Chapter 4 - Elhaz

Kratos looked at the Boy. Isa, Faye called him. Iz was what he said. His name had likely been longer but he was reluctant to share it. Midoriya his mother's name and his godly father was likely something from his own region of the world. He took to his lessons... okay.

Kratos believed him when he said he was really fifteen in a child's body. He spoke like an Athenian, soft like one. Was aware enough of why he was accepted into the household to distance himself from any hints of his and Faye's dead son. It was easy to fall into thinking him as a replacement, but Kratos knew he couldn't do that. Pandora had been... hard. Too hard.

He was sure this boy was not a greek, even knowing Greek stories. He may know of Spartans, but he didn't know much about them.

Under the surface of the well behaved boy was the soul of a smart and cold killer who just didn't know it. But Kratos saw his temper in him, just as the boy saw his own temper and rage building. The boy knew when it was getting bad, he knew when to give him space too well without him ever showing that side around him. He learned how to fight too well, he had a background in combat that Kratos saw in spars.

He knew how to throw a punch, throw a kick. He learned how to use a bow faster than he had seen in Spartans. They did not favor a bow, obviously, but all knew how to hunt. The way those strange rainbow eyes would follow his movements so intently, follow every lesson, and repeat it close to what was demanded in the first try. Faye mentioned during their hunts, he no longer hesitated finishing off his hunts and could always seem to find prey even in winter when they started.

Isa... he was a demigod of some sort. Not a giant, he was too small. His parent was likely related to battle or wisdom. And to go along with all that, being around him was too comforting to the Spartan. Enough he knew it was artificial. Kratos was slow to trust and find comforts in life. It took many years for Faye to calm him as she did and this child was too new for him to feel the same.

It was strange enough one day that he flexed his godly ability to break a charm, and a charming effect was indeed broken for as long as he kept the power simmering in his mind. The boy's voice when he hummed or sung was too rich for a human, and the source of the charms. It reminded him slightly of Aphrodite herself if diluted. It didn't seem intentional either, Kratos saw he had noticed his humming calmed them and progressed to add word. It was a godling discovering their abilities, like he had done when he became Ares and started testing any and all weapons.

Charmspeak, a very dangerous ability. They could swing politics. Those in Athens with it became rulers swiftly. He had killed several for the gods even if it was Athena's city. A goddess of battle and tactics. A dangerous one. More dangerous than a child of Ares could be, even if he had to think that of the Athenians.

Kratos knew Isa's father was not who he thought he was too. He spoke too little for Kratos to read for more information, but the uncertainty he had when he described the man to them as not knowing his actual name told all the two of them needed. And Kratos was aware enough not to demand answers since distressing the boy lead to tears no matter how scolded he was. 'Midoriyas are Crybabies.' His words would ring in his ears. The boy did not change that part of his heritage, nor did he really try either. When he'd cry from too many emotions, he'd start stumbling over words to answer Kratos, and his thoughts would be jumbled. Becoming useless and Kratos would drop it as his charmspeak would also get out of control as well. Emitting his emotions around. He however said his father was a Monster to the Healer's eyes. And had abandoned them when he was nine.

He would however openly talk about his mother at any drop of a leaf. Isa adored her and Kratos knew that was the human one. More, the way he spoke about her. If he was not a demigod involving battle of some sort. He would have believed he could very well have been Hestia's firstborn child, or one of Rhea's. How this Inko was placed on a pedestal by the child.

He was a mystery but Kratos knew that Faye had grown too attached to the boy to ever abandon him.

They had talked about it of course, him staying. Or Faye had and he grunted. The boy was not a threat to them, so he didn't care. Faye talked about trying to keep him and Atreus separate. He in turn told her about his Charmspeak and likely being a demigod of a sort. Faye understood this as she had felt it herself. If his mother had been the god, Faye said she knew who she'd have been.

The last year though... had been nice. And with that Charmspeak and Aura of peace the child kept up around him near constantly after a few months with them. He found it easier to grieve in his own way and keep his rage contained for longer. Needing less trips away. Which he still took for food and to make sure he worked things out in privacy.

Isa was at the level of skill most ten year old spartans were at. But was stronger than them, somehow. A demigod's limit was vastly greater than a mortal's. So he was now sparring against Kratos and his punches meant something now. Could maybe take on an adult mortal. Maybe.

Kratos stepped around a swift jab at his stomach and slapped the arm down, blocking the kick that immediately was coming for his knee, and stepped back to avoid a twisting roundhouse to his chin from an odd angle. It lost a lot of power from not putting a full weight in, but a good kick to the head opened for stronger punches. He caught the leg and pulled up, yanking the boy off his feet and he hung upside down in his grasp, breathing fast.

His stamina was not boundless but the boy did not stop until he was told to. He got tired but he just pushed through it. Saying odd things involving something acids and so forth. His heart pumped enough air, he just had to ignore that. Kratos didn't understand the mumbling he did. It was a bad habit to do in a fight, but he was learning to stop being so lost in his head during fights. To react and not just think.

In turn, he also was infinitely more vicious because of it. Turned out the boy thought through every action he took, and consciously tried to be peaceful. And going off instinct meant he went to hurt instead, to disable no matter how much damage it would cause. He favored groin and joint strikes. Not on Kratos unless he told him to go all out. Because turnabout was fair and he had wheezed at the kick Kratos gave him between the legs for going for his dick. He did get back up faster than Kratos thought though. For a Spartan, his pain tolerance was praiseworthy. For a child of an Athens like upbringing, it lead to questions Kratos was not equipped to handle. So he didn't.

"I yield," Isa breathed out after striking his wrist fruitlessly. Kratos grunted and had him dangle from his hand more. "Can you let me go?" He asked. Kratos just hummed again and started walking them towards the house. Lunch will be ready soon. He threw him over his shoulder to dangle from his leg as he walked the seven year old looking boy into the house.

Faye snickered seeing them enter, the main reason he did this. He was not lighthearted, too intense, but... it made Faye laugh and her laugh needed to happen as much as possible. That Isa could make her laugh helped him accept the boy. Dropped him onto the furs and Isa coughed as he sat up. Kratos accepted the bowl from his wife and Faye handed Isa one. He thanked her and they dug in.

Kratos was eating for a bit. "Isa," Faye said. "I'm going to start your magic lessons soon." Out of nowhere. Kratos looked at her and to the boy who seemed confused.

"Magic?" he questioned.

"Yes." Faye nodded. "I find myself growing rusty. It will be a good refresher on what I know."

"And... this is something just anyone can do?" The green haired boy asked. Kratos himself a bit confused as well, since even as a demigod, he couldn't cast spells without mystical gear.

"Yes. With the proper education Seidr is something anyone can do. Of course, Gods and Giants have more powerful magic, access to more sources to be more powerful, but mortals can as well." Kratos did not know that. But he was done with gods and war, so he didn't care to learn it either. "A lot of it is about knowing the runes and the rituals."

"I mean..." the boy started. "That sounds fun..."

Kratos watched the two talk as he ate his wife's cooking. She was a better chef than anyone he had met before. Her skills and knowledge always seemed boundless to Kratos, it was what drew him into engaging courting with her. How she fought got his attention and how mind was what kept it for all these years. That a human did this, was... astonishing to the god.

The meal passed and Kratos took him out for more conditioning training. Faye would get him in the mornings during chores. Kratos said he was going to teach the boy, and he was going to teach the boy. The boy may be fine learning women crafts like magic and gardening, but he said he would do this and he would see it done.

He followed after in the fall weather, and he started up the mountain to the side. "Follow." Kratos simply told him and got up it, the boy following. And then got to a cliff face so Kratos began climbing up it. He looked down and met the boy's eyes. "Follow." Isa face dropped and looked at his own hands.

And then tentatively began following. He was very slow and unsure of himself. Kratos was ready to drop and catch him at any moment. But with many close calls, they got to the top of the cliff and Isa was gasping as he put his hands into the snow. No doubt very sore. "Jesus, fuck," the boy cursed. Kratos did not know the meaning of 'Jesus.' but the boy said it at times. It sounded like a name. A possible parent? Kratos didn't know.

Kratos looked across the groove, seeing his house from the cold cliffside. Isa stumbled to stand by him and looking across. "Good. Now we go down." Isa's face dropped and he looked at the short drop they had climbed. A mere several hundred feet. Weren't even in the clouds. A demigod would be hurt but not die from this height... most likely anyways. Kratos wasn't going to test it. "It will be more dangerous going down than up. So be sure of your footing."

And they climbed down. And this time Isa fell. Kratos simply reached out and caught him by the arm. And hauled him back up against the wall. "Continue." he told the shaking and teary eyed boy. Gave him a minute to calm down before they resumed.

They stepped off, quicker than Kratos thought but no where near good enough. "Good." Kratos said. The boy was sitting on the ground, breathing in a deliberate deep pattern. Calming his own emotions. "You did not force out your emotions this time, keep working on that."

"Huh?" The boy just asked and looked up at him, teary eyed. "What?"

"Your charmspeak." He said plain as day. "When you are overly emotional, you ooze your emotions out and can manipulate how people feel with words." His eyes widened and Kratos... detected fear in those eyes. He did not believe it was of him but of knowing he had that power.

"Did I use that on you two?!" He immediately asked as he stood up swiftly. Legs shaking a bit but he forced them to work. "I'm sorry!" And he bowed deeply. "I didn't know that happened! I just... I... I'm suddenly an empath so of course something else changed, stupid," he cursed himself.

"You did. It is the primary reason I tolerated you early on," Kratos grunted. "By the time I noticed, you were already here." He looked up and tensed. Glancing up at the cliff and back. "I've known for months, as have Faye" Kratos scuffed, seeing the line of thought. "This is training, boy. Not an exile."

"Oh..."

"You will control it. I allowed it as it did help me keep my temper. But you are getting too old to let it run wild." Isa nodded swiftly at him, looking up at him like some small animal looking for assistance from a human. "I will assist you in figuring out what it feels like to use. When you know, you will keep it contained." Isa nodded again. Good. If he failed, he merely would have more welts then flesh until he succeeded. The boy wasn't malicious towards them, his aura not affecting either of them for a while unless they allowed it.

"How... do you know how to control it?" The boy asked. Kratos looked at him for a moment, thought of telling a bit of his past, but... did not wish to. Only Faye may know him so well and this boy wasn't of his blood. Kratos turned away from him with a customary grunt. And motioned him to follow.

"Follow." And began jogging at a human pace. The boy followed.