Deserved?

[WP] You died of a stress-induced aneurysm in the middle of your debate class. Now, at the gates of Valhalla, the Norse gods are arguing over whether or not it counted as a battle. Good thing you're very passionate about debating.

*****

I opened my eyes and suddenly I was not in the lecture hall anymore , I was in front of some great wooden hall and three men were standing out front with a woman.

“...Brother just consider it , we haven’t had a ‘real battle’ in how many decades , and that even with us saying that those ‘modern’ tools count as honourable , besides let’s focus he has arrived “ the first turned to look at me , from what I could guess this was Loki.

“ it counts as a battle if you ask me, but can words and stress be honourable is where I draw the line “ this one looked like Tyr to me , the hand was the giveaway.

“...you just want to let anyone in Loki , and you are so desperate for drinking buddies Tyr that you got loose on your standards “ he slammed his hammer to the ground , I guessed this was Thorj from that “ he should be wandering the gates of Niflheim to be judged not standing before the great hall".

“can you squabble productively ? I have to Shepard this soul and my Valkyrie’s don’t know where , Eir won’t be happy if she takes a soul to the wrong place again” this one turned to look at me , I had to hazard a guess it was Freyja.

I just stood at first listening , it had kind of sunk in that either I was having a very lucid dream or that I was really dead , I did learn a fair bit of Norse mythology , it was my cultures history after all but I didn’t think it would be actually relevant… that’s when it kind of dawned on me… if I couldn’t prove my case and I was sent to niflheim then I would surely end up in Hel unless I just chose to stay in purgatory…. I had to make my case.

“Uh hello excuse me , if I may , why exactly is there any question to where I should go , clearly I have the bloodline to be here and -".

Thor slammed his hammer sending lightning around me.

“you will be quiet until we decide , you could never convince us anyways mortal".

“well.. I mean could I have the chance to ? Isn’t that my right to prove myself?"

Tyr stroked his beard and nodded “ I will agree to this “ he looked over at Loki and Freyja , both nodded.

“ By Odina beard you three will really join up against me on this , fine , mortal you can convince us then , if you fail however no Nifleheim for you , straight to Hel right at Hela’s feet if I can make it happen” Thor sat down and gestured at me to begin

“ well um , ok never really tried debating a god first so uh Loki , you often use words to get what you want right , it’s cunning , so you could say words are a weapon of sorts right , how many kingdoms fell because of the words of a king after all “

Loki looked at me “ I was already in your corner on this but I do like where you are going , I guess your modern term is that the pen is mightier then the sword correct “

“ yes that’s one way to put it, so you can agree then that words can be a dangerous weapon then , and in fact can kill , albeit maybe indirectly “

“ hmm , well yes, I suppose it isn’t much to sway me but I will agree to your statement, though I think you should focus on the others “ Loki sat down and gestured me to Tyr

“ so uh Tyr , there’s no doubt to you this was a battle right , you just doubt that it counts as me dying of the battle right , but it is a battle and one that I have won before”

“ yes , and I have seen your victories , and even if we want to say words are weapons you died of a natural cause , your own stress did that not there weapon “

“ ah but, what if a warriors heart gave out mid battle or in between battles , would a valiant warrior be denied Valhalla because they pushed it too hard ?”

Tyr looked puzzled “ but those who have been in battle have there seat for there victories over there enemies even if they grow old , you were not old “

“ but I gave it my all didn’t I , maybe I was never meant to be a warrior but I still did anyways , does that not make my willingness even more honourable ? “

“ hmm…. Though I still doubt I would say this was dying from battle .. you did fight with fervour and you have several victories on the field. I suppose it would be a disgrace to your honour to be dropped in Hel especially considering it happened during battle itself, consider me on your side then to join Valhalla” Tyr sat down and started drinking a mead with Loki , I now turned my attention to Freyja

“ so Freyja , would you say now that my soul would be in limbo now yes , two votes for means I will already be torn correct”

“ yes, it will be difficult for my valkyries to take you to a proper place now.

“ and would it also be dangerous for them if I had to be dropped at the feet of Hela as Thorj requested ?”

“ yes , the far reaches of Hel are dangerous even for those who are dead , I doubt they would return unscathed, his request would indeed but risky to fulfill”

“So for the benefit of my soul and for the valkyries would it not be better to lean more towards me going to Valhalla instead? Sounds like a win win to me for everyone “

“ it does indeed , but I still have to know if it’s the right decision for where you belong”

“ I think I have demonstrated that it was a battle indeed , and if Tyr is convinced that someone dying from other causes skirts the edge as long as it’s during battle then surely I must be taken properly so there’s no way around it , either you run the risk of a Valkyrie dying to drop me at Hela’s doorstep or you leave me in limbo which would go against the honour of a warrior as well , or you could let me go to Valhalla”

“ I don’t like to be forced into this , you call it a win win but for me it’s a loss no matter how I see it if I’m wrong… but I suppose I would rather be wrong and do good then be wrong and do something horrible, I will begrudgingly agree to your entrance”

I looked over at Thorj now , he was merely shaking his head at me “ you don’t even have to convince me now , the odds favour you even if I don’t but , why don’t you humour me anyways “

“ well , if I may, let’s go inside first to have a drink before we debate , I know you do enjoy mead quite a lot “

“ hmm well that sounds fine , let’s all go in first properly “

The other gods just laughed , Loki looked at Thorj “ brother your love of drink has gotten you again , you just agreed to let him in without much of a challenge “

Thorj now realizing what he just agreed to looked over at me , angry he has been tricked but just grunted

“I guess I lost the battle... you truly do know your way with words… very well. I agreed so it’s unanimous now… let us enter and drink to this story that shall be shared around the hall."

*****

THE END.