The second act opens in the mountains of the gods, and discloses Wotan with spear in hand in earnest converse with Bruennhilde, his daughter, who is arrayed in the armor of a Valkyr.  He tells her of the approaching combat, and bids her award the victory to Siegmund the Volsung, beloved of the gods.  As she disappears among the rocks, shouting the weird cry of the Valkyres, the jealous Fricka, protector of marriage vows, comes upon the scene in a chariot drawn by rams.  A stormy dialogue occurs between them, Fricka demanding the death of Siegmund as compensation for the wrong done to Hunding.  Wotan at last is overcome, and consents that the Valkyres shall conduct him to Walhalla.  As he yields, Bruennhilde’s jubilant song is heard on the heights, and Wotan summons her and announces his changed decision.  Siegmund must perish.  As he stalks gloomily away among the rocks, Bruennhilde falls into deep dejection, and turns away moaning:  “Alas! my Volsung!  Has it come to this,—­that faithless the faithful must fail thee?” As she enters a cave for her horse, the fugitives Siegmund and Sieglinde hurriedly approach, pursued by the infuriated Hunding.  They stop to rest, and Sieglinde falls exhausted in his arms.  The scene is marked by alternations of passionate love and fear, hope on the one side, despair on the other, vividly portrayed in the instrumentation.  As the music dies away and Sieglinde rests insensible in his arms, Bruennhilde, with deep melancholy in her visage, shows herself to Siegmund.  In reply to his question, “Who art thou?” she answers, “He who beholds me, to death in the battle is doomed.  I shall lead thee to Walhalla.”  Eagerly he asks, “Shall I find in Walhalla my own father Waelse?” and she answers, “The Volsung shall find his father there.”  With passionate earnestness he asks, “Shall Siegmund there embrace Sieglinde?” The Valkyre replies, “The air of earth she still must breathe.  Sieglinde shall not see Siegmund there.”  Then furiously answers Siegmund, “Then farewell to Walhalla!  Where Sieglinde lives, in bliss or blight, there Siegmund will also tarry,” and he raises his sword over his unconscious sister.  Moved by his great love and sorrow, Bruennhilde for the first time is swayed by human emotions, and exultantly declares, “I will protect thee.”  Hunding’s horn sounds in the distance, and soon is heard his defiant challenge to battle.  Siegmund rushes to the top of one of the cloudy summits, and the clash of their arms resounds in the mists.  A sudden gleam of light shows Bruennhilde hovering over Siegmund, and protecting him with her shield.  As he prepares himself to deal a deadly thrust at Hunding, the angry Wotan appears in a storm-cloud and interposes his spear.  Siegmund’s sword is shivered to pieces.  Hunding pierces his disarmed enemy, and he falls mortally wounded.  Bruennhilde lifts the insensible Sieglinde upon her steed and rides away with her.  Wotan, leaning upon his spear, gazes sorrowfully at the dying Volsung, and then turning to Hunding, so overcomes him with his contemptuous glance that he falls dead at his feet.  “But Bruennhilde, woe to the traitor.  Punishment dire is due to her treason.  To horse, then.  Let vengeance speed swiftly.”  And mounting his steed he disappears amid thunder and lightning.