Kratos' night and day had been an unorthodox mess. When sleep could not find him, he chose to comfort himself with the cold of night. When that had been disturbed, he decided to torture and maim the assailant who did so. He took no small pleasure in breaking the man both literally and figuratively, but Kratos could not deny that doing so carried with it it's own benefits.

"Please…" The battered, bloody, broken and bruised man pleaded as he lay before Kratos' feet, "H-have mercy…"

It was a simple plea, Kratos thought. Not entirely unreasonable either, all things considered. The man gave Kratos everything he wanted to know, and his prolonged torture gave the Spartan ample opportunity to infuse various weapons and tools with raging electricity given when his Holy Spear so gracefully wished to deny him use of said tools and armaments.

Yes, he would allow this man rest. He would give this man time to make peace with whatever gods he prayed to before giving him to the king. As for now, now Kratos would rest himself. After all, it wasn't very often a kingdom's daughter would wish harm against him… Sleep slowly took the Spartan as the gentle crackle and thrum of lightning plunged his mind into a memory.

Rainfall shook him to his senses, shattering bolts of light broke a heavy darkness and, in the thick of it all… a frighteningly familiar face.

A boy shouted at him through the deafening rain and thunder, "KRATOS!" The marked boy cried out as he reached for the Spartan.

Swift lightning broke the darkness once more as a new face took the place of the boy, "Kratos, help me!" His bedridden mother pleaded as Kratos was violently and abruptly taken from his dream.

Kratos awoke to a cold sweat, his hands still holding a lightning infused mace and his would-be assailant lying before him half dead and asleep.

"Mother…" Kratos whispered to himself as his nightmare haunted him, "Deimos…" The Spartan ran a hand along his face, fingers tracing the crimson war paint. Freezing fear was soon replaced with burning rage as he pulled at his armor. He swore upon himself that he would honor his brother, the war paint forever a reminder of his weakness that day.

'No more,' He thought to himself as he roared and tore the offending leather and iron away, for what honor was there in hiding from his failure?

"Sir Spear Hero!" A voice shouted from above him, "Sir Spear Hero, your presence is needed at the castle!" The door to his upper left had quickly swung open to reveal a guard.

'Yes…' Kratos thought, 'I spent the remainder of my night within the inn's cellar.'

"Sir Spear Hero? What happened here?" The royal guard asked as he looked to the blood splatter, violently crackling weapons, and the would-be assailant.

"Hmph, your princess happened," Kratos replied easily as he collected his weapons and followed the guard, but not before ensuring the useless bag of meat was taken away by two more guards.

Much to Kratos' pleased surprise, Malty or Myne as she had been masquerading herself as, had already been captured upon his ascent.

"Sir Spear Hero!" The lead knight of this group exclaimed with a salute, "Your honored presence is needed within the castle."

Kratos gave a nod of acknowledgement before turning away to a set of stairs, "I shall inform my squadron of this before hand."

"By your words, Sir Spear Hero," The knight acknowledged before leaving.

Sighing, Kratos hastened his steps to meet with his party in the hopes he could sort whatever mess it was he found himself entangled in. He was their leader, it was not their fault their princess wished him to bow before the crown. As he approached the doors to his party's rooms, Rino had opened her shared quarters with the Haven girl.

"Mister Kratos!" Rino called out happily, "Good morning! We were just on our way down."

Kratos smiled and hid his pain well, the child reminding him more and more of his own daughter. Banishing the painful longing, Kratos put a hand upon Rino's head and knelt to match her eye level, much to her confusion, "Rino, I am being called to the castle for something I may have done," He murmured.

"Mister Kratos, are you in trouble? Why are you naked? What happened to your armor?" The young mage asked worriedly as Kratos slowly shook his head.

"No, do not fear," He replied, "A Spartan does not fear the repercussions of their actions. I shall inform Mald of the situation and ask that you both ensure the squadron eats a proper meal," The now confused girl became even more confused as Kratos took her hands and dropped a small bag of coins into her palms, "Do not grow accustomed to this."

Turning, Kratos set his sights to the other door and knocked.

"Sir Kratos!" Mald exclaimed as he answered the door, "Is there something wrong?"

"Mald, you and Rino are to take the squadron to Melromarc's castle grounds for training once you have all had a proper meal," Kratos explained.

"YOU GOT IT, BOSS!" The Luigi brothers exclaimed in unison from behind the giant warrior, much to Mald's annoyance.

"These insolent welps aside," The giant growled, "What is troubling you?"

"I am being called to the castle," Kratos scoffed, "No doubt the kingdom's worthless princess has asked for my head."

Mald flinched at the mention of the kingdom's princess being called 'worthless' but paled when Kratos mentioned that the crown would have gripes with him so severe that they request his head.

"Surely this will not be the case for you, the kingdom's chosen hero," Mald explained, "But no matter, we shall do as you instruct, Sir Kratos," The giant slowly rested his fist over his heart before the two gave a nod.

As the giant watched the bare hero walk away, he turned his attention to his other male party members, "There shall be a slight change of these plans," Mald sad as the brothers groaned, "Nothing so severe as to deny your stomachs and tongues respite," The brothers immediately gave sighs and comments of relief at this, much to Mald's now growing annoyance, "Rino shall lead you to the castle training grounds. I must meet with my fellow peers."

As Mald left, presumably to follow Kratos to the castle, the brothers smiled at each other and high fived before quickly leaving themselves.

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Upon reaching the castle's walls, a group of knights quickly flagged the Spear Hero down before approaching him and throwing a robe eerily similar to the armor he had very recently torn to pieces. Before he could question this, one of the older men spoke up, "Apologies, Sir Spear Hero, but as this is a formal trial, you will need to be clothed as a formality."

"Of course…" Kratos growled as he fully expected to be chained like a criminal. Spartan or not, it was a fool who tackled a nation alone, and more often than not it was a dead fool who returned home upon his shield. However, even as he was led within, he could sense no malice surrounding him. Uncertainty, yes, but not of him.

"Please wait here, Sir Spear Hero," The leader of this band of knights said, leaving the Spartan before a large curtain that led to the left side of the castle's throne. Confused, he waited before the king himself approached.

"Sir Kratos," The aged man murmured as he drew near, "I so humbly apologize for what has happened to you this past night."

The apology shocked the Spartan, but he ensured that his features were schooled and his emotions in check, "The matter itself has been resolved."

"Oh no, my esteemed Hero, the matter is very far from resolved," Aultcray murmured. Seeing the confusion now written over Kratos' face, Aultcray sighed, "Yes, unfortunately the damned Shield Demon has finally shown her true intentions."

'Shield Demon', Kratos thought curiously. It was true that the woman held super natural abilities as well as the ability to slay a god albeit an infant. Yet there was nothing about her that said 'Demon'. If he had any critique of the woman… it would be that she was so disgustingly Athenian despite her undoubtedly Spartan heart.

Words were her weapon, and she wielded them with such fervent ferocity…

"Your daughter sent an assassin to attack me the night prior," Kratos said absentmindedly, his hand quickly finding his head as he looked to his Spear… the gem seeming to gleem as if it were laughing.

"Yes, that is what this trial shall bring to light," Aultcray spoke, "My daughter no doubt has been tainted by the Shield Demon. Her mind now the plaything of that monster."

Before long, Aultcray made his way for his throne, Kratos slowly following. Surrounding him had been what was no doubt Melromarc's nobility, stuffy men and women wearing gaudy dress and looking down at him and those like him with contempt.

If anyone was guilty of being a demon, it was these pigs. Not a moment later, the mother witch, Cheryl if he remembered, was placed upon the floor in chains and unconscious. How he wished it was Myne bound in chains before him…

"My loyal subjects!" Aultcray declared to the crowd, "On this day we bring before you the Shield Demon! Her crimes within our world few, but grave!"

Kratos could not bring himself to listen to the king's hollow words, the man shifting blame of his daughter's actions onto the witch. If he were to be honest, it disgusted him in such a way that he felt compelled to beckon Ares to this world so as to smite this… king. Shaking away his rage, he finally looked up to find that a vision had begun playing for all the castle to see.

But there was something very wrong. For one, the witch's voice clearly echoed from the vision, but the malformed product of Thanatos' realm was clearly displayed before everyone. Considering this, Kratos was shocked as Myne rushed in only to flinch and fall upon her knees and scream.

"Malty!" Aultcray and Cheryl shouted in tandem, the king growling at the still chained Hero, "Kratos!" Aultcray shouted, shocking the Spartan from his daze, "Take Malty away to safety, and guards! Remove this murderous filth from my sight immediately!"

Kratos stole a look at the condemned woman, the two shared a miniscule moment. Looking back, he took note of the cowering princess by his feet. Yes… he would punish this woman himself if her father would refuse to.

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"S-stop! Vile wretch! Let me go immediately!" Malty shouted as Kratos dragged her throughout the castle. It had been an embarrassing enough sight to behold, but it mattered little to the Spartan, "AT LEAST LET ME GO BACK AND SAY GOODBYE!"

"Goodbye?" Kratos scoffed, "To whom? The witch you so graciously allowed suffering unto?"

"You wouldn't be standing there taunting me if it wasn't for that Spear!" Malty shouted as she glared daggers at Kratos… before he took hold of her shoulder armor as a painful current of electricity ran through her body.

"Listen and listen well, child," Kratos growled as the electric shock wore off, "We both understand that the witch has done nothing," Malty gave a pained and teary eyed nod, now filled with some measure of dread, "And we both know that it was you who ordered the assailant."

"You showed no respect towards my station…" Malty whispered as she looked away.

"I have no respect for waste such as you," Kratos growled softly as he closed the distance between their eyes as he forced her to face him, "Not because you are weak. No, weakness can be beaten out of you. It is because you believe your station to be your strength. It is your belief that wealth and political favor shall earn you the world…"

Malty felt the electricity return as she hastily looked for the source, eyes gliding over the Legendary Spear, "H-how… how are you c-commanding it?" She asked weakly.

Kratos said nothing for a time, allowing the silence to speak for him… all the while, the Spear begging for its chosen Hero to only use it as a weapon and nothing else, "So even armor can be considered an armament," He finally whispered.

Malty now understood that what awaited her was a far worse outcome than any death. Because of her actions and closeness to the Shield Hero, the throne was forever lost to her as the entirety of the kingdom now believed her mind tainted by a demon's influence. Worse still was that the once oafish man she once looked down upon for a single slight proved to be a more than intelligent monster in his own right if he could command the Spear's arduous punishment lightning.

Her only comfort was knowing that even this monster would not condemn the innocent Shield Hero…

Azure:

WOO! This story is really gaining steam! Again, thank you all for reading this far. I love you all and hope to garner your continued support. I'll begin work on the next chapter (It's Usopp's point of view of events now) after I've finished and posted the next chapter for Vessel of the Sword Hero. After that is the second interlude chapter for the heroes and something completely different (At least I think it's different).