Chapter 47

"In an instant, I knew. If Artorius would not come to save my mother now... he would never come for us at all. Do you understand, boy? Someone has to do it. Not a hero, not a god — just someone."

- Askeladd

The Hero Is Gone (英雄不在) is the 47th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Askeladd tells Thorfinn the story of how he killed his own father, Olaf, a man he truly hated. Askeladd is shown as a very young boy; plastered black and white from his various chores, he is nicknamed “Askeladd”, for “the ashen lad”. His mother Lydia, a sickly slave, was one of Lord Olaf's favourites in her youth, but was treated no better than the dogs after she became ill. Lydia tells her son of the hero Artorius, their ancestor who saved their home from invading barbarians five centuries prior, whom she believed would come back and save them all. When Askeladd is eleven, his mother’s spirit breaks and she clutches onto Lord Olaf as he walks by, mistaking him for the hero Artorius. Olaf unsheathes his sword and is about to attack her when Askeladd grabs a nearby sword and defends her, despite never having held a sword before. Olaf recognizes him as his own and says he has potential and will live in his home from now on. Askeladd plays the loyal, grateful son and dutifully follows lessons and gets along with his half-brothers for two years. When his father is sleeping with a woman and his guard is down, Askeladd kills Olaf with the sword of the brother who was most at odds with their father, leading the other brothers to kill him. Askeladd says simple-minded brutes like them are squeezing the life out of the world, and that he hopes it comes soon, be it through Artorius's return, Ragnarok, or the Final Judgement. He tells Thorfinn that his point is that Thorfinn has had over a decade to kill him and still cannot beat him, which makes him a clown and means he needs to use his head. Canute asks Askeladd why he backs him instead of taking the crown himself, as an able man with an illustrious lineage. Askeladd says Canute is better suited for it and that he himself is just a Viking. He carries Bjorn's body away. Five days later, Mols is offloading merchandise from a knarr in York, Northumbria, while an older Leif Ericson looks around the slave market.

Summary
Picking up directly from the end of Chapter 46, Askeladd tells Thorfinn of how he killed his own father, a "lesson on how to kill a man you truly hate."

When he was a child, Askeladd's mother, Lydia, was a slave. She'd always been sickly since before he could remember. His earliest memories are of doing chores at a smithy and stables, tasks that would plaster him black and white with substances like soot, horse manure and ash, earning him the nickname of "Askeladd", for "the ashen lad". A very young Askeladd is seen chopping wood and scrubbing a furnace. As he works, a man outside exclaims that Lord Olaf has returned after another victory. Askeladd says that Olaf, his father was a champion of Jutland, a typical Norse warrior who loved to drink, fuck, and kill. He had fathered many bastards like Askeladd, none of which he could likely recognize, and only the sons born to his wife were given names. Askeladd's mother had been Olaf's favourite slave in her youth, but was treated no better than the dogs once she became ill. Askeladd is seen bringing food to his mother and helping her eat, laying in the stables' straw near the animals. Askeladd says living in pain and squalor was all he knew and nothing to him, but that it was different for his mother, who used to tell him the tale of their ancestor, the hero Artorius, over and over. She is seen looking at the water with him, telling a young Askeladd of how five centuries past, General Artorius had protected her hometown from invading barbarians, and she believed the myth of his eventual return, which would free her from slavery and sickness. Askeladd says she told the story so many times, he grew to believe it himself; that the hero Artorius lived on in an earthly paradise no mortal man could reach, far over the western sea.

In present time, Askeladd continues telling the story as the sky darkens and the snow picks up. He tells Thorfinn that the myth, which his mother's people believe, says the hero is tending to his wounds there, in a promised land of eternal life, peace and prosperity, and will someday return with a great force to restore order and smite the barbarians. Thorfinn, familiar with the concept, mutters "promised land", while Canute listens on quietly. Askeladd says that his people have been waiting five centuries now, with the hero yet to return. He notes if their ancestor lived in such a glorious place, he would never choose to return. Askeladd is seen at age 11, working when he witnesses his mother's spirit break. She strolls outside, singing and spreading her blanket wide with her arms extended, laughing and then running towards Lord Olaf, who was walking by. She grabs onto him, mistaking him for the hero Artorius. He unsheathes his sword as Askeladd looks on, wide-eyed. In present time, Askeladd tells Thorfinn that he knew Artorius would never come for them if he didn't come for his mother now. He asks Thorfinn if he understands that someone has to do it — not a hero or a god, but just someone. 11-year-old Askeladd is seen grabbing one of the smithy's swords, hanging nearby, and attacks Lord Olaf, who was about to attack his kneeling, smiling mother. Askeladd says it was odd, but that despite never having used a sword before, he knew exactly how to use it, proof that he came from the "piece of shit" before him, a realization that brought tears to his eyes. Olaf and Askeladd exchange blows until Olaf makes Askeladd drop his sword and kicks him down, aiming his sword at him. He asks if he's "hers", and after looking at Askeladd, asks if he's his. Askeladd says yes. Olaf sheathes his sword, tells him he has potential, and says he will live in his home from that day onward. Askeladd says he did not expect to be able to kill Olaf at age eleven, but that he had just needed to catch his eye and had succeeded. He says that he behaved himself in his father's hall, getting along with his half-brothers, keeping up with combat and riding lessons and upholding his father's honour, playing the loyal son grateful for being saved from slavery. A slightly older Askeladd, now better dressed, is seen getting along with his half-brothers, who after two years, grew to accept him as though he were legitimate. Askeladd, now around 13 or 14, is shown standing above his father, killing him by piercing his throat with a sword. His father was in bed with a woman, whose throat he also appears to have cut. Askeladd says he wished for two things: for a moment when his father's guard was down, and for the right to his fortune.

In present time, Askeladd stands and laughs. He says he wishes Thorfinn could've seen the look of incomprehension on his face, and says he stabbed him with the sword belonging to the brother who was most at odds with their father. The brother was subsequently hung from a tree by the other brothers. Askeladd calls them simple-minded cretins, stupid and filthy, only concerned with their own base urges. He says that men like that are flooding forth and squeezing the life out of the world, and that he doesn't care if it's Artorius, Ragnarok or the Final Judgement, as long as it comes soon, though he doubts he'll be alive to see it for himself. He says his story ran long and tells Thorfinn that his point is that he is a clown, since he's had over a decade to kill him and still can't beat him. He tells him to use his head, then goes to hoist Bjorn's corpse over his shoulder. Canute asks Askeladd why him, when he himself is of the hero's lineage and has the ability to lead. He asks him why he does not take the throne and change the world himself. Askeladd asks him if he was paying attention to his story, and says Canute is more suited to being a king than at least both he and Sweyn, and that he can tell from his face. He tells Canute that he is nothing but a Viking. Canute and Thorfinn watch Askeladd walk away with Bjorn's body, why Thorkell stands with his arms crossed, wondering if they forgot about him. Five days later, early February 1014, in the Danish-occupied York Northumbria, Mols offloads merchandise from a knarr and asks another man where "pops" went. The other man reckons he's at the slave market again. Mols exclaims he doesn't know when to give up. At the slave market, a much older Leif Ericson looks around at the tied slaves.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Askeladd
 * Olaf
 * Lydia
 * Thorfinn
 * Canute
 * Bjorn (corpse)
 * Thorkell
 * Mols
 * Leif Ericson