The Chronicles of Slave Nano No. 06

The deal had been consummated. This was the moment of truth. I tried to get her focused back on the gold.

"It's your lucky day," I whispered, "fucked by a man and being presented with the most precious piece of dwarf craftsmanship."

Her hair and beard were dishevelled as she grunted. She pulled her trousers up and put her shirt back on. Her eyes were wild with lust, lust with having been debauched by a wolf-man but also, I could see, with the dwarf lust for gold.

"Ok," she said closing the manacle and chain around my wrist, "let's go."

We traced our tracks back to the cavern where the paths split and where I had been tricked by Loki into taking the passage into the dwarf mines. I had noticed that a small underground stream ran through this cavern and this was where I was heading. The dwarf had turned out to be as easy to trick as the trolls. I had worked him up into an agitated frenzy of gold lust. When we reached the stream I spoke again.

"I hid the Brisingamen under a rock in the stream before I came down into the dwarf mine. I was going to use it to barter with the dwarves. My wrist is chained, look, bend down, it's under that rock there," I said, pointing.

As the she-dwarf bent over and reached out to overturn the rock I grabbed a large stone in my hand and smashed him over the head with it. He was knocked cold. I took the keys from him and released my padlocked wrist. I sighed with relief. I could now continue my mission, but I also knew that time was critical.

I took the other way where the paths split and followed the icy passage as it wound down into the bowels of the ice mountain under the roots of the Yggdrasil tree. I had most surely entered the realm of Niflheim, the Norse world of ice. I hoped that this path would take me to the lair of Goddess Erda, who Freyja had ordered me to seek out. Erda was one of the three Norns, the three Norse Godesses who rule of the destiny of men. It was only one of the Norns that have the power to unpick the tapestry of a man's fate. It was the Norns that controlled fate and could alter Hrothgar's destiny and unravel the terrible events that led to his death in which I had played a vital part.

Finally the path opened out into a chamber. The chamber was lined with sheets of pure ice, the air crystal clear and freezing. Although protected by Goddess Freyja's suit I felt that if I stood still for too long the impenetrable cold would transform me into an ice-man. The chamber was dominated by a huge fountain made of ice in the shape of a chalice that was fed by the waters of the spring of Hvergelmir. Behind it was a throne sculpted from icicles and on the throne sat Goddess Erda serenely as if she had been expecting me. She was the crone Goddess of the three Norns and was an elderly woman but it was clear that in her youth she must have been a beautiful woman. Age had not diminished her presence which illuminated the whole chamber. On her head was a crown of ice and in her hands a sceptre beautifully carved out of a single icicle. Her features were wrinkled with age and her long white hair spread over her pure white fur cloak made from the skins of snow leopards. She appraised me with a cold stare and then she spoke in a clear voice that rang around the icy chamber.

"I know of your mission. You have been sent by the Goddess Freyja to unravel the life of the one who goes by the name Hrothgar and to bring him back from Asgard, the hall of fallen heroes to serve the cause of his mistress again. Goddess Freyja claims that his fate was false and that his destiny was distorted by the choices that you made. Is this true?"

I trembled in fear at the powerful force before me.

"Yes Goddess Erda, I cannot deny this. I am here to atone for my faults."

She fixed me with a stare that sent an icy shiver running down my back.

"This is a dangerous undertaking wolf-man," she said.

"Yes, I know," I replied, "but I have pledged to do this for Goddess Freyja and I cannot turn away from my fate."

"Your fate wolf-man is not for you to determine. Some things are best left undone. Does Freyja understand the forces she will unleash if I proceed with this ceremony to reverse the fate of a mortal?"

I replied, "I know nothing of these things Goddess. I am only her agent and I can only trust to her judgement."

"Very well, then I will proceed. You have brought an object that was a treasured possession of Hrothgar?"

"Yes, Goddess Erda, it is a special object that Goddess Freyja gave him in recognition of a task that he completed for Her."

I handed Erda the black jet stone on its purple cord and let it fall into her outstretched hands. She placed it in the ice chalice.

'Lie on the floor at my feet wolf-man," she ordered.

I did as she commanded. She stood up, tall and regal, the fur on the hem of her cloak brushing against my face. She dropped the black stone into the ice fountain and I heard it plop into its mystical waters.

"A revered object from the fallen warrior and the blood of the one who betrayed him; these are the two symbols I need for the ceremony to overturn destiny. It is in my power to do this but Erda has no control over the consequences of this act."

An icicle was drawn out from her ice sceptre. It was long and sharp, its razor sharp point glistening in the frosty air of the chamber. Her voice was cruel and cold.

"Did Freyja tell you anything of the ceremony?"

"No, only that I should bring an object belonging to the fallen man," I replied my heart beating in terror.

"She did not tell you of the sacrifice you would have to make," she smiled. "I am about to undo fate. You did not think that such a momentous act would not require a sacrifice did you? Did Freyja hide from you what you would truly need to give up? A life for a life wolf-man, did she not explain that to you?"

The sharp point of the icicle pierced the black material of my suit and was pressed against my heart ready for one fatal thrust.

"Are you prepared for this? Will you give up your life willingly to bring Hrothgar back from the realm of Asgard?"

"Yes, I will," I gasped in reply.

I gulped. Was this really the end? I had come so far; I understood that it would take more than my punishment at the hands of Freyja in Goddess Nemesis's dungeon to turn destiny around. I knew that I could do no more than to trust to fate and accept the retribution that was due to me. Goddess Nemesis had taught me that.

"Close your eyes wolf-man," Erda whispered.

If felt the sharp cold point press even harder and then I heard a cold laugh as it was pulled away from my heart and slashed against my arm.

"That is what I require from you. I need to know that in your heart you would have submitted to your life being taken away in exchange for your friend's. I am content. All I need for the ceremony is your blood."

She held the icicle over the chalice and let the drops of blood fall into it. From my position on the floor I could see through the translucent base of the ice chalice to see the black jet pendant and drops of blood falling onto it. When the blood struck the pendant a mist swirled up from the chalice. Goddess Erda stood over it and held a golden apple over the ice font and allowed the swirling mist to envelop it.

"You may get up now. The deed is done. When Hrothgar eats the flesh of this golden apple his mortality will be restored. He can no longer reside in Asgard and he must return to the service of Freyja. I just hope that the Goddess knows what she has done," she added.

She returned the black rune-stone to me along with the golden apple. It had been a frightening and awe-inspiring moment. I truly believed that my life was at an end. I got down on my knees.

"Thank you Goddess Erda. But, I wonder if I can seek your guidance on another matter. Can you tell me please how I get to Asgard?"

"That is not for me to arrange," she replied. "But, you have been turned into a shadow walker have you not? This means that you can pass through the twilight zone between life and death. You must trust to Goddess Freyja's plans for you."

After being dismissed by Goddess Erda I traced my way back through the winding ice passage to the cavern and then back out through the crack in the ice wall to the earth's surface. As I emerged from my journey into the icy depths I smiled. There was a black horse waiting for me. This must be Hrothgar's horse Flame Stepper. This is what Goddess Freyja must have planned all along Hrothgar's black steed would take me to him in Asgard. I stroked the sleek black fur of the horse's neck and the he snorted and neighed back at me in recognition. This was definitely Hrothgar's horse and no shape-shifting trick of Loki. I mounted him and whispered in his ear.

"Take me to your master, my friend. Speed is of the essence now."

The horse galloped forward, took one almighty leap into the air and then soared into the heavens. We rode like the wind through the sky until we landed at the gates of the magnificent golden hall of the Aesir. The gates parted for Flame Stepper and he pranced forward into the hall. I dismounted and headed straight for Hrothgar's bed chamber. As I entered I saw him laying on the bed, his arms around two young girls who tenderly stroked his golden hair whilst he kissed their ample rosy breasts. Another two knelt over him touching his muscular arms and chest whilst another knelt at his groin eagerly sucking on his enormous cock as he moaned in pleasure. I smiled. It was as Goddess Freyja had described, the hall of Asgard, the refuge of fallen heroes, who could indulge themselves in perpetual pleasure.

Hrothgar leaped up from his bed scattering a fur skin and all six naked girls onto the floor. His warrior instincts still remained sharp. In a flash he had drawn his raven headed sword 'serpent breath' from its scabbard and pointed it menacingly at me.

"What stranger dares disturb the pleasures of Hrothgar in the Halls of Asgard. Speak now or I will cleave your head from you body wolf-man."

In my joy at reaching Asgard and the thought of being re-united with Hrothgar I had completely forgotten the form I had been transformed into or that he might not recognise me with a wolf's head on.

"Only six lovely wenches, Hrothgar. You are slacking, I have seen you taken nine and still be gagging for more!"

"What manner of person dare break into my chambers and mock me, Hrothgar the stallion. My blade is still whetted and sharp."

"Patience my friend, patience. We must all learn to tell the difference between friend and foe before wielding swords. Answer me this mighty warrior and riddle solver:

This thing all things devours,
Birds, beasts, trees, and flowers.
Gnaws iron bites steel,
Grinds hard stones to meal,
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down."

Suddenly, a flicker of recognition passed across his face.

"That is a good one my friend but not clever enough to fool me; time. Nano, is that really you? How can that be? No mortal can enter Asgard. This is not possible."

"But, I am no moral. I have been transformed into a sceadugengan, a shadow walker. I stalk the uncharted lands between life and death and can pass through the realms of the dead."

"But, tell me Nano, how is that possible. By what power could you be so transformed?"

"It's a long story. I will tell you it all on the journey back to Sessrumnir. You are desperately needed there Hrothgar"

"Nano, stop jesting with me. You know that is impossible. I have died a hero's death and passed on to the halls of Asgard, just as I had wished, where I can enjoy the delights permitted to a fallen hero."

"Hrothgar, anything is possible in the realms of the Goddesses."

I took out the golden apple of immortality and held it out in front of me.

"Goddess Freyja appeared before me in my mistress's dungeon and sent me on a mission to seek this. Your fate was not what it should have been. You were brought to your end because of my failings."

"No, no, Nano. I don't hold you to blame for my demise at the hands of Baron von Hellcencoq's men. I bid you go on, it was my choice."

"That is noble of you Hrothgar, not that I would have expected anything different from you. There are many strange forces and Goddess Freya can see what should have been. She has set me on this quest to unravel the thread of your life and bring you back to the realms of the living so you can return to her hall at Sessrumnir where you can continue to be her champion."

"Yeah, but it's great here. Why would I want to leave? I can drink and feast and fornicate as much as I want. And not only that, I still have the pleasure of worshipping Goddess Freyja's body when she comes to Asgard and summons me into her ocelot skinned bed. So I have everything, why would I choose to leave."

"But you can have that if you leave. Goddess Freyja will still invite you into her bed at Sessrumnir," I said, trying to persuade him. "Are you really content here Hrothgar?" I asked.

"Yeah of course. It's a paradise isn't it? It's everything I always wished for."

"Hrothgar, don't fool yourself. Is it truly what you desire?"

"Shit, no, not really. It's bloody dull to be honest. Some of these warriors, well, to be honest, they are a bit long in the tooth. They may have done great deeds in the past but it's all talk."

"Hrothgar, you need the cut and thrust of real conflict. You thrive on it; it's your life force. Your mistress understands you better than you do yourself. She understands that you pine for you days as her warrior."

"Fuck it, you're right Nano. She's right of course. Give me that apple."

Hrothgar grabbed the golden apple from out of my outstretched hand and took a bite from it, hungrily digesting the white pulp containing its mystical life force. The threads of his life were rewoven as his mortality was returned to him. He took up his raven headed golden helm, his sword, his axe and his magnificent shield; his warrior instincts had been restored.

We both mounted Flame Stepper with Hrothgar taking hold of his flowing black mane he soared up into the air again. We passed out of the realm of Asgard, the realm of the gods and flew back into the realm of Midgard, the realm of the human. When Flame Stepper landed it was to put us in the middle of a pitched battle. Goddess Freyja was absent from Sessrumnir and, taking advantage of that, Loki had laid siege to her magnificent hall with a band of the wild haired trolls.

"This is where I belong Nano," Hrothgar called out, "as my mistress's champion defending her hall from enemies. These trolls will feel the wrath of Hrothgar and the bite of his sword."

"I think they might fear me as much as they fear you," I said.

Hrothgar laughed, "How can that be?"

I lifted my wolf's head back and let out an almighty howl.

The trolls stopped in their tracks and looked round to see these new and dangerous foes; the mysterious wolf-man, who had terrified them by invoking the spirit of the Algiz, and a new opponent; a fearless and potent warrior.

"Come my friend, between us we will send these trolls to flight and then deal with Loki. He knows me from previous battles."

Hrothgar waded into the pack of trolls cruelly slicing them with his mighty sword in one hand and his axe in the other. This was not an even battle, it was a massacre. The trolls were no match for such a fearsome warrior and they soon dispersed, escaping into the woods. Loki did not stay to watch the outcome of the fight. I caught him in the shape of a squirrel jumping from tree to tree to escape from the scene of the fight. Once the trolls had all been killed or had fled, Hrothgar turned to me.

"What shall you do now Nano? Will you stay with me in here in Folksvang?"

"No, I must return, Mistress Nemesis will expect me in her dungeon. I must report back to her and to Goddess Freyja."

"What will become of you? Must you remain a wolf-man forever?"

"I don't know, that is the judgement of the Goddesses. Only Goddess Freyja can bring me back from the shadow-lands into which she has sent me and change my form back for me."

"I'll put a good word in for you Nano. But when will we meet again?"

"Thanks," I said, "I cannot say for sure but we do still have some unfinished business to complete."

Hrothgar turned towards me, an angry glint in his eye.

"Yes Nano, the debauched Baron von Hellcencoq and the Empress Dykenspeil and their evil lesbian dwarf. I can't wait to get my hands on them."

"Farewell Hrothgar, I have an appointment at Goddess Nemesis's dungeon and, as you will surely understand, I cannot keep her waiting."