Einherjar

4

"I will join the einherjar."

Blader's words dropped off into silence as he stood in Sigrif's office. The principal just looked at him for a moment, his expression unreadable except for the shadow of concern in his eyes.

"Are you sure this is your final decision?" he asked, watching Blader closely.

"I'm sure."

Sigrif turned to his screen, tapping a few keys before looking back at Blader. "I have already written a reference letter for you. You may collect it from my secretary. Take it to the einherjar recruitment office and present it to the recruiter Valkyrie stationed there."

Blader nodded. "Thank you, sir, for this opportunity."

Sigrif stood up and came around from behind his desk. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Thrym. You had potential. At least this way you can find your path without being hindered by the shame of having been expelled. There will be no mention of this to anyone, no known record. I notified your parents myself so even my secretary isn't aware of this."

Blader walked out of the inner office, collected his letter from the secretary, and strode out into the hall. Purposefully, he stopped by his locker, ignoring the morning crowd waiting for their classes to begin, and cleaned everything out of the locker, slipping the few things within into his screen case folder before turning to leave.

The hallway was filled with people, but they weren't bustling back and forth to class like he had first thought, no longer laughing and shouting over the noise of the crowd. No, they were all simply standing there, lined up on either side of the corridor so a clear path led to the door.

Everyone's eyes were locked on Blader.

Word must have spread fast; exactly what word, Blader didn't know. And he didn't feel like waiting around to see.

I'm done with this place, for good or for ill.

Walking firmly through the hallway, Blader ignored everyone's silent gazes, holding his head high. Njordesden hadn't had an einherjar enlist in eight years, and to have a classmate leave school to do so? Especially one of those who had been present that fateful day at Thor's Bridge? A truly monumental moment.

About halfway towards the exit stood Jorid, the skin near his eye a beautiful shade of blue and black. Blader resisted the urge to grin at the kid's injury, despite their once-friendship.

"So you'd thought you'd become a soldier, did you now?" Jorid stated, his eyes hard.

Blader didn't answer, just continued walking. But when he saw Hilda, standing closest to the door, his step faltered, just the smallest bit.

Hilda was giving him a look, a mix of sadness, uncertainty, and fear. Her whole stance was full of tension, and she pressed up against the wall by the door, hands behind her back.

"Blader," she said, her voice low. "Are you really going to enlist?"

Blader stopped, looking down at Hilda. "Yes," he said. "I am."

Hilda didn't say anything as Blader walked out of the school, just watched him leave with that expression still upon her face. But he didn't look back as he headed for the Transriot.

[----]

Blader felt strange as the Transriot pulled up at the stop closest to the einherjar recruitment office. It didn't feel real, leaving the school in the early morning to come into the city of Njordesden. It just didn't feel right.

Jumping off the Transriot, Blader headed down the walkway towards the recruitment office. It was clear to see how Njordesden thought of their local Valkyrie by the placement of her office: tucked away under the second platform in the corner of the low section, the worst area in the city. After riots had destroyed the first building, burning it to the ground, and the governor had reclaimed the land "for the community," the office had been reassigned down here. It was the only Valkyrie facility the governor had any authority over and he had not been afraid to use his power to relocate the recruitment office.