An Epic of a Knight and Valkyrie

Prologue

It hurts a Valkyrie’s pride to run.

But of course, I had no choice. If I weren’t running, then there would be no point behind this at all.

I gave a loud roar cry as I brandished my large Norse axe and cleaved through the einherjar in a single cut. The already dead spirit curse at me as its two halves hit the ground with a clatter from its armor, but I was already tearing down the endless hall as fast as my legs could carry me. Even though I’d lived in these bronze coated walls of Valhalla for over seven hundred years, I still couldn’t remember each turn. I just knew that if I was unlucky enough to run into an Asguardian, I’d be bound and beat before I could do anything about it.

I cut through some more einherjar as I came into an antechamber, somewhere I did not expect to come. There were four entrances into this single room and I had little choice but to cut across to the other side, hearing footsteps coming from the other two closest to me.

But a herd of armored spirits came from all sides, including behind me, to surround me all at once, and I cursed to myself as I came to a halt in the middle of the antechamber. Had I fallen for an ambush? I gripped my axe tightly as I imagined who it was that was chasing me. I could not, would not be caught.

My yell echoed throughout the chamber along with the einherjar as I charged them face on. I cleaved, cut, and smashed in faces with fury melting my insides. Their sheer numbers made the odds about a hundred to one. I sure hoped that they were ready to realize just who was which.

I’d successfully dispatched more than half of the spirits before the entire room shook from the force of the butt of an axe bigger than my own being slammed into the ground.

“Is this your answer, Gwendolyn?!” A voice snapped throughout the entire chamber. I caught sight of a Valkyrie bigger than myself standing at one of the entrances, glaring at me. She had a golden mane of hair and clear blue eyes, just like my own, only a thousand times more threatening and dangerous. She was feared even among the Valkyries as an exceptional warrior, Skeggiold. “All because of him?”

“I don’t need more reason, sister!” I yelled in reply. The shaking hadn’t stopped and it was beginning to make it difficult to keep my balance. The einherjar were beginning to swarm me, leaving blood gashes on my arms and body that throbbed with pain. Fear and anger boiled inside me as I lashed out in a wide arc with my axe, forcing them to give me a wide berth. I gave myself no relief in the moment. My pure black raven wings sprouted from my back and propelled me forward with unreal speed, and I rushed toward one of the exits in order to flee the battlefield at once with hopes of finding my destination. I caught movement out of the side of my vision and barely managed to deflect the massive shaft of Skeggiold’s axe with my own as she thrust it down the slam into me. The force sent me sprawling across the floor on my back. Skeggiold stood over me, holding her axe aloft to cleave down on me, but I rolled over to evade, pushing myself up and rushing toward the exit once again with another push of my wings.

“You’d dare to show your back to me?!” Skeggiold bellowed after me as I made it into the hallway. I no longer felt the urge to take up her challenge and return to face her. I had long since forsaken my honor in battle all for the sake of escape, no longer feeling shame as I fled from an opponent of any size.

I practically glided through the glossy hallway of pillars. Even now, with my mind focused on liberation from my prison, I had to appreciate the beauty of the palace of Asgard. Light from the sun shined through the architectural openings in the ceiling above, making figures dance on the floor accentuating all the designs throughout the endless length of Valhalla. I would almost miss the magnificence here.

I finally did find my destination at last, bursting into another antechamber. Half of this one was occupied by clear crystal waters with boats moored within it, an abysmal exit of darkness looming behind. This was the salvation I searched for.

My axe dispatched the guarding einherjar quickly, and I grabbed the last one by the collar in a hurry, tossing it against the wall by the entrance without thinking. Skeggiold walked in just then, frowning as she watched me preparing to set sail.

“You’ll disobey Odin until your breathe your last, will you, Gwendolyn?” She said grimly. “Such a stubborn girl.”

 “I will not return to Valhalla!” I said fiercely. “You can’t convince me, sister!”

“So be it. Descend to Midgard! But once you turn your back on us, you cannot return. Do not turn to the Norse for assistance—you are no longer one of us. And what happens to Sven is no longer your concern, either.”

 “What?” I felt my heart jolt. My boat was already drifting toward the exit slowly but surely. “What did you do to Sven?!”

“As I said, it’s none of your concern.” She gave me a cold look that sent chills up my spine. What had she done?

“Skeggiold, where is Sven?” I demanded as darkness became to loom over me. I was beginning to descend. No. “Where is he?!”

 “Good bye, dear sister.” Was all she responded as tears began to spill down my cheeks. Sven…