The Vikings took the Monkees outside and tied them to two dead trees nearby. They then found some more wood and laid it by the trees.
"What are we going to say to the village when we do not return with Beli's head?" Arn asked Ivor as they watched the men pile up the wood.
"We have plenty of time to think up something." Ivor said, "Besides, there is more to this island. Perhaps we can find another giant to kill."
"We are ready, Ivor." A Viking called over.
Ivor and Arn walked over to the Monkees.
"So you and that hermit thought you could fool me, eh?" Ivor sneered.
"Where's the honor in killing someone who has never done you any harm?" Peter asked the Viking Chief.
"You must really be fools sent from Loki if you do not know our ways." Ivor replied, "It is kill or be killed! Only the strong survive! I would be replaced as chief if I did not show how tough and mean I could be!"
From above, everyone could hear growling noises. Ivor smirked at the Monkees.
"Your hermit friend is trying to scare us again." He grabbed a torch from one of the Vikings.
"Give my regards to Hela, Goddess of Death for me." He bent down and set the wood underneath the Monkees' trees on fire.
Suddenly, there was an avalanche on the hill above them, Everyone looked up to see a huge man sliding down the hill! On his shoulder was Jotun. The Vikings stepped back as the man slid to the bottom of the hill and set Jotun down.
"I AM BELI!!" The giant roared, "LEAVE MY MOUNTAIN NOW!"
The very ground shook as Beli spoke. The giant inhaled and then blew out his breath. The fires around the Monkees went out and the Vikings were knocked off their feet.
Ivor got up and approached the giant.
"I am Ivor the Boneless!" He shouted, pulling out his sword, "And I will fight you to the death!"
But Beli grabbed a large tree branch and hurled it at Ivor. The Viking barely managed to duck in time. Jotun ran over to the Monkees and untied them.
"Thanks, Jotun." Mike said.
"So Beli does exist." Micky added.
"Yes, I will explain all when this is over." Jotun said, leading them away from the fighting.
Beli picked up one of the trees the Monkees had been tied to and used to swat the Vikings away, like they were gnats. Ivor managed to get a few swings in at the giant, but they barely affected the man. The Monkees and Jotun threw rocks at the Vikings.
Finally, Ivor and his men had had enough. They turned and ran down the mountain, Beli chasing after them. Getting onto their ship, the Vikings lowered the sail. Beli exhaled once again and sent the Viking ship on its way.
Once the Viking ship was gone, Beli walked back over to the Monkees. The guys gulped when they saw him approach, not sure how he would act toward them.
The giant knelt down to better see the Monkees. Now that he was closer, the guys could see Beli was old like Jotun.
"Are you men alright?" He asked, his voice deep and booming.
"Yeah, we're fine, Beli." Davy said, "Are you alright?"
"Yes. Those Vikings were persistent but not as tough as they think they are." Beli said.
"Thank you for rescuing us." Micky told the giant.
"I am glad to help those who would help me." Beli replied.
"How do you two know each other?" Mike asked Jotun and Beli.
"Many years ago, when I decided to withdraw from this evil world, I came to this area and found Beli sick and dying." Jotun replied. "I nursed him back to health and Beli let me live in his cave. In exchange, I scared away any visitors so that Beli could live in peace."
"As you can see I am old and tired of fighting and being persecuted because of my size." Beli put in.
"I'm sorry to have mis-led you men, but I had promised Beli not to tell anyone he was alive." Jotun said, "But when you four were captured, I told Beli and he agreed to help."
"I hope those un-nice Vikings don't come back." Peter said.
"Ivor may not, but no doubt others may." Jotun shook his head sadly.
"Let's go inside and eat." Beli said, "Fighting always makes me hungry."
So everyone went inside and ate some stew cooking on the large pot. When they were done, Jotun looked at the Monkees.
"Tell us, how did you happen to get involved with those Norsemen?" He asked, "You four aren't like them at all."
The guys told Jotun and Beli how they were trying on costumes in a shop and that Peter turned the horn on his helmet and they ended up in some sort of sacred Viking grove.
"May I see your helmet?" Jotun asked Peter.
Peter handed his helmet over to the hermit. Jotun looked closely at it.
"This is my old helmet!" He exclaimed.
"It's yours?" Peter asked.
"Yes, I was once like Ivor, but I had a dream from the Goddess Frigg to give up my life and become a hermit." He said, "I buried my helmet in a grove of trees before I left. I wonder how it came to be with you? Or where those horns came from?" He handed the helmet back to Peter, who put it on.
"What will you do now?" Beli asked, wiping his mouth.
"We don't know." Micky admitted, "Peter's tried to get us back home by turning that horn on his helmet, but nothing's happened."
"Maybe we need to go back to that grove for it to work." Davy ventured.
"But Ivor would kill us for sure if we came near his village." Mike said.
"Have you tried twisting the other horn?" Jotun asked.
"No, I haven't." Peter said, twisting the horn, "Maybe that will..."
There was a puff of smoke and the guys found themselves sitting on the couch in the pad's living room!
"Hey, we're home!" Micky shouted, standing up.
"Great, but how long have we been gone?" Davy asked, "We've probably missed our Halloween gig."
"No look." Mike said, pointing to the calendar, "It's still Oct. 31st!" The clock rang six O'clock.
"Come on, or we'll be late for the gig!" Peter exclaimed.
The Monkees raced out of the pad and into the Monkeemobile. They arrived in time to play their gig and got enough money to pay Babbit...for that month at least.
Chapter 8
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