章 80: Side Chapter 1: Kratos’s problem fixed!

"Training for war!? Are you serious? I just got back from destroying that little pantheon and you want to put me in a war?! This is outrageous! Uncouth! And bloody brilliant! I'm in!" Mordred yelled as he stood up from the round table with an excited look on his face.

Ever since tasting the freedom of the outside world he felt that something was missing. He wanted to be out of Albion as much as he could, and if that meant war then so be it.

"So we are meant to train? I see… How serious is it Scathath?" Nia asked as he was still seated at the round table.

Scathath didn't answer for a while before looking at all of them. "I've never seen Argen as serious as he was, I believe this is important, even I am going to train… I want all of you to go out and train, do not come back until you feel you are completely finished, or until someone calls you back… Also, be on the lookout for more people, there are plenty of lost demigods and heroes out there… I will see you all later."

With these words Scathath disappeared, leaving them at the table.

"Hmm… Well I guess I'm in charge huh? Everyone go train!" Mordred said smiling before he realized something.

"Did you not have any questions Kratos?" Mordred asked as Nia left the room, muttering something about swordsman.

"I do as I am told, nothing more," Kratos said in his deep but still soft voice.

Mordred inwardly sighed, the obedience wasn't bad, but it would be a problem in the long run.

Mordred had met many people like Kratos, and each one of them had died because they weren't able to think for themselves.

It was something that came from Trauma. There were two ways you could turn out after some kind of traumatic event. One, angry and wanting to bring everything down. Like Argen had been.

Or two, Completely obedient, soft spoken, and all around… Hesitant. Like Kratos was.

"Hmm, I want to train… But I can't leave you here like this, you may be the strongest out of all of us power wise, but I'd still beat you every time, tell me Kratos do you know why?"

Mordred asked these questions as he paced around the table, his arms around his back, imitating all of his teachers that he'd had.

"You wouldn't beat me, I was trained by my father himself, I was trained by all the gods, I would-"

"Oh shut up, I would beat you every single time we fought, Do. You. Know. Why?" Mordred said, his eyes glowing gold as he slammed his hands on the table.

Kratos furrowed his eyebrows as he began to reach for something.

"Hah… Alright, so you don't know? It's because you're predictable," Mordred said as he was behind Kratos, grabbing a glowing weapon.

"Let my hand go…" Kratos said softly as Mordred shook his head.

"Alright, I'll put off my training, we're family after all, didn't you hear Argen? We're family!" Mordred yelled grabbing the stone chair and throwing it over his shoulder, slamming Kratos into the wall.

"Geez, you're not even phased?" Mordred said as he looked at Kratos, standing at 6 feet tall and 11 inches. His body pure muscle.

"Are you trying to start something?" Kratos asked, a little hesitation in his eyes.

"Are you serious? Me start something with you?… Well of course I am!" Mordred said slamming his foot into Kratos's chest and kicking him out of the tower.

"We don't need someone like you, I may have brought you back with me, but that doesn't mean I won't take you back to that prison cell you were rotting in!" Mordred yelled as he jumped out of the tower as well, bringing out his sword.

"Come Clarent!" Mordred yelled as the sword appeared in his hands just as he brought it down on Kratos's chest.

"Ugh…" Kratos grunted as he held Clarent by the blade. "Can I fight?" Kratos asked, the hesitation still in his eyes.

"Are you… A fucking idiot?" Mordred said as his eyes grew wild. Mordred kicked Kratos in the ribs, sending him soaring across the dirt field.

"You dont ask if you can fight someone! What if I were to try and really kill you!? What if I tried to kill someone important to you!? Think for yourself you bastard!"

Mordred lunged at Kratos raising his sword to slice the man's head off.

"I was not asking you Mordred," Kratos said, raising his hand and punching Mordred square in the jaw, sending the man flying into the walls around Camelot.

"Haha… Haha… Hahahahaha! Finally!" Mordred said standing up before stumbling, dropping his sword as he fell to his knees.

'Hm?' Mordred thought as he felt the aching throughout his entire body.

"W-What the hell?" Mordred said as his vision blurred.

"Strength, I was born to be strong, and I paid dearly for it… My first wife, dead after o crushed her, my second wife, killed by guards who were hunting me, Tragedy makes people stronger… You said you would beat me every time? That is impossible…"

Mordred gulped as he felt the pressure. It wasn't like any other fight he'd had, no it felt more like he was fighting all those gods again.

"I am Kratos, or Cratos, son of Pallas, not Zeus, I am the son of Styx, I may have thrown away my Divinity, but I am still strong…"

"Haha… Oh shut up you loser, monologuing like I give a shit… Tragedy makes you stronger? Then maybe… I'm stronger than you…"

Mordred's body blurred as he disappeared, dust kicking up from the spot he had left.

"You say you killed your wife? I don't care man," Mordred said as he jammed the hilt of his sword into the small of Kratos's back.

"I'll take your word for it though, I already said you're stronger… For now at least. You said tragedy makes people stronger correct? Then maybe…"

Mordred didn't finish the thought as Clarent disappeared. "Whatever, it doesn't matter, I'll go train now, I suggest you do the same. No matter how tragic your life is, that won't save you when we fight… There's always someone stronger…"

Kratos looked at Mordred as he disappeared. Mordred's words had seemed personal, as if he wasn't simply quoting Kratos.

'Thank you for allowing me to prove myself mother, I know I swore on the River Styx never to fight without permission… Can this please be broken?'

Silence.

'Never.'