I do not own the God Of War series or Elden Ring in any form. This is a work of fanfiction.

...

Kratos left the home with Atreus, to go about and gather supplies such as food and some firewood. As it was a simple chore for them, it was mostly uneventful. Atreus used his Talon bow with deadly accuracy to fell their quarry, with Kratos doing most of the work to clean and butcher the kill, with Atreus assisting where he could. As they were on their way back to the cabin, Kratos felt a strange pull, seemingly pulling a his soul, drawing him to a path that wasn't far from home. "What is it? Any trouble?" Atreus asked, not being familiar with Kratos simply breaking from the regular path in such a way.

"I do not know, boy. There is something over here." He answered, continuing.

They walked until they found a strange effigy, which had never been there before. The both of them unloaded their haul and approached. "Mimir, do you know what this is?" Atreus asked.

"Hm... it seems so very familiar. It feels as though you can be transported somewhere by interacting with it."

Kratos stepped forward and placed his hand upon the effigy, which began reacting. He couldn't remove his hand from it, no matter how hard he struggled. Atreus grabbed his other arm in an attempt to help. He also became stuck and they soon vanished from Midgard. They appeared in a faraway place which felt eerily similar to them, but was still different. "Head, where did that take us?" Kratos asked as he scanned the surroundings.

"Ah, I've heard of this place. It's some great tree, not unlike the World Tree. I believe we may have been called here to help fight someone."

Kratos and Atreus looked over to find a tall man with similarly ashen looking skin and deep, red eyes. He had scars from many battles before. He was wearing a great plumed helmet, which appeared to have been worn by a general. In is hands were a great axe, which emanated a strange affliction. "I see hat the summons worked. But you appear as a single entity." The man said. "I've attempted to summon two."

"Who are you and why were we brought here?" Kratos grumbled, angered by being taken to another realm.

"I am Lore. I am the tarnished warrior who has come to defeat the demigod, Malenia, blade of Miquella. I require your assistance. You will be rewarded for your efforts."

"Who is Malenia?" Atreus asked, with his question being answered almost as soon as it was asked.

A figure with flowing robes, armor and a blade crafted to inflict damage, both by its edge and by its seemingly poisonous effect. "I dreamt for so long. My flesh was dull gold, and my blood was rotted. Corpse after corpse left in my wake, as I awaited his return. Heed my words. I am Malenia, blade of Miquella. And I have never known defeat."

"Ah, now I know her." Mimir began. "She was responsible for the destruction of an entire city when she released a diseased attack, scarlet rot. She did so during her battle with a once great general."

"General. Starscourge Radahn. I wear his helmet. He was a very powerful enemy, indeed." Lore commented, followed by noticing his bow. "Here, take these bloodbone arrows. They should work against her."

"She's only one person. She can't be so tough." Atreus said as he put the arrows in his quiver.

"Have you learned nothing, boy? The moment you underestimate an opponent, you've lost the battle." Kratos snapped back.

"He's right, little brother. She is only one, but this warrior would not have summoned us if he thought he could take her." Mimir added.

The three of them broke for an attack. Kratos grabbed Atreus and tossed him in the air, similar to how he did during their fight with Baldur. Atreus started firing arrows at her as he was airborne, with most of the special arrows connecting. Atreus landed and kept running, only slowing to shoot another arrow. Kratos and Lore charged up straight to attack her directly. Kratos swung his Leviathan axe and barely nicked her as she jumped back, but she was still in range of Lore with his axe. It swung down and cut across her body, dealing damage. It was short lived, though, as her own attack began and a blizzard of sword strikes flew out, slicing into both of them.

"What is this? She's being healed?" Kratos asked as he tried to dodge an attack from Malenia.

"No. She wields the Hand of Malenia. It absorbs your own health and gives it to the wielder." Mimir said as Kratos dodged again.

Lore swung his axe low and fast, making contact several times. Malenia started returning the attacks, also making contact and again absorbing health from him. She stopped for a moment as Kratos readied himself for another attack. A bloodbone arrow hit her in the neck, which drew her attention to Atreus. She started running for him and Kratos acted. He threw the Leviathan axe at her, which missed. He pulled the axe back to himself, with its blade catching one of her feet, throwing her off balance enough to stumble her. Lore saw her movement and ran in Atreus' direction. Her stumbling ensured he had enough time to reach Atreus, but she was still very fast and reached him at the same time.

Kratos and Mimir watched in fear as the demigod raised her sword to strike him. Lore jumped and put himself between her and Atreus, pushing him back and away from the strike. Lore raised his axe in an attempt to block, but the blade was destined to reach its mark.

A loud CLANG rang out, with sparks flying from her blade.

Another person stood there in no armor, wearing a pot on his head and wielding two blades. He swung back, which threw her back and away from the three of them. "Who are you?" Atreus asked.

The man readied himself and laughed. "Let me solo her. I have practiced and won in so many battles."

"Why do you wear no armor?" Kratos asked, puzzled as to why he was wearing almost nothing.

"Why wear armor if I have no plan to be hit?"

Kratos looked at Atreus, who took off and started hitting her with more bloodbone arrows. Lore and Kratos looked at each other and started running wide to flank her as the other man ran straight up the middle. When he reached her, the unarmored man let loose a flurry of his own strikes against her. She swung back with near surgical precision, but none of her strikes hit him. He was able to dodge or sidestep every blow, but his own attacks were connecting with force. Kratos and Lore similarly kept attacking, but they were not as capable at evasion. They still took hits, but were able to return them.

Soon enough, Malenia was weakened to the point that she fell to the ground. Her body seemed to reform into a flower, and "wait..." Was heard from it.

When the flower bloomed, she emerged, her armor and clothing were gone, and she was suspended in the air by her wings. "The scarlet bloom flowers once more." She said as she came forth. " You will witness true horror. Now, rot."

Atreus looked on in wonder. "Boy! Why do you stare?" Kratos shouted.

"You mean you can't see? " Mimir quipped.

" I mean that he's too young for- oh forget it. We should keep attacking. "

Their attack resumed, but with greater difficulty. She started moving faster, and her attacks left a greater effect of scarlet rot. Cuts from her blade looked as though they were festering and rotting, true to the name of the affliction. Kratos urged Atreus to keep his distance, as he was sure she could be fatal to him up close.

He stayed back, taking more time to aim and lead his target with the bloodbone arrows, since she was moving faster. Lore, Kratos and Let Me Solo Her continued attacking and attempting to dodge, even if they failed to dodge most of the time. Finally seeing that the attack was working, Malenia looked back to Atreus again. Kratos and Lore swung their axes and both connected with brutal attacks, with Let Me Solo Her getting in several more strikes at she proceeded. "She's desperate. She's going for him because he's a ranged attacker that she can't heal from." Mimir commented.

" She's about to die? " Kratos asked.

"Looks like it, brother."

In that moment, Kratos knew what was about to happen and halted his attack. Lore figured something was up and also stopped. Let Me Solo Her stopped attacking but kept running with her, just in case. As she reached Atreus, she raised her blade to strike at him. Reacting on instinct, Atreus pulled his blade and stabbed her in the neck, just below the jaw. She stopped attacking and started fading. "Your strength, extraordinary. The mark of a true Lord. O Miquella... Dearest Miquella, my brother... I'm sorry. I've finally met my match."

As the battle was finally over, Lore thanked them with golden gauntlets and many runes. He attempted to thank Let Me Solo Her, but he had already left. Lore bowed to them as they were transported back to Midgard.

...

They returned to the effigy near their home, with all of their haul still intact and ready to be taken home. They returned and stored the wood, followed by starting to salt and smoke the meats so they wouldn't spoil. Atreus pulled the last bloodbone arrow from the quiver and found a strange object in a pouch at the bottom. When he removed it, it appeared to be a doll's head. He squeezed it and it said "thank you" as it smiled.

"What do you think it means?" He asked Kratos.

" I can only imagine it means what it says. Thank you. Now come, dinner is cooking and there's still more to do. "