The New Age - Ragnarok

[Nina]

We watched the Visitor as it raced first towards the earth, then as modern science applied its magic, past us. I was with Chiya, we were up on the ridge above the valley, hoping no one would see us.

 

Chiya was part of the group Japanese scientist studying the auroras. While the scientist could care less what Chiya did on her own time. The folks of my village didn’t like foreigners especiales these foreigners, the Japanese.

 

My name is Magni Magnason, and yes I know that name sounds fictitious but it isn’t it who I am. I was born and raised here in Reykholt, a village in Iceland. It sits in the valley of the river Reykjadalsá, called Reykholtsdalur, and is part of Borgarfjörður, Western Region. Reykholt was at one time one of the intellectual centers of the island and had for many years one of the most important schools of the country. Not so much anymore. But still it has a rich history and iI am sure if you wish to learn more,well, eventually you can look it up I guess.

 

Chiya is a scientist who studied weather phenomena, all stuff I don’t understand. We met when her group, the ones who have been here in the region studying the aurora borealis for a couple of years, came to Reykholt to buy supplies. It was Chiya’s first time in the village and she went exploring. She caught me goofin off and i was mesmerized by her exotic beauty. Ok I was smitten after all i was just a teenager. Anyway we talked a bit we both spoke english pretty well, and i showed her around. We hit it off pretty well.Oh the teenager thing, I was seventeen and in Iceland I Was a adult, so it wasn’t perverse the two of us becoming a thing you know, even if she was twenty six.

 

Anyway we started seeing each other. And then they told us about the visitor that it was coming close to earth but that the best minds in the world were going to make sure we stayed safe. That why we were up on the ridge.

 

 

We had been watching the Visitor for what felt like hours, mesmerized by its speed and size. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

 

"Where do you think it's headed?" Chiya asked, breaking the silence between us.

 

"I have no idea," I replied honestly. "But it's definitely not stopping here."

 

Chiya nodded, her eyes still fixed on the sky.

 

We sat in comfortable silence for a while longer before Chiya spoke up again. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you something since we met."

 

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

 

"Why do you live in this small village? Don't you ever want to leave and see the world?"

 

I paused for a moment before answering, choosing my words carefully. "Reykholt may be small and isolated, but it's my home. My family has lived here for generations and I feel connected to this land."

 

Chiya nodded in understanding but then added, "But don't you ever wonder what else is out there? What other opportunities or experiences could be waiting for you?"

 

I thought about her question for a moment before responding honestly once again. "Of course I do. But sometimes staying in one place can bring just as much growth and learning as traveling around the world."

 

We both fell silent as we continued to watch the Visitor streak across the night sky, we had moved closer together, holding each other as we watched history.

 

Then the goddamned thing exploded.

 

For what seemed like forever bu was only a minute or two it was brighter than the sun then the brightness dimmend and vanished. Chiya and I clung to each other in shock. Then the sky fell.

 

Bright, fiery fragments of the Visitor scattered across the sky, illuminating like a celestial fireworks display. Chiya and I gasped in shock, clinging to each other as debris rained down towards the earth.

 

"We need to get out of here!" Chiya exclaimed, pulling me to my feet as we sprinted down the ridge towards the village.

 

Panic had erupted in Reykholt as people emerged from their homes, shouting and pointing at the falling debris. The ground shuddered beneath us as a particularly large fragment crashed into the valley, sending plumes of smoke and dust into the air.

 

Chiya and I raced through the chaos, dodging debris and stumbling over uneven terrain. As we reached the outskirts of the village, a blinding light filled the sky, followed by a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth.

 

And then, silence.

 

Fear clenched our hearts as we peeked out from behind a boulder, scanning the darkened sky with wide eyes. The once bright blue was now a dull gray, streaked with ominous streaks of fire and swirling dust. Our gaze was drawn to the north, where a massive column of smoke and debris rose into the air like a mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion. Chiya's grip tightened on me, her body trembling in terror. And then I felt it too - the ground beneath us shaking violently, like a warning from Mother Nature herself.

 

Time seemed to stand still as we clung to each other, still in shock from the initial tremors. But the ground continued to shake beneath us, unrelenting in its fury. Suddenly, a deafening rumble erupted from the south east, drawing our attention. Our eyes followed the line of smoke and ash rising high into the sky, visible over the distant ridge. It was Hekla, the most active volcano in Iceland, known for its frequent eruptions over the past decade. We cursed our luck at being in such close proximity to this dangerous natural phenomenon.

 

As we watched in awe and fear, more tremors shook the ground and a massive explosion rocked Burfell, sending fiery lava and choking clouds of ash into the already gray and hazy air. The landscape around us was rapidly transforming into a scene straight out of hell.

 

But there was no time to process or escape. Another violent boom shattered the silence from the north and west, signaling that Hengil had also joined in on this catastrophic event. Iceland was convulsing in its final moments, and there was no escaping its death throes.

 

Trembling in terror, the remaining survivors frantically fled towards the coast as molten lava spewed from every live and supposedly dormant volcano. The ground shook with relentless fury, signaling the imminent arrival of a catastrophic winter unlike anything ever experienced by the living world. Iceland was doomed to be engulfed in a fiery apocalypse, spelling the end for all who dared to remain on its cursed land.

 

Days.

 

Weeks.

 

Maybe just hours. I don’t know.

 

I was jolted awake by the sound of a loud crash and the sensation of being thrown to the side. My head throbbed and I struggled to open my eyes, everything around me still a blur. As my vision cleared, I realized that I was no longer in the truck with Chiya and our fellow villagers. Panic set in as I frantically looked around, searching for any signs of them.

 

But all I could see was chaos. The truck had crashed into a crevice that had cut the road, its wheels still spinning wildly. The driver's seat was empty, and there was no sign of Chiya or anyone else from our village. Had they been thrown out in the crash? Or had they managed to escape before disaster struck?

 

I stumbled out of the back of the truck and onto the road, struggling to keep my balance as another tremor shook the ground beneath me. My heart raced as I realized that this wasn't just some isolated incident - we were still in the midst of Iceland's catastrophic eruption.

 

My thoughts turned to survival as I quickly surveyed my surroundings. The air was thick with ash and sulfur, making it difficult to breathe. The sky was darkened by a thick layer of smoke and debris, obscuring any sense of direction or time.

 

I took off running down the road, looking for Chya and hoping to find some form of shelter or safety at the same time, before it was too late. But every step felt like running through quicksand as more tremors shook my already unsteady footing.

 

Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the chaos around me. It sounded like Chiya's voice - but how could that be possible? I desperately scanned every inch of my surroundings until my eyes landed on a figure lying motionless on the side of the road.

 

My heart plummeted into my stomach as I recognized Chiya's mangled body, her once vibrant clothes now torn and stained with dirt and blood. Her hair was a tangled mess, obscuring her face from view. Without a second thought, I sprinted to her side and cradled her head in my lap, trying to shield her from the carnage around us. Blood seeped from a deep gash on the side of her head, mixing with the dirt and grime on her skin. Her legs were twisted at unnatural angles, broken beyond repair. As I held her trembling body, blood bubbled from her nose, a stark reminder of the fragility of life. Time stood still as I gazed upon the woman I loved, my heart heavy with sorrow and fear for what lay ahead.

 

As I held Chiya, my hands shaking in a mixture of fear and grief, I knew our chances of survival were grim. The world around us was crumbling, and with no shelter or direction in sight, we were both doomed to succumb to the wrath of Iceland's apocalypse.

 

I held Chiya tightly, whispering words of love and comfort to her, hoping to ease her pain and fear in these final moments. The sound of her shallow breaths and gentle murmurs were all that kept me grounded in this nightmarish reality.

 

Despite the chaos and destruction around us, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me as I held my dear Chiya. Our lives had been full of love, adventure, and a deep connection that very few could understand. We had made memories that would last a lifetime, but it was time to say goodbye.

 

The shaking intensified beneath us as I stroked her hair, as i cradled her to my chest, as the ground rose up and split, belching fire that consumed us…

 

As the earth swallowed us whole, a sense of relief washed over me. I clung to Chiya tighter, our fingers intertwining one last time. The heat was unbearable, yet I didn't want to let go. This was it - our final embrace in this life.

 

And then, everything went dark.

 

I jolted awake, unsure if it was still happening or if it was all a dream. I could see nothing hear nothing but the rumble of the earth. I could not move. I was not even breathing. But I was aware. I screamed and the darkness shattered and fire was everywhere thick and viscous, not fire, magma.

 

My heart raced as I realized the truth - I was still alive, somehow miraculously escaping the fiery fate that had befallen Chiya. The magma surrounding me was both beautiful and terrifying in its intensity,I don’t know how I could see but I could and it was a sight I knew few would ever witness.

 

As I lay there, in the river of fire my thoughts turned to hope. Could there be a way out of this? Could I find a way to survive and rebuild a life without Chiya? My mind raced through impossible scenarios, each one ending in tragedy or despair.

 

But then, a glimmer of an idea took root. What if...what if I could use the volcanic energy to propel myself out of this death trap? It was a desperate hope, but it was all I had left.

 

I shut my eyes tight and channeled the searing heat surrounding me, feeling it consume and fuel every fiber of my being. The energy crackled and surged inside me, coursing through my veins in perfect sync with my thundering heartbeat. And then, like a speeding bullet, I launched myself down the fiery stream of molten magma, erupting through a volcanic vent and soaring into the air as a blazing inferno. A living embodiment of fire itself, I resembled the mighty Fire Giant Surtur, rising to lay waste to Asgard at Ragnarok!