KNOW THY ENEMY

Part III

By Kristi Manchester

The weather was warm on this fine morning as a tall hooded and cloaked man strode down a worn path. His piercing blue eyes surveyed the rich deep green fir trees that spread out all around him. Silver edged emerald fragrant grass coated the ground around the path, dark blood red, violet, and ebony flowers sprouted in clumps among the moss covered roots. The well built man gazed around, his eyes catching the solid white stone work of walls that have been over grown a few feet or so down the path and if he listened carefully he could hear the sound of the rushing water of a river nearby. The walls themselves were chipped and cracked with broken pieces littering the ground a short distance around them. The man’s pace picked up slightly and after a few minutes he found the trees around him thinning out as he left the forest.

The path he followed continued strong and began to change slowly from a worn dirt path to a cobblestone road. His boots thudded lightly on the road as he left the forest behind and entered the rolling hills of light green grass and jutting shockingly white tall stones. Upon each stone was set long rows of runes and letters which the man left the path to examine. Pausing for a few moments, his eyes scanning the words quickly with only a pause to brush stray blonde hairs away from his face. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw he turned back for the road and continued on. In the distance stood huge craggy mountains and just outside of their shadow stood a high walled village. From his position up hill from the village he could see the tops of thatched roofs and a tall statue though even the man’s keen eyes could not see who the statue honored. With his objective in site, he began to quickly jog down the path toward the faraway village.

Within the hour he had reached the high walled village and walked up to the tall gates which stood strong, made of thick wood and solid steel. With a strong hand he pounded on the door lightly but still a crack formed and spread out from the impact. His blue eyes lit up for a moment before he stepped back to wait for a reply. He did not wait long.

“Who art thou who brazenly knocks upon the gate of Graystone?” said a deep voice with a light Celtic accent. “Do ye not know whose domain ye are in?”

“I know well whose domain I hath entered, Troll,” said the man, his voice deep and commanding. “Now thou shall open the door for I have pressing business and will not be delayed.”

A hidden slot opened up in the door, wide enough only for two emerald green eyes to look through.

“Tell me thy name and perhaps I will allow ye entrance to the village of Lord Jaelric,” answered the Troll guard. “If thou will not announce thyself then thou shall not enter. Who has sent thee?”

“You do not know me? Thou art a fool and a craven dog to hide behind such a gate but I will tell ye what it is you wish to know,” the man said before pulling back his hood and sweeping his cloak back. His blue eyes flashed with power and he wore finely crafted blue armor with brightly lit silver disks down its front. His long blond hair shone in the light and upon his belt hung the mighty hammer Mjolnir. “I am Thor, God of Thunder and son to Odin. I have come on an errand of most importance and I will not be barred. Open thy gates now or feel mine wraith.”

“Thor?! God of Thunder…I did not know it t’was you, son of the All-Father…” came the hurry reply before the guard backed from the door. “Get this door open, ye bunch of lay-abouts and be quick about it!”

Thor held stepped back and shook his head slightly, watching the doors with a permanent scowl upon his face. He could hear the guards, perhaps three from their grunts lifting up what sounded like stone and bars. The doors visibly seemed to pull out from the ground once the weight was removed and slowly opened allowing him to see the village within. Before he could enter though, Thor was faced with a tall broad shouldered orange skinned troll. He was squat with thickly corded muscles and a large heavy mace hanging from a corded belt. Wearing simple dark green chain mail armor with what resembled a gold and emerald green kilt. Upon his feet were leather thick sandals, leaving his two thick toes free. All this Thor saw as well as the glaring scowls from the accompanying guards. Some showed mouthfuls of cracked and broken teeth to try and intimidate the God of the Storms.

“Brutes and animals these Trolls be,” Thor thought before drawing Mjolnir free and holding the hammer at his side loosely in his hand. Electricity crackled around the head and the trolls all backed away as one except the Captain.

“Block mine path at thy own peril beast,” Thor said, staring up at the large troll. “My father Odin, the All-Father of the Gods has sent me here and his will shall be done. Make way, this is the last time I shall say that.”

“Aye, I know who your father is laddie, but that shall not protect you if thou step over the lines we hath sent for thee,” the Captain said and stepped to the side.

Thor strode in, keeping Mjolnir at the ready while looking around the open village. Straight ahead, dominating the center of the village was a massive statue of Ulik, the protector of King Geirrodur. The statue portrayed the mighty troll with his head back yelling up to the sky with his large fists shaking at the Gods. On his hands were his trademark hammer fist gauntlets and he stood upon the fallen body of a nameless God. Water flowed from the God’s broken body and from Ulik’s fists. Thor clenched his fist around his hammer before looking around once more. Homes stretched out on either side of him, varying in size but all made from stone and mud with thatched roofs. The doors were wooden and many Trolls milled about, including small orange skinned children and less monstrously built women. Most of which had deep red hair and bright green eyes. As the Thunder God walked forward, the people shied away from him, many going to their homes out of fear.

Around the fountain stood the market place where the smells of roasted meats, and rich tasting ales and meads. Animals milled about and Trolls yelled out prices and orders. Hammer clanged against metal as smithies worked in the golden sunlight and the trolls out shopping went from stand to stand looking at all the fine wares of the craftsmen. Thor ignored all of this and walked on toward the large but squat mansion at the far end of the village. The building matched the others with only the huge banners that hung down around the windows and doors. Striding up the stairs and flanked by three of the heavyset guards, along with the Captain, Thor pushed the doors open before walking in.

The Thunder God’s blue eyes took in the huge hall slowly as he came to a stop just inside of the manor. To his sides were stone doorways with staircases heading up and curving out of sight. Before him stood a huge chamber with walls lined with open burning torches flanked with trophies, including a number of weapons on plaques as well as the heads of a number of mythic beasts. Thor took a moment to study the trophies, looking over a saw-toothed axe made from a silvery ice with many runes marked on its shimmering surface and the head of huge eagle, the blue-black eyes glazed but fiercely staring. Under his feet was a deep red carpet lined in gold with a grand battle between what could only be a great Troll warrior and Odin himself. Taking notice of this Thor moved on to the massive table that stretched far into the room and it was here that he finally took notice of the many trolls sitting in the equally many high backed chairs lined with rough furs. Just before the Thunder God had stalked in, the strong warrior host had been gorging upon a small feast fit for a lord. Legs of lamb and huge joints of Mutton with thick pools of gravy decorated the table and were left nearly to the bone. Flagons of mead and ales had tipped over as the Trolls turned to look to Thor with three of them standing to protest the intrusion but thought better of it once they saw the mighty Uru hammer Mjolnir. At the head of the table sat the lord himself in a huge throne of heavy wood, stone and bone. A huge banner hung on a pike above it and many thick pelts covered it to provide comfort. Two the sides of the throne stood two guards of surprising size and power.

“We would have words, Lord Jaelric,” Thor said, his hand falling to his hammer before he continued. “Thou hath much to explain.”

The thickly muscled troll on the Throne glared at the God at the foot of his table, his hand resting on a huge two handed axe at his side while his muscles that bulged against his orange skin tensed. He had a thick black spiked Mohawk and his face was horribly scarred but both red eyes were ever watchful, truly Thor saw him to be a powerful man. His voice was like gravel dragged across stone and as he spoke he spoke slowly.

“You come into my home, Godling and demand answers of me and mine? Ye hath not been given leave to enter my home!” Lord Jaelric said, leaning forward slowly in a movement that a lesser warrior would quall from. “If Odin were not your father, you would be slaughtered where you stand. What business hath though with me?!”

“Business most dire, Troll lord…Thou hast committed a crime of the highest order and there shall be a reckoning,” Thor responded with an edge to his booming voice.

“A crime ye says, a crime against who I dare ask!?” barked Lord Jaelric over the growing noise of his company of troops. “For ye have not told us of what my crime may be Lad.”

“Lad…? Thou walks path most dangerous Troll Lord, I am no mere child to be treated in jest,” Thor said, his eyes narrowing and the muscles in his hand tightening. “The crime thou hath committed is grave indeed, theft of the ancient book known as the Tome of Aengrim. The knowledge contained in the tome must not be released upon the seven worlds. Thou hast taken it, and must return it now.”

The grand hall erupted into loud boisterous laughter as the Trolls mocked the son of Odin, their Lord smirked while his flagon was refilled. “A book?! That is why you have come…do ye really think a troll would wish to read yer pathetic magicks? Also ye seem to have forgotten about this murder that has been committed.”

“No rude braggart I hath not forgotten thy second crime,” Thor said, glaring at the Lord Troll. “Thy second crime is murder most foul. Thou hath slain two of Asgard’s most noble servants, Haldre and Jarnier who guarded the Tome of Aengrim. Thou must be punished for thy crimes.”

“Who will make me pay lad? Shall ye…” Jaelric began but was interrupted as Thor slammed his hammer down upon the table with a thunderous sound, splitting it straight down the middle causing it fall in, food and drink staining the floor and the trolls.

“Enow!” Thor cried, standing up straight with his hammer held at the ready. “Thou hast committed crimes most fiendish and for that thou shall pay.”

For the first time fear shown in the Troll Lord’s eyes, his hand held his axe but he seemed to shrink as he saw the lightning in the Thunder God’s eyes. His men shied away from the table, hands going to weapons but weakness in their eyes. After a long minute past Jaelric finally found his voice once more.

“This must be a jest…Ye know we never have entered yer golden city beyond the rainbow bridge…” Jaelric stammer out, standing on weak knees. “Ye are the true…Thunder God…but I thought ye were…Kimrek…? I…we did not know it was ye son of Odin…”

With that last statement the assembled Trolls fell to one knee, eyes cast down in the presence of Thor son of Odin and God of Thunder. Lightning began to crackle around the head of Mjolnir as Thor looked around, his blue eyes flashing brighter with contained might. What none of the many Trolls saw was the sneer that crossed his face for but a moment.

“Tis no joke ye pathetic wretches, thou hast committed a crime against the All-Father and must be made to pay,” Thor said, his voice even and grim. “Thou shall give me the tome or suffer utter destruction.”

“But we do not have yer tome, son of Odin!” Jaelric managed to say, looking up to the giant of man standing before him. “I give mine oath that we do not have what ye seek.”

“Lies…Thou would lie to me?! Would seek to keep from me what is rightfully mine father’s?” Thor shouted. ” Deceivers…thou hast brought this upon thyself.”

Neon blue lightning began to arc out from Mjolnir, striking the walls and ceiling with burnt scars marking each thunderous hit. The fury in Thor’s eyes shone bright and fierce as he raised his mighty hammer above his head ready to strike with the wraith of the storm.

“Mercy Thunder God!!! ‘Tis all in jest…calm ye self please Lord Thor!” Jaelric cried out over the sound of thunder, his hands raising up, palms forward from his ducking position. “We thought ye were someone else son of Odin!”

With a flash as Thor lowered his hammer the storm of lightning ended leaving the walls scarred and the carpet badly burnt. Walking forward, Thor strode over the remains of the table, kicking plates away as he moved with his eyes on the Lord alone.

“Explain this situation to me if thou will, I wish to see the humor behind thee mischievous jest,” Thor said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Be quick about thy explanation for mine patience runs thin.”

“This is but a mistake Son of Odin, w-we simply thought that ye were an ally of our kin, a shape shifter by the name of Dorni Kimrek…” stammered the Lord, looking up at the towering Odinson. “It is but a game we Trolls play in this village…we challenge Dorni in his many forms…perform plays for the children and it provides entertainment for my men.”

“Thou art saying that thy form of entertainment dare mock the Gods of great and noble Asgard?” Thor said, his voice low in sharp anger. “Does thou think this explanation will spare thee the end that I hath brought upon thee? Mocking the Gods is an offense against Almighty Odin himself and thou must answer for it…but I may be lenient, or perhaps I wouldst have been had thee not committed crimes most dire against my kin.”

“Odinson, ye must listen to me…our jest was but a game but we did not steal the tome you seek nor kill the guards you seek vengeance for…” Jaelric pleaded. “We have not committed crimes against yer people!”

“Wouldst that I could believe thy words…but it is beyond doubt that vile Trolls took what I seek…” Thor said almost with remorse hinting into his deep voice. “Perhaps thou speaks the truth, perhaps no one of this village committed the crime but thou shall serve as good a message as any other. I shall use thee and thou kin as an example to whoever hides the villainous cur from mine justice.”

Without another word Thor raised his hammer above his head, holding it in both hands and setting his feet shoulder width apart. Electricity slowly gathered around Mjolnir’s head as the main doors creaked softly, growing louder as the aura of power grew. Bolts of lightning began to tear through the air, striking the ceiling, floor and walls erratically. The doors continued to creak, cracking, splintering and finally shattering open, sending wood and metal shard into the hall as winds rushed in. Trolls cowered and hid as the lightning blasting out around them began to come faster and faster with the wind picking up in and strength. Thor began to rise up into the air, his hammer lifting him up with cloak flowing around him in the wind and his legs together. His blue eyes flashed briefly a crystal clear emerald and Norse runes lit on his hammer in luminous golden and silver before fading away in the same manner. All around the room banners tore down, furniture chairs smashed into walls and torches fell went out. Trolls began to run but the first to attempt to flee was struck with a chair, his chest cracking in from the incredibly hard impact and his body slammed into the wall. Soon a number of other trolls were picked up and slammed hard into the ceiling and floors of the great hall. Lightning lanced out, running through three trolls at once, their bodies began to spasm immediately and twisting under the barrage, sounds of snapping bone could be heard as violence of the spasms were great indeed. Blood gushed from great cracked toothed maws, sprayed on the carpets, poured down chests and each Troll whether broken against the wall or shaking on the floor were in a grave condition.

As the storm grew stronger still the stone walls and ceiling began to crack under the constant barrage of winds and lightning. Stone began to rain down on the heads of the surviving trolls, crushing one under a loosened block. The sickening crunch was heard faintly over the winds roar and soon only the Lord and his Guards lived but only for a moment as both guards were roasted in their armor. The table lifted up, the throne tore from its place and both began to whirl around the Thunder God as the hurricane force winds increased. The crack of thunder could be heard from outside and a tremendous lightning bolt struck the manor from the outside blasting the roof and the ceiling wide open. The stone walls cracked outward and the anything, bed, treasure, and dressers were tossed to the wind ravaging the village. With the roof and ceiling gone the tormented Lord could see the pitch black clouds flowing over his village, and he despaired. Rain poured down upon them and massive cracks of thunder filled the air. Though they struck all around, the lightning did not strike the inside of the shattered manor. Screams began to flood in from the outside, mingling with the screams was the destruction of the buildings and farm animals.

Within minutes of its start the storm began to wane and falter and Thor slowly descended to his feet. He lowered his hammer and walked slowly toward the lord. Grabbing Jaelric by his neck, he dragged him toward the great doors through the wreckage that was his home and the bloody remains of his comrades. Through the doors they went to the ruins of Graystone and the Thunder God hoisted the shocked Lord up before him to see the destruction. The Market place was destroyed, wreckage lay everywhere with body burnt and shredded half buried. Children and adult Trolls were crushed and mangled, with all the homes shattered open to the air and the ground torn and shredded. The Fountain had been pulverized and blood flowed freely in the soaked ground. No one lived in this destroyed place beyond Thor and Lord Jaelric and the Thunder God simply tossed the insignificant Troll Lord to the ground.

“Let this be a warning to thee and thy people Jaelric…Until the tome is returned no troll shall be safe, until the murder is stoned for…no village shall be left standing,” Thor said, his eyes blazing blue. “Tell your dog king that the Asgardians hath declared war upon the Trolls of Jotunheim for there must be a reckoning for what has come to pass.”

With those last words, Thor whirled his mighty hammer Mjolnir over his head and in a flash of light, disappeared leaving the Troll Lord alone among the fallen village.

Many miles away Thor reappeared in a flash of light in a forest covered in a layer of shimmering snow. The trees were covered in snow, light gleaming off of them and as he began to walk toward his new target he watched rabbits and foxes dart by him. Thor’s blue eyes took in the chase of the rabbit and the leap of the fox that ended the rabbit’s life. Crimson splashed out onto the snow and the fox crushed the rabbit’s neck in its jaws. With a soft chuckle the Thunder God stalked through the forest, his boots crunching in the snow and his cloak dragging along over it. Before him the sound of rushing water could faintly be heard and in the distance stood even larger snow capped mountains than had been around the Troll village. If he focused his eyesight, he could just make out huge forts and battlements around the base of each mountain but neither fort was his objective, that was much closer.

After a short trek, Thor came to a rocky cliff side that looked out over a large lake, which had frozen over in places with craggy ice chunks floating in the crystal clear water. A shadow of incredible size flowed under the ice with dark blackish green scales showing as the dark beasts moved under the unfrozen areas of water. Every brief glimpse of this monster gave hints of the deadliness of the lake itself and Thor readied himself to fly over the deadly lake but just as he prepared to hurl Mjolnir he noticed just what he had come for.

A distance down the shore of the lake walked a huge man, standing about twenty feet tall with a fishing spear made for his size, its head was many barbed and he held it at the ready. On his belt Thor could see a sized long sword, its hilt was gold and many jeweled as far as he could make out which gave the Thunder God a hint of the Giant’s status. At his feet bound at the tail were two of the monsters Thor had seen just seconds before in the water. Their heads were dragon like but at his current distance, he could not make out more than that. Without waiting another moment he began to run along the hills edge toward the Giant, his hammer held at the ready and a fierce gleam in his eyes. The closer he got the more clear the Giant became with his hair set in a top knot and a silver circlet upon his head. Resting on the circlet was an immense Sapphire gem surrounded by smaller rubies and emeralds. The Giant’s face had deep-set eyes, a large bulbous nose, and a finely trimmed goatee. His skin was deep tan and his clothes were thick fur, though it was a fine white fur and ornately crafted leather armor. Thor knew this Giant well enough; he was the youngest son of the King of Utgard, Prince Olregrim.

Watching the Giant for a few moments longer Thor stood up tall and with a mighty throw sent Mjolnir flying toward Olregrim where it crashed into the ground at his feet forming a deep crater. Mjolnir returned swiftly to Thor’s hand and the Giant prince turned to face his attacker. Surprise shown on his face before quickly shifting to hatred for the God before him.

“You!” Olregrim cried out in a voice deep and powerful. “What brings thou to the realm of mine father Utgard-Loki?!”

“I hath come to deliver a message mighty Prince Olregrim,” Thor said, electricity already beginning to wrap around the head of Mjolnir. “Tis a simple message that only thou can deliver.”

“Speak quickly, little God,” growled Olregrim with a hint of curiosity edging into his voice. “Or I shall cut thee in twain with Hill-Splitter.”

“As you wish,” Thor said, feeling his hammer trembling in his clenched fist. “The message thou art charged to deliver is the news of thy death!”

With those words spoken Thor released a white neon blue edged blast that struck the massive Giant’s chest and pushed him back toward the water. With a loud grunt, he righted himself just short of falling into the water and shifted as best he could to a more defensive stance. His breathing was labored as the attack had winded him and kept him from launching his own counter attack. Thor wasted little time in renewing his attack as he flung Mjolnir at the recovering Giant who raised his arm to block the attack. The powerfully enchanted hammer slammed into Olregrim’s wrist with a thunder impact that echoed through the air. Crying out in rage, Olregrim threw his fishing spear in retaliation and watched the huge spearhead strike the ground under the Odinson’s feet. The ground exploded outward in a shower of snow and rock, sending the Thunder God plummeting toward the ground below.

Landing hard at the foot of the hill while the debris from the attack continued to fall upon him, Thor barely managed to roll to the side in time to avoid a vast chunk of stone. As he stood, slowly shaking his head side to side to clear the stars from his eyes, he could hear the sound of a massive object cleaving through the air. Again Thor managed to dodge to the side just in time as the enormous blade of the Giant’s sword cut deep into the ground beside him. For a moment the God of the Storms was lost in the burst of snow, ice and dirt that resulted from the savage attack but with the oncoming of a fierce wind he was revealed anew.

“This hath gone on enow!” Thor shouted out while lashing out with mighty Mjolnir. With a fierce crack of thunderous force the Uru hammer smashed into the blade. Under the attack the blade shattered into mere silvery shards. “Now, we shall finish this!”

Olregrim’s eyes opened wide in shock at the destruction of his blade and opened wider still as Mjolnir flew at his head. Thor’s aim was flawless, his hammer striking a horrendous blow that destroyed the circlet and split the Giant Prince’s forehead open. Blood spilled out in a great torrent of crimson ichors from the terrible wound. As Olregrim fell upon his back with an earth-shaking thud, Thor caught the returning wondrous mallet. Without wasting a single moment, the son of Odin leaped upon the fallen Giant and moved quickly to stand at Olregrim’s chin. For a moment as he drew Mjolnir back his eyes shifted to an emerald green once more but only for mere seconds for as he slammed the hammer down upon the Giant’s face they were blue once more. Norse runes once again surrounded Mjolnir in the midst of the explosion of blood and the dry crunch of bone. Showing no mercy Thor drew his hammer back and brought it down again and again causing bone to crack, snap and then begin to pulp. Under the barrage what was once a face was now destroyed and ravaged remains. Barely breathing hard, Thor took his hammer in both hands and struck with savage fury a blow that caved in the mighty Prince’s skull and formed a crater beneath what remained. Thor watched the blood pour forth into the lake for a few short minutes before turning to his dark work.

Within the hour Thor had finished his grizzly work. Upon the hill he had nailed the body of Prince Olregrim using the shards of the shattered Hill-Splitter. Upon his chest the Thunder God had pinned a message written in blood that read “The All-Father hath decreed that son of Utgard-Loki, Prince Olregrim be executed and thus has it been done.”With this done, Thor disappeared in a flash of light.

Moments later he reappeared this time in a darkly lit hall that seemed to pulse with power at Thor’s arrival. The room was very akin to a throne room with a marble floor, flawlessly crafted and as the Thunder God strode forward, glyphs and runes etched into the walls lit up with arcane power. With each step the Son of Odin seemed to change, to shift and melt in the shifting light. His cloak and armor melted into robes made of many layers of gold and emerald. The further into the room he stalked the more that became clear to him as the appearance of Nordic runes of protection and power triggered the appearance of a throne. A golden set of short upturned horns seemed to grow from under the hood that the being who had pretended to be Thor wore. With a casual motion he brushed the hood back, revealing a slender face with piercing violet and green eyes with a circlet from which the horns had sprung. Long black hair fell down to his shoulders and as he took his seat upon the Throne. Loki, the God of Mischief, had completely shed his disguise. He shifted to a more comfortable position upon his seat as he absently looked at the hammer he held before tossing it away. The hammer that would be Mjolnir first seemed to crack and then simply crumbled away as Nordic magic runes.

With a series of taps of his emerald green boot on the marble, Loki sat up slightly with his hands interlocking absently on his lap. Moments later with the appearance of three runes upon the marble floor, three crystal mirrors flowed up out of the ground to stand before Loki. His emerald green eyes flashed softly accompanied by a widening grin as he tapped his foot once more which caused the mirrors to flood with light for a moment before imaged filled the polished surface. In the mirror on his right the torn and bloody remains of a Skrull lay in in a pile of snow in the forest just outside of the now destroyed Troll village. With a chuckle Loki studied the image for a few moments.

“Tis so very hard to find good shape shifters these days…Masters of disguise? Hah! Little more than alien tricksters. Oh so confidant were you not Hl’jrt? Even Trolls saw through such a pathetic disguise,” he thought, laughing again loudly in the hall. Sighing absently he looked to the middle mirror which showed his brother and his Father talking in the fabled dining hall of Asgard, about a festival and feast for the returning Warrior Three. The final mirror for which Loki showed the most interest in was clouded in dark mists that slowly began to fade to show a shrouded image of a door, stone or so it seemed and lined with runes of which Loki could not read.

“Soon,” he said, his hands rubbing together as he sighed once more. “Soon the secrets of the Dwarves shall be mine and none shall stop me, not even the All-Father.”