Thurisaz was having the time of his life.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
From the moment he had arrived at Magni’s fortress, offering his help against Modi, he had been accepted by the greatest warriors in history as one of their own. The einherjar even allowed him to train with them.#futharkvillage
Thurisaz looked to his right and to his left. In the ring with him were two einherjar sworn to Magni. They had died in battle hundreds of years before, and been training for centuries to fight in Ragnarok. Now that Ragnarok was past, they served the Thorsons.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
Each of the fighters was a little more than 20 paces away from each other, at the edges of the ring.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
On Thurisaz’s right was Arn Kettelson, who had died raiding Ireland. On his right was Slothi Ullfinnson, who had died defending Constantinople.#futharkvillage @blithgunde
All three were holding shields and swords with blunted tips. They were about to fight a three-way duel to first blood. Thurisaz had been playing a game since he was a child. Stay out of the middle, and try to fight them one-on-one.#futharkvillage @MightySigurd @SRCExplores
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
The three fighters eyed one another, looking for an opening. Thurisaz saw his opening when Arn, on his right, turned one foot toward him. Thurisaz feinted left, toward Slothi. This led Arn to charge in at Thurisaz.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
Perfect, Thurisaz thought. #futharkvillage @rhipossessed
Arn swung at Thurisaz’s right side from above, but Thurisaz was already changing direction. Thurisaz dropped his weight, bending his knees and extending his right leg toward Arn, and holding his own sword low. #futharkvillage @MarieHa44988077 @ILupine @Hyrrokkin89 @rurik_moll
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
Then Thurisaz stood up, raising his sword parallel to the ground with the tip pointed at Arn’s face, and the blade catching Arn’s sword just above the hand guard. Thurisaz thrusted forward, striking the blunted tip of his sword into Arn’s forehead.#futharkvillage @Apez140
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
This all took less than a second, and during this time Slothi struck toward Thurisaz from the left. Thurisaz’s shield rose without thought. It caught Slothi’s blade, driving it upward and knocking Slothi off his balance. #futharkvillage @suziejane3579 @wing_paranormal
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
Thurisaz drove his right hand outward, twisting his sword so that he could force Arn’s sword downward. He then turned his attention to his left. He stepped behind Slothi’s right foot, placed his pommel on Slothi’s left shoulder, and pushed.#futharkvillage @NacternalDeath1
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
Slothi fell on his butt, and Thurisaz was surprised to see his head bounce on the ground.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
Arn staggered back, bleeding from the strike to his forehead. Thurisaz pointed his sword at Arn’s throat. “What do you say, Kettelson? Do I win?”#futharkvillage @MjolnirForge
Thurisaz was dumbfounded. They hadn’t defended themselves. They had done nothing but attack.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
His reverie was interrupted, however, by clapping. “Well done, Thurisaz,” boomed Magni Thorson. “They won’t underestimate you again. Nor will I.”#futharkvillage @CeruliasCircle
Thurisaz stood a little straighter and backed away as Magni, the strongest of Thor’s sons, stepped into the ring.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 2, 2019
“Those two assumed a mortal couldn’t fight like a warrior who has done nothing but train since his death,” Magni boomed. “Come at me.”#futharkvillage
Arn and Slothi cleared out of the ring as Magni Thorson entered. They didn’t go far, though.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
“Hey, Arn!” Slothi called. “I put ten pieces of silver that Thurisaz doesn’t land a single hit!”
“Make it five and you have a bet.”#futharkvillage
“Oh!” Magni stopped short before entering the ring. He reached for his belt and removed it. “This is the belt which doubles my strength. I am already a god. You should wear this to give you a chance.” Magni tossed the belt to Thurisaz.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Thurisaz put on the belt and immediately felt stronger. Every muscle in his body hummed with power. He didn’t have time to imagine what it would be like to always have this kind of power, however. Magni charged through the ring, hammer in hand.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Magni wasn’t holding Mjolnir, the magical hammer which had protected Asgard for so many years, but a longer-handled hammer with a rubber head, designed for training. It would smart if that hammer were to hit, but it wouldn’t liquify Thurisaz’s bones.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Thurisaz ducked to his right, hoping to cause Magni to charge right out of the ring, but Magni wheeled himself around lightning quick and brought his hammer down toward Thurisaz’s left shoulder. Thurisaz raised his shield at an angle.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Slothi cheered as Magni’s hammer slammed into Thurisaz’s shield. Thurisaz adjusted the angle slightly so that the hammer slid down his shield with minimal impact. Thurisaz pushed outward and raised his sword to strike.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Magni used the downward momentum of his hammer’s head to swing the butt of the handle around toward Thurisaz’s right shoulder. Thurisaz adjusted the angle of his sword strike, and was barely able to get his sword under Magni’s haft.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Arn cheered Thurisaz on, but the block wasn’t perfect. Even the reduced impact sent lightning bolts of pain arcing their way down Thuriaz’s right side. He nearly dropped his sword as half the fingers on his right hand went numb. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Thurisaz drove the handle of Magni’s hammer up enough to attempt a thrust beneath it, but he had to readjust his shield because Magni was already using the momentum from Thurisaz’s sword to swing the hammer head upward.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Thurisaz took a step back, voiding his own thrust, and rather than try to brake the momentum of the hammer, he bashed the edge of his round shield into Magni’s hand. Magni’s swing was hard enough that his front hand lost its grip on the hammer. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
“Thanks Thurisaz!” Arn cheered. “Hey Slothi! That’s five silver you owe me!”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Magni backed away, shaking out the pain in his right hand.
“That wasn’t a blow!” Slothi countered. “He just held his shield in place, and Magni punched it!”#futharkvillage
While Slothi and Arn argued about their bet, Magni raised his hammer, and looked appreciatively at Thurisaz. “That was a well-placed defense. I nearly broke my own hand on your shield.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 3, 2019
Thurisaz breathed evenly, shield forward, sword raised.#futharkvillage
Magni moved in carefully this time, his left foot moving its own length, and then his right foot moving the same distance. He held his hammer in a wide grip, left hand forward near the butt, right hand back near the hammer head over his shoulder. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Thurisaz circled around Magni, right foot moving to the right, left foot following. He was letting Magni come to him, but he was making sure that his shield was angled to deflect the attack he expected from Magni’s right shoulder. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
When Magni struck, it wasn’t the diagonal blow with his hammer that Thurisaz expected, but a thrust: Magni drove his right hand forward from his right shoulder, keeping his left hand steady and allowing the haft to slide through his fingers.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
The butt of Magni’s hammer scraped the edge of Thurisaz’s shield as it slammed into the human’s chest. Thurisaz staggered back, trying to breathe, but Magni gave him no space to do so. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Magni pulled the handle back through his left hand, then swung and allowed it to pass through his right hand, increasing the reach and momentum of his swing. Thurisaz dodged by rolling to his left, coming up in a crouch outside of Magni’s reach.#futharkvillage @suziejane3579
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
“Get him!” Slothi called. Thurisaz hadn’t been paying attention to the argument with Arn, so he wasn’t sure how the bet was playing out, and he wasn’t sure he cared. Gambling was Perthro’s thing, not his.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Magni charged in with a horizontal stroke.#futharkvillage @MjolnirForge
The blow was coming from Thurisaz’s right, so Thurisaz stepped back and swung his sword in the same direction, knocking Magni off-balance. Thurisaz brought the pommel of his sword up toward Magni’s face.#futharkvillage @CeruliasCircle @wing_paranormal @NacternalDeath1 @Apez140
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Magni blocked, just barely, with the handle of his hammer, holding it vertically. The head of the hammer was toward the ground, and Magni was currently twisted up such that he would need to push against Thurisaz’s sword to swing the hammer. #futharkvillage @MightySigurd
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Magni made a motion as if to strike Thurisaz with the butt of the handle again, this time to the face. Thurisaz adjusted his sword against the handle, readying himself for a thrust, but Magni let go of the hammer entirely and punched Thurisaz in the jaw.#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Thurisaz staggered back from the punch, losing sight of Magni as his head was turned away from the Aesir by his blow. The god’s boot connected with Thurisaz’s chest, sending him flying back. He slapped his arm into the ground, checking his own fall.#futharkvillage @Hyrrokkin89
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Magni looked over at Slothi. “He landed a hit on me. Pay Arn.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
He then turned his gaze to Thurisaz. “You hit me on your first bout against me. I’m going to have some fun with you.” The god grinned, showing a perfect set of pearly teeth.#futharkvillage @MarieHa44988077 @ILupine
Thurisaz lifted himself into a sitting position. He had fought the son of Thor and hadn’t been humiliated. He had held his own against an Aesir.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
“Now give me back my belt,” Magni requested.
Thurisaz deflated. He had forgotten his doubled strength.#futharkvillage @rurik_moll
Magni extended his left hand to Thurisaz and helped him to his feet. “Let’s go eat. I have a feeling that we are going to be good friends.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Thurisaz was starstruck. He just followed dumbly, allowing himself to be dragged along by the mighty god.#futharkvillage @rhipossessed
Slothi scowled at Thurisaz while he counted out the 5 silver he owed Arn for the bet. The 2 einherjar followed Thurisaz and Magni to the dining hall. Slothi’s scowl only deepened as Arn laughed and talked about how great that fight was.#futharkvillage @blithgunde @SRCExplores
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 4, 2019
Uruz was having the time of his life.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
Ever since he had gotten to Magni’s fortress, he had been working with dwarven smiths, the best blacksmiths in the nine worlds. They encouraged him, but he knew that he was nowhere near their skill.#futharkvillage
“Uruz, get over here!” Motsognir called. Uruz approached the table with trepidation. Dain, Bombur, and Nori sat with Motsognir, and the four dwarves were the creators of some really impressive objects. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
Dain and Motsognir, sitting next to each other at the table and laughing over their beer, had made armor of solid plates that moved with its wearer.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
Bombur had made a spear with an axe-head on it, to bind and control many spears at once. #futharkvillage
Nori pulled a chair between himself and Bombur for Uruz to sit down, and Uruz sat between Bombur and the maker of the giant bow which sat atop Magni’s riverside fortress, which they had seen when they first arrived in Svartalfheim. #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“Did you see what Uruz did with the low-grade iron they brought us?” Motsognir asked those around the table. “He made a marbled metal out of it, as strong as the steel we normally get from the richness of Nidhavelir’s iron.” #futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“I did,” Bombur replied. “It’s being forged into the blade of my next set of ‘halberd’ spears.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“I hadn’t seen it,” Nori said. “But I am not surprised. After less than an hour looking at my giant bow, he had suggestions on improvements I could make.”#futharkvillage
Uruz was turning as red as unquenched steel at all this praise. “It was nothing,” he said. “Sometimes, you just need an outside eye to make an improvement.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“Yes,” Dain replied, “but you have a well-trained eye to be able to suggest such improvements.”#futharkvillage
“Ever since Nidhavelir cut off our supply lines, it has been really tough supplying an army of this size,” Motsognir pointed out. “Your skill at making due with what you have is impressive, and you shouldn’t be so humble about it.”#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“I just like to know how things work,” Uruz said. “Both machines and people. Back in my village, I am also the doctor, as well as the smith.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“Then you may have some suggestions on improvements to our solid-plate armor,” Dain said. #futharkvillage
“But not tomorrow,” Nori scowled. Everyone looked pointedly into their mugs. “Tomorrow, we have been ordered out with Magni’s army to collect the hammer. Some messenger arrived from Nidhavelir ordering that only Dwarves be anywhere near the hammer.”#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
Motsognir brightened. “Wait! Despite his skills at the forge, Uruz ISN’T a dwarf! He can stay back and do whatever work needs to be done!”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“I can’t do the work of four dwarves!” Uruz protested.
“But one man is better than no dwarves,” Bombur said.#futharkvillage
A booming laugh interrupted the conversation.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 5, 2019
“Sounds like the boss had a good workout today,” Motsognir said.
“Good,” Nori said. “Maybe he won’t work us so hard today then.”
“Oh, you love it,” Bombur nudged Nori.
Uruz smiled at the new topic.#futharkvillage
The dining hall grew quieter as Magni’s and Thurisaz’s laughter preceded them through the doorway. They were flanked by a pair of einherjar, one laughing with them, and one wearing a sour expression.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“You must excuse me,” Uruz said, rising to join his friend.#futharkvillage
“…And that was when the battle started to turn against us,” Magni said. “Dad had died, the mighty Thor, defender of Asgard and Midgard. The jotuns approached us with less caution, and quickly began to overwhelm our numbers.”#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“The valkyries’ magic allows the einherjar to get back up and reattach limbs, but they can die again. On that terrible day, most of them did.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“But rather than watch Asgard burn, I took Mjolnir, my father’s hammer, into my hand and I began slaying the giants.”#futharkvillage
“Many jotuns fell under Mjolnir’s might after that,” Magni continued. “Some even mistook me for my father, and simply fled my fearsome fighting skills.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“Then how came you to Svartalfheim?” Thurisaz asked.
“After it was all over, Modi asked for the hammer.”#futharkvillage
“The prophecy had said that we would inherit the hammer together. But I was the one who had picked it up and struck down the giants. The hammer was mine, I thought.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
Slothi piped in, “But Modi didn’t see it that way.”
“No. We fought, with words and blows.”#futharkvillage
“Vidar and Vali Odinson intervened before I could kill my overbold brother. Vali talked us into coming back here, to where Mjolnir was made, to ask for judgment.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“And that led you to this contest?” Thurisaz asked.
“Yes. King Nordri asked for three weeks.”#futharkvillage
“Each week, each of us was to make a foray into Jotunheim with Mjolnir and kill as many giants as we could. Whoever brought the most heads of frost giants back at the end of those three weeks would be the new owner of Mjolnir.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“How many do each of you have?”#futharkvillage
Magni laughed at Thurisaz’s question. “My brother has not a single head! Oh, he killed a giant or two on his first foray, but then a small army of them cut off his retreat, and he had to flee without his hard-fought prize.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“I, on the other hand, have six.”#futharkvillage
“You killed six giants in a single day? Even mighty Thor himself never achieved such numbers in jotun territory.”
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“No, I have just returned from my second foray. We shall return the hammer to Modi tomorrow.”
“Well,” Arn interjected. “Not ‘we,’ exactly.”#futharkvillage
“Nordri thinks that whenever Modi and I are together, destruction will spew forth, as creation came from fire and ice in the beginning.” Magni slammed his hand down on the table. “That was one time, and only one dwarf was killed.”#futharkvillage
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“Do you worry that with my sister’s help, Modi will be able to earn more than you this week?” Thurisaz asked.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
“Not at all. He gained your sister, but I got you. You’re quite the fighter, Thurisaz. I’ll take a strong sword arm against a seeress any day.”#futharkvillage
Then the serving wenches arrived with food and drink for the table, and the conversation turned to smaller things.
— Perseus Greenman (@futharkvillage) December 6, 2019
Thurisaz spoke little, glowing from the praise he was receiving from Magni.
Slothi’s face darkened more every time Magni complimented Thurisaz.#futharkvillage