The Valkyrie Model

"Remember, between Ask and Embla, there is not only a bridge to be crossed but also a wall to be torn. Either action is sacred to us."

I - Europa

Gods of the old ways,
Grant me the strength of my forefathers,
Gods of the new ways,
Grant me the wisdom of the Coming Age.

Let me be strong in the flesh,
Let me be stronger in spirit,
For I battle the War Within,
And I strive to become a True Warrior.

To be worthy of fighting alongside you,
To be worthy of dying alongside you,
To withstand the coming Ragnarok,
Óðinn á yðr alla

Pain broke her prayer. Like the pain of her phantom limbs, it was born from an absence—a void that should not be empty. When she prayed, her eyes were closed. When she opened her eyes, her legs were still missing. And the coffin, sailing through the Seas of Id, still burned in her memories. She repeated the process over and over, each time as if expecting a different result.

Her broken words had left a faint echo through the halls of the Ásatrú Cathedral, a high-tech temple decorated with brutalist concrete statues of ancient gods and neon-lighted altars dedicated to possible tomorrows. In front of her, the stained glass depicted tragedy in three acts. First: the death of a god pierced by a mistletoe arrow through his heart. Second: the goddess with two faces, one dead and the other alive, rejecting the pleas of a mournful mother. Third: In the sky, a wolf devours the solar chariot; below, Midgard is consumed by flames…. darkness… gunshots… men shouting. The chaos that had consumed her city echoed like the ringing in her ears. Still, the neon lights of Eurtec could reach her shrouded figure through the bulletproof stained glass. She had sworn to protect the city that had already taken so much and, its hunger ever-growing, would keep on taking more.

"Faith is a constant battle within ourselves." She felt a hand on her shoulder. His voice was warm. "Can you tell the difference between a soldier and a warrior?"

"A soldier fights the War Outside…" She spoke, recalling her childhood lessons.

"But a True Warrior fights the War Within. Only by winning the War Within can humanity hope to triumph in the War Outside."

"Father," she sounded defeated, "what if I'm not meant to be a warrior?"

"What makes you doubt, little bird?"

"They are not with me, I can't feel them. I can't hear them in the thunder nor in my deepest silence. Am I not worthy of their voice?"

"How could you not be worthy of your gods? Of your fate?" His tone was still warm but firm. "The Nornir have spoken…"

"Could it be a mistake? It was not from the Nornir, obviously… but maybe we misunderstood." She lowered her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to commit blasphemy…"

"No. Don't apologize. It would be hypocritical for me to judge… I have fallen into that temptation as well. But, even if you can't find trust in the gods, do you still trust your old man?"

"Of course I do." She could barely contain her tears.

"I need you to trust me, little bird. And I need you to trust Dr. Brandt as if she was me. She shall be like a mother to you." As he spoke, his smile felt sincere.

"Yes, sir… father." But her smile didn't.

"Remember, this city houses the Silicon Nornir, keepers of the future of mankind and its only hope for the Greater Winter. We, the GOC… no, the Order of the Æsir… we are sworn to protect this hope at all costs from those who would burn this civilization, our home, to ashes. This is our duty… and our fate."

"But… What if I'm not meant for this fate?" A single tear escaped her. More were eager to follow.

"The Old Ways teach us that no one can escape their Fate. Not even the gods themselves. But don't forget, a new world was born after the first Ragnarok. Hope will always exist, even after the end of things. Humanity will prevail over death and fire."

"Dad," she embraced him, finally allowing her tears to fall. "I miss her so much."

"So do I, little bird."

Item#: 8503

Level4

Containment Class:

esoteric

Secondary Class:

argus

Disruption Class:

vlam

Risk Class:

danger

link to memo

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-8503-ᚸ's true nature is only known to GOI-1043, the Valravn Corporation. All known instances of SCP-8503-ᛒ currently operate under the orders of Valravn.

As established by the Cartagena Agreement, Section XV "Transparency and Cooperation", the Valravn Corporation has agreed to share comprehensive information regarding SCP-8503 with the Foundation and the GOC. Official observers will be dispatched to Research Station 63 to facilitate this exchange and report on the scientific, strategic, and ethical implications of SCP-8503-ᚸ and -ᛒ. Based on this assessment, the Foundation and the GOC will define their official position regarding the military use of SCP-8503.

Description: SCP-8503-ᛒ, designated as the 'Valkyrie Model' by the Valravn Corporation, are cybernetically enhanced human organisms created for combat applications.

SCP-8503-ᛒ instances exhibit superior strength, speed, agility, and resilience compared to standard human soldiers. SCP-8503-ᛒ units have shown proficiency in both modern firearms and traditional melee weaponry. During combat, SCP-8503-ᛒ instances rely on speed, stealth, and partial bullet-resistant armoring to overcome enemy fire and terminate their targets.

SCP-8503-ᛒ is one of the main assets employed by the Valravn Corporation. Valravn usually deploys SCP-8503-ᛒ for covert infiltration and wetwork, though their use as shock troops and support alongside conventional forces has been documented. Despite their enhancements, SCP-8503-ᛒ units are vulnerable to both conventional and anomalous weaponry and can be neutralized through concentrated fire.

The Foundation possesses limited information on the full capabilities of SCP-8503-ᛒ. Studying the anomaly has proven challenging due to Valravn's intellectual property protection practices: SCP-8503-ᛒ units are equipped with a self-destruct function that will activate in case of defeat or capture by an external party.

SCP-8503-ᚸ is the anomalous process by which SCP-8503-ᛒ instances are created. While its particularities are currently unknown to the Foundation, SCP-8503-ᚸ is unlikely to be entirely paratechnological due to the increased Akiva radiation readings registered around SCP-8503-ᛒ units.

Video Log

> RECORDING STARTED <
﹫﹫ ﹫﹫

The following recording was retrieved from the headcam of a Volk Division operative near the Russo-Finnish border. A Volk Division squad had tracked a damaged SCP-8503-ᛒ unit to a warehouse.

The camera feed shows the perspective of Volk-7. Night vision reveals an interior filled with crates, barrels, and a rusted crane hanging from the ceiling. Volk-7 can see the silhouette of the SCP-8503-ᛒ unit. The tactical HUD signals the lone unit, sitting motionless over a crate at the center of the warehouse. The HUD also highlights the vital signatures and positions of the rest of the squad. The Volk team had surrounded the SCP-8503-ᛒ unit.

Volk-7

Baba Yaga is unresponsive. Volk-4, deploy antitank fire. Volk-2, Volk-3, and Volk-6 prepare to engage.

Volk-6 fires an antitank HEAT round directly at the SCP-8503-ᛒ unit. As it is about to strike, the target suddenly moves. The video feed switches to slow motion, showing the SCP-8503-ᛒ unit striking the projectile with an elbow and deflecting the trajectory. The video resumes its normal rate. The rocket hits the crane, making it crumble to the ground.

Volk-2 and Volk-3 vitals lost.

Volk-7

Shit! Fire at will!

Volk-6 and Volk-4 fire their heavy machine guns at the anomaly. The SCP-8503-ᛒ unit jumps through the containers, evading the bullets. It draws a blade and lunges over Volk-6, impaling the operative in the chest. Volk-4 keeps firing at the target, but the unit uses Volk-6 as a human shield. Volk-6's body dissolves into a pulp of lead and blood.

Volk-6 vitals lost.

Volk-4

Volk-7! I need backup! Volk-7!

As SCP-8503-ᛒ approaches Volk-4, the camera turns around. Volk-7 is rushing to the exit.

Volk-7

Fuck! Fuck!

Volk-4

Volk-7! Volk-7! What are yo–

Volk-4 vitals lost.

The exit is now just a few steps away. Volk-7 gasps, they are about to reach it.

The camera suddenly falls and rolls to the ground.

Volk-7 vitals lost.

The headless body of Volk-7 now lies in front of the camera. The mechanical frame of SCP-8503-ᛒ stands behind it, a bloodied blade in its hands. The SCP-8503-ᛒ unit approaches and grabs the camera, Volk-7's head.

Glitch.

The feed shows an expressionless white mask, tinted red.

Signal lost.

Addendum - Geopolitics:

Despite growing concern from the international anomalous community, Private Military Contractor involvement in global anomalous security has risen. In the particular case of Valravn, their services have been officially contracted by CALMECAC to aid the Mexican government in the War on Drugs against anomalous cartels and extremist guerrilla groups such as Las Víboras, a splinter group from the Serpent's Hand.

On the other hand, the Kalmar Treaty between Valravn and the Nordic Council was recently renewed. The Kalmar Treaty grants Valravn extraterritoriality and funding for their research facilities and military bases in the Nordic countries in exchange for military aid in the case of an invasion, particularly against the anomalous capabilities of the Volk Division.

Recently, the Zenith Group has lobbied the GOC and the European Union to outsource policing and security roles in the Eurtec Freeport to the Valravn Corporation. Opponents of this initiative cite risks inherent to the privatization of security, Valravn's record of human rights abuses, and possible conflicts of interest: Zenith is the majority shareholder of the Valravn Corporation. Proponents point to the rising gang violence in Eurtec's Lower City, where the presence of paracriminal groups such as the Hunter's Black Lodge and the Sin Nombre drug cartel have been confirmed. The latter is credited for introducing the anomalous drug arcángel and the subsequent surge of violence over control of the drug trade that threatens the stability of the metropolis.

Newer waves of immigration from conflict zones and climate change refugees have made it difficult to screen out the population in search of radicals. As a result, Chaos Insurgency, Serpent's Hand, and ORIA infiltrators are active in the city, increasing the risk of further destabilization. While concrete evidence is still lacking, it has been proposed that the recent increase in criminal and dissident activity may have been instigated by the efforts of the Volk Division, the FSB-P, and a recently refounded GRU Division "P".

Valravn's proposal for Eurtec's security includes using SCP-8503-ᛒ as their main force against criminal and terrorist targets. The Corporation cites previous successful deployments of SCP-8503-ᛒ in the Middle East and Latin America as evidence supporting the effectiveness of this strategy. While the proposal is being reviewed by the Council of 108, critics have pointed out that the unprecedented mass deployment of an anomaly as a police and security force could escalate conflicts and further legitimize the unrestricted use of anomalies in warfare. For this reason, the Foundation and the GOC have requested Valravn to disclose all relevant information regarding the production and military use of SCP-8503-ᛒ, including SCP-8503-ᚸ.

II - Sorbona

Helga Thors found herself lost in the child's agony. No one would hear his cries for help; he would remain there, frozen in time, forever half-eaten by the old man.

"Dr. Thors, I see you have a fondness for Rubens."

"I do, though I prefer Goya's version," replied Helga. She shifted her gaze from the painting on the wall to the woman seated across from her. The older woman smiled gently, almost grandmotherly — it was easy to forget she was E-4, Vice-Chairwoman of the Ethics Committee.

"I prefer Goya's as well. Sadly, I was beaten at the auction." E-4 opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a stack of documents along with a pack of cigarettes. She offered one to Helga, who politely declined. Unfazed, the Vice-Chairwoman lit a cigarette as she began flipping through the pages.

"Before we begin, Dr. Thors," She didn't even look at Helga, her gaze still fixed on the document, "I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your doctoral dissertation. From the title alone, it immediately caught my attention."

"The appreciation is always welcome," Helga replied. She glanced at the desk, where a thick document titled 'Of Conflicted Men and Useful Monsters: The Psychological Cost of Moral Dilemmas in the Anomalous Warfront' lay.

"Commander Gotz's fate was particularly heartbreaking," E-4 finally lifted her gaze from the document and locked eyes with Helga. "Between you and me, do you wish you had done something differently?"

Helga's face betrayed no emotion. So it begins: the interview, she thought. She replied calmly: "Commander Gotz's conundrum began long before I started treating him. I recommended suicide watch and amnestic treatment almost immediately after my first evaluation." Helga paused, Gotz's face had flashed through her memories. She pushed Gotz back into her subconscious and continued. "Unfortunately, it was already too late. There was little I could have done at that point. Instead, I would address the conditions that led Commander Gotz to that situation in the first place."

"I support that approach. Please go on." E-4 took a puff of her cigarette.

"Commander Gotz had to make a tough call. He had to sacrifice a squad of his troops, leaving them behind to stall the anomaly until reinforcements arrived. The thing is, there were no reinforcements. Containment orders were to dynamite and seal the tunnel." Absolute terror in the dark, she thought. When remembering that unfortunate episode, Helga always felt an odd mixture of horror and scientific curiosity.

"Sadly not an uncommon scenario." E-4 exhaled a cloud of smoke, followed by a faint cough.

"And Gotz was perfectly aware of that. It was for lying to them — he was their commander and they trusted him — that he could never forgive himself."

E-4 stroked her chin. "Had Gotz told them the truth, do you believe it would have impacted the mission?"

"In such a critical situation we could not afford the risk of desertion. There was a lot at stake."

"Agreed. Sometimes, we have to send our people to certain death. D-classes, soldiers, researchers… no one is exempt. We die in the dark…" E-4 didn't finish the motto, allowing the phantom words to haunt the room instead.

"'No one deserves to die in the dark'…" replied Helga. E-4 watched her closely; Thors had awoken her interest. "That is what Gotz said in our last therapy session," explained the psychologist.

"I may agree with Gotz here. I'm unsure if no one deserves it, but at least his men didn't. Still…"

"Those sacrifices were necessary. Gotz's death, on the contrary, was completely pointless," Helga discretely clenched her fist in frustration, "Despite making the right decision, he was ill-equipped to deal with the aftermath. Could we have helped him cope? Sure, but it would have been better if he never had to make that choice in the first place." Now there was passion in her voice. "We need the right people for the job. The ideal candidate should be able to take an emotional distance from the situation. After studying a myriad of cases, I have found the profile for that candidate."

"Someone like Commander Salamanca, if I recall correctly."

"Yes, Commander Salamanca was the closest match to the ideal profile. Scoring way higher than Gotz in the Dark Triad, he had both the charisma to inspire the troops and the pragmatism to not get attached to them. And when faced with a similar situation to Gotz, he made the right call and suffered no psychological sequelae whatsoever." Helga's eyes glowed with pride. Salamanca was her scientific breakthrough, her 'eureka moment'.

"It almost sounds like you admire him." She took a long drag from the cigar. Ashes fell onto the pages of Helga's thesis.

"I wouldn't go that far. I was assigned to help integrate him into the Foundation, which he did quickly. He was a fascinating case of study…" Then, Helga crossed her arms and her voice turned somber. "But make no mistake; I know people like him would be a danger to society in most cases. Here, we can give them a better purpose. And take some of the burden from people like Gotz. I think of it as a form of containment."

"A Useful Monster…" pondered E-4.

"Indeed. Like a Thaumiel type."

"So tell me, Helga, do you see yourself more as a Gotz or a Salamanca?"

For a moment, Helga froze. The question had caught her by surprise; it wasn’t something she had ever asked herself.

"Worry not, I'm not expecting an answer. It's not a question you can answer, at least not now." E-4 smiled as she took another puff of her cigarette. "In truth, I do think you will be a valuable addition to Omega-1. You wouldn't be talking to me if that wasn't the case; in other words, I want you in the Task Force. You'll join first as a recruit on a trial mission and, depending on your performance, we'll discuss what comes next." E-4 pointed at Helga with the ember of the cigarette. It looked like a burning finger. "Are you on board with these terms?"

"I am. I've already been briefed on the nature of the mission. Valkyries…"

"Intriguing, right? The Ravens have finally agreed to share their most precious toys and you'll be in the front row. It will be a spectacle, that is for certain, though I couldn't say if it is one I would personally like to watch," E-4 briefly covered her mouth to cough. "Tell me, don't you feel strange about this mission?"

"Do you mean 'strange' besides the usual stuff?"

"At first glance it looks like an open-and-shut case, ethically speaking. You don't need a PhD in Parabioethics to recognize that whatever Valravn is doing will be morally repulsive." E-4 sighed. "Almost seems like a waste of our time: like walking into a trash fire and pointing out it is hot and stinks."

"True, but someone has to do it," Helga spoke firmly, wanting to show her commitment to the cause. "The situation in Eurtec is delicate and Valravn shouldn't be left unchecked there."

"To be honest there is little we can do about it. Zenith is strengthening their chokehold on Eurtec and they have secured the support from other prominent members of the Council of 108. The Universalist Order of the Æsir has a particular interest in the Valkyries. They have negotiated a deal with Zenith and Valravn: their support in exchange for the shield-maidens." The cigarette in E-4's hand was almost consumed.

Helga remained silent, waiting for E-4 to continue.

"The observers are meant to closely follow two new Valkyrie candidates. The GOC is bringing one of them, someone we believe is related to one of the observers, Hersir Ahlberg. If the process is successful, she will be the first — and probably not the last — Valkyrie to join the GOC. Unfortunately, we don't have the same leverage over Valravn and Zenith the GOC has. We are being invited both as a formality and as a provocation." E-4 coughed, then continued in a sardonic tone, "Sadly, this means we won't be getting a Valkyrie."

"Shame."

"A little bit. But it doesn't mean we will be leaving empty-handed. Officially, you will be just an observer. Unofficially, let's call it 'applied ethical consulting'." E-4 opened a drawer and grabbed a disk drive. She handed it to Helga, "Here are your instructions, already encrypted. There is plenty of information on the second candidate from a reliable insider source. I also suggest you heavily familiarize yourself with the Jailbreaker's manual."

Helga held the drive tightly. "I won't disappoint, E-4."

"I'm sure you won't," said E-4 as she took the last puff of her cigarette before stubbing it out on an ashtray. "Although I have greatly enjoyed this conversation, I'm afraid I have other matters to attend to."

Helga nodded and said her goodbyes. Just as she was about to leave the room, she heard E-4's voice:

"Dr. Thors, one last thing. I must warn you to be extra careful around one Dr. Brandt."

"I understand."

"No, you don't. She's a bitch."

Addendum - Observers' Profiles:

Four observers, one from the Foundation and three from the GOC Norse Caucus, are scheduled to travel to Research Station 63 Valkryie HQ, formerly the Kingdom of Valborg, in the northernmost region of the Scandes mountain range. They will meet with Dr. Olga Brandt, overseer of the Valkyrie project. The observers will be briefed on the true nature of SCP-8503-ᚸ and -ᛒ and report to the Foundation and GOC to guide recommendations on the military application of this anomaly.

Name

Specialty

Affiliation

Note

Dr. Helga Thors

Military Psychology and Parabioethics

Foundation

A candidate to join the Ethics Committee and MTF Ω-1, Dr. Thors is expected to prepare a report to the O5 and the Ethics Committee regarding Valravn practices on SCP-8503-ᛒ.

Hersir Oswald Ahlberg

Modern Anomalous Warfare

GOC - Universalist Order of the Æsir

Hersir Oswald Ahlberg will assess the model's viability to support GOC operations.

Seidr Allen Wells

Digital Rune-based Precognition

GOC - Servants of the Silicon Nornir

Seidr Wells will represent the Silicon Nornir's Higher Wills.

Thane Einar Hellström

Tactical Thaumaturgy Specialist

GOC - Niflheim Armed Tactical Order.

Thane Hellström will provide expert opinion regarding military applications of thaumaturgy.

III - Juárez

The same weird dream again. Déjà vu. A desert, a gun, and a bound man. She took the gun and pointed it at the man's forehead. Nothing personal, no harsh feelings. There was the sound of thunder. Multiple bolts. A whole storm. It rained until the desert was drowned and the world was now an ocean. Waters were calm at the Seas of Id. With rhythmic rowing, the tibia mariner guided the funeral barge through the fog. Her destination was an island, trapped between life and death. A melancholic figure awaited her—dream logic suggested it was a queen, ancient and forgotten. The Queen was a beacon, drawing her barge to the island. Waiting for her was not just the queen, but someone else—someone whose absence burned her soul and whose memory weighed like a chain. But like every other night, just as she was about to reach the island, vigil called…

An ocean apart from the technological hub of humanity, Officer Tamayo awoke. Clara. She stared with empty eyes at the stained walls of her hospital room. Pendeja, she thought. They were mostly empty, except for a painting of a gloomy island. An odd choice for a hospital room.

"You better start thinking about your future." The voice of her former commander echoed in her head. "The Policía Paranormal Preventiva has its days numbered. Soon CALMECAC will be taking over all of the country's parasecurity duties. You better get in the new bosses' good graces."

"It will be quick. A routine raid: find some drug leftovers, burn them, and get some pictures for the press." She just wanted the voice to shut up. "I'm only asking you because I know you have potential. I can only send someone I can trust. Someone in the know about all of this paranormal shit. The top dogs at CALMECAC will be watching. Despite your… lifestyle, I have always looked out for you, don't you agree?" Pinche pendejo palero.

There was an agonizing, burning pain all over the missing right arm. She closed her one remaining eye and saw it again: that night in the warehouse… the nahual chewing her arm up to the bone, maniacally grinding it until nothing was left. Her right leg suffered a similar fate. Curiously, the phantom leg did not pain her; she only had an intense itch in her missing foot. An itch impossible to scratch. Pendeja, pendeja, pendeja. Esto me pasa por pendeja.

Next to her, there was a nightstand with a Virgen de Guadalupe effigy and a glass of water. She never prayed and she wasn't going to start now. It was too late anyway. Not even a promise to the Pale Lady could help her now. Lupita, la Santa… todos los pinches santos y dioses se pueden ir a la verga. She looked at the identification tag on the door: Paciente #153 José Tamayo López. Rage and nausea boiled in her insides. That name hurt her. That name mutilated her. Yet she never gave herself the chance to get rid of it.

The door opened slowly. "May I come in?" A blonde, clearly foreign woman cautiously entered the room, "Officer Tamayo, I presume. I'm Helga Thors from the SC…"

"I was curious who would show up first to finish the job — the sicarios from Sin Nombre, or you guys. Well go ahead, don't waste any time any longer. I've been waiting long enough."

"We don't seem to be on the same page," Helga said, closing the door behind her.

"No shit. It is obvious to me. I have outlived my usefulness and now I'm a loose end. You are here to either wipe away my memory or rip apart my head. Whatever works for you."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm here on a different business." Helga watched Tamayo closely, unsure how to interpret her bravado.

"Is that so?" asked Tamayo, more annoyed than surprised.

"Are you familiar with the Valravn Corporation?"

"Private security, mercenaries, whatever you want to call them. CALMECAC's new best friend in the drug war. Though everyone knows they work with the cartels. But who doesn't?" Tamayo rolled her eyes. "Also way too into medieval larping for my taste."

"We both can agree on that." Helga discreetly inspected the room, searching for clues that might reveal more about Tamayo's personality. However, there wasn’t much to work with. "I'll get straight to the point…" The eerie painting drew Helga's gaze, making her lose track of the conversation. She went silent for a moment before adding: "That's certainly a choice for the decoration of a hospital room."

"I thought you were going straight to the point."

"All right, sorry. Soon, you'll be visited by a Valravn representative. They want to recruit you for their Valkyrie program."

"Me? A Valkyrie?" Tamayo's heart skipped a beat. She felt a spark in her insides, something she hadn't felt in a long time. "But I'm not… I thought I couldn't be one." She whispered, almost to herself.

"We are certain you will be the candidate. And if I'm not mistaken you do identify as…"

"Don't explain to me who I am." Tamayo sighed. "Why are you here? What does the Foundation want from me?"

"We want your help." Helga locked eyes with Tamayo, "In fact, we need it."

Tamayo quickly turned her face to avoid Helga's gaze. "To be your spy? Sounds like a lot of trouble. And I'm not particularly in the mood to get into more shit than I already am. What do I gain?"

"You are fit for the job. You already sound like a mercenary." Helga was starting to figure out Tamayo's angle.

"Fuck you," Tamayo said with a slight laugh.

Got her. Helga thought. She now went serious. "Your ambush. Don't you want to get back at the people who did this to you?"

"What do you know about my ambush?" replied a somber Tamayo.

"We have reason to believe Valravn warned Sin Nombre of the raid. You said yourself: Valravn has been playing both sides of this war since the beginning. That's how they operate, they create the conflict, the victims, and prey on the despoils."

"So they crippled me only to hire me. Genius." The wounded policía smirked.

"But you don't have to play into their game. You can fight back."

"You do realize you are sending me on another suicide mission, don't you?" This time, it was Tamayo looking at Helga's eyes.

"Maybe. But you will not be alone. Unlike those who sent you to that warehouse, I'll be there with you." And Helga didn't turn away.

Tamayo half-smiled. "How reassuring. And what would be our mission?"

"We'll talk about specifics later."

"You are full of shit, Helga. Búscate otra pendeja."

"Tú eres la pendeja que estoy buscando."

Tamayo chuckled. She could not hide her amusement. "You'll make me blush," she said. Then she turned around and tried to grab the glass of water from the nightstand. After a few bewildering moments, she realized she was trying to do it with her missing arm. "Maybe I'm a pendeja after all."

Helga took the glass of water and held it in front of Tamayo's face. "I'm not begging you to work with us, Tamayo. I'm also not trying to buy you." She paused for a moment, before handing the glass to Tamayo. "Still, I think you'll accept for the same reason you became a police officer."

"Don't act as if you knew me." Tamayo drank the water in almost one gulp. Then she returned the empty glass to Helga.

"I know you are still looking for him. The man who killed Clara." Helga put the glass again on the nightstand, next to La Virgen.

"No. Shut up!" Shouted Tamayo, "You don't have any fucking right to play that card on me. There was no justice for her. And there will never be! Not in this godforsaken country."

"I don't know if we can still find that asshole. Could still be possible, eventually. But you know this is not just about Clara. This war has taken so many other lives and will keep on taking more. You are right there is no justice here, and as long as Valravn keeps profiting from this hell, there will never be. But we can make a difference. For everyone. For Clara."

'"Good speech. Loved the violins at the end."

"Thanks, it was only partially improvised."

Tamayo looked one last time at the painting on the wall. She was starting to like it.

"One question, Helga. Is it true that Valkyries get to choose a cool Viking codename?"

"I heard so, but I'm unsure about the exact process. Why do you ask, Officer Tamayo?"

"No. Officer Tamayo is gone, he went to live on that gloomy island." She smiled. "You can call me Astrith."

Addendum - Description update:

SCP-8503-ᚸ , also known as Valkyiriogenesis, is an apotheotic phenomenon of a ritualistic nature. Categorized as Tier 3 in the Liebert-Hikari Apotheosis Scale, SCP-8503-ᚸ can also be described as a "corporeal" apotheosis: the transmutation occurs in the subject's original body affecting both physical and spiritual properties.

The earliest description of the SCP-8503-ᚸ dates from the 13th century and is found in the Codex Artorious, an extended version of the Prose Edda only known inside anomalous circles. This version describes the procedure as merely a sacrificial rite, mandating a neck hanging, and makes no mentions of any anomalous results. Later sources recontextualize it as a rite of passage to "enhance the soul of warriors" and add variations to the procedure, however, the baseline structure remains the same. It is unclear exactly how variations influence SCP-8503-ᚸ's results. The Codex Corvinus (14th Century) contains the historical version with the highest known success rate:

1. "From the waters of Mímisbrunnr, oh far maiden shall you drink,"
2. "to receive the gift of Tyr, thy lindworm, into her soul"
3. "From an ash tree, fair maiden shall you hang,"
4. "In the flesh wounded, but warrior spirit intact,"
5. "Tied not from the neck but from the chest,"
6. "Pierced in the side, by the sacred spear,"
7. "For Nine days hanged the Allfather…
8. "For 9 hours the chosen daughter should hang."
9. "The worthy will rise as chosen among the slain."

After completing SCP-8503-ᚸ, a subject has a 63% chance of becoming an SCP-8503-ᛒ instance. SCP-8503-ᛒ instances show enhanced strength, durability, and limited thaumaturgical properties. These properties include limited healing capacities, resistance to extreme temperatures, the faculty to perform as a psychopomp, and extended lifespan (between 300-500 years). Successful competition of SCP-8503-ᚸ causes sterility.

More notably, SCP-8503-ᛒ instances can perform a specific type of thaumaturgy to replace lost body parts, most commonly limbs. This process traditionally involved crafting rudimentary prostheses made from metallic or wooden materials. As long as the prosthesis has the correct articulations, an SCP-8503-ᛒ instance can seamlessly control it as if it were an original part of its body. The prostheses won't require any external power source besides SCP-8503-ᛒ's own Akiva energy. This anomalous property of SCP-8503-ᛒ is the base over which the modern iterations of the Valkyrie Model's cybernetic augmentations are built.

IV - Trento

Helga couldn't deny it — Valravn took the art of theatrics very seriously. The first council meeting would unfold in an ancient stone hall, fortunately outfitted with modern amenities, including ergonomic chairs. At the heart of the hall loomed the towering figure of a stone shield-maiden, seemingly in conversation with the raven perched on her shoulder. At the statue's feet stood a middle-aged woman, barely illuminated by a faint blue light. She spoke to the council’s guests as if not merely addressing them, but performing on the stage of a long-forgotten drama.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as the Lead Researcher on Station 63, it is an honor to host you as distinguished guests…" A baffling combination of genuine pride and veiled condescension coated the old woman's words. Helga found it difficult to read her, and that made her uneasy.

"Never been called distinguished before," murmured Astrith, "not even ironically." Helga made a discreet gesture indicating that she should lower her voice.

"So who is she?" asked the former police officer quietly.

"The name is Olga Brandt — the so-called Mother of Valkyries. She oversees everything concerning Valkyries, including your initiation," replied Helga.

"Looks like I'm in good hands…"

Brandt continued with her welcoming speech. "Research Station 63, the Kingdom of Valborg, has a rich and complex history. The Valravn Corporation is a proud stalwart of its secrets and traditions…"

"Stalwart? Do you expect us to buy that?" The voice was as imposing as his figure, garbed in tactical gear characteristic of modern combat thaumaturges: a blend of modern and medieval armor styles, with Kevlar plates covered in ancient runic symbols. Thane Hellström, the observer from the Nifelheim Armed Tactical Order, had come dressed ready for battle. The message was clear: he wasn't lowering his guard around the Ravens.

"Pardon us if we are not convinced that the Corporation's interest in the Old Kingdom was born out of concern for its valuable heritage," Seidr Wells was dressed only in a plain white tunic— the bearded old man could be mistaken for an ancient druid if it wasn't for the shining bionic camera in place of his left eye.

"Thane Hellström," despite her age and size, Brandt somehow managed to sound as intimidating as the hulk in combat armor, "where was your Order when the Christian Kingdoms laid siege to Valborg? Or when the GRU-P communist scum treacherously attacked?" She did not hide her visceral disgust while pronouncing the word 'communist', "Who came to protect the Queen from the Nazis? It was not Nifelheim: it was Jomsborg."

"You are not the Jomsvikings," contested the Thane.

"We have become much more than that." Brandt turned to the old seer. "Tell me, Seidr Wells, have the Nornir pronounced against our Valkyrie project?"

"Not yet," answered the servant of the silicon oracle.

"And I doubt they will," Olga pointed to the statue behind her, "the Hrafnsmál immortalizes the sacred pact between Valkyries and Ravens. We are the true and only protectors of the Valborg."

Helga had followed the exchange with interest. She was not expecting such explicit pushback from the GOC's Nordic caucus. It was a good sign. Yet the Universalist Order…

"Gentlemen," a fourth voice joined the chorus, "my brothers in arms, caution is often wise… But what is gained by antagonizing our host?" The man wore a standard GOC military uniform; over the Coalition's logo, it bore the symbol of the Æsir. "We have come in peace to listen and learn."

Hersir Oswald Ahlberg, thought Helga. The Universalist Order of the Æsir did not have a history of siding with Valravn. Was it just Zenith's pressure or was something else going on?

Ahlberg continued. "We all here are followers of the Old Gods and practitioners of the New Ways. We may have different ways to honor them, but when Ragnarok comes, we all should be on the same side. The side of humanity. Eurtec, the house of Silicon Nornir… the house of the future of mankind is in danger. We need to come together to face this existential threat or else everything we have built will fall apart."

"I'll be dead before I trust a Raven!" Shouted Hellström.

"But do you trust Fate, Thane? Because I do. I trust the Fate that has been woven for humanity. And so does my daughter!" He gestured toward a young woman sitting beside him in a wheelchair. She was missing both legs and her right eye. A horrible burning scar occupied half her face.

"She has been chosen by the Nornir to become the first GOC soldier to ascend as a Valkyrie," he put his hand over her shoulder, "and I couldn't be prouder of her."

She smiled. "My name is Wanda Ahlberg. I'll be honored to join the Valkyries."

Addendum - History of SCP-8503-ᛒ:

Historically, SCP-8503-ᛒ instances were former shield-maidens that, after surviving a grave battle injury, usually limb mutilation, completed a utiseta pilgrimage to Lake Mímisbrunnr and endured SCP-8503-ᚸ.

SCP-8503-ᛒ instances worked as mercenary priestesses during the Viking age, serving in military roles as bodyguards, elite troops, and assassins; but also as healers, diplomats, advisors, and priestesses across Norse settlements and kingdoms. It is recorded they were particularly welcomed in Jomsborg, the citadel of the Jomsvikings mercenaries. Eventually, SCP-8503-ᛒ instances formed their own political entity around Lake Mímisbrunnr: the Kingdom of Valborg.

Valborg was organized as an elective monarchy, with a new Queen selected by direct voting after the death of the old one. The Queen did not wield absolute power and was expected to lead by consensus, her role being spiritual as well as political. Valborg's population included baseline humans (both female and male) alongside SCP-8503-ᛒ, though only the latter could participate in the Queen's election.

From the human population, the Valkyries recruited new shield-maidens to serve as squires and auxiliary troops. These shield-maidens would eventually be allowed to attempt SCP-8503-ᚸ and become SCP-8503-ᛒ. Foreigner warriors were also welcomed to perform SCP-8503-ᚸ and join the Valkyrie nation, there are written records of Valkyries originating from Miklagard, Serkland, Bláland, and even Vinland. At its peak, Valbrog had a population of around 12,000 Valkyries and 30,000 baseline humans.

Following the Christianization of Scandinavia, Valborg was left in isolation and began to decline. The human population scattered and with the disappearance of shield-maidens across the Nordic world, Valborg lost most of its pool of potential recruits. Despite this, Valborg managed to maintain its independence from Christian kingdoms for centuries and remained a limited military power – defeating the forces of King Eric IX during the First Swedish Crusade and the Teutonic Order during the Northern Crusades.

Valborg maintained cordial relationships with the local Sami pagan population, with whom they traded and procured recruits. This was disrupted during the 17th century when the kingdoms of Denmark-Norway and Sweden started to colonize and Christianise Sápmim, leaving Valborg in further isolation. During the 18th century, the Kingdom of Sweden–Norway conducted a series of campaigns to subdue Valborg. Under the leadership of Queen Randgrid II, the forces of Valborg managed to stall the invaders using guerrilla tactics. However, the war did not end until the intervention of the Valravn Northern Trading Company, which organized peace talks between Valborg and Sweden–Norway.

As part of the deal, the Valborg Valkyries agreed to serve as mercenaries under Valravn and allow the creation of new SCP-8503-ᛒ instances from Valravn recruits. This was the first generation of SCP-8503-ᛒ whose allegiance was not to the Queen of Valborg. On behalf of the British Empire and Her Majesty's Foundation for the Secure Containment of the Paranormal, Valravn deployed SCP-8503-ᛒ during the Second Boer War and the Crimean Campaign. Valravn also experimented with clockwork-based mechanical prostheses for their Valkyries, possibly copied from Cogwork technology.

In the First and Second World Wars, Valravn continued to serve under the British Empire; and later the United States of America and the Allied Occult Initiative. During World War II, Valborg endured both Nazi and Soviet invasions. After the Nazi occupation of Norway, Obskurakorps launched an expedition against Valborg to secure Lake Mímisbrunnr. Despite the newly reformed Valravn Corporation's pledge to defend Valborg, the arrival of Valravn reinforcements was delayed. When Valarvn forces finally broke the Obskurakorps siege, Valborg had endured it for six months. Around 95% of the remaining original Valkyrie population died during the siege. Severely weakened, Queen Randgrid signed the Treaty of Myr, transferring the sovereignty of Valborg to Valravn. The Corporation occupied the Kingdom and established Research Station 63 around Lake Mímisbrunnr.

V - Avalon

"I'm starting to get this place…" Astrith's breath was visible in the cold air.

Helga pushed Astrith's wheelchair through a long metallic corridor. Despite the foggy weather, one could still observe the desecrated foundations of the ancient fortress standing after the centuries. New structures had been built recently, the signature Valravn style of merging brutalism and industry steadily burying the past with steel and concrete. Like a parasitic sprout growing on a rotting corpse, the technological infrastructure of Station 63 sprawled out like a network of veins, pulsing with life but choking the medieval roots of the castle beneath. Despite all their talk about stewardship and preservation, Valravn's main budget was not spent on historic conservation.

Astrith continued her analysis, "When the Spanish conquered Mexico, they built their churches and palaces over the old temples. This place is the same. You build over the ruins to bury the past. Valravn did it to show who the new boss is."

"Interesting hypothesis…" Helga pondered for a few seconds. "It makes sense from a psychological standpoint. They certainly have practical and strategical reasons to build in this place, though."

"Sure, but they love their theatrics, don't they? I told you they were larpers." Astrith chuckled. "They are obsessed with appearing as holders of some kind of mystical secret, just as they are with blood money. The pieces fit. Gold and God…"

"Gold and God?" questioned Helga.

"Those are two big things to motivate men to kill without mercy. If you control one of those, you get to be the king. If you control both, you get to be kingmaker. The Spanish… Valravn… even Sin Nombre. It is all the same."

They were finally reaching their destination, a small lobby leading to the sleeping quarters. Astrith noticed a figure ahead of them. A young woman rested in a wheelchair, staring absently through the window.

"Hey, is that you…" Astrith hesitated for a moment, "… Wanda? Right? The daughter of that GOC guy."

"Greetings." Wanda answered without looking back at them. "Forgive me, but I must beg you to be quiet. The procession is about to pass."

"The what?" Helga and Astrith approached the window. The mist made it hard to see, but the outlines of the old castle courtyard ruins were still visible. A distant sound could be heard, haunting yet comforting: the faint ringing of bells and singing voices. Gradually, the silhouettes of a procession emerged. About twenty women clad in iron armor, their faces hidden behind emotionless white masks – most of them missing an arm, a leg, or both. It was clear they were not the high-tech Valravn Valkyries. In place of their lost limbs, rustic prosthetics of wood and metal moved as naturally as the originals would have.

"The court of Queen Randgrid, the last of the old Valkyries," Wanda explained in quiet but solemn voice.

The figure fronting the procession wore a golden-crowned mask. Her gait was the slowest and the rest kept her pace. Every step seemed like a painful struggle, yet she continued unrelenting. Astrith felt a shiver in her spine as the ghostly procession disappeared into the mist. The Queen in the island…

"Even after all these years, after all her pain, the Queen still patrols her Queendom. What happened here during the war was so shameful. I hope we are worthy of her…" Wanda finally turned to face the other two women. "You must be Astrith. Nice to meet you. We will soon be sisters-in-arms."

"Yeah… nice to meet you… sister."

"I'm looking forward to getting to know you more. I was so curious when I learned about you." Wanda explained, "I didn't know someone like you could become a Valkyrie. It was a surprise, but a welcome one."

"Someone like me? You mean a Mexican?"

"No… I mean, you know… you are a…"

"Man?" completed Astrith in a haughty tone.

Astrith defaulted to misgendering herself before others could do it. One of many unhealthy coping mechanisms she had developed, thought Helga.

"Wanda, I'm Dr. Helga Thors from the Foundation. I'm here to monitor your progress as well as Astrith's. Feel free to ask me anything. I would also like to ask you some questions eventually."

"I'm open to talking to you, Dr. Thors, as long as you don't mind my father being present." Wanda then turned to Astrith and looked her with pleading eyes, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright," While annoyed, Astrith was used to awkward interactions. Also, Wanda's apology seemed true at least.

"Let's watch each other's back. I don't know what Fate awaits us, but I'm glad it brought us together." Wanda smiled.

"Fate?" Astrith stroked her chin. "What does this have to do with Fate?" She was beginning to feel something that went beyond mere annoyance. Something about Wanda was awakening a deep conflict within her.

"Yes, it was our Fate to become Valkyries. Our path here was traced by the gods themselves."

The Mexican frowned. Was Wanda's naïveté perhaps a façade crafted to mock her? No, it was something far worse: sincere. Astrith had come prepared to face the intrigues and lies of a den of wolves and crows, but now she was confronted with a genuine offer of friendship. And for some reason that pissed her off.

"Is that what that Silicon computer told you?"

Wanda laughed nervously. "Don't call it like that in front of Seidr Wells… or my father. But yes, the Nornir chose me to be a Valkyrie. And they chose you too, so I'm eager to learn from you."

"Learn from me?" She leaned toward Wanda. No one had ever wanted to learn from her. No one since…

"What can I teach the GOC princess?"

…Clara.

"I read your files. You have plenty of experience dealing with the Cartel…"

"Oh, the Cartel. Sin Nombre…" Astrith clenched her teeth. Clara's laughter echoed through the halls of her memory, each peal growing more distant.

"Astrith? Are you okay?" Asked Wanda after a few moments of her silence.

Astrith snapped back and laughed. "Oh yes, I know them intimately. It cost me an arm and a leg, but I hope it can serve you well. I can teach you with extreme detail the sound and feel of a nahual munching on your flesh. Or the screams of a family being burned alive. The empty stench of the mass graves in the middle of the desert. Or the cries of a poor bastard who was forced to eat his own fingers."

"That sounds… interesting."

"Interesting indeed," Astrith looked Wanda right in the eyes. And after a few seconds, she understood. "You have never killed someone, have you? Have you ever seen combat?"

Wanda hesitated. "Once… but I did undergo elite GOC military training…"

"Tell me, princess, how did you lose your shoes?"

"I… It was… during training." Wanda was shaking, her voice tinged with shame.

"A training accident?" inquired Astrith.

Wanda looked down. She didn't reply.

"That explains a lot. You have no idea what you are signing up for."

"I… I'm here to fulfill my Fate and my Duty…" Wanda took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm here to serve the gods and protect Eurtec and Sillicon Nornir, the technological future of mank–"

"Stop." Astrith sighed. "Lesson number 1, princess: Forget all that crap. It will get you killed. There are no heroes and no gods in this war. You are here to survive one day more. That is the real goal."

"That is not… Astrith…" A single snowflake landed on Wanda's cheek. She looked up to the sky. "A snowstorm is coming, we should go inside. My father must be waiting for me." She nodded to Helga, then to Astrith "Thanks for your… insights… there is too much to assimilate. We can continue later," Wanda quickly rolled to the nearest door.

"Have you ever considered a career in education?" Helga had followed the whole interaction with interest.

"Don't give me shit. I gave her what she asked for." Another snowflake landed on Astrith's forehead. She shook her head. "Damn, I hate this weather."

"You don't think she should be here." Helga extended her hand to catch the next snowflake. She felt it slowly melt.

"It's not like that, Helga. I don't mind nepo babies. But she is not ready. And her father knows it. That Dr. Brandt knows it. What game are they playing?"

Addendum: Description update

SCP-8503-ᛚ, also known as Parelaphostrongylus lindwyrm is a neurotropic nematode parasite endemic to the Mímisbrunnr Lake inside Research Station 63, where it can be found in high concentrations. Under normal circumstances, SCP-8503-ᛚ behaves similarly to other non-anomalous brain parasites such as Parelaphostrongylus tenuis. Drinking SCP-8503-ᛚ contaminated water, such as that in Mímisbrunnr Lake, appears to be the only vector of infection for SCP-8503-ᛚ. SCP-8503-ᛚ's anomalous property will only activate after an infected subject completes SCP-8503-ᚸ. Unsuccessful SCP-8503-ᛚ infection can explain up to 10% of SCP-8503-ᚸ's failure rate.

SCP-8503-ᛚ will accommodate itself into the subject brain, specifically in the central lobule of the vermis, forming a symbiotic relationship and serving as a type of thaumaturgic gland. SCP-8503-ᛚ has been identified as the source of SCP-8503-ᛒ's Akiva energy and thaumaturgical capabilities. Each instance of SCP-8503-ᛒ can be understood as the symbiosis between SCP-8503-ᛚ and its human host.

The Valravn Corporation has shared its extensive body of research on SCP-8503. This clarified some of the ambiguous nature of the historical descriptions. For example, traditionally the term 'fair maiden' was interpreted to refer to a biologically female virgin. Prior sexual activity has been determined to bear no difference in the outcome. Chromosomal and/or hormonal sex is also not determinant. Biologically female individuals with a masculine gender identity consistently fail SCP-8503-ᚸ. Biologically male individuals with a feminine gender identity have a success rate statistically non-differentiable from biologically female individuals with a feminine gender identity. Success for individuals with a non-binary or third-gender identity seems to be correlated to their psychosocial proximity to the feminine gender.

These and other further refinements over the historical baseline have resulted in the Modern Valkyrie Protocol:

1. Fraxinus excelsior is recommended, however, any member of the Fraxinus genus can be used without significantly altering the success rate. It is not necessary for the Fraxinus to be alive; a dry specimen embedded in a metallic support can be practically deployed in a laboratory setting.
2. Two requisites are indispensable for the subjects. They must identify with a feminine gender identity and possess a "warrior spirit". This second requirement has not been narrowly defined, but the success rate is vastly greater among military personnel.
3. The subject must have suffered a battle injury, preferably some type of limb mutilation. Psychological trauma such as PTSD may also apply.
4. As mentioned in the historical version, the subject must be hanged, but it is not necessarily for them to hang from the neck: strapping the upper body will suffice.
5. A consecrated replica of Gungnir should be inserted into the subject's body, preferably below the ribcage. Medical treatment can be used to control bleeding, but the spearhead should not be removed until the trial has been completed.
6. The subject must survive 9 hours in this state. To improve the survival rate, it is recommended to administer IV fluids and antibiotics. Painkillers are not recommended, since it is believed they hinder success rates by 6%.
7. If the subject is successful, they will attain "Valkyrhood".

VI - Mictlán

"Rage. Anger. Self-loathing. Is that everything you can feed me?"

Alien thoughts crawled into her mind. It was a liminal state, a limbo of symbiosis, the exact moment when something strange becomes part of yourself. The same way a protein is digested. The same way a trauma is internalized.

The little wyrm nested in her brain. It was a messenger of Revelation, a herald of some unfathomable, eldritch voice. It fed on everything she was, distilling her very essence into a primordial state of being, and excreting a transmutation of everything she could be.

"Does this taste like Guilt? Shame? No… it is a different, subtler taste."

Her body was twitching, exhausted after hours of punishment. Even the phantom limbs suffered. But the worm could taste a deeper, greater phantom pain.

"Shut up. You don't know me." Even her own voice sounded foreign.

Her lower rib burned, pierced by cold iron. And that cold crawled in her bones.

"I did not, but I do now. I am to become You. Come and See."

The pain continued growing until it was everything she was. Rage and Guilt. Fear and Hunger. Love and Hate. Death and Water. Thunder and Flesh. Bile and Blood. Everything was the same as everything else. Everything had been distilled to the most primordial element:

Pain. It was everything she Was. And after Pain was gone… she was almost Nothing.

Less than anything.

More than nothing.

What remained was a spark

And from that spark…

A Fire was born.

And the Fire became a Woman…

And the Woman became a Warrior…

And the Warrior became a…

Astrith opened her eyes. She was standing in an endless field of orange flowers.

…Valkyrie.

"Was it worth it?" That voice sounded familiar.

Astrith turned to the voice. She saw the face of Life… and Death. Lupita and La Santa merged into one being, one goddess. Hela. But the divine vision lasted only for an instant. Now she was on the outdoor basketball court. She barely recalled that place. She could not remember her classes, her classmates, or her books. But she did recall her.

"Was it worth it?" She asked again.

She was even wearing the old school uniform: a white shirt and a green plaid skirt.

"It is raining somewhere else," the schoolgirl smiled and pointed to the clouded sky. Just like that day. That one last day.

"Clara…"

"Astrith…"

"You… you didn't know me by that name."

"I do now." Clara flashed a wide smile "It suits you. You are looking good, girl."

"Thanks. You are looking good too." A single tear slid down Astrith's cheek. She wiped it. "It's a nice view… but this isn't how I last remember you."

Astrith was now in the morgue. Clara laid on the table, covered by a dirty white sheet. Her face was bruised, her nose was broken… her throat… slit. Inside an evidence bag was her uniform, shredded and bloodied.

"Why did you have to go alone that day?" Astrith shouted as more tears broke free, "I told you to wait for me!"

"Maybe it was Fate…" Clara rose from the table. Her flesh had begun to rot — putrid blood poured from the still-open wound.

"Bullshit!"

"And what if I had waited?" Clara shrugged. "Would things have been different?"

"I would have protected you…"

"No digas mamadas. You would be rotting in this morgue with me."

"Maybe I should be."

"Then why are you still breathing?"

"I'll find him…"

"No! You don't have the right to use me as a pretext!"

"Clara…" Astrith reached her hand towards Clara, her fingers trembling.

Clara accepted her hand. Despite the ice-coldness of her touch, Astrith kept on holding her friend's hand. It was Clara who, after what could have been either a fleeting moment or a whole eternity, pulled her hand away violently.

"My family. My boyfriend. Everyone. All they ever wanted to do was use me." Her anger gave way to sorrow. Clara's eyes looked at Astrith, pleading. "You were the only one who saw me as myself, so please don't take that away from me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

A somber cloud obscured the painted sun. Suddenly, all the orange marigolds froze; the Greater Winter had fallen over the Forever Fields.

"If you want to die, then die." Clara grew with each word. Like the ancient ice-giantess, she was one with immense winter.

"If you want to live, then live." She had grown until Astrith seemed like a mere insect resting in her palm.

"But choose it yourself!" Clara closed her palm. Astrith felt the cold embrace of Hel all over her being. "Is that what you want?"

"…"

"Do you want to die, Astrith?"

"No."

"Do you want to live?"

"I don't know…"

"How many?"

"What?"

"How many did you kill? How many did you torture? Was it worth it?"

An immense unnatural pressure fell on Astrith's body. The lost souls of Nifelheim, everyone she had ever killed, their laments rumbling in her head.

"I…"

The nails of the draugr pierced her flesh. Each cut was a sin to be repaid.

"Was it worth it? Surviving this long as a carrion eater?"

Astrith remained silent, buried by the weight of her dead.

"How dare you stand in the hall of the gods if you can't answer a simple question? Was it worth it?"

Her soul and body went cold. She had been nothing but the pathetic enforcer of a corrupt system. Yet despite the guilt, despite the shame…

"It was!"

Clara smiled, she was no longer cold and giant nor bruised and bloodied. The two friends were now on the edge of the cliff, the last place before the rainbow started.

"I missed you. I missed how you always walked with me and made me feel safer," Clara said. Behind her, the bridge to the orange fields rose slowly.

"I was not meant to wait for you that day. Instead, I have waited for you in this eternity." Clara's voice began to fade; she was just a single grain of sand in the desert that was the universe.

"All this time, I have been so afraid of crossing." The whole universe began to fade; it was just a single teardrop in the ocean that was Clara.

"Would you walk with me one last time?" Clara rested her head on her friend's shoulder. Astrith took her hand. This time, it felt warm.

At the edge of eternity, they shared the last deep breath before the plunge. And together, the Valkyrie and the Slain crossed the rainbow bridge to Valhalla.

It felt like falling right into deep water. The moment when the superficial tension breaks. Which side was Death and which side was Life? It did not matter anymore. She was coming back.

"Between you and me, was it really worth it?" Asked Clara's voice one last time.

"This made it worth it."

Following modern protocols, 63% percent of subjects will successfully complete the trial. Valkyrhood entails several advantages over the baseline human condition: enhanced strength, endurance, and speed, affinity to thaumaturgy, low-level Akiva Radiation and Elan-Vital Energy, and the ability to perform as a psychopomp. Then, the subject will be ready to undergo the next step of SCP-8503-ᚸ: the paraprosthetic weaponization protocol.

The full extent of the weaponization process will vary between SCP-8503-ᛒ instances due to individual needs and combat role specialization; however, some procedures are common to all SCP-8503-ᛒ units. These procedures include but are not limited to:

• Depending on the missing limb or damaged body part, tailored Class-B Titanium prosthetics will be attached to the body. Current 3rd generation prostheses are optimized for maximum efficiency harnessing the subject's Akiva Energy.
• A reinforced titanium chassis is grafted to the subject's upper torso to protect vital organs.
• Monitoring hardware will be implanted. During deployment, an SCP-8503-ᛒ instance vitals will be constantly monitored by Mission Control.
• 3rd generation models include a neural implant to provide a tactical HUD and real-time interfacing with Mission Control. It requires constant calibration between deployments.
• Intellectual Property Protection (IPP) module.
• Steroid treatment and servomotor exoskeletal reinforcement to support baseline biological musculature.
• Ballistic treatment for skin. Micro-surgical implantation of Kevlar nanofibers below the epidermis.

All SCP-8503-ᛒ instances sign a contract transferring their bodily rights to the Valravn Corporation. Every hardware implant is considered a leased property of the Valravn Corporation. SCP-8503-ᛒ are liable to be charged for any damage to the implanted hardware due to 'inadequate use'.

VII - Sparta

"My mom… she never went to mass. But she prayed every night. To God, to Lupita… to the Pale Lady." The Valkyrie remembered the nights with the television on, alternating between violent news and reruns of Rosario Tijeras; the shadow of her mother by the candlelight, kneeling in front of a makeshift altar. "It gave her comfort, but it wasn't my thing. I never managed to be religious. Even in the face of all this anomalous bullshit… what I mean is that even if there are powers out there beyond our comprehension, that doesn't mean we have to worship them. And yet… never mind."

"Let's skip the part where you pretend you're not dying to tell me," snarked Helga.

Astrith gave her the side eyes. "Remind me, how on earth did you manage to become a certified therapist? Anyways, when this fucking worm entered my brain I felt something. I mean, besides having a worm in my brain. It was energy flowing through me… as if I was connected to something bigger… it's hard to explain… but it felt like finally being part of the whole thing."

"Seems like a textbook 'transcendental experience' to me."

"Or maybe I just have a fucking worm parasitizing my brain." Astrith pointed to her head, her cybernetic hand mimicking a gun.

"You do have one. But it seems to be a symbiotic relationship rather than a parasitic one," pointed out Helga.

"Whatever the case, the 'transcendental' feeling went away when I got these prosthetics." She brought her new hand to her face, flexing her finger to examine the hydraulic joints of her bionic phalanges.

"The cybernetics must be draining all the Akiva energy. Do you miss that connection?"

"It was distracting. Also, it is nice to stand on my own again, and the HUD allows me to play Spotify directly into my auditory cortex." Astrith checked the HUD's digital clock. "Shit, we are late for training."

For the most part, the courtyard had been spared from the ominous cancer of concrete, steel, and wires that plagued the rest of the castle. Instead, the stone ruins decayed melancholically among the mist and melting snow. It was the place where Valkyries had honed their skills for centuries, and Valravn had kept to that tradition.

Astrith and Helga arrived to find the training session already started. It was full contact sparring. Wanda, armed with a longsword, barely managed to block the spear thrust to her head. She stumbled and her stance looked fragile; she was still getting used to her robotic legs. Her opponent showed no hesitation: her spear marked the rhythm of the battle and pressured Wanda without a quarter.

"She is having trouble," observed Helga. Wanda looked desperate, trying to parry the relentless spear thrusts.

"Sword against spear and shield is not a fair fight," replied Astrith.

Despite the disadvantage, Wanda held her ground. She had been trained well. However, the GOC Valkyrie played for defense, allowing the attacker to control the fight. With little chance to counterattack, eventually, her guard was destined to break. And it did break with a spear swipe to her legs. Wanda fell to the ground.

"Stand! We are not finished." The trainer was an imposing woman, tall and blonde. Her voice was deep and cruel. Biomechanical prostheses had replaced both her arms. It looked like she could easily rip apart an armored car.

Wanda grabbed her sword and stood firmly, only to be taken down by a blow with the shield to the stomach. "Warriors are forged by pain! I will beat you all the times necessary to purge the weakness out of your body!" The tall Valkyrie smiled sadistically, then got dead serious when she saw Astrith. "Wanda, I'll finish with you later."

Wanda picked up the sword and limped towards a bench. Her nose was bleeding. She directed a concerned look to Astrith, and for a brief moment, Astrith saw Clara's shattered face in Wanda's. She felt anger and adrenaline rush through her veins, but she quickly suppressed it. She could not afford to lose control.

The blonde Valkyrie was at least one head taller than Astrith. She was also more muscular, a hulking mass of roided flesh and steel. "I can't believe it. They let you in." She spit on Astrith's feet.

Astrith didn't react. "This is a disgrace," the tall woman continued, "This is shame, contamination. Disgusting. You are disgusting. I can't believe they would insult me like this!"

"By 'they' do you mean your bosses or your gods?" Astrith spoke as if she was talking to a petulant kid. "Because I did pass the trial, meaning your gods want me here. And your bosses complied…"

"I don't know what trickery you used, but you don't fool me. My gods hate you. You are blasphemy, an abomination in the eyes of the Allfather."

"And yet here I stand in front of you, blessed by the same gods, gifted with the same power. I get it; it must suck to have your fragile ego shattered by reality."

"You and I are not the same! I am a true warrior and a true biological woman! I descend from a pure, untainted Nordic warrior lineage; your race is an abortion of rape and degeneracy. You are incapable of building anything on your own; you can only steal and corrupt the work of your betters. Do you want to know why? It is in your blood, it is tainted. It is in your genetics, they are weaker." Her mouth contorted to a smug grin, proud of her own cruelty, "You are a bloody parody, a mockery of both warriorhood and womanhood!"

If Astrith felt something, she did not show it. "Biological woman? You are more machine than me." She looked directly at her enemy's eye. Then she cracked her fingers. "Are you finished? Or do you want to keep talking shit instead of dancing?"

"Go ahead, choose your weapon. But let it be clear this won't be sparring. I'll fucking kill you."

Astrith looked at the weapons rack. Her options were a single-handed sword, a mace, a hatchet, and a quite small shield. Of course only short-reach weapons, she thought. After some consideration, she walked away from the weapon rig and approached Wanda. "May I have your sword, princess?"

"Astrith, she means it."

"I know."

"Let's get out of here. We can talk to my father or Dr. Brandt."

"Wanda, I got this," winked Astrith with her non-bionic eye. "But I need your sword."

Wanda sighed and reluctantly handed her weapon. "Be careful, please."

The sword was all black steel, bearing a minimalistic tactical aesthetic. Astrith found it to her liking. She grabbed it with one hand and turned to face her would-be opponent.

"I am Lagertha, trainer of the Valkyrie's Shield-Maidens. I won't allow vermin like you to contaminate our sacred sisterhood. You are not worthy of this armor while I am awaited in Val—"

Her speech was interrupted by the sword's pommel hitting her forehead. Lagertha recoiled and tried to recover balance, but Astrith had not wasted time. She had already closed the distance and sucker-punched Lagertha in the face. Lagertha fell to the ground, dropping her weapons. Astrith was now atop the fallen Valkyrie, pummeling her face with bare fists.

Astrith felt Lagertha's face deforming under each punch. The Mexican Valkyrie was not acting out of a sense of vindication or even anger. Her violence was methodical, automated, and dissociative —born from the necessity to survive at all costs. Bullies. Bigots. Abusers. They were always cowards who never fought without securing an advantage. Lagertha was emboldened by her raw strength and convenient choice of weapon; she was also expecting to paralyze Astrith with psychological aggression. She did not count on Astrith having graduated from a more brutal and pragmatic school of violence.

"Astrith! That is enough!" Shouted Helga. Astrith stopped, her hands now dripping with blood and oil. The once proud Lagertha lay mangled and unrecognizable below her. Astrith had lost herself in the bloody canvas of her own creation; the fruit of violence filled her with neither pride nor anger; it merely fed the claustrophobic sensation of emptiness in her mind and body. She stepped away from Lagertha, still shaken and dissociated.

"Unorthodox, but effective," the cold voice of Olga Brandt brought Astrith back to reality. Puta madre, ya la cagué, she thought.

"She will survive," Brandt reassured her, inferring her concerns. She had kneeled next to the fallen Valkyrie to take her pulse. "I have told Lagertha multiple times to not talk during battle, but she refuses to listen. Better for her to receive this beating from a fellow sister and not an actual enemy. I hope she learns the lesson this time. If anything, the medical and repair bills charged to her next paycheck should make her reconsider."

"Wait… do we have to pay from our pocket if we get damaged or injured?" asked Astrith in disbelief.

"Naturally, that's in the contract you presumably read before signing." The Mother of Valkyries stood up and stepped away from Lagertha as if distancing herself from a pile of trash.

"Of course, I totally did that."

"Sure you did." Brandt then addressed Helga. "Dr. Thors, I'm afraid I haven't had the chance to properly introduce myself."

"Your reputation precedes you, Dr. Brandt."

"As yours do. I would appreciate it if we could talk in private later."

"It will be my pleasure," Helga replied, unsure.

"Excellent… Now I have an announcement to make. Wanda and Astrith…" Dr. Brandt extended her arms and smiled. "Congratulations! You both are showing satisfactory integration with Gen 3 implants. You can now call yourself Valkryies without any doubt. Welcome to the family. I'll be so proud of calling you daughters."

"Thanks…" Astrith could not help but feel unsettled by Brandt.

"It is an honor, Dr. Brandt," Wanda subtly bowed. She was genuinely proud and happy.

"Please feel free to call me Olga, my dear Wanda. And I have special news for you. We evaluated your profile; you will be the ideal candidate for the brand-new Gen 4 implants. Exciting, isn't it?"

"Me? But I'm just a rookie. Astrith is much more experienced than me."

"Not everything is about combat experience. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to prove themselves. And by everyone, we do mean everyone, regardless of experience, nationality, race, gender, sex… Astrith herself is an amazing success story in this regard, right?"

Astrith just nodded, smiled, and stared a thousand yards away.

Wanda nervously stroked her hair. "I… I'll need more time to think about it."

"By all means, take all the time you need. I want you to feel absolutely zero pressure about this matter. And regarding the contract you both signed, I want to clarify all that 'bodily rights transfer' stuff is just legal protocol." Brandt put her hand on Wanda's shoulder. "You will never be pressured to get an implant or upgrade you are not comfortable with."

"That is reassuring," the young Valkyrie still sounded unsure.

"However, I have spoken with Hersir Ahlberg and he is quite excited about the Gen 4 implants. And why wouldn't he? Imagine: the first GOC Valkyrie spearheading a new generation of true warriors, divine protectors of Eurtec."

"Is he? I'll talk to him… it is just too much pressure. I don't want to disappoint him… or you Dr. Bran— Olga."

Brandt took Wanda's hand. "It's a natural feeling, but worry not. With this new tech, you'll never have to worry about disappointment again."

Addendum: Valkyrie Model Generations

Through its history as the Valkyrie Model of the Valravn Corporation, SCP-8503-ᛒ's prosthetics have undergone several iterations, each incorporating cutting-edge paratechnological advancements of its time. Valravn historians divide SCP-8503-ᛒ development into four generations:

• 0th Generation: Also known as the 'archaic' or pre-Valravn era. During the time before the Corporation, Valborg Valkyries crafted their prostheses in an artisanal manner. After completing the SCP-8503-ᚸ ritual, a neophyte Valkyrie was mentored by an older peer. This mentoring started with crafting the prostheses, which was fundamentally the mentor's responsibility, for many Valkyrie recruits would be impaired in some capacity preventing them from crafting their prostheses. However, they were meant to observe and learn from their mentor with the understanding they would eventually do the same for a mentee of their own. There were several schools, each with its own traditions and preferred methods: some preferred working with hardened wood, while others favored metallurgy, primarily using bronze and steel. The most pragmatic schools emphasized practicality, martial efficiency, and simplicity in design, while others dared to experiment with exotic functionalities such as hidden blades and darts. There were even schools that prioritized the perfection of craftsmanship over practical concerns, creating genuine works of art. For 0th Generation Valkyries, prostheses were not only functional: they held spiritual and social significance. A prosthesis was a gift from the gods, a treasure for the clan, and a fundamental expression of each Valkyrie's identity.

• 1st Generation: The Treaty of Myr gave the Valravn Corporation total control over Lake Mímisbrunnr and SCP-8503-ᛚ. Lord Alexander Brandt the Third, occult industrialist and major shareholder oversaw the training of the first generation of Valravn Valkyries. Brandt, known as an admirer of the Cogwork Orthodox Church, presumably acquired and studied Cogwork augmentations and used them as the base for his prosthetic clockwork designs. This was the first Valkyrie generation to obtain mass-produced mechanical prostheses as opposed to the traditionally handcrafted ones. The combat viability of these new prostheses was tested in the anomalous front of the Second Boer War, where the Valkyries conducted several successful anti-guerrilla operations.

• 2nd Generation: By WW1, clockwork prostheses showed signs of obsolescence in the face of rapid technological progress. During the interwar period, Valravn invested heavily in modernizing its Valkyrie regiments and incorporating diesel-based technology into the standard prosthetics. Second-generation Valkyries are believed to have first been tested during the Spanish Civil War against communist and anarchist targets in Revolutionary Catalonia. Valravn has not confirmed these rumors nor any association with the Francoist regime or the Special Security Commissariat. During WW2 Valravn fought on the side of the Allied Occult Initiative and Valkyries were deployed in covert missions principally on the Western Front. However, Valkyries were not included in the Valravn expedition that broke Obskurakorps' siege of Valborg.

• 3rd Generation: During the Cold War, advancements in computation and cybernetics grew exponentially. The newly rebranded Valravn Corporation studied Maxwellist principles of network communication and sensory enhancement to develop the new generation of Valkyries. Electronic prostheses were first developed in collaboration with Prometheus Labs while the first experimental neural implants were provided by Raptor Tech Industries. The Corporation claims all research for Gen 3 was done with the utmost paraethical standards and that any rumors about experiments performed on unwilling civilians are completely unfounded. While it is known that the US Government hired Valravn services for covert operations during the Cold War, the extent of Valkyrie deployment is unclear, since most details remain classified under the purview of PENTAGRAM and the CPIA.

• 4th Generation: Details on the coming new generation are still undisclosed. According to a Valravn spokesperson during the 2023 Eurtec Showcase, "It will introduce groundbreaking innovations in neural implants and interfacing to enhance combat neuropsychological responses." Reports that recovered Robotic Republic technology may be playing a role in the development of Gen 4 remain unconfirmed.

VIII - Querétaro

"Can you believe this? 40% of my pay will be on "Raven Tokens" only spendable in authorized company stores and venues… this is a fucking tienda de raya!"

"You load 16 tons, what do you get?" Sang Helga as she tinkered with the implant in the back of Astrith's head.

"Oh, don't fuck with me!" Astrith snorted annoyed, "Is this going to take much longer?"

"Almost there…" Helga kept whistling to the tune of the famous folk protest song. She was enjoying her time. "I can't help but notice," observed the psychologist, "you seem more concerned about your pay rather than the fact that Valravn now claims total ownership of your body parts, both biological and synthetic."

"I guess that's sucks too."

"You never felt too much ownership over your body in the first place, did you?"

"Do you need a PhD in Psychology to guess that?" Astrith's face briefly contorted into a grimace of pain. "Ouch! Be more careful!"

"Bingo! It's done! The Jailbreaker is ready." Helga took great pride in her improvised circuitry work.

"So this will disable the bomb in my brain, right?"

"Yes, the IPP module. As well as any tracking device they had embedded in you. Now we can get the fuck out of this place."

"And that will be when?" Astrith twitched her neck and smiled.

"When we get what we came for," replied Helga matter-of-factly.

"A sample of those lindworms," Astrith recalled. "And how are we supposed to get those? I've seen it, that lake is a fucking fortress."

"We are getting help. We have someone on the inside."

"And can we trust them?"

"We have to," said Helga.

Moonlight reflected eerily over the shieldmaiden's marble. The instruction was to meet at the feet of the Hrafnsmál statue. Astrith fidgeted with her hair, watching nervously the hall entrances. She mentally prepared herself to hear the alarms at any moment — to face an endless wave of guards and assault troops, not to mention the other Valkyries. It wasn't a battle she expected to win, but she still planned to make them pay dearly. That is, assuming Helga's jailbreak worked correctly. Otherwise, the red tint of her brain matter would make a striking contrast against the grayish tone of the statue.

Noticing Astrith's concern, Helga placed a hand on her metallic shoulder. "We'll be fine. We didn't come that far just to di—"

Helga's words of encouragement were interrupted by the arrival of a figure in white robes. His cybernetic eye emitted a faint reddish glow in the darkness of night, illuminating a braided beard. "Seidr Wells," murmured Astrith to Helga, "I was not expecting him to be the mole."

"You are right about something, Valkyrie," spoke the Seidr, "I am no mole; merely a facilitator."

"I was expecting Thane Hellström to be with us this night," commented Helga.

"His heart is in the right place. But with his hot-headedness, he was not suited for this mission."

"Then who is the source?" asked Astrith, "Do they intend to honor us with their presence?"

"I think she has been here watching you for quite long," replied the techno-druid.

Suddenly, a previously hidden presence revealed itself to Astrith, along with a knife pressed against her throat. A sharp voice whispered, "You still have much to learn, sister." As abruptly as it had appeared, the presence vanished, and Astrith felt the blade's pressure lifted from her neck.

Astrith turned around looking for her would-be attacker. What she saw was a vision from a bygone era: an iron mask covered the warrior woman's eyes. She wielded a dagger in each hand, and her right arm, forged in iron, was of an archaic craftsmanship that sharply contrasted with the advanced technology embedded in Astrith's body. Astrith thought she recognized her as one of the Valkyries she had seen through the mist, among the Queen's procession.

"Hey! What the hell was that?" shouted Astrith.

"You Ravens feel too safe in your armored bodies. Don't forget every armor has a weak spot."

"Astrith, be quiet!" Reprimanded Helga.

"It should be ok, I already cast a ward to ensure our privacy," calmly said Seidr Wells.

But Astrith was not listening to either Helga or the Seidr. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She asked the old Valkyrie.

"Name's Hildr, Captain-Bishop of the Meykongr's Guard."

"Hildr has been helping us for a long time, leaking valuable info," Wells explained to Astrith, "Including that you were going to be the next candidate. We can trust her."

"I see," Astrith kept looking defiantly at Hildr.

"I did not mean to offend you, daughter of Loki." Hildr pointed to her own neck with her dagger. "But the articulation in your neck is your big weak spot. Be mindful of that." She sheathed her daggers and then extended her hand.

Astrith hesitated briefly, then took a deep breath and shook Hildr's hand. "Daughter of Loki?"

"Yes, you too have crossed the bridge between Ask and Embla. Don't be ashamed of that sister, for it is a sacred path either way."

"Would you still call me sister, despite me being a Raven?"

"Everyone who has endured the lindworm's utiseta is a sister. We all are sisters on the path to becoming a True Warrior."

Astrith crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "True Warrior? What is that supposed to mean?"

"A True Warrior fights the War Within, a war that can't be fought with a sword."

"I don't think I'm following."

"The war to be true to oneself. The war to be free. Even if the Valravn owns your body, they don't own your soul. Don't forget it, sister."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Captain Hildr," Helga joined the conversation, "it is my understanding you are here to negotiate on the Queen's behalf."

"Your understanding is correct. Meykongr Rangrid has sent me as an extension and enforcer of her will."

"The old Valkyries and the Foundation share a common enemy in Valravn," Helga extended her hand to Hildr, "if we work together we can undermine their power."

The old Valkyrie didn't reciprocate the gesture, "Sharing an enemy does not make us friends. Still, the Meykongr is willing to hear your request."

"We need a sample of Mímisbrunnr's water. We will use it to better understand and oppose the Raven's armies. Can you help us?"

"We can… on one condition. Valborg's days of glory are gone for good, but Meykongr Rangrid believes it is time for a new beginning. The lindworm can thrive if given the right conditions, and so can a new kingdom. Can we trust your Foundation to safeguard the future of the Valkyrkind?"

"You can. You have my word," Helga assured her.

"And what is the real weight of your word, Helga Thors? We have already paid the price for trusting outsiders."

"I'm not a warrior like you and Astrith. But I'm a scholar and I understand the plight of your people."

"Is that so?" Hildr crossed her arms, "Then please enlighten me, scholar."

"Your culture co-evolved with and around the lindworms. The waters of Mímisbrunnr are sacred to you, but not to Valravn. The Raven makes you fight their battles without honor and humanity because they see you not as warriors but as weapons. That is not the Foundation's way… we understand that your real war is the War Within, so we won't get in your path." Helga extended her hand a second time.

Hildr remained silent for a few moments before finally shaking the doctor's hand. "You speak eloquently, at least. As there are not many options for us, we shall trust you with the lindworm. Normally, I wouldn't be able to approach the Lake. But with all of you here getting all the attention, I now have an opening," the Valkyrie smiled for the first time in the night, "I guess I must thank you, Helga Thors, for you are giving my talents a chance to shine once again in the service of the Meykongr."

"Meykongr," Although she didn't understand it, the word felt powerful and captivating to Astrith, "Why do you call the Queen like that?"

"For many such as the Servants, the Order, and the Ravens, she is known as the Dróttning or Queen, which is not incorrect. But to us, she is also the Meykongr, the Maiden-King, for no man will ever be above her. Or above us. Remember, between Ask and Embla, there is not only a bridge to be crossed but also a wall to be torn. Either action is sacred to us."

"Meykongr… Maiden-King…" repeated Astrith with fascination.

"I've got to go now. Dr. Thors, Seidr Wells… Sister Astrith, we'll meet again in two nights. And I'll bring you the lindworm." And as subtly as she had arrived, Captain Hildr vanished again into the night's shadow.

Later that night, Astrith could not sleep. "You lied to her," she recalled confronting Helga once Hildr was gone. "The Foundation won't agree to build a new Valkyrie Kingdom."

"We need to study the lindworm. Understand it better before making any decisions," that was the researcher's only reply.

"Mierda," murmured Astrith as she stood up. She opened the bedroom window and jumped. She was getting used to her new agility, running and climbing through the old fortress rooftops with ease was liberating. Since she was a child, she had dreamed of freedom. Freedom from the cartels, from police, from society, from men… And now, as she darted like a breeze between the battlements, she felt for a brief moment the taste of that freedom.

Another figure emerged from the shadows, leaping between the stones. Someone else had joined the race. Strangely, Astrith didn't feel threatened; instead, she felt a quiet sense of camaraderie, a mutual understanding that it was a friendly race. And so, the game began, climbing the ruins under the moonlight until they reached the top of the highest tower. Astrith wouldn't quite remember who won the race. Not that it mattered.

"Trouble sleeping?" asked Wanda.

"Same as you."

"The way you stood up to Lagertha…"

"Sorry if I frightened you, princess."

"On the contrary, she had it coming," the princess gifted her a knowing smile, "And you reminded me of someone… someone very dear to me…" Wanda sighed and looked at the horizon. The Scandes mountain range surrounding the castle was a beautiful and imposing sight.

"You too remind me of someone…" Astrith enjoyed the sight of the landscape, yet she lowered her gaze, "Wanda, I'm sorry about how I treated you when we first met."

"You were trying to warn a kid signing up for a war she didn't understand. I appreciate the gesture, but make no mistake, I'm not a kid and I know what I'm doing."

"I know, it is just that… I never felt like I had much chance to become anything besides… a killer. I thought perhaps it should be different for you."

"It's funny. I always dreamed of being able to go anywhere. To fly without a direction until I found the edge of the world. Just like a bird, a tiny one. Now I have a body that can do that, but I'm bound to my duty." The little bird looked at the mountains with awe and resignation.

"The chains were never in your body, were they?"

"Tomorrow morning, I'll be getting the Gen 4 upgrade." Wanda lowered her voice, "Astrith, I'm scared."

"Then don't do it. You are the GOC's princess. You can do whatever you want; just tell your dad."

"You don't get it. It is for him that I'm doing all of this. I need to be a warrior, and Olga says the new Gen 4 enhancements will make me a true one."

"I don't understand what's up with you people and all that warrior nonsense."

"Of course you wouldn't."

"Then help me."

"I was not meant to be here. If it is not obvious, I was not the Order's first choice to be their Valkyrie. Hanna, my sister… my blood sister… she was strong and fearless, the model GOC soldier and a true warrior. The Chaos Insurgency attacked the training camp a year ago. She died protecting me."

"Wanda… I'm sorry…"

"She was my model, my confidant… my best friend. Her absence pains me more than any phantom limb and… I feel so lost without her. But my father… he was… still is so devastated." Then, for the first time, Astrith heard her speak in anger, "It should have been me."

"Don't say that…"

"I'm not like her. I'm not a warrior. I may never be one on my own. That's why I can't back off now." She crossed her arms and looked down, "Father says it was Fate and pretends to be at peace with it. But I know him: he swallows his suffering and locks it deep inside. I just want him to make him feel good… to make him proud again."

"It was not your fault." Astrith tried to touch Wanda's shoulder, but the GOC Valkyrie rejected the gesture.

"She told me that herself, during the utiseta… even in death she still lies to make me feel better. The fact remains that if I were stronger, she would still be alive. And stronger I will get."

"I have a bad feeling about this, Wanda. I don't trust Brandt. She is not telling us the whole truth."

"I have a duty. To the GOC. To the Order of the Æsir. To Eurtec and the Nornir. To the future of humankind." Wanda clenched her fist. "But most importantly, to my family: my sister and my father. I won't let them down."

"You are not your father's science experiment!" The Mexican Valkyrie shouted. "If he wants it so bad, he can volunteer to be cut open by Brandt himself!"

"Astrith, please stop."

Astrith sighed. "Just take care. I wish you the best of luck."

"I don't need luck, I need someone to lean on."

"Then… I'll be there for you."

Back in her bedroom, Astrith remembered a protection prayer from her childhood nights. And even though she couldn't recall if she heard it from her mother or their old TV, for the first time in forever, she prayed. And praying, she fell asleep as the sun rose.

Si ojos tienen, que no me vean;
si manos tienen, que no me agarren;
no permitas que me sorprendan por la espalda;
no permitas que mi muerte sea violenta;
no permitas que mi sangre se derrame;
Tú que todo lo conoces,
sabes de mis pecados,
pero también sabes de mi fe,
no me desampares,
Amén.

Audio Log

> RECORDING STARTED <
﹫﹫ ﹫﹫

Speaker identification completed..
Seidr Wells, Servant of the Silicon Nornir
Hersir Ahlberg, Commander of the Universalist Order of the Æsir

Wells

This has gone too far! You are putting too much pressure on Wanda. You got what you wanted; time to pack and go home.

Ahlberg

Funny. You are the last person who should be lecturing me about "going too far."

Wells

This won't bring back Hanna.

Ahlberg

We could have stopped the CI miles before they even reached the camp. But you told me that she would only get injured; that her injury would open the path to a glorious purpose. So had spoken the Nornir, at least according to you.

Wells

Oswald, I will never forgive myself for that error. I could never make up to the Nornir I failed to interpret. Nor can I make up to you, nor Hanna. But by the Gods, listen to me: Wanda needs you.

Ahlberg

And Eurtec needs Wanda. I have a burning city riddled with crime. The Cartels run rampant and the Russians are knocking on our gates. It is the sacred duty of the Order… of Clan Ahlberg to protect this city. The city that houses the Nornir you claim to serve. The city that is our only hope against the coming Ragnarok. Our only ark amidst the coming Flood… This city desperately needs hope. And hope we will deliver.

Wells

There is another way, Oswald. We can get the lindworms…

Ahlberg

By the Gods, Allen! Do you think I give a shit about the lindworms? Unaugmented Valkyries were obsolete by the time of pike and shot formations! And we are not running short of thaumaturgical energy sources. What we need is Valravn's technology: the key to turning anyone into a true warrior! That is the only way to secure a future for mankind! We can have an army worthy of Ragnarok!

Wells

The price is too high… the sacrifice is not worth it!

Ahlberg

What do you know about sacrifice? I have given up everything to keep our city safe. I would have given my life! I would have given my blood, my flesh… my whole body! But Fate decided to ask for my daughters! Do you think I'll ever be able to sleep at night? Or even face myself in the mirror? And yet, I'll do it again one thousand times if it means giving humanity a fighting chance.

IX - Jomsborg

The delicate chords of Gymnopédie 1 quietly resonated through the sound system. This time, it was the old man's face that captured Helga's fascination. It was an expression of both Ecstasy and Agony as he devoured the head of his own bloodline. Olga Brandt smiled.

"I see you are a fellow Goya's admirer. Is E-4 still salty that I beat her that time at the auction?"

"She doesn't strike me as a sore loser," answered Helga.

"Good," Olga handed a box to Helga. It was a pack of cigars. "Smuggled directly from La Habana. A gift for E-4 as a token of good faith. Feel free to run any test needed, but I assure you they are neither cursed nor poisoned."

Helga accepted the pack of cigars. "I'll let her know. Is this why you wanted to see me?"

"Only partially," Olga leaned back in her chair, "I wanted to congratulate you on your thesis. A masterful contribution to the field of military psychology. You have earned your spot in the Ethics Committee."

"Thanks, Dr. Brandt."

"Shame that Commander Gotz had to die for it." Brandt gave a sardonic smirk. "That's what the Foundation always does. It will extract everything it can from you, and then it will crush you and bury your corpse in bureaucracy. We aim to be different. Here, you could thrive. You have everything we are looking for in a member of the Corporation. You are ambitious. You can lie with a straight face. Trust me; you'll shine as a Raven. Once you finally get tired of the Foundation's hypocrisy, I will be delighted to welcome you into our ranks."

Helga stood up, "I think we are done here…"

Brandt's office suddenly turned red. The Gymnopédie was cut down by the screams of blasting sirens. Brandt's phone vibrated, and she grabbed it to read the incoming message.

"How unfortunate…" Her face remained expressionless as she spoke. "The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen."

Addendum: Incident 434

On February 3rd, 2024, an unknown assailant entered the sleeping chambers of Queen Rangrid of Valborg. The Queen was killed in her sleep. Valravn's security forces apprehended Seidr Allen Wells in possession of the suspected murder weapon. Rangrid was reportedly injected with a potent neurotoxin that targeted Valkyrie-enhanced biology and healing factor. To prevent further contamination and protect Valborg's Valkryie population, Valravn's Health Services rapidly incinerated the body. After investigating his personal belongings, evidence was found linking Seidr Wells with Chaos Insurgency and Serpent's Hand radical cells. Seidr Wells was charged with espionage, treason, and regicide.

X - Northumbria

Seidr Wells laid bound at the foot of the Hrafnsmál statue. His remaining eye was blacked, an unfortunate consequence of resisting the arrest, according to Valravn's security. Standing beside the beaten techno-druid, Olga Brandt spoke to the public.

"Sedir Wells, who was invited in good faith to Valborg, lies here accused of the worst of crimes. Queen Rangrid treated him with the highest honors and the utmost trust. How has he repaid her? By sneaking into her chambers, like a thief in the night, to gift her to the cruelest of fates: a rot that devoured her body from the very insides. People of Valborg! Valkyries and Ravens! We shall not let this treason go without exemplar punishment!"

The crowd cheered at Brandt's speech. Satisfied, the Mother of Valkyries spoke now directly to Hersir Ahlberg. "By the ancient laws binding together all of us, followers of the Old Faith, Valravn reclaims this wretch of a man to deal justice. The crime was done on our soil and against one we protected. Does the GOC oppose our demand?"

Seidr Wells directed a pleading look to the Hersir. "Oswald, please," the old man murmured. The Hersir didn't even bother to look at his former friend.

"Do as the Elden Law commands. Neither the Order of the Æsir nor the GOC shall oppose if justice is dealt to a traitor… and a hypocrite."

"Hersir Ahlberg has spoken," Olga said, contemptuously looking at Wells, "Seidr Wells, faced with the overwhelming evidence against your person, I hereby condemn you to death." Olga flashed a sadistic smile. "Blood Eagle."

A sudden silence took hold of the hall. Astrith felt a chill run down her spine. She looked at Helga, hoping for some clue about what to do, but found only an expression of shock on her face.

"I won't stand for this farce!" Shouted a powerful voice in the crowd. It was Thane Hellström, his face livid with rage and disbelief.

"Save your rage, Einar! I will need it soon." Wells managed to stand up with difficulty. "If you insist on invoking ancient law, Olga Brandt, then I shall do the same: I demand a trial by combat!"

"So be it," answered an amused Brandt. "Who will be your champion?"

"I'll fight for the Seidr!" Proclaimed the Thane.

"Then I shall declare my champions," she was enjoying herself, "Astrith! Wanda! Our new Valkyiries shall fight for the honor of Valborg!"

This time, it was Helga looking at Astrith with concern. However, the Valkyrie didn't meet her eyes. Astrith just took a deep breath and walked towards the would-be arena. Protesting or refusing would only make her and Helga look suspicious. She had no choice but to play Brandt's game.

Every step felt heavy. She was not afraid of Hellström, but she was afraid of… something. She noticed that Wanda had stepped up as well. Astrith felt relief; she hadn't seen Wanda since her Gen 4 procedure. However, when meeting Wanda's gaze, her blood froze. Wanda Ahlberg's eyes were emotionless, almost dead. Something was wrong.

"Two against one? Are you so afraid of me, Dr. Brandt? Feel free to send three if it serves you," boasted Hellström.

"As it is customary, the trial by combat shall be between equal opposing forces. Due to the severity of Wells' crime, I won't accept only one champion as his defense. Who else desires to stand up for this murderer?"

The ensuing silence was broken by a lone voice coming from above. "I'll do it." Hildr had been there the whole time, sitting on the shoulder of the statue, resting her head against the stone raven's claw. She jumped swiftly, landing in front of Astrith.

"Captain Hildr," Brandt spoke with disdain, "Why would you stand up for your Queen's murderer?"

"I'm not." The Capitan answered matter-of-factly to the so-called Mother of Valkyries.

Brandt smirked and took a seat. "If you say so. The trial shall start, then." She was eager for the spectacle.

Everyone but the combatants retreated, leaving the hall's floor free for their dance. Hildr's blades were facing Astrith, while Hellström was preparing his battle-axe to wield against Wanda.

"It brings me no joy to spill your blood, kid," lamented the Thane. "But I can't stand this madness anymore, and you have decided to side with injustice."

Wanda's answer was to draw her blade. "So be it!" Shouted Hellström while swinging his axe at her. Wanda evaded it at the last moment. Her demeanor was completely changed from her last sparring. Gone was any hesitation and doubt; she now moved with deathly precision.

Meanwhile, Astrith had just narrowly avoided a cut from her opponent's dagger. "Hildr! What the fuck are you doing?" Muttered Astrith.

"I'll kill you at the first opportunity," calmly replied Hildr.

"You are crazy!" Astrith drew her sword. She had no option but to fight her.

Hildr had had centuries to perfect her technique, but Astrith's cybernetic body was a powerhouse of raw strength and speed. The Captain had to act quickly, capitalizing on her opponent's inexperience. Moving gracefully, like a leaf in the wind — like a dancer on stage — she sought the necessary opening. With a sudden whip-like strike, she deflected Astrith's sword, leaving her guard exposed. And her attack would have succeeded, slashing Astrith's neck cleanly, had Astrith not been expecting it, remembering their previous encounter. She caught Hildr's prosthetic arm at the last moment, twisting it violently into a lock. The sound of metal cracking echoed as the pieces of Hildr's invaluable prosthetic arm scattered through the air. Unfazed, Hildr attempted to strike Astrith with her other dagger, but the blade merely glanced off Astrith's reinforced chassis.

"You learn fast," said Hildr with genuine pride.

Thane Hellström was tired of games. He committed everything to a final blow. Thaumaturgical servomotors powered his armor; when using his whole power, his axe would deliver an explosive blow at an unavoidable speed. As his axe was about to contact Wanda's body, he knew the battle was over. Then, he felt utter shock: his swing was stopped. He could have destroyed a tank with his axe, and yet his enemy stood still. Wanda had blocked his attack with one arm, deploying a small titanium shield at the last moment. Einar saw, in slow motion, the shattered pieces of the shield falling to the ground. Despite being broken, it had served its purpose to protect Wanda while she closed the distance. The Thane fell on his knees with Wanda's sword lodged in his abdomen. The Valkyrie withdrew her sword and, after a swift unceremonious motion, the Thane's head rolled across the floor.

Astrith had witnessed the execution, looking at Wanda in disbelief.

"May I remind you your fight is with me," said Hildr.

"It's over, Hildr! Yield now!"

"Please forgive her, she is still new." Said Brandt in an embarrassed tone. "This is a trial by combat, Astrith. The fight is to the death."

"Come Astrith; give me a warrior's death."

"Why did you have to do this?" Astrith sighed.

"Remember, they may own your body but never your soul," Hildr kneeled to await her fate, "Become a true warrior, sister."

As Astrith plunged her sword into Hildr, she felt the old Valkyrie's embrace and one last whisper in her ear. "You'll find it clenched in the Raven's claw. Bring it to the procession. See you in Valhalla." And then, Hildr was no more.

"The gods had cast their judgment." Sentenced Brandt with satisfaction.

Valravn soldiers had brought an infernal-looking contraption into the hall. A pleading, pitiful, Wells was dragged and strapped to the cold, unyielding eagle-shaped frame. His limbs were forced into painful positions as the soldiers secured him with iron chains. As the machine's engine came to life, he looked like prey trapped by the eagle's talons, a pathetic and impotent offering to the Rules of Nature. His screams echoed throughout the ancient castle as mechanical claws sank into his flesh, gripping his ribs – which cracked under the immense pressure. It was that wet, visceral crack of bones that put an ending to his howling as his chest shattered to reveal his hanging lungs. The crowd cheered one last time; the macabre eagle now extended its bloody wings in all of their brutal glory.

Ahlberg had observed the gory spectacle without showing any emotion. He then walked to Wanda and embraced his daughter. "I'm so proud of you, little bird. Hanna would have been so proud of you." Wanda did not react. The little bird was gone. Only the blood eagle remained.

Addendum – Elegy for a Dead Queen

"The loss of Queen Rangrid remains a tragedy beyond measure. Her courage was as inspiring as her wisdom was invaluable. She was truly a mother to all Valkyries. And yet, this is not the time for mourning but for action. As the stalwart of Valborg, the Valravn Corporation won't allow her martyrdom to be in vain nor her legacy to be lost. As swiftly as we have dealt justice to her murderer, we will ensure that honoring the Elden Law, a new Queen is elected to lead the Valkyiries into the coming era.

It is time for Valkyrkind to reclaim its rightful place as keeper of Order and Progress!
May the Sacred Alliance between the Valkyrie and the Raven strike terror in the hearts of those who dare opposing Freedom!
Today a new age starts! A new age for global security! A new age for Valborg! A new age for Eurtec! And a new age for Valravn!"

– Olga Brandt, Lead Researcher of Station 63.

XI - Guernica

Wanda sat expressionless, connected to a myriad of tubes of unfathomable purpose. Astrith looked at the scene in utter horror. She had snuck into Brandt's laboratory looking for a friend. Instead, she had found nothing but a husk.

"Wanda… Wanda, it's me! What have they done to you?" But Wanda just looked at Astrith with an empty expression.

"I gave her what she asked for." Astrith froze. Despite her sensory augmentation, she hadn't detected Brandt entering the laboratory. The Mother of Valkyries continued her explanation, "She wanted to be a warrior, so I turned her into one. I won't bore you with the technical details, but we have removed everything that was not essential to combat. Fear. Doubt. Guilt. Pain. Love. All gone. A single thing – a single purpose – remains. War. Brutal and efficient, she is now a true warrior."

"You sick fuck!" Astrith tried to lunge at Brandt's neck, but she felt her body paralyzed. Her whole nervous system shot off at the mere thought of hurting Brandt.

Olga smiled. "Oh my dear, I wouldn't be raising crows without making sure they can't peck my eyes out." She picked up a box of sophisticated tools and walked behind Astrith. Opening the implant at the base of her neck, she began to work.

"Stop! Don't… don't touch me!" Shouted Astrith.

"My dear," Olga caressed her hair in a way that made Astrith's stomach turn. "I'm only giving you what you want."

"No, please. Stop! I don't want this!"

"You do. Don't fight it."

Her nervous system was at the mercy of Brandt's whims. It was a new, unique kind of helplessness. The immobile Valkyrie shed tears impotently. "What are you doing to me?"

"Disabling the remote bomb in your brain, my dear."

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you think Helga could do it? The GPS tracking system is easier to disable, I admit, but our IPP module is state-of-the-art… what a joke we would be if anyone could steal our property so easily."

"What? Why?"

"Isn't this what you wanted? I trust you're smart enough to make the right decision, even without the threat of a bomb in your brain."

Astrith closed her eyes in a futile attempt to contain her tears. She couldn't make sense of anything. "Why am I still me? Why didn't you make me the same as Wanda?"

"Let's be honest, do you think Wanda would have survived for long the way she was? She would have died… quickly. The lindworm ritual is not discriminating enough for our applications. Just because someone passes, it doesn't mean they deserve the millions-worth investment that this new body is. We had to screen out tons of potential candidates who were just not cut out for this. Now, everyone can be worthy."

"You are insane!" Through her implant, Astrith could feel every movement of Brandt's tools as if they were working directly on her flesh. Screws tightened, connections severed, voltage fluctuations… microscopic mutilations whose electric echoes built up until they became thunder, a storm rumbling in the deepest recesses of her soul.

"You, on the other hand, showed a lot of promise the way you are. Turning you into a mindless drone would've been a waste of your talents."

"Fuck you!"

"Could you believe that some of the suits up there wanted to turn all of you people into automatons? I had to fight tooth and nail to preserve your humanity," Olga applied more pressure with the device, and Astrith felt her whole being burning. "Show your mother some gratitude, little rascal."

"What do you want from me?"

"From you? Nothing that I could not find elsewhere, dear. Instead, I want to offer you something: an opportunity. Have you ever heard of the Mamluks? They started as enslaved mercenaries, but they climbed up to become Sultans. My point is that, if you play your cards correctly, submission to authority can be the path to true power. But you already knew that, didn't you? You wouldn't have joined the police, let alone the Mexican one, otherwise."

"I'll never be your slave."

"Make no mistake, dear, we own you. You are already my property." Olga stroked Astrith's cheek as she spoke those last words. Then she bursted out in anger, "Ungrateful, useless girl! Do you think running to the Foundation would be any better? The only thing they have for you is a cage! I'm offering a ladder." Brandt violently closed Astrith's implant, sending one last wave of electrical punishment through her nervous system. "Done, you are free now."

Motion slowly returned to Astrith's body, but the disgust still paralyzed her. She felt unworthy and gross. Despite this, the Valkyrie managed to step up, defeated but defiant. "I'll keep playing your game if I must." It was taking all her willpower not to vomit and break into tears. "But I'll never forgive what you did to Wanda."

"I couldn't care less. But before you try anything stupid keep this in mind: DIE-TOTENINSEL-REPLIKA-BETRIEBSYSTEM"

"What?"

"The password for Dr. Thors' encrypted laptop."

Audio Log

> RECORDING STARTED <
﹫﹫ ﹫﹫

Speaker identification completed..
Wanda Ahlberg
Olga Brandt, Mother of Valkyries

Wanda

Thanks for believing in me, Dr. Brandt. I mean, Olga.

Brandt

My dear, I should be the one thanking you for being so brave. Your father will be so proud. The whole of Eurtec will be so proud of you. We are almost ready to begin your update.

Wanda

I don't want to lie to you, Olga. I'm not brave, this process terrifies me. But I want to be strong. I want to protect my city. I want to protect my father. I want to protect my sis— Astrith… I want to fight alongside her and not be a burden.

Brandt

You understand it, Wanda. You understand what it means to be a Valkyrie. A true warrior. Be proud of yourself, kiddo. Only a selected few manage to grasp it. (Sighs) You know? Astrith pretends to be a tough girl, but she really needs someone to lean on.

Wanda

And I'll be there for her.

XII - Tlaxcala

When Helga arrived at her room later that night, she found Astrith sitting on the bed. She had Helga's laptop on her lap.

"Astrith, what… what are you doing? We need to get the fuck out of here."

Astrith did not look back at Helga. She kept her eyes fixed on the computer. "Quite an interesting thesis you wrote. Now everything makes sense. I always wondered how that bastard disappeared without a trace…"

"I don't understand."

Astrith read: "Case Study 036: Commander Eugenio Salamanca Ortiz from the Mexican Preventive Paranormal Police." Upon saying that name out loud, Astrith felt her blood boil. The only name she hated more than the one on her birth certificate. "Were you ever planning to tell me that you wrote your whole PhD dissertation on Clara's killer?

"Astrith…"

"You helped him get a new beginning at the Foundation. He became one of your best elements. The bastard even got to die peacefully in his bed, admired by his peers and surrounded by loved ones."

"I swear I didn't know."

"That Salamanca killed Clara? Perhaps. But you knew he was a psycho with a history of murder and violence. And you helped him get away with all of it." There was no justice for her. And there will never be! Not in this godforsaken country. Astrith clicked to close Helga's thesis and opened the next document. "GGCD Report 068 – CALMECAC Operations in Juarez… do you have anything to say about it?"

Helga did remain silent, frozen.

Astrith's gaze got lost a moment in the photos from the report — mutilated bodies, wasted lives. She recognized her past self in one of the pictures, bleeding to death on the warehouse's floor. José Tamayo López. Sex: Male. Diagnosis: Loss of right limbs and left eye. Prognosis: Expected to survive. She closed the file. "Valravn did play a role, but the order came from the Foundation, didn't it? Me, all the men and women in the squad, we were nothing but pawns to be sacrificed in your power play."

Helga's face was livid. "Astrith, I can explain…"

"There is nothing left to explain. Everything is here in the briefing." Astrith gestured to the laptop. "Well, maybe you didn't read it. But you did read the Jailbreaker manual, right? You know, the shit you inserted in my brain." Astrith touched the implant in the back of her head. She felt dirty and empty. "Brandt forced herself on me… but you… I trusted you."

Astrith wanted to cry, but she could not allow herself to do so. Not now, not like this. "The Foundation couldn't find a way to override the IPP module. But you did find a way to save the lindworm from being fried. That's what you were counting on the whole time. Hildr's lake heist may or may not have succeeded, but you were getting your worm either way."

It took a lot, but Helga buried any guilt she may have felt. She was not going to be shamed by an anomaly. Dr. Thors looked defiantly at the Valkyries' eye. "It was a hard call, Astrith. But sacrifices have to be made for…"

"The greater good? Normalcy? Justice? Save that crap. I'm not even mad at you, just disappointed. Everyone will say the same bullshit excuse: 'Oh, I'm not a piece of shit. I had no other choice, it was the only way.' Fuck that! I could tell you the same, that I had no other choice but to become what I am. But you know… I did have an option, even if that option was to die!" A heavy crack echoed through the room. Without realizing it, Astrith had snapped the laptop in half.

The Valkyrie sighed and let the laptop pieces fall to the floor. Then she buried her head in her hands. Astrith had never felt so tired.

"My first kill. He was just a kid. They gave him a gun and sent him to the slaughter. Did that give me the right to put a bullet between his eyes? Or should I be the one buried in the desert?" Astrith walked toward Helga. "What is your professional opinion, Dr. Thors?"

"Astrith, let's calm down and…"

"Let's stop the games. You knew I didn't join the police to get justice or even vengeance. I did it because I thought 'Well, if there is no end in sight for this violence, then I'd better be the one holding the gun.' And I did terrible things with that gun. Nobody forced me to do that, and I'll live with my choices… But that is what you liked about me, right? That I am a 'Useful Monster', just like Salamanca. In that regard, you may be correct." The Valkyrie stood before Helga, about to strike her with the sharpest of blades: words. "I may be a monster, Helga, but unlike you, I'm not in denial about it."

Helga did feel the cut deep in her ego. Yet, she held her head high, "So now what, Astrith? Are you on the side of the Ravens?"

"'I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side…'" quoted the Valkyrie. "Now give me one reason, Helga…"

"What?"

"Brandt removed the bomb. Give me one reason I should go with you."

"Why? Are… are you sure?"

"She has no motive to lie. Now give me a reason."

"We can protect you…"

"By locking me inside a containment cell? Or by dissecting my brain to extract the worm? Can you guarantee me that won't happen at least?"

"I… I can talk to E-4…"

"Forget it." Astrith rolled her eyes. "You told me we could make a difference. Did you mean it? If I give you this lindworm, how would you use it to stop Valravn?"

"It is not that simple. But it will help us to…."

"Helga! Just this time. Just for once. Tell me the truth."

Helga couldn't foster an answer.

Astrith shook her head, "What makes you better than Brandt? That every fucked up thing you do is for a greater purpose while Valravn only cares about money? The Ravens are ghoulish because they groom broken people at their lowest point to turn them into their toy soldiers. But you did the same to me, didn't you?"

Helga Thors wanted to keep fighting and say something… anything to justify her actions. Instead, she finally lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Astrith."

"I don't care Helga. But you should get the fuck out of this place ASAP."

"I'll go. But what are you going to do, then?"

"Me? For now, I'll keep playing this game to the best of my abilities. If it makes you feel any better one day… sooner or later… one day I will kill Brandt."

Audio Log

> RECORDING STARTED <
﹫﹫ ﹫﹫

Speaker identification completed..
Norberto Goikoetxea, Chairman of Valravn-Zotz
Olga Brandt, Mother of Valkyries

Goikoetxea

When I first read it, I could not believe it. I know you are always pushing the boundaries of myth and science but… a male Valkyrie? I'm speechless.

Brandt

As usual, Norberto, you always get hyperfocused on the most trivial aspect of my research.

Goikoetxea

Well, you are sending me something quite unusual. But I guess if someone could finally find some utility to the queers, that would be you. Anyways, this 'Valkyrie'…. he is not giving us any trouble, right? Will he make us look weird?

Brandt

I can assure you you'll find excellent performance and no noticeable visual difference.

Goikoetxea

Good, I guess. We can always spin it as a 'progressive' move for the woke crowd. 'Valravn: pioneers of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the War on Drugs.' I think the High Table may like that one.

Brandt

Sure, you do your thing. I have done mine. You asked for a trump card for your Zotz division and I'm giving you one. But don't forget, you owe me.

Goikoetxea

Of course. I may be crazy enough to mess with the Cartel. But messing with you, Olga? I'm crazy, not suicidal.

XIII - Vinland

A black-and-white cacophony of suffering screamed in the wall — the definitive snapshot of the hell unleashed by the Nazi's bombs.

"Do you like my acquisition? I'm very proud of it, though it did cost me an arm and a leg."

"I failed," Helga's voice broke.

"Say what you want about Olga Brandt," E-4 took a deep drag from the cigar, "but these cigars are amazing."

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me." The vice-chairwoman rolled her eyes, "You, on the other hand, are making a scene."

"The mission was a total failure. We did not retrieve the lindworm. Seidr Wells and Thane Hellström are dead, the Valkyrie Queen was assassinated and Wanda Ahlberg was lobotomized… and Astrith… she's…"

"So you are telling me you would feel better if your mission had 'succeeded' and you were presenting me the lindworm you ripped directly from the head of your dead friend?"

"I…"

"Our job is supposed to get easier if we pretend anomalies aren't people, right?" E-4 covered her mouth to cough, "But how far can we keep up with that theater?"

Helga looked at E-4 in confusion, "What was all of this really about?"

"Well, this was a delicate mission with a low probability of success and a high probability of painful death. I could have gambled the life of one of my trusted operatives, or I could have sent a rookie instead. After careful consideration, I decided to risk the rookie's life. I had no high hopes of you ever coming back, let alone with the lindworm. So I'm glad to inform you that you have exceeded expectations." The smile on the old woman's felt both ironic and weirdly genuine. "Congratulations, the job is yours!"

Helga finally snapped. "How dare you? Is this what the Ethics Committee is here for? To play with people's lives?"

"Watch your tone, Dr. Thors. And yes, that is indeed what we do: we decide who lives, who dies, and how they die. We may as well be the 'Necropolitics Committee'. We call it ethics to feel better about it." The chairwoman coughed violently. "I'm not in the mood to debate ethical frameworks with you; instead, I'll present you with a simple rule of thumb: 'Do unto others only what you are fine with others doing unto you'. And you are now mad at me for treating you the same way you treated Astrith." E-4 pointed her cigar at Helga. The accusatory burning finger once again. "What makes you less expendable than her? That you are 'human'? That you are white? That you have a PhD?"

Helga took a deep breath. "Fair."

"Last time, when I asked you whether you were more a Gotz or a Salamanca, it was a trick question. The truth is that you need to be both of them for this job. Do you still want it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I dedicated my life to the study of soldiers, psychopaths, monsters… I never stopped to ponder what that said about me. Until I gained the trust of a vulnerable woman only to use her and discard her life afterward. I do feel conflicted about it… I do feel sorry… but not nearly as much as I should," Helga sighed. "If I am indeed a monster, E-4, then at least I want to be a useful one."

"Welcome to the Law's Left Hand, Helga."

"Still, I'm frustrated. Valravn and Brandt got what they wanted."

"They got away with a lot. But honestly, I don't think they were the true winners of this game."

"What do you mean?"

E-4 smiled as she admired how the ashes from her cigar fell like snow. "We made our gamble. You, me, Brandt, Wells, Ahlberg… but another player was on the board. A will so ancient and experienced, that she could outsmart any of us. Yet everyone decided to underestimate and ignore her. She just needed to play quietly and risk everything. Despite paying the ultimate price, something tells me Queen Rangrid was the real winner."

Miles away, in the far north, Astrith had awaited in the misty ruins of the courtyard. Like Hildr had said, there was a small hole dug in the claw of the Raven statue. This small cavity was carved centuries ago by the original sculptors who, perhaps bestowed with the gift of prophecy, had glimpsed the traces of the path to a glorious purpose. Here, Hildr had hidden the vial containing the waters of Mímisbrunnr, the stolen sample of the lindworm.

From the mist, several hooded figures emerged. They were but a handful, the few surviving members of the old Valkyries — the last remaining court of the Maiden-King Rangrid. Astrith extended her arm, offering them the vial, which they accepted. But then, instead of disappearing again into the mist, they surrounded Astirth, as if expecting something else from her. Astrith understood her plea, and began her prayer:

Si ojos tienen, que no me vean;
si manos tienen, que no me agarren;
no permitas que me sorprendan por la espalda;
no permitas que mi muerte sea violenta;
no permitas que mi sangre se derrame;
Tú que todo lo conoces,
sabes de mis pecados,
pero también sabes de mi fe,
no me desampares,
Amén.

Astrith wasn't sure if they could understand the meaning of her words, but they certainly understood their significance. One by one, the Valkyries shook her hand and disappeared into the mist. With the lindworms once again in their power, a new Queendom may rise. A Queendom free from the Ravens, the GOC, and the Foundation. Free from the chains of Men. Free from the wars of Monsters.

Coming soon!

SCP-8503

Coming soon!