"I'm not saying this as your second in charge, but as your friend, let me help you."

  The journey to Greece was long, the treacherous seas proving to be more detrimental than previously charted. Torhyl's men did not take long to tire, the harsh weather proving more of problem than they previously expected. Though the weather may have delayed them slightly, there was an underlying power that was driving them to push on. The men were empowered by the memory of their fallen fellow Grecians, their broken bodies and spirits stimulate each aching muscle in their bodies into action.

Torhyl's heart ached. Not only for her exhausted fellow warriors but also for the fallen souls that lay on the fertile soil of their homeland. She takes a slow steady breath to calm her uneasy stomach, the many days that she has foregone food to provide more rations for her men is taking its toll on her body. Her mind, though still foggy with lack of rest, was clear and ready for battle at any time if the opportunity was to arise. For her problems were nothing. Her personal heartaches were now irrelevant.

The ship underneath her jars suddenly as it takes on an unexpected wave. Her body is thrown aside but just slow enough for her to catch herself on the sail mast. Her face contorts at the sudden pull. Her hand immediately presses against her side. She winces and withdraws her hand gingerly. The wound that had begun to heal had turned back down the path of infection since she took to the seas once more. Her ribs aches and her head throbs. But alas, there were more important things to be concerned about and so she swallowed her wails of agony, stood back up.

Zuess circles above the ship, Nero close behind Him. Zuess swoops down and caws into the face of his owner. His keen senses allowed him to pick up on Torhyl's unwell stature. The bird of prey continued to squawk in his owner's face, as if to scowl her for pushing herself too far. Torhyl shakes her head dismissively. With an aggressive throwing of her arms, Torhyl manages to dismiss the bird's attacks.

Torhyl attempts to move but her body buckles in response, the pain too harsh to ignore. Torhyl's throat burns, her eyes watering at the sharp pains jolting up and down her side. Torhyl stumbles across the deck, the rain creating an opaque veil in front of her, hindering not only her vision but also her ability to walk without assistance from the sail masts.

"Brunhild!" Torhyl calls out, her voice battling to be heard over the thunder claps and lightning strikes.

A hand grips Torhyl's shoulder causing her to jump at the unexpected contact. Brunhild's hand is swiftly removed from her commander's frame and proceeds to stand in front of her awaiting orders.

"What is our current status?" Torhyl asks, her voice strained against the torrential rainfall.

"We have lost sight of our other boats. The rain has created a barrier around us, commander, we cannot see." Brunhild explains, her tone grave and her face fallen, all hope washed away with each harsh hit of waves.

"The waves have changed form," Torhyl notes, pointing at the navy blue ocean. "We near Greece."

Another waves bashes the side of the ship, sending Torhyl across the hull into Brunhild's arms. Torhyl stumbles to regain her composure but instead of rising to her feet, screams out in agony. The sharp jar has caused Torhyl's sealed wound to split. She can feel her wound weeping already, the warm feeling of blood ignites her cold flesh as it trails down her side. Brunhild slides Torhyl's good arm over her shoulder and bears her weight. Torhyl clutches her side with her free hand, applying pressure in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"I am alright, Brunhild," Torhyl whispers hoarsely, "Just bear me a moment and I will be alright to carry on."

"You are not strong enough to stand on your own, Torhyl," Brunhild says. "I'm not saying this as your second in charge, but as your friend, let me help you."

Torhyl looks into the eyes of her friend. "My men need me to be strong for them."

"Your men, need you to be alive." Brunhild notes. "I'm not letting you slip away again, Torhyl. I made a vow, and I intend to keep it."

"Land!" A soldier shouts from behind them, interrupting Brunhild. His voice carries the message across the ship, causing all the soldiers to search to see this man's claims for themselves. "I see land!"

Brunhild helps Torhyl walk to the ship's port to where the soldier stood, pointing at his discovery. Her homeland lay before her in all its glory. This was what she had craved for so long. She could sense the ambience in the air, as if each breath was a whisper that told her what the imposters did. How they killed and destroyed its legacies.

"Hold fast, my brothers!" Torhyl commands over the unmerciful seas. "For tonight, we rest on the shores that raised us. We sink our feet into the sands that we were trained upon. We feast on the fruits that our mother nature provided so that we may grow strong and not weary. We will regain our strength, my brethren, for soon we will reclaim our homeland and we will avenge our brothers and sisters who have fallen. We will rise...and we will conquer. We will show these foreigner the true power of Greece!"

The men around her release howls of victory into the sky, their bodies now renewed with a new sense of drive. Torhyl takes one last look at her homeland, her mind envisioning a clear sky and a golden aura surrounding her city. She smiles at the thought, a longing for the peaceful home she left months before crowds her heavy soul as she pictures that serene place. Her eyes slowly roll back as her body's last ounce of strength is used to take her last breath before the world around her turns black.