asgardeventide | [video]

[sophie is sitting on her bed in her room, which means that behind her the walls are painted with a mural that looks like the silhouettes of trees in the last bits of twilight. she's a little thing, more hair than girl, and her voice is low and even and calm.]

It occurred to me, in the midst of a conversation I was having with a friend, that most of the Travellers here now likely weren't here when all of this started. Or, rather, when it came to a head the first time, as none of us were here when it started. We've plenty of reason not to trust the gods entirely, but that doesn't mean that the war isn't real or that the threat isn't true.

[she gives a little shrug. gods. what can you do?]

It was over a year ago now, the first Ragnarok, at least as the seasons pass in Asgard. It may have been a prophesied battle, but we weren't prepared, not really. By the end, we were hungry, exhausted, injured. Many died and our enemies were still strong. Asgard should have fallen.

It didn't. Not because of anything we did, but because of Freyr, who sacrificed himself and wiped out a great many of the invading forces, and drove the rest to retreat. You can still see the mark of it out beyond the wall.

Before that, I wasn't sure this was real. I wasn't sure I believed, because it's a rather unbelievable story, isn't it? That those people in the castle are gods and we've been spirited away to the mother of all worlds, that this place, this rather unextraordinary place, as places go, is the root of all things. But then I watched a god die, and that changes things. When someone who believes that they will live more or less forever, who would never grow old or wither away, when someone like that decides to die to try to save something, we should all pause for a moment. We should pause and wonder if there's any greater show of fear in the world than that, and wonder what makes gods afraid.

[she sets her chin on her hand.]

In any case, I've seen a great deal of doubt, and it's understandable. I thought it might help if those of us who have been here the longest might speak about what we've seen. This is a war, it has been here, and it's coming back. And if what we've been through recently is any indication, it will only be worse the second time.

If anyone has questions, I'll answer them as best I can, and welcome others to do so as well.

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[He's quiet, listening, watching her carefully. This is all definitely interesting information, and makes sense for why she hold the opinions she seems to; Castiel isn't convinced, but he is taking her assessment a bit more seriously.]

I am sorry you were haunted by the Lucifer of your world. He is... Unpleasant, in mine.

Why do you not have a soul?

[It's natural for some beings, odd for others; he wonders which is the case for her, especially with differences between worlds. He hesitates a few more moments at her last words, then begins carefully.]

Beings of that sort can read minds and thoughts, view histories; they can appear omniscient, connected to something greater. But very few actually are.

[So he's very skeptical.]

Unpleasant is certainly a word for it.

[she says it in the light, brittle sort of way of someone who is so used to hiding certain horrors that they can convincingly speak about them without the gravity of the situation slipping out. despite her composure and manner of speaking, sophie is only seventeen.]

I don't have a soul because there is only one per birth, and I am a twin. Technically I suppose we share it, but since we will be saved or damned on her actions alone, it's hard to consider that sharing, exactly.

[she tilts her head.]

I don't doubt that's true. The gods sent us to her to learn something they did not know, after all. But really, if one wishes to believe something, there will always be a reason to believe, and the same if one doesn't. The question becomes one of risk, and which way it's most harmful to be wrong, doesn't it?

[Castiel uses the same manner of speech when he's talking about something he's bothered by, which is the only reason he can recognize it. He decides not to ask her about it, and focus instead on the rest.]

That is... Interesting. Twins in my world each possess their own soul.

Indeed it does. Many seem to be more afraid of the consequences of inaction should the gods be telling the truth, than those who fear what may happen should the gods be lying. If it is simply that we fought a war for them with no risk to our world, then ultimately that matters little; it is far more an issue if, by fighting this war for them, we cause something far worse to happen.

My world seems to be unusual in that respect, from what I have heard here. Some people don't even believe in souls.

What do you mean by something far worse?

[she assumes that this is something he has put a great deal of thought into.]

That is odd. In my world, every being has a soul, other than the angels.

[And the Leviathan, but no need to discuss them. The Horsemen are an odd case also, but they're not beings in the sense he means anyway.

At the question he goes quiet for a few moments, deciding how to explain.]

In my world, we were told to fight a war to prevent the end of the world. So we fought, hoping to protect humanity and the planet, but eventually it was revealed that we had been lied to. Those in command were actually orchestrating the Apocalypse, and using us to bring it about, not prevent it.

[And while he doesn't think the gods want Asgard destroyed, what if there's something there they're not telling them? What if saving Asgard destroys their worlds, rather than safeguarding them?]

What is the purpose of them, then, souls? I'm not sure what purpose ours serve.

[sophie frowns, looking away from the screen for a moment, obviously considering this new information.]

Those who told you to fight, would they have been destroyed with your world's ending? What was their stake, and what was yours?

They are the true being. Bodies are only physical forms; the being itself, its essence, is the soul. It is the soul that moves on to the afterlife; they are pieces of pure Creation, and eternal.

[He shakes his head.]

They would not have suffered any effects; after the world ended, it is said it would be reborn into Paradise. This is what they wanted, but the cost would be potentially half of the population of humanity.

We are supposed to be the protectors of humans. Sacrificing them for our own selfish desires goes against everything we stand for.

[And Castiel couldn't do it, not even for the possibility of eternal Paradise.]

The latter I knew. I am not an angel, though.

[she purses her mouth.]

These gods will die, if their world ends. The risk to them is real. Your gods were never at risk, and it is certainly easy enough to sacrifice someone else for one's cause.

That is the purpose they told you, but it seems to me that in the end we define our own purposes. Perhaps some of your fellows changed their definitions.

So they say.

Yes. It seems that is part of having free will, I've learned; defining your own purpose, whether good or bad.

Do you think Freyr was pretending? If they were so smug in their survival then why all of that?

I don't think Freyr was pretending. I believe Freyr means exactly what he says.

[He just doesn't know if Freyr knows everything himself.]

So you think that he's been lied to as well.

[she shrugs a little.]

Perhaps. But what would convince you?

I don't know. I may not be convinceable.

[He knows it's probably ridiculous, his level of paranoia, but then again it does have precedent.]

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