Hammer of the Gods

It was

unmistakable--

a wolf raising its stem and stern,

its sail dripped blood-red.

These things served

but one purpose--

to strike fear and

terror into the hearts

of any who came across them.

Each stroke, each painful breath...

they believed it brought them ever

closer to the ends of the earth.

But onward they pushed, for the

ends of the earth they sought.

Gloria, honor, these

things awaited them there.

But so did something else.

The waters have stilled,

the winds have died.

I suspect her sight to be true.

That, or we're near the abyss.

Lyngvi, lost land of legend and fable,

we found it, Baldur.

Of that you can be certain.

Aye. If the night proves

your woman to be wrong again,

she'll find herself rowing

for 20 men on the morrow.

Have faith, Ulfrich,

for if Freyja's led us

to Midgard's edge for

nothing more than gloom and fog,

I'll gladly take your

place upon the rail.

Or at least Thor will.

The eyes of the wolf moon point

the way with Friggs distaff.

That they do.

Our destiny may lie on these shores.

It's still your oar

to row upon our return.

If we return, eldest.

No Northman has dared

sail this far before.

We shall claim this island

and all it bears for our own.

And if Northmen have sailed here before?

Well, then we'll take it anyway.

This land may yet prove our kingdom.

Forgive me, brother.

Your kingdom.

Aye.

Father will be pleased.

Perhaps he'll give it to Ulfrich.

The weather here seems

to suit his temperament.

Disappointed there's

nobody here to greet us?

No army to grind to the ground?

No,

it's just a strange sensation,

almost as if I've been here before.

Have you ever known such a thing, Sif?

Some say such feelings are of

long-forgotten memories

of our past lives.

So, tell me, Freyja,

does your foresight extend back as well?

On occasion.

Well, if I lived before,

that means I died as well,

a mistake I won't be making twice.

Don't encourage him, wife.

Thor's already too eager

to ride with the Valkyries.

You'll find your path to the

gates of Valhalla soon enough,

whether it be here or some

other godforsaken land.

But what of your path, brother?

It's to look after

you, of course--

make sure you don't die

before your proper time.

- Aegir!

- Aye.

Go with Thor and scout the shoreline.

I'll expect you both back within

an hour with enough food for 20 men.

More if you plan to eat as well.

That's one man

who will never know the

dishonor of growing old.

Aye.

Sail with Thor long enough,

we'll all be spared from it.

Forgive me. I forgot my place.

Remind me. Where is it?

By your side. Always.

Then there's nothin' to forgive.

One day, I'll be a king,

and you my queen.

Take care not to forget

that as well, hmm?

Be mindful of them.

It's a dangerous game they play.

Sif and Ulfrich?

You know very well who I speak of.

You can't deny nature.

And Thor's

that--

a force of nature,

if I've ever seen one.

I haven't known such dreariness since

spending an evening alone with Ulfrich.

It can only mean we've entered

the realm of the frost giants.

Well, if we've truly

crossed into the mist world,

then Sol herself would be hard

pressed to shine her light this far.

And if you honestly

believe we're the first men

fool enough to venture this far, then

I believe it as well.

Who goes there?

Do you expect the deer to respond?

Or the rabbit, perhaps?

Let's unmask your stalker.

Aegir!

Aegir!

Aegir!

So, tell me, Freyja,

what do you expect we'll find here?

Gods? Giants? Monsters?

I want a piece of them all.

Well, careful now, Bragi,

or a piece you may have.

Your imagination exceeds

that of even Thors.

I suspect we'll find little

more than lonely trees and

some scattered rocks

in this miserable place.

So much for trees and rocks.

Thor!

What's wrong?

- Where's Aegir?

- Speak, man.

He's been taken.

- Taken? by who?

- By a great beast.

I--it moved like

a wolf, but...

but not like a wolf

I'd ever seen before--

easily the size of a

man, but maybe larger.

And you left Aegir to them?

No, I followed him until I lost 'em.

I'd have been lost,

too, had I continued.

They led me into a trap.

- I barely escaped with my life.

- Then we've little time.

Hodur, Tyr, Geirrod,

mind the ship and the women.

They can busy themselves with the ship.

We'll mind ourselves. Sif?

Well, come on, then.

Nothing the lot of us can't handle.

Set the tents?

Let's see what they find.

Our stay may be brief.

If Aegir died, I only hope he died well.

If he's dead, envy him.

He sits in the great hall drinking

Lerad's mead while we freeze our stones.

Aegir couldn't drink for piss.

They'll send his ass back

when he can't finish

the horn in three drafts.

What is it?

Nothing.

Tracks.

Look at their size.

Ah, it's animal just the same.

Baldur?

These tracks are laid in twos.

Tell me, Ulfrich,

what animal walks on just two legs?

You may get your monsters after all.

Fabled isle, eh?

You can keep it.

I don't understand.

I truly believed it our destiny

to discover a new kingdom.

Thor, if you're ever to

rule or lead, you must learn

to forsake such things in

the face of greater needs.

Aegir is your kinsman.

What say we find him, if

only to provide the rites?

Expanding our kingdom we'll leave

for another time and place, huh?

This is why you lead, Baldur.

You're right about one thing, brother.

There is something on this island,

and it doesn't much like men.

- What is it, Freyja?

- Do you sense something?

Only suffering and death.

This place has known both.

Well, you don't need the

sight to figure that one out.

Wait, there's something in there.

- Stand back.

- Ulfrich, wait!

By the skalds.

I've no words for that stench.

It's all right.

- It's all right.

- No, it's not. It's not all right.

- You must leave at once.

- We're not here to hurt you.

But the others are.

Forgive our manners.

It's been months since

we've had real food.

My name is Hel.

This is Garmur.

How is it you've survived if

you haven't left this hall?

Grubs, worms-- whatever

the dirt provides.

The better question is how

did you know of this island?

- What brought you here?

- Thor.

- And where from? Where do you hail?

- Thor!

Please continue.

We came from Faroer.

Explorers you could say,

though misguided to be sure.

We were seduced by the

stories of gods and giants.

So we sought the isle of the immortals.

In the end, I suspect we

made the same mistake you did.

What mistake?

Coming here.

So you were attacked by

these same wolves as well?

Shortly after we first arrived.

We would have left, but we'd

already stripped our boat for wood.

It wasn't long after we were forced to

reinforce the walls with

whatever we could find.

And then?

And then we prayed they wouldn't get in.

Those are not creatures of this realm.

Not one night passes without the

howl of those demons at our door.

Please,

I beg of you, leave this

place while you still can.

Take us with you.

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