MIDGARD
KRATOS' HOME
On the spot where he died, Kratos, the Imps, Loona, and the Slayer dropped down into the snow.
Blitzø exclaimed, "Christ on a stick it's cold out here!"
Kratos said, "You will warm quick."
Kratos held his arm out. His leviathan frost axe burst from the snow, startling the Imps as it flew to his hand.
He reached into the new divot in the snow and pulled out a loose ring, the ring which spawned his duplicating spear. He turned his head to the abandoned shredded up remains of his home. The Imps watched as Kratos marched inside.
He found a pair of stone hooked blades hanging on the wall. Tying the chains around his wrists he grabbed the blades, placing them on his back in an X form. He walked out and said, "Come."
Altogether the Imps shouted, "Right!"
Loona heard a barrage of blasts and explosions out in the distance. She said, "Something's happening out there. Another crazy fight it looks like."
Kratos said, "What?"
Frozen Lake
Omnigul, Crota, and the legions of Hive were engaged in a fierce battle against Atreus, Freya, Lapis, Zoro, and Katara.
Lapis and Katara were continuing their assault on the armies, keeping them at bay so everyone else could focus on the two commanders.
Atreus kept his distance, firing arrows into the melee while Freya and Zoro dueled Crota and Omnigul. Omnigul minimized her use of magic, keeping her reserves in check. She used just enough energy to shield her hands as she engaged in aerial combat with the winged Freya. She glanced the water bending duo holding back her army. With one successful grab of Freya's sword, she used her free hand to send out a wave of electricity.
Lapis was struck in her water-based golem, yelling out as the form dissipated and she fell back to the ground.
Katara yelled out, "Lapis!" and waved her hands up to create a wave from the hole in the lake where Lapis' golem once stood and wash her damaged/unconscious body to the ground. Katara began using this water to send out whips and waves against the onslaught. But it wasn't nearly enough as they began advancing past her.
The blasts flew past the crew battling Crota and Omnigul.
Zoro said, "Go!"
Atreus said, "No. This is my fight too!"
Mimir yelled out from Atreus' hip, "We gotta keep those bastards off of us, lad. No sense ending the fight from a cheap shot!"
Atreus tightened his jaw and ran firing off arrows into the oncoming army. Crota said, "You'll find that losing your support was unwise, swordsman!"
Zoro said, "Just shut up and fight!"
Zoro pressed the attack, twisting his body and turning his body in a tornado motion. It clashed against Crota's sword, pushing him towards the door again. He pushed Zoro away who regained his footing immediately to charge.
"ONIGIRI!" he shouted as he cut outward. Crota blocked one sword but his free arm was cut by the other two swords. He headbutt Zoro into the ground, then kicked him into the air.
Atreus ran by Katara, firing arrows in various directions, tagging various Hive thralls approaching her.
Mimir called out, "Shooter! Behind you, Lad!"
Katara threw a water whip behind him as he ducked, knocking the acolyte to the ground. He burst the snow upward, then swung it downward to the approaching soldiers, washing them in a wave.
One blast of light struck Atreus in the stomach. He doubled over in pain.
Mimir said, "Atreus! Come on, little brother. You gotta get up!"
An explosion erupted between the two. Atreus hit the ground and Katara tumbled along the snow, shifting it to steady herself.
A knight carrying a Hive grenade launcher marched up to Atreus aiming the weapon at him.
An axe suddenly landed on its chest, freezing it solid with a wave of ice.
A blast caused it to explode into ice chunks. Atreus caught sight of the axe as it flew behind him. He turned the direction it flew, and saw him.
His father, standing proud as the axe returned to his hand. Next to him were strange creatures. Atreus practically shut them out. A burst of adrenaline hit his body as he rushed to his father.
Kratos embraced his son on the battlefield. Atreus jumped back, ensuring what he was seeing what was real. Atreus stuttered out, "You're...you are...how?"
Kratos was about to speak, but blasts whizzed by.
Kratos said, "Fight now. I will explain later!"
Atreus nodded. With a mighty battle cry he changed form again. But instead of a wolf, he became a bear. He roared and charged, barreling through charging thralls.
Blitzø said, "Fuck, so that's the precocious little cumsprout?"
Kratos shook his head and charged with the imps and Slayer in close pursuit.
Kratos said, "Their leaders are ours! Hold off their army."
The Imps and the Slayer unleashed a torrent of bullets and pellets as they charged.
Kratos charged to help in the fight against Crota and Omnigul.
Blitzø and Moxxie wielded a pair of pistols that they used with extreme precision to cripple and tear apart coming soldiers with headshots and chest shots. Millie tore through them with supernatural speed with her blades and Loona, alongside Atreus used teeth and claws to rip into them. She kicked up snow, throwing off the soldiers aim and keeping the weaker imps covered.
Freya continued clashing with Omnigul. She noticed Kratos and smiled. She kicked away to start avoiding Omnigul's fireballs.
She then drew her towards the ground, landing and dashing away. Kratos leapt in, battling Omnigul alongside her.
Kratos said, "What are you doing here? What is the plan?"
Freya said, "We're drawing him into Helheim to trap him. It was Atreus' idea."
Kratos nodded. He drew out the blades on chains. They ignited with fire. He released the blades and held the chains. He swung the chains, giving him incredible reach. They cut and struck at Omnigul, blasting her with flames. He twirled around becoming a tornado of fire and metal. Omnigul was placed on the back foot, with Freya going around while she was occupied.
Omnigul waved her hand to the side, blasting Freya back with an invisible force. One of Kratos' blades pierced Omnigul's shoulder, and with one whip he launched himself towards her. He bashed against her chest with his shoulder. She was sent rocketing back as Kratos pulled the blade from her chest, whipping the blade back into his hand.
Freya recovered, beginning a relentless assault against a now weakened Omnigul.
Kratos turned his gaze to Zoro being beaten down by Crota. He sheathed the blades and drew his spear.
With multiple throws he pierced Crota's armored skin, staggering Crota. Kratos rushed him while throwing his axe, freezing his leg. He leapt up grabbing Crota by the crown and flipping over him. He then hit the ground behind Crota slamming him backwards into the floor. Crota shrunk himself to Kratos' size twisting around to face Kratos.
Crota frowned and said "How is that possible?"
Kratos said, "Death can have me, when it earns me."
Crota smiled and said, "Then allow me to show you why it has earned you."
Kratos said, "I will not give you that chance."
Kratos grabbed his key of Yggdrasil, drawing open the gate. Crota's attention was drawn to the sound, and Kratos rushed him, kicking him in the stomach as he was pushed towards it. He grabbed at the edges of the frame as he came close to falling inside. Crota was pushed inside, grabbing at the edges of the doorway. The glowing spears still pulsated in his skin.
Kratos gave no answer.
He drew his spear and slammed the pommel into the ground. The force caused the spears in Crota's body to explode weakening his grip. Kratos sidestepped as the Slayer fired off his shotgun, further weakening Crota's grip.
"You pathetic insects! You can't do this to mEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Crota's grip gave way as he fell into the portal. Kratos drew the key away as the gateway sealed.
Kratos panted. He then turned back to see the army had gone inert.
Omnigul screeched out, landing beside them, weakened with a hand on her chest as she yelled, "Where did you send him?!"
The Slayer readied his weapon against her.
Kratos said, "It is where you will go next."
Freya landed behind her and said, "No."
Kratos turned to her.
Freya said, "They are dangerous enough together. She will not be allowed to plot with him."
He nodded and turned to Omnigul. "Leave this world. It is under our protection. Never return again."
Omnigul hissed. And sorrowfully dropped her head as a black orb formed around her, and her army, and they vanished.
Kratos dropped to the ground as everyone began to reunite. Zoro and Lapis breathed a sigh of relief as they rose up. Though heavily injured they could still partake in some celebration.
Atreus ran to hug his seated father tears streaming down his face. He said, "Ok. Now you have to tell me what happened. And who these guys are."
Kratos explained everything. Ending up in a different hell, the entire hierarchy, the I.M.P., the Slayer, Shinnok, everything.
Atreus grabbed his head in disbelief.
Mimir said, "Another afterlife. A hell beyond our own. I can hardly imagine it."
Blitzø said, "You said it, talking head person."
Millie and Moxxie were celebrating the battle.
Moxxie said, "You did great in there Millie!"
Millie said, "You did too! Outnumbered by those three eyed freaks ten to one and we still kicked some A!"
Kratos said, "And who would they be?"
Atreus said, "To be honest, we only just met today. But they're part of some secret army organization. There's a reason we decided to trap him. Crota is part of something way bigger. This is only the beginning."
Atreus explained the multiverse, the planets, the Infinity, and the Hive altogether.
Kratos then grunted and said, "So the children are subservient to this...Oryx."
Atreus said, "That's what you got out of all that?"
Kratos said, "I know of this world merger. Shinnok was keen to explain it. It would explain my arrival to an alternate afterlife."
Atreus said, "So what do we do?"
Kratos said, "Assuming Omnigul is smart, and they don't know of the Infinity, she will avoid returning to this world. Until then, we will join them. And aid them in their campaign against the Taken King."
Freya said, "Are you certain we can trust these hellborn creatures?"
Kratos said, "They are as loyal as they are lethal."
Blitzø said, "Plus a big fat stack of gold for doing all this. Not that I needed much to hang around this fucking pasty sack of meat. But I guess I gotta pay Millie and Moxxie too."
Zoro rolled his eyes and said, "How noble."
Blitzø said, "And you are?"
"Roronoa Zoro. Swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates."
Blitzø laughed and said, "Like I'm about to get lectured about nobility from a pirate."
Zoro glared at the laughing imp. Blitzø said, "Ease up weed wig. Just fucking around."
Lapis giggled and said, "Welcome aboard, little things and big thing."
The Slayer nodded as he stowed his weapon.
Hive Bridge
Omnigul screeched in frustration as the ship pulled away from Earth 220211-09. She slammed the ground tearing up the flooring of her ship. She thought to herself, "Curse those wretched little creatures. I'll feast on their guts!"
Save...some for...me...
Omnigul looked up and said, "Crota?"
A visage of Crota appeared before her. Omnigul stepped back. "My...will? How...?"
The barriers between these worlds...are not as strong as they believe.
"Then...you can return!"
No...there is so much more than that snowy hellscape. I...want to know more. If there is as much as I believe, they will never be ready for the hell we unleash upon them.
"And I am supposed to just wait? Oryx is not a patient man. He will not sit idly by until..."
You have the girl. Take her to my father. Use her as a token to give us more time. You have the army. Find more, build your strength, and return when I call for you.
Omnigul gritted her teeth. Then sighed. "Very well, Crota. I will return for you. Stay safe." Turning to one of her soldiers she said, "Take us to Oryx's Dreadnought."