Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 150 Berserker

As one of the first orphans adopted by the school, Seibert had a very poor impression of his Nordic hometown, believing it to be a barren and uninhabitable wasteland.

Sailing along the winding coastline, the scenery along the way confirmed this idea. Looking at the poor people living in squalor and wearing tattered clothes, he suddenly felt a chilling sense of dread.

Odin above, I cannot allow myself to fall into such a state, nor can my future children; they deserve a better world.

In mid-April, the longship arrived at Kalmar on the east coast of Sweden. The port area was heavily guarded, with two towering arrow towers and a wooden fortified wall under construction behind it to prevent enemy fleets from launching a surprise attack across the sea.

As soon as they landed, a group of fully armed soldiers came to inquire about the situation. Even though Eric's guide presented a token, he was still subjected to a body search.

"According to the new rules, your weapons need to be confiscated. Come back and collect them before you depart."

Seibert did not refuse, and naturally handed over his one-handed axe and dagger, and after receiving permission, he walked toward the lord's longhouse.

Along the way, he frequently saw soldiers patrolling the streets, occasionally stopping passersby to check their information, looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

"Are the locals afraid of Hafdan's Sword of North?"

After a moment's thought, Seibert understood the reason for this fear. Kalmar lacked strong fortifications and could not support a large standing army; it was vulnerable to a sneak attack from the Sword of North at the slightest misstep.

Upon entering the longhouse, he identified himself with the guide's introduction and requested to discuss trade matters with Lord Lexus.

"Of course, we are willing to import iron from the northern part of Britain, as well as wheat, beer, and wool."

The lord rattled off a list of names, his tone suddenly turning somber. "Because the berserkers of the Sword of North have ravaged the countryside, the goods available for trade have greatly diminished, and we can't afford many items. Unless,"

Guessing what the lord was about to say, Seibert quickly interjected, "No, after the entanglement with the former lord of Bergen, my master insists on cash on delivery and will never extend credit."

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about that,” Lexar said, listing the stock of furs, amber, resin, and other goods, which totaled only forty pounds.

That's it?

Seibert was once again struck by the poverty of his Nordic hometown. Just as he was about to say something, a panting soldier burst into the longhouse.

"Sir, those damned barbarians in animal skins are collecting taxes in the surrounding villages again."

The lord abruptly rose from his seat and sternly inquired about the enemy's numbers. Upon learning that there were only eighty men on the other side, he ordered his servants to fetch armor and commanded the gathering of his shield guards and civilians.

Some civilians were left to guard the settlement, while the lord led three hundred men to prepare for battle. Unexpectedly, Seibert followed the troops out of the village walls.

"You are the messenger of the Serpent of the North, who have already broken ties with Hafdan?"

Seibert shook his head. "My lord, I will not participate in the battle. I only wish to gather more information about the Sword of North."

Upon hearing this, the lord's face darkened. He said nothing more and led his men straight to the village southwest of Kalmar.

During the journey, Seibert listened to the soldiers recount the current situation and discovered that the situation was deteriorating faster than his own duke had anticipated.

In recent years, Vikings from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark have poured into Britain in large numbers, with an annual immigration of approximately 1 to 2, the vast majority of whom are young adults. As the Sword of North recruits more people, the agricultural workforce has further decreased, leading to widespread poverty and the transformation of former wheat fields into desolate grasslands.

The lord said bitterly, "The Sword of North is like a swarm of locusts devouring crops. Besides eating and drinking for free in the villagers' homes, they also bewitch young villagers to become apprentice warriors, and then move on to the next village to wreak havoc."

Seeing the overgrown fields on both sides of the road, Seibert recalled his duke's definition of the "Sword of North"—a group of vagrants who did not engage in production, but instead recruited new members during their long wanderings, eventually forming a powerful force that shook the old order.

In the afternoon, the group arrived at their destination. Looking at the wisps of smoke rising from the village, Leksa ordered everyone to rest, eat and drink their fill, and then proceed in formation.

Only 500 meters from the village, the berserkers emerged from the houses and formed ranks in the open space.

The berserkers knew they were unpopular, and if war broke out, the villagers were very likely to side with the lord. Rather than staying in the village, they decided to take the initiative and go out to fight, hoping to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

Led by five bear-skinned warriors, the group consumed a special type of mushroom. Within two minutes, their faces flushed, their bodies felt hot, and they felt an inexhaustible surge of energy.

"Solve these weak sheep, Vahalla!"

The berserkers, clad in various animal skins, charged toward the enemy. The two sides were more than a hundred meters apart. The lord roared, and sixty Vikings took bows and arrows from the wagon and unleashed a rain of arrows at the berserkers.

The lord smiled and explained to Seibert, "The tradition of berserkers is not to wear armor, so I deliberately hid many bows and arrows in the carriage to give them a surprise."

The first volley of arrows felled five berserkers clad in deerskins, while the bear-skin warrior at the forefront remained unaffected, roaring as he continued his charge.

After regaining their composure, the archers aimed at the berserkers and unleashed a second and third volley of arrows, felling ten in total. The bear-skin warriors suffered the most damage, yet only one fell. At this point, even a fool would understand that they were wearing iron armor beneath their bear skins.

"Quick, aim for their thighs!"

As the berserkers drew ever closer, the lord panicked and ordered his archers to adjust their aim, firing a final volley of arrows haphazardly.

The next moment, the remaining fifty berserkers crashed into the crowd, discarding their shields studded with arrows and wielding their iron axes to wreak havoc, instantly disrupting the lord's formation.

As a non-combatant, Seibert instinctively avoided the group of berserkers who resembled madmen; they were only thinking about attacking and seemed oblivious to pain.

This tactic proved quite effective against the hastily assembled 300 conscripted militiamen. The militiamen dared not risk their lives against the berserkers and could only cower and retreat until they were completely routed.

After a brief and intense battle, the militia, who had an overwhelming numerical advantage, were defeated by a small number of berserkers, and the survivors fled in panic.

Listening to the screams that came from behind him from time to time, Seibert ran wildly along the road he had come from. The cold air filled his lungs, and he gasped for breath, noticing a faint, sweet, and fishy smell.

"Phew, it's been more than two years since graduation, and I never thought I'd be able to relive those old days."

During their five years at school, in addition to academic studies, the children had two extra training sessions every day: a group long-distance run in the morning and close combat and archery practice before dinner.

Thanks to ample nutrition and long-term training, Seibert successfully shook off all his pursuers and teammates, and rushed into Kalmar's stockade first with a far superior speed.

Without time to explain, he led the guide and a dozen or so crew members to the east dock, ready to flee at any moment.

(End of this chapter)