Silver: Ragnarok

## Celebration - Chapter 1

Somewhere in Norway, one large building sits in the center of a viking village. The village is covered in the darkness of the night. This one building shines a light into the darkness. Music can be heard from the building. The tapping of people moving around dancing is muffled by the loud music. Inside the building a Viking celebration ensues. The Vikings smile, laugh, and drink with their friends and family. A young woman stands at the bar with a drink in her hand. Her long platinum pink hair is in a Viking braid. She has light, brown viking armor. The armor on her torso comes down past her stomach like a skirt. She has long black pants on with brown boots covering her feet. Attached to her side is a dangling axe. Her face has turned from pale to rosy red as she drank. Two Vikings watch her from the other side of the room.

Bior: God she’s so pretty.

Skegg: Prettiest girl in our village.

Bior: Should I ask her out? What if I get turned down?

Skegg: She’s drunk. If she turns you down she won’t even remember. Nothing to be embarrassed about. Get in there.

Skegg slaps Bior’s back. Bior stumbles forward. He walks closer to the woman. Then a man with jet black hair puts his hand on Bior’s shoulder. Bior looks at the man’s clothes. He wears a long blue coat with gold buttons. His pants are the same blue as his coat with gold designs on them. On his feet are heavy boots. His clothes look expensive. All Bior can think is that this man is rich.

Rich Man: Let me talk to her first Bior. Then you may search for love.

Bior: O-of course. Who are you?

Rich Man: Lopt, I am a wealthy merchant man.

Bior: I’ll, uh, just wait here.

Lopt walks over to the woman with grace. Dancing vikings bump into him, and he wipes off his clothes. He stops next to the woman. The bartender looks at him.

Lopt: Mead please.

The bartender passes Lopt the drink and walks off with a rag in his hand. Lopt watches as the bartender starts washing dishes.

Lopt: If I am not mistaken, you are Neci Kron.

Neci: That’s me.

Neci turns to Lopt. She looks him up and down.

Neci: Damn you're tall.

Lopt chuckles.

Lopt: My parents always said I had giant’s blood.

Neci: I’d believe it. I’ve never seen you around here before. Wait, are you long lost family?!

Lopt: No, nothing like that. I like to show up to events that interest me. I’m talking to you because I like to meet the people that I expect something from.

Neci: Huh?

Lopt tapes a few steps away and then stops.

Lopt: You will understand. You will change very soon, but I have just one question. If you learn something new every day. Then every new day, are you a new person?

Lopt walks forward, disappearing into the crowd of vikings. Bior takes a breath. After a minute, he gets the courage to walk over to Neci. Then a man with short blond hair yells to Neci. Neci walks away from the bar. Bior looks defeated as he walks out of the building. Neci finds the blond man talking with someone.

Blond Man: I grabbed my axe and split his head in half with just one chop-

Neci: Then you almost got stabbed in the back. I had to save you like I always do, Thorarin.

Thorarin: My sister! That’s when you chopped off the other vikings legs. We truly are a duo to be challenged!

Neci: Whenever there is a party the only thing you do is tell stories.

Thorarin: These are not stories. This is history, dear sister. My legend in the making! How will anyone remember you if they know not of your stories?

Neci: People always seem to know even if you don’t tell them.

Thorarin: Have more pride in your accomplishments. They are what make you.

Neci: You take so much pride in your accomplishments it’s all you ever strive for. You don’t even want to have this party.

Thorarin: You must live ready to fight. Ready to die. There is no celebration.

Neci: Why can’t you celebrate while you're alive?

Kid: Neci, Neci.

Neci turns around and crouches down.

Neci: Torgny! I thought you were asleep. Did you follow me here?

Torgny: Mhm, I snuck behind you. You didn’t see me because I was invisible.

Neci: You can go invisible now, but you’re not invisible right now-

Neci tickles Torgny. Torgny breaks out laughing.

Neci: We’ll continue our conversation later. I have to take Torgny home.

Torgny runs over to Throrarin and hugs him. Torgny whispers.

Torgny: Thanks for letting me come.

Torgny runs back over to Neci and grabs her hand. Neci scowls at Thorarin and he shrugs. Neci walks out of the building holding Torgny’s hand. They walk through the dark cold snowy pathways of the village. Torgny sees a pretty yellow flower. He walks closer to it, reaching out. Neci pulls him in closer to her. Neci holds him and points to the flower.

Neci: That is one of my favorite flowers. It’s beautiful, but dangerous. That flower is a Meadow Buttercup. It’s a poisonous flower. The village normally cuts them all up, but they always seem to grow back. It’s like the gods want them there.

Neci stands up and leads Torgny into a hut. The hut is small. It has a desk, a bed, and a few items lying around. A bow, arrows, and an axe are laying up against the desk. Neci pulls the covers off the bed and lays down. She holds the covers up.

Neci: Come here.

Torgny lays in the bed and Neci snuggles him. Neci closes her eyes.

Torgny: Was the party because you’re gonna fight tomorrow?

Neci: We always do a celebration before a fight. Why?

Torgny:...

Neci: Are you worried about your sister?

Neci kisses the top of Torgny’s head.

Neci: You know I’m a good fighter. I’ll be fine. Tell you what. Once we beat them, I’ll bring you back something of theirs.

Torgny: Like a toy?

Neci: We’ll see.

They both fall asleep.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bior sits on top of a house drinking. His feet dangle off the edge of the roof.

Bior: I should have talked to her.

Bior takes a swig of mead and looks at the empty bottle. ‘

Bior: Ugh!

Bior throws the bottle. As he looks at the bottle clinking around, a dark figure stands behind him. The figure holds a knife.

Bior: Now I have to fight tomorrow-

The figure stabs Bior through his temple. Then he pushes Bior off of the roof and disappears into the darkness of the night.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci wakes up to the sound of a horn being blown. A viking runs into Neci’s hut. She wraps Torgny in the blanket hiding him. Her hand reaches for her axe. The viking runs over, ready to swing his axe. Neci throws her axe and it hits the viking’s hand. He drops his axe. Neci hops over Torgny’s body and kicks the viking back. She picks up the axe next to her desk and chops the axe down on the viking’s chest. He tries to pull the axe out, but Neci holds it there, wiggling it around. Then she pulls the axe out and the viking falls to the ground. Neci grabs the quiver off the ground and wraps it around her. She picks up the two axes and locks them to her belt. Her hand grabs the bow as she runs out of the hut.

Neci: What’s going on?!

Neci looks around. She sees her friends fighting the vikings. A viking starts running at her. She draws back an arrow. The arrow launches off of the bow and sticks the viking through his neck. Neci looks at other vikings rushing her. She readies her bow. Then gets kicked in the back. She falls forward and catches herself. An axe drops down on her. She holds up her bow and blocks the axe. A viking pushes the axe down, cracking the bow. Neci drops the bow and rolls out of the way. She takes out her two axes. Three vikings rush her. She runs at them and slides between two. As she slides her axe swings at a viking’s leg. It slices almost completely through his ankle. The viking falls to the ground. Neci gets up from the ground and throws the axe into a viking’s back. The viking drops to his knees. The other viking stabs at Neci with his spear. He slices through her side. Neci holds her side with one hand and swings her axe with the other. She parries the spear. Then the viking stabs down straight through Neci’s knee. He rips his spear out of Neci’s leg and she falls to her knees.

Neci: Odin, keep Torgny safe.

The viking stabs his spear through Neci’s mouth as she prays to odin. His bloody spear holds her dead body in place.

## Valhalla - Chapter 2

Neci feels stuck. All she sees is black. She tries to move her body, but can’t feel anything. A nervousness comes over her, but she feels strangely calm. Everything is cold, but she doesn’t feel cold. All her feelings and nerves are just as confused as she is. Then her body starts rising, or maybe she just thinks she is rising. Neci questions herself and the feeling changes. It feels like she is falling in a dream. She feels warm and a woman’s voice speaks to her.

Woman: Come here my child. Open your eyes.

Neci opens her eyes. She is slowly rising up to an celestial looking figure. The woman is glowing with a godly light. Neci can’t help but look at the woman’s angelic wings.

Neci: A valkyrie.

Valkyrie: You died a warrior's death. As a reward. You will go to Valhalla where you will enjoy the rest of your days in luxury.

The Valkyrie disappears into the goldy light. Neci uncontrollably follows after her.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci appears in a giant group of people. The giant group, 800 people wide, walks into an enormous beautiful brown door. The door is wide open. There are many engravings on the door of different animals like lions and dragons. Neci can not peer into what is behind the open door. The open door is a pathway to a bright light. The light is just as goldy as the one Neci saw behind the Valkyrie. Neci looks at all the people around her. They’re faces are pure white. They have no mouth, eyes, or nose. They are just white bodies that look like dolls. Neci is not frightened of these people. She feels like they are familiar. Neci steps into the godly light. She closes her eyes because it’s so bright.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci opens her eyes. A man stands in front of her. He is opening a door. The man wears a red hotel uniform. He has short brown hair that just sticks out of his red hat. The man turns a key and the door opens. He holds the door open and looks at Neci.

Hotel Worker: Neci Kron, this will be your room for as long as Asgard is around.

Neci walks into the room shocked.

Neci: Who are you? What’s going on?

Hotel Worker: I am Sigmund. I protect and watch over Valhalla as well as many others. You died in battle and that earned you a place in Valhalla. I am sure the Valkyrie already told you that.

Neci: I-I’m just dead, and now I’m here?

Sigmund: That’s what happens to most that die in combat. You have most likely heard of the stories of Valhalla. Well, they are all true. This is a place to train and to live. At seven every morning you will eat breakfast. At noon you will have lunch. Then dinner starts at six. When you arrive for dinner the gods will give a speech. That is where you will learn more. Enjoy your room. Many say it is the best place they have ever slept.

Sigmund leaves the room. He shuts the door on his way out. Neci looks around and realizes she isn’t in her normal viking clothes. She is wearing a white strap dress with a blue viking apron over it. Neci steps over to a dresser and opens it. Her viking clothes are laying there folded. She turns her head and closes the dresser. When she turns her head a desk comes into her sight. Next to the desk is a bow, quiver, and axe.

Neci: Is all my stuff here?

She hears an alarm clock go off. Neci is startled and ready to fight. She looks around for what it is. She sees the clock and looks confused. Her finger taps a button on the clock and the noise stops.

Neci: Is that like the horn? Does that mean it’s dinner time?

Neci walks out of her room and into a flood of people. Everyone is walking through the hallway. Neci follows the crowd. People line up at elevators. Neci taps a person on the shoulder.

Neci: Are we going up or down?

Viking Man: New? We go down to the bottom floor.

Neci: Thank you.

Neci sees a door near the elevators. She walks through the door and sees stairs up and down.

Neci: Perfect.

Neci walks down the stairs. After a few flights she feels like she might be in a labyrinth. Just then she can see the floor at the end of the staircase. She runs faster down the stairs. When she finally does make it to the ground she opens the door and sees people still flooding into the dining hall. Neci merges in with the people. As everyone moves forward she sees more and more of the dining hall. In the hall, there are tables that stretch longer than any building she has ever seen. Food like roasted boar and liquor is in a line down the middle of all the tables. Neci is almost forced into a seat by everyone pushing to get into the hall. Neci sits down hungry. She is about to grab something. She reaches her hand out. A man walking by slaps her wrist and sits down a few seats away from her.

Rude Man: You never touch the food until the gods finish speaking to you, animal.

Neci sees all types of people sitting at the table. There are elves, dwarfs, vikings, and more. She looks at all the people. A wave of intimidation and fear comes over her as she sits there waiting for the gods to speak. She sees 10 people sitting on throne-like chairs. They are on a platform that is higher than everyone else. She has trouble seeing most of them from the distance, but she can clearly make out the one in front of everyone. The man sits on the throne with blue iron viking armor on and giant gold plates on his chest below his shoulders. Attached to the gold plates is a dark stormy blue cape.His long white hair and bear almost look like they have merged into a lion’s mane. His left eye is blue, yet his right is a foggy white. On top of his head is a crown with silver wings on the sides of it. The man stands up.

Neci: Odin?

The man speaks in a booming voice.

Odin: My children. Welcome to Valhalla!

## Dinner - Chapter 3

Odin: My children. Welcome to Valhalla! You have all been chosen as Einherjar! Picked by Freya’s valkyrie! You will all train, eat, and enjoy the after life until doomsday. When you all pick up your axes to protect Asgard with your lives. We are the ten Aesir gods. Frigg!

Frigg stands up. She is a beautiful woman with dark blond hair resting on her shoulders. Her strapless white dress looks the most god-like of all the god’s clothes. A gold belt is along her waist. Her gold crown has wings like Odin’s crown.

Odin: Thor!

Thor stands up. He has a gold and silver crown on with two black horns. His red beard lines up with his crown. His long red hair flows out of his helmet and onto his long red cape. The cape has a gold rim. He wears no shirt, but has black lines all over his torso. His body is extremely muscular. More than any of the other gods. Black and gold gauntlets cover his entire forearm and hand. His fingers are left unguarded by the gauntlet. In his hand is a hammer made of a dark metal. He has a black and gold belt. The belt almost reaches his knee. His green pants lead into his black boots.

Thor: I love you all!

Thor lets out a deep laugh as he slams on his chest. Everyone cheers.

Odin: Loki!

Loki has the same long red hair as Thor, but he is missing the beard. Loki wears brown viking clothes. He has a long gown over his shirt. His skin tight pants go into his thin boots. His pointy ears stick out of his red hair. A knife sits on his side. Loki has a look of disdain. The room stays silent.

Odin: Tyr!

Tyr stands up. His light brown hair and beard has patches of gray. A long pure red cape comes off of his shoulders. His brown shirt is covered over by iron armor. His shirt stretches down to his thigh. A sword is on his back and a knife laying against his front. His black pants go into his black boots.

Odin: Hod!

Hod has long brown hair that looks connected to his brown beard. He has a white shirt with blue designs down the center. A black cloak lays over his shoulders. Brown pants connect into his boots. His eyes are foggy white and a bow is on his back.

Odin: Heimdall!

Heimdall has blond hair and a blonde beard. His eyes are foggy with silver pupils. He has chainmail viking armor with brown straps. His arms are covered in a white linen from his under shirt. An iron helmet sits on top of his head. A giant two handed sword is attached to his back. A horn rests on his hip. Brown pants come out from the chainmail armor and tuck into his brown boots.

Odin: Balder!

Balder has short blond hair and a hollywoodian blond beard. His gold torso armor has giant gold plates as shoulder pads. The armor leaves his stomach and arms bare. His gray gloves have gold plates strapped to the top of them. A gray belt with giant designer gold plates is on his waist. Baggy gray pants are held up by the belt.

Odin: Freya!

Freya has long beautiful wavy blonde hair. A eagle feather cape sits on her shoulders. Two black and red bead necklaces are around her neck. Her gold wrist gauntlets match her hair. A long green dress covers her body with only a small brown strap as a belt.

Odin: Freyr!

Freyr has long blond hair and no shirt. A white gown is on his left arm and wrapped around his body. The white gown matches the same color as his baggy pants. His shoes are under his pants. He holds a black and gold sword in his hands.

Odin: All of us gods will watch over you while you are in Valhalla. You must train everyday to keep yourself strong for when Ragnarok finally descends upon us.

All the gods sit down except Freya. Freya holds her head high and looks down on the crowd of vikings.

Freya: Soon the tournament of Valkyries will commence. Only the strongest of women Einherjar, shall show up. The Valkyrie would hate to have to clean up the bodies of weak Einherjar.

Freya sits down. Odin stands back up.

Odin: Now eat! Enjoy every dinner like it’s your last!

Servants walk over to bring the gods their food. All the vikings reach their hands out, grabbing the food from the center of the tables. Neci grabs roasted boar and vegetables. She puts it on her plate. After the first minute, the vikings calm down as they begin eating. The people around Neci all join into conversations laughing.

Viking: How did you make it into Valhalla? You can’t fight, Logrel! You’re a dwarf!

Logrel: I’m more useful than you Vali! You died in your first fight!

Vali: I died in a fight. Your own hammer must have fallen on you from a great height of five feet!

Neci laughs.

Logrel: I’ve never seen you before. A woman of your stature is something to remember. I wouldn’t dare to forget you.

Neci: You're a very forgettable Logrel.

Vali laughs.

Vali: Killed by your own hammer and even in death a virgin. The tragic tale of the man who never grew!

Logrel: Ah, screw off you mare.

Vali: Can’t take teasing Logrel? Neither can Vidar. Hey Vidar!

A viking turns and looks at Vali.

Vidar: Argr!

Vali: I need not even speak to him in a disrespectful way to get shunned. Brothers.

Neci thinks about her brothers. The memories of the viking attack come back to her.

Vali: Are you okay girl?

Neci: Yeah, I was just wondering. What happens to the people that don’t die in battle?

Logrel: Straight to Helheim for those poor bastards. Should have died with a sword in their hand as Odin wanted.

Neci: What if they are children?

Logrel silences, looking at Neci in a strange way.

Vidar turns to Neci looking pissed off.

Vidar: Did they die in battle?

Neci: How could a child die in battle?

Vidar: Then when the clock strikes down to doomsday you’ll see the child in Hel.

## Brothers - Chapter 4

Neci: How could a child die in battle?

Vidar: Then when the clock strikes down to doomsday you’ll see the child in Hel.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci is walking back from dinner in a huge crowd thinking about what Vidar said. This time she takes the elevator up to her floor with several other vikings. The elevator stops on Neci’s floor. She gets out of the elevator and walks down the hall. Three viking men are playing a dice game.

Viking Man: Girl! Wanna play a game?

Neci: Aren’t you supposed to be training or sleeping?

The vikings chuchle.

Viking Man: That’s the speech Odin always says. They don’t check on you. Nor do you lose your stature after death. I haven’t trained in forever and I can still match the strength of any opponent that comes my way.

Neci: Fine then.

Neci kneels down.

Neci: What are we playing?

Viking Man: Mia

Neci: How do you play?

Viking Man: A man watches everyone roll their dice. Then we tell each other what we got. Since players don’t see your roll. You can lie. If you get called on your bluff, you lose a life. Now, are we playing an interesting game, or a boring one?

Neci: What do you mean?

Viking Man: There’s got to be something on the line to make it fun. How about whoever loses a life, strips.

Neci: That includes everyone.

Viking Man: Everyone.

Neci: Okay.

Everyone rolls their dice.

Viking Man: Your first girl.

Neci: Ten.

Viking Man: Normally you lie when you have a bad score. I got 30.

Blond Viking: 32.

Viking Man: Who do I think is lying? 32. Come on. You’re not supposed to guess something close to other scores.

Viking Judge: You lose a life.

Viking Man: What?!

Viking Man: The girl was lying.

The man takes off his shirt.

Viking Man: This is going to be a fun game.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, the two vikings are in their underwear. Neci is missing the blue apron that went over her dress.

Viking Man: Ah, I don’t feel like sitting in the hallway near butt naked anymore. Touche girl. You are the two faced dice master.

Neci bows as she puts the blue apron back on. The two vikings leave and the game judge crouches down cleaning up the game.

Neci: Do you all really do nothing?

Viking: They used to train everyday. It gets boring once you’ve hit your peak. You never beat anyone that has already beaten you and you’ve already fought everyone that you win against. No reason left for them to go to the training grounds. They’re good soldiers, but they have no reason to put effort in.

Neci: Why does Odin tell everyone to train then?

Viking: Odin wants the Einherjar to be strong warriors to defend Asgard and himself. Even better if they only get stronger from training.

Neci leaves, helps the game judge clean up and walks back to her room. She lays down on the comfortable bed of Asgard. The bed is full of soft linen. She quickly falls asleep.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sound of the alarm wakes Neci up from her sleep. Neci struggles to get out of bed. She walks over to her dresser still rubbing her eyes.

Neci: It’s time to be a viking again.

Neci changes into her viking clothes. She walks out of her room to the sight of the crowd returning. Neci opens the door to the staircase and climbs down the stairs again. When she finally gets into the dining hall she sits in the same spot with the same people around her. Odin tells everyone to eat and the vikings quickly grab the food as if there isn’t enough of it.

Neci: How did we all get the same seats?

Vali: Part of the magic of Asgard.

Logrel: I like the clothes. Makes you look strong.

Vali: Of course you do. You need a strong woman to protect you. Not like you can protect yourself.

Logrel: Damn you Vali.

Vali: You set up the insult. I just say the punchline.

Vidar: Why do you make fun of that dwarf Vali?

Vali: Stay out of this brother!

Vidar: You’ve always been childish.

Vali: Childish! Childish is your damn ignorance of the way you should speak to people. I tease, you’re just fucking rude.

Vidar: If we can’t decide who’s right we’ll let our swords decide.

Vali: You won one duel and now you think you're more king than Odin. I’ll put you in your place.

After everyone finishes eating, they follow Vali and Vidar outside into the training area. There is a sandy square area in the training yard. There are lines in the sand. Vali and Vidar stand at the opposite sides of the area. Logrel stands in the center.

Logrel: Begin!

Logrel runs out of the sand. Vali and Vidar walk over to each other. Their walk quickly turns into a run. Vidar takes out his two swords and Vali unsheathes his one sword. Their swords bounce off of each other with the sound of clinking metal. Vali jabs his sword forward and Vidar blocks it with his left sword. Vidar swings his right sword for Vali’s throat. Vali leans back and the sword goes over his head. Vali kicks one foot up as he falls back. Vidar takes Vali’s foot to the jaw. Vali falls to the ground. Vidar grabs his jaw, moving it around a little. Vali stands back up. Vidar launches at Vali, swinging his sword again and again in a barrage of attacks. Vali holds up his sword. The noise of the swords makes Vali worry his sword is going to break. Vidar kicks Vali back. Then he rushes him, thrusting one sword forward. Vali spins around. As soon as Vidar gets close he drops to one knee and slashes down Vidar’s torso. Vidar trips on Vali and falls onto the ground behind him. Vali stands back up. Vidar picks himself off the ground bleeding. They charge each other again. Two Valkyries fly down in iron armor. One grabs Vali, the other stops Vidar.

Valkyrie: You will not kill each other. You may spar, not murder.

The Valkyrie pushes Vali and Vidar into the ground.

Vali: It was just sparring.

Valkyrie: Vidar is bleeding all over the sand.

Vali holds up his sword.

Vali: Duh, it’s a real sword.

The valkyries fly away. Vali and Vidar stand up.

Vidar: I hate those damn Valkyrie. We could just beat them up if they didn’t always call in more.

Vali: Not everyone can beat up a valkyrie.

Vidar: Not everyone is us.

## Bully - Chapter 5

Neci is walking back to her hotel room. On her way to the elevator, she walks past the front desk. Sigmund is standing there. Neci steps up to the desk.

Neci: Sigmund, you know a lot about this place, right?

Sigmund: More than most.

Neci: Can you tell me about the Valkyries?

Sigmund: They are the fiercest warriors that Asgard has to offer. Freya choses the Valkyries who can do well in her tournament. They can beat almost any Einherjar. They travel around bringing all the chosen vikings to Valhalla and completing missions for Freya and Odin.

Neci: So what happens when you get the valkyrie wings? Do you just become powerful or something?

Sigmund: Your power isn’t influenced, your potential is. When you get the wings you also gain the ability to become far stronger than you would have been able to as an Einherjar.

Neci: Hm…

Neci takes a few steps away. She stops when Sigmund says something.

Sigmund: You may gain power, but also risk. Being a valkyrie doesn’t make you immortal. You go to many places that might kill you.

Neci leaves the room. As she walks she thinks about becoming a valkyrie.

Neci: ‘Not worth going to Helheim when I’m already in Valhalla.’

Neci walks past a few women walking in the hallway.

Woman Viking: You better sign up soon. Time is almost running out.

Neci pays no mind to what they are saying as she walks through the halls lost in her own thoughts.

Neci: ‘I’m strong enough as I am. I’ll test my skills on the training grounds’

Neci runs through the halls of Valhalla. She travels outside through one of the many doors. Vikings are outside testing their metal against dummies and each other. Neci hears their axes, swords, and spears clinking against metal. Neci steps up to a dummy. She takes out her two axes. One axe slices up the dummy’s torso and the second axe chops off the dummy’s head. The dummy head falls onto the ground. Neci looks at everyone else training and their dummies haven’t broken. Neci looks back at her dummy and the head has been reattached.

Neci: Magical dummies?

Neci takes fifteen steps back and throws her axe at the dummy. The axe spins around and hits the dummy in the center of its body. She throws the other axe and it lands right next to the first axe. Neci walks over to the dummy to grab her axes and hears some yelling. She turns around to see what’s going on.

Asshole Viking: Move.

The viking is almost seven feet tall. He towers over the man standing at the dummy. The viking has light armor that shows his muscular body. He pushes a man away from a dummy. Another man comes over.

Man: There are dummies for miles. Can’t you just pick a different one?

The viking grabs the man by his face and picks him up.

Asshole Viking: Why would I do anything for this puny man?

The viking slams the man into the ground. The man hits his head on the ground hard as the viking slams him. The man is knocked unconscious. Neci pulls her axes out of the dummy and walks over.

Neci: Fighting over who gets a training spot. Very childish of you.

The viking lets out booming laughter.

Asshole Viking: A little girl calling the great Gunne childish.

Neci: Then you slammed that guy down. Don’t you have any sense? You are childish. That’s why you need valkyries to parent you.

Gunne: I could destroy a valkyrie! They are nothing to me! Valkyries don’t have power. Gunne has power!

Gunne swings his arm down like a hammer. Neci ducks under his arm and jabs him in the gut. Gunne doesn’t feel a thing. He slams his arms down from above his head. Neci takes out her axe and rolls to the right of him. Gunne’s arms hit the ground. Neci gets up from the roll, spins around and chops Gunne in the back with her axe. Gunne moves his back and the axe falls out. He looks at Neci pissed. Gunne runs at Neci. His feet stomping as he runs. Neci charges at Gunne hoping to attack first. Gunne takes out a hammer and swings it. Neci ducks under the hammer and Gunne kicks her back a few feet.

Gunne: Gunne gonna kill you!

Gunne charges at Neci like a bull. Neci throws her other axe into Gunne. The axe cuts his arm and bounces off of him. Neci jumps up. As Gunne is about to collide into her, she pushes off of him and takes out her bow. As she falls through the air an arrow is drawn back. The arrow fires into Gunne’s knee. Gunne drops to one knee Neci stares at gunne, aiming her bow at his head.

Gunne: Gunne surrenders!

Gunne steps back inside Valhalla’s doors. Vali and Logrel walk up to Neci.

Vali: Girl, you got some power behind those axes! You just took out the school bully.

Logrel: That was amazing. You took him down like he was nothing.

Neci: I saw you fight Vali. You could have taken him down.

Logrel: But we didn’t know you could take him down.

They hear the ding of a clock.

## Valkyrie - Chapter 6

All the vikings are sitting down for dinner. Vali and Logrel get into another one of their conversations.

Logrel: Everyone in this group has been fighting.

Vali: Except for you. You have to steer clear of all the fights. Someone might accidentally step on you.

Logrel: Are you trying to propose that I am a bug?

Vali: Even bugs step over you, Logrel.

Vali looks at Neci.

Vali: I wonder why the valkyries never came to stop your fight.

Vidar: Gunne had it coming. He was all muscle and no fight. The valkyries just wanted him defeaten. Slain if Neci could.

Vali: The valkyries would never allow an einherjar to be slain in the halls of Valhalla.

Vidar: He wasn’t inside the halls.

Vali: You damn well know it's treated the same.

Vidar: All Gunne does is cause problems.

Vali: You don’t think it would cause a problem if one of the vikings that have gotten their deserved afterlife paradise died and lost it.

Vidar: It would make some of the petty vikings think twice before acting up.

Vali: Or they might rebel against Odin.

Vidar: Odin could slaughter all the einherjar if he wanted to.

Vali: Maybe if Odin found out a way to do it. He could never kill so many with his bare hands. He would inevitably be defeated. Thor could, but Odin would die.

Vidar: Odin always finds a way to win his battles.

Logrel: Not when doomsday comes.

Vidar: You believe that Ragnorak will kill the allfather?

Logrel: That is the prophecy, Vidar.

Vali: None of that matters. Back to the topic of conversation. Neci, with the strength you showed against Gunne. Why don’t you join the valkyrie?

Neci: No.

Vidar: You would deny the great honor of becoming one of Freya’s soldiers?

Neci: Why would I want to die?

Vali: Die? What are you talking about?

Neci: Why would I want to die? If I become a valkyrie, then I might die when I leave Valhalla.

Vidar: People will protect you. Valkyries move in groups.

Neci: Then what do you do as a valkyrie? Don't you bring champions to valhalla?

Vali: You will mostly do jobs for Odin and Freya. They send you out on missions to places like Jotunheim, Midgard, or Helheim.

Neci: You go to Helheim?

Neci thinks about what Vidar said earlier.

(Vidar: Then when the clock strikes down to doomsday you’ll see the child in Hel.)

Vali: You don’t get stuck in Helheim. It’s not like when the dead go there. You can travel around and see everything. You do have to watch out for the goddess Hel.

Vidar: She is the worst.

Neci: I’ll join the valkyrie.

Logrel: That quickly?

Neci: I want to become part of Freya’s army.

Vidar: Good on you.

Vali: When were the sign ups?

Logrel: They ended earlier today.

Vali: I thought so. You’re going to have to do something to impress Freya then.

Vidar: What could she possibly do to impress Freya? The only person in the nine realms that impresses Freya is Odin.

Vali: Let me change my wording then, Vidar. Something that Freya wouldn’t expect.

Logrel: The initiation for the tournament of valkyries has all the participants in one group and a viking of Freya’s choosing to help host the tournament.

Vali: I’ve seen it many times. The viking lifts up his sword and swings it down to show the beginning of the next Valkyrie tournament.

Vidar: Then stop the tournament from starting.

Neci looks at Vidars smirking face.

Vidar: I saw you use your bow against Gunne. Knock the sword out of his hand.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci lays down in her bed. She sits and thinks about the tournament.

Neci: ’The initiation begins first thing in the morning.’

Neci looks at her bow.

Neci: ‘Oll give me strength.’

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day, Neci’s eyes open as the sun starts rising. She grabs her stuff and runs out of the room. Flying down the hallway she looks for the door to the stairs. Her feet slide as she turns a corner. Her eyes lock on the door to the stairs. She busts the door open and runs down the stairs. When she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she continues running through the hallways of Valhalla. A big door stands in her way to get outside. She opens the door as sees Asgard.

Neci: Woah.

Buildings and walkways that look like they have been made from pure gold. Streets end at the edge of the world. On all the edges, water flows down. Neci looks around for a way to get to the initiation fast. Her eyes stop when she sees stables.

Neci: Horses.

Neci runs down the staircase into Valhalla. She jumps off the stairs and runs up to a horse. She pets the horse on its snout. A worker watches her climb the stead.

Stable Worker: That horse is not free, viking!

Neci: I’ll bring it back, sorry.

Neci rides the horse off. The worker chases her a few feet before he gives up. Neci rides the horse across a bridge to Valhalla’s mainland. Neci rides a little confused on where to go. After she leaves the bridge she searches Asgard for the vikings. All of Agard is made up of roads and paths made of gold. Everything that isn’t is air. Neci gets a little frightened of falling off as she rides her horse, along with the anticipation of whether she will make it on time. Neci holds on to her horse tight. Neci’s ears pick up the voices of vikings. Over the horizon she sees the group. A man stands in front of the group. Freya stands next to the man.

Freya’s Soldier: The tournament will begin when I swing my sword.

The soldier lifts his sword. Neci readies her bow.

Neci: Breathe.

Neci closes her eyes for a second. Then fires the arrow. The arrow flies over Asgards ground and clashes against the soldier’s sword. The man’s sword clinks as it hits the ground. Neci’s horse stops in front of the crowd of vikings. Neci runs up to Freya and gets down on her knees.

Neci: Miss Freya. I beg of you. I want nothing more than to be a valkyrie in your army. I realized too late that the tournament had started.

Freya grabs Neci’s hands.

Freya: The tournament has not begun. The sword was not swung. You may get your chance to participate in the tournament of valkyries.

Neci: Thank you goddess Freya.

## Tournament - Chapter 7

Neci sits on top of a horse next to all the vikings. Their horses are in a line standing on a race track. The track is a long line of dirt. Rocks, pits, mud, and the track slowly gets thinner and thinner. The sides of the track are like the edge of the earth with no barriers. Freya stands in front of the vikings and their horses.

Freya: You will all race to reach the end of the track. There are no rules. You may do anything to stop your fellow racers. Now, ready your horses and… Race!

Freya flies into the air and the horses stampede forward. The clopping sound of the hooves blends together to sound like the rumbling of an avalanche. Neci stays low to her horse and keeps her eyes focused forward. The sound of arrows grabs her attention. She looks over her shoulder. Three arrows pierce a vikings horse. The horse starts to fall down. Neci speeds up and the horse falls behind her. The viking pulls back another arrow and looks Neci dead in her face. Neci faces forward. She sees a giant rock. She tries to speed up, but the horse can’t move any faster. Half the horse hides behind the rock, still moving, before the arrow is fired. The tip of the arrow stabs into the back of the horse. The horse doesn’t slow down, but speeds up from the sudden pain. Neci looks at where the arrow hit and pulls it out. Neci readies her bow. When the horse comes out from behind the rock, Neci is aiming her bow. In her line of sight is the viking. Her arrow flies out of the bow and sticks the horse in it’s leg. The horse falls over and the viking hits the ground. Mud splashes up from the horse's hooves as the beast continues onward. The track keeps on thinning. With only so much land, some vikings fall into pits. Neci watches as vikings pass the finish line before her. She presses forward. A viking with their axe out tries to get closer to Neci. Neci throws her axe into the horse's back. The horse slows and Neci passes the finish line.

Neci: Thank Odin I did it!

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next challenge begins. The vikings women all stand on different small chunks of ice. All of them hold spears and no other weapons. Neci sticks her spear into the ice. She uses the spear as a pole to hold her ground. The water pushes all the ice into the middle of the body of water. From behind a giant iceberg a viking stands on a piece of ice. The viking has long white hair tied back into a ponytail. She readies her spear as Neci gets closer. Neci takes her spear out of the ice. They both swing their spears. The sound of bashing wood comes off of the two spears. Both vikings afraid to jab each other from the fear of falling. Their pieces of ice collide. They put both their hands on the spear and push the spear forward. Their spears parry each other over and over again. Neci sees another giant iceberg coming. This time it’ll hit her. The spears collide and Neci pushes forward. The viking tries to hold her ground. Neci steps onto the viking’s ice mass. Neci’s ice smashes into the iceberg. Her feet are half off of the ice. She sticks her spear into the ice to hold on. The viking kicks Neci into the ice water.

Neci: ‘The cold pain of defeat.’

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Freya stands in front of all the vikings.

Freya: The last challenge is archery. It’s a two part challenge. First, you will fire arrows at targets. The best archers will move onto the next part of the challenge.

Neci watches the vikings. They go up one after another. Some smirking as they make a better shot than the last. There is a line. Each viking makes a shot at every target. After you make one shot, you move on to the target to your right. Neci watches excitedly, but also very nervous.

Neci: ‘I haven’t done well in any other challenge. I need to do well in this. I know I can. I just need to focus.’

Neci steps up to the plate and aims her bow. She breathes in.

Viking: Hurry up!

Neci drowns out all noise and fires an arrow. It pierces the center of the target. She moves onto the next target and does the same. Every target she hits dead center, until the second to last target. She hits barely outside the center. On the last target, an arrow is already in the center. Neci fires two arrows. The first arrow splits the other vikings arrow, and her second arrow splits her own arrow. Neci has a big smile on her face as she walks off of the training grounds.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that night, all the vikings are partying. They’re drinking mead, and brawling. The white haired viking walks up to Neci.

Viking Lady: If that iceberg wasn’t there. You might have won. I am Brunhild.

Neci: Neci. Hopefully Freya believes I made up for it in archery.

Brunhild: I think Freya was impressed by your bold arrival into the ceremony. You may be her new favorite. I do not doubt that you will become a valkyrie.

Neci: Thank you Brunhild.

They clink their cups of mead.

Brunhild: Do you not want to brawl with the others?

Neci: Of course I do. I’m waiting for this brawl to be over. I wasn’t drunk enough before.

Brunhild: I wish you luck Neci.

Neci: Thank you. You are a true warrior Brunhild. Your hair looks as godly as Odin’s.

Brunhild: I’m sure it doesn’t look that old.

Brunhild leaves. Neci sees someone get knocked out in the brawl. She runs into the fight finishing her drink. A giant viking woman stands before her.

Giant Viking: Puny girl!

Neci smiles.

## Hangover - Chapter 8

Neci opens her eyes. She can feel the hard ground underneath her body as her senses slowly come back to her. A pulsing headache makes her press a hand to her forehead. Neci slowly stands up rubbing her forehead. The sunlight beaming down on only makes her headache worse. As she looks around, her eyes stay mostly closed still getting used to the sunlight. She looks at the ground where many other vikings fell asleep.

Neci: What happened?

Neci sees a viking getting up.

Neci: Excuse me. Do you remember last night?

Hungover Viking: I was clearly just as drunk as you or I wouldn’t have ended up on the ground.

Neci walks back to Valhalla on the golden pathways. She walks up the stairs into a giant marble white hotel. The hotel has giant statues of vikings as tall as the building. She walks up a staircase into the hotel. Neci moves through the hallways until she finds the elevator. She stands in the elevator as the door slowly shuts. An arm sticks through the elevator doors before they close. Vali steps in.

Vali: Neci, did you make it into the tournament?

Neci: I just got back from the after-party.

Vali: Viking after-parties are the true viking way. There is nothing better. I assume you haven’t been told whether you got in or not.

Neci: No. After the tournament we all had a party and that was it.

Vali: I have faith that you made it in.

Neci: What are you doing right now?

Vali: Finding Vidar.

Neci: Why do you hate each other so much? My brothers and I never fought so out of spite like you do.

Vali: We’ve been brothers a lot longer than you have. Nor did we grow up together.

Neci: You didn’t?

Vali: No, and I grew up much faster than my brother.

The elevator stops.

Vali: We’ll meet again at dinner.

Vali leaves the elevator and the doors slowly shut. The elevator continues to rise up. The elevator stops and Neci walks out. She travels down the hallway until she finds her room. When she opens her door the first thing she does is put her bow and axes on the floor. Then she lays on the bed.

Neci: I’m so tired and my headache is only getting worse.

Neci walks over to the dresser. She changes into the white dress she was wearing before. As her headache pounds, she can feel her viking braid pulling on her hair. She unravels her hair and lets it flow down. Neci lays on the bed and tries to fall asleep. Before long she comes to realize she can’t fall asleep. She stands up and walks out of her room.

Neci: I need something to pass the time.

A group of women walk past Neci. One woman grabs her arm and drags her with them. All of the women have long hair and flashy clothes.

Flashy woman: Follow us. I don’t know how you got lost from the group.

They drag Neci down a long hallway. They go so far that Neci feels like they may be walking in circles. The only thing that changes in look is the numbers on the doors. They stop at an open door. The woman drag Neci inside the room. Loki is laying on the bed with no shirt. Thor is standing on the other side of the room yelling at Loki. The women climb into the bed with Loki. Thor looks outraged. Neci hides near the door.

Thor: Loki, what are you doing with these women?

Loki: What does it look like brother? They’re whores. They only have one purpose.

Thor: Then how did these women get into Valhalla?

Loki: Anyone who picks up an axe can get into Valhalla. Maybe even a hammer.

Thor: All you do is spend time with women, or try to trick gods. Why do you do this to our father?

Loki: Adopted father.

Thor: You have no honor.

Loki: Why would I need it? I have a title. That earns me respect without the need of honor. Just being Odin’s son gives me riches, whores, and the respect and fear of anyone I meet.

Thor: You should have the nobility to be above such pleasures.

Loki: What are these rules you love to follow like a little puppy? These women all come to my door because they want the same thing I have, title. They come to me brother. It’s part of the social classes. Who am I to not follow the rules?

Thor’s furious face turns into a much calmer and sterner one.

Thor: Father wants us.

Loki looks happy as he hears Thor say those words.

Loki: Oh, do I love to see you get stumped on your own words brother.

Loki looks at the doorway where Neci is standing.

Loki: Don’t be shy. I only bite when asked. I won’t hurt you.

Thor: Don’t come in here, girl. Loki is a trickster. Once you step foot into this room you will not leave until he wants you to.

Neci runs away.

Loki: Why did you get rid of her? I liked her.

Thor: You like all women. You’ve just met her.

Loki: Assumptions are what kill, Thor.

Thor: My hammer kills, Loki.

Thor leaves the room.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci reaches an elevator. She takes in a few deep breaths from running.

Neci: I didn’t know they were bringing me to Loki. Loki is terrifying.

Neci hears the sound of the clock ringing.

Neci: Dinner time. Thank Odin.

Neci walks into the elevator. The door shuts before anyone else makes it there. The elevator brings her down to the bottom floor where she gets out and walks into the dinning hall. She sits down in her seat and watches as everybody sits down. Once everyone has sat down, Freya stands up.

Freya: If you participated in the tournament of valkyries, follow me.

Freya walks out of the dinning hall. A line forms behind her of the participants. Neci gets in line and follows. They all walk out of the gates of Valhalla. In a line they travel across the golden bridges of Asgard. They stop when they reach the place they partied the previous night. Freya stands on a stage.

Freya: I will call the name of every individual who is becoming a valkyrie. When I do, stand on the stage.

Freya starts listing off names. Many of the names Neci has never heard. Every viking called stands up on the stage and Freya puts a hand on their chest. A white glow comes off of their chest for a brief moment and disappears.

Freya: Neci Kron.

Neci walks onto the stage. She looks up at Freya in amazement. A breath of relief comes over her. Freya puts her hand on Neci’s chest and a white aura comes up. Neci steps off the stage, and Freya finishes calling names.

Freya: If your name was not called, leave. If your name was called, stay for the feast and party that will last all night!

## Wings - Chapter 9

The next day, Silver is in Odin’s throne room. Odin sits on the pure gold throne looking down at the kneeling valkyrie. Frigg is on the throne next to him.

Freya: Say the pledge.

All Valkyrie: I pledge to Odin the one god, to be faithful and royal to Odin, to serve supreme vikings with all my strength. To claim the victory of vikings, by the power invested on me by Odin to execute any task as s servant to the great one’s likeness.

Odin: I love to see all the new valkyries. You all have the strength to accomplish anything your hearts and gods desire. You will serve Asgard well.

Neci leaves the throne room along with the other valkyries.

Frigg: How long do you think they have?

Odin: Hopefully time spares them.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci walks back to her room. When she opens up her dresser there is a new outfit in it.

Neci: Everything in Asgard is magic. Even wardrobes.

Neci changes into the new outfit. The armor is a white and silver. The suit is skin tight light armor. The armor on her chest is thicker and has more steel than everywhere else. Attached to the shoulders is a detachable silver cape. Gold plates on her shoulders hold it down. White wings come out of her back and come out of holes in the back of the suit. Neci is startled by the wings and jumps back.

Neci: Wings?! The wings grow out of you?! Do they go back?!

Neci tries to push her wings into her back. The wings don’t move. Neci breathes for a second.

Neci: You must need to control your wings first.

Neci tries to move her wings on their own. The wings twitch, but don’t move much more than that. Neci starts pacing around the room.

Neci: It must be the outfit.

Neci tries to take off the valkyrie gear, but it won’t move down off the wings. Neci hears a knock on the door. Her wings disappear into her back.

Neci: Come in.

Sigmund walks inside Neci’s room.

Sigmund: Are the new clothes fit to your liking?

Neci: Yes sigmund, but-

Sigmund: Your wings.

Neci looks back and her wings are out again.

Neci: How do I control them?

Sigmund: Stay relaxed. The wings will stay out as long as you want, or when you are in a tense circumstance. If you just calm down they should go away on their own. Every new valkyrie has the same issue.

Neci: Thank you Sigmund.

Sigmund leaves the room. Neci calms down and the wings go away. She leaves her room thinking she should practice with her wings outside. Neci takes the elevator to the bottom floor and walks through the hallways. She sees Vali, Logrel, and Vidar walking together. She runs up to them.

Vali: You even got the valkyrie armor. Do you have your wings yet?

Neci: Yes, they came in as soon as I put the armor on.

Vali: Must be some sort of trigger. Logrel and I were just talking about going to see Balder. Would you keep Vidar company? He gets lonely.

Vidar: Don’t talk about me like I’m a dog.

Vali: I don’t want you to be upset when everyone is gone. I thought I was being sympathetic.

Vidar: Vikings don’t use big words like that.

Vali: You must not understand me because neither do you.

Vidar: Screw off.

Vidar walks the other way.

Vali: Now we can go see balder. He might even be nicer to you Neci because he hates me so much.

Neci: Why drop me off with your brother?

Vali: Figure out why he is such a bastard all the time.

Logrel: We have both tried to no avail. You’re the best shot.

Vali: Maybe he likes women better like Loki. He may only open up to you.

Logrel: I could see that. They are both royal assholes.

Vali: Please Neci.

Neci: Okay.

Neci walks after Vidar. While Vali and Logrel go to find Balder.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci catches up to Vidar on the stairs.

Neci: Hey, Vidar! Slow down.

Vidar doesn’t stop walking up the stairs.

Neci: I’ve never met a viking as rude as you!

Vidar: You must not have met a lot of vikings.

Neci follows Vidar up the stairs. They both walk through the same door into a hall. Neci keeps following Vidar until Vidar stops at a room. He turns around as Neci stands in front of him, looking up at him.

Vidar: Why follow me like I’m your bounty. You should have already given up by now. I obviously don’t want your company.

Neci: You don’t want anyone’s company. That’s why I am here.

Vidar opens the door.

Vidar: Fine then. Do as you must.

Neci walks inside Vidar’s room. His room is at least twice the size of hers. She steps out onto a balcony that overlooks a lake in Asgard.

Neci: Your room is amazing.

Vidar: It’s better than what most vikings get.

Neci walks around the room looking at all the weapons and small rock statues Vidar has. She lifts up the statue of a beautiful giantess.

Vidar: Don’t touch that!

Neci puts down the statue.

Vidar: It’s important to me. The most important thing to me.

Neci: Was she a loved one?

Vidar: She was my wife.

Neci: She must have had to be special if she got through to you.

Vidar: She was very special. Her name was Solveig. She was a giantess from Jotunheim. On a mission I met her. She saved me from an onslaught of frost giants.

Neci: She was powerful?

Vidar: Very powerful. She created many strong beasts. They were her children. When Odin found out I had married a giantess he sent people to kill all her beasts. When she fought back, Odin killed her.

Neci: Why would Odin kill her if she did no wrong?

Vidar: Unlike what you might think of the gods. They aren’t always right. That’s why Loki tricks them so easily. Now you’ve learned something about me. Leave, I need to be in peace.

Neci walks over to Vidar and puts a hand on his shoulder. Then she leaves his room.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vali and Logrel walk into one of the god’s halls. The hall is a giant open area. Balder is standing there looking all around.

Balder: What a great room. Who would waste such a good room on nothing? Odin would. I think I could do something wonderful with this room. Don’t you agree, Vali?

Vali: I think you can do whatever you want in this room Balder. You’re Odin’s favorite son.

Balder: Maybe not his favorite, but definitely his best looking son. Thor may have the muscles but I have the face.

Vali: And Loki?

Balder: Ugly and adopted.

Vali, Balder, and Logrel laugh.

Balder: Who is this short viking you have brought to me? I almost didn’t see him, but he caught my eye when I looked down at my boots.

Logrel: You two are the same. Always making jokes.

Balder: Don’t be mad, little man. The dwarves are the most skilled crafters in all the nine realms. What you don’t have in height you have in skill with your hands. Be proud of your dwarven bloodline.

Logrel: Thank you, Balder.

Balder: Please. Be more formal. Great god Balder. Why have you come, Vali. You never show up without reason.

Vali stabs a sword into Balder.The sword bounces off of Balder’s skin.

Vali: I wanted to make sure your vulnerabilities weren’t wearing off. You know the prophecy.

Balder: Are you scared I’m going to die? Don’t worry, I’ll be around for a long time.

Logrel: Why did you stab him if you were checking his vulnerability?!

Vali: He would never have let me hit him if he was vulnerable.

Balder: Vali may be a skilled fighter, but he could never kill me.

Vali: I guess that’s all we came for then.

Logrel: I’ll be right outside.

Logrel walks off and Balder puts his arm around Vali’s shoulder.

Balder: Don’t worry about me, little brother. Prophecies are just prophecies. You know how many I have heard in my lifetime? Far more than one can hear in any normal lifetime. I’ll be fine. Don’t think too much of stories, okay?

Vali: I’ll see you soon Balder.

Vali walks away.

## Svartalfheim - Chapter 10

Neci stands in line with a small group of other valkyries. All the valkyries have their wings out and ready. Freya stands in front of them. Walking them through how to use their wings.

Freya: Your wings are a new part of your body. It’ll be hard to learn how to move them, but you will learn. They are muscles. You just have to learn how to use them. Try to make your wings move. Tense your muscles.

Neci focuses hard. She tries to move her wings. The white angelic wings on her back begin to move up and down slowly. She can’t make the wings go any faster.

Freya: Good. You have the motion down, but you’ll need to have much more power behind your wings to fly. All of you practice in Valhalla’s yard.

The valkyries walk away.

Freya: Neci, stop.

Neci stops and turns around scared.

Freya: You will be going on a mission with other valkyries to Svartalfheim.

Neci: The realm of dwarfs?

Freya: You know your realms, good. You will be seeing many of them as a valkyrie. Follow me.

Freya leads Neci into a little hut in the valkyrie training area. A few other valkyries are already in the tent, including Brunhild. Freya stands next to the valkyries and Freya walks behind her desk.

Freya: The dwarfs in Svartalfheim have recently decided to stop working for Odin. You need to figure out why, and force them to get back to work if you must.

Brunhild: Do we all the dwarves if they resist?

Freya: Make an example of one. If they refuse to get to work after that, report back to me. Brunhild will be in charge since she has been a valkyrie the longest. Take the horses and ride to the bifrost. Heimdall will transport you where you need to go.

Brunhild: Yes Lady Freya.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Horses' hooves stop as they run along a giant rainbow bridge. The group of valkyries sit on top of the horse’s backs. The long bridge feels endless as they ride. Neci looks at Brunhild.

Neci: Freya said you worked for her the longest. Didn’t you join during the tournament?

Brunhild: Did you hear my name called during the feast?

Neci: No.

Brunhild: Freya likes to put some of her own valkyries into the tournament. So we can report back to her about the participants we find interesting.

Neci: Is that really fair? We aren’t as experienced as you.

Brunhild: We go easy on you.

They see a giant structure at the end of the rainbow bridge. As they get closer, Neci realizes the giant structure is a portal. The group stops at the portal. A man stands off to the side.

Brunhild: Heimdall.

Heimdall: I remember everyone. This group I don’t remember. Brunhild, are these the valkyries from the tournament?

Brunhild: Yes, they’re new.

Heimdall: Should be an easy mission.

Heimdall takes a giant sword off of his back. He walks over to a hole in the ground. The hole looks like it was made for the sword. Heimdall puts his sword into the hole and turns it like a key. The portal disappears and then turns on again.

Heimdall: You may leave.

The team of valkyries ride their horses through the portal. They instantly feel very cold. As if they are in an arctic land. The blue portal that covers their sight slowly fades away. They see a dark land of rock and mountains. All of the horses are still. Brunhild is the first to smack the reins down. She starts moving and the rest of the valkyries follow her. Brunhild sees a mountain cave near them. They push forward. Brunhild leads them inside the cave. They stop at a ledge. The cave has a giant drop. Stairs spiral down along the wall. All the valkyries get off of their horses and start walking down the stairs. They walk for what feels like forever. Every step feels like it leads to nowhere. Once they see the bottom they all speed up. When they reach the ground, there is a giant brown steel double door in front of them. The valkyries split the group and each half of the group pushes one side of the doors open. Inside the room guarded by this giant door are grey dwarfs sitting around joking. When they see the valkyries their lighthearted attitude becomes as cold as the air. They hear whispers.

Dwarfs: Talk to them Brok…

A dwarf holding a giant hammer stands up and walks over to Neci’s group of valkyries.

Brok: Why have you come? We won’t make anything-

Brunhild: Why?

Brok: We have been slaves for too long. We refuse to do anything for the Aesir.

Brunhild: The Aesir are your gods. You should obey and worship them. Who made you believe you can do whatever you like?

Brok: We have been tired for a long time, Brunhild. We make you weapons, armor, chains. We have made armor and weapons for every einherjar to ever exist. It’s tiring. Us grey dwarves have decided that we will no longer do it.

Brunhild: You will go to Helheim for this.

Brok: Who will bring me there? You only take people to Valhalla. You have no power.

Brunhild: No power?

Brunhild takes out her sword and puts it to Brok’s neck.

Brunhild: I’ll kill you, then watch as your soul is dragged to Helheim.

Brok: You think that’s going to scare the other dwarves into being your blacksmiths again? We’re rebelling against the Aesir. You’ll only give us an example on why we’re fighting back. You kill me, and the Sons Of Ivaldi will rip you to pieces.

Brunhild puts her sword back in her sheath.

Brunhild: Let’s go.

The valkyries walk back through the double doors.

Brunhild: We will report this to Freya immediately.

## Did You? - Chapter 11

Neci, Brunhild and the other valkyries kneel down by Odin’s throne. Frigg is gone and Freya stands next to Odin’s throne, almost touching it.

Brunhild: When we traveled to Svartalfheim we talked to Brok. He said that the dwarves are tired of making our weapons and armor. They want to be free.

Odin: Did you kill one?

Brunhild: I was going to, but it would have given them more reason to fight.

Odin: Good. You may leave and rest with the other vikings for now. I need to speak with Freya.

The valkyries leave the room.

Freya: The prophecy is coming true.

Odin: Some of the prophecy has to come true for us to know when we need to stop it. Did you sense anything weird about this dwarven uprising?

Freya: The dwarves have always resented us. That is how it’s been since they made their first weapons.

Odin: Why now?

Freya: One dwarf speaking up could have started it.

Odin: Then anyone could have started the rebellion. Even a trickster.

Freya: Loki.

Odin: Bring Loki to me my dearest Freya. I need to speak with him.

Freya: Yes Odin.

Neci stands with her ear pushed up to the otherside of Odin’s wall.

Neci: Prophecy.

The door starts to creak open. Neci hides as Freya walks out from the room.

Neci: I need to move before I get caught.

Neci walks off.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Freya drags Loki into Odin’s throne room.

Odin: Thank you Freya.

Freya leaves the room and shuts the door.

Loki: Why do you have your mistress bring me here Father?

Odin: She is not my mistress Loki.

Loki: She might as well be. You look at her enough. Have you not the balls to father her child? You’ve slept with others, other than your wife. Why stop when you’ve found true love?

Odin: I did not bring you here for you to criticize my actions Loki. You’re here so I can criticize yours. Did you start the dwarven rebellion?

Loki: Those dwarves are fighting for freedom. Wouldn’t you do the same if all you had known was slavery?

Odin: You did not answer my question Loki. Did you start the dwarven rebellion?

Loki: Anyone could have started the rebellion. Does freeing dwarves sound like something I would do? I have no reason, no motif for such actions. I’ve never been the person to help others. You know this, Father.

Odin: You still have not answered my question. I asked, “did you? *Not for the reasons why it may be someone else. I believe you have plenty motif Loki. You just stopped the only blacksmiths that the Aesir have.*

Loki: Not the only blacksmiths. Thor is known to pick up a hammer every now and again.

Odin: Funny. I’m keeping an eye on you Loki. You have always had the picture in your head that you are the smartest of the gods, but you forget the reason I’m missing an eye.

Loki: I have not forgotten why you are have blind. I just believe that your trade was less than rewarded for what you gave.

Odin: Out Loki.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Heimdall stands holding onto his sword tight. He feels the sword trying to pull itself to turn the key. Heimdall puts all his strength in to stop the sword from turning. He pulls the sword out of the hole as hard as he can. The seal on the portal breaks for a moment before it reforms. A giant blue viking looking thing comes out of the portal. The giant is about fifteen feet tall holding a spiked club made out of ice.

Heimdall: A frost giant.

The frost giant runs at Heimdall swinging the club like a hammer. Heimdall blocks the attacks. Everytime the club slams into Heimdall’s sword, ice chips fly off of it. The giant kicks Heimdall's sword. Heimdall slides back a few feet and runs at the giant. The giant swings his club. Heimdall swings his sword and cuts off the giant’s arm like he cut through paper. The giant’s arm and club falls to the ground. The giant punches with his other arm. Heimdall slices the arm off. The frost giant stands there missing his arms. Heimdall stabs his sword through the giant’s knee. The frost giant kneels down bleeding and breathing heavily.

Heimdall: You will be used as a message for your brethren. Rest in Helheim for trying to break into Asgard.

Heimdall swings his heavy sword and chops the frost giant's head clean off. Heimdall walks over to the head as it rolls on the floor. He picks up the head and throws it into the bifrost. The head disappears into the portal.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci is eating in the dining hall.

Vali: You look off. Did something happen on your first mission that scared you?

Neci: No. I overheard Odin and Freya talking about the prophecy.

Vali looks intrigued.

Vali: What did they say?

Neci: Odin said he would try to stop it. Do you know of the prophecy they are talking about?

Vali: The seers speak to Odin about many prophecies, but the only one Odin’s ever mentioned twice is Ragnorak.

Neci: They were talking about doomsday.

Vali: I would assume so. Was there a reason they brought the prophecy up?

Neci: The dwarves have started a rebellion against the Aesir. My mission was to learn why.

Logrel: They rebelled against Odin? That would never happen. The dwarves are my people. They would never fight back against the Aesir gods. They’re terrified of them.

Neci: Odin believes Loki got them to rebel.

Logrel: I don’t believe it.

Vidar: Loki is a damn trickster. He has tricked everyone of the Aesir with only the exception of Odin. You believe he couldn’t trick a group of small blacksmiths?

Logrel: He might have been able to convince them, but how would he do that? What would make them no longer fearful of the great gods?

Vidar: Because the gods can’t kill them. If Odin kills the dwarves then he has no blacksmiths. He’ll have no way to create weapons for all the einherjar.

Vali: Neci, don’t worry about all that. I’ve talked to Balder. The gods will handle it. Odin is the wisest god there is. He always knows what to do.

## Punishment - Chapter 12

Neci walks onto the valkyrie training yards. Brunhild is looking at her. Neci catches Brunhild out of the corner of her eye. She walks over to Brunhild.

Brunhild: Freya wants to talk to us.

Neci: Another mission?

Brunhild: No.

Brunhild leads Neci into the hut Neci was in before. They get in line with the other Valkyries.

Freya: As you know the dwarves are rebelling. You were sent to stop them. You did nothing. Then embarrassed me in front of Odin. I heard your excuse. Do you have no sense, no brain? Did you take a minute to think of any other way to stop a dwarven rebellion?

Brunhild: Lady Freya, what would we do?

Freya: You're supposed to be one of my best valkyrie Brunhild. You shouldn’t need to ask me everything. Maybe you could have lied and said Odin has found new blacksmiths. Make them believe they have no ground to stand on.

Brunhild: I’m sorry.

Freya looks at the other valkyries.

Freya: You all will be punished for your actions. One of you will go to jotunheim.

Brunhild: I will go. None of them can survive a trip to Jotunhein.

Freya: I need you here Brunhild. Let me teach you how to think for yourself. You pick who goes to Jotunheim.

Brunhild looks at all the women.

Brunhild: Neci. She is the only valkyrie that has a chance to survive the icy tundra.

Freya: Neci, tomorrow you will go on a mission to Jotunheim. Look for the temple of Angrboda. There you will find a wolf cub. Bring the cub back to me. All of you may leave.

The valkyries walk out of the hut. Neci grabs Brunhild’s arm.

Neci: Why did you send me to my death?! I thought we were friends!

Brunhild: We are, but who else would be able to survive there? None of you can use your wings. You have the most skill of those women. All you have to do is avoid fighting.

Neci: Avoid fighting what?

Brunhild: Frost giants.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci walks up to Sigmund. Sigmund is standing behind his desk.

Sigmund: What do you need Neci?

Neci: Tell me everything about frost giants.

Sigmund: What do you need to know? They’re powerful, about twenty feet tall as adults, use ice as weapons-

Neci: Do they have any weaknesses?

Sigmund: They have a weak intellect. They are some of the stupidest creatures the nine realms has to offer.

Neci: Why are they so feared then?

Sigmund: Because frost giants are brutes. You don’t need to have intelligence to kill something, and they are very good at killing.

Neci walks away quickly.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Neci is in the training grounds outside of Valhalla. She takes out her wings and tries to fly. Her wings move but nothing happens. A Viking laughs at her.

Drunk Viking: a valkyrie that doesn’t know how to use her wings. Pitiful.

He holds out the half empty bottle of mead.

Drunk Viking: Try some of this and you’ll feel like you’re flying.

Neci knocks the bottle out of his hand.

Neci: Screw off!

Drunk Viking: Whore!

The viking stumbles over to Neci. Neci punches him in the stomach and pushes the Viking over.

Neci: You can’t fight. You’re drunker than the gods!

The viking gets up and stumbles away. Vidar walks up to Neci.

Vidar: Drunker than the gods? You wouldn’t be insulting the gods, are you?

Neci: You know I am.

Vidar: Why? What happened?

Neci: Freya hated the turnup of our last mission. She decided to punish one of us by going on a mission alone to jotunheim.

Vidar: You’re going to Jotunheim? What is the mission?

Neci: To find a wolf cub.

Vidar: A wolf cub…

Neci sits down on the floor. She lays her back against a dummy. Vidar sits down next to her.

Neci: I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to die.

Vidar: I promise you won’t die. If I know what cub she is sending you after, then Freya would never let this mission fail. She must be testing you.

Neci: Are you sure?

Vidar: Where are you finding the wolf?

Neci: The temple of Angrboda.

Vidar: You’ll be fine.

## Jotunheim - Chapter 13

Neci rides a horse on the bi frost bridge. She stops before the portal. Heimdall looks at her.

Heimdall: Where are you going lonely valkyrie?

Neci: To Jotunheim.

Heimdall: May Odin’s graces be in your favor.

Neci: Thank you Sir Heimdall.

Neci’s horse slowly walks into the portal. As the blue portal clears from Neci’s eyes, the bitter cold attacks her. Her eyes are almost blinded by the snow whipping back and forth in the storm. Encompassing her. The horse's legs are two feet deep in snow. The tree’s are white, the mountain’s are white, the foxes that run past Neci are white. The whole realm is like a winter nightmare. Neci smacks the reins down. Her horse begins to move slowly through the snow. Neci looks down at her brown horse.

Neci: ‘I have white clothes, but the horse doesn’t. They’ll be able to see me.’

Neci gets off the horse and falls two feet deep into snow. She pets the horse on its snout

Neci: Stay here.

Neci walks in the snow. She takes big steps with every foot getting stuck in the snow. Her legs feel freezing as she continues forward. Dire wolves run out in front of Neci. The wolves are twice the size of any wolf Neci has ever seen. The wolves growl at Neci. She steps back from the wolves. Then she hears stomping. The wolves get ready to run and a spiked ice club slams down on one of the wolves’ heads. The other wolf tries to run. The frost giant grabs the wolf by its tail and throws it into a tree. The snow falls off the tree as it shakes and lands on the wolf.

Neci: A-A frost giant…

The frost giant looks at Neci.

Frost Giant: Viking in Jotunheim!

Neci: Uh-

Frost Giant: You leave Giant’s heads at our doorstep! Urgh!

The giant runs forward swinging his club. Neci rolls to the side and the giant falls onto the snow. He gets back up and slams his club down like a hammer. Neci jumps to the side, falling on her stomach. The giant’s club hits the ground. Snow flies up like a geyser.

Neci: I’ll fight you, you giant bastard!

Neci takes out her two axes. The frost giant swings his club like a sword. Neci turns to the left and blocks the club with her two axes. The club pushes Neci back. She slides through the snow trying to stop the club. The giant lifts his club back up and slams it down. Neci rolls closer to the frost giant. She chops at his legs over and over again. The giant starts bleeding and kicks. Neci dodges to the side and continues to chop at the giant’s leg. The club swings near Neci. Neci rolls away from the giant. She puts away her axes and takes out her bow. She fires an arrow that hits the frost giant in his head.

Neci: Yes.

The arrow bounces off the giant. The giant kicks Neci in her stomach. Neci flies through the air and slams into a tree. The giant runs at the tree and swings his club. The club smashes into Neci so hard, the tree behind her falls over. Neci looks up at the giant almost unconscious. She sees the face of another giant. Then she can hear someone’s voice. A familiar voice.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci wakes up in a cave. She tries to sit up and feels like she is going to die. The effect of waking quickly fizzles away from the pain of her wounds. She looks at the other side of the cave. Vidar is looking at her.

Vidar: Those giants almost killed you.

Neci: I thought you said Freya wouldn’t let me die.

Vidar: I was wrong. I came to make sure you would survive. When I got here I saw the giant almost kill you.

Neci: My stomach hurts so much. What do we do? I can’t find the wolf cub.

Vidar: Why worry about the cub? You come before the mission.

Neci: ...I just couldn’t beat the giant. Nothing I did hurt him. My arrow bounced off of him.

Vidar: You’re strong enough to take down frost giants.

Neci: How?!

Neci holds her stomach in pain.

Neci: How? I’ve trained. I couldn’t even hurt one.

Vidar: You have trained, yes. You trained to fight vikings. Vikings are much weaker than frost giants. Once you get to Valhalla you train to be able to fight anything from the nine realms. You have only been in Valhalla a short time. To fight a grown frost giant like that you need to go for the neck, or cut off their limbs. Cutting them, doesn’t kill like it will against vikings. Vikings can bleed out and feel a lot of pain. Giants won’t feel as much pain from a small blade, they don’t bleed out, and it is much harder to cut through them. You use heavy blades to chop them down.

Neci: Freya wanted me to die, didn’t she?

Vidar: No, but Freya takes her pride very seriously. You said you failed a mission. She doesn’t see that as her pupils failed. Freya believes she has failed Odin. Freya acts like she is better than everybody else, but also tries hard to be better.

Neci: How long will my wounds take to heal?

Vidar: I would spend eternity here until your wounds healed, but I brought something just in case something like this happened.

Vidar takes out a yellowish mixture.

Neci: What is that?

Vidar: A very rare healing mix. You should be better quick if I put this on your wound.

Vidar walks over to Neci. He crouches down and pours the mixture on to Neci’s stomach. She winces in pain.

Vidar: One more second.

He finishes pouring the mixture. He takes off his coat and wraps it around her stomach.

Vidar: Let the mix settle for a minute. You’ll be able to walk like you were never injured.

Neci looks up at Vidar.

Neci: Thank you Vidar.

Vidar: I keep my word.

## Fenrir - Chapter 14

Neci and Vidar trail through the snow. Their steps mark a path behind them of indented snow. Tired and cold they push forward. Through the blizzard they see an old temple-like building made of mossy stone. The temple looks like it’s falling apart. Giant stones missing from the temple lay on the snow. Neci and Vidar step up the small stairs. The stairs lead up to a giant stone door that is open just enough for them to slip through. Neci and Vidar stand on the edge of a floor. The floor is a rim only moving a few feet outwards of the temple. In the center of the floor is an open drop down twenty feet to the bottom floor. Vidar jumps down. He looks around at the bottom. The bottom floor is surrounded by frozen water.

Vidar: There’s nothing down here. Lady Freya must have been deceived.

Neci: No, the cub must be here.

Neci jumps down to the bottom floor.

Vidar: The temple is empty.

Neci looks at the walls. Some parts of the walls are destroyed. A statue of a woman has half of her face broken off. Neci crouches down near the ice and looks at it. Inside the ice she sees something. Neci takes out an arrow and chips at the ice. She breaks open a patch of the ice. A small black nose peaks out from behind the ice. As Neci breaks down more of the ice she sees black fur. Neci picks up the dark wolf cub out of the ice. The cub is shaking as Neci holds it.

Neci: What could Freya want with a wolf cub?

Vidar: To kill it. That thing is a monster.

Neci looks at the shaking wolf cub.

Vidar: We need to bring it back to Freya.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin sits on his throne. The only one else in the room is a woman wearing an orange dress and a red headscarf. Her short orange hair barely peaks out from behind the headscarf. Her feet are bare. The woman kneels before Odin.

Odin: Seeress Sibyl. Why have you come?

Sibyl: Ragnarok is nearly upon us. Fenrir will soon be in Asgard.

Odin: How? Heimdall is protecting the bifrost! Has Heimdall fallen?!

Sibyl: No All father. Fenrir will be brought here by one of your own.

Odin: A betrayal?!

Sibyl: Fenrir will grow until the final hour of Ragnarok when he breaks loose from his chains. Surtr will finish his flame sword to lead his army to asgard. The frost giants will break through the bifrost. Asgard will fall to the fire and ice. The final beast will arrive. Jormungandr, the world serpent, will finish off Asgard in a blind rage.

Odin: Why is Fenrir here Sibyl?

Sibyl: I can only see so much. It’s all clouded by the sight of Ragnarok.

Odin: Then leave me be!

Sibyl leaves Odin’s throne room.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Vidar ride horses back to Asgard. Their horses’ hooves run along the rainbow bridge of Asgard.

Neci: Do we just hand this cub over to Freya to die?

Vidar: That cub is Fenrir. The great wolf that is prophesied to kill Odin.

Neci: Maybe he kills Odin in retaliation.

Vidar: The cub won’t retaliate if it’s dead.

Neci:...

Vidar: We’ll go back to the valkyrie camp. Freya should be there.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, Neci is sitting on the floor playing with Fenrir. Vidar stands and looks down at Neci and Fenrir playing. Neci moves her hand along the dirt. Fenrir tries to bite her hand and attack it.

Vidar: Now imagine him 100 feet taller doing that.

Neci: Even if he does try to kill Odin later, it doesn’t matter. He hasn’t done it yet. Why kill an innocent child out of fear?

Vidar: Not out of fear. From knowledge of the future.

Freya is walking to her hut. Her eyes lock with Neci. She walks over looking furious.

Freya: Why are you playing with the wolf cub?!

Neci: It’s just a puppy.

Freya: Stupid girl. We’re bringing that mut to Odin. Follow me.

Vidar: Good luck.

Freya scowls at Vidar. Neci follows Freya along the golden roads of Asgard. They walk into Odin’s throne room. Odin is standing with his spear in his hand. He walks forward holding his spear like a staff.

Odin: Freya, why have you brought Fenrir here?! Why have you betrayed me?

Freya: I have not betrayed you Odin. I brought Fenrir here so you could kill him. Fenrir has scared you for thousands of years. I don’t want you to become alert whenever the name of the wolf is mentioned. I wanted Fenrir dead before he became a bigger problem than he is worth.

Odin: Then I’ll stab my spear through the wolf’s throat right now.

Odin steps towards Neci.

Neci: W-wait. Please Odin.

Odin: Are you trying to spare this wolf’s life?

Freya: Hold the wolf down on the floor Neci.

Neci: It’s wrong to kill this wolf. It’s just a cub-

Odin: A cub that will lead to the destruction of Asgard. You sound like Tyr. You spew words of truth and justice even if that justice will cause death. What is the worst course of action, girl? The death of a baby wolf or your god?

Neci: The wolf...

Loki burst through the door.

Loki: Where is Fenrir?! Where is my Son?

Odin: How many children with Angrboda have you created?!

Loki: This is my last, Father. Please do not kill my son.

Odin steps up to Loki. They are less than a foot apart. Odin looks down into Loki’s eyes angry.

Odin: We will chain him to Yggdrasil.

Loki: Thank you father.

Odin: Tell Thor to make a chain.

Loki: Thor and I had a disagreement. You will have to speak with him yourself.

Odin: Out!

Loki runs out of the room. Odin turns to Freya and Neci.

Odin: Bring Fenrir to Yggdrasil. I will meet you there with a chain from Thor.

Freya: Yes, Odin.

Freya and Neci bow.

## Chain - Chapter 15

Thor stands on one of the golden bridges of Asgard. He looks down off the bridge where the water falls down lower than his eyes can see.

Loki: When you were a child you would be amazed at stuff like this.

Thor: You were too Loki. You were amazed at the magic of Asgard as much as I did. Maybe even more since you weren’t from here.

Loki: But we had two very different mindsets, brother. You looked at something and moved on. You kept the joy of wonder that I never liked. I learned what that water is. That water becomes the rain of the nine realms. Asgard sits on the top of the nine realms raining on everyone else. Just like you gods.

Thor: You’re one of the Aesir Loki. Why don’t you act like it? You may not have been born a god, but that only makes you greater for becoming one. You may have been a giant at one point, but you are no longer. Stop pretending you're the bad guy.

Loki: I know I’m not the bad guy. The gods are. What do us gods do? We wait for Ragnorak to come. The humans worship us to no avail. The only thing we do for them is save them from Helheim if they died like a warrior should.

Thor: The Hel that you created when you had a child with Angrboda.

Loki: If Odin didn’t raise me. Maybe I never would have had that child with her. Every good and bad that happens all falls back on to the gods. The almighty Aesir! More specifically the All father. Chieftain of the useless gods.

Thor lights up with blue lightning. His eyes are pure electricity. Lightning bolts circle around his hammer. Thor slams his hammer down. It destroys half of the golden bridge. They start falling through the air.

Loki: Help me Thor!

Thor grabs Loki by the back of his shirt and holds up his hammer ready to swing it.

Loki: I’m sorry. I was just trying to make you angry. I didn’t mean any of it.

Thor throws Loki back on to the golden bridge.

Thor: You respect our father. You should respect all the gods except for yourself.

Loki walks away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hour later, Thor is in his room laying on the bed. Thor hears a knock on the door. Odin steps into Thor’s room. Thor stands up.

Thor: Father, why have you come to see me?

Odin: I need your finest chain. The dwarves are no longer making our tools so you are the only one who can still make us tools.

Thor: I’ll need to look around.

Odin: Find it.

Thor starts walking around his room. He checks through every cabinet and drawer.

Thor: What do you need this chain for?

Odin: Freya found Fenrir. We need to chain him to Yggdrasil.

Thor: Fenrir? From the prophecy?

Odin: That one.

Thor: Why don’t you kill the wolf? If you chain it, then it might break loose.

Odin: Fenrir is Loki’s son.

Thor: Damn Loki! Everyone of Loki’s kids spites the gods just like he does!

Odin: If we cannot kill Fenrir. Then we will make sure that he can’t wreak havoc at the hour of Ragnarok.

Thor finds the chain. He stands up and hands it to Odin.

Odin: Thank you my son. I need you to promise me something.

Thor: What?

Odin: If Fenrir does kill me. You must promise to protect Asgard with your life. You are the strongest of my sons. You are my most trusted. I will need you to be the backbone for Asgard if I fall. Promise me Thor.

Thor: I promise.

Odin leaves for Yggdrasil.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin arrives at Yggdrasil. The giant trees' brown bark stretches up for miles before the leaves sprout out to be as endless as the sky. Fenrir stands beside Neci’s leg. Odin focuses his gaze upon Fenrir. Fenrir has gotten a bit bigger since the last time he saw him. He no longer looks like he has just been born.

Odin: These chains are too large for the dog. We will need to find something else for it to stay in for now.

Neci: Like a cage?

Odin: That is all we can do. Once Fenrir grows big enough we’ll put this chain around Yggdrasil. If he continues to grow then Yggdrasil will hold him down. We will need someone to watch over Fenrir until the time comes. There is only one god brave enough to stand by Fenrir’s side.

Freya: Tyr. I’ll get him for you Lord Odin.

Odin: Find a cage while you are gone.

Freya walks away. Odin looks at Neci.

Odin:...

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Freya finds Tyr in Asgard’s market. They trade goods from all around the nine realms. Freya watches someone steal from a market booth. The kid looks back while he starts running and bumps into someone. When the kid looks up, Tyr is staring at him.

Tyr: Go be a good lad and put that back.

The kid puts the item back at the market booth and runs away. Freya walks up to Tyr.

Freya: Why is it that you find the best way to spend your time is to frighten children.

Tyr: I teach the kids what the difference is between right and wrong. If you did that then the girls would grow up to be whores.

Freya: How dare you.

Tyr: You’ve slept with every man from the nine realms except for Odin and you’ve been married the whole time.

Freya: You know my husband has been missing for a millenia.

Tyr: I know. You cried your way into my bed. If it was any other man you would have ruined the sanctity of marriage the first day Odr when missing.

Freya: Enough. Bring a cage. We need to keep lock up Fenrir and Odin wants you to watch him.

Tyr: Fenrir?

## God’s Party - Chapter 16

Lava is all around. The ground is made up of red and brown rocks. Between these rocks lava flows. A man in white clothes walks on the hot rocks barefoot. He holds a horse’s reins, leading the horse. The horse watches the man, jumping over the lava as he does. The man stares forward with intent. He gets closer and closer to a castle the size of Asgard. Lava pours out from the top of the castle into the rivers of molten rock. The blond man looks at the castle's front gates. Fire giants swarm the castle like bees. The man gets on top of the horse. The horse grows wings and flies high into the sky. The man looks down on the fire giants as he flies into the top of the castle. He flies through a hole missing the glass for the window. The man can hear the sound of metal clanging. The horse lowers down. The man looks down on a giant fire beast. The beast is 5,000 feet tall. The beast looks like a human completely made out of fire. The blond man whispers to himself

Freyr: Surtr, what are you doing?

Surtr is slamming a hammer into a giant piece of metal over and over again. Freyr realizes Surtr is making a weapon. Freyr flies out of the castle.

Freyr: Odin must know.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

All the gods are partying. They talk, drink, and laugh. Odin sits in a chair watching everyone. He spaces out pondering something. Frigg walks over to him.

Frigg: Odin dearest, why won’t you party with the others? Some of your kids would like you to join the party. Your wife would too.

Odin: This is a terrible time for a party. My time could be better spent elsewhere. Only I have the wisdom to solve the problem of Ragnarok. I need to stay focused. Not be distracted by parties for the gods that I have been around for the last few millennia.

Frigg: You’re already here Odin. You should at least say goodbye to everyone before you leave.

Odin: I’ll say goodbye to Loki.

Odin walks up to Loki. Loki is having a conversation with Heimdall. Odin grabs his arm and drags him away from the conversation.

Loki: Am I your favorite? All you have done all night is argue with your wife and scowl at people.

Odin: We both know Fenrir is getting locked up soon.

Loki: Do you have something else to tell me about my child?

Odin: If you release Fenrir, you will be punished. I’ll chain you to a rock where you’ll sit hungry, hot, and in pain until you die during Ragnarok.

Loki looks down at the ground trying to not make eye contact with Odin.

Odin: Do you understand, son?

Loki locks eyes with Odin.

Loki: I always understand. That’s what makes me so infuriating.

The door bursts open. Freyr walks inside the room. The wind from outside flows in blowing Freyr’s hair around.

Freyr: Odin!

Odin walks over to Freyr.

Freyr: We need to speak.

They both walk outside and around the building. Freyr and Odin both look up at the sky.

Odin: They say Fenrir’s jaw will reach up to the sky.

Freyr: Soon it will. Surtr is creating a weapon.

Odin: Already?

Freyr: I just flew into Muspelheim. The fire giants were everywhere. I flew inside Surtr’s castle. He was using a hammer to create something.

Odin: Take a group of valkyries. Go to muspelheim. Watch Surtr. Send a valkyrie here to tell me when he has finished his weapon. Stall for time if you can.

Freyr: Will Freya pick my valkyries?

Odin: You will have seasoned valkyries. The mission is of the highest importance and the most dangerous of threats.

Odin and Freyr walk back inside

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci is eating dinner.

Vidar: Did Odin listen to you about Fenrir?

Neci: No, but Loki showed up. He said that Fenrir was his son. So Odin decided to lock Fenrir up instead of killing him.

Vali: Fenrir is Loki’s son?! Fenrir is here?! How did you know about this Vidar?

Vidar: I helped Neci find Fenrir. He was hidden away in the ice of Jotunheim.

Vali: If Fenrir is here then… Ragnarok is only days away Vidar! Why didn’t you tell me?!

Vidar: Neci just brought back Fenrir earlier today. It’s only been a few hours.

Vali: Much can get done in a few hours Vidar. You wouldn’t know that because you don’t do anything! Where is Balder?!

Logrel: Everyone has been talking about the god’s party. He must be there.

Vali runs away.

Neci: Why are the gods having a party?

Vidar: If Ragnarok is coming there could be two reasons. To keep the facade that everything is okay for the vikings to not figure anything out, or because they want one last party before they all die in Ragnarok. You should know about that. Vikings have a party before every battle.

Neci:...

Neci looks at the food for a minute. She grabs something and stands up.

Neci: I need to leave.

Vidar: With one of the boar’s legs, why?

Neci: Uh-

Vidar: I hope Fenrir likes it.

Vidar takes a swig of his drink. Neci smiles and leaves the hall.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci shows up under Yggdrasil. She sees Tyr watching as the vikings try to chain up Fenrir. Fenrir is now the size of a normal wolf. Fenrir bites some of the vikings. Neci sees most of the vikings have scratches and teeth marks on them. The vikings finish chaining up Fenrir. Fenrir growls and howls as he tries to break out of the chains.

Neci: I thought he was going to be chained up when he was bigger?!

Tyr: He’s bigger. There was never a question about it. He would be chained as soon as he was big enough to fit the chain.

Tyr watches the chains. He sees them grind against the tree. He has a skeptical look on his face. Fenrir howls and breaks through the chains. Fenrir runs at Tyr. Tyr punches Fenrir in his snout. Fenrir falls to the ground whimpering. Tyr grabs Fenrir by the scruff of his neck and drags him.

Tyr: You are to be a great force one day Fenrir, but you are far from close to the size you need to be for that power.

Tyr throws Fenrir back into the cage.

Tyr: Thor’s chains would have held any normal wolf. Fenrir must be much stronger than a normal wolf.

Neci looks down at Fenrir laying in his cage. She puts the boar leg into the cage and pets Fenrir's head.

Neci: He is always growing. He will always outgrow any chain that you put on him. His strength is also great. You’ll need a magic chain.

Tyr: You’re naive for feeding him. I can’t trust you around Fenrir. You must leave.

Neci: Fine.

Tyr watches as Neci leaves.

Tyr: I need to tell Odin about Fenrir breaking out of his chains.

Tyr looks at the vikings.

Tyr: Watch Fenrir. Make sure he doesn’t go anywhere.

Tyr walks off to find Odin.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hod and Balder are outside talking. Hod is shooting arrows at Balder. The arrows bounce off.

Hod: I’ve never seen something so amazing.

Balder: You’ve never seen.

Hod: I wish my sight had been traded for wisdom like Odin, but all I was born with was blindness.

Hod takes a sip of mead and loads another arrow. Tyr walks over to them.

Balder: Last one. We’re almost out of mead.

Tyr: I’ll go in with you.

Balder looks at the green tipped arrow.

Balder: Hod, stop!

Hod fires the arrow. It pierces Balder’s chest. Balder hits the ground. Freya and Freyr walk out of the building talking about a team of valkyries. They stop when they see Balder laying on the ground bleeding.

Freyr: Hod! What have you done?!

## Loki - Chapter 17

All the gods surround Hod. Valkyries fly in to help Balder.

Odin: What is the meaning of this Hod?! Explain yourself!

Hod: I fired an arrow at Balder. I fired so many arrows. They all bounced off. Arrows don’t hurt Balder. You know that!

Tyr: It wasn’t his fault. I came in before the arrow was fired.

Tyr pushes the Valkyrie out of the way. He pulls the arrow out of Balder’s body. He holds the arrow up.

Freyr: You’ll kill him pulling out that arrow!

Tyr: It’s not the arrow that’s killing him.

Tyr points to the tip of the arrow.

Tyr: It’s a mistletoe arrow. Someone tainted this arrow specifically to kill Balder. They knew Hod wouldn’t think anything of the arrow because the only difference is the green tip of the arrow.

Odin: There is only one man that would try to kill another god.

Odin looks around.

Odin: Where is Loki?!

Thor: He must have left when he saw that everyone was running over to Balder. I’ll find him, father.

Thor flies into the air.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci is walking back to her room. When she gets into the elevator, five other valkyries join her. The elevator stops on Neci’s floor. Everyone gets out. Neci tries to walk the opposite way from the valkyries. A valkyrie grabs her arm.

Valkyrie: We need your strength. Follow us.

Neci follows along with the valkyrie. She realizes she has been down that part of the hallway before.

Neci: You’re leading me to Loki’s room. I’m not doing that with Loki!

Valkyrie: What do you speak of? We are waiting there for Thor.

Neci: Nevermind. I didn’t know what the mission was.

They walk into Loki’s room. The room is completely empty. It looks untouched. As if no one had ever used that room. All the valkyries wait there. They look a little on edge. Neci gets worried as she stands there unknowing about the mission. The hear the zaps of electricity and the stops of a huge man. The door breaks off the hinges and flies open.

Thor: Loki!

Thor is surrounded by lightning. The valkyrie take out their weapons.

Thor: I should have known!

A valkyrie stabs her spear forward. Thor grabs the spear and pulls the valkyrie closer. He slams his hammer against the right side of her head. The valkyries head flies off and smashes against the wall as her body falls. Another valkyries slashes her sword at Thor’s stomach. The sword doesn’t affect him. Thor swings his hammer into her jaw. The valkyries jaw breaks along with her teeth. The hammer pushes her into the ceiling bashing the top of her head. The valkyrie falls to the ground. Two valkyries fly at Thor. The lightning around Thor electrocutes them. Both the Valkyries hit the ground. Thor stomps on one of the valkyries' heads. Her head collapses. Thor slams his hammer onto the back of the other valkyrie. The hammer moves so fast it goes right through the valkyries back like a blade. Neci stands next to the last valkyrie. The valkyrie next to Neci fires an arrow. Thor throws his hammer. The arrow disintegrates as it gets close to the hammer’s electricity. The hammer slams into the valkyrie, pinning her to the wall. The valkyries chest breaks and the hammer goes through her heart. Thor catches the hammer as it comes back to him. He gets ready to throw his hammer at Neci.

Neci: What’s going on?!

The lightning around Thor slowly disappears.

Thor: Loki has the valkyries doing whatever he wants. That’s how he knows everything. He has eyes all over Asgard.

Neci: Not all the valkyries.

Thor: You look new. You wouldn’t know who to trust. If Loki’s not here, where is he?

Neci thinks as Thor is dumbfounded by Loki’s location.

Neci: Of course. What would you do first if you knew you were found out?

Thor: Run.

Neci: Who would you run with?

Thor: He’s going to let out Fenrir!

Thor and Neci run out of the room.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki walks up to Fenrir’s cage. Fenrir looks up at Loki with a low growl.

Loki: Hello son. You may not remember me. It’s been a long time since we’ve spent time together. When you were little, Odin figured out that your mother and I had kids. He was looking for you. Your mother, Angrboda, and I decided we had to hide you. Your mother hid you in ice until it was safe. It took a while, but you are finally safe from Odin. All the gods have ever wanted to do, even since before you were born, is kill you my son. They will never understand you. If they won’t leave you alone then you need to show them why they should. Kill them. Kill them all Fenrir.

Loki destroys the cage. Fenrir runs out as fast as he can.

## Wild Animal - Chapter 18

Early in the morning the sky is still dark. Odin sits on his throne. Frigg sits on the throne next to Odin. Frigg watches Odin as he squirms in his chair thinking.

Frigg: Dearest, I’ve never seen you so worried. Are you worried about Balder?

Odin: Balder is on his deathbed as Fenrir is only getting larger. Loki will try to bring down other gods.

Frigg: Balder’s death was in the prophecy, but no one else will die to Loki.

Odin: Balder is not dead. That is your son you speak of.

Frigg: And I love him with everything I have. I only left his bedside because I know you need someone here.

Odin: Go back to Balder. I need to collect my thoughts.

Odin stands up from his throne. The door opens and valkyries hastily walk up to Odin.

Valkyrie Leader: Lord Odin, Fenrir has escaped from his cage.

Odin: How?

Valkyrie Leader: The cage has been destroyed.

Odin: How big has Fenrir gotten?

Valkyrie Leader: He did not outgrow his cage.

Odin: Loki… I’ll stop the beast.

Frigg stands up.

Frigg: You cannot stop Fenrir. If you battle Fenrir you may start Ragnarok!

Odin: Do you believe that a wolf can kill me at it’s size? If you need to worry, worry about Balder. Fenrir can’t stay loose in Asgard. I will not allow it.

Odin leaves the room. The valkyries follow him. Frigg stares at Odin with a look of sadness and bitterment.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Thor run outside of Valhalla. They run across the golden bridge into the market. Market booths are destroyed. They follow the path of destruction. They see Odin following valkyries. Thor and Neci group up with Odin.

Odin: My son, are you following Fenrir?

Thor: He destroyed the market. I went looking for Loki in his room. He sent valkyries there to kill me.

Odin: He was using the valkyries? He must have been stalling you. That’s when he released Fenrir.

Thor: Father, are you going to fight Fenrir?

Odin: He needs to be stopped. He is fated to destroy Asgard. His reign of terror has already begun. I must stop him.

They hear Fenrir’s howls. Odin speeds up. Thor keeps up with Odin, but Neci falls behind. Odin sees Fenrir running in front of him. Fenrir hears Odin. Fenrir jumps down off a ledge of grass. He falls ten feet down onto a lower level of ground.

Odin: Stay here Thor.

Odin drops his cape on the ground. Odin jumps down to Fenrir’s level. He spins his spear around and readies for combat.

Thor: He’s going to use Gungnir.

Neci catches up. She’s breathing heavily and looks at Odin.

Neci: Odin is going to fight?

Odin and Fenrir walk in circles around each other. Odin looks at Fenrir snarling. All he hears is Fenrir’s growl.

Odin: Bastard wolf.

Fenrir charges Odin. Fenrir opens his large jaw and Odin stuffs his spear in the middle of his mouth blocking Fenrir from getting closer. Fenrir gags on the spear. Fenrir’s back paws buck at Odin’s stomach. Odin pushes his spear forward, forcing Fenrir back. Fenrir lands on the ground ready. He runs at Odin again. Odin swings his spear. It slaps Fenrir’s face, slices down his cheek.

Odin: You forget, wolf. You have never fought before. You are bigger than a normal wolf, maybe, but you don’t know how to hunt. You don’t know how to kill!

Odin throws his spear at Fenrir. Fenrir jumps back and it lands in front of him. Odin runs up to Fenrir and kicks him back. Fenrir whimpers as he gets kicked. Odin grabs his spear. Odin looks at Fenrir's blood dripping down his face. Fenrir runs at Odin. His paws make tracks in the dirt. Odin swings his spear. Fenrir gets low. Odin watches as his spear goes over his head. Fenrir jumps and bites onto Odin’s stomach.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki walks on the bifrost bridge. The portal stands in front of him.

Loki: Family visit before Ragnarok.

Heimdall rushes Loki. He slams his shoulder into Loki’s chest. Loki feels the force and hits the ground. Heimdall grabs the front of Loki’s collar and throws him away from the portal. Heimdall stands in front of the portal blocking Loki. Loki stands up.

Loki: Heimdall. It’s good you're here. I need you to use your sword. I have somewhere to be.

Heimdall: Do you take me as a fool, Loki?

Loki: I don’t know why I would.

Heimdall: You must think I’m cut off from society. I have my own special valkyrie. They come back and forth from Asgard to tell me what is happening. I know Fenrir is loose. Why would you be fleeing Asgard while the wolf prophesied to kill Odin is running around?

Heimdall takes out his giant sword.

Loki: If I must.

Loki unsheathes his sword, the Laevateinn. He holds his sword up. Heimdall swings his heavy blade. Loki puts two hands on his sword and blocks the blade. Every parry, Loki’s blade is forced back. Loki struggles to keep up the strength. Loki gets so focused on blocking, Heimdall kicks Loki in the stomach. Loki falls on the ground.

Heimdall: You’re a terrible swordsman Loki.

Loki: I’m the god of fire, not swords.

Heimdall looks at his sword arm. His arm his on fire. He drops his blade and puts out the fire. Loki moves his hands around. A wall of fire appears, circling around Heimdall. Heimdall’s blade is outside of the fire.

Heimdall: Damn you Loki!

Loki grabs Heimdall’s blade and runs over to the hole in the ground.

Loki: If only you could see the future Heimdall.

Loki turns the blade like a key. The portal lights up and he runs over to it.

Loki: Let’s keep this our little secret.

Loki jumps in the portal. The fire around Heimdall disappears. Heimdall looks at the portal.

Heimdall: He went to Helheim.

Heimdall runs over to his sword. He pulls his sword out of the hole and grabs a horn off the wall. He blows on the horn. The sound of the horn can be heard all over Asgard.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fenrir’s teeth sink into Odin’s stomach. Odin tries to pull Fenrir off but his jaw is too strong. Odin stabs Fenrir in the back with his spear. Fenrir drops off of Odin and tries to run away. Odin puts one hand up. Fenrir lifts above the ground slightly. Fenrir’s feet continue to move like he is running. Then Fenrir slams into the ground. Odin puts his hand down and walks over to Fenrir. Odin rips his spear out of Fenrir’s back. He lift his spear up high.

Odin: Die you bastard wolf.

Neci stares and says nothing. She wants to look away, but she can’t. Tyr finds them and looks at Odin. Odin looks down at Fenrir as his chest moves up and down from his breathing. Then Odin hears the sound of Heimdall’s horn.

Odin: Lock Fenrir up! I’ll find out about Heimdall's emergency.

Tyr, Neci, and Thor grab Fenrir as Odin walks away.

## Silence - Chapter 19

Odin walks up to the bifrost. Heimdall is standing there waiting. Odin looks serious.

Heimdall: Where is your cape?

Odin: You interrupted my battle with Loki’s son.

Heimdall: ...Fenrir is Loki’s son?

Odin: Why have you blown your horn?

Heimdall: Loki just escaped-

Odin: Why didn’t you stop him?! Your job is to defend the bifrost. Not count up the Asgardians that walk through it!

Heimdall: I fought Loki. He surrounded me in fire so that he could escape. He is your son Odin. Even if not by blood he takes after your wisdom and magic.

Odin: If you couldn’t stop him you must know where he went.

Heimdall: He left for Helheim.

Odin: He can get trapped in Helheim. What is his game?

Heimdall: His daughter is Hel. He must believe that he will be protected there.

Odin: I’ve never known Hel to be the family type. She won’t protect him. She’ll keep him there. Long enough for someone to find him and bring him here. I need to find Freya. She will send valkyries for Helheim.

Odin walks on the bifrost bridge. Heimdall watches as Odin leaves.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci, Thor, and Tyr hold Fenrir down as the vikings bring them a new cage for him. The vikings set down the cage and they put Fenrir inside. The vikings lock the cage and Fenrir bites off a viking’s finger as the lock clicks.

Thor: I think Fenrir is big enough for chains now.

Tyr: We tried the chains. He is big enough for chains. So big and powerful that he snapped the chain you created.

Thor: Have you told Odin? He needs to know we need a new chain.

Tyr: I’ll watch over Fenrir. You go tell Odin that we need a stronger chain. Valkyrie, go back to Valhalla. The dining hall will be calling for breakfast soon.

Thor flies away and Neci walks off.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few hours later, Neci wakes up in her bed. She hears the clock ringing. She gets up and leaves. She walks down the crowded hallway and through the door to the stairs. Neci looks down on the stairs.

Neci: I wonder...

Neci hops over the railing. She holds onto the railing as her feet dangle. Her wings come out of her back and she lets go of the railing. Her wings flap over and over. She is only slowly losing the momentum. Neci sees the ground coming close. Her wings speed up and right before she hits the ground, she stops in the air. Her wings stop moving and she lands on the ground.

Neci: I may not be able to fly, but my wings are getting stronger.

Her wings go into her back and she walks out of the room. She moves her way through the crowd and into the dining hall. She sits in her seat. Vali, Vidar, and Logrel soon arrive and sit down. The entire dining hall is almost completely silent. All Neci hears is low talking. Vali doesn’t even grab food.

Neci: What’s wrong Vali?

Vali: Balder is being treated by Asgard’s best healers, but no one knows what will happen to him. A poison arrow hit him and he has been bed ridden ever since.

Neci: Who shot Balder? Who would try to kill one of the gods?

Vidar: Hod. Hod shot balder with the poison tipped arrow.

Vali: Hod did it? You never told me that Vidar!

Vidar: You’re grieving. You don’t need to know your brother’s killer.

Neci: I understand why you are quiet Vali, but what about everyone else?

Vidar: You should know better than anyone Neci. Ragnarok is upon us. Any day now, these vikings will have to fight a battle they know they’ll lose. They will fight for no reason and lose the right to live in this holy place.

Neci: Will we all die…?

Vidar: Yes. That is the prophecy.

Neci looks down at her food, no longer hungry.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci is walking back to her room. She stops in front of Sigmund’s desk. Freyr walks out of Valhalla. Many valkyries follow behind him.

Neci: Sigmund, where is Freyr going?

Sigmund: Freyr watches over Muspelheim. It’s his job to report back to Odin about Surtr’s achievements.

Neci: Surtr?

Sigmund: The first fire giant. He is huge and prophesied to be the one to destroy Asgard.

Neci: About Ragnarok. Is there anything I can do to stop it?

Sigmund: The only ones that matter are the gods, young valkyrie. There is nothing you can do to help them. The beasts in Ragnarok are some of the most powerful creatures in the nine realms. Far stronger than any valkyrie or Einherjar.

Neci looks annoyed.

Neci: Why do anything if I am going to die?

Sigmund: Because you may not. You can’t do anything to stop Ragnarok from happening, but you could always try to be stronger. Strong enough to stop the beast from destroying Asgard.

Neci: I’m going to the valkyrie training ground.

Neci leaves Valhalla.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin walks into his throne room. Freya is standing there waiting for him.

Freya: You called for me Odin?

Odin: I did. Loki escaped to Helheim. I need a team of valkyries to go after him. To bring him back.

Freya: I will do it Odin. This mission is too important. Many valkyries will be lost. If I go I can bring hi-

Odin: No Freya!

Odin grabs Freya’s hands.

Odin: I need you here. The prophecy doesn’t speak of what will happen to you. You’re a blank slate. You can survive Ragnarok. You can’t go to Helheim. You’ll die.

Freya: Okay. I’ll stay here Odr.

Odin: Thank you Dearest Freya.

Thor walks into the throne room.

Odin: Thor?!

Thor looks at Odin Holding Freya’s hands.

Thor: Everyone knows.

Odin: But your mother.

Thor: Mother is only loyal to you when you’re in arms reach father. You’ve always known that. You have everyone’s blessing.

Odin walks over to Thor. Freya stands next to him.

Odin: Thank you son.

Thor: I’ve come to tell you Fenrir broke through my chains. We need new, stronger, chains.

Odin: ...I know who can make them.

## Helheim - Chapter 20

Neci is at the valkyrie training area. She cuts up a dummy with her axe. Freya sets out of her hut and starts calling names. Neci stops beating up the dummy and looks at Freya. She hears her name called and walks over with the other valkyries. They all walk inside Freya’s hut. Freya stands behind her desk looking at all of them.

Freya: You are all going on a mission. Loki has fled to Helheim. You will need to retrieve him and bring him back to me. Helheim takes control of your mind. Hel does everything she can to make you stay. You can’t be fooled by any illusions that you see in Helheim. You have to push through to find Loki.

The valkyries nod and leave. Freya stops Neci from leaving.

Freya: You are the newest valkyrie to be assigned to this mission. You have to be very careful. The only reason I assigned you is because you survived Jotunheim. Don’t disappoint me now.

Neci: I’ll bring Loki back.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

All the valkyries ride on horses. The horses trample over the bifrost bridge. Heimdall looks at them as they approach. All of the horses stop in unison before the bifrost portal.

Heimdall: Where?

Valkyrie Leader: Helheim.

Heimdall: Stick together and stay away from the screams. They are only there to trap you. Leave your horses here or else they will be stuck in Helheim for eternity.

Heimdall stabs his sword down into the hole and turns it like a key. The portal lights up. The valkyries get off their horses and walk into the portal. One by one they go into the portal. Neci sees a flash of blue. Then a chilling air hits her skin giving her goosebumps, but she doesn’t shiver. The blue light disappears. Neci sees a large stone pathway in front of her. Two giant pillars stand at the end of the pathway. In between the pillars are the gates of Helheim. The pillars have giant rock carvings of ghostly like creatures. Many people in dark cloaks that cover their entire body walk forward to Helheim’s gates. A giant wolf-like creature stands at the gates of Helheim, guarding it. Garm looks like a giant dog with four glowing red eyes and a spiked collar. His tail is bent with spikes all over it. His body is muscular like a pitbull.

Valkyrie Leader: That is Garm. We don’t have to worry about him for now. He only stops people from leaving. He doesn’t stop anyone from coming into Helheim.

The valkyries walk along the stone path. The gate to Helheim is wide open. Garm doesn’t give them a second look. They all walk inside. A dark smoke gets heavier as they walk forward. The smoke gets so thick they can’t see their own hands in front of them. Neci walks out of the smoke. She sees a giant area. The grey dirt ground looks dead. The only remnants of life around are dead spiky trees that stick out of the ground. Mountains and caves are everywhere. Neci hears the valkyrie team leader scream.

Neci: She’s in trouble.

Neci runs to her. Her feet stop.

(Heimdall: Stick together and stay away from the screams. They are only there to trap you.)

Neci: It’s just a trap.

Neci turns around. Her little brother is ten feet away looking up at her.

Neci: Torgny?

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A minute after the valkyries left, Freya is walking around the valkyrie training grounds with a paper in her hand. As she is about to leave, Vidar walks up to her.

Vidar: Lady Freya, you're as beautiful as ever.

Freya: Vidar, son of Odin. Have you come to see me?

Vidar: Not particularly, but since you're here, where is Neci?

Freya: Why Neci?

Vidar: She was off from Ragnarok’s arrival. I also wanted to make sure she doesn’t do anything a stupid frightened valkyrie would do.

Freya: She was just sent to Helheim on a mission to retrieve Loki.

Vidar: She is a new valkyrie! Why would you send her to Helheim?!

Freya: She survived Jotunheim.

Vidar: I protected her. She almost died during her mission to Jotunheim.

Freya: Then she isn’t going to make it out of Helheim. I’m sorry.

Vidar: Now I have to find her.

Vidar walks off angry.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci hugs Torgny.

Neci: I missed you so much! Since I died everything has been so overwhelming! I’ve become a valkyrie like all those stories I used to tell you about. Now I can bring you back to Asgard! You should’ve never died to those vikings, if only I…

Neci looks up at Torgny's face. Torgny smiles at her with black sharp teeth. His face starts melting as he turns into a black creature. His arm morphs into a sharp black sword-like weapon. He stabs forward. Neci jumps back. The creature laughs in Torgny’s voice. The creature turns into a woman as the laugh fades away. The woman has pale skin. The right half of her face is rotten with long black hair. The other is pale with long white hair. On the right side of her head is a black horn, on the left is a white horn. She wears a black dress with many small bones making jewelry and designs on her dress. Giant black shoulder pads with a rim of skulls around it are in a u shape going up to her ears. Her arms are covered in her long sleeves that reach the ground. Her feet are covered by her long dress.

Neci: Hel!

A green aura shoots out of Hel’s mouth and blasts at Neci. Vidar jumps out and slices through the green blast.

Vidar: Why are you fighting Hel?! Not even Odin can beat her in her own realm! Run Neci! Find a cave! I’ll be right behind you!

Neci stumbles to get up and runs.

Vidar cuts through every blast Hel sends at him. Then the ground under Hel turns green. Green rocks start coming out of the ground. Vidar runs. He tries to turn to the left, but the path of rocks follows him. The rocks slam into his back, forcing him forward. Vidar hits the ground, kicking up dirt as he gets up and runs. Hel watches them as they run. Vidar just keeps running. He sees rocks and tries to run behind them. As soon as he gets past the rocks, Neci pulls him behind them. Vidar is breathing heavily.

Vidar: Why?

Neci: I saw my little brother. When I hugged him he tried to stab me. He turned into Hel!

Vidar: We need to find Loki and get out of here.

Neci: How? He could be anywhere.

Vidar: Listen for the screams of Loki. If you focus you can hear the screams of anyone you want.

Neci: How. I don’t hear anything.

Vidar: Because you're only focused on me. Listen.

Neci hears a faint version of Loki’s voice.

Neci: It’s hard. I haven’t heard his voice much.

Vidar: Then follow me. I can hear him.

Vidar walks off. Neci follows him. Neci grabs onto his wrist.

Neci: I lost everyone in the smoke. We need to stick together.

Vidar nods. They walk forward and find Loki. Loki is on his knees. His eyes are blacked out. He looks completely out of reality.

Vidar: He must have thought he wouldn’t be tricked by Hel. Even the smartest will fall to Hel eventually.

Vidar throws Loki over his shoulder. Neci and Vidar run back to Helheim’s gates. Neci holds onto Vidar tight as they walk through the smoke. When they come out Garm is missing.

Vidar: Shit run!

Garm jumps from on top of Helheim’s pillars. He lands in front of them. Neci and Vidar split up. Garm follows after Vidar. Neci takes out her bow and fires arrows at Garm. Garm turns around and chases Neci. Neci watches as Vidar jumps through the portal. Garm rushes Neci. She is terrified as She looks into Garm’s glowing red eyes. Neci’s wings come out. She runs forward. She jumps and her wings push her forward. Her wings wrap up around her as she flies underneath Garm. She flies over to the portal. Garm slides and turns around. He runs after Neci. Neci goes through the portal back to Asgard. Garm stops running and walks back to Helheim’s gates.

## The Bow Of Ull - Chapter 21

Odin walks around the cold dark underground lair of the dwarves. He walks down the long staircase and pushes open the iron doors with ease. All the dwarves look at him terrified as he walks up to one of them.

Odin: Brok, where are the Sons of Ivaldi?

Brok: They don’t talk with anyone except dwarves.

Odin: Not even with gods?

Brok: No sir.

Odin: Then explain to them how you dwarves were born from the rotting carcass of the man I killed. I believe it will change their minds. What do you think Brok?

Brok: I-I’ll tell them Odin.

Odin patiently waits as he watches Brok walk away. Brok moves inside a giant guarded steel door. In only a few seconds, Brok walks out from behind the door.

Brok: They will meet with you.

Odin steps up to Brok and grabs the door.

Odin: Thank you. You were very helpful.

Odin closes the door as he walks inside the room. A table surrounded by dwarves in black steel armor stands in front of Odin. Odin sits on one of the chairs.

Odin: I have a feeling only one of you will talk. Which one? What is your name?

Dwarf: My name is Ingvar.

Odin: Then you will speak.

Ingvar: Why are you here Odin?

Odin: I need chains. The strongest chains you can create.

Ingvar: Have you forgotten about our revolt?

Odin: I have not. I will trade you something. If you make these chains, you will earn your freedom.

Ingvar: We will make your chains.

Odin: Good.

Odin stands up.

Odin: When I return. They shall be done.

Ingvar: When will you return?

Odin leaves the room.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Vidar walk out of the bifrost. Heimdall looks at Vidar carrying Loki. Heimdall sees Loki’s black eyes. Heimdall starts laughing.

Heimdall: His own daughter turned on him.

Vidar: He should have realized Hel doesn’t care about family.

Heimdall shakes his head at Loki.

Heimdall: Take him to Freya. I’ll call vikings to ride these other horses back to Asgard.

Neci and Vidar get on top of horses and ride away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Vidar stop their horses in the valkyrie training grounds. The other valkyries look at them with remorse. They get off of their horses.

Neci: Those other poor valkyries.

Vidar: It was a suicide mission.

Vidar carries Loki into Freya’s hut. Neci follows behind. Freya looks angry and sad as she watches Neci walk in.

Freya: You are the only valkyrie that returned from the mission?

Neci: I’m sorry Lady Freya. Helheim’s smoke split us up.

Freya: I’ll take Loki. I’m going to lock him just like Odin said.

Vidar: How?

Freya: I’m going to tie him to a rock where he burns from the sun and starves until Ragnarok.

Freya takes Loki and drags him out of the hut.

Vidar: Loki won’t be in prison for long.

Neci looks upset.

Vidar: What?

Neci: I just became a valkyrie and Ragnarok is about to begin. Then I’ll die and be sent to Helheim for an eternity. I have what? A few days before I die.

Vidar: Do something about it then.

Neci: What can I do? I asked Sigmund, the hotel guy, and he said there is nothing I can do because I’m just a valkyrie.

Vidar: Just a valkyrie? You have directly affected half of Ragnarok. You brought Fenrir here so he could get locked up, and you brought Loki back from Helheim. Sigmund must believe you are just some einherjar. Everything you do affects Ragnarok.

Neci: What can I do then Vidar?

Vidar: I don’t know. The prophecy says Odin will die to Fenrir, Thor will die to Jormungandr’s poison-

Neci: Poison? You gave me a healing mix didn’t you?

Vidar: We have no more of it. The cure I gave you was very rare.

Neci: Then we’ll get more of it.

Vidar: The plant that is used to make it isn’t on Asgard. The only one who knew where it was, was Loki. It was some yellow flower. Like meadow-

Neci: Meadow Buttercup.

Vidar: Yeah, how do you know?

Neci: That flower grows on Midgard!

Vidar: The only way to get to Midgard is through Jormungandr. He’s been trying to break into Asgard since he was born. If we go to midgard he’ll eat us. Unless...

Vidar thinks about the prophecy.

Vidar: “Blind rage.” Unless someone with the accuracy of Ull could blund Jormungandr. We need to find Ull’s bow.

Neci: Where is Ull’s bow?

Vidar: Follow me.

Neci and Vidar leave Freya’s hut. They get on horses and ride their horses on Agard’s golden bridges.

Vidar: Ull’s bow is guarded by Sleipnir. Odin eight legged horses. I’ll distract the horse, and you can find Ull’s bow.

Neci nods.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Vidar stop at a giant golden building. They get off their horses and the horses run.

Vidar: They’re running away from Sleipnir.

Neci: Is he that scary?

Vidar: No, but the horses hate him.

They look at the door to the golden building. The white eight legged horse stands with golden armor. The horse has four front legs and four back legs. The horse looks almost normal.

Vidar: Give me your bow.

Neci is hesitant.

Vidar: You won’t need it. Give me your bow.

Neci hands Vidar her bow and arrows. Vidar draws back an arrow.

Neci: You won’t kill Slepnir, right?

Vidar: Of course not.

Vidar fires an arrow. The arrow sticks into the horse’s back. Sleipnir charges at Vidar. Vidar drops the bow and takes out his sword. Neci runs at the horse and rolls past it. She runs over to the door. She pulls the heavy gold door open. Neci can hear the sound of Vidar’s sword hitting Sleipnir's gold armor. Neci walks inside the building. Gold and other treasures are everywhere. The treasures don’t tempt her as she looks past them. Then, on a pedestal, Neci finds the bow. She picks up the wooden bow with a steel handle. The bow is a little taller than she is. Neci runs out of the golden building. Vidar is dodging all of Sleipnir’s attacks.

Vidar: You got the bow. Let’s go then!

Vidar and Neci run away. Sleipnir moves to chase them. Once they step too far away from the building, Sleipnir walks back.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin opens up the iron door to meet the Sons of Ivaldi. He sits down in his chair. The sons look at him.

Odin: Did you finish the chain?

Ingvar lays a part of the chain on the table. The huge chain is a dark steel. Odin has never seen a chain bigger than the one he is looking at.

Ingvar: We called it Gleipnir.

Odin: Beautiful. You dwarves have earned your freedom.

Ingvar nods. Dwarves come in to help move the chain. The dwarves follow Odin out of the room.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Freyr rides his winged horse across the rocks. His horse jumps rock rock to rock, avoiding the lava. The team of valkyries follow him on horses.

Freyr: Once we get close, fly up. We need to check on Surtr.

Freyr hears the sound of horns.

Freyr: No…

Freyr looks around. Fire giants swim up from the lava.

Freyr: It’s an ambush!

Freyr begins fighting off the fire giants with the Valkyries. He swings his gold sword. With every swing of his sword another fire giant is cut down. Freyr can feel the heat of all the fire giant around him. He keeps fighting back. He sees his team of Valkyries go down one by one. He is so distracted he doesn’t hear the stomping. The fire giants stop attacking. Freyr turns around. He hears the call of a rooster.

Freyr: Rangnarok-

Surtur slashed Freyr in half with his gigantic sword.

## Ragnarok Part 1 - Chapter 22

Odin rides on his horse. On his horse’s back is a big black box. Odin slams the reins down on the horse. The horse runs as fast as it can while Odin eyes Yggdrasil. Odin gets closer and many vikings are holding Fenrir down with chains. Fenrir is now at least 10 feet tall. Every thirty seconds a chain breaks and they throw another. Odin’s horse stops and Odin lands on the ground. He unhooks the box from the horse’s back. He takes the box and walks over to Tyr.

Odin: Tyr. This chain will hold Fenrir. You just need to get it around him.

Tyr: Who made it?

Odin: The Sons of Ivaldi. Promise me you will do everything to chain Fenrir up.

Tyr: You will see it done.

Odin gets back on his horse and rides away. Tyr thinks to himself.

Tyr: ‘I can’t just put this chain around him. He’ll never allow me to chain him to Yggdrasil. I need to find a way to get him to trust me.’

Tyr slowly walks up to Fenrir. Fenrir growls and tries to bite him.

Tyr: You’re Loki’s son. You must be able to understand me. If you can understand me, show your teeth.

Fenrir snarls. Tyr pets Fenrir on his snout.

Tyr: I’m going to put cloth over your eyes. To show I trust you, I’m going to put my hand in your mouth.

Tyr puts his hand in Fenrir’s mouth. The vikings take off a few peices of clothing to make a blindfold. They put the blindfold onto Fenrir. Tyr silently points at the box. A few vikings open the box. They see the chain.

Tyr: Fenrir back up.

Fenrir backs up.

Tyr: Stop.

Fenrir stops right before he touches Yggdrasil. Fenrir gets cautious as he hears the sound of moving chains. His ears spike up. The vikings start wrapping the chain around Fenrir. As soon as Fenrir feels the chain against his fur he bites down. Tyr’s hand is ripped off by Fenrir’s teeth. Fenrir runs forward. The black steel chain falls to the ground.

Viking: He moved! We couldn’t put it around him!

Fenrir breaks out of the regular chains. Tyr takes a deep breath.

Tyr: Fenrir!

Tyr runs at Fenrir. Fenrir charges him. Tyr jumps into the air and stabs his sword high into Fenrir’s leg. Fenrir drops to the ground, slamming Tyr into the dirt. Fenrir gets up and looks down at Tyr laying on the ground. Fenrir stops on Tyr with his paw. Then Fenrir bites down and rips Tyr’s head off. All the Viking run away. Fenrir chases them like a cat chasing mice.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki is in a trance. His almost naked body is chained to a rock. A poisonous snake slithers around the rock. Loki’s ears pick up on the sound of the rooster’s call. Loki snaps out of the trance. He looks around and laughs maniacally.

Loki: Hel, I love you my beautiful daughter. My most loyal child.

The poisonous snake stares at Loki in his eyes.

Loki: My son’s a snake. He’s a bit bigger than you.

Loki morphs into a snake and slithers out of his chains. He transforms back into a human and runs away.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Heimdall sees the portal struggling to hold up.

Heimdall: The frost giants have almost broken through to Asgard. If they do, anyone will be able to go to Asgard.

Heimdall hears the roosters call.

Heimdall: Ragnarok has started.

Heimdall takes out a special horn. He blows on the horn. It can be heard around all of Asgard Loud and clear.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin walks into the dining hall. Thor follows in soon after. Everyone sits in the hall. Logrel sits alone. Vali, Neci, and Vidar are all gone. Odin stands in front of his throne.

Odin: This is it. This is the day that you were brought here for. You are not dying. You're giving everything your all. When you were in Midgard you all fought with passion. You had something to protect. Now protect Asgard. Fight for Asgard so you can stay here another day. Fight so you can eat, fight so you can party, fight so you can live!

Thor: You are the einherjar!

All the vikings stand up holding their weapons.

Odin runs out of the dining hall with Thor. All the vikings follow behind him as an army.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Heimdall is holding onto his sword. His sword is in the hole.

Heimdall: The frost giants are almost through.

Heimdall holds it with all he can. The portal just barely holds the frost giants back. Then Heimdall is blasted back by a ball of fire. His grip gets loose and the frost giants break through the portal. Fire giants start running through in unison with frost giants. Heimdall watches as the giants run on the bifrost bridge.

Heimdall: They’re going straight for Asgard. Loki, why?!

Loki looks at Heimdall.

Loki: I am a god of war.

Heimdall pulls his sword out of the hole.

Heimdall: Men who fight in wars die.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Vidar find their horses. They get on top of their horses and start riding to the bifrost. While riding to the bifrost they see Odin’s army running to the bifrost bridge.

Vidar: I thought that’s what Heimdall’s horn meant.

Neci: What?

Vidar: Heimdall must have heard the roosters. That horn means Ragnarok has begun. We have no more time. We must get the flowers now!

Neci and Vidar mix into Odin’s army. They ride along the bifrost bridge. The Vikings collide with the giants. Neci cuts a few of the giants with her axe.

Vidar: We need to get above this fighting.

Neci: I can’t.

Vidar: You have to!

An arrow stabs into Neci’s horse. The horse starts falling to the ground. Neci pushes off of the horse. Her wings spread out. Vidar jumps into the sky. Neci grabs Vidar’s arms and flies over the fighting. A few arrows fly into the sky and almost hit them.

Neci: How will we get to Midgard? I don’t see Heimdall.

Vidar: The barrier made it so Heimdall had to control the portal. Just think about where you need to go.

Neci: I-

Vidar: Think Midgard. Think about your home!

They are about to go through the portal. Neci closes her eyes and they go through.

All vikings: For Asgard!

A giant fire hand comes through the portal and grabs on to the ground.

## Ragnarok Part 2 - Chapter 23

Hod stands on top of one of Asgard’s golden buildings. From up high he looks down on the fight at the bifrost bridge. Hod hears all the fighting going on. Vali climbs up to the top of the building. Hod hears Vali’s movement.

Hod: Vali. They need you fighting with them. Why are you here?

Vali: You killed Balder. Then you stand here as a free man. I will avenge my brother. By taking your sad blind life.

Hod puts down his bow and takes out his sword.

Hod: So be it.

Vali runs at Hod. Hod stays on the defense. Vali swings his sword and Hod parries it. Their metal blades clash.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci and Vidar are moving through a blue portal. All around them is blue. They see a giant serpent slithering around.

Vidar: That’s Jormungandr! He’s going for the portal!

The serpent is the biggest beast Neci has ever seen. The white scales on the serpent look like armor. Jormungandr opens his mouth. His mouth has two sets of sharp teeth. The sides of his mouth stretch out long with teeth along his entire jaw. At the side of his mouth are giant white spikes. Jormungandr looks at Neci. He starts moving closer. As he gets closer Neci can tell how fast he is moving. She aims up her bow. The arrow starts glowing yellow. She waits for Jormungandr to get closer.

Vidar: Now Neci!

Neci waits a little longer. Then she fires the arrow. A beam of yellow light follows the arrow. The arrow pierces Jormungandr’s eye. Jormungandr stops moving forward and shakes around. He forgets about Neci and Vidar from the pain in his eye. Neci reaches the other side of the portal while Jormungandr is distracted. She rolls through the portal.

Neci: What-

Neci rolls on to a rainbow high into the sky. Vidar lands next to her. They run forward on the rainbow. Vidar looks down below the rainbow.

Vidar: We’re on Midgard’s rainbow.

Frost giants appear on the rainbow charging them. Neci draws back her bow and fires an arrow. The arrow has so much power, as it hits the frost giant, it sends him so many feet back he goes through the portal. Neci puts her bow around her and takes out her axe. Vidar unsheathes his sword.

Vidar: Can you fight frost giants?

Neci nods her head, confidently. Vidar smiles. They run at the frost giants. Neci throws her axe into a giant’s chest. She flies up a few feet and chops her other axe into his shoulder. She grabs her axe out of the giant’s chest and slices off his head. Vidar blocks the giant’s huge ice club. He knocks the club out of the giant’s hand. Vidar slices down the giant’s torso. The giant slams his hands down. Vidar rolls behind the giant and stabs through his back. The giant’s blood spills out from his back and stomach. Vidar rips his blade out and looks at the portal. He sees more giants coming.

Vidar: We’ve gotta jump!

Neci and Vidar run over to the edge of the rainbow. Giants are right behind them. They jump off the rainbow.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Surtr pulls himself through Asgard’s portal. His giant head and crown come through the portal. Next his other arm comes out. He continues to pull his torso through. Odin and Thor run up to Surtr.

Odin: Do anything you can to knock him back to Muspelheim!

Thor flies into the air and slams his hammer into Surtr’s head. Surt is knocked to the side. Surtr swings his arm, knocking Thor out of the air. Odin runs over to Surtr. Surtr opens his mouth and breathes flames. Odin spins his spear around. The wind from his spear stops the fire from hitting him or the vikings behind him. The flames stop and Surtr punches Odin. Odin is knocked back from the force. He slams into some of his army and knocks them back. Vikings catch them. Surtr pulls his torso out of the portal. Thor’s hammer smashes Surtr’s stomach. Surtr grabs Thor. Thor can feel the flames of Surtr’s hand. Surtr throws Thor through the air. Thor launches all the way into Valhalla. Surtr pulls a leg through. He stands up to show his 5,000 feet tall body.

Odin: No!

Surtr takes his giant flame sword off of his back.

Surtr: Destroy Asgard!

Surtr holds up his sword so everyone can see it’s flames.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki blasts Heimdall with another fire ball. Heimdall blocks the fire with his heavy sword. Loki surrounds Heimdall with fire.

Heimdall: Are you running away again Loki?

Loki: This time I’m going to kill you.

Loki transforms into Heimdall. He creates a sword of fire in his hand. He walks through the flames and slices Heimdalls back. Loki backs up and turns into Odin. He slices at Heimdall’s back again. Heimdall turns around to block it.

Heimdall: Odin?!

Heimdall Hesitates and Loki slices Heimdall’s stomach.

Heimdall: That is your trick Loki. It won’t work again.

Loki transforms into Thor. He tries to slice Heimdall’s back. Heimdall closes his eyes and listens. He jabs his heavy sword into Loki’s stomach. Loki falls on to the ground gasping for air. Loki makes a fist. The fire around Heimdall turns into a vortex, spinning around and getting tighter.

Heimdall: Ah!

Heimdall slices the vortex. The fire vortex disappears. Heimdall walks over to Loki laying on the ground.

Heimdall stabs his sword through Loki’s stomach.

Heimdall: Ugh…

Loki’s fire sword slices through Heimdall’s stomach. Heimdall falls onto the ground next to Loki. They both lay there bleeding.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Logrel carries a large hammer on the battlefield. He is surrounded by vikings and giants. Logrel swings his hammer. His hammer breaks a giant’s knee. The giant’s bone pops out of his leg. Logrel jabs the giant in the stomach. The giant falls over. Logrel smashes the giant’s head in with his hammer. Then Logrel gets kicked back by another giant. Logrel looks at the vikings. Every viking is surrounded by giants.

Logrel: We’re going to lose. They are just too many giants.

A giant stands above Logrel. He slams his spiked club into Logrel’s stomach. Logrel’s ribs break. He coughs up blood. Logrel looks over at the portal in a daze. Freya flies out of the portal. Soon after, an army of valkyries follow her through.

Logrel: We’ll win…

Logrel’s head falls back.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci's wings come out and she grabs Vidar. Neci stops them from falling. She puts Vidar on the ground. They feel Norway’s snow under their feet. Neci smiles with relief.

Neci: I’m finally back home.

Neci breaths in the smell of the cold air.

Vidar: Where are these flowers?

Neci looks around. She sees a frozen river.

Neci: Follow me. We used to get water from that river.

Neci leads Vidar around. Eventually they stop at a small village of ruins. Neci looks upon her village. Everything is broken down and old.

Vidar: This village is hundred of years old.

Neci: I’ve only been on Asgard a little while. How?

Vidar: I don’t know.

Neci walks over to where Torgny almost touched a flower.

Neci: These flowers always grew. Even when we cut them they would just regrow.

Vidar puts on leather gloves. He grabs a few flowers.

Vidar: We need to get back, now.

Neci looks at her village.

Neci: C’mon, I’ll fly us back up.

## Ragnarok Part 3 - Chapter 24

Odin and Thor fly away from the bifrost bridge. They lead Surtr away from the vikings. Surtr swings his blade at Odin. The blade slices through Valhalla. Surtr swings his blade and Thor dodges it. Surtr cuts Odin’s palace in two. Thor flies up to Surtr. Surtr’s heat starts burning his skin. He slams his hammer into Surtr’s chin. Surtr’s head moves back. The fire sword swings at Thor. The hammer hits Thor’s stomach. It cuts skin and burn’s Thor’s stomach. Odin stabs his spear into Surtr. The spear is like a toothpick to Surtr. It barely cuts through Surtr’s skin. Surtr grabs Odin and slams him into the ground. Surtr drops his giant blade into the ground on top of Odin. The blade cuts through Asgard. The sword just barely misses Odin. Odin flies up tired. Thor is breathing heavily.

Thor: We can’t beat him. He’s unstoppable.

Odin looks around. He sees the water at the edge of Asgard.

Odin: Yes we can son! He may be unbeatable, but we can put him back where he belongs.

Odin flies away. Thor follows him.

Odin: Your the only one with the strength to do this. We’ll lead him near the water and you’ll knock him in.

Thor: What if he falls into Midgard?

Odin: I’ll use the wind of Asgard. He’ll be blasted back to Muspelheim. You just need to knock him off his feet for the wind to work.

Thor nods. They stop at the edge of Asgard. Surtr swings his blade at Thor. Thor dodges the blade and flies around to Surtr’s back. Surtr turns around and Thor slams his hammer into Surtr’s jaw. Surtr almost falls back. His feet grip onto Asgard’s ground. Thor feels like his skin is melting just being close to Surtr. Thor hits Surtr in the chest with all his might. His hammer lights up with lightning. Surtr is blasted off of Asgard’s edge. Surtr grabs onto the edge of Asgard before he falls.

Surtr: You will never stop me Odin. My giants will destroy the rest of Asgard!

The water rushes over Surtr’s hand. Surtr’s flames weaken from the water pouring on him. His hand becomes loose and he falls off Asgard. Odin puts out his hand. The winds of Asgard start pushing Surtr in a different direction through the air.

Odin and Thor look at the portal. Jormungandr slithers out of the bifrost with an arrow stuck in his eye. He slithers past the fighting on the bifrost bridge. Giants, vikings, and valkyries are crushed under his gant body. He slithers into Asgard. Odin sees Fenrir running around destroying Asgard.

Odin: We need to split up son.

Thor: I’ll take Fenrir-

Odin: You know what needs to be done.

Thor: Live father.

Odin flies after Fenrir. Thor flies over to Jormungandr.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vali relentlessly attacks Hod. His sword swings again and again. Hod struggles to keep up his defense. Hod kicks Vali back and throws his sword at him. Vali knocks the sword out of the air.

Vali: Do you give up?

Hod quickly takes out his bow and aims it at Vali.

Hod: Not another step.

Vali: Fire the bow. I dare you.

Vali walks closer. Hod fires the arrow. Vali slices the arrow in half.

Vali: Even your aim is terrible. You are no fighter. That’s why you killed Balder with a poison arrow. All you had to do was hit him.

Vali runs at Hod. Hod struggles to pull back another arrow. Vali slices Hod’s torso and kicks out his leg. Hod falls to the ground. Vali’s sword is held above his throat.

Hod: Do you want to know why I wasn’t imprisoned?

Vali: Why?

Hod: Loki killed Balder. I was shooting arrows at Balder for fun. They were bouncing off. Loki poisoned one of my arrows with mistletoe. I couldn’t see the poison.

Vali: Why fight me then?!

Hod: I didn’t fight you Vali. All I did was protect myself. When I shot the arrow I went to your side. I was never going to hurt you.

Vali: I shouldn’t be here. I could be helping Father fight Fenrir.

Hod: Then find Fenrir!

Vali runs off. Hod lays down.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jormungandr is at the end of the bifrost bridge. Thor flies up to Jormungandr and slams his hammer into the top of his head. Scales break off and Jormungandr slams into the ground. Jormungandr lays on the ground. Then he launches up into the air, biting onto Thor. Jormungandr swings his head around smashing Thor into the ground and shaking him around. Thor lights up with lightning. The lighting electrocutes Jormungandr. Jormungandr still holds onto Thor. He bites down even harder. Thor swings his hammer and breaks Jormungandr’s teeth. He flies out of the snake’s mouth. In the sky, Thor charges up. The lighting around him gets brighter and brighter.

Thor: Die Jormungandr.

Thor starts to feel tired and sickly. Thor aims his hammer at Jormungandr and flies down at his fastest speed. His hammer collides with Jormungandr, crashing into the ground.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neci flies Vidar to the rainbow. All of the giants are gone. They run into the portal. They appear at the bifrost. They start running on the bifrost bridge. They see the bloody battle on the bridge still roaring on. Half of Asgard’s buildings look destroyed from fire or Fenrir.

Woman: Stop!

Sibyl is standing at the portal.

Sibyl: I saw you were coming. Follow me.

Sibyl walks off to the side of the bifrost. She puts out her hands and creates a portal. Giants see the portal and run over.

Vidar: I’ll protect you. Go through!

Sibyl takes a flower from him. Neci and Sibyl walk into the portal. They appear in one of Asgard’s golden buildings.

Sibyl walks over to a bunch of items. She puts the flower in a bowl with other liquids. She crushes and mixes the flower.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin whips Fenrir’s face with his spear. Fenrir bites onto Odin’s legs and throws him. Odin’s body crashes into a building. He breaks through the gold wall. Fenrir waits as Odin climbs out of the building. Wind starts to push Fenrir back. Odin’s spear flies out of the building and pierces Fenrir’s chest. Fenrir howls. Odin climbs out of the building. Fenrir slams his body into the building. Odin is sent back inside the hole. Fenrir sticks his snout in the hole of the building. He chops down trying to eat Odin. Odin punches Fenrir in his snout. Fenrir falls onto the ground.

Odin: You’ll kill me? I think the prophecies overestimated your strength Fenrir.

Fenrir stands up tall. He’s now at least fifty feet tall on all fours. Fenrir stomps on the ground. Rocks fly up from the ground slamming into Odin.

Vali: Father!

Vali runs in and slices Fenrir’s leg.

Odin: No Vali!

Fenrir’s mouth opens to bite Vali. Odin flies over and knocks Vali out of the way. Fenrir bites down on Odin. Fenrir lifts his head up and swallows. Vali is laying on the ground looking up at Fenrir.

Vali: It’s my fault.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thor aims his hammer at Jormungandr and flies down at his fastest speed. His hammer collides with Jormungandr, crashing into the ground. Jormungandr feels the thunder of Thor like it’s a thousand strikes of lighting. Jormungandr lays on the ground half blind and defeated. Thor lifts Jormungandr up and throws him off the bridge.

Thor: He’ll land in midgard. Where he is supposed to be.

Thor takes eight slow steps. Each step is weaker than the last. He looks down at the green bite mark in his tomach.

Thor: Poison.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sibyl finishes the yellow mixture. Sibyl pours the mixture into a small bottle and hands it to Neci.

Sibyl: Find Thor. Pour this on his wounds.

Neci runs out of the room. She sees Jormungandr over near the bifrost bridge. Neci’s wings come and she flies over to the bridge. As she gets closer she sees the blue lightning crash into Jormungandr. Neci lands on the bridge. Thor throws Jormungandr off the bifrost bridge. He starts walking. After the eighth step he takes one last step and falls to the ground. Neci catches him and lays his body down. She pours the yellow mixture onto his green wounds. In less than a minute Thor wakes up. He jumps to his feet.

Thor: Have you healed me valkyrie?

Neci: I used one of the searesses mixtures.

Thor: You are a hero on this day. I must find Fenrir before he kills father.

Neci: Look!

Fenrir jumps into the sky. He gets higher and higher. His mouth opens wide.

Thor: He’s going to eat the son!

Thor blasts off of the ground. Like a rocket he launches into the air. A lightning trail follows behind him. Thor can feel the heat from the sun as he gets high into the sky. He gets closer and closer to Fenrir. Then Fenrir sees Thor above him.

Thor: Die you damn wolf!

Thor’s hammer collide with Fenrir’s snout. Fenrir falls through the air like a comet. He hits the ground and creates a giant crater. Thor falls through the sky. He falls for what feels like a century and lands on Fenrir’s stomach. Fenrir slowly stands back up.

Thor: Where is my father!?

Thor slams his hammer into Fenrir’s stomach. Fenrir flies into the air and Thor grabs his leg.

Thor: Die!

Thor throws Fenrir into the ground. Thor lifts his hammer above his head. A lightning bolt comes down from the sky and strikes his hammer. Thor whips his hammer at Fenrir. The hammer leaves Thor’s hand and slams into Fenrir’s head. A giant blast of electric energy explodes out of the hammer. Thor lands next to Fenrir.

Thor: Father! Odin!

A sword comes out from Fenrir’s stomach and slices Fenrir’s stomach in half. Odin climbs out of Fenrir.

Thor: You’re alive!

Thor hugs Odin.

Odin: I’m Odin. Of course I live. I knew those prophecies meant nothing.

Thor laughs. Odin looks upon Asgard in all it’s ruin. Odin sees the last few giants are being killed by the valkyrie and vikings on the bifrost bridge.

Odin: We’ve won.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A week later, everyone is in the dining hall partying. People are called up for their achievements. Neci’s name is called. She walks onto the stage. Thor hands her a necklace.

Thor: Without you Fenrir would have eaten the sun. You deserve this honor.

Neci: Thank you.

Neci puts on the silver necklace and sits down. Vali stands next to Odin.

Vali: I’m sorry Odin. If I never showed up. You would have never been eaten.

Odin: You did what you could. I chose to save you. The only one you put in danger was yourself and that is what I ask of all the einherjar. To put their lives on the line.

Everyone stops coming up. Odin walks forward.

Odin: Without the flower from Midgard, Thor would have been dead. The Aesir have come together and decided that it is time we finally have soldiers watch over Midgard.

Thor looks at Neci and smiles.

Odin: Freya will tell you whether you will be posted in Midgard, but for now…

Odin raises a glass of mead.

Odin: We party! We all live another day!

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Odin walks into the den of Sibyl the seeress. Sibyl is sitting in her chair waiting for him.

Odin: Why have you summoned me?

Sibyl: You were supposed to die in Ragnarok.

Odin: And I haven’t. Fate can be changed.

Sibyl: Not this fate. Everyone was supposed to die. Now most have lived.

Odin: You showed us one fate. Then we avoided that. Every fate you “decide” is the course of history will be avoided. I am Odin, the Allfather! I can escape death.

Sibyl: Then you must always be prepared for death. Did you put the valkyries on earth for knowledge or because you know the next battle will start on Midgard?

Odin scowls at Sibyl:

Sibyl: You did everything to stop Ragnarok. You lost your eye for the wisdom needed to stop Ragnarok. You’ll have to give the same sacrifices for eternity.

Odin leaves.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

A portal appears in an alleyway of a city. Neci walks out of the portal.

Neci: Where am I?

Neci looks upon the giant buildings of the city.

Neci: Is this Midgard? The buildings are as large as that of Asgard.

Neci leaves the alleyway. The portal starts changing colors. It changes to a deep green.

**End.**