It was done.
It was over.
The Ghost of Sparta had gotten his revenge on the very Gods that had been manipulating him from the beginning.
Kratos looked over the overwhelming chaos ensuing from the death of the Gods caused by his rampage. The most recent being his own father and the King of Gods himself, Zeus.
Despite his apparent victory, Kratos stared blankly at the ensuing chaos. Not an ounce of satisfaction was felt from him. Despite everything, Kratos did not feel fulfilled at all. Everything felt… Hollow. Was it all truly worth it in the end? The Spartan can no longer tell at this point.
"You have done well, Kratos." The ghostly apparition of the dead Goddess of Wisdom spoke out from behind him. Athena wore a proud smile on her face as she congratulated the Spartan. "Free from the bonds of Olympus and cleansed in chaos! Mankind will finally be ready to hear my message!" She boasted.
Kratos snaps around at the ghost. "Look around you, Athena! The world stands in ruin! What good is your message?" Kratos looked back at the end of the cliff and stood ever so closely at the edge.
"Go if you must! But I insist you give me the power you found inside the box!" Athena requested.
"The box… Was empty." Kratos states with a stern tone. His eyes ignite with a blue flame which was taken notice by Athena.
"That can't be true. I can see it in your eyes! You used my power to kill Zeus! You still have it as we speak!" Athena said, slowly losing patience at the stubborn Spartan.
But Kratos didn't care. He snapped around and looked over at the horizon of thunderclouds and tornados. "I told you it was empty. Pandora's sacrifice was in vain. She died… Because of my need for vengeance."
But Athena didn't buy it. She assumed that Kratos was only bluffing so she replied back. "You must be mistaken. You used my power to kill Zeus! I saw you do it! The power you drew from the box is mine. From it, you gained the strength that Zeus could never destroy… A strength great enough to overcome Fear. Locked deep inside you, Kratos… Is Hope."
Kratos looked down at his palm and saw that a blue flame had ignited on top of it, similar flames that were used to overpower Zeus and his Fear. Athena spoke up again. "That's why you need to give me the power, Kratos. I understand its true meaning and where it belongs! I trust you to do the right thing, Kratos."
Kratos did not listen to her. He just walked aside towards the Blade of Olympus. He crouched down to pick up the weapon. "You shouldn't." He stated with a somber tone in his voice.
Athena's patience with the stubborn Spartan was wearing thin at this point. She started to raise her voice in an attempt to get him to give up the power. "You owe me this, Kratos!"
Kratos then picked up the Blade of Olympus and pointed it at Athena. "I owe you nothing!" He yelled with a growl.
Athena glared at Kratos. " I made you a God! I sheltered you from the wrath of Olympus! I delivered your revenge on Zeus-"
"It is over, Athena." Kratos cut her off. Power and energy began to slightly pulse off the blade.
Athena was taken aback and appalled at the implications of what Kratos was about to do. "You are willing to strike me down… Again?!"
"... My vengeance… Ends now."
Kratos raised the blade high up into the air and channeled it's energy through it. Power and lightning coursed through the blade as it started to glow brighter and brighter. "Kratos, don't!" Athena pleaded to him.
Then in a swift motion, Kratos swung the blade down… But not at Athena, but to his own self. The blade was now pointed directly at his own chest. Athena watched in horror as Kratos impaled himself through the chest with the blade. Kratos drove the blade deeper to really seal the deal.
"You fool! What have you done!?" Athena demanded answers from Kratos.
Kratos began to float high in the air and a concentrated beam of blue energy shot from his chest and into the clouds above. The energy overwhelmed the clouds and exploded into smithereens and particles of bright blue embers. Once the power dissipated, Kratos was sent back to the ground with the blade still deeply impaled to his chest.
Athena stared at Kratos with confusion and rage at what he had just done. "That was meant for me! They will not know what to do with it!" With nothing left to do, Athena floated towards Kratos and held onto the blade while forcing him to look her in the eyes. "You… Disappoint me, Spartan."
With that said, Athena pulled out the blade from Kratos's chest and tossed it away. She began to float away right before disappearing into thin air, never to be found again.
Now Kratos was truly well alone. All he had left to do now is lie in a pool of his own blood while his life slowly drained from him. His breaths were short and labored. The light was starting to leave his eyes. Everything was going dark. The only thing Kratos can do now was reflect on what he had done while he slowly dies alongside the world.
His breathing started to become slower.
The darkness was starting to engulf his vision.
And then…
He stopped breathing.