Chapter: 25
"I'm glad that you're back with us, Rose," Sigrun said warmly, a relieved smile spreading across her tired face. She had spent two restless, sleepless nights pacing and fretting, fearing the worst. Seeing her friend alive, seated by the fireside among the others, had finally eased the weight pressing down on her heart.
The healer's hut now behind them, the Valkyries had resumed their duties guarding the village from the ever-present threat of the undead. While the frequency of attacks had lessened, the horde still loomed beyond the treeline, and every sword, spear, or claw that could be raised in defense was desperately needed.
Even Artom and Igor, despite their young age, joined the ranks with the Valkyries. Fighting helped dull their fear, letting them focus their rage and confusion on something they could hit. It gave them purpose—and in war, purpose was everything.
The other Valkyries, still unaware of the boys' true nature, had been stunned by their performance on the battlefield. Their monstrous transformations had caught everyone off guard.
"It looks like they had a really rough day," one of the Valkyries commented quietly, eyeing the boys now curled up and fast asleep on Rossweisse's lap, their breathing soft and even.
"They sure did, Hlökk," Sigrun responded, glancing over at her comrade who was nibbling thoughtfully on an apple. "You should've seen them earlier—those boys tore through the undead like seasoned warriors."
"At this rate, they might even grow to be as strong as Mr. Erik," Reginleif mused aloud. She adjusted her glasses as she spoke, her voice laced with curiosity.
"They're already stronger than most children I've ever seen," Hlökk added with a small laugh. "Makes me wonder what their father feeds them. Raw bear meat and dragon eggs?"
"Well," Rossweisse said with a chuckle, running her fingers affectionately through their hair, "their diet mostly consists of meat and potatoes. But it's mostly meat. Nikolai's obsessed with the stuff."
"Can't deny that, If there is one vegetable everyone loves it's definitely potatoes." Sigrun said, her tone softening. "And you should've seen how fiercely they protected him when he got hurt. Like two little wolves guarding their den."
That prompted her to recount the story of their encounter with the Volkov family—how the fight began, the overwhelming strength they witnessed, and the fierce loyalty between the trio. The Valkyries leaned in closer as Sigrun spoke, their interest piqued.
"Don't forget to mention how their father kicked our asses," Hildr chimed in with a grin. She was one of the Valkyries who had fought Nikolai in the forest. "Even outnumbered, he manhandled us like we were training dummies. Took Sigrun's Destruction Fist right to the face and just… shrugged it off. I mean, is he even human at this point?"
As laughter and chatter filled the firelit circle, a new voice sliced through the air like a blade of wind.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
The group straightened in surprise. Eir, their supervisor and one of the highest-ranking Valkyries, stepped into the fire's glow with calm, composed footsteps.
They moved to stand in respect, but Eir casually motioned for them to stay seated. "Relax," she said, settling beside Rossweisse.
"No, Miss Eir, you're not interrupting at all," Sigrun said quickly, nodding as Eir joined the gathering.
Rossweisse opened her mouth, ready to ask about Nikolai's condition, but Eir spoke before she could.
"If you're wondering about the Russian man, he's fine. His face was a mess—bone fractures everywhere. That punch of yours, Sigrun, gave him a severe concussion. But his other injuries have already healed."
Rossweisse let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. The news gave her some comfort, but the mention of a serious concussion still sent a chill through her chest.
Sigrun, meanwhile, looked devastated. Her fists clenched at her sides. "I didn't mean to…" she began, her voice thick with guilt. "I was just doing my job, but I didn't know…"
Eir offered a slow nod. "He'll survive. He's tougher than most people I've met."
Then her gaze turned to Rossweisse. "Speaking of the Russian man… tell me, who is he really? Why was a foreigner living alone out here, beyond the home country, in the middle of this cursed forest?"
All eyes shifted to Rossweisse.
Ten Valkyries and Eir now formed a silent semicircle around the fire, the only sounds the soft crackle of flames and the occasional distant howl of wolves—or something worse. Rossweisse straightened, feeling the heat of their attention. She cleared her throat.
"Well… it started a few days ago. I was wounded during a scouting mission and thought I was done for. But then he appeared. He saved me."
She chose her words carefully, omitting certain intimate details—the part where he'd undressed her to treat her wounds, or his half-joking proposal of marriage.
Gasps rose when she revealed that Nikolai and his sons had been surviving alone in the forest for seven years—longer than most people could last even seven days in this place.
"He remembers nothing about his past," she explained. "Only his name, and that he's from Russia. He said he woke up in a basement surrounded by corpses. Cultists, probably."
Reginleif looked sick. "That's horrifying."
Rossweisse nodded, then described his strength, agility, and his incredible martial prowess—skills far beyond any common warrior. She told them how he trained using boulders as weights, doing push-ups with it like it weight nothing to him.
"No way!" Hildr exclaimed, her cheeks flushed. "Push-ups with a boulder on his back? That's… that's so strong and manly!"
The Valkyries laughed. Rossweisse did not. She shifted, visibly uncomfortable. The way Hildr spoke of Nikolai, she didn't like it.
"Look at Rose, she blushing," Sigrun teased. "You getting jealous, huh?"
Hildr smirked. "Don't worry, I won't steal your forest boyfriend."
"W-what nonsense are you spouting?!" Rossweisse sputtered, cheeks redder than the fire.
Hildr leaned dramatically back and forth, swinging her arms as she mimicked a romantic tale. "Imagine it! A brave warrior rescuing a beautiful woman, taking her back to his cabin in the woods for some healing… some spicy action…"
Rossweisse wanted to melt into the earth. Unfortunately for her, most of it had happened, even if it was not as sultry as Hildr imagined.
"Alright, that's enough," Eir said firmly. "This isn't a tavern."
The laughter died down, and the mood sobered. Eir turned back to Rossweisse.
"So. His Sacred Gear."
Rossweisse cleared her throat again. "Right. His Sacred Gear… it's unlike anything I've ever read. It can devour weapons—completely consume them. Once absorbed, he can summon those weapons from thin air. And if they break, he just summons them again. If he devours the same weapon more than once, it becomes stronger."
Impressed murmurs filled the circle. The implications were vast—limitless arsenals, no need for maintenance, and constant improvement.
"Anything else?" Eir pressed.
Rossweisse hesitated. "Yes, but… this part is harder to explain."
They watched as her expression darkened.
"It also lets him gain abilities from magical creatures he consumes. Not just weapons, but beings. Their powers, skills, regenerative abilities... even traits like transformation or spellcraft."
"That explains a lot," Eir muttered under her breath.
"There's more," Rossweisse added, almost whispering now. "He can give those powers to others."
Shocked voices broke out, but Rossweisse raised a hand.
"But there's a cost."
That silenced them.
"What… kind of cost?" Sigrun asked, unease prickling her spine.
Rossweisse looked up, her voice hollow. "A soul."
The fire crackled.
"A-a soul?" Sigrun echoed, horrified.
Rossweisse nodded solemnly. "Yes. That's the price. A soul for power. It's what makes his Sacred Gear so dangerous... and so tragic."
Before anyone could respond, the atmosphere shifted.
The air suddenly grew heavier, colder.
The Volkov brothers stirred in their sleep, clutching at their chests.
"Papa?" Artom whispered, eyes fluttering open.
Igor sat up, wide-eyed. "Something's wrong..."
Sigrun stood, alarmed. "Rose? Artom? Igor? What's going on?!"
Rossweisse's heart skipped a beat.
"It's Nikolai," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Something had changed.
Something was coming.
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Author's Note:
Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading the latest chapter of Rise of the Baba Yaga. I hope you enjoyed the deeper dive into Nikolai's past, his Sacred Gear, and the growing bonds between the characters. Things are heating up fast, and you won't want to miss what's coming next!
As always, please leave a comment, a review, and toss a few power stones if you're enjoying the ride. Your support helps a ton!
See you all in the next chapter!