Chapter 29: The Light of Life

The large stone doors slowly cracked open, and Freya felt nothing but warmth emanating from the glowing gate. The light cascading from the opening was blinding at first, but soon she began to see past the radiant threshold. She saw a field of tall grass, stretching as far as the eye could see into the horizon. Warm, yellow light shined down from an out of view sun.

"You have earned an eternity of peace in the Field of Reeds, Queen Freya. An end befitting such a noble life," Anubis declared at her side. "Go now, enjoy your rest."

Freya wearily took her first step forward. I'm sorry Kratos, Atreus. I love you, both of you. May you live happy lives. I fear, I might not see you when they end..if I am here.

After a moment's hesitation, the proud queen reaffirmed her determination and continued her steps to the gateway. When she was nearly there, however, she heard a loud shout call out from behind her.

"Pardon me for interrupting but is there one dead Valkyrie queen here?"

Freya whirled around, seeing a man in black and white garb with a hand cupped to his mouth yelling. The stranger had disheveled blonde hair, and piercing green eyes.

Anubis growled at the intrusion, "Who dares enter this sacred domain!" The visage of peaceful warmth he had wielded since her arrival was gone now. It was replaced by a furious, snarling mouth of sharp teeth and glaring eyes. Anubis' ears were pulled back as he moved to attack their unexpected guest. Brandishing a curved, golden blade he charged the foreigner prepared to deal death himself.

The intruder rolled his eyes and groaned, "Oh for fuck's sake, down boy."

With a flick of his wrist, suddenly the desert was gone. The sands vanished, as well as the gates, and the warmth Freya had felt overflowing from the Field of Reeds ceased and left her feeling eerily cold. They were in nothing now. Just an eternal white void in all directions.

"Sorry, can't say I'm much of a dog person, unlike Kratos. I don't care much for fleas," the stranger muttered as he patted his pants to dust off some sand.

Freya blinked, "You know Kratos?"

The blonde man chuckled, "I wouldn't say know… More like, we struck an accord. It's why I'm here, I'm returning ya to him. You should have seen it. Big, proud man was on the verge of tears back there. 'Oh Freya I'm so sorry, I love you, Freya, don't leeeeeave me.' Who knew a god of war that toppled two kingdoms would be so unashamedly pathetic."

She stomped her foot, glaring at the blonde man. "If this is a trick I swear.."

Scoffing her interloper waved his hand. "Nah, tricks aren't my thing, love. I'm all about..equivalence, you could say. I don't like lying. If you don't believe me, no feathers off my back. I'll go back to your lonesome, little baldy in the living world and tell him you didn't want to come. I've only known the man three minutes but can tell ya you'd have a more peaceful time in that reed world thing the dog was goin' on about than dealing with 'im for an eternity. So what'll it be? You wanna go back to the doggy, or go home with your man."

Freya glare softened as tears began welling in her eyes. She had only just finally resolved herself that she would be leaving her loved ones behind, and now out of the blue this seeming savior arrives to whisk her back to the realm of the living. Her right hand clasped her opposite arm as she realized she was trembling.

The man's expression soured into one of disgust and annoyance as he groaned. "Alright, alright enough with the tears. Christ you lot love your crying. I'll take that as a 'yes I'd like to be alive again please." Right then, back to business."

Before Freya could react the world around her flashed white and she was blinded. When next she slowly opened her eyes, she was looking up into the devastated, exhausted face of Kratos.

"Kratos…?" Freya whispered between a dry throat and cold lips.

The god's eyes shot open in disbelief. "Freya. Freya!" Her head was in his lap, and he slouched down to embrace her. She realized that not only had tears watered her eyes in the afterlife a moment ago, but were now running down her cheeks in the land of the living as well. She slammed her eyes shut, reaching her arms around the broad shoulders of the spartan to return his embrace.

"I thought I lost you," he quietly exhaled as they hugged.

He pulled back so they could once more look into each other's eyes.

She stuttered trying to find words, "I… was at the gate. I died. Anubis..their god of death, or one of them.. judged me. I was going to the afterlife, but then…"

A cough from the opposite corner of the room stirred them both from their locked gaze. Freya groaned as she went to sit up, leaning heavily into Kratos' shoulder.

"You're welcome by the way," her supposed savior touted with a wave of his gloved hand.

Luci took a few steps closer to them as he beamed. "Now, well done team. Let's do this again sometime! Oh, and before I go. I might have forgotten to mention this when we struck our deal, but I'm going to add just one teeny, tiny rule neither of you can break..or I'll come right down and send ya both packin' for the afterlife, got it? You can't tell anyone. Not of me, not what I did. Nada. Clear?"

Freya looked to Kratos in complete confusion. Who was this man? How did he have the power to bring her back from death? Did Kratos know him? Trust him?

Kratos growled from behind gritted teeth, not once dropping his glare from the stranger, "Fine."

The stranger looked delighted as he now turned his gaze to Freya. "Your Majesty?"

She glanced quickly from her savior to Kratos and back. After a short, assuring nod from Kratos she sighed, and nodded to the blonde man. Not fully sure for what she was agreeing to, but trusting her partner completely.

"Splendid! Well, I hope the two of you have a good life, roses and happy tidings and all that. I've got a date with a certain Mayan ruler to incite a bloody, terrible war. I'll see youuuuu later Kratos. Byeeeeee!"

And with that, the bizarre god disappeared once more, for good, at least Kratos hoped. The spartan returned his gaze back to the goddess resting on his shoulder. "Are you in pain?"

She winced, exhaling and feeling what must have been her broken ribs. "Not terribly, all in one piece. You look like you had it pretty rough, though." Her hand softly cupped against the spartan's cheek. Her fingers traced through his coarse, dense beard on the sides of his face as she looked into those exhausted golden eyes. "Sorry for worrying you."

Those golden eyes closed, as he grunted. "Hrnph. You need not apologize, nothing that happened was your fault. Can you stand?"

Freya braced an arm against the floor as she grimaced and nodded. Kratos helped her to her feet, but then she promptly fell back into him as her legs' strength appeared to have not yet fully returned.

"Sorry, guess a body needs to get used to having a soul shoved back inside it," she whispered, her head braced against his chest.

A finger touched her chin, gently pushing, and guiding her face up to meet his. They stared into each other's eyes for a while, before Freya took a bold step forward, and brought her lips forward to meet his. Kratos did not shy away from the kiss, the opposite in fact, his strong arms wrapped around her, one on her back and one to the rear of her head. All of that warmth and peace Freya had felt from the Duat was nothing compared to the warmth radiating from the man she loved as they stood there together. His beard tickled her nose and chin, but his lips were surprisingly gentle.

After some moments she pulled back, to look into those unshakeable eyes once more. "Now what?"

He exhaled, not letting his grip go from her body, "We go home."