The Álvarhamrmaðr's Tale, Part 5

They returned to Frelsingivellir, the Valley of the Free Dead. The old warrior-Goði, Bard's grandfather Konulf Bardson, welcomed them. Konulf asked the Álvarhamrmaðr to go north, to Reið-Fara, The Good Passage, the gateway to Rókþjóða, the Old Land, resting place of the virtuous. "It is an unmistakable high mountain saddle far in the north," Konulf said, "and the pull of my blood points to that place. For some reason I feel strongly that you living heroes must go there, and not the Free Dead."

Konulf felt that his daughter Sigrid Konulfsdottir, as well as the Skjaldmeys Skula Oddvarsdottir, Þordis Hár, and Dora Dvergsnat could be found there - neither free, nor thrælls of the Hrafnkunnigur.

To this they readily agreed, and left Frelsingivellir and the broken body of their old companion Sigmar. They walked north, away from Sliðrúgtanni and the lands of Hel they had known thusfar.

At Reið-Fara the traitor Skjóldur was waiting. There was a strange and terrible battle between the righteous Álvarhamrmaðr and Skjóldur's treacherous outlaws. The fight raged for an entire day with no respite. In the end Olgrimur and Skjóldur were locked in a deadly embrace of Seið, choking one another with terrible magic, and both sorcerers were destroyed in their hate. The Álvarhamrmaðr slew the remaining followers of Skjóldur as one would slay wild dogs. The women that Skjóldur had abducted with his magic were freed, and returned safely to Frelsingivellir.

"We will leave our tale for those who pass on their way to Rókþjóða," Bard said, "for our deeds should be known." And he carved runes upon the worn stone there which remain even today in Hel.

Their quest complete, the Álvarhamrmaðr traveled east to the lands of Stárkad Alludreng once again. There they had harsh words with the Iotun who held their souls, as he haughtily declared, "by a dog-chain" - that which is known among the Álvar as 'Barul'. Although they were unable to persuade him to abandon this tether, Bryndis left Válaskjálf with Niri-Ra, the accursed sax that was to be Bergelmir's payment to Stárkad for the death of his Hersir, Aurgelmir, in Kilulla. She promised the Iotun a favor in exchange for the weapon, a promise she would come to regret.

Next the Álvarhamrmaðr went to Gjallarbrú to cross that resounding bridge and return whence they came, but Modgud, the Maiden of the Bridge, would not allow it.

"The day will come," said Rúrik, "when I will return to this place. Then I will offer you respite, and stand watch in your stead, Skjaldmey." Modgud agreed to this and was well pleased.

"Next," said Æggur, we must return to Kilulla and free our kinsman and friend Soren Larsson."

Modgud, who knew the ways of Hel, urged them not to undertake so foolish a task. Nissu-Lal's army would oppose them, and Soren's helskoe could be removed by magic in the Land of the Living, she said.

"Then we shall go about freeing him from those vermin as our first task, upon return," Æggur said.

Barred from crossing the Gjallarbrú, the Álvarhamrmaðr trekked across Hel again, to Sliðrugtanni. The Hrafnkunnigur did not harry or molest them. They strode down an Álvar road and returned, changed, to the Land of the Living. All were glad to leave such a wretched place as the Land of the Dead.

Here ends the tale of the Álvarhamrmaðr in the Half-World.