Wolf's Bane
The frozen tundra of which this scene transpires was a hostile nemesis to the living. The snow was thick, the wind merciless and the piercing cold a sheathe of desolation. If these elements alone did not ward off unwanted creatures, there were labyrinths of trees, canyons and mountains a plenty to swallow up any lone traveller and cast them into the desperate pits of starvation. And if these too would fail to lend the lost souls to the endless sleep of which most men fear, there were beasts of ill regard to take up the mantle of death bringer and wear it to their doom.
Yet there are those who are immune to the fears of such perils, for in this landscape of snow and ice, a lone traveler was embarking on a precious journey. His skin as white as the driven snow, embroidered with swirling red markings in the like manner of how a paint brush would depict the feral wind. His head shone, his face thickly bearded and his eyes were a combination of anger, regret, wisdom and melancholy. Garbed in only the linens of boar skins he ventured on through this tormenting climate.
As afore mentioned, the elements were no respecter of persons and granted no immunities to this man. If he perceived the ground to be just as frozen and the air to be just as undesirable, why press on deeper into the wild lands? For why, his bosom was a furnace, tending and keeping the flames of vengeance which boiled his blood and steamed his sinews. A man who brought with him, into the placid heart of Yoites, the rage of Sparta.
He passed through thickets of trees both grand and tall, whose trembling pines were subdued by the burdens of winters bounty, stepped over large rocks and downed log alike, ducked under crevices and low branches and waded through streams and rivers to fulfill his mysterious quest. Alas, along the stone walls of the proudest mountain whose relationship with the vegetation parodied the one the shoreline and the ocean shared, his footfalls ceased leaving him standing strongly before a large cave.
The mouth of the den breathed not nor did it speak, yet the man spoke to it calling aloud, "Telekna, return what is mine."
The darkness within the crag rumbled and the ground pounded out vibrations like a drum. The endless black developed a threatening shape, emerging from it was a great wolf whose size and ferocity exceed those of what is broadly considered normal in the natural world. Flashing his fangs upon the man, whom could swallowed whole, Telekna growled, "You should not have come here, Kratos, Ghost of Sparta!"
"You know why I have come." boldly replied Kratos with a voice as soft and gentle as thunder.
"Indeed, you wish to rob me of my prize."
"It is not you who has been robbed wolf."
Descending down the cavity's lip, Telekna seethed, "It is not I who steal but who gives, who only desires an offering to be made so that my rage may be slaked. Thus allowing me to prolong life and provide nature's material possessions in abundance upon my village."
Kratos withdrew from of his back, a weapon; a weapon whose mystical abilities and craftsmanship stemmed from the dwarves hands of Midgard. Known only to a few as the Leviathan axe. Brandishing its bloodstained edges before the great wolf he said, "There are none left within your village who can bestow offerings upon you."
"What have you done?" weeped the gales of Telekna.
"I have slaughtered the pagans of Solwik and now I come for the head of the god they worshipped."
A savage roar bellowed from Telekna's throat and maddeningly dashed for the spartan who hurled the axe into his chest then narrowly rolled out of the way. Telekna, when seeing he overshot his mark, turned to face Kratos who stretched forth his hand by which the Leviathan axe pulled free from the wolf's fur and snapped back into his grip.
Telekna circled around his adversary who readily maintained on guard, anticipating another moment to strike. His salivating chops swung ajar and lunged with bloodlust wanton upon the warrior who side stepped and threw the axe deep into the beast's face. Whining out in aggression, the wolf threw his head up in which Kratos, holding fast to the handle, ascended with it.
The beast's head hiccuped, throwing the large man over his shoulder who stabilized himself by anchoring Leviathan betwixt his scapulas. Telekna, attempting to rid himself of this agonizing nuisance, bucked, walloped and reached around to pluck him off, however Kratos proved much more resilient to his efforts than anticipated. The wolf's feet started through the forrest with ungovernable speed, leaving the spartan no choice but to hold fast and flourish against the wind.
After a brief yet rapid transit, the terrain suddenly ripped up under Telekna's claws as he was coming to an abrupt halt. Kratos was thrown forward overhead and snatched within the beastly jaws. He struggled greatly yet managed in getting his feet planted against the tongue and hands upon the pallet. Grunting in distress, Kratos straightened out, prying the fangs further apart from each other.
Telekna doubled his efforts, shook and tossed his snout causing Kratos to buckle into the sitting position. In a last ditch effort he chambered his knee and smote a nearby fang thrice of which the third blow broke the tooth in half. Jumping in agony, the wolf spat him out and yelped in despair.
Kratos recalled his axe, focused his aim and with a mighty throw, called for it to strike, rebound then strike again in a gyrating fashion. Telekna turned and snapped at whichever direction the blows came, yet the axe's continual airborne movement made many efforts vain. Eventually he disrupted its plight then charged the spartan before it could be re summoned.
Colliding his snout into the man's burly chest, he sent Kratos sprawling backwards then trampled him underfoot provoking a rolling frenzy. When the beast passed over, he pivoted back, latched onto Kratos's leg then swung him into the canyon wall with enough force to sift the snow from its crevices. Yelling in pain, Kratos began beating upon the snout with his bare fist in hopes to relinquish its hold, but it availed nothing. Telekna shook and chewed up his body, piercing his flesh allowing sweet blood to tantalize his taste buds.
The fight was becoming sapped of hope as Kratos was being ravaged by the wolf who taunted, "When I am finished with you, my vengeance will be taken out upon my offering, as I will make sure he suffers one hundred on your behalf!"
A sudden burst of energy shot forth accompanied by a savage war scream that escaped Kratos from his oral prison, seen with an aura of fury burning throughout his arms. The rage of Sparta returned the malpractice of the wolf god upon his own head setting forth and proceeded to pummel him into submission.
Telekna, in shock and awe of his brute strength, fought to withdraw from Kratos but was intercepted by the catatonic spartan who savagely beat upon him with his bare knuckles. The wolf made a giant leap to gain distance in which the spartan responded by hoisting a boulder above his head, wailed savagely and hurling it towards his enemy.
It belted the animal spirit's side, who made a stumbling recovery, snatched up a nearby log then struck Kratos up in the air with it. As he was descending, Telekna attempted to smite him from the air with the bark but Kratos threw out his shield, broke through the trunk, then as he landed threw his fist up into the wolf's muzzle sending the splintered log, blood and saliva flying. The spartan slammed his nose into the ground, seized both ear and chop then ran him straightway into the mountain wall.
A heavy thud shook the firmament, while the wolf lay limp at the base of the summit, Kratos went around to the rear, grabbed Telekna by the tale and threw him over to the opposite end. The creature's body cast up shards of snow and terrain upon impact and moved no more.
The flames of Sparta's rage extinguished and he was left as the man we had beheld before. He took a knee, haunched forward and panted. Snow flakes gently fell upon his shoulders while the giant wolf lay motionless save his fur blowing like sheaves of wheat in the wind.
He wiped the residue of frothing exertion off his lips, arose and departed back from whence the battle commenced. A hollow coo filled the back round while Kratos' footfalls crunched the snow in a chopping rhythm. White steam from his respires blended and dissipated into the darkness, metaphorically representing the birth of new life which spawns from the living then goes the way of the earth.
As he drew closer to the cave, which brought him to Yoites to begin with, his senses warned him of an impending danger approaching. Dark figures shifted from tree to tree, a series of rustles transferred from bush to bush and growls and barks carried over from front to back.
Before long Kratos was surrounded by a pack of lesser wolves who had him encircled within a sphere of death. A terrible howl, with enough bellow to shake the innumerable stars from their place, sounded throughout the environment which all the wolves heeded.
Kratos flexed his hand to summon his axe but it did not return to its master.
"Did you lose something?"
He peered behind his shoulder to where his evil eye caught the visual ensemble of Telekna making way up the horizon. He held the leviathan axe in his mouth then swallowed it up. Seeing the warrior reverted back to his usual state the beast mocked, "The flames of your prowess are quenched and you are without your weapon. And now, ghost of Sparta, my legion of wolves shall rent your body and cast your soul down to hell."
"Hmph,' flared Kratos, 'I have gone to many realms of it before and have escaped on each account."
"Yes, I have heard the stories, and dare I say they almost hold true. Yet you can never escape what you are. You will forever be weighed down by the chains of your past."
Kratos lifted an eyebrow, gnashed his teeth then, as Telekna gave the signal for his wolves to close in, and said while turning to face them, "Then let my chains become your burden as well."
From his back holsters he withdrew two blades; forged from the darkest depths of hades serving as the instruments of his greatest atrocities and proudest victories. Blades whose edges have slaughtered both creature most pure and foul alike. Blades whose pommels sent forth chains that wrapped around his gauntlets, synched and tethered to his arms. The weapons given to Kratos by Ares himself, the chaos blades.
Kratos' brutal response was to launch the blades into the belly of one who leapt through the air, swing him around and slammed it down upon a segment of cohorts causing yelps and cries of pain in the process.
Retracting his blades, he spun in a propeller like fashion, slashing and burning those within the vicinity to keep the others at bay. Turning his attention to a smaller group he dispatched them with a flurry of swirls and twirls, dashing heads and slicing chests open.
A wolf launched for Kratos who, perceiving it time, caught him in the neck by his left, held him up and cut it down the center, spilling his entrails and tossed him aside.
Telekna attempted to strike from a blind angle but was hit in the breast with a blade by which Kratos sent a blazing shock waive through the chain which when it's arc hit the pommel a conflagration ignited, blasting the wolf god away who fell and tumbled down the ravine.
Two wolves pounced upon Kratos and pinned him down and chewed and pulled in opposite directions. There were two others who proceeded to the cave which enraged Kratos, caused him to recall all of his strength, throw the wolves off, arise and rushed to intercept. The canines en route to the cave, when at the mouth, turned to see Kratos coming down through the air, slamming one of their skulls into the ground below, turned to the other, punched it so hard across the face that it spun around, grabbed it by the tail and began repeatedly beating it into the terrain like a burlap sack.
The two remaining ran to meet him, one jumped, was caught by the chest and hurled into the ground then had its head stomped into submission. The final jumped on his back and dug its fangs into his shoulder. Kratos yelled in rage, reached around, seized it by the upper jaw bone, threw it in front, gripped the lower half and pried its mouth open past the point of breaking tearing it down to his belly like a flap.
Kratos wasted no time moving himself into the cave and began looking through the wares. Though there were many human bones strewn about what he found next gave him hope, a large sack tied off and shuffling and squirming. Next to it was a bow and quiver without an owner, Kratos opened it and out popped a young boy, gasping and terrified.
In his confusion the lad yelled and fought the man who took him by the shoulders and called out, "Atreus, calm yourself!"
Panting the boy stammered, "Father?"
"Yes, are you hurt?"
"I don't think so."
There was a muffled voice coming below in which Atreus lifted out a tethered horned head with a golden eye.
The head spoke with a flustered declaration, "Well, ye picked a rosy time to show up."
Kratos tied it to his wast then instructed his son, "Collect your things we are leaving."
Atreus took up his bow and quiver then asked, "Where's the wolf?"
Kratos, becoming impatient said, "He is gone for now but is likely to return."
His words were proven true much faster than anticipated when as they just removed themselves from the grotto's threshold the jaws of Telekna were readily there to meet them. Kratos dropped to protect his son then barred his snout with his shield.
Atreus grew fearful when feeling the strength of his father crunching under the immense pressure.
"Father!"
"Stay calm boy!"
Telekna growled in fury, "Yes fear not for I shall have you both!"
Just at this moment when the hour doom drew nigh another growl arrived at his flank throwing the black wolf off. Kratos beheld another wolf, of brown and white fur, engaging with the corrupted Telekna.
"What's going on?" cried Atreus.
"I do not know, but come follow me!"
Kratos sprinted with his son in tow while the battle between the two beasts carried on. They dashed for the trees but the brown wolf's body landed on the ground before them. Telekna pounced and began quarreling with it on the ground who bore its fangs and snapped back.
"This way!" beckoned Kratos detouring around them and descended deeper into the woods.
As they were gaining distance, Atreus asked, "Shouldn't we help?"
"It is no longer our concern boy."
"But she saved us."
"And now it has become her fight."
Kratos then came to a stop, "Hold a moment, did you say 'she?'"
"Yeah, you couldn't tell?"
Mimir then commented, "Aye man ye couldn't tell? Wolves that big, it'd be hard to tell whether they got stones or not."
"Enough.' rebuked Kratos, 'let us press on."
As they were walking, Atreus asked of the head, "Mimir, do you know about anything about the gods of Yoites?"
"Certainly, there almost all wolves who lived here in harmony until the day the moon hunting bear came and made a ruckus."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah many were killed and the survivors ran away, frankly I'm surprised any of them still live here."
"This bear, how big do you think it is?"
"Well according to legend, it's big enough to sit on top of a mountain and could take a bite out of the moon."
"Where is it now?"
"Can't say laddie, it traveled the world in search of new gods to fight. It left nearly as soon as it came."
After some silence, the boy asked with sympathy, "What about the wolf gods that we just saw?"
"Well the black one was Telekna, worshipped by the pagans of Solwik as the god of death. It's said that they would give him human offerings to take back to his cave and devour and in turn he would grant them long life."
"What about the one who saved us?"
"She did not save us, boy." grumbled Kratos.
Mimir continued, "Difficult to tell, but by the fur, the eyes and that magnificent tail, I'd say that's Holo the wise wolf. Strongest and fiercest of them all."
"Hmph,' spited Kratos, 'Did she flee at the sight of the bear as well?"
"Don't think so, I believe she traveled south for the time being, meeting new friends and providing rich wheat harvest in a village called Pasloe."
"Then why is she back here?" asked the lad.
Kratos silenced him, "They are only stories and have nothing to do with us."
Atreus sighed with remorse, "It just doesn't seem like the right thing to do, to just leave her there after she helped us."
"She is a god boy, and is aware of the risks to her plight."
Mimir suddenly made an astute observation, "Say there, where's your axe?"
Atreus suddenly became alarmed, "Mom's axe? What happened to it?"
Kratos, realizing it was left in the belly of the beast, sighed heavily turned back and said, "Ready yourself boy."
Meanwhile Holo and Telekna bit and slashed at each other, striking blows here and there with fiery indignation. When there was a break in the action, the black wolf rebuked her saying, "You should never have returned, Yoites ill needs a forsaker like you."
Holo snarled, "Aye, however it needs a corrupt god such as yourself to provide for the humans, yes?"
"You look upon these vermin as friends yet call yourself Holo the wise. They are beneath us, they are nothing more than creatures to be dominated."
"I am Holo the wise because I know what they are capable of. Times have changed since my departure. And have spent many years with them, they can be kind, gracious and intelligent and we can learn much from them."
"Did you learn anything from the one you slept with?"
That remark sent Holo into a fit of animosity. She jumped for him who in turn equaled his fury in return. Holo went low for his foot, but he was quick to anticipate her position, locked his jaws around her neck then sent her into the ground with a massive thud. Holo scrambled then forced on her back while feeling the pressure of his fangs closing off her windpipe.
Just as she was sure this would be her end a fair young voice cried through the air, "Nista!"
An arrow, imbibed with bright electricity hit his flank followed by three more finding their own marks. His muscles spasmed while Holo, feeling both the conductivity and liberty, shot to her feet then rammed him over with her shoulder. Rolling over a few times he got to his feet, found the puny Atreus with his bow at the ready and charged past Holo going straight for the boy.
Before his mouth could take the boy up, the chained chaos blades transfixed themselves into the side of his head and pulled him over. Telekna regained his footing, followed the leads to where Kratos was standing and chose him as his new target. Atreus, in defense of his father, leapt on top of the wolf's head and fired arrows into it. The wolf thrashed yanking Kratos over into a nearby tree with such power that when he landed upon the earth, he made no effort to reform.
Mimir called up to him, "Get up brother!"
Putting a paw upon the chains he pulled himself free from the blades then tossed Atreus up into the air with the intent to intercept his fall and swallow him whole. Atreus was caught in the mouth by a wolf, but it was the wise wolf, who accounted his danger and leapt forth to his rescue.
Becoming more and more enraged with each thwarted victory, Telekna slammed his muzzle up into hers causing the boy to fling out and land between his eyes then held on for dear life as the two began dueling violently. A sudden idea crossed his head; he pulled out his knife and plunged it into Telekna's left pupil.
Shrugging in pain and anger he bellowed, "Cursed runt!"
Dropping his face down, he swiped Atreus off with his paw, whose small body took a sound beating from it. Holo bit down into his hind legs, causing him to buckle the with a sharp turn latched onto her flank. This caused great blinding pain unending upon the wise wolf of Yoites.
Holo had to release her grip and was flipped over then cast into the mountain so hard it caused a rock slide on the other end. Panting she looked upon her enemy and growled while he rebuked, "You have spent far too many moons away Holo. You have forgotten how to deal with opponents who can best you. And you have also forgotten that I am no longer your pack mate, I am not an ally to the humans, I am Telekna the god of death!"
Suddenly the little feet of Atreus rushed into the middle then bravely stood between them. Though his arms trembled it did not hinder him from drawing an arrow and setting its tip upon the evil beast.
"Leave her alone!' he demanded, 'I'm the one who's supposed to be your offering, your fight is with me!"
Telekna chuckled while Holo nearly smiled.
"How correct you are boy, however in this moment, my fight is not with you."
Before Atreus could anticipate, the immense paw of the black wolf smote him away. Holo watched in anguish at the sight of his little body being tossed hurled against nature's unforgiving landscape.
That choice was Telekna's undoing when seemingly from no where the war cry of Kratos fell upon the wolf with all his hatred and vengeance unleashed in a single episode. The chaos blades, burning with the fires of hades, boomed and cracked in rapid and unpredictable patterns across his body.
Telekna's face received carving upon carving and massive lacerations across his flesh as Kratos screamed in the process, "LEAVE….MY….SON!"
Holo saw her opportunity, bit into his rear flank, stifling his ability to move, which left him more vulnerable to the ghost of Sparta's endless charade of metal and flame. Holo pulled him over leaving his side completely exposed before Kratos who carved a wound so deep along his belly that his innards began falling out of place. Then with a final swing, the edges cut the laceration down the middle opening the wolf's side completely dropping his bowels.
Telekna recoiled and moaned out a howling scream but it was not over for the creature's torment as Kratos stretched forth his mighty hand to summon the Leviathan axe. His exposed organs, which hung low, burst open as the axe obediently returned to the palm of its master. Kratos sprinted forth, leapt with the axe chambered over his head and hit the wolf's eye socket so hard that it crushed and blew out in a single stroke.
Holo locked his neck within her jaws, held him down and encouraged the ghost of Sparta to finish what he set out to do. He came around, dug the axe deep into his nose, which, by power of its magic, froze it in a case of ice, then thrust his fist into it causing it to shatter into uncountable pieces.
Telekna whined and howled in agony as the black nub that served as his snout was blown away leaving a bloodied nasal airway to stand in its place. Kratos leapt between his ears, called the axe and began delivering overhead strikes upon his head. The blade repeatedly struck until he broke the skull open then with a final heave, sent it splitting the exposed brain meat in two.
Holo gave a sharp twist, snapping the beast's neck.
At long last, the tyrant known as Telekna the god of death, fell cold and dead.
Kratos ran to his son, who lay on the ground unmoving, picked him up and called to him. Holo approached from behind and watched over his shoulder.
"Atreus! Boy, do you hear me?!" pled the irate father.
Suddenly the lad's eyes opened and he gasped for air while Mimir called back, "Is everything alright back there?"
Atreus coughed and sputtered, "Did we win?"
Holo chuckled, "Yes little one, you are victorious."
Getting him to his feet, Kratos said, "Not without cost, you still have much to improve upon."
His son nodded with saddened contemplation then looked up at Holo, slightly intimidated and asked, "Why did you help us? Aren't wolves supposed to be loyal to each other."
She went prone and sniffed him, "Because young one, I have a child as well."
Mimir asked of Kratos, "Can ya turn me around brother, I wan't to have a closer look."
Reluctantly he did so with his arms folded.
"Well I'll be…" commented the head.
Holo gazed upon the sight with curiosity, "Normally a man's head is silent when it is removed from his body."
Kratos asserted, "Yes, it is my wish he knew that as well."
Ignoring him, Mimir replied, "A quick question milady, it is said that the gods of this land can take human form, is that true?"
"Do you wish to see it?"
"Sure I do, supposing it'll do you no harm."
"Very well."
Holo's figure reduced to that of a young woman who still maintained the ears and tail of a wolf which was peculiar considering that which is indigenous to human design.
Holo saw Atreus, presenting as a wide eyed and vigorous lad, who teased him by saying, "Is something the matter?"
Kratos turned around to see that she was nude before his son, in which he covered his eyes and brought him over, "He has seen enough."
"As you wish." said she then retook the form of the wise wolf.
"Come, we are leaving." instructed the Spartan.
As he began departing Holo called out, "You are not going to thank me?"
He stopped, looked back, paused then said, "No."
He continued his leave while Atreus looked up at her and replied, "Sorry, he's like that sometimes."
She brought her muzzle down to him, "You are a brave young man, what was your name again?"
"Atreus."
"Well Atreus, for seeking to defend me against Telekna, I am indebted to your kindness." then gave him a lick on the cheek.
"Boy, to me!" reprimanded Kratos whose distance was increasing.
"Sorry, I have to go now."
As he was quitting the scene Holo called out, "Should the two of you ever be in need of rest and relaxation, there is an inn and bathhouse in the village of Nyohirra where I live. Our door shall always be open to you."
Kratos said nothing and before long he had receded into the thicket with his son. It was a memorable day for Atreus who met Holo the god of rich harvest and it was an unforgettable day for Holo who met Kratos, the god of war.
If you enjoyed this story I was thinking of adding some more chapters, one with Atreus and Kratos fighting a serpent god, and a finale with them teaming up with Holo and Myuri to fight the moon hunting bear.
Let me know in the reviews :)