They landed on a roughed, jagged beach coming in off of choppy seas to dock at a once bustling fishing village. Now from the looks of it though, it was strangely deserted. The Vikings disembarked tentatively, fanning out with weapon drawn, ready for any sign of hostile life.
The humble earthen structures stood echoic empty, their doors and window left wide open, shadows their only residents. Once clean wash still hung on lines as random pieces of debris traveled from one side of the town square to the other, played with by fickle breezes.

"Fucking shit! Somebody's already sacked this dump!", Denmark spat, embedding his axe into a nearby structure to glare at the empty town, his hands firmly on his hips as he glared accusingly at the empty place for being so desolate and empty of plunder. Norway sheathed his own sword concluding the same thing, though his gaze lingered over minuet details-tasks left mid-action, un-cleaned fish abandoned rotting in nets, wares and goods left out in stands to be meticulously destroyed by the elements, unattended fishing boats partly submerged to drown slow deaths in the sea.

"No….I don't think so….not at all.", the Norge said softly, wandering over to a low home to peer inside of it. The one room structure was obviously devoid of all life, but showed further signs of the common growing theme. A dinner, picked over by animals and presently being actively consumed by bugs, sat still rotting on the table, the chairs overturned. The fire looked like it had been let to burn out…more that likely because no one had returned to it. Whatever had happened here, had recently occurred.

Norway did not like this…..no…he didn't like this at all. Something felt terribly off to him. It would probably be best if they left right now and avoid whatever circumstances had occurred here. While it may have just been slavers, none of the valuables had been taken along with the people. Ornaments and decorations(the few there were) had been left in place, valuable fish remained as well to be ruined but they had seen fit to take the bulky horses and livestock. Norway had yet to see even so much as a chicken. Things were not adding up right. It was also the most bloodless capture Norway had ever seen. Usually someone always fought back, people just didn't go willingly into captivity….strange. Norway checked several more homes, coming to the same strange findings. His men reported back similar circumstances from the other side of the village as well. Norway decided they had seen enough and that they would leave immediately. That seemed the best coarse of action, the most logical to him.

The stoic Norge realized something else, though rather belated. It was much too quiet. "Where's Denmark?", Norway groaned.

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The nation in question was currently following after a wily baby goat who had somehow managed to escape the town's mysterious fate. Said baby goat was being particularly elusive as it evaded the Dane's capture time and time again.

By the time, Denmark had managed to scoop up his tired and very put out quarry, he was well outside the village's boundaries, which was now a small dot far from across the vast expanse of pasture he had traveled unnoticed. A vast forest, dark and deep, pressed itself flush to the field's border, peeking out leafy tendrils in highly desired expansion.

Denmark stared into it depths wide eyed as things moved and shifted in its recesses, rustling dry leaves in their passing. A lost wind wove through earth bound giants with wayward sighs and whispered warnings in its aimless wandering. A crow made a sudden sharp call to be answered back by its murderous brethren, the only other sound in this still space. Denmark shrugged, the effects lost on him entirely, tossing the baby goat up into the air to neatly catch it. "C'mon Dinner. Norge is probably already waiting for us.", Denmark grinned, turning back toward the village. A low tortured groan cut through the air, freezing the Dane's movements. Small golden hairs pricked up on the back of his neck and arms as he realized it was coming from somewhere behind him. Shifting the goat subtly under one arm, Denmark readied his axe with the other. With a swift fluid turn, he faced the forest to see…

Nothing.

Except for the some noisy goat complaints, Denmark heard nothing more as he edged closer to the wood. "I hate this surprise bullshit. Come on out and face me, you gutless sack of crap!", Denmark yelled, his voice echoing hollowly among the trees. He was met with continued silence punctuated with the grumbling of a small animal destined for the soup pot. Denmark grunted, starting to leave again. The eerie noise floated through the air just as loudly had before.

"What did I say about that shit!? That's it! I'm kicking your ass now!", Denmark snarled, throwing caution to the wind as he ran full force into woods in the sound's general direction. He ignored branches that clawed at his roaming form in passing, cutting down the larger ones that dared get into his way. Eventually, the Dane came to a small bare clearing, dappled with bright sunlight streaming long dazzling fingers in through the canopy overhead. Denmark blinked at the shocking hot light, turning a wide circle to survey his surrounding. He stopped as a white figure shuffled out of the wood on the opposite side of the glade.

Denmark's eyes grew wide in shock as the unearthly being reached toward him. It was clad in shrouds that had once been white, but were now stained with blood and dirt. A broken sword was clenched in its hand, the ruined weapon crusted with dried crimson. The wraith's skin was pale white as a corpse, its silver hair even lacking any real color in death. Burning ruby eyes spoke of evil intent as sharp canines glittered from beneath thinly drawn lips turned up a ghastly smile.

"A…draug?", Denmark whispered in disbelief to the goat who eyed his back curiously. The 'draug' growled loudly as it raised its weapon, blood dripping freely from its pallid flesh.

Denmark-Viking supreme, conqueror of men, scourge of the seas, a nation who's lust for violence and blood could not be matched, did the only thing he could think of in this type of peculiar situation.

Denmark jumped back to hit the ground running, belting out of the forest screaming at the top of his lungs, across the field and back to the village, carrying a very bewildered goat with him.

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"Did anyone see where that idiot went off to?", Norway asked again, to a vague shaking of heads. Norway pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing colorfully under his breath. He was positive now something unworldly had taken place in this cursed village quite recently, he just wasn't exactly sure what it was yet. Upon looking for the Dane, the Vikings had discovered all of the graves of the village's small cemetery nearby were empty, the dirt pushed up, out, and away from beneath the surface. "Of course he would have to wander off at a time like this!", Norway complained to no one in particular. This seemed to be his lot in life. He often wondered which god he had so sorely pissed off to merit this kind of punishment and if his trial would end anytime soon. A loud approaching noise alerted Norway of the Dane's imminent arrival, though he was puzzled to see that Denmark seemed to be actually upset about something. He also realized he really should have moved when Denmark dove into a bear hug tackle with a goat in the mix. It was the most awkward three way hug imaginable.

Norway stared up at the sky and the small animal that was beginning to eat his hair, wondering if feeling was going to return anytime soon to his extremities…..Oh, and Denmark was crying about something as well. "Would you get the hell off of me?! What is your problem?", Norway growled, shoving the other nation and goat away from him. "Haven't you been listening to anything I have been saying?!", Denmark yelled, jumping up. "I find it saves my time and sanity if I do not.", Norway stated flatly, glaring at the pacing Dane, who ignored his barb as per usual.

"I saw a draug!", Denmark continued to yell, oblivious to the death stare he was receiving.

"I could have told you that already idiot, if you had bothered to stick around instead of wandering off. Wait, what?", Norway snapped, taking time to brush the dirt off of his clothing in severe irritation as he mentally caught up with the Dane's ranting. "We have to get out of here….", Norway started, trailing off when he realized that Denmark had gone oddly silent which was never a good sign.

"I can't.", Denmark said quietly, toeing the ground in front of him.

"Why not?", Norway seethed, just knowing somehow that the answer was going to be totally inane.

"I dropped my axe.", Denmark sighed, gesturing widely with empty hands. Norway stared back at him dumbfounded.

"So let me get this straight….You supposedly saw a draug, so your first gut reaction was to drop your weapon and what? Grab the goat and run?", Norway drew out the scenario painfully slowly. Denmark scratched his cheek thoughtfully as he studied the baby goat affectionately named Dinner, who chewed its cud in response. He turned back to the Norge.

"Yup.", Denmark grinned. Norway's face met its good friend palm in reunion as he sighed deeply. When he found out which god he had offended, there would be a reckoning of epic proportion. No one deserved this.

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"Explain to me why we had to bring the damn goat with us?", Norway grumbled, balefully eyeing the small animal tucked under the Dane's arm as they walked across the field.

"Tactical advantage.", Denmark stated firmly, said baby goat being held firmly against his side. .

"Tactical….? With a goat? Really?", Norway asked sardonically, studying the forest ahead of them.

"Yeah. For like traps or as a distraction or something. Really Norge, you got to think ahead about these kind of things.", Denmark lectured, causing Norway to momentarily grow purple with barely suppressed rage. Norway considered braining the other and leaving him here. They had sent the other men back to the boats to wait for their return, the two nations being more than capable of taking care of themselves. "Here we are.", Denmark announced happily, oblivious to the venomous looks being thrown at him as they arrived at the clearing. Norway looked around carefully as the Dane searched the ground for his beloved axe.

"Looking for this, Arschloch?", asked a strange heavily accented voice. The Nordics whirled around to see a familiar(at least to the Dane) pale figure emerge from behind a tree, leaning heavily on Denmark's long handled weapon.

"Draug!", Denmark screamed, pointing unnecessarily. Norway rolled his eyes in exasperation, face palming for what felt like the hundredth time that day. The other being threw a strange look at the panicked Dane as well. Norway took the opportunity to smack the back of a wild blonde head hard enough to knock him over before Denmark could continue.

"Is he retarded or something?", the pale man ventured, eyeing the fallen nation warily.

"Or something. Who are you?", Norway said briskly, all business.

"Don't talk to it!", Denmark yelled from his prone position.

"Idiot, he is obviously one of us.", Norway said with forced calm as he kicked the other in the side to shut up.

"It's not a draug?", Denmark asked the forest floor, really not taking the hint.

"No, he's not, you simpleton.", Norway sighed, glaring down at his companion as he ground his heel in a little harder.

Denmark popped up to point Dinner at the pale nation threateningly. "What the hell? Why are you dressed up like a draug?!", he yelled, shaking the goat with grim intent at the stranger.

"I'm not dressed like…. Like whatever the hell a draug is! I'm a knight damn it! And why are you shaking a goat at me? What is wrong with you?", the other snapped back, pointing Denmark's axe at him.

"With me?! What's wrong with you!? You look dead! Why do you look dead if you are not a draug, Lig?", Denmark complained, more Dinner though than the being in question before him. Norway stared at him in complete awe at the range of his stupidity.

"Whatever. Last time I checked, axe beat goat. Time to die, fuckers.", the pale man grinned, raising the weapon up. He doubled over in sudden pain when a slender foot connected with the pit of his stomach.

"Last time I checked, it was two against one.", Norway said calmly, kicking the axe away from the man's reach as he placed the tip of his sword to a pale throat. The axe was happily re-claimed by Denmark, who smiled blissfully at the return of his favorite weapon. Any further conversation was cut off by an abrupt and very strange approaching noises, an odd shuffling sound of multiple feet dragging heavily, followed by peculiar wet clicking sounds. Worse, it was coming in from nearly all directions.

"Can you fight?", Norway whispered to the albino, his eyes casting about wildly.

"Ja. What's going on?", the pale man murmured back in an unspoken truce in light of a common threat. Their quiet caution turning out to be totally unnecessary.

"What did I say about that surprise bullshit? Hurry the fuck up and come out! I'm getting bored!", Denmark yelled, pacing the length of the glen back and forth as he peered into the wood.

"You fucking idiot! Be quiet!", Norway snapped hoarsely, grabbing the other roughly by the collar to force him down to ear level.

"Why? You know how I feel about the sneaking around shit. I am just going to kill them. What's the big deal?", Denmark yawned, gesturing lazy swinging motions with his weapon to emphasize his point.

"Hey!", snapped the strange nation, clapping his hands loudly together to get the Nordic's attention.

"What?!", they snapped back in unison.

"Are you Arschlochs waiting for an invitation or a sign from God? Let's get the hell out of here!", the pale man rolled his eyes, pushing away the Nord's unresisting sword. Rolling to his feet, he started to run toward a space the approaching noises seemed thinnest. Denmark shrugged, following the bloodied knight with Norway trailing closely after them. The trio moved swiftly through the wood, though despite their best silent efforts, the noises still continued to surround their escape. The threat had yet to reveal itself to them.

"So what is a draug?", the pale man asked softly, his crimson eyes watching every shadow with a wary expression.

"It's a walking corpse animated by magic.", Norway whispered back.

"Like you.", Denmark said a little too brightly to be considered intelligent or sane.

"For the last damn time, I'm not dead! Seriously though who are you guys?", the knight muttered at the Dane angrily.

"I'm Norway and the fool with the goat is Denmark.", the Norge made hasty introductions as they navigated through the darkening forest.

"Never heard of you.", snorted the pale man, clearly unimpressed.

"Like that means anything. I've never heard of you either, and I'm awesome.", Denmark growled, taking it personally.

"No. You're proof that some village is missing its idiot and I'm the one who is awesome. I'm Prussia.", the Prussian grinned widely.

"If you are so awesome, why are you cut up to shit?", Denmark asked, nodding to the knight's many wounds.

"I was just returning from a great victory.", Prussia said a little too quickly.

"By yourself?", Norway pointed out in a ice dry tone. The Prussian scowled back at him in silent answer. The three made it to the field with a sigh of relief. They found that their respite was premature when the villagers or what was left of them shuffled out of the woods after them.

The things that had once been human were obviously very dead. Gray skin hung off of their frames, sagging heavily with collected fluid that leaked out of tears and punctures, putrid and wet. The smell that came off of the creatures was a force unto itself, coiling rancid, heavy with the odor of rotting flesh and excrement. The wet clicking sound they had heard earlier was the draug's teeth hitting enamel as the festering creatures bit at the air in greedy anticipation and never ending hunger.

"Mein Gott, scheisse…Wait a damn minute! You thought I was one of those things!? Fuck you Arschloch!", Prussia growled at the Dane, drawing his useless broken shard of a sword. Denmark shrugged as he turned a wide circle to see that they were surrounded, more draug closing in from the village itself.

"So….um…..does anyone have a plan or a spare sword?", Prussia asked almost casually as he cracked his knuckles.

"Norge?", Denmark looked pointed over at his fellow Nordic.

"There is a spell…..", Norway mumbled, the nations forming a tight circle as they readied themselves for attack.

"And?", Denmark prompted. A spell was sounding pretty damn good to him. It usually meant he didn't have to do anything.

"…but it is going to take some time to cast.", Norway finished with a small frown of concentration.

"How much time?", Denmark ventured.

"More than we have right now.", Norway sighed as more draug appeared.

"Well, I guess that means we are just going to have to keep these things busy then doesn't it? Think you can keep up?", Prussia laughed, throwing out the challenge openly to the Dane.

"Fuck it. What's a little being torn apart and eaten alive anyway? And here I thought the day was going to be boring.", Denmark grinned back.

"Great. Give me your sword then. We will make a hole or something you can get through. Then, we'll slice and dice. You just make with the hocus pocus and boom, we will be drinking beer by nightfall.", Prussia reasoned, to Denmark's nod of approval. Any plans that ended in drinking was a good one to him. Norway rolled his eyes as he passed his sword to the Prussian. He readied himself to dart forward as the draug closed in.

"Norge….wait…", Denmark said softly, making Norway pause at the gently uttered tones that so tenderly said his name. Norway felt his breathe catch in his throat at Denmark stared down at him with an intense look in his stunning cerulean eyes. The Nord's rational side argued they didn't have time for sweet sentiments, but the strange warm gooey feelings won out as Norway leaned forward a bit, moistening his lips to part them ever so slightly…to have the small goat shoved into his arm. "Take Dinner with you. I really want stew later.", Denmark said sincerely, lovingly patting the baby goat on the head.

Norway's scathing retort was cut off when he was bodily picked up by Denmark, who started to spin. At the pinnacle of his arch, the Dane released nation and goat to send them sailing over the wave of draug. The Nord managed to tuck and roll in time as he landed hard on his side. Cursing the thought processes of the Danish and everything else in general, Norway carried himself and Dinner to a safe spot to work his spell out in relative peace.

Denmark and Prussia stood back to back, as their weapons tore through rotting bodies to the spray and splatter of foul vicious fluid. Axe and sword worked in perfect tandem together as the steel carved up all who met their crossed paths.

"I'm already at 20.", Prussia smirked, lunging forward to sweep a wide arch with his sword, sending vicious fluid flying.

"Slow and pathetic. Is this your first battle? I'm already at 32.", Denmark mocked cleaving with a grace that could only be termed as dancing with blood and bone.

"This coming from the guy who pissed himself earlier by just being in my presence alone. It's understandable though. I am that awesome.", Prussia shot back, moving like wind and steel through the undead.

"Did not. That was a tactical retreat. Nothing more, nothing less.", Denmark snapped.

"Oh, is that what they call running away, crying like a little bitch where you are from?", Prussia laughed.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't the one who looked like he was on the wrong end of a sword, Lig.", Denmark retorted, chopping the head off of a particularly stubborn draug that was trying to gnaw on his leg.

"Hey, how long is that spell going to take anyway?", Prussia asked, kicking the knees out of one to behead it smoothly, backhanded another with the pommel of the sword.

"Dunno. That is Norgy's thing. Awwww, are you getting tired? Do you want to go take a little nappy?", Denmark taunted, whirling his axe overhead to sweep it down at a wide forceful arc, opening up chest cavities to spill their wealth as skulls cracked open to present gray matter to the retreating daylight.

"Holy crap, how many villagers was in that damn village?", Prussia yelled as more draug emerged from the forest.

The two panting nations froze mid action as all the draug suddenly grew eerily still. They stared in morbid fascination as the creatures started to shake uncontrollably, pockets of air stretching their skin out wide in grotesque shapes, filling with collected fluid like quivering zits. "Oh shit. Not good.", Denmark sighed. "What?", Prussia managed to asked before all the draug noisily exploded. All the cursed beings were reduced to pools of dark putrid fluid with small bits floating on the oily surface. The rest of it covered the pair thickly. "That's why I hesitant to do the spell earlier. It is a little messy.", Norway said, as he wandered back over to the pair though he kept a fair distance from them.

"You think!?", Prussia yelled, trying not to gag or swallow any of the stuff that dripped heavily off of him.

"It could be worse.", Denmark remarked, slinging some of the smelly crap off of himself. "How could this be worse?", Prussia gestured fully to his covered self.

"I dunno. Why do you ask stupid questions?", Denmark shrugged, looking around.

"What is it now?", Norway asked tiredly.

"Where's Dinner?"