The Prophecy of Asgard

by James Malcolm Elrick

  “No, he would not, I grant you that,” said Einar with a chuckle.

  “Our relationship will last as long as you see profit in it,” said Farling. “As soon as we are not useful to you or your guild any longer, we will be cast off.”

  “I consider you friends of the guild,” said Einar, “and I do not cast off friends.”

  Farling smiled wryly.

  The Aarlund brothers had by now walked over and joined the discussion.

  “Pitcairn,” started Cruithni, the youngest of the Aarlund brothers, “I always wondered how I would storm this city with my arrows on my way down to Trondheim. But now that there is peace between our two great nations, I will have to think of other cities to storm.”

  Tuathail holding his quarterstaff said: “If those elves open that gateway beside the Heart Tree, we will not have to think of any cities to storm, just how to stop the tide.”

  “Always a pleasure talking with you, brother,” said Cruithni. “Do not worry, I look forward to shooting as many arrows as possible at as many elves as possible.”

  Airthear, the eldest of the Aarlund brothers, said: “If we destroy this Heart Tree, you will not have any elf arrow practice, little brother. Instead, we will just need to practice for next year’s King’s Tournament, and this time, we shall win all the events.”

  Now Cormac, Frederick, Margret, and Nas joined the group.

  Cormac said: “Actually, I am thinking we will need to expand one of our tournaments in Aarlund and invite the Dennlanders here. The King’s Tournament is held in the fall, we will open our biggest tournament in the spring.”

  “We will bring our four best knights,” said Frederick. “I would like to bring our three best blacksmiths, but items of magic are not allowed at tournaments.”

  “Just when we fight frost giants,” said Grum with a chuckle.

  “Agreed, young Grum,” said Frederick. “It would appear that only magical weapons should be used against the frost giants.”

  Nas interjected, said: “We must make our stop here in Pitcairn brief. The Heart Tree still thirsts, and the Unbreakable Barrier thins.”

  Frederick nodded and said: “And if the local baron knows that I and Cormac are in Pitcairn, we will never be able to leave. He will demand sumptuous feasts after sumptuous feasts with local high-level merchants and lords. He will take us on endless hunts for deer and boar in the nearby forests. It will not be easy to enter and leave Pitcairn.”

  “I could go for a few sumptuous feasts,” said Grum. “The food has been hearty on this trip but a good sit-down proper meal is in order.”

  “Grum, did you not hear your king?” asked Arastead. “Or is your stomach making so much noise you cannot hear?”

  “I thought it was only me who could hear my stomach,” said Grum.

  Nas raised a hand for silence, intently staring at Margret. Asked: “What is it, princess?” Do you see something?”

  Margret lightly touched the Circlet of Freya, where it sat upon her brow, and said: “I see both something now and future. Something is wrong in Pitcairn, there is danger. And something will happen, there will be much fighting, and it will not go well for us.”

  “Grim tidings,” said Grum. “Still, if we are to fight, I do not do well on an empty stomach.”

  “Well, I can only hope our enemies Margret sees will allow you time to eat,” said Arastead.

  “I hope so,” said Grum.

  “We need supplies,” said Nas talking over other conversations. “Pitcairn is the only city near the Heart Tree, so it is the perfect place. But if there is danger, we must be able to slip in and out unharmed.”

  “A quick entry and exit,” mused Einar. “I suspected as much. Which is why Jagjord went ahead of us. Oh, here he is, I see him approaching us.”

  And Jagjord was easy to see even at a great distance. Wearing his usual bright clothing, he rode his horse slowly towards the group. He had chosen an especially large horse, one that could manage his weight.

  As Jagjord pulled near, Einar hailed him, said: “What news from our thief friends in Pitcairn?”

  Jagjord wiped the sweat from his brow and said: “They are most agreeable. They mentioned something about a contract being torn up as part of the agreement. I said that would be Einar who would be deciding that.”

  “Ah, Melgund, the new Pitcairn thieves guild master, still bitter about our agreement,” said Einar. “Then his guild should never have broken the rules and should have paid in full before.”

  Jagjord said: “The thieves guild is sending a delegate to guide us into Pitcairn undetected.”

  Frederick asked: “So, we are to stay in the thieves guild in Pitcairn?”

  “If you agree, My Liege,” said Jagjord with a bow of his head. “Einar and I were presumptuous in our discussions with the Pitcairn thieves guild. I apologize for our boldness.”

  “No apologies necessary, Jagjord, I know you always have our best interests in mind,” replied Frederick. “What say you, King Cormac?”

  “I believe our friends with connections to the shadier side of Pitcairn may have a point,” he said. “If we need supplies, as Nas reminds us, then perhaps discretion is advised. If not for the thieves guild in Trondheim, neither of us would be here. So, these guilds have their use. Perhaps, the Norns have fated us to visit the thieves guild here for a reason.”

  “Perhaps,” said Frederick. “Still, I see no harm. They would never dare hold us ransom or anything as unwise as that.”

  “As I may remind you, my kings,” began Einar, “that your fathers and your fathers’ fathers and his fathers before him have at one time or another called on the thieves guild when it was deemed necessary, when diplomacy had failed, and stealth was required.”

  “I see I walk in my father’s and grandfather’s footsteps,” said Cormac with a wry grin. “Then, it is decided, during our brief stay in Pitcairn, we will dine and hide within the Pitcairn thieves guild.”

  “Good,” said Jagjord, relief evident on his face. “Ah, here is the delegate from the guild approaching us I believe.”

  Sure enough, within a few short minutes, a boy dressed in such a way as to blend into any crowd stopped in front of the group. The rider’s horse snorted and pawed the ground, eager to keep moving. No one could see the boy’s features as they were hidden in shadow under a large hood.

  “Greetings,” said Einar as he introduced himself and everyone in the group. The boy was silent. Einar ground his teeth at the boy’s confusing muteness. “As my emissary,” continued Einar, “Jagjord has surely discussed with your master, we seek refuge within the safety of your guild. We will pay tribute.”

  The boy, instead of speaking, pulled back his hood to reveal his face.

  Everyone cried aloud upon recognizing the young thief: “Stepon!”

  “Impossible!” scoffed Einar, his voice losing its usual subtlety. “Stepon, I did not give you permission to join the Pitcairn thieves guild. I demand to know what is going on here.”

  Stepon’s smile was wide and genuine: Said: “Master Einar, of course I did not join a new thieves guild, so I urge you to rest easy. Now, if you will follow me, there is much we need to discuss. Here, wear these to disguise your looks.” Stepon dismounted and handed out hooded cloaks. “Especially you Aarlunders with your great flaming red hair. While you may have been accepted more easily in Trondheim, here in Pitcairn, memories of the many wars between the kingdoms have not been so easily forgotten.”

  As the Aarlunders wore their disguises, and everyone readied and mounted their horses, Einar turned to Jagjord and whispered: “What exactly in Loki’s name is going on here?”

  Now it was Jagjord’s time to smile, as he said: “Just you wait, Einar, until we enter the thieves guild of Pitcairn. There are many secrets there.”

  “I hate secrets,” said Einar, “especially when they are not my own.”

  Stepon inspected everyone and seemed satisfied. “Good, then if everyone would be so kind, please follow me,’
he said.

  ***

  At the edge of Pitcairn, at one of the quieter gates, the company from Trondheim was met by a guard. Stepon made a small discrete motion with his hand that the guard recognized. He nodded and waved the group through.

  Einar grumbled: “Stepon, I see you have picked up some of the Pitcairn thieves guild sign.”

  “I am a quick learner, as you well know.” Stepon smiled, enjoying Einar’s unease. “Let us move slowly. We are a large group, which draws attention.”

  Farling looked around at the buildings. Like Trondheim, Pitcairn was a walled city. But as it was built at the fork of two large rivers, Pitcairn was a city of bridges. Some were thin and could only allow people on foot. Other bridges were wide enough to accommodate horses. And the largest bridges in Pitcairn were wide enough to allow carts. One bridge was wide enough to accommodate houses along its edges.

  The current in the two rivers was not strong, but during the heaviest rain storms, the water levels would rise, and the rivers became dangerous. Still, the headwaters would never last and the rivers would return to their usual state of calm.

  “Follow me.” Stepon led the group down towards the wharves. This area of Pitcairn, Farling noticed, the buildings were all made of wood.

  “We stable our horses here,” said Stepon. “The alleyways here are too tight for horses. Which is also ideal to keep out the baron’s guards. Do not worry, our horses will be safe.”

  Everyone dismounted and grabbed their saddlebags and weapons as they followed Stepon. Along the way they passed many people Farling assumed were sentries for the thieves guild as they did not look disconcerted by the group.

  At a fishmonger stall, Stepon entered without hesitation. Everyone followed silently. The fishmonger was quiet, no customers, as he tended his wares. He did not even look up as everyone walked past. At the back of the store, Stepon opened the doors and let everyone into a large room.

  “It is a little different than our entrance,” he said, “but it serves the same purpose.”

  He placed his hand on the middle of the floor and as he did, the floor began to glow in the shape of a door. Once the handle became visible, Stepon lifted the large trapdoor open revealing a set of stairs that led down.

  “Almost there.” Stepon led the way down. “Oh, last one down, just pull the trapdoor shut behind. The charm on the door will make it invisible again.”

  “No amulet around your neck,” said Einar, “but a ring this time?”

  “A very discreet ring, yes,” answered Stepon.

  The stairs wound down so far, Farling could not see where they ended. All he could see was a faint glow at the bottom. The steps were dry and smooth, worn down by years of use. A railing along the inside ensured no one fell into the middle. Oil lamps were placed strategically along the way, keeping the spiral staircase well lit.

  Finally, after what felt like an hour but must have been much less, they reached the bottom. Here, many oil lamps burned making it bright as day.

  “Just through these doors,” said Stepon as he motioned towards two of the largest doors Farling had ever seen.

  Massive, easily as tall as four people, the two doors were ornately carved with scenes of battles. In front of the doors stood two guards, each resplendent in plate armor. While each of the guards looked tall, they were dwarfed by the size of the doors behind them. Each guard stood as still as a statue. Both had their mailed hands on top of the hilts of their two-handed swords.

  As the group approached, the guards spoke as one: “Who seeks passage beyond these doors?”

  “It is I, Stepon, guest of Melgund, master of the Pitcairn thieves guild.”

  The two guards sheathed their swords. Then, with one hand each on a door handle, they pulled both doors open.

  Stepon whispered to Einar: “Twins, the two guards are twins, which is why they act as one. I have seen them practice their swordplay with those two-handed swords and I have never seen such speed and strength. Come, let us meet Melgund, the master of the Pitcairn thieves guild.”

  In a serious tone, Einar said: “And you had better tell me the secret of how you came here.”

  Again, Stepon merely grinned at Einar’s confusion. Said: “There are many secrets that will be revealed, all in due time”

  As they walked through the great entrance, everyone went speechless.

  In front of them was the largest underground hall they had ever seen. Larger than the biggest halls inside Trondheim castle, larger than any rooms within the biggest castles in Aarlund, the vaulted ceiling of the Pitcairn thieves guild spanned an enormous height.

  Einar was the first to break the silence as he said: “I did not know what this guild looked like as all thieves guilds guard their secrets jealously. But this is beyond comprehension.”

  “There are trees in here!” said Grum in disbelief. “How can trees grow down here?”

  “It was explained to me,” began Stepon, “that the source of light at the greatest height in the ceiling is like a sun. And like our sun outside, it wanes with the passing of the day, so it darkens in here as it darkens outside. And when the sun rises, it will become light in here as well. And it is not like the light from a torch or oil lamp, this light allows plants and trees to grow. This guild is in many ways self-sustaining. You could never starve it out as it has a room full of farm animals and a spring for fresh water.”

  “Fascinating,” was all Einar could say for the moment. Then after some reflection and staring at trees, watching birds flying about, he asked: “Where are all the guild members?”

  “They await us in the dining hall,” answered Stepon.

  A light breeze moved the leaves in the trees. “How is there a wind down here?” demanded Grum.

  “I do not know,” replied Arastead. “But like our guild in Trondheim, these thieves guilds reside in realms other than Midgard.”

  The group followed Stepon as he led them through the small forest and towards a large door. He opened the door, allowing everyone to walk in before him.

  Inside the dining hall were two rows of long tables, all full of people who stood as soon as the door opened. Like the entrance with the trees, this room too was lit somehow as if by the sun.

  A man of great importance strode purposefully towards them. His hair was dark, short, almost cropped to his head, while a thick mustache was his only facial hair. Gray hair was sprinkled liberally in both his short hair and mustache indicating his many years. Well dressed, his shirt and vest were made of fine wool while his pants were dark leather and his boots shined to a high buff. A thin sword hung at one hip, but it was more decoration than weapon. His eyes were a bright blue and were sharp and alert.

  Stepon said: “I would like to introduce Master Melgund of the thieves guild of Pitcairn.”

  Melgund bowed as he said with a flourish used for royalty: “Your Highnesses, princess, and your retainers, please, we have prepared chairs for you at the head table. Welcome all to my humble home. We have prepared a feast in your honor.

  Everyone walked down the main aisle and as they arranged themselves at the head table, the three people whose backs faced them, now turned to look at the group.

  “Pressan!” cried Einar in surprise. “How in Loki’s great mischief did you wind up here?”

  Pressan smiled his usual mischievous smile as he removed his glasses to clean them. Beside him Slofar and Brascan could now easily be seen.

  Melgund said: “A tale we all will hear in good time. But now, our first course, and some music.”

  Several musicians using a variety of lutes and wind instruments began to play. Margret immediately began tapping her foot in appreciation. The doors to the kitchen opened and a host of servers brought out trays and trays of mouth-watering delicacies.

  Grum said: “I may have to change my mind after this about the food in Pitcairn.”

  “I think we may have to change our minds about several things about Pitcairn,” said Farling.

  Several courses
that included delicious fish and beef were then followed by a course of desserts and coffee. Special food was even brought for Arastead’s cat.

  After everyone had eaten their dessert and finished their coffee, Melgund stood. The room went silent. Said: “It is not every day that this quiet guild hosts such distinguished guests. I do hope this simple repast was to your liking. Good, then I invite the members of this guild to retire and return to their usual chores.”

  The long tables quickly emptied. When the door closed behind the last one, Melgund clapped his hands and more dessert and coffee were served.

  Melgund said: “I have had the unique pleasure of talking with Pressan and the other members of the Trondheim thieves guild. It was a most illuminating discussion, one that cast light on one of the mysteries that has stymied this guild.”

  “The Heart Tree,” interjected Pressan. “Master Melgund had always wondered the name of the tree with the black bark and blindingly white leaves.”

  “As well,” continued Melgund, “why nothing grew round the dark pond and the roots of the tree seemed to drink of the strange black liquid. As explained to me recently, it is a gateway, sealed behind the Unbreakable Barrier. Yet someone has found a way to thin the barrier to the point that the elves will return to this realm and take torch to our houses and spear to our families.”

  “Pressan,” said Einar, “perhaps now is a good time as any for you to describe how you and my other guild members came to be here. When as far as I knew, you were all safe in Trondheim looking for a portal.”

  Pressan smiled and said: “As it turns out, we did find a portal. And you will never guess where we found it. No, no one? Well then, it was under my desk, under that heavy thick rug.”

  Pressan then described how they discovered and activated the portal rune. “And when we opened our eyes, we were here, in the Pitcairn thieves guild.”

  Melgund said: “It is a good thing we never covered the portal rune in our library. Swords and daggers were drawn, I admit, but all were quickly put away once we realized who we had met.”

  “And so we have been entertaining Pressan and the other thieves for the last several days,” continued Melgund. “Pressan has described many things that have happened in Trondheim and how our realm may change for the worse. I would like everyone here to know it is at times like this that the thieves guilds of Dennland are like brothers and sisters as we set aside differences and work for the common safety of our countries, of our realm.”