Ale spilled over Owens fingers as a comrade shoved a mug into his hand “Drink up! For glory!” the hoarse voice shouted over the noise in the tavern. Owen didn’t hesitate and emptied the mug in two large gulps. The alcohol made his body tingle, his thoughts fuzzy and the mood rose even more. “For freedom!” another man shouted from behind “for the gods!” the crowd roared. A drunken man managed to crawl onto the bar disk “for tomorrow! For victory! For if we die, we dine with the gods in the forgotten halls for eternity!” he yelled. “For eternity!”

The drinks still buzzed in his veins as the morning sun rose over the green hills. The alcohol was keeping them strong and boisterous, ready to fight the enemy or die trying. And they didn’t have to wait for long. Soon the towns men cried out in alarm as the enemy approached the gates and the warriors poured out of the tavern.
A horde of creatures stood by the gates. Goblins, witches, hags and trolls all waiting for their pound of flesh. Owen roared along with his comrades and the battle unfolded. People were slaughtered, and blood colored the ground in various shades of red and green.
A hag, her knees severed, reached a hand toward Owen and he swung his heavy sword high, sending it down at her neck. A sudden shiver ran through his body and he froze – the battle around him growing distant.

A pair of green eyes manifested over the hags bloody body. A soft begging voice whispered from nowhere. “A warrior. Brave and strong, will open his eyes, and see the world he sees is wrong… And he will start the sundering…” the words were cut off as the long nails of a wraith sliced his throat and he fell to the ground, gasping as the world grew dark and soon faded away in death…

Ale spilled over Owens fingers as a comrade shoved a mug into his hand “Drink up! For glory!” the hoarse voice shouted over the noise in the tavern. Owen didn’t hesitate and emptied the mug in three gulps. The alcohol made his body warm, his thoughts fuzzy and the mood rose even more. “For freedom!” another man shouted from behind “for the gods!” Owen roared along with the crowd on instinct. A drunken man managed to crawl onto the bar disk “for tomorrow! For victory! For if we die, we dine with the gods in the forgotten halls for eternity!” he yelled. “For eternity!”

The drinks still buzzed in his veins as the morning sun rose over the green hills. The alcohol was keeping them strong and boisterous, ready to fight the enemy or die trying. And they didn’t have to wait for long. Soon the towns men cried out in alarm as the enemy approached the gates and the warriors poured out of the tavern.
A horde of creatures stood by the gates. Goblins, witches, hags and trolls all waiting for their pound of flesh. Owen roared along with his comrades and the battle unfolded. People were slaughtered, and blood colored the ground in various shades of red and green.

The witches spell nearly caught him in her web but an arrow pierced her eye and she fell to the ground with a grueling scream and Owen smiled in bloodrage. He strode forwards, hefting his hammer. As he swung it over her head the world seemed to shiver and he stumbled.
“.. An the will start the sundering of the heavens, bringing down the masters, and rising the wrongfully convicted..”

A goblins sword suddenly pierced through his chest, his blood pouring over the dead witch and soon he fell, a swift dead.

Ale spilled over Owens fingers as a comrade shoved a mug into his hand “Drink up! For glory!” the hoarse voice shouted over the noise in the tavern. Owen hesitated. It seemed so familiar, but how could it? The war had been going on for ages, yet no battle was the same. He looked back. He knew what the man behind him was going to shout “For freedom!”, the words came as were the scripted “for the gods!”. A drunken man managed to crawl onto the bar disk “for tomorrow! For victory! For if we die, we dine with the gods in the forgotten halls for eternity!” he yelled. “For eternity!” Eternity… Eternity as what? And where?

Doubt creeped in his thoughts as the morning sun rose over the green hills. The buzz his comrades felt he lacked, and the day seemed glum, foreboding.  Soon the towns men cried out in alarm as the enemy approached the gates and the warriors poured out of the tavern.
A horde of creatures stood by the gates. Goblins, witches, hags and trolls all waiting for their pound of flesh. The warriors roared and Owen stared out over the horde and felt the sweat of fear in his veins. He didn’t have long. Soon people were slaughtered, and blood colored the ground in various shades of red and green.

It seemed wrong. He dodged an arrow he knew would come. He saw the hag as her knees were severed by a golden sword. He saw the witch who spun her curse only to be struck down. How could he know this? A comrade screamed in pain and Owen reacted instinctively, bracing his shield. Had he always had a shied? An orcs fist collided with the metal, sending him flying backwards and colliding with an officer. “Press on men! For Eternity!”  the man shouted, and it invigorated the men into a frenzy. “For Eternity!”

Ale spilled over Owens fingers as a comrade shoved a mug into his hand “Drink up! For glory!” the hoarse voice shouted over the noise in the tavern. Owen stared at his hand, his finger no longer crushed by the stomp of the troll. His chest no longer painfully caved in. He remembered dying. He remembered the pain, the agonizing pain.
“For freedom!”, the words drowned in his thoughts “for the gods!”.
“for tomorrow! For victory! For if we die, we dine with the gods in the forgotten halls for eternity!” he yelled. “For eternity!” Owen raised his eyes, fear swelling in his chest. This was wrong. So very, very wrong.

“Hey Claude” he said, prompting his drinking friend to turn “how did we get here?” Owen asked and Claude just grinned. “Who cares! Drink up!” Claude laughed and clapped Owens back before emptying the mug.

Suddenly the townspeople cried out in alarm. The warriors geared up, and Owen reached for his sword and hesitated. As he did, another picked up the weapon, leaving the doors to join the roar of fighting. “Gear up!” the Officer yelled and Owen jumped. He slowly nodded and took the bow that was left, going towards the light of the doors. The officer watched him leave.
“It’s breaking…” he whispered into nothing and the shadows seemed to respond, curling slightly before growing still once more.

“For Eternity. For the afterlife!” – but how do you know you are not there? That this is not heaven, hell or purgatory