A Precursor to the Slaughter:
"Brunhilde, you challenged the gods to a Ragnarok. How do you in any way plan on standing against them and conquering that which is before us?"
"Sister." The confident and menacingly beautiful Valkyrie loosed words toward the cherub sister at her side. "We have work to do amongst the 7 heavens and hells." She reached a runic console and began beckoning commands unto it as she continued to expound her idea. "We need to discover whom amongst the history of mankind possesses the willpower, the skill, and the prowess to end those who bestowed them into existence and oversaw their lifespan. We shall issue a summoning call to all souls and bid them the mission and the circumstances, and then we shall allow him to test their metal."
"Who?" Gol asked her sister as the message was shared in a instant throughout existence to the collective souls of mankind's history. The Valkyrie smiled as she knew exactly who to call forth for this roll of adjudicator and selection.
…
"So these are the others throughout history who seek to represent us at our darkest hour." A bearded man wearing a cowboy hat and packing a couple of loose pistols at his side spoke. All around the auras of mighty warriors were emerging. Countless souls whose names tolled and collectively filled the pages of history filled the land they were upon.
"I see a great many fine warriors! Its nice to be here amongst them all, and more importantly in my prime physique!" A man with a fine pair of glasses and a filthy thick porn mustache spoke as the feeling of vigorous youth and power coursed through his soul's veins.
"Perhaps my talents will be able to be useful?" a handsome man who appeared absent any real talent for war said as he emerged from the void. "Any creature who dares to remove the existence of flesh from the curves of a woman and cease it to be, is an enemy to me." Several similar voices appeared from the void. After a few hours the field contained thousands of legendary and strong, quick witted, and bold beings. This was truly a collection of those who perhaps could stand amongst the gods.
"So are we going to play rock paper scissors to determine the order?"
"Oh wow that's Masamune Date!" "The one-eyed dragon of Oshu!" "Surely he'll make the cut for the battle!" As some of the more famous names throughout history found themselves being crowded around and gawked over. Many of the more stoic and less brash stilled themselves and readied their mind and body for the challenges ahead. After a period of time though the crowd grew restless and real quandary into the nature of the choosing of the 13 warriors began a concern.
"SILENCE!" a voice bellowed forth from the skies above. A hush fell over the collective of warriors in the realm. They were amidst a calm field of light hills nearby but the realm was a serene place of green, a place touched with a fertile and calm, that was disrupted by the bellowing voice.
"Is that a god?" The thoughts came forth from the minds of the warriors as they wished to understand more of the call to arms. As the concerns and speculation grew a light bellowed forth and collided with the ground shining brightly as the morning sun. The light enveloped and covered more than the eyes could comprehend and blinded many on the field as it then in a flash fully erupted and then subsided before any knew what had happened. And out from that light came a man. An elder man, dressed in a 1940's style European suit and holding a tobacco pipe in his teeth. He was not impressive as a stature and was not handsome either. He simply appeared before them all as a normal older man from that time period. Nothing was odd about him. Save the massive book held close to his chest with his left hand. The man stood and puffed his pipe several times as he seemed relieved to once more feel that nearly forgotten or dormant thrill of puffing his tobacco. One of the nearby warriors took better notice of the book tucked in the man's arm and caught a glimpse at the title.
"THE LORD OF THE RINGS!" As the name of the title got out some were in awe at being in the presence of a famed writer. However as the awe and thrill entered the air so did the anger at his appearance.
"WHY ARE YOU HERE AUTHOR!" a tall warrior with two long braided hair locks and mighty halberd called as he approached the older man and then pointed his weapon in his direction. "Don't tell me that you wish to partake in the very fight for the sake of humanity!"
"No Lu Bu. Yet I am here to select those who will."
"What kind of shit is this? You cannot be serious old man!" the beastly Chinese warrior spouted as he was enraged by the words of the man who clearly was no warrior. "How can you be the one to make this choice."
"SILENCE." As the moment the old man spoke the fiercest warrior in all of Chinese history found his mouth vanished. Upon trying to form words and realizing he was absent a mouth the warrior stepped back in fear and confusion at the sorcery before him. "I will return your mouth to its rightful place soon, but please be at peace all of you for a moment." The author then ascended into the air several stories up to ensure he could be seen and heard by all the people in the field, all the thousands. "I welcome you all and thank you for answering the call to defend the right of humanity to exist. I am J.R.R. Tolkien. I have been asked to select those whom will compete against the gods for our survival I have thus moved us to a realm where times works different from the flow of normal. This will provide ample time to discover whom is the best for the fate of us all. While also providing us a way to fight hardy and true without fear of extinction of your immortal soul."
"How are you able to do this author?" a voice called out in teeth gritting confusion and angst.
"You have simply given the answer yourself, master William." The writer puffed his pipe that rest in his teeth a few more times before continuing. "I am an author, which in the realm I author…I AM GOD!" the words caused a further clamor and chaos upon those present. "If you look around, if you look about, you will realize that none of your know where you are. Because you are in my realm. You are inside Middle Earth, my creation."
"What kind of craziness is this!" "Is there a purpose to this madness?" voices were hollering random thoughts in some attempt to reduce uncertainty.
"We have brought you here to challenge the beasts, creatures, and gods of my world I've written by the magic of the Valkyries. Those who pass all challenges shall be available for the Ragnarok."
Many called forth asking why they were fighting those made of gods of his imagination made real as for training and contest to determine who was worthy amongst the race of man. Tolkien then explained that he was asked to do this so that the fighters would know what it means to stand against the divine in this challenge for survival ahead.
"So what do we go forth and slaughter all of your creation?" a silly fat man jested. Tolkien raised his hand to the sky and chanted what seemed a spell spoken in the language of the elves, a language the writer created for his realm of fantasy. Then as he finished the incantation among all the warriors onto their neck was a gold ring.
"This ring has written in fire your name in the language of the elves." The writer continued. "The first challenge to thin this field out, is to reach the volcano fires of Mt. Doom, far to the East, and drop this ring containing your name into the fires of that volcano. The first 100 people to do this task will be able to move to the next challenge ahead of them." Many began getting excited and few others then saw fit to stretch their muscles in anticipation of the incoming journey afoot. "Be on guard though!" The writer seeing that the warriors now knowing their mission felt obligated to give a final piece of advice before they fully wild feral about their task. "This is the realm of middle earth, and everything from this realm will want to take your ring or stop you dead." The end of the instruction for this mission was meant as a warning to pay full attention the surrounding and know that the straightest way, may not be the easiest of ways ahead to the fires of Mt Doom in the east.