Cthulhuvida

VIII. Escape

Thor drew the baneful Serpent further on board, staring straight into its baleful eyes, spinning large as platters. The World Worm glared back, belching poison as its tentacles whipped the waves. Hymir’s boat was engulfed in a venomous green cloud.

The giant Hymir lost color when he saw the serpent and the sea tumbling across his boat. Cthulhu’s wings beat the air, crackling like thunder.

Hymir was in a panic. He knew that if Thor managed to draw this Ouroborosian Beast onto dry land, the foundations of the worlds would be unbalanced, for the stars were not yet right. What the age-old cult of the Beothunk Skrældings had failed to do by design, an impudent god would bring about by accident.

Thor made the line fast to the gunwale and drew his hammer, preparing to smite the creature’s head; but as he swung Mjollnir high for the fatal blow, Hymir took his chance.

When Thor raised his hammer aloft, the giant fumbled for his bait knife and slashed the line where it passed across the gunwale.

The Great Worm flailed and started to slip back into the water. Thor lunged for the line, but when he pulled the line snapped, freeing the elder God to drop back beneath the waves. There was a bursting as of a rotting whale carcass and great malodorous bubbles rose from the waves.

The Spawn of Loki could be heard gibbering, as it swam deep into the ocean depths.

Thor bellowed and flung Mjollnir with all his might into the waves. The sea exploded higher than the clouds and when the Thunderer’s hammer flew back to his hand, it was dripping with ghastly gore.

Some say that Thor struck off the Serpent’s head beneath the waves, but I believe that mighty Cthulhu still lives and lies waiting and recovering for the end of days, when the stars will be right and Heimdall’s trumpet shall call it forth to battle Thor at Raganok.

And what of Raganok? According to the Eddas, first there will come Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters, which will last three years. The stars will vanish and the sun will burst. The sea will rear up and waves will pummel the shore because Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, is twisting and writhing in fury, working his way onto dry land. With each breath, Jormungand will spew venom, so that all the earth and sky will be splattered and stained with his poison. The world will be in uproar, the air quaking with booms and blares and their echoes. Thor, son of Earth and gaping Jormungand will meet again, as they have before, for they are well matched.