Chapter 20.5

Kratos said nothing as he continued to row the small boat through the waters of Midgard. At his side, Mimir's reanimated head was passionately telling the story of Ymir's creation to Atreus, who sat with his interest peaked at the front of the small rowboat. Kratos suppressed the urge to remind his son to focus, but even he too experienced a mild interest in Mimir's tale.

"And so, from the very start, Ymir became a being of pure creation and chaos!" the reanimated head exclaimed. "Ymir was the origin, the mother and father of everything that came after."

Atreus frowned slightly.

"Even the Aesir?" the young boy asked.

"Aye," Mimir said. Kratos could detect a satisfied tone in the head's voice, likely pleased that Atreus had been listening so closely. "Every god, man, and beast came from Ymir's flesh. Though it was the Aesir who thought themselves so superior that—"

Mimir's voice suddenly cut off, and Kratos heard a small gasp from the head tethered to his waist.

"Mimir?" Atreus asked. Kratos stopped rowing and pulled the head up to eye level at the continued silence. Mimir's eyes darted around, as though he was seeing something that Kratos could not.

"Head," Kratos demanded sternly. "Speak."

"I just felt it, Brother," Mimir whispered, his voice a mixture of shock and awe. "Something's coming. Something amidst the realm between realms. I've…I've heard whispers of it before, but never this close."

"What does it feel like?" Atreus asked with concern.

"It's dark and ferocious, lad," Mimir said with glance in the boy's direction. "And I doubt it will be offering us the bonds of friendship when it gets here."

"How powerful is this that you feel?" Kratos asked, his brow furrowing. "What is the strength of this creature?"

"It's no creature, Brother," Mimir said with worry. "It's a force, and it's already probing the barriers of the realm. Looking for a way inside. I can't speak more to it, but all I know is that it's coming."

Across from him, Atreus looked nervous, and Kratos frowned once more before returning Mimir to his belt and rowing once again. If what the head said was true, then they would need to hasten their plans. The boy was not ready, but that mattered little to whatever force Mimir spoke of. All Kratos could do was prepare him as best as he could.