Chapter 14: Ragnarok (Part 1)
The prophecy had told the fate of Gods long before. It did not come all of a sudden. Rather, it was a process of miserable and evil things befalling Nine Worlds. The first sign of Ragnarok was the death of Baldur. Baldur the son of Odin dreamt about his own death before it came into being. This event not only broke the heart of many in Norse myth but it also worried all creatures in the cosmos as they knew they were to face their final fate Ragnarok.
Accordingly, the second sign was a long winter coming in a row for three years which meant no summer came in between. This longest winter was the Fimbulwinter. There were wars everywhere in Midgard, blood was shed, and brothers would kill each other. The third sign was Hati and Skoll, who were the sons of Fenrir, swallowing the Sun and the Moon. The Nine Worlds fell into darkness and even the stars disappeared.
The sky broke and Norse Ragnarok began…
The Giant living in Jotunheim were quickly informed about the beginning of Ragnarok by a red rooster known as “Fjalar”. Deep under the root of Yggdrasil was Helheim, there was also a rooster that signalled the dead army to prepare to fight in Ragnarok looming large. The Gods and Goddesses up in Asgard were informed by the sound from the horn of God Heimdall, Asgard watchman. Human warriors that lived in Valhalla and Folkvangr up in Asgard would also prepare their weapons and armours to get ready for the battles. They had been chosen and trained only for the moment of that day. Those warriors fought alongside Odin against the army of the Giant.
Loki and his children were the leaders of the villain army. After breaking himself free from the magical chain by Aesir Gods, Loki assembled his army to make the Gods pay for what they had done.
Fenrir, the notorious wolf son of Loki also set himself free from the binding of Gods to join the battle with his father. His jaw was so huge that it could reach the heaven and the earth. Fenrir swallowed whatever in the path. His blazing eyes and heavy breath did kill anyone who saw him at first sight.
The other son of Loki, Jormungand the Midgard Serpent who was cast into the deep ocean by Odin as a precaution against Ragnarok, released himself from the ocean to poison the sky with his venomous breath.
Hel, the daughter of Loki, sent her army from Helheim to join the Giant army. The notorious ship Naglfar carried the dead army to the battle. Naglfar ship was made of nails. Together they entered Asgard through the Rainbow Bridge Bifrost. The war took place at the plains Vigrid.
Everyone met their sworn enemies in the battle of Ragnarok. Odin faced the Giant wolf Fenrir. More’s a pity, Fenrir swallowed Odin right in their battle of Ragnarok. A son of Odin, Vidar, took revenge on Fenrir though. Vidar was the God of Silence who spent most of his time sitting in the garden and caring for the plant. But this time, he became the God of Revenge for killing Fenrir. Vidar’s magical shoe was created for this moment. He stepped one shoe in Fenrir’s mouth and splited the wolf’s jaw.
Thor and Jormungand encountered each other once again in Ragnarok. With the invincible Mjolnir hammer, Thor killed Jormungandr the Midgard serpent. But the fate didn’t smile on God of Thunder. Walking nine paces away from the dead body of Jormungandr, Thor fell on his knee for the poison that killed him.
Heimdal the Asgard Guardsman and Loki killed each other.
The Giant of fire, Surtr, emerged from the lava to join the army of Giant. God Freyr was killed by the Giant Surtr who later set the whole world on fire with his fire sword.
