wish you were going too? keitel grunts angrily and plunges the sword into cold water. steam and bubbles.
but you can't because you're too busy. keitel pulls the sword out of the water and tests it. it slices like as razor, loki watches.
ooh, that's a good one! you could charge halfdan fifteen for that one.
you could charge him what you like. loki takes the sword from keitel and stacks it alongside a lot more freshly made swords.
you just can't make enough swords and spears and knives and daggers to satisfy the demand. you could charge halfdan twenty and he'd pay it.
yes yes.  of course.  the "blacksmith's code".  keitel goes back to his forge and pulls out a fresh dollop of white-hot ore. loki comes up behind him.
if this is the age of ragnarok, keitel blacksmith, it is good to us.
but, keitel, if erik ever finds the horn resounding.  if he ever crosses bi-frost, the rainbow bridge.  if he ever wakens the gods.  keitel stops smiting the metal on his forge. he stares into space.
the age of ragnarok ends.
it's not just your livelihood that's at stake but your son's, and the livelihood of all blacksmiths.
that's right.
honour and protect all blacksmiths.
you can't let erik do that. loki smiles. he has keitel playing into his hands, although keitel doesn't realize it. fade. cut to some days later. the expedition is set to leave. thorfinn skull-splitter taking leave of his mum and dad.
halfdan wanted to stop you waking the gods.  so.  i disguised myself to sabotage their plans. erik has meanwhile been joined by the remaining comrades.
to save you, erik. erik is about to say "but how can you see me? i'm wearing the cloak invisible."
it was my master keitel's idea. all eyes turn on keitel who looks very uncomfortable.
wasn't it, keitel?
what d'you mean?
what's the matter, keitel blacksmith? have you forgotten why you came on this voyage? keitel is silent.
are you going to let erik wake the gods?
take this and throw it from the cliff heights. they'll never make the horn resounding sound without it. keitel frowns. then an obvious thought limps across his muscular mind.
sh! hurry!
you'll be able to throw it further than i could. keitel thinks. this is true.
it must go far out to sea. loki presses the mouthpiece on keitel. keitel takes it, but reluctantly. another viking stirs.
surely you haven't forgotten the blacksmith's oath? keitel is about to reply and say he's been having second thoughts about it, but somehow he can't. loki has such power over him.
hurry! loki pretend to go back to sleep. keitel thinks about his task and hesitates.  who knows? perhaps he is about to stand firm, but loki plays his trump card.
or i might have to tell erik why you really came on this voyage. keitel is caught. he closes his eyes in resignation and then reluctantly starts to make his way out of the hall. as he gets to the doors he trips over snorri, who wakes. the mouthpiece falls a few feet away.
i can't swim! i can't swim!
i'm drowning! help! loki grabs keitel round the neck.
help!
help! erik, sven and co. swim as fast as they can to rescue the drowning pair. they struggle to overpower the panic-stricken loki, but he puts up a manic fight. unexpectedly, harald missionary suddenly unleashes a vicious right hook and lays loki out cold. there is a moment's stunned silence that is no unmingled with indignation.
er.  don't blow it! you never know what might happen.
help!
what d'you think? help! somebody help us!
she wants to kill us!
how do we know this is the way?
she blew the horn resounding.
shut up!
keep your mouth shut, keitel!
you've lost your mind.
you fool! suddenly loki produces his stiletto and leaps onto keitel, stabbing at him.
i should have got rid of you long ago!
what right have you to try and stop men fighting, erik the viking? there is glory in battle. there are riches to be made and won.
by you - keitel blacksmith! don't you know, erik, that is why he went with you? ragnarok was good for his business.