The End of the Road

"So this is death?" I thought, feeling the blade pierce my chest.

I tried to move, but my body was just a heavy mass of metal and flesh, unable to budge. My vision began to fade. A taste of burning blood invaded my mouth. Hot, thick blood poured down my armor, painting the metal with my own life. The blood blinded me, further obscuring my already blurry vision.

"Lisa... please, take care of our children..." I whispered, my voice weak and hoarse, as if coming from a deep grave.

I heard the sound of a heavy step in the distance. "Vaz... Thord..." I murmured, trying to find the strength to turn towards the voice. "Are you coming to help me?" But the voice was distant, confused, and my eyes were already closing.

"God... brother... I'm going to see dad... I'm going to feast with the gods..." I stammered. But my voice was just a whisper, a faint echo in a world that was slipping away.

The cold, damp earth touched my face, death. And in that moment, I knew my journey had ended.

The next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes. I was in a gray place. Fog hung thick, a gray blanket suffocating my body and soul. The air was heavy, tainted with a foul odor, and the penetrating humidity felt like a curse. Above the fog, I could see some structures, demolished houses that looked like broken teeth from a city that was once great and glorious. The wind whistled through the cracks in the walls, a lament of lost hope. Was this the afterlife? It was nothing like what Dad had told me in his stories. Where was Thor? Where was Odin?

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I could hear a faint chorus of voices in the distance. I started walking and found a line of people. Some held candles, others had no physical form, just a strong glow. Around them, some old women sang a mournful song while guiding what I thought were souls.

"Hey, you!" I tried to communicate, but they seemed not to hear me. They gestured for me to shut up and get back in line. They mouthed "shh!"

The line continued, and in the distance, below the fog, I could see a decrepit and ruined castle. It had a giant wooden gate, and two creatures held spears. The creatures wore helmets with the crests sticking out of their heads, and they had enormous black wings. Decrepit Valkyries. They pushed open the massive wooden gate, and the souls began to enter. I follow the path. Will the banquet with the gods be there?

We are in a corridor with many gargoyles on pillars. I noticed a serpent passing through the holes. We entered a vacant room, except for a giant throne where a hooded figure sat.

"Approach, my children," the voice echoed down the corridor, coming from the hooded figure. A poor soul named Buli approached. He looked like a knight, wearing metal armor. He knelt before the figure. In a quick gesture, the gigantic figure moved, devouring Buli in a brutal bite. I put my hand on the sheath of my sword. Some souls tried to run, but the Valkyries behind us locked the gates.

The figure began to laugh uncontrollably. I went forward, drew my sword and asked, "Where are the gods and who are you?" The being then pulled back the hood, revealing his form: two huge horns, red skin, giant teeth and dragon wings.

"The gods?" he roared, showing all his teeth. "The only God here is me!"

I trembled slightly. "That can’t be. I want to know about the gods’ banquet. My father always told me about it."

He placed his finger on his forehead in a gesture of mourning as he laughed. "No, no, no. Banquet? Reward? You kill and destroy each other, and you want a banquet after death? You are my favorites!"

He opened his mouth, revealing thousands of teeth. "I can’t move, my heart is racing." As he was about to devour me, he said, "Fear, I love fear."

I stumbled back. I turned quickly and tried to escape. My desperate heart started racing. I ran and jumped through a window. I fell from the top of the castle and I could hear his voice in the distance saying, "You’re a coward! Face me!"

I ran into the fog. I could feel my heart pounding, I couldn't run properly.