The Age Of Odin

Skadi, Freya of course, Valkyries, plus Cy, Backdoor and the couple of dozen other surviving mortals. Frost giants. Some men I took to be the tanksuit operators, out of their machines and looking quizzical and bloodthirsty — executions like this clearly not an everyday occurrence for them, but something worth experiencing nonetheless. And, waiting on the platform itself, Mrs Keener. She watched me approach with the air of a society hostess about to welcome her guest of honour. She even clasped her hands together as I climbed the scaffold steps, with Bergelmir prodding me from behind.

'I am so glad you could make it!' she exclaimed.

'Wish I could say the same,' I replied.

'Come now, don't be like that. It's your big moment, Gid. In some strange way I think you even want this. A grand finale.' She pronounced it fin-ayl. 'An ego like yours, it wouldn't be satisfied with you just dying along with everybody else. It had to be public and splashy and meaningful, didn't it?'

'What can I say? I'm a fame whore.'

'Plus it gives you one last chance to show off how goshdarn down-home courageous you are. Quipping and wisecracking, a wiseguy all the way to the end. We'll see how it easy it is to keep the jokes coming once Bergelmir's started in on you.' She looked over my shoulder. 'First, though, if my eyes don't deceive me, I see that we have some last-minute arrivals.'

Everyone followed her gaze. From the shadows beneath Yggdrasil a trio of female figures emerged, walking out into the thickening afternoon light. One strode gracefully, one waddled, and one hobbled along with the aid of a walking stick.

The Norns halted at the scaffold's edge. I found it oddly consoling to see them. In some weird way it seemed to confirm the rightness of what I was doing. It was as if they'd come to give my death their seal of approval.

'The Three Sisters,' said Mrs Keener. 'How generous of you to grace us with your presence. We are honoured. Tired of one another's company, huh? Decided to leave your cottage and actually witness events for a change, 'stead of viewing them through your scrying well or whatever it is you're using these days?'

'It is Ragnarok,' said jailbait Urd.

'The end of all things,' said motherly Verdande.

'The cutting of many threads at once,' said bent-backed Skuld.

'We Norns have long foreseen this time.'

'And anticipated it.'

'And dreaded it.'

'Now it is upon us.'

'All destinies converge.'

'The spinning ceases.'

Once again the three of them were doing that thing where they spoke one after another so flowingly and seamlessly, it was as if they had a single voice.

'We have come because there is no more to predict.'

'The past has tightened to a knot.'

'The future is unclear.'

'It is a pivotal point, the moment of all moments.'

'We must see it as it unfolds, with our own eyes.'

'To learn the outcome as others do, while it happens.'

'Without foreknowledge.'

'Without foreshadowing.'

'Without foreboding.'

Mrs Keener chuckled delightedly. 'I couldn't have asked for more. The Norns themselves, curious to know how everything is gonna turn out. Know what that means? Means I've done it. I've truly won. I am greater than destiny. If I have brought matters to the point where the Three Sisters are half blind now, only able to see what's in front of their eyes, then I have overcome all limitation, and anything is possible.' She was almost hugging herself with glee.

'Do not exult just yet, Loki,' Urd warned.

'Wheels turn,' said Verdande.

'An end may yet be a beginning,' said Skuld.

'You don't scare me,' Mrs Keener retorted. 'That's just sore loser talk. Wheels? Nothing's turning today 'cept me, sisters, and that's 'cause I'm on a roll.'

She fixed her attention back on me.

'Now, let's not get ourselves distracted any more,' she said. 'Betcha eager to get this over with, huh?'

I made a yes-and-no noise.

'Then we'll have you tied up and screaming in no time. Bergelmir…?'

Just as the frost giant was about start attaching the ropes to me, Mrs Keener slapped her forehead.

'Wait just one cotton-picking moment! What an earth am I thinking? You asked two favours off of me, didn't you, Gid?'

'I was wondering whether you'd remember.'

'Conjugal visitation rights with Freya, and… oh heck, what was the other one? Clean slipped my mind. No, wait, I've got it. You asked if I'd give up my 'inside man' — assuming I have one, of course. That was it, wasn't it? Let you have him and let you decide how he should be dealt with.'

'Yup.'

'Well, I said yes to your first favour, and so happens I'm inclined to say yes to this one too. Nothing pleases me — or amuses me — quite like seeing one man getting his satisfaction on another who's done him a bad turn. I know all about slights and injustices and how they can make you feel. Story of my life, some'd say. So, you asked me to reveal who the guy was, the double-crosser, the one you reckon was throwing spanners in the works and was responsible for getting a couple of your buddies killed. I said you describe who you think it is and I'll say if you've got your man. You did, and the result is… Boys?'

She was calling out to the nearest of the frost giants who were policing the crowd of onlookers.

'Him.' She pointed. 'Fella with the walrus whiskers. Yeah, him. Fetch him up here willya?'

The frost giants homed in on Backdoor, who looked aghast and dumbfounded. They grabbed him and strong- armed him onto the scaffold.

'What the —?' Backdoor spluttered. 'Gid, what the fuck is this? What are you doing?'

'Obvious, isn't it? You screwed us, mate. You've been Loki's bumboy all along, just like I said at Odin's funeral. I want to show you what I think of that. Worst crime of all — betraying your own side.'

'But I didn't!'

'You fucking did. You can deny it all you want, but I know.'

'But I don't know Loki. I've never seen him before in my life. Never seen her.' He gesticulated at Mrs Keener. 'Never met her, never made any kind of deal with her. This is crazy! Why are you doing this to me? I fought next to you. I put my balls on the line, just like you. I'm not a traitor!'

'Sounds pretty convincing to me,' Mrs Keener commented. 'Swearing blind he ain't the one.'

'Well, he would, wouldn't he?' I replied.

'Tell him,' Backdoor said to her urgently. He was starting to panic. Maybe he'd guessed what I had in mind for him. 'Tell him I'm not working for you. I'm nothing to do with you.'

'Ain't down to me, pal. This is Gid's call.'

'He's got it all arse about face. I'm good. I'm loyal.'

'Gid?'

I eyed Backdoor coolly. 'No,' I said. 'You're a conniving bastard, no doubt about it, and for that, you're getting the same treatment I am.'

His eyes swivelled towards the rectangular frame. 'No…' he gasped.

'It's only fair,' I said. 'I'm being punished for doing everything right, so you should be punished too, for doing everything wrong. That way, it all balances out.'

'Gid…'

'Do him first,' I said to Mrs Keener. 'Whatever you're planning on doing to me, he gets it first. I'll watch.'

'Very well.' She nodded to Bergelmir. 'This must be your lucky day, Bergelmir. You're gonna have your fun