The Cainite Order

CHAPTER 31

SIQALA NJENGOBA IZIWULA UHLAKANIPHE NGOKUZIBONELA

CHAPTER 31

"We start as fools and become wise through experience."

Floating in the black, Beathen only felt cold. He slowly remembered what had happened to bring him to this place but he could not figure out where he was. There was nothing around him but he could feel something telling him he wasn't dead just yet. It was almost as if his body was fighting to keep him out of reality. Blurry at first, like looking at a Pointillism painting up close. The world began to come into focus around him. It was not the world he was expecting though. He began to see a long table with a feast laid out on it. He wasn't sure how many could use this hall but he felt as though it could accommodate as many as needed it.

"Hail and welcome!" boomed a voice from behind him.

Beathen spun around to see a familiar face in less familiar clothes. Odin walked toward him arms wide and smiling.

"I see the gifts you received ended up helping you after all." Odin bellowed with a smile. He wasn't yelling, though Beathen could feel his voice travel through every fiber of his being.

"I know I'm not dead yet so what's going on?" he said with surprising strength. Beathen knew that here he wasn't injured but his mind still thought it was.

"Straight to the point then. Alright, you are correct. You are not dead, yet. You are technically in limbo right now. I pulled you out of the Grim Reaper's hands and brought you here. Well more accurately that spell laden apple Idunn gave you. Think of this place as the expansion to Valhalla. Not quite ready to be used by fallen warriors but suitable for our purposes." replied the Allfather, motioning for Beathen to sit at the table with him.

Taking a seat Beathen asked, "If you stopped me from moving on, then what now?"

"Now you get to figure out what to do next. I can take you to the next life or..."

"Or what?"

"You can go back to your body and deal with the repercussions of everything that just happened, good or bad. You can go into the re-birthing cycle. The possibilities are endless right now." smiled The Allfather.

"I've never been one to run from a fight." Beathen breathed after a long pause.

"Before you figure anything out, I think you need to have something to eat. Nourish your soul so it can in turn mend your body."

Beathen knew better than to refuse the hospitality of a God let alone one who had, by all accounts, saved his life several times now. He was surprised at how amazing all the food tasted. He could feel the food recharging more than his body. His spirit felt more whole with each bite. Before he realized what was happening Beathen had devoured five plates and twice as many flagons of mead. For the first time in his life he felt like his mind, body, and soul were all working as one.

"Wait, if the apple brought me here. Did Ruaraidh come here as well?" Beathen wondered allowed

"Actually, he isn't as bad off as you were. Had the last few rounds been an inch higher, yes he would have been and the apple you shared with him would have brought him to me. I have to admit not many of the people I have come across shared a divine gift. That one caused a minor stir here because it split the spell meant to protect you. Given the circumstances all involved agreed that we should extend the protection to him as well. As it stands now he still has that spell till he dies in battle. Though I wouldn't tell him that. When you know that you will come back from death fighters tend to do stupid things. Even well-meaning ones. Now that you're recharged I think it's time for you to finish what you started."