After tending to Atreus and applying the necessary cooling salves to stabilize his condition, there was nothing else that they could do but wait for Kratos to come back.
The Bridge Keeper's heart is the only thing that could truly bring Atreus's body back to its previously unbroken state.
Even with all of his magic and the profound connection he had with the Yggdrasil, Zelos had learned a hard lesson in this quiet moment.
He learned that there are still absolute limits to what he could do, and curing a divine sickness of this magnitude was currently beyond his reach.
Freya stood by the hearth, watching the expression of helplessness on Zelos's face as he looked down at his suffering brother. She could not help but go over and hug Zelos gently.
There is a profound loneliness that had been brewing in Freya's heart ever since she had been separated from Zelos despite short, and seeing him in such emotional pain stirred a deep desire within her to comfort him.
"Everything is going to be alright. Atreus is strong, and your father will be back," Freya's words then comforted Zelos. Her voice was soft but firm, carrying the assurance of someone who had seen centuries of struggle.
Zelos then held the hand of Freya that was resting on his shoulder. He turned and looked at Freya's comforting expression, finding solace in her presence.
However, looking at her face brought a sudden shadow to his mind. A thought of Baldur came into Zelos's mind.
It was a heavy burden, as there is something regarding her son that had been bothering Zelos ever since he realized the path they were walking.
"I know. It is just that I cannot help but worry. I would do anything for my family. I would burn an entire pantheon if it means those who I hold dear would be safe. I would kill whoever I need to kill, just to ensure that those who I hold dear survive," Zelos then said towards Freya. His voice carried a dark resolve that mirrored the God of War himself.
"You and I are the same in that regard. I would also do anything to ensure those who I hold dear are safe. I would sacrifice my life in exchange for their life without a second thought," Freya then said.
This statement made Zelos look at Freya with a complicated expression, as he knew that Freya was literally willing to die at the hands of Baldur just to make him feel something, anything at all.
Zelos decided to shift the atmosphere, wanting to speak his truth before the darkness of the future caught up to them.
"Despite our age difference and the time that has passed, I could tell you honestly that I have developed my feelings towards you. In the time that we had spent away from each other, I had grown a little lonely not being with your presence," Zelos then said towards Freya, while tightening his hold on her hand.
"I felt the same way. Your innocence is something I did not expect to start my healing. Over the time we had been separated, I found myself missing the warmth you brought to these woods," Freya then answered, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips.
"I vow to always protect you, like I would protect my Father and Brother. I would ensure that your safety is my biggest concern. I would protect you from any harm that might befall you, even at the expense of your hatred.
I could handle you hating me if it meant you will continue to live. This is my vow, and I would ensure that this would always be met, no matter the circumstances," Zelos then said towards Freya. He spoke with the weight of a binding oath, his eyes locking onto hers.
Freya's expression then slightly changed. Her smile faltered just a fraction, as she did not expect Zelos to say something so specific and ominous.
"Your words seem to indicate that there is something that is going to happen in the future. Do you know something?" Freya then asked towards Zelos. Her gaze became sharp, searching his face for any sign of deception.
Zelos then contemplated telling her what would happen in the future. He thought about warning her about Baldur, about the fight that was destined to happen.
But then, looking at Freya's face, he realized that telling her might change the outcome in a way that could endanger everyone, or worse, it might stop Kratos from doing what was necessary to save Atreus.
"No, but I want to assure you with my vow," Zelos then said. He chose to lie to spare Freya the pain of the truth right now. He decided he would deal with the consequences after the fact that Baldur had died, not before.
Freya looked momentarily at Zelos, studying his eyes. She sensed he was holding something back, but she decided to trust in his affection for her. She dropped the subject, letting the silence return to the room.
She and Zelos then spent their time together in the quiet cabin, with them tending towards the feverish Atreus, as well as quietly developing their relationships with each other while the snow fell softly outside.
-----------------
Meanwhile, Kratos, who had decided to dig up his past to save his son, could not help but become silent as he steered the boat through the darkened waterways. Mimir, walking freely on the deck of the small vessel, had been observing the now brooding look that had settled over the face of the Spartan. The silence was heavy, filled only with the sound of the water lapping against the wood.
"Is there something on your mind, brother? You know, I am known for my ability to comfort and keep secrets. It is part of the job description for the smartest man alive," Mimir then said. He was attempting to lighten the mood that Kratos had been feeling, as it was clear to him that Kratos continued to blame himself for the boy's condition.
"Atreus's situation is my fault. Zelos had warned me that this would happen long before. His mother was still alive back then when the warning was first given, but my stubborn nature got hold of me. I thought it would work itself out, that I could shield him from his nature, but I should have known better," Kratos then said, his voice low and filled with regret.
"Do not blame yourself, brother. You did what you thought was right for your son. No parent would not do that to protect their kin. Even your friend Freya had done something that she thought would benefit her son, Baldur, but in the end, it caused her son to resent her. Parenting is a battlefield of its own, without a clear map," Mimir then said towards Kratos, offering wisdom from his years of observing the Aesir and Vanir.
Kratos did not reply. The two continued to remain silent as hours passed by. They let the current of the river wash them towards the direction of the Wildwoods, where the cabin that Kratos had been living in with his family stood.
After a little longer, Kratos then saw the familiar wooden dock where his boat used to be docked before their journey began.
He steered the vessel in, tied it off, and then started going towards the path leading to his home, walking slowly with heavy steps.
Before coming inside of the cabin, Kratos then stopped at the threshold. He could not help but take a deep breath first, steeling himself for what he had to do.
Mimir had read the situation perfectly and stopped a few paces behind.
He did not want to intrude in what he knew was a difficult, private time for Kratos, so he stood guard outside, watching the snow fall.
Kratos then went inside the warm, dim interior. He walked past the table and the beds, heading straight for the trap door hidden beneath a rug.
He opened the latch that he had never let Zelos and Atreus open. It was something that he had strictly forbidden, a rule that both Zelos and Atreus had accepted without question.
In fact, Zelos had even used his magic to assist in keeping it hidden, creating a seal for this contraption that could only be opened with Kratos's blood, adding a layer of security that Kratos requested years ago.
Kratos then took out the simple knife he had forged for himself. He held his hand over the seal, slashed his own palm, and started letting his thick, divine blood drip onto the trap door. The magic sizzled, recognizing the source, and the lock clicked open.
Kratos heaved the heavy wood open. It revealed a cache of multiple weapons that Zelos would surely recognize if he were here.
These were Kratos's weapons back from his time in Greece. Not only had Kratos brought the infamous Blades of Chaos, but he had also brought the different weapons he had collected over his years of killing the gods of Olympus.
This is something that arguably should not have happened, as many of these were lost or destroyed, but Kratos had brought these weapons with him to this new land as a means of a dark reminder.
They were artifacts of his own cruelty, kept to tell himself to always be better than the man who wielded them.
The Nemean Cestus that his brother Hercules once wore, the Wings of Icarus that he had ripped from the inventor's back, the Boots of Hermes he had taken from the messenger god, and even the Bow of Apollo had been safely stored in this dark hole, wrapped in cloth.
"There is nowhere you can hide, Spartan. Put as much distance between you and the truth as you want, it changes nothing. Pretend to be everything you are not... teacher... husband... father... but there is one unavoidable truth you will never escape: You cannot change. You will always be a monster."
Suddenly, the spirit of Athena, who had ascended to a higher realm of existence, appeared in front of Kratos. She shimmered in a green, ghostly hue. Flanking her were the illusions of everyone that he had robbed of weapons and life.
Hades, the Lord of the Underworld; Hercules, his own half-brother; Hephaestus, the Smith God; and the others. All of them stood there as the reminders of Kratos's bloody past.
They were the very reason why Kratos had brought these items, instead of just the Blades of Chaos as in the original story.
He kept them to atone to the effects of everyone that he had killed, carrying the weight of his sins physically.
"You are a MONSTER, SPARTAN!" all of the silhouettes then said in unison. They all shouted in front of Kratos, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of judgment.
Kratos did not mind them. He did not flinch. Kratos just reached down and took the Blades of Chaos for now.
He knew that the other weapons had lost their magic, much like Kratos had lost his own Greek magic due to the destruction of Greece, but the Blades retained their primordial fire.
"I know I am a monster. But I am your monster no longer," Kratos then replied firmly to the ghost of Athena.
He then started putting the chains of the Blades of Chaos onto his forearms. He wrapped the searing metal tight against his scarred skin.
The moment the chains touched the skin of Kratos, the metal suddenly started to light in flames once again, glowing with the heat of the underworld, just like it had once done so many years ago.
Kratos then turned and walked straight towards the door, not caring if he had walked through the illusions of the gods he had killed.
He passed through the ghostly form of Athena as if she were nothing but mist, for his present needed him more than his past could haunt him. When he came outside into the cold air, he saw Mimir waiting for him by the tree line.
Mimir had a recognizing look on his face as he recognize the burning blades attached to Kratos's arms.