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CHAPTER 10 VIBRATIONS OF DOOM
When Kriemhild learned what Hagen had done her world was collapsing again. All her attempts and plans seemed to be in vain. She was falling in some state of agony. She felt dragged in some dark deep well. Day by day and night by night she felt like doomed in the face of her enemies. Any change of the game was far out of sight.
But then came a fateful day and the wheel of fortune was in motion again. In the rising of the sun tables turned and fate turned another page in the book of life. A bunch of horsemen arrived at the gates of the castle. They were all dressed in strange clothing and black armors. Speaking in foreign tongue they gathered around their leader. The horses and their riders looked tired.Obviously they came a long way.
The guards got to know that the foreign leader was no stranger to the royal family. Count Rüdiger was a relative of the Burgundian tribe. He was now a vassal to the mighty king Attila. Attila was the ruler of the legendary eastern kingdom of the Huns. He was an old friend of Hagen von Tronje and the happy reunion lifted everybody´s spirits. Hospitality deserved another great feast and did fulfill the expectations of their guests.
In the evening started the usual drinking and feasting in good company. As the hours passed Rüdiger offered his order by king Attila. On behalf of his Master, Rüdiger was supposed to be his suitor. It was well known that Kriemhild was a much sought after widow and Attila didn´t want to miss a chance. When Kriemhild met Rüdiger and learned about his task she hesitated at first. After a while of doing some serious thinking she agreed.
This might be her last chance to have her revenge. When she offered her decision to her brothers they felt the weight of the world had been lifted from their shoulders. Could it all come to a happy ending? They were asking themselves and didn´t listen to some strange noises carried by wind and rain The journey to Hungary where the Kingdom of the Huns was located was prepared within a week. Rüdiger was sending out a messenger to bring the good news to Attila‘s stronghold. Finally Rüdiger´s mission was successful.
To no one´s surprise the wedding of Attila and Kriemhild turned out to be one of the most glorious occasions ever after. From near and far most noble guests were coming in. Now away from the fact that Attilas warriors were grim and weird Kriemhild was taken by surprise to learn about the Kingdom of the Huns. The court was as splendid and beautiful like her own home.The entertainment was breathtaking and spectacular. Attila´s place
offered a seldom mixture of orient and occident where magic was behind every corner.
She was confident to be able to fulfill all of her plans. Siegfried would be avenged and the order of the universe could be restored. Seven good years passed and with Kriemhild by his side Attila´s kingdom evolved to the axis of the world. Kriemhild even gave birth to a son by the name of Ortleib. Everything was opulent, grand and impressive. How much can someone ask for? Perfect life or not underneath the surface a volcano was boiling. One day Kriemhild offered a desire to her husband. She was eager to invite her family to Hungary. There was a longing in her heart she couldn´t resist. And Attila agreed with a smile on his face. “There is nothing like family business“ he said in a deep soft voice. Kriemhild nodded and gave him a most passionate kiss. A messenger was sent out to the west.
When the message arrived at Worms the Royal Castle was filled with excitement.Everybody was expecting a most imposing summit meeting of all times. For the most it was another statement like „Who´s like us, what´s like us“! The Royalties seemed to have left their dark days far behind. But away from the majority the inner circle was worried about the outcome.Especially Hagen wasn´t in need of any crystal ball. He knew what was about to come. And Gernot and Giselher remained hopeful while Gunther couldn´t make up his mind again.
But whatever was going on in the individual minds the code of honor left no choice. The Burgundians had to accept the invitation. During the next days the royal brothers gathered the whole elite of the nobility. There were Hagen, Dankwart and Volker the Bard and too many others to be named. Soon about 1000 warriors were camping outside the castle.
On some misty morning the Burgundians went on their final journey. Many days they were heading towards East. They followed pathsways through deep woodlands full of wolfs, boars and deer. The wilderness offered a world full of otherworldly creatures and dangerous challenges.One day they were about to cross the river Danube. As the evening was falling Hagen walked away from the numerous tents. The noises of the camp were grewing small and he was surrounded by large trees. They had extraordinary shapes like giants and beasts with wooden tentacles covered by moss.
In the dusk hundreds and thousands of dragonflies and fireflies raved around. A mystical twilight soaked up the gloom.
And Hagen felt he crossed some invisible border. He reached a quiet place and between the bushes an enchanting pond appeared. Suddenly he heard shrieking noises. As he looked he couldn´t believe his eyes. He saw three swan women bathing in the misty waters. They were laughing and cheating each other. The three of them were of strange beauty. The first had a mane in the color of golden sunlight. The second had red hair like the fur of a fox and the third one had hair as black as midnight. They had left their swan garments at the brink of the water.
Hagen took the garments in knowledge about the power of their clothing. Without their robes they were helpless and defenseless. Hagen was absolutely aware about their magical powers of divination. He turned to them and as they noticed his presence they shouted and cursed him. They demanded their garments and gave him freezing looks.Hagen answered with a sardonic smile and said: “I`ll return the robes to you. But first you will tell me something about our journey to king Attila. Will the traveling end in good fortune?“ The three of them spoke with one chilling noise and ghostly echoes. “There will be a safe journey and a lucky return to the royal castle of Worms“.
Hagen felt a strange presence in the air and the mist on the pond was getting thicker. He gave them their garments back and turned to walk away. But just as the swan women got their robes back they started to burst out in laughing. They shouted with a hissing voice:“ The lucky return belongs for just one man. It will be the chaplain. A dark fate is waiting for all the rest of you. The Burgundians will perish and no one will mourn about you.
The voice was ringing out through the wood but as Hagen went after them they disappeared right before his eyes. There was just the fog. As Hagen returned to the camp he immediately went after the chaplain. Hagen drew his sword and pounced on the man of the church. But he was swift and cunning like a fox. He escaped through the trees and vanished in the dark of the night. Hagen had failed and he become aware of the truth in the telling of the swan women. All of a sudden he had a strange vision. The whole camp was covered by a bloodstained shroud.
They all stood at the eve of destruction. Hagen tasted the bitter truth on his tongue. The journey would be of no return. All the Burgundians would meet their cruel destiny.
