Notes: Hey everyone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I've been working on a lot of stuff lately, but not a lot has actually been getting down, hence the silence as of late. However, I really wanted to get something out to celebrate with all you, and I figured what better than a winter themed one shot.
For my long time readers this series may seem like quite the departure, since this is not only my first real first person work, but it is also my first God of War story.
I hope you will give this story a try and tell me what you think. It will likely have a big impact on the way I write stories in the future.
Disclaimer: I do not own God of War.
Song of Storms and Sorrow Chapter 1
Atreus
I've had a realization recently, one in regards to time. I found that it can be such an elusive creature at times. While it can occasionally move so slowly that you can practically feel every second. At other times if you so much as lose sight of it for a moment, you will find that much of it will have already passed you by. You won't even be any the wiser for it either.
What sparked this revelation was one simple thought. That being the fact that it had already been three whole years since mother died. Three years since father and I made that faithful journey to the top of the mountain. Yet it still feels just like it was yesterday.
I can still remember so much from back then. Like when father and I first befriended the odd pair of dwarven brothers Brok and Sindri. Well, I befriended them while father more or less decided to put up with them. I think father has warmed up to them a bit more since then though, if only by a little bit, and only because few blacksmiths can match their handiwork.
Then there was Mimir. To some he may have just been a reanimated head that enjoyed telling tall tales, but to us he was like family. Father has become especially close to him in the years since we met. I would often wake up to the sounds of them talking late into the night.
The topics of father and Mimir's conversations were varied, but often of a serious nature. On the rare occasion they'd even discuss things that happened in father's past. I tried not to listen in during those conversations. If it were important enough I'm sure father would tell me himself. Everything else would come in due time, of that I was sure.
Anyway, as awesome as Mimir and the dwarf brothers have been, there was one other friend we made in our travels that has truly been unforgettable. That of course being Jormungand, also known as the World Serpent. A rather mysterious mountain sized snake that had proven to be quite a reliable companion.
Jormungand had even saved our lives once or twice. Though, my father was loath to admit it. I think he said something like. "We protected our own lives boy. The snake merely aided in our victory, nothing more."
Still, father at least seems to hold some respect for the World Serpent. Which is a good thing, I rather like Jormungand and would hate to have to hurt him. If I even could. Slaying a dragon is one thing, but fighting a mountain sized snake is another. Personally I don't want to test our luck any more than we already have.
Finally there was Freya. For a short while the old Vanir goddess with the knack for witchcraft had been counted amongst our friends. Which was great since it was a rather short list at the time and she'd been a great help to us. More so than just about any other in our quest and she had always been so warm and welcoming. It said a lot about her character when one considered the circumstances of our first meeting.
Using Freya's friend as target practice wasn't quite the best foot to start off on I'll admit, but in retrospect our first encounter still went far better than our last. Not that that set the bar too high.
We'd fought many fierce battles during our journey, some against man, others against all manner of beast, and even a few against the gods themselves. I still remember how invincible I felt after father and I bested the sons of Thor, the bloody god of thunder himself.
Unfortunately that high was short lived. Completely overshadowed by the horror I felt, or rather still feel, after father killed Freya's son Baldur. I just couldn't help but wonder if I could've done something to prevent it. Wistful thinking I know. Mimir and father both made a point to tell me as much.
Even if we managed to stop Baldur then, he never would've forgiven his mother. He never would've stopped chasing us either. It was a kill or be killed situation. So we did what we had to do.
I just wish it didn't have to make Freya our enemy. I still haven't seen her since then. I hope she's alright, and preferably not planning our demise.
I've often spoken to father about possibly visiting Freya to talk things out, but he would always shoot down the idea. Each time he'd say something like "Let it go boy, wounds like these do not heal so easily." That or, "Nice words won't undo what has been done."
I'd ask him how he could be so certain, but I'm sure he'd just try to divert that conversation as well. Even after everything we've been through together over the last three years, my father still has his secrets. It is really infuriating at times, but I'm sure he has his reasons. None of which are very important now.
After all, we have far more pressing matters to deal with...
Father and I have just been startled awake by the sounds of a furious storm howling outside our cabin home. This storm sounds like an angry beast and it seems to have kicked up completely out of nowhere and is now threatening to reduce our small cabin home to nothing more than a pile of splinters.
Across from me my father sprang up to his feet and quickly fetched his axe. Without turning towards me yelled out his command. "Your bow!"
He sounded serious so I saw no reason to argue. I rushed to the corner of the room where my bow sat in its mount. Quickly snatching it and shouldering my quiver I made to follow my father passing Mimir on the way who called out from behind.
"What's going on lads!?" Mimir shouted in a panic.
"Don't know, stay here!" I called back as father pushed open the door. Mimir didn't respond or if he did I just didn't here him. In hindsight, telling a disembodied head to stay put was kind of unnecessary, and perhaps even rude. I'll be sure to apologies to him later, assuming whatever's outside doesn't kill us.
As I step out with my bow in hand I quickly spot the source of father's concern. A large man with broad shoulders and a barrel like chest. He was dressed in a dark cloak which obscured most of his features, but I could tell he was an older man, perhaps around the same age as father. At least if his thick graying beard was anything to go on.
The stranger made no move to attack us, at least not yet. So I was about to call out to them, but father beat me too it. "Who are you!?" He shouted over the angry tempest whirling around us.
I saw the large man's chest rise and fall with a sigh before he finally spoke. "Who am I?" He asked. His voice was equal parts hoarse and resentful, and as soon as the words left his lips, his left hand moved. With surprising quickness he pushed aside part of his cloak to reveal a small ornate warhammer strapped at his waist. "Oh, I think you know who I am."
I think I did. Despite never meeting this man or hearing his voice before, I had grown up on stories of the Gods from my mother. So it was hard not to recognize one so important. It was Thor, it had to be. Even with most of his face hidden, the hammer was a dead enough give away. I already knew that Brok and Sindri had forged the weapon and those two have a very particular sense of esthetics.
Of course the hammer wasn't the only clue. There was also the angry storm hanging over our heads and the sparks that were currently flying from the cloaked man's finger tips and his hammer. This man was a god, of that there was no doubt, and father must've put the pieces together as well since his body had stiffened considerably. His muscles tensing and relaxing as he took a familiar stance and readied himself for what would certainly be a bloody confrontation.
"I don't know who you are, but you have no business here, leave now!" Father demanded, his tone lacking its usual composure. Was he fearful? No, that's less likely than Muspelheim freezing over. Perhaps it was just the storm. It was loud, painfully so, and it was making it a bit hard to communicate normally.
Thor of course didn't seem the least bit bothered by the tempest and began to chuckle menacingly at father's demands. "Oh I think we both know that isn't true. That is unless you have a poor memory?" He inquired with a mirthless grin and a raised eyebrow.
When father only scowled, Thor's expression darkened and with a shake of his head his voice began to boom. Echoing so loudly it seemed to sallow the storm or perhaps feed on it. "You're the one who butchered my boys, murdered my brother, and practically spit at my father's feet when you denied him his prize!"
"Do you truly know the cost of your actions!? Did you believe the All-father would simply overlook the slight you have committed against him!? Against me!?" Thor roared, with his eyes wild and his large chest heaving.
When father still did not speak, Thor seemed to lose his patience. "It would seem not." He sneered in disgust before taking a short moment to gather himself.
Once he had, Thor reached down to grip his weapon as he began to slowly step towards us. "I suppose it doesn't matter now anyway. Fimbulwinter is nearly at its end and then Ragnarok, the day of reckoning will be upon us. Well, not us I suppose, or at least not you." He said motioning towards father with his warhammer now in hand. "You're an unwelcome variable. Father doesn't care to take chances with outsiders like you, and nor do I."
Father scoffed. "So Odin wishes me gone and he sends another one of his foolish sons to do what he is too cowardly to do himself?"
"Huh?" I mumbled as I stared at my father's back with my jaw slack in disbelief.
I wasn't sure what surprised me more. Father's obvious attempt at antagonizing the god of thunder, or the fact that Thor actually began to laugh at the insults being thrown at his way a moment later. "Oh ho, do you have it wrong. I wasn't sent, I volunteered for this. I'm not my brother, I don't answer to my father's every whim! I'm here now because I want to be, because this debt of blood is mine to collect, and will be mine alone!"
"Good, that makes this simpler." Father declared surprising both Thor and myself this time. Then without taking his eyes off the thunder god, he leaned towards me and spoke in a hushed tone. "This is my fight boy, stay out of this."
It was at that moment that I realized what father had been trying to do with his taunts. He sought to draw Thor's ire on him and away from me.
"What, are you crazy!?" I heard myself shout before I could think better of it.
"Boy!" Father snapped.
"Don't boy me! I'm not a child and I'm not letting you fight him alone!" I snapped in return.
"B-Atreus, this isn't your fight!" Father argued back, his tone almost desperate.
Before either of us could argue further Thor cut in. "I wouldn't be so sure about that Spartan. He's just as much a part of this as you are."
Hearing Thor's words, father's full intention quickly snapped back to the Aesir. "What was that!?" He growled.
"Oh, don't be so surprised Spartan. The All-father has eyes and ears everywhere. You think after what you did, he wouldn't make use of them?" Thor asked with a dark laugh as he began to circle us. "Really though, to believe we had the infamous Ghost of Sparta right here under our noses this whole time and didn't even know it. To let one so dangerous roam free in our lands for this long, it's almost shameful."
Spartan, I heard that name before. Sparta was where father said he was from right? And Thor was talking about it. So did that mean the Aesir knew about father's past? And what of this "Ghost" stuff? I had so many questions that still needed answers.
However my thoughts were soon interrupted when my father let out a sharp growl and he practically threw himself at his opponent. His massive form clearing the distance between him and the Aesir in a single bound. His mighty Leviathan Axe drawn back and primed to behead the thunder god.
Thor seemed all too eager to accept father's challenge and the thunder god brought Mjölnir up in a motion so fast my eyes couldn't even follow it, to strike the side of father's axe.
The blow struck true and easily knocked father's axe aside and father grunted in discomfort as he felt the weight of the blow carry down his arm. His muscles straining to keep hold of his weapon.
Meanwhile Thor decided to follow through, allowing the momentum of his own swing to spin him around full circle before he brought this hammer back around and towards father's head. It was clearly a powerful strike, one that would've surely obliterated a mortal man, and likely crushed father's skull if he hadn't gotten his shield up in time to block it.
Despite father managing to avoid certain death, the blow from the great hammer didn't just carry force alone. It struck down on the shield as though the fury of the entire storm above had come down with it, sending out a shockwave like I'd never seen before, and sparks flying in every direction.
Not being prepared for the sudden surge of energy, I was blown back several steps, and taken off my feet entirely.
Father, despite being closer, managed to take the blow a fair bit better, remaining on his feet even at a great deal of strain. He even managed to get out a few words between gritted teeth. "That is not what I was referring to god! What of the boy!"
"Ah, you wished to know of the boy's fate?" Thor asked with a sinister laugh as he drove a boot into father's exposed chest driving him back a step. "He will be sharing your own of course!"
Father's eyes widened in what almost looked like horror, but it didn't seem to be because of the minor blow he took. Then they quickly sharpened into a deadly glare as he charged back in. "The boy is innocent in this! Your fight is with me!"
"Spare me your filthy lies Outlander!?" Thor shot back, anger starting to slip back into his voice as the two gods clashed. Their weapons slammed into each other hard enough to shatter stone, a fact I only knew because the ground actually began to crack below their feet, yet both their weapons held firm.
"Was it not your half-breed that gutted my Modi! Cowardly fool though he may have been, he was still my boy, and your's cut him down without mercy!" Thor spat as he drove his fist into father's face.
Farther retaliated by slamming his head into the bridge of Thor's nose, no doubt causing him to taste blood, but Thor just laughed it off. "Yeah that's the way! I don't know about how you do things back home, but here it's blood for blood, eye for an eye!" He shouted before shifting his gaze towards me and putting on a smile that made my stomach churn. "A son for a son."
Father roared in anger as flames began to lick at his wrists and he slammed his shield against Thor's chest causing the god to stagger backward a step, before bringing his axe back in aiming to spit the cruel bastard in half at the waist.
Unfortunately Thor recovered quickly. One second he was stumbling and the next, a bright blue aura had engulfed his whole body, and he became a blur of motion. The thunder god swept around father's swing with a dancer's grace, circling around to his right side to strike down with his hammer. He aimed to sweep father off his feet.
My father's eyes widened as he saw the attack coming, but he made no move to evade it. He had no time to.
So for a moment it looked as if the blow would strike home, causing a feeling of cold terror to run down my spine and flood my veins, but father was an experienced warrior and had been ready. So instead of taking the full brunt of the blow, he threw himself back, and rolled with the hit. This allowed him to flip over backwards and land straight back on his feet ready to continue the fight.
The maneuver seemed to have the desired effect of catching Thor off guard and father was all too eager to take advantage. The god of thunder was standing at an awkward position however, so father had to twist around to bring his axe to bear.
In doing so the back of father's axe glided across Thor's chest causing sparks to fly as it grinded against the bright blue aura that seemed to protect his body.
To my ears, the impact of father's axe to the thunder god's chest sounded more like he had struck steel rather than flesh, but the thin crimson stream that began to spew forth from Thor's chest afterward had proven otherwise.
Thor must've felt the blow too, since he staggered backward, and his free hand reaching up to grip his fresh wound. Father saw his foes weakness and charged in after him lifting his axe high above his head for another strike.
Thor responded with a rage filled roar before he raised his own weapon, but he didn't raise it high for a strike, or even in a defensive manner. Instead he pointed the head straight at father like he'd planned to impale him on it. It was a move that would've been laughable if the god wielded a normal hammer, but Mjolnir was anything but normal.
Father's only warning of the danger came in the form of a bright flash of light and a loud crack. Both were caused by a surge of energy created within the hammer resulting in a miniature lightning storm erupting from its head.
Of course the warning came far too late and my father took the blast directly in his bare chest, knocking him clean off his feet, and carrying him several feet back to smash through the trunk of an old rotten tree.
"Father!" I screamed as a fresh wave of fear began to grip my heart.
To my relief I heard my father manage a groan as he began to pick himself back up off the snow-covered soil, and brush off the deadwood clinging to him. "I'm fine boy."
"Are you outlander!? Are you so certain!? We shall see!" Thor sneered as he leapt into the air and slammed his hammer back down to impact the ground. The blow caused the earth to tremble as yet another wave of raw electricity surged forward like a tidal-wave.
Father saw it coming this time, and with no small amount of effort, he managed to throw himself out of the way allowing the wave to pass by harmlessly. Well at least if we discount the devastated tree line a few paces behind him. It was a small price to pay, i suppose. Meanwhile, father took aim for the thunder god's head, spun his body to get some momentum behind his throw, and winged his axe in his foe's direction.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Thor scoffed before he used this hammer to bat the flying axe aside.
When father saw his weapon being sent twirling off course, he reached out his hand, causing it to quickly correct, and begin to fly back to his outstretched hand.
"Huh, now that's a nice trick. I thought I recognized the dwarves' handiwork." Thor mused before a sinister smirk appeared across his lips. "Your form could use some improvement though. Let me show you how it's done!" With that declaration Thor took hold of his weapon's leather tether and gave it a quick wind up, before launching it like an arrow fired from a ballista.
Almost immediately after father had his weapon back in his iron grip it was struck by Thor's hammer and torn away from him. Fortunately the attack had only struck father's weapon, but now his axe was being carried away by Mjölnir, and now as they sailed into the distance, and neither weapon showed any signs of coming back.
Father was unarmed, but so was Thor, weather that was the thunder god's intention or not, I'm not sure, but father planned to take advantage. With a furious battlecry father turned back towards his opponent as his body began to burst into flame. Then in what seemed like the blink of an eye, father was upon the thunder god, his fists smashing against his bright blue aura with unrelenting vigor.
Thor laughed as he took a fist to the chin and began to trade blows with father. As they fought it quickly became apparent that, while father had the edge in raw strength, Thor was the faster of the two combatants.
Much like Baldur had been in their previous battles, Thor was able to move in quick bursts of speed, but unlike his brother, Thor made good use of this magic. The thunder god practically oozed electrical energy from every pour, making him difficult to strike without suffering harm in turn, and of course his attacks also struck with all the force a lightning storm.
Father needed to be careful, but careful wasn't his style, I doubt it ever was. He just kept on attacking, only pausing after taking a strong blow from Thor, and even then, he gave it right back, ignoring all the pain that he no doubt felt.
Father wasn't losing, not yet, but he wasn't winning either. That meant there was a chance he could lose and that was a problem. I had to do something. I know he wanted me to stay out of this, but if he lost I was as good as dead anyway, so I may as well fight while we still had a chance.
Drawing an arrow from my quiver, I rose up my bow, and took aim for the stupid thunder god's head. As I pulled the arrow back, my bowstring began to shimmer, and sparks shot down the shaft as a magical current enveloped it. After taking a deep breath to steady myself, I took the shot.
My arrow cut a hard line through the air leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. To my surprise the arrow had struck home, embedding itself into Thor's shoulder. The thunder god had simply been too enthralled with battle with father to notice my attack coming, but he had been lucky enough to move at the right time, and avoid taking the arrow in something a bit more vital.
Thor was clearly caught off guard by my surprise attack, diverting his attention, and gave father enough time to land a savage three hit combo to the god's gut. Each blow earned a loud cracking sound, likely signifying a new broken bone. However it wasn't enough to put the thunder god down, and he simply grit his teeth as he forced a foot up into father's chest and kicked him back.
Then Thor reached up to the still electrically charged arrow sticking out of his shoulder blade and yanked it free. Taking a brief moment to inspect the object that had caused him injury, he scowled before he tightened his grip snapping the arrow in half and allowing the pieces to fall to the ground.
However, the electrical charge remained in Thor's hands. It was like he'd pulled the magic right out of the arrow and joined it with his own. You know, now that I think about, maybe it wasn't the best idea to use Shock Arrows on the god of thunder.
Just as this thought went through my mind, I saw the god of thunder turn towards me with a hateful look in his eyes. "You should know better than to play with things you don't understand boy, let this be a lesson to you!"
With that declaration the thunder god pointed his palm at me and fired off a bolt of electricity not unlike the ones he had discharged at father, albeit much smaller. It was a fact that had me counting my blessing after it struck my chest, sending a wave of searing pain through my whole body, and causing a scream to force its way out of my throat.
"Atreus!" I heard father yell out to me, his voice filled with rage and panic. Then the struggle between him and Thor kicked off anew. None of this I could actually see since I was currently flat on my back and my vision clouded by stars.
Slowly I blinked the spots from my eyes and climbed back onto shaky legs. Then I took another deep breath. "Okay, that didn't go too well. I need a new tactic." I declared before looking back towards the fight.
It was then that I was treated to the glorious sight of my father lifting the thunder god up by the waist and body slamming him through a tree only to keep going until they both slammed into the side of a cliff. Then father immediately began to lay into Thor with a series of flaming haymakers while screaming his head off the whole time.
Thor for his part was doing his best to keep his guard up, taking each blow in stride, and even managing to get a few licks in here and there. Still it looked like he was holding back. Was he perhaps trying to wear father out? That seemed like a foolish plan, but he could know something I don't. Since I still couldn't be sure that father would win, I still had to help somehow.
With that in mind I began to scan the area for anything that could be useful. My bow was no good and I needed something I could use against Thor, if not as a weapon then maybe as distraction, at least then it might give father an edge in this fight.
Eventually my eyes wondered back to father and a small object hanging from his waist. It was the Realm Key, the one that still contained the Light of Alfheim, father always kept it with him. While we hadn't done much realm hopping since we came back home, it was still far too important to leave lying around.
I needed that key, but father and Thor were of course still beating each other senseless, and with how intense the melee had become, I couldn't just run up and grab it. So I waited for the right moment to approach.
My moment eventually came when father grabbed hold of an old oak tree's trunk and ripped it straight out of the ground, roots and all, and proceeded to bash the Thor's face in with it.
Thor reeled back from the blow and was sent flying several meters through the air to crash into a rocky outcrop causing it to crumble down on top of him. Now with the thunder god busy digging himself out, I made my move and ran up to join my father.
"Father, I'm coming!" I called out to him.
"He isn't beaten yet boy! Stay back!" Father shouted as he spared a quick glanced in my direction and reached out with his hand to call back his axe.
"I know I just need the key!" I shouted in return as I came to stand beside my father.
"Key? What key boy?!" Father asked.
"The Realm Key!" I declared pointing to the object in question. That caused father to raise an eyebrow. Figuring I needed to give at least some explication I quickly drew out my bow, with the string still surging with electrical energy, and plucked at the string to show him. "My bow is useless against him like this, I need the Light!"
Father's stern gaze said he still didn't want me in this fight, but he clearly didn't see any value in leaving me with an ill effective weapon. "Fine." He said reaching down to pluck the key off his belt and held it out towards me, but when I made to reach for it he pulled it back and added. "Don't lose it."
"I won't, I swear!" I assured him before I reached out to snatch the key and father made no move to stop me this time.
As I went to work running the key down the length of my bowstring to apply the enchantment I got pushed aside right before I felt the wind vibrate as something rush past my head. Looking up, I saw the Magic Hammer of Thor zip by, and father surged forward to intercept the thunder god who was now not only free but charging towards them like a mad man.
"Die already you filthy outlanders!" Thor shouted as he caught his hammer and sent it right back us.
Father quickly got between us and raised his shield to block the incoming bludgeon. While his shield succeeded in softening the blow, it still struck hard enough to send him stumbling backward. Then before he could regain his footing, Thor called back his hammer again and used it to unleash another burst of electricity.
Again father's shield absorbed the brunt of the onslaught. Unfortunately he wasn't able to stave it off completely, causing him to be forced down on one knee unable to move while the lightning cracked around him like whips, and singeing his pale skin.
Seeing my chance to help, I took it. Once again drawing up my bow now infused with Elven Light, I notched an arrow, readying two more, and letting loose.
The first arrow caught the thunder god off guard, striking him square in the chest, and exploding as the magic that protected him clashed with my own. The second arrow had a similar effect, when it struck him in the shoulder. The third however was struck aside, by Thor's hammer before it could find its mark. It didn't matter though. Thor's attack had ended and he was forced to fall back or get beheaded by father who tried to do just that the moment he was able to move again.
Father didn't let up though, and neither did I. Notching another arrow I took aim again, only this time I channeled more of my magic into it, and instead of focusing on my opponent, I aimed down at ground and shouted. "Ulfr Hlaup!"
When I let the arrow fly, energy exploded from it, and when it finally struck the ground it landed on foot paws. Four paws quickly became eight, and eight became sixteen. Now four wolves composed of pure light stood before me. "Attack him!" I roared while pointing towards the thunder god.
Without needing further instruction, the wolves burst into motion, each scattering in a different direction in an attempt to encircle their prey. Thor saw them coming and brought his hammer around to smack one of them aside as it leapt at him with its ethereal teeth bared.
The spectral beast took the blow to the jaw with nary a whimper as the impact rippled across its frame causing its whole body exploded in a flash of bright light. Thor let out a pained grunt and was forced to squint when the blast enveloped him, burning his flesh.
Father had been close to the blast as well, but was use to the wolves attack patterns, and took a few steps back. Just enough to let him avoid the brunt of the attack, and then he was right back on the thunder god, using his axe to carve out a piece of the god's side.
I heard Thor let out a sharp hiss as he felt the axe cut through his aura to bite into his abdomen, one that quickly morphed into a furious snarl as he took hold of the axe handle and yanked it free so he could shoulder charge.
Father took the blow and was knocked back a step. Now with some room Thor raise his hammer high to strike him down, but one of my wolves jumped up onto his back and bit down on his shoulder. Thor let out another pained grunt, this one more annoyed than the last.
"Get off of me you damn beast!" Thor spat as his free hand snapped up to grab the wolf by the head yanking it off of his back, and slamming it down onto the ground in front of him.
The wolf yelped as it detonated releasing another flash of burning light right in the thunder god's face. When Thor closed his eyes to avoid being blinded, the iron fist of my father collided with his chin, causing a meaty crack, and likely dislodging some teeth.
Before Thor I let loose too more arrows, one striking him in the chest, and the other his arm, which he had raised to block it from his face. "Enough of this!" He roared before jumping back to avoid another swing of father's axe, then spinning on his heels, he aimed the head of his hammer straight at an approaching wolf, and let loose a blast of electricity.
One second the wolf was there, and then the next, it just wasn't. The spectral beast got vaporized before it could even get close. That meant I was down to my last wolf and it was currently rushing in for the thunder god's left side, intent on ripping his throat out. Thor wasn't having it however and promptly directed his hammer in the wolf's direction.
"Dodge!" I commanded causing the wolf to break right just in time to avoid being roasted.
A heartbeat later and the wolf had cleared the rest of the distance between it and its prey and lunged in for the kill, but the god of thunder was ready. Thor reached out with his free hand catching the beast out of mid air by the throat. The spectral wolf snarled angrily and tried to claw at Thor's chest, but Thor simply ignored it while he tightened his grip crushing the beast's windpipe, and causing it to explode.
Now use to the pain Thor shrugged off the elven magic and surge forward to strike his hammer down on father's shield. This time the blow somehow held more force than any attack the thunder god had used up to this point. It was so intense that I felt the ground below me tremble, while the wind around us whipped up into a violent frenzy.
Thor didn't let up there either. Instead he struck again, and again, and again, all in quick succession, and each feeling more powerful than the last. Father as expected was holding up okay, even managing to get in a few blows of his own, which the thunder god didn't even seem to notice. To my horror though, I noticed cracks begin to spread across the surface of father's shield. I'd never even seen that shield so much as chip before, so seeing it crack like that was telling. It was also very worrying since if it broke, father would be left defenseless.
Figuring it was time for another distraction I drew up my bow once more, but the moment I did, I locked eyes with Thor. He was staring right at me, his eyes wild, and furious. "Not this time boy!" He spat as he finally halted in his onslaught to aim his hammer at me.
"No!" Father cried out as he tried to stop the god of thunder.
He must've been too late, because the next thing I saw was a flash of light, then there was a crack of thunder, a sharp pain in my chest, and the whole world started spinning. First I think I saw the sky, then the ground, then the sky again, then the ground, then sky one last time before a sharp pain shot through me back, and I heard the sound of splintering wood.
The next thing I knew I was flat on my back, staring up at the broken ceiling of our old cabin. The pain I felt was so intense that I actually started to feel numb, and my ears were ringing so badly, that the world was somehow starting to seem silent. I think I could vaguely hear my father call out to me, but the only reply I could manage was a groan.
"Atreus, are you alright lad!" I heard another voice call out, this one much closer.
Slowly turning my head in the direction of the voice, I spotted Mimir right where we'd left him moments ago. "M-mimir, are you okay?" I mumbled as I tried to roll over and get back on my feet.
"That's my line lad, you just road a lightning bolt in threw the wall! If you weren't a god, you'd be paying Helheim another visit right about now! Now care to tell me what's going on!?" Mimir inquired.
"It's Thor, h-he attacked us. Wants revenge for his sons." I replied.
"Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. That brute isn't one to let a score go unsettled. Honestly I'm surprised it took him this long." Mimir mused. "So how is the fight going? Are we winning?"
I shook my head. "Father is holding out for now, but Thor is too strong, and nothing I try is working against him."
"Well it looks like we're in another fine mess. You got any ideas lad?" Mimir asked.
"Not really, do you?" I shot back.
Mimir looked thoughtful for a moment before his face scrunched up and he replying with. "Sorry lad, I got nothing. If there is anything that bloodthirsty oaf is good at, it would be fighting. Trust me when I tell you this, if I knew an easy way to deal with him, I'd have done it years ago."
"Well great, I guess I'll just have to come up with something then." I said as I struggled back onto my feet and began to take in the cabin around me, my eyes looking carefully looking over everything in sight.
"What're you doing lad?" Mimir asked.
"I'm looking for something to help us." I replied as I began walk around the space, turning over objects, and looking threw chests. "Father and I have collected a fair number of useful trinkets over the last few years. Maybe perhaps one of them could help us get out of this mess."
"Good thinking lad! This I can help with!" Mimir declared as he too began to look around the room. His eyes eventually on a small round object on the table beside him. "Ah the gate stone of course, lad how about this!?"
My head instantly snapped in the direction Mimir was looking and I soon spotted the Key of Yggdrasil. The key is a round blue object that looks kind of like a stone. Brok gave it to us three years ago, and it grants us passage on the branches of the world tree. It was quite useful for getting around Midgard quickly and undetected.
"Mimir you're a genius!" I exclaimed when I saw the key. There is literally a portal in our front yard, if we used the Key to slip between realms, we'd be able to make an escape. How popular such a plan would be with father I couldn't be sure, but it was something.
"Well I am the smartest man alive." Mimir said jokingly.
"That you are." I retorted before rushing over to snatch up the key and stash it in a pouch at my waist. Then I turned towards Mimir, and snatch him up too, hanging him by my waist like father usually did. "Come on, if we're making a break for it, I can't go leaving you behind."
"You have my thanks lad." Mimir said in return.
Heading back toward the door, or at least what was left of it, since the door frame seemed to have taken brunt of my entry. Looking outside, I soon caught sight of Thor, and my father, both still locked in fierce combat.
"It sounds bad out there." Mimir mused.
"Yeah it is." I replied before tearing my eyes away from the two hulking figures, and towards the small gathering of stones on the other side of the clearing. Those stones acted as the marker for the portal and our ticket out of here. "This could be a problem."
"What is it lad?" Mimir inquired.
"There's a bunch of rubble in the way now. It shouldn't be a problem for father to clear a path, but how is he going do that without Thor trying to stop us? Even if we clear the way, how're we going to get into the portal without Thor following us through?"
"Sounds like you need a distraction." Mimir replied.
"Yeah, but I'm fresh out of ideas. My arrows are barely fazing Thor and there's no way I'm getting in close enough to use my knife." I shot back suddenly feeling deflated. It felt like I had just taken one step forward and two steps back.
"So you need a weapon then?" Mimir asked.
"Yes, I need a weapon! Something, anything, as long as it will hurt that bastard it will do!" I declared.
"In that case I may have a suggestion, though I get the feeling you're father isn't going to like it." Mimir declared.
"Father doesn't like anything, just tell me!?" I pressed.
"Don't you remember what your father keeps beneath the floorboards!?" Mimir asked.
I paused for a moment than turned around to stare at the rug that draped over the opening in the floor. Then realization hit me. "The Blades of Chaos, of course!" I cheered before sprinting over and throwing the rug aside.
"Again, I really don't think your father will like this." Mimir reminded.
"He can dislike it all he wants after we get out of this alive!" I declared as I yanked open the trap door and reached down inside the floor to retrieve a small bundle of red cloth.
Carefully I set down the cloth and began to unwrap it revealing two bladed weapons of medium size. Each of these weapons featured a menacing skull motif on the guards, runic markings along the blades, and a long length of chain hanging from grips.
Father had used these weapons a lot during our last adventure, and it he seems like he had them for a long time prior to that, but he didn't seem too fond of them. Why, I wasn't sure. Just another one of those things he didn't like to talk about.
Unfortunately that meant father never bothered to teach me how to use these weapons, but luckily I had been paying enough attention when he'd been using them to get the gist. Taking hold of the blade's chains, I began to coil them around my wrists, careful not to wrap them too tight, and then I took hold of the handles.
The moment I gripped the handles, the weapons began to hum with energy, and flames danced across the surface of each blade. When I held the blades out in front of me, and stared down at the flames, I suddenly felt a surge of intense emotion. There was fear, anger, sadness, and excitement. All of them ran through me all at once, it felt so raw. It was both incredible, and terrifying. "Whoa!" Was all I could manage saying in that moment.
"What is this now? My, isn't this an interesting development." I heard what sounded like a woman's voice coming from behind me.
"Whose there!?" I shouted as I spun around, only to find no one there.
"Is everything alright lad?" Mimir asked his voice filled with worry.
"Y-yeah I'm fine, but hey you didn't happen to see anyone else in here a moment ago did you?" I asked.
"No lad, I would've said something if there had been. You sure you're alright? Maybe we should put those things back after all." Mimir suggested.
"No!" I felt the word rip itself from my mouth before I could even think to stop it. For a moment, both Mimir and I were silent. Finally after what felt like an eternity, I cleared my throat, and spoke again. "L-look you don't need to worry so much Mimir. I'm a god right? I can handle this."
"I guess I will just have to trust you on this one." Mimir conceded.
"Good, now let's go!" I declared as I turned and pushed my way out of the house.
Soon I found myself out in the open, with father and Thor a short distance away, both looking a bit worse for ware. It was hard to tell who was more banged up. Too much blood covering their wounds for me to see which ones were closed, and which were still bleeding.
Father seemed too focused on the fight to notice me. Luckily Thor was much the same. Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip on my new weapons, and felt the heat from them wash over me. It was oddly comforting in this bitter cold. Then I returned my focus to the god of thunder, and a moment later, I was moving.
My advance was anything but subtle, heck I practically screaming my head of the whole time, but it didn't matter. The storm that still hung over head caused most of the sound to just be lost in the winds. By the time I was close enough to be heard, I was also close enough to strike.
Thor turned to look in my direction just in time to see a pair of flaming dagger's shooting towards his face. "Tenacious brat!" Thor spat as he knocked one of the blades away only scream in agony when the second to dug into his collarbone.
Since I still had hold of the chain connecting to the blade the Thor diverted, I gave it a good tug, pulling the blade back, and slashing it across the thunder god's chest. "You like that, how about this!?" I roared before yanking on the chain to yank the blade back into my hand, and I jumped forward to drive it into his other shoulder.
"Boy, what are doing!" Father shouted no doubt noticing the weapons I was wielding.
"Saving our skin, again!" I shot back as I kicked of the thunder god's chest leaving the blades in only so I could yank on the chains again to slam Thor face down into the snow. Only than did I yang the blades back into my hands.
"Those are too dangerous boy! Give them to me!" Father demanded as he ran up to stand beside me.
"No time! You need dig up the portal! I'll keep him busy until then!" I explained causing father to raise an eyebrow before turning back towards where the portal usually was and finding it covered in rubble.
When his eyes met mine again, they were as hard as usual, yet contemplative. "You aim to run." He questioned.
I shrugged. "Why not, better to live to fight another day right?"
Father gave me an intense look, before his eyes trailed over to Thor who was currently picking himself up from the snow. Once back on his feet we could see that all of his wounds had already healed, and after the thunder god cracked his neck from side to side a few times, it was clear he still looked fit for the fight. Father on the other hand seemed winded.
Father likely realizing that we're at a disadvantage, he let out a deep sigh, and said. "Fine."
"Now what're you two babbling about over there?" Thor asked.
"Nothing much," I replied before shooting Thor the most confident grin I could manage. "Was telling father to take a break, I think I can handle you from here."
Whatever Thor thought I was going to say, it must've not been that, since he soon burst into a full belly laugh. "Ha, well you certainly got spirit boy, I'll give yah that much, but it seems you got your brains from that knuckle dragger of a father! You really think you can take me on all on your lonesome or have you just gone mad?!"
"You know you're not really as tough as you think you are. If you were, wouldn't this fight have been settled by now?" I taunted causing the thunder god to stiffen and focus his hateful gaze squarely on me. "Why not try me? I think I might just surprise you."
"That's some awfully big talk for such a small brat!" Thor spat. "Very well, let's see what you're made of!"
Now that I was sure I had Thor's attention I didn't waste time. I quickly jumped back shouldering my blades so I could once again draw out my bow. In a practiced motion I notched and loosed three arrows in quick succession, imbuing each of them with my magic, and shouting out the magic words. "Galti Atrás!"
As the arrows struck the ground between Thor and me, they began to take form, summoning a horde of spectral boars numbering nearly twenty in total, and all them stampeding straight towards the thunder god.
Thor's eyes widen in surprise, but he quickly gathers himself, and directs his hammer straight up towards the storm. "Mjölnir, vanquish my foes!" He roared, causing a flash of lightning to shoot up from the hammer, and a second later, the heavens rained down lightning strikes all around him.
Over half the boars were whipped out by lightning strikes before they could even reach the thunder god, while the rest were either avoided, or simply struck aside. However I didn't let up, instead I began to fire straight at Thor himself. Some of my arrows managed to find purchase, but even those didn't seem to have much effect.
"Enough play, let's end this!" Thor declared right before he made his move. Using all the speed his godhood granted him, Thor was on top of me before I could even blink, and was swinging his hammer down to crush my skull in.
Thinking fast, I just managed to get my bow between me, and the god's weapon before impact. My bow had been modified by the same dwarven brothers that had forged Mjölnir and father's axe, so I was confident that it could at least handle a few blows.
However my confidence nearly proved fatal when the bow immediately cracked nearly snapping in half as Thor's superior strength overwhelmed me, forcing my arms to give out, and slamming the bow against my chest before sending me flying backward.
The world was spinning again and I could taste blood on my lips. For a moment I thought I was done for, but then the world stopped spinning, and I felt a pair of familiar arms rap around me. "Atreus, are you alright! Speak to me boy!"
Looking up I could see father staring down at me. Looking around a bit more, I could also see we were near the portal, and the area was now clear enough for us to use. "I'm fine, I think. The key is in my back pouch hurry!" I forced out.
Father didn't hesitate, quickly reaching into the pouch at my waist he seized the key, and placed it before the stone circle behind us causing the rocks to lift off the ground, and form into an archway creating a door.
Thor of course saw this and broke into a sprint while shouting out. "Where do you think you're going!?"
"None of you're business!" I shouted as I took out one last arrow, carefully notched it in my fractured bow, and fired it straight into the thunder god's face stunning him. "Get us out of here!" I shouted back to father, who didn't argue, and dragged us back through the portal, quickly closing it behind us.
Thor
"Well that could've of gone better." I grumbled while kicking around the seemingly normal stones, my prey had used to escape.
That is when I noticed a familiar spectral green bird fly down to land on the branch of a near by tree. Its eyes looked down on my as if they were judging me, and I looked back, meeting its gaze unflinchingly.
*Caw caw caw!* The bird squawked angrily.
This was father's magic. Even though the bird spoke in no language I knew, I could still some how understand it. "I know, but they only delay what is enviable." I said to assure father.
*Caw caw!* The bird squawked again.
So father intends to go through with that plan. Not that it really matters to me. "Fine, let that accursed wench have her turn. Then once she fails, I will have my prize."
*Caw caw caw!* The bird squawked, this time seeming more satisfied, and then it kicked off the branch, and began to fly away.
Notes: That was a heck of a thing huh? Spent a lot of time on this trying to get the fight scene just right. I still feel like there are some spots that could be improved.
For the time being this is still just a one shot. I do have some plans for future chapters and might go ahead with them depending on how you all feel about this one. So please remember to leave your thoughts in the Reviews.