A/N: This is my first God of War story, so don't be shy to review. Thanks!
Kratos had been selfless for far too long. He looped his thread through the sister's spool back to where the Barbarian was about to kill him and stepped through the mirror. He thrust the blades of chaos through the Barbarian's thick body and ripped them out, letting them fall to the ground. Pleased, he watched the life drain from his enemy. Then, time stopped. The chains from the blades loosened and fell from his thick muscled forearms. The bloodied metal hit the ground and burst into a million illuminated pieces. The ashes that clung to his body puffed off like powder from feet to head. Thoughts of hearth pressed against his feelings of anger, and in this change of emotion he fell to his knees, and then collapsed again on his hands.
"I'll come back to you my love. This, I promise you."
His skin became dry and began to crack and soon became so brittle that he crumbled under his own weight. His forearms burst into dust and then his head smashed and broke into the earth. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust; Kratos's hell-bent spirit emerged from the mound and enveloped his past body. The pendulum of time started to tick, and alas, Kratos was reborn.
Kratos rolled over on to his side and then struggled to stand. He gathered his sword and shield; such unfamiliar companions. He struggled his way down the mountain over dead bodies.
"The Spartan General stands!" a barbarian yelled and all that could hear his cry turned towards him and then looked around. Kratos readied his shield and sword for blood spewing battle. His Spartan soldiers quickly tried to annihilate the barbarians before they could reach Kratos. Once his enemy reached bloodsheding distance Kratos swung at them as if his technique never left. Attack 3, 4, parry, repost; a kill. Kratos's, now future, anger proved once again reliable in battled and he took down the first wave rather quickly and efficiently. His fellow soldiers rallied around him and created the famous Spartan phalanx and waited with racing heart rates for the next attack.
"Spartans!" Kratos told, "We wait for the next wave and then we retreat back to our home land!"
"That is madness!" a soldier said.
"No, this is for the good of Sparta!"
"Not at the least, sir! Their army will flood our town and take down our beloved city!"
"Do not question me soldier. Do what I command or die!"
The soldier held his tongue against his will and silently seethed. But another stood against Kratos.
"He is right. I'd rather die with the Spartan honor than retreat like cowards. You have gone soft in this battle Kratos."
"But this is an impossible win, we must retreat and regroup!"
"We can take them. You killed their leader, did you not? We're halfway there!" The soldier pleaded with Kratos. However, Kratos's selfish desires still came to surface.
"This army will fall back when I demand it to fall back!"
Fumed, the first soldier angrily responded with a right hook to the jaw. Kratos staggered a bit in shock. He realized that he was not in the god's favor, and was indeed a mortal. He couldn't focus Poseidon's Rage or summon Hades' underworld minions. He was powerless to stop his army, his fate, and this battle. The first wave of soldiers were simply target practice, and the small Spartan force cut through flesh like paper. The second wave had force and seldom got their bulky swords through, but it challenged the phalanx a bit. And with each wave the intensity increased; and with that intensity, the Spartans grew weak. Muscles tired, the soldiers started to drop their guard. Kratos watched as his army started to fall apart beside him. Enraged, his adrenaline boosted and he broke the phalanx to deliver godly blows of his own to unsuspecting victims. Kratos's men secured the phalanx behind him, and shut him out of the huddle as he tore his own path in-between less skilled barbarians. He swung his blade left and right, following a rhythm all his own. With his adrenaline receding, Kratos had to retrace his steps back to safety. He checked his surroundings and dashed back to the phalanx and his soldiers quickly let him in and blocked a bombardment of heavy attacks for the angry barbarians.
"Now we must retreat!" Kratos yelled, wiping blood from his brow, "We can not go on like this forever!"
"We can, and we must!" the soldier growled back. "There has got to be a way!" There was a pause. "General, call upon the gods! Give them your favor!"
"I am afraid this is our battle to fight, the gods will not be aiding us in this time of need." The group pushed against the waves and continued to keep them off.
"We have no other choice!"
"We can surrender." There was a spoken silence among the men. The first soldier who had stood against Kratos spoke up.
"Oh god of war! I gi--no…."
Kratos objectively put a sword in his fellow soldier's back.
"To chose the gods you defy me, and to defy me you chose death," Kratos spoke in a soft monotone as his fellow Spartan slipped from consciousness and his blade. "Enough of this." Kratos sprung from the phalanx and slashed an enemies arm off to avoid hitting him in the face.
"I, Kratos, the General of the Spartan army declare a truce between your people and my own! Enough of this battle! Your leader is dead and our gods will not interfere on this day. Retreat to your homeland as we will retreat to our own to live in peace! A barbarian stomped his way to the front of the crowd surrounding the phalanx. He was big and broad shouldered, and just like his first in command, clothed in animal hide.
"Kratos, a man known for his brutality wants to live in peace? How do you want me to believe this irony?" the barbarian laughed.
"I have had…visions, given to me by the gods." The statement wasn't a complete lie.
"Ha ha ha. By who? The god of war? You are a misguided man, Kratos. And for this I offer you my pity. As second in command, I will grant you your request."
"I don't want your pity, commander. I want your word," Kratos demanded. "I want your respect."
"My respect Kratos? You still speak war even after the talk of truce rolled off your tongue."
"Don't belittle me with your complicated speaking ways, barbarian. I back my simple mind of war with superior fighting skills. Piss me off, and you'll be sorry."
"Then," the barbarian swung his blade, "prove it to me in battle."
Kratos ran at full speed towards the barbarian and fell into a barrage of parries, reposts, and the occasional physical beating. Then, he quickly remembered the techniques from the Blades of Chaos and began to throw all of his weight into his swings for a more effective and longer attack. The barbarian was strong, but his overly sized actions where his weakness. Kratos managed to get his blade jammed in-between the barbarians ribs during the barbarian's weighted attacks. He paused at the pain, and dropped his own sword to clutch the one in his side. He pulled it out slowly while gritting his teeth and voicing his pain in loud, low, grunts.
"You are a fine warrior Kratos." The barbarian fell to the ground and lay bleeding to death.
"The battle is over!" Kratos bellowed. The Spartans broke the phalanx and celebrated by throwing down their swords and shields in victory. The barbarians just casually retreated in the direction they came from.
Kratos lead a vigorous campaign home. Once Sparta was in view, the army as a whole almost broke a run for it. But they kept their composure and marched on like the well trained soldiers they were. The young and experienced general walked up to the gates leading to home, and waited anxiously to open. Once they did, many of the townsfolk turned to look. When they marched in, the women knew better than to show their happiness by leaping on to their man, and embarrass him. She would joyously cry quietly until he finally joined her for the night. Kratos's gaze darted around the crowd, looking for his wife and daughter. But they were nowhere to be seen in the main streets. Once back at the main military grounds, Kratos dismissed his army, and dashed for home. He slammed open the door, but there was no one there. He looked around his lavish hearth and noticed that things looked as if they hadn't been touched for days, and possibly weeks. The statue of Athena near the front door of his spacious and open home game alive with her spirit.
"Kratos…you will never escape your fate with the gods. Destiny will find you," the statue of Athena muttered while glowing a cool light blue against the gray rock.
"Where are they?" Kratos's voice was low and agitated, infused with anger.
"Ares has been keeping close tabs on you, Kratos. He was not pleased with your performance with the barbarians. You will find your answer with him."
"If the gods do not need me, then why are you aiding me Athena?"
"Perhaps in my aid, you will call upon the gods for your own needs."
"Then where can I find Ares?" Kratos asked, nearing blind rage.
"Ares is in the barren forest of Thrake, where he resides in his palace, with your wife and daughter. Hopefully in time…we will meet again…Ghost of Sparta."
Kratos in an unnatural fury hurdled the statute through the wall of his home. The gods would burden him for eternity, and he feared even in the Underworld by the River Styx, he would still be tormented.
Kratos rested for a few hours, then donned himself in his best armor. He told his elite army the gods have demanded his skills elsewhere, and he left the army in his second command. He then quickly mounted his horse, and took off to once again reclaim his title as the god of war.
A/N: Please, review!!