How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
As we burst in, he lifted his head, and we saw the blood running freely from his lips, from where he had been drinking from Bera's throat.
He stood, and pointed at us.
At Eirik, I mean. And me.
Then he spoke, in a voice thick, choked from the blood that was still trickling down inside.
"I want my children."
He walked toward us.
Father, and some of the other men, were quick, and grabbed burning logs from the fire, waving them at Tor, thinking that fire would harm this evil, and they seemed to be right.
Tor squealed like a pig that has been cut, and suddenly was gone. (6.9.16-23)
First we have a ghost, now we have a vampire—this whole saga is becoming very supernatural. Tor has some classic movie monster things going on. He rises from the grave at night, he drinks blood from animals and people, and fire frightens him. However, he does not sparkle. Darn.
Quote #8
The snow lay deep upon the ground, and everyone wondered at how Tor was able to come out at night, and not make a mark on the snow. Anywhere.
"He is a devil now," Father said, shrugging. "Who knows what things he can do? Enough! We dig!"
The men dug, first clearing the snow from the mound, then the sparse earth that had been scattered over the stones of the cairn, and then, making a chain of bodies, the large stones of the cairn were lifted away, one by one.
With all the cairn stones gone, it only was left to lift the stone lid.
"Wulf…?" began one man.
Others drew back. A waiting fear had crept into us all.
"What are we doing?"
"What if…?"
But Father stepped onto the lid. And stamped his foot.
"Whatever is in here. Whatever it is, it's not Tor. Not anymore. And now, with daylight, it can do nothing. So stop bellyaching and help me lift this stone. For our children's sake!"
The lid was lifted, and there, inside the grave, lay Tor.
It was another wonder.
His body was uncorrupted. He looked as though he slept. That was all.
And yet, there was blood at the corners of his mouth.
Father turned to Leif.
"Did you bring them?" he asked, and Leif stepped forward holding a leather bag.
Father took it from him, and pulled out a massive hammer, and two stout stakes, made of whitethorn, from the western isle.
No one helped my father.
He knelt down, to finish what he had begun. He hammered the first stake right through Tor's chest, and deep, deep, deep into the soil beneath.
He took the second stake, and drove it hard into Tor's mouth, between his lips, which opened to take this offering. There was a crunch and a crack of bone, but Father did not stop hammering until only the very tip of the stake was pointing from Tor's mouth.
Father stood.
"Try walking now," he muttered. (6.10.15-36)
Wulf fights magic with magic. Maybe this old-timey trick from the old legends will keep this vampire from rising from his grave… Don't count on it, though. Unrelated, we love Wulf's sassy send-off at the end—"Try walking now." Viking burn.
Quote #9
In front of the musicians, two small old men dance madly, too. Dressed in skins, and fur boots, they are the shamans; their eyes stare blindly into the distance, for they don't see in this world; they see in other worlds. (7.1.15)
The entire ceremonial execution of King Eirikr is way supernatural. The people of the island are hoping to appeal to the gods to get help for their problems… and offering a little blood in return. These shamans are obviously in touch with the gods because they see the kinds of things that happen in other worlds. Yup. Totally supernatural.