Chapter 7 7

They ignored the voice because they actually couldn't understand as it was spoken in an unknown language but Lyra felt strange. Instead of speaking out, she shrugged it off.

Kratos didn’t like where this was going and definitely not the fact that he was following a man who claimed to know about his birth.

“This better not be another ‘you’ll understand later’ situation” Kratos muttered as he walked behind Thorne.

Thorne didn’t slow down “It isn’t”.

Lyra walked a step behind them, quiet for once. Zephyr followed further back, arms folded, watching everything like he expected something to go wrong. Kratos noticed that “Why is he still following?” he asked, nodding toward Zephyr.

“To make sure you don’t break anything important or cause trouble” Zephyr answered before Lyra could. Kratos didn’t respond. They stopped at a large chamber carved into the stone.

Unlike the other parts of the base, this place felt… different. It was empty, exposed and the air was heavier. Kratos stepped inside slowly “What is this?”

“A training ground” Lyra said.

Kratos looked around “For who?”

“For you” Zephyr responded.

Kratos let out a dry laugh. Thorne stepped forward “This is where you start learning”

Kratos crossed his arms “I didn’t agree to training”.

“No, but you agreed to stay alive” Thorne said calmly.

Kratos opened his mouth, then stopped because he had no argument for that “Thought you said I was going to find out about what I was born from?” he asked.

“Yes, you'll know as time goes on. Believe me, it is not something I myself could explain to you, it's something you need to see and experience for yourself and for that to happen, you need to train yourself to be able to know the truth” Thorne explained sincerely.

Kratos didn't argue but agreed immediately, guess he expected such disappointment anyway “I knew you were just trying to bring me here, you knew nothing but that is forgiven. The thing now is that, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do”.

Thorne turned to face him fully “You need to feel it”

Kratos blinked “That’s it?”

“Yes” Thorne answered.

Kratos stared at him and scoffed “You’re joking”.

“I’m not joking” Thorne responded firmly.

Kratos ran a hand over his face “This is exactly what I was talking about”.

Lyra stepped in “It’s not as simple as it sounds”.

“It sounds pretty simple to me” He answered ignorantly.

Thorne nodded slightly “The power you’re touching… is not something you control like a weapon”.

Kratos eyebrows furrowed “Then what is it?”

“It’s something you connect to” Thorne said.

Kratos didn’t like that answer “That doesn’t make sense”.

“It will…eventually” Thorne said.

“Told you it isn't simple” Lyra gave a mocking whisper.

Kratos let out a breath “Everyone just keep telling me what to do and making things complicated” he murmured.

Thorne ignored the comment “Close your eyes”.

Kratos hesitated “Why?”

“So you stop relying on what you can see but what you can feel” Thorne replied.

Kratos looked at Lyra and Zephyr but neither of them spoke a word “This is a bad idea” he muttered, but he closed his eyes anyway.

At first, it was nothing, just darkness and silence and then a faint sound of movement around him “This is pointless” he said.

“You need to focus” Thorne replied.

“On what?” Kratos asked.

“On what you felt before” Throne replied.

Kratos frowned slightly “You mean when everything went wrong?”

“Yes” Thorne answered sharply.

“Not sure if that's gonna be helpful” Kratos said.

“It will, trust me” Thorne ordered.

Kratos exhaled slowly. Then, he tried and thought back. When something inside him… moved. Suddenly, he felt a faint warmth, his chest tightened slightly “I feel something”.

“Don’t force it” Thorne said “Let it come”

Kratos swallowed. The warmth grew slowly, spreading, not painful but not comfortable either.

“It’s getting stronger” Kratos alerted.

Thorne answered with a slight smile. Kratos’s breathing increased, his heart began to beat faster and the warmth turned sharper.

“Wait— stay with it” Thorne ordered.

“This doesn’t feel right” Kratos sensed.

“Just stay, it won't feel right to start with” Thorne stood his ground.

Kratos clenched his teeth. The feeling intensified too much and too fast “I can’t” he said, almost screaming.

“Don’t stop!” Thorne said firmly.

Kratos’s eyes snapped open “I said I can’t!” He screamed, a violent energy burst. A shockwave ripped through the chamber and Kratos was thrown backward, hitting the ground hard.

The walls cracked, dust fell, the air trembled and then silence.

Kratos groaned, pushing himself up slightly “I told you I can't”. His head spun.

“That wasn’t control, that was a mess” Zephyr said calmly.

Kratos glared at him, Lyra stepped closer “Are you hurt?”

Kratos shook his head slightly “No… just…” He looked at his hands again and asked “What was that?”

Thorne didn’t hesitate “That” he said “Is what happens when you try to control something you don’t understand”.

Kratos let out a breath “Then maybe we should stop”.

“No, we cannot” Thorne said proactively.

Kratos looked up sharply “Why can't we?”

Thorne’s gaze hardened slightly “You don’t get to stop”.

Kratos pushed himself to his feet “I almost blew this place apart!”

“And next time” Thorne said “you might not survive it”. That shut him up.

“So what, I just keep doing that until I get it right?” Kratos questioned.

“No, you learn from it” Lyra encouraged.

Kratos shook his head “This isn’t learning. This is waiting to explode”.

“Exactly” Zephyr agreed.

Kratos looked at him “What?”

“That’s what you are right now” Zephyr continued “A weapon with no control”.

Kratos’s jaw tightened “I’m not a weapon”.

Zephyr shrugged “Tell that to the fucking distorted wall”.

Kratos looked back “I didn’t mean to do that”.

“No one ever does” Lyra said quietly.

Kratos sighed heavily and placed his hands close to his thighs as he rested on the wall “I don’t like this”.

Lyra crossed her arms, Kratos let out a smirky smile “Good. At least we agree on something”.

“Try again” Thorne instructed.

Kratos stared at him “Are you being serious right now?” he sighed in frustration.

“Yes, I am” Thorne said sharply.

Kratos shook his head “No. Not happening”.

“If you don’t, the next time that power comes out… it won’t be here” Thorne replied.

Kratos froze “What do you mean?”

Thorne stepped closer “It will be out there with people around you”.

Kratos felt sudden sadness “I could hurt someone” he said.

“You will” Thorne said.

Kratos swallowed hard “Unless I learn?”

“Yes” Thorne replied stanly.

Kratos closed his eyes briefly “This is insane”.

Lyra didn’t argue because it was. Kratos exhaled slowly, then nodded once. He stepped back into position, closed his eyes again “This is the last time” he muttered.

No one believed that, not even him. This time, he didn’t rush but focused on his breathing, slow and steady. The warmth came again “I feel it” he said quietly.

“Good” Thorne replied “Stay there”.

Kratos didn’t move, he didn’t push, he didn’t force it. For a moment—It worked: the energy stayed, balanced and calm.

Kratos’s breathing steadied “I think I got it…” Then, a memory of his foster parents, the fire and the screams made Kratos’s emotions stirred and the balance broke.

“No” Thorne said quietly. The energy surged again, it was stronger than before and angry.

Kratos’s eyes snapped open “I can’t stop it!”

The ground cracked beneath him, the air became distorted.

Lyra’s eyes widened “Kratos!”

The explosion came stronger and more violent this time. Kratos screamed as the energy tore through him, everything went blank. When the light faded, Kratos stood in the center of the chamber breathing hard and unsteady. The ground beneath him was slightly broken, deep cracks spread outward like a Web while the others stood at a distance watching him. Kratos looked at his hands, they were shaking.

“I didn’t” His voice broke slightly “I didn’t mean to…”

No one spoke immediately. Then, Zephyr exhaled slowly “Now that…” He looked at Lyra “…is a problem”

Lyra didn’t take her eyes off Kratos “Yes, It is” she said quietly.

Thorne stepped forward slowly, his expression was unreadable “It’s worse than I thought”.

Kratos looked up and asked “What is worse?”

Thorne met his gaze “The power isn’t just reacting, it’s remembering too”.

Kratos was confused “Remembering what?”

Thorne didn’t answer just yet, his eyes shifted slightly toward the entrance.

Kratos noticed “What is it?”

No one spoke. Then they heard footsteps from afar marching confidently and quietly towards the chamber. Kratos’s chest tightened instantly “That’s not one of yours” he knew.

Lyra’s expression hardened “No, it's absolutely not!”.

The footsteps grew louder and closer. Then, a figure appeared at the entrance; Alone. Kratos felt a sudden pressure immediately, this was something else, the man stepped into the light.

His eyes landed directly on Kratos and he smiled “So this is the true Shadowborn”.

Kratos’s breath caught “And who are you?”

The man didn’t look away “I was hoping you’d ask”

“My name…” His smile widened slightly “... is Karthik”.

The room went completely still and eerie.

Lyra’s voice dropped “Archon”

Kratos’s heart skipped, he didn’t understand everything yet but he understood that name and what it represents. Karthik took another step forward, unbothered and unafraid “You’ve been very difficult to find” he said calmly.

Kratos’s fists clenched “If you are here for me, news flash, I'm not going with you”.

Karthik’s smile didn’t fade “That decision is not up to you”. His gaze sharpened slightly “Come with me”.

Kratos didn’t move “I said No”.

Karthik sighed “That’s unfortunate”.

Danger rose instantly. Lyra stepped forward “We’re not letting you take him”.

Karthik looked at her, then at Zephyr and then back at Kratos “You misunderstood the ‘come with me part’ ”.

His voice dropped slightly and ragefully “I wasn’t asking, it is a command”.