. This time he knew he wasn't crazy. He had heard a voice. So without a moment's hesitation, he followed the voice. After walking about 10 minutes he came across a cave on the side of the fjord. He peered inside. It was damp and dark but there was a sound coming from within.

"Are those footsteps?", Bjorn whispered to himself. He advanced in the cave, the smell of damp earth filling his nostrils. He followed the footsteps deeper into the cave, careful not to make any noise. Up ahead Bjorn started to see light flickering along the walls as if by fire. He crept closer towards a corner and peered around.

Standing there in front of a large carved opening with runes around the rim, was the most beautiful girl Bjorn had ever seen. He remembered what the professor had told him, and thought this must be the professor's assistant. Bjorn slipped from behind the corner into the light.

"Hey there, you must be the professor's ass-", Bjorn began to say before with blinding speed the girl drew two daggers from her sides and pressed them against his neck.

"Who are you and what business do you have with this place?", the girl demanded.

With his hands up and blades to his neck, Bjorn thought the best plan was to keep it short and sweet.

"My name is Bjorn Grimr, I'm the new intern for the archeology dig."

Bjorn eyed the draggers warily as the girl considered his response. He wondered how this chick was so fast with her weapons. Did she know martial arts? If so where did she learn it? Questions for later, he thought.

"A mortal and what kind of name is Bear Mask?", the girl remarked indignantly, removing the blades from Bjorn's throat, a tiny trickle of blood running down his neck, "Begone before you get hurt."

"What do you mean mortal? We both are mortals!", Bjorn said anger rising in his voice, "Also who the hell makes fun of someone's name while not giving theirs? Oh and another thing! how the hell do you know what my name means in Old Norse?! Hey, are you listening?"

The girl had turned away from him and was inspecting the archway and the runes on it. Running her hands along the carvings, muttering to herself.

"There must be something here, something to tell me what happened 10 years ago."

Before Bjorn could get her attention he noticed that the fire from her torch was drying out the entryway they were currently standing in causing the ceiling to crack.

"Hey. the ceili-" Bjorn started but was cut off by the sound of a huge pop and rumble as the cave started to collapse. Without any hesitation, he grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her to safety while inadvertently launching himself through the archway and into total darkness.

As the dust settled, Bjorn tried to get his bearings. the ceiling had collapsed with the girl on the safe side and Bjorn in a large circular chamber and no exit. 'The girl must be going for help', he thought while trying to make out anything in the total darkness.

Suddenly Bjorn heard the voice again. this time I rang in his head. 'Find me before the end.' Bjorn stepped towards the center of the room. Not knowing what to do trapped and alone in this place, wherever he was.

"FUCK!" Bjorn said angrily as he stubbed his foot on something made of stone. Then without warning blue flames erupted from torches all along the walls. Lighting up the room in a devilish blue flash.

Once his eyes adjusted he looks around and realized with horror that he was standing in a crypt centuries old. The cubbies that lined the walls were either filled with bones or offerings by the look of them, Bjorn thought. there was an altar in the center and a coffin against the opposite wall of the now collapsed archway.

"It is coming, prepare yourself, find me!", the voice spoke again, "There isn't much time, find me before the end."

"The end of what?", Bjorn shouted, "Where are you?"

Bjorn looked all around the room not seeing much but bones and the tattered rags of once fine cloth. He walked around the altar to look at the coffin. It was made out of solid stone and had runes carved into it. It was big enough to hold at least two full-grown men.

BOOM.

Something hit the lid of the coffin, from the inside. Bjorn backed away as quickly as he could stumbling over a pile of old weapons, including one sword that was somehow different from the rest. Bjorn didn't have time to ponder the sword but he grabbed it and turned to face the coffin.

BOOM.

The coffin lid exploded, and out rose the stuff of nightmares. A huge humanoid creature with leathery, cracked skin, and black holes where its eyes should have been climbed out of the coffin. the stench was horrifying, like rotting flesh. It then reached back into the coffin and retrieved a double-sided battleax.

That's when all hell broke loose. The creature lunged at him, swinging his ax. Bjorn dodged left. The creature lunged again, but this time Bjorn was ready, he parried the first strike and dodged the second.

Bjorn jumped back out of the way of the third strike and noticed more and more things about the sword he was holding. It was about 122cm long with a grungy hilt and runes carved into the blade. The sword was perfectly weighted as well. But there was something else too, was it vibrating? He gripped the weapon tighter. The sword WAS lightly pulsating in his hand.

The creature, obviously angry that Bjorn had put up a good fight so far, climbed on the altar and with his ax raised above its jumped and swung down. the sword seemingly having a mind of its own turned in Bjorn's hand and stuck its point right through the chest of the creature but not before the ax blade came down on Bjorn's shoulder at the base of his neck.

The creature, having been pierced through the heart, began to dissolve into a puff of black smoke and ash. Bjorn crumpled to the floor, ax embedded in the shoulder, wheezing. His vision was getting blurry. Sword still clutched in his hand.

"Well, this is a pretty fucked up way to die.", Bjorn coughed as he began choking on his blood. "I wish I could see Gramps one last time."

Without warning a brilliant white light appeared. In the light was a winged horse and rider with long blonde hair and memorizing blue eyes. She reached out to Bjorn.

"Is this what everyone talks about seeing before they die?", he mused, "A bright light at the end of a tunnel?" reaching out for her hand. but the moment their fingers touched Bjorn lost consciousness.

When he regained consciousness he found himself in the middle of a golden arena, laying on a stone circle, with a huge crowd of people looking down at him.

"Where in the fuck am I?!"