Rise of Rurik

The melodious morning horn blew the dawn. At this moment, the Harvest Plaza was crowded with people, and there was an endless stream of people wandering back and forth at the pier.

The people put on the latest clothes and led the sacrificed livestock, even poultry and rabbits in cages. They gathered in their boats and broke the ropes that had been fixed for the whole winter with their axes. Pull it apart and hang it back on the transom.

A ship that has been idle for a winter is about to be like water, and it still needs to be repaired. However, the fishermen who are eager to sail don't even care about the dense ice floes floating on the sea, even if the king's great sacrifice has not yet begun.

They pulled the livestock to the water's edge, and many people cooperated to control them. One person pierced the heart of the sacrificial reindeer or sheep with a sharp knife, and let the blood of the livestock flow into the rushing Neva River while they were constantly struggling.

At first, only a few people did this, and gradually more people joined the sacrificial team.

A large number of people completed their own sailing sacrifices before the king's priest team. They were eager to set sail in the early morning, even if they came back after drifting in the ice floes. .

The Neva River was dyed red, so that gradually the endless ice floes in the Kronstadt anchorage were also dyed red.

"In this way, God can bless our family's safety. Come! Push the boat into the water together!"

The whole family went to battle, even children aged five or six struggled to grab the rope and carried it on their thin shoulders, and participated in the work of towing the boat.

This small fishing boat has pointed ends, and looks like a much smaller long boat in all aspects. It is said that this boat is enough for a family to make a living by fishing alone. However, the owner of the ship is looking forward to his two young sons. Their family does not have the blood of the old Ross, but fishermen who moved from the Mellaren tribe many years ago. I've gotten used to my new life, and it's fair to say life in New Roseburg is much better than it used to be.

The king is fair to all young men. If there is a big war, all young men can sign up to fight, and the best of them can become standing army soldiers. It is best to be a cavalry soldier, followed by an infantry soldier who fights on land. No matter how bad it is, being in the navy is an errand with a stable salary. Perhaps there is no opportunity to make a fortune immediately from wars and plunder, and you can also guarantee food and clothing.

Once, the fishing villages living in the old Mälaren market were forced to relocate, and the vast majority of people moved to New Roseburg. They continued their old business of fishing, and compared with others, fishing was their first job. , and they are most eager to set sail for sacrifice.

The first boat was towed into the channel, followed by the second, the third...

Before the king's sacrificial team came out of the capital mightily, boats had already started cruising on the Neva River.

Small fishing boats and larger dragon-headed warships still had their sails furled, and people pulled out their oars, cruising on the ice-filled and blood-stained river until they entered the huge estuary berth.

The current situation is still not conducive to fishing. Even if the fishing line is released to catch cod, the ice can also grind the fishing line abruptly.

People just spontaneously completed their most recognized sacrificial activities, and then, under the control of the navigators, a large number of ships approached the dry dock where the sea channel had been dredged.

The launch of the great ship Sovereign of the Seas must be spectacular.

Appreciating her entry into the water is the most brilliant drama of the entire great sacrificial event today. Seeing the enthusiastic attitude of the people, the chicken thieves are deliberately rowing their boats to float on the sea, and they must clearly appreciate what she can reveal from a unique perspective. Magnificent splash.

More and more ships anchored at the red moorings, their ships swaying with the sea ice, the larger longships dropped their spears to try to stabilize the ships, the smaller ones simply got along with each other, two or three with large oars Make brackets to make each other more stable in the attitude of catamaran.

They were surrounded by friends who were watching the theater, and not far away were fleet ships moored neatly.

They were guarding the mouth of the Tonghai Canal. In order to feast their eyes, they kept approaching, even ignoring the possibility of the big ship hitting them after launching.

People are looking forward to the big ship too much. She is still in the dry dock. The tall bow and the sloping forward mast already give people a strong pressure. The towering mast flag is flying. The people standing on a hundred boats of different sizes opened their mouths wide in amazement, talking loudly or booing loudly.

The trumpet is still blowing, and Rurik will let the trumpeter attract the people of the city.

What he needs is liveliness, so that his citizens and all the businessmen who are eager to leave in the capital can clearly see the bravery of Ross's first giant ship after it is launched.

This was an opportunity to show off his might. No, Rurik also ordered his army, which was in urgent need of an expedition, to station in the second banner team in the capital, the main force of the cavalry, and even some retired veterans.

Look! A large group of iron men appeared in Harvest Plaza!

Grund and his men first put on the blue and white Rose shirt, and then put on the cold overall breastplate on the torso. The soldiers all put on the iron helmets decorated with bear heads, and hung up the ring armor to protect their faces and necks, with only a pair of eyes exposed. This is the first time that the "Iron Banner Squad" has made an official appearance on a large scale. They carried round shields, and people with a discerning eye noticed that many people's shields were not painted with Ross's "blue cross on white background" or "blue stripes on white background". "Sea Soul Stripes", and a black raven on a white background.

From this pattern, this is the special pattern of the king's guard!

They armed themselves with iron, and even the hem of their skirts was made of iron. They looked thickly dressed, as if there was a layer of chain mail underneath.

As the elite of the elite, the First Banner Team of the Standing Army was ordered to wear heavy armor to participate in this sacrifice. Firstly, it wanted to show their absolute might, and secondly, it was also a test for the soldiers.

There was no savage fighting. If even walking from the Harvest Plaza to the dry dock to participate in the ceremony is exhausted and out of breath, this kind of fighter will be brushed down and suspend future expeditions.

Such trials are also aimed at the boys of the Seventh Banner Team who are eager to go out. This time, the children all wore chain mail to protect their upper bodies, butterfly helmets that covered half of their faces, round shields on their backs, steel swords hanging from their waists, and a spear with blue and white cloth strips hanging on their hands. , to increase the majesty of the ceremony.

Looking at the cavalry again, the soldiers wore polar bear fur coats, white velvet caps with huge blue feathers, and even the horses were covered with a "white sheet", and the horses also wore small caps with feathers on their heads.

There were even navies involved, whose sun visors had been reduced to three-cornered hats, purely for looks, and each cap was improvised with a mass of feathers. The buckler and sword were the symbols of the warrior, and though it was a bit odd for a guy in a cocked hat to carry a buckler, that's how sailors in the Navy dress these days. Soon, when they arrive at the sacrificial place, they will directly board the big ship and drift into the sea with the Sea Monarch.

What Rurik wanted was ostentation, and nothing could excite the crowd more than the costumes that the soldiers wore as fancy as possible.

In addition to the uniformly required attire, each soldier also adorns himself with colorful emeralds according to his personal preferences.

Onlookers were watching how the people spoiled the joy of the festival with sloppy dresses. Men and women changed into new clothes, especially women. They generally wore the most traditional plain white robes in Northern Europe, and then gathered nearby red pine branches with new buds to weave them into emerald green hair. After the crown is worn, amber and glass beads are placed on the left.

And those wearing sterling silver headdresses are Balmerk visitors from Narvik Port. Some families sell good Atlantic salt to spend the winter in New Roseburg, and plan to go back to their hometown after sailing thousands of miles. They are more ornately dressed than others, highlighting their dedication to this sacrifice.

The herd of deer in urgent need of sacrifice, each stag has its horns cut off and a rope around its neck for easy control.

The high priest Rumia brought a group of junior priests, including the young deputy priest Verika.

The mighty army lined up in the Harvest Square, and the herd of deer waited helplessly. I saw the high priest holding a wooden staff, wearing a buckskin, and wearing a huge antler helmet worn by Ross for generations. She is a small person, standing on a special wooden platform and doing some exaggerated and abstract movements, with the wooden staff pointing directly at the sky, as if she is accepting the guidance of the gods.

This was the priest's claim. Otto put on gilded mail and stood beside his son with a sword as a weapon.

Rurik was also wearing battle armor, and he deliberately showed off his golden laurel crown, letting his golden hair flow in the wind.

Those low-level priests are now singing their ancient and melodious sacrificial rites, and the entire square and surrounding areas, the onlookers feel that there is no sound. The world was surprisingly quiet, only the sacred chants of the priests could be heard.

Until, the hanging wooden stick is put down!

Rumia tapped the wooden board under her feet with her stick: "God said! Let's go to the altar! Let's go!"

Then, another horn blow.

Look at those "bear-headed iron men", they nailed a large number of nailed leather boots, and began to step on the ground rhythmically according to the pre-rehearsal. With a huge bang, they took the lead in a neat queue and walked towards Nevsky Prospekt, the center of the city. West gate, towards dry dock and altar…

Rurik and Otto, who sat in the carriage, were escorted by many soldiers and surrounded by tens of thousands of people, and brought the herd of deer to be driven, and with an unprecedentedly mighty large force, they drove the Hotra family The shipyard was surrounded by water.

At this moment, the capital city was empty, only a small number of patrolling soldiers kept moving around, waiting for the opportunity to catch the scum who took the opportunity to steal.

There was a din of banner hunters here, and a large number of soldiers lined up, which shocked the shipbuilders and even retreated a little.

Old Hotra's face was flushed, he was entangled by his son, and there was endless joy in his heart.

He approached the past Rurik who held his head high and held his chest high, and he couldn't help but hold the king's hand. Before he could speak, he was already in tears.

"Glory! Our glory."

"Yes, our glory." Rurik raised his head again, looking at the big ship that was clearly in top condition with satisfaction: "How mighty and majestic! She will kill Jormungandr!"

"I did not disgrace my mission, everything has been completed. Now I just wait for the king to announce the start of the sacrifice."

"Very good." Rurik nodded.

Like everyone else, Otto's eyes were completely attracted by the big warship Domineering Phantom. Bigness means power. This giant ship redefines what a warship is. It is like the existence of Frost Giants.

No! Maybe there shouldn't be such a huge ship in the world. It must be the wisdom of Asgard from the gods that gave Rose the right to own such a huge ship.

Otto kept convincing himself, and his heart became more and more satisfied.

"My lord, let's start." Steinhotrasson took over from his father: "I will arrange the strong man with the giant ax under the dry dock. As long as you give the order, the final excavation will begin immediately."

"Very good. Sacrifice now!"

First of all, a small sacrificial activity was still completed in the Harvest Square in the capital city, and now is the highlight of the sacrificial ceremony.

In the newly built stone boat altar, Rumia's small figure is matched with the huge antler helmet, showing a strange solemnity.

She still held the wooden staff over the head of the country, and after a while, she ordered the sacrifice to begin.

The strong man led the deer into the stone boat altar one by one, but saw a little girl with braided hair, bright eyes, and a dagger inlaid with gems in her right hand.

It was Verika, the deputy priest, and the sword in her hand was none other than King Rurik's dagger.

Doesn't Rurik have a long sword handy? Yes, this sword is the "Destroyer" in Otto's hand. With this sword, Rurik has no intention of creating a new one. His short sword is more used as a ceremonial guard, and now it exists as an important treasure in the ritual.

Holding her father's sword in her hand, Verika felt full of strength.

Like a Valkyrie, she half knelt down with a dagger in her hand, facing a stag that was knocked down, she inserted it directly into the deer's heart very neatly.

The eyes of the frantically struggling deer were wide open, and the blood of the deer sprayed on her body. The people on the outside had their eyes wide open in solemnity. Only Verika began to deal with the second deer neatly.

The third head, the fourth head...

The bled reindeer was pulled away from the altar, and the blood of the deer flowed continuously along a special sea channel into the Kronstadt mooring in the icy Gulf of Finland.

After sacrificing five deer at a time, Verika stabbed twenty rounds forcefully. Ninety-nine reindeer piled up like a mountain, and the berth was completely bright red.

"Blood-stained Odin!" When the last deer was dismissed from school, the sullen Rurik suddenly raised his right fist.

"Odin! Odin!"

Accompanied by the uniform shouts of the soldiers, the largest reindeer was finally dealt with by the high priest.

The sharp sword cut open the deer's belly, and the bright red liver was cut out. Everything followed the old rules, and the high priest announced a much-anticipated "will of the gods"—good luck.

The ceremony, accompanied by the earth-shaking cheers of thousands, reached its boiling climax.

Then Rurik walked to the dry dock in person, and gave a signal to the strong man holding a huge ax and tied around his waist with a rope at the bottom of the pit.

He pointed with his big hand: "You! Warriors! Let our big ship go into the water!"

The brawny men who were ordered made the most powerful cry in their lives, and then swung the Nordic forest axes, with the force of cutting down a big tree with one blow, and smashed hard at the most critical wooden beams of the gate.

At first, it was just sawdust flying, and when the gap gradually widened, mud spurted out unstoppably.

This is just the beginning.

The crane gradually pulled up the strong man, and the rushing mud became more and more violent under their feet.

Until, the earth shakes violently.

Accompanied by a loud bang, the gates of the entire dry dock collapsed, and a huge amount of seawater gushed in, filling the entire dry dock like a stormy sea.

A miracle happened!

Everyone was stunned, even Rurik, who was standing very close, was splashed wet by the sea spray from the dry dock.

He stood still, watching the big ship suddenly rise violently.

The Monarch of the Seas floats! And accompanied by violent left and right shaking, it continued to spray muddy seawater on Rurik.

The noble king stood like a strong pine, and the crowd watching was silent~www.readwn.com~ There were hundreds of ships watching the big show at sea, and people stood up one after another, witnessing the big ship showing her true domineering phantom.

At first, she was shaking violently from side to side, but slowly the sea waves calmed down, the dry dock and the channel to the sea were no longer obstructed, and the floating large ship gradually stabilized.

"It's time! Navy, come on!"

Rurik didn't care about the mud, he ordered Godlund and his naval soldiers to go straight to the dry dock filled with water, and the thick cables thrown from the ship in advance were quickly pulled by as many as 400 people at the same time. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the warship drifted into the sea channel, and entered the berth full of ice floes like a monster.

Look! Compared with her, the Aurora-class sailing cruisers docked nearby have become little sisters. The endless ice floes were like gravel compared to her.

The sea water washed away the mud from the big ship, and the Sovereign of the Seas ushered in its great birth with a perfect image.

At this moment, everything is silent.

Yes, it is the endless cheers of the people on the shore...