Bloodied flesh, dripping with gore from battle vultures,
Only one eye retrieved from the field,
So fiercely wolves and ravens contested their prize,
Planted him, deep in the loam, fog filled the valley,
Mist-gloom, earth-weeping,
A good day for seed, up fully grown,
Ygg-tree, wisdom-willow, proud father,
Odin friends, Shrine builders, Ygg-fencers, all pay homage to the All-Father.
It was late in the evening when Melnir Harp-Tongue finished his last poem called Odin's Shrine. Kara and a few of her rivals for Melnir's attention remained. A fierce look from Kara scared the other women away. Kara approached Melnir who was packing his instruments when she tripped on his harp and bumped into him.
Kara recovered and smiled at the man. "How may I be of service to you my lady," asked Melnir.
"I am Kara," she said.
"Indeed you are," he said.
"Where is your room? I have needs," she said.
"Direct and honest. I like that. How do you know I am not bound in marriage?" he asked.
"You are not," said Kara.
"Third floor, second room on the left," he said.
"Put your flute away until I get there," she said.
Melnir lost his voice for the first time that evening. He set down his instrument and led Kara upstairs with much haste. They rushed past the table where Magnus, Sven, Sigurd, Poksok and Vikar were sleeping off their mead and almost ran into Aesa who was being escorted to the table on the shoulder of a mighty fire giant.
"Watch your step canary man or old Oddthar will need to hire a new little birdy," said Lodin.
"My sincerest apologies mighty son of Surtr!" said Melnir. Melnir and Kara, fleet of foot, slipped past before Lodin's anger could grow.
Lodin set Aesa down on the table like a prized goose.
"Listen pin-runt, you helped me clean out those fools. We make a great team. Come back with me to our steading. We can clean out the Jarl!" said Lodin.
"I will take you up on your offer as soon as I get back from some business with my kin," said Aesa.
"Be quick about it. I can be rich, then I will be Jarl. I will give you a cut of the loot of course," he said.
"Of course!" said Aesa.
Lodin lumbered off unsteady. Even a giant can drink too much.
Aesa surveyed the room, eyeing the sembling, she smiled. "Tomorrow will be fun!" she thought. She almost didn't notice Yrsa approach.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" asked Aesa.
"You're funny! I wish I could go with you." said Yrsa.
"Where?" asked Aesa.
"I wish I could go with you to Thor's tomb silly. It would be fun." she said.
"Tombs are fun, but they are no place for a little girl." said Aesa.
"But, you are going!" said Yrsa.
Aesa pondered. "What if I brought you back something fun?" asked Aesa.
"Oooh! What?" asked Yrsa.
"That's part of the fun. It will be a surprise. I promise it will be something you have never seen before." said Aesa.
"Really?" asked Yrsa.
"On Magnus's honor I swear it." said Aesa.
Yrsa giggled. "Best day ever!" she said. Yrsa skipped away singing a song. It was beautiful. Aesa wondered what language it was in, but Yrsa had already run off.
Sigurd, Magnus and the others woke up some time between dawn and sunset the next day. They weren't sure what time it was really. None of them had ever had access to that much free mead before. Magnus noticed Poksok sleeping in his lap. Unsure what it was, he brushed the sembling off. Poksok bounced off Vikar's pelt before resting on the floor in a pool of stale ale. Vikar growled at the interruption causing the sembling to scream in terror. It was then they noticed Aesa watching them from her seat on top of the table. Instinctively they all searched to ensure their favorite weapons or tokens of good fortune were still safe.
"I've seen that look before, Aesa. What are you up to?" asked Sigurd.
"I have a gift for you all before we go to Thor's tomb tomorrow and face the Norns." said Aesa.
"I knew you took something! What are you going to gift us with...our beard combs?" asked Magnus.
"How drull. I'm hurt. Your beard comb was about to fall into the latrine. I saved it...No! This is much bigger than that." she said.
"What is it?" asked Sigurd.
"Patience! Come up to the room, and I will share with all of you." said Aesa.
"I have some matters to attend. Sigurd, my brother, I will see you before your trip to Thor's tomb." said Sven Odinsen.
"Until we meet again!" said Sigurd.
They grasped arms in friendship and then Sven departed for his room.
Everyone looked at the sembling. "What about him?" asked Sigurd.
"He belongs to Isgerd, so we are responsible for him for now. Don't glare at him Magnus, he is a coward and will leave an embarrassing mess on the floor that we will be expected to clean." said Aesa.
"If he is a coward, we should kill him now before he gets someone hurt." said Magnus.
Poksok urinated on himself and passed out.
"Great! Magnus, you get to carry him." said Aesa.
Magnus didn't bother to argue. He dragged the sembling by the neck up the stairs.
When they got to their room, Magnus was about to ask what secret Aesa was keeping from them when the door opened. Isgerd and Hildagunn were speaking to Ignatius. Ignatius was decked in dazzling armor from head to toe. The sun made the armor blaze with blinding light, making everyone squint. They entered the room and the door closed behind them on its own. Vikar jumped onto a bed and curled up for a nap.
"You want to turn the wick on that armor down to a level where it only blinds us temporarily?" asked Aesa.
Sigurd just stared in wonder. Never had he seen anything made with such precision and beauty. Magnus grunted. Then he dumped the sembling in the middle of the room.
"Nay, you didn't just drag a sembling in here. Kill it before it murders somebody or steals their fredgin kidneys." said Iggy, ignoring all the incredulous stares.
"Who did you kill that was short enough for that armor?" asked Aesa.
"If you must know, I made it. Now tell me why that sembling is staining the rug!" said Iggy.
"The sembling is my responsibility. He will aid us in Thor's tomb." said Isgerd.
"More likely, he will poison us and toss us down a well." said Ignatius.
"I will tend to him." said Isgerd.
"You better!" said Ignatius.
"I paid for a visit to Odin's shrine. We must meet the leader of the Odds and arrive before noon." said Magnus.
"Then we will head straight to Thor's tomb." said Aesa.
"What?" asked several of her kin at once.
"Sven is a spy for Media Morta." said Aesa.
"Sven is my friend!" said Sigurd.
"Which is why I told you all we were going to Thor's tomb tomorrow." said Aesa.
"How do you know this?" asked Isgerd, before Sigurd could argue.
"I paid Lodin the fire giant a great deal of money for information." said Aesa.
"Pfft! A fire giant wouldn't know the truth if it hit him between the legs!" said Ignatius.
"Oddthar the innkeeper confirmed my suspicions." said Aesa.
"How much did you pay him?" asked Sigurd.
"Consider it a gift. I paid with our common funds." said Aesa.
"Those funds are for food and supplies." said Ignatius.
"We won't need them where we are going." said Aesa.
"Pah!" said Ignatius.
"Some day you are going to be wrong Aesa." said Sigurd.
The door opened before the conversation could get more heated. Filling the doorway was a massive troll. Ignatius and Magnus reached for weapons.
"Welcome Doskev, I am honored to see you." said Isgerd. Isgerd smiled and approached the large troll, pushing her kin aside before they could begin hostilities.
"I am uncertain why I am here. I fear I am unwell." said Doskev.
"You are here because we have gifts for you." said Isgerd.
"What?" asked several of her kin at once.
"I know where I heard that name! Doskev is the name in my book. Must be a popular name." said Aesa.
"Aesa, give Doskev the book." said Isgerd.
"No!" said Aesa.
"The book belongs to Doskev!" said Isgerd.
"The book is my war-prize. I will not part with it. To do so, will diminish my standing with the gods." said Aesa.
"Pfft!" said Ignatius.
Aesa glared through narrowed eyelids. Isgerd met the gaze with equal intensity. "I will give Doskev the book...for a treasure I will claim for myself later." said Aesa.
Aesa bowed with great ceremony and handed the book to Doskev. Doskev accepted the book without words.
"Please come in Doskev." said Isgerd. She motioned for Doskev to join them. Doskev tried to decline, but Isgerd pulled her into the room with surprising strength.
Just then, Kara arrived; her face flushed and alive; her smile brightened the room. She adjusted her hastily pinned clothing to more adequately cover her chest. Her smile dropped when she noticed the troll, and she immediately looked for her weapons.
"No, Kara! She is a friend. This is Doskev." said Isgerd.
"She's a troll!" said Kara.
"Honed senses!" said Aesa.
Once Kara had gotten over the shock of seeing a troll, a dverge in armor to rival a god, and a passed out sembling in her room, she eased her battle stance.
"Kara, I have a request. You will not like it, but if you will do what I ask as your Godi and kin, I will see that glory is heaped upon you." said Isgerd.
"Why do I sense there is no honor in your words?" asked Kara.
"Because I am going to ask you to give the trollspear to Doskev." said Isgerd.
Kara resumed her defensive position and grabbed the trollspear to hurl at Doskev. "The troll will get my war-prize on Norn-sailed winds. May it pierce her leathery-hide." said Kara.
"Please Kara, if you give her the spear, your glory will be increased." said Isgerd.
"How dare you? Did you give her your war-prize? What can you know of glory, hiding behind the warriors, waiting for gold to fall into your hands?" asked Kara.
"Kara! I am your Godi and your kin. I would not ask this of you, if it were not a boon to all of us." said Isgerd.
"You ask too much." said Kara. Kara Thorsdottir had never considered killing her kin before today, but now that the thought had filled her mind, her hand gripped the trollspear with more determination.
"Aesa gave up her book." said Isgerd.
"What?" asked Kara.
"Aesa gave Doskev the book of troll history." said Isgerd.
Kara was astounded. Aesa had never given up a war-prize unless something better was offered. She looked at Aesa.
"What promise did the Godi make to you?" asked Kara.
Aesa looked wounded. "I gladly gave up my war-prize! I am no fool-warrior, trapped in old beliefs, unable to adapt to current conditions." said Aesa.
"WHAT DID SHE OFFER?" asked Kara.
"I get to choose...I get to pick something later in Thor's tomb. First choice." said Aesa.
"Then I shall have the same boon. I give the troll-spear to Doskev, and I make claim to an item of my choice. No others may dispute my claim or I shall challenge them to single combat to the death." said Kara.
"Who told Aesa she could have first choice?" asked Sigurd.
"Agreed!" said Isgerd.
Kara approached Doskev. No one knew if she would strike the troll with the spear or give it to her until it was presented palms up.
Doskev bowed to her.
"Magnus, will you give the Manblade to Doskev?" asked Isgerd.
Magnus grabbed the Manblade and held it in his grip, weighing the blade. He walked over to Doskev and handed it to her with a broad grin.
"A human who can wield a Manblade can be bested by no other." said Doskev.
"What will you demand, Magnus?" asked Isgerd.
"Nothing." said Magnus.
"You deserve compensation." said Isgerd.
"I will reclaim the Manblade if my honor is stained." said Magnus.
"Then it is settled. Doskev, we have given you what we have taken from your husband. You will follow us into Thor's tomb, and we will heal the rift between our people." said Isgerd.
"Settled? A troll and a sembling going with us? Are you daft woman?" asked Ignatius.
"I agree with the tiny bearded human. It would be unwise for us to have any further contact." said Doskev.
"TINY BEARDED WHAT? PAH! You green-haired hag! I'll show you what a dwarf is made of!" Ignatius sputtered.
"ENOUGH!" shouted Isgerd. There was thunder in her voice. The others all waited in silence, not meeting her eyes.
"Doskev and Poksok will travel to Thor's tomb. The gods will decide what is to be." she said.
"I'm hungry. Let's get something tasty before heading to Odin's shrine." said Aesa.
"We will not be returning to the inn. Take all your belongings. I have already packed provisions. Our enemies will be watching. We must be quick and leave without notice." said Isgerd.
"Leave without notice? You remember we have a dverge in our presence?" asked Aesa.
Ignatius turned red.
"I can help."
The door was open. Standing outside was Yrsa. The little girl smiled and responded again before anyone could ask questions.
"I knew you wanted to leave. I know a secret way. Follow me." said Yrsa.
They gathered up the goods and followed Yrsa. She, skipped along through a labyrinth of halls and stairways the others had not noticed before. They could no longer hear the laughter from the common hall. Yrsa stopped at a dead end in a hallway and touched the wall. A doorway appeared. Yrsa peeled it away from the wall like the skin of a banana. A prismatic swirl brightly lit the hall from the portal.
Yrsa laughed with joy. "Here it is. Walk through and, you will be standing in front of Odin's shrine." she said.
"Or we might end up in Hel's bed chambers." said Ignatius.
"Where is your sense of adventure, Ignatius?" asked Aesa.
"I like smiting things. Magic portals to nowhere or anywhere are best left to experts. One mistake and I could be the tallest member of our group, or beardless, or buried in six feet of stone." said Ignatius.
Poksok passed out.
"I thought you dverge liked stone?" asked Aesa.
"Enough! Go through the portal before someone sees us!" said Isgerd.
"Have fun! I hope to see you again some day!" said Yrsa.
"Don't worry Yrsa, we will be back. I promised you a souvenir!" said Aesa.
Yrsa laughed. Magnus set Poksok on Vikar's back and the group went through the portal. There was a moment of confusion and nausea before they oriented to their new surroundings. Before them was a massive, ancient ash tree. It did not have leaves on it and many of the branches looked clipped. Votive offerings were everywhere. Gruumsh and his cult of Odds were gathered in a circle.
"Ah, you have arrived just in time. Please enter our circle and prepare for the ceremony to honor Odin and give thanks for the life-tree." said Gruumsh.
The group entered the circle. Some of the Odds stared at the unusual assortment of people before them, but soon they began chanting.
"Odin, all-father. Wisdom hoarder, sacrifice, yggdrasil's womb.
We ask for your guidance. Before you are your children. Seekers of Thor's bones. If it pleases you, open the door or kill them. We serve the one-eye. Your will be done."
They waved their arms toward the sky and then bowed to the ground. Each of them cut their arm and let the blood drain to the ground. Then Gruumsh cut off a branch of Yggdrasil and handed it to Magnus.
"If Odin is pleased, he will protect you as you make your way to the tomb. The branch of Yggdrasil will aid you if you are worthy." Gruumsh said.
Isgerd could not pull her gaze from Yggdrasil. This tree should be the most magnificent living thing she had ever seen. It was wounded. Every branch and twig the Odds had torn from the tree was a personal wound to her like thousands of stings from a whip. Her brow twisted, and she was terrible to look upon. She glided to Magnus and plucked the dead branch from his hand.
"This is not an offering! This is Yggdrasil, the sacred. You have torn it from the body as Odin's own eye was torn from him to make it. You Odds disgust me. This practice is Norn cursed." she exclaimed.
Some of the Odds shouted obscenities at Isgerd. Others glared at her with dark looks. Isgerd ignored them and pushed past Gruumsh. She took the branch in her hand and spoke ancient words. She did not know the words or where they came from. Her hand began to shimmer with a deep blue aura and the branch sprouted leaves. She set the branch from where it had been twisted, and the branch bound with Yggdrasil again. Soon the entire tree grew leaves and shone with a brilliant blue aura. Blossoms emerged, and a single acorn formed. The aura faded, the leaves fell from the tree. The single seed on the grafted branch remained. Standing before Yggdrasil and facing her kin and the Odds, Isgerd spoke in a voice not her own.
"Ragnarok shall begin when the seed falls from Yggdrasil. Those who are chosen shall return to lead us during the endless winter. The halls of Valhalla shall swing open, and the Einherjar shall return to find glory in battle."
With this she collapsed. The Odds hesitated, uncertain whether to attack or pray. Magnus lifted Isgerd from the trunk of Yggdrasil and carried her out of the circle. Her kin, a dwarf, a troll, a sembling and one polar bear followed. They left the shrine and marched toward Thor's Tomb. Isgerd regained her senses and took her place in the group.
The dark obelisk pierced the navel of the world, a beginning and end to all things. Soon it was their watchman, overshadowing them, keeping them in view, deciding if they should live or die. They listened for the sounds of ravens and wolves, but the only sound was the increasing crackle of energy. It hummed, and snapped, licking at their souls. The air was charged with the smell of ozone. Poksok looked back, but Isgerd guided his head forward. The others were resolute on their choice. Soon the sky grew jet as if all the ravens in Midgard blotted out the sun. Isgerd thought she saw figures with leathery wings flying above them.
Aesa pulled the key to Thor's tomb from her pouch. It glowed with an intense green haze. "Skentel!" she shouted. They felt protected, as if a bubble of the green light kept them from death. The group had reached the base of the dark obelisk, guardian to Thor's Tomb. Before them was a great mound with no entrance. Beyond the protection of the key's glow, uncontrolled power wrapped and warped the land, making and destroying anything within range. Aesa touched the key to the obelisk and it shattered. The catalyst set off a cyclone that turned them inside out. The intensity of the storm gnawed at their senses, enveloping them until darkness and oblivion were all that remained.