The Journey to Find Mimir

Chapter Forty-Two: An Old Guy Enchants my Hands

After one, surprisingly pleasant sublimation flying session later (Ullr said that the first trip was always the most shocking), Hearthstone and I found ourselves at the foot of Utgard-Loki's castle. 

Goodbye! Ullr signed. Good luck with Utgard-Loki! Don't get eaten!

The god disappeared into a cloud of mist that flew upwards and into the white Jotunheimen sky. 

I turned to Hearthstone, who seemed a little woozy from our atom-splitting flight. There hadn't been much time to talk; after the news of Ullr's assistance, we had simply collected our supplies and left. I wanted to know how he had so quickly managed to escape the god's intense skiing plans.

What did you two talk about? And how did you get him to take us here?

Hearthstone gave a little shrug. Not much. And I promised him a ski day.

What? I signed aggressively. How-- No! You!! 

What I wanted to say was: We are already going to pledge ourselves as bondservants to Mimir. Do you really want to be indebted to TWO Norse gods? 

Instead, I shortened it to: Do you think that was a good idea?

Hearthstone shrugged. We're here. 

He pointed at the looming gray castle in front of us. Ullr had dropped us right on Utgard-Loki's front doorstep, behind the iron gate. To say the place was massive was an understatement. It was enormous. Colossal. Gargantuan. Some might even say... giant. (I do crack myself up sometimes.) The two of us looked up, up, up at the front of the castle. The wooden front door was as tall as a mountain. A sea of gray bricks stretched on for as long as we could see. I wasn't even sure if there was a roof on the castle. It seemed to rise up and into the clouds forever. 

We are almost done, I signed to Hearthstone, trying not to look nervous. And we are ahead of schedule. 

Hearthstone nodded. The look on his face was familiar -- he looked determined. An image of him grabbing my hand right before we jumped into the Vimur River popped into my head. It seemed like a lifetime ago. For a moment I thought about reaching out and grabbing his hand, but there wasn't really a logical reason to do so. 

Instead, I reached towards the doorbell. Or at least I assumed it was the doorbell. There was a series of black buttons that stretched down the side of the castle wall, right next to the door. The largest must be out of sight, but the first one we could see looked as big as an apartment. I picked the smallest button. It was right above my head and about the size of a shield. 

Ready? I asked.

He nodded. I used two hands to push, then felt a click. 

The doorbell screamed out an ear-shattering melody. I shouted and fell to one knee, my hands over my ears. My teeth shook. I could feel the rhythm of the doorbell in my bones. I couldn't even think. When the noise finally stopped, I lay myself down on the ground, looking up at the sky. 

Hearthstone smirked at me from above. My ears rang.

Did something happen? he asked innocently. 

I didn't have a chance to answer. The front door of the castle opened a crack, which startled both of us. It was as if a mountain decided to shift a little to the left.

"Who goes there?" someone asked. The speaker's voice was wheezy, but loud -- a giant.

I managed to stand and collect myself.

"Uh, it's Blitzen, son of Freya," I called back. "And Hearthstone, son of... Alderman."

"Why isn't he speaking for himself? How do I know that you're not just alone and talking to yourself?"