Read Ragnarok Rising: The Crossing (The Ragnarok Rising Saga) Online
Authors: D.A. Roberts
Ragnarok Rising: The Crossing (The Ragnarok Rising Saga)
Ragnarok Risin
g
:
The Crossing
Book Three of
The Ragnarok Rising Saga
By
The End is only
The Beginning
Ragnarok Rising: The Crossing
Book Three of the Ragnarok Rising Saga
By D.A. Roberts
First
Edition © 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please refer all pertinent questions to the publisher. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Cover Design and Interior Images by Phil Morrissey
Typeset and Layout by D.A. Roberts
Editing by D.A. Roberts and Annette M. Roberts
Author Bio Photo by Annette M. Roberts
Interactive Map by Kate Hughes
Check out the interactive map for a new level of experience in reading. See the actual locations from the book, as you read it.
Find the map on my website and Facebook pages.
Published by D.A. Roberts
Springfield, MO
Table of Contents
Chapter Two
-
The Road Less Traveled
Chapter Three -
The Valley of the Dead
Chapter Four -
Decent Into Darkness
Chapter Five -
The Hall of the Mountain King
Chapter Six -
Lair of the Stalkers
Chapter Seven -
A Walk In The Park
Chapter Eight -
Down the Dark River
Chapter Ten -
The King of Laketown
Chapter Eleven -
Blood in the Water
Chapter Fourteen -
Shapes in the Mist
Chapter Fifteen -
The Honored Dead
Chapter Seventeen -
Hel Hath No Fury
Chapter Nineteen -
Living Dead Girl
Chapter Twenty -
Grimmr Bardagi
Chapter Twenty-Two -
One If By Land
Chapter Twenty-Three -
Sanctuary
Chapter Twenty-Four -
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Chapter Twenty-Five -
A Dangerous Experiment
Chapter Twenty-Six -
Thunderstruck
Chapter Twenty-Seven -
Prophet and Loss
Chapter Twenty-Eight -
The Crossing
The third installment of my series came with its own set of unique challenges. Not only did I have the usual issues of writing, but I had a growing number of fans who were eagerly awaiting the new novel. I wanted to make certain that I didn’t disappoint them. It was a new experience for me, knowing that this had grown so far in so little time.
So, I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who made it possible.
First, as always, I want to thank my family. My wife Annette who has stuck by me for the last 20 years through all the ups and downs. I love you, baby. To my sons; Nathan, Nic, and Noah…you boys are my world. I know we’ve struggled to get by through the years, but I want these books to be my legacy to you. Something you can show your own children, one day. It took me a long time to finally become an author, but I never gave up my dream. Don’t ever give up on yours. No matter what, I love you and I’ll always be there for you.
To my support system and beta-readers, I want to say thank you. Matt Roper, Casandra Smith, Brian Forrester, Kate Hughes, and Mike Mello…thank you all, for everything. Your words of encouragement, support and patience with a struggling writer have made this an amazing experience. I owe you more than I can ever repay.
To the men and women in uniform…soldiers, law enforcement officers (in all capacities), firefighters, paramedics and everyone in between…this is for you all. I have tried to give these characters the dedication and courage you all show on a daily basis. You do a thankless job and you do it well. I, for one, want to thank you. You exemplify what is best in humanity.
And…to the fans. You have e-mailed me, posted on my facebook, tweeted, left reviews online and even come to see me at conventions. You have shown me that this kid from the hills of
Missouri could reach into your lives and share his stories with you. You’ve made me proud, smile, laugh and even nearly cry a couple of times. You all have inspired me. I hope to keep entertaining you with my writing for many years to come. Thank you all. I am deeply humbled by this experience. You are all part of my life, now. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
So, to you all…family, friends, fans, sinners and saints…I present to you…
Ragnarok Rising: The Crossing!
I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to let me know. I love hearing from you.
-
DA Roberts
S
urt with the bane of branches comes
From the south, on his sword the sun of the Valgods,
Crags topple, the crone falls headlong,
Men tread Hel's road, the Heavens split open.
A
further woe falls upon Hlin
As Odhinn comes forth to fight the wolf;
The killer of Beli battles with Surt:
Now shall fall Frigga's beloved.
N
ow valiant comes Valfather's son,
Vidar, to vie with Valdyr in battle,
Plunges his sword into the son of Hvedrung,
Avenging his father with a fell thrust.
N
ow the son of Hlodyn and Odhinn comes
To fight with Fenris; fiercest of warriors
He mauls in his rage all Middle-Earth;
Men in fear all flee their homesteads;
Nine paces back steps Bur's son
Retreats from the worm of taunts unafraid.
N
ow death is the portion of doomed men,
Red with blood the buildings of gods,
The sun turns black in the summer after,
Winds whine. Well, would know more?
-
The Voluspa
Chapter OneDesperate Times
"
An army of deer would be more formidable commanded by a lion,
than an army of lions commanded by a stag."
- Viking Proverb
08 May
It took a few days for us to recover from our attack on the
Freemen
camp. Although the torture I endured was severe, I had nonetheless endured it. I was still on the mend, but I was mobile and I could accept that. It wasn't good, but it was good enough. We were confident that we’d dealt the last blow in that particular battle.
We’d been keeping an eye out for any sign of them
, but so far there had been nothing. Since we’d hit them with an entire barrage from an MLRS
[1]
Missile strike, I doubted that so much as a bug escaped that night. We wiped that entire sector off the map. I sincerely doubted that anyone would mourn their passing. I know I wouldn't.
The massive explosion had drawn the dead away from
us. It was a temporary reprieve to be sure, but one we weren’t going to waste. Crews had been working every day to repair the damage done to our perimeter fence. It might not ever be as good as it was, but it was still better than nothing. We’d even managed to incorporate a section of field to the east of us that survived the explosion. We might be able to grow something this year, after all.
Although I was still hurting from my torture at the hands of the
Freemen
, I was still on my feet. Maddie insisted that I take it easy, but I don’t think she really expected that I’d listen to her. There was simply too much work to be done and not enough time to do it in. It was becoming painfully clear that the
Freemen
might have dealt us a more severe blow than we had imagined. We still might have to abandon the Underground.