42 An Audience

Pale hands grip the edge of Ottar's massive blade, and Kratos furrows his brows as he witnesses a strange detail. The Boaz releases a beastly growl, baring sharp fangs as his eyes seem to almost be glowing. With a little extra effort, The Spartan shoves the sword forward, and the back of the blade slams the already bloody nose of Ottar.

"AAH!" Atreus cries out as he steps up behind the staggered man, his fingers twisting that spear until the blade slices the back of Ottar's knee. His knee buckles, and Ottar leans on his sword, raising his eyes to find a boot filling his vision. Another crack thunders, and the Boaz is sent tumbling through that hole again.

Kratos steps through the hole to find Ottar standing from a bed, the frame smashed to smithereens under the man's weight. A massive window covers the wall to the side, a usual viewing place for a certain goddess that leaks sunlight into the otherwise dim room.

The Boaz raises a hand to wipe a bent nose, but as the injury is revealed again, Ottar's nose seems to be good as new. He rolls his shoulders, and those rust-colored eyes glow under the shadow covering his visage, "...I won't stop fighting until you kill me," that deep voice reaches Kratos' ears, earning a scoff from the God.

"I would not expect any less..." The Spartan hisses in response, and the men approach each other with long strides once again. Steel clanks together, and Kratos holds the Leviathan ax steady against that massive blade. They push off, and deafening slams roll through the room as the blades meet again and again.

The blades meet once again, and suddenly, Ottar releases a hand from the handle of the greatsword. The Boaz growls again as his fist cracks Kratos in the jaw, though the God seems to be unfazed as he returns his own haymaker. That pale fist slams into Ottar's chest, and the man finds his lungs devoid of air. However, he has no time to find that air again as a barrage of fists slam into his body over and over again.

The reality-tearing attacks suddenly cease as Kratos circles the Boaz and wraps his arms around a thick waist, "Hurr..." The Spartan grimaces, lifting the man into a suplex and slamming Ottar on his neck. Kratos rises to his feet again, lifting the Boaz by his arm. He reels back his arm, and like a shotgun, a pale fist unloads a haymaker to Ottar's face.

Glass shatters, and the dazed Boaz plummets from the window with the air assaulting his body. Kratos stands on the edge of that threshold, glancing back to find Atreus standing there with wide eyes. Brown eyes meet blue, and the Spartan tilts his head in a gesture, "Follow me," he mutters with a lean, dropping behind their adversary.

Atreus bolts from his position, and all before he reaches that edge, the boy clips that spear to his back and quickly brings that bow out before him. He reaches the edge and leaps, a smile plastered to his face as the Little Jotun's vision directs to the ground. Farther down, Atreus sees his father launch the leviathan ax, only for the weapon to ding against Ottar's sword.

Kratos falls head first, focusing on the man before him as he raises an open palm in the air. That ax returns, and suddenly, arrows zip past the God's head, the metal coming within inches of his face before they ding against that sword same as the ax. That sword moves to reveal Ottar's face twisted in rage as he stares up at Kratos. The Boaz moves the greatsword behind him as if he's about to release an attack in mid-air, "...Silver moon's mercy, the golden wilderness. This body is destined for the wild boar of the war..." Ottar begins to chant under his breath.

Kratos furrows his brows as he witnesses the strange actions of Ottar, the ground growing ever closer. However, as a golden energy covers that massive sword, The Spartan gasps, spinning his body in the air with wide eyes, "Atreus! Your blades!" he cries out.

Atreus wrinkles his forehead, wondering what exactly his father could be talking about, but as he also witnesses the bright golden energy, he follows the command. The boy grips one of those purple blades, and his eyes widen as Ottar swipes the sword across his body, a massive wave of that dark red energy releasing from the blade, "Hildis Vini!" The Boaz cries out.

"Hurry Atreus!" Kratos yells again as a terrible heat warms his back. Atreus throws the blade with a youthful grunt, and the chain clanks until its caught by a pale hand. The Spartan yanks the chain, and that wave of hot energy envelops his body as he wraps Atreus' tiny body in his arms. Kratos grinds his teeth as his skin nearly peels from his body due to the heat.

That wave of energy passes, and a second later, a deafening crash echos through the city. Bricks and stone litter the surrounding area, and the father and son duo stand from a crater, "Are you alright?" a deep voice rumbles through the disturbed dust.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Atreus responds as he turns with observing eyes. The boy's eyes roam over the entrance to the dungeon and as he turns to look to the street, the Little Jotun's eyes widen, "Uh... Why does it look like the entire city is watching us?" he asks as he sees a massive crowd gathered just meters from their position.

A grunt enters his ears as Kratos' eyes dart to the crater just before them, "Ignore them... We are not done yet," he hisses as Ottar rises from that crater. The Boaz leans against his sword, panting as he raises a hand to wipe the blood leaking from his nose. As the man looks to the ground, boots enter his vision.

Ottar raises his head and gasps as a hand suddenly grips his throat. That sword clangs against the stone, and Kratos lifts the Boaz easily despite the man being nearly as tall as the God himself. Ottar beats on that pale arm weakly, however, as he witnesses the unfazed expression on Kratos' face, his arms fall limp to his side.

"Is that THE Ottar? The strongest adventurer in Orario!?"

"It is! And that's Kratos, the new god!"

"How is a god hurting anyone? Much less a level seven! And who is that boy? He seems to be a part of this..."

Not so quiet whispers flow through the area, and Kratos peeks past Ottar to see wide eyes and parted lips all focused on him. The Spartan grunts as he returns to his captive, bringing the man inches from his own face, "...If there is an afterlife in this world... Think about what led you to this moment," Kratos mutters as he grips a short handle and thrusts a blade into Ottar's chest.

Kratos stares into those wide rusty eyes, the only sound being distant gasps and the waning breaths of Ottar. The light begins to slip from his eyes, and after a moment, his head sags to his chest. A thud whispers through the silence, and Kratos stands over the unmoving body of Ottar with a stone face.

"He's dead... Ottar is dead!"

"Wh... Why!? What did Ottar do to deserve that!?"

"Freya and Loki have been at the top for so long since defeating Zeus and Hera... Are we about to see another shift in power!?"

The crowd is silent save for these few words, and even those words cease as brown eyes scan each and every face. Kratos sighs, turning to look at his son, but his eyes widen as he witnesses a strange occurance. Just moments before, Atreus stood atop the stairs, but now an unknown mist rolls down the bricks. In an instant, the thick mist envelops the God's body and rolls past until it takes over the crowd as well.

Suddenly, Kratos feels a tug on his wrist and cranes neck to find Atreus staring up at him, "Let's go, father!" he says, turning and disappearing into the mist again.

"Wha..." Kratos furrows his brows as he follows his son. The God bumps into unsuspecting bodies as he passes through that crowd, and confused whispers echo through the mist.

"Where did this must come from!? I can't see anything!"

"It came from that boy! Is it his magic?"

"I think it is! I've never seen magic like this though!"

Hundreds of eyes search for the God and his son, but alas, the duo passes unseen, "Come on!" Atreus yells to his father, and Kratos feels another tug on his wrist. More bodies are met with a brick wall bumping them, and after a moment, the Spartan's vision returns to him. He steps into an alleyway and halts his steps, glancing at the bent-over and panting boy before him, "Was that your doing?" Kratos asks with a wrinkled forehead.

Atreus glances up at his father with an open mouth, "I…" his hand slips from his knee and he nearly slips, but the boy is able to collect himself quickly. He takes one last deep breath, and finally, he turns to answer, "Yeah… Im not really sure what I did, but I didn't want people to see us anymore… Which is funny," Atreus releases a nervous chuckle.

"How so?" Kratos crosses his arms and furrows his brows as he stares down at the little Jotun.

"Uh…" Atreus finds his vision glued to the stone below, "…I want people to know who I am, but… when I felt all those eyes on me I froze," he mutters.

Suddenly, a haughty chuckle echos through the narrow alley, "So the lad has finally experienced stage fright…" Mimir hums as he delves into his own adolescence with a long hum, "… I consider my voice to be quite soothing, but after a few barrels of mead, well…"

Kratos huffs, stepping past his son and half turning to meet those blue eyes, "You will get over it… Now, come. We have things to discuss," he mutters.

A grin slithers it's way onto Atreus' lips, and he nods as he catches up to the Greek God, "Yes, father!"