I do not own King Arthur or the Norse Myths. Enjoy!
The Battle at the Icy Pass had taken Dagonet. Badon Hill took Tristan and Lancelot. The Sacking of Camelot took Bors, Galahad, Gawain, and finally King Arthur. It had been decades since Badon Hill, and now the friends would be reunited. Although, the reunion was not was Arthur had expected.
He had expected a golden gate, the sound of angels singing, and St. Peter standing at the gate. This was not the sight he beheld, however. The sounds of battle surrounded him like an ocean, and a large structure loomed ahead of him. "What the…?" was all the great king could say.
The building in question had large spears for pillars, and the roof was thatched together golden shields. Its walls were made of the finest wood. Bors, Galahad, and Gawain stood outside the enormous doors. "Arthur," Bors inquired, "do you have any idea where in the ancestor's names we are?"
Arthur shook his head. It didn't make any sense. Heaven wasn't supposed to be like this. The doors opened wide, and a friendly voice that none of them had expected to hear again answered, "Maybe I can answer that, since our great leader is befuddled."
The Knights stood, gaping. "Lancelot!" they exclaimed in unison. Behind him stood Tristan and Dagonet, both were smiling. There was much rejoicing as the Knights embraced each other as brothers, laughing, smiling, glad that their family was together again.
"Welcome, my friends, to Valhalla, the great Hall of the Dead! You are now in the ranks of the Einherjar, my brothers," Lancelot said, smiling. "Now come, Woden is waiting."
"This is paradise," Tristan stated. "We fight by day, eat and drink our fill at night. We await the end of the world. Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods, is nearing closer every day. Furthermore, you'll be interested to know that Woden is-"
"A Scandinavian god," Dagonet chirped in. "He goes by other names, including Odin, Wotan, Allfather, High One, Terrible One, Father of Battle, and so on and so forth. It is he who rules over this glorious hall."
"Is that him on the throne?" Galahad asked. "He has one eye… battle wound?"
"Don't know, never asked." Lancelot replied. "That is him on the throne."
"Welcome to Valhalla, King Arthur," boomed Woden's voice. "The sun will soon set, so sit down and get ready to feast and drink your fill. In the morning, you and your Knights fight!"
Arthur agreed with the others when he said that the meat of Sæhrímnir was the best he'd ever tasted, and the mead was the sweetest drink to touch his lips. There was much talking, much joy, much feasting that night.
In the morning, Arthur and his Knights went out to fight. Thousands of warriors clashed on the battlefield, and Arthur was quick to learn that the battle was everybody against each other. No sides, no alliances. Which meant his Knights were his enemies. With a grim smile on his face, Arthur continued to hack, slash, and decapitate anyone who stood in his way. The hours wore on, and only a few remained by sunset. This included a bloodied Arthur, as well as his Knights. They stared at each other, weapons raised. Tristan let out a hearty laugh, followed by everyone else. They alone stood upon the blood soaked field as the last rays of the sun cut through the sky and the crisp evening air grew colder.
That night, as they celebrated the battle, one thought consumed Arthur's mind. No, the afterlife wasn't what he thought it would be, not at all.
A ghost of a smile crept on his face as it dawned on him; he liked it.
*Woden-King of the Æsir, Lord of Valhalla, God of War, Battle, Poetry, Life, Death, Wisdom, Magic, Prophecy, Victory, and The Hunt.