The Girl Who Changed the Future (Story Excerpt)

“Perhaps you have heard of a girl called Inga, born in a place called Midgard. In case you haven’t, here is a quick reminder. Midgard was a human settlement frequently visited by gods and goddesses from the realm of divine beings, called Asgard. Midgard was also visited by shooting stars, who came bearing gifts every time a child was born. Inga too received a gift from a shooting star. She was also visited by a powerful goddess called Freyja who advised her what to do with her gift. Everyone thought the gift Inga received was a blessing. Alas, the blessing turned into a curse.

Once, and only once in all of eternity, Midgard was visited by a fiery giant from a fiery world. The giant’s name was Surtr, and the fiery world was called Muspell. The giant cast a powerful curse. He was angry at the humans, who created enormous fires that should have only existed in the fiery world he was guarding. He came to punish them and burn the human settlement to the ground with his mighty sword. But a passing shooting star distracted him and he dropped his sword. The goddess Freyja picked up the sword and took it with her to Asgard. So the giant took revenge on Inga, a newborn human child who was given the gift of knowing the future.

Inga grew up having many prophetic visions, but hardly anyone believed her: such was Surtr’s curse.”