Rebirth of a Norsemen

Questions?

Brad was amazed at the pull Danny had in the school. All it took was a phone call to the school’s president and Eir was excused from classes for the day. Brad argued that he should be excused as well so he could help her recover, but Danny wasn’t having any of it.

“If you cared so much you shouldn’t have injured her in the first place,” Danny had said forcing Brad out of the training room.

Brad tried to take his mind off of Eir by focusing on his classes. This however seemed pointless. If he had to guess all of them were on the same level of college courses and with such a huge gap between level of classes he was taking at his own school and the ones at Rosey he was sure his academic life was doomed.

During his Information Science class Brad finally had enough. As the teacher droned on about the importance of classifying information properly Brad surfed Google. His first search of the Viking Gunnar bared little results. The bell signifying the end of class sounded and Brad had yet to find one useful thing about who he was. 

The cobblestone walkway was engulfed by shrubs, trees and flowers. They dance mildly in the breeze from the lake. Yellows glowed like the held the sun itself inside beckoned Brad to sit and enjoy their company. They reached out at him as if to say they could left his burdens with just their presence.

Reds fought for his attention with promises of passion while pines offered him a shady spot to relax and enjoy his surroundings. Brad wished he could just sit around taking in the beauty Rosey had to offer but his schedule wouldn’t allow it.

Much to his dismay Brad found Danny at the wharf. Brad sure there was a proper boathouse some were on the colossal lake but didn’t care much to seek it out. Danny was busy tightening knots on the same Viking type boat Brad had seen the day he met Eir.

“Let me guess, the next step in recovering my memoirs is to raid a monastery?” Brad said dryly.

To his surprised Danny gave him a chuckle. “Na, as the saying goes. All work and no play. Come on.” Danny said reaching a hand out to help Brad on board.

Once out a good distance from the shore Danny dropped the sail. Oars sat unused along both sides of the ship and Brad knew they were screwed if they did need them with just the two of them on board there wouldn’t be enough man power to maneuver the beast of a ship.

“Here,” Danny said handing Brad a fishing pole and setting a tackle box between them.

For some time they just sat with their lines in the water. Brad had so many questions and wasn’t sure how to start. He stared into the diamond like sun reflections of the lake hopping that they could tell him what to do.

“Danny?” Brad started. “How’s Eir?” It wasn’t what he wanted to ask, but it felt like it was what he should ask.

“She’ll be fine. All she needs now is rest and plenty to eat.” Danny replied without so much as looking at him.

“That’s good,” Brad said before reverting back to silence.

After sometime it was Danny who spoke. “If you have something to say just say it already.”

This was his opening. Danny basically gave him an invention. “I have so many questions,” Brad started.

“Look, it’s not my place to answer them,” Danny said

“You people owe me something! You show up one day and start calling me Gunnar. You say I’m a freaking Viking of all things and have to fight in Ragnarök but that’s all I get.!”

“Sorry, but my job is to protect and guide. I can’t give the answers you seek.” Something in Danny’s voice told Brad he meant what he said. “Besides I thought you thought we were crazy?”

“So far this morning I was transported to another realm that taught me the meanings behind Othala, and almost killed a girl I found out was my wife. And, oh yea this all happened after waking up from being attacked by a fire demon. I’m passed not believing you. Please, I just need help understanding.” Brad didn’t care if his plead made him sound weak. All he cared about was getting his answers.

“Fine, if it will keep you quiet I’ll answer one question,” Danny said dropping his pole and rubbing both temples with the first two fingers of each hand.

Brad couldn’t believe it had been so easy. He was certain he would have to threaten his own life before Danny would willing give him information. He knew it wasn’t likely he would get another chance so he had to make this question count. He had to draw as much information as could from Danny.

After some thought Brad knew what to ask. “If we are supposed to be these great warriors from the Viking age, then why are we here and not in Valhalla?”

Danny’s first reply was a low growl followed by a period of silence. Brad didn’t rush him; he knew Danny wouldn’t go back on his word.

“Are gods are weak.” Danny started. “What few people understand is mortals make gods. We tell tales of them and our words shape reality to create them.”

“So I could say there is a god named Fluffy and there would be?” Brad asked.

“No. I don’t understand it all myself. But from what I get there has to be a seed of truth to start with. In Odin’s case most of what you read about him is true. He then told his followers and they spread his deeds making him stronger.”

Brad only nodded his head in understanding, not wanting to stop Danny when he was on such a roll.

“Anyway Christianity became the dominate religion thus weaken the powers our gods had. Ragnarök still has to happen since as humans we opened our mouths and said it would. I swear we have to be the stupidest race in all nine worlds. No one else has found so many ways to end their kind than us humans.” Danny paused to recast his line before continuing.

“Well it got to the point where Odin didn’t have the power to give Valhalla a physical form. He through back into the roots of the great tree Yggdrasil so we can be reincarnated over and over again and gave us the runes of Othala so we would remember.”

“So Odin.”

“Nope that’s it. You got too much from me already.” Danny said refusing to say another word.

Danny’s words only breed more questions for Brad. If Ragnarök was near, and his side was destined to fail, then why bother? His mind raced even after Danny dropped him back on shore and told him not to worry about kitchen duty.

Even after he made it back to his room and found Eir asleep in his bed. He did pause when he noticed the white bandage that wrapped her shoulder and arm, but soft snores from her told him she was fine and Brad went back to thinking of his endless questions.

It grew late and Brad remembered his ‘homework’ from Danny. That he was supposed to do the reverse rune for Othala.

I’ll just do two in the morning. He thought before lying down on the floor in an failed attempt to sleep.

A/N: Real short chapter guys. Sorry about that but couldn’t be helped. I’ll have another one up in a few hours to make up for it. As always please comment and vote if you liked it and comment telling me why if you didn’t. It is you guys that help me improve my writing. If anyone is interested my playlist for this chapter can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak0ZmAvAyB8&list=PLLcpjj5QHxrzTVwP4-5EghvCQjeYrD0MW I would also like to say sorry. I know this chapter is on the info dumping side.