Chapter 36 (Freya): Descent into Helheim and the Rising of the Draug
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Freya awakens in a bone‑deep cold that she recognizes as the cold of death. She finds herself in Helheim, surrounded by mist and endless tunnels of blank‑eyed souls. Using Hlin’s silver magic, she navigates the underworld, desperately trying to wake the warriors whose souls she cursed to this fate. She encounters her brother Geir among them, and after a moment of horror, Geir recognizes her. Freya explains that she can offer the dead Skalanders a second chance at Valhalla if they fight for Skaland against Harald. Geir helps her rally the warriors, but as they flee toward the golden gates of Helheim, Freya’s mortal body begins to fail—her heart stops just as Geir drags her through.
She awakens beside Garmr on the mortal island, still alive but weak. The gates begin to close, leaving the dead warriors trapped inside. Freya calls upon Hel’s power, claiming ownership of the souls and offering them a chance to fight. The dead pour through the gates. Hel shrieks in rage and sends Nidhogg, the great serpent, to stop them. Freya blinds Nidhogg with her shield’s light, then stabs her sword through his eye into his skull. She escapes Yggdrasil’s roots with Geir’s help and surfaces on the same island, still alone.
Then she sees ships with green‑and‑black sails: the Skalander dead, risen as draug, march out of the sea. They surround her, but instead of attacking, they pledge to follow her. Freya accepts their allegiance and declares war.
Key Events
- Freya enters Helheim and experiences the death‑cold. She follows souls through tunnels.
- She tries and fails to wake random warriors; only when she screams at her brother Geir does he respond.
- Geir realizes he is dead and learns Freya sent him here with Hel’s magic.
- Freya explains she can give them a chance at Valhalla if they fight with her.
- She commands the column of Skalander souls to halt—and they obey.
- The party races for the closed golden gates of Helheim; Freya’s heart stops, but Geir pulls her through.
- Freya revives on the mortal island beside Garmr; the gates begin to close again.
- Freya calls upon Hel’s power, declares the souls hers, and offers them a fight for Valhalla. The dead stream out.
- Hel pursues; Freya uses Hlin’s light on her shield to repel Hel, who falls back.
- Hel summons Nidhogg, the giant serpent, who begins devouring warriors.
- Freya reveals her position with light, then tricks Nidhogg into closing his eyes during a venom attack.
- She drops onto his head and stabs her rune‑strengthened sword through his eyelid into his skull.
- Nidhogg hurls her away; Geir catches her and helps her climb out of Yggdrasil’s roots.
- Freya emerges on the beach of the same island, screaming in frustration that she has accomplished nothing.
- Three drakkar with Skalander sails approach; dead warriors rise from the sea as draug.
- Geir, now a draug, tells Freya they will follow her into battle. She accepts and declares war.
Character Development
- Freya – This chapter marks a turning point in Freya’s acceptance of her power and her role as a leader. She moves from desperate guilt (admitting “It’s my fault”) to assertive command (“I am Freya Born‑in‑Fire … Fight for me”). She outthinks Nidhogg using deception, showing growth as a cunning fighter. Her frustration at being still trapped on the island is heavy, but she rises when the draug pledge allegiance, claiming the identity of a leader of the dead.
- Geir – He begins as a lost soul, then transforms into a fierce protector of his sister. He catches Freya, carries her through the roots, and later speaks for the dead warriors, acknowledging that Freya earned their respect. His shift from horror to acceptance (“I don’t deserve your allegiance” / “You have earned our respect”) underscores the thematic value of earned loyalty.
- Hel – Though not the POV character, Hel’s wrath is palpable. She screams treachery, calls Freya a “wicked child,” and unleashes Nidhogg. Her rage highlights the stakes: Freya has stolen souls from the goddess of the dead, creating a permanent enemy.
- Nidhogg – A monstrous serpent with cunning intelligence. He taunts Freya, attempts to trap her in the roots, and spits venom that burns even Yggdrasil. His defeat shows that even cosmic entities can be outsmarted.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Death as a cold state – Freya repeatedly describes the cold of Helheim as “the coldness of death.” This sensory motif reinforces the separation between the living and the dead, and the price Freya pays for crossing that boundary.
- Soul ownership vs. theft – Freya insists she owns the souls because she sent them there with Hel’s own magic. Hel and Nidhogg call her a “thief.” The conflict revolves around whether power granted can be reclaimed—a central question about inheritance versus autonomy.
- Second chances and earned glory – The entire episode hinges on Freya offering the dead a “second chance at Valhalla.” This redefines glory not as a birthright but as something earned through action, even after death.
- Light vs. darkness – Freya uses Hlin’s silver light to see, to repel Hel’s hand, and to illuminate Nidhogg. Light symbolizes hope, knowledge, and the power of the gods Freya has allied with.
- The serpent as guardian of the underworld – Nidhogg, the classic Norse myth dragon gnawing at Yggdrasil’s roots, appears here as an obstacle to escape. His defeat through a precise eye‑stab echoes other mythic dragon‑slaying motifs.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the fulcrum of Freya’s arc in Book Two. She moves from being a pawn of fate (cursed by Hel, tricked by Harald) to becoming an active weaver of new fates. By descending into Helheim, confronting her brother, outsmarting Nidhogg, and earning the allegiance of the dead, she gains a formidable army—the Skalander draug. The chapter also elevates the stakes: Hel is now an avowed enemy, and the undead army provides a way to break the stalemate on Skaland. Freya’s final declaration, “Let us to war,” sets the stage for the climactic battles to come.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Freya believe she has the right to take the souls out of Helheim, and how does Hel respond?
Freya argues that because Hel gave her a drop of her blood, the magic that sent those souls to Helheim is hers to command. She claims ownership of the souls and uses that claim to open the gates. Hel responds with fury, calling Freya a “wicked child” and a “thief,” then sends Nidhogg to recapture the souls and devour Freya.
2. Describe the tactic Freya uses to defeat Nidhogg. What vulnerability does she exploit?
Freya pretends to be trapped in the roots, then ducks behind her shield when Nidhogg spits venom. She notices the serpent closes his eyes to protect them from his own venom. Using that moment, she drops onto his head and drives her sword through his eyelid into his skull, blinding and wounding him severely.
3. At the end of the chapter, the dead warriors rise as draug rather than returning to life. Why does Geir choose to follow Freya despite her being the cause of his death?
Geir acknowledges that he and his comrades entered battle knowing death was possible. Freya’s offer of a chance to fight for their families and earn a place in Valhalla restores purpose to their deaths. Her escape from Hel, outwitting of Nidhogg, and refusal to give up earn her their respect. Geir declares, “You have earned our respect, shield maiden, so we choose to follow you.”