The following day after Jörmun went to scout for the house by the lake, the pair was out, travelling again. Luckily, he had been able to find a place that resembled what the elderly couple described; a wooden cabin with a workshop nearby and the remains of various boats, laying around. However, Jörmun was not able to catch sight of the mast they were after. He could only hope that the carpenter did not break it apart, to reuse it for other projects, or worse, toss it into fire.

“This should be the place,” he said as they stopped where the country road ended with a parked car.

“I wouldn’t mind if this was my holiday home,” Maddie commented appreciatively, taking in the breathtaking view that the house had ahead of it; the openness of the lake, surrounded by mountains with snow covered peaks, was surely a scenery she wouldn’t mind waking up to.

“You’d probably love Asgard then,” Jörmun said with a smile as they resumed their walk towards the house.

“You never told me how it is. I didn’t dare to ask. I thought it may be a painful memory.”

“Not all of my childhood was a horrid chain of events. I dare say, most of it was actually pleasant.”

“Well then, if you ever feel like sharing, I would love to learn more about it,” she returned the smile.

The pair stopped before the door and without any further hesitation, Jörmun gave it a knock. They waited there for a bit, but only after a louder, second knock, someone responded; not from the house they stood before, but from the workshop.

A middle aged man with glasses and short, grey wavy hair walked out and sought for the unexpected visitors.

“Good afternoon,” Maddie initiated the conversation, making sure that Jörmun won’t have the chance get lost again in chatting in a language she couldn’t follow.

“Good afternoon,” the man approached the two and measured them from head to toes. His eyes lingered for a bit on Jörmun, then glanced back at Maddie. “Tourists?”

“Well yes, but not exactly. We have been kindly guided here by-”

“Do you still happen to have the mast of the Skuldelev, which resided in the town nearby?” Jörmun cut straight to the subject, sparing Maddie of any formalities. He watched the man offer him now a suspicious, but curious look. He clearly did not expect such a specific question.

“You’re not museum folk, are you?”

“Oh no, no,” Maddie laughed it off, recalling with a jolt of her guts that they stole contents from a museum not that long ago.

“They are desperately searching the country and beyond for the missing boat, though to my knowledge, the one that disappeared had no mast,” he eyed them in turns once more. “Are you students perhaps?”

“Yes. I am working on my diploma. I study history,” she explained quickly, happy to divert from any museum discussion. She highly hoped that her face did not display any sudden panic at the sound of the news; the illusion of the Skuldelev must have been long gone.

Maddie shoot a quick glance to Jörmun, who seemed entirely unaffected by the information the man revealed. She wasn’t so sure anymore whether it was wise to ask anyone to help them rebuilt the vessel.

“I suppose you are looking to elaborate on the viking boats chapter then?” the man relaxed his stance. He seemed to be interested in Maddie’s study matter.

“Among other things, yes.”

“But do you have the mast?” Jörmun redirected the discussion back on course.

“I do. I have been putting it apart for rework and preservation.”

“Perfect. Can we see it?”

“If you are interested in longships, I actually work on a replica-”

“We just want to see that part,” he cut the man short. Jörmun watched him arch an eyebrow, but eventually shrug and made them a sign to follow him back into the workshop.

---

The building where the renovation and woodworking happened, seemed significantly larger once one walked in. But even so, it was still heavily packed on all sides with various planks and tools. In the middle rested the longship the man mentioned to be putting together. It was halfway through the body of it.

“This is it!” Jörmun gasped and rushed through the work benches to a long piece of wood that was placed aside. He could sense its outlandish energy radiating through its very matter.

“Are you sharing by any means the same passion as the young lady, or are you into the more practical side of things?” the man couldn’t refrain his curiosity. He was surprised to see how fast the fiery haired one rushed towards the old wooden piece; which was totally unremarkable to an untrained eye.

“Neither,” Jörmun straightened himself up from the crouch he had been into while examining the mast. “I am its owner.”

The man laughed low, then stared at the pair in disbelief. “Was it found on your parents’ land?”

“It was obviously found here, in Midgard, but surely left from my parents’ land, in Asgard.”

“Oh, young people nowadays. Watching and reading all sorts of things that are irrelevant to our lands and history,” the man shook his head, disappointed in what he was given to hear. He thought of the two to be talking about pop culture rather than real things. “Is this how you plan to document your diploma?” he glanced at Maddie.

The girl shook her head and glanced up at Jörmun. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he was not intending to give up that easily, nor he was going to allow the man to laugh in his face in regards to his homeland, dismissing it as some ridiculous fictional location.

“Perhaps I was hasty in revealing information without properly introducing myself. I am Jörmungandr Lokison, son of Angrboda, also known as the Midgard Serpent, thanks to Odin’s senile self,” he could see the scepticism grow on the man’s face. “I have been banished a long time ago from Asgard in a boat, that bore the very mast you have stored here. I believe you could not only help us by offering us the missing part,” he paused and pointed at the wooden pole at his side, on the floor. “But actually aid us in putting the Skuldelev back together.”

“First off, you must be surely meaning Åsgård, the small village between the fjords. And second, how would you even build a boat with these rotten remains? They would break before you could even attempt at mounting any sail on,” he shook his head with a bitter amusement, looking almost sorry for the pair before him. “I am sorry to break your carefully crafted immersive story.”

“Very well, I will not be offended by your take on this,” Jörmun nodded slowly, visibly thoughtful of his upcoming proposal. “Let’s say I show you that I can mend the poorly aged wood of the mast and present you with the remainder of the ship that we were able to collect. Would you be willing to help us piece it together, with your masterfully learned woodworking skill?” he graciously pointed at the boat which the man put together on his own.

“Considering that it would likely take a miracle for you to restore the wood to a usable state, then I am willing to accept helping you rebuild the boat.”

Maddie stared back and forth between the two. She watched them shake hands and she could tell Jörmun’s smirk was no good. Just like when she accepted to join him in their first journey, with Eloise, it felt once again like a deal with the devil.

“I am Birger, pleased to meet you,” the man looked at the two, then reached out to Maddie for a handshake.

“I am Madeleine,” she smiled politely, even if she burned inside to have a quick chat with Jörmun about the crazy proposal.

“I believe I already introduced myself,” the fiery haired one chuckled. He watched the man give him a questioning look.

“Your name really is Jörmungandr?”

“I lie about many things, but I take pride in who I am,” a smug smirk curved his lips.

“Very well. Would you like a cup of tea before you attempt at explaining me how you plan to restore the mast?”

“Oh, I will be delighted to demonstrate that anytime you’d like me to.”

The man nodded before guiding the pair towards his house. He still looked unconvinced; in fact he appeared to be almost amused with the whole situation, but somewhat happy for the visitors, despite the ridiculousness of their introduction and proposal.

---

Without giving away too many details, the two told Birger about their journey so far. Jörmun masterfully redirected the man’s attention, whenever it felt as if he was getting a bit too curious about either the purpose of the boat or how they got into its possession. If he was going to help them, then further information would naturally follow along; until that was confirmed, the man would have to wait.

“Would you mind if myself and Jörmungandr have a chat before we head for the workshop?” Maddie kindly asked Birger, who offered her a casual shrug, as if saying “do what you please”.

The girl thanked him, then grabbed Jörmun’s wrist and dragged him outside, heading for a small walk around the lake, while contemplating at clearing some of the questions she had regarding the proposal he made to the man.

“I don’t want to make Mr. Birger wait for too long, so please Jörmun, explain me in a few words what the hell was all that about?!” her eyebrows jolted upwards as she eyed the other.

“What was what?” he laughed, genuinely not sure which part Maddie was referring to. “I thought I put us in a good position, didn’t I?”

“A good position to what? Potentially get arrested? You saw how suspicious he was of us, asking if we’re working for the museum- Wait a second,” she paused thoughtfully. Maddie then glanced up at Jörmun who folded his arms and stared back at her with a pleased smile. “He was suspicious and cautious because he may have something to hide himself. He has the mast, which they may not know of.”

“I am glad I didn’t have to explain that myself. I am surprised you didn’t pick it up straight away.”

“The moment I heard the word museum, I was in too much panic to be able to notice any other signs,” Maddie laughed nervously, speaking nothing but the truth. She couldn’t say that she slept peacefully ever since they stole the Skuldelev remains.

“Nobody can suspect us for taking what’s in fact rightfully mine. Humans are blind in the face of magic. They wouldn’t believe even if they saw it unfold before their eyes.”

“I know,” she agreed silently, recalling how sceptical she felt about it as well at times. “It still doesn’t make sense in my mind how you were able to trap actual matter into a rock, etch it in the poor image of the vessel and call it a day,” she scoffed at her own words.

“Please take your words back in regards to my carefully crafted artwork.”

“My apologies. Maybe you should take it to a museum, to be further appreciated.”

“Excellent attempt at deceiving me into doing that, but I will have to pass your offer.”

“How regretful you must feel, knowing that you’re missing on so many praises,” Maddie shook her head theatrically, mirroring Jörmun’s crossed arms position.