811AD,afamily,isolatedintheirhome,deepinthewoodsafewdaystravelfromBirka.Theyarepoor.Thehuntingandfishinghasbeenbadforsometime,andthefather,Joar,takesthedesperatemeasureofgoingonaVikingraid.Joardoesnotreturnforalongtime,andthefamilystartstofearheneverwill.Runa,theoldestdaughter,takesoverherfatherschoresinhisabsence.Shemisseshimdearlyandnourishesatenderhopethathe,onceagain,willreturntothem.Butinherheart,somehowsheknows,thatthesufferingofthefamilyhasjustbegun.Thereissomethingintheair,somethinginthewater,thewindandinthesoil.Runaisbecomingawareofsomethingvile,somethingdangerousoutintheforest.Onedaywhensheisouthunting,shefindsableedingman,awarrior,almostunconscious.Shebringshiminsideandthefamilytendtohiswounds.Asheheals,sherealizesheissenttoprotectthefamilyfromanapproachingevil.Andhebringsnewsofherfather.