Vár re-entered with a disused chair. Hel looked at it, unimpressed. Without Hel saying anything Vár apologized.
“It was the best they had, I could not…”
Hel patted Vár on the head and sat in the chair. “So, Erik. I assume you’re fully confused and the ogre by the window won’t tell you anything.”
Göll took a step forward at the insult but Vár moved to Hel’s side and faced the valkyrie.
Erik looked from Göll back to Hel. “That’s about right. I mean, not knowing anything. Göll’s not so bad. I assume there are reasons she can’t tell me things.”
“Oh, there are very definite reasons she’s choosing not to tell you. And, well, I’m not opposed to the odd secret, so I’ll just let you two sort most of that out. But we at least need to establish a baseline, agreed?”
“That would be… something. Maybe not nice, but, yeah. Something.”
“Horribly put. So!” Hel patted her pockets, but found nothing. She turned her head to Vár. “Hm. Did we leave those at home, Vár? The dolls I made? Doesn’t matter.” She returned her attention to Erik. “I made visual aids. It doesn’t matter. You’ve been chosen by the great and powerful Odin.” Definitely sarcastic. “Göll is actually the one who chose you. The process goes something like this: A valkyrie chooses a person eligible by deed or ancestry to enter Valhalla. Then, the other valkyries try their best to make sure that special little flower never, ever blooms.”
“They… don’t want me to get Valhalla?”
“Sure, why would they? Either way, once Göll showed up, you were going to die. That’s already set. But let’s not get bogged down in the minute to minute stuff. You humans are so worried about dying. Vár used to be that way.” Hel nudged Vár with her elbow. “I’m here to make a simple offer of assistance.”
Göll took another heavy step forward. “And why should he trust you to do anything, Hel? Vile giantess.”
Hel smiled broadly, but her voice was sharper than it had been. “You, ale-bearer, should not trust me.” She tilted her head toward Erik. “He should.” She went back to ignoring Göll. “Now, you won’t understand what exactly you need my assistance with, maybe even when you get to my lovely home. But I recommend you come.”
Erik sighed. “More half explanations. I’m really getting sick of it, you know?”
Hel laughed. “Oh, it’s precious. You’ve hardly even started yet.” She wrapped her arms around Vár’s waist and pressed her head against the girl’s back. “Remember how you used to be Vár? It makes me so nostalgic. Let’s get ice cream before we go home.”
“So you’re just here to mock me? Maybe I should be listening to Göll.”
“Oh, boo.” Hel pushed her lip out, feigning a pout. “If you’re going to ruin my fun then I’ll just come out and say it. Even for me, saying too much could cause headaches that I don’t have a cure for.” She chuckled. “And it’s more fun the less you know.” Her chuckle became a full laugh. “Ah, I made fun of your valkyrie for that just a minute ago, didn’t I?” She stood up abruptly. “Okay. I’ve said my piece. Keep my offer in mind. I’ll be leaving Vár here in Midgard to look after you.”
As she started to walk back to the bathroom, Erik spoke up. “What should I do? How do I…”
Hel stopped and looked at him. “Die well. And then come see me.” She smiled and went back into the bathroom.
There was no noise, but Vár went to make sure she had gone and closed the door again when she’d confirmed. She walked to the chair, lifting it up, and spoke in Erik’s direction.
“I will be outside if you have need of me.”
She walked off with the chair, leaving Erik alone in the room with Göll. She turned back toward the window.
“So, I have to die?”
Göll did not turn back toward him. “All humans must die eventually. It is a necessary part of the cycle.”
“Then what should I do? How do I die well?”
She turned from the window. “You must fight. You have muscles, but they are not a fighter’s.”
“Okay, ow. Tough but fair. I don’t know how to fight.”
“Then I will teach you. We will need an open field.”
“Right, there’s a lot not too far from here that’s empty. It’s at the back side of a business park so I doubt anyone will notice us.”
“Then we will begin tomorrow morning.”
Erik was nervous, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but he didn’t have the will to try to make conversation with Göll beyond what she’d already offered. There was an amount of excitement in her voice or at least approval. He wasn’t sure which, having said so little to her. The duty-bound nature of every single sentence she’d let out made it hard to try to talk to her. Training was something, at least. When his arm had been cut, he’d only been able to stand there. Wishing it would all go away wasn’t going to work, and the next time it might be his chest that got split open.
The motel room offered nothing to do. The television was broken, there was no clock radio, no mini-fridge. It was just sitting in silence, staring at the wall until the sun came up. Erik would have strongly preferred not having to be alone in the quiet with his thoughts, but it was more bearable than he thought it would be.
It was barely light out when Göll turned from the window. “The sun has risen. We should go and train you.”
Erik headed to the door first, opening it. Vár was beside the door sitting in the chair that Hel had been in earlier. She opened her
