The world ends in fire. A handful of beings survive, including Lif and Thrasir, the last of mankind. They have a son and a daughter before Thrasir leaves her abusive mate. She searches the rejuvenating world for Vitharr, the god who saved her life as a child, and a purpose beyond mother of humanity.
She finds Othinn’s ravens, Huginn and Muninn, and they follow her to Asgard. She is told by Hildr of the Valkyrie that Thor’s sons have been murdered, and his hammer taken. Vitharr has gone to retrieve it, with Vali and Thorr’s daughter.
She asks advice of the wisest giant, and he tells her to travel east. She is confronted by a god she thought dead in the guise of Othinn, but uncovers the truth: he is Loki. They are confronted by the warring servants of Othinn, who cannot truly die because they were not meant to survive, bearmen and wolfmen, locked in eternal combat. Loki slays them, knowing they will heal and begin their war anew.
Thrasir’s daughter comes of age, and her son dies protecting her from Lif. He continues to follow Thrasir, and is captured at the bridge to Hel by the giantess Móthguthr, and taken to Freya. She plans to use the armies of Hel to remove Baldr from his throne.
Nágrind, the gates Hel, have lain open and unguarded since the hellhound Garm fell, and the dead wander the fields. Thrasir and Loki press on for Eliudnir, Hel’s capital. They arrive to find Vitharr laying siege to the city, and battling against frost giants, and undead warriors. As they breach the city walls, they discover Thrasir’s daughter is with child, as is Freya.
During the struggle Vali is slain, and Lif is killed by Thrasir’s hand. Loki runs Freya through on Othinn’s spear. Vitharr invites Thrasir to make her home in Asgard her her child, which she accepts. Loki declines his invitation, preferring to wander the wilds of the world, to find what strange things he can, and prepare the coming tomorrow.
