Forgotten brothers

Chapter 1

The Nine Realms stood quiet in the wake of Ragnarok. Ash blanketed the lands, the skies darkened with soot, and silence reigned where the clash of gods and beasts had once roared. Among the ruins of Asgard, the surviving gods began the arduous task of rebuilding their shattered world.

In the shadows of the destruction, two souls born of chaos found themselves reincarnated in mortal forms. Their essence—Skoll and Hati—remained the same, though they no longer wore the bodies of wolves.

As Freya wandered through the desolate remains of a once-vibrant forest, her sharp eyes caught something unusual: a faint, red glow emanating from the darkness of a hollow tree. She approached cautiously, her hand gripping her staff, her heart steady but alert.

"Hati?" she whispered, though she wasn't certain why that name came to her lips.

The glow blinked, and suddenly, the shadow within the hollow moved. From the darkness, two burning red eyes stared back at her, feral and unblinking. Freya's breath caught as the figure began to emerge. At first, she thought it was a beast, but then her heart ached with surprise and pity.

A naked boy, trembling and smeared with dirt, crawled from the tree. His pale skin seemed almost translucent in the dim light, and his dark hair hung in tangles. The red glow in his eyes flickered, and she saw his lips curl back slightly in a low, instinctual growl.

Freya knelt, her voice soft but firm. "Hati, come here."

Hati hesitated, his eyes darting around as if expecting an attack. Then a noise—a distant growl—made his head snap toward the horizon. Freya turned in the same direction.

Not far from Freya, Magni and Modi had cornered another boy. Skoll stood with his back pressed against a shattered boulder, his blue eyes wide and frantic. Mani, the young goddess of the moon, extended a hand toward him, her expression calm and soothing.

"It's okay," Mani whispered. "You don't have to run."

But Skoll's fear overwhelmed him. With a flash of sharp teeth, he lunged forward, snapping at Mani's hand. Startled, she pulled back as Skoll bolted, his pale legs carrying him through the rubble.

"Stop him!" Magni roared, but before he could act, Skoll tripped and fell. His weak, mortal body betrayed him, leaving him panting on the ground as Magni approached and seized his arm.

The commotion drew Freya and Hati closer, and when Hati saw his brother struggling, he let out a sharp, almost inhuman growl. Freya placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him, her gaze falling on Skoll's frightened, tear-streaked face.

The brothers were brought before Baldr in the great hall of Asgard. The light of the newly restored sun streamed through the cracks in the walls, illuminating the boyish forms of Skoll and Hati as they stood trembling before the god of light. Baldr's golden gaze softened as he looked upon them, but the tension in the room was palpable.

In the background, Vidar and Vali exchanged dark looks. Vidar stepped forward, his voice cold. "We should get rid of them now. They're Fenrir's spawn, the ones who devoured the sun and moon. What mercy do they deserve?"

Vali nodded. "They carry the blood of destruction. Do not let them linger here, or they will bring ruin upon us again."

But before Baldr could speak, Freya stepped forward. "No," she said firmly, her voice ringing through the hall. "They are not the wolves they once were. Look at them! They are but children, lost and frightened. They deserve a chance to atone."

Vidar sneered. "And what would you have us do, Freya? Coddle them like pets?"

Freya lifted her chin. "I will take them to Vanaheim. I will raise them as my own sons. Under my guidance, they will learn restraint, wisdom, and compassion."