Die Reise

      I. Parsifal spots a grand opportunity,   II. Heinrich only sees an imminent danger.   III. Cat and Mouse the boys are known as to their peers,   IV. Both lads of sixteen, young and still unbroken.   V. Their first stop is to meet King-of-Frogs, who lives   VI. In a swamp near Marychild, their humble land.   VII. They seek to emulate a local hero,   VIII. The Brave One Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was   IX. Who rescued seven young children from a large   X. Terrible wolf, and these youths became great kings.   XI. He was Johannes, son of Gutehandel,   XII. Once a simple farmer, now tale immortal.   XIII. A town bard, a wonderly spileman, set them   XIV. On a quest, by request from Min, the mighty   XV. Goddess of War, who told him the Twelve Brothers,   XVI. Some enemy kings, will attack their land soon.   XVII. So they’ve left their town Ragamuffinpack and   XVIII. Have been on the road since. Parsifal misses   XIX. His sisters, Heliabel and Dandrane,   XX. Heinrich hopes his wee brother Haensel is well.   XXI. The Brownies in the Woods, three little dwarrows,   XXII. Point them to the bog. They trust the dwarfish words,   XXIII. And meet the Spinning Women along the way:   XXIV. Three lofty hooded tiverens, snakebladeleaves   XXV. The source of their tiver. Mighty Whitelindworm   XXVI. Gave them their enchanted staves: Strawhaulm, and Coal,   XXVII. And Bean, with which they cast mighty spells. The three   XXVIII. Prophecy vague words over the confused boys:   XXIX. ‘Find the Fisher and his Frowe, then the Dapper   XXX. Snitheress,’ says Aschenputtel. Their riddle   XXXI. Continues: ‘The black jackdaws will guide you on,   XXXII. Frowe Holder will feed your bellies. The Ravens,   XXXIII. Her Tivered Order, will shepherd you along,’   XXXIV. Says Rotkaeppchen, daughter of gentle Holder.   XXXV. ‘In Brementown you’ll find some steadmusicians.   XXXVI. One will give you the Singing Knucklebone, a   XXXVII. Flute that can control the minds of beasts. The next   XXXVIII. Will give you the Golden Hairstrands, three yellow   XXXIX. Ropes that can never be cut through. The third will   XL. Give you two swords, Louselike and Flealike, which can   XLI. Only be wielded by their owners. And so   XLII. You’ll be. Beware of the Maiden Without Hands,   XLIII. Armless tiveren who’ll send her servant Hanz   XLIV. To thwart you in your journey. Elsie, our sprite,   XLV. Will take you to Deil, in the town Heaven.   XLVI. She will appear as a gold asald, donkey   XLVII. Made of metal, and will speak three languages.   XLVIII. From Heaven go to Thumbthick and find Vixen,   XLIX. Then go to the lands of the Wightmen, the Elves.   L. Enter the lair of the foul Robberbridegroom,   LI. Lord Korbes, evil tiverer, and battle   LII. Godfather Death. Find Frowe Trudy, mother of   LIII. Thumbling, whose great eagle Fitcher will lead you   LIV. To the Juniperbeam, the great World-Tree. Its   LV. Guardian, Sultan Swan, will take you to the   LVI. Tomb of sleeping Briarrose, his lover who   LVII. Awakes every hundred years. Her servant, small   LVIII. Finderfowl, will then take you to Throstlebeard,’   LIX. Says Schneewittchen, the third tiveren. They leave   LX. And make their way to Knapsackhatandhornburgh,   LXI. Home of the Toad-Lord. Rumpelstilzchen his name,   LXII. His butlers Roland, Hound and Sparrow answer.   LXIII. They enter his house, long abandoned. It seems   LXIV. The tiverer was arrested by Frieder   LXV. And Katerlieschen, the local sheriffs. Young   LXVI. Poorly, a servant, is sweeping the dead floors.   LXVII. ‘Where is Queen-of-Honeybees?’ asks Parsifal.   LXVIII. The tiverer’s wife may be here, if not him.   LXIX. ‘She’s in Goldengoose town at the moment. Shall   LXX. I pass on a message?’ ‘No, we just came to   LXXI. Get a map.’ Heinrich finds the old scroll on a   LXXII. Shelf, covered in feathers. Parsifal sees a   LXXIII. Picture of Queen Allkindsoffur, the greatest   LXXIV. Karcist ever known. She could change into a   LXXV. Thousand varied forms. Daughter of King Harehair,   LXXVI. She first perfected the art of shapeshifting.   LXXVII. They leave the house and search for the Fisher, who   LXXVIII. Lives nearby: Amfortas son of Frimutel   LXXIX. Son of Titurel. His wife Theomacha   LXXX. Lanced him and fled with his molten bronze statues,   LXXXI. The nine goddesses of light and dark tiver:   LXXXII. Morgen, Moronoe, and kind Mazoe,   LXXXIII. Gliten, Glitonea, apple-eyed Gliton,   LXXXIV. Tironoe, Titen elder, Titen young.   LXXXV. The Fisher tends to his eternal spear wound,   LXXXVI. The dolorous stroke maiming his tarse and stones,   LXXXVII. Unable to seal the blight or stop the blood.   LXXXVIII. His loins wrapped in bandages, he fishes near   LXXXIX. The river, singing to himself without end:   XC. ‘A great thief and his great master, Jorinde   XCI. And Joringel, some lucky kids alone in   XCII. The world. Foxy men, sons of Gretel Nelke,   XCIII. Having to pay for their iniquitous sin...’   XCIV. ‘Greatfather! Son of a waternicker! We   XCV. Have come for your compass, Li’l Hen. We need it.’   XCVI. ‘Young lad, how dost thou know thou needest it so?’   XCVII. ‘All things have been explained to us by a bard,   XCVIII. A mouthpiece of great Min the Wargoddess. She   XCIX. Has told us the things we need for the trip, and   C. From whence to retrieve them. We need your compass   CI. To find the brave tailor, your brother Lustig.’   CII. The tiverer sighs, and reaches into his   CIII. Mud-stained coat. Pulling out the liahona,   CIV. A smooth brass ball within which are two spindles,   CV. The top half of the ball with a hole carved in   CVI. So they can see the spindles, one which points North,   CVII. The next which points them in their quest’s direction.   CVIII. They leave the Fisher, feeling Hanz on their tail.   CIX. Goldkind his surname, he’s the Maiden’s servant,   CX. Singende Springende Loeweneckerchen   CXI. Her real name, she is also called the Goosemaid.   CXII. They now pass through Earthmanborough, city of   CXIII. The ettins, sons of Imer. Ice-skinned thurses,   CXIV. Humans of impressive size, large as mountains.   CXV. Four schoena comprise one Milion, which is   CXVI. Four thousand eight hundred and fifty two feet.   CXVII. Each ettin man is twenty four schoena tall,   CXVIII. And six schoena wide. There are none seen smaller.   CXIX. The ettins dwell on Goldenbarrow, a peak   CXX. Which reaches the heavens. Some local Ravens   CXXI. Also live near. Hildebrand Bowerdaughter,   CXXII. A good tiveren, sends Water-of-Living   CXXIII. To guide them to the tailor in Allwiseland.   CXXIV. On the way they find a ghost in a bottle.   CXXV. The spirit, Sootier, begs them for freedom.   CXXVI. ‘A wise man probably trapped it in here. It   CXXVII. Wouldn’t be wise to let it out, lest it turn.’   CXXVIII. ‘It doesn’t appear evil,’ offers Heinrich.   CXXIX. ‘Looks can be deceiving.’ They leave the spirit;   CXXX. Tiverer Bearskinwearer trapped it therein.   CXXXI. The bird, a willow wren, leads them to a door.   CXXXII. The tailor welcomes them in, and offers some   CXXXIII. Sweet porridge and bratwurst, which they gladly eat.   CXXXIV. ‘Young wise lads, what brings you to this here paddock?’   CXXXV. ‘Miller’s son, we are wanderers on a quest   CXXXVI. To stop a war. Igel, a local bard robed   CXXXVII. In a deathhem for dreams, was used by great Min   CXXXVIII. To give us a message. In some thorned times, we   CXXXIX. Must stop the Hunters from invading our home.’   CXL. ‘What do you need of me?’ He’s done this before.   CXLI. ‘We need the Threshflail from Heaven, the great boon   CXLII. That can break any blade.’ ‘Princely children, the   CXLIII. Flail will unleash its power when you utter   CXLIV. These tivered words: The clear Sun brings on the Day.’   CXLV. He finds the farming implement, which once was   CXLVI. Used by King Blauelicht the Ever-wilful,   CXLVII. Born a field surgeon, later a warlord by   CXLVIII. Power of Min. The king of the Swabians   CXLIX. Passed the flail down his line as an old heirloom.   CL. Now it shall be used once more. They take their leave.   CLI. ‘Apprentices, take care!’ calls out the tailor.   CLII. ‘Thank you, atheling who had fear of nothing!’   CLIII. They set off once more, circling the Golden Mount,   CLIV. Camping occasionally to eat some kraut.   CLV. Their rations are scarce, but they are watched over   CLVI. By Min, the Crone of the Woods. They call on the   CLVII. Nine Grandmothers for strength. The goddesses heed.   CLVIII. They’re in the lands of Ferdinand the Faithful,   CLIX. Called Iron Oven, a dry and hardy realm.   CLX. Skilful One, another Raven, sends forth his   CLXI. Birds, One-eyeder, Two-eyeder and Three-eyeder,   CLXII. To lead them. The boys leave their camp and trek on,   CLXIII. Katrinelje and Pifpafpoltrie, the great   CLXIV. Sun goddess and moon god, smiling on them. They   CLXV. Have no horses, shoes danced to pieces on their   CLXVI. Tired feet. But they keep on, Servants of Fate.   CLXVII. They approach the town of Swarthybride, one step   CLXVIII. Closer to completing their great commission.         CLXIX. Eisenhanz, as he is known by his rivals,   CLXX. Is a gift to princesses and curse to kings.   CLXXI. The lone son of Knoist, he hails from small Brakel.   CLXXII. His household was poor, the little lambkin had   CLXXIII. No proper food or clothing. He left to learn   CLXXIV. Tiver in Simelibarrow, great hunger   CLXXV. Ravishing his land. With only his asald   CLXXVI. He travelled to Turnip, not ungrateful for   CLXXVII. Little blessings. Refreshened by the streams and   CLXXVIII. Various animals, he followed the great   CLXXIX. Roosterbeam in the night sky. A beggar girl   CLXXX. Met him on the way, and the foul traveller   CLXXXI. Was rude to her. It was the Maiden disguised,   CLXXXII. And she made him her pitiful knight for life.   CLXXXIII. From shepherd boy to tiverer, he has come   CLXXXIV. Far. He can turn a thaler into a star,   CLXXXV. And a farthing into a bride. The cunning   CLXXXVI. Dwimmerthane takes the form of a red sparrow.   CLXXXVII. Parsifal and Heinrich have left Swarthybride,   CLXXXVIII. Cockaigneland their next destination. Its main   CLXXXIX. Town, Bremen, is where they will find the singers.   CXC. Schneeweisschen and fair Rosenrot, two Ravens,   CXCI. Give the boys a vision of a glass coffin.   CXCII. ‘Our end goal,’ muses Parsifal. Heinz is the   CXCIII. Jackdaw that guides them this time. They find Bremen,   CXCIV. And spot singers at the town centre, griffin   CXCV. Their insignia, stitched on their bosoms. Lean   CXCVI. Liese is the first musician, from a hut   CXCVII. In the old forest, aged with joy and with pain.   CXCVIII. Rohrdommel and Wiedehopf are her partners.   CXCIX. A moon-grey owl Livingtide perched on her head,   CC. They call themselves Messengers of Death. Heinrich,   CCI. Son of Pfriem and Eva, and tall Parsifal   CCII. Approach them. Liese is a nicker, and is   CCIII. Called Geeseherder by the residents. Without   CCIV. Speaking, she hands them a flute the size of a   CCV. Nail. The next one hands them three coils of gold rope.   CCVI. Next two rusty blades are given, Parsifal   CCVII. Taking Louselike, Heinrich wielding Flealike. They   CCVIII. Set course for the town Grave, and three more Ravens   CCIX. Ask their familiars to help them: Spindle,   CCX. Shuttle and Needle send forth their scouts Bower,   CCXI. Tablecrumbs and Merehare to lead on the youths.   CCXII. Hanz, master thief, is catching up, in the guise   CCXIII. Of a drummer, holding an ear of corn, his   CCXIV. Concealed staff. They reach Gravehuge, meeting with old   CCXV. Rinkrank, in reality Elsie, disguised   CCXVI. As a golden onager. They hop on the   CCXVII. Automaton and head for Heaven, the sprite   CCXVIII. Giving them a small red crystal ball to scout   CCXIX. For danger. Maid Maleen, wife of Deil, greets   CCXX. Them with gifts: boots made of buffalo leather,   CCXXI. And a gold clavis which can open any   CCXXII. Lock. Deil, real name Josef, comes back home from   CCXXIII. The city Apostle, with a rose for his   CCXXIV. Frowe. Armut and Demut, their sons, join them for   CCXXV. Dinner. The boys tuck in: butterbrot, ham, cheese.   CCXXVI. ‘Heaven’s manna!’ says Parsifal. Maleen laughs.   CCXXVII. ‘Little twigling, it’s simple food. I cannot   CCXXVIII. Offer you something grand like a sip from the   CCXXIX. Mother of God’s Chalice, or a view of the   CCXXX. Heavenly Marriage, the grand spectacle. I   CCXXXI. Only have some simple hazel root and some   CCXXXII. Pepper. Nothing great for Parsifal nephew   CCXXXIII. Of Gurnemanz and noble son of kindly   CCXXXIV. Queen Herzeleide and Gamuret, son of   CCXXXV. Gandin son of Addanz son of Lazaliez   CCXXXVI. Son of Mazadan,’ she says with a firm nod.   CCXXXVII. ‘Nevertheless, it’s delicious,’ he assures.   CCXXXVIII. They leave content and ready, eyes set up north,   CCXXXIX. Nightingale and Blindworm sending their helpers,   CCXL. Knifewielder, Slaughter, Goosekeeper, Bootwearer,   CCXLI. Serviette, and the midnight-eyed Canister,   CCXLII. Cannonsheller, Guestery and the horned Dumb.   CCXLIII. The birds lead them to Bluebeard, then Okerlo,   CCXLIV. Then Hurleburlebutz, then to Mouseskinland.   CCXLV. Pears in their bags, they near Castle Murderslot.   CCXLVI. Passing shriners and threshers through the land Prince,   CCXLVII. Fields of snow blooms that inspire diligence.   CCXLVIII. Their clothes are now stitched rags, but like Kuemmernis   CCXLIX. They proceed, the crows leading them to Lion,   CCL. Marching like soldati to war, though at peace.   CCLI. No unluck on their journey yet, and no wild   CCLII. Men to harass them. They reach the city Smith,   CCLIII. Known for its weapons. But they’re not here for arms.   CCLIV. Heinrich thinks. ‘Peredur, why did Min choose us?’   CCLV. ‘I don’t know,’ Parsifal admits. ‘Min is strange.   CCLVI. Known under many epithets and guises:   CCLVII. Ordevilen, and the icy Rose of Hell,   CCLVIII. Herodias, Gundriggia and Kundrie.   CCLIX. But to most she is the dark Nameless One, the   CCLX. Knitster of Battles, her own self-willed agent.’   CCLXI. ‘Your ancestor was a Fay, right?’ Heinrich asks.   CCLXII. ‘Mazadan married a nicker from the Land   CCLXIII. Of Joy.’ ‘I wonder who his ancestors were.’   CCLXIV. He laughs. ‘I’ll indulge you. The line goes like this:   CCLXV. Isch, Schet, Enosch, Kenan, then Mahalalel,   CCLXVI. Lords Jered, Chanoch, Metuschalach, Lemech,   CCLXVII. Then Noach, Schem, Arpakschad, Kainan, Schelach,   CCLXVIII. Lords Ever, Paleg, Reu, Serug, Nachor,   CCLXIX. Then Terach, Avram, Jitzchak and Jaakov,   CCLXX. Lords Jehudah, Peretz, Chetzron and great Ram,   CCLXXI. Then Aminadav, Nachschon, Salmon, Boaz,   CCLXXII. Lords Oved, Jischai, David, and Schelomoh,   CCLXXIII. Then Rechavam, Avijah, and then Asa,   CCLXXIV. Lords Jehoschafat, Jehoram, Achazjah,   CCLXXV. Then Jehoasch, Amazjah, and Uzijah,   CCLXXVI. Lords Jotam, Achaz, Chizkijah, Menascheh,   CCLXXVII. Then Amon, Joschijah, and Jehojakim,   CCLXXVIII. Lords Jekonjah, Pedajah, Zerubavel,   CCLXXIX. Then Avihud, great Eljakim, and Azur,   CCLXXX. Tzadok, Akim, Elihud, Eliezer,   CCLXXXI. Matan, Jaakov, Josef and great Schimon.   CCLXXXII. Schimon’s son was Mazadan, whose wife gave birth   CCLXXXIII. Two thousand one hundred and fifty six years   CCLXXXIV. After conceiving, as typical of Fay;   CCLXXXV. Lazaliez and Brickus, twins. Their children had   CCLXXXVI. Normal gestations, however.’ They reach Thumb,   CCLXXXVII. And find Frowe Vixen, great tiveren. She sells   CCLXXXVIII. Various ointments and perfumes, the local   CCLXXXIX. Apothecary. With a toothy smile she   CCXC. Offers them medicines of diverse kinds. They   CCXCI. Politely refuse, and instead buy some gauze   CCXCII. And bandages. They leave for Darkelf lands, the   CCXCIII. Realm of fair Elfame, state of the Lightelves, left   CCXCIV. Behind. They enter a hell within heaven.   CCXCV. Hanz decides to demoralize them. The mage   CCXCVI. Gives both of them nightmares on their first day in   CCXCVII. The darklands. Nevertheless they persevere.   CCXCVIII. They soon find a traveller who’s seen a beast   CCXCIX. On the road ahead, dwelling in a castle.   CCC. ‘The beast has the paws of a lion and his   CCCI. Body is covered in thorny scales, his feet   CCCII. Have claws of a vulture, and his head bears the   CCCIII. Horns of a wild bull. His tail and phallus each   CCCIV. End in a snake’s head. His roar is a whirlwind,   CCCV. His jaws are flame, and his breath is Death itself.’   CCCVI. ‘Sounds just like my grandmother,’ says Parsifal.   CCCVII. ‘The creature is the serf of Korbes Klingsor,   CCCVIII. The ruling tiverer of this land. Kill it.’   CCCIX. They promise, and continue. ‘So now we know   CCCX. What Godfather Death looks like.’ ‘I fear his lord,   CCCXI. Not the beast itself.’ They soon find the castle,   CCCXII. Murderslot. Its ghostly form hangs over them.   CCCXIII. The boys are nervous. But Parsifal acts brave:   CCCXIV. ‘Mazadan, or Mazaldan in Hebraeisch,   CCCXV. Was constant wary despite his starry name,   CCCXVI. But he always did what was necessary,   CCCXVII. Even when it wasn’t so convenient.   CCCXVIII. He pushed through, and so his royal line, the great   CCCXIX. House of the Dragonslaying Drightens, my own,   CCCXX. Has remained a noble branch I can preserve.   CCCXXI. So let’s make your ancestors, and mine, very   CCCXXII. Proud.’ Smiling, Heinrich leads with a battle-cry:   CCCXXIII. ‘By the power of the Dreifaltigkeit! Im   CCCXXIV. Namen des Vaters, und des Sohnes, und des   CCCXXV. Heiligen Geistes!’ They charge the dread building,   CCCXXVI. The fight is fierce, the beast cruel, its lord   CCCXXVII. Absent, perhaps eaten by his creation.   CCCXXVIII. They slay the stout monster with the flail and their   CCCXXIX. Blades, and decide to take its toenail as a   CCCXXX. Token of their fight. The creature is conquered   CCCXXXI. Surprisingly quickly, and with much ease. ‘I   CCCXXXII. Think we’re naturals,’ says Heinrich. Parsifal   CCCXXXIII. Agrees. ‘Where to next?’ ‘Frowe Trudy’s place. We need   CCCXXXIV. To hurry. Min gave us six days. We’ve used four.’   CCCXXXV. So they rush to their next destination, the   CCCXXXVI. Wind in their feet and Sun in their tallow hair.         CCCXXXVII. ‘Thank you so, Wise Dame. You have been of much help.’   CCCXXXVIII. ‘The pleasure’s mine, boys. Complete your quest!’ says she.   CCCXXXIX. They follow Fitcher to a mountain, where the   CCCXL. World-Tree stands, its nine worlds perched on its branches:   CCCXLI. Ooseyard, Elfhome, from whence came the Lightelves, Fay,   CCCXLII. And Darkelves, Nuelhome, eastern Ettinhome   CCCXLIII. From whence came the giants, our Midyard, Wanehome,   CCCXLIV. Mudspellihome, Swarthelfhome from whence the tough   CCCXLV. Dwarrows came, and cold Hellhome where dead souls go.   CCCXLVI. In the Tree lives the mighty hawk Wedfolner,   CCCXLVII. The stags Dain, Dwalin, Dunehr, Duratror,   CCCXLVIII. The squirrel Ratatosk, messenger of great   CCCXLIX. Hraeswelg, and the nine serpents at the Tree’s roots:   CCCL. Nidhogg, Goin, Moin, Grafwitner, Grabak,   CCCLI. Ofner, Swafner, Grafwollud and Jormungand.   CCCLII. The nine protector goddesses of the Tree   CCCLIII. Approach them: Himinglaeva Gjalp, Dufa Greip,   CCCLIV. Blodughadda Eistla, Hefring Ehrgjafa,   CCCLV. Uder Ulfrun, Hron Angeja, Bilgja Imd,   CCCLVI. Drofen Atla, and great Kolga Jarnsaksa,   CCCLVII. Daughters of Aeger and his beloved Ran.   CCCLVIII. They offer them water from the Tree’s three wells:   CCCLIX. Erdarbrun, Hwergelmer, and bright Mimisbrun.   CCCLX. The eagle Hraeswelg watches all of the worlds,   CCCLXI. Seeing all past, present, and future events.   CCCLXII. Parsifal and Heinrich drink, and the Sultan   CCCLXIII. Appears. Old Aeger smiles, and greets them, grinning.   CCCLXIV. ‘My dear Ran waited for you.’ He leads them to   CCCLXV. A cave, where a glass coffin rests. Inside is   CCCLXVI. A sleeping beauty, Briarrose, Aeger’s Ran.   CCCLXVII. ‘She will wake in five minutes. You came on time.’   CCCLXVIII. Skin white as snow, lips red as blood, hair black as   CCCLXIX. Ebony. She opens her gentle eyes, and   CCCLXX. Laughs. ‘Peredur! Great to see you, and your friend!’   CCCLXXI. He doesn’t question how she knows his nickname,   CCCLXXII. Only bows respectfully. ‘Where is Finder,   CCCLXXIII. Your servant?’ She summons her familiar,   CCCLXXIV. A silver eagle with three heads and twelve wings,   CCCLXXV. And instructs him to guide them to Throstlebeard.   CCCLXXVI. She’ll fall asleep once more in a hundred days.   CCCLXXVII. Aeger and Ran wish them well, and they take leave.   CCCLXXVIII. Finderfowl shepherds them on their final trek,   CCCLXXIX. To meet the tiverer, Bertilak the Green,   CCCLXXX. After whom Throstlebeard was named, each locale   CCCLXXXI. Called after a tiverer or tiveren.   CCCLXXXII. ‘I’m puzzled. How does the Great Tree carry the   CCCLXXXIII. Nine Worlds, and yet is planted in one? It’s on   CCCLXXXIV. Midyard, and yet Midyard, like the other worlds,   CCCLXXXV. Is held in its branches.’ ‘It’s an illusion.   CCCLXXXVI. To us Midyarders the Tree appears planted   CCCLXXXVII. In Midyard, to the amene Wanes in Wanehome,   CCCLXXXVIII. To the many gods in Ooseyard. In truth it   CCCLXXXIX. Is rooted nowhere, as it is the Root of   CCCXC. All Reality.’ They’re close to Hautdesert,   CCCXCI. The official name for Throstlebeard City.   CCCXCII. ‘My ancestors once ruled all these diverse lands.’   CCCXCIII. ‘Mazadan’s people?’ ‘Mazadan was granted   CCCXCIV. Immortality, as he was accepted   CCCXCV. Into the Fay nation. He and his wife saw   CCCXCVI. Their sons grow into men of renown. But they,   CCCXCVII. Unlike their parents, were mortal. So they had   CCCXCVIII. To make the most of their short lives, and conquered   CCCXCIX. Various realms for their own. Their great kingdom   CD. They called Skandza. Skandza was split into three   CDI. States: Irmin, Ingwin, and Iskio. In these   CDII. Vast states lived various peoples: Ostrogoths,   CDIII. Visigoths, Vandals, Gepids, and some Saxons,   CDIV. Burgundians, Thuringi, and some Lombards,   CDV. Bavarians, Romans, Bretons, Franks, and some   CDVI. Alemanni. There were also outsiders.   CDVII. Each group lived in peace with one another, with   CDVIII. People of different nationalities, too:   CDIX. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and even some   CDX. Mesopotamians, Judeans, a few   CDXI. Cappadocians, Pontians, and some Asians,   CDXII. Phrygians, Pamphylians, and Egyptians,   CDXIII. Libyans, Rasna, Cretans and Arabs too,   CDXIV. Besides myriads of others. All as one.’   CDXV. ‘What happened?’ ‘War,’ he says grimly. ‘War came and   CDXVI. The unity was lost. Ignorance grew. We   CDXVII. Fear what we don’t understand and hate what we   CDXVIII. Fear. So minorities became outcasts, and   CDXIX. The Kingdom split into various kingdoms.’   CDXX. They travel on, chatting about great legends   CDXXI. Like Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde,   CDXXII. Queens of the deathless nickers, also called Fay.   CDXXIII. The fire-limbed sun is shining, the wind cool.   CDXXIV. ‘Who will you marry once you become a king?’   CDXXV. ‘I have my eyes set on one. Kondwiramurs.’   CDXXVI. ‘Is she a nice girl?’ ‘Lovely. She’s been writing   CDXXVII. Poetry and letters for me, sending them   CDXXVIII. Via pigeon as we’ve done this quest.’ ‘Well, how   CDXXIX. Do you know it’s her?’ ‘I know her handwriting.   CDXXX. I can identify her C, U, and T   CDXXXI. From any other. What about you, Heinrich?’   CDXXXII. ‘The one I long for is far from my reach. They   CDXXXIII. Are ever near me, yet still beyond my grasp.’   CDXXXIV. They reach Throstlebeard, their final location.   CDXXXV. ‘We are supposed to meet someone at this place.’   CDXXXVI. To their great surprise, they find Hanz at the gates.   CDXXXVII. ‘We don’t want to hurt you.’ The old tiverer   CDXXXVIII. Laughs. ‘A thousand of you couldn’t hurt me.’ They   CDXXXIX. Ready their weapons. He raises a bare hand.   CDXL. ‘Peace. I mean no harm.’ ‘The Weyward Sisters would   CDXLI. Disagree.’ ‘Erd, Werdandi, and Skuld have been   CDXLII. Fools from the beginning. I was sent to stop   CDXLIII. You. To deter you, out of good intentions.’   CDXLIV. ‘Deter us from what?’ ‘From starting a war, child.’   CDXLV. ‘You make no sense. We were sent to prevent a   CDXLVI. War from happening.’ ‘You did the opposite.’   CDXLVII. He explains: ‘The beast you killed, Godfather Death,   CDXLVIII. Was once Parsifal’s half-brother, Feirefiz.’   CDXLIX. Parsifal is shocked. ‘You lie!’ ‘Before your dad   CDL. Met your mother, he married Belakane.   CDLI. This queen bore Feirefiz after Gamuret   CDLII. Left for war in his native lands. Snatched by the   CDLIII. Tiverer Klingsor a while later, with spells   CDLIV. He was transformed into a monster. A great   CDLV. Beast that struck fear into enemy kings. ‘Twas   CDLVI. Your brother that kept them at bay. He was the   CDLVII. Guardian of our lands.’ Realization.   CDLVIII. ‘And we killed him.’ ‘He had been weakened before   CDLIX. Your arrival, by a servant of Kundrie.’   CDLX. Heinrich is shattered. Parsifal feels dizzy.   CDLXI. ‘So…this means…’ ‘That it was Min’s plan all along.   CDLXII. She orchestrated all of this. Sent you on   CDLXIII. A quest that would bring doom to us all. Her plan   CDLXIV. Was a success.’ ‘But why...why would she do this?’   CDLXV. ‘War is its own agent, boy. It has no rhyme   CDLXVI. Or reason. It only seeks to take more lives.’   CDLXVII. Parsifal falls to his knees. His eyes weep streams.   CDLXVIII. ‘No…this can’t be…’ As if on cue, loud sirens   CDLXIX. Blare a warning message across the city,   CDLXX. Sirens in each town and nearby settlement:   CDLXXI. ‘BALDER, MEILI, WIDAR, NEP, WALI, DONNER,   CDLXXII. HILDOLF, HERMOD, SIGI, SKJOLD, INGWI-FROH, AND   CDLXXIII. ITREKSJOD! SONS OF WOTAN AND FREIA! FLEE!’   CDLXXIV. Heinrich kneels by his friend. Hanz shakes his head and   CDLXXV. Flies away in the form of a bird. ‘Heinrich...   CDLXXVI. What have we done?’ He wipes the tears from his face.   CDLXXVII. ‘Mein liebling...Peredur...I don’t know. But I   CDLXXVIII. Do know that, whatever happens now, we will   CDLXXIX. Face it together. I will never leave you,   CDLXXX. Nor forsake you.’ He hugs him. The clouds darken.   CDLXXXI. ‘You’re my grail, Heinrich. My power comes from you.’   CDLXXXII. Young Heinrich must be strong for Parsifal’s sake.   CDLXXXIII. ‘You’re the son of a king. If he were alive,   CDLXXXIV. I know he would tell you how proud he was of   CDLXXXV. The man you became. We’ll fix this, Parsifal.’   CDLXXXVI. ‘But where do we even start?’ Heinrich smiles. ‘We   CDLXXXVII. Start by going home. It’s time to take your throne.’   CDLXXXVIII. So they set off. Si vis pacem, fac bellum.   CDLXXXIX. The jackdaws have left them. They’re on their own now.   CDXC. In time Parsifal and Kondwiramurs will   CDXCI. Have two brave sons; Kardeiz and Lohengrin. But   CDXCII. For now the two boys are in the jaws of War,   CDXCIII. And must pry themselves from its toothy hold one   CDXCIV. Fight at a time. ‘Jehowah ist mein Hirte,   CDXCV. Mir wird nichts mangeln,’ Parsifal says calmly.   CDXCVI. ‘Jawohl. Und Ich werde bleiben im hause   CDXCVII. Jehowah immerdar,’ adds Heinrich with hope.   CDXCVIII. The boys journey onward. The Sun hides her eyes,   CDXCIX. The Moon his wool-white beard. Even the great stars   D. Conceal their hosts. But the two will be fine. For   DI. They choose to make their own destiny. The road   DII. Winds on endlessly, broad horizons ahead.   DIII. Parsifal only sees imminent danger,   DIV. But Heinrich spots some grand opportunities.