Frederick lay a comforting hand on Cormac’s shoulder. “We will find a way,” said Frederick. “We will ask Freya, she will know. We may have to wait until a full moon, but Sihr or Nas will ask, she will know.”
Cormac strode off, his mood dark.
“We need our horses,” said Frederick. “Once our horses return, strap each of those were-beasts to one. We need to keep them captive.”
“What of your spear?” asked Einar.
Frederick sighed deeply. “I will leave it in the Heart Tree as a reminder of today’s battle,” he said. “One day I may return to fetch it, but until then, it remains here.”
A loud fluttering of wings grabbed everyone’s attention as they all looked up at the sky. Soon the raves could clearly be seen as it was the same two ravens who had visited them in Trondheim. The ravens descended and alighted easily in the branches of the dead Heart Tree.
“Welcome Hugin and Munin,” said Nas. “What news from your master?”
“Our master thanks you…” said Hugin.
Munin said: “…for destroying the Heart Tree.”
“The elves will not attack…”
“Midgard by this gateway.”
Nas grunted: “You make it sound as if the elves will still attack us another way?”
“The elves do not…” said Hugin.
Munin said: “…give up easily. Their…”
“…hatred of Midgard guides…”
“…their every move, every…”
“…decision. They will find…”
“…another way to attack…”
“…this land and destroy…”
“…its people.”
“Try and destroy its people I think you meant to say,” said Nas.
“Our deepest apologies…” said Munin.
Hugin said: “…of course I meant they…”
“…will try. It will be up to you…”
“…and your people if you…”
“…are strong enough…”
“…to fight off the elves.”
Cormac interjected: “We will be strong enough,” he said.
“Of course you will. We…” began Hugin.
Munin said: “…have news for you that…”
“…may be of interest. The…”
“…frost giants have awoken…”
“…and have returned to…”
“…Jotunheim.”
“It is as I feared,” said Nas. “I knew the frost giants would one day find a way back to their realm. Once there, they will awaken the other frost giant clans. They will be trouble, perhaps not so much for us, but for the Norse gods.”
“But how did they return to Jotunheim?” asked Cormac.
Munin began: “The Jotunheim Gateway…”
“…lies far in the north…” added Hugin.
“…forgotten and hidden…”
“…but not by the frost giants.”
“It was opened with…”
“…Freya’s blood.”
“Of course,” said Nas. “A god’s blood has many uses, one of which is opening a gateway.”
Munin said: “They brought with them…”
“…Alchemist, his assistant…” said Hugin.
“…and an old blacksmith.”
Now it was the were-beasts who cried aloud. “Our master is prisoner of the frost giants!”
“He did not…” said Munin.
“…go willing,” finished Hugin.
The were-beasts fell to squabbling as to what they should do next.
“Where is this Jotunheim Gateway?” asked Frederick ignoring the commotion.
The ravens described the path they would need to take.
“An arduous trek it is no doubt,” said Cormac. “At the far northern reaches of Aarlund, past all signs of any civilization.”
“But we do not want to attack the frost giants,” said Frederick. “We may need to set up sentries, a warning system in case the frost giants enter our realm by this gateway. But we do not want to aggravate them any further. We have our hands full with the elves.”
“If I recall from the books I read,” said Pressan, “there is a way through Jotunheim to Alfheim. All the realms are connected. We may have sealed the Alfheim gateway to our realm, but the other realms should still have their gateways. As long as they have not been sealed shut by some manner of magic.”
The were-beasts cried: “We must rescue our Master!”
“Silence!” roared Cormac. The were-beasts sullenly did as they were told. “So, there is a way into Alfheim,” said Cormac.
“A most dangerous path,” said Nas. “The frost giants are awake. They will have sentries inside the gateway. They will raise the alarm. It would be suicide. It is a shame our young heroes are not here.”
“Well, they are not here,” said Cormac, “so we must make other plans.”
The were-beasts whispered amongst themselves.
Liulfr said: “We will help.” The other were-beasts nodded eagerly. “We must rescue our master from the frost giants. We are his children, we cannot abandon him. He would not abandon us. Free us and we will help you.”
Melgund was indignant as he growled through gritted teeth: “You must think us mad. You slaughtered who knows how many of my thieves in Pitcairn. You will face the justice of my guild once we return, and it will not end well for you.”
“We may help you regain your guild,” said Liulfr, eagerness in his voice. “The new master of the Pitcairn thieves guild trusts us. We will easily gain entrance and then we will take it over again, this time for you. We will do anything to help our master. If we help you regain your guild, will you free us?”
“We will do no such thing,” said Frederick. “Melgund demands justice and as king, I will see he gets it. You will always be bound. We will retake the Pitcairn thieves guild on our own.”
Frustrated, Liulfr bit his lip and held his tongue.
“Now,” began Cormac as he addressed the ravens, “as to the matter of gaining access to Alfheim, is there another way besides journeying through Jotunheim?”
Munin said: “Yggdrasil connects…”
“…all realms, but it is…” said Hugin.
“…sealed to you.”
Einar interrupted: “Do we have anything the frost giants want? Obviously there is a gateway to Midgard. There must have been trade or something at one point. Anything the frost giants may value and let us cross Jotunheim.”
Pressan shook his head. Said: “I think the only thing of value for the frost giants would be Loki’s head on a platter. Thrymr will not have forgotten nor forgiven the God of Trickery, he who almost stole the frost giant king’s daughter.”
“Well, we do not have his head on a platter,” said Cormac. “We do not even know where he is.”
“I do not know if he would even help,” said Pressan. “He would probably just try and kidnap Yorli, the frost giant princess again. What did I say? Why does everyone look so thoughtful?”
“I wonder if that may do the trick,” said Einar excitedly. “If we free Loki, he will once again try and kidnap Yorli. That may throw the frost giants off guard and we may be able to sneak into Jotunheim.”
“But once we enter Alfheim, then what?” said Nas. “Are we to cross Jotunheim with a large enough army to attack Alfheim? The frost giants will never allow an army into their realm.”
“This is madness,” said Cormac. “There is no way we may gain entrance to Alfheim. And once there, it is an entire realm. How are we to find my daughter, rescue her, and bring her back?”
Nas sadly nodded then said: “We must trust that Princess Margret, Farling, Grum, and Arastead will find a way home, out of Alfheim.”
Cormac made fists of his hands, raised them to his face, and stared at them in frustration. A sigh escaped his lips as his arms and hands went limp by his sides.
“I fear your counsel is the wisest, Nas,” said Cormac. “My daughter is strong, as are the other young heroes. I
hope Freya looks after them and guards them well as we may not.”
Frederick suddenly cried aloud.
“What?” cried everyone, worried.
“My horn,” said Frederick, “the Master of the Hunt’s horn: It just disappeared from my hip.”
Nas sighed in relief. Said: “That is good news, King Frederick. For that means Freya is hale and well. For it is only she who may call the Master of the Hunt. This means the poison from the Aesirslayer blade is now gone and her curse has been lifted. Sihr must have found a golden apple and given it to her. This is good news.”
“And now I find myself once again without any items of magic,” said Frederick ruefully but still with a grin.
CHAPTER 25
Ogre Mage’s Final Exam
For the next several weeks, Mage would appear in the morning and would train everyone over the day. Everyone fell fast asleep at night, exhausted.
During a break, Grum, with a big smile, said: “Feels as if we are back at the School. Which I am oddly enjoying.”
Arastead chuckled. “You are just happy he does not make you read books,” he said.
Farling laughed as well, then added: “Mage has taught me much about fighting with shield and sword. And the basics of being a ranger.”
Margret also nodded. “Nas taught me much,” she began, “but Mage has taught me new ways to use my circlet. Nas was almost too timid, wanting me to only use the circlet to heal. Mage is more interested in honing my skills as a fighter in combination with the circlet. I am quickly learning how to see everyone’s moves before they make them.”
“All our bruises can attest to that, princess,” said Farling with a smile and a groan. “I always knew you were fast, but now I cannot lay a finger on you while you beat me about the shoulders, shins, and back ceaselessly with the wooden sword.”
Arastead winked. “Just be glad it is not a real sword,” he said.
“What creatures have we fought?” asked Grum. “I remember a bugbear, a group of kobolds, a giant snake…”
“… a giant bear…” added Arastead.
“… a giant lizard…” said Farling.
“….oh, and a hill giant,” said Margret. “I was glad we did not hurt him too much. He was very dim-witted, and that did not seem like a fair fight at all.”
“I feel like there is a final test fast approaching,” said Farling. “One that will signal to Mage that we have completed our training. Then what he has in store for us, I do not know.”
“You do not think we will fight Mage, do you?” asked Arastead.
“He would defeat us with his eyes closed,” said Grum.
Mage clapped his hands. “It is coming close to that time when planets of importance align causing spells to be at their strongest,” he said. “This means your training is also coming to an end.”
Farling blurted: “So, when may we return to Trondheim?”
“Sooner than you think,” answered Mage. “But be careful what you wish for.”
Farling shrugged. “As long as we leave Alfheim, I am fine with that,” he said.
Mage shook his head. Said: “The folly of youth, how I miss those days. Now, as I said before, I am pleased with how well everyone has improved. There is just one more test before we are done.”
“Owlbear?” asked Farling.
“Troll?” asked Arastead.
“Chimera?” asked Grum excitedly. “What? It has a lion’s body, a lion’s head, but also a dragon head, and a goat head. And wings!”
“Many troglodytes?” asked Margret.
Mage shook his head after everyone’s guess. “No, you will fight me.”
“We already fought you,” complained Grum. “And it did not go very well.”
Mage said: “I need to see how much you have improved since our last battle.”
“Fine, we will fight you,” said Margret.
They were in the main square in the ogre village. Often they trained here as it provided solid footing and a wide expanse, allowing for running if needed.
Everyone assumed a fighting stance and formed a semi-circle in front of Mage. Farling was armed with shield and sword; Grum held his war hammer in both hands nonchalantly over one shoulder; Arastead held his quarterstaff in both hands in front of himself while his familiar perched on his shoulders; and Margret held two long daggers, one in each hand, the pearl in her circlet glowing ominously.
Mage glared at everyone.
Farling whispered: “He may not hold back. He looks pretty serious.”
“I just hope I do not get hurt too badly,” said Grum just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mage mumbled a spell and a large double-headed war ax appeared in his hands. He leapt at the group while yelling an ogre war cry that almost deafened everyone.
Everyone’s eyes went wide in shock, then they leapt into coordinated action as they had done countless times before against countless monsters.
Arastead moved his quarterstaff above his head crying his spell aloud and before he completed the words, he moved his quarterstaff down and pointed at the ground beneath Mage’s feet.
A sheet of snow sprayed forth from Arastead’s quarterstaff covering the ground in a fine sheet of slippery ice.
Mage, unable to check his headlong pace, slipped.
Grum, seeing Mage off-balance, brought his war hammer down hard on the ground. The sound was deafening, and everyone felt the ground ripple like an ocean wave.
One of Mage’s feet lifted off the ground as he fought to regain his balance.
Farling slide on the ice towards Mage. Farling timed it perfectly as just when Mage began to lose his balance from Grum’s attack, Farling struck Mage with his shield. Farling continued his forward momentum, his feet still sliding on the ice. But Mage was violently shoved to one side and now both his feet flew up into the air as he was upended.
And just behind Farling was Margret, waiting for her opening. Using her circlet, she anticipated which side Mage would be thrown. And as Mage crashed to the ground, she gracefully avoided his axe blade and brought both her long daggers to bear at Mage’s exposed throat.
“Yield,” she hissed.
Mage’s eyes burned fiercely at Margret but her gaze never wavered as she pricked Mage’s throat with her sharp daggers drawing a small bead of blood.
Mage’s eyes softened as a low rumble could be heard as his chest lightly heaved. Everyone quickly realized that Mage had begun to chuckle which then became a full-blown laughter.
“Well done, well done,” Mage roared happily. He began to rise when Margret’s daggers pricked his throat again. “I yield, princess, I yield,” he said.
Margret sheathed her daggers and extended a hand to help Mage rise to his feet.
“Congratulations,” Mage said, and everyone cheered.
Once everyone quieted down, he continued: “I did not expect that combination of attack, even with everything I had taught. Arastead, a beautiful use of ice under my feet causing me to slip; Grum, perfect use of your strength and the war hammer to knock me off-balance; Farling, taking me off my feet with your shield was well-timed; and Margret, using your circlet to prevent me from hurting you as you forced me to yield, excellent. Now, if you were just ogres, I would be so proud of you. As it is, I am still proud if an Ogre Mage can be proud of people from the realm of Midgard.”
“Mage,” said Arastead, “now that you have trained us, made us better, what is to become of us? Are we to be sport for the elves’ amusement? Are we to fight in arenas while the elves bet coin on the winner?”
Mage’s face softened. Said: “When we return, I will need to introduce you to the elves, especially the elf king, Amaliji. He knows of your existence, as I explained to him how I came into possession of the four amulets. He knows there are three young men and one young lady. He does not know that you three are blacksmiths and you a princess. He does not care. He only wants the Sorceress safe in Alfheim.”
“Will we live?” asked Arastead.
&nbs
p; Mage shrugged. “Amaliji is a cruel king, but I do not believe he wishes you dead, at least not this moment. I will provide counsel as to what I think should happen to you four. We will see if he agrees. Be on your best behavior. You may feel as if you are a rare animal none has ever seen, so do not be surprised by any of the court’s actions. When we return, there will be baths for everyone, and fresh clothes. Perfumed oils will be worked into your hair as we do not want to offend the court’s delicate sensibility of smell.”
“We will be dressed as elves, then?” asked Grum.
Arastead chuckled. “Excuse Grum as he is quite vain about his looks,” he said.
“Yes, Grum, you will wear the clothes of an elf,” said Mage, “and you will be clothed in the finest raiment the elves have ever seen.”
Grum beamed with happiness.
“What are you so happy about?” asked Arastead.
“I am to meet the king of elves; that is why I am happy,” said Grum. “The masters at the School thought I lacked ambition. If only they could see me now, I am sure they would be tearing at their beards in anguish.”
CHAPTER 26
Awaken the Realm of the Dwarves
Sihr knocked on Jakobus’s door. The servant recognized Sihr and allowed him entrance.
Sihr said: “You missed the return of Magnus, the Master of the Hunt.”
“The Norse gods are receiving all the good news,” said Jakobus.
“You received good news as well. You are to fire up your forges and wake your people. How is that not good news?”
“It comes with a price, a heavy price.”
“To make a crown and free Loki, the prince of trickery, from his curse. I believe it is a small price to pay, Master Jakobus, for the reopening of Nidavellir.”
“Perhaps, priest, perhaps, but you do not know the history behind why we despise the prince of trickery so much.”
“Well, if you never tell me, then, no, I will not understand. All I know is that the elves threaten this realm, the frost giants threaten the few remaining Norse gods, and you, king of the dwarves, have been allowed what you and your forefathers have been waiting for years. Nidavellir will once again ring with the sound of hammers on anvils.”
The Prophecy of Asgard Page 18
