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Chapter Text

Mother woke me up this morning unnecessarily early. “Come, Thrud, there’s a day’s work to be done.” She said before closing my door again.
What is the point of me getting up this early? All I end up doing is watching the Valkyries train.

I got up begrudgingly after a minute of contemplating whether I should go back to sleep and risk mother’s annoyance, ultimately choosing against it.
I put up my hair as I walked down to the dining hall for breakfast. From the noise when I got there, Magni and Modi had already beat me there, loud
arguing echoing through the hall, it seemed Magni pissed off Baldur again, and Modi was sat next to Magni while putting in the occasional input,
acting as the instigator, as always.

I sat down next to Modi and started filling my plate. “What’s this one about?” I asked him as I finished taking what I wanted to eat.

“Magni says he should be the one to go fight that giant.” Modi scooted a little closer to me as he said this, mostly due to Magni standing up in his anger. Seriously? Of course it was another argument for a mission, Magni can’t stand how many missions All Father sends Baldur on. “The one in Midgard?” I thought about the mission Modi told me about yesterday, a giant in midgard that All Father wants dead, that did seem like Magni’s
kind of mission.

“Yup.” Modi saved his drink from the table just as Baldur slammed his fists on it, nearly snapping the wood, “No Magni! I’m going on this mission and that’s fucking final!” Baldur yelled so loudly the hall went quiet.

He then stalked out of the great hall and slammed the door on his way out. “Now you’ve done it.” Modi snickered at my words

“Shut it, pipsqueak.” Magni got up roughly from the table as he responded and walked away, probably back to his room. “Well, more food for me.” Modi
snatched the last bit of fried pork Magni had left on his plate. “What? He’s not going to finish it.” he responded after seeing my judging stare. “Alright then,
its your funeral when he comes back for that.” I went back to eating my breakfast, eager to get done so I wouldn’t miss the Valkyries training session.

***

Mother made me do some reading after I came back from the training grounds, I was only paying half attention to the words on the page when I heard the
slam off the great lodge doors. “Magni! Modi! Get your sorry asses out here!” Baldur’s voice sounded through the entire building, I know we would’ve gotten
a noise complaint by now if the villagers weren’t so scared of All Father.

I obviously ran out my room to see what the commotion was about.

“What the fuck happened to you?” I heard Modi’s curious voice before I rounded the corner. “That giant is what happened!” Baldur looked beaten, even if I
knew he wasn’t in pain it still made me wince when I saw him covered in so much blood.

“You two are coming with me to talk to that tree tomorrow, see what he has to say about this giant.” Baldur pointed to Magni and Modi. “Can I come?” I was hopeful, as much as I didn’t like Baldur, I’ve been hoping to go on a mission for ages. “No, I’m not bringing a fourteen year old just so you can whine every second” Baldur’s short reply angered me, I walked back to my room.

After Baldur was done talking to them, I heard Magni and Modi walking back to their rooms, Modi stopped by my door. “Are you asleep already?” Modi
knocked hard on my door as he asked, if I was asleep then I definitely wouldn’t have been after that. “I might be.” I heard Modi chuckle at my reply before opening my door.

“Sorry that you can’t join us.” Modi sat on my bed next me “But, if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t want you to come.”

“Why?” that confused me, Modi knew I’d been dying to go on a mission since I turned twelve. “You’re my baby sister, I don’t want you getting jumped by a bunch of draugrs.” I laughed. “Magni would never let me live that down.” Modi laughed along with me at my joke. “Of course, he’s probably the one that’d have to save you.”

Modi stood up. “I’ll get out your hair now, goodnight Thrud.” Modi walked out of my room.

“Goodnight, Modi.” Modi smiled at me before closing the door.

Chapter Text

When I woke up the following morning, Magni and Modi had already left with Baldur for mimir’s tree. Mother set me on some chores while she went on with her planning for Magni’s wedding, mother arranged for him to get married to this young lady in the village, she’d been nothing but excited at the prospect of Magni getting married and having children.

It was weird to think that I was probably going to be an auntie, especially while still being a teenager, and Modi would probably be getting married soon after Magni when Mother finds him a partner. Even weirder to think that the same is most likely going to happen to me.

I tried not to dwell on the idea of the future as I finished polishing my sword, then sweeping my room, and then the rest of the seemingly endless list of chores. Mother finally said I was done when Baldur and my brothers were back. I ran to the lodge doors to see them, dropping the cleaning tools I’d previously been using.

“How’d it go?” even before finishing my question, I could already see my answer in Baldur’s face. “Shit.” Modi shook his head as he walked next to Magni. “Dumbass stump didn’t know who we’re looking for.”

“He only said he didn’t know.” Baldur was seething as he turned back to the three of us. “That living branch knows something, I can feel it.” Baldur turned and sped off before I could even register he’d left. I heard the boom of Baldur’s door slamming in anger. “He’s definitely not happy.” Magni shook his head “He’s been grumbling since we got off the mountain.” Modi nodded in confirmation to Magni’s words.

“Better leave him alone, while you’re here.” I turned back towards the great hall doors, hoping I might be able to get some of my own training in. “Where are you going?” Modi caught up to me just as I opened the door. “Without me, I mean.”

“I’m going to train, nothing serious.” Modi and I were just about to head to the training grounds, when father’s voice boomed through the lodge.
“Boys! Get over here!” Modi sighed, but shrugged at me and went to see what father wanted. I watched Magni follow behind modi before turning and continuing my way over to the training ground, I could train on my own anyways.

***

When I came back to the lodge, after training, I walked into the great hall to see Magni boasting about something. Not an unusual occurrence, but Modi walked up to me excitedly soon after I closed the lodge doors “Thrud! You’ll never guess the mission me and Magni just got from All Father.” A mission? Usually missions weren’t that big of a deal unless you were Baldur or father.

“What?” I walked to the table to eat with Modi, interested now to see what this exciting mission was.

“All Father had a talk with Baldur, and he’s sending us to fight that giant!” I stopped in my tracks. Modi and Magni? Fighting the giant that fucked up Baldur like that? Oh no. “Really?” I sat down, trying not to show my concern about this. Modi was rarely this excited about something.

“Yeah! It’s going to be great, this time I might actually be able to prove myse-“ Magni shoved Modi out of the way. “Thrud! Can you believe it? We’re gonna fight a giant!” he took a swig from his tankard and turned back to the crowd of people. Magni then went back to boasting with the others, Modi laughed and walked with me to the table. I tried to be optimistic, if Magni and Modi were excited then I wasn’t going to ruin that for them, but I hoped this giant wasn’t as strong as Baldur made him look…

Chapter Text

I went to sleep early after seeing how rowdy the party was getting, I really didn’t feel like being around a bunch of Magni’s friends while they were drinking. Surrounded by his friends, Magni could be a bit of an idiot.

Father woke me up the next morning, sort of unusual for him. “Come. You’re brothers want to say bye before they head out.” He spoke as he already began closing my bedroom door again, I heard him walk down the hall.

I quickly got out of bed, tying my hair up as I sped down the hallway into the great hall after getting dressed. I saw Magni in his obnoxious armor, looking proud, and Modi in his armored gear. “Father says you two wanted to say bye?” I laughed, pushing my paranoia aside to not rain over my brother’s happiness.
“Nah, Modi just wants you to talk him out of going.” Magni laughed as Modi elbowed him in the ribs, which did nothing due to Magni’s chestplate he’d most likely gotten from father. “Shut it, you meat head!” Modi laughed too, though his was quieter.

“I don’t think there’s a chance that I could get either of you idiots to stay home from this one.” I laughed half-heartedly. “But good luck, you guys.” I held my arms open for a hug.

There was a unison of thanks from each of them as they smothered me with a group hug. Modi then ran off, eager to get on with the mission, but Magni noticed my anxiety.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back alive.” He whispered it low enough so Modi wouldn’t hear it and be offended, and I smiled. It was nice to have someone who noticed things I didn’t want to voice myself, and Magni surprisingly fit that role despite the persona he had on in front of everyone.
“Thanks, Magni.” I watched him jog to catch up with Modi, and I had hope. After all, you could always count on Magni…

***

I was watching the Valkyries train while idly drawing stick figures in the sand, trying to keep my mind off of how Magni and Modi were doing. I was sure they’d be fine, they’re Magni and Modi after all. No one enemy could bring them down when they were together. I’d seen them train more than a dozen times, Magni’s melee attacks with that giant sword combined with how modi could use his shield in offense and defense, there was no way one giant could-

Cries and the sound of someone dragging something heavy echoed through the air. “Help! Somebody, anybody! One of you, help him!” strange, that sounded like- “help my brother! Help Magni!” Modi.

I ran faster than I ever had in my life, I stopped when got to the front of the great lodge. “Please! He’s still breathing! Don’t just stand there, help!”

Oh no. What… Magni!

“Magni! Oh fuck, no, Magni!” I yelled so hard my lungs burned, running and kneeling next to Modi in front of my brother’s… corpse.

Multiple axe wounds, knife slashes, entry wounds from arrows… and a giant split in his skull from the top of his temple to his upper lip.

I could see the inside of his head.

“Mother! Please, Help him!” I barely registered what Modi had said over mother’s piercing shriek of despair. “My darling boy! What have they done to you!” mother sobbed hysterically as she kneeled and cradled Magni’s mangled head.

“Mother please! Please! He can’t be dead, All father said…” Modi’s hysterical cries were broken by his sobbing. I hugged him, now crying myself. “Modi…” I tried to find words to say, but I just couldn’t think. This wasn’t supposed to happen, Magni and Modi were supposed to survive Ragnarok! How…

“Mother… please, tell me we can save him.” What little hope I had was crushed by the sight of my mother’s broken expression. “My baby… my darling child...” Mother was hysteric, now holding Magni’s hand desperately. I could hear crying from the crowd behind me, the girl magni’s was set to marry must’ve been there.

“What’s happening what’s all the yelling-“ All Father came out of the great lodge, stopping in his tracks once he saw Magni. He looked at the villagers and they quickly veered away from the lodge. No emotion showed on his face, other than what I thought was disgust.

“You.” He pointed at Modi. “Come with me.” Modi stood up fast and unsteady, pretty beat up himself, and followed All Father back into the lodge. I watched them, then when the doors closed I looked back down at Magni.

“Thrud, please go inside, you shouldn’t have to see your brother like this...” I couldn’t argue, not with my mother in this state, so I went inside.
Once in my room, I closed the door and sobbed.

Magni… no, he can’t be dead...

I landed on my bed burying myself in it. Things fell from my nightstand as I did so, but I couldn’t have cared now. A few of my things breaking was no match for whatever broke inside me.

Please tell me he can’t be…

My brother was dead, But that wasn’t possible. He was supposed to survive ragnarok, All Father had said so. This wasn’t supposed to be possible, Magni… Magni was supposed to live, he was supposed to get married and keep the family name going. He was supposed to be the star sibling of the three of us, the one everyone looks at as the prime example of the odinson family.

He was supposed to be here…

Magni…

Brother…

Please let me wake up from this nightmare now…

Chapter Text

I stayed in bed and didn’t come out of my room for the rest of the day. I could hear mother’s muffled cries from my bed, I dreaded to know how loud they were outside for the villagers. Or even in the infirmary, where I was sure mother had taken Magni’s body in hopes that they’d help him.

I must’ve fallen asleep at some point, because I woke up to loud shouting. Mostly from father, he must’ve finished All Fathers mission early.

Was he yelling at All Father?

“YOU USELESS BOY!” He yelled before I heard the thunk of his hammer hitting something, then something heavy hitting the floor. There was a sound of someone groaning in pain. I recognized that voice as Modi’s. I quickly got up and walked to my door after that realization.

Modi? Why was father yelling at Modi?

“I-I’ll get them, father! I’ll find them both, I swear to you!” I heard Modi’s desperate voice, what was going on? Who was Modi getting? Several similar questions ran through my mind before I opened my door.

Outside my room, I saw Modi on the floor with father standing over him. Mother was holding fathers arm, father had his hammer gripped tightly in his hand, “Please! He didn’t do anything, Thor!” mother said fathers name, she was either very angry or broken beyond repair. “He’s not the one to blame, please!” mother kept yelling to no avail, father never took his eyes off of Modi, not even at the loud screech my door made as I opened it completely.

Modi looked at me, his eyes widened at the same time as mine. Modi was beaten, father had beat him. “Modi?” why had father done this? Why would he do this to Modi? “Thrud, leave.” Modi sounded desperate, but I wasn’t going to leave and let father do this to him.

“Father? What the hell are you doing.” I looked at father angrily. How could he do this to his son? Especially after what happened today. “Thrud, please.” Modi’s voice was quieter, more pleading. “No, Modi! Look at you!” I looked at father again, he was glaring at me now, was he drunk? “What have you done.” My words came out as a statement, father’s expression faltered for a second before he turned away from me again.

He glared at Modi. “You better come back here with that giant’s head, or you’ll be a disgrace.” Father turned away from us and disappeared to his and mother’s room, mother following closely behind him. Modi looked at me after their door closed, “Thrud…” He spoke as he got up, almost falling back down. “Modi…” I tried to help him up, but he put his hand up to stop me.

He was holding his arm over his chest, that’s where father’s hammer hit from my guess. “What can I do to help?” I was desperate to help him, he looked so beaten. “You don’t have to.”

“Of course I do!” How could I not want to help him when he was hurt? At this extenet, no less. “I have to leave, Thrud.” What? No, he couldn’t leave, not now.

“Where are you going?” He looked at me worriedly. “To find that giant and his son.” Son? The giant had a son? “Son?” Modi nodded.

“That giant killed Magni, and his son was mocking him.” Even though his pain was too apparent in his voice to really convey his anger, I could still hear it. ”it was my fault… I was taunting the boy I thought we’d surely beat them…” I couldn’t feel the guilt slowly seep into Modi’s words. “Modi…” I put my hand out to place it on his shoulder, but he backed away from me before I could touch him.

“No, Thrud, don’t try to talk me out of this.” He sounded determined almost, his face contorted in a mix of pain and guilt. “Modi, he’ll kill you.” I couldn’t let him go, I wasn’t losing both my brothers to this… this monster.

“Thrud…” Modi sighed, I guess he could hear the fear in my voice, and he hugged me. “I have to go, I need to fix this, and you heard father…” he paused, taken in a shaky sighed and avoiding my stare. “listen to me, Thrud, whatever happens..” I cut him off. “Father didn’t mean that! He was drunk, you could hear it! Modi please…” I hugged him tighter, trying to keep him from pulling away and leaving.

“Whatever happens-“He continued his sentence as if I hadn’t spoken. “Just know you’ll always be my baby sister, and...My best friend.” He smiled sadly at me after pulling away. “I care about you, and I always will.” He turned.

“I’ll try my best, okay?” I nodded, tears streaming down my face. “and… could you tell dad that I forgive him? I don’t want him feeling guilty…”
“Okay…” my voice was shaky. “Tell mother I love her.” I nodded again. “And…I love you, Thrud. You’re the sister I never deserved.” I sobbed. “I love you too, Modi… Brother.” I watched him limp out of sight, and a few minutes later I heard the lodge doors slam shut…

“please…” I spoke to the emptiness in the hallway, hoping someone… something heard my pleading. “please, let my brother come back..”

Chapter Text

The next 2 days were excruciatingly silent in terms of information about the giant. Mother was hysterical ever since the healer announced that there was nothing that could be done for Magni. Father has been on a mission for almost 2 days, and Baldur hasn’t come back since he went out to find the giant again. I’ve also been actively avoiding Heimdall, because Heimdall is a pain to talk to in general. But specifically in these types of situations, he never knows how to keep his mouth shut. I’ve been trying to get anything out of All Father, any information at all, but he’s been even more silent when he’s out of his study these days.
And there has been nothing from Modi since he left… he hasn’t come back, and All Father has said nothing about the crows sending word from him.

I hope he’s fine, he has to be. He might’ve found some of those healing stones around Midgard, and he’s just resting up so he can fight the giant. The giant and his son…

How had there been no word that the giant had a son until now? Had Baldur not seen the young giant? Had he not fought him? Why would the older giant fight Baldur alone, but let his son fight along when Magni and Modi confronted them? Sure, two against two would’ve been fair against Magni and Modi, but everybody knows about Baldur’s invulnerability. Wouldn’t two against one be fairer when fighting someone like Baldur?

I thought of all this while laying in my room, skipping dinner as I’d done for the last two days. It’s worse to sit there at the table during dinner than be alone in my room, with the chilling silence from everyone as mother cried quietly over her food.

Mother…

I’d tried to talk to her, to console her, but she’d pushed me away every time. She spoke about how a mother should console her children, not the other way around, and said that she’d rather deal with her grief alone. I didn’t believe her words, but fighting them was pointless.

I tried and tried to come up with a plan to help Modi. I wanted to be out there with him, to make sure he came back home. I needed to make sure that Modi came home, to the lodge, to mother, to me.

These past days with nothing but silence in the lodge had felt like a stab straight to my stomach. Making me wish that I’d stayed for the party, that night before Magni and Modi had left….

I knew my thoughts weren’t making sense, jumping from one thing to another, but I didn’t want them to start making sense. I’d then have to accept that my brother was dead, and the other was on a mission that would probably lead to his own demise as well. I’d have to accept that my mother was a broken woman now, and my father has not been home to console her or even talk to anyone. I’d have to accept that my life was slowly crumbling around me because of one Midgardian monster.

That giant, and his no good son. I can’t help but want them to fail, for them to feel the same pain I am. Even though I understand that they are defending themselves, that All Father was the one that wanted them dead in the first place.

Wait.

All Father. This is his doing.

He sent Baldur out to fight the giant, he sent Magni and Modi too. He called Modi into his study and probably gave him the idea that he needed to avenge Magni. Everyone knows that All Father’s expectations are what drove father to his drinking problem.

All Father is the reason for all of this…

I got up from my bed and walked out of my room, knowing who I needed to talk to now.

Chapter Text

All Father wasn’t in the great hall when I walked in, and neither was Heimdall. I knew they had to be in All Father’s study, having their usual meetings no doubt, as that was the only reason both of them wouldn’t be eating in the great hall.

Mother looked up at me when I entered, with her tear-streaked face, and she only nodded at me upon seeing my expression. One that I didn’t doubt showed determination or anger. I walked out without a word to anyone, not that anyone was speaking anyways.

**

The door to All Father’s study was closed when I got there, I was about to bang my fist on the door when I heard murmuring on the other side.

Without thinking, I pressed my ear to the door. Curiosity getting the better of me.

There was silence, then All Father spoke. “Thrud, I know you’re there.” I sighed and leaned away from the door. “All Father, I need to talk to you.” My voice had venom in it, an anger that I barely knew was there.

“Is it that urgent? I didn’t think a child, like yourself, could speak with such malice.” Heimdall chimed in, his voice only fuelling the bubbling anger in my chest. “Stay out of this, Heimdall, I’m not talking to you.” I snapped without thinking, hitting my fist against the door.

“Alright.” I heard All Father speak, along with the screech of his chair moving against the wooden floor. “If you must, Thrud.” I pushed open the door before he finished his sentence. “Well, you certainly must have an urgent topic to address.” All Father glanced Heimdall, then shooed him away. Heimdall sighed angrily and bumped into me on his way out, no doubt on purpose.

I walked to All Father’s desk as he sat down again. “So, what did you need me for, Thrud.” All Father sounded disinterested, but I didn’t care. I was going to get the explanation I needed out of him whether he was interested or not.

“Why are you doing this?” I glared at All Father as I spoke. I knew that he’d know what I was talking about.

He sighed, leaning his elbows on his desk before speaking. “Whatever you think is going on, Thrud, you’re wrong.” He said firmly, as if he was ordering rather than telling. “I’m not, I know it.” I leaned my palms on his desk, looking him in the eyes.

“No, you don’t.” All Father’s serious expression didn’t waver. “You’re a child, you don’t know anything.”

“Why don’t you just stop this? Magni’s already suffered at the hands of these giants, what if the same happens to Modi? Or Baldur?” All Father stood up from his chair, glaring back at me now.

“Thrud, I suggest you leave this topic before you hurt yourself.” All Father ordered, his voice growing angry. “Are you threatening me?” I pushed off of the desk, backing up only a small bit. “I said leave it alone.” I couldn’t care less about what All Father told me to do. “No, I’m not stopping until you give answer-“

“Oh you stupid, insistent child!” All Father slammed his fists on his desk in his outburst.

“I am done tolerating this whining from you! You are a child and you will show me respect!” All Father yelled loudly, but it was controlled. I assumed that he didn’t want the people eating in the great hall to hear him. “Listen here, You can’t just barge in here when you feel like and start telling me what I should tell you.” All Father slammed his fists against the desk again, but lighter this time. “Especially in a time like this, right in the middle of Heimdall telling me about Modi-“ All Father stopped talking abruptly, before sighing and cursing under his breath.

Modi? What happened to Modi?

“Modi?” My stomach felt like it dropped to my stomach, I hoped with everything in me that this news wasn’t what I thought it was. “What happened to Modi?” I stepped closer, practicaclly standing against the desk.

“Thrud. leave.” All Father glared at me as he stood up. “Tell me what happened to Modi.” I gritted the words through my teeth, my voice quiet.

“He’s dead!” All Father screamed at me, waving his arms up. “Modi is dead. Heimdall found his body at the bottom of a pit in one of the abandoned mining rigs in Midgard.” All Father sat back down after speaking, as if what he just said wasn’t of any importance.

Modi was dead.

Modi. He was dead, his body found in Midgard.

Did the giants kill him too? Or was it something else? Did he succumb to the injuries father gave him? No, it couldn’t have been the injuries from father that killed him, they couldn’t have been that bad, and those draugrs in Midgard wouldn’t be able to beat him like that.

Those giants killed both my brothers.

“I told you to stop before you get hurt.” All Father stared at me, before shooing me away. “I don’t have time for you anymore, leave.” I turned and left without thinking, all my anger and energy to argue had seeped out of me like a tap.

I could hear mother waiting outside the door, what was I going to tell her now…