The Reckoning of Asgard

by James Malcolm Elrick

  Everyone immediately bent over to catch their breaths, except for the were-beasts who still looked as fresh as when they had started. The frost giants kept up their pace and soon, both stood in front of the gate, smiles of satisfaction on their faces. They crossed their arms and stared fiercely at everyone.

  Liulfr said: “Princess, I suspect you have a plan.”

  “She always has a plan,” said Grum between gulps of air. “At least I hope she has one.”

  “I do,” she said and approached the frost giants.

  The first frost giant chuckled. “Step nearer, mouse,” he said.

  “Yes, mouse, closer,” said the other. “Let me crush you beneath my great boot.”

  “Nah, do not do that, you will just dirty your boot,” complained the first.

  “Mouse guts come off my boot well enough,” observed the other.

  The first frost giant opened his mouth to say something else, when Margret stamped the butt of Gunghir Sister-Spear on the ground, loudly, silencing him.

  She spoke in a loud and confident voice. Said: “I am Princess Margret of the kingdom of Aarlund. You frost giants have no right to block our entrance to the city of Vanaheim!”

  The first frost giant grabbed his great double-headed axe off the ground. Then: “Mouse, this realm will soon be ours. You had best bend your knee before us and our great king else you and your friends will be squashed like so many mice.”

  “Then we fight,” replied Margret. “But on only one condition.”

  After a long pause, finally one of the frost giants asked: “Which is?”

  Margret said: “I will only fight the fiercest of you two. So, which one is the fiercest? I cannot tell.”

  “Is what?” asked the first frost giant looking confused.

  “The fiercest,” said the second. “The strongest.”

  At that, the first frost giant pounded his chest with his fist. Said: “Then look no further for I am the strongest. I once wrestled 10 polar bears.”

  The other frost giant guffawed. “Nay, brother, you jest,” he said. “I was there, and I remember it was only one polar bear and you bragged like a child brags to impress his father.”

  Margret called aloud: “And what of you?” she asked of the other frost giant. “What makes you so fierce?”

  He grinned. “I once fought 20 of the great white wolves of Jotunheim,” he said.

  The first frost giant laughed dismissively. “A made-up fable,” he said. “I heard there were no white wolves and it was just one dog, a mutt, that had wandered into our realm from Midgard, hungry and scared.”

  The other frost giant fumed in anger, his face turned bright red and his beard bristled.

  “Liar!” he bellowed. “On my shoulders are the pelts of those white wolves!”

  “You stole those from our father’s trunk!”

  The other frost giant’s voice now lowered to a menacing growl. “I stole nothing,” he said.

  The first frost giant though was oblivious to the other’s anger. “Mouse,” he said to Margret, enjoying the audience, “he even once claimed to have climbed the highest peak in all of Jotunheim.”

  “I did!” he shouted, as spittle flew from his lips. “I brought back a flower from the peak. It only grows there it is so rare. And it is said to have healing properties and helped Thrymr with his gout.”

  “Another lie from the great braggart,” said the other frost giant. “Thrymr’s gout was cured by some potion one of his soothsayers cooked up.”

  “Yes!” bawled the other in exasperation. “In that potion was the flower I brought back!”

  “Not true. I never heard word of that being in the potion.”

  “That is because your ears are so full of wax and straw that you cannot hear anything, less understand anything anybody says.”

  Margret yawned, waving a hand over her open mouth. “I tire of this,” she said. She pointed at the second frost giant. “I think the frost giant on my right was the fiercest. I will fight him.”

  The first frost giant looked to explode as his face turned from bright red to dark purple. “If he is a fiercer frost giant than I, I will eat my beard,” he muttered.

  “Then you had best be hungry,” said the other as he took a step forward.

  The first frost giant lay a heavy hand on the other’s shoulder. Said: “And where do you think you are going, brother?”

  “To fight a mouse,” he said. Then his voice took on a warning tone. “Brother, you had best take your hand off my shoulder.”

  “Brother, the matter of who is the fiercest has not been decided,” he said.

  “Yes, it has, brother. The mouse said I am the fiercest and so I will fight her. Now take your hand off my shoulder, brother, else I remove it for you.”

  “Brother, you think you can do that?”

  “I think I can and I think I will, brother,” said the other frost giant as without warning he smashed his fist into his brother’s face.

  The first frost giant, surprised at the speed of the punch, took a step back. Blood trickled from a broken nose. He shook his head to clear it.

  “Unfairly struck, brother,” he said with a chuckle as he wiped his nose with his sleeve and stared at the blood.

  Said the second frost giant: “Now that you are injured, you had best be on your way as you are not needed—”

  But he did not finish as the first frost giant punched him in the stomach, hard. He bent over from the blow.

  “I think it is you that should be on your way,” said the first frost giant.

  The other frost giant, still bent over, chuckled. “You punch like our little brother,” he said. Let me show you how a grown frost giant punches.”

  And from the bent over position, the frost giant’s fist flew upwards until it connected under the brother’s chin.

  And with that, a great roar arose from both frost giants as they began to trade punches and blows that split lips and bruised faces. And those were just the injuries Margret could see. She thought she heard many a rib crack as well. The ground felt as if it shook each time one of the frost giants dealt a mighty blow.

  After a few minutes of fighting, both frost giants stepped back a few paces from one another. Both looked much worse the wear, breathing heavily and were clearly exhausted from the effort.

  Said the first frost giant: “I think you should just give up, brother.”

  “Nay, brother, it is you who should give up before you really get hurt.”

  “Mere scratches. I have had worse, much worse.”

  “Fine, I will give you worse.”

  And each frost giant swung a great right fist in a huge arc at the other. Both punches landed at the same time on each other’s left temple causing each frost giant’s head to rock violently to one side. Both stumbled, their feet suddenly having a difficult time helping them stand.

  The first frost giant slurred his words as if drunk. “Brother, a fine blow,” he said.

  “You as well, brother,” said the other, his words barely understandable he had mumbled them so badly.

  And like two cut trees both frost giants closed their eyes and fell face first on to the ground. Margret felt the ground rumble through her feet.

  She walked over to first one frost giant, then the other. Both snored loudly. She waved the group over.

  “A fine strategy,” said Sihr. “I thought for certain we were to battle.”

  Grum said: “I, for one, was hoping for a fight. Still, always fun to see the frost giants do all the work for us.”

  “Well done, Margret,” said Farling with a grin.

  Margret allowed herself a small smile as if she had enjoyed the moment. “I know we could have beaten them as there were only two,” she said. “Still, always fun to trick them.”

  A horn sounded in the distance.

  “Other scouts,” said Grum. “The fighting got their attention.”

  Arastead said: “Then let us enter this walled city.”

  And as he
spoke, the gates opened. There, stood Freya, beside her, Galdr, Loki, and Magnus, the former Master of the Hunt.

  Freya said: “Heroes of Midgard, welcome to Vanaheim.”

  Everyone bowed low, awed to be in the presence of the Norse gods.

  A horn sounded again, this time closer.

  Margret said: “We should not tarry outside the gates. Everyone, in!”

  Everyone hustled inside. Magnus closed the gates, then placed a large beam across the gates, locking them securely.

  Freya led the way as they walked down the roads and alleys of Vanaheim.

  “Freya, what happened?” asked Farling, noticing many buildings were destroyed, falling apart, or simply missing.

  But it was Loki who answered: “What happened, Farling, was the Great Battle. I like to think of it as the Really Bad Big Battle because, during it, Vanaheim fell. Asgard ripped apart, this realm, ripped apart. Buildings fell to Midgard and took root there, grew there. That is why this city landscape is so desolate. This city once filled with people, laughing, loving, celebrating, but really, was all just in preparation for the Great Battle. Odin, old One-Eye, always knew it was to happen. He gave up one of his eyes to learn just that. I always wonder what he would have learned if had given up his other eye. But it turns out the Norns had no interest in his other eye. So, during the Great Battle, all the Norse gods save us three were destroyed. I was kept safe as a statue here in this realm. No one was interested in me as a statue. My sister was also kept as statue, cursed to sleep until her necklace was returned. And my brother, Galdr, lived in Midgard, but far away from civilization.”

  “With only my ravens to keep me company,” interjected Galdr. “But do not worry, I never suffered as the ravens were very entertaining. The stories they could tell, and did. One is Memory, the other, Thought. Their depth of knowledge is so vast, one could drown in it. It was a pleasant way to pass the time. And then the day arrived when it was time to set in motion Odin’s plan. He always knew Asgard would fall and that the great realms would be ripped apart. And he also knew that as time passed, Midgard would once again face a great danger.”

  “At least Galdr had ravens,” said Loki. “My sister and I had nothing but our memories. Honestly, in many ways, I am surprised neither of us went insane. But I guess that is the thing about Norse gods, we have some techniques and abilities to survive what would normally destroy any person from Midgard, perhaps even an elf or dwarf.”

  Margret asked: “So what of Vanaheim? You intend to defend it?”

  “The last several weeks and months we have rebuilt the walls of Vanaheim,” said Freya. “Asgard fell once before. It will not fall again.”

  “What are you trying to protect?” asked Margret.

  “All realms connect through Asgard,” said Freya. “This realm holds all the great realms together. It is this realm that nourishes Yggdrasil. This realm even nourishes the Midgard Serpent that gnaws Yggdrasil’s roots. And the old realms, the realms hard to find, Asgard keeps a connection. If Asgard were to fall again, especially to the frost giants, they would use this realm to rule the other realms, but destroy them in the process. Midgard would be a realm of slaves doing the bidding of the frost giants. The dwarf realm would be forced to make items of magic making the frost giants even more powerful. Over time, they would destroy and enslave the other realms. It would be a horrible existence for all that live. So it is Asgard we protect, must protect, for the existence of all the realms.”

  “If it is Asgard that keeps Yggdrasil and the Midgard Serpent alive,” said Margret, “then it is Asgard that keeps the Norns alive.”

  Galdr answered: “It is a complicated relationship. For the magic that flows through our realms comes from Yggdrasil and the Midgard Serpent, and yet they need nourishment from Asgard, from the realms. And the Norns live in Yggdrasil and so need Asgard as well.”

  Arastead said: “So the Norns are essentially creatures of magic.”

  “Of a sort,” said Galdr. “But such creatures of magic that it is beyond comprehension.”

  Margret interjected: “But like all creatures of magic they are still bound by its rules,” she said.

  “Of course,” said Galdr not noticing Margret nodding, pleased at the answer.

  Grum patted his stomach. Said: “Now, what about some food?” You must have food here in Vanaheim. Even you gods eat, right?” He suddenly looked nervous.

  “You saw the tree we passed, Grum,” said Arastead. “It grows the famed golden apples the old gods must still eat.”

  “Just one a day,” said Loki, “and I would prefer if you did not refer to me as ‘old.’ I do not feel old. And yes, we do eat other food beside the golden apple as well.”

  Grum sighed in relief, then said: “Then let us eat, by all the gods. Wait, that does sound strange with all you standing here before me. Oh well, I care not, let us eat!”

  CHAPTER 57

  Alchemist and Old Monk

  The spread on the table was the most impressive Grum had ever seen.

  “Grum,” said Farling, “try and leave some for everyone else.”

  “I will try,” said Grum. “But they best eat quickly else there will be none left.”

  “Do you still wear that ring you wore against the frost giants?” asked Farling. “Because if you do, then no one else will eat.”

  “Relax,” said Grum. “That ring only worked in the frost giant’s realm. Even if I wore it, it would not work here.”

  “Some good news,” said Farling.

  Everyone loaded their plates. Galdr also laid out food for the two great ravens.

  “A fine spear,” said Freya to Margret. “How is it in battle?”

  Margret nodded. “I have not yet fought with it, so I do not know,” she replied.

  “I looked forward to watching you fight,” said Freya.

  A great horn sounded, ending all conversations.

  “What is that?” asked Grum.

  “Thrymr’s horn,” said Loki. “He summons us.”

  “He sounds his horn early,” said Galdr.

  “Just like a frost giant,” said Loki. “Impatient to get things started when they feel they have the advantage.”

  Margret asked: “What is this meeting about?”

  Loki winked. “The frost giants wish to give us the terms of our surrender,” he said.

  “You are not surrendering!” cried Grum. “Tell me you are not.”

  “Relax, blacksmith,” said Loki. “The day we surrender the city of Vanaheim and this realm of Asgard is the day my bones bleach in the sun.”

  “Not very likely,” said Farling quietly in an aside to Grum.

  Freya stood. “Now, let us meet this frost giant king,” she said.

  ***

  Out on the plains in front of the walls of Vanaheim, Farling had his first glimpse of the frost giant army. Fences penned in massive polar bears who growled and fought as they tore their food to bloody shreds, staining the ground. Forges belched smoke as the frost giant blacksmiths hammered metal into weapons and armor. Sparks flew from the sharpening stone as a blacksmith pressed a sword against it. The frost giants brought no tents, preferring to sleep under the stars. Wolves, the largest Farling had ever seen, sniffed around at all the cook pots, swallowing any food a frost giant threw in one quick gulp.

  As they walked through the frost giant camp, all talk ceased, all eyes followed them.

  Grum whispered: “Do we not fear that the frost giants may be up to no good?”

  Arastead shook his head. “There are rules of warfare that even the frost giants will not break,” he said. “And one of those is that groups travelling for meetings are under protection. Severe consequences would follow if these rules were broken.”

  “Odd, but that does not make me feel safe,” said Grum.

  Farling glanced at everyone in the group. He noticed Beornheard’s eyes lingered on the great polar bears, and that Liulfr’s eyes stared at the massive wolves. The polar bears returned Beornheard’
s gaze as did the wolves to Liulfr.

  Arastead noticed as well. Said to Farling: “I suspect if there were any snow cats, Kees would have caught their attention.”

  Farling grunted. “Then it is a good thing there are no frost rats,” he said making Arastead chuckle and nod in agreement.

  In the middle of the camp, the frost giants assembled a circle of large round stones, boulders practically. As they walked through the outer circle of large stones, inside were smaller stones, one large enough for Thrymr to take as his seat, and another for his daughter to sit beside him. Behind them stood Thrymr’s two sons. And beside them stood—

  “Alchemist! Old Monk!” roared the were-beasts.

  One of Thrymr’s sons shoved Alchemist and Old Monk out from behind the rocks. They stood before Thrymr, gaunt, ragged clothes hanging from thin frames. Long beards hung from sallow faces and long hair was held back in braids. But even though they looked barely fed, the appearance of strength could be seen in how they stood and moved.

  The were-beasts, upon seeing Alchemist, were suddenly oblivious to their surroundings. They rushed towards Alchemist and Old Monk, falling to their knees before them.

  Alchemist, like a father, gently touched the top of each of the were-beasts bowed heads. “I see you are strong,” he said, his voice still commanding.

  Liulfr said sheepishly: “We were able to get new potions in Trondheim.”

  Farling saw Alchemist’s pained expression. It was if he was torn between admiration and fear; admiration that someone else imitated his potions and fear that someone could imitate his potions so seamlessly.

  “I am glad,” was all Alchemist said. “Now, my children, there is a battle to be had, and I want you all to be on the winning side. The frost giants have the strength and the ability to easily win this battle. Side with the frost giants. Side with me.”

  The were-beasts stood.

  As always, Liulfr was the leader who spoke for the were-beasts. Said: “It is good to see you, father. I admit, the frost giants are impressive in both strength and number. But my brothers and I now follow someone else. Someone who is a strong leader, someone proven in battle.”