On the death of Wæls and the Hate of the Gray Flats

Now when Unfermund heard what had befallen his father, he was wroth, and swore a terrible oath, that he should be avenged upon all who had caused his downfall. Holding that Glauroth had betrayed his father, with false prophecy of victory, he set himself even to the conquest of Luz, yet such was his treachery he feigned that he listened to the counsels of the Shadow, and made all such promises as were asked of him.

Perceiving that he needed surpassing great power, Unfermund ascended to a high mountain at the center of the Iron Isle, and there he built a stone table, and inscribed it with runes of power. Said he, "Here shall I take a life every night, until this my altar shall be filled with the power to sink all the land into the sea." The very first he laid on the table was his mother Danmere, that he should not quail from any crime thereafter.

From the power thus wrought, Unfermund crafted goblins of terrible stature, and made he the peryton, which had the body of an eagle, but the head of a stag, and the teeth and heart of a demon. Also made he Karfaron, a giant crafted of the granite and magma of the mountain. He himself became mighty and like to a demon, standing twelve feet tall, with a breath of fire, and eyes of such darkness that all who looked in them might stand amazed, as if they were falling down an endless shaft, and unable either to move or cry out.

But this his doing was know of Hygde, and she sent word to all the kings who yet stood, save only Sigilind, as no messenger might reach her in her hidden forest. Then was a great watch made, so that even though Unfermund contrived to launch his assault in the waning of the moon, yet was it seen by the ships of Swanhild, and the alarm was raised. Now Swanhild was passionate and wild as the sea, and she threw her whole force against him, for she knew that no navy could stand against her ships. But before even she had drawn within many bowshots of the first ship, the peryton took to the wing, and descended in a cloud of terror on her. The beasts tore at the flesh of her sailors, until the decks were awash in blood, and then when there was no one aloft to man the sails, Unfermund's navy closed with her, and all her ships were sunk, and her daughter Hilgard and her beloved were drowned. She herself would have perished, but Ellesmere cast about herself her sealskin cloak, and in that guise bore her mother up, and carried her home to her island.

Unfermund landed his ships where the Wundred empties into the sea, and ascended to the Gray Flats, intending to come on Ingmar from the south and cast him unawares. But Wæls had sallied forth from his Fastness, and broken through the besieging armies of the Shadow (for Glauroth, perceiving that Unfermund intended to betray him, and desiring that his enemies should break their strength upon each other, left but few on the eastern side). Wæls met Unfermund on the Gray Flats, and he took the peryton from the skies with a hail of arrows. Then Unfermund sent forth Karfaron, and against his granite hide no arrow could bite, and to his molten heart no sword could reach, and the giant strode through the ranks of the Wælsings hurling men to right and to left.

Then Unfermund perceived that his victory was nigh, and he sent forth his goblins, who hemmed in the Wælsings on each side, and backed them to the river, but then on his left flank fell all the might of Hygefrith, the son of Hygde, and on his right came Ingmar, the son of Ingeld, and he found himself bounded within and without by enemies.

So finally Unfermund himself took the field, and everywhere men fled before him, and those who looked upon his eyes stood amazed until he hewed off their heads, and all those on whom his breath touched perished in the scorching heat of it. But one man did not flee before the demon. For Wæls was clad in a corselet made by the Dwarrowmen of the Hide of Morzgaun, father of Dragons, slain by his daughter Maira. Unfermund let loose his fiery breath, but against the Hide of Morzgaun it had no power. So he stared hard at the slit in the visor of Wæls's helmet, but he saw within not eyes but a strip of gauze, that shielded him from his terrible power. So Unfermund strode forward, and struck a mighty blow against him, but his sword broke against the Hide of Morzgaun. Then Wæls drew forth Sorse, the Sword of the Sun, and it shone so brightly that even through the gauze before his face he could see the outline of his great enemy.

Unfermund seized up a sword of a fallen foe, and fought desperately, seeking to drive his sword through the visor of the helm, but his dark eyes were filled with the light of the sun, and he could barely see the man that wielded it. Seven times did Wæls drive his sword into Unfermund's horny hide, and six times did blood run forth in grew fountains onto the dusty soil. The seventh time the sword passed through the sinews of his great knee, and Unfermund fell to the ground. Then Wæls stood over him with his sword upraised, and said, "Repentest thou thy wickedness, and I shall spare thee even yet."

But Unfermund answered, "My life, and all the power that is within me, I pledge to thy destruction, and the destruction of all who have stood against my father's kin."

So Unfermund drove Sorse into the hideous face, but out of his death and his oath there rose a demon, more terrible to behold than Unfermund was in life, made of swords and helms and blood and smoke and pestilence and war. Those that were near swooned for the stench of it, those that were far cowered for the clamor of it, and it fell upon Wæls and ripped him from his corselet, and strew the field with his flesh and bone. Then were all the armies of all sides in an uproar, and all was chaos and confusion, and the Karfaron fled up into the place called Red Rocks, and all who had legs to flee fled, and many were killed, among them even Hygefrith, Hygde's son. For every death, be it goblin or man, the demon took the life into itself, and swelled with greater power. It was called Unfermund's Bane, or the Hate of the Gray Flats, and it dwells there still, still seeking to fulfill the terrible oath of its creator.

But the power of Unfermund was broken utterly, and Skilmund, Unferth's youngest son, threw wide his gates, and gave his castle in the Forest of Camaleon to their service, so great was his fear of the wrath of the kings. The Wælsings took Maira for their Queen, and Hygde took Hygelind her youngest daughter to be the captain of her armies, and they vowed to bear arms against each other no more, but to strive only against the shadow, as they might have from the first, and so it came to pass.

Sorse they say washed into the River Wundred, and, floating as it was thrust through Unfermund's body, it came down in long time to the sea, and there it was swallowed by a great black shark that sought to dine on the dreadful carcass. The sword split the shark open, and was found by seals, which bore it up, seeking to give it to Ellesmere. But by this time, she had left for the Furthest Shore. So one of them cast off his sealskin cloak, and went seeking her kin, and found at long last Sigimund wandering alone in the world, and gave it him, and he has it still.

On the Destruction of Hrothgar and his Family

Glauroth makes his armies of the creatures of the earth, twisting them together in hideous and terrible ways, creating an army of goblins. He called forth demons from the places of unmaking, and set himself up as a king over the land. He disliked everything of beauty, for it spoke to him of the power of Creation, which lorded over him, and held power he could not have, so Glauroth set to destroy, distort, and decay all he could.

For his fortress, he built a hideous castle. He slaughtered a hundred men, and bled them dry, and buried their flesh beneath the corner of the foundation, and ground their bones to meal. At each corner, he slaughtered another hundred, and did the same, until he had great vats of blood and bone meal. Then from this blood and bone he mixed a terrible mortar, and built his castle at the mouth of the Sindorel. The souls of the slaughtered men he held in thrall, and chained with magical chains, and twisted them until they became demons, and their agony and hatred made them potent in power.

Now the kings of the land were at this time away at the siege of Unferth, and did not learn of this passing until Glauroth had passed over many leagues and conquered much of the country. When they heard what was passing, they set aside their quarrel with Unferth, and checked his advance. Hrothgar and his sons, looking from afar on their land in the south, found it was taken by the Shadow. "I will not yield my country to his malice," said Hrothgar, and he set down in a narrow fjord that he knew had a secret path up to his castle.

Now with him were his sons and his daughter, Eyrelind, and her betrothed, Harmund. Now Eyrelind had been schooled in the wielding of the sword, and ever was she practicing, for she longed to be equal in her father's eyes to her brothers. In her zeal, she surpassed them in skill. The meeting of Eyrelind and Harmund happened in this wise. Harmund was a kinsman of the chief of another people, and he was so great in skill that none of his could best him. He tired of lacking a fitting partner, so took to standing on a bridge, and challenging all who passed. Each of the sons of Hrothgar challenged him in turn, and each were defeated, until Hrothgar himself intended to go. Eyrelind saw this as an opportunity to prove herself to him, so she stole out ahead of him, and met Harmund on the bridge. When Hrothgar and his retainers arrived the next day, they found Harmund and Eyrelind already engaged in a terrible fight. Neither could get the advantage of the other. For seven days and seven nights they fought, without rest or food, until finally neither could hold their sword up. Then Harmund said, "At last I have found my equal. If you will, I shall be your partner, in life as we strove to be partners in death.

Now Harmund was scouting ahead, when the Harpy, a winged demon with the head of a hag, flying overhead, saw the army approaching up the path. The castle there was commanded by Manrog, one of the seven great demons of Glauroth, and the greatest of them in might, and he sent an army of goblins who swarmed over the mountains and down into the cleft Hrothgar was ascending. Harmund saw them approaching, and turned to warn his bride, but the Harpy stooped on him, and his mount in terror threw him, and he was taken. The battle was short, as Manrog sent a plague of biting and stinging flies down on the army, and the shrieking of the Harpy broke the nerve of the men, and they could not hold the cleft against the goblins.

None were aware that Harmund was taken until they arrived at the South Island without him. Then Eyrelind determined to go back, to rescue him or his body, lest his soul be broken to some evil purpose. Hrothgar pleaded with her not to go, but she said she would go, whether alone or with him. Hrothgar forebear upon her to await upon news, and he searched through the Heart of the Mountain, and saw that Harmund was alive, and held in a castle in the high frozen pass that is now called Icehell. So Hrothgar and his sons went with Eyrelind, and they landed in the gulf that is now called by her name, and crossed the Leeward Marches without resistance. But when they reached the ford of the Sindorel, that is, of the branch that flows down from the pass, the great dragon Morzgaun descended from the sky and wasted that of the army that had not yet crossed. Then goblins attacked the vangard, and all were slain but Hrothgar and his sons and one herald. These were taken to Manrog's castle, where they were made to watch while Harmund was burned to death before their eyes. Then Manrog released the herald, telling him to go back to Eyre Hrothgar's wife, and tell her how her kinfolk fared, and bid her come parley for their release. And against all counsel, Eyre came.

Manrog told her he would release some of them, but that it would cost her a part of her body, and of the power of her life contained in that part he would wright curses for those that remained, to magnify their suffering. Eyre offered to exchange her life for them all, but Manrog refused, so she took a sax, and cut off her little finger.

"This will by you one," Manrog said. "But you must name who shall be free, and who shall suffer for his freedom."

"I name my second son, Æfelrod," said Eyre, "for he of my sons is greatest in might, and may yet slay thee."

Manrog released him, and then asked if she had anything more to give for another. Eyre cut off her other little finger. "I name Lors, my fourth son, for he is second only to Æfelrod, and may help him slay thee."

Manrog released him, and so it continued, Eyre cutting off a finger, and naming her other sons, Ælric, Hrothmund, and Lothmund, until naught but Eyrelind and Hrothmund remained in prison. Eyre thought first to name her husband, for she was angry at Eyrelind for bringing this plight upon them, and, as it was by her counsel that this march had been made, it should fall to her to carry the burden for it. But then she bethought upon Hrothmund, and how he would not wish that his life be bought with that of his daughter, so finally she named Eyrelind, and she was set free. Now Eyre had but a finger and thumb on each hand left to her, but she seized up her sax, and cut off her left hand, and said, "With this I would buy my husband's life."

"With this thou hast bought thine own life, save only that thou depart from my door, and come not against me in war again," said Manrog. To this Eyre agreed.

What she did not know was that her sons had seen the entire pleading, and knew the manner of their release. And her husband had seen and heard everything, and knew that she had sworn not to come in war on his behalf. Manrog chained Hrothgar to a high tower, and with the power of one finger cursed him and the Heart of the Mountain, so that he could only see his family, and all that befell them. With the rest he put a bane of strife upon his sons and daughter.

Now Ælric had been married to Æfyr, the daughter of Unferth, and for her wedding she plead with Swanhild to give her a parade in her great ships, and this was done. But Æfyr was a woman subtle, and while she rode from the furthest north to the furthest south, she noted the manner and style of their construction, and after she was wed to Ælric she set to building ships like to it. Though her craft was in no wise equal to that of Swanhild, yet were they far surpassing of any other ships. When she heard that her husband was taken by the Enemy, she boarded her ships, and returned to her father's country, where she married a man of her kinship named Urlock, and it is by Gedde that all her children were conceived. So when Ælric returned he found himself bereft of his wife.

Soon after their return, the children of Hrothgar took to quarreling. Æfelrod felt that he should succeed to his father's place, since their mother had named him the greatest in war, and their father's honor was at stake. Ælric resented his mother for her oath of peace with Manrog, and for her not choosing him first as first-born, and would take no notice of anything she had said. So then the house split, with Eyre and Lors siding with Æfelrod, and Hrothmund and Lothmund siding with Ælric. Eyrelind, whom the brothers blamed for their disgrace, was wanted by neither side, and she wanted nothing of theirs.

Now Lothmund was the last chosen of the brothers, and he was bitter about this, and he became obstinate and proud, giving rude answers to any as spoke to him. So it was that during a meeting to try to find peace in the house, Lors insulted Lothmund, and Lothmund challenged him to a duel, and Lothmund was killed.

Now Eyre grew angry with her son Lors for killing his brother, but Lors held himself blameless. So when she went to him and berated him, he was wroth, and ordered that she should be bound and flogged and cast out of the gate. This they did. Eyrelind made her way home, and cut her bindings, and girt herself with sword, and returned to Lors, and blew her horn, demanding that he come forth. So great was her wrath that his soldiers did not dare to open the gate, and Lors saw that he should be a coward in their eyes if he did not come forth and meet his sister, so he went. There before his own gate Eyrelind cut him down.

Now when Ælric saw how two of his brothers were dead, he went to his mother, and derided her for bringing this curse upon them. And he had her placed in a tower high on the island, and he cursed her, sealing it with his own blood, saying that she should never be free of the tower, not by might or guile or even death itself, until she had regained her lost fingers. Then he went down to the coast and made himself ready to sail to war, but Æfelrod, finding his mother imprisoned, met him there and ran his sword through his heart.

"You fool," said Ælric. "You have condemned our mother to eternal prison, for she cannot be freed until she regains her fingers, and now I cannot lift the curse." Then he died.

Æfelrod, seeing that it was so, threw himself on his own sword, and died atop his brother.

Hrothmund, being the last of the brothers, grew afraid of Eyrelind, and fled the country, becoming first a vagabond, then a drunkard, then a beggar, and finally a slave in a foreign land.

Eyrelind, alone, declared herself queen, but the people want none of Hrothgar's anymore. "What have you brought us save misery and suffering?" Then she drew her sword, to chastise them into submission, but they fought her, and she killed many of them before one shot an arrow through her throat.

Now, when word of Ælric's release from prison reached Æfyr in the north, she wanted to go back to the south, because she saw that her husband of old would now be king. But her father, and later her brother, asked her to forebear, for she had command of her great ships, and they wanted her strength. But she plead and plead, and finally said to Unfermund. "True it is that in this time of strife thou canst not spare any might thou hast to hand. But let me offer thee greater might. Let me give thee my husband Urlock, for I shall have no need of him, and never has so great a man died on thy stone table." So Unfermund accepted, and she returned to the isle in the south, and, finding Ælric and all his kin dead, she conquered the people, and made them her thralls.

But even Æfyr, the wife of Ælric, fell under the curse of Manrog, and no sooner had she conquered the island, than Glauroth put forth his might, and conquered her in turn.

Eventually, and by Manrog's design, Hrothgar is freed by the winged travelers, so that he might travel alone in misery among the ruined country. But the bane of strife had spent its power, and there was another force in the world that bent the curse of vision to ends not of Manrog's design.