The next morning was a rushed flurry of activity – I was up early, and girded myself for battle (this time wearing the binder given to me by Grunne and Lashawna), followed by several short meetings with other Valkyries to determine the disposition of various troops and the roles each unit would play. About two thirds of our forces were relegated to offence, while the final third was relegated to rescuing any Einherjar or Valkyries who fell in battle, to make sure they would live on in new hosts. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure if the Valkyries and Einherjar we were bringing to the battle would even need to be there – the might of the Aesir and Asynjur was so legendary, it might just be for show. Until now, there had never been a large scale battle in the Krell war... There had been raids by the Krell on Aesir aligned planets, and small skirmishes – but never before had the Krell seen the full might of the Aesir levelled against them.

And after today, the Krell would be a memory – a footnote in the annals of history.

I was of mixed minds.

Part of me – the Siri part, plus a good part of myself – thought that the Krell deserved it, but a small part of me wondered if I would be able to deal with committing genocide on an entire species. Yeah, their leaders and their warriors were to blame for the current conflict – but their civilians, and their children? It was them I was most unsure about. The queasy feeling in my gut was telling me I wouldn’t be too happy at the end of the day – but frankly, for the Aesir to live, the Krell had to be destroyed. And now, like it or not, I was Aesir – so I knew which side I was on, but oddly that didn’t make the idea much easier to live with. How could anyone wipe out a species and not think twice about it? If a person could do that, I didn’t want to be that kind of person.

*You aren’t having second thoughts, are you, Sannyr?*

No, Siri. I thought. I’m just trying to wrap my head around what we’re about to do. The regular people of Krell don’t deserve what’s coming. Their leaders and soldiers brought this upon them.

*Sannyr, look back in my memories. It is always thus... Through a thousand lifetimes, war has been brought to common folk by their leaders, or by warriors. You are right – what we are about to do is cruel – but it IS needed. We have to answer a question today. That question is “Do we have a right to live?” If you believe the answer is yes, then think about what would happen if the Krell were able to enslave our people, to the point of us not being truly us anymore – but instead puppets with the powers of mass destruction dancing to their whims. Can we allow that to happen?*

No, we can’t Siri. But seeing the death of Billions is going to haunt me for a long time. It’s not going to be easy to witness. Less easy still to take part in it.

*Then when it’s done, give up your post in the Twelve, and take time to heal. Return to Earth and try to live like a normal mortal for a while. See your dad again. Do whatever fun stuff you liked to do. Let yourself heal... and when you’re ready, return to Asgard and your sisters in arms.*

But you just achieved your goal of becoming one of the Twelve! How can I ask you to abandon it?

*You matter more to me than a job, Sannyr. You and I are one – or will be one day. If you need time to heal, I will support that, even if my job as one of the Twelve falls by the wayside. Besides – one way or another, we won’t be one of the Twelve for long. As soon as Odin and the other Aesir announce you’ve been ascended to their ranks, we’ll be considered one of the Asynjur and the Twelve will be serving US.*

I realized Siri was right. I was being catapulted from being a big fish where I sort of knew the rules, to a small fish where I definitely DIDN’T know the rules. With Siri’s help I could manage the military aspect – but I was going to be hopeless with the political aspect of the Aesir and Asynjur. And, I’d probably get fucking hazed again...

*Probably.* Siri said with an audible grin. *We might as well look forward to it.*

I nodded. Siri was right. As I mused I heard the blaring of a great horn... Siri’s memories told me it wasn’t the Gjallerhorn – that was only sounded when Asgard itself was under attack... No – this was the War Horn of Odin, calling the troops to battle. It was time. I headed out to take my place amongst the Aesir and their troops... After all, it would look pretty silly if the war leader in charge of the attack didn’t show up, right?

* * *

At last, we were all arrayed – rank upon rank, thousands of us in all, along the length of the Bifrost Bridge. 10,000 Valkyries and 250,000 Einherjar, led by the Aesir and Asynjur who did not remain to safeguard Asgard. Two dozen gods, plus a host of supernatural warriors that defied description... It was a force unrivalled save for the other Gods – gods of other families. Lord Odin motioned for me to address the troops. I nodded, and unleashed my wings, floating into the air, so that all could see me, and activating my magical communicator so that all would be able to hear me.

“Welcome, warriors of Asgard! You know why we are gathered here! We are ready to bring ruin and death upon the Krell for what they have done to our brothers and sisters – for the desecration they have wrought upon Brunhilde, the first and strongest Valkyrie. Today the Krell race ceases to exist!”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I had to pause as the troops cheered.

“We fight not for the sake of killing innocent people – for have no doubts, most of the Krell bear us no ill will. No! We fight today to avenge the horror wreaked upon our people by the Krell high command, and their warriors. And it is their shame that will bring our wrath down on their people. We are engaged in a war of survival – and until now the Krell thought that we were weak! They thought that they had seen the true might of Asgard, and found it lacking! Well, I say they have not seen our strength! They have not seen us truly fight! And today they will – for one glorious moment before we send them all to Hel!”

The roar of the troops clearly showed their blood was up, and they were ready to fight.

“Fight for honor! Fight for our fallen brothers and sisters! Fight for our way of life! Death to the Krell!” I called!

“Death to the Krell!” The troops roared back, and banged their weapons on their shields, creating a cacophonous cadence that was so perfectly martial in its execution that even Siri was impressed.

*You’re pretty good at this speech stuff.* Siri joked.

“Three years of Drama and Public Speaking classes.” I muttered below my breath.

“Sannyr!” Odin called, bringing me back to the here and now. “Open the portal!”

“Yes, your Majesty!” I concentrated, and drew the circle of the portal with my spear, and then plunged it into the event horizon of the circle, creating the portal. Beyond, was outer space – and the green orb of Krell floating behind its two whitish moons.

Odin nodded his thanks, and proceeded through, followed by Thor, Freya, Tyr, Loki, Heimdall, Njord, Uller, Vidar, Freyr, Baldur, and some others I didn’t yet know. Frigg and Sif remained behind to watch over Asgard – as did the eternally young Idun, and the too young to fight Vali, who was most upset. Then again, Vali was only about thirteen in human years – and Odin had forbade him from coming to battle. Arrayed behind them came the combat troops of the Valkyries and Einherhar, followed by the portion of the Valkyries whose duty it was to rescue the slain, and to get them to new host bodies.

By the time we had arrayed ourselves, it was obvious the Krell navy had detected us, as five dozen powerful battleships – 60 in all - sailed towards us, bourn by their ships gravity drives, their shipboard weapons powering up. The Aesir still had such technology available to them – but had given it up two millennia ago for being too inefficient.

Odin turned to me, and nodded.

I looked at the advancing fleet, and then at the host arrayed at my back. “Attack! And let none survive! No quarter shall be given or received!”

The host roared, and moved forward... And unleashed their fury on the Krell fleet. One Asgardian laser spear or plasma cannon might do diddly against an armoured ship of the line in any fleet – but with over a quarter million Einherjar pouring their wrath and their anger into their attacks, aided by the not insignificant attacks of over 10,000 Valkyries... well, that’s an entirely huge shitload of diddly. In moments, the Krell fleet was battered into wreckage, gases venting from their hulls, and escape pods ejecting from the ruined hulks. It wasn’t a battle... It was a slaughter.

And as I watched the carnage, over our comms I could hear the growing strains of Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” wafting into my ears. One of the other Valkyries had obviously decided it was appropriate – and I let them continue. In a few minutes more, the fleet was utterly destroyed, and the strains of music were reaching their height.

“Call them back, War Leader.” Odin commanded. “Their part is over. Today, the hosts of Asgard will be reminded of their Lords and Ladies true powers.”

“All troops, This is War Leader Sannyr. Fall back to a safe distance. The Lords and Ladies are taking it from here.”

As I watched, the troops withdrew – and I could hear on my comms their leaders frantically trying to surrender, to appeal for mercy. They were afraid. They should be. The Allfather could hear their pathetic begging as well – and he hardened his heart.

“There will be no mercy from the Aesir today.” He whispered.

I nodded, and waited.

Odin turned and faced his people. “Today, the Krell species dies. I have decreed it. Witness the true power of your Lords and Ladies! Witness the power we have withheld for over two thousand years! Today, Asgard shows its strength, and let the heavens tremble in fear! Let all the races know we have woken from our slumber!” Odins voice was so solemn, so full of gravitas, that there were no cheers – nor roars of approval... just quiet unease that spread amongst the troops... Like the Aesir were about to do something irrevocable.

Odin pointed his spear, Gungir, at Krell, and muttered one word. “Begin.”

One by one, the Aesir and Asynjur reached for their source, and touched their power. They began to glow, and grew in stature – some as tall as thirty feet or more, and unleashed their full glory before all of us – dazzling our eyes, and creating what must have appeared to be two dozen new suns in Krell’s orbit. Their wrath lit up the sky – and the sky burned.

From Odin sprang forth an immense cloud of ravens – in the tens of millions of them – which swept down and pecked at the Krell, cutting, stabbing. Thor wielded Mjolnir and sent strike after strike down upon the planet, each striking with the force of an immense meteor or nuclear strike. Tyr called forth the power of justice – and the wicked and guilty fell to the ground, clawing at their eyes as they were struck by the enormity of their crimes. Njord raised his hands, and the seas answered, and rose up and drowned the lands, while Uller used the power of winter to freeze the seas into a mile thick sheet of ice. Loki caused all who fought to mistake friend from foe, with his illusions, and millions fell to the hands of their loved ones. Vidar and Heimdall struck with their might, and sundered cities, levelling great monuments, while Baldur seared the planets’ surface with the fire of the Sun, and Freyr commanded the trees and grasses and pollens to choke the life out of the foes it contacted. Freya sang a song of love – and those that remained went mad, seeing her beauty and unable to be near her... Millions took their own lives so as to spare themselves her glory. The very powers of the world itself turned against the Krell – and an hour later, their world – their civilization – was utterly destroyed.

Every last vestige was wiped from the face of the planet, now seared to near ash, and buried under a mile thick ice sheet – a new ice age that would erase and grind any memories of their species to dust over the next ten thousand years. The Krell were gone.

I felt sick.

I felt stricken. I didn’t know what I felt, except that I wanted to run, and not see such terrible carnage ever again. I was a Valkyrie – a chooser of the slain. We hear the cries of the dying, calling for succor. I just heard ten billion souls cry out and then cease. Tears poured down my face. I turned away.

Don’t get me wrong – a part of me celebrated our victory – but another part of me said this was not a cause for celebration. It was a necessary horror – an atrocity we committed – so that our people would live. It did not fill me with pride, nor a sense of accomplishment. It filled me with great sadness, and pity. A pity that would have been wasted on the Krell, but pity nonetheless.

Amongst the troops there was utter silence – as if they too had been shocked by the paroxysm of power they had seen displayed a moment ago. Silence... And then a cheer. And then another, until the entire host roared their cheers for their Lords and Ladies.

Except me.

We left that forsaken place, and returned to Asgard. Once again, I took the lead, my steps heavy with grief... Not over the Krell – but over what we had just done. I didn’t think I would ever be the same again... And I wept.