Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Bifrost was coming. They were all doomed. They had to leave now. The only hope of survival was in fleeing. 

Lyfrassir ran to the cell where the prisoners who had made it a game out of seeing how much paperwork they could cause Lyf to fill out were kept. They weren’t sure why they returned to the cell of the criminals that did nothing but get on their nerves but they did. 

They looked for them, to warn them or maybe even free them and give them a chance to return to whatever planet they were from instead of keeping them trapped in a system doomed to die. 

The cell was empty. No prisoners in sight. 

A note sat on the desk the three had, scrawled in a somehow fancy scribble. 

Inspector,

Run. We have a ship waiting, we’re not that far, Aurora will keep you safe and take you wherever you need to go. Be fast. 

Best luck,

Owl and Baron

Of course the prisoners left. They had warned them hadn’t they? Why would they stay any longer? Why would they wait for Lyf?

They looked for them as they ran to look for a ship for themself but there wasn’t much of their brain looking for whatever ship the prisoners had, they had to leave and they had to do so days ago. 

They couldn’t help but find themself hoping that the prisoners had left and that wherever they were they were safe. They didn’t even know their names, but they found themself hoping that they were safe. 

Owl, the prisoner with metal wings that would make their sister jealous had always been against sharing names, they weren’t sure why, though they found themself wishing they knew her name and the name of her companions. 

They found a ship just as the rainbows seemed to begin to explode. 

The Bifrost seemed to pull Lyfrassir back as they tried to run. It wouldn’t let them go. 

They had taken too long warning their siblings, too long planning where they would meet with Dagr while Elvi grabbed a ship for the two of them. They couldn’t get to Elvi and Dagr in time, not on Midgard at least. That would be alright, their siblings would be fine, they just had to make it to the mining colony where Elvi and Dagr would be waiting for them. They just had to make it there and they’d be fine. They’d be okay. 

One moment Lyfrassir was running from the Bifrost towards the ship they were sure could take them to safety, just a moment from grabbing the handle, and the next their ship was surrounded in rainbows. 

The last color they saw was a deep purple as their eyes fell closed. 

~~~~🪶~~~~

Raphaella and Marius had to be held back as Aurora took off, held protectively in Ashes’ nest filled with some of the softest and most important parts of their hoard with them in the center. They wanted to run to the Inspector, to find them and bring them on Aurora where they’d be safe. 

The crew didn’t even wait long enough for Inspector to find their note. The minute that Raphaella’s breathing quickened as the gaze the Watchers had on the planet intensified they pulled out, leaving Yggdrasil behind to deal with both the Bifrost and the Watchers. 

Leaving Inspector for dead despite Raphaella’s promise they’d wait for them.

Ashes held Raphaella and Marius close as they mourned the person they cared for yet knew barely anything about. They could have gotten to know the Inspector, to have a name to call them besides their job title. 

Raphaella never had gotten out of her habit of insisting people don’t give their names until she knew them well. When asked millennia ago why she hadn’t stopped the crew when they introduced themselves she had simply smiled as if they had said a joke. 

“So few of you use your true names. Plus I knew I’d be staying. Why would I go through the hassle of learning two sets of names when I knew I’d be staying?” 

She couldn’t help but wish that she had gotten Inspector’s name before she left. Maybe then she’d know who exactly she was mourning. Maybe then she would have a name to cry out as they left. 

Instead Raphaella and Marius whispered about Inspector, no real name given, yet they both knew who they were talking about. They didn’t need to ask about if there was another Inspector they were thinking of, they knew it could only be the one. 

The Inspector who got them actual food, who fought for them to get food other than the sludge they had been given, even bringing them their own lunch for a bit to ensure they had something to eat. 

The Inspector who fought for them to be kept together after meeting Raphaella and Ivy once. They’d sat in front of Marius’ cell talking to him and giving him updates, doing the same with Raphaella and Ivy. They ensured that they wouldn’t be separated. Raphaella still remembered the small smile on their face when they saw her eat something for the first time after Marius’ return from solitary.

Inspector cared and they were kind. They tried to help despite saying they dreaded their time with them. They smiled too much for Raphaella to believe they truly despised the time they spent with them. 

Raphaella couldn’t help but wish she’d gotten more time with them. Even just an hour more. 

Raphaella curled into a ball, her wings around Marius as she mourned the person who helped her who she wasn’t able to help. She couldn’t save them. She’d left them to die.

What if they came looking for Aurora and couldn’t find her because they had left early? 

What if they thought they had been abandoned?

The Inspector was dead and Raphaella couldn’t help but blame herself. 

She should have done more. 

She should have found a way to save them. 

She hoped that they died quickly and the Watchers hadn’t found them before their death. It was kinder that way. If they died unaware of the Watchers they died as safely as one can die.

~~~~🪶~~~~

When Lyfrassir’s eyes opened, the vastness of space greeted them from outside the ship. 

They did it.

They got out. 

They were safe. 

They just needed to find Elvi and Dagr and everything would be okay. 

Everything would be fine. 

They just needed to meet up with Elvi and Dagr. 

There was a voice telling them they were too late. Telling them that Elvi and Dagr had died trying to escape the Bifrost. They were the only survivor. 

They were the only survivor. 

They had failed. 

Failed to warn their home. 

Failed to warn and save their siblings. 

They had failed and now they had to live knowing that it’s their fault they’re the only survivor.

No.

Not their fault.

It’s the prisoner’s fault. They could have warned them, they knew something was coming sooner than they did and they said nothing. They said nothing and now Lyfrassir was the only one left. 

Part of them said that this wasn’t right. They had left a note, they had tried to help them, it wasn’t their fault that Lyfrassir was alone. It wasn’t their fault that they were the only one who survived. Owl, Baron and Archivist didn’t do anything wrong. They’re not the one to blame for the death of Lyfrassir’s solar system, for the death of their siblings.

That part was drowned out by the part that said it was their fault. They could have warned them. T̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶.

They stared at the stars and they weeped. They weeped for the siblings they couldn’t save. They weeped for the people who died because they were too slow. They mourned their people. They mourned their home. 

They grabbed a pair of scissors that they had thrown in with everything else. They were meant for paper not hair but they would do. 

They cut their hair, tears falling down their face as they said the names of everyone they had lost, of their family now dead. They were alone, the only survivor. The only one left. 

Their hair fell to the ground with their tears as they sobbed, as they mourned who they once had. 

They thought of Dagr and Elvi, of how they’re sure Dagr had partially become a doctor because of how constantly Elvi was getting hurt. They thought of how Elvi would have insulted the ship they’d chosen while she fixed everything that was wrong with it, muttering about how she was sure it wouldn’t fly. 

They even found their thoughts drifting to the prisoners. Hoping that if they had died that they had done so together. Owl and Baron always did hate being alone. Hopefully there were books for Archivist wherever she was. She always did seem to have at least three on her.

Maybe their ship made it out too. 

They hoped so. 

There was so much blood on their hands. 

~~~~🪶~~~~

Marius watched as Raphaella fell apart. He held her as she sobbed, trying his best to be strong for her. He’s seen war, he’s lost people over and over again, yet Inspector’s death feels like a knife twisting in his heart. He could have saved them. He should have saved them. 

But alarm bells were ringing in his head, the Watchers had too close of a watch on the Ratatosk Express and with its return they needed to leave as quickly as possible. They could only do so much to keep their unwanted eyes away. With something that heavily Watched nearby they could be found. Raphaella could be found.

He wouldn’t let them find Raphaella. Not again. 

She was his and they wouldn’t get her. Not ever again. He would ensure it. 

Even if that meant telling Ivy to have them leave as soon as possible. Even if that meant helping Ashes bring Raphaella to their room, even if that meant making sure she couldn’t try to save them.

As much as he wanted to save them, as much as he didn’t want to lose them his loyalty was to Raphaella before anyone else and he’d be damned if he let anyone take her from him. 

He hoped that Inspector’s death was quick. 

He doubted it. 

They had been the one working on the Black Box. 

They had been the one to figure it all out. 

All Marius could do was hope that they died before the Watchers got to them. All he could do was hope their death stuck. He didn’t want them to go through the hell that was the Watchers. 

Part of him hoped that somehow they’d escaped both death and the Watchers. 

He doubted it was possible, but he couldn’t help but hope maybe he’d see them again, alive and free of the Bifrost and the Watchers. 

Maybe if he had helped them they could be safe. 

He couldn’t have helped them. Not when Raphaella’s safety was on the line. Not when it was them or her. He’d choose her every time. 

He should have asked their name before he left. Maybe he could have done more if he had their name. 

Instead he’s left mourning a nameless Inspector who he left for dead, his lover sobbing for the one person outside of the crew to show them the kindness they had in centuries. 

He pictured their adorable scowl each time he thought of playing his violin, heard them asking where he had even gotten it. It had become a game over the years, him with his violin and them trying to find where it had come from. 

Inspector was frowning, a scowl on their face that seemed softer than it was the day they’d walked through the halls with him by their side as they glared at every guard they saw while escorting him back to his cell with Raphaella and Ivy, away from the maddening hell that was solitary confinement. They hadn’t even met him before sitting in front of his cell, talking to him about Raphaella and Ivy, about their fight to get him out of solitary.

Years later and their scowl seemed constant, especially when his violin was involved.

“Baron, how many times am I going to have to confiscate this damned violin?” 

Marius had simply smiled at them as he continued to play. 

“I don’t know Inspector, how many times until you stop trying?” 

“You are well aware that it’s not allowed in the cell. You can read a book like Archivist and Owl. Give me the violin Baron.” 

“Oh but I was just getting to the good part!” 

“Baron.” 

“As you wish, Inspector.”

Marius is sure he saw their lips tick up into a smile as he handed over his violin once again, knowing that it would return to him as soon as he willed it to. 

They enjoyed this game of theirs as much as Marius did, their smile said it for them.

He didn’t think the game would end like this. With them dead or taken before he could even learn their name. Before he could get to know them as themself and not just the Inspector that fought to keep him, Raphaella and Ivy healthy and sane. 

They did so much for him and Raphaella and Ivy and in the end he left them to die. 

He cried for the person he left for dead, not because he regretted his actions, but because he regretted not getting to know them beforehand. It wouldn’t have made it easier, but at least then part of them could still live on through his stories. 

~~~~🪶~~~~

Lyfrassir is unsure as to how long it was before the larger ship appeared. Unsure how long it took before they arrived and brought Lyfrassir’s ship inside of theirs, claiming that they just wanted to help.

The people claiming to be helpful sounded like the parts of themself that talked about Owl and Baron as if they were the ones at fault for the death of their home. It set off alarm bells in their head, but their ship is in no state to outpace this one. Hell, they’re shocked it even left the planet in the first place. Either they pretend to go along with them or they’re caught running. 

Neither is a good option. 

They stayed put. Running would be worse. It would probably get them killed.

A woman with a kind smile greeted them, her wings behind her reminded Lyfrassir of Owl’s metal wings despite how natural they seemed. There was a sheen to them that didn’t feel right, but other than that they looked as natural as the wings of a bird could on a person.

Her anatomy wasn't built for the wings on her back. She looked nothing like the elves back home with their wings where most had their shoulders, with their arms under their wings. No, her wings came through her back in a way that felt wrong. Unnatural. Forced.

Lyfrassir followed the woman to a small kitchen where a man with yellow wings was making tea. When he saw Lyf his smile faltered for a moment before he offered them a mug. When the woman beside them stepped away he gave a small shake of his head, as if pleading for them to deny him, as if warning them against drinking the offered tea. 

“No thank you, I’m not that thirsty.” 

“If you’re sure.” 

The man seemed to relax at their denial, as if they’d passed some kind of test by denying the offered tea. 

The woman however seemed to frown as she turned to face them. 

“Are you sure? There didn’t seem to be many rations left on your ship, surely you’ve not had anything to drink for quite some time.”

They hadn’t. 

Something in the man’s eyes told them to stay strong. 

“I’m quite sure, thank you for the offer though.” 

The woman nodded, distracted, while the man smiled at them. 

Wherever they were it wasn’t safe. They needed to be careful of who they trusted. 

The woman smiled at them a moment later, soft and so very wrong. 

“Come, we’ll find you somewhere to stay. I’m sure you’re quite tired after your journey, Mx.Edda.” 

They didn’t give her their name. 

They never gave her their name. 

Lyf locked eyes with the yellow winged man who gave them a shaky nod. Running was a bad choice. Talking was a bad choice. 

There was a voice that whispered for them to follow her, for them to stay quiet, for them to never volunteer any information. 

They listened to the voice despite knowing that it wasn’t their own. It felt safe, kind. Real. Like the man with the yellow wings. It felt defiant in a way the woman in front of them didn’t. In the same familiar way that Owl did. 

Lyf followed the woman to a bedroom that looked like a cell. They knew what a cell looked like. They were a cop for Hel’s sake. Did she not expect them to realize this was a cell? Was she that stupid? Did she think they were that stupid?

They couldn’t even pretend to be shocked when the door was locked behind them after they were corralled inside the room.

They were trapped. 

They’d find a way out. 

They had to. 

Their siblings needed a proper burial and they couldn’t give them that here trapped in this cell. They couldn't do that at all, not when there were no bodies to bury.

The woman smiled at them through the bars of the door’s small window. Her smile was pity filled yet sharp in a way that set alarm bells ringing through their head. They’d seen plenty of pity filled smiles directed at Elvi, the whispers of the poor reckless deaf girl that were louder than they should have been because they didn’t fear Elvi hearing them. It was not a kind smile, it was not reassuring. This woman was not someone to be trusted. 

“I’ll be back in a bit with food, do get settled in, you’re going to love it here.” 

They doubted that. 

They’d much rather take their chances with the prisoners than these people. 

Their mind strayed to their days sat outside of the cell where Baron was kept for solitary confinement, how inhumane it was to keep him alone away from his people. Now here they were alone, stuck in a cell. Stuck in the same solitary confinement they fought their best to stop back home. 

How long would they be kept here?

Days?

Weeks?

Months?

Years? 

They weren’t sure. 

Was it cruel of them to hope they were the only one who survived if this was the fate of the survivors? 

Was it cruelty to hope no one else lived to be isolated as they were? 

Questions it seemed they had time to ponder. 

All they seemed to have here was time, trapped in a cell alone with nothing but their thoughts and their grief.

Chapter Text

Lyfrassir’s unsure how long it was that they were kept in the cell. They were brought food every once in a while, though they had no idea how often food was brought in. Sometimes the woman with the too sharp pity filled smile was the one to bring it, other times it was the man with the yellow wings. Rarely there were others, though Lyf paid less attention to them. 

They wondered if this is how Baron felt when he was in solitary confinement. Lost, alone. 

They still remembered when they learned about his confinement. 

Lyfrassir walked to the bandits’ cell with a small stack of paperwork in their arms and a list of questions to ask them only to see that there were only two of them in the cell. They were sure there were three of them. Their paperwork cited three bandits, not two.

“I thought there were three of you?” 

The blonde bandit looked up at them from the pile of blankets she was curled in on the floor. She looked sick, it sent a pang through Lyf’s heart. 

“They put him in solitary confinement. Said they had to separate us and he didn’t get along well with those in general population, kept trying to get back to us.” 

Lyf frowned and looked at the other bandit, sat on what they assumed was her bed with a book in her hands. 

“Excuse me, miss on the bed?” 

The bandit looked up at Lyfrassir, curiosity like hunger in her eyes. 

“Yes?” 

“How long has she been sick?”

The bandit thought for a moment before looking at the winged bandit. 

“Since about 15 days after they took Baron out of our cell. Her health has been deteriorating since, ever slowly.” 

Fuck. 

They’d been in prison for decades. 

This woman had likely been sick for years, possibly decades and no one had done anything about it. 

Lyf nodded before moving to sit on the floor in front of the cell, looking at the winged bandit. 

“I’ll get him out of solitary. It’s cruel to isolate people. I’ll do what I can to get him in here with you both.” 

The winged bandit smiled softly at them. 

“Thank you.” 

“Of course.” 

There was silence for a moment before Lyf realized they hadn’t introduced themself yet. 

“Oh, how rude of me, I haven’t introduced myself I’m Inspector-” 

The winged bandit shook her head so fast they’re shocked it didn’t fly off.

“No names. Names have power, Inspector.” 

They kept that lesson close to them as they were asked their name by the winged people keeping them prisoner. They were Inspector. That was all they said. 

“You know, this would be much easier if I had your first name Mx. Edda.” 

They’d never given her their last name, let alone their first. She needed them to say it, and that made them even less likely to speak it, why ever they needed their name when they likely already had it Lyfrassir wasn’t sure, but they didn’t trust it. 

“Inspector.” 

“That’s not a name, that’s a job title.” 

“It’s the name you can call me.” 

“Don’t be like that, we’re only trying to help you.” 

“Fuck off.” 

Alone again. 

That was alright, these people didn’t want to help them reunite with anyone, they wanted their name for a reason they didn’t trust. Owl’s advice that names had power rang through their mind. These people might know their name already, but they needed to be given it. They weren’t going to give them their name. Not now, not ever. 

They’d rather be alone than pestered about information they weren’t going to give. 

They still remembered sitting outside of Baron’s cell, talking to him about anything they could about Owl and Archivist, about music or books, about petty work drama. 

They still remembered the first time they heard him playing his violin. 

There shouldn’t have been any way for him to get a violin in the cell, yet there was violin music coming from the cell and they could see him through the small sliding window, with the instrument in hand. 

He looked more relaxed than he had before when they’d checked on him. Plus he wasn’t allowed interaction, who were they to take away the one thing that got him to move. 

“Baron, I didn’t think that violins were supplied to prisoners.” 

The music stopped immediately. 

“What violin, Inspector?” 

His smile reminded them of Elvi whenever Dagr caught her doing something reckless or forgetting to eat. Though they were sure they made the same face at Dagr some days, they had a habit of focusing and forgetting to eat that drove Dagr insane. 

Lyf smiled, feigning innocence, they could confiscate the violin when he was with Owl and Archivist. For now he needed something to keep him sane. 

“I guess I must be hearing things. No way you could get one anyways with you being in solitary and everything. Or well. For now.” 

“For now?” 

The hope in his voice brought a smile to their face, they had good news. 

“For now. A few more weeks. You’ll be back with Owl and Archivist soon, just a few more weeks.” 

“Thank you Inspector.” 

“Don’t thank me. It’s cruel sticking you alone. You have people here, there’s no need to keep you in solitary when you could be sharing a cell with them.” 

“You’re the only one who has tried to help.” 

“I’m going to change things. This is just the start.” 

They hoped that he wasn’t here in this isolation hell. He’d already been isolated and separated from his people once, it didn’t need to happen again. 

Owl wouldn’t do well with the isolation, she seemed to cling to Baron and Archivist like they’d disappear if she looked away. She’d been sickly with only one of her companions out of sight. Being isolated from them both would kill her.

They could survive this. They had to. 

~~~~🪶~~~~

Elvi and Dagr were waiting for Lyf at the mining colony when the ship arrived. It was a strange ship, but it was the least of their problems. The Bifrost wasn’t that far out, it would consume the mining colony in a few days at most. They had to leave soon, or else they’d die, but could they do that when Lyf was on their way? 

Neither Elvi nor Dagr talked about how they almost didn’t make it out of the Bifrost in the first place. The only reason they did was Elvi finding a way to overload the engine. Surely Lyf left before them. They had to. They couldn’t be dead. 

They couldn’t. 

It was a day after the strange ship arrived, a day closer to the Bifrost catching up to them, another day without Lyf when Dagr was approached by who he assumed to be the captain of the strange ship while she and Elvi were walking back to their ship after getting lunch. 

“Hello there. I’ve heard you’re an engineer and I had a proposition for you.” 

Dagr stared at her for a moment before signing what they said to Elvi. There was no way she was speaking to him and no way that Elvi could read the woman’s lips with her speaking common instead of Midgardian. 

Elvi’s response came quickly. 

“What is it?” 

Dagr translated, watching the woman’s face for any potential pity. It was common for people’s faces to morph into it when they realized Elvi was deaf. This woman however had no visible response other than a small nod, as if Elvi being deaf was just something that made sense. 

“I heard you both are running from the Bifrost, I have extra rooms on my ship and I wanted to offer you both a way to quickly and safely flee from the Bifrost.” 

Dagr raised an eyebrow. There had to be a catch. She had specifically noted Elvi’s status as an engineer, no way they only wanted to help. 

Elvi seemed to agree. 

“Why us specifically? What’s the catch?” 

“You need a safe way to flee the Bifrost quickly, and I have a ship you may find interesting. That’s all.” 

“Interesting?” 

Oh no. 

Please don’t let the ship talk. 

Dagr does not need to have to translate for a spaceship. 

“She’s sentient.” 

Of course the ship is sentient. 

Elvi’s eyes shown and Dagr knew that there was no getting out of this. 

“Sentient?”

“Yes.” 

Dagr spoke, signing to Elvi as they voiced their concerns. 

“We can’t leave yet, we’re waiting for someone.” 

The woman smiled at them as if it wasn’t an issue. As if she expected this. 

“Silvana will be able to outrun the Bifrost quite well, as long as the Bifrost does not get here before your friend I see no issue in them joining as well.” 

“Sibling.” 

The woman’s face seemed to go through several stages of grief all at the same time before she nodded. 

“Your sibling will be welcome to join us. The only reason I would leave without them is if the Bifrost gets here before them.” 

Dagr nodded, looking over at Elvi to see her nodding as well. 

There was silence for a moment before the woman’s eyes widened. 

“Oh, how rude of me, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Doctor Carmilla, it’s lovely to meet you both.” 

A doctor? 

“Doctor Dagr Edda.”

Dr. Carmilla’s seemed to shine. 

“I have several medical books and documents from other planets if you would like to read through them while on Silvana.” 

Before Dagr could reply Elvi began to swat at his arm before she introduced her. 

“This is my sister, Elvi Edda.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Elvi. I believe you may get along with my daughter, Nastya. She’s an engineer as well.” 

That was the catch. 

How many people were there on that ship? What were they walking into?

“How many people are there on your ship?” 

Elvi then swatted at his arm again. 

“Her name is Silvana Dagr.” 

Dagr nodded. 

“How many people are there on Silvana?” 

“Just my daughter and I.” 

“That’s a small crew.” 

“She doesn’t need a much of a crew.” 

“Of course.” 

At least there were only two people. If something happened at least they wouldn’t be outnumbered. 

There was no way Elvi would let them go without at least meeting the sentient ship. 

Hopefully Lyf arrived soon. They were taking far too long.

~~~~🪶~~~~

Lyfrassir was beginning to think they’d end up dying in this cell, trapped until they died. They weren’t going to give these people anything. They were slowly finding that they understood the prisoners more and more as time passed. Not the joy they got from avoiding questions, but the stubbornness they had, the way that Baron seemed to cling to Owl and Archivist, as if the world was out to separate them, as if anyone wanting to separate them would die trying. 

If Lyfrassir’s siblings were still alive they’re sure they’d be the same way. Fighting to get back to them. Fighting to keep them close again once they had them back. 

They’d tried to save them. 

They failed. 

Elvi and Dagr died to the Bifrost, their deaths were on Lyfrassir’s hands. Maybe if they’d been faster they would have been alright. Maybe if they had been faster they wouldn’t be the only survivor. 

They wouldn’t let these people win whatever game they were playing at. They would rather die than let these people win. 

The voices came through sometimes. Voices Lyfrassir wasn’t sure if were from their head or from outside the door. Voices telling them that their siblings are dead. Voices telling them that it was their fault. Voices telling them no, they weren’t to blame, it was the prisoner’s fault. They had killed their siblings, they had left Lyfrassir for dead. 

Lyfrassir knew they hadn’t, knew the note was a sign that they had tried. Hopefully they hadn’t died trying. In the likely chance that Lyf died here at least there would be someone to remember Yggdrasil. Someone who knew about the Bifrost and could warn others. 

They shut out the voices as best as they could. 

It didn’t stop them. 

It never would. 

They were so loud, so insistent. 

“Your siblings are dead. Never even made it off the planet.” 

“It’s their fault. They could have warned you. Your siblings died because of them.” 

“They could have helped you.” 

“They left you to die.” 

“The prisoners left you for dead.” 

“They killed your siblings.” 

“You were too slow.” 

“You killed them.” 

Then there was the other voice. 

“You’re alive. Keep fighting.” 

It didn’t say things often, but it was kind when it did speak, encouraging. The advice that this voice they silently called Yellow said was part of what they were sure was the few things keeping them sane.  

“Don’t think about them, they’ll See.” 

Lyfrassir didn’t know who Yellow was speaking of, if it was Elvi or Dagr or the prisoners. In the end it didn’t matter, they’d do their best to keep their thoughts away from all of them. 

Lyfrassir did what Baron did, what drove them insane, maybe they could drive the voices insane. 

They thought only of the song that Baron had sung as if it was the only one in the world. They hummed it when the voices were quiet, sung it as the voices got louder. They’d drown them out with the same song that Baron had found such joy in. 

Over and over again. 

“Like whiskey laced with gasoline-” 

~~~~🪶~~~~

It was three days after Dagr and Elvi agreed to join Carmilla on Silvana with her daughter when they left. Lyfrassir hadn’t arrived and the Bifrost was moments from closing in. 

Elvi sat in the ship they had brought from Midgard, taking the engine apart to rebuild it, tears falling down her face. Lyf hadn’t made it. They’d died in the Bifrost and there had been nothing Elvi or Dagr could have done. They had barely survived themselves. 

Maybe they could have survived if they’d left together. 

There hadn’t been time. 

Now there never would be time. Her little sibling was dead. She was supposed to protect them and keep them safe and here she was outliving them. 

Dagr nudged Elvi, a plate in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. Elvi didn’t need to ask why. She took the plate from him, going to set it aside before catching Dagr’s look. Instead she turned so her back was to her, eating the sandwich on the plate while her hair fell to the floor. 

Once Dagr was finished he tapped Elvi on the shoulder, handed the scissors to her. Elvi set the empty plate to the side before cutting Dagr’s hair, tears falling down her face as she thought of home. 

Lyf should be here with them. Instead they’re gone, dead. 

Elvi cuts Dagr’s hair as short as she can while still keeping it long enough to braid when he’s ready. There’s too many people to name, their entire solar system dead. Everyone they knew gone. 

Their little sibling dead. 

Their hair pools on the ground, a sheen to it that shouldn’t be there. 

They could deal with it later. Now was a time for mourning. 

Mourning everyone they lost. 

Mourning Lyfrassir. 

They shouldn’t have to mourn them. No older sibling ever wants to think of a time when they’ll have to bury their younger sibling. 

They can’t even bury Lyf. 

There is no body to bury. 

No grave to visit. 

Elvi and Dagr sit in silence, the scissors on the ground as the tears fall. 

After a while Dagr began to sign. 

“Do you remember when Lyf visited after their first week of their assignment with the prisoners?” 

Elvi nodded, a small smile on her face. 

“I thought they were going to burn something down. Decades of solitary confinement.” 

“I still remember the smile on their face when they got Baron out of solitary.” 

“They were so happy.” 

“They were.”

There was silence for a moment before Elvi signed to Dagr, part of her wanting to close her eyes so she wouldn’t see his face after she finished. 

“I never thought they’d die first. I thought of all of us it would be me.” 

Arms wrapped around her. 

Dagr held Elvi close, like he had the first time she got injured, when Lyf was born, when Lyf got hurt during a protest. When she scared both Dagr and Lyf after something she was working on blew up. 

They held on to one another, their tears soaking one another’s shoulders as they sobbed. 

When they let go of each other minutes or hours later Dagr wiped her eyes with her sleeve leaving oil on his eyelids. Elvi couldn’t help it. She laughed. 

The glare that Dagr leveled her with did nothing but encourage her to laugh louder. 

“What are you laughing at?” 

“You look like a trash cat.” 

Dagr stood up, Elvi following her as he made her way to the bathroom. The look on his face when he noticed that she did indeed look like a trash cat sent laughter bubbling out of her mouth again. 

Dagr quickly washed the oil off of his face as Elvi laughed. Dagr hit her with a towel after he finished washing the oil off of her face which only made her laugh even harder, doubling over with the force of it.

Once Elvi was finished laughing Dagr shook his head at her lightly before signing. 

“Next time we have a heart to heart that ends in tears and hugs I’m going to make you take a shower first.”

Chapter Text

Lyfrassir lay on the cot that they had been given in their cell, their vision going in and out. They cursed themself for trusting the food they were given. They should have known that eventually their food would be drugged. That they would be lulled into a false sense of security beforehand.

They were going to die.

They weren't useful so they were going to die.

This was it.

Maybe that was good.

Maybe that would be good in the end.

No more interrogations.

No more voices telling them that they were left for dead.

No more voices telling them their siblings had died in the Bifrost because of them.

No more voices telling them to blame Owl and Baron for the death of their siblings.

They could see their siblings again.

They'd be with Elvi and Dagr in the after.

Their eyes fell closed, one last repeat of Baron's favorite song leaving their lips, though they weren't sure if it was louder than a whisper as their throat slowly closed.

"Like whiskey laced with gasoline."

There was silence. Blissful wonderful silence.

When had they last heard nothing but silence?

Had there been silence after the Bifrost?

They didn't think there was.

Their heart slowed almost to a stop as the silence took them.

~

~

~

The silence didn't last long.

It was broken by Yellow.

That was okay, they liked Yellow. At least they could say goodbye before they died. Yellow had been kind. He deserved a goodbye.

"Inspector. You can't trust them. They're killing you."

Is that why it was silent?

The winged people were killing them?

Maybe death won't be so bad if it's silent.

They had missed the silence.

"They're going to tell you to trust them, that they saved you. They didn't. They're going to kill you so that you trust them."

Why would they trust their killers?

In what world would they trust those who killed them? Those who trapped them in a cell and interrogated them for Hel knows how long before killing them?

"I need you to trust me."

Trust? Funny.

He'd just told them not to trust anyone and now he's asking for trust.

Trusting anyone here was a death sentence.

"Please, you're dying I need you to trust me."

The moment they wondered why they should trust him Yellow spoke again.

"I know a safe place you can go. A ship called Aurora, the crew will keep you safe. If I'm right my friend Owl is there, she'll keep you safe. I promise."

Owl.

Aurora.

What were the chances?

What were the chances that they had the same Owl? The same Aurora?

They'd never been on Aurora, but Owl and Baron had offered them a spot. If they had the same Aurora, the same Owl, maybe, just maybe they could trust Yellow. He'd helped them this much.

Maybe they could trust him. If only to find a way out of this Hel.

"I need your name."

No.

No.

They couldn't give that up.

Owl had seemed so scared at the thought of learning their name. They wouldn't give it away, not to someone who could turn on their back the moment it was said.

They'd rather let the silence take them.

They'd rather die.

At least in death they'd see their siblings again.

"Please. We don't have long. If you give it to me, if I'm the first one who learns it then I'll have priority. They won't win. It's the safest option. Please."

Did they have a choice?

It was presented as one but was it really one?

They waited.

One second.

Then another.

Then they made their choice.

"Lyfrassir Edda."

It felt like a contract had been signed, a link created.

"Thank you."

There was silence for another moment, blessed silence, before Yellow returned once again.

"Call me Bog. Tell Owl I sent you. She'll keep you safe, I promise. You'll be safe. Listen to me Lyfrassir Edda, you will find Aurora and seek safety within her. Be safe."

With that said the silence returned just as pain shot through them and the command took hold.

~

~

~

~

~

Rainbows seemed to surround Lyfrassir, the voices and the silence replaced by music, the song chaotic and ever changing. The song didn't say anything.

They were in pain.

Constant pain.

Horrible pain.

The voices tried to speak, they were sure of it, yet they heard nothing but the music.

The loudest instruments were a violin and piano, ever constant. Sometimes a drum and cymbal would join in, steady in their beats. Sometimes a flute would join in.

The cacophony of the song was better than the voices. They let it sink into them, maybe it would keep the voices away. Maybe the song would be kind.

They doubted it.

~~~~👁️~~~~

He watched as the others set Lyfrassir so they were kneeling on the ground, chaining them up by their wrists with their arms held outwards to help them stay upright, the best position they had found for the process of gaining wings.

He watched as Lyfrassir's heart stopped. The Watchers around them talked, planned what they'd do, which one of them would be the one that this new Listener would report to. Which one of them would be the one to command them to bring back who they saw as a traitor.

He was silent as they spoke.

It wouldn't be any of them.

They had their command, they'd find Aurora, they'd find Owl and they would find safety.

He made sure of it.

He wouldn't let another person fall into their grasps when he could help. Even if he knew what would happen.

They could kill him all they wanted. He helped Owl, he'd help Lyfrassir. He'd keep them safe. He couldn't save everyone, but he could save them.

One of the others with raven wings who had been doing her best to get Lyfrassir's name throughout their stay spoke up, her tone final.

"I will be the one to get their Name. I've put this much work into them, I'm not letting it go to waste. Especially not after the amount of times I had to hear them sing the same line of a song over and over again."

No one challenged her.

He bit back a smile thinking of the line that they'd been singing on repeat, it certainly seemed to drive the others insane hearing it over and over again. Watching the others begin to fall into madness was entertaining.

Maybe he was only safe because he knew what they were singing.

He knew the rest of the song, the others didn't. Lyfrassir certainly didn't.

They'd learn it.

He made sure of that.

They'd meet his people, his Gunner, First Mate and Soldier whose names he pushed away millennia ago for their safety. They'd learn the song in its entirety. Maybe they'd learn his story. Maybe Owl would tell it to them. Maybe his Gunner would.

He watched as Lyfrassir's wings began to grow.

Typically when someone got their wings it was an agonizing thing. Their wings ripped their way out of their backs, the feathers already there covered in blood. His own wings had taken hours to rip their way out. His voice had been gone for days afterwards from all the screaming he had done.

That is not what happened to Lyfrassir.

No, instead their arms fell out of their sockets. Their body slumped forwards without their arms to hold them up as rainbow blood fell to the ground. It looked as if their arms were large fleshy baby teeth the way they were pushed out of their sockets.

The sound of their arms hitting the wall caught the attention of the Watchers around them who hadn't been looking at Lyfrassir, used to the process of new Watchers and Listeners getting their wings. This was not something that they'd seen before. He watched as horror filled their eyes as they stared at Lyfrassir's arms swinging in the chains, an oil spill of blood around Lyfrassir and the walls that their arms had collided with.

Lyfrassir's wings pushed out from the holes their arms left behind, though not all at once, no of course not. Instead their bones pushed their way out, skin forming over them as they made their way further out. The feathers followed after their wings had finished pushing themselves out of their sockets, they spread on from Lyfrassir's back like mushrooms.

It happened faster than usual. It was as if something was speeding the process along as their anatomy changed to fit their wings.

This had never happened before.

He watched as their body continued to change, as their muscles reformatted themselves. He watched as Lyfrassir formed a second set of shoulder blades, as a new pair of arms ripped their way through Lyfrassir's skin, bones first just as their wings had.

Never in the millennia that he had Watched had he ever seen or heard of this happening, of a Watcher's or Listener's wings forcibly changing the anatomy of the person.

They weren't screaming as it happened.

He had been prepared for screams, all of them were, everyone screamed as wings ripped out of their backs but that's not what left Lyfrassir's lips.

A chant fell from their lips as the wings made their way through where their arms once were, as their body changed to fit their wings.

It was horrific.

He watched as people fled from the room, as people vomited at the sight of Lyfrassir's body changing in a way that shouldn't be possible.

He watched as Raven spoke, her eyes on the ceiling, doing her best not to look at Lyfrassir, at their arms hanging from the chains, at their blood pooling on the floor like an oil spill.

There was no doubt that she was trying to get their name, that she was telling them the same things as she had been since they had been pulled out of the Bifrost.

She wouldn't be getting their name. Not in the way that mattered. He made sure of it.

Lyfrassir would be safe. They wouldn't have to worry about the plans of the Watchers.

They wouldn't have to worry.

~~~~🪶~~~~

The song flowed through their veins. It was part of them now.

They wouldn't have the silence again, not with the silence.

That was okay.

The song sounded familiar.

The violin sounded safe.

A guitar was steady in the background, grounding, welcoming.

The song didn't stop the pain shooting through them.

Maybe it was welcoming them to death. That would certainly make sense with the amount of pain that they were in.

The voice of the winged woman who had locked them in their cell returned, promising to make the pain stop, if only they'd tell her their name.

They couldn't tell her even if they wanted to.

Their mouth and vocal cords weren't theirs.

The song had taken them.

They floated in the rainbow song, reaching towards the violin and piano. Looking for the bass drum and cymbal.

There was no stopping this.

Not after it had been started.