Introduction
Main Character's point of view
«This may look to you like a dream at first. It's normal, this is an alternate reality to yours, not that it's completely unrelated, in fact, I'd say it's the complete opposite.»
I'm trying so hard to understand those words, but my brain just can't seem to associate. I'm confused, feeling lost, and not being able to see anything isn't certainly helping, as the last thing I remember is the noise of the rain violently reaching the asphalt on my way home from my class. As I was trying futilely to remember what happened, the feminine voice kept talking.
«What you will see from now is a timeless dimension, you will see other humans, just like you, and maybe even something else. Just keep in mind that this is the place were living beings go when their lifetime comes to an end.»
My head felt dizzy as those last words were reaching my ears. Living beings? Lifetime? End...? That's when I started realizing, I couldn't feel my limbs, as any other part of my body, I couldn't feel anything from it. I tried to move my fingers, but there was nothing I could move. I tried to speak, and got to the conclusion that I couldn't even use my mouth, nor my vocal cords, nothing. What was happening?
«I can sense panic from you, you should listen carefully to what I say, although you don't have any ears at the moment.»
The voice was starting to become slightly annoyed, I somehow decided it was better to listen, as she was right now the only thing I could relate to. When I put aside the fact that I didn't have any ears I began to wonder how I was even listening to her, maybe telepathy?
«Good. I know this is very sudden to you and you don't understand what's happening, maybe you're even wondering why we're doing this to you, taking your body from you, keeping you in the darkness. It's to prevent you from setting off a mess because of panic. As you're probably trying to ask if you died, yes, you did die. You saved a woman before she was hit by a drunk truck driver, and sadly, you took her place, kind of a heroic way to die, if you ask me, congratulations.»
Congratulations...? On dying? What kind of person am I having a conversation with? I'm slowly calming down as her words explain to me what happened. I felt like sighing, even though I couldn't. So I died, huh? I guess I should be more scared of death than what I actually am, maybe it's because of what is happening right now. This whole situation is kind of making me more curious than scared now that I heard what actually happened.
«I see that you're calming down, that's a good thing. I'm trying to prepare you to what you're going to see from now on, and I need you to be calm, because you'll soon have a choice to make, a very important one. I'm now going to let you use your voice.»
A second later I start to move my tongue, and use it to feel my teeth and the surrounding of my mouth. It's weird, since I can't feel anything else of my body, it feels like it's just a flowing mouth in the middle of nothing. I then try to let my voice out, and as soon as I hear it I feel like an idiot.
«Aaaaa-»
I stop as I realize that it works just fine. Incredibly enough, I missed my own voice, I think I've never been so glad to be able to speak. Comes to wonder how mute people can live their life without falling into madness. I then proceed to clear my voice, before starting to finally speak.
«...First of all, I want to know who I'm talking to.»
It kind of bothers me not to know who was keeping me in this situation. She then speaks, answering me.
«Fair enough, I know everything about you, so I don't think it's a problem if I reveal myself. My name is Brynn, I'm a valkyrie. I'm also the one who brought you here after your death.»
Brynn... I sounds like a north-european name, somewhat foreign. Well, I guess it is kind of normal that it sounds weird to me, since I'm way too used to korean names. Now that I think about it, what language did I just use to ask for her name? It obviously wasn't korean, but my thoughts are clearly korean, is this some kind of magic?
«What language are we using right now? Also, what's a valkirye? You said you brought me here, does that make you an angel or something?»
This time I can sense her hesitating.
«Now that you're in this place, you're not bound anymore to something as bothersome as a language, we're free of that kind of thing. An angel is somewhat different from a valkirye, but I guess that from your point of view they're pretty similiar, you'll eventually might be able to see the difference by yourself.»
Is she being vague? On purpose? I guess I'll go straight to the point then.
«What's this choice I'm supposed to make?»
This time her response came as soon as the question was asked.
«In this place the dead can pass their existence in peace for eternity, it's the closest thing to what you may call "heaven" there is. But there's some rare case in which we let the souls decide they want to take part to a certain event. It's an endless battle to decide who's the strongest of all, the greatest battlefield there is and will ever be, I'm talking about the Brawlhalla!»
I have a weird feeling about where this is going, as I hear her words I can as well hear the proudness that starts to come from here. A battle? An endless battle? What's that supposed to mean? Why would I want to fight in such a thing?
«Accepting this proposal would mean having the chance to keep some things that would forever be lost otherwise. Such as your body, and especially your humanity, emotions that many would like to keep when coming here. The Brawlhalla is the key to mantain your emotions, happiness, anger, pride, hate, love, sadness...»
My mind got stuck as her words came out. I'll lose my body forever. And my emotions too. And the only way to keep them is to fight? I'm sure I'd start to shake if I had my body right now, even though I'm not sure if I'd shake because of fear or because of excitement. This is not a cruel battle where they force me to fight for the entertainment of someone higher than me, it's a battle for myself and for what I am... Her voice comes once again towards me.
«Tell me, human. Will you lose yourself in the peaceful fields of this place, or will you instead follow the path of the Legends?»
I can feel my heart again. I think she made me feel it on purpose, but it is in fact working, I can feel it beating fast, thinking about keeping my humanity. The answer comes clear into my mind.
«I accept your offer. And you can call me U-Jin.»
I suddenly feel a wave of cold air on my skin, as it blows through my hair. I can feel everything again, my limbs, my chest, my facial muscles... I'm standing, I feel the weight of my body pushing me slightly through the ground, which is solid as cement. I'm not used to gravity anymore, it was kind of surprising. I slowly open my eyes to see what's in front of me, and a ray of light almost blinds me again, but as I grow used to it, I see a blode lock of hair, a light pink skin, a pair of clear blue eyes staring at me. Is this Brynn? She's gorgeous! She smiles as I open my eyes to her, and then moves to my side, showing me something even more beautiful.
«Welcome to Valhalla, U-Jin.»