The Old And Forgotten Gods (God Of War)

V

Using close precision, Eir carved out the shape of the bow from the oak wood, then whittled spells written in runes onto the wood with her dagger to help aid with aim, accuracy, and luck. She then used the skin of the white buck to make the string of the bow, and the antlers and bones to be the arrowheads, using every last piece of the chunk of oak to actually form the thin arrows. And lastly, she used, without remorse, the feathers of Odins crows to make the fletching at the end of the arrow to aid with stabilization. Once finished by a few days later, she'd created over one hundred arrows and a perfectly balanced and shaped bow, fitting for Kratos' size and demeanor.

She called him inside from his duty of chopping wood for the fire, where she then handed him the bow, Kratos taking it carefully and examining it closely, admiring her handy work. He grunted in approval, handing her the axe as he took the quiver filled with arrows and walked outside. Eir tucked the axe onto her belt and followed him into the woods where they found ravens and squirrels flying and running freely about, soon to be target practice.

Kratos was used to heavy, close combat weapons as he used before, so he required Eir's guidance. She helped prep his stance, perfectly aiming his arm as he pulled back on the tight string, an arrow placed between his fingers. Breathe, she told him, and so he did, taking a deep breath. As Eir pulled her arm away, she couldn't help but quickly caress her fingers across his muscles. He was certainly built like a warrior, not a soft spot to be found.

Finally, as Kratos had a set target before him, he fired the arrow which quickly shot across, splicing deeply into a tree but missing the main target. They watched as the squirrel hopped onto another branch and quickly ran across. They followed, Kratos then repeating the same stance but this time, more precise, and once he aimed, he took a deep breath, then firing the arrow which immediately sliced through the squirrel that sat peacefully on a branch. His overall strength sent so much force with the arrow that the squirrel and arrow flew many yards away, only being stopped by a tree. Eir stared to it from the distance in total shock, looking to Kratos who's expression was unbothered. He lowered the bow, placing it over his torso and went to retrieve it. Once he arrived back to Eir, he handed her the squirrel where she then hung it off of her belt and they continued for another hour or so.

Eir was surprised by how quickly he picked up the sport, totally impressed. It brought her genuine excitement, and not only that, but small hints of lust. Watching the stiff, muscular man take aim and fire so perfectly was an admirable sight. But soon, as they headed back to the cabin, ten squirrel and ravens dangling from Eir's waist, there was a sudden unfamiliar noise which sounds was nothing of an animal. Eir quickly stopped Kratos, placing her arm before his chest as they both listened, still and silent, while a growl echoed from a close distance.

Eir carefully unsheathed her axe while Kratos prepared an arrow. They followed the sound until finding an open area surrounded by stone with creatures walking inside.
"What are they?" Kratos questioned.

"Draugr. Undead soldiers walking, filled with so much rage and desire for revenge that they refused the call of the Valkyrie to Valhalla. They engaged in a duel with the Valkyrie but were badly burned by the intensity of the fight and are doomed to forever roam Midgard in rage as a husk of their previous selves."

"Hm. I will take care of them." Kratos began to stand but Eir grabbed his arm and lowered him back down.

"No, they may be the undead, but they aren't completely brain dead. Once you shoot one, they'll all spread around and come for you. A bow isn't exactly quick enough for that many draugr." She looked to the creatures as they fumbled around with old rusted swords in their hands, then back to Kratos. "Allow me."

She quietly stood and followed the edge of the woods until finally getting close enough to one of them. She lifted her arm, and with full force she tossed the axe which sliced right into the head of a draugr, ice crawling from the axe and covering the draugr's body whole. She ran forward and punched one, causing it to stumble back, then recalled her axe and hit it so hard, it bounced off the ground and created a dent in the cement they stood on.

"NOW!" She called to Kratos, who quickly fired to the draugr as it was mid air, and the arrow exploded its head. She easily sliced through the next few draugr with the help of Kratos of course. Kratos stepped from the woods and approached Eir, taking a look at the dead creatures around.

"I could have handled them."

"I know. I just wanted to show off." She flashed a smile, twirling her axe before placing it back onto her belt. "Anyways," she adds as they continue through the woods, "there's things much worse then the draugr. We must be careful when venturing this far from home. Here you will find good meat, but always an enemy who matches in strength. It's good to know your limits. Though..." she glanced to Kratos's arms and ripped torso "I don't suppose you have many limits, do you?"

"No." He simply replied. "I have killed gods. A hundred draugr would not match to the enemies I have slain."

Eir chuckled. "I suppose not."

Kratos looked to Eir who walked so closely next to him, her arm occasionally brushing against his. "What of you? How many enemies have you sent to Valhalla with that axe?"

Eir looks to her axe then pats it with a euphoric smile as she remembers the old days. "Ah, me and the leviathan have been through many a war. I've taken down men taller than a thousand feet! Down to men only four feet. I've even defeated a dragon."

"You lie."

"I do not! In fact, I still have the tooth of the dragon I slayed."

Kratos, to Eir's surprise, actually forms a smile over that frown of his and lets out a deep and quick chortle. "You are by far the mightiest woman I have ever met."