Chooser of the Slain

Ailrun is a valkyrie, a psychopomp whose duty – whose purpose – is to usher lingering souls through to whatever afterlife awaits them beyond the Gate. Though, in practice, that’s more of a side hustle than anything else. Her actual day job sees her toiling as an assassin and enforcer on behalf of an occult criminal organization. Not exactly willingly, but... well, it is what it is. Ailrun has long since given up any hope of freedom. Not to mention that, after a decade spent committing atrocity after atrocity, is there even anything left of her worth freeing? After a mission ends in disaster, however, she may not have a choice either way, especially as events conspire to knock loose the delicate status quo that’s been holding the world together for the past three thousand years. ♦♦♦ [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] New chapter every weekday during Writathon.