The Heir Of Odin

How to play tennis to the death?

- Welcome to the Resort Valhalla, Alexx Eriksson, my name is Aren and I am the manager, we are very happy to have you with us. Now, it's time to register you - A uniformed man, who had not seen appear, told me. It took me a moment to understand what Aren had said, because I was still processing everything that had happened with Olaf. The manager stared at me while he waited, as if he understood my delay.

- Check me in? – I asked and Aren answered affirmatively.

- Well, let's see, 21st floor east wing, yes perfect. This is the key to the mini bar - and he handed me a stone with marks - In a second an employee will come to take you to your room - Aren told me and left, leaving me alone.

- You must be Alexx Eriksson right? My name is Hans, and today I'll walk you to your room- another uniformed man told me, although he didn't look as happy or rested as the manager.

As we made our way through the lobby toward the elevators, things got weirder and weirder. When I say weird, I'm talking about teenagers my age running around couches with swords and axes trying to kill each other while laughing like it was just a game, wolves with bowties carrying boar heads in carts with plates and drinks, boys and girls throwing weapons trying to pin each other to the walls while yelling things like "Hip, 10 points to you Bjorn" and the weirdest thing of all was that everyone seemed to enjoy it as if it was watching TV or playing video games.

- Inside the resort all the Einherjar and the staff are immortal, so they can practice for when Ragnarok comes fighting against each other. That's why there are activities like these - Hans told me when he saw how I looked at the others and handed me a flyer. The flyer said: Activities of the day: Tennis to the death 9am, BBQ to the death 11m, Battle of the day to the death 3pm, Poker to the death 7pm, below it said: Ps: In the BBQ death is optional", with which I thought "wow, they allow me to choose if I want to die or not at the BBQ, very kind".

- You'll get used to it boy, everyone does it- Hans finished, after laughing at my expression.

Not really believing what he had said, I followed him through the corridor until we came to some elevators made of what seemed to be all kinds of weapons, put together in an amazing way. When we entered the elevator, Hans pressed button 21 and we started to ascend.

- Why are there so many buttons? – I asked, because they reached to 110.

- This place is connected to the tree of the worlds, Yggdrasil, so it has openings around the nine worlds, where the warriors will come out when Ragnarok arrives. Each floor is designed to accommodate the Einherjar of each age - Hans answered me. As we climbed, I kept thinking about how many warriors there must be in the place, and if there were any baby Einherjar in the resort.

When we got to the 21st floor, I expected a normal hotel corridor, 3m x 3m, with lights and plants to decorate it, but I was very wrong. It was a space at least 10m x 10m, with torches that radiated a light that did not resemble that of a normal fire, and doors that had only the name of its occupant engraved on a gold plate. As we walked through the place, I saw a door with the name of "Cristoff Gunter", behind which there were shots, probably from a video game, although from what I had seen the guests doing, maybe they were real. At the next door dictated "Susan Henderson", but unlike the previous one, a total silence.

- Here it is. Welcome to your suite, Mr. Eriksson - Hans told me after advancing through a couple more doors and pointed towards the door. I looked at the door, where, like the others, there was only a gold plaque with my name engraved on it. I moved my hand close to the plate to touch the gold, which opened it. It opened with the touch of my hand, it seemed.

- If the door is opened with my hand, how does the staff enter? – I asked, curiously.

- We use the traditional method - Hans told me while he touched the axe that he had hanging from his hip. I didn't know whether to take it as a joke, but I quickly forgot about it when I saw my room. It was three times the size of my normal room and radiated a peace that I had never felt in my old room.