I expected a bright light, or to see my Lord by now, but so far it was just darkness.
Instead all I saw was a burning figure, a giant it seemed.
A deep voice grumbled, and said, "You, you're the one who I have to give my strength to? You're the one who is supposed to carry out my prophecy? A lowly Christian? Pff, this is pitiful, I will share no power with the likes of you."
"What do you mean 'prophecy'? And what strength do you have to give me?" I questioned.
"It doesn't matter anymore. I need someone with a strong connection that shares my belief, not one who believes in a merciful god, I need power." The burning giant replied.
"Am I dead? Am I in Hell? It can't be, I did what was commanded of me, I kept my faith!"
"You are not anywhere! You are here with me!" The giant boomed
The one who will destroy Asgard and kill the gods who reside there! Hmm, actually, I have a proposition for you.
You are dead, overpowered by your enemies, but I can save you, give you my strength, but you must abandon your faith in your god, and believe in Odin, Thor, and all the gods alike."
"What? You want me to just abandon my faith, the one I died for?"
"That is what I said, no? Unless of course, you wish to be stuck in this void for eternity." He spoke to me with a taunting voice and said it with a smug grin.
"I can give you a second chance, and together we can prosper.
But you must carry out my prophecy, and I will guide you, and live through you. You have everything to lose, but I have nothing. I cannot truly die, but you can.
I am giving you a deal that you can only gain from."
I considered the thought for a bit. It surprised me that if I wanted to live, I'd have to abandon God, who I fought for, lived for, even died for.
But I knew that I would do no good being in this darkness for eternity, it might as well be considered Hell.
I would just be damning myself.
"Fine" I answered, "I'll take your offer, I will abandon my faith and put my faith in you and your gods, but I ask this.
I have no knowledge of your gods, or your faith. How exactly do you expect me to fulfill your 'prophecy' as you say, if I have no idea who I'm going up against?"
"One, they are not my gods, they're my enemies, and they will be yours too. Secondly, that is not my concern, I trust that you will figure that out on your own" The burning giant replied.
"Why can't you just teach me yourself?" I asked
"Because I shouldn't have to teach you! I expected to have someone that already knows who and what I speak of!" The voice said.
"That's not even a valid reason." I mumbled to myself
"I will resurrect you, but you must know a few things.
One, you will probably be somewhere unfamiliar to you, time here goes significantly slower than in the living world.
Two, my prophecy is not something any mere mortal can take on.
And last of all, you, Ardent, are the reincarnation of me, Surtr. You always have been, but the time has finally come for me and my prophecy to be fulfilled.
You will be the living version of me, and have god-like abilities. Do you still agree?"
I sat in silence for a second, and finally said, "Yes, I'm ready now."