Several agonizing hours had passed by since Mimir and Kratos had left the sanctuary of the turtle's shell to journey into the cold wastes of Helheim.
Inside the warm cabin, the air was thick with tension and the smell of herbal remedies.
Zelos had just been patiently waiting for his father and Mimir to come back, sitting beside the bed where his brother lay.
Freya was seated next to him, holding his hands firmly, as they both spent the heavy silence together.
They did not even do anything or speak much, as they just watched over the unconscious body of Atreus with unwavering focus.
The boy seemed visibly uncomfortable, twitching occasionally in his sleep, as Zelos felt that Atreus was still burning with his fever, the heat radiating off him like a furnace.
Then, in the midst of the heavy brewing silence, a sudden, violent sound shattered the peace as the heavy wooden door was thrown open.
The impact shook the house's frame. This sudden intrusion made both Freya and Zelos stand up immediately, their guards raised, where they saw the imposing, bloodied figure of Kratos standing in the doorway.
It was apparent that Kratos had come straight into Freya's home immediately after killing and taking the heart of the Guardian of the Bridge, as the chill of Helheim still seemed to cling to his armor.
"Do you have it?" Freya immediately asked, stepping forward with urgency.
Kratos did not waste words; he reached into his belt and produced a blood-soaked cloth that he had wrapped around the heart of the Guardian.
He handed it to her with a solemn nod. When Freya took the heart, she immediately turned to her table to begin the preparation.
Kratos began walking slowly towards Atreus and Zelos, his heavy boots thumping on the wooden floor.
At the same time, Mimir stayed behind near the entrance, observing Freya's work with respect and curiosity.
"Back of your hand, Father," Zelos informed Kratos, instructing him on how to check the temperature without waking the boy.
Kratos did what Zelos had mentioned towards him, placing the back of his rough, scarred hand gently against Atreus's forehead.
But then Kratos could still feel that Atreus's temperature was dangerously high, even for someone with a fever.
"He is still ill," Kratos commented with much concern, his voice low and gravelly.
He was still incredibly worried over his son's condition, especially with Kratos knowing the weak constitution Atreus had suffered from since birth.
"I can break the fever, but there is only one thing that would cure your son of his sickness permanently," Freya said towards Kratos without turning around, as she had already finished the preparation of the remedy.
She mixed the essence of the heart into a small bowl, creating a potent treatment for Atreus's sickness, though she knew it was only a temporary solution for Atreus's actual condition.
Zelos looked at Kratos meaningfully after Freya's words, his eyes urging his father to understand.
"He needs to know the truth, Father," Zelos added to the comment of Freya, supporting the witch's assessment. Freya then walked over and sat beside Atreus, the bowl in her hands.
"Help me prop him up? You know I have a son, right?" Freya began to speak softly as she prepared to administer the medicine.
"It has been... forever since I last saw him. At his birth, the runes foretold a needless death. The babe in my arms was so small, so helpless. I knew right then I would do anything to protect him. No matter the sacrifice... Of course, everything I did, I did for myself. I let my needs, my fears, come before what he needed... and I could not see his resentment until it was too late."
Freya paused for a moment, looking down at Atreus's sleeping face, seeing her own failures reflected in the situation.
"Do not make the same mistake. Have faith in him. I know the truth is not simple... but nothing is when it involves your child," Freya then continued to say.
Both Kratos and Zelos quietly listened to her wisdom, the weight of her regret filling the room.
They both assisted Freya in any way they could, with Kratos helping Atreus sit back up to drink the mixture, while Zelos placed a hand on Atreus's chest to ensure that the magical treatment got absorbed properly by Atreus's body.
"It is a curse. The boy has been cursed, both of my sons have been cursed," Kratos had just managed to reply with a heavy heart.
He looked down at the floor, as he fully believed what he was saying. It was so much about Kratos believing that being a god is akin to a terrible curse that ruins the lives of everyone around them.
Not known to Kratos is that after Atreus got made drunk on the intense treatment, the boy's senses had started to return.
Atreus slowly awoke, his mind clearing from the fog of fever, which had fully happened just the moment before Kratos called both of his sons cursed.
This made Atreus go completely silent. He did not ask what happened or where they were. He just tried to stand up, and his grunts made a lot of noise as he struggled with his returning strength.
"Do not leave without me," Atreus said weakly to both Kratos and Zelos. Hearing his voice, both his father and brother wore relieved expressions.
Zelos then took Atreus's arms and examined him for a moment, checking his energy flow.
Still, Zelos already knew that Atreus's physical condition was significantly better now that the fever had broken.
"It is good to have you back," Zelos said, smiling warmly at his little brother. But what he got as a reply was a weak, distant nod from Atreus, which was far from his usual enthusiastic self. Zelos did not take it personally, as he knew that Atreus must have heard Kratos's words earlier about being cursed and took it to mean the wrong thing.
Atreus then stood up on shaky legs, as he looked around Freya's place once again, orienting himself.
At the same time, Kratos shook hands with Freya, thanking her silently. Mimir and Zelos accompanied him as they prepared to leave.
They paused to look through the magical window in Freya's house, which offered a breathtaking view of Vanaheim, a lush, vibrant contrast to the snowy Midgard.
"I will never forget this favor, Freya," Kratos said in his most sincere and earnest voice.
Although his deep tone often made his gratitude sound more like a threat than context, these words made Freya smile at him, understanding his nature.
"No need to mention it, my door is always open," Freya answered graciously. This made Atreus walk towards Kratos, his face set in a stony expression.
"I am ready to leave, Father," Atreus said to Kratos. His tone was cold; he was still not recovered from the hurt he felt.
Kratos turned and looked at Freya and Zelos, checking for their approval. They both nodded, indicating that Atreus was well enough to travel with them once again.
This made Kratos nod in confirmation. Mimir then looked at Freya once again, bowing slightly.
"It has been an honor meeting you again, Your Majesty. Seeing you work still never ceases to amaze me," Mimir commented on Freya's skill.
Freya just hummed with agreement, acknowledging the compliment, but did not talk directly with Mimir, as old wounds between them still lingered.
Kratos, Mimir, and Atreus then walked out of Freya's cabin, while Zelos stayed behind for a brief moment to say his personal goodbyes.
"I am leaving for now. I wish to see you again after our journey, possibly sooner," Zelos said towards Freya, his voice soft.
This made Freya smile genuinely at Zelos, appreciating his affection. Kratos then called him from outside to join them.
The four then went down the cave path that led to Freya's house. During their walk back to the boat, a heavy silence settled over their journey.
No one was talking or even making a sound, as the only sounds were the water moving and their footsteps echoing on the stone.
Finally, Mimir decided to break the suffocating silence, speaking first to lighten the mood.
"Now then, before the Valkyrie's fight interrupted us, we were just about to explore Týr's vault," Mimir said enthusiastically.
This made Zelos turn to look at Mimir, acknowledging the attempt to return to normalcy.
"Boy, do you remember the way?" Kratos then asked Atreus. He wanted to initiate a conversation with him, and, not knowing where to begin or how to apologize for words he didn't realize had been heard, he resorted to practical matters.
As for Kratos, he isn't the most talkative person, and this was his way of checking on his son.
"I do not know," Atreus just answered with a seemingly tired and dismissive expression. It was a lie, and something that worried Kratos once again, as the boy usually prided himself on his navigation skills.
"Sure you do, we need a boat," Mimir said quickly, covering the awkwardness. He turned towards the riverbank, where they saw the vessel waiting for them.
"Ah, see? The boat washed ashore. Someone did call the Serpent earlier, and the waves must have pushed it here," Mimir added, seeing that the boat they had used was in a different place than where they had left it, likely due to the shifting tides caused by Jörmungandr.
"All of you get in, I will pull," Kratos said. He grabbed the rope of the boat as he noticed that Atreus had not even answered Mimir's observation.
This made him see that Atreus was really acting strange, as Atreus kept quiet once again, staring at the bottom of the boat.
At the same time, Zelos just waited for the moment to pass. He had decided to say something and reveal his own secrets much later, only after Kratos had done his own confession, feeling it was his father's place to speak first.
Kratos pulled the boat into the water and began to row, the rhythmic splashing the only sound.
"You are quiet. Are you not well?" Kratos asked Atreus again, seeing the boy still had a gloomy, resentful expression.
"I guess," Atreus replied shortly. This made Mimir about to offer a word of comfort, but Zelos grabbed him.
Zelos indicated to Mimir with a shake of his head not to interrupt their conversation, as this was a moment between father and son.
Kratos stopped rowing. He let the boat drift for a moment.
"I know you overheard my talk with Freya. You think you understand what I said. But you do not. Why do you say nothing?" Kratos said to his son, his voice stern but not angry. This made Atreus finally turn to look at Kratos and Zelos, his eyes filled with hurt.
"You said I was cursed. You think I am weak because I am not like you or Zelos. I know I was never your favorite. But after all this, I thought... maybe things were going to be different." Atreus then voiced his concern, his voice cracking slightly.
This made Kratos stop pulling the boat entirely. Zelos watched, realizing that the root of Atreus's insecurity had surfaced once again.
"You do not know everything, boy," Kratos just said, struggling to find the words.
"Yes, but now, I know the truth. I know what you think of me," Atreus then said accusingly.
This made Kratos reflect once again. He remembered the words of Zelos, Mimir, and Freya all at once.
Every urging to tell the truth for Atreus's sake echoed in his mind until finally, he realized he could hide it no longer.
"The truth... The truth," Kratos repeated, testing the weight of the word. "I am a god, boy, from another land far from here. When I came to these shores, I chose to live as a man. But the truth is... I was born a god. And so were you and Zelos."
Kratos then finally said the words that had been buried for years. Zelos observed his father closely and noticed that Kratos's shoulders seemed to drop, as if he had just taken a massive load off his back, appearing visibly relieved that the secret was finally out in the open.
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A/N: Sorry for the late update. Expect more in the coming hours to make up for the missing chapters.