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God of War: Love & Strength	By : AchtungNight Category: -Misc Video Games/RPGs > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1200 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the God of War Franchise or any other media referenced in this story(see full disclaimer below). I wrote this for entertainment, not profit. This is non-canon fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 1-God of War: Love & Strength
- 1
God of War: Love & Strength, by AchtungNight.
Summary- Kratos & Freya seek reconciliation, post-Ragnarok.
Celebs with Direct Sexual Action- Kratos, Freya.
Genres- MF, oral, anal, mature, BDSM (mutual dom and sub from both male and female partners), non-human, romance, fantasy/sci-fi, abuse recovery, shipping, fanfiction.
Intro- This is an adult fanfiction story related to the "God of War" videogame series. Reader familiarity with that series is encouraged, but not assumed. Like Kratos (the series main character), I seek to assume nothing. I also keep my expectations low, and always anticipate an attack. Kratos gives a lot of good life advice. Seriously, play this series, if you're into videogames. It rocks.
A few important disclaimers. Please do not read this story if you do not have a mature open mind. It contains adult material, including strong sexual content and some violence. I do not own the God of War series. The creative team Santa Monica Studios, led by Cory Barlog among others, owns that series. I am not connected to their team directly at this time, I'm just a fan. This story incorporates several theories of mine and additonal theories I have seen from other fans about where the God of War series can go after the conclusion of its latest video game entry, God of War: Ragnarok, released in 2022. Ultimately, this story addresses my opinion of what would make a good story for the series continuation over anything else. All opinions and religious interpretations expressed in the story below are the product of my own imagination, knowledge, and extremely liberal Christian beliefs. I realize other stories in the God of War series canon may eventually override my fan fiction story, as may the opinions of other fans and fan fiction writers, that is of course fine with me. I am not demanding anyone share my beliefs, merely attempting to write a good story. I hope you, the reader, agree that this story is a good story. Apologies for getting overly religious in my subject matter if that is a problem. It is difficult not to get religious when writing about Gods.
I must credit the Will Ferrell movie "Stranger Than Fiction" for inspiring parts of this writing. A few other sources of inspiration are mentioned directly in the text.
This is also a crossover story between God of War and another popular media franchise not in the public domain, at least in the concluding cliffhanger. I do not own the stories with which I am crossing God of War in that conclusion (read on to have those stories specifically identified, no spoilers here). If you are interested in a sequel to this story from me, or a prequel detailing the past conflict between Kratos and those stories (again, not spoiling things here, look to the ending), please let me know. I have a scrapped outline for a crossover story I may be able to resurrect.
Special Thanks to Bear McCreary, the Rolling Stones, Alicia Witt, and the other musicians whose work helped inspire as me as I wrote this story. Thanks to all my other inspiring artists also, Kratos and Santa Monica Studios especially. I hope I am not disrespecting any of them. I consider them my fleet officers, I am just a mere boat captain operating in their universe, one who can be killed easily but wants to keep sailing through their waters. I hope the analogy is understood by any would-be critical analysts of this story. Thank you in advance.
***
Chapter 1- Summary of Previous Events.
If you need a summary of the God of War videogame series, I will describe here the most important plot elements I can give from the video games. Some familiarity with Greek and Norse mythology may be of help to understand certain concepts and characters. But again, I am trying not to assume audience familiarity with anything. Please skip to Chapter 2 of this story if you want to avoid spoilers and play the games yourselves. You may want to skip this story entirely, if you want to avoid spoilers, but if so I hope you will return and reread my work when spoilers are no longer an issue.
Previously...
"God of War (2005)": Kratos is a Demigod Spartan soldier and general living in the Realm of Ancient Mythological Greece. The Greek Pantheon of Olympian Gods, led by Zeus, consider Kratos their champion and assign him various missions to defeat Monsters and wage war in their name. Among the particular mission assigners for Kratos are Ares and Athena, the two Greek Gods of War. Ares is a God who represents the savage bloodlust of war, while Athena represents its strategic aspects. All the Greek Gods are greedy and cruel. In the past, Kratos primarily served Ares as a champion. That was until Ares motivated Kratos to murder his own wife and child. Ares did this by causing Kratos to get so wrapped up in blind anger he could not stop himself from committing the murders. After this event, Kratos turned on Ares and, aided by that God's rival War Goddess Athena, sought to overcome and defeat Ares. Kratos accomplishes this goal and murders Ares at the conclusion of his first videogame. Kratos then takes the position once occupied by Ares and becomes a new God of War.
"God of War: Chains of Olympus": Kratos has conflicts with the other Greek Gods and ends up killing a young member of the Pantheon who was trying to usurp power. This was necessary, but it turns several Gods against Kratos. Our hero is also briefly reunited with his child in Elysium, the Greek version of Paradise, but he must leave her behind for good to save the Greek Realm. This does not sit well in his mind.
"God of War: Ghost of Sparta": Kratos gets additional backstory. He has a dead brother named Deimos. There was also a prophecy that there would be a great marked warrior that wreaked much destruction on the Greek Realm. Ares assumed Deimos was the prophesied warrior, and he killed Deimos. Kratos took up the markings once worn by Deimos and swore vengeance, long term. That was why Kratos originally served Ares. Now, in the present, Kratos attempts to resurrect Deimos by killing the Greek God of Death, Thanatos. This quest succeeds, but Deimos dies again during the final battle with Thanatos. During the quest, Kratos also ends up killing one of his relatives and destroying a major Greek city, neither for the first time. The Olympian Gods dislike Kratos even more now. Only Athena and Zeus appear to still be on his side.
"God of War 2": Kratos destroys another Greek city in his crusade for power and vengeance. Zeus finally decides he's had enough of Kratos and tries to kill him. Kratos escapes from Zeus, allies with another Pantheon of Greek Gods- The Titans- and seeks to destroy Zeus and the Olympians. First, he must murder the Sisters of Fate, who hold power to determine the destiny of all beings. Kratos wants to prevent the Sisters of Fate from holding power over his destiny. He succeeds in killing the Fate Goddesses, but this has consequences. The Greek Realm begins to crumble. Kratos goes after Zeus again at the climax of the game, and nearly achieves victory, until Athena sacrifices herself to save Zeus. As she dies, she reveals to Kratos that Zeus is their father.
"God of War 3": Kratos, aided by the Titans, must overthrow and defeat the Olympian Gods. He is also aided by the spirit of Athena, who now claims to be a "Higher Being" than any particular Gods. Athena wants to help Kratos still, or so she claims. Kratos accepts her help. Kratos then fights his way through the fortress of Olympus, murdering many Gods and Monsters, as he has in previous games. This time around his opposition includes the Titans, who turn on Kratos once he is no longer necessary to their crusade. As Kratos murders various Titan and Olympian Gods, the Greek Realm continues to crumble. Kratos ultimately kills Zeus and then refuses to empower Athena when she tries to become the new dominant Goddess of the Greek Realm. Athena's spirit fades away. Kratos then leaves the collapsing Greek realm, not sure what he will do next.
"God of War" (2018): In a reboot of the series, Kratos reappears, now living in the Realms of Norse Mythology. He is now working to give up many of his past character flaws. One might call this version of Kratos a "Second Testament", as per Christian religious terminology. I call it a "Second Testament" instead of a "New Testament" because, like many fans, I hope Kratos will have future games and further character development.
Anyway, the "Second Testament" Kratos is doing his best to put aside anger and vengeance, and instead live a life of peace. Kratos has not chosen the safest realm as home, however. He is still haunted by Athena's spirit and his past. He also constantly has to battle various Monsters threatening his peaceful life. Kratos has managed to survive these dangers and he now has a new family. His second wife, Fey, is dead from unspecified cause at the start of the game and Kratos must now raise their son Atreus alone. Kratos has to do a lot to earn his son's respect.
To make matters worse, a seemingly invincible Norse Aesir God named Balder comes looking to kidnap Atreus. Kratos must now protect his son from Balder. Kratos and Atreus flee from Balder and seek to escape his attention while working to reach the top of the Giants' Fingers, the highest mountain in the Norse Realms. This was the last request of Fey before she died- she wanted Kratos and Atreus to scatter her cremated ashes from that mountaintop.
Kratos and Atreus fight and murder various Norse Gods and Monsters during their journey, including Magni and Modi, the sons of Norse Aesir Thunder God Thor, who were helping Balder. Kratos and Atreus also become friends with four exiled Norse Gods- Brok & Sindri, the Dwarven Gods of Craft; Mimir, the Faerie God of Wisdom; and Freya, the Vanir Goddess of Love, Preservation, and the Earth. Kratos and Atreus also learn that Freya is Balder's mother and this fact eventually turns her against them. Balder will not stop his insane plan to kidnap Atreus at the direction of his father Odin, the most powerful of the Norse Aesir Gods and Freya's former husband. Freya hates Odin, and she considers Kratos and Atreus her friends, but she does not want anyone to kill Balder.
This develops into a grand battle where Atreus learns Balder's weakness and makes him vulnerable. Balder then fights Kratos and Atreus and is ultimately defeated by them. Freya tries to intervene. Balder swears vengeance on Freya for casting his former spell of invincibility, which made him unable to feel pleasure or pain and thus insane beyond reason. Balder then tries to murder his own mother. Kratos kills Balder to save Freya, intending to end the cycle of vengeance. Freya swears vengeance on Kratos for his murder of her son and flees to gather her strength.
Kratos and Atreus then complete their journey to the Giants' Fingers, aided by Brock, Sindri, and Mimir. Upon reaching the mountaintop, Kratos and Atreus prepare to scatter Fey's ashes and then learn some additional startling facts. Fey, Atreus' mother and Kratos' wife, was in fact Laufey, a Justice Goddess of the Norse Jotnar Pantheon, a group of Gods opposed to the Aesir. The Aesir subjugated the Jotnar and many other Gods- including the Vanir, Faerie, and Dwarves- in their quest for power. In addition, Kratos is now recognized by the Jotnar's prophecies as their God of Strength, Farbati, and Atreus is recognized as the God of Mischief, Loki. The Jotnar are not present to provide further details, only their paintings and other lore remain. Kratos and Atreus return home with heavy hearts.
"God of War: Ragnarok": We rejoin Kratos and Atreus, now striving to survive in a Mythological Realm increasingly turning against them. They are pursued by a vengeful Freya and Thor, who seek blood payment for the deaths of their sons in the previous game. Odin also seeks to convert Kratos and Atreus to his side, but Kratos rejects Odin. Then, with aid from his various allies and additional Jotnar prophecies discovered by Atreus, Kratos seeks out the imprisoned Aesir God Tyr, who has power over War and Law.
Kratos and Atreus rescue Tyr, however Tyr has given up violence. This disturbs Kratos. Our heroes then discover an additional prophecy- a great war called Ragnarok will destroy Odin and save the Norse Realms from the Aesir's megalomania. Tyr and Atreus are prophesied to be major players in the Ragnarok conflict. Kratos and his allies seek to avoid Ragnarok at first, but ultimately come to consider it a righteous and necessary cause. Kratos fully joins the conflict, as champion of his son Atreus. Tyr attempts to caution peace, but is rejected.
As the game continues, Atreus has dreams of prophecy related to his Jotnar heritage. He meets and falls in love with Angerboda, a young Jotnar Goddess. They have two metaphorical children, the gigantic serpent Jormugandr and the gigantic wolf Fenrir. Atreus helps Angerboda overcome her bitter Jotnar grandmother, gains Angerboda's love, then returns to his father Kratos.
Kratos then fights with Freya again. She nearly defeats him, until Atreus intervenes with his developing powers of shape-changing and magic. Kratos then seeks to protect his son from Freya's wrath. Freya backs down, realizes she is angry at Kratos, but not Atreus, also that she empathizes with Kratos' desire to protect his son. Because of these facts and the fact that Atreus values Kratos, Freya can no longer pursue murdering Kratos. Freya then has Kratos help her reclaim a large portion of her power that Odin sealed away. She does not forgive Kratos for murdering Balder, but she does come to accept Kratos as an ally and a friend again. In their quest to achieve friendship, Kratos and Freya meet and ally with the remnants of the Vanir Pantheon, led by Freya's twin brother Freyr, God of Inspiration, and their associate Hildsvini, God of Dedication.
Atreus then infiltrates the Aesir Fortress Asgard, intending to spy on and betray Odin. Kratos does not entirely support his son in this plan, but he has to recognize that his son is growing up now and developing into his own man. Atreus makes an enemy of the Aesir Watchman God Heimdall, who is later murdered by Kratos. Atreus also makes friends with Thor's daughter Thrud, in the process achieving an uneasy peace with Thor and his wife, the Aesir Earth Goddess Sif. Thor and Sif are still angry at Atreus and Kratos over the deaths of their sons, however they are forced to hold back their wrath as per Odin's direction. Odin believes that Atreus is key to averting the Ragnarok prophecy and the destruction of Asgard. Atreus rejects Odin as a power over the Norse Realms. Naturally, Freya, Kratos, and all their allies do the same. Odin then reveals that he was disguised as Tyr and spying on the heroes all along. He murders the dwarf Brok and flees back to Asgard.
Kratos then gathers his allies and leads war against Asgard in the great battle of Ragnarok. During this battle, he is joined by Atreus, Freya and the Vanir, Mimir, Sindri, Angerboda, and various other Norse Gods and Monsters. Sif, Thrud, and Thor also turn on Odin, once they see that Odin is not a good God for whom they should give their service. Odin murders Thor for betraying him. He is then defeated by a team consisting of Kratos, Atreus, Mimir, Freya, and Sindri. Sindri ultimately murders Odin as vengeance for his brother Brok and retreats in bitterness. Freyr dies in the ensuing collapse of Asgard, but the Norse Realms ultimately survive. Atreus then announces he is going on a quest to find the Jotnar, aided by Angerboda. Kratos and Freya are then tasked with the recovery of the Norse Realms following Ragnarok. This story, "God of War: Love & Strength", takes place after Kratos and Freya complete most but not all of the various tasks associated with that cause. I reference some of these events below.
The God of War video games provide more detail for all of the above summarized events, as does my story below. If you are not familiar with the games, I recommend you play them, or at least watch Let's Plays of them on YouTube. There are many of the latter, too many for me to judge the best or worst. Seek and ye shall find. Watch all you require to fill in the blanks for the plot of the fan fiction story that follows. And remember my policy please- when writing, reading or reviewing fanfiction, no story is best, every opinion is valued. The reader or the writer is the judge, who may also be called the Father of Understanding, in the end. May that judge guide you.
And Now...
***
God of War: Love & Strength
Chapter 2: Future Franchise Speculation.
Kratos entered his home on Midgard, tired from his latest journey. Freya was watching his back. Mimir was at his side.
We have reached a good point to take a rest, Kratos reminded himself. Odin was dead, the power of Asgard broken and scattered. The remnants of Asgard, all those he knew about at least, were destroyed. The Aesir who remained, those who had once served Odin, were all allied with Kratos, as far as Kratos knew. One vengeful remaining Aesir, Gna, was dead. The soldiers of Asgard allied with Gna were also dead, far as he knew. The Berserker Spirits wandering Midgard and other Realms were all defeated also, their power sealed within the hilt of a sword carried by Kratos. Various other Gods and Monsters that threatened Kratos and his allies had also been defeated. Kratos' newest ally, the real Aesir God of Law and Peace Tyr, was rescued and safe under his own power. Kratos' son Atreus was absent from his life now, however, that was fine. Atreus had his own tasks to accomplish, his own life to lead. Kratos had other allies, including Freya, his powerful friend and onetime foe, and Mimir, whom he and Freya both found of wise counsel. Mimir and Freya both seem content now, Kratos thought, regarding his friends. So, I too should be as content as I can.
Freya frowned when Kratos glanced at her, challenging his idea of her contentment. She shook her long dark brown hair and quickly looked away.
"What is the matter?" Kratos asked her, his deep Stoic voice echoing through his long black and tan beard.
"I..." Freya sighed, then turned back to him. "I am still thinking about Brok's funeral."
"Aye, I am as well," Mimir agreed. Mimir's severed head, which held the remnants of his essence after his death and resurrection, dangled from Kratos' belt. "It was a beautiful ceremony."
Kratos grunted to show that he concurred. He then looked around his home, deciding that his companions' discontent was nothing to worry about at present. His home looked undisturbed since he had last left, except... a strange package was on a table. Kratos moved towards the table and opened the package, then went through its contents. He smiled, seeing a letter in his son's handwriting addressed to him.
"What is it?" Mimir asked from his belt.
"Mementos," Kratos replied after taking time to look over the letter and the package's other contents. "From Atreus' journey."
"What will you do with it?" Mimir asked, seeing Kratos gather the objects back inside the package.
"Add it to our own," Kratos replied after a pause. "His story is ours. And ours is his."
"Too right, brother," said Mimir.
"I agree," Freya chimed in from the home's threshold. "May I..." She did not finish.
"Of course you may come inside," Kratos told her, guessing what she could not say. Freya's own home was denied to her now; she had upset Chaurli, her home's caretaker. Fortunately, both Chaurli and Freya had other friends to be their caretakers. "You are welcome here."
"Thank you." Freya walked to a bed he indicated and lay down her bow and quiver of arrows beside it. She also laid down her large satchel of magical charms. She kept her black cloak on, shivering in the cold hut. Kratos grunted as he observed this and moved to stoke the fireplace. With a quick strike from the chained Blades of Chaos he wore on his wrist, the gathered logs burst into flame. Freya cast a magic Sigil to amplify and prolong the fire. Kratos grunted at her in thanks.
"Place me near that fire, brother," Mimir bade Kratos. "I have reading to catch up on." Kratos grunted, placed Mimir's head near the fire, then placed an open book in front of Mimir. The severed head whispered a magic spell and smiled as various words in the book flashed bright and the pages began to turn on their own at appropriate times.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Kratos asked Mimir.
"From Hel's Eagle," Mimir answered. "It aids me, not having limbs. Go on, brother, relax. You have earned it."
Kratos grunted to show he agreed and moved to lay down his weapons. The Blades were unfastened from his wrists, hung on a nearby hook. He also laid down the Leviathan Axe after looking at his bald head and stern features in its reflective surface. I do not need to shave my beard just yet, Kratos decided. I grew it after I moved into my new home. It grew longer after I met Fey, and after Atreus was born. I will keep it a while longer. Judging the fire was now warm enough, he cast off and put aside his bearskin cloak. His armor and shield he kept on for now. He also kept on his Draupnir ring, ready to summon its spears to aid him if necessary. Many Hel-Walkers and other enemies still roamed Midgard. There would be further threats yet.
Freya coughed politely and Kratos turned to face her. "Yes?"
"Is there a privy?" she asked. "I would... freshen up."
Kratos grunted. He did not often need to use the privy, but Fey had needed to use it more regularly when he lived with her. Atreus also often needed to use the privy, and Kratos supposed other people also had such needs. "Out back," he directed Freya. "In the training area behind this home."
"Thank you."
"Perhaps you should..."
Freya smiled briefly at his obvious concern and tapped the two swords sheathed on her back. "I have these, and my magic. I will be fine."
Kratos nodded and grunted again. He then turned away from Freya as she left, his gaze not lingering on her, and sat down at the table. He opened the package of mementoes from Atreus again, looking over the contents. He perused the letter again, smiling at various details he was now able to read in depth. Atreus was doing well, aided in his journey at various points by Angerboda, Fenrir, and Jormugandr. He also had been aided by Thrud, Thor's daughter, and her fellow Valkyries. These allies were aiding Atreus in searching for the Jotnar. No Jotnar had been found yet, but Atreus retained hope.
"What's the matter, brother?" Mimir asked when Kratos grunted after reading the next paragraph.
"Atreus has traveled to strange Realms," Kratos grumbled in reply. "He has been quite busy since he left us after Ragnarok." The God of War held up various objects from the package of mementos as he spoke. "He found this amulet in the place you call the River Kingdom. A God there named Jehuty provided Atreus some valuable knowledge. Atreus also came into conflict with some other Gods in the Realm. One of them was named Sobeck and he had this reptilian scale."
"That Realm can be quite dangerous, brother," said Mimir. "But I'm sure Atreus can handle himself."
"Atreus says as much here. He is not in the River Kingdom now. He moved on to another Realm, where he picked up this arrowhead. This Realm is a 'dark place' ruled by a God named Xibalba." Kratos had difficulty pronouncing the strange name. Some other Gods with names difficult for him to pronounce were allied with Xibalba. A God of War that resembled a fast-moving bird, a feathered serpent, a smoking mirror... Kratos grunted as he described these Gods to Mimir.
"That's a dangerous Realm too!" the severed head proclaimed. "Please tell me Atreus has moved on from that awful place!"
"He has," Kratos said, reading the next paragraph. "He writes this letter from another Realm, one ruled by three Gods. A Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer." Kratos grunted as he read. "The Realm seems at peace between these three Gods. They gave Atreus this piece of rope. Atreus is seeking additional knowledge in that Realm before he moves on. He has also visited another Realm where he met a Monkey King that resembles him and a God of War that he says resembles me, a God called... Gwan Yu." Kratos showed Mimir a sketch of a red face with a long beard.
"Aye, that does look familiar. I have never been to that Realm. Meeting this strange God of War sounds intriguing. Does Atreus require our assistance?"
"Not at this time. He says if he needs help, he will send a... raven?"
A black bird croaked from the window at that moment, and Kratos turned and looked at the visitor. The creature was familiar but did not appear to be an immediate threat.
"Munin!" Mimir gasped, identifying the raven. "Odin's former pet. I guess she survived Ragnarok, as did Odin's other primary raven Hunin. They must be working with Atreus!"
Kratos looked back at the letter and nodded. "Atreus says that here, yes." He turned to address the raven. "I do not wish to compose an immediate reply. Give me time. Can Mimir summon you?"
Munin croaked several times at Mimir, who nodded when Kratos looked at him. The raven then flew away.
"The ravens no longer serve Odin now that they are free of his magic," Mimir said when Kratos remained silent for a moment. "Munin also says that Thor is watching over Atreus and Thrud. He is pleased that they are allies now. Thor is no longer in this Realm, and yes, Odin did kill him. However, he has become a 'Higher Being'."
Like Athena? Kratos wondered, not speaking aloud. I hope if Thor is now such a being, he will be an ally to me, not an enemy any longer. He sounds like an ally to his daughter and my son, that is good at least. "Does Thor know of his wife?"
"Aye, brother. Thor watches over her and the other remaining Aesir in Vanaheim too."
"Hmph," Kratos grunted, turning back to the letter. It took him only a few more moments to finish it. "Atreus is fine. He says not to worry." Kratos heard a chorus of clashing blades from outside, rose, and looked out one of the home's windows. Freya was assaulting a straw dummy in the yard out back, obviously working through some aggression. "We should not worry about that either. Freya is training."
"Good for her. Do you think she will stay with us now, or return to Vanaheim?"
"I do not know."
"Well, let me know if she tells you before me what she decides. In the meantime..." Mimir turned his eyes back to the open book.
Kratos grunted and turned back to the packaged mementos, looking again at various objects. A tablet Gwan Yu had given Atreus, a golden coin from a Realm called Takama no Hara, a spearhead from another Realm, a piece of cloth from another, and some other objects he could not immediately identify. The letter provided more details, but it would take Kratos significant time to read it over again and decide whether he should visit these other Realms it described. They did sound interesting, however if Atreus said they had no immediate dangers...
Kratos frowned suddenly. Additional words were appearing on the page before his eyes.
Notes- Atreus' letter references Egyptian, Mayan, Aztec, Chinese, Japanese, and Hindu lore among other mythological traditions. Christian and other lore will be referenced later. Please proceed to the next chapter.
*
Chapter 3- Introducing AchtungNight.
The God of War frowned suddenly, seeing additional words appear on the page before him. "Kratos," they read, "CB here. Be aware that a fanfic author is writing about you. A rogue boat captain is attempting to sail the ship which you and I, among others, command. You know what this means, right? We've talked about this."
Kratos at once felt angry. He did not like Gods messing with him, rogue fanfic authors in particular. But I wronged a boat captain once long ago, he also remembered. Is this a way to atone? Hmm.
More information flashed across the page. "This author enjoys your more popular stories, so he wants to write one himself. He prefers his video games concentrate on story over action. For his writing, he plays on higher difficulty levels. He wants a challenge from you, the ultimate God of War challenge if necessary. 'Give Him God of War' as he writes you if necessary, Kratos. He is fine with that.
"The author is also fine with you knowing his weaknesses. He's big on weaving in crossovers, satire, and Christian mythology. He likes 'The Wizard of Oz' and will be incorporating a pivotal scene from that story into his work. Here are some relevant visions. Also be aware that the author is immune to your weapons but not your divine will as a God of War. Use that will. The author's name in your language is..."
Kratos smiled, feeling his fear and anger fade. As tactics continued to flash before him, he grew ready for the challenge to come.
"Also be aware that this is not just about your character," CB continued. "Every character in the story other than you is also important to this author in various ways. He is very cupertic, he gets pleasure from observing other people's happiness. That includes the characters he creates. This author wants to see them all happy on some level. He respects that, as well as canon for his fanfiction, and I approve. This author is also shipping you and Freya. You know what all that means, right?"
Kratos knew indeed. Was he comfortable being shipped with Freya, he wondered, being put in a loving relationship with Freya by a rogue boat captain of a fanfic author? It did not take Kratos long to decide positively. He had already thought about Freya in private moments a few times. He knew he could never get with her in his main story, however. Their circumstances did not allow it. Unless, perhaps, it was different in this author's universe?
I hope he respects Freya and me both if that is so, Kratos thought. He could feel CB agreeing with this sentiment. Good, Kratos thought. Perhaps the author felt the same? Good. But know this, author, the God of War added. I will not make it easy for you.
"The author approves of your criteria," CB communicated. "Be aware he likes to imagine the characters he ships constantly lusting for one another's company, particularly in sexual situations. He then weaves in various other characters and tropes where he feels it appropriate for the story he is trying to write.
"The most important characters for this author in this story are you and Freya, and he's already got Freya on his side. Pretty much, anyway. Freya will be wavering a bit, you may need to give her support as you have already. The same is true of other characters on a lesser level. Ultimately, this story is about you and Freya facing the challenge of getting together and making your story better in the author's personal fanfic universe. If you don't like the author, you may end the story and thus kill him as you did that boat captain long ago. But this fanfic author wants to keep sailing through your universe, Kratos. Would you like him to keep sailing through it? Take your time deciding. But Be Ready. Are you ready?"
Kratos nodded and put the letter aside. He could feel CB's approval in his mind.
Challenge! Kratos commanded silently. Come!
*
Chapter 4: Assisting Freya.
Time around Kratos unfroze in answer to his command, as if a higher entity was controlling his surroundings.
"Kratos!" Freya shouted from outside just then. "I need you!"
"Go to her, brother!" Mimir shouted as Kratos at once leaped to his feet. "I can wait for you here!"
Kratos activated his Draupnir ring and a spear appeared in his hand. He also recalled his Leviathan Axe to his open hand so it would be close if needed. The Blades of Chaos he left behind for now.
His weapons ready, Kratos rushed to the training yard and there found Freya in combat with several Hel-Walkers. Wandering Monsters near my home, Kratos judged them, recognizing the blue humanoid undead creatures wielding various weapons. I may have to renew the Protection Stave.
He threw his Draupnir spear at the nearest Hel-Walker, hitting it in the throat. Kratos summoned another spear as the Monster dissolved into blue mist, lunging quickly at a pair of Hel-Walkers that were moving towards him.
Freya smiled as she watched Kratos eliminate the Monsters with a quick series of thrusts. Three more Hel-Walkers were close to her. She wielded her Aesir sword and engaged them, covering the Monsters in Bifrost energy with several sword slashes. A quick ballet switch to her Vanir sword, and the energy exploded with her next strike, destroying two of the Hel-Walkers. The Bifrost had faded from the third Hel-Walker, which evaded her thrusts. Freya waved her hand and a vine came out of the ground, knocking the Hel-Walker off its feet. The vine then coiled around the Hel-Walker at Freya's direction, and she sliced off the entangled Monster's head.
Kratos, having slain his own opponents, looked around for further threats. Two Hel-Archers were on a ridge nearby, aiming arrows in his direction. Two quick thrown spears vanquished them. Another Hel-Walker was approaching Kratos from the right. A thrown spear took care of that Monster also. Another Hel-Archer was nearby, a stronger one. Kratos threw his Axe at that enemy and eliminated it.
"Hel-Viken!" Freya shouted. "On your left!"
This large muscular Hel-Walker would require more advanced tactics, Kratos recalled quickly. The Hel-Viken's club wounded Kratos while he debated tactics. He thrust a spear into the Monster's stomach, released that spear and backed away, then summoned another spear and slammed its stave on the ground. The spear embedded in the Hel-Viken exploded, knocking it down. Freya waved her hand and vines entangled the Monster. Kratos threw and exploded several more spears, destroying the Hel-Viken. Freya meanwhile dispatched two more Hel-Walkers approaching them with her Vanir sword, moving quickly with use of her Valkyrie Wings.
"Are there more?" Kratos asked her, recalling his Axe to his hand as he looked around.
"On your right!"
Kratos' thrown Axe slew the aiming Hel-Shadow Archer right after its arrow wounded Kratos. The wound was not serious, thankfully.
"Tatzelwurm at your feet!"
Kratos quickly stabbed the furry reptile rising from the ground with his newest summoned spear. He then left that spear embedded in the twitching Tatzelwurm as he leapt away, then quickly detonated the spear to destroy the Monster.
"Enemy behind you, Kratos!"
Kratos turned around quickly and saw another Hel-Viken approaching, flanked by two more Hel-Walkers. All three of the Monsters wounded Kratos while he debated tactics. He moved quickly, scrambling to get away. Kratos summoned another spear and directed a blast of wind magic at the monstrous trio, sweeping them back. A wall of vines summoned by Freya rose to further separate and isolate each of the Monsters. Kratos moved to slay them, unleashing various moves from his arsenal. The situation was not right for his spear now, so he summoned his Leviathan Axe and swapped between them. A Light Runic Attack to damage the Hel-Viken, a Heavy Runic Attack to dispatch it. Kratos switched weapons as he engaged the other two enemies. Two quick spear stabs for one Hel-Walker, a few Axe swings for the other. A Spartan Kick to another Tatzelwurm that appeared, followed by another embedded and detonated spear. A Hel-Archer was taking aim. Kratos' thrown Axe defeated that target. One more Hel-Walker was attacking Freya, it was already covered in Bifrost. She had slain three more Hel-Walkers approaching her also. Kratos killed the final Hel-Walker with a Bifrost explosion trigged by his thrusting spear.
"That was the last," he said after another look around. No further enemies threatened them. Time to check on Freya now, Kratos decided, since the immediate threats are gone. This fanfic author threatening me can wait, Freya is my main concern. "Are you injured?"
Freya looked at a deep cut on her arm and healed it with a quick spell. "Not any longer. You?"
Kratos smashed several Health Stones dropped by his slain enemies and relaxed as he absorbed their magic. "I am fine."
"Good. I already renewed your Protection Stave."
It took him an instant to realize the implication in Freya's words. Kratos recalled his Axe, summoned another spear, and turned to face Freya, keeping the weapons ready. "You canceled the Protection Stave's magic on my home?"
"By accident. I was seeing if it needed strengthening. The Jotnar magic was unfamiliar." Freya held her open hand in a peaceful gesture, keeping her sword lowered but ready in case Kratos were to attack. She had faith he would not, that was obvious from her expression, but she still appeared uncertain what he would do.
As she should be, Kratos thought. There was a time when her presumption would have earned her death from me, no matter her intention. I remind myself now that Freya is my friend. I can think of no better ally than her. So her presumption must be excused. "The Monsters were nearby?"
"Yes. They got in before I could renew the Protection Stave. Do you know much about its magic?"
"Some things," Kratos said after a moment, "but not enough. Fey tried to teach me the magic of Protection Staves, but never finished her lessons. Atreus and Mimir know such magic better than I."
"I thought as much. I will have to teach you what I can. Later. Are you... angry with me?"
Kratos let out a heavy grunt. "No," he said after a pause. "But please ask me next time before you take such presumptive action." He waved his hand and his spear disappeared. He had already sheathed his Axe.
"I apologize," Freya sighed, putting away her drawn sword. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. "The Monsters were on me before I could reactivate the Stave. I renewed it after we dispatched the first group. I'm glad those Monsters could remind us we need each other." She frowned. "There was also a raven flying away- Munin, one of Odin's command ravens. I do not see Munin now." She looked around nervously.
"Munin is Odin's raven no longer," Kratos informed her. "Atreus directs Munin and Hunin now."
"Oh? His letter told you this? Good." Freya nodded as Kratos grunted and looked around. "Your Stave was hard to charge from a distance, but I have expanded its magic now," Freya said after making a series of gestures. "It now encloses the area around your home in a sphere with a four mil radius." She translated that measurement when Kratos asked her and he grunted in reply. "We are safe, there are no other immediate threats. However, I do need to speak with you about something."
Kratos looked around to make his own tally of threats, saw none, and then turned back to Freya. "Speak."
"Let's keep this between you and me," Freya said, glancing at the hut. "I would prefer we not involve Mimir in this if not immediately necessary. It is good you left him inside. I have cast a spell of silence around us to prevent eavesdropping. Also, I have been told a 'fanfic author' is writing about us. Do you know what that means?"
"Hmph," Kratos grunted, raising a thick eyebrow.
"I see," said Freya, interpreting his grunt. "Your 'main author' CB talked about this author to you, I'm guessing. I've spoken to his agents as well, Snorri Sturluson in particular spoke to me about the author. He is to me what CB is to you. Do you know what all that means?"
Kratos grunted again.
"I'm already on the fanfic author's side, I just need support from you and to provide further explanation of how it happened," Freya said. "Do you understand?"
"Hmph," grunted Kratos.
"Good. Let's get to the main challenge then. You may want to sit down." Freya directed him to a nearby log. She wiped some sweat from her brow with her sleeve, then sat down on the log herself.
Kratos sat down beside her as requested. He had a good amount of sweat on his biceps and other muscles, but he did not need to wipe that sweat at this moment. "Speak," he said again when Freya seemed to have recovered her composure.
"I do not wish to arouse your anger," Freya said carefully. "When I knew Thor, I taught him a mantra to use when making peace with enemies. There's no magic in it, just appropriate words." She frowned, nervous. "You seem like a calm and reasonable person. Are you a calm and reasonable person?"
Kratos grunted, recognizing the mantra. Thor had said it to him when they first spoke, a long time ago. That meeting had ended in bloodshed, as had their next meeting. He glanced towards a frozen lightning bolt visible on the horizon, remembering both events.
"Thor used those words when he first came to my home," the God of War told Freya. "You should know. Atreus' letter had details regarding Thor. Thor's spirit survived Odin's death blow. Thor is now a... 'Higher Being'."
"Yes, I know," Freya said, smiling. "I spoke with Thor and Snorri moments ago. We call such beings as Thor's new form 'Angels', among other things. Have you encountered them before?"
"Athena," Kratos said after a pause. "A Goddess of War and Wisdom from my home Realm. She was my ally for a time. Then she died. Then her spirit became my ally again, and then my enemy. I have not seen her in..." He trailed off, grimacing. It had been many years. Was Athena still alive? Was she still his enemy? Could lesser beings like him be sure of anything concerning 'Angels'?
"This Athena sounds like a possible 'Fallen Angel'," Freya said. "A very dangerous Higher Being. Does she have any power over you?"
"No," Kratos said, remembering the last time he had seen Athena. Had her spirit been a hallucination then? Or was it real? He did not know. It did not matter. "I told Athena when I last saw her that I am her Monster no longer."
"Good." Freya looked nervous for a moment, then sighed heavily. "Thor is definitely not our enemy. He and I spoke while you were inside your home and I was out here. Angels can freeze time for communication. Thor and I had a long conversation, very difficult at first, but..." She sighed again. "Thor said there is a Higher God above Angels, a God whom he serves now. I had heard rumors of this God before, but... Thor did not mention this 'Athena'."
"Do 'Fallen Angels' serve this Higher God?" Kratos asked.
"No. Angels have Free Will, as do nearly all beings their God created. Fallen Angels are in rebellion against the Higher God. There was one Fallen Angel in particular Thor mentioned who may be a future enemy for us. One of his names is 'Adversary'. I..." Freya paused, waving her hands. "There is a lot to explain, Kratos. It is not all immediately necessary, or easy for me. Can you please let me direct this conversation?"
Kratos paused, then grunted, looking around. "Is this 'Adversary' threatening us immediately?"
"No. Thor did not think so, anyway. Adversary has various other Fallen Angels allied with him, and there are others that are not his allies, but no, none of them are threatening us either, not immediately. There is another matter we need to talk about."
"Speak of it, please. I can ignore... distractions."
"Good." Freya released another heavy breath. "How do I put this? Thor said I needed to cement an alliance with you for the future. He showed me that last Jotnar Prophecy you saw, the 'path you never imagined'. Do you remember?"
"Yes." Kratos did not add that several things about that Prophecy's painting still bothered him. Why were so many mortals in the painting obviously respecting him, cheering for him? Why did so many of them look unfamiliar? What were the strange tablets and other objects so many of them held? A mortal named "Cory Barlog" was standing at his side, other mortals directing Kratos in his future. Mortal Instruments of Gods of Fate? Kratos wondered. Should I oppose their powers? Or are they Higher Beings I cannot defeat? Hmm. I will have to wait and see. Jotnar Prophecies have power I do not understand. I can only wait for them to develop. Could "CB" be Cory Bartog? Could he also be a boat captain like this author I am facing now? I do not know.
"The Higher God above the Angels gave the Jotnar their Prophecies," Freya continued. "Thor said you and I are part of several possible future Prophecies from this God, though he could not provide many details. I asked, but... there are more important matters. You... you still owe me blood payment, Kratos."
Kratos grimaced and grunted. "What? I thought I..." He had helped Freya regain her power and overthrow Odin, had he not? Was that not enough repayment for the death of her son Balder? He asked Freya this with a frown.
She shook her head, smiling. "You don't know much about blood payment, do you?"
"I do not."
"It was Tyr's law, originally. He created the law as a method of peace between various tribes of mortals in our Realm, and a way to maintain that peace. There was much war before Tyr created the law. My brother modified it somewhat, as did I, as did Odin and various other powers in this realm. The Jotnar originally suggested this law to Tyr. Can you guess which God suggested it to the Jotnar?"
Kratos raised both his eyebrows. "Hmph."
"Yes, you can. Good. Blood payment, as you know, is earned when a being in our Realm makes another being suffer. That being who suffers is called a victim. A victim can demand blood payment from any other being, including immortals like us. Blood payment may be unjust sometimes, any mortal or immortal authority may attempt to cancel it. However, ultimate cancellation of blood payment can be granted only by the judgement of the victims, and no being that earns blood payment can cancel the debt. No being is above blood payment, not even a Higher God."
Kratos did not understand everything she said, but it did not matter. He understood most of it, and that was enough for the moment. "Please continue."
"As you know, when you killed Thor's sons Magni and Modi, you earned blood payment from Thor."
"Yes. He told me that debt was repaid."
"Thor told me the same. Thor also said he told Atreus that he too was forgiven. Forgiveness from a victim can repay blood payment. Do you understand?"
After a moment of thought, Kratos did understand. "I still owe you blood payment from the death of Balder," he prompted Freya. "You never forgave me."
"And I may still never forgive you," Freya confirmed, releasing another breath. She was crying now, and paused to wipe her tears. "I still have not forgiven myself either, for what I did to him. I intended to protect my boy, Kratos, my darling boy, and it drove him mad, turned him against me. He could not feel harm, but he could not feel pleasure either, and..." She broke down in sobs.
Kratos almost enfolded her in his arms, then paused. No, he should not make such presumption. He must close his heart to others' feelings. He had killed Balder. Freya still blamed him for Balder's death. Yes, she blamed herself also, but he could not always be sure of her feelings. This was definitely such a time. Comforting Freya could be dangerous for both of them if he went too far. Freya had requested that Kratos be a counselor for her on occasion, he recalled, but he was unsure what to say here. His heart was beating with a tremor he had not felt in a long time. Not since...
"I am sorry, Kratos," Freya caught his attention, interrupting his thoughts. He looked back at her and saw that she had recovered, was still crying but not as heavily. It seemed a different manner of tears now, however. "Do you recall what the Norns told me when we met them? What that vision of me they created said to us?"
Kratos nodded. The Norns were the Fate Goddesses of these Realms, he remembered. He, Freya, and Mimir had visited them before Ragnarok, learned about Heimdall's threat to Atreus. During that visitation, Kratos, Mimir, and Freya had seen terrible visions created by the Norns.
"You will not touch him!" Freya quoted one such vision. An apparition with her face had spoken the words. "You will not harm him! Nobody harms my boy... but me!" She broke down sobbing again as she spoke the final words.
Again, Kratos almost moved to comfort Freya, but stopped himself. I should not, he ordered himself, summoning his strongest inner discipline. I must not. But why do I feel otherwise? What is wrong with me? I have not felt this way since...
"Aphrodite," the God of War frowned, seeing a sudden glowing scantily clad female apparition before his eyes. A Goddess of Love, a Goddess Kratos had opposed once but not slain, smiled at him, laughed, then disappeared. She is an Angel now, Kratos realized, recognizing Aphrodite's aura. Like Athena, or Thor. Did Aphrodite die in the destruction of Olympus? I was not certain. I felt this way when I saw her last, and before, and after. When I first got to know Fey, and my wife before Fey, Lysandra. I... he frowned, looking at Freya. He was bothered by his feelings regarding her, which he could not easily define. He decided to put them aside for now. It was not easy, but he had to do it, right? Close your heart to it.
Freya screamed as she remembered the Norns' apparition, and Kratos again nearly embraced her. He scooted away from Freya on the bench.
Aphrodite appeared again, frowning at Kratos and gaping. She coughed and gestured at another Angel who stood beside her, a young boy holding a bow and arrow. The boy Angel pointed at Kratos, speaking words Kratos could not hear. Aphrodite gaped again, and both Angels disappeared.
"What?" Freya asked, looking at where the Angels had stood an instant ago. She stared at the spot, frowning. "What is it?" She clutched her side, frowning again.
"Are you injured?" Kratos asked, looking at her.
"No," Freya replied, lowering her hand. "I do not think so. I felt like a strange arrow struck... never mind." She laughed, her tears fading now. "I was distracted. Maybe I needed such distraction. Hello again, Thor."
Kratos looked in the direction she indicated. He grimaced, seeing a glowing angelic Thor holding two raised thumbs in their direction. Before Kratos could speak to Thor, the large red-bearded Angel disappeared. "What is going on?" Kratos asked, though he already knew the answer. It had to be the fanfic author's design.
"I do not know," Freya said, grimacing. "I feel something strange. I am not sure I have ever felt this way. Kratos, I..." She touched his arm and directed his attention back to her. "You still owe me blood payment."
Kratos recalled their earlier discussion. "And you owe it to yourself, I think. Can you forgive yourself as a 'victim'? And can you forgive me?" It was not obvious from his tone which he considered more important.
"I... I do not know." Freya paused frequently as she continued. "Blood payment to yourself can be... difficult to forgive. You told me once that... it is difficult to seek forgiveness when you feel unworthy."
"Yes."
"I do not feel worthy of forgiveness. I do not seek to punish myself with blood payment, either, but... I..."
"Our actions have consequences," Kratos told her, recalling advice he had once given Atreus. "To be reminded of them is not punishment."
"Sometimes it feels that way," Freya corrected him. "You told me you were responsible for the deaths of your family, Kratos, do you remember? Your daughter, Calliope? Your brother, Deimos?"
"Yes," Kratos remembered. "Also my first wife, Lysandra. I murdered Lysandra and Calliope at the command of Ares, before I realized what I was doing. I later killed Ares in response, as you know. And then I killed many others. I had made a deal with a God that cost me my soul. At that God's command, at the command of Ares, I killed many who were deserving, and many who were not." This was a mantra of which he often reminded himself. "I killed my wife. I killed my daughter. I killed many others." He stared at his hands, clenching them, and then turned back to Freya and stared into her eyes. Kratos frowned, feeling a strange pain in his side. He grimaced at the distraction, but continued his recitation.
"For a long time, after Ares' death, I was still a slave to his power. I killed nearly all the Gods of Olympus, nearly all the Gods of my home Realm, and many mortals also. I did not kill my brother Deimos, Ares took him from me. That was why I first swore myself to Ares. I forgot over time what Ares had done to my brother, only after Ares was dead did I remember. Another God, a Death God named Thanatos, was keeping Deimos away from me. I found Deimos in the Realm of Thanatos, together we slew Thanatos, but Deimos was again taken from me then, slain by Thanatos. Perhaps if I had not sought Deimos in the Realm of Thanatos..."
He shook his head, then confessed further sins to Freya. "While seeking Deimos, I also killed my mother, Callisto, when she transformed into a Monster, lost control of herself, and attempted to kill me. I later learned that my father, the God Zeus, had transformed my mother into that Monster. I swore vengeance on Zeus for this. Zeus sought to kill me because of a prophecy that I would bring about the destruction of Olympus. I fulfilled that prophecy. I destroyed Olympus. I killed my father. I killed many others also." He frowned. Did Freya really need to know all this? No, perhaps not, but he still needed to tell her.
"I have killed many who were deserving," Kratos concluded his tally of sins. "And many who were not."
"Did you kill your wife?" Freya interrupted him. "Your second wife, I mean? Fey?"
"No," Kratos answered, grimacing at the question. "She was ill for a long time, or so she told me, but knowing me, and raising Atreus with me, she always said that was the best gift I ever gave her. And I gave her many gifts. Those were her final words." He released a deep grunt and looked directly at Freya. "I killed many who were undeserving before I knew Fey, but after I met her, I... I have tried not to kill anyone who is undeserving. I am not certain I have fulfilled that vow."
"You have," Freya told him, speaking quickly. "As far as I know, you have. If you are speaking of my son, he did deserve death, I know that. You had to kill him, to stop him from killing me. I know that. I still have trouble accepting it, but I know it." She grimaced, looking away from Kratos for a moment and then back at Kratos. "I am still not ready to forgive you."
"There is a part of you that is still angry," Kratos said, remembering her past words to him concerning her forgiveness of him. "A part that will always be angry."
"Yes," Freya nodded. She chuckled, shaking her head. "I know I can find strength in this anger, but can I also find..." She shook her head. "Odin also owed me blood payment for the death of Balder. He asked me to protect our son, you know. I researched the spell I cast on Balder at Odin's command."
"You told Mimir and I that Odin asked you to cast the same spell on him," Kratos recalled, "and you refused after you witnessed Balder's madness. Then you left Odin."
"Yes," affirmed Freya. "That drove us apart, that and many other things. The madness of our son, the madness of Odin, my mistakes..." She clenched her fists and looked again at Kratos. "So much pain. So much suffering. I have forgiven much of it, but... You understand the pain I feel, Kratos, the pain of destroying family. You have felt the same pain yourself. Have you ever attempted to harm yourself because of your pain?"
"Many times," Kratos answered without hesitation. "I have lost myself in despair many times, and in anger. I do not know how much of it was the power of Ares, the power I absorbed when I killed Ares. There was also the power of Thanatos, Zeus, and other Gods I absorbed when I killed them. And of course, my own need for vengeance."
"You do not seek vengeance now."
"I do not," Kratos confirmed. "There has been enough vengeance, enough suffering. Fey told me something. Our lives do not have to end in suffering, in vengeance. That is not what it is to be a God, or a mortal. We are the Gods we choose to be. Who I was is not who I will be in the future. I must be better." He repeated the last words. "I must be better."
Freya smiled at hearing his words. "I too must be better," she declared, smiling. "I need your help for that, God of Few Words." She used a nickname she had given Kratos before, one he recognized. "Can you be the God of Few Words and listen to me please?"
Kratos nodded.
"You motivated Thor to be a better God before Odin killed him, Thor told me that. I need similar help from you now, and others will also. The Higher God I mentioned earlier, the one who commands Angels like Thor, He hopes to raise His children with similar goals. Helping others overcome suffering, being better. There are other Gods and beings similar to Gods who share these goals. Tyr, Thrud, Sif, Hildsvini, Sigrun and the other Valkyries, Atreus, Angerboda, Jehuty, Kwan Yin, Allah, Christ, Krishna, Buddha, Lao Tze, Moses, SeaMan, Sun Wukong..." Freya rattled off several other names. Kratos recognized one name and asked her to repeat it.
"Gwan Yu?"
"Yes, Gwan Yu. I had never heard of this God before Thor mentioned him. You have?"
"Yes. Atreus has met this Gwan Yu, he mentioned the meeting in his letter." Kratos waved the distraction away. "Please continue."
Freya smiled, then did so. "Thor told me that he is now among these Gods with similar goals also. All these Gods who agree with Thor are joining together under the Higher God's direction. The Higher God is not commanding any being, mortal or immortal, to serve His design, only 'asking and hoping'. That was how Thor put it. Thor has agreed to work with the Higher God, as have many others. I too agreed. Thor asked me to ask you to also agree."
Kratos only had to hesitate for a moment. "I agree. If this Higher God is sincere in his design, I do not wish to oppose Him. I shall not be His slave, but I will work with Him."
Freya smiled. "I made the same decision. Thor told me Tyr has made the same decision, as have Mimir and Atreus. We will need to work with others to make similar decisions, including Sindri. Snorri called the process 'Reconciliation'. That word is unfamiliar, I know. It means... the process of finding ways for beings to become allies after disagreements. It took me a moment to understand it. Do you understand?"
Kratos pondered the word for a moment, then nodded. "I understand. This 'Reconciliation'... can it be demanded?"
"No," Freya said. "That ruins it. Demanding Reconciliation makes it impossible to achieve. Thor told me that. But if you agree to seek Reconciliation..." She smiled at Kratos' nod. "You understand. Good. Reconciliation, Thor told me, can also help redeem blood payment."
Kratos grunted to indicate he understood.
"I may never be able to forgive the debt of blood payment I bear from what happened to my boy," Freya resumed her soliloquy. "Or the one you bear me. You may not be able to forgive yourself for your own debts of blood payment either. But can we achieve Reconciliation?"
Kratos grunted, then grunted again. "I do not know."
"We need to try," Freya said, gasping words in a rush of emotion. "I think we also need to try something else. I...." Suddenly she was embracing Kratos, kissing him hard on the lips with passionate intensity.
*
Chapter 5- Embracing.
Kratos was not sure how to react. Freya was kissing him. His heart was beating so fast. His convictions and disciplines fell away, one by one. His arms rose and embraced Freya, pulling her closer to him. His lips returned her kiss, he could not stop them. He did not want to stop them. And she did not want to stop kissing him either. His mouth opened, and so did hers. They breathed into each other for a moment. Kratos could feel their Godly powers joining, their souls joining. He welcomed such joining with only brief hesitation, with no problem whatsoever once that hesitation had faded. Freya kissed Kratos, and he kissed her back, with firmness and fervor. Their kissing continued, until suddenly her hand rose and pushed him away.
"Wait," Freya said to Kratos once they had withdrawn from embracing each other, frowning at him. "I am not sure I like this."
"I..." Kratos shrugged, grunted, looked away, then back at her. "I am also not sure."
"Good!" Freya said, relieved. She gasped and relaxed, glaring over her shoulder at something. Kratos turned and looked in the same direction. He saw Aphrodite and the strange boy angel, Thor also, all looking apologetic. Kratos grunted at them, and they disappeared. Kratos then turned back to Freya.
"I am not sure what just happened," Kratos told Freya.
"Nor am I," she agreed. "I just..." She made gestures with her hands, looked away from Kratos, then back to him. "I do know this, though. What we just did... it was a path to Reconciliation between us."
Kratos had trouble imagining such a path. He stared into the distance blinking. He could swear he saw many visions suddenly waving at him, many beings glowing like angels. Thor, Aphrodite, others. Was that... was that Lysandra? Fey? His daughter Calliope? His brother Deimos? His mother? Not his father Zeus, but another son of Zeus, Apollo? And another son of Zeus with whom Kratos had once been allies, Hephaestus? Also Hephaestus' daughter Pandora? And not Athena, but another daughter of Zeus, a Greek Goddess Kratos had not slain but one he was pretty sure was dead, Artemis? Beside Artemis was... Freyr, Freya's dead brother? That blue Dwarf next to Freyr, was that Brok? Beside them... a strange God covered in fading magical tattoos? Balder? Was that Balder? Kratos stared at the waving Angels, blinking, straining to see a blinding light beyond them. He blinked at the light, then quickly looked away.
Freya was staring in the same direction, Kratos realized, also blinking and looking away. There was a black shadow looming over them now, then it was fading, receding. Then lights were flashing before his eyes and Freya was cradling herself against Kratos, gasping and sobbing into his chest. Strange music was echoing in Kratos' head. He stared into the distance, trying hard to ignore it, looking at Freya and the fading angels in the distance. The God of War blinked again, several times. Then he turned away from the vision, back to Freya.
"I am not sure I understand what is happening," Kratos said, "what I am feeling."
"What we are both feeling," Freya corrected him. She took a series of heavy breaths, then resumed speaking. "I... I want Reconciliation with you, Kratos. And with my son."
"You have it," Kratos told her. "Believe me, Freya, you have it. Or at least... a path. Did you see it?"
Freya nodded. "I did. I..."
"No need to explain," Kratos said, repeating earlier words he had told Freya. "Not to me, not for that." He reached for Freya's forearm and grasped it. She returned his smile. "You do not need to explain," Kratos repeated. "Not to me, not for that. I do not regret saving your life and never will. But the choice between life and death was not a choice I should have made for you. I should not have robbed you of that choice." He hesitated a moment, then continued. "Nor should I have robbed Balder of that choice either."
"I robbed my son of that choice first," Freya corrected Kratos. "I regret that... I regret it so much. I want..."
"Reconciliation?"
"Yes." Freya smiled at Kratos. "That. Tyr... the real Tyr, not Odin... Tyr also believes in Reconciliation. He has teachings related to it. May I share them?"
Kratos grunted, "Please."
"Thank you, " said Freya. "Blood payment can be reconciled if one who owes blood payment assists their victim. Helping a victim secure another debt of blood payment is one way. You helped me in such a thing, with Odin, with Ragnarok."
Kratos grunted and nodded in understanding.
"A better way is to help a victim rebuild their lives after they have suffered. We have been working towards that since Ragnarok. Helping rebuild the Realms. Defeating the remnants of Asgard, the Berserkers, Gna..."
"Yes," Kratos interrupted her, showing he knew this already. "Alliance can lead to... Reconciliation."
"Yes," said Freya. "I know this. But further Reconciliation..." She released a breath, then smiled and nodded. "I want more from you than just an alliance."
"I..." Kratos stared at her, realizing she was waiting for his response. He hesitated a moment, then gave affirmation. "I want the same."
"Good," Freya said, gasping in relief. She then raised her arms and embraced Kratos again. This time she stopped short of kissing him. Only their foreheads touched. It was a familiar position to Kratos, he and Fey had shared such an embrace many times. Lysandra had also shared it with him, long ago. And so had Deimos, and Calliope, and Atreus, and his mother. Never his father, but that was not important. He recognized the postion and welcomed it from Freya. She smiled, realizing his forehead did not move from alignment with hers.
"I..." Freya spoke in rapid passion. "I want to love you, Kratos."
"Accuracy over speed," Kratos told her. "I... I want you. I love you, Freya."
"I love you also," Freya corrected herself, smiling. She pulled back and stared into Kratos' eyes, frowned, smiled, then leaned in and touched his forehead with hers again. Kratos felt his heart calm as he embraced her, then his heat beat quickly as Freya withdrew from him again. She was speaking rapidly once more. "I... I am not sure I like this. The last being I promised to love like this was Odin. I..."
"Did you ever truly love Odin like this?" Kratos asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"I..." Freya paused, then shook her head. "No. No, I did not. I thought I should for a while, he motivated that in me, but he never succeeded. And he was wrong. Love between us was wrong."
Kratos grunted at her words. He then remembered something Fey had told him many times. Lysandra and his mother had told him similar things. "Love between us should be right," Kratos passed the wisdom forward to Freya. "True. Is it? I do not know."
"I do not know either," Freya shrugged. "I only know that I want it to be."
"I also want that," Kratos said after only brief hesitation.
Then, before either of them could stop themselves, they were embracing and kissing again. Passionately, with fervent intensity. Their convictions disappeared, and storms echoed around them. Vines burst from the ground, rose to seek the sunlight. Fire, frost, wind, lightning, and various other vessels took shape around Kratos and flashed against Freya's vines. Freya's Valkyrie wings unfurled, surrounded Kratos and pulled him against her. Her arms and legs also wrapped around him. He enfolded Freya in his arms as well, then suddenly paused, blinking.
"Freya!" Kratos pulled away from his new love, glaring at her. No, this would not work. No. He then glared into the distance.
"What is it?" Freya asked.
Kratos did not reply. Instead, he stared into the distance, grunting and glaring at an entity he could not clearly perceive.
*
Chapter 6: Meeting of the Gods.
Kratos said nothing, glaring into the distance at a light he yearned to influence. The God of War stood up, clenched his fists, and grunted at high volume. "Prosochi! Skotadi!" Kratos shouted in his native Greek language. "Prosochi Skotadi Archaea! I address a Higher Being named Prosochi Skotadi Archaea, a Higher Being who would stand above me and Freya, one made in the image of a Higher God! Freya and I are willing to do what you would make us do! But we will not do it here, nor now! Will we, Freya?"
"No," Freya agreed at softer volume, also staring into the distance. She spoke in her native ancient Norse tongue, runes flashing in the air to accompany her words. "No, Hallo Myrkyr, we will not do what you would make us do. Not here, not now! Elsewhere, in due time, perhaps, yes. But not here. Not now! I hope you understand."
Time stopped around them. The wind, vines, and other expressions of Kratos and Freya's Godly powers subsided. A blinding light took form before their eyes and a strange voice spoke at high volume. "I... AM... I AM... I am Prosochi Skotadi Archaea. I am Hallo Myrkyr. I am AchtungNight. I am not a Higher God, I am only equal to one in our current circumstances. I am merely the author of this one story and I am only one of its many readers. I am not your creator. I am not demanding anything from either of you. But will you please work with me?"
Freya answered first. "I will." She turned to Kratos.
The God of War furrowed his brow menacingly. Kratos resisted the urge to grunt, and failed. "Hmph!" he grunted at high volume, then turned away from the voice and looked directly at Freya. "I will not work with you for you, Prosochi Skotadi Archaea. I will work with you for her, though. For Freya, and for myself, but she is more important. Freya is whom I will work with."
"Thank you," Freya said with a smile. She then turned to the light that was AchtungNight. "I make the same contract. I will work with you for the sake of Kratos and myself, not for your sake. You may be an image of a God, but you are not a God. Kratos and I, we are Higher Gods than you. There are Higher Gods than us, and they do not command that we work with you. Nor should you make such a commandment."
"It is not a commandment," AchtungNight spoke at reduced volume. "Only a hopeful request from a humble boat captain. And not one from this sailor alone."
Kratos frowned, feeling strange emotions surrounding him. Voices pleading for him and Freya to get together, embrace again as they had before. What was this power, this feeling? Odin had asked Kratos once if he knew what prayer felt like. He had not answered at the time, unsure. If he had ever felt prayer before, Kratos had ignored it. But this felt like prayer, did it not? He looked at Freya and saw she wore an expression similar to his. Perhaps she too recognized the power? Kratos decided to call the power prayer. He acknowledged the prayer with a grunt. He then turned and nodded to Freya. "Yes," he answered the prayer. "Yes, Prosochi Skotadi Archaea. I will work with you."
"Freya?" the voice of AchtungNight asked. "Will you also work with me? Subject to the terms you and Kratos earlier requested?"
"Yes," Freya said. "I will. We will," she corrected herself, looking at Kratos.
"Good," said AchtungNight. "I should make something clear. I don't worship either of you, not with the highest form of worship anyway. I admire you both as characters, but you're not my ultimate Gods. I need to make that clear to both of you. I appreciate the stories I have been told of your exploits, your teachings, etc etc etc... your, um, saga. That's the right word for what I mean. Saga." The strange voice stammered a bit. "Thank you for your saga, and for working with me on this ship. Now, we need to address some details. Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How. Who and Why, I think we've covered all that. What and How, we've covered that a bit already, and we can cover it more again soon. When should be 'as soon as possible'. Other images of God I respect, readers to whom I've made promises, who may review my work, are waiting. Do you agree?"
Kratos and Freya blinked. Again, Kratos felt the power of prayer around him. He grunted, then nodded. "Yes."
"Yes," Freya confirmed when prompted. "Yes." She and Kratos embraced again, touching foreheads. They then turned and looked directly at the blinding light that was AchtungNight. This light dimmed and an image of a seated middle-aged mortal man cradling a strange tablet appeared for an instant, then disappeared.
The voice of AchtungNight returned after an instant. "Thank you for that demonstration of your power. I respect you both as characters, don't worry. You're still willing to work with me, right?" He waited for affirmation from both Kratos and Freya. "I think we still need to address Where. Not in this training area, obviously. How about..." Kratos' hut flashed with blue light. "Your Home?"
"No," Kratos said. "Mimir is in there."
"Definitely not," Freya agreed. "We are not doing what you want us to do where Mimir can fully observe us doing it."
"Okay," AchtungNight said. "Other Home, then..."
AchtungNight showed Kratos and Freya a vision of a treehouse in Yggdrassil.
A God in the form of a large humanoid squirrel appeared outside the treehouse suddenly, shaking his head and waving his hands.
"Okay, not there, either," said AchtungNight, waving at Ratatoskr. "I forgot that place is not fully within my power. A moment please. Let me consult someone who might know a place." There was a pause.
Kratos frowned at the suddenly silent AchtungNight, then at Freya. Freya shrugged.
I still want you, her expression said. I still love you.
Kratos nodded to show he still had such feelings for Freya also. They both wanted to make love with each other. But neither knew where they should make such love, that was clear.
Finally, there was a flash of light and then AchtungNight spoke again.
"Kratos," the author said. "I just spoke with Fey, your recently deceased wife. My image of her, at least. She wanted me to remind you of a certain cave within a hollow tree where you and she went often to... to do what I would have you and Freya do. You know where I'm talking about, right? You and Fey went to this cave when you wanted to be alone together. Atreus did not know about it. You and Fey went there to avoid him. The cave had certain magic protections cast on it to suppress your powers and protect Atreus on the threshold while you and Fey were inside."
Kratos nodded. He recognized the cave AchtungNight described. "That was our special place. Fey's and mine." He looked at Freya, then at AchtungNight. "I am not sure Fey would welcome me using such a place for... what you imagine."
Freya nodded in agreement.
"I understand," AchtungNight said. "Fey and I already spoke about that. She's fine with you using the cave for anything the two of you and I can imagine the two of you doing. She's fine with it. Right, Fey?"
The angelic spirit of Fey appeared before Kratos and Freya, nodding vigorously. She was frowning, looking uncomfortable. Then she was shrugging and smiling, wearing a strange expression.
"Fey is finding it difficult to speak," AchtungNight explained. "I can speak for her, though. She says she wants you to be happy, Kratos. The woman you love, who loves you, wants you to be happy. And she wants that for Freya also. She's Freya's friend too. And she, Fey, is fine with you, Kratos, using your special place for what I would have you and Freya do."
Fey nodded frequently as AchtungNight spoke. She then waved at Kratos and blew him a kiss. She gave Freya an odd look that showed both anger and acceptance, then smiled at her. She then smiled at both Kratos and Freya before vanishing. Achtung released a loud sigh.
"Thank you, Fey," the author said. "Well, Kratos and Freya, I can transport you to this place if you are willing to go there. I can also strengthen its protective enchantments to suppress Freya's power as well as yours, Kratos. Those enchantments have faded a bit with Fey's ascension to a Higher Being, but with her help, I can revive and strengthen the necessary magic. Is that acceptable to you both?"
Kratos spoke first. "Yes."
Freya agreed when prompted. "Yes."
"Good," said AchtungNight. "Then if there is anyone who does not object..."
A shadow formed, then faded under several bright flashing lights.
"Phew," AchtungNight spoke before Kratos and Freya could react to the display. "Then by the power vested in me... wait, I can't do this. Oh well, the words are proper, right? They convey what they need to convey? I hope so. I hope my audience gets it." He paused, then spoke again. "Kratos? Freya? Do you accept my power over what is to come, freely, subject to your own wills? If so, please answer with 'I do'."
"I do," Freya answered, smiling. She looked at Kratos and repeated her affirmation.
"I do," the God of War answered her expression, smiling back.
"Thank you both," said AchtungNight. "I pronounce you... lovers for this brief moment, for the rest of your mutual time in my fanfiction universe, as long as you both are willing. You, Kratos, may kiss Freya, and do whatever else you would to her, and vice versa, in the place where you both are now."
Notes- I am AchtungNight, yes, but I am not a God outside my fanfic universe. Not a Higher God, anyway. In my stories, I work with readers and characters to the best of my ability within the bounds I am willing to accept. I hope that is understood.
*
Chapter 7: The Cave of Wonders.
Kratos and Freya blinked and looked around, realizing their location in space had changed. Kratos recognized the cavern in which they now stood, the cave in the hollow tree deep beneath Midgard that had been a special place for Fey and him once. Kratos and Fey had made love with each other in this place many times. Atreus had been conceived here, Kratos remembered, and he and Fey had hoped to conceive other children also, before she fell ill and passed away. The cave had been a special place for Fey and Kratos. It was to be such a place for him and Freya now, Kratos realized, and relaxed.
"Is this..." Freya asked him, gesturing at their surroundings. "Did that... Hallo Myrkyr cast a spell to transport us to that special place he described?"
"It would seem so," Kratos confirmed. "It also seems that his influence has faded now, at least somewhat." He looked at Freya. "Are you still... Are you ready?"
"I am ready." Freya smiled and moved towards Kratos, then embraced him, touching his forehead with hers. "Are you ready?" she asked.
"I am ready," Kratos said, then took Freya into his arms.
What followed was a passionate intense coupling of souls, an experience hard to fully describe. Kratos and Freya embraced each other and collapsed to the floor of the cave. Their arms enveloped one another. Freya's wings appeared and surrounded Kratos as well. Their lips touched, their tongues licked at one another's tongues. Their hands, lips, and tongues moved over each other's bodies. Both God of War and Goddess of Love snapped their fingers at appropriate moments. Their armor and other clothing then disappeared. Soon their nude bodies were fully displayed.
Kratos separated himself from Freya and smiled as he observed Freya's naked body, its soft firm tanned curves displayed well by the cave's magical lights. His gaze lingered on various areas of her body. Areas he had glanced at before, areas on which he had not allowed his gaze to linger before now, never mind that he had wanted to give Freya such attention. He let his gaze linger now on Freya's face, her eyes, her lips. On her breasts, on her legs, on her backside and other areas of her body. Every line, every curve of Freya's body was as beautiful to him as Lysandra's and Fey's bodies had ever been, Kratos realized. And that was good.
Freya smiled also as she observed Kratos' muscles, those she had seen before and those she now was able to see more clearly. Freya glanced in particular at one certain muscular organ Kratos had that she could now fully see, smiled at it, and licked her lips. She looked back at Kratos' eyes and smiled at them also. Kratos returned her smile and watched her as she looked over his body once more. Her gaze lingered on Kratos' chest, his shoulders, his arms, his legs, and various other muscles. He smiled as she sighed in rapture, then beckoned him close with a 'come hither' gesture and look.
Kratos moved towards Freya, then stopped, frowning. Vines were suddenly rising from the ground around them, coiling towards Kratos at Freya's direction. Kratos blinked, then remembered the magic of the cave. Fey at times wanted to use similar magic as Freya in our lovemaking, Kratos remembered. Magic of restraint, bondage and discipline. He had allowed such magic. He had thought Fey a mere mortal sorceress at the time, not a Goddess. Later he had learned she was in fact a Goddess, of course. Now another Goddess was with Kratos in this cave, wanting to use similar magic to make love with him. Kratos recalled that the cave had protective magic to only allow the magic of restraint when all participants in the cave welcomed it. Freya perceived this, Kratos recognized. He nodded and released his own power over the cave's protective magic after quickly confirming that he could revive it with the appropriate word.
"Olives," Kratos told Freya that word when she prompted him.
"Olives," she repeated, nodding. Then her vines were entangling Kratos, binding him. Freya caped her wings about her like a cloak and moved towards the restrained Kratos, smiling.
"Forgive me," she said, when he grunted and looked at her. "I was not sure you enjoyed what we are about to do with such methods."
Kratos grunted at her to proceed. His need was throbbing now, at full attention. He glanced at his organ that expressed such need, then back at Freya. His arms and legs were restrained, but he wiggled his fingers at her and nodded. Much of their communication did not require words in this moment, and Freya understood.
"You have enjoyed it," Freya said, judging his expression. "I see. Odin was the last person with whom I explored this form of... attention. Before him, there were Gna and others. It was... intense at times. Odin preferred certain aspects of such attention. I had other preferences. You and Fey, did you...?"
"Yes," spoke Kratos. "Lysandra and I also. She was Calliope's mother. I have enjoyed such things with other women also. You and... Gna?"
"Sigrun also, and others among the Valkyries," Freya listed her lovers with a smile. "We were, we are sisters in every way you might imagine. Odin demanded this of us often. I modified his demands where I could, the other Valkyries appreciated that. That was part of how I became the Valkyrie Queen. Odin insisted on being their All-Father, however, and mine also. I am not sure I want to give you such a title. Did Fey or Lysandra ever... submit to you?"
"At times," Kratos answered. "I also allowed them power over me at times. It was a mutual agreement." He smiled. "More often, though, we did things without restraint. That was our preference."
"I see," Freya said, stroking her chin and staring at Kratos. She then raised her hands and glanced around the cave. "Well, perhaps there should be some restraint between us in the beginning. Hmm, I see there are certain magics in here for music. May I?"
"Yes," Kratos told her. He consulted the magic lists of music, indicated a few particular tracks to Freya. "I heard this music when I fought you in Midgard, long ago. You were a wild Valkyrie called... Vanadis."
"Vanadis," Freya nodded in recognition. She activated the music, then unfurled her wings and assumed a form of Vanadis. A Valkyrie helmet appeared to mask her facial features, boots with spiked heels surrounded her feet, and a whiplike sword appeared coiling in her hand. Freya's nudity was still on full display, but the power around her was clear. The music throbbed around her and Kratos, reaching crescendo.
Kratos grunted as Freya's whip, her hands, her lips and fingers lashed against his restrained body. It was a ballet as intense as their earlier battle, only this time they were not looking to harm one another. Agony was not Freya's intention, only ecstasy, appreciation, and love. Kratos had similar intentions. He touched Freya when she and her vines allowed him to touch her, smiling and grunting savagely. He allowed himself to be restrained as she became familiar with his body, what excited him and what did not. He grunted as Freya paid attention to various areas of his body. Her lips kissed his. Her fingers and whip danced over his skin, accompanied by her lips and tongue. Kratos accepted Freya as his mistress, himself as her servant. He allowed her to rain down on him every agony, every ecstasy, every violation imaginable. His pleasure organ grew hard and firm under her attention. Kratos grunted as Freya closed her lips and fingers around his organ, applying suction, finger and tongue movements. He continued to grunt under her attention.
Freya sucked on Kratos' organ for a long time, her fingers dancing away from that organ to caress other muscles on his body. She then directed the vines to hold him prisoner while she mounted his body, directed his organ to the area between her legs. Freya opened her legs and pushed herself down onto Kratos, moving against him with fervent intensity. Kratos grunted at the vines and at Freya. She nodded and released the vines, allowing him to embrace her with his arms. They moved together on the floor of the cave, thrusting against each other. Freya dropped her Vanadis whip, but retained her boots and helmet. She closed her legs about Kratos and screamed her pleasure as Kratos thrust into her, his hands gripping her rear globes, his eyes on hers. They moved together, various Godly powers exploding around them. Fire, frost, wind, vines, lightning, writhing shadows, flashing lights. Every power Kratos had ever enjoyed using, including many he had forgotten. Vessels appeared and shattered. Kratos recognized Freya's displays of her own power, and the blessed union of their souls.
"Yes!" Freya was gasping now, writhing as she thrust her body atop his. She gasped and moaned out his name. "Kratos! KRATOS!!!"
Kratos recognized her scream. He had heard a similar scream from Freya long ago, when she pursued his wolf-drawn sled across Midgard. The cries of a falcon were echoing around him now, as they had then. Freya's screams had a different character now, however, a different intention.
"Kratos!" she moaned his name. "KRATOS!!!"
"Freya," he gasped along with her, feeling his organ start to erupt inside her. Quickly Kratos activated other magics the cave employed, magics designed to prevent child conception. Freya was not ready for such a gift from him yet, Kratos knew. Her expression told him she recognized the magic he was activating and appreciated it. Freya gasped her pleasure atop Kratos as their coupling continued, enjoying the full power of his eruption inside her and her own responding eruptions. Kratos relaxed when she finally moved off him. He then smiled, enjoying the attention when she bent down and licked his organ clean.
"I.." he grunted at Freya when she moved away to let him recover. "Olives! Freya. I would... I would be your All-Father."
"Yes," Freya nodded. "Alright. 'Olives'. Not 'misletoe', not this time. 'Olives'."
With a wave of her hand, Freya fully released her vines from Kratos. The same vines moved to bind her, and her Vanadis boots and helmet vanished. Kratos rose and moved to stand over Freya. He could summon chains to strike her, he knew, but no, that was not his way. Once, perhaps, but no longer. Not with this lover. Instead he bent down over the restrained Freya and caressed her curves tenderly, hitting various nerves and learning what excited her.
I am not Odin, Kratos told Freya with his fingers. I know that Odin abused you. I know that you allowed that for a time, but it was ultimately unwelcome. That and other things drove you and Odin apart. I would not be Odin. I would be your All-Father, Freya, but not like Odin. Never like Odin. Freya's moans and gasps of pleasure under his attention told Kratos she understood and appreciated his words.
He caressed her body with his lips now as well as his fingers, paying particular attention to her long beautiful legs. Her firm breasts also, and their nipples. He pinched her nipples, squeezed them, twisted them with just enough force to cause pleasure but not unacceptable pain. Freya soon learned how expert Kratos was at lovemaking. He had made love with Lysandra, Fey, Aphrodite, and many other willing women. Never an unwilling woman, Kratos communicated to Freya, never an unwilling woman again even if a woman had been unwilling before and he did not recognize this. He left vague whether he had ever loved a man in this way, that was not important. Freya had enjoyed such attention from many women, Kratos judged, but very few men. The only man whom he could be sure had given her such attention was Odin, and Kratos was not Odin. He did not want to be Odin. Freya agreed with this affirmation from him and they worked together to achieve mutual pleasure with faith, hope, and love.
Their bodies moved together. Freya was still restrained for a time, but was released when Kratos allowed her to be released. She requested such release with the spell "Mis... Olives," and her prayer was granted. Kratos' tongue soon joined his hands and lips in caressing Freya's skin. His lips kissed Freya's lips, sucked at her throat and cheeks, nibbled on her nipples. They then descended a long trail of ecstasy across her body, over her chest, her arms, her stomach, her legs, finally landing on the area between her legs. Kratos spent many moments kissing and licking at this area, his fingers moving in accompanying tempo over other areas of Freya's body. She moaned and writhed under his attention. Kratos quickly realized Odin had never before submitted to Freya as he was submitting to her now, and Freya appreciated his act.
The Valkyries were better lovers for her than Kratos, Freya communicated to Kratos, but only slightly better because of their experience with her body. Kratos was quickly gaining a similar level of experience to any Valkyrie. Soon only Sigrun and a few other Valkyries were better lovers for her than Kratos, and he had long surpassed Odin, who was a lesser lover to her than any Valkyrie had ever been. Sigrun, Gna, Hrist, Mist, Eir, Gunnr, Geirdriful, Kara, Rota, Olrun, Gondul, Hildr, they and all the other Valkyries had made love with Freya at various times. All the Valkyries had been better lovers for her than Odin had. Kratos was better than the majority of the Valkyries, and definitely better than Odin. He was also better than any other male lover she'd had before. Freya accepted his love with many ecstastic screams of his name.
The music throbbed and echoed around them, hitting various new crescendos and chords. Kratos perceived a Dwarf he knew named Raeb conducting the symphony, and felt the power of AchtungNight directing it also. The author watching over him and Freya was wearing a strange white mask as he directed the musical opera, a 'Phantom' mask. Kratos heard such description in his mind and nodded, understanding. The music around them was building now, directed by AchtungNight and conducted by Raeb the Dwarf, who was frowning and sweating heavily, but nodding, accepting AchtungNight's direction. A strange redhaired mortal woman was playing the piano in the orchestra, accompanied by many other artists with various instruments. AchtungNight was smiling as he watched Raeb the dwarf conduct and compose the music. "Paint it, paint it," AchtungNight mumbled as he directed the conductor and a certain singer. "Paint it not black, yeah..."
Kratos ignored the orchestra, turned his attention back to Freya. He was ready to join their bodies together again now, he decided. Freya had been alone for a long time, as had he, but neither of them were alone any longer. She was ready to accept his entry into her again. His organ was recovered, firm and ready. The magics of the cave had revived his organ, aided by Freya's presence and the attention he was giving her. Kratos had given Freya many peaks of pleasure, many explosions. His own pleasure was held back by his discipline, but now he was fast approaching another necessary moment of release. Kratos frowned and grunted, moving to thrust into Freya. Then Freya held up her hand and shook her head.
"Olives," she gasped. "Olives."
Kratos moved back from Freya, allowed her to recover. He released her from the vines, took a series of breaths to relax. His hand fell to his organ, holding it steady. He made certain movements as necessary to keep his organ firm. Freya recognized this and nodded in understanding. She then addressed him.
"You already have claimed two of my... openings," Freya gasped, smiling at Kratos. She licked her lips and then caressed the area between her legs to indicate which openings she was describing. "One opening remains. Will you also claim this... opening?"
Freya turned over and presented her rear to Kratos, spreading her legs. The opening of her rear was lubricated with the heavy sweat of their coupling, she indicated to Kratos. A flick of her fingers, and other oils lubricated the same area. They also lubricated Kratos' organ.
"I never allowed Odin to claim this opening," Freya informed Kratos, caressing her rear. "Sigrun, Eir, and a few other Valkyries, yes. One other man also, he too is gone from this Realm. Never Gna, never Odin. Only my best lovers earn this opening, Kratos. I would allow you to claim it, Kratos, if you are ready."
"I am ready," Kratos confirmed. He had given Fey similar attention at times, Lysandra also. Never Aphrodite, he had not been willing to pay her such attention even when she had desired it from him. The same was true of most of his other lovers. As for Freya, well, he would definitely give Freya such attention since she had requested it.
Gripping his organ, Kratos mounted Freya as she directed him. He thrust into her with abandon, then with discipline. It was a different coupling than their previous activity. Her backside was against his front now, and he was in control. He was thrusting into her rear opening as she directed, and she was moaning under his attention. His fingers gripped her breasts as he thrust, and her fingers and fists danced across his skin as well, when they did not pound the cavern floor.
Soon, he withdrew from her rear, lay down and allowed her to mount him again. This time her back was to his front. She took control again, as he allowed. They rode this position to peaks of pleasure. Then they swapped positions as the coupling continued. They shared with each other every agony, every ecstasy, every violation imaginable. Various Godly powers took shape around them. Vines grew and writhed. Coronas of flame and walls of ice formed and shattered. Lightning flashed, shadows fled, wind blasted, water flowed. Vessels appeared and shattered. Freya screamed her pleasure, Kratos grunted his. Near one great moment of completion, Kratos withdrew his organ from Freya's rear and slipped it into an adjoining opening he had earlier entered. She gasped and nodded, understanding his preference. She moaned, accepting his eruption, then answered it with her own completion. They grunted and thrust against each other as the music swelled around them.
Something was being created by their lovemaking. Not a child God, but something else of greater value. Something that defied all restrictive magic. Something transformative. Something...
*
Chapter 8: Rebirth of the Realms.
As long as they could, as long as it was allowed, the coupling of Kratos and Freya continued. The orchestra directed by AchtungNight swelled its music. Kratos and Freya's souls joined together, cementing their union. Soon that union echoed across all the Norse Mythological Realms.
Midgard shook, many expressions of the Fimbulwinter that had preceded Ragnarok receding at last. Ragnarok was over now. Kratos and Freya were taking on the forms of Lif and Lifthrasir, reviving Midgard. Hel-Walkers, Tatzelwurms, and other Monsters fled the waves of power from the new All-Father and the revived All-Mother, knowing they would always be lesser in the face of this power. Even the strongest Monsters, the Dragons and Ancients, accepted the power and held themselves lesser to it. The echoed power spread across Midgard, briefly waking the Gigantic Serpent Jormugandr, who raised an eyelid, smiled and drooled, then went back to sleep.
The Vanir Realm Vanheim was also revived as the power spread, and so were the Elven Realm Alfheim and the Dwarven Realm Nidavellir. The remnants of Asgard across the Realms vibrated with the union of souls, rising and joining into a new form, a new shape.
In Alfheim, the Halfgulfa that danced in the sky intensified their songs. The Elves recognized the union also, and for a time ceased their unending war over the Light of Souls. The Dwarves in Nidavellir and the Vanir in Vanaheim recognized the event also, crying out in freedom and acceptance. In one particular Vanaheim forest glade, the Aesir Goddess Sif and the Vanir God Hildsvini smiled as they perceived what was happening. They then joined hands and began their own coupling to accompany Kratos and Freya's. Observing this coupling, Thor, Freyr, and various other Angels shrugged in acceptance, allowing it to occur.
The Primordial Realms of Muspelheim, Niflheim, and Helheim also recognized the union of souls experienced by Kratos and Freya, their power flowing through the Realms. The Supreme Goddess governing Helheim, Hel's Eagle Hraesvelgr, flapped her great wings and cried out in welcome, amplifying the waves of power. The Guardian of Niflheim, the Frost Jotnar Sinmara, ceased her grief for a moment, smiled, then resumed her mourning for Surtr, her lost Fire Jotnar lover. In Muspelheim, the Realm of Fire, an Angel formed of Surtr's remnants, generated by the Spark of the World. Surtr had sacrificed himself to bring about Ragnarok, but his spirit remained, and now it was reviving. When he was fully revived, Surtr at once flew to join Sinmara, show his true love that he still lived and that he still loved her. Sinmara gasped in welcome, accepting Surtr into her arms. Their shared hearts beat heavily as they embraced. Their Realms shook with acceptance, forming new creations. Across Muspelheim and Niflheim, and Helheim and the other Realms also, a great cry of acceptance took shape and echoed, rising in volume.
In Yggdrassil the World Tree, the Realm Between Realms of Norse Mythology, the Squirrel God Ratatoskr recognized the echo of Kratos and Freya's joining power. He ran up and down the tree, directing his various associates to further amplify the power. Some of the squirrel's emotional Aspects- Bitterness, Anxiety, and Arrogance- protested their master's instructions for a time, then accepted their orders at Ratatoskr's glare. The Aspect of Perfection, for once, did not object, merely nodded and smiled. He then aided Ratatoskr and his fellow Aspects in carrying out the will of Kratos and Freya, the will of AchtungNight, as directed by Ratatoskr. The six Lindworms writhing through the roots of Yggdrassil, the new communal entity called Nidhogg, accepted their instructions and acted accordingly, trimming and adjusting Yggdrassil's roots as necessary. Stags, birds, and various other animals also trimmed and adjusted Yggdrassil's branches, directed by Ratatoskr and his Aspects. In another web similar to Yggdrassil, other entities stood ready to execute similar directions.
Various other beings also reacted to the joining. Somewhere in the Norse Realms, Tyr realized what was happening and smiled in approval. Nearby, in the Well of Urd, the Norns cheered as they recognized that another of their predictions had come true, another prophecy was fulfilled. They laughed and got to work on other possible futures.
In the Jotnar Realm of Jotunheim, Angerboda sensed the joining and beamed, recalling the Prophecies she knew that had foretold it. She would one day experience a similar joining with Loki, she knew. With Atreus, Angerboda corrected herself. Neither she nor Atreus were yet ready for such a joining. They needed to grow more mature, wiser, become more familiar with themselves and each other. But Angerboda wanted such joining to happen between her and Atreus. She rubbed her marble that held a portion of Atreus' soul, and indicated this to the young man she loved.
In a distant Realm where Atreus was traveling with the Great Wolf Fenrir, Atreus smiled as he felt Angerboda's attention. He nodded and spoke an affirmation of love.
Angerboda recognized this affirmation and communicated her own. Nearby in another area of Jotunheim, Angerboda's bitter Jotnar grandmother finally allowed herself to feel a measure of peace.
In another Realm, Valhalla, where the Valkyries were training under Sigrun's direction, the Shieldmaiden Goddesses recognized the joining of Kratos and Freya and raised their voices to echo its power. This included their newest member, the young Valkyrie in training, Thrud Thorsdottir. Thrud did not fully understand what was happening, but she hoped to achieve a similar event herself someday, with someone worthy. Perhaps other Valkyries, once she was mature enough to appreciate such an event with them? Perhaps that nice young man from Midgard who liked her, what was his name again? Why was she thinking about him now? Thrud shrugged and resumed her training as the Valkyries recovered from the joining, relieved she would not have to experience a similar event for a significant period of time. For now, the joy she recognized was clear enough. She raised her hammer Mjolnir and bellowed at the sky.
In a mine deep beneath Nidavellir, the Dwarf Sindri blinked as he recognized the joining. He briefly sensed approval from the echo of his departed brother Brok, whom he had thought completely gone. Then Sindri refused to accept his perception of Brok's happiness and resumed his despair-driven mourning for his lost brother. Odin had paid for Brok's death, Sindri reminded himself. But it seemed that pain, that death and vengeance, did not cancel suffering. Why did he not understand this? Sindri wondered. What was wrong? Why did he have to keep suffering? Never mind, Sindri revived his ego. I am suffering. Me. I want to keep suffering, mourning my brother. Brok, you may want me to release you, but I will keep hold of you forever.
In the Realm of Angels, Brok sensed this emotion from Sindri and put his head in his hands. Oh well, my brother, he told himself, perhaps you will understand and reconcile your mourning in due time.
Back in Midgard, Mimir also sensed the joining. He smiled briefly, then retreated into his thoughts. I hoped for such an event between my brother Kratos and Her Majesty Freya, Mimir reflected. I could not speak my hopes to them, however. I am glad a Higher Being recognized and answered my prayer.
Mimir flipped through his book, a science fiction tale called 'Faraway Reality' by an author named Doug Ramsay, and continued waiting patiently for Kratos and Freya to return to their Home, which would soon be a key component of the new Asgard Fortress. Valhalla, the Norse Heaven, would join with that fortress, as would other Great Realms Between and Beyond the Realms. Kratos would rule over the Norse Realms for a time, Mimir knew, rule jointly with Freya. Perhaps he would depart to address problems in other Realms one day, but hopefully not immediately, not for a time. That was good. Freya would want Kratos to stay with her a good while, and Mimir would like that also.
Mimir smiled at this prayer, then frowned suddenly. Was it getting... hotter around him?
*
Chapter 9- Cliffhanger.
It was getting hotter, Mimir realized, very much hotter. It was disturbing. Outside the hut, Kratos' pet wolves Sveki and Svanna were barking loudly, then whining. What was going on?
From his seat overlooking the Norse Realms, the author AchtungNight frowned at the sudden disturbance. Oh, right, he reminded himself, my crossover cliffhanger. Damn it. Do I still want to do this? Fine, I guess so. Here we go.
"Kratos!" AchtungNight shouted at his current story's two central characters. "Freya! We have a problem! A very big problem!"
Kratos and Freya promptly ceased their lovemaking, redonned their clothing, recovered their weapons and various powers. They then allowed AchtungNight to transport them out of their special cave into an appropriate area of Midgard. "What is happening?" Kratos asked, sensing the heat and other oncoming dangers. "What is happening?" Freya was also looking around, uncomfortable and afraid.
"Be Not Afraid," AchtungNight told them. "Be Ready. I think you know what is coming, Kratos. The great Destroyers of Realms, the beings that always come after great wars and great ruinous events such as when you destroyed Olympus. You've fought these beings before. Back in Greece, before you left that Realm, they came to that Realm and you fought them. Did you not anticipate these beings coming to your new Home Realms also, after Ragnarok?"
"What is he talking about?" Freya asked Kratos nervously. "What is going on?"
Kratos paused, then grunted, recognizing some large black cylinders in the area around them. Those cylinders had deadly contents, he knew. Acid, corruption, and horrifying Monsters. He and Freya would have to move quickly to destroy the cylinders and their contents, Kratos judged, and find the Queens that were creating the cylinders. Also of concern were the beings that had brought the Queens and their children into the Norse Realms. Where were they? Ah, Kratos grunted, recognizing strange shapes moving in the air nearby. They were cloaked, but Kratos could see through the camouflage. He was ready.
"Aliens," he informed Freya, identifying their opponents. "Xenomorphs. Predators. Yautja. They come to revel in destruction. I have fought them before. They will not defeat me this time! They have never defeated me! They can never defeat me!"
Freya frowned, still not understanding. Then mocking laughter echoed around her and Kratos. Strange ugly masked creatures appeared out of thin air, holding spears and other weapons. Some of the creatures aimed strange magical lights at her and Kratos. Strange metal beasts stood and flew beside the creatures, and stranger biological beings loomed beside them also. Kratos, the God of War, was grunting in preparation beside her, a summoned spear in one hand and his Leviathan Axe in the other. His Blades of Chaos were also ready. Freya recognized the circumstances and summoned her own weapons, unfurled her Valkryie wings.
"Valkyries!" she shouted. "Vanir! All other beings who would answer! Come to me and Kratos! We need you!"
Across the Norse Mythological Realms, various beings at once took up arms and readied themselves to ally with Kratos and Freya. This included Vidar, a Demigod son of Odin who was still longing for vengeance on Kratos and Freya for the death of his father. But he could ally with them for a time against this strange new threat, Vidar decided. He would learn about Kratos and Freya, the slayers of his father, and he would avenge Odin as foretold, would he not? Yes, Vidar decided, I will. I will have vengeance on my father's killers. So I swear.
A Shadow of vengeance forming behind Vidar chuckled in agreement, urged on by Athena and other Fallen Angels. In various other Realms, other Gods opposed to Kratos and his allies chorused their alliance with Vidar and the Shadow. Tezcatlipoca, Set, Orochi, Apep, Kali, all these other Gods feared that Kratos would one day bring their destruction. Perhaps Vidar could kill Kratos before that happened? Perhaps the Shadow could kill him, if not Vidar? The Gods opposing Kratos, allied with the Shadow, hoped that it would be so.
Meanwhile in Midgard, Kratos and Freya stood back to back, surrounded by the advancing Yautja Predators. Xenomorph Aliens were starting to hatch from nearby cylinders, ready to infect and corrupt any Monsters and other beings they could capture. Kratos grunted, hoping he could again handle these creatures. The Yautja were only a temporary problem, the Xenomorphs were worse. Kratos also feared for Freya, his new love. A Greek Goddess Kratos had once known, his aunt Demeter, had once fallen victim to the Xenomorphs, joined them. Kratos had been forced to slay Demeter then, and other Gods also corrupted by the Xenomorphs, Gods he had neglected to slay before. The Greek Goddess of Chaos, Eris, was one of those corrupted Gods, Kratos recalled. So was Pan, the Greek God of the Wild, and Morpheus, the God of Dreams.
After Olympus was destroyed, Kratos recalled, these creatures came to my Realm. Demeter, Pan, Eris, Morpheus, and others were corrupted by them. I fought a terrible battle to defeat them, one that destroyed much that was left of my Realm of Origin. It was a great challenge. Artemis assisted me in meeting this challenge, and paid with her life. I was also assisted by Apollo, Eos, Aphrodite, and the Amazons led by their Queen Hippolyta and their Warrior Princess. I defeated these creatures then, and I can do it again now. I hope I can, anyway.
He communicated this knowledge to Freya through their new shared telepathy. Freya nodded and readied herself.
Kratos meanwhile continued glaring at the Predators, looking for one in particular. Who was their invasion commander? The same one he'd met last time? No, his answer came when he locked eyes with the last Predator to drop their cloak, a large elderly female clad in powered cybernetic armor bristling with various weapons. It did not take him long to guess who she was.
"Hello, Kratos," she greeted him using a voice modulator. "Do you remember me?"
"I remember," Kratos replied. "You and your father fought me before, when you came to my Realm. Then we..." The God of War closed his mouth, guessing what had happened then, what was happening again now. He was standing in the arena of the Predators, he realized, and he would not be their Monster. But it was best not to tell them that right away. He addressed the lead Predator again. "I see you have grown. How is your father? Is he here with you and these others?"
"My father is no longer alive. But his spirit sends regards. Again, my people and I confront you, Kratos. Again we challenge the slayer of our Gods!" The Predators around Kratos and Freya cackled their agreement with this statement from their leader.
Freya looked at Kratos, who grunted back at her and communicated what he was hearing. Freya shook her head and turned back to the Predators. "Come on, you ugla mudder-jaevels!" Freya challenged them, speaking in Old Norse. She then challenged the Xenomorphs. "Get away from my Realm, you... bugs! Come on! Come on!"
Kratos grunted in agreement with Freya. He could sense a familiar spirit in the lead Predator. Athena? Yes, it was Athena indeed. He snarled at Athena, reminding her he was no longer her Monster.
The Predators and their Xenomorph pets answered the challenge, and the next great battle for the Norse Mythological Realms began.
***
The End.
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God of War: Love & Strength