Vinland Saga Volume 3 Chapter 21 Valhalla - Page 169 - Chapter 21 Valhalla - Page 170 - - Page 171 - - Page 172 - Thorkell: Well, well. A fine autumn day, is it not? A season where all the food tastes good. Especially the fish. Cod, trout, salmon, herring... Viking: The pigs and sheep are fattened and tasty too, general. Thorkell: Ahh, yes! Nothing like salted sausage and a mug of nice black stout! - Page 173 - Vikings: I didn't like it at first, but the swill they drink here has grown on me. Yeah, beer ain't too bad! Let me have a swig. I like a good cheese with my beer. That stuff we plundered from Cheddar wasn't too bad. Who cares about the food? What about the WOMEN? I like the women here. They've got CLASS. You got no right to speak of class. I know what you mean though. They're all shy, ain't they? Woman: Ooh, no! Thou shalt not commit adultery Vikings: Why's that? 'Cos they're Christian, is it? They're afraid of immorality. Maybe I should convert, myself. (amen) It's growing these days. All the temples to the old gods in my hometown have turned to churches. Well, I don't like it. Don't do this, don't do that. It drives me crazy. - Page 174 - Vikings: Well, you know what? I saw a wooden carving of Jesus in a church in London. He looked like a right little wimp! (DA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA) (You're in for it now!) True, that! He looks like a shriveled old man! Thor would pulverise him with one swing of his hammer. He'll be no use on the battlefield. Well, I heard he used magic. He walked on water, and make bread appear out of thin air. That's the best he can do? You know the gods in Asgard have flying horses? Of course. Odin and Thor are so much cooler, for my money. Thorkell: Now now now, don't rush to a conclusion, boys. Let's hear a Christian's side of the debate. Little Prince! Which do you think is more powerful, Jesus or the Aesir? - Page 175 - Thorkell: Uh-oh! What's wrong, my wee friend? Are you too embawwassed to speak in front of the group? Ragnar: Stay your wicked jests, Thorkell! You disloyal dog!! Do you understand what are you DOING?! How dare you inflict such degradation upon Prince Canute...!! - Page 176 - Thorkell: And what's your point? Hmm? Viking: Dunno. Thorkell: You know it's not my thing to take prisoners, don't you? But King Sweyn just keeps ignoring me. I figure, if I kidnap the prince, maybe he'll turn his head this way just a bit. Don't you see the sad predicament I'm in? Viking: That's what a young girl in love says, general. Thorkell: Exactly! You got it! That dashing King Sweyn has me around his finger! Viking: Biggest girl I ever saw. - Page 177 - Vikings: He's knocking at my door everyday, dogging my heels, then one day turns cold as ice! Oh, what's a poor girl to do? Suddenly, he's all I can think about! The next thing I knew, I was the one chasing HIM! Ooh, that King Sweyn, he's a master of romance. We're all head over heels for him! We sure love the chief of the greatest band in the North Sea! Ragnar: They're madmen. Fools drunk on battle... You will all die. You 500 make an enemy of all 16,000 of Denmark's men. - Page 178 - Thorkell: And you know what, Ragnar? That's not even a problem. You've spent too much time living under Christian humility. Have you forgotten the glory we Norman soldiers live for? - Page 179 - Ragnar: Valhalla, you mean. Thorkell: Bingo. The valkyries, the servants of the gods, are always seeking the souls of valiant warriors. Warriors worthy of being einherjar. Only those who lived in battle, and died in battle... Are permitted to cross Bifrost and dwell in that great hall in Asgard. - Page 180 - Thorkell: The question is, how you fought, and how you died. The stronger your enemies, the better. - Page 181 - Ragnar: ...hmph. A man behind the times. It must be because you have spent all your life running from battle to battle... You are worthy of pity. You are a boy, Thorkell. You know nothing. Nothing of the court, nor of King Sweyn... - Page 182 - Ragnar: Not even of my liege, the Royal Prince, Canute... Thorkell: What's that supposed to mean? Is there something... - Page 183 - Willibald: I CAN SEE HIM!! God above!! Father in Heaven, is that You?! Ragnar: Hellfire! His ale has run dry. Father Willibald, calm yourself! Willibald: Your child, Your eternal servant stands here!! Ragnar: Someone! Bring him some drink! The stronger the better! Willibald: I beg of You! Show me the answers to my delusions!! SHOW ME! YOUR! LOVE! - Page 184 - Ragnar: Sigh. (honestly) Thorkell: (bwa ha ha ha ha) (hee hee hee!) It gets funnier everytime. He's the craziest drunken priest I ever saw. Must be hard to follow Christ! - Page 185 - Thorkell: Good friar, what say you? Who is greater, your Jesus or our gods? Willibald: ... (murmur...) Whichever created liquor... Vikings: BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA You got that right!! Liquor IS God! Well said, monk!! - Page 186 - Thorkell: (ha ha ha ha ha) (Ha...) Ragnar: Wh- What is it? Why have you all stopped...? - Page 187 - Viking: General. Thorkell: Good. Came from right about... THERE!! - Page 188 - Thorkell: Hah! Right in one! Viking: An ambush! On the left-side hill!! - Page 189 - Leader: Shit! All right, Thorkell! We've got you surrounded!! We are 2,000 of Ragnar's men, under Prince Canute!! Viking: 2,000? Thorkell: Any number coming from you is bound to be a bluff. Hey. Viking: Way ahead of you, sir. Ragnar: Is that my men?! Leader: We give you rebels one last moment of mercy!! Release Ragnar and His Highness at once, and go free with your lives!! - Page 190 - Leader: Thorkell! Think VERY hard about your position here! You have no room for decision... You can... only... accept? Vikings: Um, Huh? Your Highness!! Lord Ragnar!! Leader: Huh... Ha-HAH! Very good. Accept your fate! - Page 191 - Thorkell: Hear me, men of Ragnar! Good work, all! Prince Canute has been returned, right as rain! Now there's no need to hesitate, is there? Come at us! Show us what you're worth!! Viking: Grr... - Page 192 - Ragnar: No! Stand firm! Let us simply go!! Viking: B-but... As a warrior, I cannot leave this situation. They released their hostages, have not run, and will not be captured without a fight... If we turn and leave here, We will prove ourselves to be nothing but cowards. Ragnar: There IS a reason to leave! We must think of His Highness' safety above all! Consider that saving the prince is the only means by which we shall be victorious over them! - Page 193 - Thorkell: What's wrong, big boys? You can't possibly be SCARED, with 2,000 at your backs? Or is it something else...? Were you hoping to use the "we couldn't fight at full power because of the hostages" story... as an excuse for when you inevitably lose? Viking: Ooooh...! The man goes too far... Ragnar: Halt!! Heed my orders!! Do not lend an ear to those fools' provocations!! - Page 194 - Vikings: You want a fight; you GOT one!! We'll send you all to Valhalla!! Thorkell: Ho-ho! We'll see about that, won't we?! - Page 195 - Viking: There they go! - Page 196 - Viking: They're going at it, Askeladd!! Askeladd: Yep. I can hear 'em. Hmmm. Good wind. All right, boys. Just do it like we discussed. - Page 197 - Thorkell: HRAAHH! - Page 198 - Thorkell: HA HA HA HA HA - Page 199 - Ragnar: Pull back, you fools!! Protect the prince!! Wicked creatures!! This is London all over again...! Pull back!! There's still time!! - Page 200 - Thorkell: Pssh. They call this 2,000? More like 400 at the most. We'll finish the lot off in half a jiffy. Hmm? - Page 201 - Viking: What's up, boss? Thorkell: Hmmm, I dunno. You smell that? Not the blood. Vikings: Mmm, you're right. Huh? I can't tell; what is it? It's not just entrails? All I smell is blood. No, I can smell it. Like a charcoal hut upwind... - Page 202 - Thorkell: Charcoal? - Chapter 21 End -