Eternal Claim
By Patrick O'Ceannliath
Chapter 1
After unleashing Hope upon Mankind, Kratos lie atop Olympus, feeling his life force bleed out, a gaping hole where he thrust the Blade of Olympus. Not knowing whether to feel satisfaction, or peace, or both, he simply lay there, thinking there was nothing thereafter.
Little did Kratos know, he could not be more wrong.
As the final visions of Earth's apocalypse began to grow fuzzy and fade from his eyes, in an instant, everything became sharper yet again. Then, the colors of the world seemed to be inverted, and Kratos had the sense of soaring forward, towards the stars, into some abyss from which he had never before been to.
Kratos flailed, trying to fight whatever force was compelling him, but he was powerless against it.
"Don't resist Kratos." said a dark, echoing male voice. "You are going where you belong."
"Athena?!" said Kratos, the last familiar immortal he knew. "What trickery is this?!"
"I am not your Goddess." said the voice. "I am your master!"
After this statement, Kratos found himself falling fast, landing frontwise upon a gray, rocky surface. Despite the impact, and the pain, there was no blood, nor broken bones. Enraged by this transport against his will, Kratos stood up quickly, looking around for his abductor.
"Show yourself coward!" demanded Kratos. "Come and face the God of War!"
The walls surrounding Kratos seemed to be made of the same stone that stood beneath him. Except the walls were laden with faces; some fierce, some looking fearful, some that appeared in agony. Not long after making his demand, the ground and walls began to shake, and the walls began to weep blood. The falls of blood seemed neverending, and soon, that's all that Kratos could see instead of the faces. Shortly thereafter, a deep cackle began to emerge, softly, then reverberating throughout Kratos' entire surroundings. Kratos looked beneath his feet, and saw weapons of all kinds arise from the stone.
"'God of War'." scoffed the voice. "So many of your kind claim that title, yet few live up to the reputation!"
"Enough of your taunts!" said Kratos. "Show yourself, NOW!"
"In good time, Kratos, in good time." said the voice. "You should show some respect to your master."
"Kratos is slave to no one!" replied Kratos. "I am a God of Olympus! The power of war underneath my command!"
"Or is it you, that is under it's command?" said the voice.
A black shadow gathered throughout the chamber, and began to grow, encompassing one wall, then spreading to the next, and the next. The shadow crept downward on the ground, inching towards Kratos, until the entire chamber was pitch black.
A figure arose in front of Kratos, in the shape of a man, but a dark, shadow man. As the form continued to take shape, designs began to appear upon its body, beginning at the rib cage, and working its way down throughout the being. As the designs formed, it appeared to be like a rib cage, which melded into an exoskeleton, which melded into armor, and melded into claws for the being's hands. Where the being's face should be, a flash of fire emerged. Through the flames, the being's face seemed to change continuously, until finally, it had a fiery face identical to Kratos.
With a growl, Kratos grabbed for the being's neck, only to grasp transparent wisps of shadow, which caused the being to laugh in amusement. Furious, Kratos threw a left hook towards the being's head, only for it to pass right through, and for Kratos' fist to be lighted aflame. Growling with both pain and frustration, Kratos waved his left hand so the flames disappeared, and found the being gone. Looking behind him, the being was there, and Kratos attempted to tackle him, only yet again to pass through. The weapons among the stone seemed to part, so that Kratos was not impaled upon them.
"Is that any way to treat an old friend, Kratos?" asked the being, amused.
"You're no friend of mine!" said Kratos. "Who are you?! Speak now!"
"Why Kratos, we've known each other ever since you underwent the Agoge in Sparta." the being said cooly, his flaming face changing shape in spans of seconds. "We became even more familiar when you became a God. I've been your greatest purpose in life, and I'm responsible, for all that you are as a warrior."
"Damn your cryptic riddles!" said Kratos. "What is your NAME?!"
"I've gone by so many names over the years, in so many tongues." said the being. "Guerra, Zhanzeng, Milchama, Impi, Cogadh, Bellum, Senso, Dain, Jeonjaeng, Jaga, Strid….my names go on and on."
The being grasped Kratos around his throat, holding him in the air. Kratos struggled to breath. Loosening his grip, the being looked straight into Kratos' eyes.
"But you will know me best by a different name." said the being. "Polemos."
Eyes looking in disbelief, and anger, Kratos struggled harder against Polemos' grip.
"Impossible!" said Kratos.
"No, only for you and your limited Godly mind." said Polemos, releasing Kratos. "I am WAR! Polemos! My mother and father were Chaos, and we, the Katagoghe, my siblings and I, poured forth! Right after the Primordials! We were better, stronger, more powerful!"
"If you are Polemos, then I command you to submit!" said Kratos.
At this command, Polemos cackled deeply and loudly, much heartier than before.
"Foolish God!" said Polemos. "The Gods and Goddesses for years think it was they who held power over the Katagoghe, when in fact, it was the other way around."
"What is this 'Katagoghe' Race of Chaos you speak of?!" asked Kratos.
"A Race of Chaos, that's exactly what we are." explained Polemos. "My siblings and I, we are the forces behind the power of the Gods and Goddesses. We are the source of their power, and through us, the Gods and Goddesses are granted immortality! It is we who are in control of the universe, not you pathetic Gods and Goddesses! You are merely the vessel, the necessary conduit, for our great power!"
"Blasphemy!" said Kratos. "I alone control the power of war! I alone, and you will bow before me!"
"'You alone'?! Ha!" snorted Polemos. "Perhaps in the world you know, but there are a great many other people within the entire world. You're simply ignorant to think you can be the only immortal!"
"Of what do you speak?" asked Kratos. "The so-called 'Persian Gods'? Bah! Creations of the imagination of men, nothing more! Olympians are the only true Gods!"
"Still so obstinate, still so blind, Kratos!" said Polemos. "I am the only true commander of war, because I am war itself, and no immortal has been able to best me, much less best their immortal peers!"
"I can, and will, best you!" said Kratos. "Along with any pretenders who stand in my way!"
"I'm glad to hear that, Kratos." said Polemos. "Because you'll have to go through them, before you can get to me."
The walls instantly stopped running blood, and one of them began to twist and form, gravel spilling from its efforts. Within a minute, a great, demonic face appeared within the stone, and its mouth began to open. As the mouth open, its jaw extended further and further out, revealing a dark opening, with a drawbridge to get across.
"If you are truly the God of War, prove it!" said Polemos. "All the immortals from all the world, claiming to be the God or Goddess of War, have tried to tame me, and while some came close, all have failed in the end. Here, you enter the House of War, and you stand to either walk out, as God of War for all the world, or stay forever, a testament in my collection to my superiority."
Kratos looked at the long drawbridge, his mind racing. This could very well be a trap, but nevertheless, Kratos was not about to run from a fight.
"I accept your challenge!" said Kratos. "You will regret the day you questioned my divinity!"
"Excellent!" said Polemos, clapping. "In that case, welcome to my home! Follow the path inside, it will lead you to the realms you must face, before you can face me. Once you defeat the Gods, Goddesses, or both, of that realm, you may move on to the next. If you fail, you will belong to the House of War, for all eternity. If you succeed, you will face me, and our battle will decide once and for all who is the master, and who is the slave."
Kratos felt a strange, burning sensation about his arms, and felt something grow within his hands.
"Of course, I cannot send you into my home without a weapon." said Polemos. "There they are, your dearest friends."
Kratos looked down, and the Blades of Chaos had once again joined with his body. Determined to end any and all rivalries for the Throne of the God of War for all time, Kratos rushed into the entrance of the House of War, the drawbridge closing behind him.
