It seemed strange to Jörgen for a realist like Helblindi to speak the goddess’s name, but on the other hand, he found himself in agreement. Back when Jörgen had first joined the Wolf Clan, the outsider Helblindi had been the only Einherjar, and now there were five. In addition, an even greater threat had appeared to antagonize their sworn enemy with perfect timing. If that wasn’t the providence of the gods, then what was?
“Thus, I propose that now is the time to strike back at the Horn Clan, our sworn foes who have set their sights on our land and plagued us for years, and wipe them off the map once and for all! We will take their main base, Fort Horn, and secure peace and prosperity for the Wolf Clan at last! Sieg Úlfr!”
“Sieg Úlfr!” the crowd bellowed in unison. Helblindi’s spirited speech had certainly riled up the assembly hall. Jörgen stole a furtive glance in Fárbauti’s direction. The patriarch was scowling bitterly. It seemed he was opposed to Helblindi’s plan, but did he have the strength to get someone like Helblindi to stand down?
Jörgen swallowed nervously. The skirmishes and scuffles the Wolf and Horn Clans had engaged in up until now were a thing of the past. This would be an all-out war that demanded the strength of the entire clan.
The Wolf Clan soldiers charged toward the enemy camp, their war cries echoing across the battlefield. The air quickly filled with the clinks of traded blows and cries of death.
The Wolf Clan was clearly advancing further than the Horn Clan. “Makes sense,” Jörgen thought. After all, Helblindi, Skáviðr, and Loptr, the clan’s three strongest Einherjar, were all on the front lines. In addition, while the Horn Clan Army was technically more powerful than the Wolf Clan’s, the threats of the Hoof Clan to the west and the Snake Clan to the south had divided their forces. The Horn Clan had about three thousand soldiers currently at their disposal, while the Wolf Clan had around four thousand. The Wolf Clan’s victory was all but assured.
“That said, we still can’t afford to let our guard down,” Jörgen said with a wry grin, as though chiding his past self. He focused once more on the battle at hand. At this point in his life, he’d learned all too well that in war, nothing could be taken for granted. The moments in which victory seemed most clear were when one had to be the most careful.
“Hey, Father! We’ve basically already won, right? We’re going on ahead! If we’re too late to the party, we’ll miss out on all the glory!” One of his sworn children, still wet behind the ears, seemed all too eager to rush into battle. It had only been a matter of days since he’d joined Jörgen’s family, so Jörgen understood why he was so keen to prove himself.
In response, Jörgen shook his head with a small smile. “Not yet. Wait a bit longer. For now, focus on resting up and saving your strength.” The best time to distinguish oneself wasn’t in the heat of the main battle; it was afterward, once things had begun to wind down and the pursuit had begun. It was entirely possible something could happen that would turn the battle on its head. If any of his men expended their strength now, they might not have the stamina to perform when it really counted. Being able to recognize when to act and when to rest on your laurels was one of the key skills needed to become a truly great warrior.
“But man, they sure are stubborn,” Jörgen muttered. It had already been two hours since the battle had begun, and despite the Wolf Clan’s strong offense throughout, the Horn Clan Army showed no sign of collapse. But it was probably only a matter of time—eventually, they’d fall. Even the legendary Horn Clan commander Hrungnir wouldn’t be able to turn the tide of this battle.
Suddenly, a gong rang out incessantly. At first, Jörgen thought it was the enemy retreating at last, but then he realized his mistake. The gong wasn’t ringing from the Horn Clan side—it was coming from the Wolf Clan.
“The Wolf Clan is retreating?! Right when we’re about to win?!” Jörgen couldn’t believe his ears. They had this victory in the bag—retreating here after they’d come this far would just be foolish.
“Helblindi is no fool. This surely serves a greater purpose.” Over the past ten years, Helblindi had been the Wolf Clan’s most valuable asset. He had taken the lead in this advance against the Horn Clan as well. For him to retreat meant something must’ve come up. Something big. At the same time, he heard a surge of victorious cheers rising from the Horn Clan ranks. There was no way that could be a coincidence.
“What the hell’s happening over there?!” Jörgen growled. He didn’t know, but he was sure of one thing, at least: the Wolf Clan had lost this battle.
That night, the commanders of the Wolf Clan Army gathered at a camp a short distance away from the battlefield, all wearing haggard, irritated expressions. Considering they’d suddenly been ordered to withdraw on the cusp of victory, hardly anyone could blame them. Invigorated by the Wolf Clan’s retreat, the Horn Clan Army had gained a second wind and chased the Wolf Clan Army away, causing them to suffer many more casualties.
“So, second-in-command, mind explaining to us what that order was all about?” Jörgen rounded on Helblindi the moment he approached. He knew full well he was being coarse toward a superior, but he couldn’t care less. He was so filled with rage that it was all the same to him right now. He’d lost several of his sworn children thanks to Helblindi’s sudden order, so Jörgen hoped the man had a damn good reason.
Helblindi let out a frustrated sigh. “The Claw Clan betrayed us,” he said simply.
The sudden revelation sent ripples of shock through the gathering of commanders. After all, the Claw Clan was supposed to be a branch family of the Wolf Clan. The current patriarch was said to have received the Chalice of Fárbauti and become his sworn brother, so they should’ve been under the umbrella of the Wolf Clan.
“They probably saw now as a golden opportunity, since all of our forces are currently preoccupied here in the west. We received a declaration of war stating that they intend to take back everything that was stolen from them,” Helblindi stated grimly.
“What?! Preposterous! They mean to nullify the sacred and inviolable Oath of the Chalice?!” Jörgen shouted.
“Apparently, they pulled the old switcheroo on us. The current patriarch of the clan, Botvid, wasn’t the one that received Fárbauti’s Chalice. Therefore, they didn’t actually nullify anything.”
“Sophistry!” In his rage, Jörgen kicked the trunk of a nearby tree. The most infuriating thing was that the trick the Claw Clan had pulled was logically sound. Even if it was exploiting a loophole, as long as it was logical, it was fair game—that was the Yggdrasilian way.