by C. Gockel
“We need a toast,” says Steve, staring into his cup.
Bohdi takes a deep breath. His eyes slide to Amy; she’ll go with him to India when he’s ready. He looks at Steve; he’ll help, because, well, that is what friends do. He remembers all the faces he saw in the mirror in Gullveig’s cavern, and his heart lifts.
Raising his cup, he says, “To the end of an era.” A personal era, when he thought he was alone, but also the end of an era in which Chaos, Creation, and Order were divided.
Amy lifts her own cup to his. “To the end of the beginning.”
Raising his own cup, Steve says, “To Ragnarok.”
~ FIN
Author’s Note & Contact Info:
Thank you for taking a chance on I Bring the Fire and seeing it to the end. Special thanks to everyone who has sent emails encouraging me to continue (and sometimes insisting). For the first few years of writing I made much less than minimum wage—I believe the first year at it I made $60. If it weren’t for all the reviews, emails, and positives responses I’ve received, I would not have been able to keep going.
If you want a little more of Amy, Bohdi, Steve, Loki and Eisa, I have a short story, The Fire Bringers, that I will be releasing on all retailers in April. Be sure to sign up for my mailing list so you won’t miss it. Here’s the link: http://eepurl.com/ZAWXn
After the Fire Bringers I will be leaving the I Bring the Fire universe for a little while, but if you’re on my mailing list you’ll hear from me when I come back.
Because I self-publish, I depend on my readers to help me get the word out. If you enjoyed this story, please let people know on Facebook, Twitter, in your blogs, and when you talk books with your friends and family.
All Stories By C. Gockel
The I Bring the Fire Series:
I Bring the Fire Part I
Monsters: I Bring the Fire Part II
Chaos: I Bring the Fire Part III
In the Balance: I Bring the Fire Part 3.5
Fates: I Bring the Fire Part IV
The Slip: A Short Story (mostly) from Sleipnir’s Point of Smell
Warriors: I Bring the Fire Part V
Ragnarok: I Bring the Fire Part VI
The Fire Bringers: An I Bring the Fire Short Story
Other Works: Murphy’s Star a short story about “first” contact
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Thank you again!
Appendix
The Nine Realms
Alfheim – Realm of the Dark Elves and Light Elves.
Asgard – Realm of the Aesir, “gods.”
Jotunheim – Realm of the Jotunn, or Frost Giants.
Midgard – Earth, realm of humans.
Muspellsheimr – Realm of the Fire Giants.
Niflheim – Realm of mists, location of “Hel” – the place where Loki’s daughter Helen and other plague-ridden Asgardians died.
Nornheim – Realm of the all-seeing Norns.
Svartálfaheim – Realm of the dwarves.
Vanaheim – Realm of the Vanir. Formerly rulers of Asgard, the Vanir retreated to their home world after they were defeated by Odin’s forces.
The Humans & Their Organizations
ADUO – FBI Department of Anomalous Devices of Unknown Origin.
Roger Beckman – Navy SEAL.
Warrant Officer Edward Berry – Navy SEAL, specialty tactics.
Amy Lewis – Veterinarian for ADUO. Loki’s former “lover.”
Beatrice Lewis – Amy Lewis’s grandmother. Translator of Ukrainian and Russian, works for ADUO.
Bohdi Patel – Real name unknown. Computer programmer employed by ADUO.
Agents Brett & Bryant McDowell – Twin brothers, ADUO agents. Their specialty is technology.
Claire Rogers – Steve Rogers’s ten-year-old daughter.
Warrant Officer Melinda Harding – Marine, specialty communications.
Agent Hernandez – Agent of ADUO, second in command at the Chicago Branch Office.
Lieutenant Hobbs – Navy SEAL, second in command.
William Keyif – Navy SEAL, MIA after World Gate in Chicago destroyed.
Lieutenant Robert Larson – Navy SEAL platoon leader.
Corporal Karen Mills – Marine.
Corporal Jung Park – Navy SEAL.
Mathew Licht – Navy SEAL.
Ben Cruz – Navy SEAL.
John Redman – Navy SEAL.
Steve Rogers – Director of Chicago’s Branch of ADUO.
Ruth Rogers – Steve Rogers’s mother.
Henry Rogers – Steve Rogers’s father.
Ed Ruger – Navy SEAL, died in Jotunheim.
Sherbert Rush – Navy SEAL.
Gennie Santos – Chairman of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, murdered and later impersonated by Freyja.
Laura Stodgill – Legal Counsel at ADOU.
Carl Thomas – Navy SEAL.
So-called Gods & Others
Adze – Carnivorous hominids with dragonfly wings. In Ghana legends, the source of malaria.
Aesir – Denizens of Asgard, “gods.”
Allfather – Another name for Odin.
Andvaranaut – Cursed ring in Norse mythology–part of a ransom that an incarnation of Loki paid to a dwarf for Hoenir’s release.
Anganboða/Angrboða – Also known as “Aggie” by Loki. Loki’s Jotunn wife, mother of Helen. In myths, Angrboða means “grief bringer.” In reality, her name was Anganboða, meaning “bringer of joy.” One of the few to see through Baldur’s glamour.
Baldur – Son of Odin and Frigga. Possessed a magical glamour that made him appear beautiful, wise, and kind. Tried to abduct Nanna, the beloved of the human warlord Hothur. Used enchantment to create a magical plague that killed Loki’s daughter Helen.
Bifrost – “Rainbow Bridge” between realms.
Cera – A.K.A., the World Seed. A being of infinite magical power, tricked by Loki into destroying itself in the In Between.
Diar – Odin’s council.
Einherjar – Mortal warriors recruited by Odin or Freyja. They are given access to Idunn’s apples of immortality.
Eisa – In Norse mythology, daughter of one of Loki’s incarnations and Glut.
Fenrir – In Norse mythology, Loki’s wolf son by Angrboða. In actuality, just a wolf Loki and Aggie adopted when they thought they could not have children. Also the name of Amy’s vicious, tailless, rat-like, Chihuahua-poodle mix.
Fire Ettin – Fire Giant.
Freyr – Originally a Vanir, Freyr remains on Asgard. Associated with fertility. Former husband of Gerðr, brother of Freyja, son of Njord.
Freyja – Originally a Vanir, Freyja remains on Asgard. She is associated with love, beauty, and war. A master of magic and illusion, she can alter her appearance to match anyone’s romantic ideal. She is a cunning warrior and leader of the Valkyries. Sister of Freyr, daughter of Njord.
Frigga – Wife of Odin, Queen of Asgard. In Norse mythology, Goddess of Motherhood and Marriage, believed to spin clouds and to see the fates of all beings of the Nine Realms. One of the few to challenge Odin’s authority and get away with it.
Frost Giant – Another name for Jotunn, the natives of the realm of Jotunheim. Not really “giants.” They are tall by modern standards, but nearly giants compared to ancient humans.
Gerðr – Jotunn enchantress, former wife of Freyr. Gerðr led a team of Jotunn from Jotunheim across a World Gate on a hunt for Cera. Realizing the danger of Cera’s power, she grudgingly aided humans in trying to control it.
Gleipnir – Magical, unbreakable rope. In Norse mythology, believed to be used to chain Fenrir, Loki’s wolf son. In reality, used to control Sleipnir, an eight-legged stallion and one of the children by one of Lo
ki’s incarnations.
Glut – “Glow,” the wife of one of Loki’s previous incarnations.
Gullveig – In Norse myths, a Frost Giant witch and leader of the Iron Wood who the Aesir burned at the stake; Loki ate her heart in the stories, and all the monsters in the world were born of the resulting bowel movements. Sometimes believed to be Loki’s wife Angrboða, sometimes believed to be Frejya; in reality, she was a witch, leader of the Iron Wood, and Angrboða’s cousin.
Gungnir – Odin’s magical spear. A gift from Loki to the Allfather. Broken when Loki destroyed Cera.
Heiðr Gullveigssdottir – Gullveig’s daughter, dweller in the Iron Wood.
Heimdall – Servant of Odin. Creator of the classes among men. All seeing and hearing–if he happens to be gazing in your direction.
Hel – In Norse mythology, Hel is Loki’s daughter. It is also a place in Niflheim.
Helen – Loki’s daughter, in Norse mythology known as Hel. Half-blue, Helen had the ability to reveal the lies around her. As such, she was a threat to Baldur’s power. After Baldur killed her, Loki, with Odin’s approval, killed Baldur.
Hisbernia – In Celtic myth, a grower of magical apples. In reality, half-elf daughter of Idunn and a grower of Asgard’s immortality-bestowing apples.
Lieutenant Hobbs – Navy SEAL, second in command.
Hoenir – Gardener of the Asgard and a powerful enchanter. Loki’s friend.
Hothur – Human warlord, slayer of Baldur–with Loki’s help.
Huginn and Muninn – Odin’s raven messengers.
Idunn – A Light Elf, Idunn is a denizen of Asgard and grower of magical apples. Mother of Hisbernia.
In-Between – A place beyond space and time. Magical philosophers suspect it may be a place beyond the universe. Loki can step into the In-Between for inter-realm travel, but not for travel from realm to realm. For that he needs a World Gate (also called the Bifrost).
Jarnsaxa – Frost Giantess queen, lover of Thor, mother of his sons Magi and Modi.
Jotunn – Natives of the realm of Jotunheim, also called Frost Giants – though not really “giants” per se.
Jörmungandr – The “world serpent,” guardian of Asgard’s seas. In Norse mythology, the son of Loki by Angrboða.
William Keyif – Navy SEAL, location unknown.
King Billings – Frost Giant, father of Rind.
King Geirod – Frost Giant, held Loki prisoner for thirty days and thirty nights.
King Sutr – Fire Giant, one of only two beings that pose a serious risk to Odin’s power.
King Utgard – Frost Giant, one of only two beings that pose a serious risk to Odin’s power.
Laevithin (Laevithinn) – Loki’s magical sword. Charged with Cera’s magic.
Laugauz – Loki’s Fire Giant incarnation.
Lopt – Female incarnation of Loki.
Lothur – Incarnation of Loki.
Loki – Frost Giant incarnation of Chaos. God of Mischief, Chaos, and Lies. Friend of Hoenir. Associated with fire and feels when lies have been uttered. In mythology, blood brother of Odin, destroyer of the gods, and bringer of Ragnarok.
Magi – Son of Thor and his lover, the Frost Giantess and queen, Jarnsaxa.
Mimir – The severed head of Jotunn, animated by Odin. Knowledgeable about all things magical.
Mjolnir – Thor’s hammer. A gift for Loki offered in reparation for cutting Sif’s hair.
Modi – Son of Thor and his lover, the Frost Giantess and queen, Jarnsaxa.
Mr. Squeakers – A venomous spidermouse given to Amy by Loki. Hoenir used spidermice to eat cockroaches that invaded his hut.
Nari – One of Loki’s sons by Sigyn. According to Loki, “the incarnation of democracy.”
Njord – Vanir, father of Freyr and Freyja. Associated with the sea. Married for a short time to Skadi. His father was the leader of the Vanir before he was slain by Odin.
Norns – Watchers of fate, compared to the three fates in Greek mythology. Powerful enchantresses.
Odin – King of the Aesir, and leader of the Nine Realms. Also known as the Allfather. His magic lies in preservation. Willing to sacrifice his own son for the benefit of the Nine Realms.
Ord – Husband of Freyja.
Prometheus – In Greek myth, the titan that gave fire to mankind. In modern times, the FBI’s source for information on all things magical and Promethean wire.
Promethean wire – Magic-conducting wire. Any magical being or object placed in an unbroken sphere of Promethean wire will have its magic blocked; it blocks the eyes of Heimdall. A sufficient magical charge to Promethean wire can cause a tear in space time.
Pru – Thor’s daughter by Sif.
Ragnarok – “Twilight of the Gods,” variously interpreted as the end of the world or the end of gods.
Ratatoskr – Gossiping and extremely powerful magical squirrel. Servant of the Norns.
Rind – Jotunn princess and enchantress, daughter of King Billings. Raped by Odin after the death of Baldur.
Sif – Wife of Thor. Associated with fertility and harvest. Her long golden hair was famously snipped off by Loki.
Sigyn – Asgardian, friend of Angrboða. Sigyn became Loki’s wife after Angrboða died.
Skadi – Native of Jotunheim and one of Loki’s former lovers. Her father was the giant that built Asgard’s great wall; he was killed unfairly by the Asgardians. Seeking vengeance for his death, Skadi came to Asgard. She agreed to forgive the Aesir if one of their number could make her laugh, and if she had her choice of Asgardian men for a husband. She chose Njord, father of Freyr and Freyja, and God of the Sea. Loki was able to make her laugh.
Skirnir – A powerful enchanter and servant of Frey. Skirnir blackmailed Gerðr into marrying Frey.
Sleipnir – Odin’s eight-legged steed. Sleipnir is the son of one of Loki’s mare incarnations and Svaðilfari, the stallion that helped the giant build Asgard’s wall.
Thor – Son of Odin and an unknown giantess. Carries the hammer Mjolnir that makes lightning and summons storms. Associated with strength, healing, industry, and fertility.
Ullr – Son of Sif by an unknown father, adopted by Thor. Became Skadi’s second husband.
Valli – Son of Loki and Sigyn, twin of Nari. According to Loki, he would be the “incarnation of armed rebellion.”
Valkyries – Winged women warriors of Asgard.
Vanir – A person from Vanaheim.
World Seed – A being of nearly infinite power. It called itself Cera. Tricked by Loki into destroying itself in the In-Between.
World Gate – Any place where the fabric of space time is weak and allows travel between realms.
World Tree – Also called Yggdrasil. In Norse mythology, the “tree of life” and the connection between the realms. A way of describing the universe, the worlds within it, and the connection between worlds.