"Well that's a pleasant thought."
Another giant in heavy furs stumbled into their guide. It smelled like it hadn't taken a bath in a month and couldn't seem to keep its balance. The giant leading them didn't bother to ask questions. He just slammed his bone club into the other giant's head. There was a loud thump as it fell to the ground. The sound echoed through the building until Henry was sure the entire castle had heard. The giant spit on his fallen companion as they passed. Henry and Andromeda went around it by a wide margin.
"Why did you do that?" Henry asked.
The giant shrugged. "He was in the way."
He plodded on without saying another word. They rounded a corner and came to a solid wall. The giant banged his club against the wall three times. A few seconds later, a seam appeared, and the wall split. Instantly, all heat was sucked from the air. Someone cried out, and Henry wasn't sure if it was him or Andromeda. He fell to the ground, his lungs burned by the cold air. He looked at his fingers and saw the tips turning black. The thunk thunk thunk of giant footsteps moved away from him. Henry was shaking hard and it was all he could do to turn his face in that direction. His eyes couldn't focus and he saw a vague blob of color moving around inside the room that had opened.
"My king." The giant's voice was perfectly calm.
"Litr," a raspy voice said. "Why have you brought humans into my hall?"
"They claim to be enemies of the gods. I thought they might give you some amusement."
"Really?" The giant king drew out the word. It would've sent shivers down Henry's spine if he hadn't already been shaking. "What are their names?"
The giant hesitated. "I don't know. I didn't think to ask."
"Sloppy, Litr. Very sloppy. Well, mortals, what are your names?"
The cold receded to a level similar to outside. His vision cleared and Henry tried to get up. He was still shaking and his arms couldn't seem to support his weight. Andromeda was barely moving, and he crawled over to her and covered her with his cloak. She stirred but didn't rise.
"What weak beings these mortals are," the king said.
The temperature shot up so fast Henry almost expected the floor to melt, but of course it didn't. It was only warm in comparison to the bitter cold that had filled the hall. Now, it seemed to be within the limits of the cloak. It was still a struggle to rise, but he managed it, making sure to keep Andromeda protected as well.
The giant king looked like a blue skinned human, if humans grew to be thirty feet tall. He had a long, pointed nose and beady white eyes. His beardless face was smooth, and his hair looked like spikes of ice. He reminded Henry of the Jack Frost character he'd seen in some Christmas movie, and his mind flashed back to when he'd first entered Kurnugi when Virgil had said they were near the home of the ruler of winter. He couldn't help but wonder if he was close to that spot.
"I'm Henry Alexander Gideon." His breath steamed in the freezing air.
"Hmm, I have heard of such a mortal," the giant king said.
"Yeah, I'm getting used to that. Does what you've heard tell you that Idun wants me dead?"
"It does indeed. It also says you led an army intending to storm Asgard itself, and that you brought strange gods as your allies."
"Then Heimdall threw me off the bridge, and I ended up here," Henry said. "You're well informed."
"Excuse me, Lord Thrym," Andromeda said. "Is that battle still going on?"
The giant king glanced at her then turned back to Henry. "So far as I know, your army is still there. It's no easy thing to defeat an army with so many dwarves while they defend a mountain. They can't win though."
"Not without help."
"Henry no, we can't unleash these..." her eyes darted to Thrym, and when she spoke, her voice was so soft even Henry could barely hear her. "We can't send these things to Midgard."
"Why should I care if one mortal army lives or dies?"
"I'm not asking you to care about our army," Henry said. "I'm asking you to care about the one we're fighting. If the gods win, they'll be even more powerful than ever."
The king leaned forward on his throne. "And what do you propose to do about that?"
"Send me to Asgard so I can deal with this threat."
Thrym laughed. "Tell me, boy, in the fight that saw you thrown off Bifrost, how many gods were you fighting?"
"One," Henry said. "Just Heimdall."
The giant gave him a level look. "One. You couldn't even defeat one, and you want to attack the heart of their realm."
"With respect, Lord Thrym," Andromeda said, "the gods fear Master Henry. Maybe he can kill them. Maybe he can't, but in either case, you risk nothing by letting us go."
"Unless the gods see this as an attack. I've no desire for open war with Asgard just yet."
"Asgard is engaged in a war on..." Andromeda thought for a second before shrugging. "I have no idea how many fronts. They're attacking every world they can reach. They won't be eager to start one with you too. You don't actually have to help us. You just have to not kill us."
"An interesting proposition. Asgard already counts you as an enemy, and there would be nothing odd about you attacking them." He tapped his finger against his chin. "Yet your chances for success would be much better with my help than without it, and I would gain a powerful ally."
"We don't want to lead an army of frost giants into Asgard," Henry said.
"No, that would be a trifle obvious, wouldn't it? I was thinking of something else. You are unarmed."
"My sword was broken when I fell, and Andromeda's was lost."
"He tried to attack me with this."
Litr opened his hand. The broken hilt looked like a toy. Henry's face reddened when the king laughed.
"Did he now? Let me see that." The giant walked over to his king and deposited the broken weapon in his outstretched hand. Thrym turned it over in his hand a couple of times. "Yes, I believe I can work with this."
He closed his eyes and a blue nimbus surrounded the hilt. A few seconds later, what remained of the blade collapsed to dust. Thrym's breath began to steam, and that steam swirled around the hilt.
"What..."
Henry's words caught in his throat as a new blade began to grow out of the hilt. Unlike the steel grey of Hephaestus' weapon, this one was ice blue and mildly translucent. The blade was straight and looked paper-thin. After a few seconds, the giant king opened his eyes and idly tossed the weapon at Henry. The blade sank a foot into the floor. Henry just stared at it.
"Take it," the king said.
Henry put his hand on the hilt, half expecting it to be cold. Instead, warmth suffused him. The sword came out of the ground easily. It was much lighter than it had been before. He swung it experimentally. The sword felt like an extension of his arm. He felt strong. With this, he could do anything.
"This won't melt, will it?"
"Oh no. It can stand temperatures far hotter than those that would melt steel. It'll also protect you from this land. I doubt it's the equal of the blade you had, but it's more than enough to accomplish your task."
"And what task it that?" Henry asked as he swung it a few more times. It felt natural in his hands. The way light gleamed off the blade mesmerized him.
"With this, you can slay the gods."
CHAPTER 33
"Litr, kill them," the king said.
"What?" Henry cried out.
The giant roared and thundered toward them. Its club came crashing down, and Henry rolled out of the way just as it smashed into the ground. Chunks of ice went flying, and a frozen sheet fell from the ceiling and shattered on the ground. The giant lurched at him, and Henry dove between its legs, slashing with his sword. The blade sliced across the top of the giant's boot, but didn't go deep enough to wound him.
"What are you doing?" Henry shouted, but the giant king just stared impassively while his underling attacked.
Litr's club tore through the air toward Andromeda, but she was moving too fast and ducked under it. Henry leapt at the gi
ant. He swung high, and his blade cut into the back of the Litr's knee. Blue blood sprayed out, steaming as it landed on the ice. The smell of rotten fish almost made Henry gag. Litr cried out and stumbled. He launched a meaty fist at Henry, but Henry raised the frozen blade and allowed the giant to impale itself. Litr drew back and screamed something that Henry could only assume was a curse in the language of the giants. Andromeda had retreated to the door that had sealed itself again.
"I thought you were going to help us," Henry shouted.
"Litr, if that human is still alive in thirty seconds, I'll have your head."
The giant swung wildly at Henry. He danced out of the way and slashed at the club, lopping off three feet of it. The lighter weight threw Litr off balance, and he stepped on his wounded leg a little too hard. He tripped over his own feet and crumbled to the ground. Henry rushed over to him and put his sword on the giant's neck. The giant froze, though Henry could see fear in his eyes as he looked at the king. Suddenly, this creature seemed like a sad and pathetic thing.
"What's going on here?" Henry asked.
"You failed, Litr," Thrym said, shaking his head. "Very disappointing."
"No, my king," Litr stammered. "Forgive me. I underestimated him. That sword..."
"Sword or no, he is only a mortal."
"No!"
He screamed. The ground under him writhed, and a thin tendril formed from the ice and wrapped itself around the giant's torso. Heedless of the blade still at his neck, Litr struggled against it, but though it was no thicker than Henry's little finger, it was apparently strong enough to hold its prisoner. Henry could only gape. The giant flailed but other tendrils reached up and held him prone. Slowly, he began to sink into the ground. Frozen tears fell from his cheeks. A few seconds later, he'd vanished. The ice where he'd lain looked as solid as ever. Even the cracks from his attacks were gone.
"What happened to him?" Henry asked.
"His skull will join those beneath us."
"I thought that was only for your enemies."
The giant king shrugged. "Weakness is as great a threat as anything else. That is enemy enough for me."
"But why did you order him to attack in the first place?"
"As I said, weakness will not serve me. If you're going to go into Asgard bearing a frozen blade, I intend to see you have at least a chance of success."
"You mean it was a test?"
"Of course."
"What if I had failed?"
"Then your skull and your friend's would be the ones beneath my throne room."
Henry tried not to look afraid. "Then we're done? You'll help us?"
"I'll send someone to guide you to Asgard."
"We haven't had good luck travelling outside through your realm."
"The sword will protect you."
"What about Andromeda?" Henry asked.
The giant king shrugged. He reached into his chair, and his hand sunk in like it didn't exist. When he brought it out again, he held a small crystal hanging on a frozen chain. He tossed it to Andromeda. She caught it and dangled the crystal by its chain. It seemed to glow with a faint inner light.
"That will melt as soon as you leave Jotunheim, but it'll keep you from freezing while you're here."
"Thank you," Andromeda said.
"Thank me by succeeding or at least by dying without revealing your connection to me."
"We'll see what we can do about that." Henry said.
CHAPTER 34
The giant who led them out of the castle didn't give a name and never spoke a word. Henry found himself wondering if he'd be able to fight this giant if he had to. The thought held a peculiar joy, and his hand moved toward his hilt almost of his own accord. He forced himself to put that thought away. It refused to disappear entirely though, and he couldn't help but imagine the giant whimpering before him like Litr had at the end. It was a strangely satisfying thought.
True to Thrym's word, the cold didn't touch Henry. Even sheathed, he never felt anything more than a mild chill. Andromeda was having an easier time of it as well. It still hurt to move, but that was only as a result of falling off of Bifrost and not of this land slowly killing them.
"Have you given any thought to what you'll do once we reach Asgard," Andromeda asked.
For some reason, the question annoyed him, and he sneered. "Find Idun and stop her."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
"Have you considered that Asgard is a world, every bit as large as Midgard? You can't just assume you'll find the way."
"I've found the way so far," Henry said.
"And look where it's brought us."
"It hasn't always been so bad."
Andromeda stopped in her tracks and gaped at him. She had to run to catch up. "Henry, we were just thrown off a bridge between worlds and landed in one the worst realms in all of existence."
The giant grunted. Andromeda glanced at him but otherwise ignored him. Henry's hand twitched toward his hilt, but he stopped himself. The giant just plodded on, and Henry gave Andromeda a sidelong glance. She smirked, and though the giant gave no other obvious response, Henry could've sworn he picked up the pace a little. Before long, they came over the crest of a hill. A wide river ran from horizon to horizon. A thick bank of fog obscured the opposite shore. The water churned so much; the entire surface was white with foam. Jagged rocks poked out of the water at irregular intervals, any one of them could probably split a man in two if carried by such a strong current. It was as if the river had a set of mismatched teeth just waiting to chomp down on human flesh.
"Asgard lies on the other side of the Ifngr," the giant said. Then, it turned to go.
"Wait, how are we supposed to get across that?" Henry asked.
"That's not my problem," it said as it disappeared down the hill.
Henry's hand closed around his hilt before he realized he'd done it. He took a step forward before Andromeda put a hand on his arm. He almost pulled away and ran after the giant, envisioning thrusting his sword through its back. He shook his head free of the idea and nodded.
"Well, he sure was helpful," Henry glanced at the departing giant before looking at Andromeda. "Any ideas?"
"Let's go down," she said. "Maybe we can ford it."
The hill was steep enough that they took ten minutes to reach the bottom. Henry could see a lot of other ways the giant could've brought them that would've been easier, and he began to suspect they'd been brought this way because of resentment over Andromeda's comment about how bad this realm was.
As it turned out, the river was even stronger than it had looked from atop the hill. Henry put his foot in to the ankle. He very nearly lost his balance to the strength of the current.
"So that won't work," he said.
"How deep do you think it is?"
Henry drew his sword and knelt down. He stretched out his arm and sank the blade into the water, but the blade didn't reach the bottom of the river. He looked at Andromeda and shrugged. He started to pull out the sword, but stopped. A small island of ice had formed where the blade met the water. He pulled the sword out another inch, but ice remained where it was, growing ever larger. It reached about two feet in diameter before the growth stopped. About an inch of the edge closest to him had anchored itself on the shore. He drew the sword out.
"Well, that's interesting," he said.
He stood up and pressed against the ice with his foot. The edge broke away, swept up by the water. It smashed against a rock a little ways away. Henry put the sword over the water and looked at Andromeda.
"You can't be serious."
For a moment, the comment annoyed him, but he forced it to the back of his mind. "I don't see you offering any better ideas."
Andromeda scanned the shore of the river, but there was snow as far as they could see. There was nothing to build a raft or boat from, no bridge in sight. Finally, she met his eyes, let out a long breath, and nodded. Wishing he were as confident as he was pretending to be,
Henry drove his sword down where water met shore. Again, ice formed. Once it had stopped growing, he moved his sword through it. The ice gave no more resistance than water, and his blade passed through it without damaging it. Once he had a line six feet wide, he moved the blade into the river and put one foot on the slowly growing ice bridge. He pressed down several times, but it seemed solid. Holding his breath, he put his full weight on it. He half expected it to crack, but it held. He took a step forward and Andromeda followed him.
Water spilling onto the surface of the ice made it slippery, and they proceeded with agonizing slowness. The shore behind them disappeared into the fog before the one in front of them was visible. Andromeda yelped, and he turned just in time to see the frozen amulet Thrym had given her melt, wetting her clothes.
"I guess we're out of Jotunheim. Are you cold?"
"A little." There was the slightest hint of steam in her breath. "I won't freeze to death, though."
He took off his cloak and handed it to her. The sword probably wouldn't protect him against heat, but served well enough against the cold. After pressing on for another fifteen minutes, he thought he saw a shadow on the horizon. It took another few minutes for him to be sure.
"Finally," he said, pointing the shore.
As if it had been waiting for that moment, the ice behind him cracked. The bridge shuttered. Henry forced the sword forward, trying to reach the shore, but it was too far, and the sword could only freeze water so fast. A section of the bridge ten feet across came loose, and they shot down the river. The current sent them into a spin, and Henry didn't notice the large rock until they'd slammed into it. Most of the ice shattered, and they plunged into the river.
Swimming was impossible. The current was too strong and it twisted him too fast for him to gather his bearings. He couldn't tell which way was up and started choking on the water. He held his sword with a death grip, willing it to freeze more water to give him something to hold on to, but he was moving too fast. A shadow appeared, though he wasn't sure if it was above or below. Needle-like claws gripped his arm and pulled him. He tried to struggle against it, fearing it would drag him under, but it held fast. Just when he thought he would pass out, his face plopped into the muddy ground of the shore, and the claws released him. Coughing, he managed to sit up and wipe the water from his eyes. He had to blink several times to clear his vision. Andromeda was lying next to him. A black bird half as tall as Henry himself perched near Andromeda's arm. Henry closed his eyes and searched his memory for the name.
Mimir's Well (The Oracles of Kurnugi Book 3) Page 14