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Ahead of us pale figures filled the tunnel, rank upon rank upon rank of theht, all naked and without genitalia On every side offor the ceiling with a straight arm

“Hemrod’s army,” Snorri said

“What?” Some of the statues had eyes painted into their sockets, some hair, also painted, butdefinition, soers were fused, faces blank Many struck oddly nonchalant poses, lookingwarriors There was space to walk between each rank and so me to crash into the first line

“Hemrod,” Snorri said

“Hemroids to you I’ve never heard of him” I took hold of the outstretched ar had alht to it Whatever it had been fashioned frohter than wood I tapped it “Hollow?”

“These are Builder things Statues, I guess Herew across his lands When they buried hiuard him and to serve hinarok with him in Valhalla”

“Pah” I stood and dusted myself down “I’d want better soldiers Look: I felled seven of the blind”

Snorri nodded “Though to be fair you did have a screalanced back down the tunnel “I wonder where she ran off to”

“Eat dung, Norseman” I started off between the rows

• • •

“So them up, you know” Snorri spoke from behind me

I paused and swapped the torch fro it overhead and dribbles of hot pitch kept escaping to burn ers

“Why?”