The Order of Jade

Chapter 23 - The Tragedy

"There is a small camp not too far from here. And there's a.....let's say a friend of mine stuck there. I want you 2 to go there and get him out, if you get him out, I'll see to it that both of your 'fearless' little asses get into training." The fighter told us, taunting us with his cockiness, noticeable doubting us. Javik was looking to the ground the whole time, not even looking up when the fighter gave us the orders. I was scared too, but I didn't show it as bluntly as Javik.

I gathered myself together, nervous but now I was calmed, since the fighter actually gave us the task. Javik was still dying inside for whatever reason, this slightly frustrated me.

"Can I talk to my friend for a second sire?" I asked the Viking, now pretty much cleansed of any stress, all the stress that was left was the stress of what would happen to me after what I did to my mother. I grabbed Javik by his arm and moved him back, angry that he was being such a coward.

"JAVIK, what the hell are you doing?" I muttered to him, trying not to make a scene in front of the Vikings. Javik wouldn't look me in the eye, he stood there looking at the floor shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, I just.....I didn't think it would be like this." He said to me, showing me that he wasn't as tough as he made himself seem at the brewery.

"What? Your telling me your still afraid of these things? How are you supposed to be a Viking if you don't get over your fear?" I asked him rhetorically, he stood there still looking to the floor. I face palmed and looked to the sky in frustration. I knew that Javik wasn't cut out to do this, he was cowardly and too nervous to fight in the Vikings battles, Valhalla would not welcome someone like him. However, I had to keep my promise.

"Javik, I promised you that I would help you join the fighters. I know that what I did was wrong, but I need your help to get through with this." I held out my hand. "Help me keep that promise." I said to him, and he looked up, his eyes tearing up.

Javik then shook my hand, and looked me in the eye with honour.

"Let's do this." Javik Said to me, as he walked past and towards the Vikings.

The fighters looked at us and we nodded, indicating that we wanted to take the job.
The Vikings then looked to each other and also nodded.

They gave us the coordinates and we headed towards that direction, nervous but eager to get the job done. My actions still dwelled deep down inside me, making me rethink all my upcoming actions like an anxious single mother. I held my anxiety inside and kept going but my brain kept telling me to do something.

The Vikings said that the location was 10 miles east of the Syrenheim frozen lake, a location that was not known to receive many visitors throughout the year. It was known for its haunting atmosphere and its deadly cold. It was said that anyone who enters Syrenheim......does not leave untouched.

We started to shiver, the cold itched us. Numbing one limb after the other as if our clothing had no effect whatsoever. Our footsteps got longer one after the other. The snow began to build up as we pumped through it like zombies. I've was forming on Javiks face, and I could feel my hair crisping up on top of my head as I moved my eyebrows.

"B...BBBjorik? I don't think I can go o...o...on." Javik muttered to me. His voice stumbling and breaking because of the cold. And his teeth cracking together sounded like arrows hitting off golf shields in war.

"Let's try and start a fire, we'll go on from there." I suggested, gathering a few materials and laying them on the ground under a tall tree. I picked up a few large stick and began to try and start a fire. My shivering hands and my blurred vision didn't help at all. I was beginning to fall asleep in stages. Javik was already nearly passed out laying in front of me.