The Fury of the Gods Chapter 73: Varg - Betrayal and the Gates Open
⚠️ 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
Varg rushes from the Bloodsworn’s sleeping chamber, still half-asleep, and follows Glornir and a few others into the great hall. Svik grumbles about being woken. The hall is already in chaos: warriors fight before the doors, and Varg spots drengrs from Elvar’s warband with their backs against the entrance, opposed by warriors bearing the sigils of Hjalmar’s Fell-Hearted and Estrid’s drengrs. Glornir identifies them as oath-breakers.
A screaming body falls from a high branch of the great tree and crashes to the ground. It is Elvar, dead. Shock sweeps through Varg and the Bloodsworn. Above, Grend stands on a branch staring down at her corpse; others fight on Elvar’s bed-chamber platform. figures hurry down the stairwell toward the hall floor.
Røkia states they are betrayed, and Vol notes the attackers are trying to open the doors. Glornir leads the Bloodsworn in a loose charge. They carve through the Fell-Hearted and Estrid’s warriors. Varg fights, kills one opponent, and reaches the doors. He turns to see Glornir defeat Hjalmar Peacemaker with a brutal axe blow through his shield, killing him and spitting on his corpse as an oath-breaker.
In the magical duel, Sturla (a Galdurwoman apprentice) uses fire against Elvar’s drengrs, burning one alive. Vol counters with a Seiðr-rune net of ice that consumes Sturla’s fire and entangles her. Vol commands the net to tighten, and Sturla shatters into ice-shards. Estrid and her surviving drengrs gather.
A howl echoes as Ulfrir enters in wolf-form with Skuld, the two stone wolves, and a warband of Úlfhéðnar. Ulfrir stops at Elvar’s corpse, sniffs it, whines, then turns his gaze to the stairwell. The figures, now near the floor, halt. One is Rotta, tall and lean, holding a bloodstained seax. He mocks Ulfrir, revealing his scarred face beneath a glamour. Ulfrir threatens him, but Rotta speaks a rune-word: the doors grind open. A black mist seeps through the gap, and night-hags shriek as they emerge.
Key Events
- The Bloodsworn are roused by alarm horns and find the great hall under attack.
- Elvar is killed and thrown from a high branch; her body lands before Varg and Glornir.
- Hjalmar Peacemaker and Estrid’s warriors are revealed as traitors attempting to open the hall doors.
- Glornir kills Hjalmar in single combat, calling him an oath-breaker.
- Vol destroys Sturla with a Seiðr ice-net after the Galdurwoman burns a drengr alive.
- Ulfrir arrives with his wolf-pack and confronts Rotta, who is descending from the tree.
- Rotta chants a rune that unlocks the great doors, unleashing a tide of black mist and night-hags.
Character Development
- Varg remains a reliable soldier, quick to action and deeply affected by Elvar’s death. His shock shows his respect for her leadership.
- Glornir embodies implacable fury and a strict code of loyalty, executing Hjalmar without hesitation and condemning his oath-breaking.
- Vol demonstrates the destructive power of Seiðr magic, her ice-net overpowering Sturla’s fire in a display of elemental mastery.
- Ulfrir is both a grieving ally (over Elvar) and a vengeful brother; his howl signals his presence and his resolve to finally end Rotta.
- Rotta reveals his cunning and cruelty: he hides his scarred face under a beautifying glamour, taunts Ulfrir, and uses ancient runes to open the doors, inviting supernatural horrors.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Oath-breaking and Betrayal: Glornir’s condemnation of Hjalmar and Estrid underscores the theme of loyalty broken for personal gain.
- Elemental Magic: The clash between Vol’s ice and Sturla’s fire mirrors the broader conflict and the high stakes of magical warfare.
- The Cost of Leadership: Elvar’s sudden death serves as a brutal reminder that those who unite factions become prime targets.
- Gates as Thresholds: The opening doors symbolise a point of no return, allowing unnatural forces (night-hags) to enter the heart of the stronghold.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter marks a critical turning point in the siege. The deaths of Elvar and Hjalmar remove key leaders, and the betrayal by Estrid and Hjalmar fractures the alliance. Rotta’s successful opening of the doors brings the battle inside, raising the stakes dramatically. The arrival of night-hags signals that Lik-Rifa’s dark magic now directly threatens the Bloodsworn and their allies. Varg’s perspective anchors the reader in the chaos, setting up the final confrontation.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does Glornir’s treatment of Hjalmar’s corpse reveal about his character?
Glornir spits on Hjalmar after killing him, calling him an oath-breaker. This shows that Glornir values honour and loyalty above all else, and he shows no mercy to those who betray their sworn word, even in death.
2. How does Vol’s defeat of Sturla demonstrate the power of Seiðr magic?
Vol weaves a rune-net of ice that not only extinguishes Sturla’s fire but also encases and shatters her. The spell is precise, controlled, and lethal, emphasising that Seiðr magic can counter and overwhelm more chaotic elemental forces when wielded by a skilled practitioner.
3. What does Rotta’s use of a glamour to hide his scarred face suggest about his personality?
Rotta hides his true, disfigured appearance behind a handsome facade, which suggests he is vain, manipulative, and willing to deceive others to maintain an image of power. It also implies that his past suffering (likely from his brother Ulfrir) has left him bitter and calculating.