[For Honor] Klyppr: The Drums Of War - Warlord Montage

Описание: All of the finest and most trusted of Klyppr’s warriors found themselves in his longhouse. The old warlord sat on his throne, while all of his allies stood in a large circle around the center of the longhouse. There stood the village’s newest resident, and the cause of much contention amongst Klyppr’s ranks.
Volundr, the turncoat cultist of the Jormungandr, found himself being judged by Klyppr’s men, watching him like a pack of wolves eyeing a wounded deer. Ulva and Herja were amongst the crowd, and Arvar stood by Klyppr’s side as usual. At this time, Volundr was to be judged and his sentence decided.
“Volundr…” Klyppr began. “There are many here who believe that you should be put down. That you should be made to suffer the same cruelty that you have dealt others.”
Volundr said nothing. He simply turned and faced the crowd. Some squinted coldly at him, tightening their grip on their weapons. Volundr stared them down for a moment before his gaze shifted back to Klyppr.
“However, there are those who think the opposite.” Klyppr continued. “These people believe that you have more virtue than you let on. They claim that you desire little more than freedom from a past life of slavery.”
Volundr still kept silent, though he knew exactly who Klyppr was talking about. Many in the crowd were surprised that people even had such feelings about a man who had previously taken an oath to annihilate them all. The cultist finally spoke up.
“What do you believe, old man?” Volundr asked.
“First, I’d like to hear from you.” Klyppr responded simply, shuffling around a bit on his throne. “You have the floor. I am curious of your experiences, and what you have come to understand of the cult of the Jormungandr…and of yourself.”
“I understand they’re a bunch of raving monsters and killers, all of them.” He responded. “I’ve seen what they’re capable of. Their barbarity is far worse than anything you could ever comprehend.”
Klyppr nodded slowly, stroking his beard. “Nothing I haven’t heard before…but you fled the cult. Why?” Klyppr asked.
“Hulda…she believed the Jormungandr would rise, and we would fight alongside it in the final war. It never came…but Hulda believed we had somehow inherited its plight to destroy the world.” Volundr explained to him. “She believed we would bring Ragnarök ourselves. She believed WE were the Jormungandr.”
Klyppr nodded slowly. “And this display caused you to leave.”
Volundr paused. A great confluence of frustration, resentment, and bitterness started to well up within him. “All my life…” He began. “I have done nothing but kill. Even before all of this, I was taken from my village and made to be a slave in the fighting pits. YOUR fighting pits.” He spat. Klyppr kept his gaze on him, barely even twitching. Volundr met his look with equal intensity.
“For years, I fought for the amusement of your men.” Volundr went on. “I fought, I killed, and you all gobbled it up. I was little more than a jester for you."
“Well, I apologize for such a fate befalling you. Now the-“
“APOLOGIZE!?” Volundr shrieked. An tense silence filled the room, and Volundr let out a grim, cynical laugh.
“Apologize. That’s fucking rich.” Volundr mocked him. “I can’t count the years I spent living in a cell. I can’t count the bowls of gruel and stale bread I’ve eaten. I can’t count the lives I’ve ended. You think an apology is going to make me forget about all that? You think it’ll all just magically go away?” He said bitterly.
“Volundr…” Klyppr sighed. “I cannot say I have felt your misery. I do, however, take responsibility for your fate…and I am sorry. Truly, I am.” Klyppr said earnestly. Volundr kept quiet. “But I ask that this hatred gets put aside. What is about to befall this world is so much bigger than you or I. The Jormungandr cult seeks to destroy us all, and you know more about them than anyone else here.” Klyppr continued.
“Hmph. What could you possibly want me to do about it?” Volundr spoke. There was silence in the room for a few moments before Klyppr spoke up.
“I want you to fight alongside us.” Klyppr proposed.
Volundr blinked, surprised. There were countless stunned expressions amongst the crowd. Confused voices clouded the room. The thought of working with a man who had committed such heinous atrocities didn’t bode well with many.
“You want me to go with you?" Volundr said. “Back to that gods-forsaken nest of horrors?”
“Volundr...you have a nascent talent for killing.” Klyppr said. “I ask that you join us. Confront Hulda with us. Face your resentment and rage. She may have enslaved you, but you can break those shackles yourself.” He continued.
Klyppr took a step forward, looking Volundr in the eye.
“Do this…” The old warlord spoke. “And you will never be a slave again."
Volundr looked him right back. There was silence in the room for several moments before he finally spoke.
“Okay.” He then said. “I will join you.”
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Song Used: Helreið Oðins - Odin’s Ride to Hel - Assassin's Creed: Valhalla