That night, Atreus laid in his bed, hoping that another vision would come to him in his dreams.
He had more than enough money at the race tracks to buy Angrboda some jewellery and almost enough to buy the game console he wanted for Christmas early. But thinking back to the evening's conversation, Atreus considered his father. After his mother had passed, the responsibility of making a living for both of them, fell solely on him. Did his father want a gift? Or would he dislike the attention? That was something he would have to figure out.
With events already set in motion, that had yet to run their course, another vision revealed itself to Atreus. Four more names, disappearing one by one, the colour yellow and a raging fire. Only one of these things had a clear meaning. He would not be receiving any more names. The rest were far too vague, nothing for him to worry about.
"Who's the last one on the list?"
"Morning Spring. That's a nice name." Atreus read from his journal and remarked, admiring the name of the horse themed after the breezy season.
"Fun fact about Morning Spring, her father was the famous race horse Summer Dream, the horse with highest number of wins on this track in 2005." Mimir commented on the horse they were about to bet on. As they had gone done the list, ticking off the horse's names one by one, the man would at times, recall some relevant trivia. Seeming like a well of knowledge of random information.
"You sure know a lot of facts."
"Being a librarian for 30 years, taught me a thing or two about current events." Mimir said, proud of the long-standing career he'd had working in a place of knowledge.
"You were a librarian? Cool." Atreus noted. Pleased to know that a love of books was something they had in common.
"It was, lad. When I wasn't sorting books, I would archive newspapers. I still do in fact, with my private collection of newspapers at home. But enough about that."
As they waited in line for their turn in the betting office, Atreus heard the sound of complaints and the shuffling of people behind them. The cause of the commotion being, a tipsy man covered in tattoos, underneath his grubby white tank top.
"Get a move on! I haven't got all day." The impatient man complained, making Atreus urge Mimir to complete their betting strip quickly.
Once the race was done and the time came to collect their winnings, Atreus took the time to think about his visions. They had always been an interesting perk and though these particular ones would not repeat themselves, Atreus couldn't help but count his blessings.
"I can't believe this happened."
"I can't believe it either. You're a natural at this. I seem to have no luck." Mimir agreed, giving Atreus a pat on the back.
Hearing about Mimir and Atreus' good fortune from his position in the line nearby, the tattooed man felt emboldened. If a kid could make some bets and win, then so could he. But having such high expectations from the words of strangers would prove to be his undoing.
Celebrating the last win they would ever share together, Mimir and Atreus sat at a table in the establishment's lounge and ate from a plate of chips.
Feeling a vibration in his pocket, Atreus took his phone out and read the text he'd received.
"I'll be here to pick you up in five minutes." The text read. With such a short amount of time left until he'd be arriving, Atreus smiled that his father made the effort to tell him.
Replying to the text with: "We'll be in the lounge." Atreus put his phone back in his pocket and continued eating.
"Any plans with the riches you've gained?" Mimir asked, curious to hear what Atreus had come up with.
"I want to buy a pendant for a girl at my school." Atreus said, looking down at the plate with embarrassment. A matter of the heart. Mimir thought. Luckily, he had experience with that and a recommendation for the jewellery.
"I know just the place. I bought a necklace for my dear girlfriend Sigrun, in a little store not far from here. She left me without saying a word, but at least I know she appreciated the necklace."
Atreus laughed at Mimir's good humoured way of seeing things, when the tattooed stranger approached and slammed his hands on their table.
"You! This is all your fault! I watched you win, so I thought I could win too and I lost most of my money!" The stranger yelled and pointed his finger at Atreus and Mimir. His posture lunging towards them, itching to start a fight.
"We're not responsible for what you believe!" Atreus hissed, rejecting the flawed thinking that they were accountable for any bad decisions the man had made. Fingers balled into a fist, the stranger pulled his arm back and tried to initiate a punch, when a stronger arm pulled him by the bicep and twisted his arm into a lock, pressed against his back.
"Stay… away from my son." Kratos warned and slammed the man's face against the table. Smearing ketchup on his face from the nearby plate.
"Boy, come. We are leaving this place." Kratos announced, as the stranger dashed away. Fearing that Atreus would be punished, Mimir put in a good word and suggested an alternative.
"Sir, if I may. I'm archiving my collection of newspapers and could use a helping hand. I can inform the boy's school and he can receive extra credit."
"Very well." Kratos agreed, without argument and allowed Mimir to lead the way.
Out on the streets, Mimir lead Kratos and Atreus where he had parked his car. A sleek, four-seater, yellow sports car that looked like it couldn't be more than a few years old. Almost brand new.
"Mimir, I thought you said you had no luck with gambling." Atreus challenged Mimir's previous statements, marvelling the car Mimir had splurged on.
"It's true, but the few times that I did, I saved up and bought this beauty. You can sit on the front seat if you'd like." Mimir offered, until Kratos took out his car keys and went in the direction of his own car. "Or go with your old man. Even better." Mimir added, when he realized that Kratos had arrived with his own car.
After driving to the outskirts of the city, they arrived at Mimir's house and he invited them to his basement. Inside were many boxes, stacks, bookshelves and bags carrying newspapers, some old chairs and a leather armchair placed underneath one of the lightbulbs illuminating the room.
Tracing a line with his fingers on a bookshelf with a thin layer of dust, Kratos made sure that his assessment of the room's cleanliness did not go unnoticed.
"This place could use some cleaning."
"Are you volunteering?" Mimir interpreted Kratos' remark as an offer of his services, earning a low growl in return.
"I'll take that as a no."
Delegating the heavy lifting to Kratos, Mimir placed some empty boxes near the bags Kratos had placed down for Atreus to sort and gave him some instructions.
"How about you stack the newspapers from those bags in chronological order?"
"OK."
Taking two mismatched chairs from their hiding place behind boxes of newspapers, Kratos brought them back for he and Atreus to sit on.
Placing a handful of newspapers on his lap, Kratos saw many different headlines as he read their date. Some more mundane such as shop closures and the weather and others more intriguing like fraudulent treasure hunters. One of which Atreus was reading, but the newspaper in question held much more than intrigue.
"Mimir, who's that? She kind of looks like my mother." Atreus brought the newspaper over to Mimir and asked, after he noticed a photograph of a woman amongst thousands with a passing resemblance of his mother.
"That's Faye Nalson. Although she was mostly a peaceful activist who protested against gun violence, someone from her group tried to burn down a store. No one was hurt, but she never protested again."
Hearing his wife's first name, Kratos joined them and saw the familiar words of his wife's maiden name and the familiar year of the time they first met. Memories of Faye came flooding back to him, but the only words he could utter were ones of regret.
"She never told me of this."
"Perhaps she did not want you to think any less of her." Mimir reassured Kratos. From the time they had begun a relationship, Faye and Kratos had always been open with each other. Never fearing to share great burdens with each other. Knowing that he had not been able to help her heal from this burden, filled Kratos with deep sorrow.
"I could never do that." Kratos said with more composure than before, drawing from his respect and love for Faye to give him strength.
"That's good to hear. Your wife's actions were noble, you should be very proud of her." Mimir praised Faye's efforts to protest against the needless loss of life.
"I am."
Atreus saw a ghost of a smile on his father's face, as he said it. Making Atreus feel thankful that in listening to his visions, he had brought a little joy into their lives.
This chapter's a bit more serious because of the events that had to happen, but the next chapter will be happier to balance things out.
