CHAPTER 2
"My Lord, she is awake." said one of Kratos' devotees.
"Very well then, I shall speak with her." said Kratos, as he descended down into the cabins.
Kratos approached the sleeping woman, who was being attended to by Kratos' Neaavgi devotees, as well as Ariadne. Ariadne dismissed the devotees back to their duties, and stood beside the woman's bunk.
"She is alive and stable." said Ariadne. "She has not spoken directly to anyone, but seems to mutter in her unconscious state. She speaks in words I do not understand, and I've never quite seen a mortal or immortal look like her before. I believe she is some type of goddess."
Kratos nodded, then peered over in the sleeping woman's bunk. Indeed, she was a unique sight to behold; her skin was obsidian black, with orange vein-like lines covering her skin, her hair was fiery red and almost flame-like, and she wore a 2 piece outfit, which appeared to be made of cut leaves, leaves unlike Kratos had ever seen before. Heat seemed to emit from her body. Despite her unusual appearance, she was still strikingly beautiful, and had captivated Kratos' attention.
Kratos took her chin in one of his hands, expecting to be burned, but the woman's body temperature was normal. Leaning over, Kratos began to speak.
"Awaken." said Kratos.
The woman's eyes fluttered, eyelashes as red and fiery as her hair, and Kratos saw her eyes to be a deep, hot yellow, without pupils. Upon seeing Kratos, the woman backed herself as far back into her bunk as she could, her hands in front of her, ready to attack if need be.
"Have no fear, I will not hurt you." said Kratos. "Are you alright?"
The woman, seeming to understand Kratos, calmed herself, but still kept her guard up.
"Maika'i no au." replied the woman.
"Very good." said Kratos.
"What in the name of the Gods did she tell you?" asked Ariadne.
"She simply told me she was fine." replied Kratos, turning back towards the woman. "Who are you? Are you a goddess?"
"Yes." replied the woman in her native tongue, but to Kratos it was as if she were speaking his native Greek. "I am Pele, goddess and mother of the volcano, creatrix and destructrix of island worlds. I was ripped from my throne on Halema'uma'u, and into this world, after a battle with Ku. We became separated, and I ended up upon this island; the ashen god called Surtr ambushed me and kept me prisoner."
"I know not of your world." said Kratos. "Are you a goddess of war?"
"No, not of any mortal war." replied Pele. "The only war I wage is the earth against mankind."
"Then you are not among my adversaries." said Kratos.
"Adversaries?" asked Pele. "Who are YOU? And how did I get upon this vessel?"
"I am Kratos, God of War." replied Kratos. "My home is in Sparta, Greece, and I was considered one of the gods of Olympus, until they betrayed me, and I destroyed every one that stood against me. I have been pulled into this world to fight any gods and goddesses of war that challenge my rule, and then I fight Polemos, creator of this world, to fully assume all that is war. This is the ship The Neaavgi, and it is powered by those loyal to me. I fought and destroyed this Surtr that kept you captive, and then found you weak and unconscious. I brought you aboard, and revived you."
Pele listened for a moment, taking all of this in before responding.
"Mahalo Kratos." replied Pele. "Had it not been for you, I may still have been prisoner, or dead. I will help you in any way I can, and perhaps if you are victorious, your victory will lead both of us home."
"I only seek to smite those who would stand against me, and recover that which I love the most." said Kratos flatly. "It makes no difference to me whether or not you stay, and I make no promises of restoring anything to you."
"Well….very well." said Pele, not knowing what else to say, and not expecting such a stoic response. "I will remain here and help."
"So be it." replied Kratos.
"In the meantime, I have a gift for you on your journey." said Pele.
Pele stood up, and walked towards Kratos. She took his head in her hands, and kissed him passionately upon the lips. Taken aback, yet feeling pleasure at the same time, Kratos simply returned the kiss, before they broke, feeling a comforting, warm sensation upon his body.
"I have bestowed upon you my Pōmaika`i." said Pele. "This is a powerful blessing that will allow you to walk, be submerged, and breathe in molten lava, unharmed. I hope it will serve you well."
Kratos opened his mouth to speak, but they were interrupted from above.
"Kratos!" said Dionysus from above. "Captain Acoetes has our next destination in sight!"
"Thank you, I must go." said Kratos, walking away back up to the deck level of the ship.
"Don't take anything personally Pele." said Ariadne. "Spartan men, especially warriors, aren't always the best with emotion and feeling."
"The same can be said for Hawai'ian men." said Pele.
Atop the ship, Dionysus and Captain Acoetes were waiting for Kratos at the bow. Captain Acoetes handed Kratos the spyglass, which Kratos used to look through the turbulent waves.
Ahead, he saw another island, which was green and lush like Iceland, but to a much richer degree. Gray stones could also be seen throughout the island.
"I am told the natives call this island 'Éire'." said Captain Acoetes. "It appears the island is rich with life, the Neaavgi can sense it. You may encounter more than one foe here, my lord."
"I will encounter as many as are needed." said Kratos resolutely. "How much longer until we reach the shore?"
"We should reach the shores of Éire in about 5 minutes, my lord." replied Captain Acoetes. "We're approaching a region of the land known as Muenster."
"I will go with you." said a female voice from behind them.
Kratos turned to see Pele, standing there before all of them.
"Impossible!" said Kratos. "This battle is mine and mine alone, and besides, like the rest of this crew, you will not be permitted to follow me without restraint."
"We shall see." said Pele. "I owe my life to you, and shall do all I can to restore yours. If I am unable to follow you, so be it, but you must at least let me try."
Kratos growled in frustration, but sighed in defeat shortly thereafter.
"I suppose it is of no matter to me should you wish to waste your time." conceded Kratos. "Do what you will."
The two divine beings sat on the ship's deck, until finally the ship laid anchor outside the island's sandy, rocky shores. Kratos and Pele disembarked from the ship, and walked from the beach to the emerald-like grassy grounds. Once they did, an orange-like force field separated them from the ship, and seemed to encircle the island.
"I've encountered these in battle before." said Kratos to Pele. "We will not be permitted to leave until I defeat whatever enemies or challenges await me in these lands."
"I understand." replied Pele. "I sense no volcanoes here, I'm really out of my element. Which way from here, Kratos?"
"That is the question…"said Kratos, pondering. "The only purest direction to go from here would be north, and previously I chose northwest. So, let us see where northeast takes us."
Pele nodded, and the two headed towards the northeast.
Kratos was pleased with the demographics that he saw upon the island; even though they could not see him, he admired them in his present state. Not only were there villages with shepherds, masons, blacksmiths and similar professions of the age, but there were many clans, fierce warrior clans, who often rose up against each other in bloody battle. As they journeyed on, Kratos often paused to enjoy the more violent battles, both inter-clan warfare, and when invaders came from the sea, they often drove them away as well.
"I wonder if Spartans came here and procreated with the island's women." laughed Kratos during one of the battles he and Pele stopped to watch. "Many of these warriors are worthy of the glorious Sparta!"
Whenever they felt hunger or thirst, Kratos found he was able to slay the various small birds that were numerous in number around the island, the locals referring to them as puifíní; every time he killed one of them, the bird yielded green orbs, which he shared with Pele.
As they continued on their journey, they stopped for a quick puifíní break in one land, and once Kratos slew the first bird and absorbed its green orbs, the land rumbled.
"Those'r MY puffins!" said a male voice, speaking in an accent similar to the mysterious female warrior that attacked Kratos after offering to seduce him. "You are trespassing into Limerick!"
"Show yourself, War God of Éire!" demanded Kratos.
The clouds that had surrounded him upon the arrival of previous foes did once more, although this time, Pele was imprisoned in what resembled to be a birdcage of orange light. Pele tried to break free, but found she would be harmed if she did so, thereby unable to assist Kratos even if she wanted to.
"I see you brought a friend." said the voice, as the clouds cleared. "I'll be sure te be givin' her proper comfortin' once yer dead!"
The clouds cleared, and standing before Kratos was a fair-skinned, Caucasian male warrior. The warrior had white, pupil-less eyes, a dirty-blonde goatee and long locks of hair atop his head, with green tattoo-like markings all over his body. The warrior was defended only by what appeared to be a stone cuirass with a swirling design, red leg bindings, and a red kilt-like loincloth. The warrior was about 2 feet taller than Kratos, with enormous muscles. The warrior looked down at Kratos, and laughed.
"Spriosain!" said the warrior. "You're the powerful warrior I'm te be afreed of? You'll not be more'n 30 seconds of trouble for me!"
"Mind your tongue braggart!" replied Kratos, readying his blades. "I understand your tongue, and I am no weakling! I am Kratos, and I conquer and destroy all that stands in my way, including you, whoever you are!"
"I am Neit, greatest of the Gods of Ireland!" replied Neit. "You're on my island now boyo, I'd liketa see you match great deeds with yer great words!"
"With pleasure!" said Kratos.
Kratos began the attack with an Olympic Slash, striking at Neit with the intent of making an explosive connection with his blade. Neit however, was ready for a powerful opening attack, and dissolved into mist on the point of connecting. Kratos almost fell forward due to his excess momentum, and felt a great blunt force strike him in his left jaw, the force so powerful he tumbled over backwards.
At the spot where he was attacked, Neit stood, holding a great wooden club in his hand, which pulsed with white lightening. As Kratos turned to look at Neit, Neit blasted him with a burst of lightning from the club, levitating Kratos in the air.
"Feel the fury of my burda, Kratos!" said Neit, before dropping Kratos to the ground.
Just as Kratos hit the ground back-first, Neit struck the ground with the burda, sending a massive shockwave riddled with white lightening in Kratos' direction. This time, Kratos was ready, and lifted himself in the air with the Wings of Icarus, focusing his momentum in Neit's direction, then hooked Neit's armor with his blades via an Orion's Harpoon maneuver. As Kratos flew towards Neit, he greeted him with a double kick to the face, knocking the Irish God backwards before he could evade. Neit stood up to strike Kratos with the burda, but was met with a blinding light to his face, as Kratos released the Head of Helios, and covered Neit's body from head to toe in the light.
"Now you can't spirit yourself away from me!" said Kratos.
"I can't, can I?" asked Neit mockingly.
Neit clapped his hands, and his body turned into a mound of toads, each of them with a mouthful of pointy teeth, and they began to jump at Kratos and bite at his flesh. Kratos sliced the toads with his blades, stomped them with his boots, but many of them were able to still deliver painful bites, and they were so numerous he could not kill all of them. As the toads continued to swarm him, Kratos was able to repel them by summoning the Rage of Poseidon, frying most of the toads into ashes, yet a couple remained alive, and they joined together to re-materialize Neit.
Kratos rushed in Neit's direction using the Boots of Hermes, and Neit tried to escape by materializing as he did before. However, Neit found it did not work, and whenever he tried it, it simply made him gold-colored. Thus, Neit's maneuver turned out to be a distraction, and Neit found himself at the business end of a Hermes Rush from Kratos, sending him airborne. Kratos followed up with a complete 360 Cyclone of Chaos in the air, every hit connecting with Neit, and causing him a great deal of damage.
In a swift move however, Neit rushed forward mid-air, and grabbed Kratos by the throat, then sailed down towards the ground and smashed Kratos into the ground so hard, it left a crater. While Kratos was stilled stunned, Neit took out his burda, and began beating Kratos back and forth about the face and head, each blow containing white lightning to add to the damage. His vision blurry, but concentrating with all his might, Kratos dodged to his left ever so slightly when the next blow from the burda was about to come, and freed himself with a Hyperion Rise, delivering the perfect uppercut underneath Neit's chin, and using his feet, Kratos was able to send Neit flying over him and backwards.
Dusting himself off of both dirt and blood, Kratos stood to face Neit once more, who seemed just as bloody as he was.
"I am tired of playing games with you Kratos!" growled Neit. "Now you shall face Ireland and all her fury!"
Neit's tattoos glowed throughout his body, and his hair stood straight up in spikes. His eyes turned blood red, and his right eye grew larger than his left eye. Neit's body was surrounded in green flames, and he put his burda back into his belt, and held out his palms. Two sharp blades emerged from Neit's palms, and he clashed them together, creating sparks.
"BERZERKER!" cried Neit.
Neit flew at Kratos, a whirlwind of fury and blades flying, and Kratos was overwhelmed by the attack. Kratos felt the blades cut his skin, and did his best to parry, but Neit's rage and power were so furious, he could barely keep up. There was only one thing left to do.
Summoning all the power and energy he could, he invoked the power of the Rage of Sparta.
Fueled by the fallen warriors of Sparta and his divine power, Kratos returned the fury equally, now able to successfully counter-attack and defend against Neit's flurry of mayhem. The two warriors fiercely fought against each other, neither one gaining or giving out, until finally their blades clashed against each other, and the two tried to subdue one another, each pushing back on the other one's blade. Their combined fury working against each other became so powerful, that a great explosion took place, blasting both gods backwards, and both resumed their previous state before invoking their respective fury.
Neit stood up first, and grabbing his burda, rushed for Kratos once more. However, Kratos was ready for him, and stopped the burda in his hand, grasping onto it, despite the pain from the white lightning that surged through Kratos' body. Summoning what strength he had from his free hand, Kratos summoned one of Zeus' thunderbolts, and sent a surge of electricity throughout Neit's body, which commingled with the energy from Neit's burda, and created a body shockwave so powerful, Neit's armor burst into a hundred rocky pieces.
Kratos let go of the burda at the very last moment, just enough for Neit to experience the full blast of the combined lightning power, and once Neit began reeling from the attack, his cuirass gone, Kratos wasted no time, and moved in.
Rushing Neit, he grabbed him by the throat with one hand, and kneed him in the chest with the other, knocking the wind out of Neit. Almost immediately, Kratos began rapidly and furiously stabbing Neit in the torso with the Blades of Chaos, massive amounts of blood pouring from Neit's wounds. For the final blow, Kratos brought down one of the Blades of Chaos from above Neit's head, driving it into the top of his skull, out the bottom of his chin, and into the ground. After some brief twitching, Neit lay still, and Kratos withdrew his blade from Neit's skull.
Gatherer appeared, and collected what remained of Neit. Pele's cage dissipated, and she was once again free. Seeing the burda remaining on the ground, Kratos picked it up, and placed it among his inventory. Kratos' health was replenished with green orbs, and he was further rewarded with gold, blue and red orbs.
"You were amazing Kratos!" praised Pele. "A true force of destruction! Halema'uma'u would be an unstoppable empire with you at my side!"
"Thank you." said Kratos flatly. "Now, we must move on."
"Leaving so soon lad?" asked an older male voice.
"Another challenge already?!" said Kratos, looking around, only to find nothing.
"No, no lad!" said the voice. "I'm merely here to thank ye for freein' me, that I may retarn to me people! I also wish to give ye a gift, another spoil t' add with Neit's durga."
"Where ARE you?" said Kratos, looking around in confusion.
"Kratos, look at your feet." said Pele, pointing downward.
Kratos looked down and saw a tiny man in a green warrior-like outfit, no bigger than the hilt of Kratos' sword. The little man was also fair-skinned like Neit, but had long red hair, some of it braided, a red beard, pointed ears, and the little man's face and limbs were covered in designs with green war paint. The creature smiled and bowed in respect, pleased with Kratos' presence.
"Allow me t' introduce me-self." said the creature pleasantly. "Name's Dorndair of the Clan Collcran! Ne'er you'll find a more fierce and loyal clan o' warrior leprechauns in all of Ireland! 'nd who might you both be?"
"I am Kratos, God of War, of Sparta, Greece." replied Kratos.
"And I am Pele, Goddess of Volcanoes, Creation and Destruction, of Halema'uma'u, Hawai'i." said Pele.
"Beggorah!" exclaimed Dorndair. "I've not heard of either o' ye here in Ireland. Nevertheless, fáilte go hÉirinn, te both of ye!"
"Listen tiny one." said Kratos impatiently. "If all you wish to do is speak, speak with someone else! I must reach my next challenge!"
"Yes, yes of course lad, which is why I've a gift ta give ye!" said Dorndair. "Afore ye destroyed Neit, I owed him a debt and he'd kept me as his eternal servant. Now that ye've killed 'im, I'm free, and I will see to it ye accomplish whatever ya need, and stay with ye until you've no longer any need to remain on Ireland! Here's my gift to ye!"
Dorndair reached into his knapsack, and pulled out two glassy eyeballs, each fiery yellow in color, with red pupils. They grew to the size of human eyeballs. Kratos picked them up, and examined them.
"These are one of Neit's most useful treasures, the Eyes of Dalbeach." explained Dorndair. "Long ago, Neit slew the Fomorian giant Dalbeach, 'nd plucked out 'is eyes as spoils o' war! These eyes have th' ability te point ye in the direction of your next goal, or next enemy, or both, depending on what ye desire in the end! If in the presence of an enemy, they begin t' glow a violet color. Since you Kratos killed Neit, they're rightfully yours, and will serve you. Go on, give 'em a try!"
Kratos held the eyeballs in the palm of his hand, not quite sure how to use them, and spoke.
"Take me to my next challenger." Kratos ordered the eyeballs.
The two eyeballs spun round and round in his hands for a bit, until finally, they stopped, and both pupils pointed in the same direction. During the spinning, Dorndair hopped up and on top of Kratos' shoulder.
"'Tis east if where you'll find yer next fighter." said Dorndair. "Towards Leinster."
Kratos looked at Pele, not sure if he should put his trust in the eyes and the leprechaun or not.
"It's worth a try to me." said Pele.
"Very well." said Kratos, as they set off. "However tiny one, if I find you to be deceptive, I will smash you without mercy."
"Fair enough." said Dorndair.
The trio headed in the direction the eyes directed, and would see just how accurate they truly were.
(Check out character artwork from this book at under RealPMP's folder "God of War – Eternal Claim")