Father is dead. He was shot full of arrows... and died. Father, who was so big and strong... why did he give up his sword? A warrior doesn't need a sword? That's not true at all! Why? Why did father hafta die...? Damn it... why is father dead... and HE'S still alive? Damn it, damn it... DAMN IT!— Thorfinn
The Death of Thors (トールズの死 Tōruzu no Shi?) is the 16th chapter in the series and the last chapter of Volume 2.
Overview[]
Pierced with a barrage of arrows, the dying Thors holds Askeladd to his word and the latter agrees that he will withdraw his men at once. Thors requests that Leif bring his head to the Jomsvikings Chief Sigvaldi so that he knows Thors did not hide and will thus not go after the village. Having given his life as requested, he demands that Bjorn release Thorfinn. The distraught Thorfinn embraces his father, who thanks the gods. Ari attacks Askeladd, who easily dodges his sword and tells him Thors's death was worth a hundred green boys like him. Later that night, Askeladd's crew is on the water, pulling along Thors's ship, left behind by Thors's men since they could not sail it without him. He ponders the day's events, notably the fact that Thors neutralized twenty-eight of his men without killing any of them. Thorfinn is revealed to have stowed away in his father's ship's hold. He swears that he will kill Askeladd. Askeladd's man asks if they should throw Thorfinn overboard, but he declines, saying he will die soon enough.
Summary[]
Thorfinn embraces his dying father
Thors remains standing despite having been struck by ten of the archers' arrows. Thors, bloody and sweating, turns to Askeladd and repeats that he won the battle. He tells him to honour his warrior's oath. Askeladd agrees, in the name of his ancestor Artorius, to withdraw his men at once. Thors turns to Leif's knarr and asks the crying Leif to bring his head to the Chieftain of Jom, Sigvaldi, and to tell him that he was slain by pirates, so that he knows Thors didn't hide and will thus not go after the village in retaliation. Thors turns to Bjorn, tells him he gave him his life as he demanded, and demands he drop Thorfinn. Bjorn lets go of Thorfinn, who runs to his father and embraces him. Thors pats Thorfinn's head and thanks the gods. Ari angrily rushes for Askeladd, who easily dodges his sword and punches him. He calls Ari stupid and tells him today should've taught him to value his life and that he should thank Thors, since his death is worth more than a hundred green boys' like Ari.
Thorfinn cries inside the ship's hold. His father is dead. He does not comprehend why Thors gave up his sword and said a warrior doesn't need a sword, as Thorfinn does not think is true at all. He laments that Thors had to die even after he beat Askeladd and won, questioning why his father is dead while Askeladd is still alive.
Askeladd ponders the day's events, notably Thors neutralizing twenty-eight of his men without killing even one
Thorfinn, who had stowed away in the hold of Thors's longship (taken by Askeladd's band), swears he will kill Askeladd
Askeladd's ships are on the water, one of them dragging Thors's longship along with ropes. The ship had been left by Thors's men, who said they could not sail it without Thors. The band is happy that they are getting a great third ship, as they have taken on many new men and needed one. Askeladd, laying down on one of his ships, thinks about the day's events, notably the fact that Thors wounded twenty-eight of his men, but did not kill a single one of them. One of Askeladd's men asks him to come to the stern. He comes and sees that Thorfinn is standing on Thors's ship, having hidden himself in the hold. The men make laugh at Thorfinn, making fun of his short sword and pretending they are afraid he'll kill them. Askeladd remains serious and does not join in. Thorfinn, angry, screams at Askeladd for daring to kill his father and swears, over and over again, that he will kill him. The men stop laughing, sobered by the wild look in Thorfinn's eyes despite his young age. One of the men asks Askeladd if they should throw Thorfinn overboard, but Askeladd says to leave him and that he'll die soon enough.
Thorfinn, still standing alone on Thors's ship, cries.
Supplemental Material[]
The end of Chapter 16 includes a Map of Thorfinn's Travels (including information boxes for "Thorfinn's home village", with images of young Thorfinn, Thors, Ylva, Helga and Ari); "Jomsborg", with an image of Floki; the "Earldom of Northumbria, Northern England", with an image of the November 1002 A.D. English attack on a Viking settlement; and the "Faroe Islands, North Atlantic Ocean", with an image of Askeladd).
It is followed by the short I Went to the Land of Aurora Borealis, which tells of Yukimura's visit to Iceland with his wife in February 2003.
A supplemental design of Askeladd and his sword is included.
The Afterword talks about the weight of Viking armour and weapons.
Translation Notes: Normanni, Frankish Kingdom, Tyr, General Jabatthe, Jörmungand, Knarr, Thing, Jomsvikings, Thingvellir National Park.
Bonus Story: For Our Farewell Is Near