Prey in the High Hall

Prey in the High Hall 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 and Wulfhilda continue their investigation on the beast of East Anglia.
==Dialogue==
Wulfhilda directed Eivor towards a section of the woods.
*Wulfhilda: Should be up there in the trees ahead. Can you smell it? It stinks of death and evil.
*Eivor: I know that scent well. Carrion and death. Loki's reek.
Near the carcasses the abbess wanted to show Eivor was the old farmer Eivor had interrogated earlier surrounded by a pack of wolves.
*Anglo-Saxon Woman: Saints save me!
*Wulfhilda: The maulings have drawn in a starving wolf pack.
Eivor killed the wolves and talked to the woman.
*Eivor: Did the wolves get a bite of you?
*Anglo-Saxon Woman: No, I am unhurt. Thank you, Dane. I... misjudged you.
*Eivor: No need. But tell me what happened.
*Anglo-Saxon Woman: These beasts came scavenging for fresh meat.
*Eivor: I meant, why are you out here with the dead cattle again?
*Anglo-Saxon Woman: I'm searching for my best milch-cow. She's missing.
*Eivor: And you found her?
*Anglo-Saxon Woman: No, but I found a Danish axe. It belongs to Hrothgar, leader of their war-band.
*Eivor: You know for a fact this axe is his?
*Anglo-Saxon Woman: Yes! He brandishes it about the village, demanding ale.
*Eivor: I will speak to this Hrothgar and his war-band.
Eivor approached Wulfhilda.
*Eivor: That woman is certain a nearby band of warriors caused these maulings. We have no other clues.
*Wulfhilda: I know the men she means. They're staying at the church near Brisleah Farm. Come, meet them. Their leader, Hrothgar, is a great man ... for a heathen. He is no cattle killer.
They started to walk towards the church.
*Eivor: You have curious opinions, Wulfhilda. And an uncommonly opened mind.
*Wulfhilda: I should say the same of you. Most heathens would point to witchcraft or monsters, but you seek an earthly cause.
*Eivor: I have seen many strange things, but the answers are usually close at hand, if only hidden.
*Wulfhilda: True, yet in this case, the Church has tasked me to explain the unexplainable. That at time introduces... unholy ideas.
*Eivor: And your Church accepts your... unholy ideas?
*Wulfhilda: They tolerate it. Lucifer is a deceiver and God Himself works in mysterious ways. So, I too must remain open to all possibilities, mundane and otherworldly.
*Eivor: Which is why you tolerate a heathen like me.
*Wulfhilda: Perhaps. Or perhaps all of us, heathen and Christian, stand within the folds of a greater mystery.
As they approached Brisleah Farm, dismal scenes came into focus, with dead people and burnt patches of grass and buildings leading to the church.
*Wulfhilda: Something's off, Eivor. Hrothgar's men are rowdy sorts, but the air is far too still.
*Eivor: Stand back, priestess. This is war-work.
They entered the church and found dead Danes.
*Wulfhilda: Hrothgar and his men, they... they were good to me.
*Eivor: Have a care, Wulfhilda. The killer may yet linger here.
*Wulfhilda: Their leader, Hrothgar. I do not see him among the dead.
*Eivor: I shall find him.
Eivor noticed some mold on a body near the altar.
*Eivor: See, more fresh mold. Same as in the fields, on the cows.
*Wulfhilda: The villagers say it is the Devil's Mark. What do you say, Eivor?
*Eivor: I say find the mold and we find our killer.
She inspected other bodies.
*Eivor: The same marks as before. Bite marks, a mauling. These are not weapon wounds.
*Wulfhilda: What manner of demon can fell so many well-armed warriors?
They noticed a pool of blood near a stained glass window.
*Wulfhilda: Eivor, look up. More blood.
*Eivor: Someone crawled into the loft. Or dragged a body up there.
Having completed her investigation of the chapel floor, Eivor turned to Wulfhilda.
*Wulfhilda: Hrothgar sometimes slept in the loft. Have you looked up there?
Eivor released the ladder leading up and climbed into the loft, finding an injured Hrothgar.
*Hrothgar: Back, you! Back, I say. I can still draw blood.
Eivor approached the man.
*Eivor: You are Hrothgar, leader of this war-band?
*Hrothgar: I am. A raider, and proud of it. For the little time I have left.
*Eivor: I bear ill news. Your warriors have fallen. Who or what did this awful thing?
*Hrothgar: The monster did this thing. It killed us while laughing. Laughing. It broke my axe and gouged me. I... I crawled up here to die.
*Eivor: What was it? Did you see?
*Hrothgar: A foul Jotun... a night-goer from the world's rim... it spoke, named itself Grendel... said it would return.
*Eivor: Good. We shall wait for it to come back, you and I.
*Hrothgar: Not I, my wounds are too great and my spirit takes ship. Send them to Helheim ... for me.
*Eivor: Ride with the winged women, friend. I will handle this Grendel, whatever manner of monster it may be.
*Hrothgar: Wait, warrior. There were... two...
Hrothgar died and Wulfhilda joined Eivor in the loft. Wulfhilda made the sign of the cross at Hrothgar's passing.
*Wulfhilda: Best hide to not scare the demon off when it returns.
*Eivor: We'll wait up here for it to show itself again.
*Wulfhilda: Get your rest, warrior. I'll stand vigil with prayer.
While Wulfhilda kept watch, Eivor meditated, until a noise came from the church below.
*Eivor: Wulfhilda, be still. Something stirs.
A massive man covered in moss and mold lumbered into the chapel. He began nudging the bodies of the slain Vikings.
*Grendel: Wake. Play. Wake. Play.
Eivor leapt from the loft and engaged the giant man.
*Eivor: Beast! Today you die!
*Grendel: No kill! Play! I play!
Eivor inflicted grievous wounds on Grendel.
*Grendel: Mother! It hurts! Mother, help! It hurts me, Mother!
Grendel slumped back against the column, succumbing to his wounds.
*Grendel: Play. Grendel only want to play. You make Grendel hurt. Mama. I want to go home.
He reached out a hand, then closed his eyes and passed away. After a moment, Wulfhilda approached.
*Wulfhilda: By all that is holy and bright. What manner of monster is that thing?
*Eivor: Not a monster, but a man. Strange to behold, but this Grendel is... was... a man.
*Wulfhilda: But where did it come from?
*Eivor: All men have mothers. This one called out for his, in the end.
*Wulfhilda: And all of us, even the most hideous, have souls. O Lord, forgive this... man... his sins and grant unto him your grace and everlasting love.
Eivor looked around at the various corpses.
*Eivor: Mold, everywhere. Stay here, Wulfhilda. I'll follow this trail...
The abbess kept praying.
*Wulfhilda: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May all these souls rest in peace.
==Outcome==
Eivor killed Grendel and decided to follow his trail to where he came from.
==Gallery==
ACV Prey in the High Hall 1.png|Eivor following the abbess into the woods
ACV Prey in the High Hall 2.png|Eivor protecting the elderly woman from the wolves
ACV Prey in the High Hall 7.png|Eivor and Wulfhilda noticing a figure below
==References==
*Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Legend of Beowulf
Category:Memories of Eivor Varinsdottir
Category:Memories relived using the Animus HR-8.5