Chapter 93

"I want to be able to give Arnheid a satisfying answer. I want peace and salvation here in the mortal realm. And if such a thing doesn't exist, then I'll create it."

- Thorfinn

Birth of a Warrior (戦士の誕生) is the 93rd chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
As Canute's soldiers retreat to go protect him from Thorgil, Snake takes the chance to leave the battlefield. He finds Ketil, unconscious and wounded but alive, and carries him off. Einar begs Arnheid to stay with them, but she can feel her new child has already gone to the other side and asks why she must keep living when her loved ones have already gone and life is painful. She stops breathing and Thorfinn tries to revive her using the technique he once saw Thors use. Einar tells her he loves her, but they are unable to bring her back. Thorfinn tells her of Vinland. Snake, carrying Ketil, comes upon them on the road. Einar is determined to kill Ketil; unable to stop him with words, Thorfinn eventually punches him to stop him, not wanting Einar to become cursed like him. They bury Arnheid. Thorfinn and Einar make a deal to go to Vinland to make a land of peace, for Arnheid.

Summary
On the battlefield, Canute's soldiers fall back in order to protect the king. Snake wonders if the commotion was perhaps caused by Thorgil. He takes his chance to escape, first looking for Ketil. He finds him, unconscious and wounded but still alive. He tells Ketil he should consider himself lucky that the soldier who attacked him didn't recognize him. He lifts him and tells him not to die on him, as he won't forgive him if he dies without taking responsibility for his own men's massacre. In the cart, Einar begs Arnheid not to go into the light and to wake up. He tells her she's not only responsible for her own life and that she still has to birth and raise her new child. She tells him she can tell her new child has already gone to the other side and is waiting for her there, and that she can't keep her baby waiting too long. She asks what good would come from her living longer when those she loved have already left and when living is too painful. Einar starts to tell her why she has to stay, but stops when he notices Arnheid stopped breathing. Thorfinn tells him to move and starts the revival technique he learned from Thors long ago. He tells Einar to keep talking to Arnheid as loud as he can. Einar tells her that he loves her and that although she lost her loved ones, she is his loved one. He begs her to live so that they can start a new life together. Leif looks on sadly as Thorfinn stops the chest compressions. Holding Arnheid, Thorfinn says that far west, across the ocean, there is a land called Vinland, a warm and fertile land untouched by slave raiders and war where people can live in peace. He tells Arnheid to come there with them, where they'll build a country of peace. Einar cries. Snake comes up to them on the road, the unconscious Ketil on his back, and asks them what they're doing there. Einar sees red when he sees Ketil and makes his way toward him, yelling that he'll kill him with his own two hands. Thorfinn holds him back and tells him to quit it, as killing Ketil won't bring Arnheid back to life. Einar punches Thorfinn to get him off. Leif tells Bug-Eyes to come help them stop Einar. Thorfinn grabs onto Einar again and tells him to open his eyes and that revenge is a curse; he tells him he'll only end up like him. When Einar still refuses to listen, Thorfinn punches him, knocking him to his knees in the process. As Einar shakes on the ground, Thorfinn tells him his hatred won't end even if he killed Ketil — that it breeds more hatred and will only rob people of their lives, the very cycle that turns their world into a living hell, one he personally witnessed in his own life. He tells Einar he is his brother and that the last thing he wants is to see him suffer the same curse as him. Einar cries and Thorfinn cries along with him. Einar and Thorfinn bury Arnheid on a hill overlooking the water and erect a stone. As they silently look upon it, Leif tells them that the ship's waiting for them. Einar wipes his tears and asks Thorfinn if he meant what he said earlier about going across the sea. Thorfinn says yes, that they'll go to Vinland. He tells Einar that when Arnheid first asked him why she should keep living, he couldn't find an answer to give her, as life had already taken away more from her than death ever could. For Arnheid, death was not an abyss, but a salvation and a merciful release into peace. Thorfinn says he couldn't simply tell her she has to live and that he wants to give a satisfying answer — something that surpasses even the merciful release of death, peace and salvation in their mortal realm. He states that if something like that doesn't exist, he'll create it. He offers Einar a hand and tells him to stand up. As they clasp hands, Thorfinn tells Einar to come with him to make a new land of peace in Vinland. Einar agrees that they'll go create a land that knows no slavery or war across the ocean, for Arnheid.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Arnheid
 * Snake
 * Ketil
 * Einar
 * Bug-Eyes
 * Thorfinn
 * Leif Ericson
 * Mols