Valhalla

by Jennifer Willis

  * * *

  “Vikings!” Thor bellowed as he took out a Berserker warrior with a single crack of his hammer to the young man’s head. He felt almost his old self again with the weight of a hammer in his hand. He didn’t notice the tool had nearly doubled in size since he first picked it up.

  He stepped over the bodies of a few fallen Vikings and dipped his head in respect. “Tonight you feast in Valhalla,” he whispered as he headed toward the rest of his clan, clumped in small groups around the Tree.

  Thor stopped to admire Bragi wielding a shovel like a club. A young Berserker approached quickly from behind, but Bragi spun around and deftly struck the attacking warrior in the head, knocking him to the ground. Continuing his turn, Bragi held the shovel blade up to protect his face, deflecting an arrow aimed at his head.

  Bragi scanned the field for immediate threats, then spotted Thor.

  “Not so bad for the Bard of the Gods, eh?” Bragi gestured with the shovel. “I pulled this out of the back of your truck. Hope you don’t mind.”

  Thor shrugged, and Bragi stepped past him to get a better look at the cab of an approaching bulldozer.

  “Managarm,” Bragi spat. With a firm grip on his shovel, he headed directly for the Moon Dog.

  “Bragi, wait!” Thor called out, but before the words were out of his mouth, a blinding flash of lightning shot out from the cab of Managarm’s bulldozer, targeting Bragi’s midsection and cutting him almost completely in half.

  “Bragi!” Thor screamed and lunged forward to catch his brother as he fell.