Blood from a Stone

Blood from a Stone was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
==Description==
Eivor, Sigurd and Basim follow Fulke to find the Saga Stone.
==Dialogue==
After leaving Saint Albanes Abbey and making it to the stables, Eivor, Sigurd, Basim and Fulke mounted horses and Fulke led the way to where her acolyte waited with the Saga Stone. On the way, they spoke.
*Eivor: What is it about this stone that captivates you, Fulke?
*Fulke: The Saga Stone comes from an ancient race of beings, a generation of lesser gods. As do all the artifacts I collect for my church.
*Eivor: You prayed to the Christ Jesus in your cell. Is your church not the Church of Rome, like these Saxons?
*Fulke: These Saxons believe in Christ the Redeemer. But I know his true purpose. Christ the Educator, the keeper of secret knowledge.
*Eivor: Is this why Eadwyn loathes you? For preaching such an idea?
*Fulke: Yes. Christians like her, like Aelfred, they believe Christ's purpose on earth was to wash us free of Sin. The Roman Church has been deluded by the lies of Saklas, or Ialdabaoth, the demiurge of many names. A lesser god. Saklas and his kind were wise in their time, but they lost sight of the true God, the Self-Begotten One, Lord of the Treasury of Light. This is why Eadwyn had me punished and imprisoned. What she calls heresy is, in fact, the true nature of the universe.
*Eivor: Yours is a strange saga, Fulke.
*Fulke: And I have not yet reached its end.
They rode through a village and many of the people stopped along the road to watch the group pass.
*Basim: Be on your guard, someone is watching us.
*Sigurd: Take care, everyone.
*Eivor: The villagers aren't happy we're here.
*Basim: Eadwyn's eyes and ears, no doubt.
Eventually they reached Evinghou Tower and dismounted.
*Fulke: This is the place, up ahead.
*Sigurd: What is this tower?
*Fulke: A ruin from England's Roman past.
The group continued through the ruins toward the tower.
*Fulke: My acolyte found it abandoned and derelict. He took refuge here after his bishop expelled him for teaching the same truths that got me imprisoned.
*Basim: He was a priest?
*Fulke: He was and he is. The Bishops of England are simply too craven and deluded to understand the secret wisdom we possess.
They reached the tower to find it in disarray, with no sign of the acolyte.
*Fulke: Brother Paul! Are you here?
*Eivor: Ransacked, from floor to roof. Basim, stand guard outside.
*Fulke: This was Eadwyn's doing, I have no doubt.
*Sigurd: The stone is within?
*Fulke: I asked Paul to hide it well. But I do not know where.
While Basim stood watch outside the tower, Eivor, Sigurd, and Fulke searched for signs of Brother Paul and the stone. On the floor, Eivor found a note.
:Notice of ExcommunicationBe it known, he of the name Paul, consecrated priest of Oxeneforda, is henceforth abjured and severed from his Church and fellows for the spreading of pernicious heresies and blasphemies. May he be denied forgiveness unto the final days.
*Fulke: Brother Paul is very clever. It could be hidden anywhere.
Eivor found a bit of wooden shelving with something behind it.
*Fulke: This moves.
*Sigurd: It must be there!
Eivor broke the crate blocking the shelf and moved it to reveal a door. Inside she found a dead body and a paper on the floor.
:Journal EntryFulke has entrusted me with a most curious relic, a stone carved with strange and unearthly script. I have fasted and prayed in an attempt to unlock its meaning, but alas!
*Fulke: Dear God!
Fulke ran in after Eivor and stood over the body. Eivor went to her.
*Eivor: Is this him, your acolyte Paul?
*Fulke: My dearest friend.
Eivor knelt beside the body to inspect it closer while Fulke knelt beside her to pray.
*Fulke: May you live as one with the true God, in the Treasury of Light.
Sigurd came up behind them.
*Sigurd: Your friend paid the price for his loyalty. I imagine he was guarding the stone.
Fulke nodded.
*Fulke: Eadwyn's men did this. They killed Brother Paul and took my stone.
Sigurd shook his head and then turned on Eivor, angry.
*Sigurd: You. Always questioning, second guessing my wishes. You slowed us down and I missed my chance!
Eivor stood to face him.
<tabber>
|-|It does not matter.=
*Eivor: It's a stone, Sigurd! You're chasing shadows, like a madman howling at the moon.
*Eivor: What matters is victory! Against Eadwyn and her allies.
*Sigurd: This was my victory. To know my true self. My destiny! My--
|-|We will get the stone.=
*Eivor: Patience, Brother. We will find this stone, wherever it is. Right or wrong, you will have your answer.
*Sigurd: I know the answer already, Eivor. I have seen it in my dreams. I know exactly--
|-|This is Basim's fault.=
*Eivor: Basim fills your head with twisted prophecies. He leads you like a chained dog.
*Sigurd: Basim has shown me so much! He knows my mind, he--
</tabber>
A loud rumble came from outside.
*Fulke: Hold, both of you! You hear that?
Basim appeared at the door.
*Basim: Soldiers! Eadwyn's here.
Together, they left the tower for the courtyard where Eadwyn sat upon her horse, a line of soldiers to either side of her.
*Eadwyn: How dare you Danes befoul my lands?
Sigurd held out an arm to keep Eivor back.
*Sigurd: Hold off, Eivor. First we talk.
Eivor frowned at him, but did as he asked.
*Sigurd: Lady Eadwyn, a stone was taken from this tower. Inscribed with runes and the image of a tree. Do you know it?
*Eadwyn: Yes. One of this heretic's blasphemous baubles. Is that why you've come?
*Basim: We are here to trade. That stone for an assurance of peace.
Eivor looked at him sharply, then at Sigurd again.
*Eivor: What are you saying? We gave Geadric our word!
Sigurd once again held out a hand to hold her off, but didn't respond to her. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke to Eadwyn again.
*Sigurd: For the stone, we will leave your lands and not return.
*Eadwyn: O, for this, you must bring me Geadric's head.
Basim stepped closer to Sigurd to speak softly.
*Basim: The stone is within our grasp.
Eivor grabbed Sigurd's arm and Sigurd looked at her again.
*Eivor: We made a promise, Brother. Brother.
*Eadwyn: We have a deal then?
Once again, Sigurd hesitated, before pulling away from Eivor.
*Sigurd: We accept.
*Eadwyn: Done.
Eivor stepped back, looking at her brother in disbelief.
*Eivor: We do not!
*Sigurd: Eivor! No!
Sigurd tried to grab Eivor, but was too late as she threw her axe and it lodged in the skull of one of Eadwyn's soldiers.
*Eadwyn: Cut them down! Leave none alive!
Eadwyn quickly rode away while Sigurd, Basim, and Fulke drew their weapons to fight the soldiers off.
*Sigurd: Eivor! Are you mad?
*Fulke: Eadwyn flees!
*Eivor: We had our chance!
*Sigurd: We will speak of this, Eivor! I will not forget!
The group defeated many of Eadwyn's soldiers only for another wave to arrive.
*Sigurd: Get ready. More of them!
Eventually the last soldier was killed and Eivor regrouped with her companions.
*Sigurd: Eivor... you muck-minded fool!
*Basim: That was our chance to recover the stone without letting of blood.
<tabber>
|-|We have a pact with Geadric.=
*Eivor: I will not betray Geadric!
*Sigurd: That is not for you to decide!
*Eivor: My promises are my own, and they are ironclad.
*Basim: Your first oath is to your jarl. Sigurd Jarl, your brother and master.
|-|Sigurd, you are a coward.=
*Eivor: Is that now your stance? In spite of promises made?
*Sigurd: I am your jarl, and I have sight and wisdom well beyond what you know.
*Eivor: A coward's answer!
*Basim: Remember your place, Eivor. Or nothing good will come of all this.
</tabber>
<tabber>
|-|(Take a breath)=
*Eivor: That's one view, Basim. I believe there will be other chances. We can keep our oaths and find this stone together.
|-|(Punch Basim)=
Eivor punched Basim in the face.
*Eivor: Stay out of this.
*Sigurd: Enough!
*Basim: If it wasn't clear why Sigurd is in command, it is now. Your temper runs too hot, Wolf-Kissed.
*Sigurd: You want to settle things with Basim, you call a holmgang. Else you follow me. You listen to me. You do as I ask.
</tabber>
*Eivor: Eadwyn will flee to her castle. You want your stone, it will be there.
*Sigurd: Geadric's pathetic army will never breach the walls. We could have first taken the stone, then laid siege. That was always our plan, Eivor. I had no intention of betraying Geadric.
*Eivor: It was your plan all along, yet you saw fit to keep me guessing through your fits of madness.
*Sigurd: You are not always to be trusted. Your passions overcome you. I know that. My father knew that. Your father knew it.
<tabber>
|-|Enough of this.=
*Eivor: Sit here and bemoan your fate, Brother. I have a promise to keep. And I mean to.
*Sigurd: You think too much of yourself, Eivor. You do not have the wisdom of Odin. Come, Basim.
|-|(Punch Sigurd)=
Eivor punched Sigurd in the face, knocking him down.
*Sigurd: You move with the wrath of Odin, but you do not have his wisdom.
Sigurd stood.
*Sigurd: That will lead you astray, Eivor.
</tabber>
Sigurd turned to Basim.
*Sigurd: Come friend. We have a battle to prepare for.
Basim and Sigurd walked away, leaving Eivor with Fulke who had been watching the altercation from the side.
*Fulke: This quarrel with your brother is something to behold. Has it always been so heated?
*Eivor: All my life, we moved as one, as family, as kin. I have always known his mind, and he mine... until this day.
*Fulke: Time makes idiots of us all.
*Eivor: You fought well today, Fulke. Would you fight beside me now?
*Fulke: To wrest control of the shire from Eadwyn? I will.
*Eivor: Geadric asked me to cripple her line of support. Would you know where she gets her rations and supplies?
*Fulke: East of Oxeneforda, south of the Leah Villa, there's a place called Eatun Barn where eager merchants sell to soldiers.
*Eivor: Meet me there. I'll come soon.
Fulke left and Eivor turned to watch Sigurd and Basim walk away, thinking to herself.
*Eivor: Sigurd, Brother. You are lost in a sea-storm of your own making.
Eivor considered her next steps.
*Eivor: Eadwyn's defenses have been weakened. But I could do more before joining Fulke.
==Outcome==
Eivor, Sigurd, Basim and Fulke defeated Lady Eadwyn's guards.
==Gallery==
ACV Blood from a Stone 4.png|Basim, Eivor, Fulke and Sigurd making their stand against Eadwyn
==References==
*Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
Category:Memories of Eivor Varinsdottir
Category:Memories relived using the Animus HR-8.5