35 A Struggle

A boot meets the final stair of that spiraling staircase, and the morning light shines on Kratos' pale skin through the large door before him. Bell follows close behind, his eyelids like layers of steel as the boy fights the fatigue weighing on his body. He suddenly smiles as that door enters his vision, "W-we made it!" the boy pushes the words past the horrid taste of iron staining his tongue.

Mimir chuckles as he sways gently on Kratos' hip, "You're definitely a fighter, little lad... I wanted to believe, but... If I'm to be honest, I thought you would have collapsed long ago," that Scottish accent flows into the boy's ears.

Bell returns his own nervous chuckle, his legs quivering with each step as his swollen eyes focus on the boy draped across Kratos' shoulder. They pass through that massive threshold, and the Spartan is met with an unexpected party. Several people stand in the room between the city and dungeon, their eyes all drifting to Kratos as he steps closer. Though a collection of wide eyes suddenly darts to the boy revealed behind the man.

"Bell! Thank the heavens you're okay!" A familiar high-pitched voice rings out. A tiny woman, nearly the same height as a certain blue man sprints towards the injured boy as her plump chest slaps against her ribs.

Bell reveals that smile again, and it seems to grow as he watches those black pig-tails sway, "I'm okay, Hestia... Thank you, but..." he mutters to the tiny goddess as he glances at Kratos, "...I wouldn't have made it back if it wasn't for him."

Those pig-tails swing again as Hestia looks at Kratos. She points at the God with an 'ah-ha!' expression plastered to her face, "Hey! You're the one I bumped into in the tower..." she exclaims, suddenly furrowing her brows as she looks around, "...Where is the boy that was with you?"

Kratos grunts in response, his neck craning to the goddess as an indiscriminate bloodlust flows from the man, "...Someone has taken him from me," he hisses.

"Oh..." Hestia mutters with wide eyes as an awkward silence permeates the area. Though the goddess suddenly purses her lips as she glances up at Kratos, "...Could I help you in any way?... You saved one of my children, so it would only be right if I returned the favor," she says as those hopeful blue eyes gaze at Kratos' brown.

Suddenly, a lanky man steps up to the conversation, a feathered hat covering his blonde locks he smiles at Kratos, "It seems something interesting is happening! I have no idea what it is, but count me in!" the man says.

Hestia's eyes dart to the blonde man, her face suddenly contorting in disgust, "Go away, Hermes... No one wants you meddling in their problems," she hisses.

The lanky man, Hermes, pokes his bottom lip out as he looks to Hestia, "Whatever could you mean, Hestia?... I am but a humble god trying to complete my good deed for the day..." he says with exaggerated motions as if the man has a part in a Shakespeare play.

"Enough..." Kratos hisses, his cold eyes drifting between the two gods, "...I do not need the help of any god," he says, setting that crimson-haired teen on the ground gently and stepping past Hermes and Hestia with tightened fists.

Bell watches as the God steps away with glossy eyes, "Kratos!..." the Rabbit exclaims, raising a lazy hand and stumbling forward as the Spartan turns, "...Thank you..." his entire body relaxes as he falls with a thud.

"Bell!..." Hestia bolts to the boy's side with wide eyes, a sigh of relief passing through her thin lips as she stares down at Bell, "...He's asleep."

Kratos stands with his body half-turned, his eyes squinted as he gazes at the unconscious Bell. The God sighs, turning again to step towards what seems to be another familia as Kratos sees that godly aura around a man with long black hair. He dons a loose grey tunic and same color trousers that are cut off below the knee, and his children seem to be wearing similar clothes.

Suddenly, Kratos halts his steps as the man steps before him and bows, "I am Takemikazuchi, one of the many gods here in Orario..." Takemikazuchi purses his lips as he glances at the unconscious children littering the floor. Though he furrows his brows in disappointment as his black eyes roam over the apologetic expressions of the people behind him, "...My children are the reason Bell and the others are injured... I just wanted to say thank you for fixing their mistake."

Kratos nods as he towers over the Japanese God, "I did nothing to be worthy of thanks... The boy asked travel with me, and I agreed," he responds.

Takemikazuchi nods with a slight smile, his hands folded at his waist as he suddenly tilts his head, "Ouka, you and the others will carry Hestia's children to have their injuries healed. This is your chance to take responsibility," he orders, and a few awkward yes sirs later, the God's children follow the command. His eyes return to Kratos, "I understand, Kratos... If you don't mind me asking, are you the same Kratos here?" Takemikazuchi pulls a parchment from his waistband and points to a name. The paper reads, "Kratos Familia," at the top.

The Greek God nods, "Yes..." he mutters.

"Ah! So you're the new god in town..." Hermes says as he steps up to the conversing gods, "...I have to say though, I spent the same amount of time in heaven as all the other gods, but I have not once heard of a god named Kratos," he says.

An awkward silence fills the air, and Kratos stares at Hermes with those cold eyes, "...Crawl back to Zeus, or I'll take you to him myself," he hisses through his teeth.

Hermes raises his brows as a two-ton pressure sets on his shoulders, "Y-you know Zeus?" he asks as a hint of fear flows from the otherwise laidback god.

"Hermes, leave him alone! I just told you about meddling!" Hestia exclaims with furrowed brows as she steps up beside the blonde messenger God. She looks up at Kratos after reigning in Hermes, "Please, let us help you, Kratos. I would never be able to forgive myself if I didn't," Hestia says.

A pause sets in the atmosphere as every open eye drifts to Kratos. The Greek God looks between the three Gods before him, and sighs as his eyes settle on Hestia, "Fine... Though I have no evidence as to who took Atreus. There is not much you could do to help," Kratos responds.

"We could at least ask around," Hermes responds with a shrug.

"Yes, we could do that…" Hestia mutters as she bites her nails through a white glove. The midget suddenly raises her brows and points a finger to the air, "…I can ask some of the gods in Orario! If we have entire familias searching I'm sure it'll be no problem to find him!" She says.

Kratos grunts, his eyes lingering on Hestia as he turns to the exit with a swift stride, "Do as you wish…" he responds, his words like thunder bolts raining on all present.

The Spartan steps through the sun lit threshold with a sigh, the collection of eyes on his back overpowered by the struggle within the God's mind.

Despite the annoying interference that has been present since his trip through that tunnel of space, Kratos is somehow able to quell the rage threatening to burst from every vein in his body. Though as he struggles to push the flame to the back of his mind, the God finds that he may not be able to fight much longer.

"I know You've always warned against taking the violent approach, but… I don't think there's any other option here, Brother. Whatever happens, how ever many lives are taken… I will not judge," Mimir suddenly says, his words becoming nearly inaudible as Kratos enters that river of civilization.

The Greek God scoffs, the fact that he feels more eyes on him than usual irrelevant to him, "I would hope not," he responds with that bloodlust flowing through the entirety of Orario.