Ragnar had no idea why he watched, he merely felt glad that the old man did so. While he stood guard, Ragnar felt that no evil could touch them.
Then once more the land fell away behind them, and they were on the open sea. The weather remained favourable. The stranger sniffed the wind and pronounced that the sea would remain quiet until they reached their destination. As if afraid to disobey him the sea complied.
After two days at sea, they saw smoke ahead of them, and fires lit the night sky. The men prayed to Russ in superstitious awe, but were afraid he would not hear them. They knew they were entering an area sacred to the fire giants, and here Russ and the All Father held little sway.
The next day, as they approached the islands, Ragnar could see that they were afire. Their tops blazed. The molten orange spittle of the fire giants ran down their black sides and sizzled and steamed as it entered the water. The roaring of the imprisoned giants made them shake.
Filled with trepidation, Ragnar approached the sorcerer once more. He was reassured to see that the ancient showed no signs of fear, merely a quiet pleasure and a certain sadness, like that of a man who has been enjoying a journey and is not looking forward to its end.
"They say Ghorghe and Sla Nahesh are imprisoned within those islands,' Ragnar said, repeating something he had heard the skald say after the spring trading. Despite his fear, he was excited. Never before had he sailed this far with his father. 'They say that Russ bound them there when the world was young.' 'Those are evil names, lad,' the sorcerer said. "You should not mention them.'

"Why?' said Ragnar, for once undaunted by the stranger. His curiosity overcoming his
reverence. The stranger looked down at him and smiled. He did not seem displeased by the question.
'Those are the names of great evils, born in a place millions of leagues away, and many millennia in the past. Russ did not bind them. No one could. Not even the Emperor - the All Father himself - in the days of his glory.' Ragnar was not surprised to be told of their age. After all, Russ had fought them in the dawn ages before he had banished his people from Asaheim. He was surprised to be told that they had been born millions of leagues away. It was a distance he could not conceive.
'I thought they were the children of the dragon goddess Skrinneir, of her marriage to the dark god, Horus.'
'And that is another name you should not speak, lad. For you have no idea of its true significance.'
'Will you tell me its meaning then?'
'No, lad, I will not. If it is your destiny to know such things, you will find them out soon enough.'
'And how will I do that?'
'By dying, laddie, and by being reborn.' 'Is that how you gained your great wisdom?' Ragnar asked, annoyed by the stranger's response and surprised at the sarcasm of his own tone. To his surprise the stranger merely laughed.
'You have courage, youth, and no mistake.' He turned from Ragnar and gazed out to sea. Ahead of them dark clouds rose, and the sea was stained an oily black. To the west, the mountain shook, and a huge jet of fire emerged from its tip. 'The Fire Mountain is angry today,' the sorcerer said.