Author Notes: I never want to see another exam paper again! Thankfully, though, that's all over, allowing me to concentrate on finally finishing this story. Thank you to everyone who has not yet given up on me. Here is the penultimate chapter for you all!

Chapter 24: Ragnarok

"We are here." Vegeir brought his horse to stand at the foot of a large golden obelisk which flickered in the torchlight that Jack directed at it. The group had been riding for hours, much longer than either Langaran had predicted due Jack's weaker riding skills. The sun had set long ago, while the moon had risen into the darkening dusk. They had seen each star flicker into being above their heads, guiding them as they made their way through the boreal forests that covered the North. Their whole journey had been uphill, and now, as the ground began to level off, they had finally reached their destination.

Jack dismounted, painfully, to join the other three. Neither Langaran made to move towards the obelisk. Instead, Vegeir turned to Daniel, "I hope you will forgive me for doubting you, but I must insist that you lead the way into the Hall, so I may be certain that you spoke the truth of Cimmeria."

Daniel nodded, and stepped forwards to lightly tough the red gem inset into the centre of the monument. Immediately, a shaft of red light shone outwards, enveloping the four travellers.

It was pitch black, until Jack and Daniel fumbled for their torches, shining them around the chamber. "Well, this looks horribly familiar." Jack sighed. "That little guy seems to have a thing for small, cramp, underground spaces."

"This isn't right. This isn't a hall, it's too small." Daniel frowned. "The test for Langara must be different for Cimmeria; Vegeir did say they traded, so maybe Thor wanted to make sure they succeeded through their own merit."

"Wait!" Bera's voice rang through the darkness, "Where is Lord Vegeir?"

"Disa said that all of the Elders had passed all but the last test. He must've been transported straight to the last test."

Before any of them could continue to speculate further, a brilliantly white hologram of 'Thor' materialised in front of them, "I am Thor. You are brave to come before me." Jack gave him a little salute, "However, only the worthy may witness Thor's might."

"Fun."

Bera commented, "He is smaller than I imagined, although I suppose it was a recording?"

Daniel nodded, while Jack snorted, replying, "You think he's short, wait till you see him in person." Bera cocked her head, confusion marring her features, "Alright Daniel, what do we do?"

"This looks more like a maze than a hall…"

"Yeah, well as long as it's Unas free, I'm okay."

"This is an antechamber," Bera murmured, "This way."

The woman led the way though a small arch and down a low passage. After many twists and wrong turns, they finally emerged into a cavernous room, much larger than the hall at Cimmeria; at the other end stood another obelisk. "Let's go." Jack walked swiftly forwards and then, without warning, the room began to shake and move. "Holy…" He didn't get any further as the floor wrenched itself upwards and tilted, cracking as it did so. The gradient was so steep that all three immediately lost their footing and tumbled down towards a newly materialised abyss at the base of the slope.

Daniel scrambled to get a hold, and successfully wrenched himself up onto the unaffected floor of the passage from which they had come. Jack, meanwhile, lost his grip on his gun as he grabbed onto a jutting outcrop of a newly formed ledge just above the drop off. Getting his bearings, Jack looked wildly around. The final member of the trio, at first, was no where to be seen, and then he heard Daniel yell and point, "Jack!"

Bera was hanging onto the edge of the cliff-like slope by the tips of her fingers, just out of Jack's reach. A metre or so above her, his gun was hooked by its strap on a small crack, and slipping. Suddenly, Jack saw Daniel pale, his eyes fixed on something behind them all. Turning around, Jack's stomach turned as he saw a hideous winged creature soaring towards them. Its bared razor sharp teeth and flexed talons left Jack with no doubt as to its intentions, and his immediate instinct was to try and grab for his gun. For a moment, he froze, and then made his decision. Flinging himself on his stomach, he stretched out his hand as far as he could towards Bera, "Come on!"

The woman looked terrified, but determined. Pulling herself up towards him, she wildly released her grip and lunged towards Jack, who grasped her by the arm. At the same moment, the creature swooped down, sinking its talons deep into Jack's leg, pulling him backwards. Letting go of Bera as she was pulled onto the ledge, Jack found himself falling as his weight proved too much for the creature to cope with.

The world shifted, and Jack found himself sprawled on the decidedly flat floor, with Bera a few metres away and Daniel running towards them; his leg felt nothing of the pain it had a few moments before, "Are you both okay?"

Jack groaned, "We're gonna have words to Thor about these little tests of his."

Daniel smiled, "They're not over yet."

Their attention was caught by the hologram re-materialising, "You have shown true selflessness and bravery. Willingness to sacrifice oneself to save another is an honourable trait. I salute you. Now you must add wisdom to courage. Solve the riddle of the runes and I will show you my true might" Once again, the three were caught up in the red sweep of the obelisk.

While two parts of SG-1 remained hidden in the underground depths of the planet, the remaining three resided miles away, watching the first glimmer of dawn creep over the horizon; one from a cell window, and two from the confines of an alley where they had spent most of the night. Sam shifted uncomfortably to look at her watch, "0600 hours. It's not long now. I hope the Colonel got through; Dreylock's bound to realise we know something by now."

"Have you given any thought as to how we are to rescue Jonas Quinn? I myself have meditated on the problem, but have yet to find a valid solution to the problem."

Sam placed her head in her hands, "No." She sighed, "I can't see any safe way of getting him out whilst avoiding civilian injury. What we really need is more manpower."

"And yet that is impossible with the Kelownan Stargate under analysis."

Sam gave a hollow laugh, "Yeah, I keep wondering if that isn't a coincidence."

Teal'c frowned, "Do you believe that Dreylock has planned it so as to prevent escape, Major Carter?"

"I don't know Teal'c," she scrubbed her face roughly with her hands, "I can't seem to think straight. I just want this hell to be over."

Teal'c didn't reply, he only draped his arm around his friend's shoulders to wait out the dawn.

"Finally!" Vegeir rose from his seat below the frozen hologram of Thor. "I had begun to believe you were not coming."

Jack, Daniel and Bera took a few seconds to gain their bearings, and then looked around the chamber. It was much like the one in Cimmeria, with three walls depicting runes, pictograms and geometric shapes. "Well, any ideas?"

"I have been trying to decipher the runes' meaning, yet once again, I have made no progress. And as to the meaning of the shapes, I cannot fathom." Vegeir informed them.

"Well, the runes are definitely not Pi like last time." Daniel ran his fingers lightly across the carvings, "There are sections of this wall that are sand, just like the rest of the shapes."

"Daniel? What do the runes say?"

"Well, assuming that the runes stand for numbers instead of ideas, like last time, they read: 1, 1, 3, 5, 13, 21, 55."

Jack frowned, "What does that mean?"

Daniel shook his head, "They must have some meaning, but Sam would know better than anyone…"

"Daniel, we don't have time. I need you to figure this out. What about these shapes?"

Vegeir shook his head, "They do not necessarily hold the key. If this is truly a test of wisdom, then the worthy must be able to see past things meant to mislead."

"Perfect."

For the first time, Bera spoke up, "Did you not say that there was sand next to the last rune, Daniel?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Could it not be that Thor wishes us to dictate the next number in the sequence?"

Daniel frowned, "I don't know Bera-"

"Aww, c'mon Danny, Thor always did love our dumb ideas. Why not?"

"I know, but these numbers appear to have no sequence."

"Yes they do!" Bera walked forwards, "We are taught these numbers in our schooling. The sequence is not complete, and that is why it does not look correct. My lord, are these not the Gudrun Numbers?"

"Say what?" Jack looked blankly between the two Langarans, and then to Daniel, who shrugged.

"They cannot be, child, the number two must be included…"

"Not if the sequence misses out every third number."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Daniel tried to get them to explain.

"The sequence of numbers wherein the next number is determined by the sum of the two numbers previous. Here, the sequence has been changed to make it less recognisable; it misses the numbers 2, 8 and 34."

"Daniel?"

The archaeologist frowned as he tried to understand what Bera was explaining, and then his expression cleared, "Jack, it's the Fibonacci Sequence! This sequence of numbers can be used for all manner of things; I've read about how they even appear in the biological make-up of-"

"Daniel! We get the picture, so what do we do now?"

"We must write the next rune in the sequence; 89." Bera supplied.

Daniel hesitated a moment, and then reached up to trace the correct rune in the sand. It melted away, revealing a golden orb, which Daniel reached out to touch. Immediately the hologram dissipated, to reveal the real life Asgard, "I am Thor."

"Hey buddy!" Jack called over and waved while Vegeir and Bera looked upon the little alien with shock.

"O'Neill? Dr Jackson? Why have you once again interfered with the tests we have set up?"

"Um, first, they did all the work; hardly showed them what to do. Secondly, we really need you help, and we don't have much time."

Sam's thoughts were disturbed by a commotion outside in the main street. People of all ages were heading in the same direction; towards to square. "Oh god." Sam murmured, "Teal'c, it's time."

Admittedly, their plan had many flaws and had been only partly formed, but the premise was simple. Sam would use her P-90 to shoot the rope of the noose at the last moment, as she had done once to impress the rebel Jaffa. Teal'c, meanwhile, would be placed closer to the gallows, on the other side of the square, to fire shots into the sky and create panic while Sam moved around to retrieve Jonas. The plan was hardly foolproof, and all depended on Jonas' reactions once Sam had cut him free. Nevertheless, both were hopeful.

"Good morning Jonas." The First Minister regarded the small form curled up in the corner of the cell with contempt, "I hope you slept well."

Jonas raised his head slightly, his clear green eyes meeting hers with equal hatred, but he refused to reply. Two guards moved forward, and unlocked the door. "Get up." Jonas didn't even have time to flinch before he was grabbed roughly by the hair and pulled to his feet. With Dreylock in the lead, Jonas was half walked, half dragged out of his cell and down the corridor and stairs, flanked either side by a guard twice his size.

They turned a sharp corner, and he was suddenly blinded by the dazzling cold sunlight of dawn. He had never seen the square so full. As soon as he stepped forwards, the crowd roared and jeered, throwing things like rocks in his general direction, whilst being careful to avoid the First Minister. None of this, however, registered in Jonas' senses. His attention was wholly fixed on the thick noose, swaying gently in the breeze. A sick sensation caught in his throat, but he swallowed and tried to calm his mind.

Dreylock was already making her speech; something about the bane of civil society, and barbarians, no doubt. She had moved forwards towards the crowd, around the gallows, which were raised above the platform by steps. Meanwhile, one of the guards brought Jonas to face him, and made to tie his hands. What happened next made them both stare in shock. Both of the manacles on the Langaran's wrists simply slipped off and fell to the wooden floor of the platform. This went unnoticed by both Dreylock and the crowd, but not the other guard. "I told you," he hissed to his partner, "Them lot ain't right. It's like witchcraft or summat. Give that here."

Jonas felt his arms being wrenched behind him as the other guard secured his wrists with the rope bindings; painfully tight. The guard behind him grabbed his hair, snapping his head back, making his vision blur for a second, "If it were up to me, you'd get a lot worse than a simple hangin'."

Dreylock's voice suddenly carried as the crowd quietened, "Bring the traitor forward."

Jonas was forced up the steps. For a second, he thought he saw a blur of some oddly familiar white robes, but as he focused on the point, they were gone. He was forced forwards onto the smaller stage, and the noose was slipped over his head and tightened. Jonas closed his eyes, not wanting to see the crowd's faces. The whole square had gone deathly quiet as Dreylock stepped forwards to make one last speech.

Jonas' eyes snapped open. Surely he had imagined it? But then it came again, louder, and then it continued in a rhythm. Drum beats. The crowd had heard it too. A chant joined the drums, but it was too distant to make out. Only Jonas understood it:

Ragnarok!

The drums and chants built. Confusion spread through the crowd, and then distant screams could be heard streets away. Panic replaced confusion and the crowd began to shift and mingle. Dreylock frowned as one of the guards came up to her and whispered a report in her ear. She shook her head, and then yelled an order to the guard next to Jonas, "Do it! Now!"

Before anyone could register, the guard had kicked the lever to the trapdoor under Jonas' feet, and there was a horrible second where he was falling. This sensation was replaced almost immediately by a burning along his neck as his head snapped back, caught by the rope. He couldn't breath and his vision was darkening rapidly as he attempted to draw even a single breath.

The rope broke clean as a single bullet sailed through the twine. Jonas fell hard to the platform below, but the rope had tightened to an unbearable level and his hands were not free to loosen it. Suddenly, breath flooded into his lungs and his vision cleared. A tiny, stick of a girl, knife in hand, had cut the noose, and was working on the bindings on his wrists. Before she jumped back down into the crush of terrified Kelownans, her eyes, bright and alive with a strange joy, locked with his, and in Langaran she yelled, "Fight, brother! For honour and Thor, we die free!" And she disappeared, leaving a small handgun with him.

The full scene met Jonas with the force of a speeding train. Everywhere, blood was flowing in the streets as Kelownan met Langaran, the latter of whom were far better armed. Jonas scrambled to his feet, grabbing the gun, and staggered across the platform in an endeavour to get cover. Before he could take so much as a step, a bullet tore through his right shoulder; shot from behind. An agonising pain shot through his body as he fell. Blinking hard, he looked up to see Dreylock standing over him, gun raised, "I should have burned you along with the rest of your family when I had the chance."

Jonas only just moved before another bullet tore into the wood where his head had lain just moments ago. He twisted and tackled the woman to the ground. With his uninjured arm, he tried to wrestle the gun off her.

A shot rang out, and both disappeared in a blur of light.

Two figures materialised on the deck of Thor's ship, both lying down, unmoving. Fresh, dark blood slid slowly across the floor. Jack ran towards the two forms and fell to his knees next to them; they had only meant to transport one. "Jonas?" Jack turned the closer of the two forms over, his breath returning to him as the Langaran met his gaze. His worry, however, did not dissipate when he noticed the terrified, unfocused eyes of his friend.

"Jack." Daniel was next to them, helping Jonas to his feet; the Langaran passed out.

Thor stepped forwards, "Please, place him in here." He indicated to a pod.

Daniel complied as Jack gingerly turned over the other body, "Shit." Dreylock stared up at him, blood seeping out from a bullet hole just below her ribcage; dead.

"Jack?" Daniel asked again.

"She's dead; Jonas must've done it. Point blank, seeing as how she was transported with him; must've been a struggle."

"O'Neill, Bera has signalled that they are ready. I am transporting all Langarans to Thorbjorg now." Thor moved some crystals on his podium, and then "I shall be addressing the Langarans with their options. As you have said, they did indeed pass the tests themselves. I shall transport Major Carter and Teal'c up to join you. It is the fault of the Asgard that this animosity was allowed to escalate, so we will solve it."

SG-1 stood in front of the Elders of the city next to the Stargate; Thor was with them. "So, you guys'll give us a call when you're settled?" Jack shook Vegeir's hand.

"Indeed we will, Colonel. The new Langara is most interested in establishing relations with Earth."

Sam smiled, "Don't forget, you'll have to contact us via the alpha site the first time so we can get you a GDO."

It had been decided by the Elders and the majority of the Langarans that it would be in the interests of peace to move on. Thor had offered them an uninhabited planet to relocate to, under the Protected Planets Treaty, and although they were loath to leave their home – as Ragnar had so maturely pointed out, they were there first – they had decided to place trust within the one who had kept them safe for so long. Kelowna, meanwhile, would be on rocky relations with Earth for a long time thanks to their neglect to mention the Langarans; Jack was even planning on recommending they sever connections completely.

"Well, it's been fun. Sure you don't wanna give us a lift Thor?"

"No, O'Neill, I think it would be beneficial for you to use the Stargate."

Jack gave the small little alien a very suspicious look, but glossed over it, "Alright Daniel, dial us out."

"Fare you well." Mistress Disa smiled, "And Jonas, be sure to come home often."

Sam placed a reassuring hand on her friend's uninjured shoulder as he smiled shyly in return. The Elders and Thor disappeared in flashes of light as the Stargate simultaneously spewed forwards its plume of blue matter. "Onwards to home kids!"

The five stepped forwards into the blue, only to be spat out in a considerably undignified fashion, into a room that definitely did not belong in the SGC.

To Be Continued…

Author Notes: So, what do you think? I've only got one more chapter left, and that should be up in a day or so. Please review!