1 Ascending

Ferric looked up at the stormy sky, the rain wiping the blood off of his face. The mass of clouds swirled, pushed by the angry wind. His time had come to an end. He had fought, he had bled, and now, he had died for his clan. Ferric's only regret was that he was not able to shed more blood before he fell. His gaze shifted to the field of bodies around him, his axe still lodged in the body in front of him. As Ferric felt his body go limp, he closed his eyes, and grinned in anticipation for the afterlife that awaited him.

"Ferric of The Zar Clan?"

Ferric jerked up, his hand instinctively going for his axe, only to find it not there. He looked wildly at the man in front of him. "Who's asking?"

"My name is Kargo. Im responsible for inducting new warriors into Valhalla and making sure their all set in the wonderful journey into the afterlife. So, before we start, just a few things to take care of...

Welcome to Valhalla, Ferric of the Zar Clan. You have proven yourself honorable in battle and have been given the chance to fight gloriously on the field of the gods, yada yada yada, we're not responsible for any insanity caused by eternal life, blah blah blah, the Gauntlet of the Gods is where you can prove yourself, boring, boring, boring, and I'll show you to your room right now."

Ferric frowned. "What was that last part you said?"

"About your room? Oh its quite a cushy place. Especially with all the, ya know honorable killings you did and --"

"No, before that!"

Kargo thought for a second. "Oh, you mean the Gauntlet of the Gods! Don't even worry about that. You have no chance at it anyway."

Ferric growled from deep in his throat, staring with sharp killing intent at the man in front of him.

"Fine, fine! The Gauntlet of the Gods, or just the Gauntlet as it is called around here most of the time, is the way for warriors sent to Valhalla to step on to the field of the gods. In the Gauntlet, you're tasked with defeating gods from Pantheons from across the world. The higher up in the gauntlet you go, the closer you become to a true ascended warrior. The thing is, its been a millennia since anyone passed through the first god, and almost no one has passed the second."

Ferric shrugged, and a fiendish grin passed across his face. "That does not matter to me. If I was the kind of man to stop where others have failed, I would not have crossed the great sea, would not have slain the Great Yeti, would not have strangled the Asuran Boar --"

"Yes, yes, we have all done great deeds. You wouldn't be here if you hadn't. But do you honestly think you have a better chance than the man who split the Himalayas? Or the warrior who battled with an entire dragon clan? I'd advise you to give up now, and save yourself the pain from dying again to the hands of the gods," Kargo advised him.

Ferric shrugged. "I know not of these warriors you speak of. But I know myself. And there is no challenge I am unwilling to try, no battle I am unwilling to fight, no adversity I am unwilling to--"

Kargo interrupted him again. "Alright that's enough! I've taken thousands of warriors into Valhalla and they all had some similar kind of inspirational speech. And none of them have ever passed the first round. So if you insist on trying, go ahead. However, keep in mind that your chances are not very high, and a life of drinking, partying, and women awaits you in the main hall if you ever change your mind. Anyway, now that the whole Gauntlet discussion is out of the way, lets get you to your room."