Balder

by Camille Oster

  Rising, he walked outside to the cool morning air and sought the milking stable, where young girls were seeing to their duties. A wooden cup of milk was given him and he carried it back to Hoder, who was awake but not risen.

  "I will speak to Vali about this new development. Will you be alright here for the day?"

  "Yes. I am not a child who needs to be minded."

  Well, he kind of was, but Balder wasn't going to antagonize him, knowing how much he hated accepting help. "Good. There is a young woman next door if you would need anything. I will speak to her."

  A grumble was all he got in return and Hoder stared at the wall. Silence and stillness were what he sought and Balder knew he was taking it away whenever he came into Hoder's room.

  Mounting his horse, he rode out in the direction of Vali's village. It wouldn't take long. His horse was learning to travel at a godly speed. It wasn't something that came naturally to them, but they learned over time.

  The sun was warm and bright by the time he reached Vali's hall, where Lily was sitting by the table, sewing something. Looking up, she smiled at him. "How was your journey to Vanaheim?"

  "Well. It is destroyed." Vali appeared, drawn by his voice. "But there were footsteps in the ash."

  "Whose?" Vali asked.

  "Not mine and not yours, and not Hel's. Someone else, but they are hidden somewhere. How would we find them? How would they know we are here? Or do you think they wish to remain hidden? Whoever placed you in the mountains didn't leave a way of reaching them."

  "Perhaps they don't know we are awake."

  "No, how would they know—unless they see our footsteps like I saw this man's?"

  "There is little reason for them to go to either Asgard or Vanaheim if they already know they are destroyed."

  "Or perhaps this is the person that released the Dragrs," Lily added.

  Balder's gut twisted as he knew Hel had released them to grow Nidhogg, but he bit his tongue. Sharing this knowledge would only make them more angry and dismissive of her. Humans were needed to feed the corpse eater, and a corpse eater was necessary. It was perfectly logical from her perspective. The two in front of him would not see it that way, though. It served no one for there to be more resentment directed at Hel, even if she did what was in her nature.

  Instead, he turned the conversation elsewhere. "I thought we could leave runes in places to inform this person where we are if they travel the world again."

  "Or we can do better still," Vali said after a moment of contemplation. Leaving the main hall, he returned with a bundle wrapped in cloth. Placing it on the table, he unwrapped gleaming, bright gold. It took Balder a moment to recognize it.

  "Gjallarhorn," he said.

  "I found it on the battlefield. The ash does not stick to it well as it does to everything else. I think it is time we use it. If someone walks, they will hear its call no matter where they dwell. If they are gods, they will come."

  Nodding absently, Balder felt nervousness go through him. Who knew what would respond to the call of the Gjallarhorn? It could draw battle, or it could simply announce their presence. "Let's call and see who comes. Now?"

  Vali looked over at Lily, who Balder was fairly sure didn't fully understand the implications of this action. The last time the horn had been used, it was to draw all gods to the final battle. Blowing it would be a decisive action, calling all to action. "No, let's find a glade nearby. I don't want to draw all and sundry to the village until we know what is out there."

  "I think Hoder should be there."

  The muscle in Vali's jaw tightened.

  "This is bigger than whatever grievance you have with him." It was lucky Hoder hadn't depended on Vali's forgiveness to be released from Nastrond, because it wasn't forthcoming.

  The lack of answer was as much affirmation Balder needed. There would be no action taken against Hoder while he was around. "Then let's meet in the glade to the south in three hours."

  *

  The chariot ride was hard on Hoder, but he had more strength than when they had left Helheim, where he'd been forced to lie on the floor from sheer weakness. Refusing to lie, he stood, but Balder had to go slow because of it. At the glade, Vali was waiting with the horn, and Hoder awkwardly stepped off the back of the chariot. It was the first time the brothers had seen each other and their meeting occurred in silence.

  "Hoder," Vali finally said. Even if he wanted to, Vali could not attack a man so aged. It would be dishonorable and Vali took his honor seriously.

  "Vali," Hoder said, mustering as much strength as he could. Stubbornness held his knees strong. It was a trait Hoder'd had since the day he’d been born.

  "Let's blow the horn," Balder said, turning to look out across the glade. Excitement, anticipation and even a little dream whirled around inside him. Someone would come. Friend or enemy, they did not know which. Or they would choose not to come, and that would tell them enough.

  Placing the horn to his lips, Vali blew and the sound started small and grew to booming proportions, echoing off mountains in the distance. Everyone everywhere would hear it, and gods would know what it was. And then they waited.

  Chapter 32

  ON LIGHT FEET, HEL landed on the stones outside Nidhogg's hall. The door was open as Balder must have left it. As per usual, Nidhogg kept his hall an utter mess and she looked around, seeing her poor beast chained to a column.

  "What have they done to you, my petal?" she said softly.

  Nidhogg's eyes considered her. This was embarrassing to him—she knew that. The animate creatures, parts or wholes of former humans, scurried out of her way. They knew better than to urge her for clemency. Even if she wanted to, she could not release them—not that she would. She had enough trouble with the young men she kept in her hall—why in the world would she want some old, half-chewed murderers hanging around? Besides, the magic in this hall was so strong, it depended on their victim's forgiveness, not hers. Their victims, however, were long gone, absorbed by the ether into nothingness.

  "My poor baby," she said as she walked past the filth on the floor. "You should keep your hall tidier. Take the time and push all this filth into the hole where it belongs. It might smell a bit fresher too."

  The serpent didn't mind filth and stench, she knew. Herself, she abhorred how disheveled it all was. Nidhogg had a nasty habit of playing with his food.

  Heaving the massive chain, she tried to find where she could undo it, finding it anchored in one of the walls too far away for Nidhogg to reach. It was cleverly tied. Balder had never been lacking in cleverness when he asserted himself, and he'd battled Nidhogg and won. The poor creature was going to be teased mercilessly for this by that horrid eagle. Stroking the scaly skin, she tried to soothe him. "There, there. No harm done. Oh, what did they do to your tail?" she asked, seeing the wound piercing through his flesh. "That mean god hurt you."

  Nidhogg's silence was stubborn.

  "Come up to shore and I'll put some tincture on it before it grows bad." Nidhogg was strong, but he did like to be fussed over. The wound would heal, but it would have hurt receiving it. Gungnir would have made that wound, and the spear was true, so Balder would have aimed to hit the tail. "Was this how they tied you up, pinning your tail?"

  His stubborn silence continued as if he didn't want to speak about it. His pride was hurt.

  Moving to the wall, she unhooked the chain and the heavy loops of metal clanked to the floor, releasing its hold on Nidhogg. As she did, a deep vibrating rumble pushed through the leagues of water above them. Even Nidhogg stopped and listened.

  What could be so loud as to sound down here? "What that the call to arms?" she asked. Nidhogg slowly turned to her and hissed. The last time it had been blown had been the start of Ragnarok. It had to be Balder blowing it, but for what reason? It couldn't be to draw Nidhogg to battle, could it? Her threat to his humans still stood. Or was it to draw her? Normally they just came to her gate. "This is not for you," she said to Nidhogg. "You stay here and
clean your hall. You have to show some pride in your own dwelling."

  The serpent growled and slithered out of the hall into the darkness of the water outside. Something in the corner croaked for mercy, but Hel ignored them. Whoever they were had not shown any mercy to their victim; they deserved none now. Nidhogg would see to them soon enough. Perhaps she needed to have a word with him about dispatching his meals with some timeliness. Although he had kept a god around for centuries. Perhaps he feared eating him. Conceivably, it was a justified fear. But then Hoder had been too old and ugly to eat.

  With the strength of ice and currents behind her, she drove through the water until she emerged on her own shore. Nidhogg was nowhere to be found, probably off to see where the horn had been blown from. The noise of it still echoed through the air and Hel could tell it came from Midgard. Nidhogg would not be able to reach it, so it was probably not aimed for him.

  Walking through the gate, she reached the Gjoll and dived in, deciding that she would travel more inconspicuously without her horse, emerging in the sickly warm summer evening in Midgard. The vibrations of Gjallarhorn showed here that it had been blown nearby. Silently, she walked in the direction until she reached a glade, where Balder, Vali and Hoder stood, awaiting whoever it was they had called.

  There was nervousness in Balder's stance. Even from this distance, she would tell he was both anxious and excited.

  They did believe there was someone else walking, believing someone had released the Draugr on the humans. Balder knew it had been her, and he knew why, so he would not be this anxious if he didn't believe that someone else was walking. Vali had been placed in his ice hall by someone, and that was perhaps who they were awaiting.

  For some time, no one came, and Hel could see Balder's hopes flagging. His every emotion was written on his face and body, disappointment sagging his shoulders.

  As she stood and watched, she thought back on their last meeting, how strange he had been. Perhaps it had been the elation of his success that had made him so calm, almost tranquil. It had been very confusing and she still didn't know what to make of it.

  And then a twig broke somewhere in the distance. Turning her attention there, she held her breath. Someone had come, and she had no idea who would walk out of the trees. A figure appeared, one she didn't know. A man. He stood guardedly at the edge, pausing before he moved forward.

  "Who calls with the Gjallarhorn?" the man called. Hel didn't recognize his voice, but he was familiar with the instrument that had called out.

  "Balder, son of Odin," Balder's voice echoed across the glade. "Vali and Hoder, both sons of Odin."

  "Odin's progeny survives to make trouble," the man said, but there was amusement in his voice. With slow, measured steps, the man walked closer. "I am Njord, descendant of the Van."

  "Welcome," Vali called. "We have seen evidence of you, but could not find you."

  "I have built my hall in the sea. Nearby, it seems. I did not know you were alive. I am pleased."

  "Do you know of others?"

  "No," he said. "I thought I was alone."

  "Where did you wake?" Balder asked.

  "On the battlefield, covered in blood and gore," Njord said more darkly. "But you have been in Helheim, I know," he said to Balder.

  "Yes," Balder said. Hel couldn't make out what he judged about that. Did he feel some way cheated, like he had implied? As if he had not been hers to do with as she wished. "No longer. Hel lives, of course." Her heart pounded hearing herself discussed, almost anticipating a blow, but it didn't come. He said nothing else, and neither did Njord.

  "You I don't know," the Vanir said, turning his attention to Vali. "Being a hostage in Asgard for many years, I know most of the Aesir."

  "I was born after the war with the Vanir," Vali said.

  "You did not place him in the ice, Njord?" Hoder asked. "Someone did."

  "Hoder, I take it. You are aged. It was not me. I saw no one after I woke and retreated into the sea to escape the fires, and have stayed there."

  "It was I," someone called from the tree line. "I placed you in the ice hall." Another figure stepped forward. It was dark now, and they were harder to see as they kept walking.

  "Hello, uncle," Hoder said before anyone else could identify this person. "Welcome."

  "Vili?" Vali called.

  "Yes, Vali," the man said and came closer to the large fire that burned. His beard was long and brown. This was a man Hel knew of, but hadn't met.

  Not only had Balder his brothers, now, but an uncle too. But there were others appearing too, more and more. It wasn't just one person awake, it was many.

  Hel looked at them, one from another. There was a woman too, a goddess—one she didn't know, but she was as golden as Balder was. Jealousy reared inside Hel. No matter what she did, she was not given consideration by these gods. Neither Vanir or Aesir, she wasn't considered a goddess at all by some.

  Before, it had only been her and Balder, and it had all been perfect. With each person appearing out of the darkness, that togetherness was farther and farther removed. Now there was even a golden goddess for Balder to turn his attention to. The new world of the gods was forming in front of her very eyes, and she had no place in it. A mere servant, who performed the unsightly task of clearing the dead away.

  Chapter 33

  ONE SHADOW COMING OUT of the woods drew Balder's attention away from all the others. The way he moved seemed so familiar and Balder's heart skipped painfully. Elation or awful disappointment was about to hit him, watching this man walk forward into the light. It seemed the world stood still for a moment. His heart said this was his son, but his mind warned caution.

  A heart knows his child, though, and Forseti walked into the light. Older and more mature than when Balder had seen him last. For a moment, it felt as if everything was right in the world. His son lived. Everything else was secondary. This had been too much to hope for.

  Walking forward, Balder embraced his son. He was real.

  "Hello, Father," he said, his deep voice nowhere near the young boy he had once been.

  "You mother will be delighted," Balder said. Taking his cheeks in his hands, Balder kissed his forehead.

  "Mother is alive?"

  "Yes, she is not far away. Where have you been?"

  "Slumbering, it seems. I only just woke."

  Someone clapped him on the shoulder and Balder turned to see Vili, his uncle. This was all too much to have hoped for. There were so many of them alive. "You placed Vali in the ice."

  "Yes," Vili said. "And some of the others. I figured you would have found your way out of Hel's clutches. Something about the statement twisted in his guts because part of him didn't want to be. Many, most, would not understand that, though.

  Unable to completely let go of Forseti, in case he disappeared, Balder looked around at the group of men who were greeting each other around the fire. Another brother in Vidar. Thor's sons, Magni and Modi. Behind them was Hermod, Balder's own brother who had come and failed to negotiate with Hel for his return.

  With a clap on Forseti's back, he went over and embraced his brother, who he hadn't seen in so very long. "Hoder is here too."

  "It is hard to recognize him with such a beard," Hermod said.

  "In mind and body, he is worse for wear in his time in Nastrand."

  "I am sorry to hear that.”

  “He will be happy to see you, though. You should greet him."

  Off to the side a bit, stood Ullr, Thor's stepson, who now, as he had always been was a little separate, always concentrating on his excellent skills in hunting and sporting, perhaps to get away from his often strained relationships with his stepbrothers.

  "Welcome," Balder said, embracing the man, who was always quiet and self-contained. "Did you just wake?"

  "Yes," he said. "With the dwarfs, as were Modi and Magni, I believe."

  Also separated was Hoenir, whose appearance, frankly, Balder would have traded for just about anyone else. Hoenir always ha
d the propensity to make every wrong decision, and he was difficult and unpredictable to a fault. Being the magnanimous man he was, Balder could not fail to welcome his uncle, even if he wondered if he would soon regret those words.

  Standing with Njord was the most beautiful woman Balder had ever seen, glowing even. Balder had never seen her before. "Sunna," Ullr said, noticing where his attention was. "Daughter of Sol." That would explain the way she glowed. She was not Aesir, instead born of the Elves.

  "She is very beautiful."

  "Yes," Ullr agreed quietly. "She is."

  "All these children of Odin," a man called with a booming voice. "Who would have thought? Hard to kill, some would say, or the luck of the blessed." It was Aegir, the giant of the sea. At times a friend, at times not. Like Njord, he would have hidden in the sea as the world burned.

  "Are you alone, my friend?" Vidar called.

  "I live with my wife and four of my daughters."

  There had been nine originally, but a few had been married away and met unfortunate ends. After, Aegir refused to marry off any more of his daughters.

  All the races were represented. Except the dwarves, who apparently lived but didn't respond to the Gjallarhorn's call. They hadn't last time either, at some earlier point deciding that Aesir and Vanir business was none of theirs. Perhaps understandable considering how they had been treated, at times.

  The one person that had not come, was Hel. Searching for her, Balder could not see her. The call would have reached her like everyone else, but she hadn't come. Was it out of spite, or did she see it as none of her affair as the dwarves did? She had not responded to the call to battle either. But no, she was here, he could feel her, but she hid.

  Seeking Forseti, Balder saw him speaking to Magni and Modi. All were happy to see each other, had much to discuss. This was their new world, the new cycle, and they were not alone. There was many.