Tyranny of Steel



After the death of his parents, Berengar felt increasingly depressed. To the point where he now had an impending sense of doom. He was getting old, and though his appearance was far younger than his actual age, it was not known when death would come for him. 

Besides this, he became increasingly obsessed with the Gods, and the promises they had made to him. When he asked for an afterlife of his own, he did not deliberately state whether his parents would join him there. And now that they were gone, this was all he could think about.

Thus, Berengar decided it was finally time to fulfill a promise he had made decades ago, one which he had entirely forgotten about until now. With this in mind, he took the first flight he could to Schleswig Holstein, accompanied by only a small amount of his leibgarde. 

With supersonic travel now being the norm, it did not take long at all for Berengar to arrive in the region. He then acquired a small number of military transport trucks from the border and drove into the lands which were now ruled by his son Kristofer. 

It had been many years since he last entered these lands, and they had vastly changed since then. No longer was this a feudal area, where lords ruled over their surfs. Instead, Kristofer's reforms had turned Denmark, and the rest of the region, into a civilization that was at its peak, prior to industrialization that is. 

The towns were quite large, and the food was plentiful. The fields were harvested by horse-drawn machines and stored in large silos. In many ways, this country resembled the way Germany had prior to the invention of the steam engine. And Berengar could only smile at the sight of how far it had come in the years since his son was crowned emperor. 

Eventually, he arrived at the same misty forest where he had once met with the Norn sister Wyrd. Just as before, it was shrouded in a miasma of supernatural origin, one whence crossed would separate any invaders from their comrades.

Because of this, Berengar commanded his Leibgarde to wait for his return as he entered the familiar forest. Or should he say the unfamiliar forest? because the landscape had changed completely around him. 

However, a familiar voice spoke up to him once he had delved sufficiently deep into the misty woods. It was a young and feminine voice, one which was filled with contempt. 

"You sure kept me waiting long enough.... I thought you had forgotten your promise... Berengar Sieghardson. Why now have you chosen to visit me?" 

Simply hearing the name of his father caused Berengar's heard to bleed. But, nevertheless he mustered his strength and spoke the words he wished to say. 

"I need some guidance... And you are the only one who can help me..."

After saying this, the mists parted to reveal the figure of a young girl, no older than thirteen. She looked almost identical to Adela when Berengar had first met her. She even had the same golden blonde twintails. However, the young girl wore a blindfold, and had blood red tattoos across her body that took the form of the roots of Yggdrasil. 

Despite the fact that she appeared blind, Wyrd could clearly see everything in front of her, because she made a comment about Berengar's appearance, one which he found both insulting and endearing at the same time. 

"Hmph... You got old! Has it really been so many years? You tend to lose track of time in a place like this."

Berengar smiled genuinely for the first time since his parent's death, as he nodded his head. Assuring Wyrd that it had indeed been that long. 

"Apologies, I know I promised to visit you the last time we met, but unfortunately I have been quite busy..."

Wyrd did not seem to accept this apology, as she looked at Berengar as if he were a filthy liar. She then walked up to him, and stared deep into his eyes, despite the fact that her own were covered by a blindfold. Once she had gotten a good measure of the man, she sighed heavily before revealing she already knew his reason for visiting. 

"I see... So your parents have finally passed away from the mortal world, and you are now wondering about their spirits? Well, I suppose I could inform you about where they currently are. Or should I say, show you... Come, drink from my well, and see the afterlife with your own eyes."

Berengar followed Wyrd to the base of Yggdrasil, where she took out a wooden spoon and dipped it into her starry well. She then handed it over to Berengar and had him take a drink, but warned him about what had happened to him the last time he so cautiously drank the well's water. 

"Remember, just a sip. Any more could be potentially fatal. And we don't want a repeat of what happened last time!"

Berengar simply smiled at the young girl, and did as she instructed, taking a sip from the spoon, where he then fell onto the ground and passed out.

---

When Berengar awoke, he was no longer in the forest, but was instead in a large hall, made entirely of gold. Everywhere he looked around him, the people were feasting and drinking to their heart's content. There were no worries to speak of, and everyone appeared eternally young. 

So much so that Berengar had a hard time making out their identities. That is until he spotted a gorgeous young woman, no older than twenty, who he recognized to be his mother. He could not help but jump out of his seat and run over to the woman, who was conversing with a man roughly the same age who Berengar did not recognize. 

"Mother!" 

Gisela and this stranger took one look at Berengar and stared at him in horror. Their worst fears had been realized, and their son had finally passed away. Gisela grabbed a hold of Berengar's head and stuffed it into her mighty bosom, while weeping for him. 

"Oh, my baby boy, he has finally come to join us in the afterlife!" 

Berengar was confused by this, and looked over at the stranger, after prying himself out of his mother's breasts, and gazed upon the man in confusion. Who was looking at him with a hint of pride on his face? It was only now that Berengar realized this young man was his father, who, in life, was significantly older than Gisela. 

"Son, what are you doing here in heaven? Has it really been so many years that you have finally passed away?" 

These words absolutely astounded Berengar, who looked at his mother and father, who were practically youths themselves, with a hint of grief in his eyes. 

"No, you are mistaken. I am not dead, at least not yet. In fact, only a month or so has passed since you both have left me.... I am simply visiting. And father, this isn't heaven, at least not the christian heaven. If I'm not mistaken, then this is Brimir's Hall! Only those with good souls have the privilege of residing here in the afterlife...." 

Sieghard looked around at his surroundings and chuckled, before making a joke about his whole situation. 

"Well... That would certainly explain the Pagan aesthetic. But if you are not dead, then how have you come to find us?" 

Berengar simply chuckled and shook his head, before admitting he had a little help. 

"I had some help from an old friend. Father, Mother, I just need to know. Are you happy here?" 

Sieghard and Gisela looked at one another for a few moments, before smiling and nodding their heads at the same time. 

"Very much so. I can't imagine a better afterlife for your mother and I to share together." 

For the first time in as long as Berengar could remember, he broke out into tears after hearing this, though it was a solitary tear which fell down his left eye. He then wore a genuine smile, as he hugged his two parents one last time, before giving them a proper farewell. 

"Then I am happy for you... I wish I had been a better son to you in life, but I just want the both of you to know that I love you, and when I finally join you in the afterlife, I hope to prove just how much this is true!"

Gisela looked at her son with a pitiful expression and hugged him once more, while petting his golden hair. She then said the words of encouragement that he needed to keep on living. 

"I love you too, my son. I always have. One day soon we will be reunited, but for now you need to be strong, for yourself, and for our family. Your work is not yet done, even if you are retired. And when you do finally leave your flesh behind and join us in the afterlife, we will be waiting here for you!"

Gisela then kissed her son on the forehead, which was the last thing Berengar remembered before waking up on the forest grounds. Wyrd was leaning over him with a worried expression on her face, as if the man might have once more drank too much of the well water. 

But when he popped his head up, she quickly moved out of the way. She could tell that he had a burning question in his mind and was quick to ask about it. 

"Well?" 

Berengar wiped the single tear from his eye, before wearing a stern expression as he asked that was most important to him at this very moment. 

"When I finally pass away from this mortal world, will they be stuck in that place, or can they join me in the afterlife that Odin has granted to me?" 

Wyrd looked at Berengar as if he were an idiot, before explaining to him the truth of the matter. 

"All these years, and you still have the mentality of a christian. There are various afterlives. What you have just witnessed was Brimir's hall. Which is the closest thing there is to your concept of heaven. Your own personal heaven is a gift which you do not understand the significance of. It is your own hall, or world, as you may put it. That is an honor that only the Gods have been granted. Before now, that is. If you so desire, and do your parents, they may be able to travel between the two realms. But that will be up to the three of you."

This answer caused Berengar to smile, as he picked the little girl up and kissed her on the forehead. An act which caused her to blush profusely. He then thanked the sister of fate before departing from the forest with a jolly gait. 

"Thank you, Wyrd, and if you ever get bored with your little domain here, you can always pop by my afterlife and visit after I have passed away from the mortal world. I hope we may meet again, whether in this life or the next!"

Once Berengar was gone, Wyrd pouted before saying one word while alone in the forest.

"dummy...."