19

The Final Stone

Outside of the Golden City, the battle was slowly turning into a bloodbath as Thanos' forces ploughed into the Wakandan defenders. There wasn't much that could be done to stem the endless tide of Outriders that surrounded the city's energy shield, and the defenders were losing.

Bucky stabbed wildly into the monster on top of him. The Outsider's screams and shrieks slowly died off as the creature lost too much blood to continue living. Steve and King T'Challa kicked, punched and scratched their way through the swarm, but still more came. Thousands of the berserking creatures clawed, scrambled and climbed over each other to breach the small opening in the Wakandan shield.

Overhead, War Machine sent a volley of rocket fire into the swarm, vaporizing hundreds, but still more came. His supporting fire was cut short as a giant hammer knocked him out of the sky.

Cull recalled his hammer and sneered as War Machine slammed into the ground.

T'Challa, caught off-balance, didn't notice the Outrider charging him head-on. The creature tackled him and tossed the king around across the dirt. Another Outrider joined in the fun, tossing him around like a ragdoll.

Steve tried to fight off the aliens as they piled on top of him, but all he could do was protect his vital organs from the slashes and scratches that slowly ate away at his armour and flesh.

"There's too many of them!" Banner cried out as the Outrider horde clambered all over his Hulkbuter armour, scratching bit by bit into the metal that protected him. He let out one last yell of defiance as he waited for his inevitable death.

Suddenly, a blast of multicoloured light shot from the sky to the ground. The Outrider army stopped and paused as they looked on. Their curiosity was rewarded with a volley of electricity as Stormbreaker shot out of the beam, zapping any outrider it came near with a blast of lightning. Another axe shot from the beam. Leviathan zipped around the battlefield, chopping outrider bodies like hot butter, and freezing any that came too close to its frosted blade. The beam dissipated, revealing the heroes within. Thor, Kratos, Loki, Groot and Rocket, all lined up. Thor and Loki held out their hands, and their respective axes returned to them.

"Haha! You guys are so screwed, now!" Banner yelled across the battlefield.

"Let's kill us some bad guys!" Mimir roared.

"Ready, boy?" Kratos asked as the waves of outriders charged towards them.

"As I'll ever be..." Loki said, his black robes becoming engulfed in ice armour in a flash of light.

The group charged the oncoming swarm. Kratos activate the Stark-designed wings and flew straight into the endless tide, his sheer brute momentum slicing through dozens of Outriders before he landed. He rolled to the ground, let go of the Blades of Chaos' handles and began to swing the flaming blades into the horde.

"BRING ME THANOS!" Thor roared as he leapt into the air, bringing Stormbreaker down onto the oncoming horde. The axe shot out a massive blast of lightning, shattering the ground and killing hundreds of outriders.

"Glad you could make it, Ghost. Thor." Steve said as he caught up to them. "Where the hell did you go?!"

"I will explain when I'm not busy!" Kratos barked back, his blades gracefully slicing through the Outrider swarm. Dozens charged him, and dozens fell. He grabbed one by its hind leg, smashed it into the ground, and tossed it into its brethren, knocking back a column of the scrambling creatures.

"I'll explain, I'm not terribly busy," Mimir said as he bounced around on Kratos' belt. "We were kidnapped by a...behind you, brother! By a wizard who wanted to reunite Kratos with his son at Thor's request. Then we...oof! Fought a death god, undead Asgardians, aliens, Thanos, MORE aliens, evil cultists and finally a fallen angel. Now we're here. You're welcome!"

"There's...too many questions to ask, so I won't bother. Good to have you back." Steve answered, stabbing an Outrider in the neck with his Wakandan-made shields.

Loki teleported into the air and used his own magic to hover above the battle.

"Let's try this new upgrade." He said to himself. He aimed the axe's blade at the opening of the energy shield and closed his eyes. The axe shot a beam of hyper-frozen air at the opening, freezing the swarm as they squirmed past each other to get in. The beam cut through the herd, the Outrider blood freezing to the ground and creating a surface of ice. The Outriders slipped and tripped as they tried to get through the shield's opening.

"Not so threatening now, are you?!" Loki laughed out loud as he watched the creatures slide on the ice like dogs.

Cull Obsidian looked up. He grunted as he aimed his hammer to the sky, once again. Loki noticed the incoming hammer just in time and teleported out of the way. Cull looked around, confused as to where his target went.

"Hello there." Loki said directly behind Cull. Cull jumped and spun around, bringing his hammer down on Loki. Loki stood and smiled as the hammer crashed down on him. The hammer slammed into the dirt, shooting up earth and weeds with the force of its impact. Cull raised his hammer and did a double-take as Loki was still standing there, smiling.

"Try again, if you would like to." Loki jeered.

Cull approached Loki and moved his hand through the projection. His confusion was quelled quickly as Loki brought his axe down into Cull's shoulder. Cull screamed as the axe froze his arm. He swung his unfrozen arm wildly, hitting Loki square in the chest. Loki went tumbling across the field, then teleported away. Cull looked at his shoulder.

"What was that?!" Proxima said, removing her spear from a Wakandan soldier.

"He tricked me!" Cull replied.

"Fool! Focus on the big ones. I'll deal with the smart ones." Proxima scolded.

Cull nodded and turned his eyes to Bruce and the Hulkbuster armour.

/

"Behind you!" Lexie warned Kratos as warning lights lit up on his HUD. Kratos turned around and pulled out the Cestus, smashing it into the face of an Outrider as it leapt for him. The Outrider's face crumbled, sprayed blood all over Kratos' armour.

"You're welcome." Lexie said as Kratos fought on.

"You are developing an attitude, helmet." Kratos grunted as he smashed the Cestus into the gut of another creature.

"I spent enough time with you, big guy. I'm a learning computer." Lexie replied.

"Then learn how to fire those rockets." Kratos replied.

"Very well, automated rocket fire activated. Watch the backblast area."

Kratos heard a chunk as the rocket pods on his shoulders activated, sending a volley into the swarm that continued to breach the shield.

Kratos backed into Loki, and the two spun around. They both relaxed as they each saw who it was.

"I have a cool idea." Loki said.

"Will it kill?" Kratos asked.

"Oh yes." Loki said with a smirk. "Spin on of your chain sword things."

Kratos turned to the swarm, pulled out a blade and spun it on its chain, creating a whirlwind of flame as it spun. Loki stood behind Kratos and swung the Leviathan axe. The axe created a blast of air which pushed against the flame whirlwind created by Kratos' blade. The massive wave of flame blew across the battlefield, engulfing hundreds of Outriders in flame. The horde began to flail and writhe aimlessly as the godly flame melted their flesh instantly.

Loki swung the axe again, sending a burst of wind across the field. The charred Outrider bodies shattered, turning into dust as the wind carried their ashes away.

"You are improving." Kratos said. "A good warrior uses his wits to fight."

"Doesn't explain how you keep winning fights." Loki said with a grin.

"Watch it..." Kratos grunted as his suit sent another volley of rockets into the swarm.

Kratos turned to the rumblings in the distance. Something bigger than Outriders was coming. Much bigger. The trees were violently uprooted by something approaching from underground. The shield flickered as the ground underneath expanded upward. There was a deafening crash as massive machines exploded from the ground. Giant wheels, propelled by blades that chopped through the ground, cam pouring out from the ground, eviscerating Outriders and Wakandans alike. The wheels split off from each other and began to carve random paths through the battlefield.

"Focus that fire of the left flank, Sam." War Machine's voice said over the comms.

"I'm doing it!" Falcon answered.

Kratos watched as one of the machines came straight for him. He waited for it to reach him, then dodged out of the way, recovered and kicked the side of the machine's armour. The machine fell over, slid a few meters and came to a stop. Kratos jumped onto the machine, found the cockpit and punched his fist into the hull. The metal separated easily, revealing the Chitauri pilot inside. Kratos pulled the jittering alien out and ripped him in half. Purple blood spilt onto his armour.

He threw away the Chitauri body and looked to the flank. Natasha and Okoya were in the direct path of a machine cluster. Kratos activated his wings and flew over.

"Get down!" He roared as he landed and held out his arms to stop the machines. Before they reached him, a red energy field engulfed the machines, stopping them instantly and lifting them off the ground. Kratos looked behind him. Wanda was standing there, her arms and eyes glowing with red energy. She looked behind her and saw a horde of Outriders charging them. With a grunt, she pulled the machines past her, crushing the swarm under the wheels as they skidded across the ground.

"You have improved." Kratos said.

"I had a horrible teacher." Wanda said with a smirk.

"Why was she up there all this time?" Okoya asked.

"Guys, we got a vision situation here!" Falcon announced over the comms.

He turned to Natasha. "Where is he?"

Natasha pointed to the tower in the distance. Kratos leapt into the air and soared towards the tower.

"Somebody get to Vision!" Steve yelled over the radio.

"I'm heading there." Kratos replied.

"I got 'em!" Bruce called out.

"I'm on my way- ungh!" Wanda grunted before her radio cut out.

"Guys, Vision needs backup now!" Bruce called out.

/

"I thought you were formidable, machine." Corvus sneered as his spear dug deeper into Vision's chest. "But you're dying. Like any man."

Vision's eyes darted to something behind Corvus. Corvus gasped and dodged just in time to miss a slash from the Blades of Chaos. Corvus ripped the spear from Vision's chest and spun around.

"The Hero of Xandar!" Corvus exclaimed. "I will bring your head on a trophy to fa-"

Corvus was cut short as Kratos chopped his head off faster than he could react. Corvus' body collapsed to the ground. Kratos put the blades away and knelt beside vision. Steve burst through the treeline.

"Sorry I could not live up to your expectations, War God." Vision groaned as the wound sent flickers of light through his damaged body.

"What repairs can be made, now?" Kratos asked, looking at the stab wound.

"Nothing can be done here." Vision replied. "Get me back up there."

Kratos looked up at the tower. He let out his wings.

"Vision!" Wanda cried out as she landed, running to Vision and kneeling beside him.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

Vision's eyes went wide as a high pitched sounds came from the Mind Stone. Vision grunted in pain as he bent over.

"What? What is it?!" Wanda asked.

Vision's eyes darted left and right, scanning the forest.

"He's here." He replied.

The forest had grown silent as Thano's siege craft lifted off the ground into the atmosphere. The wind began to pick up as the trees began to creak.

"Everybody on my position. We got incoming." Steve said sternly over the radio.

"What the hell?" Natasha said as she scanned the creaking trees.

Bruce turned as the wind behind him began to pick up. A strange portal began to open up in the distance. The portal formed fully, and out stepped the Mad Titan, Thanos. Kratos unsheathed his blades as the group formed a line around Vision.

"Guys," Bruce stated. "That's him."

"Do not go against him alone. You will die." Kratos ordered. "Attack from the flanks. He has many stones, but only two eyes."

"Incoming!" Mimir yelled.

The group dodged as a beam of purple energy smashed into the dirt. Kratos felt the impact of rocks and dirt on his helmet.

"Lexie. Find a way to kill him." Kratos ordered.

"Warning. I'm reading an ungodly amount of power coming from this guy. Suggest immediate withdrawal."

"No withdrawal this time." Kratos muttered. "This time, neither of us leave until one is dead."

"Kratos. Wanda. Guard Vision. The rest of us, you heard the man, attack his flanks!" Steve yelled. "Stay sharp!"

Thanos looked on as Bruce and Steve charged him. He pointed his glove at Bruce, and in a flash of turquoise, Bruce began to move in slow motion. He glided through Thanos as if he were made of air, then ghosted into the rock in the distance. Thanos lifted his power on Bruce, embedding him in the rock.

Steve jumped onto Thanos, ramming his shields into Thanos' skull. Thanos grunted, then reached behind him. He grabbed Steve and plunged him into the ground, creating a small crater in the dirt. T'Challa and Falcon came at Thanos from both flanks. Thanos looked up at Falcon as he strafed him with machine gunfire. He pointed the gauntlet at Falcon, and in a burst of blue, turned Falcon's wings into hyperdense material, too heavy to fly. Falcon fell to the ground. He tried to get up, but his ultra-heavy wings held him to the ground with their weight.

"Wanda." Vision groaned. "It's time."

"No!" Wanda replied.

"They can't stop him, Wanda, but we can."

Wanda looked to the battle.

"Look at me!" Vision said, grabbing Wanda's arm. "You have the power to destroy the stone."

"Don't…" Wanda pleaded.

"You must do it, Wanda, please." Vision said, placing Wanda' hand on his cheek. "We are out of time."

"I can't." Wanda whispered.

"I will defend you until the end." Kratos added. "If I fall, you are all that's left. If I fall...you must do it."

"If you were here, would you do it?!" Wanda screamed.

Kratos sighed. "You must."

"If he gets the stone, half the universe dies." Vision said, his eyes twitching, trying to hold back his emotions. "It's not fair. It shouldn't be you, but it is. It's alright...You could never hurt me."

Wanda's lower lip quivered. She looked into Vision's eyes and stepped back.

Black Panther leapt into the air, punching and scratching Thanos in the back. Thanos lurched forward onto his knees. T'Challa moved to kick Thanos down, but he was slowed to a halt in mid-air in a flash of green. Thanos picked himself up, turned around and punched T'Challa's face several times. Thanos released him from the Time Stone's power, and the momentum of Thanos' fist sent T'Challa flying backwards into the forest.

One by one, the Avengers fell. Bucky, Groot, War Machine, Widow, Okoya, all attacking him at once, in different directions. Thanos brushed every attack off his shoulders, knocking down everybody who challenged him. Some got back up only to be knocked back down again.

Thanos caught his breath, then turned to Kratos.

"The Hero of Xandar..." Thanos said. "I knew I would face you again. Eventually."

"This is your last chance." Kratos announced.

"No. It's yours." Thanos replied.

Kratos looked behind him. To Wanda and Vision.

"I will do my job. You will do yours."

Wanda held back tears as she nodded. She held her hand up to Vision's head, and a beam of red energy blasted from her palm to the Mind Stone. Vision's eyes widened as he began to feel the stone break.

Kratos turned to Thanos and activated the helmet. He let his wings extend and blasted towards the Titan. Thanos shot a beam of purple energy straight at Kratos. Kratos crossed the Blades of Chaos over her body, the dwarven runes' magic deflecting the beam as it hit them. Kratos tackled Thanos to the ground and brought his blades down towards Thanos' neck. Thanos closed the gauntlet and touched the stones to Kratos' forehead.

There was a flash of red, green and orange as Kratos' vision went dark. He looked up. In the darkness, the only thing that could be seen was Thanos, The time, soul and reality stone glowing in their sockets.

"Where have you taken us?" Kratos asked.

"Nowhere," Thanos replied. "We are still on the ground on Earth. I projected our spirits to this dimension so we could talk. In here, hours may pass, but it will only be seconds on Earth. Gives us some time to discuss things."

"There is nothing to discuss." Kratos said, swinging a Blade of Chaos through Thanos' body. The blade glided through Thanos. Thanos looked down to his chest, then back to Kratos.

"We can't hurt each other here," Thanos said. "I made sure of that."

The two stood silently for a few seconds.

"You realize you are only delaying the inevitable." Thanos said.

"Not if I kill you." Kratos replied.

"What do you fight for, Spartan? I see your mind, now. You were happy to sit out of thousands of years of war, but now, you take up arms. Why? Because Eternity told you to?"

"You destroyed my home. You butchered my neighbour. You killed thousands. You destroyed a planet...You threatened my son."

"Ah...the Frost Giant. I understand. Family can be a powerful tool. And they can be a handicap. Family can make us monsters."

"You ramble, alien. Release me, or make your point."

"I assumed you would understand. You sought retribution with the Avengers, but you were seeking it in the wrong place. Step aside. Allow me to complete my work, and you will have saved the universe."

"You are a murderer."

"And what are you? What did you kill for? Personal gain? Revenge? I do not kill for such petty things. I kill to save. And I will save everything for future generations if you simply...step aside."

Kratos paused.

"You are worried I will kill your son," Thanos said, closing his eyes and nodding. "I promise you, he will be spared."

Kratos clenched his teeth. "And what of Thor?"

"If it means you allow me to complete my task, I will spare him too."

"And what of Rogers?" Kratos said, walking towards Thanos. "And Natasha, and Wanda, and Stark, and the soldiers your army already killed on this battlefield? I abandoned Xandar. I will not abandon Earth."

Thanos frowned.

"Fine."

With an orange glow, Thanos disappeared.

"When I have finished," Thanos' voice echoed through the darkness, "You can be certain that your son will be among those who perish. You can stay here, and think over your mistake."

Kratos spun in all directions, blades in hand. Thanos was gone. Kratos could not let him reach the stone. His hands began to glow red with flame. Kratos let out a roar of rage.

In a flash of red flame, Kratos found himself conscious again, on the Wakandan ground. He looked to Vision. Thanos was halfway to Wanda, who was desperately trying to hold him off with a beam of red energy.

"Ghost…" Steve groaned as he lay on the ground. "Don't let him close his fist."

Kratos nodded, got up and charged Thanos. Thanos turned around at the sound of Kratos' charging feet. He turned to attack, but Kratos grabbed the palm of the gauntlet, forcing it open. Thanos launched a punch at Kratos' face, but Kratos caught his fist with his other hand. The two pulled and pushed each other, grunting and scowling as they dragged each other along the ground. The earth beneath them began to crack and open up under the strain of the two wrestling forces.

"Lexie!" Kratos grunted.

"Would you like me to shoot a missile at his face?"

"Do it!"

Thanos recoiled as a missile exploded in his face. Kratos released his free hand from Thanos' fist and pulled out a Blade of Chaos. The blade plunged into Thanos' side, who screamed in pain. The smell of cauterized flesh entered Kratos' nose. Kratos spun and lobbed Thanos away from Vision and Wanda. Thanos rolled into the rocks beside Bruce, who managed to get his arms free of the mountainside. Bruce wrapped the Hulkbuster's arm around Thanos' neck, trapping him in place.

"I love you…" Vision muttered as he exploded into pieces. The Mind stone shattered, sending a yellow shockwave of energy through the forest. Kratos staggered under the force of the wave, then quickly regained his balance. He looked to Thanos, still trapped in Bruce's chokehold.

"Something is off…" Mimir said. "Brother…"

Kratos pulled out the Blade of Olympus and charged the Mad Titan. Thanos aimed the gauntlet at Kratos, but Kratos swung the bade into Thanos' arm, chopping off the gauntlet from the Titan's body. Thanos screamed in agony as his arm fell to the ground.

"Oh my god…" Bruce said through the armour's comms. "We did it…"

"Brother…" Mimir said. "That's not him."

"What?" Kratos asked.

"A good warrior uses his wits." Thanos said, suddenly breaking into a smile. Kratos scowled and cut Thanos' head off. Thanos' head rolled to the floor and lay for a moment, before disappearing in a burst of red energy. Thanos' body followed suit, exploding in a blast of red light.

"No..."

"Ghost!" Wanda's voice screamed. Kratos turned to see Thanos, holding Vision by the neck. He ripped the stone out of Vision's head, and Vision went limp.

"NO!" Kratos roared as he sprinted towards Thanos.

Thanos held the stone in his hand, just as he moved the stone over its socket, he screamed as the leviathan axe cut his hamstring. He dropped to one knee as Loki stood over him.

"Grab the stone!" Kratos roared.

Loki reached his arm for the stone, but Thanos elbowed him in the face, sending him flying into a tree. Loki recovered and threw the axe at the Titan. The axe zipped around and hit Thanos' hand. Thanos recoiled in pain as the stone dropped to the ground. Kratos dove to the ground after it. There was a flash of blue, and Kratos felt the space between him and the stone stretch. Thanos walked up to the stone and bent down to collect it, but the stone shot away, into Loki's hand.

"Looking for this?" Loki jeered as he tossed the stone up and down in his hand.

Thanos shot a purple beam at Loki, who teleported away. Kratos charged Thanos. There was a flash of blue and red, and Kratos yelled in pain as a razor-sharp rock impaled through his stomach from behind. Kratos tumbled to the ground. Another flash of blue and red, then several more spikes stabbed through him from the ground in every direction. His arms, legs and chest were impaled, leaving him immobile on the ground.

"Stay down. Your strength will not save you." Thanos said.

"Father!" Loki said as he teleported next to Kratos.

"Run, boy!" Kratos said, trying to get himself free of the tangled spikes that riddled his body. "Get the stone out of here!"

"I can get your out!"

Loki held out his hand, and one of the stone spikes slipped out of Kratos' leg. Kratos let out a groan of pain.

"Behind you, Loki!" Mimir screamed.

A giant purple hand grabbed Loki by the shoulder and tossed him away. Loki tumbled across the ground. He tried to teleport away. There was a red flash of the Reality Stone. Loki flickered but was unable to disappear. Thanos pulled Loki towards him with the space stone and grabbed him by the neck. Loki tried to recall the Leviathan axe, but Thanos caught it in mid-air, and snapped it in two with his fingers.

"Where is it?!" Thanos roared as he squeezed Loki's neck in his giant hand.

"Far away!" Loki whispered through his crushed windpipe.

"You lie..." Thanos said. He took Loki's arm and ripped it off with one quick motion. Loki tried to scream, but his windpipe was shut All that came out of his mouth was a coarse gurgle. Thanos tossed Loki to the ground. Loki tumbled and came to a stop in the distance. He began to roll wildly on the ground, screaming and clutching his shoulder socket.

"LOKI!" Kratos roared. He felt Eternity's power surge through him. The stone spikes through his body began to melt away.

"I told you, family was a handicap." Thanos said sternly.

Thanos held the arm up, and opened the hand. There, in Loki's severed palm, was the Mind Stone, glowing yellow. Thanos quickly took the stone and jammed it into its socket on the gauntlet. He let out a roar as the power of all six stones began to course through his body. He raised the gauntlet and moved his fingers into the snapping position.

"Finally- oof!"

Thanos let out a grunt as Kratos tackled him. Kratos stabbed the ultra-hot blades into the Titans shoulders, got to his feet and pulled Thanos over his head. Kratos swung the blades over his head and into the ground, dragging Thanos with them.

Thanos slammed into the ground and rolled across the dirt, hitting trees and rocks as he went. When he came to a stop, he looked through blurred vision as the light from Kratos' aura approached him. Thanos once again moved his fingers to snap, but Kratos stamped his foot into the palm of the gauntlet, holding it open. The gauntlet sunk into the ground, and Thanos roared with frustration.

"You don't...know what you're doing!" Thanos grunted.

"I know what I'm doing." Said Thor.

Kratos turned his head to see Thor approaching, his eyes glowing blue, Stormbreaker in hand. Thor nodded to Kratos, and the two, both at the same time, brought the Blade of Olympus and Stormbreaker into Thanos' chest. Thanos let out a gurgle of pain as the two weapons drove into his lungs.

"I told you, you'd die for that." Thor whispered into Thanos' ear. Kratos stood back and watched as the Titan's life slowly drained from him.

"Tend to Loki, brother." Thor said.

Kratos' rage died down as he watched Thanos' blood spread from his body. Thanos gurgled, gasped, then stopped moving.

"We did it." Thor said with a sigh of relief. He pulled the axe from Thanos' chest. Kratos pulled the blade of Olympus from Thanos and ran to tend to Loki.

Then there was a cough from Thanos' body.

"You..sh…" Thanos said suddenly as blood spat from his mouth. "You shoul…"

Thor leaned in to hear. Kratos stopped and turned around.

"You shouldn't have...taken your foot off the gauntlet."

'NO!"

There was a flash of bright light as Thanos snapped.

Kratos felt the surge of energy blast through him. Then nothing. The forest was quiet. The trees were deadly still. Everyone stood quietly for a moment, trying to process what just happened.

"What did you do?" Thor asked Thanos. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Thanos looked to his burnt arm. The gauntlet was steaming and melted, and the skin on his left-hand side was charred and smouldering. He coughed up another spurt of blood and quickly fell into a portal.

With that, he was gone.

Kratos stood still, his eyes unable to leave the spot where Thanos disappeared.

"Where'd he go?" Steve said as he ran up to the scene, clutching his side. "Thor? Ghost? Where did he go?!"

Nobody could speak.

"Steve?" Bucky said from the treeline.

Kratos watched as Bucky's's body began to crack, and break apart. In a gust of wind, his body evaporated into ash, which blew away in the light breeze. All that remained of him was his gun, which clanked to the ground as he disappeared.

Steve approached the pile of ashes and fell to his knees. He put his hand to the ashes, then looked with confusion to Thor. Then to Kratos.

Kratos watched on as T'Challa, Groot, Wanda and Falcon met the same fate. Each one dissolving to ashes, and blowing away in the wind.

"Really? Me too? I'm not even technically alive! Ah, bollocks…"

Kratos looked down just in time to watch Mimir fade away.

"Father?"

Kratos turned to Loki, who was staggering towards him, clutching his bleeding shoulder socket. Kratos saw the cracks forming on Loki's skin.

"No…" Kratos muttered as he began to run towards Loki.

"Father!" Loki said as his face began to dissolve.

"HOLD ON!" Kratos screamed as he reached for him.

Kratos touched Loki's hand just as it turned to dust. Kratos's breathing grew heavy as he watched the ashes that were his son blow away with the wind.

Kratos sunk to his knees and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was surrounded by the darkness.

"Yet again, you have proven all you can do is fail. You were given every opportunity to change the course of history, every advantage, every power, and you let it happen anyway."

Kratos looked up through the darkness. A figure stood in the distance, barely recognizable, but Kratos recognized him.

"You have done enough. You held back. You allowed yourself to grow attached, and look at what it has cost you?"

Kratos lowered his head.

"It's time to let me back in, old man. It's time to release yourself from your restraint. I will fix what you have broken."

Kratos felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his younger self, wearing nothing but what he wore in the final days of the battle on Mount Olympus, and scowling with the face of the madman he once was.

"What will you do?" Kratos asked.

"We will have our revenge." His younger self replied.