Hammered

«
    » That is not your name. «
    » No. It is what you may call me. My name has a high price. «
    » You paid nothing for mine, « I said.
    » Untrue. You have cost me much already with your ceaseless pursuit of a blood drinker in Prague. « He shifted his gaze to my guide. » Thank you. You may leave us. « After the unnamed servant closed the door behind him, the unnamed scholar smiled thinly and resumed. » Tell me, Mr. Helgarson, why you are so keen to find a creature who drinks nothing but blood. «
    » Are you such a one? «
    He waved my question away. » More about me later. Tell me about you. Your curiosity has piqued mine. «
    There was no point in crafting evasions. Either he could help me or he could not. » I have heard that these creatures possess great strength and long life. I need that to avenge my family. Thor killed them, and so he needs killing in return. But I will never be successful without the time and means to do it. «
    » You want to kill a god? « he said, raising an eyebrow.
    » Not just any god. Thor. «
    » And thus you want to become one of these creatures? «
    » Yes. «
    The scholar studied me and rolled his tongue around in his mouth. Abruptly, he laughed. » That is a new one, I must admit. I give you credit for novelty. So you are not a Christian? «
    » No. «
    » Are you aware that the Christians believe these creatures to be damned—or even demons? «
    » Yes. «
    » Because you know that you must die to become one of these creatures and then hope you rise from the dead? «
    » I have heard that, yes. «
    » Tell me, Viking, what would you suffer for the cause of vengeance? What atrocities would you commit in the name of revenge? «
    I paused to consider. » If it brought me closer to my goal, I suppose I would suffer anything, commit most any crime. «
    » Most any? «
    » I have … no stomach for harming the young. «
    This brought a wry smile to the scholar’s face. » Because they are innocent? «
    » No, it is not that. I have killed innocent men and women along with the corrupted. Whatever they are when their doom falls, they are what the Norns have made them, and I am merely the instrument of their end. But children … are incomplete. I suppose the Norns do not wish to finish the ones who die, but then, neither do I, if you see what I mean. «
    » Interesting. You dislike leaving things undone. «
    » Precisely. And slaying Thor is something that must be done. «
    He said mockingly, » Do not the Norns have something planned for him? A battle with a serpent, I believe? «
    » I will figure something out. But, first, I need time. «
    » So single-minded! You wish to subvert fate to your own will. That will truly take some figuring. I can see that you have trained your body to dominate others with the sword. Can you train your mind to dominate with the word? «
    » What do you mean? «
    » I am asking if you would be willing to learn how to read and write. «
    » What purpose would that serve? I am not going to write Thor a letter. «
    » It would serve many purposes, but primary among them would be your survival. Let us suppose that you become one of these blood drinkers. The long life and strength you speak of would have to come at a steep price, or else such creatures would be everywhere, would they not? «
    » I suppose that makes sense. «
    » Excellent. So what price do you think these creatures might have to pay? «
    I frowned. » They never see the sun again. «
    » Correct. What else? «
    This question earned my host a noncommittal shrug. » I suppose there is the damnation to worry about if one is Christian. But I am not worried about this. «
    » No, there is something more you are missing. «
    » What? «
    The scholar sighed and, instead of answering, said, » Let us sit. My manners have escaped me. Are you hungry? Thirsty? «
    » I could do with a drink, thank you. Ale or mead or whatever you have. «
    We left the basement library and bookbindery and returned upstairs. The scholar—for I refused to address him as Björn—asked a servant to bring a drink to the sitting room. It contained four chairs and a fireplace but no windows. There was a fire in the hearth, but the smoke was traveling up into an unseen hole rather than filling the room. My host saw my puzzled stare and explained.
    » Ah, the smoke is traveling up a device called a chimney, where it exits above the roof. Wonderful innovation. We can enjoy the fire’s heat without suffering its smoke.