Chapitre 49: 049
The first few Vikings to burst into the city were killed or injured by local archers, but by the time they fired again, the rest of the Vikings were too close. Archers fell to the ground under the blows of axes, swords, and spears. I didn't enter the city until most of my people were inside, my goal was the church, not a pointless fight with some insignificant substitutes for soldiers.
I summoned Erik and a few of my ship's crew and we headed towards the temple. We met several armed townspeople and one small unit of soldiers on the way, but they were not difficult opponents. One of them tried to attack me, but I shielded myself and blocked his blow. I hit his leg with my sword, cutting it off at the knee, when he fell to the ground I pierced his chest.
After a few minutes we were at the church, I grabbed Erik's Daneaxe and started to break down the door, the thick boards began to crack. I broke the last boards with my hands, stuck my head into the crack ...
- Here's Ulf!
There was only a bishop inside, two priests and a few women with children. The costumes indicated a better background, they were certainly not peasants. I walked slowly towards the bishop, but one of the priests blocked my way.
- THIS IS GOD'S HOUSE !!!
- Where are my manners, forgive me Father. Praised be Jesus Christ. Our intentions are sincere ... we sincerely crave your riches.
Before the priest could reply, I grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up. He was kicking his legs in the air, trying to catch his breath, urine began to run down his legs ...
- Disgusting ... a bit of dignity, priest.
I slam the back of his head against the wall, his eyes went blank, blood flew from his mouth. I tossed the body on the floor.
I ordered my men to bring all the captives out of the church, but not to kill them.
Erik and Leif had been to church for the first time and everything here was new to them.
- Father, so many treasures ... their God must be greedy, we also have greedy Gods ... there is no guard here ...
- Leif ... maybe magic protects this place?
I listened to the father-son exchange and found it hard to hide my amusement, so I decided to enlighten them a little.
- There's no magic here.
I went to the altar, picked up a large golden cross.
- You see, there's no magic. It is a holy place for them and they believe that God is guarding this place.
Leif looked at the cross on the wall.
- If that's their God, he's dead. He cannot protect anything, he is nailed to the cross ... he is not alive like Týr, Odin or Freya.
I didn't feel like explaining that Jesus was the son of God and why he was crucified. If I had it, it would just raise another question.
I sent Leif to find Floki, Rollo and the rest of my crew, and when they arrived we started loading the treasures into boxes and barrels. The city was quickly conquered ... now we have to blame the sexons.
I have ordered the separation of the captives whom we were to take as slaves from those who were to be killed.
Children under ten and adults over forty were killed ... I ordered everyone to have their heads cut off. Then we built two crosses and nailed a priest and a bishop to them ...
However, I was missing something, the scenery seemed incomplete ... one picture will say more than a thousand words.
I ordered the heads of the dead people to be placed in front of the crosses, and their dead bodies to be ... impaled, creating an alley leading to the cross.
In the end we set the church on fire and my work was almost done ...
Two prisoners were brought to me. One of them was the innkeeper. I wasn't wearing a monk costume and my face was smeared with blood, so he didn't recognize me ... but I remembered he owed me for a meal and a beer... I ordered him searched, but he didn't have the silver with him ... bad luck.
- Ten years ago, your King came to our lands, destroyed Irminsul, destroyed our sacred trees and groves ... today we will do the same. We have already destroyed four settlements, there will be more in the future.
Fortunately, my knowledge of history has been of great help here, and Charlemagne's destruction of Irminsul did in fact trigger rebellions and Saxon uprisings ... and now these two are witnessing just such an uprising.
When the city was completely plundered and burnt to a large extent ... to be sure, I also ordered the ram to be destroyed and burned.
I didn't want to leave evidence or give ideas to a potential enemy. The design of this ram was some 200 years ahead of that time.
Our raiding expedition was over, we still had to get to our boats and we could go home, the spoils were big and the slaves were too many to take them all. Additional selection will be needed.
It took us a whole day to reach the boat and I decided that we would rest two days in the camp before we set off on our way back.
We also had to select the slaves, we stripped them all to see if they had any wounds or signs of disease, we checked their teeth, it was a tiring job ... but a sick slave means less money.
Twenty who looked suspicious and an additional forty who appeared to be the most old ... were sacrificed.
In total, after the capture of two settlements and the selection, we had four hundred and thirty prisoners ... my contract with the crew was similar, one-third of what we rob is mine. However, this was only for my ship, the Jarl agreement stipulated my share for a tenth of the stolen goods and slaves.
We loaded everything onto the ships and headed home.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone