Chapter 40

"That was the moment I finally realized... that Thors was serious. Those eyes... the way they gazed through me to the horizon... as though full of pity. I've never forgotten that look, never."

- Thorkell

The Legend of Thors (トールズ伝) is the 40th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Thorkell tells Thorfinn about the last time he saw Thors, in Jomsborg in 987 A.D. Seeing two hooded figures sneak from the deceased Thors's home, Thorkell assumes they are thieves and attacks them. His swing is blocked by one of the figures; his hood slips back to reveal Thors, the other figure Helga, holding baby Ylva. Thorkell is happy to see Thors alive and asks him to go speak to chief Sigvaldi, but Thors declines. He tells Thorkell that he now knows what it means to be a true warrior, will no longer battle, and is leaving the Jomsvikings, having only come back to Jomsborg to get Helga and Ylva. He asks Thorkell to forget he ever saw him. Not understanding, Thorkell reminds Thors of their laws about defection and attacks him. Thors refuses to use his sword and knocks Thorkell unconscious. Thorkell wakes to find Thors and Helga long gone, but decides that not telling anyone he saw them would be the honourable thing to do. He learns Thors truly died fifteen years later, when Leif Ericson brought his body to Jomsborg. Askeladd finishes splinting the humiliated Thorfinn's arm and Thorkell asks Thorfinn to tell him of Thors's life in Iceland. Thorfinn refuses; annoyed, Thorkell angers Thorfinn by assuming he won't tell him of Thors because he learned nothing from him, and tells him he's missing the spark Thors had in his eyes. Thorfinn rushes for Thorkell, but Askeladd holds him back and reminds him he'll lose if he keeps fighting Thorkell the same way while wounded. He reminds Thorfinn that he is duelling Thorkell so that he can beat Askeladd in a duel, and to take his advice and use it to overcome Thorkell if he wants both of them to make it out alive.

Summary
Thorkell continues telling Thorfinn about the last time he saw Thors, in Jomsborg in 987 A.D. Two hooded figures observe the guards going and sneak out of a house. One says they will steal a boat and asks the other, carrying a bundle, if they can run from the moat to the dock. Thorkell, laying on the roof drinking, calls out to the two people wearing filthy robes and asks them if they're aware that they're burgling the home of the now deceased Thors, exalted Jomsviking captain. Thorkell leaps down holding his axe and says that he usually wouldn't bother with sneak thieves, but that he recently lost a friend and is in no mood for nonsense. Thorkell swings for hooded figures, but the bigger one catches the axe's handle. His hood slips back, revealing Thors. Startled, Thorkell recognizes Thors and laughs. He asks him where he's been for months and tells him they even gave him a proper funeral at sea. He hugs Thors, who tells him to settle down and apologizes for putting him through all of that. Thorkell recognizes the other hooded figure as Helga, holding a very young baby Ylva. He asks them why they're all dressed like common peasants and tells them he'll go wake his brother Sigvaldi, excitedly anticipating the look on his face. Thors tells him to wait and Thorkell says they should go to his house, share mead and catch up first. Thors pulls his hood back up and tells Thorkell that they are not meeting the chief and that they are leaving. Thorkell tells him to wait until tomorrow, since he just got back. Thors specifies that he is talking about leaving the Jomsvikings and asks Thorkell to forget he ever saw him. Thorkell asks him if it's a joke. Thors says he came back to take Helga and Ylva with him, and asks Thorkell to continue to act as though he is dead. Thorkell says Helga has always hated combat and asks her if she put Thors up to it. Thors says that it was his idea and that he is done fighting. Thorkell tells him he doesn't understand and asks if he's really telling him he faked his own death because he's afraid of fighting. He says it's not funny and asks if Thors is aware that Sigvaldi was considering him as his successor. Thors apologizes. Thorkell assumes Thors is tired and tells him to eat something and sleep. Thors says he finally learned what it means to be a true warrior, and that it's the reason he can no longer be there. Thorkell tells Thorfinn that that was the moment he realized Thors was serious, and that his eyes gazed through the horizon as though full of pity, a look he's never forgotten. Thorkell shatters a wood beam with the back of his axe and angrily tells Thors that he knows their laws and that defection without the chief's leave is punishable by death. Two guards hear the commotion and head for the group, asking Thorkell what is happening. Thors lowers his hood further and Thorkell tells them to go on, as he's simply humouring some beggars. The guards try to take a look at their faces, but Thorkell loudly commands them to return to their stations. The guards listen, muttering that Thorkell has been like that ever since Thors died. Thorkell asks Thors where else he would go, he who knows nothing but battle. Thors says he will go somewhere not here. Thorkell raises his axe again; Thors tells Helga to step back and tells her not to worry. He wishes Thorkell the best of health. Thorkell asks him where his sword is, and Thors replies that he does not need it. Thorkell swings and Thors breaks his axe's handle in half with his bare hands. Thorkell goes for a punch, but Thors dodges. The last thing he sees is Thors's face, before losing consciousness. Thorkell tells Thorfinn that he was shaken awake by the lookouts, Thors and Helga by then long gone. Jomsborg was shaken up by Helga's disappearance, but Thorkell held his silence, thinking it was the honourable thing to do. As Askeladd ties Thorfinn's arm into a splint, Thorkell says he learned Thors was truly dead fifteen years later, when the famed Leif Ericson, apparently Thors's close friend, brought his body to Jomsborg. Thorfinn thinks it is humiliating that he is being bandaged up by the very man who killed his father, while Askeladd is surprised to learn that Leif Ericson had been with Thors's group on that day. Thorkell continues on to say that he did not cry when he learned Thors had truly died, as what's important to a warrior is the soul and where it lies, not the flesh. He says Thors's soul had gone far away, and that he still doesn't understand it and cannot reach him. He assumes it must be where he became a "true warrior". Thorkell asks Thorfinn what kind of life Thors led in Iceland after leaving the Jomsvikings. Thorfinn refuses and asks why he should tell him about his father. Thorkell, upset, tells him he just told him about Thors's past and that that implied a give-and-take. He calls Thorfinn a skinflint and counters that Thorfinn is not telling him because he can't, not because he won't — that he can see in his eyes that he's missing the spark Thors had. Thorkell mocks Thorfinn to provoke him and says that he must be embarrassed he never learned a thing from Thors and wasted the years he spent with him. Angry, Thorfinn starts to rush forward, but Askeladd holds him back by the shoulder and tells him to stop. Thorfinn tells him to let go or he'll kill him first. Askeladd calmly says he has broken ribs and is in worse shape than he realizes; that he'll lose if he tries to keep fighting Thorkell without changing his tactic. Thorfinn swipes at Askeladd's hand with his shortsword. Askeladd lifts his arm out of harm's way, while Thorfinn's jostled broken ribs cause him to yell out in pain. Askeladd points out that's exactly what he meant and tells Thorfinn to listen to him, as the outcome of Thorfinn's battle will determine whether Askeladd himself lives or dies. He tells him he'll tell him exactly how to beat Thorkell. Thorfinn replies he's not interested in Askeladd's advice and asks him why he doesn't fight Thorkell himself, if he knows how to stop him. Askeladd tells him that in combat, you cannot typically take down the threat and walk away, but that they're in a special case since Thorkell said he'd let them go if Thorfinn wins. He tells Thorfinn to remember that he's fighting so he can beat Askeladd in a duel, and to take his advice and use it to overcome Thorkell if he wants both of them to make it out alive.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Thors Snorresson
 * Helga
 * Ylva
 * Thorkell
 * Thorfinn
 * Askeladd