The Sword of Summer

Fortunately for Magnus, his soul is claimed by Odin and cannot be transferred. Instead, Magnus uses Ran’s own desires against her. Though she and her husband have an enormous golden palace, she spends her days scavenging the ocean floor because it gives her purpose. If Ragnarok occurs, she won’t be able to scavenge, so in exchange for the sword, which will allow Magnus to prevent Ragnarok, he offers “to let you keep your collection” (237).

Ran isn’t fooled. Next, Magnus offers her the sword he took from Valhalla while lying about being able to feel the Sword of Summer in her net and threatening to take it by force, scattering her precious collection. Ran agrees, and Magnus negotiates the inclusion of an apple. Enraged, Ran leaves, telling Magnus he’s made an enemy of her.

With the sword in hand, Magnus feels calm. The blade fills him with warmth and reminds him of days spent with his mother. Sam breaks him out of his emotions, but the sword continues to hum “as if trying to tell me something” (242). They sail back to shore.

On land, Sam gives Magnus the apple and rushes home. Magnus heads toward Copley Plaza to meet Blitz and Hearth. On his way, he asks the sword to turn into something smaller. It complies and becomes a necklace with a pendant adorned with the rune of Frey.

At Copley Plaza, Magnus plops down on the front steps to the public library between two statues of a woman—one meaning “art” and the other “science.” A while later, Big Boy arrives in pigeon form, lands on the art statue, and poops. Magnus gives him the apple, and Big Boy transforms into his real self. He is Utgard-Loki (king of the mountain giants). Utgard-Loki warns Magnus Surt will soon know Magnus has the sword, and while the fire giant is too weak to attack after the battle on the bridge, he “has lots of minions” (249). Utgard-Loki disappears, and suddenly, Blitz and Hearth are there.

Blitz and Hearth have new information about containing Fenris. Tomorrow, the three will visit Blitz’s home realm. They spend the night on the library steps, and Blitz advises Magnus to get some sleep because tomorrow he’s “going to try climbing the World Tree” (254).

The next morning, Sam joins them at the public garden. Blitz identifies the Make Way for Ducklings statue as the base of the World Tree. The statue features nine ducks, one for each world. Having traveled between worlds too much lately, neither Blitz nor Hearth can open the gateway. Since Sam is no longer a Valkyrie, Magnus is the only one who can transport them. As a son of Frey, he should be able to “coax Yggdrasil’s branches close enough to let us jump on” (257).

Magnus starts to examine the ducks, but before he gets very far, Gunilla arrives with an army of Valkyries and warriors. They attack, and Hearth casts a spell to slow them down, which causes him to pass out. Magnus feels along the ducks until something clicks. Using the sword, he slices a hole in the fabric of Midgard, revealing a branch of the tree. Hearth’s spell breaks. Following Blitz, Magnus and Sam, with the unconscious Hearth, leap “into the World Tree” (260).