A/N: I'mso sorry. I promise. ot to make anymore promises. I'll try and update as much as possible.

Chapter 2

When I came to, I felt nothing but pain. My entire body was numb with pain. I felt like someone dropped a wrecking ball on me. I couldn't move or even open my eyes.

Suddenly, the pain subsided. I still felt weak but at least I was not in as much pain as before. I tried to open my eyes but they remained closed. After a while I managed to open them.

To my utmost surprise, I found myself being held by a girl who was seemingly riding a flying horse in a cold grey foggy void. I looked to my left and right to take a view of where I was. All i saw was nothingness...

"That was a very brave thing you did." The girl said as she adjusted me to prevent me from falling off.

"It wasn't brave it was extremely stupid" I pointed out.

She glanced at me briefly and defended, " Your sacrifice was not stupid. Don't belittle it like that"

"So I really am dead?" I asked drowsily

"Yes"

"Where are we going...?"

I didn't hear her answer as I had passed out again from .

I groaned as I groggily regained consciousness, my whole body prickled. I stared round trying to find my bearing.

I was sprawled out on the bricked floor of the entry courtyard of a town house. In a corner of the courtyard, a birch tree of pure white wood stood. It's leaves glinting in the unseen lights. They were made of gold?

I sat up properly and examined myself.

Two legs, check

Two eyes and ears, check

Nose and mouth, check

Two hands, check

Golden dagger, check...Wait what?!

In my hand was the golden dagger that I had used to kill the creature. It was clean now though...so it must have been a dream. I didn't actually die.

Then I put my hand to my neck expecting to find a gaping wound, nothing but smooth skin. I put my hand to my chest, no wound... i was perfectly fine.

[A/N: Thoughts are gonna be in brackets]

[It was all a dream, I reassured myself. [I probably ran away and managed to find this place and then passed out in exhaustion, monsters aren't real.]

I managed to stand up on my legs and I walked up to the birch tree.I touched its bark, and realizing it was too smoothe for climbing, I looked up to see its nearest branch. It was nearly 6 feet above my head.

I turned to the side to look for any other possible escape routes. Unknown to me, beside the birch tree, a bronze plaque was fixed to the wall. It was in two different languages. One in English and the other in a language I couldn't - but i had an idea of- recognise.

The English version read:

WELCOME TO THE GROVE OF GLASIR. NO SOLICITING. NO LOITERING. HOTEL DELIVERIES: PLEASE USE THE NIFLHEIM ENTRANCE.

I was even more confused and before I could continue my search, the double doors of the town house swung open. A tall burly man wearing a green doorman unifor, stepped out of the brilliant golden light that spilled out into the courtyard.

He walked towards me and I could see him more clearly. He had a warts face under which was an unkempt beard which probably had not seen a barber in ages. His grey eyes were bloodshot. Hanging on the belt of his uniform was a double-bladed axe. His name tag read ' HUNDING, SAXONY, VALUED TEAM MEMBER SINCE 749 C.E. On the lapel of his dark green uniform were the interlocking letter "HV", which I assumed were the initials of the place. So Hotel V...

He approached me and politely said " Welcome to the hotel Valhalla, miss. I am Hunding and I will escort you to be registered. Do you have any luggage?"

I felt my back and sighed in relief as I felt my knapsack on back. I looked at the building which I now recognized as Hotel Valhalla.

"Why am I here?" I asked." And who brought me here?"

"A valkyrie brought you here," he replied "and as for why, well you're...you know, dead."

"I'm dead?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes kid, dead. As in kicked the bucket, deceased, bitten the dust, breathe your last breath." He explained and with each word I winced as if that creature had pierced my heart again and again." So, time to get registered, do you have any luggage?"

"Um... if you mean my bag," I said numbly as I unslung it from my shoulder and handed it to him. " Here."

He collected it from me, " Usually nobody ever brings luggage. Follow me."

I walked a couple of paces behind him, into the town house. My jaw nearly dropped as we entered. The foyer we stepped into was by far larger than the town house I saw outside.

Columns of rough-hewn tree trunks held up the ceiling, which was lined with spears. Polished shields gleamed on the walls and light seemed to radiate from everywhere and around us were people wearing fluffy green bathrobes.

Hunding lead me toward an upturned boat keel which served as the reception. Standing behind the keel was a man dresses in an impeccable forest green pin-striped suit with a beard as unkempt as Hunding's. His name tag read: HELGI, MANAGER, EAST GOTHLAND, VALUED TEAM MEMBER SINCE 749 C.E.

"Welcome to Hotel Valhalla" He greeted with a gracious smile in my direction. He glanced at his computer and back at me "Are you checking in miss?"

I was stared at his speechless. He glanced at his computer again and looked at me weirdly, before masking it with a smile.

"You do realize that check-in time is three p.m." he finally said "if you die earlier, I can't guarantee that your room will be ready."

"Duly noted." I replied. "I'll just go, so that you won't have any problems."

"Ah, here you are" he grinned "you've been upgraded to a suite."

Hunding, who had been standing beside me this whole time, muttered under his breath, "everyone is always upgraded to a suite."

"Did you say something Hunding?" Helgi asked glowering at Hunding.

"Nothing sir" he said quickly "Sorry sir"

Helgi returned to taping his computer. I glanced at both of them. Their name tags both read 749 c.e.

"You guys have history?"I asked.

"Nothing important" helgi answered hastily. "How many keys would you like? Will one be sufficient?"

"I guess" i replied " but you said that i was dead? Why don't I feel...You know dead?"

"How is 'death' supposed to feel to you?." Helgi replied with a polite smile in my direction.

His reply left me speechless and the smile made it worse.

"Dinner will be held at 6,That's when you'll be formally welcomed." He said.

"And where we will see your brave exploits that qualified you for Valhalla." Hunding continued." Congratulations, you are now one of Odin's chosen warriors."

"Here is your key." Helgi said as he handed me a stone engraved with a character from the language that I had seen previously outside in the ourtyard." Would you like the mini-bar key?"

"Uh...sure." I replied uncertainty.

"Good choice kid" hunding said "it's gonna be a long stay"

"Hunding Will show you to your room now." Helgi said finally."enjoy your afterlife"