This is an entry for the Finish the Story Contest - WEEK #17.

First, here is @cyemela's prompt:

Third Wheel Coming

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Some years had passed since the Priest of Durham married The Lady of Berwickshire to her Scottish Prince.

The time drifted along peacefully as he’d settled back in his role with the people.

And so, as he had way back when, he rode his horse to the Durham seashore to watch the waves and pray.

Only far off upon the horizon, he could see a ship rowing toward him. As it got closer he could see the danger and rode away back to the village.

Ulfric Red Beard and his Viking army landed on the shore then moved inland.

The Priest of Durham made it back to the village in time to warn the constable. The constable alerted the local militia. The nobles were notified and scrambled knights on horseback.

When Ulfric Red Beard reached the village he met the English forces defending the town. The Vikings outnumbered them 3 to 1 because of the element of surprise.

Ulfric Red Beard stood seven feet tall, a giant in the 1490s, he walked onto the battlefield, raised his battle axe above his head, and yelled foaming at the mouth:

“I’m going to behead the first Englishman that steps within reach!”

Just then the skies opened and an alien spaceship appeared from nowhere, hovering above them.

The epilogue of these events got lost within the folds of history, due to memories being purposely erased. However, there remains the following one last account of what took place that day.

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And this is my ending:

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sub: the Durham manuscript 2.156draft

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Mr. Collins, I went ahead with the restoration and translation as agreed and I happened upon this shocking fragment. The analysis confirms it's authentic but it can't be, right? See what I mean:

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As the clouds parted, the archangel Michael at the head of a heavenly host descended on the village. With a bright note of his shining trumpet, the battle was halted and both armies stood still, soldiers and raiders and horses, all transfixed in a holy stupor.

And the archangel lowered his exalted gaze upon me and he said, in a voice like thunder, Priest of Durham, what are you waiting for? Go and tell of the gospel to these men, that they understand the will of the Lord Almighty.

I had the altar brought from the chapel, and I celebrated mass there on the battlefield. And the dazed Vikings at first did not follow my speech, for their ears were still closed. But after they partook of the flesh and blood of the Christ, the veil was lifted from their eyes and they wept in despair.

I approached their red-haired leader, who in kneeling was still taller than my full height, and I put my hands on his head and said, do not weep but give praise, for you are saved. And I told him the story of Jesus the Lord our savior, of how he died so we might live. I recounted that the son of God was taken from his friends, a net of thorns placed around his body; his eight tentacles were nailed to a cross, and one of his brains, pierced with a lance. And the cross was raised from the ground for all to see his hearts stop beating. Finally, I reminded them, in the hallowed town of Jerusalem the Christ offered himself in sacrifice for our sins, but only to come back to life three days after. For he will return in the end times and call the faithful to his celestial paradise.

As the mass ended, the angelic beings absconded from mortal sight, and the heavens closed, and the waves were quiet.

Only then our Vikings brothers left us and took to the sea, and in parting, they promised to bring the word of God to their foreign lands and everywhere else their ships would take them.

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From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sub: re: the Durham manuscript 2.156draft

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Hullo Maggie. Looks normal to me. Please explain.

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From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sub: re: re: the Durham manuscript 2.156draft

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Yeah, I just read the entire thing again and now I don't even remember what I thought I saw there. It's the usual Catholic lingo. Last night I was really tired, I should get more sleep! Sorry to have wasted your time.