Valhalla. Year 5,001.

In Valhalla, things were actually running quite smoothly despite Kravish being the only person able to ferry spirits into the afterlife.

During his early years, Kravish built the core zone for Valhalla to be a massive floating mountain range full of lush green forests, rushing rivers, and animals that no longer sought to eat or fight one another. To match the lively scenery he even did away with the empty black expanse. Now Valhalla looked to be in outer space resting in a field of colorful cosmic energy, but while on the mountains the view would change to that of blue skies and endless green in all directions.

Kravish named the core zone the Mountains of Eternity, where the souls of the dead could live peacefully until reincarnating in a never-ending cycle. At the center of this mountain range on the tallest peak stood a breathtaking city named Asgard. If it weren’t for the memory share that Kravish had done with Jay then he wouldn’t have known about the existence of such a place. In his own opinion, Asgard was the only suitable name for the capital of Valhalla.

The city of Asgard took up the entire mountain, beginning at the base of it and climbing all the way up to the very peak. Atop the highest point of the mountain stood a circular platform that hovered around the peak, not touching it in the slightest. A series of floating steps led from the peak up to the platform where the gate to a gigantic palace made of silver and gold sat. This was the royal palace that Kravish resided in.

The palace was designed to be circular in shape and had one layer stacked on top of another. Each layer shrank as the height of the palace grew until eventually, it reached a tower at the very top. The sheer size of it was unfathomable. In comparison, Kravish’s Palace made the Taj Mahal look like a bouncy castle. The entire exterior was a reflective gold, but the archways, spiraling towers, and artistic details were all a flashy silver.

Aside from the eye-catching palace, Asgard was full of unique buildings and astounding architecture. There were all sorts of beautiful houses, overwhelming military fortresses, mercantile zones, and unique towers that pushed high into the sky. Most of the city was also made from finished stone or spirit wood which grew only in the forests of Valhalla. From the looks of things the architectural style of Asgard was very similar to that of the Nordic races, but with more magical elements and other occasional differences.

Looking at the mountain from a distance, one might say the city was cone-like because it followed the incline of the mountain. The sight was truly one to behold, especially given the floating palace above it. Combined with the presence of Valhalla’s nature both in and around the city, one could say that Asgard would be the most beautiful city in the universe for countless years to come. It was truly a magical marvel.

…

After arriving in Valhalla, Venus and I were quite confused with its new appearance. Currently we were floating through space, not an empty black expanse, but outer space. There were stars sparkling off in the distance and various colored energies flowing everywhere. It was better than before, but not at all what I wanted to be. Amidst my confusion Venus spoke up next to me and yanked on my arm.

“Well, would you look at that?” Her hand pulling on my arm got me to turn around and see the same thing she was seeing.

Ahead of us was a massive mountain range floating through a rainbow of energies that looked like a cloud of...very special dust. It was a beautiful sight that couldn’t be replicated in movies or books, giving me a good first impression of Kravish’s work.

“It’s amazing.” The words escaped Venus’ mouth before I could say anything, she spoke quietly in awe of Valhalla.

“It really is. I don’t know if Valhalla actually existed somewhere before now, but either way, this is even better than what I saw in games and movies. It’s almost surreal.”

My attention was particularly drawn to the largest peak in the center of the mountains where a mighty palace stood overlooking everything. Obviously, this was some sort of castle or government building made by Kravish, and its design was gorgeous.

I continued enjoying the view for several more seconds before remembering my intent in coming here. “We have all the time in the world to look at this now, so let’s go ahead and find Kravish. There’s still work to do.”

Although I tried sounding serious Venus could tell that I was eager to see what else the afterlife had in store for me. She laughed at my words and pointed toward the mountain range ahead of us. “No need, he’s already sensed your presence. Give him a moment to get here.”

…

Inside Kravish’s palace.

“Ah, they’ve finally arrived.” In his palace, atop his throne, Kravish felt a wave of energy when Jay and Venus came to Valhalla. He had been waiting years for the return of his father so that he could show off the afterlife he had created, hoping that it would be satisfactory.

Kravish stepped down from his throne almost immediately and opened a purple portal in front of him, he then stepped through the portal and disappeared from the palace.

…

I was slightly confused by Venus’ words, but soon the confusion disappeared as a purple portal gathered in front of us. Out from the portal stepped Kravish with a warm smile on his face. He saluted and bowed toward me before speaking, but my full attention was locked on our size difference.

“Father! You’ve returned! I completed the assignment you gave me, if you’d like then I can give you a tour of Valhalla. That way you can make sure everything is to your liking.” Kravish was excited to show off his work which really surprised me considering the way we made him. This was a good thing though and it brought me some “Hades Relief” as I was calling it, plus, if my son was happy then so was I.

“Hello son, it’s great to see you again. I’d love for you to give us a tour, but first…” I trailed off at the end, giving Kravish a look up and down to drop the hint.

Right on cue Kravish noticed the elephant in space and proceeded to shrink his body down to be a bit taller than myself. His transformation was very fluid and interesting to watch as it was something I had never seen before. Although I could tell that in the future there would be a lot more things that had the same effect on me.

“Thanks for that.” I teased him but was still happy that he shrunk himself down. It definitely made conversation easier.

“My apologies, father. I’ll remember to adjust my size in the future whenever in your presence.” Kravish was ashamed of himself for not being ready before my arrival, so I quickly reassured him.

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll only have to change your size when we’re speaking face to face. Otherwise, I might break my neck trying to look up at you.” Kravish was still ashamed of himself, but felt slightly better that I wasn’t angered by his actions.

“Now then, let’s get that tour started, shall we?” I spoke with a pleased smile on my face, ready to see all the work Kravish had put in.

Before Kravish could say anything back to me Venus cut in with a reminder.

“Jay, if you want to tour Valhalla in person then you and I will need a change of clothes. Our current outfits are a bit out of the ordinary for the times, wouldn’t you say?” She pulled on both sides of her shirt near the waist, showing me what she meant.

“That’s a good catch, thanks for showing so much attention to detail.” My praise for Venus was honest as she had been beyond helpful to me in the short period since my arrival on the Infinity Plane. If it weren’t for her I would’ve made countless mistakes already.

“Father, here in Valhalla the people wear basic cloth to cover themselves. All of their souls arrive wearing similar clothing when I ferry them over.” Kravish’s words came as a surprise since the people of Earth didn’t even have languages yet, let alone clothes. Perhaps souls arriving in the afterlife with clothing was just a minor feature included with my Valhalla purchase, but either way, this bit of news was welcomed.

I thanked Kravish for letting me know that bit of information and looked at Venus. Now that I knew what clothes to wear I focused on it with my mind, causing the clothing on Venus and I’s body to appear as an illusion. In that illusion our original clothes began to form into new ones, becoming white cloth. After changing I had a short sleeve shirt on with tan pants while Venus wore something similar but with a more loose top. Oddly enough neither of us had shoes on either.

“Apologies, I forgot to mention that new souls do not have foot coverings. Or as you call them, shoes.” Kravish apologized with a sigh, confused as to why this was the case.

“Don’t worry about it, it's not that big of a deal.” I simply shrugged it off. Going without shoes for a bit wouldn’t be the end of the world. Besides, if I gave myself shoes then the people of the underworld would be confused themselves.

“Alright, NOW we should be good to go. Take it away Kravish!” I yelled in excitement. Kravish was a bit confused as to why I was so energetic, but he took it in a good way.

“As you say, father. Let us begin from here then.”

Kravish turned around and faced the mountain range floating off in the distance before opening his arms out wide.

“Welcome to Valhalla! I have spent many years working on constructing an afterlife you would be pleased with.” Kravish had a small but proud smile on his face, although neither of us could see it since we were behind him.

“These mountains are called the Mountains of Eternity. All spirits, whether they be animals, monsters, or sentient beings, reside here in peace with one another. Deeper in the mountain range stands the city of Asgard, the capital of Valhalla. From here you can see my palace that floats over the mountain, allowing me to view the entire city and its surroundings.”

“So it was a palace, I knew it.” I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. Kravish’s ability to design architecture was leagues ahead of where I thought it would be. And he was younger than me, my son at that!

There was one thing that Kravish said that struck me as odd, however. Hearing that everyone lived together in harmony was a huge surprise. How could things be so peaceful if the land of the living was the exact opposite of that?

“Sorry for interrupting, but how can all of the souls live together in peace? Are there no bad spirits or something?” I couldn’t help but ask the question the more I thought about it.

“Worry not, father. All questions are welcome and encouraged. But the answer to your question is the use of a sorting process. Allow me to explain.” By now Kravish had turned back around and was facing Venus and me.

Kravish held his hands out towards and conjured two orbs, one in both hands. In his left hand a miniature version of the Mountains of Eternity appeared within the orb, while a black wasteland with thick fog appeared in the one on the right. He raised his left hand a little higher than his right and began speaking.

“As you can see the Mountains of Eternity are here in my left hand. When living things die they are judged based on your values before even stepping foot in Valhalla. Those that are deemed worthy will be brought here where they can live out their days happily until reincarnating.” Kravish spoke of the Mountains of Eternity in an uplifting manner, only changing his tone to be dark and eerie when speaking about the other orb.

“But those that are unworthy cannot stay here with the rest. Hence why I created the Deadzone. Any evil beings or hostile creatures are sent to the Deadzone where they live out their days fighting to survive. It’s a brutal, terrifying place to live in, but trust me when I say only the truly evil people are sent here. Even if someone were the mightiest warrior in existence, if their soul were undeserving of Valhalla's graces then they would be dumped in the Deadzone.”

“So that’s how he did it…” I was originally worried that there was some forced mind control or something that suppressed the will of creatures in the afterlife, but looking back that was quite rude of me to assume. Kravish had really created a good place for spirits to rest in and he deserved credit.

“If that’s the case then what do you do with bad people? Not people who are literally evil, but just bad people who aren’t exactly deserving of eternal punishment.” It didn’t make sense to punish someone that murders children in the same way as someone who just wasn’t nice during their time in the mortal world.

“Another great question, father. The souls of living things are marked based on their judgment upon death. These marks are indicators of how they shall be treated in the afterlife. A white mark grants instant access to the Mountains of Eternity, a black mark grants instant access to the Deadzone, and the in-between areas of various greys have different meanings. A darker grey mark will get you sent to the Deadzone, but lighter grey marks will lead you to the Mountains of Eternity. Anyone on the Mountains of Eternity that has a grey mark cannot reincarnate until doing enough good deeds to turn the mark white. On the other hand, anyone in the Deadzone cannot reincarnate until being punished long enough or being spared by your hand. This is only surface level though, as I could spend years telling you the exact details...if you’d like.”

As Kravish spoke I glanced at Venus who only nodded back to confirm what Kravish was saying.

“No need, Kravish. It’s good to know that your understanding of death and Valhalla are so deep. You’ve done well, I appreciate the work you’ve put in for Valhalla and plan to reward you. Only you’ll have to wait until after the tour to receive it.” I had already told Kravish that he would be getting the Valkyrie so it wasn’t a secret. Nonetheless, Kravish was still trying to hide his joy for receiving my approval and a reward as well.

“Thank you, father. Your praise is a blessing itself. Do you have any other questions before we move on?”

I had to think to myself for a minute, but one more thing did come to mind. “There is one actually, how long does it take for a someone with a white soul mark to reincarnate?” Although not a pressing matter, it still felt important to know.

"People with a white soul mark are able to reincarnate after spending 1,000 years in the Mountains of Eternity, however they can stay longer or even shorten that time for various reasons. For instance, anyone that serves Valhalla can choose to reincarnate early or continue living here after their 1,000 year stay. It can be service in my palace, handling the settlement of new souls, or anything else with some significance. Of course these rules do not apply to warriors, as any warrior who chooses to serve Valhalla after their mortal death will live here until their final days. Even warriors from the Deadzone can serve so long as they have served their sentence or redeem themselves somehow." Kravish replied easily, ready for this question and probably many more.

"Very good, I love the implications of that idea." The model Kravish came up with was actually brilliant, as it offered people the chance to live on with their families instead of reincarnating, so long as that's what they wanted. For me personally, I would do everything in my power to continue having my family around, and it was nice to see that other people could do that too in the universe I created.

"I am glad that you approve!" Kravish's face was beaming with excitement and it made Venus and I happy to see him that way. "Now then, come with me father, I have much more to show you." He adjusted his leather vest and signaled for us to follow him toward the Mountains of Eternity. Rather than teleporting to Asgard with a portal Kravish felt it would be best to give his father the ground-up tour, allowing Jay to see everything the afterlife had to offer.

…

“And that brings us to the last place of our tour, the throne room.” Kravish spoke to us while standing in front of a colossal pair of doors. We were currently in a hallway leading up to the throne room within his palace. Although the hallway was incredibly long, the height of the ceilings made it feel even longer. The doors were roughly ten meters high and in the shape of a pointed arch, but the ceiling of the palace was another ten or so meters higher than them. Add that to the width of the hall which was around 13 meters and it made a person as small as me feel like an ant.

The door frame was made of gold while the doors themselves were silver and lined with golden engravings. Resting on both doors was a symbol that I had not seen before. It was a silver sword sitting behind a bronze shield. Around the shield was a pair of white wings pointed up at a 45-degree angle. The engraving of a balance scale could be seen on the shield as well.

“Kravish, is that symbol your insignia?” I posed the question, pointing at the massive doors in front of us.

“Yes, father. I call it the Vahl, my personal seal and godly emblem.” Kravish responded in a prideful tone.

“Not bad, I like it.” Even though I wasn’t one to boast too much, it was still an appealing idea to have my own symbol of power. Especially since I was the creator of the universe and all. After all, who didn't like having their ego stroked every once in a while?

“What made you choose that specific design?” I asked, looking for my own inspiration. Kravish looked up at the seals with a resolute look on his face.

“Valhalla is a place meant for warriors to enjoy themselves until being called upon in battle. Even though all souls are brought here, the importance of warriors is undeniable. To signify this I went with a militaristic design for my seal, as I myself am also a warrior.”

Kravish stepped forward a bit and put his hands out, conjuring a sword and shield from thin air. They looked exactly like the ones on his seal. “The sword is the most basic tool for any warrior, an extension of their body and will that cuts down anything in their path.” Kravish began swinging the sword around very swiftly, showing his talent with a blade. It was amazing to watch his footwork and perfectly orchestrated strikes, both of which were better than anything I had seen on Earth. Kravish finished his sword demonstration and took a defensive stance with the shield in front of his body as if protecting himself from danger

“The shield is a warrior's guardian, it repels the attacks of enemies and keeps them safe, allowing them to fight another day. Many warriors owe their lives to shields which have saved them time and time again.” Kravish straightened his back out then pointed his sword to the wings on the seal.

“Lastly are the wings, which represent the Valkyrie. I knew they had wings thanks to your memories. It seems only fair to honor the strength of Valhalla’s warriors on my seal.”

I was more than pleased with Kravish’s explanation as he seemed to have put a lot of thought into the seal before making it. It led me to begin wondering what my own seal would look like if I were to create one.

It was also a bit weird though, as Kravish seemed like a seasoned expert when it came to talking about and performing one-handed swordsmanship. He seemed to carry the knowledge and experience of a 10,000 year old master, but was only 23 years old! The talent of a God could not be underestimated!

Kravish continued leading us up to the doors of the throne room but didn’t stop as he began approaching the doors themselves. Rather than opening them with a mechanism or by hand, it appeared that the doors were automatic as they began opening as we walked up to them.

“Doors haven’t even been invented yet on Earth but here we have Kravish, already making automatic ones with his power.” I silently laughed to myself, amused by such a small matter.

Inside the throne room things weren’t very different from the hallway. The only noticeable difference in fact was the gigantic throne and its decor which sat at the far end of the room. It held the same shape as any other throne but had several steps leading up to a platform, then several more steps leading to his elevated throne. From the looks of things, the platform was a small stage from where people would speak to Kravish.

The details of Kravish’s throne were so flawless that it made me feel like a peasant for having never owned something worth even .01% of it. The elegant craftsmanship, beautiful use of gold and silver, and very sleek design came together to give it an all-around oppressive feeling. Even the back piece was stunning as it rocketed up the back wall into a point, there was an intriquite engraving of two swordsmen saluting with their weapon on it as well. Resting above and next to the throne were white banners with Kravish’s seal on them.

“Your abilities as a designer are actually insane. Maybe I should’ve made you the God of Architecture and Design.” I teased Kravish a bit as we walked closer to his throne. It was remarkable that he was able to create all of this on his own.

“Eh, I’d rather not have that godhood if I’m being totally honest, father.” It was just a tease and Kravish knew this, but the thought of being the God of Architecture and Design was just unsettling for him. He was a warrior and a leader, not an artisan.

“Yeah, yeah I know. Just messing with you. Go ahead and return to your original size and sit on your throne now. It’s time for your reward.” Kravish swiveled around quickly with an odd look on his face.

“But father, I dare not sit on my throne and speak to you. That’d be outrageous!” Holding true to his convictions made me admire Kravish, but it was still important that he relaxed a little bit. Therefore I felt the need to put my foot down.

“Enough, Kravish. This is your domain and I know what respect you hold for me. Don’t worry about such trivial things. Your loyalty to me and willingness to carry out my commands are all that matter. You are-” I paused at the end, attempting to get the words out of my mouth.

“You are my son…” I said with a smile, holding back my rollercoaster of emotions. All of this may have been new and crazy, but Kravish was technically my son no matter how I looked at it. He was created by me, and saw me as his true father. If I didn’t hold the same feeling of being a father back, then what would that make me? A deadbeat. That’s what.

A complex look formed on Kravish’s face as he creased his eyebrows in thought.

“Thank you, father. Really, thank you.” Kravish’s body began increasing in size as he returned to his original height of five meters tall. He then walked up to the throne and sat down with both arms on their rests. His eyes looked down at me, a warm smile on his face. This was the first time I saw him give an emotional smile, and it made me feel good inside.

“Kravish, God of Death and the Afterlife, Overseer of Valhalla, but most importantly, my son. You have served me well by carrying out the tasks I assigned you. Making Valhalla into what it is today was no easy feat, especially since you were without help. Now, I come to you with a gift to give thanks for all that hard work.”

Originally I had been below the stage of the throne with Venus, but as I spoke I walked up to the center of it. Now, standing before Kravish, I looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes to think about the plan Venus and I came up with back at the god seat.

______________________________________________________________________

“So, how exactly do you want to introduce the Valkyrie to Valhalla once everything is up and running?” Venus asked while sitting next to me on the couch.

“Well, you said that I can add them to the world through my cosmic divinity which allows me to do Cosmic Entity stuff while descended. Since that’s the case I want to put on a show and make it a big deal that the Valkyrie are arriving. All of Valhalla should know when they make their appearance. How exactly I plan to do so is still a big blank for me though. I have a lot of ideas, but I don’t know which one would be perfect for the situation.”

Should the Valkyrie arrive in a meteor shower? Maybe have a mist roll over Valhalla and have the Valkyrie emerge from that mist? Honestly I wasn’t sure, all I knew was that it had to be BIG. World changingly big.

Venus and I thought long and hard before she suddenly had an epiphany and stuck her finger up in the air. “I got it!” She shouted in excitement. “If you want a show then I have the perfect idea…” Venus grinned at me with a peculiar look in her eyes, whatever her idea was it definitely would be something crazy.

______________________________________________________________________

“This better go as planned. Please don’t mess up. Please don’t mess up.” I was hoping deep down that everything would go according to plan and that my thoughts wouldn’t betray me, resulting in an unwanted disaster. Venus said that my power of intent would decide whether or not things went smoothly, so I tried my best to stay focused.

“Hear my voice, children of Valhalla.” My hands began glowing with white energy. Using the cosmic divinity in my body I channeled power into my words, bringing them literal meaning.

“You shall be the protectors of this world, couriers of the mortal souls seeking peace in Valhalla. Your time is now as I call upon you to join hand in hand and take your first steps into life. Come, descend from above in a display of light that shocks the afterlife. Come now, and be thy Valkyrie!”

As I finished my noble speech a bright light flashed in every corner of Valhalla. Whether in a building, outside, or below ground, none of that mattered as the flash blinded everyone for five seconds (aside from myself of course) before slowly fading up into the sky. As the light faded shadows began appearing inside of it, slowly coming down from up above. At first it was just one, then two, then ten, then a hundred, their numbers kept increasing until they could no longer be counted.

When the light was finally gone people could see the figures descending from the sky, countless women wearing nothing but crudely made coverings over their private areas. On their backs were wings of various colors ranging from black to blonde to even white, and on their faces a look of confusion. They were newborns, freshly exposed to the wonders of the world. Each of their eyes glowed with power as they curiously examined their surroundings.

The people of Valhalla began to stir, unsure of who these winged beings were and what they came for. Many people ran inside and sought shelter while others remained outside to learn more about these new beings. The introduction of an entirely new sentient species, and in such a large number, would take time for everyone to adjust to.

Compared to Earth’s sentient races, the Valkyrie were special in that I did not have to limit their population early on. The Valkyrie had homes, a god to worship, and a purpose in life ready for them, so creating many would not matter. In other words, chaos wouldn’t be a big problem, a very minor one if at all.

Back inside the throne room, Kravish was watching everything unfold through a portal he had made to see outside. His eyes were wide as he witnessed the Valkyrie descend for the first time. He could feel the power radiating from them, practically making him go nuts. To him, the Valkyrie were the perfect people to protect Valhalla.

“Thank you, father! Your power is beyond what even I can comprehend, being able to speak an entire species into existence. I promise that this gift will not be wasted. Years from now the Valkyrie will be one of your most cherished creations. You have my word.” Kravish stood up from his throne and saluted me with his head lowered just as he had done when I first met him. I could tell by his tone that he was feeling out of this world, ready to show how dedicated he was to leading Valhalla.

“I trust you entirely Kravish. You are the strongest warrior in existence, and the best leader I have. You’ll do great.” Kravish’s eyes were full of determination as he listened to me, but his heart was warmed by my words. Even though there weren’t many people in existence I still felt my words would hold true for a long time, and Kravish didn’t seem to think anything extra of them.

“Now that Valhalla has the Valkyrie there’s nothing more for me to do here. You will be seeing me again many times in the future, but for now, this is goodbye. Should you need anything then I’m a prayer away, don’t hesitate to get my attention.” I was in a rush to leave so that I could look at the new feat I accomplished after creating the Valkyrie.

“Worry not. I shall do everything in my power to make sure things run smoothly here. You must be very busy though as the creator of the universe, so I shall not hold up your time any longer. Thank you once again for the gift, and goodbye for now, father.” Kravish saluted me one last time and gave me a resolute nod.

After returning the nod I turned around and walked back to Venus.

“Ready to go?” I asked Venus who was just standing there with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face.

“Yep, you did good silly. But there’s still so much for you to do and learn.” With that thought, the floor opened up into a hole between us, the creation plane visible on the other side. We hopped inside of it and disappeared from Kravish’s throne room.

Sitting atop his throne Kravish held a serious look on his face as he stared through the portal in front of him, still watching as the Valkyrie descended from above.

“My father has not failed me, and I shall not fail him. It is now time to begin the Valkyrie Initiative.” A fire burned within his eyes, one full of ambition and hope, as Kravish closed the portal. He looked to where his father had just been before disappearing from the throne to go handle the arrival of the Valkyrie.

Chapter End.