Chereads / The men of the forest / Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: The legendary hall

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: The legendary hall

And in his slumber, Önd had a dream, a dream which he found too realistic. In this dream, he quickly surveyed his surroundings, and his gaze met a bridge, hanging above a gap, or rather a bridge clothed with the floors of a rainbow. As he turned his head, Önd saw a woman, wearing a white dress similar to the one he saw before passing away, carrying a man, whose aspect was transparent and livid. The fine lady was riding a horse, the hair floating at wind. But his dream abruptly stopped, and Önd was only seeing darkness.

Suddenly, he woke up, and for a instant, he was blinded by what was before his eyes; a hall sustained by rafters made of massive sculpted gold, immensely tall and big, with a unquantifiable number of doors. He raised his eyes, and gazed at a ceiling, which seemed to almost reach the skies, made of golden shields. Önd stood seated in his chair made of armour; never had he seen so much gold. And before him, he finally noticed large banquet tables filled with food more than rare and exceptional. And despite the vastness of the hall, he saw a gigantic bonfire in its center.

But Önd was of course not alone, thousands of men in armour, with weapons, were seating in other chairs similar to Önd's. These men were drinking ale, eating every kind of deliciousness, chuckling, squabbling between themselves; it was a immense uproar! Noble women's were serving plates to everyone, the food on the banquet tables were eaten in a infinitesimally small time.

The men whom was seated next to Önd, a muscular men, grand and incredibly bearded, the perfect image of a warrior, began to speak with him, with a loud manly voice:

- The boar and the ale are excellent as usual, aren't they—? said the bearded man, still with boar in his mouth and a horn of ale midway between his lips.

- It's noisy here—! But where are we? This place doesn't appear familiar to me, confessed Önd, confused.

- Ah— you're a freshman! By Óðinn's eye—! The braves whom arrive are more and more younger! Your tiny beard testify it—! and the bearded man laughed, welcome to the Valhöll, mate!

- The Valhöll—! Wait— I thought that it was a mere ruse to persuade men to die in battle!

- It seems that you're quite not a believer! It is indeed the golden hall of the fallen that's told in the tales! Gladden yourself, drink—! You're now an Einherjar!

- But— I am dead then—! And all these poppycocks about the gods, the nine realms, the Jötunar— they were real?

- Haha—! Of course it is! As real as my beard—! Now, drink, eat—! My name's Kaldr. And you are?

- Önd, he answered harshly, dumbfounded by these revelations.

- Well met Önd—! Skuld, come to dash up the freshman, please!

Önd could not believe a word! His creed was the only thing he followed, he always preferred using his own means than those of the gods. A blonde lady with braided hair clothed with a white dress came with a plate of horns filled with ale, and kindly smiling, she announced:

- Welcome to the Hall of the fallen—! I'm Sklud, Nornir and honorary member of the Valkyrjur. If you have questions to ask— I shall gladly respond to them, but please hasten yourself.

Önd ask with eagerness his question:

- Am I truly dead—? And what am I doing here, along these men?

- Yes— you're verily dead. Those whom die on the battlefield win their entry to the Valhöll— at the side of the mighty Óðinn— the Allfather, the Einherjar, and the Valkyrjur— those whom choose the worthy ones.

- But I don't wish to be dead—! I've barely finished escaping—! No, no—! exclaimed Önd.

- Sorry, but fate is fate. Although we decide of the fate of every being, haha—! Now, you're dead— enjoy it! You have great food at will, beautiful women and fights!

On these words, Skuld leaved with haste, seemingly for her sisters were waiting her. Önd quickly drank a whole horn of ale, and he began to assimilate everything that happened. He rapidly meditate, and a mad idea started to germinate in his mind. The thought of meeting once again his family was not entirely to forsake, and he hence asked to Kaldr:

- Is there a way, whichever one, to return on Miðgaðr, and of course alive, Kaldr?

- Önd— that is an odd question! It's the perfect place here— as Skuld made you understood— why would you return amongst mortal?

- Let's just say that I'd like to meet my family once again. You see— I was for a long time a slave amongst the livings, and before I was one, I was forced to become a warrior. But— I dislike war... Whatever— all these things divested me of seeing my family— and for a long time.

- An Einherjar whom hates war, haha—! A good one—! Maybe you'd more like Fólkvangr! Kaldr stopped for an instant, and carried on, your motives to return on Miðgaðr are admirable. But for your question— you better ask it to Óðinn. After all, he's the one whom collect the souls of the warriors dead in battle.

- You're indeed speaking of the god Óðinn, aren't you? Builder of the universe along his brothers— the wisest being that exist?

- Exactly! He's not on his throne— you should wait him.

- But where is he?

- I ignore where he is. But maybe Geri and Fremi —his pets— know something. You might be amazed by these creatures! But enough questions— eat!

Kaldr gave a big piece of roasted boar to Önd, and gave him another horn of ale amidst the ones that brought Skuld. He ate a bit of the boar and drank a sip of ale, knowing that he already drank enough with the first horn. He surveyed his surroundings, and met the gaze of a wolf, playing with another. Óðinn's pets, thought Önd.

He got up, his his farewells to Kaldr, and quickly headed to the wolves. He took a quite long time in order to meet the hall's wall, for he didn't wish to draw any attention. Thus, he began a small odyssey, by passing through the multitude of banquet tables and trying to disturb no one. Finally arrived at the wall, he followed it. In addition to the discretion, the way was larger. Meanwhile, his hunger was growing, he then continued to eat the piece of boar that gave him Kaldr, and leaved a bigger part of it for eating during his march. At last, Önd reached the door where Geri and Fremi were playing.

The two wolves were now laying on each other. But one of the wolf, as seeing And approaching, quickly got up, and the other did same. The wolves seemed suspicious, but it did not matter to Önd, he asked:

- Do you know where is your master, Óðinn?

- And why would you want to know where he is, human? asked one of the wolves.

Surprised for the wolf was truly speaking, Önd answered with astonishment:

- I wish to ask him something— to ask to the wisest being that exist, an answer to my problem.

- Haha— and you believe that he has time to dedicate to you? replied the second wolf.

- Or that we shall tell you where can he be found? added the first.

- And why not—?

The wolves chuckled and whispered for a short instant, and the first spoke again:

- Well, you made us laugh— we owe you that!

- He's at the other side of this door— seated on Hliðskjálf, added the second as pointing his muzzle to the door that stood behind them.

- I thank you, said Önd with an ounce of irritation, offended by the mockeries of the wolves. Allow me to enter—!

The wolves laughed together and the first carried on:

- And you think that we shall let you in, and disturbed our master— whom settle concerns surely more important than yours every day?

The wolves chuckled for once more and abruptly stopped, for hunger had invaded them, and their stomach were loudly grumbling. Önd took their hunger as an opportunity:

- It seems that your master had forgotten to feed you. What if I exchanged this piece of boar against the access to Hliðskjálf? suggested Önd, as holding high in the air the piece of meat.

- We shan't succumb to your offer, claimed the first.

The second whispered to the first:

- It's not such a severe thing if we let him enter— no, Fremi? I'm hungry! Furthermore— I heard that Óðinn was yet waiting for Freyja's visit.

- I'm also hungry, Geri. But it is severe if we let him disturbed Óðinn.

Since Önd was hearing the wolves, he ate a bit of the boar:

- Soon— there will be nothing left if you continue to be so hesitant!

- Very well—! We shall let you enter, human. Give us the meat now—! said Fremi, with a watering muzzle.

Önd threw up the boar on the floor, and the wolves rushed to the piece, leaving the passage to the door free. Önd quickly entered before letting the wolves finish, and before him stood an immense circular stairway. Now, to Hliðskjálf. I hope that Óðinn will be able to answer my question. Otherwise, I walked for nothing, he thought.