After handing a water bottle and a rag to Eirik, David spoke up,

"Wash your face Eirik, please! We were out looking for you, as you had not returned at the break of dawn. We spotted the trailing smoke from the dying campfire and followed it here. When we arrived, you were lying on your back in the middle of that circle, bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth while mumbling in what turned out to be ancient Norse."

While David spoke, Eirik drank from the water bottle and splashed a little on the rag to wash his face. The amount of blood that soaked into the cloth scared him more than he liked to admit.

"But I don't know how to speak ancient Norse??" Eirik was utterly perplexed, but he had to trust David's word. "Take pictures of the circle. I want to study this formation of runes. There will also be a change of schedule. We leave as soon as possible." Eirik tried to get to stand up, but his legs felt like jelly and he had to lean on David as they both got up.

Taking a few wobbly steps supported by his old friend, Eirik picked up his backpack. "Burn the table and its contents"

There was an uncomfortable silence before Jesper spoke up. "Eirik, what about your brother's pictures?"

"I will take new pictures with my brothers once we find them," Eirik replied as casually as one states that water is wet.

Exchanging worried looks, David chimed in, "Eirik, we were there with you. We saw them die."

"Did we though?? We saw them disappear and left them behind, but we never actually saw them fall." Eirik didn't raise his voice, didn't change the pitch, anything. He was as calm as a man discussing the weather with his neighbor, and it frightened the other men. What could have happened that caused such a drastic change in the Eirik's belief of his brother's demise?? Had he not dutifully mourned the day, every year, since then?

"I spoke with one of the Goddesses last night. The gods look upon my actions with interest now and have granted me the boon of knowledge."

Knud was almost panicking as he spoke up, "Eirik, you cannot be serious! Considering the amount of alcohol I can presume you have consumed, judging from the empty 5-liter barrel on the table, you have suffered severe alcohol poisoning and have hallucinated as a result, besides almost dying!! I need to take you to the infirmary immediately and run a full medical examination on you!"

"No, I need to speak with Jeanette. And I need breakfast. It was no hallucination Knud. I know what I must do." With that, Eirik started hobbling towards the cavern, his body still wrecked from the experience.

Instead of throwing the pictures on the fire with the crude table, Jesper stashed them in a pocket. He knew Eirik's mother would appreciate getting them back, even if Eirik had finally lost his mind. David, finally snapping out of the stupor he had been left in by Eirik's words, ran after him and stopped him.

"Eirik, You cannot be serious! I have never minded your faith or any others for that matter, and you very well know this. But you cannot make a statement like that and just walk away! You are no messiah or prophet, Eirik, for fuck's sake! YOU ARE NO HERALD OF THE GODS!!!" he had started shaking Eirik as he yelled the last words, but quickly had to let go as Eirik once again vomited violently.

"Sorry, Eirik" David sounded genuine in his apology.

When his stomach settled again, Eirik spoke, "I never claimed to be any of those things, David. I merely said the gods are watching me. I said they granted me the boon of knowledge. The knowledge that my brothers live. They did not send me on a quest, they did not make me some holy messenger, anything. My choices after you woke me up are completely my own. Perhaps for the first time ever, I have been granted true purpose. Purpose through the fact that the gods watch me.

What stories will they tell of me in the great hall? Stories of my ability as a commander?? My skills as a warrior? My honor as a leader??" Eirik's eyes had begun to shine as he spoke, the fervor, conviction, and excitement growing in his voice with every word. He had a *die in glorious battle* look on his face they had not seen since before his brothers had di.. disappeared. They had to agree with him there, they had not SEEN any of them die firsthand.

"I am doing this, alone if I must, in company if I get a choice. Are you with me, as you have always been before?" Eirik fixed David's eyes with a stare that seemed to look into the deepest reaches of his soul and with the largest of efforts, David managed a breathless "Yes, Eirik."

What could you say to a man that looked at you like that? With a look that said he would both kill and die for your safety if you followed him. The look of a man completely sanguine about his death. He had stared death in the eyes too many times to care anymore but had managed to find joy and love in life regardless. David knew then, that he would face down whatever came towards Eirik. Their life was bound together as brothers in arms.

Eirik's straightened up and headed back to the cavern with a sanguine smile on his still blood-smeared face. He didn't stop when he reached the cavern, he waved off the concerned questions of his crew and headed straight for Jeanette after locating her near the back.

He didn't manage to say anything before she yelled out and ran to him. Again waving off questions of concern he cut her off, "Jeanette, we need to talk in the shrine."

After taking her back there and explaining everything as he remembered it, from talking to Las'Tai to coming back to the cavern. Afterward, she just sat there and stared at him. Finally, she said, "Well, what do you want from me, Eirik?? It seems you already know what you want, so why tell me all of this?"

"Because I needed to share with someone who believes as much as I do. I know I sound crazy, but every word is the truth, I swear it. And I want you to study the runes that were drawn on the ground around me. 4 eyes see better than 2. Also... I would like you to be part of that story. Despite how much like a madman I sound."

Another long silence before she nodded slightly, a stern look on her face. "Alright, Eirik. I will join you in this. And I I will help you convince the others that know. Gods know you are gonna need help with that one."

"Thank you, Jeanette. Thank you. I will find some way to repay you, I swear it!!" Eirik meant every word. He WOULD find a way to repay every member of the crew that came along.

With Jeanette's help, he convinced his entire command staff that he was not completely crazy and went to his cabin to write a message for his brother on the smuggler station and to his grandfather. If his brothers did indeed live, granddad knew. He knew and had not told anyone. If that was the case, Eirik just might kill him. Beat the old man within an inch of his life and see if the will to live was still strong in the old bastard.

He sat down at his desk and started writing.