Chapter 3: Asclepius
Setting: Garden of the Gods (God of War 2).
Narrator: Kratos enters the Garden of the Gods in the Palace of the Fates. There were six statues present. The statues were (from left to right) of Ares, Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Helios, and Hades. Athena attempts to speak to Kratos through her statue. Despite her warnings, Kratos ignored her and destroyed her statue.
A voice: Kratos, listen to Athena. Your path of vengeance will lead to the destruction of the Gods of Olympus and mankind!
Narrator: Kratos turned around. Standing there was a man in a red and blue chiton. He was lean and slightly muscular. He had slightly tanned skin, a strikingly handsome face, and a full head of curly and wavy dark brown hair. He had a staff in his right hand with a snake entwined around it. There was also a vial of some sort of red liquid around his neck.
Kratos: Asclepius.
Asclepius: What exactly do you want here?
Kratos: I'm here to see the Sisters of Fate.
Narrator: Asclepius raises an eyebrow.
Asclepius: You want to change your fate? You've been offered a life of immortality and godhood. What more could you possibly want?
Kratos: I don't seek to change my fate. I seek the aid of the Sisters of Fates to bring about Zeus's end.
Asclepius: Kratos, the Sisters will not help you to kill Zeus.
Narrator: Asclepius starts to walk around the room as he speaks.
Asclepius: I understand how it feels to want revenge on someone who wronged you, Kratos. When Zeus killed me while I was still a mortal, my father, Apollo, went ballistic and slew the Cyclopes to exact his vengeance. Zeus punished him for it and resurrected the Cyclopes. I was eventually resurrected by Zeus as a god. However, Zeus and Hades both limit my power so I cannot resurrect the dead anymore. That ability was what got me killed in the first place. My powers as a god are also limited by the Sisters of Fate. That's why I'm here. So I can cooperate with them to use my powers to benefit mankind without defying Zeus. My death inspired to all that mankind cannot escape death. It also showed that no one can challenge Zeus's rule.
Kratos: Very inspiring, Asclepius, but the reign of Zeus is still coming to an end.
Asclepius (ignoring him): You and I share a common fate, Kratos. We were both originally mortals who ascended to godhood. You of all people should show more sympathy towards mankind. Think of the consequences Zeus's death will have on them.
Kratos: I care little for the fate of mankind.
Asclepius: Even for the Olympians who haven't wronged you?
Kratos: I lived my life as a slave to the Olympians. What loyalty do I owe them?
Asclepius (sighing): I can tell that there's no getting through to you, Kratos. I won't let you reach the Sisters of Fate! There's more at stake here than just your little vengeance!
Narrator: Asclepius raises his staff and Kratos takes out the Blades of Athena. Asclepius raises his other arm, and satyrs start to emerge out of the ground.
Asclepius: Unlike most heroes, Kratos, I didn't earn my reputation as a hero by becoming a warrior. However, that doesn't mean I won't fight you!
Narrator: During the fight, Asclepius attacks Kratos with his staff. Whenever he attempts to strike him, the snake on his staff tries to bite him. Kratos starts to attack Asclepius and the satyrs. Whenever Kratos mortally wounds them, Asclepius instantly heals them.
Asclepius: Just give up this quest, Kratos!
Narrator: The fight continues. Eventually, Kratos injured Asclepius enough to attack him directly. He grabs Asclepius's staff and struggles to yank it out of his hands. After a few seconds, he does and kicks Asclepius away from him. The snake tries to bite him, but it missed. Kratos grabs the snake and throws it across the room. He snaps the staff in half and drops it to the floor. Asclepius summons more satyrs. After a while, Kratos injured the snake enough to kill it. He slammed it to the ground, then sliced its head off. Asclepius growled angrily at him.
Asclepius (angrily): You have any idea how beneficial that snake was to mankind, including you and your beloved Sparta?! There was no reason to kill him! Your fight's with me!
Narrator: The fight goes on between Kratos, Asclepius, and the Satyrs. Without his staff and the snake, Asclepius was forced to just punch and kick Kratos. Besides that, all he could do was rely on the satyrs. Eventually, Kratos attacked Asclepius enough to launch a final attack. Kratos took out the Spear of Destiny and stabbed Asclepius through the chest with it. He slammed him to the ground, then threw him into the air. Kratos took out the Blades of Athena and swung them at Asclepius mid-air. He jumped into the air above Asclepius and took out the Barbarian Hammer. He swung it at Asclepius and knocked him to the ground. He swung the Barbarian Hammer two more times at Asclepius. Then, he yelled and swung it one last time. The blow crushed Asclepius's head and killed him. Kratos took a step back and stared at Asclepius. Asclepius's body started to glow, then he exploded in a burst of light. Kratos used the Golden Fleece to shield his eyes. When he looked up, Asclepius's remains were gone and the remaining statues in the room were completely destroyed. The remaining satyrs instantly died from their previous wounds. Stoically, Kratos left the room to complete his quest.
AN 1: I hope you all liked Chapter 3. Tell me what you think and please leave a review!
AN 2: I based Asclepius's appearance on a statue I found online. If you're interested, you can find it on this link:
