I just HAD to do this. Enjoy this story as you would enjoy a decapitated puppy.
Kratos could feel death coming. Finally, at long last, he would be free of this torment known as life. He looked up at the dark clouds in the sky, and wondered if he would ever see his family in the afterlife. He doubted it. Although Hades was dead, he was sure that some form of cruel punishment awaited him after he passed into the next world. Odd, he couldn't feel the pain anymore. The only thing that reminded him that he was dying was his own warm blood pooling beneath his body.
He had lost so many loved ones, his wife, his daughter, his brother, and his mother. Death was the only option for him now. Even if he survived, there was nothing keeping him here in the land of the living. What would he do if he did live? The options that rolled through Kratos' mind nearly made him gargle up blood chuckling.
No, dying was the only option for him, nothing else. Kratos closed his eyes, and waited for death to claim him. It was taking him to long... Kratos wished that someone could show him how to die. Then again, he had died plenty in his miserable life, he just escaped the underworld each time. That would not be the case now however. Kratos wasn't about to leave whatever hellish fate awaited him after he passed on.
"Is that so?" He heard a man say.
Was that death? It couldn't be, he had already killed Thanos.
"I am something far more powerful than Thanos." The voice said.
Could this thing read his mind?
"Yes I can. It is quite easy for one such as I. Kratos, I will not allow you to die just yet." The voice declared.
Not again! He would not serve another deity!
"I am no 'God' Kratos. Even they are mere insects compared to me."
If this is no deity, then what did it want?
"I've come to offer you a deal Kratos. A deal that you cannot refuse. I know that you won't trust me to hold my end of the bargain… but if you agree, I'll bring back every single soul that you have ever cared for."
He would not believe another god ever again.
"As I have said, I am no god. Though I am much more powerful than any of the beings on this world, I can assure you that I am completely mortal. It's just that I am the most powerful mortal in almost all of the multi-verse."
Mortal? Multi-verse? This was a madman.
"Rise Kratos."
The former god of war then felt himself raised from the ground, and onto his feet. All of his wounds sealed shut, and Kratos opened his eyes to see the form of a man in a black cloak. His hands were the color of silver, and no matter how hard he tried to see past the hood, he could not make out his face.
"Why won't you let me die?" Kratos asked him, clenching his fists.
"Just listen to my deal." The cloaked man said, raising his hand to the sky.
The clouds then cleared up, and the sun poured through. The insects that were all floating through the air fell dead to the ground, and Kratos saw that the water that had flooded the land receded. How was this thing capable of this? How could it claim that it was no god?
"I've restored order to the world, and with the hope that you've given the earth, it will be a much… better place." The cloaked man said.
"Just state your deal beast. After I hear it, I will cast myself from that cliff." Kratos said, pointing to the edge of the mountain.
"Very well. Kratos, you have… procreated with many women here in this world. I came here a long time ago, and took one of your bastard sons from here. That son is now on another world." The cloaked man said.
"What do I care for a bastard?" Kratos asked.
"It is not your son, but your son's son. Your grandchild. I will take you from this world, and place you on his. You are to seek him out, and train him." The cloaked man said.
Kratos sneered.
"I refuse." Kratos said, marching over to the cliff.
He put one foot over the edge, and was about to fall over when the cloaked man said something of interest to him.
"I can bring back your entire family right now. I'll give you plenty of time to visit with them. Consider it a sample until you finish the task I have given you." The cloaked man said.
Kratos turned around and saw three skeletons standing upright. One was of a large man, one was of a woman, and the other was of a small child. Kratos watched as muscle and flesh grafted themselves onto the bones. Once the process was done, his eyes widened.
"Daddy?"
"Brother?"
"Kratos?"
"I'll give you one year with them, then you have to hold up your end of the bargain, so is it a deal?" the cloaked man asked him.
Kratos knew of only one thing to say.
…
Guts knew that he wouldn't survive this. Who would? He just fell down a height that should have broken every bone in his body. He was surrounded by a pack of wolves, and one of his arms was broken or severely sprained. The full moon shone down on Guts, it reflected off of the water in the nearby pond, and it illuminated his surroundings enough to let him know that he was done for. Gambino… why did he do that? Why did Guts… kill him?
He knew the answer to his question, but the thought still plagued his mind. It was in self-defense. But wasn't there something else that he could've done? Couldn't he have avoided killing him? If Guts had just left the tent… maybe the other mercenaries would calm Gambino down. Maybe he wouldn't be dead.
These thoughts didn't matter now, Gambino was dead, and nothing was going to change that. The first wolf leapt at him, and Guts thought that his body would allow him to die. However, Guts reacted to the wolves lunge, and impaled it with his sword. It whined as the blade went through its stomach and out its back. The wolf hit the ground, and Guts withdrew his sword.
He screamed at the sky, and it seemed to respond to his yell. The wolves were all cut down by something that moved too fast for him to see. The only thing he caught was the color red, and perhaps… chains? It was over in a few seconds, and Guts looked around. The wolves were torn apart, slash wounds were everywhere on their bodies, and severed wolf limbs were everywhere. What had just happened?
"You are weak boy." He heard a deep voice say from behind him.
Guts quickly turned around, and saw that a mountain of a man was standing there. He wore a red cloak to conceal himself, but a moment later, and the man pulled off the cloak. Standing there was the palest man he had ever seen. His skin was whiter than snow, save for a scar on his eye, and a red tattoo that ran up his arm, and over his other eye.
He wore sandals on his feet, and a strange man skirt. He wore nothing on his upper body save for his forearms, which had chains and wraps tied around them. On his belly was a long, deep scar that implied that he was badly impaled at one point. On his back, Guts could see the hilts of two weapons. How was he keeping them on his back if he was wearing nothing but a skirt and some greaves? He also had a sharp, black beard on his chin.
Guts lifted his sword to the man.
"Please boy, do not make me laugh." The man said. "To think that you were the one I was searching for all this time."
He was searching for him? Why? What was his intent?
"Why were you looking for me? Answer me now before I run you through!" Guts yelled.
"If you feel that you have the power to attempt that, attack me, and soon you will feel nothing." The man threatened.
There was something about this man that told Guts that he could kill him at any time he wished. He kept his mouth shut, but did not lower his sword.
"Yes, he told me about you. The cloaked man. He brought me to this world, and told me to seek you out." The man said.
"The cloaked man? Different world?" Guts asked him.
"That is right. He brought me here to seek you out. Handed me an offer I could not refuse. He also told me something else that urged me to find you." The man said, crossing his arms.
"Well, what was so urgent then?" Guts asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He told me, that you, are my grandchild." He said. "One of my bastards sired you, and the cloaked man proved it."
"Don't play games with me, I have no family!" Guts yelled.
"You don't. I don't care for you boy. Nonetheless, you will come with me." The man said.
His self-proclaimed grandfather then walked towards him. Guts turned around to run, but didn't even get five feet away before he found himself on the ground. The man had kicked Guts to the dirt. He went to swing his sword at the old man, but he dodged it and swiped the blade from Gut's hand.
"I'll hold onto this for now." The man said, the blade disappearing in his hand.
Was he magic!? The man grabbed Guts, and threw him over his shoulder. His face hit the flat end of one of the blades, and he could feel blood leaking from his nose. Guts raised the elbow of his good arm, and connected it with the back of the man's bald head. He did not react. Guts repeated the elbow.
"Do that again, and I will break your other arm boy." The man said.
Guts relented. He knew there was no getting out of this. The man made his way towards one of the roads, and made his way down it. Guts watched as the dirt road passed underneath his alleged grandfather's sandaled feet. Gut's curiosity got the better of him.
"You knew my mother? My father?" Guts asked.
"No." He replied.
"Then how do you know that I'm your grandkid!?" Guts yelled in frustration.
"Because I know." The man replied.
"Enough of this bullshit!" Guts yelled.
He felt his leg go numb with pain as the man punched it.
"Watch your language." The man said.
"What do you care!?" Guts yelled.
"You're right, why do I care?" The man replied.
"Where are you taking me?" Guts asked him.
"To train." The man replied.
Train? With this guy? He didn't need any more training from anyone but himself.
"Why?" Guts asked.
"Because it was part of the deal." The man replied.
"Deal this, and agreement that! Who are you!?" Guts yelled.
"I am your grandfather, Kratos. Now shut up, before I have to make you shut up." Kratos said.
"But…" Guts started.
His round of questioning was interrupted when everything went black.
…
Guts eyes fluttered open. He found himself staring at the ceiling of a log cabin. It smelled of roasted meat, and Guts felt something soft under him. He sat up, and realized that he was in a bed. The blanket he was wearing was oddly warm, it was the brown fur of some creature… He looked down at the foot of the bed and saw a bump. Guts crawled over too it, and noticed that his previous injuries were gone, his arm was no longer broken.
After that realization, Guts grabbed the bump, and realized that it was no bump, but the head of a bear. He slept in a bear blanket. The sun shined through a single window next to a door, and there was a hallway that seemed to lead to another room with a shut door. Guts leapt off the bed, and ran outside.
He was in a large forest, he could hear birds chirping, a babbling brook somewhere in the distance, and the sound of meat frying on the other side of the log cabin. How had he got here again? He remembered something about wolves… and someone else. Guts walked over to the other side of the log cabin, and saw a large, pale figure leaning over a campfire.
Kratos. That was how he got here. His self-proclaimed grandfather had brought him here after he saved his life. Guts turned around, and ran away as fast as he could. That didn't last long however, as he felt a hand grab the back of his shirt. Kratos lifted him into the air, and brought him over to the campfire. He threw Guts down next to a wooden chair, and Kratos sat down.
His "grandfather" Grabbed a plate, and pulled a slab of meat from off of the turner over the flame. He threw the plate in front of Guts, who was now sitting down with his legs crossed. Kratos pointed to the plate.
"Eat." He ordered.
Guts looked at the meat. It looked delicious, sure, but Guts didn't trust it. What if Kratos did something to it? What if he poisoned it? That thought was dashed away. If his 'grandfather' wanted him dead, he would have surely done it by now. There were no utensils to eat the meat with, but he had no use for them. Guts grabbed the steak with his hands, and stuffed one half of it into his mouth. He bit down with his teeth and pulled, separating one half from the other.
It took him a couple of minutes to eat the steak. Kratos stared at him the entire time, making Guts feel uncomfortable. When he was finished, Kratos stood up from his chair.
"Training begins now." Kratos said, seemingly conjuring up Guts sword from thin air.
Guts didn't know what to think about the whole training thing, but he definitely wanted his sword back. He reached out to grab it, but Kratos pulled it away from his grasp. He raised his index finger to Guts.
"Not yet." Kratos said, pulling something out from a pouch on his hip.
It was a thin piece of paper written in some language that he didn't understand. Kratos wrapped it onto the hilt of his sword, and the blade glowed. It continued to shine for a few more seconds before it dissipated. Kratos handed Guts the sword, which he took. When Guts grabbed the hilt, his muscles strained as the surprise weight gain of his sword hit the ground. Why was it so heavy?
"Swing your sword one hundred times in a chopping motion. Fail to do so, and you will have to do one hundred push-ups." Kratos said, pulling up the chair.
"How did you do that? You know… the disappearing act with my sword, and how did you make it so heavy?" Guts asked him.
Kratos sighed.
"Shut up. Just focus on swinging the blade." Kratos said.
Guts eyes soon found the ground. Why was he doing this? Why was he here with this guy? What was the point of all of this?
"What, are you going to watch?" Guts asked.
Kratos simply nodded in response. Guts grabbed the sword with his other hand, and lifted it over his head. He could do one hundred swings, no matter how much heavier the blade got. A few minutes passed of him chopping at the air in front of him. Eighty seven… he was feeling his chest and arm begin to burn, and he was beginning to sweat. He wasn't about to give this geezer the time of day though! Guts continued swinging. Ninety… so close, but it felt so far away.
His muscles ached and begged for him to stop, it seemed that he couldn't breathe enough oxygen, and he was getting dizzy. Kratos leaned forward, his bald head shining in the sunlight. Guts would have laughed, but he didn't have enough air in his lungs to do that. Ninety nine… Guts gave one more swing. He breathed in as much air as he could.
"One hundred!" He yelled.
"Impressive. Now remain standing. Don't rest, we've only just begun." Kratos said.
Gut's heart sank. More? Was he serious? Guts stabbed the sword into the ground, and released the hilt.
"Now, one hundred laps around this forest. I'll join you. If you falter even once, you will have to do one hundred sit ups." Kratos said.
"Now wait just a minute! I'm not doing another thing until you tell me what's going on!" Guts yelled.
Kratos stood up from his chair and marched over to Guts. The boy was shocked when Kratos grabbed him by the throat and hefted him in the air.
"A Spartan does not question their master. A Spartan has to learn discipline." Kratos said, releasing his hold on Guts.
Guts hit the ground and gasped for air.
"What's a Spartan?" Guts asked him when he was able to speak again.
Kratos looked down at him.
"It is what I'm training you to become. Run that one hundred laps, and maybe I'll indulge in your questions, that is… if you can run one hundred laps." Kratos said.
Guts stood up from the ground and dusted himself off.
"You're on!" Guts yelled.
Kratos smirked at him.
"Then follow me." Kratos said, turning his back to him.
…
…
…
Guts didn't know that the forest was a mile wide, but he found out soon enough. Really, a forest that's only a mile is quite small, but his grandfather told him to run around it one hundred times! That's the same as running one hundred miles! When Guts collapsed after the thirty first mile, Kratos demanded that he do one hundred sit ups.
"If you fail to do one hundred sit ups, you will sit on that wall over there for half an hour." Kratos said.
Guts furrowed his brow at Kratos.
"You want me to sit on a wall? That doesn't sound like exercise." Guts said.
Kratos flicked Gut's forehead with his index finger.
"Ow what was that for!?" Guts yelled.
"For being a fool." Kratos said, walking over to the log cabin.
Kratos leaned against the wall, and squatted down, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You will do this. It's meant to strengthen your leg muscles." Kratos said.
Guts rubbed his forehead.
"Fine, will you at least tell me what a Spartan is?" Guts asked.
Kratos stood up from the wall.
"A Spartan is the greatest warrior in the world. Though, you won't be trained in the usual way. Really, this training is unorthodox." Kratos said.
Kratos was going to train him to be the greatest warrior in the world? Was that even possible?
"I have a question for you boy, how old were you when you took your first life?" Kratos asked him.
Guts couldn't forget the day his blade found that man's throat.
"I was nine." Guts said.
Kratos nodded approvingly.
"When did you start training for battle?" Kratos asked him.
"I was six." Guts said.
"That's good. I won't have to teach you the basics of wielding a blade then." Kratos said.
"I have one more question." Guts said.
"You get one more, then it's one hundred sit ups." Kratos said.
"How long will I be here training with you?" Guts asked him.
Kratos walked over to him.
"Four years. Now do those sit ups before I double the amount you have to do." Kratos said.
Four years!? Of this!?
"I see that look on your face boy. Yes, four years. Then you can leave." Kratos said.
There we go, all done. Now leave a review, or else I'll show up under your bed tonight.