The ships engines hummed softly as the crew busied themselves preparing to take off. Hamund Stood by the hatch, his gaze shifted between the stars as he pondered the choices laid out ahead of him. Each twinkle seemed to be its own challenge in the way of his quest. The weight of Ken’s conversation with him hung above him like a dagger, Hamund knew one wrong move, and everything would come to light.

As Hamund stared into the heavy night sky, he heard the footsteps of a heavier set man approaching from behind. “Worry not brother, we have faced far more fierce foes in our day!” Val utters as he slowly steps to his brothers side.

Hamund can’t help but smile as his brothers words radiate a warm feeling. “Worry?” Hamund sarcastically asks. “The only thing I worry about is where our next meal comes from.”

Val looks over his brothers face and softly stows his brother sarcasm “You don’t need to hide you fears, not from me.”

Val feared the news he had to deliver, he hoped he could soften its effect with friendly banter. As they both stood outside the ship, simultaneously they exchanged “We need to talk about what happened.”

Val took lead in the conversation as Hamund stood silently still lost in space. “It’s about Thorkell.” Val’s tongue felt heavy as he mustered up the courage to tell his brother of his sons condition.

Hamund’s attention was drawn to his brother but before Val could get another word in a woman’s voice could be heard. Blended with anxiety and urgency Eir shouts to Hamund “Hurry to the medical bay, Thorkell is going under!”

As Hamund snapped around at the sound of Eir’s urgent call. for a brief second Val seen his face contorted by fear and anger. Val could feel the warmth of their initial conversation broken by the stark reality of the current crisis they found themselves in.

Val stood outside the ship, staring inside as he watched his brother rush through its halls. Val feared the wrath that may come from his brother discovering this news. The pressure had Vals heart beating rapidly as he gripped his shirt, he couldn’t help but fear he had failed his brother.

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Val, hesitantly, walked onto the ship closing the door behind him. As he watched the walkway shut, he felt a sense of anxiety rush over him like an animal trapped in a cage.

As Val approached the medical bay door, he seen that his blood had all but disappeared, leaving chipped paint and small spots still staining the white door.

Val sat outside the door praying that Thorkell would be okay, he hoped his father's presence would be the thing that brought him back from the brink.

Val could hear the faint sounds of hurried footsteps and muffled voices through the cracks in the door. Talks of blood and various unintelligible words broke the oppressive silence of the hall.

Suddenly, the door to the medical bay swung open, as Hamund emerged, his face was bright red and scrunched with anger. Hamund pointed into the bay and with an aggressive tone said “Eir needs you”

Val stands up and walks past his brother, Hamund glare never leaving Val. As the blinding of the bright lights fades, Val notices Eir standing by Thorkells bed side with an IV.

Eir’s voice was riddled with caution as she said “Throkell needs blood for the procedure to work. It has to be someone of direct relation. Seeing as how his mother is dead, and he has no direct siblings it would have to be his fathers.”

Val looks back at Hamund who is standing at the door with his head hanging.

Val asks Eir “Why do you need me, his father is right there.”

Hamund, showing a bandage on his arm, says “We tried that.”

Val felt confused as his hands began shaking said “I don’t understand”

Hamund shouts out “I know you and his mom shared relations, humor me would you?” Hamund’s arms flailed as he pointed to Thorkell “For fucks sake, just save the boy.”

Val feels water rush to his eyes as he sits next to Thorkell and holds his arm out, ready to receive an IV.

As Eir approached Val’s arm with the needle, Val looked away trying to avoid seeing the needle enter his skin. Val feels a tight pinch as Eir inserts the needle into his arm. His blood rushes through the small wound filling the bag slowly.

Hamund watched as tears streamed down from Val's face. Hamund senses Val’s guilt and fear and turns to walk out the door. Before Hamund could depart the room Val looked over to him and said “No matter what happens, he is still your son.”

Hamund slams the door as he walks out the room, his face crumbled as he felt a burst of air build up in his stomach and tears fell freely to the ground like rain.