By: Bryan Ricardo Marini Quintana
Atop the World Tree of Yggdrasil, the Aesir gods gather for a banquet in their stronghold of Asgard, singing praises to the All-Father for his absolute dominion over the Nine Realms. In the kitchens, the once graceful race of elves, smothered from their beauty, now prepares a feast. They’ve been twisted into sickly creatures who’re horrid to behold, heeding their new masters. In the forges, the once mighty race of dwarves, stripped of their vigor, now craft armaments. They’ve also been warped into cowardly creatures who’re miserable to behold, obeying their new lords. First, the sickly children of Alfheim offer tribute with a three-course meal, serving giants’ eyes, ears, and tongues. Viciously, the Aesir gods devour their chief enemies as they discard the paltry chunks, feeding Odin’s wolves, Geri and Freki. Next, the cowardly children of Svartalfheim also offer tribute, with the marrow bones of giants twisted into monstrous chalices of pale ivory. From these drips the blood of Ymir’s offspring as the Aesir gods become drunk with their juice. They bibulously toast to the All-Father’s eternal health while quenched in cherry wine to swallow their madness whole.
Deep within the Gallery of Gallantry, rests Odin over his throne in Valhalla, awaiting the return of his ravens to fetch tidings from a Witch who mocked his command and has eluded his sight. Upon his right hand, he grips Gugnir, a splendid spear that strikes fear into any foe that defies him. On his left hand, he wears Draupnir, a cunning ring that drips eight golden circlets every ninth night, with the index finger rotting to ashen dust due to incessant use. These are gifted to the kings of men, whipping them to his servitude. Hastily, Huginn and Muninn, the All-Father’s Thought and Memory, soar above a bent sea of legions sworn to serve Odin, to repose on his right and left shoulders. The ragged ravens bring ill tidings to the Lord of the Slain, pestering in their insolence about their failure to find the Prophetess who defied Odin by reciting the doom that looms over the Aesir gods in Asgard. Above all, the All-Father fears the fruition of her prophecy and relentlessly labors to thwart this destiny that will end his domain with the coming of Ragnarok.
Every night, Odin is haunted by the verses of the Witch that foretell Mankind’s awakening. Upon the blaring of Gjallarhorn, the sky bursts asunder as the icy fumes that shroud Midgard melt away to the flaring flame of the sun that glares through sleepwalking corpses. This will be followed by the singing of Valkyries that descend unto kingdoms to break the spell of Draupnir that has bound kings to the All-Father’s grip. By rekindling their spirits, Mankind awakens to challenge the cruel dominion of the Aesir gods that robbed them of their being, enflaming the World Tree of Yggdrasil. Ultimately, Asgard meets its demise, with the grand designs of the One-Eyed god to be King of Kings crumbling into frail sand, allowing the world to be reborn anew under the dominion of men.
For their fruitless task, Odin tosses foul meat to his starving pets, who gobble sumptuously at crumbs intended as punishment from their master. Thereupon emerges Loki Laufeyson, ever the rabble-rouser, who stirs delusions in the ears of the All-Father. He approaches Odin as a trustworthy advisor, discreetly counseling suspicion over his lordship’s ravens. In a maddening accusation, the god of mischief feeds the All-Father with persistent paranoia, finding amusement in rousing the temper of Odin by accusing Huginn and Muninn, his Thought and Memory, of committing treason. Loki apprehends the ravens with conspiracy charges, denouncing their scheme to dethrone the All-Father with spells from the Prophetess. Immediately, Huginn and Muninn plead with Odin, begging for his benevolent mercy while he beholds them with piercing anger. He questions their allegiance to him, cursing his Thought and Memory for this treachery. Both ravens attempt to reason with him but realize they’ve already been condemned to perish. Swiftly, the god of mischief bows before the All-Father and feigns to submit himself as a lowly and loyal servant by swearing reassurances of his faithfulness. Thereafter, he turns back to face Huginn and Muninn, slandering them as conniving spies, with a grin that extends from cheek to cheek.
In a fit of fury, Odin sentences his Thought and Memory to death and summons the god of thunder to execute them. Thereupon rumbles Thor Odinson, ever the hammer of the gods, who serves at the behest of his father’s bidding. On his hip, he fastens Megingjord, a belt that doubles the god of thunder’s strength. There he suspends Mjolnir, enacting the iron will of Asgard with lightning bolts from his mallet. Resolutely, Thor tightens his girdle and grips his hammer, summoning a thunderstorm that scorches the ravens.
Throughout the Nine Realms, the god of thunder scours below the fumes that sprout from the furnaces of Valhalla to remind the race of men who reign over their lives. He descends when the Aesir gods flog him to crush rebellions that contest the All-Father, also becoming a slave to their whims. In Midgard, Thor collects tribute from the kings of men who fall on their knees in marvel and dismay over the Aesir gods. He receives gifts and sacrifices from them in reverence to the Lord of the Slain. In perpetuity, the god of thunder visits the Norns, a coven of sorceresses who engrave on a tablet the fate of the Aesir gods and Mankind. They’re held captive in the catacombs of the underworld, where Thor tortures them in Mimir’s Well. Here, Odin once forfeited an eye in exchange for mastering magical power, and now his son drowns the Norns in the same fountain of wisdom. Each day, they’re forced to drink every droplet smothered unto their lips as the god of thunder smites them with a stroke of his mallet. After their unending torment, Thor grieves his fate as the instrument of Asgard’s tyranny, forcing them to recite prophetic verses that will give the All-Father an answer. Nevertheless, the cruel devices of Odin falter as the Norns cackle maniacally at the self-proclaimed One-Eyed god who cannot escape his foreboding destiny, reciting the same doom that haunts him in mockery.
Canto I
One eye in sacrifice for the wisdom of foresight from the Norns
This is the price the Aesir god will pay
One eye in exchange for the skill of magic from the Runes
This is the price the Aesir god will pay
Nine days the One-Eyed god hanged
To acquire knowledge of the Realms
Nine nights the One-Eyed god dangled
To acquire knowledge of the Cosmos
Scouring relentlessly to know the fate of every object that could challenge him
Searching ceaselessly to know the doom of every insect that could oppose him
Canto II
Two items the dwarves crafted for him
A Ring called Draupnir
To bend the minds of Men to his whim
Two items the dwarves fashioned for him
A Spear named Gugnir
To succumb the spirits of Men to his will
For his son, Thor, they gifted him the Hammer Mjolnir
Fighting off the Frost Giants from Jotunheim
For his guardian, Heimdall, they gifted him the Horn Gjallarhorn
Warning of the Fire Giants from Muspelheim
Canto III
In perpetuity, every ninth night, eight rings drip from Draupnir
Bestowing the Race of Men with glimmering golden crowns
To corrupt their souls with delusions of grandeur
Within the Gallery of Gallantry, where the Lord of the Slain resides
Until the doom of the gods, The Discord of the All-Father disturbed
By twisting Just Kings into Cruel Emperors
Until the twilight of the gods, The Melody of the Valkyries will be quelled
Within the Hall of Valhalla, where the All-Father resides
In seclusion, Odin ponders with dread and envy the verses of the Norns, foretelling the fate of the Aesir gods. Desperately, the All-Father endeavors incessantly to thwart his inevitable destiny. Upon his throne, Odin is burdened by divinations that threaten his grand schemes, summoning a host of subservient shields and spears to defend the walls of Asgard. Shield-maidens and dead warriors are assembled at his right and left hands. The booming beat of their blissful hearts has been silenced, becoming obedient Einherjar and Valkyries. In their slumber, they’re powerless to rebel against the spell of the All-Father, who binds them to defend Valhalla and deprives them of composing melodies. This host is led by Heimdall, the warden of Bifrost, who hoists everywhere on his girdle Gjallarhorn, ready to blast the horn over the rainbow bridge, warning the Aesir gods of their demise while calling to arms Einherjar and Valkyries to fight.
Thereafter, Loki serves Odin’s Thought and Memory on a silver platter as the All-Father devours himself. When witnessing this folly, Thor sheds a tear, grasping that for all the mettle of Megingjord and Mjolnir, he’s incapable of mending his father’s sanity. Under Odin’s sway, this triumvirate holds dominion over Mankind in Midgard, leaving Yggdrasil’s roots to wither and its leaves to fade in an obsessive hunt to elude the Prophetess’ prophetic visions. When his designs waver, he becomes haunted by the verses of the Norns, binding the Nine Realms to the same fate of shadow and flame that awaits the Aesir gods in Asgard. Upon his right hand is seated the god of thunder, Thor Odinson, a brute who pitilessly crushes the foes of his father. On his left hand is seated the god of mischief, Loki Laufeyson, a serpent who utters poisonous counsel to incite the wrath of the All-Father. From the Hall of Valhalla, this triumvirate conjures the miseries and diseases of Midgard, steadily losing their grip over the race of men at the tightening of the fist, beckoning forth the twilight of the gods.
The Western Voyager 