“Himchan.”

                The Valkyr paused and turned to regard the brawny god that approached him from the command tent, cloth fold falling back into place, effectively hiding Thor inside as well as whomever else had come to survey their positioning.  His eyes landed on the stump of his wrist and just as quickly returned to the pale-eyed visage.  “Yes Tyr?” he asked, dark eyes partially hidden under his customary helm.

                “How are your patrols going?” he asked casually enough, surveying the groups of Einherjar clustered within their camp.

                “Well enough, sir,” he inclined his head politely, granting the one-handed god what respect he’d earned.  No other deity had been brave enough to offer as much in the binding of Fenrir, and for that he could afford to be courteous.

                “Have you had a chance to go by the northwestern border yet?” he asked, scratching his thick, dark blonde hair with his good hand, gaze pointing the direction he was commenting about; as if in looking that way he could see what was troubling him in general.

                “Not yet.  Has there been movement?” he inquired, keeping his voice calm and steady.  Encroaching enemies on that front could be potentially disastrous since that was close to the pass that should have been guarded by Loki’s sons…

                “Munnin caught wind of something near there.  It merits looking into,” Tyr shrugged, clapping the Valkyr on the shoulder with a crooked grin, his mouth partially hidden by the bushy beard and mustache of the same hue as his hair.  “Take Yunho and his group.  They’re itching to stretch their legs and you’ll probably want stealth on this one,” he suggested, tilting his head to the side when Zico and CL stumbled into a minor argument, voices rising until Minhyuk and then Amber and Jieun jumped in to quiet them both.

                “That would probably be a good idea,” Himchan nodded, keeping the frustrated resignation out of his tone.  “Maybe you can teach them some of the finer points of… not drawing attention,” he chuckled, bowing at the god once more before heading to find Yunho and his band.

                They were seasoned fighters at least and had experience with the perils of Asgard.  He also knew enough of them to know they worked well as a team and if stealth was necessary, they could use it when it was called for.  He hadn’t made it more than a few steps before the air in front of him shimmered and he paused, pulling his shoulders back in preparation of Jongup’s communication.

                Needless to say, he was surprised when his youngest sibling seemed a bit confused as he materialized before him, expression unusually pensive and not particularly happy.  “Uppie,” he called, tilting his head to the side as he removed the helmet to rest it under his arm, giving the youngest his undivided attention.

                “Hey Channie,” he offered a tentative smile, picking at the golden wings on his helmet as he held it between his hands, not really meeting his sibling’s gaze.

                “What’s wrong, little one?” he asked, smiling encouragement and gesturing with his hand to draw some sort of answer if possible.

                Jongup shook his head slightly and pulled himself up, forcing a tentative and not at all convincing smile.  “Hyunnie succeeded in defeating the necromancer and the Einherjar that travels with him is named Yongguk.”

                At his brother’s first announcement, Himchan nodded in relief and then froze completely at the second.  What were the odds…?  He recovered himself quickly before Jongup could notice the hesitation and waved at him.  “Good job, Uppie.  Any word on Loki?” he asked, keeping in mind where he was heading next and trying not to focus too much on what his brother had relayed.

                Jongup shook his head with another frown pulling unpleasantly at his lips.  “I can’t find him, Channie.”

                Himchan’s brows dropped down in annoyance and he shifted, weight resting predominantly on one foot.  “Can’t find him?”

                “No,” the youngest Valkyr responded, looking apologetic and guilty.  “I’ve been trying but the Eye can’t seem to locate his position, no matter what I do,” he admitted, lips pursed nervously.

                “It’s alright, Uppie.  Just keep trying,” Himchan assured him quickly, waving with his free hand.  “And thank you for getting back with me.”  Jongup nodded in agreement but when he remained where he was, not withdrawing as Himchan expected he would, he shifted his weight to his other foot and prompted.  “Was there something else?”

                “Well… yes.  Not really,” he vacillated quickly, shaking his head, back to picking at the feathers on his helmet distractedly.  “It’s not really that important…”

                “Out with it, Uppie,” Himchan chuckled, placing his fist on his armored hip.

                “Erm…  Who is Brahms?” he finally spat out, rushing the words so he wouldn’t back down, shrinking in on himself while he waited for an answer.

                “Eh?  Where did you hear that name?” he responded, side-stepping the question uneasily.  That wasn’t a name he should have been aware of.

                “Daehyunnie’s going to his castle next and he said that you told him about Brahms.  Why didn’t you tell me, Channie?” he asked quietly, finally looking up to meet his elder brother’s gaze.

                “What?” he asked in a dangerously soft utterance, eyes narrowing in his pale face.

                Jongup flinched at the tone, afraid his brother was mad at him for asking.  “Sorry,” he apologized immediately, one hand raised in surrender as the other clasped the tilted helmet.

                Himchan forced himself to take a breath and laughed once to draw his brother’s attention, feeling foolish.  “No.  I should apologize.  I just didn’t hear you, I don’t think.  You don’t have to apologize,” he promised quickly.  Why would Odin condone sending Daehyun to Brahms’s castle?  Brahms was his to fight, not Daehyun’s…

                “So…  Who is he?” Jongup asked uncertainly, looking at Himchan out of the corner of his eyes, noticing how tense his brother was over the still unanswered question.

                “He’s just an opponent I was unable to purify some time ago,” Himchan explained flippantly.  “After our draw, Odin was satisfied that Brahms wouldn’t cause trouble and so we parted ways.”  It was close enough to the truth that it wasn’t an outright lie, though it didn’t make him feel any better for withholding as much from his sibling.

                 He could see more questions in Jongup’s gaze, but he couldn’t give him the answers he wanted; not now and he wasn’t sure if he would ever be allowed to.  He couldn’t simply tell Jongup that Brahms had once been his Einherjar and loyal servant.  He certainly couldn’t tell him that Brahms had tired of Odin’s treatment of human souls; disgusted by his use of them as mere fodder, which had led to his turning in the first place.

                And Odin would do worse than put him back to sleep if he told Jongup that Brahms was the one that his youngest brother had taken refuge with when the All Father had destroyed his human friend’s kingdom for their hubris.  It was enough that he’d managed to retrieve Jongup from the Undead lord’s clutches, resulting in the draw that had kept his youngest sibling in extended sleep nearly indefinitely until his most recent waking.

                Only recently had they all been awakened to prepare for Ragnarok so Jongup wouldn’t know for sure Yongguk’s potential significance to Daehyun either.  Unconsciously, his hand balled into a fist at his side and he noticed the worry on his brother’s face when he realized his own countenance was fairly… troubled.

                “Forgive me, Uppie,” he sighed in a heavy exhalation of breath, forcing his hand open and smiling sadly at his brother.  “I do not mean to worry you,” he promised him sincerely, the honesty in that statement unquestionable.

                Jongup surprised him with his next question though.  “Why are there so many things that I don’t know?”  His frustration bled through and traned into a useless shaking of his helmet, feathers trembling in his fervor.  “I feel like I should know more and yet…”

                “It will come in time, Uppie,” Himchan assured him, hoping that was the truth he wanted it to be.  “When we have finished this war and set things to right, I’m sure Lord Odin will be able to help.”

                “But what if we don’t…” he sniffed, upset and worried and feeling almost completely useless.  The only thing he was good for currently was spying on people and the one he was supposed to be keeping the closest eye on he couldn’t even find.  “I just want to help!  Like you and Daehyunnie,” he gestured widely with his hands, wiping at the side of his face hastily when a traitorous tear slipped free, marring his otherwise dry features.

                Himchan’s expression collapsed into one of helpless worry.  “Jongup.  Look at me,” he urged, stepping so close he was almost inside the shimmering image.  When his brother dragged his shaky gaze to meet his, he picked his gloved hand up, pressing it against the quivering air.  His smile was genuine when Jongup mirrored the gesture, trembling fingers resting just behind his.  “Do you know why I like having you in Valhalla?” he asked in a soft tone.

                “No,” Jongup shook his head, swallowing around the lump in his throat while he blinked blurred eyes, struggling to focus on his brother’s earnest expression.

                “Because I know that you are safe,” he admitted, feeling his chest grow heavy at the admission.  “That helps me more than you will ever know,” he whispered, voice trembling as he tried very hard not to remember the panic and fear he’d felt when Jongup had simply disappeared without a word.

                Holding to the helmet in his other hand, Jongup sniffed and wiped the back of his wrist against his upper lip, leaning back when the helmet brushed closer than he thought it would.  “Do you really mean that?” he asked with a weak smile.

                “With all my heart,” Himchan answered without hesitation, closing his raised fist and pressing it meaningfully over his chest.  Jongup mirrored him again and nodded, laughing once while his face lit up into the genuine smile he was more accustomed to wearing.  “Now.  I need you to be my eyes, Uppie.”  Immediately, his sibling leaned forward with a determined nod, completely focused.  “I can’t watch Daehyun, but you can.  Look over our brother, Uppie.  Odin knows he needs it,” he laughed with a roll of his eyes, pretending levity when he was actually quite serious.

                Jongup didn’t hear the undertones and stood up straighter, grinning at his elder brother and giving him a sharp salute.  “Yes, sir!”  Spirits raised, he donned his helmet, resuming the guise of a Valkyr and waved.  “Good luck, Channie!  And be careful,” he commanded, pointing at the elder with a briefly stern expression.

                “I will,” Himchan replied, giving a much more relaxed salute and waiting until the vision faded.  When his brother was gone, he closed his eyes and let the smile disappear, concentrating on taking several calming breaths to collect himself.  He was very torn in regards to what Daehyun was doing as it should have been him going to face off against Brahms.  Unfortunately, the gods had other plans and duty called…  The threat of the Jottuns could not be ignored and since neither Jongup nor Daehyun could take his place, it fell squarely upon Himchan’s shoulders to take care of.

                Never mind what he actually wanted or felt in the matter.  A glance to the sky showed one of Odin’s ravens, Munnin presumably, circling overheard and he frowned.  There was no time to waste…  He only wished that his spirits were as easy to raise as Jongup’s.

                “Yunho!” he barked, placing his helmet back on his head firmly as he approached the suggested Einherjar.  “Get your team ready.  We’re heading out.”

                I thought we were supposed to be heading southwest, Youngjae commented, clearly confused by their direction when instead of heading towards the supposed location of Brahms’s Castle, they went north instead.

                “We will,” the Valkyr responded with haste, floating over the earth effortlessly as they approached what appeared to be a tiny, dilapidated village.  He noticed the closer they got, the more pensive Yongguk became, withdrawing into himself more and more.

                Oh!  I know!  You heard another Einherjar didn’t you? Zelo grinned, waiting eagerly for what had to be the only good reason.

                “Ne,” Daehyun chuckled, amused by the youngest of their group.  As much as Yongguk wore on his nerves, Zelo tended to lighten his mood and even Youngjae felt somewhat familiar, if more learned than his usual company.

                Why does it look like it’s a ghost village? Changmin commented, focusing on their destination more and noticing half-destroyed buildings in the tiny settlement.

                “Because it is,” both Daehyun and Yongguk answered at the same time, the latter jerking in surprise and looking away.  Daehyun looked at him intently, pausing in midair as he waited for some sort of forthcoming answer.

                Taeil poked his arm and leaned close, peering up into the stoic face.  And how do you know that?

                I was born here, he admitted after a pregnant pause during which time all eyes turned upon him and he found it impossible not to look at Daehyun.  The Valkyr failed to react with any hint of memory or recognition; he just held Yongguk’s troubled gaze and blinked, seeming to mull something over.  You were born here.  He wasn’t completely able to keep the thought out of his mind and while it wasn’t voiced aloud, by Daehyun’s narrowed gaze, it was apparent he caught at least some of it.

                “I don’t think you’ll like what we find here,” he shook his head slowly after a moment, refraining from commenting on the echo of emotional thought that slipped past Yongguk’s guard.  The voices of potential Einherjar, for there was more than one, had been familiar to him.  He’d only heard them in passing, but he knew them all the same.  So did Yongguk for that matter.

                Eh?  The Valkyr’s statement brought confusion to more than just the thief and the entire party waited for further elaboration… which simply didn’t come as he held to his silence, setting down on the outskirts of the empty ruins, drawing them forth.

                “Spread out,” Daehyun instructed, nodding to the others, keeping a distracted eye on their progress as they drifted apart.  There was something else nearby but they didn’t need to worry about it.  Yet.  Personally, he was more interested in the focused Yongguk who was unusually silent and for once, not looking over Daehyun intently.

                “What do you think killed the village?” Zelo asked a thoughtful Youngjae, shadowing him easily as they headed for the heart of the husk they occupied.

                “Good question,” the mage nodded, voice growing distant as they walked.  There was no sign of life and no telltale presence to indicate how the village had perished as yet.

                Daehyun kept an eye on the mismatched pair, similarly amused by the height difference of Changmin and Taeil who stood side by side.  They’d selected partners easily enough, which left him to look over Yongguk in particular, who did not seem himself in this place.  As much as he was annoyed by Yongguk’s constant draw to him in general, he felt awkward now that it was he who drifted towards the thief instead.

                “What is it?” Daehyun asked, coming close enough to look into Yongguk’s face from the side, noticing the dark eyes darting from place to place, lingering here and there before focusing on him with startling clarity.

                “Memories,” he smiled sadly with a wistful tone.  “See that house over there?” he asked, pointing to the shattered remains of a broken shelter.  “That used to be my house.  It housed both my parents and my little sister, once upon a time.  She… disappeared though,” he explained, mouth thinning at the explanation.

                There was such emotion in his voice that Daehyun was almost tempted to reach a hand out and rest it upon Yongguk’s shoulder.  Almost.  “What else?” he prompted instead, following the taller male’s gaze though he didn’t know why it was suddenly so important to know.

                Yongguk didn’t look at him, his sight still focused on the houses.  Nothing remained of what he remembered, but he could see their images in his mind, whole and filled with desperate but stubborn life.  “Over here…”  He stopped talking while he let his feet take him closer to the one near the dried up streambed, letting one of many better memories wash over him for just a second.  He ignored the front door and headed around behind where a wall still stood for the most part, the window empty with one shutter gone and the other hanging on but a single hinge.

                “This place?” Daehyun asked, stepping close to brush his fingertips against the sill, peering into the debris laden room to see nothing salvageable anymore.  There were no bodies here, nor anything of value.  It was just as they claimed…  A ghost village.

                “He lived here,” Yongguk whispered, inhaling sharply when the Valkyr turned to look at him, the identical image of his Daehyun.  Six years was a long time and they had been very young then, he knew, but when you had nothing else to call your own, you held onto the good as tightly as possible.

                “What?” Daehyun asked, seeing the wonderstruck expression on his Einherjar’s face.  Just to be sure, he glanced down at his person, noticing nothing had changed.

                “N-nothing,” Yongguk closed his burning eyes, pressing his fingers over the closed lids with a hurried shake of his head.  “It’s nothing.”  Nothing but a love that had never had a chance to become anything.  Nothing but a broken heart that had never fully healed…

                The Valkyr frowned at the response but didn’t say anything before he brushed past Yongguk, their shoulders touching for but an instant.  A tiny gasp escaped past his lips when he saw the vision of a shadowed face peering in through the window frame, moonlight behind his head giving him a silver halo.  Coming to his senses, he smacked his gauntleted hand against his helmet, the metal clashing loudly and startling his companion before he him.  “I told you to stop touching me!”

                Bewildered and annoyed, Yongguk retorted immediately, “Hey.  You ran into me this time,” he pointed, finger too close for Daehyun’s comfort.

                He reached to grab it with the intent of pushing him away but recoiled immediately when he heard, clear as day in his mind, Get after him!  Growling in frustration, Daehyun pushed Yongguk hard in the chest when the taller male moved to follow him, sending him backpedaling while his arms spun quickly to maintain his balance.

                “What in Hel’s name was that for?!” he yelped, recovering enough to stand his ground and glare, affronted, at the Valkyr.

                “Why do I keep seeing and hearing things that can’t be real nearly every time you touch me?!” he demanded angrily, finger pointing at Yongguk in an accusatory manner.

                “What?!” Yongguk’s face scrunched up in confusion at the question until what Daehyun said actually clicked in his mind.  “What kinds of things?” he asked breathlessly, features softening with a desperate gleam of hope flickering in his eyes.

                Shoulders rising and falling rapidly with each quick breath, Daehyun lowered his finger, balling his hands into fists as he heard the approach of the other Einherjar.  “It doesn’t matter,” he snarled, gaze hard when he turned away, startling the others at the sudden change.

                “Yah!” Taeil yelped, bumping into Changmin in his haste to move out of the Valkyr’s way.  As confused as the rest, he pointed between Daehyun and Yongguk, humming under his breath.  “What did we miss?”

                “Absolutely nothing,” Yongguk huffed, brushing his chest off roughly before he set his jaw and stalked along after the retreating Valkyr.

                “Hey!  We’re not blind you know!” Youngjae grumbled, raising his fist at Yongguk’s back.  Mutely, Zelo tapped on his bottom lip with his index finger and sighed.  Something was going on between those two but he was just as lost as the rest of them were.  It was annoying…

                “Einherjar!  To my side!” they heard Daehyun’s voice call out like a clarion, drawing them to his side effortlessly.  “Battle awaits us!” he roared, their accompanying shouts blending with an angry, inhuman shriek that echoed through the dead village.

(a/n: Ack!  The more I write them, the worse I feel for Himchan and Jongup.  T_T  But Daehyun and Yongguk are coming along bit by bit.  Our Valkyr's just a teensy bit defensive.  lol  ;)  Any guesses on the as yet unnamed Einherjar?

Also, in Norse mythology Loki did have two sons that weren't monsters.  Fenrir, Hel, and Nidhogg (the World Serpent) were all Loki's spawn as well but I believe they were born of him and a giantess, if not several.  >.>

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the update and feel free to comment!  Thanks for reading!)