A summary of "Lönnart of Grengras" by Alexey Pekhov Automatic translate

Lönnart of Grengras is a 2008 novella. The plot describes a mercenary’s pursuit of a mysterious fugitive on the most terrifying winter night. The hero encounters dangerous supernatural creatures of the north. The book was published in the author’s 2009 collection "Chance."

Interrupted chase

Bounty hunter Lennart pursues a criminal. The man bears the harsh nickname "Outcast." Lennart’s horse dies on the road. The fugitive used a cunning magical trap. The stallion became covered in black mold and collapsed, dead. The hunter blames himself for his carelessness. The unknown thief hid his magical talents for two whole days. The mercenary underestimated his prey.

Night approaches. Otig arrives. The longest night of the year erases the boundary between the human world and the world of darkness. Dark entities are unleashed. Creatures gain unlimited power. People seek refuge in their homes. The gods long ago established the law of the sanctity of the home. Lennart is forced to remain outdoors in the wilderness.

The man takes a flint and steel, blueberry tincture, and repellent powder from his saddlebag. He attaches short hunting skis to his boots. Snow begins to fall. The dead horse lies on the road. The abandoned animal bares its yellow teeth at its former owner.

Horrors of the Night Forest

A hunter moves through a winter forest. The frost intensifies. He occasionally throws pinches of a mixture of pepper, garlic, and tobacco behind him. The mixture is supposed to ward off small evil spirits. The weather worsens.

Lennart comes to a fork in the road with a stone cross. Frozen people and horses lie on the road. The hunter brushes snow from the dead man’s face. A happy smile is frozen on the dead man’s lips. The man notices the faint traces of a girl’s bare feet in the snow. He understands the cause of the tragedy. The Ice Bride has destroyed the people. Her sweet kiss is killing the travelers. Lennart draws his sword. He cuts off the heads of the dead. The mercenary fears an attack by the risen ghouls. The hunter disappears into the depths of the forest. Lennart’s dead horse, left behind, catches up with the slain horses. By the power of magic, the animal raises its dead brethren.

A giant spruce tree falls in the forest with a deafening crash. Something huge and lumbering blocks the road. The creature emits a low growl. Lennart avoids the danger. A drawn-out wolf howl echoes in the distance. A pack of predators picks up the man’s scent. The fugitive emerges onto a wide, smoothly cleared western road. The wolves stop at the edge of this strange path. The animals are afraid to enter this highway. The traveler walks on the silver moon. The frozen forest looks majestic.

The strangeness multiplies with every step. The multicolored eyes of mysterious forest spirits light up beneath the tree branches. A man peers under a spruce branch. The spirits squeak indignantly and pelt the man with well-aimed snowballs. Later, the Cursed Wedding flashes across the sky. A ghostly, merry cavalcade races through the air against the backdrop of the moon. Lönnart hides in the dense shadows of the trees. Then the traveler encounters a giant troll with a large wooden shovel. The enormous monster is peacefully clearing the road of snow. The troll nods to the mercenary.

Bonfire at the cemetery

Lennart finds clear cloven hoofprints. The fugitive rides a swift Tarvag goat. The dark hour of the Witch arrives. A magical blizzard descends upon the lone traveler. Ice spirits drain the Outcast of his life force. The man falls into a deep snowdrift.

He dreams of the Nigiri. They are an ancient people of the Mouse Mountains. The Nigiri have preserved ancient magic. Humans envied their neighbors. Humanity drove them into the cold north between icy cliffs. The outcast freezes and dies. The barking of dogs is heard through the howling wind. The hunter raises his head. He sees the reflection of a bright flame.

A fire burns in a forgotten cemetery. The graveyard is the domain of the bloodthirsty Orvar Bigbelly. Lennart walks toward the saving warmth. Two huge dogs rush out to meet him. Six people sit near the fierce fire.

• A black-bearded man in a sheepskin jacket.
• Red-haired beauty in a green dress.
• A skinny, grey-eyed guy with a bow.
• A barefoot, fair-haired girl in a thin shirt.
• A silent, hooded swordsman.
• A flabby fat man in a dog fur coat.

Blackbeard lets the traveler approach the fire. A red-haired woman pours the guest some hot gleg. A fair-haired girl approaches Lönnart. She dreams of kissing him. The redhead gently stops the barefoot girl. The girl’s name is Sif. Sif is the frightening Ice Bride. She lies down to sleep on a deer skin.

Blackbeard immediately names the guest. The master of the fire is the mighty Rasmus Charcoal Burner. The woman is Dagny Two-Boots. The aggressive, fat man is named Orvar. The skinny fellow is called the Cursed Hunter. The silent swordsman is named Ingolf.

A Deal with Darkness

Orvar demands Lennart’s flesh to be devoured. The Cursed Hunter’s dogs protect their guest from the cannibal’s attacks. A green-eyed dog boldly attacks the fat man. Rasmus explains to the Outcast Ingolf’s plight. The warrior has long been cursed. The man has become immortal. The swordsman wishes to die in honorable combat. The Cursed Hunter constantly stands behind Ingolf. The entity prevents the man from dying.

Rasmus offers Lennart a deal. The bounty hunter recalls the beginning of his journey. The town mayor, Guns, hired a mercenary. A nigiri thief stole a defenseless child. The infant belonged to an influential manager of the royal troupe. The officials offered a generous reward for the thief’s capture.

The dark entities know about the fugitive. Nigiri passed by their fire. The kidnapper paid Rasmus with the last of his magical power. The charcoal burner shows the hunter a glowing turquoise ball. The magic was exchanged for some unknown favor. The fugitive remains vulnerable.

Rasmus demands Lennart’s shortsword. In exchange, the entity promises to give him a steed. The hunter accepts the harsh conditions. Blackbeard summons Svego’s slain stallion from the darkness. The horse appears alive. The man falls asleep by the warm fire.

The traveler dreams of a chilling nightmare. Entities shed their human forms. Orvar grows long black spines from his joints. Dagny transforms into a roaring living flame. The Cursed Hunter dons a birchbark mask. The cemetery becomes a high mountain above a raging steel sea. The dead dance to the sounds of the goat-legged shepherd’s flute.

The end of the road

Morning comes. Otig ends. Lennart awakens in a clear forest clearing. The huge fire and frightening entities are gone. Svego’s live horse stands nearby. The goat’s fresh tracks lead straight to the mountain ranges. The hunter gallops in pursuit.

The fugitive has hunted a hardy Tarvag ibex to its death. The animal’s body lies behind a steep basalt ridge. The nigiri’s footsteps continue through the deep snow. The man walks with difficulty. The heavy load greatly restricts his movement.

The white Mouse Mountains rise up ahead. Lennart spots a dark spot. The horse refuses to move forward. Ingolf blocks the mercenary’s path. Rasmus sold the nigiri, the immortal swordsman’s reliable protection. Lennart dismounts. The hunter draws a long combat knife.

A fierce battle begins. The immortal warrior attacks with a heavy sword. The Outcast dodges the dangerous blows. Lennart uses his heavy cloak. The Hunter knocks Ingolf off balance. The mercenary stabs his opponent multiple times. The warrior bleeds hotly.

The Cursed Hunter prevents the swordsman from breathing his last. Ingolf throws his opponent to the ground. He raises his steel blade for a fatal finishing blow. The Cursed Hunter retreats. An invisible force releases the warrior forever. The immortal swordsman crumbles to gray ash. Redemption is complete. The thief has reached the border.

Revealing the truth

Lennart looks at the pale horizon. Nigiri lies motionless in the snow. The hunter gallops toward the frozen figure. The mercenary hears the loud cry of a baby.

The fugitive is dead. The man is frozen forever in a deep snowdrift. Lönnart throws back the fur hood of his nigiri. The kidnapper reveals himself to be a frail woman. Black tattoos cover her sunken cheeks. The pursuer has cornered the fugitive to her death. The outcast takes the crying bundle in his strong arms. The baby falls silent. The child lets out a contented chirp.

The hunter unfolds the warm blankets. He sees fluffy squirrel ears and blue eyes. The child belongs to the Mouse Mountain people. Foolish humans stole the defenseless infant. Actors kept the child in the royal menagerie for the amusement of the public. A brave woman tried to return her baby to its home.

A bitter realization hits Lönnart. The Gunsa mayor concealed the true nature of the stolen child. The mercenary’s actions destroyed an innocent mother. The mistake cannot be undone. The man makes a firm decision. The mercenary mounts the leather saddle. Lönnart carefully holds the rescued child. The outcast steers his horse straight into the frigid Mouse Mountains.