Chapter 88 – Descent Into Shadows
The fractured plateau groaned beneath the weight of unseen forces, a deep, resonant moan that echoed through the hollow skies. The Nine's assault had not relented—if anything, it had become more precise, more intelligent, as though the darkness itself was learning to anticipate every move Kratos and Atreus made.
Kratos stood at the edge of a widening fissure, frost dripping from his Leviathan Axe, boots gripping unstable stone. He could feel the trembling beneath him, the subtle shifts of the plateau that threatened to send him plummeting into the abyss below. The air was thick with ash and shadow, carrying the faint, mocking laughter of the Nine through the broken air.
Atreus moved beside him, bow ready, threads of the fracture coiling around his fingers like restless serpents. Each pulse of the energy threatened to break free, to overwhelm his control. The fracture screamed for release. End them. End it all. Tear everything apart.
Atreus swallowed hard. "Father… it's screaming. Louder. Stronger… it wants me to—"
"Control it," Kratos snapped, his voice cutting like steel. "Your strength is in restraint, not surrender. Remember that."
Xenara hovered nearby, glyphs spinning in a desperate pattern, trying to stabilize the already fractured plateau. "The Nine… they've reorganized. This is no longer just a battle. They are tearing at the realm itself. Every rift, every shadow, every fragment—they move with perfect synchronization. You cannot fight them alone."
Kratos's eyes narrowed. "Then we fight together. Every strike counts. Every step matters."
From the horizon, the first of the Nine emerged—a colossus of void and shattered stone, taller than any structure that remained, red eyes burning like molten embers. Its presence distorted the air around it. Shadows swirled from rifts, coalescing into weapons that struck preemptively, forcing Kratos and Atreus to react constantly.
Atreus's pulse quickened. The fracture screamed, clawing at his control. Release me. Destroy. Consume.
"No!" Atreus whispered, teeth clenched. "Not yet… I will not."
Kratos swung his axe, frost erupting into the void, striking a cluster of approaching constructs. Shards of stone scattered into the abyss, pieces of the plateau breaking away. But for every one destroyed, two more rose.
The colossus advanced, adapting mid-strike, its massive weapon reshaping into jagged forms, forcing Kratos to parry and counter with precision. Each clash sent vibrations through the plateau, threatening to destabilize the fragile fragments they stood on.
Atreus fired threaded arrows, weaving the constructs together, restraining them temporarily. His hands trembled; the fracture pulsed violently, insistent, demanding release. One strike. One surge. End everything.
"Focus," Kratos growled. "Channel it, do not surrender."
The colossus staggered slightly under Kratos's precise strikes, but it was far from defeated. Its red eyes locked onto Atreus, sensing the fracture within him. Shadows lunged with calculated precision, seeking to overwhelm the boy's concentration.
Atreus's hands tightened around the bow. Threads coiled around the constructs, binding them to the fractured plateau. His pulse raced, but he forced it steady, anchoring the land beneath them, holding the crumbling stone long enough for Kratos to advance.
Xenara's voice cut through the chaos. "They're targeting the fracture! Every second you hold is a battle against both them and the realm itself!"
Kratos swung his axe, striking the commander's armor. Frost collided with void, sparks erupting into the darkness. The commander staggered but adapted instantly, countering with a swipe that nearly knocked Kratos into a fissure.
Atreus fired another thread, wrapping it around a rift to stabilize a section of the plateau. Stones held for only seconds, but it was enough for Kratos to strike again.
The Nine's commander roared, releasing a shockwave that shattered the surrounding terrain. The abyss yawned hungrily beneath them. The plateau trembled with every pulse of the fracture, every clash of blade and shadow.
Atreus felt the fracture claw at him, insistent, unstoppable. Release me… end them… tear it all down.
He clenched his teeth. "Not yet… control…"
Kratos roared, launching himself at the commander, axe striking with brutal precision. Frost and void clashed violently. Shadows scattered into the abyss, but the commander's adaptive form reformed mid-strike, forcing Kratos onto the defensive.
Atreus wove threads rapidly, restraining the constructs, stabilizing loose stone, and anchoring fissures. The fracture screamed, each pulse testing his endurance, his resolve, his very will.
The colossus lunged again, massive limbs swinging with terrifying speed. Kratos met it head-on, deflecting the strikes with calculated force, frost exploding outward, buying Atreus a moment to stabilize the collapsing terrain.
Xenara shouted. "You cannot hold them forever! Every stabilized section buys only moments!"
Kratos met her gaze. "Then we make these moments count!"
The commander adapted again, its red eyes glinting with cruel intelligence. It lunged at Atreus, forcing the boy to react quickly. Threads wrapped around the constructs, pulling them into position to block the strike. Frost clashed with void as Kratos struck simultaneously, shattering constructs and wounding the commander.
Atreus felt the fracture pulse violently, clawing at his control. End it all… destroy… consume…
He closed his eyes, centering himself. Threads coiled precisely, restraining constructs, anchoring stones, and channeling the energy into controlled bursts. The commander staggered, slowed, vulnerable.
Kratos roared, striking true. Frost exploded outward, scattering shadows into the abyss. The commander roared in frustration, stumbling under the relentless assault.
From the horizon, additional rifts erupted, spewing smaller, faster constructs. The plateau trembled violently. Stones broke away, falling into the void. The Nine's laughter echoed, layered and cruel. Collapse is inevitable… surrender is inevitable…
Kratos met Atreus's gaze. "We endure. Together."
Atreus nodded, focusing, weaving threads with precision. Constructs were restrained, the plateau stabilized, the fracture kept in check. The abyss yawned beneath them, yet they held the line.
The commander lunged one final time, weapon swinging with deadly intent. Kratos blocked, rolled, and countered, axe striking true. Frost and void collided violently, shattering constructs and scattering shadows.
Atreus's threads anchored fragments of stone, stabilizing the battlefield for mere seconds. The fracture screamed but obeyed, restrained by his focus, his will, his discipline.
The colossus staggered. The commander faltered. For the first time, the Nine hesitated.
Kratos gritted his teeth. "Do not relent!"
Atreus released one final controlled pulse, binding the commander, restraining shadows, stabilizing the plateau. The abyss loomed, fissures yawned, yet they stood.
The Nine's assault was relentless, adaptive, and intelligent—but Kratos and Atreus endured.
Step by step. Strike by strike. Thread by thread.
Because survival, fragile and fleeting, was theirs to seize.
The fractured plateau groaned once more, but they had carved a temporary path through the darkness. A path that could lead them deeper into the heart of the Nine—or into the abyss itself.
And in that darkness, only one truth remained: Endurance was their only weapon, and restraint was their only salvation.