In three days, the carrier docked in Meilikki, the main port of Alfheim. Blader and Sig assembled the other five onto the deck as they neared the port to prepare for departure.

Meilikki sat on both sides of the Tariik River, connected by many tall, arching bridges. A wooden palisade surrounded the city, shielding most of it from view in the harbor.

"Since when do the alfr fence themselves in?" Wolfsted asked, wrinkling his nose in confusion.

Sodull looked grim. "Since there have been vikingr to raid them."

Skalfi nodded. "All port cities must have some sort of barricade, unless they want to be razed every time the vikingr come around to raid them. It's why Drottning is walled."

"The alfr have been very welcoming to the einherjar," Sig said as the carrier docked and the crew began to lower the ramp. "In fact, the effort here is a combined one between our soldiers and the alfr's aldnari. And here is one to greet us."

At the base of the ramp stood an adult alfr, small and petite. Her pale blonde hair was gathered back in a braid on the nape of her neck, revealing her pointed ears, and her grey eyes seemed to glitter in the sunlight. She waited, hands behind her back, clothed in a light green tunic and leggings, brown leather boots, and a soft leather cap, two daggers strapped to her belt. On her tunic was a wooden pin, shaped like a tree and marked with a rune Blader couldn't read.

"Greetings and welcome to Alfheim," she said in a soft, musical voice. "I am Nyyri, second of the Laufsblad tribe. You are Commander Thrym and Drengr Sig, I am told?"

"Yes," Blader answered.

"You are correct," Sig replied.

"I am to escort you inside Meilikki," Nyyri continued, her eyes flicking over them as she took her hands from behind her back, clasping them before her. A multitude of thin, silver rings across almost all her fingers caught the light. "I am ordered to tell you that we expect an attack today."

"All the more reason to get inside that fort, don't you think?" Yngvild muttered.

"Yes," Nyyri replied, her expression not changing. Yngvild's eyes widened slightly as the alfr female turned on her heel and began to walk down the dock, her footsteps silent, her strides light. She almost appeared to be floating.

The einherjar followed her, exchanging glances. The alfr were a reclusive species and weren't known to travel outside Alfheim; hence none of them had ever seen one before. By the looks on Wolfsted's and Sodull's faces, Blader knew they wanted to comment on the general oddness of Nyyri, but didn't want to due to her having overheard Yngvild's quiet remark.

"What knowledge do you have about the coming attack?" Sig asked, quickening her step to catch up with Nyyri. The alfr glanced over at her, expression still unreadable.

"It comes from the north, which we expected. The rekkr have established their camp there, but there are several humans among them." Nyyri nodded her head at the approaching walls. "You may learn more from the captain."

A large gate loomed above the einherjar as they reached the fort, the sounds of the water beating against the docks forming a soothing background noise that oddly fit quite well with Nyyri's calm declaration of the coming attack. The alfr guided them over to a smaller door, cut into the wall in such a way as to be practically invisible to the naked eye. But, when her fingers glided over the edge of one log, the wood swung inward and Nyyri slipped inside.

Sig, Blader, Wolfsted, Vandri, Sodull, Skalfi, and Yngvild followed, the hidden door gliding shut silently behind the last einherjar. Nyyri gave the door one look, as if to ascertain its having returned to its previous obscurity, and then set off through the city, the soldiers striding closely behind her.

Despite the fortress hemming it in, Meilikki still managed to maintain an air of beauty and natural grace. The buildings rising toward the sky were constructed from planks of wood, so thin and supple they bent with the structures, elegantly forming circular, towering shapes. The streets were paved with stones, but these weren't quarried stone. Instead, the stones seemed to have been found naturally, in a variety of shapes and colors, and had been fit together in a way that ensured smooth walking – the only physical alteration Blader noticed was that they had been made flat.

The bridges that arced over the river were wooden and rustic in an appealing way, the planks a soft grey and the railings carved with flowers and leaves, making it look like ivy trailed across the water. Grass and flowers, well taken care of but without the look of perfection, bordered the streets and the river, adding color to the city.

"Whoa," Skalfi breathed as they followed Nyyri along the stone-paved street and across one of the bridges. The other einherjar couldn't help but echo her sentiment – they had never seen a city quite like Meilikki before.

"This is beautiful," Vandri said as Nyyri led them down another street, away from the river. "It may lack the sophistication of Hraustliga, but it more than makes up for it in the sheer beauty and naturalness of it all."

"Ah, Vandri," Wolfsted said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "You sure know how to give a compliment."

Vandri made a face at him as Nyyri stopped in front of a building, crafted from the same wood as the other houses. "This is the base," she said lyrically. "I will take you to the einherjar captain. He can inform you of the coming attack."

Sig and Blader nodded as Nyyri opened the door, which swung inward at the slightest touch of her hand, and she stepped inside, the einherjar following after her.

The inside was even more elegant than the exterior, if that was possible. The walls had intricate designs engraved upon them, causing flowers and leaves to spiral across the surface. Several shelves graced the walls, holding some books and a small stone vase containing some twigs and flowers.

The foyer led into a round room that took up the rest of the space. Despite the still alfine interior, the furniture and other items occupying the room were all reminiscent of the einherjar. This was a command center.

In the center of the room, lips pursed, was the captain, staring down at the maps laid out on the table. A screen was propped up beside him, giving him other intel to supplement the markings on the enlarged map of Meilikki and the surrounding areas. Blonde hair was swept back off his broad forehead, his dark eyes glancing up as Nyyri led the einherjar into the room.

"Commander Thrym," he said wearily. "Drengr Sig. Skjoldr. You've arrived."

"Captain Mattr," Sig greeted. "Nyyri has informed us that there is an approaching battle?"

Mattr nodded. "Yes. And please, it's Matt. All the troops call me that. Yes, we've received intelligence the chaos army is planning an attack."

"How trustworthy is the intelligence?" Sig asked, her tone a bit aggressive.

Matt gave her a look. "I trust my pagalls, Drengr. Colonel Merki trains the best."

Behind Blader, Vandri gave a slight start. Wolfsted, Sodull, Skalfi, and Yngvild all gave her a brief glance, long enough to catch Matt's attention, who furrowed his brow. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing," Vandri said falteringly. "I'm just...I know Colonel Merki."

"Really?" Matt said, interested. "I always had great respect for her. She really turned the einherjar into a lifelong career, didn't she?"

"Yes," Vandri said, her expression suddenly impassive. "She did."

"When do you anticipate the attack?" Blader asked, stepping toward the table and scanning the maps. To the north of Meilikki, in what appeared to be a forest, was marked the rekkr camp.

Matt looked up at him. "In a couple hours. Not exactly sure when. All we can do is prepare."

"How can we help?" Blader queried.

Sig gave him a swift look. "Commander, we are not –"

"Thought you'd never offer," Matt interrupted her, giving Blader a tired grin. "I'd be honored to have your team fight alongside us, Commander."

"Thrym," Blader said, smiling grimly. "Where do you need us?"

Matt looked down at his map. "The aldnari are holding the perimeter and outer defenses. With their nature magic, they're the best to deal with the walls of the fort – the wood responds to them, despite being dead. My forces will engage the rekkr outside the walls." He jabbed his finger at another rune on the map, closer to the city. "The einherjar and a small force of aldnari are camped there, under Modi's command."

Sig frowned. "Lord Modi is commanding a mere camp?"

Matt nodded, glancing up at her. "I was just as surprised as you that he wanted the command. He's supposed to be here – that camp was my job. But he preferred the field to the base, and I really didn't have the authority to deny him." He shrugged.

"I thought Modi preferred the strategizing," Sodull murmured, frowning.

"That's what I thought," Matt said frankly. "General Utanlands is at Tuisto, and that's where Modi was, up until about a month ago. He wanted to check up on us here and asked for the command when Sjot, my comrade, fell in battle." He looked down. "I was supposed to take that camp."

There was silence for a moment before Matt shook his head brusquely. "Where was I? Right – positioning. I want your team by the west gate. Nyyri can bring you. On the signal, you exit and can circle around behind the rekkr."

Wolfsted stepped forward, running his eyes over the map. "What if we took their camp?"

Confused, Matt frowned. "Skjoldr?"

Wolfsted pointed. "Their camp. In the forest? If we use the distraction of the battle to enter the forest, we can find their camp and break it up, perhaps disrupt the rekkr's source. Can we take it?"

Matt studied the mark for a moment. "Nyyri? Where's Sampo?"

"I will fetch him, Captain," Nyyri answered, and swiftly left the room.

"Sampo's the aldnari's captain," Matt explained. "Except they don't use the same ranks as us. He's first of Nyyri's tribe, the Laufsblad. She's his second." He looked at Wolfsted. "Taking their camp is a bold move. The location is tricky, located in some ravine the alfr are scared of. Sampo's going to advise against it."

"Then why did you call him?" Wolfsted demanded.

"Because he's of equal rank with me here," Matt replied, aggravation creeping into his tone. "This is Laufsblad territory, including the forest. We're lucky to have their cooperation fighting Tros here. This is a joint operation, skjoldr. Equal say."

Wolfsted scowled, dropping his eyes again to the map. Footsteps were heard behind them and Blader turned to see Nyyri entering the command center with another alfr, a male with silver hair, on her heels. Both their treads were silent – it was the Valkyrie whose boots were causing the noise.

Skalfi's eyes widened and Sodull jumped slightly. "Deila!" Skalfi exclaimed, stepping forward to greet the Valkyrie. "What are you doing here?"

Deila smiled at Skalfi. "Hey, I know you two," she said teasingly. "Three," she acknowledged, nodding to Blader. "Skalfi Vekja and Sodull Trautt. And Blader Thrym, of course."

Blader returned her smile. Deila had been Sodull, Skalfi, and Erik's Valkyrie Recruiter, when he and Loqé had arrived at the Bifrost to make the journey up to Asgard. Together, they had traveled up the Bifrost and across Vigrid to arrive in the einherjar settlement.

"Why are you here?" Sodull asked, furrowing his brow. "I thought you were a recruiter."

"I'm head Valkyrie here," Deila answered. "Since recruiters have experience coordinating large amounts of recruits, a lot of us have been making the transition to the military to take charge of certain forces. I've been stationed in Meilikki for the past six months." Her smile faded. "What are you doing here?"

"They're Mjolnir," Matt said. "Magni's elite team."

Deila whipped back around to face them. "What? No! My recruits are Mjolnir?"

Sodull and Skalfi nodded. "Yep," Skalfi affirmed.

Deila laughed. "Who'd have thought? I knew you guys were something special, but Mjolnir? Odin above, what about that?"

"You summoned me, Captain Mattr?" the silver-haired alfr asked, his voice firm and low.

"Yes, I did, Sampo," Matt answered. "It's good you're here, Drengr Deila. Commander Thrym has offered Mjolnir's services in the coming battle. One of his men suggested an attack on the rekkr camp."

"No," Sampo said outright. "You do not understand what sleeps in that forest. In the days of peace, the Laufsblad did not disturb the forest; we certainly shall not start now."

Wolfsted furrowed his brow. "But the rekkr are in there. It can't be that bad."

Sampo shook his head. "No. We defeat them in the plains; we leave the forest to them until they have the common sense to leave or the ravine destroys them."

Wolfsted scowled but didn't say anything else. Matt quickly told Deila and Sampo where he had assigned Mjolnir to stand guard and both the Valkyrie and the alfr nodded. "Nyyri shall accompany them," Sampo declared, glancing at his second. "Go with them and aid them as needed, Nyyri."

Nyyri nodded. "Yes, Sampo."

"You come back to me, Nyyri," Sampo ordered, his eyes piercing into hers.

"As the tree sings, Sampo," Nyyri replied.

"Your squad mates are waiting," Deila said to Blader and Sig. "You may want to join up with them before the battle."

[----]

Deila led the squad up a curving staircase into a room above the command center. Behind them trailed Nyyri, silent as always. The wooden steps creaked slightly under the einherjar's weight and Blader glanced up at the ceiling, marveling at the intricacies of the carvings. If the images of flowers, birds, and leaves had only had color, he could have mistaken them for the real thing.

"Here you are," Deila announced, stepping into a hallway and pointing Blader into the room on the left. He entered the room, his eyes instantly falling on the three einherjar seated at the other hand.

They stood as he entered the room, two young women and one boy who wasn't much more than a kid. All three wore the standard dark grey tunic and trousers of the einherjar, black belts holding the material snug.

"At ease," Blader said, noticing the stiffness of their posture. "I'm Commander Blader Thrym, this is Drengr Sig. We're with Mjolnir. I'm assuming you're my soldiers?"

They each gave a brief nod as the two girls relaxed slightly. The boy, however, stayed stiff. After a moment of silence, Blader added, "Names, please."

Sig frowned at that.

"Raena Leid," the shorter, stockier of the two girls introduced. She had curly red hair in a thick braid and dark blue, hard eyes in a tanned face.

"Klora Nidr," the other girl said, her hair honey blonde and short, drawn back into a tail in the way Skalfi used to wear her hair, before it grew long enough to be braided. Her hazel eyes studied the einherjar studiously, and she had a round, cheerful face, with a pug nose.

"Ohrein Akafi," the kid said. He was short and skinny, with short black hair, his skin dark. He was just a touch taller than Raena, a little shorter than Klora. According to Sig, he was the youngest of the squad.

"Good to meet you," Blader said, making eye contact with each in turn. He had his friends and Yngvild introduce themselves before he told them of their current assignment. "We are to assist Captain Matt's forces in the coming battle. I hope you are all ready to fight together as a team."

"Yes, sir," Klora and Ohrein chorused, Klora grinning. Ohrein looked nervous. But Raena gave Blader a surly look and Blader realized Sig had been right – the older soldiers didn't seem inclined to think him suited to the command.

Nyyri led the squad out of the base and toward their assigned post. She carried no shield, and the only weapon Blader could see on her was the two long, thin daggers on her belt, their sheaths stacked one on top of the other.

Winding through the streets of the city and over one of the many bridges of the Tariik, Nyyri finally came to a halt by the west wall. She pivoted to face the einherjar. "Now we wait for the signal."

Blader nodded to the soldiers and they readied their weapons. "What about the rifle rekkr?" Yngvild asked as she strapped her shield onto her forearm.

"There aren't any," Raena replied brusquely. "Rifles don't work on Alfheim."

Yngvild furrowed her brow. "What? Why not?"

Raena jerked her head toward Nyyri. "The alfr can tell you."

Nyyri didn't seem put out by the implied disrespect of Raena's leaving out her name. "The energy rifles run off of is easily inhibited."

"By what?" Wolfsted asked.

Nyyri just smiled as Klora glanced over at Wolfsted. "She won't tell you. Are you Aldrian?"

Wolfsted's eyes widened. "What?"

"Are you Aldrian?" Klora asked again, patiently. "Yes or no."

"Yes," Wolfsted replied, a little indignantly. "What made you ask that?"

Klora gave a slight grin. "The way you talk. And look, too. Aldri's written all over you."

Wolfsted, looking a little disturbed, turned away from Klora and moved to the other side of Blader, putting distance between himself and the other einherjar. Sodull was hiding a grin with his hand but he earned a glare from the Aldrian anyway.

"How do you know what an Aldrian talks like?" Vandri asked curiously. "We've all heard the stories, but it's not like they walk down the street every day."

Sodull snorted. "In Aldri, they do." Wolfsted punched his arm.

Klora tilted her head in acknowledgement. "There was an Aldrian here a couple months ago. A mercenary, I think he was. He talked like you did, Kyll."

Wolfsted stiffened. "Who was he?"

Klora shrugged. "He never said. After a couple weeks, he moved on to Tuisto." She gave him a look. "He looked like you, too. Do all Aldrians look the same?"

Nyyri held up her hand, silencing the einherjar and preventing Wolfsted from answering Klora. "The rekkr have attacked."

Blader glanced at her and saw her gaze riveted on the silver rings encircling her fingers, one in particular glowing with a soft green light. Nyyri lifted her eyes and turned to meet Blader's. "Soon, we will attack."

Blader opened his mouth to reply, but the wall exploding inward interrupted him.