Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Present time: Nidavellir

High king Dvalin let out a frustrated growl and srubbed a hand through his shaggy grey hair. He leant back in his chair, he was tired, hungry and fed up with this conversation. It had been going in circles for hours now. Before him was a table with a full scale model of Mount-Nid and Nid-gate. All around the table was Dvalin's war council. It was made up of all the kings and commanders of each tribe. They were all grim looking and hardened dwarves, they all wore battle armour that was well maintained yet bore the scars and dents from countless battles. Yes they were the hardest and toughest that Nidavellir had to offer. Rekkr was on his feet besides his king and glaring around at the gathered assembly. Finally high king Dvalin said "Well?" he waved a hand over the model before him "What say you? What is our best strategy?" the war council had been gathered for nearly eighteen hours straight now. They had gone over every battle simulation they could think of. Even tried unusual ones that might hold the element of surprise. In the end though, it all came back to the same thing. They just didn't have the numbers to defend against such a massive force. Rekkr continued glaring around the room, the council's silence spoke volumes, they all knew they faced annihilation. Finally one of the kings cleared his throat and spoke "The simple truth is, we need a reserve army to hold Mount-Nid" he swept a hand over the model before them. "Then we make a full stand at Nid-Gate"

Rekkr slammed his fist on the table and shouted "And just where do we get a reserve force from? We have to work with the numbers we have! Not make up reserve armies!" he glared hard at the king "Or maybe you're thinking we should arm our women and children? We could let them defend the fortress?"

"It may well come to that" Said Dvalin quietly. All eyes turned to the high king, the same shocked expression on every face. Dvalin shifted in his chair, settling the weight of his armour more comfortably. "If our defences fail, the women and children face rape and slaughter. If they are lucky. Worse if they are not lucky. The least we can do is give them weapons to defend themselves at the very end."

Silence rang out in the room as everyone digested this, it was a grim thought and not easy to think on but it did make sense. Another of the kings shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "That may well be a final failsafe but we must call for aid, call for help. We cannot let it come to that"

"Aid!" roared Rekkr "Who will come to our aid? The giants? The ice dwellers in the south? Maybe Hella will lend us her army of the damned?"

The king backed down, he couldn't find a comeback to that. Rekkr was right. The giants had always been a hostile neighbour and wouldn't help. The ice dwellers of Niflheim were a strange race. A bizarre cross between a mortal and an ape, covered in long white hair from head to toe, fingers that ended in vicious talons. They spoke in a language that no one could understand and rode great beasts that looked like elephants but were also covered in the same long white hair. As for Hella, that was a sick joke. She would help no one. High king Dvalin broke the silence. "It is to Asgard we must look. The legendry army of Valhalla will help us win this war"

Shocked gasps went around the table, what the high king was suggesting was just as bad as Rekkr's suggestion of asking Hella for help. It was well known that Odin had little love for the dwarves, even the rest of the Aesir gods kept their distance. There would be no help coming from that quarter. Rekkr bowed his head and spoke softly. "My lord that is madness. Odin has no love for us, he will not risk his army to save us"

"He will!" Roared Dvalin as he jumped to his feet "For all his faults, Odin is not cruel. He will not allow an entire race to wiped off the map"

With that, the high king turned and stormed out of the room. Rekkr looked helplessly at the others then raced off after Dvalin.

The high king's anger gave speed to his legs as he stormed through the palace. He stormed down the great stairway and out into the valley. Rekkr had to jog to try and catch up. When he finally did, he found Dvalin upon the ramparts of Nid-gate. Arms resting on a merlon, head bowed and he was weeping softly. Rekkr waited quietly and kept a respectful distance. Eventually the king looked up with bloodshot eyes, he swept his gaze out over the grassy vale before them. "I am old Rekkr, I come from a great long line of warrior kings who have defended our lands against every foe and they always won. I have no son and I am to be the one that fails to keep our lands safe. The battle hasn't even begun and already I bring shame upon my family"

Rekkr gaped at his king, he had never heard Dvalin talk like this before, he took a cautious step forward. "We will find a way my lord. This will not be the end of Nidavellir"

High king Dvalin spat on the floor to show what he thought of that, he waved his hands out over the vale before them. "If this army truly is the size that woman claims, then it will choke this whole plain. An endless sea of bodies. And just like a raging tide against a cliff, so shall our last stand be" Rekkr cocked his head and gave the king a puzzled look, not getting it. Dvalin growled and said "The cliff will stand strong and firm against an endless tide for a long time. But things get chipped away, parts crumble and fall into the sea, gradually the cliff crumbles and retreats until it is no more"

Rekkr swore violently as he finally caught on to the kings meaning, he could see it clearly in his mind now. The dwarves would stand and fight yes, but wounds and weariness would fell them one by one. All the while fresh enemies would keep reinforcing the front line.

"You must ride to Asgard and tell the gods of our plight" said Dvalin "Make them understand and bring the army of Valhalla back with you"

Rekkr bowed his head and said "Yes my lord, I will do as you ask but what if I am unsuccessful?"

High king Dvalin turned to face his second, fresh tears began to spill. "You have seen the battle simulations, every dwarf will stand and fight and die, Nidavellir will be no more"