by Hart, Joan
He was covered in sweat by the time he reached the tail, and surrounding him on the floor lay the stinking dark flesh.
The song came to a crescendo, and with it a golden light began to surround the dragon. The long body shimmered in the unearthly light and began to change shape.
Dragon features disappeared; the body now standing upright turned from a form of fear to one of silver fantasy as a tall shining good Elf took its place.
The song stopped as suddenly as it had begun, but the light remained.
Nog dropped on one knee in homage. He may be a Viking boy but with the power of the wisdom potion inside him he knew an Elf King when he saw one. The Elf King gently embraced Nog and together they left the cave.
Howls of despair rang out from the black Elf audience waiting outside the cave. Anger registered on the face of Fjalar for here was a mere Viking boy who had conquered his magic.
Nog gave thanks to the Gods and the wisdom potion which had made everything possible.
As years went by, stories and poems were told of the deeds young Nog had done. Now he was seen as a hero; quick witted, skilled in magic and clever. People saw how inspiration and wisdom were all connected, and mead has continued to be drunk to the present day.
Triumphantly, Cat finished her tale and sat back on her heels, giving a quick glance to her friends who were nodding their support. She turned back to the elf audience. The silence was overwhelming. She waited , and waited.
Silently the elves rose and trooped out of the cavern, leaving Fjalar alone. Then, slowly, he too rose and followed the elves.
“Landvaettir.” The word floated back into the dark, dank cavern.
The ceiling moved and under invisible hands rose. Clean, fresh air gently blew over the children. A steep passage formed from the cavern floor towards the mouth of a newly formed hole. Quickly, the children scrambled up the incline and out into the fresh air. They kept on running until, breathless, they tumbled to the ground.
Kiert was the first to regain his breath. “Cat, you were wonderful. How did you manage such a story?”
“Don’t ask,” puffed Amanda. “She is always reading!”
“Never knew reading could save your life though!” added Sharon, “And from now on I’m going to call you ‘Cat Skard’.”
Jormungander
They slept a deep, dreamless sleep. Not until the noonday sun blazed upon them did any child stir. The horrors of the days before seemed far away as they looked again at rolling hills and pleasant fields. It was as though the Svart Alfar had never been.
Kiert, practical as usual, led the girls to a small spring. After quenching their thirsts and rinsing their faces, the group felt a little better.
“So where do we go from here?” asked Sharon. “We don’t have our warrior guides to help us any more.”
“No idea,” admitted Cat. “Kiert, do you know where to go? You are more up to speed with the saga than we are. Does any of this countryside fit in with the original saga’s description?”
“No. Sorry. It concentrates more on legend and heroic deeds, not where it happens.”
The four children stood, unsure of what to do next. Amanda was the first to hear the noise.
“Listen.”
Faint at first, then louder, the noise rolled over the hills towards them. A mirage from afar took shape and form. Horses. Beautiful sleek animals galloping fast, their manes flying in the wind. They skidded to a halt a few yards away from the children, panting slightly. Kiert’s eyes lit up.
“I know them!”
He danced around the girls, thumping them on the arm.
“I know them!” he repeated and taking their hands he walked them towards the animals. “Let me introduce you. This one with the golden, shimmering mane is ‘Skinfaxi’, the horse of the day. This one, with the silver, frosty, sparkling mane is ‘Hrimfaxi’, horse of the night. This lovely grey is ‘Grani’, he is Sigurd’s horse and is very fast. And this is ‘Sleipnir’. He belongs to the god Odin. As you can see he has eight legs – he can travel on land or sea and is swiftness itself.”
Tentatively, the girls held out their hands and all four horses nuzzled them gently.
“Cat! They must be here to take us on to the next stage of our quest!” Sharon gently stroked the velvet nose of Skinfaxi.
“Hmmn.”
“Well don’t sound so enthusiastic,” Kiert grumbled.
“It’s not that, Kiert.” Amanda pulled him to one side. “It’s just that Cat had a bad experience when she was little.”
“What happened?” Kiert’s face showed great concern.
“When she was six, she went with her family to visit friends who had a farm. They had horses, big ones with broad backs. The friends invited her to have a ride. Now Cat had never been near a horse before, let alone ridden one, so she was very nervous and unsure of what to do. Anyway, the farmer picked her up and threw her high onto the horse’s back. Unfortunately, Cat was so nervous that instead of straddling the broad back she kept her legs together... and slid off the other side, much to everyone’s amusement. She just disappeared from view!”
Disbelief shot over Kiert’s face. The concern vanished and there followed a strangled gurgle. Tears of laughter appeared in his eyes as he turned away to pat Sleipnir.
“Everyone thought it was funny, just like you,” went on Amanda, “but she was so embarrassed and frightened, she’s not been near a horse ever since.”
Wiping his eyes, Kiert slowly turned around. He cleared his throat. “I suggest we mount and let them take us to the next adventure.”
While Sharon and Amanda made their ways to Skinfaxi and Hrimfaxi, Kiert walked across to Cat and whispered in her ear. Startled, she looked at him, and then very slowly nodded, a little smile appearing as she made her way towards Grani.
Kiert took a great tuft of Sleipnir’s mane and scrambled upon his back. Turning, he saw that all three girls were mounted, and together they moved off. Little was said on the journey, the children concentrating on staying on the animals’ backs. Riding bareback was not something that came naturally to any of them.
After what seemed an age to the children, the horses began to slow, the gallop changing to a canter, then to a trot and finally to a gentle walk. They were approaching a huge wooden stronghold. Through the gates they rode, across a courtyard towards another tall building whose wooden doors were ornately carved. The children had little time to appreciate the carvings as both doors swung open to allow the four horses to pass inside.
The high vaulted roof rang to cheers. The children were pulled from the horses and thrown into the air, only to be caught and thrown once more. But not one of them minded, they had found their warrior friends, and the children didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, they were so overjoyed.
Through constant interruptions, Cat told how they had been captured and taken underground. Of how they had been told that Thor and their warrior friends had gone to Valhalla and how sad they all were. Then Kiert added his voice, proudly telling of the poems and story Cat had managed to recall, and how they had been good enough to satisfy the Svart Alfar.
“I think they set us free because Cat used Fjalar in her story,” he concluded.
Talk continued for half an hour or more as men and children caught up with one another’s adventures.
Groaning hinges heralded the opening of the huge wooden doors again. All conversation stopped as everyone turned to look. With cries of recognition, the children ran to greet Thor. They threw their arms around him, finding the only way to embrace him properly was to link hands and give him a big group hug. Thor bent down and, tenderly for such a big man, tousled the children’s hair. Realizing the warriors were watching him, he suddenly became macho and no-nonsense again. Thor cleared his throat. “Pack up. We must move on. I have a ship waiting to take us on
the last leg of our journey. It is a good day’s march from here and we must be about our business.”
Soon the party was on the move again, and it wasn’t long before Amanda began moaning.
“Just like old times,” laughed Kiert as he thumped her on the back and made his way towards the front of the group.
The ship lay at anchor in a small natural harbour. Once aboard they set sail with the tide and made their way steadily along the coastline, before changing course and setting out to sea. The children found a small space on deck away from the men and began to relax, enjoying the gentle motion as the bow lifted and fell with the waves. For a short while they watched the gulls wheel overhead, then gave in to the soporific effects of the sea sounds and motion and fell fast asleep.
It was the abrupt change in motion that roused Cat. She shook the others.
“Look!” She persisted until all three friends were awake and alert. They gazed at the warriors who were once again armed and in a state of great readiness, staring out to sea. The children made to get up and join them.
“Stay there.” Thor’s hand motioned them to stop where they were.
“What’s wrong?” Amanda asked, edging forwards.
“We are being followed.”
“I don’t see any shi... ” The sentence remained unfinished as in the distance the sea began to boil and waves began to build. They flowed towards the boat and roared underneath the little craft. Warriors grabbed the boat sides as they were tossed backwards and forwards; the children too grabbed the sides as they were flung violently about.
“Jormungander.”
All eyes followed Thor’s pointing finger. Out from the boiling mass of sea rose a gigantic sea serpent. Up it rose until it was twice the height of the ship’s mast. The phosphorescence of the sea outlined it as if a string of lights were hanging from it. They watched it curiously for some seconds, and then stared in horror as it headed towards them, diving right beneath them at the last minute. The boat tipped precariously but righted itself as all occupants rushed to the side trying to follow the beast.
Moments later it rose behind them, sending cascades of water onto the deck. It slithered onto the boat towards them. The smell of the creature was appalling, its slimy skin dripping with scum and filth. The head rose as it surveyed the party and, as if a decision had been made, it slithered purposefully towards Cat. Warriors sprang into action to defend their friend. They fought hard but were no match for the creature as it lifted men like toys, tearing limbs from bodies and devouring all before it. On it came, its eyes fixed on Cat who was watching in growing horror as one by one her warrior friends were maimed or killed.
She was startled by a cry of ‘Honour!’ beside her. Before she could move, Kiert, sword raised and shield up, ran to meet Jormungander. He looked minute against the huge body of the serpent, but this stood him in good stead as he weaved in and out in attack before the monster could move. While Kiert distracted it, the remaining warriors continued their assault. Blood flowed freely over the deck and ran into the sea, turning it red for several feet in all directions.
With the battle continuing, Thor led the girls to the relative safety of the prow, then turned, took Mjollnir from his belt and, with a blood-curdling cry, ran towards Jormungander. Seconds later he picked himself up from the deck, rubbing the back of his neck while Jormungander’s tail that had assaulted him lashed back and forth. Thor advanced again and the tail rose and, like a lasso, twined itself around Thor’s body, pulling him nearer to its mouth. The huge figure disappeared amongst the slimy coils.
Kiert was the first to move. Running past Cat’s hiding place, he climbed the dragon’s head prow and launched himself and his sword onto the neck of Jormungander. The sword, with the boy’s weight behind it, sank into the flesh up to the hilt. Jormungander gave a roar and shook himself violently, sending Kiert spinning through the air. He slammed into the mast and fell lifeless to the deck.
“Kiert! No!” Cat leapt form her hiding place, her two friends hard on her heels, and ran to the lifeless form of her friend. Sharon knelt, carefully cradling his head in her lap; Amanda checked his pulse, tears flowing as she realized there was no beat.
“Nothing,” she sobbed.
Remembering her Guiding first aid, Cat began the process of artificial respiration. Four times she tried blowing into his lungs, but nothing happened. Frantically, she felt for his breastbone, and then putting three fingers up from there, she began to push.
“One, two three... ,” Cat counted under her breath until she reached fifteen, then inflated the lungs twice. Amanda checked the pulse again.
“Nothing.”
Cat repeated the process.
“Nothing.”
Then strong hands lifted Cat away. She struggled shouting, “Let me go, let me go. I have to keep trying.”
“It is over. Tonight, Kiert will feast in Valhalla.”
Total despair hit the girls; they slumped against one another and sobbed.
Meanwhile, the fight between Thor and Jormungander went on. Thor took heart from the briefly distracted serpent that for one moment had forgotten to squeeze. Using all his strength he managed to push the heavy serpent’s coils upwards, over his head. Grabbing the sea serpent’s throat, man and beast thrashed around the deck. As Thor gained ground he lifted one hand to take Mjollnir from his waistband. But in that moment, somehow Jormungander broke free. In a flash the beast had risen to his full height, struck down onto the deck, picked up the inert body of Kiert and disappeared into the depths before anyone had time to react.
Sigurd
Outside the cabin the rain beat down relentlessly. The day was grey and dismal, echoing the feelings of the three girls inside. The final part of the sea trip had passed in a blur of heartache and tears, and even now the girls weren’t really sure how they had got there. They sat staring vacantly into the fire.
“Didn’t turn out to be much of a friend, did I? Why didn’t I think quickly enough? Didn’t even have time to use my Ash Tree Talisman. If I had, Kiert would probably be here now.” Sharon murmured her feelings to no one in particular.
“What’s past is past. Do not dwell on what might have been.” The voice of the Skard brought the girls back to the present. “Be positive. Concentrate on what is to be done and succeed for the honour of your young friend. He died a good Viking Warrior. Come. We need you all at our final meeting.”
The girls rose and made their way to the middle of the room where Thor and the remaining warriors sat quietly talking among themselves. Thor cleared his throat.
“We are all agreed then?” Nods of agreement encouraged Thor to continue. “For this final part of our journey, the party must split. Cat, you, Sharon and Amanda will go with the remaining men to meet with Sigurd. Once there though, Cat will go on alone to complete the quest.”
Splutters of indignation erupted from both Sharon and Amanda, but were silenced by Thor’s hand.
“The last part is not for you. Our sagas have to be seen through the ages in a pure and golden light. We need to have our hero Sigurd admired and looked up to by future generations. The saga of Sigurd is our treasure, and only Cat can ensure it lasts for ever.”
“It’s true.” Cat’s voice broke the silence. She held up her hand. The ring shone brightly, transfixing all who gazed on it. “I managed to crack the rune code on the ring. It says ‘Cat Skard treasure. Skard for ever’, so that must mean that I have to help somehow. But if we split up Thor, what will you be doing?” She turned toward him.
“Yes, what are you doing? Where are you going? Why can’t we come too?” Amanda stood up, arms akimbo.
“I am going to Hel.”
This was not at all what Amanda was expecting from the huge man. She sat down again, flabbergasted. Thor continued.
“Jormungander, like Fenrir, is a son of the god Loki. There
is one other child of Loki, a daughter named Hel. She is the goddess of the underworld. Hel was brought up in the land of the giants along with Fenrir and Jormungander. However, unlike her brothers, she isn’t a malevolent person. It was the god Odin himself who gave her power to fix the underworld for herself. I am going to petition her for the life of Kiert.”
“Then we’re definitely coming too. Aren’t we Sharon?”
“You bet, and we have our talisman to help. You’ll want to know whether this goddess is telling the truth or not and that’s where Amanda comes in. I’ve got the life giving Ash so you’ll definitely need me. So that’s settled. When do we start?”
Thor opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again. “I shall be honoured to take you both. With such talisman we shall definitely succeed. We start at first light.”
Cat woke, stretched, yawned and looked around her. Light streamed in the window, but of Amanda and Sharon there was no sign. Jumping up, she rushed outside joining the men. The Skard approached her.
“Good. You are awake. Word has reached us that Sigurd has left looking for Fafnir. We must go.”
As they journeyed, the Skard told Cat more about Sigurd. “Sigurd is the greatest living Volsung of them all. He was educated at King Hjalprek’s court under the tutor Regin. There he learnt his skills in warfare, sorcery and reading the magic runes. It was Regin who sent him to recover the treasure. Regin’s father had first obtained the treasure from the dwarf Andvari. To get his hands on it Regin and his brother Fafnir killed their father; but Fafnir wanted the treasure all to himself so he transformed into a dragon to guard it. Trouble is, over the years the evil has worked in him, so now he is more feared than ever. We have also heard that there are others after the treasure. They will have Sigurd killed after he has slain Fafnir, so they will have all the treasure.”
“We mustn’t let that happen,” gasped Cat. “We must ensure Sigurd stays safe for children in the future to be able to read about his adventures.”
They made camp just as the sun was setting low behind the trees. Long dark purple shadows cast over the land, the air turned chilly as the warmth of the sun’s rays faded away. Wrapped up against the chill Cat dozed. She dreamt of dragons and a handsome young man on a white horse dashing to her side.
