Loki Passage 22

3.

Sevrin held onto his sword that had served him well in many battles. He was not new to the guard duty but was questioning the task assigned to him. He looked to Brin who was standin on his left. The later was like him all dressed up in the battle armor with his battle spear leaned on the left shoulder. His right hand held the leather pack hat contained the mead drained down his throat.

“Brin, why are we here? I thought this was the task of Heimdal.” Sevrin shuffled his legs to keep the warmth to it. “Who will ride on here?”

“It’s Ragnarok.” Brin replied. “Don’t you know your tales? On this event, the Bifrost will be trodden by Surtr and his army from Muspell.”

“Bifrost? I have heard it all but it’s still a tale.” Sevrin was not convinced on the outcome of the tale. It was said that when Surtr rode on it, it will cracked and then collapsed into the river below. “This is Bifrost; the rainbow bridge. We rode on it with our warriors for eon and never had it tremor with the hoofs and steps on lit towards Uroarbrunnr; the holy well where we hold court over it.”

“All except Thor. He wades through the rivers Kormt and Ormt to cross.” Brin added in. “It must had been something he did on Sif for her to make him cross in that way.”

“Nay, it’s not Sif that cursed him…” Sevrin defended his Lord from the ridicule but Brin snapped in.

“Then it’s his ego to show his courage.” Brin laughed but soon stopped when he saw the cloud of dust on the other end of the bridge.

“Its Surtr!” Brin shouted out while he ran to his horse. “I have to warned the others.”

Sevrin stood there with his sight transfixed on the approachin hordes of riders. Beyond the dust, the riders looked like an emblazed fleet which trail heated up the ridden path. He saw the leader of the invading army; it was huge like that of the Jotunhiemr with the blazing sword high up high to rally the riders. He was to reach for his horse when he felt the ground beneath his feet trembled. He stood there trying to find his balance but soon he dropped into the raging river. He was to be swept when he felt the rope that was thrown over his head. The rope went taut and then held him hard against the current. He looked up and saw Brin there pulling him to the river bank. He was ever grateful to his friend and soon stood up.

“There goes our bridge and also the invasion army.” Sevrin smiled at the thought but soon he was looking at the army reaching for the river banks on his side.

“Sevrin, they are undead. What is the river to them?” Brin told him. “You best ride with me. We will assemble at Himinbjorg. Freyr and Heimdal awaits there.”

4.

“Ragnarok may be here but we shall not falter in our courage in the face of death.” Odin rode down the line of assembled warriors. The line dragged into the distance, but the voice of the leader was heard by the width and depth there. They were all there at the field of Vígríðr.

“Death in battle to the warrior is the ultimate sacrifice. We fear it not for the Halls of Vahalla will be give us a seat within it. If we had died at the frail old age, we may have to beg our way inside.” Odin motivated the warriors. They all knew that the battle they will undertake will be the final one. He looked to his elected leaders; Thor seated on his horse with Mjolnir held tight in his right hand; all dressed in the battle armor of his made by Sif. It was a fine metal chest that covered his chest with the emblem of the striking lightning with leather greaves protecting his limbs from injuries. He had on half round cup metal helmet with horns protruding on the sides.

Heimdall further down the line was all dressed up in the golden armor that was gifted by Odin himself. The bridge master was what Heimdall was named held the heavy and long thick double edged blade with both his hands. On his forearms were the round metal shields latched there to protect his limbs. On his back was the twin shorter battle axe of his. Tyr was further down with his right hand stump then covered by the metal hook and on his left hand was his sword; bonded to him for that firm hold. He had it done that way for the left arm lacked the strength unlike his other arm. He once boasted that the next time he insert his hand into the wolf’ jaws it inlaid deep into the creature. Fryer stood to the other end was dressed in heavy armor and wield a long spear. He had given his sword to Skinir and in replacement had the spear made for him. The spear was over ten feet in length and weighed over half a ton

Odin the looked to the assemble army from the Sons of Muspell, and the undead army of Hel led by the trickster Loki. Unlike the warriors under Odin the Sons of Muspell were a ragged lot with no resemblance of a proper uniform. They were cluttered in groups and had to be held back by the whips of the overseers that maintained discipline there. For the army of Hel, it was more organized with Loki holding them spell bound. They were not of any sound mind but spell driven to fight on the command of their leader, Loki. Then there were the monstrous creatures that was said to be invoked on Ragnarok. Fenrir stood high on the middle of the assembled with its sibling the serpent Jörmungandr. Both those creatures towered above the giants and out sized even the collected frames of ten warriors. The wolf had been released of its binding like Loki had remained calm before the battle. It stared at the warriors there and was particularly focused on Tyr. It recalled the taste of the hand that it bit off then, and was looking to complete the meal.

“Fenrir is mine and mine alone.” Odin shouted before he galloped off to meet the wolf that was destined to swallow him on that eventful day. “Let me the one to show you the courage of a true leader. I will defile the myth of Ragnarok.”

Odin rode out on his horse while his right hand held the spear Gungnir. Fenrir the Wolf saw its adversary approaching and it leapt into the open field. Its front shoulders lowered down while its hind legs braced for the next leap. Odin came before the great wolf and held back on the reins on his horse.

“Fenrir, you have been fed well during your captivity.” Odin remarked onto the towering creature. “But today, you will be fed with the spear of mine.”

With that Odin threw his spear at the wolf but for the first time, the spear did not pierce its skin. The spear dropped down onto the ground. Odin was puzzled while Fenrir reached down with its jaws to grab the spear. It swung its head to hurl the spear aside.

“If Gungnir had failed me then it will my wrath you will feel.” Odin reached for his sword at his belt. “The steel of the dwarves will suffice to slash your hide.”

Odin was to charge when the wolf took on its movement. The wolf leapt high and landed on the right side of the leader. It was a moving strategy the wolf was deploying to flank Odin but the later had been in many battles. It swung the horse around to counter the move and then jumped off the horse towards the wolf. Odin landed with his sword slashing but the wolf was swift. It retreated behind and growled.

“Attack me, you beast!’ Odin cursed at it. He held up his sword to attack the wolf again but it moved again. Odin thrust a few more times and soon made a mistake. It was a costly mistake; Fenrir caught the sword hand of Odin and swung him upwards. Odin was flung up by the wolf into the air. Fenrir then leapt up to snap the other in its jaws. Odin cursed out when the wolf jaw’s bit into his midriff while he slashed with the sword. The second bite swallowed Odin down the throat.

“No!” The voice belonged to Vioarr, the last son of Odin. He was late to save his father for he was hampered by the boots that Frigg had made for him. It was a special pair of boots with the extra padding to protect his legs. It also made his walk a heavy and slow one. He saw the wolf swallowed his father and rushed in. He reached in time to thrust his sword into the upper cleft of the wolf’s jaw before he used his legs to keep the jaws open. He looked in to see Odin but the later was not to be found.

“Odin!” In his rage, Vioarr reached out to pry open the wolf’ jaw wider and eventually, in his surging rage he broke the jaws apart. Fenrir the Wolf fell back in pain but with his broken jaws, it was writhing in pain. Vioarr retrieved his sword and thrust it into the snort of the wolf to kill it but Odin was lost to them by then.

That ended the saga of Odin.