Chapter 6 6
Kratos barely had time to process what was happening before everything shifted into motion. People grabbed weapons, tightened armor, rolled up maps. Voices overlapped: orders, questions, warnings.
“They’ve located the outer tunnels” the messenger said, still catching his breath. “Scouts spotted movement and they are Erebus patrols but not small ones”
Lyra nodded once “How long was this known?”
“Not long” the Messenger answered.
Kratos swallowed “They are here because of me”.
No one answered him but no one denied it either. That silence said enough, Lyra turned to the people “Positions. We don’t engage unless we have to and we move quietly”.
People nodded and scattered buy Zephyr didn’t move. He leaned against a nearby pillar, arms crossed, watching Kratos like he was trying to figure him out.
Kratos noticed “Just say it” he muttered, and rolled his eyes.
Zephyr raised a brow “Say what?”
“Whatever you’re thinking” Kratos replied.
Zephyr didn’t hesitate “You’re a problem”.
Kratos let out a short breath “Yeah. I got that already”.
“And you don’t know how to control what you are” Zephyr added.
“Also obvious” Kratos responded sluggishly.
Zephyr pushed himself off the pillar and stepped closer “And that makes you dangerous… which makes me curious”
Kratos’s jaw tightened “I didn’t ask for any of this, okay!”.
Zephyr stopped in front of him “Doesn’t matter, here we are stuck with you anyways”.
Kratos met his gaze. For a second, neither of them spoke. Then “Enough” Lyra cut in. They both looked at her. She stepped between them slightly “We don’t have time for this”.
Zephyr looked away first “Then keep him out of the way” he said.
“That depends on him” Lyra replied.
Kratos frowned and questioned “What does that mean?”
Lyra looked at him “It means you decide if you’re a liability… or something else”.
Kratos almost laughed “Something else?”
“You saw what you did out there” she said.
Kratos’s expression hardened “I lost control”
“You tried to fight and you survived” she corrected.
Kratos disagreed. Lyra stepped closer “No, but it’s definitely a start”.
“Come on” Lyra said.
Kratos hesitated “Where?”
“If you’re staying” she said “you need to understand where you are”.
Kratos glanced at Zephyr, then back at her “Okay then…Fine”.
The deeper they moved into the base, the more Kratos saw “This place is crazy” Kratos said. Lyra smiled. Kratos watched a group training nearby “You’re not just rebels”
“No” Lyra said “We’re survivors”.
Kratos exhaled slowly “And now I’m one of you?”
Lyra stopped walking “Not yet”
Kratos scoffed “Not yet?”
“You’re not one of us, you’re the reason we’re in danger, you're the reason we need to fight battles, you're the reason we need to survive and to protect. In fact, you're the reason for everything” Lyra said, bluntly and honestly.
Kratos looked away “Ouch, that hurts”.
Lyra studied him for a moment “Do you want me to lie?”
“Not at all” he responded shortly.
“Then get used to honest answers from me” Lyra said.
They moved again. Kratos didn’t speak for a while, his mind kept circling back to one thing.
“Why help me?” He asked.
Lyra didn’t answer immediately, that was becoming a pattern. After a few steps, she finally said “Because if Erebus gets you…”
She stopped. Turned to face him “…it won’t just be your problem anymore, it would ruin the world”.
Kratos’s chest tightened “You really believe that?”
“I don’t believe” she said “I know it”.
Silence settled between them again. Kratos looked down at the amulet “Arcus”
The word felt heavier and real now, not just something from a dream “Tell me about it” he said.
Lyra’s expression shifted slightly “Not yet”
Kratos groaned under his breath “But why?”
“Will let you know when you're ready” She responded.
“What does that even mean?” Kratos asked.
“It means if I tell you everything now, you won’t understand… it would only lead to many other questions”.
Kratos crossed his arms and let out a breath, frustrated “Then what can you tell me?”
Lyra glanced at the amulet “That it chose you”.
Kratos wasn't satisfied with her answer “So what now?” he asked.
Lyra looked toward a nearby section of the Base “Now, you learn to survive and control it”
Kratos blinked “That’s it?”
“That’s enough for tonight. We have a battle ahead” She replied.
There was sudden silence and Lyra ordered the messenger to go peep maybe they've gone or pretending to be gone. He went to check it out but realised they have left, they were well protected and covered but how they discovered their hideout was mysterious but the good thing was they weren't able to get exactly where they were hiding in the building.
“It's clear now. Guess they didn't find us beneath here” The Messanger notified.
Kratos was about saying something when a sudden voice echoed through the corridor “Lyra”.
They both turned. An older man approached slowly, his movements were calm but his presence felt heavy. Kratos felt it immediately, he seemed dfferent from the others, not strength like Zephyr nor sharp like Lyra but something deeper.
Lyra straightened slightly “Thorne?”
Kratos’s eyes narrowed slightly “Thorne?”
The man stopped in front of them. His gaze shifted to Kratos “So it's truly him” Thorne said quietly.
Kratos stiffened “You know who I am too?’’
Thorne didn’t answer that directly but instead, his eyes moved to the amulet “I was wondering when it would surface”.
Kratos felt a chill “You know what this is?” he asked.
“Yes” he answered.
Kratos stepped forward slightly “Then stop doing what everyone else is doing and just tell me what to need to know”.
Lyra glanced at him “Kratos… ”
“No” he cut in “I’m done waiting” Kratos shuts her up.
He looked back at Thorne “You know something. So say it”.
“You have your mother’s stubbornness” he said.
Kratos froze “What?”
Lyra’s expression shifted, Zephyr, who had reappeared nearby, went still. Kratos’s voice dropped “What did you just say?”
Thorne didn’t look away “I knew her but not for too long”.
Kratos’s heart skipped a beat “That’s not possible”.
“Yes, It is” he answered sharply.
Kratos shook his head “No. She died quite a long time ago”.
“Yes, she did” Thorne said calmly.
Kratos took a step closer “Then, how do you know her?”
Thorne’s gaze didn’t change “Because I was there”.
Kratos’s chest tightened “There… where?”
“The night you were born” He answered.
Kratos’s breath caught “What?”
Lyra stepped forward slightly “Thorne” But he raised a hand, stopping her.
His eyes never left Kratos “You’ve been asking the wrong questions all this while” he said.
Kratos’s hands clenched “Then, tell me the right one”.
Thorne’s voice lowered slightly “The right question is…what were you born from?”
Kratos felt something shift inside him, it was unsettling “What does that mean?”
Thorne didn’t answer immediately, then he turned slightly “Come” he said.
Kratos was reluctant but asked “Where?”
“To see something you should have seen a long time ago” Thorne answered.
But wait… “How did you get here without the soldiers noticing?” Kratos questioned as he rememberd.
Thorne laughed “I'm a spirit, I can't really be seen. I only become visible when I want to or meant to. Just like you've seen me then”.
Kratos felt reassured he was in safe hands, even though he hesitated but eventually submitted “Fine, I'll go with you” he said quietly.
Lyra didn’t look but she didn’t stop him either, Zephyr watched silently. Thorne started walking and Kratos followed. As they walked away from the people: Behind them in the shadow, a figure stood still, watching them and unnoticed. A small device glowed faintly in its hands. Lyra and Zephyr whispered under their breath “I can feel something is here”.
“Hmm. He's been prepared for training, I’ll make sure to get him” the figure hidden in the shadows said, laughing wickedly.
Lyra heard the sound and its voice… The light faded and the figure disappeared.
