Upphaf

Today, mother makes everything in the nine realms swear to never bring harm to my dearest elder brother. Baldr the god of love, peace, forgiveness, justice, light or purity, favored of the Valfader, not that she should have to, none in the vastness of Ginnungagap would wish harm upon the 'Shining Day', but still, it is for the best that the Heir to the throne of Asgard gains his impunity. Today, he becomes free of the curse of Ragnarök, a curse that so many among my family bear, one that I am free of.

I rise from my deep slumber and look upon my gilded chamber in the familial palace which resides over Valhalla. I feel the light of the lady Sól wash over me as I get up from the large bed which feels uncomfortable all alone. My arms find their way to the sky as they invariably do every morning and a series of pops elicits a soft moan from me. My arms drop to my side as I make my way over to the sheet of polished gold that hangs from a wall.

I look at myself in the mirror, all but my domain of loyalty visible in my features, darkness signified by my untamable, inky black hair, 'I won't even bother trying to sort that mess out, Trying to get my hair in order is more taxing than fighting Surtr and Laufey together.' I think to myself. The sea green eyes ringed with gold indicative of my domain of time and my role as the vìsa sæglópur, 'The guide of lost sea farers', My assumption of that role sure made Njörðr happy, whether it was because that meant one less duty for him, or whether it was because an Æsir had assumed a nature domain was for him to know. My lean, muscled self showed people why I was the god of warriors and the vikingr. All the scars that I had achieved during my time as a mortal raiding with the citizens of Midgard that held faith in us, clearly visible on my tanned skin, a feature that distinguishes me among my people, an uncommon trait.

I touch the large pale scar that stretched across my chest, the largest one amongst the hundreds I had accumulated. I had once hoped that they would fade when I returned to my home and family and assumed my role among my people, however, now, I am glad that they did not, these scars are a part of me, each one a reminder of the struggles I have faced to reach where I am today. They show the world, the man that I am.
I turn away from the mirror and don my clothes, I need to be presentable for the ceremony in the gilded hall, I pray to my grandfather that I am not late, 'How Ironic that would be', I think to myself dryly. I exit my chambers and make my way to the doors of the room that belong to my blind brother, Höðr, I know he will need the help to make his way down to Valhalla.
"Höðr, Höðr." I call out, and hear his call in return.

"Come in Perseus, I am ready to head down.' I enter his bedchambers and grab his hand, "Come brother, it's beginning," I say softly to him.
"Of course, I mustn't be late to my twin's party," he says, "let us be off"

I help him make his way down and enter the hall of the slain, seriously, I've been in here maybe a million times, and I will still never stop being amazed by it, it's not just the individual elements within the hall that get you, even though all the things present within the hall are a shock at first sight, the roof, made of interlocking shields and using spears for rafters, the giant tree of Laeradr which houses several divine animals, Heidrun and Saehrimnir, the mead giving goat and the boar which is the endless feast of the Einherji, or even the sheer size of valhalla. Over time though, it's the way such oddities co-exist so well within the gilded space that creates a spectacle that one doesn't tire of, which is a good thing, don't want the Einherji getting bored of their home till Ragnarök comes around.

Gathered among the glorious dead stood the Norse gods, the Æsir and the Vanir, our entrance causing little disturbance. Höðr leaves my side and walks upto the main stage aided by Helgi, the caretaker of the halls, as I am about to follow my Eldest brother, Thor, Born of our Father and Fyorgyn, the goddess of Midgard, approaches me and grabs me by Fore-arm, "Punctual as always, little brother," he says to me seriously.
"Hey, at least I made it on time, how did you manage that if I may ask, brother?" I reply, just as seriously.

He looks at me for another moment, before he breaks out into chuckles, "Like Sif would let me late today, trust me when I say this, if I had that freedom, I would still be asleep."
"I know brother, you can sleep like you can fight, relentlessly," I reply, as I too break out into soft laughter.

"Well, come along now, Lady Frigg might just enter a berserker rage if we hold up the proceedings any longer," he says as we both break out into laughter at the thought. Mother is the kindest woman in all nine realms but when it comes to Baldr's safety, she can be scarier than Thor and Tyr getting into an argument.

As we approach the the gathering, the Einherji rise from their tables and bow to me, showing their respect for their patron. I accept it because I know, any requests I make of them asking otherwise, will fall on deaf ears, as it has for countless years. They return to their seats and the voice of my father echoes across the hall, "We are gathered here today so that all things within our world's may swear to never cause harm to the heir of Asgard."