Chapter I
Leaving Athens
Kratos got on his horse and left Athens that night alone. Many years had passed and the God of War felt the town slowly but surely pulling away at his throat, the people, the town, the manners, it was all out of place for Krtaos, he had put up with it for years and he simply had enough. The night he left told no one where he was going or why. Simply got on his horse and began to ride out of the great city. Kratos had no real plan for where he was going, he simply wanted to find a small town and stay for a while and then once gain drift off away somewhere else. During his ride the memrioes of his past did not leave him. Kratos thought it would seem like to people in Athens that he was trying to escape his past by riding away which is why he left a letter on at the gates of Athens which read
Many years have passed, myself along with this city
I can
not live here another day. This town is killing me slowly
Many
would see this as me trying to escape my past but I asure you
Whilst
my past still haunts me I have grown to accept it and live on
Kratos wanted to keep the letter short and brief and he was content with it as he left it on small rock beside the gates to Athens. Getting on his horse and heading north kratos rode for days and days seeing the great land that was Greece. He had not ridden this land since his general days but the main reason he was able to enjoy the ride this time was clear to him, he had no battle to worry about, no wars to plan, no killings to be made, Whilst in his general days Kratos would force his horse at break neck speed with his whole army not enjoying the sheer beatuy that is greece, this time he slowly paced his horse taking in the great world around him. Stoping at a lake to rest his horse Kratos walked over to the lake and took a few cups of water with his hands and drank and poured water over his head. The day had been hot, His horse also slowly sipped the water before it. Kratos poured water over the head of his horse and rubbed his neck and head, The horse reacted with a small burst of breathe. Kratos left his animal friend and walked around. He began to walk around once again taking in the beauty. He knelt down and touched the grass, ripped some out and put it to his nose and breathed in. The smell had a ripple effect inside of him. For a short time Kratos was at peace with himself. Kratos dropped the shreds of grass and watched them sail in the air, turning around to see the grass float away he got his first full view of two men standing far away with what seemed to be Swords. Kratos thought nothing of it and simply walked over to his horse to begin riding off again but Kratos could sense the two men walking closer to him. Kratos knew the two men had no idea who he was as he turned around and screamed at them. "WHAT" was all that came out from Kratos as the two men stopped in their tracks, only a stone throw away from Kratos and his horse. The one with the blade spoke up
"This here land you be standing on is ours!" beamed the man with the blades which had been almost broken
"You can stay if you wish and all but we demand a small...fee" the man with the old rusty sword spat out. No teeth.
Kratos eyed both men and their weapons before speaking up again
"And suppose I don't pay this fee that you ask of me"
The two old men looked at each before the man with the Blades spoke up again
"Then...then you can't stay here..leav.."
The other men shot a look of disgust and contempt at his follow man and spoke up walking closer to Kratos
"YOU..YOU..MUST PAY ANYWAY, PAY..PAY NOW!"
Kratos then spoke up again walking right up to the face of the man before him. "You speak of this land as it is yours. You bring weapons to me which I consider an insult. You bring those weapons as if you think I will not be paying. My old man, I will pay..with your own blood
Kratos kicked the sword out of the mans hand and elbowed him before ducking as the man beside him swung the blade at Krato's head. Kratos landed a punch to the face of the old man before picking up the sword and pircieing in through the head of the man on the ground. Kratos forced the sword out of the mans hand and was ready to do it again to the other man but it was no use. The old man had began running away screaming for his life Kratos could have easily picked up one of the blades and and aimed it right into the heart of the old man and kill him with one shot but he did not. He dropped the old rusty sword alongside it's owner and walked around the dead body with the blood all over his clothes and shoes. Kratos began to feel the anger and hate once again pouring into his heart. The mans blood on him as he looked onto himself and set something off inside of him. Kratos began to breathe heavy and the past came screaming into his head. The images of his dead wife and child before him. Kratos screamed out in pain and anger. He turned around and saw countless bodies of soliders. as far as his eyes could see. Among the dead soliders stood his wife and child. Blood pouring out of them. Kratos screamed out in pain again. He closed his eyes trying to force the images out. He screamed in anger again. He opened his eyes with tears almost coming out. All he could see before him was the body of the old man. Kratos closed his eyes in thankfullness the images had gone away. The images in his head had gotten worse. He knew it was made worse with him killing the old man. It trigged something deep in him. He had taken the life of another Human in a while and he knew he wasn't going to do it again, These images can not get worse he thought to himself. Kratos got up and began walking to his horse and spoke words that he knew to be true for many years
Kratos got on his horse and began once again riding off into the now sunsent. Passing through a field he caught the sight of the old man fallen over almost dead. Kratos slowly paced his horse until Kratos was alongside the fallen man. Kratos gazed down on the old man from his horse, The hoves of the horse came right infront of the face of the old man. The old man seemed to have been dead. Kratos got off his horse and the impact of his fall to the ground sent dirt into the face of the old man who coughed and sucked in the air waving the dirt from his face. Kratos with one simple grab lifted the man up and stood him on his feet.
"Old man Tell me something, Where is it that you live?" beamed Kratos in his deep voice, The old man seemed shocked and did not reply but rather just looked away from Kratos' face. Kratos spoke up again
"Tell me old man or I will leave you here to rot" As Kratos finished his last words, the old man looked right into the eyes of Kratos with shock and stumbled his words out
"By..b.by..the town of Dion.." the old man spat out with no Teeth, Kratos let go of his grip and walked over to his horse and got out a sack of water and threw it to the man and told him to drink, The old man dropped the sack but quickly picked it up and poured all the water over his face trying to catch the water with his mouth it was clear the old man had not had water in days. The old man nodded nervsouly in thankfullness and cautionisnly handed the sack back to Kratos. Kratos spoke up again
"Dion...""
The old man once again noded but this time with no fright. The old man seemed not to fear Kratos anymore as he walked up to Kratos and began to spit out
"Yes..yes that's it, are you going there?"
Kratos did not answer the old man but got on his horse and told the old man to got on as well. The old man slowly and with the help of Kratos got on the back of the horse and the two began riding for Aderes. Along the way they did not speak, Kratos seemed to have this effect on people that they only talked around him when he asked a question it was something that started from his general days, His voice alone was deep enough and cold enought to send fear into any man but his body was one made out of Hate if Hate ever created a body.