I wish to be a knight to help heaven.

The last thing he saw was a flare off of fading vision, and the gorgeous being that he just said his last words to. His living feeling then fell away, is this what cold was?

..and why was he still…………….

--------------------

Everything was bright here. Did he remember when he opened his eyes? Something felt off, but looking around in this white haze that was clearing off, as he thought he saw two beings looking over some kind of devices, things that floated? Wait a…

A strange shimmer was felt going up and down his body. Strange beeping sounds he never head before kept echoing all around him. Apparently hearing was going in stride with sight, as sharpening edges started seeing more details of various colors from the strangest of artifices that lined all the walls. The light seemed to be as bright as sunlight on a summer Montana day, but it came from the walls and ceiling…. The floor… the very air in fact.

Then a green-blue line zipped down across his face, not too fast. A humming sound came with it.

Confusion came to his mind, he felt thinking come to the fore. In fact he realized this as if thinking wasn’t capable beforehand. What the heck is going…?

The sounds most strange to him.. (must be a him he thought..) ..grew clear as crystal. Everything did…

“His mind is near eighty percent to active stage.”

“Acknowledged..”

He tried to crane his neck to the voices, both female as much as sonnets go, but found he couldn’t move anything.

“Nervous system still inactive below the thirty percentile.”

“He’ll live with that for another few minutes.”

A hasteful, growing into a mania, sense of entrapment started to come over him. Confusion didn’t help one iota, and now that last edgy voice made it all worse. Bad enough he couldn’t fully understand anything at all, pinned down and all. He felt it was necessary to find an anchor to control his emotions with, and for some reason remembered his old drill instructor in Fort Knox. As stable a rock as he had seen of anyone aside from that oriental sensei he knew of.

…or he thought he did.

“Soldier, when you find everything around you going to hell on the battlefield, you are never to allow your mind to freeze up. It can kill you, and your comrades before you can even think of the word ‘sorry’. Keep that muddle head in control and you just might be able to be a man in this man’s army. You might also survive what those krauts have coming to ya also.

Don’t give any enemy the satisfaction. Get that mind and head on straight.”

Did that old coot make any sense? Whatever it was supposed to be, he remembered that much and in fact a lot of his life, one that ‘wasn’t’ in the here and now. Still, he ‘got his head on straight indeed’, and dumped that useless panic like a lead weight. He did remember he could do that much, after all that fighting and all.

It seemed to impress whoever was around him.

“So much for needing a sedative image.” ..the edge voiced one quipped, the other only making an impressed murmur. He just sighed and wondered how much longer of whatever this all was, was going to take?

“About an hour your time.” ..this makes him cock an eye. Did they just..? “That would be an aye. Rebooting your bodily form from It’s disassembled state takes time you know, more work than would be worth all of this.

If not for that Wish you made.”

Okay, he thought, he had no idea what….. wait. That being that appeared before him, what was she? That blast he thought simply rung his ears and head, must have hit him harder than he thought. What a moment, where was David and the others? Wasn’t Joseph just behind him? They were going for that pillbox and…

…and then she appeared…

…he couldn’t remember much of what happened in fact. That blast, then that.. wait, wasn’t there a grenade first? Man he couldn’t remember, it was all so jumbled. Again it proved to be responded to with…

“Don’t worry, everything will be answered when you reach the Almighty One.”

Say what? Who?

“You did die, assured this much you are.”

He was stunned. “You mean that….”

Behind him the two beings that had apparently, er… rebooted him, listened with amazement as Almighty One responded… “Yes. You did.” …and then why and how. And then with explanation, one that was simply impossible to believe. Looking at the floating effadice of some kind that spoke to him, more than just from some weird object, but rather a representation of a power that wasn’t able to be ignored, the confused mortal found the explanation very much real.

And the Wish also just as real. At the end of it all, he asked.. “Why me?” ..as any real mortal should with any sense at all. (Was he mortal? Goddesses for questions.)

A blunt answer.. “The System informed it was due time, and the act was justified in such a moment. The Wish however was a surprise, though probably not unexpected. The administrators took their time researching your case from your previous life. I only allowed the uplink because ‘of’ your act.

I have my own hints….” …the fathomless being replied, trailing off for it’s own reasons. Only the Almighty One could see what would be come of this.

This mortal sure didn’t. On this the Almighty One made his commandment, this the two administrators took as Yagdrassil code speak in equal effect.

--------------------

Everything seemed to happen fast, whisked away to another area, chamber within this fathomless realm. Where the mortal ended up surprised him. Not even an initial tour, other than passing by a rather healthy throng of celestial beings looking at this obvious mortal. The whispers he heard didn’t help matters, but they dropped quickly as a chamber is reached.

When the hatch opens, the mortal sees and blinks.. “This looks like that same place I.”

“It’s a special medical chamber, what of it?”

The mortal backed up a couple of steps. “What does this have to.. eh.. HEY!”

One of the two just yank tosses the bloke into the chamber rather briskly. “Stop whining, it’ll help you prepare.” ..the goddess says with a gleeful chuckle meant for mad scientists.

The mortal’s mind draws ill as the hatch closes shut.

--------------------

“Valkyries?”

“Yes, they are our combat division that protects Intracel and all it’s operations. They also operate as an offensive arm to ward off demonic attacks from Demon Central. Their standard are very high so don’t expect any warm greetings, though you may be used to such anyway.”

The mortal sighs, remembering his memories of said military like upbringing and afterward actual the same, before seeing real combat. As he rubbed his hiney from all that probing and goddesses knows what else they really did, the mortal surmised it couldn’t all be worse than ‘that’ enhancement session had been. The mortal just snickered.. “The sarge made sure I didn’t see much enamoured feelings, that was for sure. If these… val.. Valkyries, yeah.. are anything like that…” ..the mortal trailed off. Everything was so jumbled and statically to him anyway, more knocks and ill feelings to his melon would probably feel numb in comparison to all the mind numbingness he was experiencing already.

He looked over at the strange being he was with, seemed like an stereotypical angel, blond main and all. He looked away with a blush when he was glanced at in turn, and got a giggle as they entered a large complex of structures, this Heaven was more structurally unorthodox than even Kyoto was. It sure wasn’t Philadelphia either, it wasn’t anything he remembered.

The area however had a slightly more military feel to it all, the rounded and natural symmetry of the area was more angular and militaristic. Sight of this, along with the stiffer winds here, and the obvious sound of clamoring metal in more than one direction, told enough at the very least. It also made him hesitate, something else in the aura of this area that made him feel reserved.

His escort saw a physical manifestation of this hesitation and considered before commenting.. “Second thoughts?”

“More than.” ..the mortal openly professed. He didn’t step further back, considering what to make of his next step forward. A motion to his left, away from the open air hallway they were within, caught the mortal’s attention however, as he saw two of these celestial beings flying along in white jumpsuits, their blue trim and staff arms very keen to his eye, even at their speed. He was shocked by the sight and stuttered out.. “Are…. a.. those…?”

One of them, a long raven maned one glanced at the two, before zipping off into the distance. The area proved to be far larger than the mortal eye conceived. However panorama wasn’t the point of the moment as the mortal realized how small he was.

And indeed how beautiful more than just the scenery was here.

“Is he going to be like that all the time?”

The mortal spun his head a bit too hard at the new voice and about wrenched his neck doing it, holding it as he saw two ‘more’ of these jumpsuited beings. A long emerald maned one, and another a mix of red and orange. The escort goddess comments.. “I presume you have been briefed.” ..and straight to the point, the red head announced. “If the Almighty One commands it, despite my reservations, so be it to refuse otherwise.”

After regaining feelings in his neck, the mortal gulped and looked a ‘bit’ pensive as he heard the voice that struck discord at him, ala the emerald maned one. “Forgive if we disapprove nonetheless.” ..said as she looked over this mortal in scalding detail. The mortal didn’t care for that and threw back his façade of pensiveness for a more stern demeanor to match.

The goddess escort however informed… “I expect the War Section to disapprove in it’s entirety. However you will find this one a decent surprise once training progresses. Enhancements are progressing as we speak, and his character already is without yield.”

The redhead stabbed back calmly… “We shalt test such in replete measure.”

“Good.”

The three didn’t expect that, in fact he didn’t expect that either. He just didn’t care for tones that bordered on ills he hated of his own life. Speaking out always did get him into trouble, more than anything else did. What this got in turn was from the redhead.. “Good.”

The mortal didn’t expect that, his fidgeting finger on his left chin (with the right hand for some reason,) told of his pensiveness once more.

--------------------

Indeed he expected to get a rough greeting. Upon first entering one of the large training chambers, where he saw many dozens of these same garbed beings, all of them in the middle of some free for all combat training session from heck, he wondered if he’d live leaving this chamber at all.

With a snap of a finger from the redheaded one, they literally fell into formation at the floor of the chamber. It was startling to see. At this, the apparent commander of this Valkyrie troop informed once the formation was settled down. “I presume you have heard. Need I say much more?”

Apparently with how swiftly the large lot of these goddesses (..the apparent term that began to fixate in the mortal’s mind,) looked at him, word traveled very fast here.

One of the front standing Valkyries asked.. “So we are to train him?” ..one with short spiky gray hair.

The emerald maned one teardropped in responding.. “Aye.”

The mortal just smiled and waved a hand like a dope. “Well, I did make a Wish, not that I meant to...

…eh? WHOA!!”

The next moment was hardly what he expected from a troop of war trained celestial powers, when he was suddenly mobbed by a great lot of them, glommed and goddess knows what else, in what was hardly a most serene or terse of moments. For a moment he just feels the lot of them get mushy all around him, as he realizes this.

“What IS this!? A harem manga?!”

The two commanders just groan and shake their heads variously as suddenly the mortal is heaved unto a large set of Valkyrie shoulders and literally marched off. One of them yells.. “Let’s get him to his room.” …another.. “I get to give him a tour!” ..and so on… “Wait till he sees the baths.”

After carrying him off, the two commanders just snicker and look back at the escort. “We’ll get started first light of rest.”

“Of course.”

The redhead Valkyrie however noticed off to the left as a single other of the order start walking off with her staff scythe. The steel blue-silver haired goddess gave a glance back dryly before tapping off with her foot and hovering off. The commander just sighed.

“Isn’t she ever going to change?”

The emerald one looked around but saw no one.. “Who?” ..and her equal number growled.

The escort just smirked.. “Phosus and Demesus, what a pair.”

Time was indeed a different specimen in this realm, as the mortal soon realized. Not only did it move in a filament far different than what was of norm of the old world, Earth what have you, but the scale of the training that the mortal soon was literally subjected to was in of it self time absorbing. The mortal found that his apparent method of death, an entirely noble and sacrificing act to be sure, the sake of others even moreso, on top of the Wish he made when the time came, gained this rather illicit following from the normally intense bunch of combat troops.

All the mortal knew was, however, that it was simply a Wish made with literally nothing else in mind at that moment. Not like he had much time left anyway when he made it. Apparently dying kinda rushes things. He wondered if all his old buddies were okay. So many things.

And so many of them! Apparently the Valkyrie Combat Division had thousands, maybe millions of them, to help command Heaven’s defenses. Maybe it seemed like that kind of number, for the first few ‘days’ alone in this new existence, as the mortal was indoctrinated in the Valkyrie style. There were many types of training facilities to hone all the skills that both a goddess, and a Valkyrie needs. The nominal training sessions of normal celestial life was augmented with the tough standards the professional warriors.

The first week of this was rather much even for an enhanced body and mind. The goddesses might have gained immediate respect for the mortal, but they also didn’t hold back. The boy got whooped good in that first short time, enough to make him reconsider that Wish. Mentally not quite prepared for a second ‘worse’ boot camp, one that would last forever, and with apparently an Ivy league college on steroids on top of it. The bruises started running deep.

That’s however why the time began to blur, because the more the damage set in, the more determined the mortal became to live up to a growing self presumed expectation that the Wish supposedly came with. The thinly veiled presumptions about his mortality in of itself, depending on which god or goddess he passed by at the time, wasn’t that for the egotistically challenged. If not for the ‘how’ of death, the ‘presumptions’ would more than likely have exacerbated greatly.

Now how do you live an afterlife under the guise of a new life, when all those around you lived wholly different scale of life that should be in fact impossible to exist in? It was impressed early on the realm of Yagdrassil was in fact a different dimensional plane of space. Far more than simple three dimensions and all, and not simply a reality the mortal was ‘adjusted’ to, or the realm itself done the same for that matter. It was in fact the power and wisdom of the Almighty, given what It could do, and more over, what It’s great plans were.

Since the Wish was so simple and explicit all the same, it met a criteria that had been bothering the situation Heaven faced against it’s Dark counterpart for quite some time.

This the mortal learned all the same as well.

--------------------

“Goddesses can’t kill each other then?”

Might as well be a four dimensional version of a college style instruction center, but the essence was the same as hundreds of low level trainees of all levels of the System took their classes with great intent. (Most of them anyway.) As the instruction of inter System relations between Heaven and Hell progressed into the late of day, the mortal realized from the last vein of instruction to then put in simple terms of a query. The instructor, a God of the Lower Council this day, took the question plainly.

“Indeed mortal. Though the word ‘can’t’ is too generalized, compared to the truth. Why this is so I cannot tell you due to internal System reasons.”

The mortal only nodded, knowing an important secret when he heard one. One of the trainees above-behind him just leaned over and whispered.. “Too bad, something new you can’t access in so limited a manner.”

The mortal just sighs at this treatment again, as the instructor suddenly comments out off his very impeccable hearing. “I assure you none of you here in this room knows any better, especially you Troubador.” ..hence the laughing the Tree Plum spirit endures from the great lot.

It still didn’t make the mortal feel any better, he felt this initial sting and then ‘defenses’ a bit too many times by now. However as the laughter dies down, the mortal wonders.

…and this is accented by the instructor with.. “Since this discussion is about such a problem that can’t be discussed, it should be noted that there are other ways members of either side can die, and a number of them already have. All of you know full well the situation both sides has with the three dimensional plane.” ..this the mortal knew well as Earth and other similar worlds, a great many in fact as he learned over time. He felt a number of eyes in fact lay upon him in reflex.

The instructor continued.. “The situation may have settled down as of late, but we are keeping an eye on the tensions on the third dimensional plane. Some activities not disclosed are in fact being conducted to avert a tragic situation down there, but the Demons know too well what is at stake for their interests as well.

Why this concerns the instruction at hand however, comes to a warning we learned from a recent action, one concerning a trap the Demons used using an unexpected element. One we hadn’t seen in many eons in fact.”

A wave of a hand and some translucent screen appears above / amid the instructed class. In it is a shock to all eyes, even the lay back ones, to see the remains of a Goddess First Class. One rather brutalized to keep the term… civilized. The reality is too gruesome otherwise.

When the class recovers amid a swirl of voices all around, the instructor informs with direct intent. “This poor soul, was found quite terminated, after contact with a mortal that somehow gained access to a demon, or vice versa, which of we are not certain of as yet. The point of it is this, it was not the demon that killed this soul.

The death was by a mortal hand. Again we are not certain of how yet.”

For the one mortal that was present in the class, and quite possibly every other that had to exist in this realm under similar circumstances in Intracel, the sight ‘had’ to be impossible to comprehend. An immortal actually dead?

But if he heard the instructor right, it was possible somehow, and this was apparently proof of this. He hoped the gazes that floated over him as this all was occurring, wasn’t utterly fearful ones now. Or worse…

The instructor continued in vein.. “While we do not know cause in detail yet, we do know that it is imperative to instill the fact that we are not all infallible, or even invulnerable. We are who we each are, and we are here to ensure that Heaven gives all that it is aspired to, whatever form that may take. For all that our Counterpart however represents, exists too, as does the dangers of who we all are, and ‘can’ possible experience. Train your minds to remember what we strive for, and protect, and also what prices there are if we are not diligent in our duties.

If one can be as so as shown, do not fail in supposing there is less of each the rest of us if we fall ill to presumption. If you learn nothing else, know what it is you cherish and protect. Even if it is with your lives.” …this last part leveled almost dead at the mortal.

That mortal knew terminally well what ‘that’ meant.

It seemed a late day here, the light lain fit for a coming sunset, when in fact, it was another plane coming to the fore around Intracel, where the golden light of evening was concerned. As the mortal left once more on his lonesome, he left this time with something new burning in his well mortal soul.

Each day beforehand the thoughts were of why he wasn’t approached much, unless it was a Valkyrie informing him of coming training, or a similar number trying to be personally enamoured for his own sake, without much real intent other than to cheer the bloke up. This time the inner thoughts came out on his façade, and it seemed to add to the rumor of the class that day.

What they saw next however was the said mortal stop, and clench his fist to the point of bleeding. Seeing blood in this celestial realm was just as rare as the author. Something seemed to have changed by this sight alone.

When he started off again, he passed by a small group of Valkyries, one of which was a same steel blue-Silver haired number for once, as one of them commented. “Did something just happen?”

“I hope so. Might make for more of a challenge in sessions.”

An inquisitive murmur came across the lot of them just then.

--------------------

Whatever was happening to the ears of the goddesses actually risking a good scolding, it was enough to press their ears in on the chamber door of the Almighty one. Even if the distance involved behind the door was infinite, the Third Class interns were curious enough.

For good reason, as the mortal met once more with the Almighty One, this time at the mortal’s request. It was as gleaming the same as when the mortal first arrived, so as to the sight of said mortal. The Almighty One floated around in his chosen state, an avatar, a communication device, whatever It was.

The mortal still treated It the same, with total respect, and with determination of question. He didn’t dally on the point either.

“Ask as you may.” …as if It didn’t see this question coming.

“How literally can I take that Wish I made?”

“With little avail to the nay, so as to your power to ascribe. Is that not why you are here?”

The mortal cocked an eye in this singular meeting, wondering. “Should I digress my suspicions on many fact to this matter at hand Almighty?”

A slight chuckle, making the glowing effadice shimmer in the same reverberation. In kind.. “Your intuition is founded. Allow your instructors to inform you why, with the time you are now to have spent in this endeavor.

Do not allow your dream to be impeded in any way.”

The mortal however replied back with else to say. “It tis no dream, it is a service to prevent what I heard yesterday in that chamber.

I will not allow a being of this realm to fall to another mortal.”

In this, the Almighty was satisfied to such was good. However the mighty lord did have a question of It’s own. “Have you not chosen your name yet? Even the council grows curious of this development.”

The mortal simply blinked and rubbed his scalp. He hadn’t actually (quite actually,) considered such a thing. “Actually…” ..he started and stopped in the same syllable, considering in a sudden whim, and then answering, believing he is clever in so doing. “…not yet.”

Did the effadice raise an eyebrow?

Demesus waved away the small group of Valkyries and brushed her emerald hair in a groaning fit. It had been the third time this past solar week that there had been complaints. This time Phosus was present though only entering from a side chamber after the complaint by three representatives of the morning training cadre had their due.

“He’s progressing fast.” ..the rubicon fire hair quipped, Demesus however just shrugged. “A bit too fast, almost ‘too’ focused, maybe a bit rough at that.”

Demesus however got a strange sounding chuckle from her equal number. “Amusing is it?” ..and responded to in a level tone. “He’s made it already to the middle ranks of the order here. At this rate, though with receding results eventually. Still, it is remarkable that our troops are getting so embellished upon in such short order.”

“Still just mortal.” ..retorted in turn. Phosus however puts to consideration. “Still, there are ways to ensure he learns how fast he can go.”

Demesus smirks considering almost the same upon seeing Phosus’s smile, a rather fang laden one at that.

--------------------

“That’s six times now. Doesn’t he know better?” ..a blond short crop warrior winced, as the mortal was pasted for the said numbered time, looking more and more beat up as the training session progressed. A slight shock when in the middle of the latest session this passing day, the mortal was stopped in sparring against a stronger opponent, by an open challenge by Phosus herself.

Few could stand up against one of the commanders of the Valkyries, and it was being demonstrated as the mortal was put down time and again despite the best he could manage. The six times so far had shown that there was more to combat than pure skill and determination, though the latter was what was driving the five retries. The first couple of times, a bunch of inside bets for meal ration privileges and slight jeers of the ‘got what was coming to ya’ variety, from the already bested goddesses of the troop, soon turned into something else by the fourth time.

The mortal wasn’t quite seeing it yet, but was getting a feel for the type of combat the Valkyrie commander was supposedly using. Phosus noticed this that the mortal seemed to be learning fast, and changed into a separate combat style despite using the same staff weapon and all, when the fifth try came.

When the seventh try came despite yelps of giving up and such normal cries in such a situation from the throng, the mortal tried to surprise Phosus and switched his own style that complimented the second style the commander was using. The Valkyrie was impressed within the first few seconds of what was the possible potential here. About five more seconds of this, the mortal was back on his kiester rather hard this time. Again skill not a match yet for the speed the goddess commanded. As his staff weapon landed with a clang nearby in the rather silent chamber.

Phosus commended where she could for ego’s sake. “Impressive that you seem to manage to learn so fast, even lasting longer each time. For a ‘mortal’ that is.” ..she put the last to ensure the stress of defeat matched the rare open praise the commander gave of anyone. Something of this echoed in the light murmurs in the warrior gallery as the mortal picked himself up once more, head slunk down in a deep frown.

Then the wrong word hits the air from nearby. “Finally?” ..one of the gallery quips, this as Phosus looks harshly at the source, because she knew what would happen next. With a sharp shiver, he stomped over twice to pick up his weapon, and held it offensively with a low tone of.. “…not… quitting…” ..before charging up in a hard leap to meet Phosus’s already in place combat stance.

By the look she saw in the mortal’s infuriated eyes, she had to stifle this all in one harsh stroke.

As they reparried again for the eighth time, the clang of this exchange made several of the Valkyries hold their ears from the reverberation. Two more strokes of this managed to exchange cross length staff wise, and garner the first impressed glances from the highest of the warrior order, including one certain steel blue-silver maned one’s version.

The exchange lasted two more parries as the mortal felt just how strong the commander was with her blows, just before a slide shove threw him back into a free fall for a moment, before Phosus spun her weapon incredibly fast, and slammed him with a vicious overhand slash, cutting him slightly across the hands, and sending him careening down.

Phosus felt enough was done, but then saw where she just hit him towards. “Oh dear.” ..she put with a tone of a most surprised. What for was when a split moment later, he crashed into one of the Valkyries below, shocking the ones nearest. When he recovers senses, he hears a bevy of jittery gasps, as he also feels something soft in his hand, cheeks, over his entire front actually. Warm and soft and… utoh.

He looks up with what is left of his sight, into the mixed shocked/angry/embarrassed of the same Valkyrie he had noting for some time now. Strange tryst of fate the mortal felt as he tried… “Um.. ah… um…

…apologies?”

The Valkyrie just responded by simply decking him before thinking, and then jumping up to fly off quickly in an enraged huff. With the mortal out cold, this time for sure, one of the more ‘gentle’ Valkyries commented. “Nice to see Lind hasn’t lost her touch.”

Phosus saw all this from above and winced as much as anyone when the mortal got creamed. She just commented to herself bluntly, as Demesus floated up. “Well, that’s one way to calm him down.”

--------------------

More than his pride was on display as he stood in Phosus’s chambers, as she conducted a review report that was somewhat tailored to what was understandable to the mortal, given his old life versions, while still similar to the versions Valkyries normally received.

Somewhere within the bruises and healing patches all over his face and neck, he was still sweating as anyone usually does in one way or another during a formal review. It had been about a year since he started his focused training, and had gotten very far in such a time. However he had hit a literal brick wall of sorts with the highest crème of the training cadres. He admittedly was frustrated, knowing that he couldn’t hope to self supposedly commit to his lofty ideals if he couldn’t match the skill and power of the high commanders and First Classes among the warrior order.

He already had no such presumptions of anything less of the Demons versions, after years untold conducting all this training though, things were growing blurred.

Phosus began her report with a cough of her throat. “Overall your progression has met agreeable results as per our standards. If you were in any other Section of Heaven, you’d easily surpass their compliment of expectations, however given the nature you are here for, it is surmised you are not looking for any other approval than ours of the Valkyrie order.

For a mortal and all inherit limitations despite genetic enhancement, you have reached the seventy-fifth percentile of the combat levels, and essentially have reached acceptable capability for what would normally be advanced phase training by the cadres. Your academic scores also meet that for a Second Class goddess, and would easily be a candidate for any other support division the Valkyries oversee that relies on protection of Heaven, outside the main combat arms sections.

In that, you would graduate for the next level of training. Congratulations in so that much.”

The mortal however didn’t fidget much to the relaxed, as Phosus and Demesus looked on, the latter noting in the far waiting chamber, more than a few heads were ‘tilted’ amongst the other trainees waiting for their reviews. The mortal was in his own tunnel vision universe in hearing this review, Demesus also noticed.

Phosus however continued, sensing the mortal was expecting the next words. Ones not mean for the ease of an ego. The commander long since knew the young pup had one.

“However a distressing combination of lack of foresight and a hint of obsessiveness in combat training sessions seems to indicate your drive to exceed standards makes you rather… erratic.. in your judgements. While you show compassion, and judgement thereof in sessions, you also demonstrate a tendency to be blinded of your surroundings. And while also you may think in tactical ways on the foot’s notice of mind, you don’t realize when a battle is lost, and are getting more injuries than the normal trainee should receive.

At the very least you should be considering your bodily well being in battle, to last longer at that. More over, you should think smarter, not harder, if that was one of the sayings of your mortal world, I deduct correctly.

Lastly, you treat your opponents here too harshly with the failings stressed upon, leaving both you and partners in the infirmary more often than what the healers are willing to deal with. You are trying too hard, but not in a smart way.” ..Phosus halts with an exasperated sigh. The mortal gulps in his own version, but still feels the burn of his inferiority at hand compared to the types he surrounded by, and still echoes an old reverberation of trying to exceed to match what is so easy to everyone else.

Phosus stops and rubs her forehead, and then barks out. “Need I summarize what this means mortal?! If you can think, why ‘aren’t’ you doing more of such!? If you’re looking for acceptance, or acknowledgement, well, this is the wrong section of heaven for that.” ..this making the mortal wince more and more.

“‘We’ focus on preparing our domain for battles that should not hopefully come, not beat each other like Demons that don’t have a clue afterwards. At the very least, do you have any clue what you want to do from here on out?

In fact what ‘are’ you supposed to do here from here on out anyway?!”

Demesus was taken aback by the rather irreverent tone Phosus directed at the mortal. Phosus continued as he winced even further under a sudden and blaring truth. “What am I supposed to do with you? I like you, I admire your spirit, but it doesn’t make you one of us. Not a Valkyrie, not a Goddess, not even a Bug for eternities sakes.

You’re here yes for a Wish, but what the heck more are you going to do with it?! I didn’t bring you in to put you somewhere. I don’t know ‘what’ to do with you in fact! I beat you senseless in training to get the idea through to you that you can’t match up to us, and for ‘what’!?

Have you ‘any’ idea what you want to do from here?”

A stunned and brief moment, and the mortal quickly blurts out.. “I.. I don’t…

…I…”

Phosus was about ready to scream back out at him, but stopped herself, realizing how agitated she suddenly was. She also realized a hint of the same discriminatory veil much of the rest of Heaven had for mortals overall, was creeping in. She admitted sat some deep level, she hated having the mortal here amongst her true Valkyries. She wondered in some deep whisper if this was some test of joke by the Almighty upon her, her kind, or just simply a whim to make a fool of him as well.

All kinds of things unsaid and thought.

“I didn’t even hear myself.”

Phosus looked up suddenly, time lapsed enough apparently for more than basic thoughts to progress here, this demonstrated as the mortal spoke suddenly.

“Maybe this Wish crud was a bad idea. Even if I was dying, I thought I could make a difference. I mean.. I was ‘dying’.

Maybe I was just….. just prolonging the inevitable.” ..he sighed in dejection. “And then I come here, and all I can think of is to be accepted and respected. I still don’t know what I ‘am’ doing here. I thought I did, now…”

He stopped, remembering the other times in his life he had this kind of moment, and not just once in his old life either. If there was anything of his old life he did seem to learn, it was that no one at all in any way of shape or capacity was there to actually give him a true choice of what to do. Every last thing he did, from working on that farm after his family died in that fire, to his attempt to go to college that failed, to the entry in the army when war came. No one helped much to give him a real steerage in his course of life. He felt himself weak to have ended up going in somehow the same straight line everyone else seemed to do, when the circumstances were hefty enough. Small stuff never drove his course, it always seemed to be the events that changed his world around him in ways, that drove his choices.

And here he was again, the same curse following him in another place that he though was what he was supposed to do. Since he was here, he thought, he would learn from the best. He never considered what he was doing was the right thing at all. The more he considered this, he also realized he hadn’t much of an identity to draw from it all as well.

“White jumpsuit.”

“Pardon?” Demesus commented. Phosus listened and found coming.. “I wanted to be a knight. I always wanted to be one. The world I lived in didn’t need one, but when I was dying, it was all that was in my mind. Even when I was teased for writing fancy stories about them, reading all those books about the Round Table and the Way of Bushido, because I didn’t think like the others where I lived, it was still what I wanted always to be.”

Phosus began to get drawn in as the mortal kept speaking. “Not sure where it all started, but I think it was after I started realizing when and how my family died. That homestead fire that winter night, and I was some weak baby in another home with a sitter for…. for some reason. I was told my parents were busy with problems at the time, cholera I think it was at the time where I loved. I think my sisters died from it.

No… I don’t know. I just knew that once I realized why I was an orphan in a world I wasn’t wanted in, all I could think of, was to be someone that could protect others. The more I self taught myself such things about chivalry and knight stuff, I wanted so badly to be one. I think it was that reason I went into the army when I did. The world was at war, and I thought I could help protect the innocent if I could just participate and serve my country.

Maybe it was that reason I…. I threw….” …he stuttered off in voice, as his tears welled up. It was strange but the two goddesses were welling up as much tears as he was, when he finally managed to continue in a fit of determined rage. “Maybe that was why I protected them how I did. Maybe that was why I got that Wish. Maybe this was my chance to become something I couldn’t be in my normal life.

And yet I failed. I thought if I wore that white jumpsuit I would be meeting that standard I felt. But now, I really don’t know at all. I want to be a knight, but how can I be, when I don’t know how to really do it in the first place!” …he finished the last with bleeding clenched fists again, drops of blood seeping out along in the same manner as drops of tears. “I’m just doing the same damn thing all over again! I haven’t learned a damn thing at all!”

“You’re wrong.”

The mortal froze and looked up through his fully blurred vision, feeling his inner child whelping within, as he listened with enhanced ears. Phosus realized herself now in that moment too, and spoke of such as.. “You ‘have’ learned so much. You aren’t the first mortal to succeed when the chance came to learn our ways. Numbers other have failed, but you are not one of them.

I believe what the fault here is, is that you are focusing in the wrong department. Well, not exactly the wrong department, but you would be better served to what you are looking for, by a slightly different instruction style.”

The mortal felt ashamed, but he wiped his eyes clear with a sleeve like some child, as he listened with a slight hint of hope creeping in. Phosus angled her head at Demesus, and then looked up. “Understand at least one thing first. You are indeed mortal, and you have tried too hard to impress us of what you can do, on our standards. You need to act more calmly and serenely on the field of combat, and also not blind yourself by anything assumed in a battle, or anywhere else for that matter.

I think you can start clearing things, if you find an identity. Starting with a name for Almighty sakes. That much will give us something to call you. More over, you need to find your own path. You are not a Valkyrie, and are not meant to be I suspect.

I know of your wording of the wish. Valkyries are not knights, not in the sense you are seeking.”

The mortal looked down and nodded. “I thought of that, when I asked Lord Almighty. I thought I could take the word of ‘knight’ literally. I guess I didn’t realize that for truth at the time. I just remembered that image that was shown, and ‘knew’ that same picture from the war I died in.

I… I had seen that very image for real all too much. I just thought I could protect everyone from the same things I had already seen.” …he stopped and considered.. “…the last time I heard that kind of shock in a crowd, was when everyone learned about how the Lusitania went down.” …he then waved a hand about iffy like, with a shrug.. “..and then came that Mexico crud, but anywho. I know what shock sounds like. I don’t think everyone here has to be subjected to such ever again.

If I am here for a reason, that is the one I choose.”

Demesus held a hand under her chin and replied.. “Well, you can’t save us all, but maybe you should still go with that anyway.”

The mortal just nodded.. “Aye… that I..” ..and he notices Phosus bring up some kind of information screen on a hovering monitor, after using a hand sized harp like control unit to do it. She then takes a moment to locate, and then cross reference this data to acknowledge it.

She then smiles. “I think we can accommodate something that meets all of our needs. If you don’t mind a bit of a change in your lifestyle and everything.”

The mortal simply nods, this time more than just following along with something either. Phosus sees this and then turns to the report she had on her desk. “Very well then, I recommend you for special training within the War Section. Your nominal Valkyrie training is henceforth concluded. Congratulations Squire of Heaven.”

Demesus looked over with a strange look, but then saw a look of relief on her equal number’s face. She then looked over and saw a much different version of a relieved look on the mortal’s face. Of his part, it was like a wall of some kind snapped in twain.

Everything was completely different from that moment forth.

--------------------

The mortal walked through the chamber arch into the reception area, where he broke his rather broad smile with eyesight of the Valkyries waiting their turn for their own evaluations. As he hesitated for a moment, the receptionist Goddess Third Class informed.. “Oh, I guess you’ll be leaving the troop apparently.” ..she said towards the mortal, who turned his head likewise. She continued with a giggle.. “It seems your appointment to specialized training will take place starting tomorrow.”

The mortal just smiled nervously. “Well at least it’ll be a quick start.”

“He’s moving out?” “Oh dear, wonder where to?” “At least the sores will go down now.” …all this also keenly heard by his enhanced hearing. Meanwhile the silver tressed receptionist added.. “You will report to Sector Gamma One-Two-Four, hmm, not that far actually.

There you will meet….”

She stopped with a heavy gulp and sweat drops forming all of a sudden. The mortal cocked his eye as he saw this. “Pardon moi?”

In a seat not too far away, again Lind waits, but curious as to her look towards the mortal as the receptionist informs… “The Milord of the War Council itself will….” ..this sending gasps through the chamber, as the mortal looks around in confusion. At this, Lind looks down and away, hiding something..

--------------------

“You are ready for the next phase of training Second Class.”

Lind nodded with her usual rigid demeanor. This as Phosus continued. “You are to begin First Class training, you have met all requirements academically and martially, you will therefore begin the new phase tomorrow under the Cadre commanders. You will also soon begin the angel ceremony.”

“I understand, I am ready.” Lind snapped crisply back. Demesus however shook her emerald hair and remarked. “No you are not. Trust me from experience in such. You may think so, but there is nothing to prepare you for when you face your true self in the ceremony. However there is time as you will choose when you are ready for the ceremony, so there is no rush.

I would advise during your next phase, to take time to talk to other members that already have done the ceremony. While not a true requirement of First Class training, you still would be well advised to take all heed of such opportunity.”

Lind however flinched inwardly inside, since she was never the outgoing type for such anyway. She hoped more someone would come to her. She had her doubts after all these years within the combat order, especially with how little time she spent with others. Phosus saw this on Lind’s façade and thought to herself. Here’s another one.. before continuing.

“I can be one of whom you can talk to before that time comes. At least I know how to handle that kind of advice.” ..this Lind looked up and felt a shimmer of hope for such understanding, this while Demesus felt tones of something else still encrusted on those words. Lind nodded. “I’ll find time to do just that.” ..and Phosus nodded.

Demesus then barked. “Begin you will tomorrow morning. And try to not be so strict on yourself.” ..this Lind nodded, but didn’t ‘really’ listen unto.

As the Second Class Valkyrie departed, Phosus sighed rather vocally. “Is it me or is she acting a bit like someone else we know?” ..this Demesus dryly blunted back.. “It’s a good thing that mortal is finally leaving. Out of sight and all that.”

Phosus tilted her head. “Nay, sight maybe, but not for long. And certainly not mind or especially hearing come tomorrow.” ..this Demesus gulped, knowing better what that meant again.

Phosus however just changed her mood back on a switch and barked out.. “Next report please!”

Demesus snapped herself back into mode as the next trainee, a Third Class warrior, stood all jittery at the far chamber arch. Phosus just groaned a touch under her breath.

--------------------

The rowdy kinda bunch of Valkyrie goddesses that had gathered at the training cadre grounds to see of the mortal kinda made him sad, and creeped out at the same time, as the mortal carried his ungodly large sack of personal belongings upon his slung over back. As he walked away from the waving throng, he sighed a bit of relief, as he walked beside the floating Second Class escort of blue hair, who was apparently an aide of this War Master or something, whatever this being was.

As they passed by some tall circle-sphere stacked buildings of some kind, the white glint of ‘morning’ here reflecting off of them unto them both and the walkway of white below, he asked this escort. “So.. uh.. ho.. how long have you been under this… um.. well..”

The blue haired goddess snickered.. “At least a few of your decades before you came here. I found my calling as a servant of the Master’s Office. I have seen much that makes me glad to protect the System in the manner I have so chosen.

And it isn’t just blind pride either, my good mortal.” ..she put, sensing his mind as an open tome, a problem the mortal kept experiencing often as it was, as he thought of the response she was initially giving. He just blushed and replied back.. “Sorry, I keep sensing a stereotype of living life in heaven, but shouldn’t be doing so. Everything feels more rigid here than is comfortable, you know?”

The goddess smiled and quipped back. “It’s a small price for living in a realm that governs an actual alignment and all. At least the weather is usually nice, depending on Kami-sama’s mood.”

The mortal blinks, and realizes.. “But the weather is always good. I’ve never seen a rainy day here yet.”

The goddess escort however gulps and chuckles a bit, as they happen to round over a walkway ledge that enters an adjunct section of the combat Sector, near the Valkyrie training centers. This into sight where a few rather large and much more war castle like structures, though still maintaining the look of all the rest of the heavenly structures here, all around a large set of tiered grassy fields that look rather battle worn. All of it stretches for what seems kilometers around.

One other note here, it’s a dusk gray like of overcast. The mortal shivers as he sees this, remembering this kind of overcast isn’t the type over the mountain valleys in Montana where he grew up, but rather the kind over the fields of war when moment was calm, that the mortal remembered too keenly. It was in fact in feeling on pure first impression of sight, a deeply eerily one as well.

As if this wasn’t enough, the wind was very quiet here, very much here was still.

Before the mortal could sink in his second thoughts, the escort coughed. “Um, we can’t have the Master waiting.”

The mortal just squeamishly said.. “You know, I think I was better off being beaten to a pulp by the Valkyries daily, maybe I should…. yaaaaaaiii, my arm is still attached you know!”

“Aww come on, it’ll be fun for ya. Master goes easy the first hour after all.”