Shor The God Of Man...

Unknown PoV

Light, Unending, and ever-growing was all I could see for the longest time. It was blinding in its intensity and harshness on my being, like a spotlight casting judgment upon my soul for sins and crimes unknown to me.

I can't remember when I first entered. This plane of light, what or who I was before, never mind my purpose or reason for being here. The only thoughts that seemed to remain from my time before the light was of stories and people, both familiar yet distant. Names and faces that. Slipped from my mind like grains of sand, as well as stories that filled my being with a sense of wonder and fondness that seemed unearned and disconcerting without the attached memories.

These stories showed images of scarred warriors waging wars against fellow men and unfamiliar creatures. Stories of good and evil played through my mind; tales of heroes, villains, and songs of times yet to come were the only company that kept my mind from breaking in this foreign place.

Through these stories, I could chain myself to reality, hold tightly onto my sense of being, and not lose myself in the endlessness of the radiant light. These stories provided an anchor for my being to cling to; through the bravery of these great warriors, I could find the courage within myself to carry on. Through their wit and cunning, I could prevent the light's harsh gaze from breaking my spirit. And with their faith, I could keep hope that I would escape this foul place.

While these stories were a great aid in maintaining my morale, I knew I couldn't continue like this forever. Spending eternity relying on the strength of others merely continues my existence; I would have to find a way to leave this place through my merit, not that of storied heroes. I would have to gather the strength to abandon this plane myself.

Despite coming to this conclusion, it still took me probably a few years to begin attempting to escape this place. After all, even though I had found my motivation, I still had no idea where to begin. The only idea I could come up with was to search deep within myself to find the source of all these stories and use it to empower my escape. In conclusion, if the stories in their base form could be used to stave off the harsh cleansing light, then maybe the source of the stories could be used to protect me permanently. Then, once I was saved from the light, I could begin to find an escape.

Of course, this was easier said than done, while the stories were relatively easy. To call up in my mind, searching deeper to find the source of the stories was proving to be a far more complicated task. It took me far longer than I would care to admit to begin, even to find the thread from which the stories came. Even once I could see the thread following, it proved tricky due to the ever-changing nature of the stories. As soon as I felt I was on track and following the thread's path, it would quickly change its course like it knew I was attempting to follow it.

However, the further down the thread I could go, the stronger the power I could gain from their tales. This further cemented my belief that if I could make my way down to the source of these stories, I would be able to escape. The words and songs that repeated through my mind grew only louder as I traversed the thread's path, becoming deafening and almost incomprehensible the closer I got to the source. 

The stories also became more apparent, more grounded, and easier to picture within my mind. Details once a back thought in the story were now visible; names and faces that once were blurred were spoken loud and with pride. The most common of these faces was a man with weathered skin and tired eyes, wearing a regal gold engraved armor suit. The name Talos! was shouted powerfully upon his presence, and the thread seemed to warp around his person. 

Upon gazing at the figure, a sense of familiarity and pride surged within me. Like a parent's pride in their child's success, this feeling would burst free uncontrollably each time the man appeared—scenes of the man leading his fellow men into battle against hordes of tall, light-skinned beings passed across my mind, images of a colossal brass titan waging war across a summer isle and as Gods and an army of heavily armored warriors alike bowed to the lone man.

Once the man's tale was done and he was laid to rest, a shimmering gold light glittered along his skin, and feelings of pride that were not my own seemed to pulse at the scene as a shade of simmering gold sparks in the shape of the dead man ascended to the heavens. Before I could follow the shade, the story ended abruptly. The thread that had been alight with songs and stories dimmed, and there was only darkness for the first time...

Then suddenly, with a bellowing of symphonies, the thread came back to life with gold light, and a world of fantasy and myth came into view. Marshlands were filled with lizard-like people, and deserts contained various feline people. Harsh lands of ice and mountains filled with hearty warriors and islands that housed the tall, light-skinned creatures. Gazing upon the world filled me with a sense of accomplishment, like an artist looking at his creation.

Before I knew it, energy began to fill my being, giving me a feeling of near omnipotence. A realm of undeniable beauty replaced my view of the wonderous continent; the land was separated into two floating islands that were bound together by the bones of a gigantic dead creature; the islands seemed to be surrounded by the cosmos, with constellations littering the sky, tall stone statues, vast mountain ranges and a flourishing forest filled one island. The other contained a large stone feast hall that was bright with roaring flame in celebration.

Within these halls were the faces of the heroes and villains celebrated in the thread's stories. Tankards of mead and a majestic feast filled a grand table littered with legendary heroes; at the center was a great stone throne decorated with animal skins and various weapons and armor. 

Gazing at the empty throne gave me a longing that quickly transformed into determination and purpose. Once more, stories played across my mind before a name unconsciously left my ethereal lips..."Sovngarde!"

As if waiting for that moment, the once unbearable light began to shape and form to my will, transforming the once incomprehensible plane into a perfect copy of the land I was viewing.

Weathered skin began to cover my form as long-braided salt and pepper-colored hair began to sprout from my head and face, and heavy chainmail armor fitted onto my robust structure. My eyes came alight with blue lights as a fond smile came upon my scarred lips as I gazed upon my creation again. A name filtred across my mind before being spoken into being..."Shor!"

Upon hearing the name, the constellations in the sky shone brighter, and echoes carried off across creation, Announcing the birth of the God of Man...