Chapter 18: The Red River
Fenrir slowly wandered up out of the river rapidly panting. The exhausted giant's feet and fur damp with water and blood. His nose sought out a familiar smell, and once finding it he collapsed to the ground contentedly wagging his tail. Angrboða reached up to pet the massive wolf's wet nose, following swiftly with a hug into the bloody fur around his mouth. The former Helhound had suffered a few injuries during the battle, several deep gashes from Maahes' claws as well as a bite on his thigh. Luckily the smaller chaos beasts had stood little chance against the titanous wolf. Atreus slid down off his pet's back, and embraced his love.
"Good job," she whispered with a proud smile before leaning in to kiss him. They stood like that embraced for a while, until they heard heavy footsteps approaching them. Kratos walked forward, clasping a hand to a shoulder each of his son and Angrboða. "Thank you," he sternly uttered to the pair of lovestruck giants. Walking past them, he approached the exhausted wolf and caressed the fur under his jaw vigorously. "Good boy. Very good boy."
Soon after, the sound of wings descended from the sky. First she hugged Atreus, glad to see him safe from harm, and then the giantess. At this point Kratos was staring out towards the river in solitude. Freya made her way over and stood beside him without any acknowledgment of her arrival.
"I'm fine, by the way," she tested with a hint of irritation after several minutes of silence. She had saved him in midair from Nut's grasp and he couldn't even come looking for her?
"I was wrong," was all the god flatly said, his eyes not wavering from the bloodied waters before them. Even in the pale red moonlight the dark waters looked ghostly with the presence of so many humans' blood.
Fine, I'll bite.
"About what? This time."
The spartan sighed, "The night of Ra's death. I wished you to stay behind because you lacked armor or weapons, yes…but I see now a part of it was out of my own selfishness. I wished to protect you. I slayed my first family, and lost Faye simply from the impossibility of fighting mortality. I have had to say goodbye to too many in my life. Atreus, you, you're the only family I have left. I learned I could not protect the boy during Ragnarok, and now I realize the error in repeating the same mistake with you. So, I am sorry." He turned to her now, locked eye to eye. "You are a more than capable warrior, I trust you. We have fought many things together, and we will fight these gods and monsters together as well. Thank you.. for saving me today."
She was speechless for a few moments. What minor frustration she clung to melted into respect and admiration. Kratos continually just proved himself to be the best man she had ever known in her life.
Freya folded her arms with a smirk. "First your son saves you, now me. You're getting rusty on me Ghost of Sparta," she warmly taunted.
That earned a snort from the god as he turned back to the river. "I have been..distracted, lately. I can feel it. My mind and body are not one. I have not felt this before. Even when I was at my lowest upon arriving to Midgard I could still fight mind and blades in absolute harmony. Now… Ever since coming here, it's as if I cannot fully concentrate."
Her arms slid from their folded position as she moved forward and rested an arm on his shoulder. Freya's head tilted a touch to the side as she looked into Kratos' golden eyes staring at the ground. "You're distracted? You don't know from what?"
Silently, the god's eyes twitched to the side as his brain strained to formulate racing thoughts into words. "I have had..much to think about, in our time here, and even before. Atreus suddenly being here, so many new potential allies and enemies among Egypt's gods, my family's safety, and my mind continues to return to the prophecy I saw, the day Atreus left."
Kratos had indeed told her of the final giant's vision he saw in the hidden panel on the cabinet's rear. "Where you're golden and glowing and people worship you?"
"Hnff," was all the spartan replied.
"What of it?"
Kratos returned to the waterfront now as her hand slid from his shoulder, falling to her side. Looking down into the murky waters he murmured, "How can I be that god? I've spent my whole life believing people are better off without gods. Being here, seeing how the Egyptian gods treat their people. The slavery, the many, overly wasteful feasts and parties they have, how some of their own would be pushed to turn against their kin. Why would it be prophesied that I would be a god worthy of respect and worship when I do not believe gods do not deserve such things to begin with."
A small smile of sincere concern crossed Freya's lips. The world thought of Kratos as a mindless, rageful force of chaos that left bodies and pantheons in his wake. She knew that there was so much more to this man then any gave him credit for. Beneath that ashen, sturdy wall of an exterior was a being that cared so much about doing the right thing and protecting others. Anyone that could call him a monster or anything of the like showed immediately that they did not understand who Kratos truly was.
She moved to stand beside him once more as they looked down into the waters of the massive river together. Her arm bravely, and slowly, snaked around his until her elbow was touching his side and his forearm was straight down against her side. "Then don't worry about being the kind of god that deserves worship. Don't bother yourself with what mortals will think of your actions. You are a good man Kratos. Just continue on with what you've been doing, trust those you care about in your life, and you'll become a god worthy of anyone's respect. You certainly have mine, and many of the other gods' here now as well. I didn't think you were one for worrying about fate or the thoughts' of mortals."
"I suppose, I find myself thinking of the future more lately, more than I have in the past," he uttered, the pair continuing to look out at the calm flow of the Nile's course. Somewhere behind them they heard the colossal wolf rolling around in it to cleanse his fur. The shouts of gods and other mortals clearing the remains of the bodies from the shallows would be heard as well.
"They were bringing the bodies here," Kratos pondered aloud after a few minutes' quiet, "The beasts weren't eating them, they were purposefully bringing them to the water first. All of them. Did Nut say anything before you finished her?"
The Vanir's eyes rose and her mouth contorted as she tried to figure out how best to explain the Egyptian's death. "She, uh, didn't get the chance to speak much, no."
The party left the shore after another short while and met up with the other Egyptian deities that had been fighting in the town. After the feast last week, most had returned to their respective cities and temples, but a few fortunately had stayed behind. Baast, Geb, another man with an ape's face she met at the party named Aani, and some others she didn't recognize. Luckily, it appeared they had all come out of the battle with little more than shallow wounds, scratches, and a number of bruises. The same could not be said for the mortals. Judging from what carcasses they could find, and the many more presumed eaten by the beasts, it appeared two thirds of the city's population had been wiped out overnight, or over the afternoon..with the moon constantly out still in the crimson sky it was nigh impossible to tell the time.
"Roughly 2,842 souls lost. Very troubling," Thoth theorized as he scribbled into some parchment. Or perhaps it was an accurate count? Freya couldn't tell. They returned to the palace after the survivors were all accounted for to rest and tend to wounds. Some of the gods, such as Geb, remained behind to clear the carcasses of the monsters and dead mortals. Maahes' colossal corpse remained decomposing in the desert just outside the city. Baast had gone to see it after the battle, to say a proper goodbye to her son. She thanked Atreus and Fenrir for ending his torment.
Soon after that, Angrboda had returned home with Fenrir. While her magic still worked abroad, it was at its most powerful in her home realm. And while none of the injuries the wolf sustained were immediately life threatening, the lion's attacks still left large wounds that would take time to heal. Atreus remained behind, determined to see the mission through alongside his father and Freya. Kratos knew his son would be worried for Fen, and this was the first true battle the wolf had seen. But his pet's spirit had inherited the body of a Helhound, and surely would prove very resilient.
"Let us see. Hmm, yes very troubling. Kratos, I sense something dark on the horizon," the Egyptian scribe continued on, eyes not leaving the papers he was jotting words onto.
Freya sighed, "Yes, we know that much. Five Egyptian gods dead in a week, thousands of mortals killed. Apparently they have the power to turn your kind into these chaos monsters now as well."
Thoth shook his head in dissent. "Apophis has been in these lands as long as Ra. The serpent has created very powerful chaos beasts, yes, but never with a god. The ones Kratos fought previously were among the strongest the chaos demon has created. Something new, these…foreign gods. They've aided his power, helped him with the ability to corrupt even more powerful forms."
The spartan nodded, "The hippo I fought before was very large, but even that was smaller than Maahes. The hippo went down fairly quickly when I used my blades, I could cut clean through its hide. Maahes was stronger, it took three gods and Fenrir just to shift the balance in our favor. We need to find them, and we need to find them now. You said before Khonsu was the most likely culprit for heading the betrayers. Does he have a temple?"
Nodding in reply Thoth laid his quill down and rubbed his human brows. "Yes, but it is very far away. Too long of a journey. These creatures don't move with such speed, and Nut had not been gone long enough. She is a sky goddess, but she cannot travel that quickly. It doesn't add up. They must be closer, hiding somewhere in a nearby city. Their goal was to dump bodies in the river, they will surely strike again in one of the other cities along the Nile. Regretting now sending Sobek to watch your home in your stead, should have sent Ma'at or another."
"Well, we need rest, and to bathe. Kratos you haven't been this covered in blood in at least a year I'd say," Freya interjected. They had fought two gods tonight and it had taken much of their energy. The trio needed to recuperate. Kratos grunted in agreement, and they left the scribe to his notetaking.
They bathed, ate, and tended to their battle injuries. Kratos' healing ability was still not fully restored after his short comma from the cursed blade's injury, and with Freya's magic gone and Atreus' powers still growing they needed the break. When night fell the three resumed their usual sleeping arrangements. Freya slept on the bed, Kratos the floor, and Atreus the chair once more. The boy was lightly snoring from the corner of the room, and Freya slept soundlessly under the covers. Kratos could not sleep.
He laid awake on the floor, staring out the window at the dark crimson sky. This was the first time he had noticed there were no stars in it. The moon was still there, with a light pink glow, but the stars had all been wiped from sight. The spartan laid, thinking of Greece again. During the height of the battle on Olympus, it had seemed like the world itself was ending. When Posiedon died, the seas rose, probably wiping out tens of thousands of mortals in his homeland. After ripping Helios' head off, dark clouds blocked out the sun and it rained unendingly. As Hera died, all that was green wilted and died with her. There was Hades, Hermes, his father, so many gods died that day. And each one rocked Greece to its core and further plunged it into despair.
But he had seen with his own eyes his homeland returned to former glory and peace. No gods, no sacrifices or servitude. Mortals living as mortals, for mortals. Kratos had long known, firsthand, how cruel and useless gods were. Some had shown him their potential for good, such as Freya, but for the majority used mortals like toys or slaves with no disregard. As the lying god looked out on the darkened, sun-less sky, he wondered what Greece or Midgard saw in the sky. Were their skies dark too? Was Egypt's sky dark when Kratos was slaying the Greek pantheon?
Eventually he managed to drift off, but only a few hours passed before they were awakened by panicked shouting. Thoth burst into the room, his eyes bloodshot and wide with terror. His skin looked nearly as pale as Kratos'.
"A-apologies for the disturbance. Something's happening, Kratos. I felt it. I felt that same tickling sensation when I foresaw Ra's end. Memphis, something dark transpires in Memphis. It's to the south. If you sail within the hour you'll be there before sunbreak, or what would have been."
The trio said nothing as they leapt from their rest and prepared for departure. There was a great deal of uncertainty in these lands, especially which of the countless gods could be called an ally, but they trusted Thoth. Freya hoped they wouldn't regret it.
Within an hour the three of them were at the docks, making way for the ship that would sail them south to Memphis. Freya could see Bast and Geb already onboard, as well as some of the other unknown gods from the battle earlier. Thoth followed along behind them trying to keep pace with his aged legs. As Kratos and the others ascended the plank up to the boat's deck, he paused. Turning, they saw that the Egyptian scribe was not following them.
"You do not come?" Kratos muttered.
Thoth shook his head, his gaze dropped to the wooden planks beneath his feet. "I'm truly sorry to entrust this to you, Kratos. Had I been born a god of war, the river, any other power I would help. But I am weak, and I am a coward." He took a few steps closer to the spartan now, raising his eyes to lock with Kratos'. "I am sorry to put the fate of my lands on your shoulders. If I could assist you I would. I am only a god of notetaking, record keeping. Hold onto the key I gave you, I'll be able to hear what transpires through it, and hopefully it can give you the light of the sun to guide your way. That is all I can do. I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"
With that, he silently turned and returned back down the boardwalk leading into the city. As the ship detached from the docks and began its journey, Kratos and Freya remained, watching the short, old Egyptian god until he disappeared from sight.
"Whatever we're going into, it's not going to be pretty," she finally uttered after a few minutes of silence.
"Hnnph, it never is."
They made their way to the bow of the ship, keeping a watchful gaze to the darkened waters for signs of an ambush from chaos beasts or other foes. Bast and Geb soon joined them, brandishing golden armor and headdresses..
"I thought your kind couldn't damage the attackers, at least with what your sister said," Atreus posed the newcomers.
Bast's cat ears tucked down as she hissed, "We may not be able to wound the foreign gods, but we can kill the beasts without issue. I will not sit by and watch as the cowardly pieces of shit that did that to my son, our sons, do as they please. They will answer for what they've done this night, and if my own blood must coat the sands to do so, then I will gladly bleed."
Kratos raised an arm to calm the enraged panther goddess. "We do not know what we will be walking into. If I were to guess, our enemies sent your son and the others as a distraction, drawing our eye from their true purpose. Were it not for Thoth's vision we'd have no idea something is occurring here. Even if we think we are catching them unaware, they are surely ready for the event of our arrival. It is a great likelihood we are walking into a trap. The three of us will focus our efforts on whatever gods there are that are protected from your powers. You were able to kill Nut, so it stands to reason your own kind is not immune. You and the others will deal with the chaos creatures. Does that sound agreeable?"
Bast thought for a moment, looking briefly to Geb, and the pair nodded. "Very well, we shall inform the others."
The Egyptians descended down the stairs to join the other deities on the main deck. Kratos turned to look at Freya and his son now. "We stick together, we have each other's backs. We don't know how many there are, or how strong they are. Now, if all fails, if the worst happens, Atreus…use the summoning orb, have Angrboða open a gate, get through it and close it immediately."
Atreus blinked in sudden shock. "What. No! I'm staying here, fighting with you. We'll win!"
The spartan clasped his hands to the young man's shoulders now. "Atreus, we do not know what odds we are walking into. If it goes badly, if we get separated and the tide is turned in their favor. Go. Live to fight another day. You have too much on your shoulders. The fate of your people, your mission. If we are there with you then we will join you, but if we aren't, leave us all the same."
His son's head spun to Freya now, looking for her to join him in telling Kratos he was mad for thinking he'd leave. She sighed, "You need to listen to your father, Atreus. You have such, such an important role to still play in this life. If it comes down to it, you need to save yourself. Please."
Head spinning from left to right in disbelief, the giant broke contact with his father as he moved to the railing. "I can't just leave you guys. You're my family, dad…"
Kratos grunted as he went to stand beside his son, "Atreus, I have lived many lifetimes. Most of my life I have been filled with nothing but rage and regret. It's through you, your mother, Freya, I learned not to be. If I die tonight, I can tell you without question, that this is the most at peace I've ever been in my life. What would bring me even more peace, is to know you were safe, and lived to fight again. Lived for your people. I need you to promise me, whatever happens, if things turn for the worse, you will live, for me."
The young man's face looked so much like the boy she had met nearly a decade before now as it turned to look at her again. His cheeks were raised, his eyes echoed hopelessness and uncertainty. She walked forward, and embraced him in a tight hug. "You are my son. I did not birth you, but I view you as my own. I agree with your father. Having you in my life has been the greatest blessing I had never imagined. You gave me a chance to be a mother properly, earnestly. If I die tonight, I leave this world with no regrets. So yes, Atreus, please. Promise us. I'm sorry to have to ask this of you, it's selfish and not fair, I know. But please," she whispered into his ear.
Pulling back from the hug, he looked from her eyes to his before his gaze fell to the ship's deck in defeated acceptance. "Alright, if it goes badly, I'll get out. I promise."