Abraxas Palace

The Honorbound were in the palace. Steven was explaining, "If we combine our forces, we'll be able to fight back against Oryx and whatever army he's built. But the problem is the Taken. I don't know how we can undo the curse, but we can figure something out. I'm going off-world. To find new allies out there and figure out what Oryx is up to. I think it'd be a good idea if some of you stayed here, while the rest of us leave the planet."

Genos said, "Is that really the wisest decision? If Oryx comes here, while our forces are divided, we will be at a disadvantage."

Steven said, "I'll stay in touch, and if I need to, I can come back immediately. Also, the Arbiter is finding reinforcements from other dimensions. Is there anyone who wants to accompany me?"

Connie said, "I'll go. I'm gonna make sure you don't try anything. Where is your ship?"

Steven said, "You're standing on it. I built this temple with flight capabilities, when I was ready to expand this empire. Anyone who wishes to stay or join me, say so now."

In a few minutes, everyone began coming forward to decide who would stay or go.

The only ones who chose to go were Master Chief and Goku. X had BT go with them as well. The rest who chose to stay for various reasons, but mistrust/hatred of the one they still saw as the Imperator was one of the main reason.

The ones who stayed watched from outside the walls of Abraxas, as the temple began to rumble. The entire building collapsed, pieces shifting and moving all around until they were obscured by the buildings and walls. The ground began to shake as a massive ship emerged from Abraxas, floating high above the city. The group observed as the ship tilted itself towards the stars, and flew into space.

Yang turned to the Gems and asked, "Wasn't Steven a friend of yours? Why aren't you going?"

Amethyst said, "I don't know. Him being the guy we've been fighting all this time. It's a lot to take in. I can't be in the same room as him right now. I just need to take some time to process."

Kratos said, "Come, boy. Until they return we will train and prepare for whatever Oryx may send."

Atreus said, "Yes, father."

Several hours later

Kratos and Atreus were training in a forest, far away from Abraxas with Atreus sparring with his father. Their axe and bow were resting against a nearby tree with Mimir's head beside it.. Atreus jumped to deliver multiple punches and kicks that Kratos blocked with ease.

Kratos said, "Your control is improving. If we wish to defeat these Taken, learning to fight without your weapon is just as vital as fighting with it."

A low, feminine voice echoed around them, "I agree. The best warriors make do with the tools placed in front of them."

A shade flashed by their eyes. When Kratos turned behind him, his and Atreus' weapons were gone. Kratos yelled out, "Show yourself!"

The shade came to a halt in front of them, with the axe and bow in its hands. It was Xivu Arath. Standing just a head taller than Kratos, she was examining their tools, noting the runes and markings on them. She said, "An axe and bow charmed with magic. I wonder how they work."

The axe suddenly was ripped out of her hands and flew into Kratos' hand. He said, "Who are you?"

Xivu Arath ignored the question and said, "Ooh. Intriguing. It returns to you on command. I have to see it in action."

Kratos said, "No. I will give you one chance to leave us."

Xivu Arath smiled and said, "To walk away from a fight would be to deny myself. You asked who I was? I am Xivu Arath. Youngest sister to the Taken King and the Goddess of War."

Kratos scowl deepened at her name. She took note of this and said, "Something I said bother you, human? You either know of the Taken King, or dislike the moniker 'Goddess of War'. Either way, this isn't your first time dealing with someone like me."

She threw to bow at Atreus' feet and said, "Pick up the bow, child."

Atreus grabbed the bow and readied an arrow.

Kratos said, "I warned you, goddess."

Xivu Arath smiled and said, "I'll keep that in mind." She stretched out her arm and summoned her sword. She took several steps forward as Kratos prepared himself. In an instant she vanished, and reappeared in front of Kratos, punching him in the stomach, and launching him through several trees. Atreus fired an arrow at her, charged with electricity. She kept her eyes locked on Kratos, and swung her sword to her side, cutting the arrow into two pieces that harmlessly fell beside her. Kratos recovered quicky and threw his axe at her. It successfully landed in her shoulder, weakening her enough so that Atreus could hit her with another arrow.

Kratos took this opportunity to mercilessly assault her with a barrage of blows, knocking her to the ground. He grabbed the axe, pulled it out of her shoulder and used it slice her head clean off in one strike. Atreus was shocked. He said, "So much for Goddess of War."

Her body lurched upwards as a new head grew from her neck stump. Kratos and Atreus jumped back to keep their distance. Xivu Arath seemed unfazed, but what happened next shook the two to their core. She took her sword and it began to break down and shift, before transforming into an exact copy of Kratos' axe.

Kratos said, "Impossible."

Xivu Arath threw the axe at Kratos and he leaned to the side to dodge it. It froze the tree that it hit, before Xivu Arath recalled it the same way Kratos did with his axe. She rushed forward swinging the axe against him. He clashed his axe against her's, but she forced it against the ground, and kicked Kratos in the stomach, knocking him away as the axe was pulled from his hands. In that instant, she turned to Atreus, who had fired another arrow at her. She grabbed it with her free hand, turning her axe into a bow that resembled Atreus'. She fired the arrow from the bow, charged with the light magic Atreus had used before, but not on her.

Atreus only barely jumped out of the way. Kratos' chained blades suddenly pierced her side. The slightest yank pulled her off balance as Kratos rocketed towards her, ramming her in the chest with his shoulder. He landed on the other side of her, kneeling while facing her. Atreus capitalized on this, running and leaping off his crouched back, jumping and flipping over Xivu while firing off two arrows. She dodged to the side, grabbing him out of the air with one hand and slamming him into the ground.

Two hilts appeared on her stomach. She grabbed them both and pulled out small hooked blades.. Two chains unfurled and wrapped around her arms as she pulled them out. She had perfectly recreated Kratos' chain blades. They ignited as she began swinging them by the ends of their chains. The blade wounds in her side healed up as well.

Atreus yelled out, "What's happening? How does she have our weapons?!"

Kratos cooly responded, "I do not know. My concern is with her healing her wounds."

Xivu Arath began twirling the blades like helicopters. She threw them towards the father and son as they jumped away from each other. She relentlessly pursued Kratos who drew his own chain blades. She continuously struck him with fiery blade and chains as he defended against them. Atreus fired more arrows at her and she defended by swinging the chain blades in a whirlwind, ripping the arrows into splinters. Kratos capitalized on this weakness by jumping forward and delivering a bare-fisted blow to her stomach. In rage, she dropped the chain from her hand, and punched Kratos into the ground. She suddenly summoned four small daggers that appeared in the palm of her hand, then threw them out. In one move, the daggers flew into Kratos' hands and legs, pinning him to the ground.

She turned to Atreus who fired multiple arrows at her. She seemed to teleport side to side, ever so slightly closing the distance with Atreus while dodging his arrows. In another move, she was suddenly right by Atreus, thrusting her knee into his stomach, launching him upwards and backwards. He was thrown against the tree, knocking him unconscious. Kratos could only watch as he tried to free himself. He yelled out, "Run away, boy! Stay away!" She summoned Kratos' axe, and raised it to prepare to cut his head off, as Kratos shouted, "NO!". Suddenly, she was stopped by the sound of bouncing nearby.

She turned her head to the noise and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a streak of bright green electricity bouncing between the trees. It bounced off the tree nearest to her and took the shape of Izuku Midoriya, powered up with One-for-All. He yelled out, "Smash!" and struck her in the face with a charged right hook. It managed to make her release Atreus from her grasp, as she stumbled back. Izuku grabbed the unconscious Atreus and turned to Kratos. Kratos yelled, "Get him out of here! Take him somewhere safe!"

Midoriya shouted, "What about you?"

Kratos said, "Never mind me! Keep the boy safe! Go!"

Kratos managed to pull his hand free as Xivu Arath approached him. He tried to punch her but she grabbed his fist, and grabbed him by the neck with her other hand. She began slamming him through the ground and trees.

Midoriya threw Atreus over his back and ran away. He used a free hand, pressing it to his earpiece saying, "This is Izuku Midoriya! I've got Atreus with me. He's unconscious. He and Kratos were just attacked by someone. I don't know who."

Garnet responded, "Where's Kratos?"

Midoriya responded, "Still fighting that someone. He needs help. I'm taking Atreus back."

Garnet said, "Some of the Arbiter's new reinforcements are closest to you. They're headed that way."

"Got it."

Midoriya was stopped by three humanoid figures he spotted out of the corner of his eye. When he came to a stop he clearly saw what they looked like.

One was tall, muscular, teenage man, wearing a long black trench coat adorned with golden buttons, with a formfitting sleeveless shirt underneath. He wore long pants with leather shoes and two belts. On part of the trench coat's collar had a golden chain attached to it. His most prominent feature was his cap, adorned with a golden button and plate. The hat was torn at the back, seemingly fusing into his hair.

The second was a shorter man wearing a Japanese school uniform with a form fitting yellow shirt underneath and two golden adornments. One was a peace sign and the other was a heart. His most striking feature was his purple pompadour hairdo.

The third was the shortest, and a child. He had blond hair with three curls arranged side by side on his head and a braided tail. He wore a pink two-piece suit with his chest showing through the middle. It had three ladybug emblems on the shoulders and stomach of the suit, and golden wing emblems on the outside of the collar.

Izuku said, "Who are you guys?"

The tall man in the hat said, "We were sent by the Arbiter. He already filled us in. The name's Jotaro Kujo."

The man with the pompadour said, "Josuke Higashikata."

The blonde kid said, "Giorno Giovanna."

Izuku responded, "Izuku Midoriya. This is Atreus. He's really hurt."

Josuke said, "Bring him here."

Midoriya laid Atreus down in front of Josuke, who placed his hands on his chest. A golden energy seemed to envelop both of them, as Atreus' wounds began to heal and regenerate. When they were fully healed, Josuke said, "I healed his wounds, but I'd still take him somewhere safe."

Giorno asked, "Where's the enemy?"

Izuku put Atreus on his back, and said, "Just down that way.", while pointing in the direction of Kratos and Xivu Arath's fight.

Jotaro said, "Josuke. Giorno. Let's go!"

The three sprinted in the direction while Izuku ran off with Atreus.

Xivu Arath was mercilessly attacking Kratos with her bare fists. She prepared to go for one more strike but Kratos suddenly vanished before her eyes. She looked around and saw the three reinforcements. Kratos was kneeling beside them as Josuke was healing him. Kratos said, "Who are you?"

Josuke responded, "Backup, big guy."

Xivu Arath was intrigued by the new individuals. They boasted a certain confidence that she found alluring. She turned to them and said, "My, my. Either you're exceptionally powerful or thick-headed."

Jotaro said, "Get out of here if you know what's good for you."

Xivu Arath said, "No. I haven't tested you just yet. I want to see just what you're capable of, and if it's worth that bravado."

Jotaro said, "Bring it on."

Xivu Arath smiled, and charged Jotaro. A voice seemed to emanate from Jotaro's body, shouting out, "ORA!"

Without warning, Xivu Arath was punched in the face by an invisible force. It sent her reeling as she grabbed her face. When she looked at Jotaro, he hadn't moved a muscle. She thought to herself, "What just happened? I kept my eyes on all of them. None of them moved. So what just hit me?"

The voice began shouting its battlecry once more, this time in rapid succession, "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA"

Before she could react Xivu's body was pelted with invisible punches at near machine gun pace. She couldn't see where they were coming from and could not react or counter. With on final "ORA" the mysterious force struck her in the chest knocking her through the trees. She quickly recovered and said, "I need time to understand this power they have. Fighting an enemy I can't see would be suicide. I'll have to retreat for now."

She drew Kratos' chain blades, swinging them in a circle and running them through the dirt. This shot the dirt towards the trio at rapid pace, temporarily blinding them. When the dust settled, she was gone. Jotaro said aloud, "Good fucking grief. She got away."

Josuke said, "We'll get her next time. I finished healing this guy."

The first thing Kratos said upon standing was "Where is my son?"

Giorno said, "That Izuku guy had him. He's taking him to safety, but Josuke already healed his wounds the same way he did yours."

Kratos said, "She will return. A combatant who has honed their skills to that level does not give up a fight so easily."

Jotaro said, "Then we should regroup with the others. We're better fighting together than alone.

Giorno said, "The Arbiter should be returning with some extra help by the time we're back."

Kratos nodded and the four began making their way back to Abraxas.