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Hlorridi's Gamble
by E. A. Morrissey
Chapter 4: Baiting the Worm!
Written by E. A. Morrissey
Edited by James Pedrick
Thorolf was having dreaming days on his chartered Hatteras. ‘Twas so peaceful to be fishing and having no schedule for the next two weeks. His dreaming days consisted from the time he left the Village and to the contentment he has achieved to this point! The contentment he enjoys today is because of hard work in study and the "gift" that works at the right times. He does have a winning way with people!
The only time where his "gift" doesn’t work is in the department of love. Sure he has had many lovers but after a short time he gets nervous or caused to see something wrong; then whammo he was out of the relationship. To date though, it hasn’t been a problem because Majik cannot effect true Love, so I guess he will have to find it the one and only way! If anyone was to bear witness Thorolfs’ facial reactions they would have thought he was a mad man! Only in privacy does a man or woman express himself or herself to the fullest; to do otherwise in public would get you a one way ticket to the Funny farm!
The piece and quiet was disturbed by a localized wind that blew off Thorolfs hat! He looked up to see where the wind originated. ‘Twas a surprising sight! Out of the sun came a man his decent slowing down because one would presume the rotating hammer was speeding up, acting like a Brake! Thorolf had seen this "man " only once before: when he took his father away "to the place he knew so well." Why now he thought!
Thorolf was quick to get into the position of respect; kneeling on one knee with his right arm across his chest, with his head Hung low!
The "God" landed on the Boat the, hammer finished its arc and he quickly put Mjolnir though his belt! Hlorridi was pleased that Thorolf knew the ways of old and commented as such! "Well met Thorolf, be at ease though it shows your humility you are beyond that now! Pleased am I with your progress!
Thorolf still kneeling put his hands out wide saying, " What is mine is yours my lord!"
"Dost thou have to spend my patience man! Get thee up, theirs fishing to do!" Thorolf got up at once, and thought here was a God in front of him and all he wanted to do was to go fishing? Well at least it was a good pastime!
Thorolf went inside the Hatteras and produced a fishing rod for Thor. Thor looked over the fishing rod feeling all the details of the rod, paying attention to the Reel observing the mechanism trying to figure out how the machine provides the gear reduction. Thor knew he was being watched so he quickly looked away from the fishing rod and quickly cast a line into the sea!
"Cast your bait Thorolf, lets see what thou whilst catch? Thorolf complied automatically and Cast the line! Both Thor and Thorolf put the rods in their respective Tripods. Thor Put his feet up on the railing leaning back in his seat and started to relax.
"Would you like a beer, My lord?" "Aye that I would" Thor said whilst smiling with his eyes. Thorolf got up from his perch, handling his task with dispatch. "Bass or Sam Adams" Thorolf said whilst sticking his head out of the lower bridge. "Both, ‘tis a thirst that has gotten the better of me, smiling with his mouth this time! Thorolf poured the Bass into the pewter tankard handing the tankard and the bottle of Samuel Adams to Thor. Thor downed the Bass virtually with one gulp opened the bottle of "Sam’s" downing that in a like fashion.
Thor wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, having a satisfied look on his face. "Have you tried Directors Thorolf?"
"Nay sire, that I haven’t, is it English?"
"Aye that it is! almost mead, like the nectar of the Gods" Thor looked well satisfied linking his hands behind his head, yes well satisfied was he! "Ah to wish for simpler times is pure folly but it does have its merits, Look at us Thorolf drinking Beer and doing some fishing it doth remind me of another time…
Thorolf reel started to spin, the line was unreeling so fast that the automatic brake was smoking. Thorolf took hold of the rod with effort, he upped the friction setting and starting the reeling "in" process.
Thor felt helpless, its Thorolfs Rod, its his play and Thor wanted to be part of it! So he thought he would converse and relieve Thorolf of some stress. "This reminds me of another time, my meeting with Laufreys-sons Get, "the World Serpent."
"Did you slay him?" Thorolf said whilst tackling the Line!
"Aye that I did! The worm was removed from the Mortal plain ne’er to threaten mankind again!" his response was positive but his features showed no comment!
"The Lore wasn’t specific? It mentioned that you fought the Worm but it wasn’t clear, it stated that you threw Mjolnir at Jormungand but we didn’t know if Mjolnir hit its mark?"
"Mjolnir always hits its mark!" Thor’s Comment left nothing to interpret!
Thorolf quickly carried on, because he knew he was going to get an answer that has confused scholars alike for over a Thousand Years.
"But why? Why were the records erased or changed, why?" He was stumbling, his attention was on what was on the end of the line, but he continued… "Why, if you say what is true and I have no doubt what you are telling me… Is the truth, why did they fabricate the story of Ragnarok because Jormungand had to be there to fight you… For his poisonous blood to kill you after you vanquish the evil that Jormungand is supposed to represent!"
"The Vikings and Norse alike were the last to worship me, their time was a busy one! One of commerce and battles, they had little time or inclination for writing things down. The only writings, so to speak were the Runes, my Father’s words of Majik. So it was easy to remove the records, ‘twas deemed necessary to change the outcome of the Norse Gods; to give them a glorious ending. ‘Twas truly the "Twilight of the Gods!"
The lines tension lessened, they both noticed! "Aye ‘twas truly the twilight of the Gods. I was the Last God of the "heathens" (Thor spat at using that word), the only one to stem the tide of the Christians. Have you every tired to stem the belief of the majority? I tried but it came to naught and I came to my sense; that was just before the passing of the Mantle to the "Son of the Three." ‘Twas necessary, I had a feeling that the Son of the three would do a good job so I passed on the Mantle. The passage from the old to the new, my Feelings have been confirmed for he has done a commendable job, so my gamble paid off." ‘Twas my first Gamble, will my next be the same?"
"Did you feel angry that they changed the Gods history?"
"Aye and nay, ‘twas to be expected though I’m still sensitive about them portraying me as a dullard!"
Fifty feet from the Hatteras the water foamed a dragon-like head popped out of the water the Leviathan looked at the boat. Hlorridi himsel was in action… in the Air to make his "Mark."
"Fear not Thunderer I’m here at the behest of a boon, ‘twould seem your luck runs true!" The "Worm" didn’t want to be the recipient of the Hammer again, so he continued in a hurried fashion! "A certain friend of ours has woken from a deep sleep, ‘twould seem his slumber was broken cause someone whispered into his ear of your health and long life, this was done by a certain Daemon who you have met recently. It seems he will never forgive you for what you did to "Twilight" his favored Sword. He thought you had perished by the way of the Olden Gods. So for a Millennia Sutur was sated. ‘Twould seem his vigor has been renewed cause of his hatred of you!"
"So my tale is told but before I leave for my realm I have a question for you Thor? Did you ever think of me as Evil? The only crime I’m guilty of is the fact that, I am the spawn of Laufreys son and Angreboda. Other than the Role I have played, what have I done?
Nay, thou wert the embodiment of the "unknown," and since I was my subjects protector, aye, we had roles to play you and I. Forsooth, I have had sympathies for you and you sister, though your bother the Wolf is truly Evil. Mayhap one day shall I vanquish the beast. The very thought that he could think that he would take out my father makes my blood boil!
"Oh well be that as it may, one day, come to my realm and before breakfast ‘twould be nice to have a battle that this realm would cringe from… or the one the Christians made up for us. Mayhap your luck holds Thunderer, cause you will need it! Sutur is Evil incarnate! May your life be long and long!" Fare yea-well Thunderer, the worm spat out hook and descended into the depths.
Continued in Chapter 5: Out of the frying pan and into...
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