Kratos x Reader

Thirty-Three

It was cold. And wet. It felt like you were laying in water. Creatures swam around you, almost like sharks.

Their skins touched yours, leaving burning yet freezing cold touches. It was so painful, but the pain was bitter sweet. It made you feel alive.

The thought of still being alive was like wine to the soul.

Your brain was aching. Breathing felt like fire creeping inside your lungs.

But you were alive.

A shaky breath left your lips, as you managed to open your eyes a little. The light of a moon kisserd your Frozen blue lips.

"W-where am I?", your eyes wandered around, but all you could see was the moon in the pitch black sky.

You were floating on the waters surface, without a weight but also defenceless. Whatever was swimming below you, touching your skin and playing with your fear, it could kill you without any effort.

So, why were you still alive?

"Hello?", you raised your hand into the air.

Below you, something moved. A dark thing emerged from the water. It looked familiar, like a hand, but in the colour of the darkness. Black essence dripped from its fingers. Almost like blood.

The had grabbed yours, gentle and almost loving. The touch felt familiar. The hand locked with yours, finger fitted perfectly into each other.

"Who?", you asked, whispering into the night.

"Me.", a voice answered.

The hand came further out of the water, followed by shoulders, a head and a torso. The creature seemed to be made out of black essence, thick and oily. With one swift movement, it placed itself on top of you, almost like a lover.

Your eyes had to adjust, but as they looked into its face, your heart skipped a beat.

It was your own face. You were looking at yourself.

"How?", you asked, trembling.

Cold crawled through your body.

The copy smiled.

"Tyr. Don't we remember?", it tilted its head, drops of thick black fell into your face and ran down your cheek.

As it sunk into your skin, the world faded into pain. Crying out, you twisted and curled in the water.
Before your eyes, pictures awoke. Memories.

"This is madness, Odin!", that was Freya's voice.

She was crying, laying in bed.

Blood was covering the sheets. She held a bundle of white cloth in her arms. It was soaked in blood.

Odin was standing next to her. His face didn't tell a single emotion.

You were standing in the corner of the room, listening and watching in silence.

"We must do what we must do.", he said and looked at you.

A shiver ran down your spine. His eyes awoke something inside of you.

Fear.

Caution.

"I can help.", you heard your own voice say. "I shall bargain with death if you have something to offer."

Freya squeezed her lips together.

"I have nothing to offer.", she said, pressing the bundle to her heart.

Odin eyed her in silence.

Then he nodded, drew his knife and stabbed his right eye with it. He twisted the knife, blood was rushing out of it.

And then he pulled it out as if it was nothing. Without a word, he offered you the knife, his eye sticking on it.

You took it.

"Life only can be repaid with other life.", you said.

"I am Odin. Father of the gods, god of the gods, husband of the Freya. My eye shall be payment enough."

You hesitated.

Deep down inside, you knew that this was not going to work.

But Odin didn't take no for an answer. Not ever. So, you lowered your head to him, bowed and disappeared.

The world faded again.

"(Y/N). Come here.", Freya was weak, you could hear it in her words.

You moved, the picture curled and suddenly you stood at her side, holding her shivering hand. She was still holding the bundle. It seemed to have something inside.

Something made of flesh.

"Master. You are still weak. You should rest.", you stroked a wet strand out of her face.

"No. No!", she grabbed your hand. "(Y/N), oh my little (Y/N). Forgive me my blindness. I haven't seen it."

Tears began to roll down her cheeks. They were hot and thick, almost like burning oil.

"You speak strange, Master. You need to rest. Loosing a child... Forgive me, I should not say a thing. I do not know the pain you feel. Nor the loss you have made."

"But (Y/N). My sweet one. You loose so many people every century. Your gift robs your memories every hundred years, you loose everyone you've loved once or will love only so you can bargain with death. You are suffering just as I do.", she smiled sadly. "The difference is you don't know. And I do."

A sigh escaped your lips. Your fingers were playing with the eyeball that Odin had given you.

It felt strangely warm, yet soft and elegant.

"I cannot give you back what you've lost, Freya. Not even with this payment of your husband."

Again, Freya smiled. She tilted her head and shook it gently.

"You don't understand, (Y/N). Not only am I crying because of my son. I am crying because of you too. Don't you see it? Didn't you think about it?"

Confused, you frowned.

"I don't understand.", you shifted, letting loose on the grip you had around her hand.

She smiled.

It was almost lunatic. She was just smiling. Crying and smiling.

"The prophecy. Your fate. A child that had been born through death must live so you can live till the child dies by the hand of a man of anger. A man shall come from another world and be your end.", she giggled. "My son, he is the child. Don't you see it? He is connected to your fate and to the man of anger, a man from another world. You must give him life again. Or you will die."

A shock chased through your body. You could feel your heart beat faster. Blood rushed through your ears.

The prophecy. Your curse and the gift. Everything made sense now.

But suddenly it hit you.

"Kratos.", his name tasted bitter on your tongue.

As bitter as death.