WIP. What do you think?
Dethronement
© 2010 Patrick Côté
Slightly hidden behind the curtain of this year’s first snowfall lay a small cottage, amidst fields speckled by frost.
From the chimney arose a light, but steady stream of smoke, and a dim light permeated through small horn windows.
The cottage was not very tall and was shaped like a circle. Presumably, half or so it was underground, with but the ceiling and the roof rising aboveground.
Not far of it stood a barn, a bit weather-beaten and shabby, but generally well built.
It was an average farmstead.
Five hunched up figures sat in the middle of that hut, two larger and three smaller ones. They were wrapped and covered in blankets. The fire’s shine gave them a dark and brooding appearance.
The woman, the man, the two girls and the boy seemed quite happy though.
“We shall now eat this in honour and remembrance of Ælfric, the saviour of man.”
Saying this, he cut a sizeable roast into five pieces, and distributed them. All family members got the same share; the only son and the youngest girl ate equally.
“Father”, asked the youngest of the girls, she must’ve been around six or seven, “Why are we eating meat like that? Who is this Ælfric you speak of?”
“Yes, Staia, this is the day on which we celebrate, with proper meat for once, sausages and cabbage will be for the rest of the winter. But obviously nobody has yet told you the saga of Ælfric, who freed us from the burden of gods, liberating us in eternity.”
“No, father. I have not heard of him.”
“Then we shall not miss this chance for a good story and some education.”
The five figures crept even nearer to the fire, and listened.
Years ago, it might have been 30 or 300 years, so fast do people alter history, were there gods ruling the lands.
“What is a god?”, interrupted Staia.
“Quiet, child!”, shushed the father. “I shall explain what you need know.”
A god was a mighty being, it was not from this world. They lived in the heavens. Some say that they were pure light and banished offspring of the sun, and some said that, to the contrary, they were evil, mighty spirits, escaped from a cavern deeply beneath the ground.
They possessed great power in our world. Often would they empower champions, under which they would amass armies, wealth and land, and smite unbelievers or enemies. Many gods came and went, such as Lærsk, Pørrin, Tauga or Þöðir. I only know few; there were more than one could count.
Only for days did some exist, to be eliminated both in the heavens and on our world. Some lasted longer, sometimes, a god would manage to become dominant for years on end, the other gods eventually uniting and defeating him.
All the while though did gods force and lead men into battle, burn other’s fields, raze villages and farms, kill children and women, and commit other unspeakable acts.
Wherever one would go, there were only dead and destruction. Brother would kill brother and the son his father, so dark were these times.
Then, one day, did Kvaðír arrive.
Kvaðír was unlike the other gods. The other gods were clever.
Kvaðír however was the most treacherous, backstabbing, plotting and smart of all.
Within mere months had he, through treachery and false speech, defeated the more minor gods and assimilated their followers, lands and riches.
It was not long until he had tricked one of the more major gods of that time into a ruse, and he was on our earth for but 3 years until he was the only god worth of note.
Of course, the remaining gods, sooner or later, noticed their errors, and united against him – Kvaðír was, of course, well aware that that would happen eventually.
In a titanic battle, of which we shall always see traces left, Kvaðír narrowly defeated all other gods.
He was now the only god left. With a mighty artefact that he imbued with his own power, he sealed the Door of Heavens, and prevented the coming of new gods.
And what suffering came upon man, for not only was he treacherous, but also power-hungry, greedy and malicious.
Often would he pillage his own lands, for enjoyment and amassing of all scarce wealth left.
Year upon year was his tyranny endured, until one day…
A new god emerged.
We know now if his seal may have got leaky, or if another door to the heavens was created, but somehow, he came.
Kvaðír, in his arrogance, had long stopped monitoring the world for new gods.
Hence, Áþúll could operate unperceived, if he just kept a low profile.
Áþúll possessed a strong and valiant, if young, enraged man, he may have been around 16 years old.
In one of the most isolated villages of the land, in a scarcely visited, mountainous area, did Áþúll, through this boy, preach the lawlessness of Kvaðír’s rule and that he must be stopped – and that that would only be possible through him, Áþúll.
Needless to say, the desperate people were happy to support anybody who promised bettering.
And whilst Kvaðír, raping and pillaging, shut his eyes before the world and participated in lavish feasts and demonstrated his wealth wherever possible, Áþúll slowly and steadily gathered the people.
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