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Born in 173 BC, Brynhild was the daughter of the Clan Chief Attila. Raised in a war-like nomadic clan, she was treated as a princess. With four older brothers to her father’s name, she became the apple of her father’s eye and very much the tomboy. The land around her was going through a change. Brynhild’s clan and many other dark-hair clans like her were beginning to die out, while the fair skinned and blonde haired people drove her people from the land. To make matter worse, people were changing as well. They began to forget the gods of old. She was raised to believe in Odin, Thor, Loki and all the others. She gaped in awe at the priests and priestesses. She dreamed of the sacred springs and riding to Odin’s call. She knew deep in her heart that she was destined to work for the gods themselves.

During a peaceful meeting between Brynhild's clan and the ruling family of a nearby keep, Gudrun, daughter of the noble, and Brynhild met for the first time. These two girls hit it off quickly adespite their differences. They became friends although the adults' relations were tense. Each morning the girls would meet to go off to play. Brynhild enjoyed showing off her secret places to the small girl. On the last full day of the talks, the girls decided to play along the creek. As they ran and laughed, they wandered further and further along the banks. The sat down to a late picnic lunch and realized they were close to the sacred spring. As the girls talked, one of them brought up about sneaking a peek at the spring. The girls slipped through the gate protecting while the priests were at the talks. First a look, then closer, and finally it led to a sip of the potent waters.

Each girl slipped into a dream state by the shores of the pool. Gudrun dreamed of the future of her people, large battles, her people migrating, a large river she never saw before, and a pair of wolves. These visions would come to haunt her. On the other hand, Brynhild heard the sound of horses and a swishing from the sky. She looked up and saw the sky open to reveal the face of Odin, his face aflame and his good eye boring into her soul. Warrior women dressed in bird feathers swooping towards a battlefield. As the women came closer and closer they shifted into birds that flew over Brynhild's head. Finally, a lone raven circles Brynhild. It dives for the ground turning into a black horse with wings. The horse rises up to trample on Brynhild causing her to awake in a start. The fiery face of Odin branded in her mind.

As the girls stumbled back into town, they could not hide the glow on their faces. The adults stared at them as anger rose. The girls disobeyed the laws of the clan and could bring the anger of the gods down upon them all. The priestesses drew the girls to the side and scolded them. Each girl poured out parts of their vision that the gods would allow, other parts hidden inside as words that were for them. Shortly afterwards Gudrun's family carried her away as Brynhild watched her friend leaving with tears in her eyes.

Brynhild was handed over to the Priestesses of Odin to raise her for she bore Odin’s mark. She trained to obey the gods and to hear their words. She grew stronger each day in body and soul. Soon her dream began to come true as she was chosen to be a handmaiden of Odin, a waelkyrige. Brynhild became a warrior priestess, a choosier of the dead. She was given a black war-horse to train that matched one on her vision. Her ceremonial and battlefield headdress and cape was made from the feathers of a midnight raven. Her visions becoming reality. Brynhild's faith became strong in Odin. Her belief in Odin grew everyday, and she quickly rose in rank.

Soon the Norse tribes began to go to battle with those that abandoned the tribal life and those influenced by other cultures. The land and people were changing. During battle, the waelkyrige duty was to perform pre-battle ceremonies to ensure victory for the tribes. Their war cries and chants brought fear into the hearts of those who stood against them. All though the hand of Odin himself would effect the battle. Even when the battle began to rage the warriors priestess rushed into battle on their steeds bringing death and choosing those to go to Odin's halls. Many of the priestess though did not have true faith. They used their position as trinkets and for political power. Brynhild refused to follow that way for her faith was true.

During Brynhild's last battle as a tribal waelkyrige, her faith in Odin and the political agenda of the false ones clashed. The battles raged as Brynhild swooped down choosing those who she saw Odin's glow embrace. Her choices wise to help the gods win the final battle of Ragnarok. This one particular battle was between Brynhild's clan and Gudrun's clan although Brynhild did not know this. She rode the battlefield, her sisters telling her to press for the enemies' banner and take down everyone in her path. She was riding down a man. He stumbled and then looked up in fear on Brynhild. She raised her sword as but never lowered it. It was not this man, Gudrun's brother, time to die. Odin did not mark him. She spun her horse and rode away. Gannar rose and gave a battle cry. His men seeing the waelkyrige spare their general rallied to win the battle. He won the battle but lost his heart to the raven madden.

Brynhild's sisters were angered. They blamed Brynhild for the lost. They stripped her of her headdress and cape. The made her watch as they burned her belongs in a fire and then slaughtered her horse. They shaved off her beautiful black hair. She was an outcast. She was dead to her society. She wandered off alone, but Odin's hand was on her. He led her to a secret spot and put her to sleep. Where he circled her body is protected flames. He would take care of his child.

It would be a few years, before she would awaken. Her scares healed and her heart unsure. It was a shifter named Sigurd Fafnesban who courage was high enough to let him brave the fire ring. When he did Brynhild awakened and fell in love instantly. For three days, they tarried there. Brynhild blessed Sigurd although they did not lie together. Soon Sigurd had to leave to finish a quest her undertaken. Brynhild wept as she promised to wait for his return. For when he did, she would be free. No longer as a priestess but as a wife would she walk the land.

It was three months before any man came through the fire. What happed during that time to Sigurd? That is another story in itself. I will say this; Sigurd was put under a spell. He was given a love potion. He forgot about his true love Brynhild and married Gudrun. He also became a blood brother with Gannar and Ganther, Gudrun's brothers. Sigurd was talked into posing as Gannar and riding through the fire to capture his bride. It was told, whoever was brave enough to face the fire would have the hand of Brynhild.

Brynhild looked up as she heard the approaching horse. Her heart soared believing her love returned, but it was not he. It was another. She lowered her head as she recognized the one she saved on the battlefield that day. She believed the gods were punishing her. She rose and welcomed the man, and by degree had to promise to marry him when he took her from the fire.

The next day she pack her meager belongs she prepared during her wait and then left with Gannar. When they returned to his keep, they were wedded. It was there that Brynhild saw her true love. Sigurd was married and happy with another women. Brynhild's heart hardened within in. That night her new husband beat on her. She refused to bend to his will. She would be the modal wife to the man she despised as she planned. She knew Odin did not desert her, or did he?

Brynhild plotted to find a way to become free. Her life took a turn to the worse one eve, when she knew in her heart that Gudrun was pregnant. She could tell by a glow that surrounded the women. As time went on, the potion Sigurd drank began to wear off. He began to remember what he did and plunged into guilt. One night he told Brynhild the truth. It was he who really came through the fire the second time. He did not know what he was doing. Brynhild heart broke. She cried for the first time since Sigurd left her the first time. After the tears, came the angry. She vowed her revenge.

Brynhild knew the key to Sigurd's weakness. She tried to get her husband to kill him, but he would not for they were blood brothers. She did find one to turn to. The younger son, who hated Sigurd and was bitter towards his brothers, agreed to do the terrible deed. Together they came up with a plan. One day during a hunting party, Sigurd lay on the ground to drink form a creek. The brother came up behind him with a spear, silver tipped. Sigurd saw the reflection in the water. He knew it was his time. He had time to say a prayer and the silver tipped spear plunged into his back.

The family was in uproar. One that they loved was dead. As far as they knew it was a hunting accident. Gudrun though knew that is was not so in her heart. She knew this day would come, for it was in her vision. She cried her tears and cringed from the sound of Brynhild's voice. The girls changed much since that day at the pool.

Later that week, the funeral of Sigurd was set. The burning pyre was set up. Gudrun arrived wearing pieces of jewelry given to her from Sigurd. The men dressed according to custom. No one could find Brynhild though. AS the night progressed, the midnight hour approached, A wail went up. The people looked around. As a vision, Brynhild approached the pyre again dressed as a waelkyrige. She began the chant to send Sigurd to the halls of Odin. The family gasped in awe as they watched the proceedings as a ritual many forgot. Brynhild turned to Gudrun handing her a gift. They girls locked eye. Each saw the pain and love they had for Sigurd. The look spoke a lot. Brynhild walked to the pyre and raised the ceremony knife. She called to Odin and drove the knife into herself falling on the pyre. The people watched as the pyre went up in flames as if Odin answered Brynhild's prayers. Many believed this to be the end of the story of the wolf and the raven.

It is not the end, but only the beginning. Do not believe everything you see or hear. Brynhild would have died on that pyre that day, but she was saved. The people watched her goes up in flames but it was all an illusion for the eyes of the mortals. In reality, the people watched a Chimerstry illusion as the almost dead Brynhild was whisked away. As the real flames devoured the pyre, Brynhild was being embraced. The year was 150 BC.

Her sire, who called himself Slepnier, cradled the almost dead Brynhild in his arms. He whispered words to comfort her, saying she paid her price. She proved herself loyal to Odin. She was loyal to her love and devotion. Odin chose her to bless with a gift, a gift that will allow her to be his child forever. Slepnier lapped up her blood from her wound. He held her head and told her to drink. In a daze, Brynhild believing she was seeing a messenger of the gods drank willing. A taste of blood, more powerful and potent that she ever used in a ceremony before filled her. She gasped as she breathed her last breath and her body started to die. She withered on the forest floor. Shortly before dawn she fell into an exhausted sleep. She barely remembers being carried into a deep cave.

The next night she woke up in a new world, a world of darkness. She frantically looked around her in fear and confusion but with a touch of excitement. She stumbled towards the mouth of the cave and the stopped dead in her tracks. There she saw a small fire, but at the time it was not the fire that caught her attention. It was a man, who looked more animal than human. She froze in fear, believing some relative of Sigurd had come for her. She did not know, at that time, there were other 'races.' She thought the gods touched Sigurd. The man turned to face her. His wolfen eyes locked onto hers. His feral lips turned into a friendly smile. "Good evening my dear warrior. Come join me, we have much to discuss."

For the next week, the two barely left the cave except to feed. Slepnier began to tell Brynhild about himself and what she was. Some of these terms were hard for Brynhild to handle. She must drink of others? She was a kindred? Her mind reeled as many of the things she thought bean to change. Certain words though stuck in her mind. She was chosen; She was blessed. Forever she will be with Sigurd. For now she was no longer just the raven, but she now had a piece of Sigurd's wolf in her. Slepnier knew just the words to say to break down her doubts. He pulled on her beliefs, using them to make her understand. Slepnier called her, his raven. Each nigh he would leave for a few hours and then return. Brynhild would drink from her sire. The bond that grew, she did not understand yet she was to young to understand the power of the blood.

For the next ten years, Slepnier never truly left Brynhild alone for more than a week. He began to train her to use her skills, her blood, and her gifts. He taught her rules to live by and how to hunt. He gave her a goal. He told her in time, she would be able to work for Odin once more. When she accomplished her first aura, she wept tears. Odin's hand was still on her. She began to understand, striving always to do better and learn more. She quickly learned all she could. She was a priestess once more.

Together Brynhild and Slepnier traveled to places Brynhild never dreamed of. She always tried to learn as much as possible. They even met a few others. Every solstice, Brynhild would have a ceremony in the old gods' honor. It was during one of these nights that she noticed eyes on her. She heard new wolf calls. The wolves were getting together. Tonight and for the rest of the week, the stories Brynhild heard blew her mind away. Once again she was a part of something, no longer the outcast. Brynhild was pushed to rise and tell a tale. She donned her headdress and cape with a smile. She began to weave a tale of a shifter named Sigurd, who was a legend growing. Towards the end, when she dropped her voice to tell of the death of Sigurd, she noticed the area was quiet. She whispered the death of the hero shifter. When the story was done and another rose to speak, she wandered off by herself in thought.

She wandered through the trees, as a new scent drifted towards her nostrils. She whispered words to her dead love. She then stopped in her tracks. Something was not right, a six sense told her danger was near. She could almost swear she smelled Sigurd again. She called out as her eyes shown red for the intruders to show themselves. Brynhild watched as an old wolf, large and resembling Sigurd shape, wandered into the area. Before her the wolf turn into a man. The man spoke to Brynhild. "You loved my brother truly. He was special to many. He knew what he wanted in life. I heard of you from him. I heard of his marriage to another. I have no quarrel with you Brynhild or your people. I know you place in the end. He made his mistakes, as we all do. He was happy in life. I wanted you to know that his family will not harm you." The two talked for the rest of the night of the one they both loved. The chapter on Sigurd ended in Brynhild's life. She could go on now.

Slepnier could sense the change in Brynhild. She had grown up. She no longer felt tied to this spot of land. He knew their time together always was coming to the end. Even his own nature was pulling on him to run free. He spent the next five years teaching Brynhild disciplines not associated with many clans. He knew that she would need these to survive. He knew she would be a warrior. He taught her how to spot evil in a person. He believed his teachings would ever stay with her.

It was on the 15th anniversary of Brynhild's embrace. Slepnier and her talked the evening away. Brynhild finally mastered a basic illusion. Neither did they know this would be the last time they ever spoke to one another. Brynhild slipped off to pack her belongs on a horse that she trained. It was while she was away that things went wrong to Slepnier. Another vampire heard that Slepniar knew his clan secret discipline. For months her searched for Slepnier. Tonight he was gong to finish it. The vampire appeared and began to fight Slepnier. The fight was hard and long. The vampire though attaked Slepnier's mind enough using illusions to over power the Slepneir. Brynhild heard the scream and went running. As she entered the field, she spotted the vampire draining Slepnier of all his blood and power. Her mind flashed in anger as her sire's death. She saw the black creep into the vampire's aura. Brynhild lost it and went into a righteous frenzy attacking the already wounded vampire. The fought, but the vampire was so wounded he could not win. With several slashes of her claws, Brynhild killed the man.

When the fight was over. She raised her head sending a war cry into the night. She lowered her heart and wept like a child as she cradled her sire's remains in her arms. She vowed that night, as she dug his grave, to wipe the world any Odin marked for death. Those that dared to not only kill other kindred but to also literally drink the power from the dead had not right to walk the earth. She saw the black veins marked in her mind. Her goal was set. Odin showed her the way. Once again she was one who chose who should live or die. He name would no longer be remember as Brynhild in her goal, but as Raven, the name given to her by her sire. Raven Slepnier was born that night and the earth would not be the same.