“The king is dead!” cried everyone. “Long live the queen!”
She bowed her head in mock humility. Everything was for show, and all her words and movements would be analyzed for any weakness.
She said: “I stand here before you on the eve of our greatness. My husband, your king, may be gone but his dream that the elves would one day be rid of their humiliation has come. For today, the elves rise in power, rise in greatness, rise in influence, as we take what is ours. As our forefathers before us, they who crushed realms and put their boots on the throats of their victims, so we now put our boots on the throats of our enemies. For our enemies are many and our enemies are powerful. But the realm of elves is more powerful. Our power is feared by the Norse realms. And we take what is ours, what has been denied us, what is rightfully ours, for today we take Asgard!”
And as the cries of jubilation burst in the great hall, Amalaja looked across the sea of faces and knew she had won the day, knew she now ruled in her husband’s stead, knew she ruled as long as the elves believed in her dream: That the elves were the rightful rulers of all other realms, beginning with Asgard.
CHAPTER 61
The Dwarf King Plans for War
In the great hall in Nidavellir, King Jakobus looked at the sea of faces staring up at him. Word had already traveled to him that the frost giants had invaded Asgard and were laying siege to the city of Vanaheim. In the old days, if the frost giants laid siege to Vanaheim, Jakobus had not worried. It would have been a great battle, but he was always confident Odin would win the day.
Now though, with Odin gone, and only a few Norse gods defending the walls of Vanaheim, Jakobus was not sure of the outcome. His was a mixed feeling towards the old Norse gods. Without them, the dwarves would not have had the ability to make such weapons and infuse them with runes of magic. Without the Norse gods, the dwarves would not be stunted, forced to gaze at their dwarf-women and remember that one day, long ago, the dwarf men too had been lean of limb and tall of stature.
But that had been long ago, so long as to be forgotten. The dwarf realm was now strong, as strong as it had ever been. Even the few Norse gods that remained had commanded the old forges to be fired, and so it had happened. And the forging of the ring that now lay on a Midgardian’s finger had also been successful. The realm of Nidavellir was strong and its people happy. The mines were all open and the forges all working. Even the goblins caused no trouble as they had in the past.
The last time Jakobus had visited Asgard was to awaken that cursed Trickster, Loki. It was Loki who nearly ruined the dwarf princess with just one kiss. It was Loki who had stood as a statue in the realm of Asgard while the dwarf realm slept. At least he had been a statue the whole time. Jakobus wondered what had become of the crown he had made the Trickster. He reckoned Loki had probably already sold it.
The dwarf princess at least was doing much better. He had seen her and her smile was wide once again. That Midgard princess had kept her word as she had healed the dwarf princess of a broken heart by making her forget Loki’s kiss. Salt in the boots! Next time Jakobus made a magical trap, he was going to make it much trickier to solve than simply putting salt in boots.
Jakobus had no ill will towards the people of Midgard. He had lived amongst them his entire life having grown up in the Knights Stable learning from his father until one day, he had taken over the responsibilities of running the stable’s day-to-day operations. In some ways he had been surprised no one had discovered his family were of the race of dwarves. Still, the magic was strong that hid the dwarves in plain sight, disguising their features so to be unrecognizable as dwarves. And, he remembered, it had been the same princess who had seen through his magical disguise that had healed the dwarf princess. He grunted as he realized he did not want the princess as an enemy.
Still, what to do? Should the dwarves defend Vanaheim and chase all the interlopers from the realm of Asgard? What reward would he and his people receive, if they received any reward at all? And, more importantly, what reward would he want?
He searched for the face of his second-in-command and when they locked eyes, they both nodded. All the dwarf lords were now in the hall. It was time to begin.
Jakobus raised his arms towards the ceiling and the room went silent.
Then: “The heat in our forges is once again strong, thanks to the skills of our people.” Everyone in the hall murmured in agreement. “But our realm will one day be under threat. How do I know this? One of our greatest enemies, the frost giants, attack Vanaheim.” He raised his voice above all the murmurs of protest. “As you know, if Vanaheim falls, Asgard will be ruled by the frost giants.” Again, the sound in the hall rose in protest. “This we must not let happen. We may have a troubled relationship with the old Norse gods, but it is still a relationship built on over the years. The old Norse gods have never threatened our realm. They have never attacked it. They have always respected our realm and our skills for they value us. If Vanaheim falls to the frost giants, they will not respect us. They will force us to make them fancy baubles or strange enchanted weapons. They will not respect our traditions and our way of life. We will be as slaves to them, and that is something we may not allow, will not allow. Asgard must not fall again for if the walls of Vanaheim fall, they will be replaced with walls of ice, which we may not allow. I say we sharpen our axes, don our armor, and do what our forefathers did before us: let the frost giants once again taste defeat at the hands of dwarves!”
The roar of approval in the hall was deafening and Jakobus knew they would march in Asgard to the walls of Vanaheim.
CHAPTER 62
Tea with the Goblin King
Grillsnak, the goblin king, was eating when the portal rune flashed. His guards jumped up grabbing their weapons and surrounded the portal.
But when Grillsnak saw who was visiting he waved away his guards.
Inside the portal was Ogre Mage, dressed in his usual garb.
“Welcome, ogre,” said Grillsnak with no emotion. “I see you visit my realm unencumbered by dwarves or Midgardians. A most curious situation.”
“King Grillsnak, I bring a gift.” Mage handed over a bottle. Grillsnak uncorked it and sniffed its contents.
Grillsnak allowed himself a small chuckle. “My, I have not smelt this in many an age. How were you able to procure some?”
“I have my tubes and beakers and was able to ferment the juices from the goblin flower. I was using a recipe, but as I have never actually tasted it before, I do not know how close I am to replicating goblin wine.”
“Well, Mage, I invite you to my hall where we may drink this. I will have my kitchen cook food for you as well.”
“My many thanks, King Grillsnak. You honor me in your home.”
“You must forgive my manners. We do not get many visitors, except dwarves, usually that foul king who enjoys humiliating my people. The goblins are a proud race, but we have been beaten down so much, it is difficult to imagine a life without humiliation.”
Inside the hall, they sat at a large table. Cups made of stone were placed in front of them, and the goblin king poured a liberal amount of the goblin wine in each cup. Grillsnak sniffed the cup again, and with loud sigh of contentment, drained the cup. He smacked his lips in satisfaction.
“Drink, Mage,” he encouraged. “I have never tasted finer goblin wine. Perhaps since I have not tasted it in many years. Perhaps because you made a fine wine.”
Mage emptied his cup, and with a loud belch, smiled widely.
Grillsnak laughed heartily. “It does have a most curious effect on non-goblins.”
“It is quite warming.”
“That as well. Goblin miners often dig so deep that it gets quite cold. They would bring a flask of goblin wine to stay warm. Unfortunately, many a goblin miner would drink too much too fast and would lose their footing and that would be the last we would see of him. Drinking this brings back many memories, many happy: weddings, births, celebrations. It is said though that the hangov
er from goblin wine may last for days and that it can be so severe that you wish you were dead.”
“I am a big fellow, I think I can handle it.”
“I have heard that before.”
“You have had ogres visit you before?”
“No, no, relax Mage, do not get so excited. Ages ago, an occasional frost or fire giant may visit, but those were rare. Always it was by mistake, that their sorcerers had meant to have them visit the dwarf area of this realm, but the sorcerer felt the presence of this portal and thought it was dwarf in nature. You were able to find this portal all on your own I noticed.”
Of a sudden Mage felt the effects of the goblin wine and shook his head to clear it. “I have been here before and so it was easy for me to remember this portal rune signature.”
“Impressive.” The food arrived, served on stone plates. Grillsnak picked up the meat by the bone and began devouring it, nodding at Mage to begin.
“Do not stand on ceremony,” said Grillsnak between bites. “It is not poisoned. We have many tunnels that reach the surface. This is rabbit, so do not worry that it is some sort of eyeless lidless worm that only lives in some subterranean tunnel.”
Mage chuckled at the thought and mirrored Grillsnak’s eating style.
Once finished, bowls of water were brought to the table along with rags for them to wash and dry their hands.
“So, tell me, Mage, what is it that you want from me? I do not believe that snotty dwarf king knows of your visit.”
“He does not, and I would prefer it stay that way.”
“When would I tell him? And believe me when I say there are no dwarf spies here. We may talk freely as no one will repeat our words to the dwarves.”
“Where to start?” Mage rubbed his chin in thought. “Ah yes, the Sorceress.”
“My goblin wizards, weak as they are, felt the magic change in the Midgard Serpent and Yggdrasil.”
“Just with her presence, she affects the realms.”
“If I recall my studies, the elves thought the Sorceress would lead them to paradise, whatever an elven paradise looks like. Personally, I cannot imagine, probably works of fine art decorate each wall, watered wine, and ghastly elf music.”
“Close, King Grillsnak. The Sorceress was to bring the Norse gods to heel, and allow the elves safe passage to Asgard, where they would rule. And with the Sorceress under their control, they would as in the days of past visit other realms and bring them to heel as well.”
“Especially Midgard.”
“Especially Midgard. Elves have long memories, longer than dwarves. They have never forgiven the wizards of Midgard and have long wished for the prophecy of the Sorceress to come true so that they could vent their anger and humiliation once again on Midgard.”
“They almost did, the Alfheim Gateway nearly opened.”
“You are well informed, King Grillsnak, even this deep under the ground.”
“We are isolated, but word still trickles through. My miners dig deep, so deep they touch other realms. While they are unable to break through, they may listen. And so we learn of the affairs in the other realms.”
“A useful skill.”
“Now, you speak of things of which I already know. What is it you think I know or possess that warrants this official visit?”
“With the elf king dead, what have you heard of the goings on in Alfheim?”
“Ah, your people, the ogres, the ones you left behind. I am sorry for your wife and child.”
Mage exhaled deeply. “Your miners also mine information, that is a certain. Yes, like you goblins here in Nidavellir, humiliated by the dwarves, the ogres were defeated and turned into slaves for the elves. My ogres now entertain the elves, fight monsters in the stadium so that the elves may gamble. Ogres, like goblins, are a proud race. And while we never wished to enslave the elves, we lived in their realm, peacefully, for years. We traded with the elves as there were some things only the ogres could provide. But we did not fight the elves, we only warred amongst ourselves as there were always leadership battles. Mages stayed out of those frays, providing counsel to the king.”
“And now your king is gone.”
Mage nodded. “With our king gone, I was the de-facto leader in many ways. I trained the ogres that lived, trained them to fight any and all monsters.”
“But the elf king is dead, and you want to rescue the ogres who remain.”
“Again, your knowledge of news in other realms is impressive. If I know the elves, and I did live long enough with them, the elf-queen will rule, once she realizes her husband dead. With the birth of the Sorceress, there will be great disruptions across the realms. If I am to rescue my people, it will need to be soon, before the elves decide to attack another realm and use the ogres as the tip of their spear.”
“You may not use a portal rune into Alfheim?”
“I may not. The elves have put charms and curses on the portal runes within Alfheim that do not allow me to use them.”
“But you may still travel by gateway, yes?”
“I believe so.”
“But the Alfheim Gateway in Midgard is sealed. And the Alfheim Gateway here in Nidavellir is watched by a small army of dwarves at all times.”
“There is one realm you did not mention.”
“Asgard, but the Norse gods that lived control their gateways, only allowing safe passage when they feel.”
“I speak of the other realm, the one of frost and ice.”
“Of course, I should have thought of it. But the Alfheim Gateway there will still be sealed, unless you have some way of opening it.”
“I will need the blood of a Norse god. I may need to steal Aesirslayer.”
“That blade lies in Jotunheim. You may need some thieves as I do not see you as the thieving type.”
“I know of some. Well, I must be off then. Thank you for your hospitality, King Grillsnak. This has been most enjoyable.”
“And I must thank you for your gift. Any time you wish to deliver more, I would be most grateful.”
They walked back to the portal where they shook hands in parting.
“Ogre, there is more I must tell you. I debated if I should or not. But you ogres are not as I expected.”
Mage stayed silent letting Grillsnak talk at his own pace.
After a moment, Grillsnak said: “My miners discovered great activity in the elf realm. Amalaja, the elf-queen, has learned her husband is dead and the Sorceress lost. She has gathered her generals as she prepares for war.”
“But where will she attack. Midgard is closed to the elves.” Then Mage inhaled sharply through gritted teeth. “Asgard. Without the Sorceress to bring the Norns to heel, she hopes to conquer Asgard by blade and spear.”
“She has a most impressive army.”
“Of that I am aware. It was meant to invade Midgard and now will be turned to Asgard. I must warn them.”
“There is more. The dwarves too feel they have suffered by the hand of the Norse gods. They sense a weakness now in Asgard. There are too few Norse gods who rule there, and they do not own Gunghir.”
“Odin’s spear,” whispered Mage.
“One and the same. Jakobus has known of this for a long time, since the sister-spear appeared. Without Gunghir, the realm of Asgard is in play and the dwarves are greedy now not just for gold and fine jewels, but for power.”
Mage chuckled. “And do the elves and the dwarves know both their people are invading Asgard at the same time?”
Grillsnak shrugged his shoulders in mock ignorance. “I am just a poor ignorant goblin. Elves and dwarves are much smarter than I. They will figure it out on their own.”
“And you know the frost giants are currently in Asgard in their attempt to bring down the walls of Vanaheim? Oh, why do I even ask, of course you know.” Mage chuckled again. “You are a patient race, King Grillsnak. If the dwarves and the elves manage to decimate themselves in this great battle, the goblin army will be strong.”
“Stronge
r than we let that oaf Jakobus believe.”
Mage tapped his chin in thought. “So I have lost my window of opportunity in Alfheim. I do not need the Aesirslayer Blade. And my ogres march on Vanaheim.”
“Indeed they do.”
“Then I best be off. Many thanks to you for your words of wisdom. I hope we will meet again.”
Grillsnak nodded good-bye to Mage as the portal rune flashed.
CHAPTER 63
Loki Visits Yorli
As night fell in Asgard, Loki stole into Yorli’s tent.
Inside, candles burned though the wax was low. Yorli sat at her desk eating a late meal.
She said without turning around to face him: “I was wondering when you would show.”
Loki stopped. “Your hearing is as impressive as always,” he said.
She then turned in her chair and faced him. Said: “My father was furious the golems performed so poorly. If Alchemist and Old Monk had not already been dead, he would have killed them after the fight, no, a skirmish. My father would have picked Alchemist and Old Monk up off the ground and flung them at the walls of Vanaheim.”
Loki shook his head. “It was not the golems that failed, it was that the Heroes of Midgard are that strong. It was they that stole victory from the jaws of defeat.”
“That Midgard wizard is most powerful.”
“You know his power derives mostly from a ring forged by the dwarves.”
Yorli nodded. “There is no possible way he could perform such feats of magic without help. I recognize him from the games held in Jotunheim.”
“Even there he had help from the dwarves.”
“We know. Father is furious you escaped and stole those dwarf weapons and returned them to the Heroes of Midgard.”
“’Heroes of Midgard’, I like the ring of that.”
Yorli sighed. “Why do you vex me so? You pretend to love me but then do everything in your power to humiliate the frost giants.”
Loki went to one knee before Yorli and clasped her large hands in his. Said: “It is not the frost giants I humiliate, just your father. Do not take this battle loss personally. The war still rages on.”
The Reckoning of Asgard Page 25
