Weeks pass, blood and death follow Ylva. She is aware of what the Berserker is doing. She realizes she should fight it. Ylva’s heartache and shame, following her father’s death, keep her hiding within. Ylva taught Asger about the cave in his mind. She was able to teach him because she has one in hers, it is where she lives now. Long ago, she saw the beasts blue eyes staring out at her from the darkness, as a child recognizing its hunger. Her mother taught her to contain it, to control her power or it would control her. Her mother had been right. She was trapped, it would not let her out. She cringes at the destruction happening at her hand. She covers her ears at the screams that seem to echo in the cave.
The Berserker looks at the blood dripping from her fingers, her nails were long like claws, bringing them to her mouth, tongue curling out to lap it up. So much freedom, she had sat for so long, waiting for its moment. Ylva’s other side watched the ritual and saw the walls begin to crumble.
Stupid girl did not realize what that meant and now she sits in the cave. There she will stay. I will not go back. I love the blood and killing and I want her magic and power. I’m too strong for her, for him, for them all. She is sitting on the chest of the man who thought to stop her today; it is his blood that coats her fingers. Her nails, sharpened to claws, had torn his flesh as her magic had held him in place. He is not dead so terror laces the blood, making it taste all the better. His eyes roll back in his head as she sticks her finger tips into his wounds.
Suddenly, she whips her head to the north, to the mountains, power is calling. It angers her, and as she looks down at the man below, an evil smile graces her beautiful face. He screams, knowing his death is inevitable in her eyes. She does not make it quick but it does not take long until his screams die in his throat. She is pleased. The man has the faint scent of a little girl from the village. She does not pity him, he chose his path, but he just did not realize it would lead him to her.
Standing, she moves away, head tilting, she studies the power tugging at her. Looking inside, the berserker sees the woman paying attention. The woman is worried not for herself but for the one the power comes from. Worried not for them but for the one the power belongs to and this holds the interest of the berserker. She strides from the camp, leaving flames and destruction in her wake. It is time to destroy the power and its hold over them.
Asger circles Ragnhild, thinking this is a stupid plan. Ylva, nor the berserker, will believe he would be beaten by this woman. Flexing his shoulders, he has to make this look real. “Are ye ready woman?”
He did not like the smirk that grew on her face. “Oh, I have been ready for a thousand years. I have been wiping that look off the face of big strong men since Odin made me. You look at me and see a beautiful woman. I pray you look differently at the one you claim to want.” Humour and a touch of anger lace her words, and Asger is ashamed, he has done exactly what she said.
He is surrounded by strong women and still, he has automatically thought he was stronger. “Forgive me, Ragnhild. I know better. Please come and beat some sense into me.” He grins as he motions her forward.
She throws her head back, her laugh echoing through the mountains. “This is going to be fun. Remember Guardian, you asked for this.”
Before he could blink, she is on him. Her fist connecting with his jaw and snapping his head back. The massive wolf that she rides into battle, sits to one side, filling the night with howls. Asger stumbles back and she hits him again and again. In moments, his face is dripping blood. He staggers, shaking his head to get his bearings. When he next looks at her, it is with dragon eyes blazing. Launching forward, he catches her with a uppercut that lifts her from the ground. Moving with his supernatural speed, he is on her before she hits the dirt. And so it goes, the sound of flesh pounding flesh fills the air. It seems like forever when he suddenly realizes she is close. Grabbing at Ragnhild, pulling her close in a grapple, he leans in and whispers, “She is near.”
The Valkyrie nods and proceeds to launch the next part of the plan. She beats him to the ground and pulls her spear. Her wolf circles close getting ready to take him to the afterlife. “You have fought well, Guardian, but the time has come.” Her voice rings clear, and she raises her spear. A roar cuts through the night as she whirls to face the monster in the darkness. Wolf moves to her side as the Berserker strides into the light of the fire. All Asger can think is that she is magnificent - a bringer of death, a dark goddess. Her blue eyes are shining and narrowed in anger.
“His power is mine! Mine to destroy. It will be me who sends him to the afterlife,” the Berserker screeches. Her voice is gleeful just thinking of it, and Asger is abruptly very apprehensive about this plan. Sliding back a bit, eyes on all three of them, he calls his dragon and shifts the pain of it minimal. When the shift complete, the bronze dragon stands, flexing his wings, eyes focused on Ylva. Magic fills the clearing, beating at him, as Danu, Morrigan, Loki and Odin shift into sight; the spell is already flowing from their lips. The sound that breaks from Ylva is a promise of pain.
“I will let you kill him and sever the link. I do not wish to bind you,” Odin whispers to her in a conspiring voice, sending lightning cracking through the air, hitting the ground beside Asger. Loki slides his eyes to Morrigan, as Asger is forced to shift back by Morrigan’s magic. One side of his body is badly burned from the heat of the lightning. Odin does not offer Ylva freedom or even help. He wants the Berserker; he chooses power over his granddaughter.
Inside her cave, Ylva cries out. Straightening, she had thought he would be fine. With the dragon, the Berserker would not be able to best him. Now, her own grandfather threatens to take him from her. Their rage begins to build. Her own mother is helping Odin. Loki, who had always shown her nothing but love was also betraying her. Even grandmother was going to let Odin take him from her.
The berserker wants only freedom and believes him but Ylva knows Odin too well. A growl rumbles up her throat and blue eyes move from one to the other. She forces her magic out through her own body. Those daring to cage her in this cave stumble under her power. It is like a tidal wave. Asger cries out as the power forces him to his knees. Guilt pounds at her, but still she pours the magic out until she forces her body to turn and flee. She stands tall in her cave and decides it is time to leash the beast.