Good Instincts 1.4 - ING. VERSIÓN

-Come on, get up- Kratos roared as he maintained his boxing posture. Viggo had been sent to the ground as usual, but different from other times, he got up immediately. He ran in his direction and when he got within a meter of him, he jumped up and raised his fist to punch him in the face. Kratos shortcut the fist with his left hand and the clash of both wills produced a sound wave. Kratos prepared his right fist and threw a rejection to the stomach and a hook to the jaw.

When he was punched in his jaw, Viggo rose into the air generating a parable and fell two meters from Kratos. This time he feels too sore and only cover his stomach with the left hand and his jaw with the right hand.

-Come on, get up- Kratos roared once again. However, this time, Viggo lay on the snow lamenting his pain. Kratos let out a sigh and left his boxing posture. Then he folded his arms and stared at Viggo. They had already been training for three months, and the only improvement was the child's performance in the use of his energy. However, once he tried to use his energy for combat, he would lose his mind and attack like an animal. The only correct use he could give it was to heal.

Viggo stood up a couple of minutes later and noticed Kratos standing five meters from him, arms crossed and frowning.

-I'm sorry- said Viggo, bowing his head.

-Don't be sorry, be better!"- replied Kratos in a biting tone.

Viggo frowned and nodded. He walks towards Kratos and once he reaches one meter, he was on guard. Kratos uncrossed his arms and put himself in a boxing position. They both looked at each other, with the dark pine trees around them, the snow at their feet, and the cold air howling.

Kratos threw a quick punch, which Viggo dodged to his left. He moved forward in succession and prepared his left fist. He punched him powerfully in the ribs and Kratos let out a faint growl. However, Viggo instead of feeling good about being able to attack, frowned. The feeling of hitting Kratos was similar to hitting the rock with bare hands. However, Viggo gritted his teeth, enduring the pain in his knuckles and threw a second punch with his right to the ribs. Kratos reacted by moving his right shoulder back and at the same time his torso. Viggo's fist passed by and Kratos punished him with a punch to the face. Viggo was thrown to the ground and left lying face down on the snow.

-Child- Kratos said -Is this all you can do?-

-No- said Viggo with a weakened tone of voice, supported his hands and pushed himself with his arms to stand up -I can do much more-

-You don't even get angry when we fight anymore-

-That's it, that's it- said Viggo, lifting his body and supporting his left knee. Then the right and resting both hands on his knees to push and finally get up. Viggo turned around and looked at his face without any resentment.

Kratos frowned and ask to him -What happened to you?-

-I don't know, it's just that I can't see you as my enemy-

-I am your rival, we are fighting, you must have the intention of beating me-

-Why?- asked Viggo, different from the types of the Dedalus region in Orario, Kratos was innocent, at least, in Viggo's eyes.

-To show you that you are strong, to show you that you can go beyond what your forces dictate. You must be better than yesterday, you must concentrate on your goal. Tell me what is your goal?-

-For now, for now- said Viggo looking at the snow-covered ground -for now it is to beat my friend, Ottar-

-Too insignificant-

Viggo raised his face and roared -Ottar have my same age, but he is already very strong-

Kratos wrinkled his nose and snorted -too weak, you must consider being better than that. Stronger, bigger, more powerful than any other on earth-

Viggo look down and deny -I, I'm not like that, I can't be the best of the best-

-Then go-

He watched his eyes as he heard those words and raised his face. Then he realized that Kratos turned his back on him and began to walk towards his house.

-I can't be better- Viggo shouted -this is all I am-

-I've already told you- Kratos replied without looking back.

-What do you want from me?-

-May you be better-

Viggo stared at Kratos as he was leaving, but he lacked the words to be able to respond. "Be better" What was that? Viggo wondered full of annoyance: What was it to be better? Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could be better than Ottar, but being the best in the world was out of his means. He alone was Viggo, the failed son of the Dragonroad family.

Viggo let out a cry full of despair and his pupils turned golden, at the same time that his eyes flashed electricity. So, with despair in his heart, he kicks the ground, scattering the snow and leaving a small crater.

However, as much as he roared in his despair, no one came to see him.

Once he calmed down, he stood looking at the snow and trees around him. He kept asking himself over and over again what was it to be the best of them all? That way I spend the day and when the night comes, I stop thinking about all those questions that had no answer at this time and he walk to his master's hut. He moves forward with a firm step and with a great conviction in his eyes. He left the backyard, passed through the shed where they kept the firewood and reached the front of the house. Then he looked about five meters from the door of the hut and saw Kratos sitting on a log in front of a bonfire. Beside him sat his wife and son.

Kratos heard a few footsteps and the rustling of snow. Then he saw Viggo moving in his direction and said something to his wife. She nodded and walked to the hut, while little Atreus looked at Viggo with some fear.

Viggo arrived in front of the bonfire. On the other side was Kratos, who looked at him with those stern eyes. Viggo illuminated by the glow of the flames seemed to have turned completely red.

-How can I be better?- asked Viggo.

Kratos made a small smile and let out a snort. Then his face became stern once again and he said - challenge yourself, Do you know your limits? Do you know how far you can go? What has been your biggest opponent?- Viggo looked down and Kratos continued -you don't know your potential, you don't know who you are, Viggo- Viggo once again looked up and Kratos pointed to a log next to him. He walks to him, sat down, and looked into his eyes. Kratos continuum -being better means challenging yourself, polishing your skills and pursuing a goal. When I was a kid, I wanted to be the best warrior. When I became a soldier I wanted to become a general. When I became a general, I wanted to be the best general in the world. And so on, always looking for new horizons. Tell me what is your horizon?-

-Me...- Viggo said with doubts.

-You're just a kid and it's okay not to know- Kratos said, lowering his tone of voice to a softer tone. Well, as soft as his thick and powerful voice would allow -experience brings answers. However, now that you don't have the experience, your only option is to do things without questioning the reason. You can only move forward, experience failure, and keep moving forward. Only in time will you find the answers to the questions. However, not because of that, it leaves everything to chance. Think of a goal, then a strategy, then a tactic and finally action.

-What is a strategy?- asked Viggo.

-A strategy is born in response to a problem. For example...-

Viggo and Kratos talked for hours in the heat of the bonfire, until it went out and Kratos told him that it was enough for today, tomorrow they should train. Kratos went to his hut and Viggo to the shed where the stacked logs were. He found the thick piece of wolf skin, lay on the logs and covered himself. However, he stared at the dark ceiling of the shed and thought about the things his teacher taught him.

-A strategy is born in response to a problem. For example, if you can't beat an opponent head-on. One strategy would be to cut off its food supplies to weaken it. Then you move on to the next phase and think of a tactic, which would be to attack their food caravans. And finally, you think about the operation, which would be to send groups of ten soldiers to defined points on a map to intercept those caravans on defined days. If they can bring them back to camp, fine. Otherwise, let them burn the supplies. There is nothing more demoralized than a starving soldier-

Viggo took a deep breath thinking about this and wondered what his problem was.

The next day, Viggo heard the roar of his grumpy teacher -Boy, get up-

Viggo gave a start and got off the logs in a clumsy gesture, which almost cost him to fall to the ground. However, he put his hands in front and avoided facing the ground. Then he tries to regain his balance and stand up. Once he was fine, he looked at the beginning of the shed and saw his master carrying a bow on his shoulder.

-Today you will hunt your food- kratos said.

Viggo opened his wide eyes and heard his own stomach growling -I'm dead- he said.

Kratos let out a laughing cough and turned his back to walk to the entrance of the house. Viggo followed him to the queue and noticed that it was later than usual. The sun was already rising over the snow-capped mountains from the east. Viggo kept walking and as he turned around the corner of the hut, he saw the woman, Faye. And the boy, Atreus, at the entrance of the hut. The woman had a calm and kind look. She spoke to Kratos with a certain sweetness, while little Atreus, in front of his father, bowed his head.

Kratos nodded to Faye and then looked at his son. Then he frowned and stretched his left hand in a gesture full of doubt, but in the end, he brings his hand closer and stroke his head in a clumsy gesture, which only a man dumbed down by struggle can do.

-Your sword?- asked Kratos, when he notice Viggo coming in his direction.

-I left her hidden among the logs of my bed- replied Viggo.

Kratos raised his left eyebrow in a gesture of strangeness. He closes his eyes and take a deep breath. Only this child took such an object as a piece of normal metal. On the other hand, Faye seeing her husband upset, laughed.

-Be patient- Faye said, Kratos nodded, and she looked at Viggo -be careful in the mountains, Viggo. There are some peculiar and very dangerous creatures-

Viggo immediately thought of the giant his master killed the first time they met and nodded. Sure, that was a very dangerous creature.

-Boy- kratos said -go get your sword, you're going to need it-

-Kratos?- asked Faye.

-It's just in case-

Viggo stopped his march and returned to where he slept. Then he looked for his sword and found it in the middle of the logs. He takes it by the handle and then pass it to his left hand to hold it behind the handguard. Then he ran back and stood next to his master. Atreus looked up to look at him, but a few seconds later he looked down. Viggo just smiled and messed up his hair, which made little Atreus smile.

-I'm leaving, behave well, okay?- said Viggo with a big smile.

Atreus nodded with a small smile.

On the other hand, Faye entered his hut and returned with a wooden arch. She also carried a fellout and ten arrows -make each arrow count, otherwise you would go hungry-

-I don't know how it's done, but I'll try- Viggo said.

Faye looked at Kratos significantly and kratos pursed his nose. However, anyway, he nodded and began to walk ahead.

-See you later- Viggo said, and he started walking behind Kratos.

Faye and Atreus stared at them from the door as the disciple and master got lost in the thicket of the dark forests.