Meanwhile Jormungandr remained, once again, alone. He waited for Mimir to come. Mimir was the only one he knew that could understand and speak his language. Jormungandr waited weeks, then months, and the months became years. Jormungandr stayed a long time in the depths of the deep dark sea. Silence was dominating his everyday life and he never realized how many years had pass, or rather centuries… One day he felt something touching his head, something was moving on top of his nose. He woke up and saw the squirrel Ratatoskr. He then rose from the sea with the squirrel on top of his head.
‘Tell me something Ratatoskr” Jormungandr started the conversation
“How are you able not only to walk freely inside the water, but also breath?” A question Jormungandr had for quite some time in his mind, but never found the right opportunity to ask it.
Ratatoskr seemed disappointed for a moment and a little bit angry.
“Really Jormie? You know me for so long… I am able to travel between the realms, climb the tree of Yggdrassil up and down since the beginning of time and your question is how I am able to move
inside the water? I mean, come on Jormie!!!”
Jormungandr realized it was indeed a meaningless question, suffering now the consequences of the squirrel’s anger. Some seconds later Ratatoskr took a big breath trying to calm down.
“Anyways, how are you doing my big fella?” he asked
“I am troubled Ratatoskr… I don’t know what I am supposed to do. Should I try taking the same actions, as I did in my time, also here and now? This world is almost the same as mine, but it has some differences… Why am I here… What is my purpose…”
Ratatoskr took a good look at Jormungandrs depressed face. He seemed like he wanted to tell him something he clearly knew. He wished to relieve Jormungandrs sadness for a moment, but rules from higher forces did not allow it. The squirrel came here to give him some company and advice, which also prevented the rules!
Timelines, Rules and Ragnaroks
“Your presence here, or rather ‘now’, definitely brings disturbances in the world tree Yggdrassil Two same persons cannot live at the same time. Now two Jormungandrs exist, two you! In order to bring the balance, someone of you has to die…” Ratatoskr seemed very serious at that moment and tried to lead the conversations somewhere else. Jormungandr seemed full of questions but Ratatoskr didn’t arrive here to give answers. So the squirrel continued talking like it was his monologue, without letting the snake to stop him. “Ragnarok will come to this timeline as well. It is inevitable… It always does… The events are almost the same so you have to decide what to do… Will you take part in this Ragnarok as well or not?”
Jormungandr had even more questions by the tone of Ratatoskr, but with the serious look he was getting by the squirrel, he realized he wouldn’t get more explanation or answers to any of them.
“I will take part in Ragnarok, once again. I should help my family to end up victorious against the Aesir like we did in the Ragnarok I originally was. Have to help my father build a much better world from this of the Aesir gods…”
“Fine then…” said Ratatoskr “ But, I should let you know that you must not take any actions that would lead you meeting yourself in this timeline. This would cause much disturbance, which I am
not sure I will be able to hold in place.”
“What would you have me do then? Since by my experience, myself from this timeline would try to do what I did in my timeline. You don’t expect me to hide forever until Ragnarok comes!”
“Maybe that is for the best…”
Jormungandr seemed very annoyed and confused… “Fine! I will do nothing… I will wait here in the Sea waiting for the inevitable end of the gods to come. And when the war shall begin, I will
rise alongside my brethren and crush the gods once and for all.”
“You decide what to do, it is your decision! Figure it out! I am just warning you about the situation we were put in! Avoid any encounter with yourself in this timeline, unless you want the end of all creation!”
“What do you mean we were put in?”
“…” Ratatoskr realized he said too much and without answering he was ready to leave. But at the last moment he spoke to Jormungandr. “There are forces that control the fate of Yggdrassil which are beyond gods giants and fates. Good luck my friend…” And by saying that, the squirrel disappeared diving into the realm between realms onto the branches of the world tree.
The Squirrel and the Dragon
He was jumping from branch to branch, going downwards, meaning he was going to see Nithhogg, the corpse eating dragon, who laid between Yggdrasil’s roots. Jormungandrs last question was popping into his mind. Causing him to talk to himself, like he was answering it in detail. “You are her favorite after all…”
And then he arrived, in the place where Nithhogg lays. She was sleeping, with loud snoring noises echoed in a vast area. Ratatoskr wasn’t known for his patience so he moved directly in front of the dragons ear and yelled as loud as he possibly could.
“WAKE UP YOU WORTHLESS TRASH OF A DRAGON”
Nithhogg opened her eyes slowly and with a calm look on her draconic monstrous face looked at the squirrel, who had just moved down from her head and was now in front of her. Nithhogg was still laying there, with her lower jaw touching the ground. After a time of staring between the two of them, Nithhogg started talking
“So what words of the Eagle are you bringing me today?
“Hraesvelgr agreed that Jormungandr will live in this Ragnarok, even though he is still not sure that this end will be the most fitting one.“ Ratatoskr answered by transferring the words of the Eagle
“What do you think?” said Nithhogg, “you are the only one who actually speaks and chats with our players… What is your opinion about my favorite, Jormungandr?”
“My opinion does not matter…” answers Ratatoskr.
Nithhogg looked at him and smiled. “Come on, at least tell me what do you think he wants”
Serious talk
“Jormungandr is like he has lived two lives. On his first he tried everything to bring Ragnarok and be reunited with his family, and for that little short time he succeeded. But because you two donkeys can’t decide for an end for Ragnarok, you send him back to re-live his tormented life causing him to be part for yet another war… another Ragnarok…”
Ratatoskr wasn’t just a messenger in the conversations between Nithhogg and Hraesvelgr. He was taking actions and intervening, in his various tasks, changing small things forcing a different destiny. He was the one who made Thor miss in the battle between him and Jormungandr, causing Jormungandr to travel back in time. Not only that but he was the one previously protected the Snake from Odins spear. He was doing all these actions at Nithhoggs and Hraesvelgr request.
Nithhogg after hearing Ratatoskrs words, sighed “Don’t you worry too much for him? You already know I want the best possible outcome for Jormungandr, after all he resembles me like no other creature in Yggdrassil. You know already, in our original Ragnarok he would actually get killed by Thor. Bringing him back in time, saved his life!”
“Sometimes Nithhogg, saving someone’s life could not be the best for him. He lived a life full of suffering, loneliness and overshadowing himself. The moment his Ragnarok came, he was happy like never before. Don’t you thing letting him die for his family was better than ‘saving’ him and making him relive his torment?” answered Ratatoskr who thought of this matter very seriously.
Nithhogg didn’t look like she had regrets as she ended the conversation by saying to Ratatoskr, that after seeing the outcome of this Ragnarok no one will have regrets as it will the most fitting for everyone. After that, she gave her next message to be delivered to Hraeslvegr, the Eagle.