Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rushing water and no oxygen, the worst combination. The current tossed around a body as if it were nothing but a doll lost to an unforgiving ocean. Rocks crashed against fragile skin and bent it to its own liking.

“Father!!” a boy's voice rang out across the woodlands, running feet pounded against hard dirt.

When eyes fluttered open, they were graced with a room only lit by candlelight. Wooden walls and floors sheltered the frame so badly damaged. Wounds were bandaged and cleaned though the person's head stung with a fury like no other. Sitting up on the straw bed, their eyes glanced around the place, finally adjusting and landing on a severed head sat on the table across from them.

With a yelp, the person crawls back on all fours until their back hit the wall behind them.

“Aye lass stop your screaming!” His accented tone did nothing to aid the woman who only raised her hands, two purple sigils began glowing from her palms, readying herself to fight back should this animated head speak once more.

As his mouth opened again, the sound of the heavy wooden door slamming open stopped him from speaking. A young boy ran inside and stood by the head, hands up in defence as he realised the magic emanating from her palms. Following him, a large man unhooked an axe from his back and raised it towards the woman, readying himself should she dare fight.

“Aye lower your weapons!” The head spoke once more. A flash of recognition sparked in her eyes and the sigils from her hands vanished. The boy swallowed anxiously and the large man hesitantly put his axe away.

“Mimir?!” The woman choked out, hair falling across her face.

The head's eyes narrowed for a moment as the cogs in his brain began turning. Desperately trying to recall who this woman was.

“You know Mimir?” The young boy chirped, anxiously looking between the two before his eyes landed on the stoic man whose hands were clenched in fists.

“I suppose, one of the few things I remember- who are you?!” Her voice falters as her recollection of her past pauses, her hands raise once more, now glowing with a red sigil. The larger man took a step forward and raised his hand to protect the young boy.

The boy gasped and raised his hands once more. “My name is Atreus! We found you by the river! Your body had washed ashore and…” The boy’s voice faltered.

“How do you know Mimir.” the large man's voice wasn't loud and yet it rang through her ears.

She pauses a moment, reading the man's body language and trying to understand what he was saying. Shaking her head, she swallows harshly.

“I don’t know.” Her voice was low as the sigils from her hands vanished. “There's a large portion of my life I don't recall, but seeing Mimir made me remember him. Though, he was more than just a head before.” She mumbles, eyes landing back on the disembodied head who was still trying to analyse her. There was a flash of recognition in his eyes for a moment before he truly began to study her features, as if he didn't believe his own memory.

“What’s your name?” The young boy, Atreus, spoke cautiously. He took a step past his father and slowly sat beside the woman to show he wasn't a threat, he just was curious as to who the woman was.

“Y/N,” she spoke. “I live near the foothills of the mountain.” She states, eyes looking back up to the large man.

“That's my father, Kratos.” The boy speaks again. He couldn't be much older than about 10 or 11. For such a young child he was very well spoken, and very kind.

The man now known as Kratos only grunted in response.

Mimir spoke up, voice louder than intended. “You’re a God.” His voice pierced the thick air that swam around the four. Kratos glared at Mimir before his eyes landed on the woman, who seemed more confused and frightened than Mimir.

“No-No I’m not! I’m from Midgard! My mothers' name was Selby! And my father was Hallbjorn! I’m not a God!” She panicked. She spoke the truth and yet the way she said it seemed so distant. As if she didn’t honestly believe herself.

“Leave.” Kratos’ voice boomed. He had brought a God into his own house willingly. He had opened the door for her. He had put Atreus in danger once more. How could he be so foolish?

“No! Wait! She isn't a God! She can't be!” Atreus spoke quickly, standing quickly to get between the woman and his father. “Her magic is from Vanaheim, didn’t you see the sigils! And she hasn't healed herself, nor has she shown any sign of being a God! She was half dead when we found her!” He explained quickly, looking back at the woman who was more afraid than when she opened her eyes.

“Aye that may be true, but look into her eyes, she is a God, lad.” Mimir spoke, eyes moving from the boy to the woman who was frantic.

She quickly stood to leave, panicking as she truly believed she would be killed in moments, new thoughts and memories swelling through her head. Memories of a life that wasn't hers. Memories of a family she never had.

As her feet touched the wood beneath her, she yelped in pain and fell to her knees in front of Kratos, crying out in pain. “Please, please don’t kill me.” She looked up at the large man in fear, tears falling down her cheeks.

The young boy ran to her side and quickly protected her from his father. “She doesn't know! Maybe-maybe she was made to forget! Like Mimir was made to forget about Baldur!” He pleaded. “Please let her stay, let her heal! If I'm wrong, you can do whatever you want! But if I'm not, and you hurt her, that's an innocent life on your hands, Father.” Atreus spoke.

Kratos’ jaw clenched as he narrowed his eyes. Tension in the room grew as silence fell.

“Mimir. What do you know of her?” he asked. The head opened its mouth and closed it before sighing.

“Not much. Like she said, born of Midgard. I can't think of much else, nor can I see who she truly is.” He spoke, praying none of them saw through his lie.

Kratos grunts and thinks for a moment. “She stays until she is well enough to leave.” He picks up the head and leaves the house, staying close by should he hear the sound of Atreus in danger.

The woman gasps for air and begins to tremble. A God? One of the beings she had been running from for so long? She was one of them?

“Let's get you back on the bed.” Atreus’ voice was quiet as he helped the woman up and to sit on the straw mattress.

“Your father is right for not trusting a… a God.” her voice was low as she swallowed, panic still thick in her mind.

“I don’t care what you are, you need help…” Atreus’ voice matched hers in volume as he sat with her.

He was so kind and sweet compared to the brute his father was. The young boy held out his hand and gently placed it on hers with a comforting smile.

“Kratos, we must talk, brother.” Mimir spoke.

Chapter Text

“I fear she is hiding things from you, Brother,” Mimir speaks, his head lifted to Kratos's level, looking the man in the eye.

Kratos watches the head speak, his eyebrows furrowing as if silently asking the man to continue. Kratos moves and sits upon a rock close to the door of the house, keeping an ear out for Atreus, anxious about leaving the boy with a stranger.

Kratos places the head down beside him and sits with his elbows resting on his knees, fingers intertwined under his chin.

“When I called her a God, her eyes flashed with something, something I myself have not seen in years, a magic that has left this land. One only a single God could perform.” Mimir spoke cryptically, eyes scanning the land around them before landing back on the large man who sat solid as a statue, absorbing Mimir’s words.

“Go on.” Kratos growls low, keeping Mimir in check from vanishing into his own mind and memories.

Mimir falters, his mouth opening and closing as he attempted to find the right words. After a few minutes of searching, he spoke again, this time, his voice quiet.

“It's only a magic I've seen in Asguard.” He states.

Kratos was livid. His body stiffens and he looks wildly at Mimir, jaw tense. Kratos rose from his seat and clenched his fists tight. Yet he did not move. He looked down at Mimir briefly before back to the house.

“What else do you know, head?” He growls once more, anger flushing on his skin as he stares back to the wooden house he and his late wife built together. He let an Asgardian into his home, and left her with his son. Kratos thought he was losing his mind for being so foolish.

“Not much else, the one God I’ve seen that magic in, passed away, her body buried under a large tree here in Midgard, I believe down by the foothills the woman spoke of before.” Mimir spoke, eyes scanning the man as he feared Kratos would barge in and kill the woman in cold blood, against Atreus’ wishes.

“Then we will go there. Perhaps she will be willing to tell us more then.” Kratos mumbles before standing up and grabbing Mimir, holstering him on his large hip.

“I’m sorry about my father.” Atreus mumbled, gently wiping at the womans wounds with a cloth and freezing every time she winced. The young boy put so much care into looking after her wounds, he had even followed some of the Goddess Freya’s tricks into his own hands, though he explained he never had to use it before.

He lifted a bowl of herbs and roots he had collected over his travels and ground them together, mumbling softly to himself as he begged for his memory to be correct.

“Dont apologise, Atreus. His actions are not your own. Thank you for helping me.” the woman smiles softly at the boy as he gently applied the paste to a particularly nasty wound on the woman's arms.

“My father's teaching me a healing spell. Though it's not really a spell. Not to mention my father can sometimes not be the best teacher.” He mumbles anxiously as if his father would walk through the door any minute and glare at him for the slander of his teaching methods.

Atreus holds places the bowl down once more before gently taking the womans hand in his. He closes his eyes and places his other hand on top of hers, hiding the shallow cuts that graced her delicate hands.

Silence fills the room as Atreus focused all his energy on healing the woman, his eyes squeezed shut.

After a moment he opens his eyes once more and moves his hands, chewing his lip anxiously as he peered down at them. A frown graces his young face and he sighs. The cuts were still there, no improvement made on them whatsoever.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbles and moves his hands away, balling them in fists on his lap. “It should have worked. Why didn’t it work?” He feels anger bubble up inside of him. One thing he gained from his father, was being very quick to anger and frustration.

The womans shoulders slump slightly and she reaches over, gently placing her hand on the boy's shoulder comfortingly. “You just need more time and practice, you’ll get there one day.” She smiles sweetly.

The boy looks at her, and for once his eyes weren't filled with that frustration as he was when his father did the same. He relaxes his shoulders and his fists fade as he places his hands in his lap. With a weak smile, he nods his head, taking a deep breath. “Right. More practice.” He flashes the woman a weak smile.

The large wooden door flings open, bringing with it a cold breeze that dusted off the mountains.

“Can you walk?” Kratos asks, eyes boring into the woman, clenching his jaw.

The woman nods her head slowly and rises to her feet shakily, her knees begging to give way beneath her.

“You said she could stay!” Atreus yells, rising to his feet and standing between his father and the woman, fists balled at his side once more.

Kratos glares down at the boy and takes a breath. “We are taking her to the foothills.” He states plainly.

Atreus looks back at the woman quickly before looking at his father once more. He knew there was no sense talking him out of it and so he grabbed his bow, throwing it over his shoulder quickly.

“You're taking me home?” She asks softly. If she was home she could rest properly, if she was home she could care for her animals who were most likely starving without her there. Yet she didn't want to leave. The boy had shown so much care for her, and something about the man made her want to stay. She knew Mimir knew more about her than she even did so she prayed the man would change his mind.

“The large tree, by the foothills. Do you know it?” Kratos asks with a clenched jaw. The only thing on his mind was that she was from Asgard. The one place he despised more than his homeland.

The woman nodded her head anxiously, folding her arms around herself before reaching out and placing a hand on Atreus’ shoulder gently. The boy looked back at her with cautious eyes. “Can you go fetch me a flower, any old flower will do. I’ll show you why when you return.” She smiles at him softly.

The boy anxiously looks between her and his father and nods his head. He makes his way past his father and out the door.

Kratos and the woman stood alone, Mimir feeling the awkward tension as he sat on Kratos’ hip.

“That tree is guarded by Odin, he keeps crows and Berserkers there, no one dares travel there.” She states anxiously, praying the poor boy didn't head. She didn't want to send Atreus into battle. She feared harm would come to the poor boy who seemed too innocent.

“We will deal with them when we arrive,” Kratos explains gruffly, eyeing the woman up and down. She was shorter than Freya, yet she looked wise beyond her years.

“Berserkers?” Atreus queries curiously from the doorway as he held a lone dandelion in his hands.

Chapter Text

“What’re Berserkers?” The young boy asks, tilting his head curiously, approaching the woman with the single dandelion he had picked as she had requested. The four stood together, the house now seeming smaller with the weight of the boy's question lingering in the air.

Kratos hummed and turned on his heel, picking up some provisions for the journey ahead from the small counter beside him. He examined his weapons to make sure they were of good use, allowing the woman to answer the boy’s question.

The woman takes a breath and gently takes the flower from the boy's hand. “Berserkers are…” She pauses and kneels down to the boy's level, cursing herself for even bringing up the statement. “Undead.” She begins, thinking carefully about her words.

Mimir listens as she speaks, watching their interactions as Kratos faced away. He was curious about her and wanted to know what she did and didn't understand about herself. He knew more than he led on but was confused as to why she didn't seem to know much about herself.

“Like Hel-Walkers?” Atreus asks, his eyebrows knitting together as he examined the woman's face.

The woman froze and looked at him, mouth agape. “You know of Hel-Walkers?” She asks quickly, studying the boy's face. Perhaps he knew more than she thought, perhaps he was a boy born of battle, forced into the life without knowing any other path to take.

“Father and I encountered some, it’s a long story.” The boy mumbles, thinking about the trip to Helheim that he and Kratos had journeyed to, shivering at how cold the place was. He thought about the undead, how their eyes glowed with the power and poison of a life already lived.

The woman thought for a moment, mind clouded with feelings she had not ever encountered. Rage? Rage for this young man to have gone through something so terrible so young. How could the boy's own father put him through something like that? Battling Hel-walkers was horrible, she could only wonder how he got to them, maybe he had been to Helheim himself, though that would make no sense. Why would a young boy need to travel to such a dark place?

Shaking her head, the woman brings herself back to the now. She decides not to dwell on that fact, perhaps his memories were too strong to recall those moments now. “They're similar. Hel-Walkers have been raised from the dead,” she holds up the dandelion, waving her hand over it. With a spark of grey mist, the dandelion wilts in her hand, its once-yellow petals fading and growing brown. Atreus watched, his eyes widening at the sight of her magic.

“much like Draugr and very similar to Berserkers. Only difference is Berserkers are said to be brought back by Odin himself,” She waves her hand once more, no smoke emitting this time. The dandelion reverts in time before their very eyes and grows full of life once more. The brown petals growing and swelling with that yellow colour, its grey stem changing to the lightest of greens.

“Berserkers are strong, they only have thoughts of war. They will attack anything they see fit.” She explains, examining the boy's features as he watched in awe at her actions.

“Berserkers are not to be misjudged, we avoid them at all costs down at the foothills.” she mumbles, shaking her head.

“And yet you have encountered some.” Kratos mumbled, eyes unmoving from the counter in front of him as he absently sharpened his axe unaware of the magic she had just performed, fingers ghosting over the runic gems that were engraved in the wood.

The woman pauses and takes a breath. She holds out her hand. “Give me your bow, Atreus.” She smiles softly at him, attempting to show she meant no harm.

The boy hesitantly hands over his bow, watching the woman's every move. Not only were Atreus’ eyes on her, but Kratos was also now staring at her too. They both watched as the woman raised the reanimated dandelion.

She ghosts the petals over the string of the bow, and a light green magic blesses the string. She hands the bow back to the young boy who stares at the fading colour, he would never get used to how beautiful that kind of magic looked.

“The magic I’ve just given you had been told to send Berserkers back to Helheim, but not to be reanimated once more, for their souls to finally be at peace.” She explains. “Speak, frajls, when you shoot.” The bow gets placed back in the boy's hand and he nods his head softly. He mutters the word himself a few times before looking back at the woman.

“Where did you learn that?” Kratos asks, now standing to face her, still unaware of the magic she used as a demonstration before.

The woman rises to her feet and looks up at the man, shrugging her shoulders slightly. “My mother taught me when I was very little. She told me a beautiful traveller showed her before vanishing into mist. We used to use it all the time when those Berserkers would stray from the tree. My father had endowed a lance with that same magic. We only hope it truly does what the woman claimed it did.” She explains.

There is a pause. Kratos’ eyes lock onto the woman's. The tension in the air swells, but not that awkward tension from before, something new. Something that hasn't occurred since Faye. She had that same look of peace in her eyes that Kratos fell in love with in his late wife. She carried pain behind such a strong desire to survive, to live.

Kratos looks away first, afraid to look longer. “We must go.” he states, turning to walk out of the door. He is the first to leave the house, beginning his journey away from the wooden home.

As he and Mimir had stepped away, Mimir spoke up once more, eyes almost glistening. “Kratos!” He exclaims, making sure the boy and woman were far enough to not hear if he whispered. Kratos lifted the head once more and Mimir took a breath from imaginary lungs.

“Did you see what she did?” He asks anxiously.

Kratos only shook his head. “Aside from the magic on the bow, I saw nothing.” He mumbles, still walking in the direction of the large gate that shielded their house, newly put up as another form of defence and security. The stave felt as if it wasn't enough after his and Atreus’ recent venture, Kratos feared it may be broken.

“She-you didn't see?” Mimir was breathless as he panicked, looking at Kratos.

Kratos feared she had harmed the boy and he did not see, anxiety swelling in his chest as he stopped moving, prodding Mimir to speak further.

“She reanimated the flower!” He half whispers, anxious as ever. Though his words alone were innocent enough the meaning behind them caused Kratos to falter. The only other god who could do such a thing that he was aware of was…

A rock whizzed past Kratos’ head followed by a warped screech of a bird. Green mist vanished from where the rock now lay on top of a small cliff. Turning on his heel, Kratos glared at the woman, confused and angered.

“Odin.” She states plainly. “If you see one of those ravens, destroy it.” was all she stated before continuing her walk, ignoring the searing pain from her legs that belted from every step. Her face was hardened as she walked forwards, not stopping to talk or even listen to what Kratos may have to say. That raven had sparked something in her she did not seem to enjoy in the slightest.

Atreus chased after her but was stopped when Kratos held out his hand to signify he should not walk closer to her.

“Keep your wits, boy.”

Chapter Text

The walk was long, the road ahead rugged and unforgiving. For each step, another exposed root would trip the woman over. For every fall, a longer recovery time reclaimed her body. For every heavy breath, the young boy aided her against his father's wishes. The sun was beginning to set and the woman could barely walk, most of her weight was on the young boy so focused on helping her.

“Stop.” the large man stated, halting his steps. An annoyed face plagued him and his eyes scanned the tree line.

The young boy and woman who stood just in front of him paused and looked towards him. The womans hair cascaded over her face, as she swallowed harshly. The cool air around them caused the growing darkness of the sky to become more apparent.

“We will rest. She cannot go on longer.” Kratos mumbles, throwing a glare at her. He makes his way to a small part clearing and begins to cut down a tree, grunting with every swing.

Atreus leads the woman towards the clearing, helping her sit down on soft grass.

“I’m sorry.” She mumbles, drawing a deep breath and looking up at the stars that twinkled above them. The boy looked at her and tilted his head.

“Don't apologise, Father didn’t give you much time to recover before.” Atreus smiled softly before receiving a soft tussle in his hair. A call from his father draws him away from the woman.

Jogging over to him, Atreus knits his eyebrows together. His father had cut the tree into manageable logs for a fire.

“Take these over-”

“Over there, I know.” Atreus mumbled, attitude thick in his tone as he picked up a few logs, walking back over to the woman.

She had removed some of the grass close to her for a fire to be brought to life. She slowly rose to her feet, drawing a sharp breath as her legs stung. Atreus quickly dropped the logs and rushed to her side.

“I'll go gather some rocks for around the fire, I’ll be fine.” The woman smiles softly at him. The boy frowns and looks around. His eyes land on his father who was frowning, gesturing for him to come closer.

“Go, I won't be far.” She smiles softly and gently cups his face in her hands. Slowly, Atreus nods his head and steps away, making his way to his father once more. The woman makes her way through some of the trees in efforts to find some rocks, wanting to protect the grass as much as possible.

Kratos watches as the woman vanishes in the brown wood of the trees, crested by a halo of dark green leaves dancing in the cold air. Atreus approaches his father and folds his arms across his chest.

The young boy hoped to one day be as strong and tall as his father, no longer a sapling in the shadow of a tree. Yet he feared that day may never come. So for now, he will grow and help shelter those who cannot grow as tall as him.

“Watch yourself around her.” Kratos explains shortly, looking down at his son.

Atreus sighs and glances back in the direction of where the woman disappeared. Chewing on his words, Atreus looks back up at the stoic man.

“I have been, I am. I just…” the boy pauses and looks down at the grass below his feet, watching as ants stumbled over his shoes to get to their nest. “She reminds me of mother. I know, it's stupid, and we barely know her but… there's something welcoming about her.” He explains in a quiet voice.

Kratos stiffens for a moment before reaching a hand out to place on Atreus’ shoulder. With a gentle look in his eyes, Kratos nods his head.

“I am aware… Just be careful, that's all I ask.” Kratos explains. He was unhappy that his son had grown so fond of a stranger, though in some aspects perhaps he was not wrong. Kratos lets go of his son's shoulder.

Atreus nods his head and smiles softly at his father before pausing. The sound of a scream swelled through the air followed by low growls and groans. Both the boy and man stiffen and stare at where the sound was coming from. It was where the woman had gone.

Within a second Atreus was running. He could outrun his father, but not by much. Atreus came running through the trees, never losing his footing as he jumped over roots and rocks, readying his bow and drawing the string back tightly as he saw the womans back.

Kratos was not far behind, his axe was now in his hand as he scanned the area. Between the trees, specks of blood could be seen. They painted the tree trunks a deep glistening red and when Kratos’ eyes followed their trail he saw two Wulvers. Their bodies splayed on the ground. Blood came from each of their noses and mouths as their bodies slowly faded away into the nothingness surrounding them all.

The woman stood, panting and trembling as her hands burnt from the pain of overusing her magic. Swallowing harshly, the woman falls to her knees, exhausted from her battle. Atreus ran to her side and knelt beside her, putting his arrow back in his quiver.

“Are you alright?!” He asks quickly. There was no response. Her eyes were blank as she stared at where the creatures once lay.

Kratos looked down at her, putting his axe away. She had fought two Wulvers and won. By herself. How much power did she truly have? If that was her weak, how strong could she truly be? The man slowly approached her.

He reached down and extended a hand to her.

Her eyes trailed from the blood-stained grass to his hand. Slowly she reached out and took it, allowing herself to be pulled up. Her eyes land on Kratos’ as she flashes him a look of thanks, a gentle, caring look.

She, in return, was given that same cold stare, but there was something different. That hint of respect and adoration hid behind that glare he wore oh so proudly.

Looking down, the woman smiles at Atreus weakly. “I'm fine, I can promise you that.”

Atreus hesitantly nods his head and leads the way back to the makeshift camp they had begun setting up. The woman bends down and begins to pick up the rocks she was holding before, wincing at the pain in her hands for a moment.

Kratos picks up the remaining rocks and follows his son, the woman close on his tail.

They both began placing the rocks in a small circle around the patch of dirt while Atreus set up the logs, making sure they were all placed exactly how his father had taught him.

After a while, Atreus had grown weary and hesitantly agreed to sleep. He lay with his head against plush grass, the warmth of the fire acting as a blanket. The boy looked so peaceful as the light of the flames glossed over his complexion.

The woman and Kratos sat in silence, watching as flames licked at new logs of wood added by the man. The woman was absently rubbing at her palm with her thumb, attempting to numb the pain that swelled from them. Kratos glanced over at her in the corner of his eyes and took off some of the bandaging from around his wrists. He held out his hand and she slowly put hers in his.

Her hand was so small compared to his. So delicate against calloused palms. Kratos began wrapping her palms up, eyes focused on his work. Once he was done he placed his hands back on his knees, eyes on the fire once more.

“Thank you.” The woman whispers, looking over at him.

The man simply nods his head.

Chapter Text

The sun rose and threw crimson curtains across a waking land. Flowers opened their petals to warm themselves from the dew that graced them. A young boy slowly opened his eyes to see his father still awake, sitting while staring at embers that dwindled. Rubbing his eyes, the boy slowly sat up, stretching out his legs as he sat.

“Good morning.” The boy yawns, getting the last of the sleep out from the corners of his eyes.

The man only nodded his head. As the boy’s eyes came into focus, he saw the woman they had been travelling with asleep on his father's shoulder. Atreus knitted his eyebrows together and tilted his head.

“She's been having shallow sleep lad, only fell asleep a few hours before the sun rose.” Mimir explained, keeping his voice low.

Atreus slowly nodded his head and stood up, confused as to why his father wouldn't have moved her. Atreus began to kick dirt onto the remaining embers in an effort to snuff them out as quietly as he could. As he did so, the woman stirred in her sleep. Her eyes slowly fluttered open with a yawn.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Atreus pauses and looks over at her.

The woman looks over at the young boy and shakes her head softly, a gentle smile on her face. “It's alright.” She hums softly. Looking beside her, the woman realises in what position she had fallen asleep. Her cheeks flush a rose colour and she quickly straightens up, apologising to the man.

Kratos only grunts in response and rises to his feet, hooking his axe back on its spot on his back. “We should continue our travels.” Kratos announces, refusing to look at the woman.

Slowly, she nods her head and stands up, getting the sleep out of her eyes. Atreus was quick to the woman's side.

“Are you sure you're okay to continue walking?” He asks softly, eyebrows knitting together.

The woman smiles and gently cups her hands on his cheeks. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine, sapling.” She explains softly. She used the nickname that her mother had given her when she was little. A sapling to grow to the highest point. A sapling needing care so it may protect those who need it.

Atreus nods his head and with the warm pink glow of the sun catching above the horizon, the group began their walk again. Atreus lead the way this time, stepping over stones. His eyes were constantly on the move, scanning the land they walked. He watched as creatures ran and hid from their presence and listened to the idle birdsong.

Kratos and the woman walked side by side. Silence engulfed them both. The woman decided to break it.

"Why the tree?” She asks abruptly. Kratos glances at her with a raised eyebrow, asking his question silently.

“I mean the foothills I understand, you wish to take me home, but the tree? It doesn't make sense in my mind.” She mumbles, watching her footing as she walked.

Kratos thought for a moment, attempting to find the right words to say without giving out the true meaning behind visiting the hidden grave of a goddess.

“He heard there might be some loot there, figured he’d drop you on the way.” Mimir spoke up, dangling from the man's hip.

The woman looks at the head and slowly nods. Knitting her eyebrows together in thought. Was that truly it? Sure they had not spent much time together, but the woman couldn't help the way her breath caught in her chest when he looked at her. Nor could she stop thinking about how perfectly her hand fit in his. Did he really just want to leave her?

Kratos’ eyes were on the woman the entire time, watching as her gaze never moved from the ground beneath her. He couldn't help but feel a twang of sorrow strike his chest. She was annoying, extra baggage, but she reminded him of Faye. The way she was so soft with Atreus, the calmness in her tone. Her willingness to smile after pain.

The woman attempted to step over a rock and ended up tripping, gasping as her footing fell from beneath her. As she braced herself for the impact of the cold, hard dirt, she squeezed her eyes shut. Yet that impact never came. Slowly opening her eyes once more, she realised the arm wrapped around her waist. Kratos had stopped her from falling.

Once she had regained her balance, Kratos moved his arm away. The woman stood frozen, a deep blush on her face from embarrassment as well as the touch of his arm around her. Perhaps he did care about her. Why else would he stop her from falling? Maybe he just didn't want to deal with any new wounds on her body.

“Thank you…” the woman whispers, breath caught in her throat as her heart pounds.

Kratos only nodded, quickly looking away from her and continuing to walk. He shouldn’t have done that. He should have let her fall. If he did, perhaps the pounding in his chest would stop, and perhaps the nervous butterflies that swelled in his stomach would go away.

Atreus glanced back at his father and called out to him, pointing out the large tree that stood proud. Its purple leaves fluttered in the sunlight and the gold glow from its branches illuminated the once-dead figures who loomed around the tree. Berserkers groaned and shuffled about, anxious to get to war once more. Anxious to have blood on their hands.

The woman paused in her tracks and swallowed harshly. A raven cawed above the three of them and the woman jumped, looking up as it flew away. Kratos did not stop walking, he unsheathed two blades that once sat so calmly on his back.

“Be ready.” He announces, running up to the tree, gathering the attention of all of those who loomed around the tree.

Atreus was quick to follow, firing arrows as his father whipped the blades around. Fire emanated from them and latched quickly onto bodies, creatures growling and hissing at the pain inflicted upon them.

The woman chased after the men and was quick to use her magic, red and gold magic firing in every direction.

The battle was long, bodies that fell only rose again. Kratos had grown slow in his movements and Atreus was beginning to panic.

“Father they don't stop coming!!” Atreus yelled anxiously, dodging away from the swipe of a berserker. As he did, another came up behind him and quickly put the young boy in a chokehold, grinning madly as Atreus clawed for freedom, losing his breath quickly and becoming unable to draw another.

“Atreus!” Kratos boomed, attempting to run over to his son, and yet as he did he was stopped by two more berserkers who held him to the ground, cackling wickedly as Kratos writhed under their grasp. He had used all of his rage, the man was tired and couldn't break free of their grasp, swarms of purple monsters approached the pair and began swiping and slashing at them.

The woman heard the cry from the young man and panicked, looking over from her own battle.

“No…” She whispered, running over. The only thing on her mind was saving them. Ringing in her ears swelled to a chorus of rage and fury. Her footsteps burned into the ground, leaving charred marks behind. She approached the two and let out a yell, arms extended.

From her body, a large circle of green magic swelled, a blast so powerful it knocked off each and every berserker, sending them a few steps back from where they stood. Atreus landed on the ground with a thud and Kratos was quick to his feet, rushing to his boy's side. As he did so, the woman held out her palms and from each of them a light green blast emanated. She moved her hands around and sent each and every berserker to where they belonged, Valhalla. Never to return to this realm.

Once each and every soul had been eradicated except her, the boy, head and man, she fell weak. Her shoulders slumped but she found her strength to rush to the boy. Atreus’eyes were wide, Kratos was staring at her. There was silence.

“Are you alright? Both of you?!” She asks quickly.

The boy slowly nodded, coughing as he caught his breath. Kratos looked up at the woman as he sat beside his son, a hand placed on his back. The woman slowly knelt down and placed a hand on Atreus’ cheek, eyebrows furrowing together in worry.

The boy caught his breath and relaxed into her palm, drawing deeper and deeper breaths. “I’m okay…” he whispers, slowly finding the strength to stand up.

The woman holds her hand out to him and helps the boy up. He graciously takes her hand and looks up at her. All that was in his eyes was gratitude. He was so scared moments before she had saved them, he was terrified that it would be his last moment in this realm.

Kratos slowly rose to his feet and nodded his head, thanking the woman. Their eyes met once more. That pain in his eyes was shielded by a newfound respect and adoration for the woman. Along with a new set of questions. What was that magic? How did she do that?

Kratos said not a word as his eyes landed back on the large tree that now leered above them all, whispering their names in calm silence.

Chapter Text

The large purple tree swelled and moved with the wind, its leaves whispering their names, begging, pleading for their mother to return to them. The purple bark swelled with blue as the group approached it, purple leaves shifting to a beautiful gold as they fell off and swam with the wind to surround the woman. Purple roots stretched to welcome the sun as pink and gold flowers bloomed from the large branches.

Mimir knits his eyebrows together, huffing uncomfortably.

“Please tell me I'm not the only one to hear that!” He mumbles. Kratos takes the man off of his belt and holds him up.

Atreus was cringing and holding his ears though it didn't help at all. “It’s annoying!” he groans, uncovering his ears when he realises that his hands made no difference.

“It is like an itch… in the mind.” Kratos grunts.

The woman steps forwards from them all, seemingly unfazed by the whispering of the tree. She watched as a branch reached down to greet her, a pink flower blooming just for her. The woman reaches up and takes it, holding it gently in her hands.

“Thank you…” She whispers. The tree branch stretches back up to where it belonged in the sky, and as it did, the trunk of the tree moved. An opening now lay in the centre of the tree and a large pool of water glistened.

The water was a glowing blue, bright enough to light the night if needed. Gold sparkles spat out from the water and the woman gasped as she watched.

Atreus slowly approached the woman and reached out for her, but as he did, the tree closed once more. Mimir hummed and looked from the tree to the woman, his own thoughts now becoming more of a reality than suspicion.

“oh lad, I think the tree wants her…” He whispers. Atreus frowns and looks back at Mimir.

“But what if she gets stuck? You can't go in there!” Atreus exclaims looking up at the woman.

She only tilts her head. Her eyes move from the large tree to Atreus. She gets down on her knees so she’s level with his eyes and smiles sweetly. She gently reaches out and takes his hand. Placing the flower in his palm, she gently kisses his forehead.

“I promise sapling, I’ll be okay… Something about this tree just feels…. Right. I have to go in there…” She explains.

slowly, Atreus nods his head and steps back. Kratos watches the woman as she approaches the tree once more. The trunk moves again and leads her to the large body of water waiting for her.

“Mimir, what is she doing?” Kratos asks, holding the head up.

The woman looks back at the three, her eyes landing on Kratos. With a gentle smile, she slowly steps into the water. A large beam of purple light engulfs her, her shadow still shown as she walks deeper into the water.

“She’s remembering… Finally understanding who she really is… her mind and soul are finally connecting.” Mimir explains as she watches this woman submerge under the water.

The blue light swells and grows as white and gold magic flow up into the sky. The gold dances and forms a mountain range in the sky, the imagery uncanny and beautiful. Trees and wilderness were etched into the flakes of gold. Meanwhile, the white magic shot up and grew into the symbol of Sparta, that familiar symbol glaring down at them all as it overlapped the mountains. Yet, the flora and fauna lived in peace, in harmony with this knowledge.

“What does that mean?” Atreus asks, looking up at the magic as he held the flower close to his chest.

Kratos only stiffened, refusing to respond.

The magic fell back into the water as the woman slowly walked out of the tree, her eyes glowing a deep purple colour as she looked at the three men.

“It is true…” Mimir whispers. “Your highness.” Mimir greets elegantly. The woman approaches him and nods her head. “Brothers, meet Jord.” Mimir explains, eyes on the woman in front of him.

“Jord?! THE Jord!?! We’ve been travelling with mother nature this whole time?!” Atreus panics, looking up at the woman. He was scared she wouldn't remember him anymore, maybe this wasn't the woman they had been with.

“Oh, sapling…” She smiles sweetly before looking up at Kratos. His eyes never moved from hers. The spiralling purple in her eyes calmed and settled into a beautiful purple iris, one so familiar to the people of Asgard.

Kratos’ shoulders stiffened as the woman took a breath, her eyes moving down to Atreus. She shoots him a soft smile only to be stopped by the sound of ravens droning above them.

The woman spins on her heel and looks back towards the tree which now hummed in a sweet lilac colour, peaceful and at rest finally. Black ravens swelled and cried in a chorus as a tower of them appeared. The woman stands in front of Mimir, Atreus and Kratos, her shoulders squared as the ravens dissipated.

Odin stood tall, hands resting on his cane. Tilting his head, the man looks over the group with his one good eye. Two crows fly up to him and make themselves at home in his tattoos. For a man with so much power, he looked so old and frail. This man was the destroyer of realms, the man who is destined to bring nothing but chaos. The only thing that was giving him that justice was the icy stare he shot out.

Almost as if a switch had been flipped, Odin smiles wide. He holds out his arm and sizes up the group.

“Ah, Mimir! It's wonderful to see you again!” Odin grins, approaching them all.

Mimir spits at the ground, not even wanting to acknowledge this man and give him the benefit of a response.

“What? The smartest man alive run out of words to say?” Odin chuckles and smirks, approaching the four.

Kratos puts Mimir back on his holster and unhooks his axe from his back. The woman holds up her hand to stop him, eyes trained on Odin.

“I know you and you,” Odin begins, gesturing to Kratos and Atreus. “But I don't know you.” He gestures to the woman.

Her eyes bore into him, memories of her life in Midgard and her home in Asgard came flooding back to her. Odin killed her parents, and Odin allowed Thor to kill her. Odin was the cause of so much pain and struggle, and yet he didn't even know her name.

The woman draws a sharp breath and grits her teeth. Odin leans forward and studies the woman's eyes, knitting his eyebrows together. “Oh my…” He whispers. He then circles the woman, scanning her every feature.

“Is it really you, Jord? My darling!” He smiles as he stops in front of her again. His grin would seem sincere if it wasn't for the fury in his eyes bubbling behind the icy blue.

She didn't say a word. Cracking her jaw, the purple in her eyes began to glow. “I told you to release those ravens, Odin.” She mumbles, watching as some ravens sit beside Odin, landing on his shoulders.

“Oh but they like me, my darling!” Odin explains with a smile, humming happily.

“Not those. The spectrals. Their souls were not yours to take.” She hisses, glaring at Odin. Odin only chuckles and shrugs, stepping back.

“Yet you were gone, no one stopped me. You should come back to Asgard, Jord, say hi to our son again.” Odin hums, tilting his head. The man stands away from the group, cane resting in his hands. The woman glares at him, not moving from her position in front of Kratos, Mimir and Atreus.

“Suit yourself. I’ll let you cool off.” Odin chuckles before vanishing into the tornado of ravens he had summoned. As quickly as he had appeared, he was gone again. Leaving no sign that he was ever here in the first place.

The woman refused to move, eyes trained on where Odin last was. Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind swelled and raged with a new life to absorb and adjust to.

“Son?” Atreus asks, that being the only thing on his mind as he stepped around the woman to look at her.

“Aye lad, Jord was the mother of Thor, have I not told you this story?” Mimir asks plainly. Atreus shakes his head and narrows his eyes as he watched the woman. She began to sway, swallowing harshly.

Before another word could be said, the woman fell unconscious, her body headed straight for the hard dirt below her. Kratos reached out and grabbed her before her body could have the slightest of impact with the dirt. Kratos picks the woman up and holds her in his arms.

“What is happening?” He asks Mimir plainly, his eyes watching the womans slowly breathing form.

“Her mind and body haven't caught up with who she is yet. Seems like her brain went into overdrive. I assume she just needs rest, Brother.” Mimir explains gently.

Atreus holds the flower she had given him in his hands and reaches up, placing it gently on her. Kratos nods his head and makes his way back from where they had last approached the tree. He glanced up at the sky where that magic had occurred. There was no way a God of War and the All Mother herself could possibly be safe together,

Yet Kratos’ mind wandered as he walked with the woman to find a safe place to set up camp, but would anywhere truly be safe from Odin, now that he knows Jord is truly back in a new body?

Chapter Text

A fire slowly crackled, sending embers skyward, dancing with the air around it as a woman lay asleep beside the orange and yellow flames. A man sat with his elbows on his knees, eyes trained on the lapping flames, his thoughts were clouded by the woman who lay sleeping. His own son sat silently by his side, thinking idly to himself. Mimir sat on a log by himself, his own mind clouded.

There was much to think about as stars began to dot the sky. The woman they had travelled with was now known to be much much more than even she could have known. Kratos’ large hands rested against his chin, his golden eyes clouded with thoughts.

“You doing alright, Brother?” Mimir’s voice startled Kratos. The large man looked to the head, eyes narrow and calculated.

He nods once, clenching his jaw before his eyes landed back on the woman, a thousand questions clouding his own mind. He sighed and looked back to the stars as if pleading with them to align and give him the answer.

The sun slowly rose above the horizon, rays greeting hungry grass and warming sullen trees. The woman slowly began to stir, eyes blinking open slowly and surely. With a sigh, the woman slowly sits up, rubbing her head as she tries to make sense of the flurries of memories that broke the bond between reality and fiction.

Memories of a life she had never led flooded her, the child she had never given birth to crying in her arms as the storm she never experienced swelled around her. Everything moved so fast it was nothing but a blur of colour and feeling, however, it choked the woman. The cacophony of noise and memory blurred and swelled until the woman could hear nothing more than the life she never lived.

A hand holding a makeshift plate made of wood pulled the woman from her thoughts, and all the screaming finally stopped in her mind. Looking at the plate, the womans eyes trail from the hand holding it up to the face of the large man in front of her. Kratos made no noise as he held the plate out, offering it to the woman.

Slowly, she reached out and took it graciously with both hands. Looking at the plate she could see it was filled with different fruits that Kratos had foraged for, worried about what she would think of him if he came back with meat. Though he never said this. For now, he would watch her.

“Thank you.” The woman smiles at him weakly. She begins to eat, eyes on the dying ember of a fire. Her now green eyes swirled as she watched the last few embers fly.

“How are you feeling?” A deep voice asks.

The woman practically jumps in response. She had hardly ever heard Kratos talk and no matter when he did it always sent shivers down her spine. The tone of his voice, the deep gravel that sang through the sky was a sort of drug to her. The woman longed to hear him speak more.

Swallowing her bite of food, the woman looks back up at the man, green eyes meeting with worn gold. She hums in thought for a moment before clearing her throat.

“Better now that I’m awake,” she explains, eyes moving from his own to her plate. The man nodded in response, clenching his jaw.

“You had a nightmare, didn't you?” Mimir asks, voice low so as to not wake the sleeping boy only metres away from them all.

The woman froze and slowly nodded her head, eyes trained on the grass below her. She watched as they bent and moved with the soft breeze. “Memories, I suppose.” She whispers. Her eyes land back on Mimir, chewing her lip nervously.

“Don't worry, we’ll try and figure this all out, Your Highness,” Mimir explains a weak smile on his face. His smile dropped when the woman looked back at him.

Her eyes were a bright green, glowing and swirling with a surge of raw magic as she gritted her teeth together. Anger swelled through the woman.

“Don’t call me that. I’m just Y/N.” She practically spits. As she spoke, the large tree above them all began to move and crack.

A large branch swings down at high speeds. Leaves aimed at Mimir, a strong branch on course to collide with his face. The woman gasps and stands up, waving her arm up into the air. In an instant, the tree's direction changed and it swerved upwards, resting in its usual position once more. The woman looked at Mimir, fear hiding behind her eyes.

“I’m so sorry!” She explains, looking down at her hands. “I-I didn't mean to do that…”

Mimir smiles softly, his own fear slowly fading. “It’ll take you a while to get used to your new abilities it seems.” He explains, letting her know he didn't mind, so long as he was unscathed there was no harm done.

A young voice calls out and all eyes move to the direction it came from. Atreus had woken up. He looked up at the large tree with a smile.

“You did that?! That was so cool!” He chimes, unaware of the malice behind the swing in the first place. The woman smiles and greets the boy, giving him half a hug as he runs to her. Atreus truly thought she may never wake up, seeing her here and now made the young boy happy. With a grin, he buries himself in her arms.

The woman smiles and wraps one arm around him. Kratos watched the pair and rose to his feet. Atreus instantly pulled away from the woman and stood straight up, looking at his father.

“Where to?” Atreus asks, eyes full of wonder.

Kratos thought for a moment before his eyes landed on the woman again. That same feeling he had felt when she first came into their lives washed over Kratos. That sickly feeling of needing something more, wanting something and desiring something. Kratos, against his better judgement, reached out a hand to the woman.

Slowly, she took his hand and used his aid to stand up again.

“Thank you..” she swallows, a pale blush dusting her cheeks.

The pair's eyes met once more and that feeling only swelled between the pair of them. It had finally clicked in Kratos’ mind. It was a desire to protect the woman, guide her and show her how much he could truly care about someone or something. Kratos only nodded his head before quickly looking away from her, afraid his emotions would spill from his eyes and give away the only thing he truly kept hidden. Perhaps the magic from before could truly be fate.

“Alfheim. If we are to try and speak to Odin, I wouldn't mind having the Elves be on our side, should things go south.” The woman explains, looking down at Atreus who nodded his head.

The boy began to move before pausing and spinning on his heel to face her again.

“Wait. You're going back to Odin?” He asks, panic fluttering in his mind as his eyes dart between her and her father, as if he was silently asking him if she could stay with them instead, be happy and safe in their home here in Midgard.

“Someone needs to stop him from poisoning my earth.” She explains sweetly, a soft, gentle smile on her face.

The woman hadn't registered she had called the earth hers. Kratos did, however. His eyes darted to the woman before he slowly nods. He knew what a homeland was worth, and if he could try and protect this one he dared call his home, he would go with her.