The demons ran for the collapsing portal. Tyz’vel had simply vanished, perhaps using some magic to get out faster.

 

Surtur let out a bellow as his prey disappeared. He was injured, but still on his feet. Thruor’s bet had been pretty accurate.

 

But it had given the dwarves time to regroup and get things more together. The fire giant army, on the other hand, was in disarray.

 

I decided this was a good time to disappear. “Where’s Kanesha?” Thruor asked.

 

“She went off with Loki. Apparently one mortal soul is enough to give access for demons.”

 

Thruor frowned. “She is yours.”

 

“Well, taking her away seems to have worked. He promised he took her somewhere safe.”

 

“I’d believe him. I think he likes her,” the valkyrie said wryly, “Fortunately.”

 

I didn’t mention he also said he wanted to talk to her, which was more than a little bit ominous. I mean, you never want your parents talking to your partner.

 

But I did trust him not to actually hurt her. Play with her head, sure. Hurt her physically, no.

 

No, he would not do that. And it might well be that…

 

…oh, I knew they were plotting against me. It was heartening to think so, to think that somebody thought there might be life after this.

 

The departure of the demons had achieved nothing in overall terms. They had bought the dwarves time.

 

But now I understood. Ragnarok. Armageddon. All of the ends of the world would happen if one was triggered. Heck, maybe Surtur’s problems reflected…

 

…a cycle. A cycle that always reached a testing point at certain intervals. This was the testing point, and this was worse than normal. People had died already, more people would die, souls harvested for Heaven and Hell and Valhalla and Elysium and all of the other realms of the dead.

 

I had to stop it and I had to stop it now. Unfortunately, Surtur now knew we were here.

 

“Ambushing him is going to be tricky now,” I murmured to Thruor.

 

“I blame Tyz’vel.”

 

I blamed him too. Forcing us to take sides, forcing us to reveal ourselves, and Loki had left. He wasn’t here to help and probably had never intended to help.

 

“It bought the armies time.”

 

“Yes, but now we need something to deal with Surtur.”

 

I looked up at the stars. “I tried to talk to him.”

 

“It’s too late,” she said, grimly. “Sometimes the cycle means something or somebody is lost. Sometimes somebody precious. Last time it was your brothers.”

 

I understood something then. Something important. This time it… “And this time it might be me.”

 

“Why do you think Loki hesitated?”

 

“Because last time it was his children and this time…” I smiled. “This time it’s going to be that giant bastard.”

 

“That’s the spirit.” Thruor’s grim face became a slight grin.
“But I have to out trick my father to do it.” And I had no clue how I was going to, and the smartest people in my life weren’t here.

 

Instead they were off plotting against me. Typical.