I feel like I should point out something. In this story, Calliope is currently wearing something similar to the Tunic of Hope, the default armor set for Atreus in God of War (2018) while Atreus himself would be wearing the Runic Vestment.

After a rather more pleasant meal, since the beginning of Fimbulwinter, the family had called it a day and rested. This would mark their second night together with Calliope now living with them. The sight of his sister resting beside his father was something Atreus was still not used to, let alone having a sister in the first place. But after seeing her fight by their side, he was really beginning to enjoy her company and hoped that he could help in her training just as he was progressing in his own. He held to those thoughts as he slept peacefully that night since he hasn't really had a good night's sleep as much these days. If it wasn't the bitter cold, it was the dreams that kept him awake. That dream about the menacing cloaked figure showing up at their door never left his memory, as it felt very real to him whenever he replayed it in his mind. He was certain it was an omen, a warning of things yet to come, but his father had told him to speak no more of it, telling him that whatever will come their way in a not-so-distant future, they will be ready.

But now it got him thinking "Where does Calliope fit in all this?" She wasn't in the dream. And Atreus didn't know that she even existed, let alone was part of his father's life before he was even born. He didn't want to question it, he wanted to be thrilled about having a sister, as she seemed sweet and kind, maybe even a little innocent. But he can't help but ask himself, "Why is she here?", and even he would be scared the find the answer to that question. He dare not think about it now as he slept and dared to dream. It was nice, as he found himself on top of a misty hill in a world blanketed by white and snow. The hill he was on seemed to stretch downward for miles, and he could barely see what lay at the bottom. But it was then that a sleigh was seen halfway buried in the snow, and Atreus took the opportunity to bring it up and use it to slide down. Upon doing so, did he realize how steep the hill was as he was gaining speed and...started to lose control.

"Oh no. Slow down. Please slow down!"

However, before the sleigh could fly off the hillside, a wolf came from out of the mist and was running alongside the sleigh. Atreus could see a rope attached to the wolf and wasted no time grabbing hold of the reigns, with Wolf now pulling the sleigh, Atreus now had better control over his speed as he continued down the hill.

"Woah! Okay...this is good." He said as the wolf was taking him...who knows where.

There seemed to be no end in sight, not with the mist covering everything forward. But Atreus allowed the wolf to be in control of where they were going. And after what seemed like an eternity, the snow seemed to flatten, meaning they'd reached the bottom of the hill. The Wolf and the sleigh came to a stop as Atreus got up and gave the animal a pet on its head.

"Thanks." He said as it barked happily, and it gestured to Atreus to look forward. The boy did so and up ahead did he see a light in the middle of the mist. He didn't know what it was, but it was there and it was the only thing visible around the place. Atreus walked and stretched his hand towards it. But just as he was about to touch it...he woke up. He was back in the cabin and he woke up to hear to sound of the groaning coming from the bed right next to his. Turns out that Kratos and Calliope were waking up at around the same time he was. Calliope sat up from the bed and rubbed her eyes while Kratos stood up and headed for his essentials at the table.

"Καλημέρα, Atreus. (Morning, Atreus.)" Calliope greeted her brother. "Πως κοιμήθηκες? (How did you sleep?)"

"Morning, Cal. I sleep fine, thanks."

Their attention turned to Kratos opening the door, already having the Axe and other assorted items in hand as he turned to his two children.

"Get yourselves ready." He told them both. "We'll need an early start for today."

"Gotta work on finding things for Calliope's staff, right?" Atreus asked.

"Yes, and for food. Yesterday, we got lucky. But today, we must go past the stave."

Getting up from the bed, Atreus grabbed his bow and arrows while saying "Let's do it." Calliope armed herself with her knife and followed her brother and father out the door. Wasting no time, Kratos led Atreus and Calliope down the path of the Wild Woods, heading to what was once the river they used to travel across the woods and onto the Lake of Nine. Though it was supposed to be morning, the sky was covered in a grey that light could barely break through, leaving the impression that Midgard was under an endless night of snow. Kratos and Atreus knew the paths well and did their best to try and clear them as much as they could. But often, do they find themselves knee-deep in snow, that there was no use in leaving behind a trail to make their way back. And since the snow relentlessly built upon itself, did it make it hard sometimes to even get some good footing, so they had to take it slow.

"Father...do you think we could make a sleigh?" Atreus asked. "Make it easier to maneuver around here?"

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea." Mimir said. "Make it easier for yourselves in order to not walk everywhere. I'm fine either way, as long as the snow does not reach me neck stump. What say you, brother?"

"Hmm...perhaps." Kratos replied. "But we would need a beast to pull the sleigh in order for us to get anyway."

"I think...I can handle that part." He turns to his sister. "You hear that, Calliope? We're gonna be getting a sleigh?"

"Uh...s-slay?" Calliope said, confused. It wasn't just the language, but there are some things she never got to experience back home, like riding a sleigh.

"Ένα έλκηθρο, κόρη. Μπορούμε να το χρησιμοποιήσουμε για να κινηθούμε στο χιόνι πιο γρήγορα. (A sleigh, daughter. We can use it to move through the snow quicker.)" Kratos explained and Calliope nodded in understanding. "For now, we must focus on collecting resources. Some of the strongholds we've been through may still have materials that can be collected."

"Wishful thinking, but I'd think you'd clear everything out of the places you've been to by now." Mimir said.

Atreus then said "There are some things we may have left behind due to poor timing. Hmm...maybe we can check our Tyr's vault again. There's sure to be stuff in there we can use."

"Aye, but I believe that any and all mechanisms of the Temple have been left frozen solid ever since Fimbulwinter hit."

"There's sure to be places we've missed around the lake." Kratos said. "If not...then I'm afraid the spear will have to wait."

"Που πάμε, τέλος πάντων; (Where are we going anyway?)" Calliope asked.

"We're...kinda mulling through our options."

The girl didn't get what her brother said, but decided not to ask as they approached some trees that appeared to have glowing branches. A space in between is where the glowing stopped, almost like it was an opening to a huge parameter around the woods.

"This is our Protection Stave, Calliope." Atreus explained to her. "It originally kept us safe from anything outside the Wild Woods, but since Father cut down the trees that my mother had marked, it's been left opened like this.

"Καλλιόπη, αυτό το πεντάγραμμο είναι αυτό που αρχικά κράτησε αυτά τα ξύλα. (Calliope, this stave is what originally kept these woods.)" Kratos explained to his daughter. "Τώρα αυτό έχει σπάσει, να είστε έτοιμοι για οτιδήποτε έξω. (Now that is broken, you be ready for anything outside.)"

"Ναι, Father. καταλαβαίνω. (Yes, Father. I understand.)" Calliope responded, determined to prove herself ready to face the challenges this world has to throw at her.

As they continued to walk through the snow, it was then that they noticed something in the distance. Looked to be a hut built from a small cave and some oak wood. Smoke was coming out of a bit of a makeshift chimney, so chances are that someone was home.

"Who could be crazy enough to settle in this snow?" Atreus asked.

"Take caution, my friends." Mimir said. "Aside from Hel-Walkers, the only other threat here..."

"Would be those savage enough to survive through Fimbulwinter." Kratos finished what Mimir was saying as they approached the hut. A door was the only way in and out as they opened it up to find a familiar face. Sindri, just the dwarf they wanted to see, working on weapons in the warmth of his forge's fire.

"Sindri?" Atreus asked, getting the Dwarf's attention.

"Oh! Hey there, fellas!" Sindri replied. "Didn't expect to see you all here."

"What are you doing here? Is this...your house?"

Sindri chuckled a bit after hearing that. "Oh, no! This is just another one of my shops I...surprisingly managed to move outside of Týr's temple."

"A forgery out in the middle of a never ending blizzard?" Mimir said. "Who would be stupid enough to come near a place this?"

"Uh...you really want me to answer that?" Sindri said. "Anyway, how's Calliope's new knife holding up? Up to the standards you wished for?"

Calliope, having heard her name, walked up to Sindri and presented her blade. "Σε ευχαριστώ και πάλι που το έφτιαξες, Cinder! Λειτουργεί πολύ καλά στη μάχη! (I thank you again for making this, Cinder! It works really well in battle!)"

Sindri didn't get that, but Atreus translated "She said it's working well and thanks you again."

"Ah. Well, you're welcome. I must say, I've never heard that language before, but it sounds...beautifully foreign."

"It is that of my homeland." Kratos said as he brought out his own journal again. "We require another weapon for my daughter's progression in combat." He shows the picture of the Dory to Sindri, who examines the details of the weapon. "Additional resources may be required for her to use it against greater enemies."

"I see..." Sindri said, keeping his eyes on the page as he pulls out what looked to be pliers and grabbed the book with it. Since he discovered the journal was old and dirty, and also stained with dried blood, he wasn't going to touch it as normally as he handles the weapons he upgrades for his friends. Putting the journal on the table, he gets a good look at the sketch and its notes. "And once again, your design of these weapons intrigues me. "Designed specifically for defensive capabilities over infantry", it seems. I can work with this. And you say you're looking for resources for this? Well, I'm afraid I'm a bit short on some myself, and any places you've previously encountered have either been picked clean or have been blocked."

"...Is there any other place you can think of?" Atreus asked.

Sindri thought about it for a second before something came to mind and started to explain "Well...I have noticed some recent activity happening somewhere up north from the Lake. They appear to be...human. But you know how they could be at times like this."

"Think they're Reavers?"

"Maybe even worse than that." Sindri said as he got to work on his merchandise. "Best to get yourself prepared if you're going down there. Speaking of which, I took the liberty of preparing some fresh coats of armor for the little lady. Wouldn't hurt to give her some clothes that fit, since those were obviously your son's, am I right?"

"Hmm..." Kratos agreed since he always provided what was needed for him and his son during their past journey. Even if the dwarves' prices were outrageously high, their armor did hold out well for them in the past. Even so, the last thing he wished for was for it to become more difficult, now having to provide for his daughter. For him, nothing was too good for her. Looking into what Sindri had in store, he decided to buy Calliope a vestment with a reasonable amount of fur and leather as a mix of protection and functionality. The tunic shirt that went underneath was in a white color compared to the greyish one of Atreus', and with a bit of blue embroidered into the sleeves to make up the native Norse artwork. To Atreus, it resembled the black tunic he wore during the time to honor his mother after her death (Death Vow's Tunic, God of War (2018)), but was a white version that fitted Calliope's form perfectly.

"It looks great, Calliope!" Atreus complimented.

"Μου αρέσει αυτό. Νιώθω πολύ ωραία. (I like this. I feels very nice.)" Calliope said.

"I'm quite impressed myself with how it came out." said Sindri. "Now, you'll be able to find where you're going North East of Týr's Temple, just is stuck facing the Jotenheim Tower ever since the Lake froze over. You'll know where to go when you get there."

Atreus nodded "Thanks, Sindri. See you...wherever."

"That, I can almost guarantee." The Dwarf remarked as he got back to work. And with that, the trio left the shop and headed back out.

"Well, Little Sister, how nice is it to have a fresh pair of garbs?" Mimir asked. "Because I wish I could still have some myself."

Almost immediately, did Atreus whisper into Calliope's ear about what the head was talking about, and it made the two snicker. Kratos turned his head back and hid a smile, continuing to love how his children were getting together.

"So, how are we gonna get to the place Sindri told us about? From what I remember, North East of the Temple was just the quarry of the Lake."

"Aye, but perhaps there's a canyon we may have overlooked. The waters of the lake held many secrets before we uncovered them. Perhaps Fimbulwinter could've unearthed another."

"We will use the travel door to make our way to the lake as quickly as we can." Kratos said, as the family backtracked to the cabin and headed to the travel door. Upon setting the travel to Týr's Temple, did the Old Spartan open the door and they all found themselves in the Realm Between Realms again. Calliope and Atreus moved ahead and the young girl took a moment to spin around and enjoy the sight of the World Tree's Branch."

"Δεν νομίζω ότι μπορώ να το συνηθίσω ποτέ. Αυτό το μέρος είναι τόσο όμορφο! (I don't think I can ever get used to this. This place is so beautiful!)"

Atreus chuckled "Trust me, Cal. You'll never forget your first time traveling through here."

"Aye. Too bad we cannot show the lass how to Realm Travel. I believe she would love to see all the realms we've visited in their majesty."

"Hmm...Indeed. She was often fascinated with new things." Kratos said as they left the realm between realms and found themselves back at the Huldra Shop. Much to Calliope's surprise, alongside Brok was Sindri, working as he was before.

"Hello again." He said. "Just in case you need a reminder, Northeast of the Temple, a huge crevasse in the quarry, you can't miss it. Oh, and I spotted a few territory markers, so you're probably do for some company up ahead."

Calliope looked a bit bewildered, pointing at Sindri while looking at her brother with confusion. How could he be here if they just saw him out in the woods?

"Heh, heh...Yeah, we forgot to mention that Dwarves can step...between...realms." Atreus awkwardly said, realizing how crazy that sounds, even if Calliope can't fully understand what he's saying. He turns to his father and said "I don't really know how to explain that to her. Let alone if you can translate."

Deciding to give her a basic understanding, Kratos turned to his daughter and said "Calliope, οι δύο νάνοι έχουν την ικανότητα να εμφανίζονται σε μέρη την κατάλληλη στιγμή. Μας είναι δύσκολο να το καταλάβουμε, αλλά σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις...μοιάζει σαν μαγικό. (Calliope, the two dwarves have an ability to appear in places at an appropriate time. It's difficult for us to understand, but in some cases...it seems like magic.)

"Ah..." Calliope nodded in understanding before looking at the dwarves and giving them a wave before walking toward the door. Sindri seemed to get the gist of what left her so confused.

"Right. I forgot she's new around here. Probably should've told her we could do that." He said as he got back to hammering. But turned to Kratos, saying "I hope your daughter is quick to adapt to things around here. It's not exactly safe for a little girl."

"As do I..." Kratos said as he and Atreus meet up with Calliope at the doors. And so, Kratos opened the door and the family met with a burst of cold air coming at them. Calliope could see that the Temple they came out of had a bridge that led to a tower at the far end; the symbol at its top, the best way she could describe it, appeared to be a double-sided hook. That's not the only thing that amazed her, as she decide to take a look at what she could see from where they were. They were high above a frozen lake, with the Temple at its center, and she could see many places afar, other towers, and this was just one side of the whole lake. It would've been a sight to see...about a year ago. Now the place looked rather desolate for anybody to travel across.

"Yep. This is the Lake of Nine." Atreus said without much excitement. "...Or what's left of it."

"The lake's still there. It's just now considerably frozen solid." Mimir correctly. "Shame we may never be able to go on boat rides like we used to. Huh, brothers?"

"Yeah. It did give us a chance to relax, and I did love all the stories we shared."

Calliope walked to the left end of the bridge and asked "Ποιο δρόμο πάμε; (Which way do we go?)

"Sindri said somewhere to the Northeast. The...Βορειοανατολικός." Atreus tried to explain to his sister. Calliope nodded as Kratos walked over to the lift.

"Come. We must move while there is still light." He said and his children followed them. As she saw her father turn the crack to bring the lift down, Calliope wondered what other challenges wait below on the frozen lake...

I'm not entirely sure if I have the location they're head to in the right spot. The map from the game is not easy to figure out. I hope you get an idea at where I'm leading our heroes in this story.