Five gods start their hunt, but only two know really know what they are hunting.
It was early in the morning in Midgard and five figures had recently stepped out of Tyr's Temple, with a large dragon laying near them.
In front of them they looked up to the highest peak in Midgard, and with it the 'home' of Mimir.
"I still hate this. There are far too many of us for what should just be a tracking mission the more of us there are the more attention it brings wanting to bring you two was enough. Baldur pointed toward his nephews, then his brothers "Then he had to send the both of you as well?"
"It's not our fault, the All-father sent us with them." Heimdall cut in, barely tolerating his youngest brother's disrespect for his father
"Does Odin not have faith in my abilities?" Baldur was quick to retort in a way that clearly tested his brother's patience. "I almost feel like I'm being set up to fail. This Giant might be a coward, but it's not like not he's hard to track. Although I don't know what he wants, he is hiding things from us, maybe the way to Jotunheim, but he is hiding someone."
"I thought we were sent after just a Giant?" Thor asked, despite knowing the answer.
"The one, they call The Guardian. I'm sure this is them, or someone who knows them."
'How are you so sure?"
"All the stories about them claim to be a figure with an ax, and this person wielded an ax that seemed similar to your hammer, he seemed to get strong when he got angry, and he even managed to heal himself."
"Then what exactly are our first moves?"
"Something has happened to this lake, the fact we're even able to see parts of this temple must mean he is up to something, we can look for tracks. After that we visit Mimir again, Odin will visit him later."
Thor tried not to shudder at what his father might do to Mimir this time. But he noticed Heimdall was staring at him again.
"Perhaps me and Thor should check near these docks." His younger brother's expression was icy, Thor believed this wasn't some simple suggestion.
"Fine, but don't cause panic, I don't want this giant going into hiding, again" Baldur turned towards Magni and Modi "That goes for you two as well."
"Well Thor, shall we get going?" Heimdall's chipper tone was betrayed by an almost furious look in his eyes.
"Fine." Thor wondered what could it be this time. This mess has seen him at odds with both Heimdall and Baldur, at least more so than usual, and it wasn't unwarranted.
"If we really are going to be saving your sons, I need to know more about this person we are after, and what you know. You can't lie to me about this."
"We aren't chasing a Giant at all, we are up against a god from another land." Heimdall's eyes widened in panic.
"Are we being invaded?" It was quick and to the point, Asgard had enough trouble with trying to keep order over the Nine Realms, they didn't need a war.
"No."
"Then how does a god, from who knows where, make it to Midgard? Do you even know who he is and where he came from?"
"Yeah." Thor hoped he wouldn't have to say too much. "He's the Ghost of Sparta."
Heimdall paled. Word of what had happened in Vinland, had deeply unnerved the All-Father. He always felt Tyr disappointed him, in that while he always wanted to learn new things they never agreed on anything. But Tyr was smarter than some brute and much more popular, and someone who wanted to actually treat the people of the nine realms as equals. Odin was right to suspect him, even if he was his older brother.
"From Vinland?" Thor just nodded at Heimdall's question. "Was he here to wipe us out too? I saw my own dead body through your eyes." Heimdall tried to keep that out of his head.
"I don't know why he's here or what Baldur thinks he can get out of him. All I know is he's traveling with his son."
"This, Loki." Heimdall hated the name and he had no idea why. "Who claims to be a giant?" 'And an 'okay kid' according to him.' Heimdall grimaced as Thor nodded, why was Thor being soft on a giant, and why were they working together in the first place?
Heimdall stopped to take the information in. if this child was a Giant, but his father was some Vinland god, then his mother was a giant. It had to be the only way this makes sense.
"Do you know anything about his wife she has to be the giant Baldur is after! How else could this Loki be a half giant"
"She's probably dead. Father had sent his ravens to spy on them after what happened here, or what will happen here. It was only them."
"Damn it." Heimdall had kicked the ground in frustration "We are left at where we started."
"We?" The God of Thunder cast his brother a wary glare.
"Yes, us. I don't know if I can believe that the All-Father wants to kill you, but we are still trying to make sure no Aesir will die during this little expedition."
Thor believed it was a threat, and it wasn't going to back down. The two Gods remained staring each other down before they heard footsteps off in the distance. It was Magni.
"Father, Uncle Heimdall. We've found some tracks, they belong to a large man and a child. Uncle Baldur wants us to meet back at the temple so we can go visit the mirror. A thoughtful look for a moment had appeared on Magni's face, as if he wanted to say something but it had soon gone away.
"Is something wrong?" It was stupid question for Heimdall to ask the 'greater' son of Thor. He could see Magni saw them arguing from a distance just by looking into his eyes. "Me and your Father had a small disagreement on why we are here. Helping Baldur like this is unexpected for the both of us."
"We might talk more about it once we meet with Mimir." Thor's words were also an unspoken promise.
Dagsettr Flew through the air rapidly reaching the highest peak in Midgard.
"I wonder if he'll be more cooperative this time if it's five of us instead of two?"
"Hmph that sharp tongue of his will just have more words to say."
"He's been here this entire time?" Modi asked. "I wondered where he went to, I missed the old goat's stories before he betrayed us."
The dragon had landed on top of the mountain and beyond a stone archway stood the tree were Mimir was imprisoned. The small group of Aesir soon reached the tree, where the former advisor to Odin raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Well now I can't believe I'm being visited by the likes of such esteemed company. The lads of the Odin, and Thor decide to pay me a visit? Tell me Baldur, did you enjoy any good food and drink while you were gone?"
If Mimir's words had any effect on Baldur he did not show it.
"I've followed his tracks, the Tattooed man travels with a child."
"What, is the 'All-Father's' best tracker stumped?" A small vicious grin formed on Mimir's face. "Is that why you brought these four dobbers with you? Ya got Heimdall's senses, the strength of Thor and his sons, and apparently not a brain between the five of ya, if you've come seeking me out."
Baldur sighed. "I can talk to Odin." It was as much desperation than anything, and both parties knew it.
Odin's former advisor looked at the five faces in front of him. Magni and Modi had a look of impatience, Heimdall only scowled, Baldur seemed desperate but also angry, and Thor appeared outright sad, and behind the other four. Could even believe that insane story of Thor's? What good was coming to one's senses when it was too late, Mimir learned that the hard way
"I don't know where he is. Even if I did Odin would not free me, and you can't kill me. So take your two bawbags worth of shit kin, whatever useless threats the five of you can muster and go."
"We are better off leaving. I've looked into his eyes, he's never seen this person we are after."
The five had returned to Dagsetr and took flight once more across the skies of Midgard.
"I think we should've taken his other eye, the nerve of him."
"Modi." Modi snapped out his anger, at his father's voice it was replaced with nervousness. "There's no point in being that cruel. That was a waste of time, again For the Smartest Man Alive, he knows nothing that can help."
"What are we to do now, Allfather's Greatest Tracker?" Baldur was too busy steering Dagsetr, but he could all but imagine his older brother's smug grin.
"We split up and search for them, they've got to be out there somewhere, but we can find them easier if we have more people. I want to go alone, divide yourselves up how you want to. Just don't kill them, especially since may have roused a giant snake and the lake has begun to recede."
'Hymir, I hope he doesn't become a problem.'
"Me and Modi can check around that corpse up there?."
'Thamur?' Thor remembered the aftermath all to well, an entire village frozen to death.
"Then we can go check the Wildwoods."
"Alright I'm setting Dagsettr, near these cliffs." Below them was a cliff just east of Tyr's temple, which Baldur's dragon began to land toward. "We will meet back near that old watchtower by nightfall if we don't find them."
"Sure." Modi said as he and Modi started to head north of where they were.
"Yeah, we will see you here if nothing happens." Baldur said nothing, but gave a huff.
The two sets of brothers went their separate ways, as Dagsetr flew off into the sky.
"I don't understand why you don't want to hurt either of them." Heimdall was still bewildered by his brother's attitude as they set off to toward the Wildwoods. "Yes Baldur doesn't have much sense in him, but I figured even you would. Sure this 'Kratos' hasn't killed anyone yet but if what he does. He's clearly more than capable of it."
"He is, which is why I need you to go look after them." For once, Heimdall didn't seem willing to give him trouble. "Make no mistake, my sons are strong, but he is much stronger."
"Fine. Maybe I can find out why he's here." Heimdall turned toward the direction of where his nephews went and began heading toward them.
'Maybe I can find out more than what you're willing to tell me.'
So I wanted to get this out to end the year, at least in my part of the world. This is kind of a brief bridge chapter, or that is how it feels to me. Although I still think I could have done Mimir better like I'm holding back to much.
Looking back on this literally a year ago since I first published this fic, I'm really kind of surprised it took off considering I largely write AU's and for even for my non-fandom writing that's more speculative or alternate history, they are what you could call AU's as well. So I don't consider this fic all that unusual for what it is at heart even, but I do thank you guys for the support, and don't want to take you guys for granted.