Into Damnation

Chapter 24 Raiding Party

Katya opened her eyes and looked at Apollyon sleeping, a smile grew on her face. Getting up as silently as she could, she wrapped some furs around her and went to her room to change into a simple dress. Descending down the stairs she made her way to the kitchen to start cooking breakfast. As she was cooking she could hear the light sound of wood being chopped, confused she went out to the back porch to see Navi practising with a giant battle ace. Each swing dug deeper into the tree she was using to practise on.
"Navi, you hungry?" Katya called out to her. Navi was dripping in sweat and as she heard Katya she left the axe in the tree after her last swing. Wiping the sweat from her forehead she nodded, "yeah, I could eat. Katya went back inside and bumped into Apollyon who wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"I was wondering where you went" he said letting her go so she could go make sure the food was burning. Navi walked in but when she opened the door a loud horn could be heard in the distance. Katya turned to Apollyon and looked at him strangely as he cursed under his breath.
"What is that?" Katya asked putting out the fire in the stove.
"Nords" Apollyon growled as he walked to the front of the house to check the windows.
"Katya, Navi get upstairs and stay there we are under attack" Apollyon said storming out of the house. Nord raiding parties were common in the big cities up the river, it was only a matter of time before they decided to go up the river where their settlement was. Katya grabbed some food and took it upstairs to her room where Navi and her sat to eat. After Navi finished her plate she got up and started pacing.
"What's wrong?" Katya asked as she watched Navi watched back and forth.
"I.. I don't know" she mumbled, "Usually my sight warns me but I see nothing! This has never happened before but I have a bad feeling we aren't safe here" Navi said nervously biting her nails. The sounds of fighting wandered in through the window. Katya got up and peaked outside, Apollyon was easily fighting off the raiders, 'They don't stand a chance' she thought as she turned back to Navi.
"Go suit up" Katya said as she walked to her own dresser to pull out her armour. Navi ran to her room and was back in a matter of minutes.
"Let's go for a walk then, we can hide better in the forest then in this house if that would make you feel better" Katya said, knowing there wasn't anything out there that they couldn't kill but watching Navi pace did make her dizzy. Navi smiled as the two of them snuck out through the back of the house, when they passed the cabin Katya snuck a peak at Apollyon to see him laughing as the Norsemen tried their hardest to get him. She smiled and without a care in the world she walked around the forest with Navi.

"How are you feeling?" Katya asked as she stopped by some herbs and picked a few she could use to cook with.
"I don't know, I just have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn't right but my sight... it's not working" Navi said frustrated, it bugged her to no end and the fact that the one thing she relied on wasn't working didn't make it any better.
"I am sure it will be alright" Katya tried to soothe her as her eyes caught a rare looking flower. She got on her knees in front of it and plucked the flower from the ground inspecting the petals of it.
"Katya!" Navi screamed.

Apollyon wiped the blood off his sword before sheathing it. He was now the owner of two raiding boat. He grabbed some wood and made posts by the river and tied the boats to it, dead bodies scattered around the yard. 'I'll deal with it later, I'm hungry' he thought as he walked up the stairs to the cabin and went inside. Sitting the table was a plate of food and a note beside it.

Navi was feeling anxious so we went to gather some herbs, will be back shortly

Apollyon smiled at the note and put it in his pocket before sitting down to eat. Twenty minutes went by, No Katya, Thirty minutes later was the same result. After an hour Apollyon got worried, they shouldn't be gone this long. He grabbed his jacket and headed out to the woods where he knew Katya liked to forage for different plants. Footsteps led the way until he got to a strange scened. The grass was pushed all over, weird animal tracks disturbed the mud. Apollyon walked to a tree and noticed burnt in claw marks. Sniffing the air he noticed a strange scent, it smelt like fire but the only thing that was burnt were the claw marks on some of the trees.
"Apollyon!" Navi cried coming out of hiding, she had scratches on her arms and legs, bruises cover her body and her lip was cut.
"What happened here?" Apollyon asked angrily, his wings sprouting from his back and his horns shooting from his forehead.
"I don't know, there were dogs made of fire. I tried to stop him, but he took her" Navi scrambled to say, her panic made it hard to form coherent sentences.
"Navi! Who?! Who took Katya?!?" Apollyon yelled.
"I don't know he looked like you but different, more evil" Navi said, she had seen him as clear as day but when she tried to recall him her mind went fuzzy.
"Aboddon" Apollyon growled, "stay here, I will get her back"
"No!" Navi said grabbing his arm, "Something bad will happen if you go" she tried to warn him.
"And something bad will happen if I don't, I can't lose Katya" Apollyon growled as he flew into the air.
Navi watched him fly off, 'I can't just stay here! I have to do something!' Navi thought, pacing once more until an idea struck her mind. "That's it!" She exclaimed happily before running off.