Lilith floated through the dark void.

What’s going on?

A grey dot appeared. It began to stretch into a road, longer and closer, all the way to her feet. Houses made of wood and stone faded in one by one. She blinked and found herself standing in the prairies of her childhood. A tumbleweed rolled through town.

“Lilith,” a voice called to her.

She spun around.

Her mother’s smile was as bright and beautiful as the yellow sundress she wore. “Come over here, Sweetie,” she beckoned with open arms. “Daddy and I have a surprise for you.”

Lilith skipped across the pasture. “Is it a new dress? A new bike? A puppy? Please, please, please let it be a puppy!”

“You’ll see.” Her sing-song voice tickled Lilith with excitement.

They held hands and strolled to the barn, arms swinging back and forth. The chickens flocked to Lilith, but she shooed them away. “Not now, guys.”

“Close your eyes,” her mother said.

She covered her eyes with her tiny hands and giggled.

“We’re ready, Henry!”

Lilith heard her father’s footsteps, soft at first, but then it got louder and closer. No barking? She opened her fingers slightly but still couldn’t make out anything.

“No peeking, Sweetie.”

She giggled some more. “Is it a puppy?”

There was a clip, and then a clop. And then another clip, and another clop, followed by a sudden snort.

Lilith squealed and lifted her hands. “A pony!” She ran to give it a hug, but couldn’t reach its neck. So, she booped it on the nose instead. “You’re so tall.”

“Gentle, Lilith,” her father said. “He’s very shy.”

“What’s his name?”

Her mother rested her hands on Lilith’s shoulders. “Why don’t you give him one?”

“Hmm…” Lilith looked at the brown-haired pony and pondered for an eternity. It had to be a good name, or he would hate her. “Cinammo–No, Brownie!”

The pony neighed with approval.

Her mother cheered. “I guess he likes it.”

“Hi, Brownie.” Lilith ran her fingers down the pony’s mane and gave him soft kisses. “Let’s be friends, okay?”

“Lilith,” her father said softly, “your mother needs you.”

Her little heart quivered as she watched him walk down the hallway of a hospital into a room. “Is Mommy going to die?”

The room was quiet, except for the beeps of the machines. Her mother lay on a bed, eyes closed in an ugly white gown. Where did all her hair go?

“Come here, Sweetie,” she whispered. “Give Mommy a hug.”

Lilith leaned in and laid her head on her mother’s chest.

“I love you.”

She kept still and listened.

Her mother’s breaths grew shallower and shallower, until they stopped.

The lake was peaceful that day.

Lilith sat down by a tree and turned to the earmarked page in her book: My Side of the Mountain. It was getting good.

“Lilith,” her father said sternly, “we have to go.”

Where?

“You’ll like the city, I promise.”

“I said I don’t wanna move.”

He picked her up and threw her into the car.

“I hate you!”

Lilith curled up on the sidewalk. The streets were cold. People passed her without so much as a glance. Whatever. She liked it this way.

Some bloke put his hands on her back. “You cold, little lady?”

She shoved him aside. “Fuck off, or I’ll knife you.”

“C’mon. I can keep you warm.” He chuckled.

“Get off me, creep!” Lilith swung her arms like a maniac. She didn’t have a knife, but she had fingernails.

He bolted faster than a rat facing an oncoming train. “Crazy bitch!”

Lilith scoffed.

Her dad appeared. “Come home, Lilith.”

She gazed at him through tear-filled eyes.

They hugged.

“A graduation gift for the treasure of my life.” He dangled car keys in front of her.

Lilith squealed with joy. “You’re the best, Dad.”

Her hair rustled in the wind as she drove to Leaside Secondary School for her first day as a teacher.

The ninth graders sat still and silent in the classroom, ready to learn.

Lilith clipped on a pink ribbon and joined thousands on the Walk for Cancer.

Her friend tapped her on the arm. “That guy’s checking you out.”

He flashed a smile and strutted over. “Hi, I’m Kristof.”

Lilith eyed him from head to toe, then tore open his shirt. Kristof carried her over to his bed. Their bodies tangled. His scent made her delirious. Pain and pleasure fused, creating an explosion of ecstasy.

She gasped.

“Lilith…” He got down on one knee. “Will you marry me?”

Her heart soared.

She turned and walked down the aisle towards the altar. A door opened to reveal the interior of their new home. Lilith pushed Kristof onto the bed. The lights went out. Their bodies weaved. She wrapped her legs around him. His abs tightened. A flash of lightning. He roared.

Lilith placed her lips on his ear. “I’m pregnant.”

Kristof eyes lit up. “Push! Push! Harder! Keep going! You can do it, Honey! Just a bit more! I love you so much!”

“Push! Push! Harder! Keep going! You can do it, Honey! Just a bit more! I love you so much!”

She screamed.

“Congratulations. It's a boy.”

Lilith gazed into Erik’s little blue eyes.

The world shook.

“Please, please don't let her die. She can't die. She can't!”

“Welcome to Asgard.”

“You run and you do not look back, understood? I’ll be right behind you.”

“What will you do, Valkyrie?”

“You are Elsa.”

“She is not Elsa!”

“Tea for the dear Valkyrie?”

“It will protect your soul from dark elements.”

“Judgment on the Earthian’s soul shall be postponed until such time as an adequate replacement is ascertained.”

“Lilith’s raven has informed me of a possible…glitch.”

“Just a tad bitter, this drink.”

“Sweet dreams, Lilith of Earth.”

A sea of stars sparkled all around her. Lilith floated blissfully, mind free and soul at peace, basking in the bright glow of her precious memories.

Suddenly, a shadow emerged in the void. Her soul trembled as dark claws began to crush each star.

What’s happening? No…Stop it!

Lilith pushed and pulled darkness aside to protect her light, but it was futile. The shadow bent and twisted, before expanding to envelop her entire being. She fought to scream, but felt her voice stifled by immense pressure.

Please…No!

Just as Lilith lost all hope, the shadow’s grip loosened. A strange energy seeped through. Her soul blazed. She mustered fresh strength and shred through the darkness. The shadow retreated, shrinking smaller and smaller, receding into the void.

Lilith lay down to rest, soul still shaken.

Is it over?

The stars sparkled, brighter and brighter, until her world became pure white. She raised her hands to reach for the light.

A gentle breeze tickled her nostrils with familiar scents. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. The surface below her felt hard and icy. Lifting her body off, she rose to her feet and anxiously scanned the surroundings.

Sanctuary…It wasn’t a dream after all.

The crystal pendant resting on her chest erased all doubts.

“Good morning, Valkyrie.”

Sven’s voice pulled her gaze over to the giant wisteria, where he perched staring. Next to the tree, under which she had slept many peaceful nights, Gyllir stirred awake. Lilith’s heart fluttered as the brown beast trotted over to her. She leaned in and rested her head on his silky mane, cherishing their special bond.

I missed you too, friend.

He let out a soft whinny, then went to the pond for a drink of water.

The raven flew onto the soul bed. “Do you remember anything?”

I can’t trust Sven…

“Where am I?” she said, looking here and there as if she was lost. “And who are you?”

“I'm Sven, and this is Asgard, home of the Aesir. Odin, Allfather of the universe, has chosen you as Valkyrie. Memories from your past life have been expunged. You now have one sole purpose: gather Midgard's heroes and send them to Valhalla. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Lilith relaxed every muscle while Sven eyed her with skepticism. Not even his Raven Sight could penetrate her mind. “Give me all the details.”

Sven cocked his head left and read. “Very well, I will go over the state of affairs.” He waved a wing to reveal a holographic screen in the air.

This bird is full of tricks…

Name: Lilith Class: C Reputation: 2 Favour Points: 13 Heroes Recruited: 4 Heroes in Valhalla: 0

“This is your current status among the gods of this realm. You have much work to do, Valkyrie. To increase your Reputation, you must eradicate the dungeons and darklings that infest Asgard. Your Class will rise with your Reputation. Favour Points can be exchanged for goods and services. To earn more, you may choose to fulfill requests for those of a higher class than you. Helping those at the same rank or below does not yield any gains. You will do yourself well to remember this.”

“My name is Lilith…” She was surprised they would let her know. It probably didn’t matter to them, considering their plans for her.

“Correct.” Sven waved his wing again. “And these are the heroes you—your predecessor has recruited. We call them Einherjars.”

Name: Sigurd Age: 14 Hometown: Arendal Hero Energy: 75 Loyalty: 60 Charisma: 36 Skills: Spear [2] Perks: Courage. As a leader, he provides a boost to the party’s courage when facing enemies and other dangers. Downfalls: Recklessness. His rash decisions may expose his party to dangers.

Name: Karina Age: 19 Hometown: Stavanger Hero Energy: 57 Loyalty: 52 Charisma: 70 Skills: Fire Magic [2] Perks: Sense of Duty. As a leader, she provides a boost to the party’s morale and understanding of their objectives. Downfalls: Cynicism. Her willingness to accept Fate may result in her giving up too quickly when faced with dangers. Items: None

Name: Marten Age: 38 Hometown: Grimstad Hero Energy: 82 Loyalty: 20 Charisma: 60 Skills: Sword [5], Axe [5] Perks: Warrior Spirit. Never backs down from a fight. His power increases as he is closer to death. Downfalls: Lust. His strong desire for women, favour points, and reputation may lead him to make questionable choices. Items: None

Name: Aaren Age: 20 Hometown: Stavanger Hero Energy: 25 Loyalty: 83 Charisma: 14 Skills: Sword [1], Research [3] Perks: Hard worker. He will do a task all the way to its end. Downfalls: Recklessness. His rash decisions may expose his party to dangers. Items: Dainsleif

“Here is a condensed view of the Einherjars and their current location. They appear as blinking green lights on the map.”

#	Name	Hero Energy	Loyalty	Charisma	Location	Status
1	Sigurd	75	60	36	Vestfold	Green
2	Karina	57	52	70	Vestfold	Green
3	Marten	82	20	60	Alesund	Green
4	Aaren	25	83	14	Vestfold	Green

Lilith quickly absorbed the information. Sigurd and Karina’s skills had improved, while Aaren’s remained unchanged. No surprise, as he had yet to go on a mission. Marten, the problematic one, had found his way to another town. What was he up to?

“Odin will only accept Einherjars into Valhalla with a hero energy of 90 or higher. Their hero energy increases with every brave action they take. The easiest way to accomplish this is to assign them mission, which also boosts their loyalty to you. For larger missions, you may wish to designate a party lead. Charisma is a good indicator of effective leadership, though a hero’s perks and downfalls should also be taken into consideration.”

“Is that all?” Lilith brushed the screens away as a display of understanding and confidence.

“The pendant you are wearing is called Mimir’s Eye. It functions as a map of the nine realms of the cosmos. More importantly, it will notify you when a new hero arrives in the Hall of Hrestyi. Inside the hall, you will find the Tablet of Deat—”

“Enough,” she said in a scolding tone. “You talk too much.” She ignored the raven and made her way over to the wisteria.

Sven flew onto her shoulder. “May I recommend a plan of action?”

“That won’t be necessary.” She sat down next to Gyllir and caressed his mane.

“I have a sugges—”

“Sven,” Lilith interrupted, “I want you to communicate this to the Einherjars.” She paused for a brief moment to think. “Sigurd and Aaren shall be tasked with eliminating a darkling. Find a low-class creature near Vestfold they can take care of. Karina…can she handle a dungeon?”

“Not alone, but she could form a party with other Einherjars in Asgard.”

Of course there were other Valkyries with their own heroes. “I’ll leave it to you to make the arrangements.”

“And Marten?”

Lilith shuddered at the thought of the filthy Viking. But with her reputation at stake, she had few options. “I’ll deal with him personally.”

“Good,” Sven said, then hopped onto the grass.

The conversation was clearly over, yet he continued to linger like an unwanted guest. For the first time, Lilith felt a genuine dislike towards the raven. He wasn’t just annoying, he betrayed her to the Valkyrie Queen.

“You can go now,” she snapped at Sven.

Mimir’s Eye glowed with fiery intensity.

The raven leapt into the air. “A hero has appeared in the Hall of Hrestyi!”

“I can see.”

“Allow me to escort you,” he said, flapping excitedly.

“Gyllir will take me.” She wanted to make it clear that their relationship was strictly business, and that she was his master. “You go do what we discussed.”

“Very well.” Sven slowed his movements, as if a thought had crossed his mind. “Now, did I actually tell you the horse’s nam—”

“Go convey my instructions to the Einherjars.” She clenched her fists and stared daggers, willing him to leave.

“As you wish, Valkyrie.” And with that, he bolted off.

Lilith tore off the pulsating pendant and threw it into the pond. And then, she screamed.

The wisteria shook for nearly a minute.

Lilith gasped for air as tears trickled down her face onto the torn grass. Her body trembled uncontrollably. A flurry of images reeled before her eyes. The hospital. Kristof. Erik. Out of instinct her hand leapt forward, but it only felt air. The faces of her husband and child vanished in her arms, as if they had never existed. Fear and dread wrapped around her tight, threatening to crush all hope and rip her soul apart.

I’m never going to see them again…No, no, no…!

Lilith rifled through her mind for memories of Kristof, those precious moments of life with him, in his arms, safe and warm, hearing his voice soothe her with soft ‘I love you’s under the stars. And her baby, Erik, his pure scent, his tender skin, his innocent face, she seared them onto her soul. No one could take them away from her.

I won’t allow it.

Gyllir moved in to console her, his touch pulling her back to reality.

Her reality. A Valkyrie.

Lilith brushed her tears aside. The gods had made clear their plans. Her soul was in danger. What could she do?

Earth…I have to find it!

But time was not on her side, and eyes were on her. She had to be discreet.

They can’t know about my memories…

Lilith walked over to the pond and gazed at her reflection in the crystal surface. Strength and determination rippled through her body. She would play Odin’s game. For now.

She reached into the water and retrieved the glowing pendant.