The Dark Legend (Star Stable) (Re-Write)

Chapter Fifteen: The Warrior's Daughter

Erika was looking around warily too see that she wasn't sleeping in her bed inside Rhiannon's cottage anymore, but Erika seemed to be standing somewhere she had never been before. All around her seemed to be the faint outlines of the mountains from the mist. She seemed to be plunged into sea mist and everything around her had became light blue and white. Erika was surprised to feel a soft, gentle breeze blowing through.
She suddenly heard a great shriek of a falcon. She looked up and saw the falcon on the top of a hill. The falcon step in front of the foggy sun and met Erika's eyes. She doesn't know whether to feel awe or curiosity or scared or wary. New feelings like lightning raced between them: trust, curiosity, and empathy. Behind those amber eyes seemed to hide more intelligence than seemed impossible for any bird and the falcon's eyes seemed to have the reflection of Erika's soul. But their bonding moment had soon ended as the falcon gave a strong screech and ran towards the silvery-yellow sun, and disappeared into the misty sunlight.
"Young one." Erika heard a soft, but deep male voice from the horse that looks a Jorvik Wild stallion. The Jorvik Wild stallion has a great, flawless black flanks that seems to be shining in the shade of dark blue with the same colored mane and tail. "The shadows of the past has come forth. The one who has lost his way shall be found by you, his last remaining descendant."
What captured Erika most of all were the horse spirit's eyes — they seemed white at first glance, but when Erika continued to stare, she could pale emerald and light gold, earth and fire, like looking into the soul of the land itself.
Erika was at a loss for words. She fell to her knees before the mighty horse spirit, unable to look up at the horse spirit. This animal was older than nations, and somehow that long history seemed woven into its majestic presence. This was not a creature you buy things from — it was a creature you revered.
The girl stops as she feels the horse spirit's breath in front of her. The horse spirit gently lowered his head and gently pressed his head on Erika's head. This caused the two polar opposites to open their eyes. She gazed at the horse spirit with a mix of fear and wonder, mystified. 
"Who are you?" She eyed him curiously.
"I am called Dullahan," replied the horse spirit. "One of the guardians and guiders of lost spirits." He raised his hoof and helped Erika onto his back. She was hesitant at first, but she's familiar about riding horses on bareback. Though, she doesn't do it often because she thinks it's pretty dangerous.
But when Erika mounted Dullahan's back, everything around them has changed. Erika looked around warily too see that they were not in Hollow Woods anymore, but Erika and Dullahan both seemed to be standing on the top of the sea when she suddenly saw a voyage of wooden, Viking-like ships were sailing towards an island when the full moon was high in the black night sky.
She took in the sightings and noticed that the people in the ships were wearing clothes from the Viking Ages. She eyed the area around her warily and realized that she was seeing a lost memory of the past, maybe that's why nobody was acknowledging her and Dullahan's sudden presence. 
This must of happened a very long time ago. Erika narrowed her eyes when she saw Jon Jarl in one of the ships. She recognized him from one of the ancient pictures that she had saw a while back. This is the founding of Jorvik apparently.
She cried out in shock as a pirate ship had started attacking the future founders of Jorvik and a massive thunderstorm had appeared over them. The cannonballs had caused massive, wild waves that made them galloped and jumped across the darkening waters, much to both of the rider and her mare's sudden amount fear. Erika rode Dullahan away from the battle and looked back at the battle. She saw fire coming from Jon Jarl's ship and somebody with an aflame torch and a sword as he jumped towards the pirates on the other ship in defense of Jon Jarl. She couldn't see the warrior through the confusion of the fiery sea battle between the determined warriors and the greedy pirates, but something tells her that there's something unique about the warrior who sealed the sea battle for Jon Jarl.
But the sight of the ancient sea battle had disappeared from view and it had became dark as night at sea. That's when she suddenly heard a loud thunderclap and Dullahan turned around to let Erika see a stunningly beautiful white church in Silverglade Village with flowery gardens. But Erika was hesitant about getting near the church, especially when she saw some people were wearing clothes from the Viking Ages.
"Don't worry young one," said Dullahan. "They can't either of us. For them, this is just a memory."
Erika let out a sigh of relief and rode Dullahan into the church. She was stunned at the sight of the number of people in the auditorium. The huge room was filled with dozens of people. The sunlight cast shadows on men, women, and children. As she looked around, she found two people standing together with a baby wrapped in a brown druid blanket.
"Is this a baptism?" Erika asked quietly.
"Yes it is young one," said Dullahan.
Without another word, the druid priest had baptized the baby. As she carefully approached the small family, the familiar father pulled back the blanket to reveal a tiny baby girl with a patch of blonde hair on the top of her head. Her skin was a rosy pink and when he reached to softly caress her face, her eyes opened and revealed bright sapphire orbs that seemed to sparkle.
"Who is that?" whispered Erika, awed at the sight.
"The warrior's daughter with the druid, Aria Rainforest," Dullahan nickered. "The warrior's daughter's name was Inga Thrymson."
"Inga Thrymson?" Erika's voice was in a quiet whisper. "My family has built a shrine for her and her parents after some mysterious stuff has happened to them."
"Indeed." Dullahan nodded. "They were happy together as a small family."
Erika hummed thoughtfully and gazed at the happy couple. But when she stared at the man, she felt a flash of recognition go through her. The man was Gunnar Thrymson, the legendary Headless Horseman.
Though, when she stared at the woman, this was the first time that she saw the woman outside of her family's drawing. The woman has a slender figure and fair skin. Her bright sky-blue eyes were gazing lovingly at her small, but loving family. She has long, flowing strawberry-blonde hair. She was wearing an outfit that consisted a long skirt of bright green decorated with colorful flowers and a dark green top that bared her shoulders with had light green sleeves. Her only accessory, however, was the silver amulet that Erika was wearing.
She smiled softly at the sight of the small family. Erika took notice that there was another woman who resembles Aria Rainforest, but with her hair was caramel blonde and her eyes were the color of hazel. She was called forth from her twin sister, she had become Inga's godmother in case anything happened to Gunnar and Aria.
"Why are you showing me this?" Erika asked Dullahan.
"He needs you," Dullahan replied to her. "He is losing his hope of ever finding his remaining descendants. His great-grandson is unknown to him. But he wants to meet you. He doesn't want you to think him as a monster. He cares for the family greatly and he wants to protect you from those Vala Witches of Devil's Gap. Those Vala Witches hold a grudge against Gunnar Thrymson for destroying their precious rune stones that's supposed to protect the island of Jorvik." He locked eyes with Erika. "But despite everything that has happened to him, he wants to meet you and keep you from harm's way."
"I refuse to be fragile," said Erika firmly. "And I'm aware of the family legend. But I want to see him, up close and in person." Her blue eyes seemed to be dancing along with the memory candlelight. "I want to judge what type of person he truly is, without the madeup gossip and rumors that has been made throughout the years."
Dullahan nodded approvingly at that. He knew that Erika is a unique young girl, much like Freya. The Soul Rider and the Moon Rider have a sisterly bond with each other, much like the bond that both Gunnar and Jon Jarl. But Freya wasn't jealous of Erika's abilities and skills, and Erika was just the same as Freya. Despite the made-up rumors that spread throughout Jorvik regarding the two girls, they both ignored it and still hang out together whenever they crossed each other's paths.
With a single stomp of his hoof, everything around them changed from the memory. Erika's eyesight darkened while disappearing from Dullahan's back.

She pressed her hands on her chest feeling it rise and fall as a result of her breathing. Whatever it was that was holding her down was gone. Erika started taking deep breaths, finally calming down from her surprising dream. When she glanced at the window, Erika smiled at the beautiful sight of the village in the midst of the woods.