Tired Of Death

Urt gasped, and looked left and right, still holding on to his sister's hands. "Where are we?" he asked.

They were standing as before, but now, instead of the forest, they were in a large room. Actually, large didn't do it justice. It was a giant room. For a giant perhaps. A very rich giant. Or maybe they had shrunk, it was hard to tell.

The furnishings were of the very finest quality. A sofa loomed over them to the right, the seat as high as Urt's head, next to an even bigger table of what appeared to be finest oak.

The walls were of some material he'd never seen before. They were white, almost glowing white, with enormous oil paintings featuring heroes in battle with monsters and demons. 

As the pair looked around, a low rumbling noise, not unlike thunder, came from their left. Urt swung his head about to see an enormous male figure, easily three times his height, stroll into the room.

The man, or whatever he was, had a long, luxurious blond beard, flowing golden locks, and a face that, for some reason, Urt couldn't actually make out. He was wearing a robe of furry red material, loosely tied around the waist, for which Urt was thankful, as he obviously had nothing underneath it. A very masculine c.h.e.s.t was visible under the top half of the garment, and he strode - there was no question that it was a stride - on muscular legs that put the worlds best athlete's to shame.

The giant was picking at something in a large bowl he was carrying, humming to himself, when he glanced about and saw the two of them, standing mouths agog.

"Oh, bugger it," he said, his voice rolling over them in waves. "Is it that time already?" He looked at his bowl, then back at them again. "Right. Okay then. Just hang on a second." 

With that he turned around and retreated back the way he had come.

Reckless gasped. "Do you know who that was?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Some handsome giant?" Urt speculated.

"It was Ondeus! Lord of the Gods!"

"Who?" 

Reckless frowned. "Ondeus! They say that he created the heavens when he spilled some white paint. The splashes created the stars. Don't you know the gods?"

"Necromancers don't have any gods," Urt replied. "It's considered a sign of weakness."

"Weakness?"

"Yes, that one day you'll die and need an afterlife, rather than living forever as a Lich as is the natural order of things."

"So necromancers don't die then?" Reckless asked.

"Oh, they do, and some even stay that way, but it's bad form to mention it." He looked down. "Er, is it just me or can you not move your body either?"

"No, it's both of us. I can move my head, but otherwise we seem to be stuck like this."

"Where are we anyway?" asked Urt. He looked up. If there as a ceiling above them, he couldn't see it.

"As that was Ondeus, then I assume we're in the home of the gods," Reckless said. "The living room of them anyway," she added. "Fancy. I always..."

What she fancied Urt didn't get to hear, as, without moving, or anything else at all changing, they were somewhere else again.

This time Urt could believe it was the home of the gods, mainly because they were in the middle of a hall so massive that he couldn't see the ends of it. Around them were shapes, they looked like more giants, or gods he supposed, and yet, even though they were strangely clear, he couldn't see their forms. Like his eyes couldn't accept what he was seeing. 

He looked the other way, and saw a series of large steps leading up to an enormous throne that appeared to be made out of fog. Sitting on the throne, dressed in gold armour this time, was the impressive figure of Ondeus. 

"That's the Throne of Life," whispered Reckless. "Apparently, it's made of the very essence of the Universe. If you touch it, so the stories go, you'll be truly immortal."

"Amazing," said Urt. Then, after a moment of reflection: "Do you think we could get a bit closer?" He was cut off as Ondeus raised a hand.

"Children!" the god spoke. 

"Er, hi?" Urt replied. "Nice place you have here. Must be a sod to heat in the winter."

"Quiet," Ondeus said. "You have been brought here so you can be told of your destiny."

"Okay," Urt said. 

"Okay?" The god repeated.

"Yep. Go on." Urt smiled in what he hoped was a polite manner. 

"You are not surprised?" Ondeus leaned forward slightly. "Don't you wish to ask many questions? What is the meaning of life, that sort of thing?"

"Would you answer them?" Urt asked.

"No."

"Yeah. That's kind of what I thought." Urt shrugged.

"Mmm." 

"Excuse my brother your greatness," Reckless said, probably fearing imminent lighting strike. "He's ignorant on many, many levels." 

"Hey!"

���Both of you, listen then," the god said. "There is a great threat to the mortals on the world below, a plot by the Lords of the Underworld..."

"Oh yes, we know," Urt said. "What?" he asked, as Reckless glared at him.

"Don't interrupt the god," she hissed. "The powerful, powerful, possibly short-tempered god."

"Oh, yes. Sorry your god-ness!" Urt grinned sheepishly.

Ignoring the interruption, the god carried on. "I decided that we could not let this invasion go unopposed," he said. "So I created a force with enough power to oppose it. However, the energy needed was too great for one mortal body, so it is in the both of you. You will need face the Lords of Hell together. However," he raised a giant finger. "You will need help. Powerful friends on your side, an army of your own and so forth."

"And you will supply such?" Reckless asked.

"No." 

"I see." 

"You have the destiny, you will have to lead this fight, for all mortals, or perish."

"Couldn't, you know, just fight them yourselves?" asked Urt. "Seems like you have the means to do it."

"We will not interfere in the mortal realm, at least in any major way, directly," Ondeus replied.

"Oh, because of like, we have to find our own way, free will and all that?" Urt asked.

"No. Because we can't be arsed, frankly. You're not all that important."

"Smashing, just what a mortal likes to hear." Urt made a face at his sister. 

"I will return you to your realm now," the god said. 

"Is that it?" Urt asked. "No special weapon or secret advice to turn the tide at the last minute?"

"No, I just wanted to give a bit of encouragement mostly, and see you in the flesh, so to speak," Ondeus said. "After all, you are my children."

"Wow," said Urt. "A bloodline to boast about."

"Hey, Ondeus," Reckless asked. "Is it true about the paint splashes?"

The god laughed. "Don't be absurd." As he faded from view, Urt thought he heard: "What would I be doing with paint? It was a jug of milk."