A New War, A New Guardian

Chapters

Encounters
Successor
Encounters
Meetings
Archìzei I Máchì
Experiences and Meetings
Refreshment
A Journey's Start and Meetings
Spartan's Return, as well as an Ungrateful Rescue

Encounters

Joseph Pólethèos noticed the traps pausing and darted forward mere feet after them, a bracer that had long passed down through his family upon his left forearm.

He heard a creak before he shifted his weight and hips, the bracer expanding horizontally before rotating and expanding.

Sparks flew from the expanded shield as he was tossed backwards harshly off the walkway from the heavy pendulum blade's impact, seeing envenomed darts fire as two caught him, one grazing his right side just above his hip, the other sinking deep into his left thigh.

His dark burgundy irises glowed iridescently as he ripped free the dart as he grunted as he slammed into the weathered stone walls before he fell into a deep pit before it slanted abruptly at a downward angle. He let out a feral snarl as he hit and slid down, ignoring the burning in his thigh as he slid through what appeared to be a waterfall. He missed, however, a bronze groove that caught a coppery scented red liquid that also trickled down and sent it somewhere in the depths below.

His eyes narrowed as he slid deeper as the slope turned at a sharp curve, though he didn't notice the wound the dart had created leaking faintly golden steam as the wound healed in tendrils of crimson flames.

He didn't know what had happened to Aaron nor Alex, though he could hear the distant screams of pained agony as, unknown to him, golden bronze crept ever so slowly outward from his pupils. He grunted as he twisted, evading by inches a wall of rusted blades curved inward. He coughed at the foul old copper stench before he shivered for a moment, realizing the 'rust' was actually layers and layers of blood. "Kaimènoi paralirimènoi anóitoi," he breathed, unaware he spoke in Ancient Greek.

His eyes widened fractionally as he noticed the slope ending before a low growl escaped him. "Gia tous theoús… Den eimaì anòitos gia ti diaskèdasi tous," he muttered gruffly as he shifted, pulling his legs in and kipping up, snapping his hips and landing on his feet before he pushed into a somersault as the slope ended, flipping three times before spreading his arms and legs out as if skydiving. He noticed tendrils of reddish orange flames surging in spiraling channels downward slightly faster than he was falling before he saw them merge into thicker channels of flame and abruptly surge, from his perspective, upward, lighting a tunnel that was inches above a deep pool of water. He shifted before he dove into the water, noticing numerous bones, more than a few scored by edged blades. His head tilted upward towards the ramp before he started swimming through the tunnel, sighing softly. "If I recall, the GodofWar games from…. what, ten, twelve years ago… had, of the Greek deities, Aphrodite as the only survivor. I doubt Gaea truly died… her Avatar at that time may have died, but I very much doubt that her consciousness truly died… might have been forced into a healing trance or healing coma, more likely," he mused before noticing a shaft of light alongside the flames.

His eyes widened as he surfaced before pulling himself up out of the pool. His gaze drifted around warily. He had the distinct sense of being watched. He moved cautiously, not realizing that his body and clothes were visibly steaming. He did notice, however, that upon entering the next chamber, the stone was a bit darker and the light dimmer.

The third chamber, however, was very different. Its stone was a dark, aged quartzite, which was a metamorphosed, dense form of sandstone.

His eyes widened as he could feel the burning in his veins echo deeper in the chamber. His keen eyesight noticed someone in bronze and dark burgundy armor with ancient, weathered steel chains coiled around his forearms.

Successor

"So you're the one intended to take my place, boy. You do not look like a Spartan, yet the Blades react to your presence. That means you are of my blood," he rumbled, his eyes narrowing. His hand flicked to a set of jagged short swords a little longer than large machetes that had long chains that glowed dully orange that burned with a smokeless flame.

His head turned slightly where a far larger blade, a claymore style double edged blade, rested within an ornate rack and case. Bright blue flames burned along its ornate Orichalcum and steel blade.

He saw the young man's head turn before he twisted as a pair of knives sped at him as electrical energy arced and surged over the youth's body as the youth caught both blades by the hilts before his foot lashed out, a pair of sharp cracks sounding as the arrows shattered from the arcing kick the youth threw before he twisted into a aerial spinning hook kick, his eyes narrowed warily. He noticed that he also had his own eyes, though a deep ruby-garnet blended into the primordial golden bronze. He noticed the slightest hints of bright crimson flames flickering from the youth's skin.

An echoing grinding crack terminating in a boom sounded in the tunnels outside the chamber before inhuman howls and screeches sounded. He saw the youth spin and immediately, almost instinctively, go for the Blades of Chaos. "Choosing those will hurt unlike anything you've ever felt, boy," he warned.

"Can't hurt more than whatever is making that racket might have in mind. So… fuck it," the youth deadpanned dryly before he grabbed the Blades, the chains fading from his own forearm bracers in tendrils of golden flame before they coiled around the youth's forearms, glowing an ominous red hot with hints of gold within it before the glow slowly faded, though he noted that though the tendons of his throat and shoulders tensed visibly and he bared his teeth against the scent of burning meat, he did not cry out and beyond a bit of sweat on his brow, he showed no sign of the agonizing pain.

—♣—

"Damn… that fucking hurt like hell… the games showed you getting them… but seeing it and feeling it… ugh… big fucking difference. Noticed a faint stench of brimstone right after that boom… so… looks like we're going to be putting some bad dogs down," Joseph said with a strained chuckle before his eyes narrowed, hardening. He could hear slithering and suspected Gorgons were also incoming.

His eyes widened fractionally upon seeing the Ancient Greek monsters. "Ah, fuck me sideways with a chainsaw," he groaned softly.

Encounters

Heavy booming footfalls joined the howls and screeches of the Dracnae, whom were descended from the Gorgons, and Hellhounds. "Oh, you aren't going to be that fortunate, boy. Both of you and the Norse brat… are going to die slowly and painfully… then… my Furies get to play with what's left," a rumbling voice growled. "And I will be taking back my Claws," he snapped as the grates of his helm ignited, glowing ominously.

Joseph's eyes narrowed fractionally before he pushed off with surprising speed, a trail of golden fire surging behind him before Kratos blinked at a glint of gold beneath the wrinkled odd pants his Descendant wore before he tackled one of the Dracnae with a sickening wet crunch, though Kratos only cocked an eyebrow, noticing arcs of golden white electricity crackling around his Descendant. It was not a talent he was familiar with, he noted immediately as his Descendant spun behind the Dracnae, grabbed its tail and started spinning, using it as a flail. Numerous crunches, yelps and screeches of pain followed before his Descendant, with a mighty heave, hurled the dazed Dracnae straight at Hades himself, whose obese form detonated in a cloud of dark fog that snuffed out all the burning braziers but those near Kratos' throne.

–♠–

"No offense intended, Lord Hades, but I have no intention of dying over a centuries if not millennia old grudge. For a deity for his wisdom and negotiation talents, wouldn't you say holding a grudge for…" Joseph sighed, glancing back at Kratos.

"Eight thousand, six hundred and seventy four years," Kratos deadpanned in a dry, gruff growl.

Joseph blinked at that. "Damn… that's a long fucking time. But I'm pretty certain that holding a grudge for that long is more childish than the fact that Zeus was a man-whore and I honestly respect Hera for putting up with his sorry ass for as long as she did," he said softly.

"He killed Persephone," Hades snarled.

"Whom conspired with Atlas to drop all of the Earthly plane on top of the Underworld which would have not only destroyed the Earthly plane and everything and everyone on it, but the Underworld and Olympus to boot. Can you really say, if Zeus had known of her plans, that he wouldn't have done the same fucking thing?" Kratos barked sharply before his Descendant took over, raising a thought he hadn't even considered.

The snuffed out braziers ignited with a sudden cold blue flame, revealing Hades glaring at them.

He glared at them for several minutes before he sighed, his hand flicking as his hand swiped away dark blood upon his chest, the Dracnae lying splattered on the floor in front of him. "In all likelihood, he would have. He was that anal as Chronos did warn him…" he sighed.

"That as Chronos took down his father Ouranos, and Zeus himself did Chronos, that one would rise to depose Zeus himself. Funny how, unknown to him, there was one Titan free… and I don't mean Lady Rhea… but one accepted as an Olympian," Joseph commented wryly with a smirk.

He noticed both deities looking at him with intrigued looks. "Think about it. There are many stories regarding demigods and deities… but there's one in particular that there isn't a real story about," he commented before his eyes widened slightly upon spotting one particular painting.

Author's Note

It appears Kratos, outwardly, is unaware of the games detailing his past exists. And it's presently clear that Joseph has one of Atreus' talents implied in the Nordic Myths, his 'silver tongue'. It also appears that the Greek Deities know of the stories of their past, yet they are unaware of the details.

Meetings

Joseph Pólethèos exhaled softly before he paused, his eyes narrowing as he smelled the scents of gardenias, morning glories, and lavender before he turned, startled as he collided with someone with easily G cup breasts before he felt someone squeeze and massage them over his head and face.

"Hello, boys. Whilst you hash out a training schedule for him, I'm going to go get him cleaned up," a sweet, sultry voice commented. He blinked as she stepped back in surprised shock. Before his eyes, however, was the lone survivor of Kratos' slaughter and, technically, the only true surviving Titan.

"Lady Aphrodite," he said in mild surprise and confusion, recognizing her before she chuckled in amusement as she let her arm slide over his shoulders.

"My attendants will take care of us very well, young man," she commented with a small smirk.

"Somehow, you having attendants at your beck and call doesn't surprise me. Hell, I wouldn't be shocked, though I doubt it, that Ishtar and Áine were you all along. I know that Freya who holds a grudge against 'Bearded Goat Gruff', which would eliminate the idea of Sjöfn being you as she, no doubt, wouldn't like a foreign deity around," Joseph sighed.

Aphrodite hummed softly in thought. "In truth, Ishtar and Áine are distant cousins, and I'm sure you can guess why Artemis, myself, Demeter, and Hera are still alive, much like Zeus' brother," she commented.

"I'd wager it's because if there are four constants, it's marriage, a need for food whether through grain and bread or by hunting, love, and death," Joseph commented wryly, to which he was once again smothered by Aphrodite's sweet scented bosom before she retreated from the hug.

"Precisely," she said with a chuckle. "True, Apollo has been busy with the Sun and Dionysus with his various bars and distilleries," she sighed before her arm swiped out, the near twelve foot tall doors opening.

A sudden surge of sunlight blinded him.

His eyes widened fractionally in surprise at the sight before his gaze shifted to Aphrodite. Though admittedly, the Titaness of Love was extremely beautiful and graceful, he felt, beyond admiration for her, he felt no mindless or obsessive attraction to her. He noticed half a dozen scantily dressed attendants approaching, all barefoot and moving with the fluid grace of dancers.

He exhaled softly in mild surprise as two went to the Titaness whilst the other four went to him. He blinked as he felt the chains merge with his flesh, hardening the muscle subtly before he shivered as they began massaging his body, not really noticing that the women were stripping Aphrodite and himself before he saw, with mild surprise, that they'd led them to a chamber that had various body washes, lotions, shampoos, and conditioners.

He noticed that his senses were keener, though he wasn't quite sure why, unaware that just being near Aphrodite and Kratos specifically as they both held blood links to him, though he was unaware of it, was slowly but surely altering his body into a far stronger than that of a 'mere mortal'.

He took a deep breath as his gaze drifted around the chamber, mildly surprised at the fact, despite being quite a lot deeper than the chambers Aaron and Alex had been in, which had been a good three hundred and fifty meters underground at least. And he wasn't quite sure how much deeper he'd fallen before finding Kratos' chamber which appeared to be a temple of some sort deep underground.

—•|—|•—

Kratos' dark golden eyes flared as his head tilted, sensing a younger deity calling. His head tilted fractionally, his hand rising as a soft golden red flame ignited, a prismatic glow resolving into the form of an equine. "What do you want?" he deadpanned, his eyes narrowing slightly at the mare's form in an unblinking stare. He could tell she was the daughter of an extra-dimensional counterpart to Apollo.

Celestia stared in astonishment at the creature before her as she lay on her bed, stuttering before another headache claimed her skull. “Uh… I-I need…”

The doors to the hospital room burst open as the Warg nurse came in, spotting the human intruder and rushing at him with unparalleled speeds. “GUARDS!!!”

Author's Note

Huh.... cliffhanger...

Archìzei I Máchì

AJ blinked as he sounded older abruptly. Her eyes narrowed, seeing him swipe two fingers over the bracer on his right forearm which slid apart to expose two sapphire and gold gemstones inset within ivory metal. He spoke two words.

"Suleyk Tum," he invoked hoarsely before his armor dissipated into arcane flames, suffusing into the armored bracer before revealing his very battered and ragged clothes. Unknown to him, it was the Ancient Tongue of Dragonkin.

His shoulders tightened before flexing unconsciously as he shed the battered vest, which hit the ground with a deep thud. Her eyes widened as she swallowed hard, seeing the other mares and a couple of the Pillars gasp in surprise as his back, shoulders, and sides were covered in dozens of scars from blades and multi-lashed whips. More noticeable and fresher were what looked eerily like scars from the claws and fangs of a timber wolf. However, the edges of those were slightly darker, as if inflicted by claws that burned as they tore. He turned, showing his bare back. This simultaneously revealed the fact that he was packed with muscle, including an eight pack of abs and that the red birthmark also crossed his right pectoral and shoulder to the bottom of his ribcage.

"Damn, boy." Rainbow commented wryly. She noticed he didn't look much older than they were.

The Pony of Shadows looked somewhat impressed, a brow arching up. “Nice, but do you plan on killing me, or flexing your abs to the ladies?”

He then stepped in front of the human, leveling a stare at him. “If you’re looking for a fight, I suggest you go after the Wargs or Dragons.”

Curiosity then grasped Twilight as she noticed the letter in her hand, Applejack looking over her shoulder with a worried expression. “Ah’m sorry Sugarcube…”

Twilight fell to her knees, tears welling up as she slowly read the letter again… and again… and again. It was true. Spike had left her.

"Why would I seek out a fight? There's no purpose to it. I do not seek conflict so much as end conflict in a decisive manner. And I have no reason to kill you… if you do not mean harm to innocents. If you do, and I hear about it…" the male deadpanned dryly, squatting to pick up his battered vest. "And crying isn't going to bring him back, girl. Everyone has their own path in life. Rarely can anyone predict their path. Hell, I'd wager that if you encountered yourselves a decade ago, would they believe that they would be here at this moment if told? Hell, a week ago, the most I was focused on was having my gear ready for traversing those Spartan Ruins. Now? I wouldn't have imagined myself being the successor to someone who effectively not only purified but beat the hell out of no less than three major pantheons," he sighed, shifting back to his younger, less-bearded self. "Ugh… I will never get used to that," he said softly, shaking his head slightly as he turned away. He had no idea what he was going to do now, nor did he care, at least for the immediate moment, about forging connections. He didn't take more than a few strides before his stomach grumbled loudly.

“Hungry?” Fluttershy was next to him in an instant, pulling a bag of snacks from her backpack. She then presented a small sack of grapes and peanuts.

“Forget snacks!” Grumbled Rainbow, zipping up next to her friend. “The dome, you know, the thing that kept our lives safe and everypony happy, is gone! We need to get it back!”

“THE DOME IS WHAT?!” Starswirl exclaimed, eyes small as pinpricks.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he deadpanned bluntly.

“Oh, she’s talking about the big magical bubble that gave all the unicorns their magic, helped the pegasus control the weather and fly fast, and us earth ponies grow loooooots of food.” Pinkie happily explained, smiling all the while as she hopped around the human.

"In other words, you went from controlling everything like a gear in a machine to being pretty much like on Earth. Meh… I've heard stranger things. Hell, my ancestor's uncle thought it funny to train my evasion skills by siccing Hellhounds on me," he sighed with a shake of his head.

“You don’t understand! The dome was more than a magical battery, it protected Equestria from all external threats!” The old wizard stressed, pacing. “If the dome isn’t returned, Equestria will die. Ponies will starve. Our government will crumble. And foals will die of all the diseases spread throughout the larger world.” the elder mage ranted, then turned to Pinkie. “How was it destroyed?”

“Fang-y absorbed it.”

“Fang-y?”

“She means Obsidian Fang, the Warg who swore to protect us.” Rarity put in, dusting her dress off.

"He ain't the only one confused, but… eh? Fuck," the male sighed as he turned, his eyes hardening. There were close to forty Draugr staggering closer.

“So, you’ll help us?” Fluttershy pleaded, her large eyes begging. “Pretty please? My animal friends need food, so many are very hungry…”

Applejack tilted her hat up. “He better, mah family’s crops need all the nurishment they can get, otherwise the town ain’t makin’ it through the summer.”

"I don't see how I can help. I know little about magic and compared to my ancestor, I'm about as skilled as this rock compared to a steel blade," he shrugged, nudging a rock with his sandaled foot before his head tilted. "But I can keep those Draugr off your back," he said as he rolled his shoulders. He suspected it would startle them as the golden bronze wings on his greaves unfurled before they gave two sharp flaps before he shot towards the Restless Dead in a barely visible blur, the only tracer of his movement being a crackling trail of golden white electricity before a good third of the Draugr were either slammed airborne or knocked back into their fellows hard enough to tumble them ass over tea kettle.

“Oh wow! Hazzah!” Rarity clapped with glee, turning to her friends. “Wasn’t that a splendid job?”

“Dude, that was awesome!” Rainbow Dash gushed as her wings fluttered, just barely hovering in front of him.

"Tre" started firing arrows charged with electricity or frost as the other male cocked an eyebrow, tugging free the heavy chopping Leviathan Axe.

"Perhaps, but that was more intended to clear room and give me an opening to," he commented before a head flew past the pale blue furred girl, leaking magma that carbonized into ash, decapitated by the weapon before he grabbed one Draugr by the arm and leg before he twisted, heaving it hard and toppling a dozen more like bowling pins, complete with sound effect, before hitting a standing boulder with a wet crunch before it fell apart into ashes.

"Huh… and here I thought that 'Deadheads' were only fans of the Grateful Dead, and here I am bowling with them," he commented wryly before he kicked one Draugr's leg out from under him before heaving him into a few others. He blinked as he felt something twitching in his grasp before he looked down, not realizing that he'd yanked its leg off.

"Oh, that is wrong," AJ commented, seeing the one legged Draugr being currently head and shoulders through another Draugr's chest.

“Look out! Behind you!” Rainbow shouted, pointing to a large Draugr that was charging him.

He turned just in time to wrap both arms around its chest and fall back into a belly-to-belly release suplex. "Ugh… damn… I'd much rather hug a cute girl than an undead that smells like rotten eggs," he deadpanned as he used an inverted shoulder roll to regain his footing before he set about removing limbs and heads. A few he even split from clavicle to navel vertically.

In a moment of pure panic and adrenaline, Fluttershy gave the nearest body a deathgrip, that body being the human. Tears in her eyes, she repeatedly shouted, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

"For what, caring? It's something far too overlooked, in my experience. Though hopefully these souls are at peace. Requiescat in Pacè," he sighed. He exhaled softly as he sat heavily, exhausted. Adrenaline was only able to carry him so much… but no longer.

“Oh my,” the shy pegasus gently took hold of him and set him down on the ground, his head in her lap. “Ssshhhhh… rest up…”

"If I'd been told a week ago that I'd meet a deity of War as well as Death, and the Titaness of Love… I'd have called them full of shit," he muttered hoarsely.

Experiences and Meetings

“W-well, you can add the Elements of Harmony to that list…” Fluttershy meekly smiled, petting his hair.

Rainbow huffed, crossing her arms. “I call for a five minute nap, then we go and kick some wolf butt!”

"And what purpose would that serve beyond antagonizing them further?" was his dry comment. "There's a big difference between 'kicking butt' and walking into a fight you may not walk away from," he deadpanned seriously.

“Pfft, we’ve faced worse!” The speedster pegasus puffed her chest out with a smirk.

“That is, until Fang destroyed the Tree of Harmony, the source of our power…” Rarity muttered, huffing with a profound ‘HUMF.’

"Yet did he harm you directly? Physically?" he sighed sleepily.

“N-no, he just destroyed the tree and let the Everfree forest grow in a matter of days after burning it all.” Fluttershy explained.

"Then, in all likelihood, there may well be a seed of it left or multiple seeds. The fact is, sometimes the old must be let go of to bring in something new," he sighed, his gaze meeting Fluttershy's. Unknown to him, his irises looked as if the golden bronze had 'blossomed' like a flower within the garnet-ruby of his irises. He blinked a few times, struggling to stay awake as her fingers dragged through his hair, though it wasn't long before he lost that fight.

With what limited magic they possessed, the ponies gently laid the human in Rock Hoof’s arms, the giant stallion walking along with the others as they returned to Canterlot. The human and gods were led to a large guest room, where the man finally woke.

–-—-–

Joseph Pólethèos' eyes snapped open as he sat up with a groan. "Urgh…." he groaned, as his head felt like someone had stuck it in a trash compactor, pounding painfully. "Hopefully they have toothpaste or something… I still taste that damn Draugr," he muttered hoarsely. He jolted, realizing with surprise that he wasn't alone in the room. That pink haired young woman with the wings and the Egyptian looking woman was sitting in the chairs nearby. He blinked, not realizing he was wearing naught more than boxers.

"If you're wondering where your clothes are, they are being cleaned and repaired," Somnabula commented airily. "Much has changed since we attempted to seal the Pony of Shadows," she sighed.

"I bet. Though the way that the 'Pony of Shadows' acted made me think of a magically charged Klyntar. That, along with the fact his sentience and the need for a host made me think of another," Joseph commented wryly.

Fluttershy turned to look at the other mare. “What happened to him anyway?”

“We couldn’t exactly do anything about him in our current situation, so we could only send some spies to watch him. Apparently, he’s headed west.”

"Hmmm. Too bad we didn't, pardon the pun, pick his brain for knowledge. I'd wager there are things both good and ill he may know. Though I'm pretty damn certain nobody would have been open to acting as a host for him… myself included," Joseph deadpanned in thought. He shivered slightly before his head tilted. "Though I have no idea where I can freshen up, 'cause I feel more grungy than a moss covered rock in a mud pit," he sighed before Fluttershy giggled.

"That sounds almost like something Applejack would say," she smiled.

"Who?" was the resident human's blank reply. He didn't realize that the door to his right, the mares' left, led to a rather opulent bathroom.

“Oh, Applejack? She’s with her family right now, they’re trying very hard to provide food for the town. Her family owns the apple orchard on the outskirts.” Fluttershy explained, watching as the human noticed the bathroom.

Joseph hummed as he took a deep breath. He tilted his head as he glanced around the room before rolling his shoulders.

"Hmmm. You think you'll need help freshening up?" he heard the Egyptian looking woman comment.

"I suppose. I do know my body's stiff and sore," Joseph sighed softly. He saw them trade looks, though he wasn't sure what they may have been considering.

“Would you like for us to draw you a bath?”

oseph blinked at Fluttershy's comment before he noticed the Egyptian looking mare covering her mouth with a very amused look as his ears twitched at her muffled giggles, unaware he was blushing. "Um… I guess. I mean… I've never bathed with anyone," he said shyly. Admittedly, that wasn't quite true, though Aphrodite's attendants as well as the Titaness herself had never commented on his scars even when fresh, nor had they been brought up to Kratos or Hades. These two, however, were even more in terms of strangers than her attendants.

He wasn't quite sure where Kratos was, unaware the elder Deity had merged with him, effectively marking him as his successor.

“Well, would you?” The Egyptian Pegasus asked, fluttering her long lashes as she had sat on the bed with him, softly smiling. “We could help you get properly cleaned~.”

"I suppose. I have little doubt you'd probably want a way to clear away the metaphorical grime of whatever void realm you were sealed with the skìa klanìa," Joseph sighed softly, noticing her eyebrow twitching upward at the subtle derision in his voice on the last two words.

"Um… sir…. what does that mean? ''Skya Kanea'?" Fluttershy said shyly, mispronouncing the phrase.

"That's 'skee-ah klee-anya', lass. It translates as 'shadow fart' in Ancient Greek," he commented with a small smirk. He saw their eyes widen at the insult to the Pony of Shadows.

He wasn't that surprised as they started giggling, though he didn't expect them to hug him whilst doing so. He saw the rosy haired Pegasus rear back after a moment.

"You do kind of stink," she commented with a small sneeze.

Rainbow chose that moment to step into the room, looking to the human. “Hey! I know you’re kinda against this, but we’re going after Fang. Equestria needs the Elements of Harmony back. Besides, if you’re as powerful as we saw, there’s no way Fang and his cronies will stand up to you.”

“R-Rainbow…” Fluttershy interjected, only squeaking as the other Pegasus gave her friend a determined look.

“Flutters, you know Equestria needs our help, and we can’t help without the Elements.”

"Based on the fact something or someone was able to summon Draugr and send them after you, there is someone spying on you. Whom it is, I don't know, but I despise those who betray others knowingly and deliberately, as would the Erinyes. Fortunately, they're far less bitchy than before," Joseph's tone was a controlled, slightly annoyed one. He didn't notice the very slight, momentary aura of crimson engulfing him at his Loyalty. "And I don't know what Elements you're referring to, but there's a big difference between a weapon and the one using it," he deadpanned dryly. "Besides, is it better to exhaust yourself to the point of being unable to do anything or take the opportunity to refuel and unwind when possible?" he commented, utterly unaware of his comment that reminded them of a certain apple farmer exhausting herself. "Trust me, if you run yourself to the point of burnout, you help nobody and harm yourself with needing recovery time. Found that out the hard way," he sighed.

Fluttershy blinked as the human used simple logic. "How did you know about..?" she started before pausing at his admission of finding out from his own experience.

“B-But what if Spike’s hurt? I need to know that he’s ok.” Twilight had stepped into the room, a pleading look in her eye. “Please?”

"Since I haven't seen 'Tre since waking up, I suspect he's familiarizing himself with everything. He has a talent for finding out shit better left hidden. So, if nothing else, calm down and unwind. You ain't gonna help anyone, whoever 'Spike' is or yourself if you exhaust yourself to the point of injuring yourself. Where do you think this scar came from, hmmm?" he commented with a sigh, his fingers trailing a scar running from his right pectoral near his collarbone to his sternum. He tilted his head, his fingers trailing over her forearm. "Unwind and relax while you can. If we don't find Spike, he will find us. I get this instinctive feeling of that. Better than that, I'd look into who the fuck summoned those Draugr on us. I wouldn't use that nor would 'Tre. That kind of Runic Magic leaves a stain not easy to hide. That, and it tends to be addictive. Trust me, the only thing I want to be addicted to is making good alcohol… or a damn cute woman," he commented.

Joseph suddenly felt numerous eyes on them, but it was as if they had just let him notice. With several vortexes of blue and yellow flame, four large black insectoid creatures stood before them. At the same time, several vases and chairs had disappeared, signifying where these creatures had hidden themselves.

One stepped forward, the creature’s large mandibles clicking as it spoke with a soft tone, her three long tongues lashing. “We have come to deliver a message to you… Son of the Spartan.”

Joseph's eyebrow twitched upward slightly. "Do I look intimidated, lass? What exactly does the Covenant want? Wouldn't shock me if the 'Changeling' race were Covenant members in disguise," he deadpanned, "I think I can handle this, old man," he thought, sensing Kratos shift warily in his mind. He carefully didn't say that Atreus, technically, was the real 'Son of the Spartan' nor did he say where he was, knowing the young archer turned trickster deity would find him.

“Covenant?” The Changeling clicked her mandibles again in curiosity. “There is no Covenant here… unless you refer to the pact our mother made with the Nahar Alphas.”

"Let's just say that I know of another race that look quite similar to your kind. Though I know little about politics of this world or its races," his tone was firm and cool. "And I'm assuming that what you're referring to has to do with what the grumbling mare," he deadpanned, flicking a thumb at Rainbow. He noted they seemed almost frozen before his head tilted. "And tell whoever the fuck is helping you paralyze them to drop it and show themselves," his tone was a deep growl as he drew Typhon's Bane back, the air condensing into a silvery white bolt as he half turned. His eyebrow twitched upward. "You're not Athena. More likely… Artemis?"

The huntress deity smirked a bit. "Correct," she commented nonchalantly. Her voice held the slightest echo to it.

“Oh? A Centaur?” The Changeling’s voice had changed, becoming older, sounding like a woman in her mid-thirties. “And one who thinks she’s a god? Pfft, silly Centaur, gods can't die.” The Changeling Queen sounded like she was smiling.

Then, a column of fire erupted from behind the group of Changelings, a much taller and more powerful Changeling stepping out. The Queen smirked, her long tongues lathering her mandibles. “I’ve had Centaur before, but I wonder if your meat will have a bit of tang to it. Maybe a bit of saltiness? Or perhaps… just bland?”

"Oh, that's not quite true… deities can die… but we don't stay deceased. Not unless we're tainted by an Elder Deity or Primordial," Artemis commented. "I just happened to be away from Greece at a certain time, unlike a certain deity," she commented.

"Unless someone takes their place, would be the only other way they remain put down, hence why the Nordic tales refer to the mess with the Aesir and Vanir as a 'cycle'. Not many notice that detail in what many know as 'myths', which obviously have a bit more truth than bullshit to them," Joseph deadpanned.

“Always with the loopholes, with your kin.” Queen Tah’kor sighed. “One can always expect you gremlins to pop back up, even if I’ve removed your heads and gnawed your bones.”

"The old man doesn't know that I saw a certain pain in the ass, self-serving 'wisdim' goddess several weeks before I left for Sparta," Joseph sighed.

Artemis blinked a couple of times before she started guffawing. "‘Wisdim’? Oh, Creator above! That is fucking hilarious!" she laughed. "Though Athena always did have a, pardon the pun, 'dim' view of wisdom that didn't come from her," she sighed.

"She's a pain in the ass. And for being a goddess of wisdom, she seems to have forgotten that one of the biggest ways of gaining wisdom is experience, so apparently, she has her head shoved up the ass of whichever deity brought her back and eating his shit, 'cause she couldn't stop burping up nonsense," Joseph deadpanned bluntly.

Refreshment

Joseph's gaze shifted to the Changelings. "Release them, then we can talk. It's rather obvious you're different from that… 'Chrysalis' I've heard grumbled about, and I'd much rather only repeat shit once," he deadpanned dryly. His head tilted before he got an idea, true, it was rather childish, but it would be amusing to see her reaction. He leaned behind Rainbow before swatting her a few times sharply on the ass. He shifted back to his initial position, cocking an eyebrow at the Changelings.

The Changeling Queen gave a snickering hiss of a laugh, her black eyes landing on Joseph. “I bet her ass would be very big to hold such an empty skull. Isn’t that right? Did she have a big butt, little human?~”

Joseph snorted, reminding himself to slap Athena up side the head next time he saw her just to see if he got either the sound of air rushing through her head or an echo from the strike. "Let's just say that I've seen skeletons with more ass than her… especially when I gave her a boot in the ass. The surprised look she got was pretty damn satisfying, admittedly," he deadpanned before he winced slightly at Kratos' bellowing roars of laughter in his head.

Fluttershy squeaked, her face going red.

“My Queen?” The first drone asked, tapping her mother on the shoulder, getting her attention. “The message?”

“Oh, yes. Human, you are requested by the Alpha of Desolation to a summons. He has asked me to give you this,” she held up a small silver pyramid, the thing pulsing with a blue light. “It will lead you to him.”

Artemis tilted her head as she dragged her fingers through Fluttershy's mane quietly, resisting the urge to laugh at Joseph's comment about Athena, her older half-sister. "I advise to do what you'd planned to do before setting out," she commented with a small teasing smirk before she leaned closer to Fluttershy, whispering in her ear. "I'll bet you want to run your hands all over him, don't you?" she teased.

Joseph blinked, tilting his head as he took the small pyramid, absentmindedly noticing the similarity to a Sith Holocron. "Hmmm. I suppose. I'll have to trust the Lord knows what he's doing. After all, Jeremiah 29:11," he sighed as he stood fluidly.

"What does that mean?" Somnabula commented curiously.

"Jeremiah 29:11 says "'For I know the plans I have for you,' saith the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a better future.'" he recited. "And considering some of the shit I've gone through, I'm certain I wouldn't have survived without Christ or the Almighty's right hand holding me up," he sighed as he stretched, unknowingly releasing a burst of intense pheromones.

“W-wait, your in that funky religion too?!” Rainbow looked shocked, flying into his face with a small scowl.

"You know, religion in its nature is showing respect to nature in one form or another. However, what Christ offers is not religion, but a relationship. True, it does look like religion, but at its core it isn't so much about how you show off to others so much as helping others when they need it," Joseph sighed glancing at Fluttershy. "Those scars on my back came from me, thinking that I could join a fraternity. Unfortunately, their way of accepting me into it involved a pair of cat-o'-nine-tails with broken glass and roofing nails tied into the lashes. As a result, I ended up in the hospital and guess what? Not a single one of my 'fraternity brothers' came to visit me. Not to mention that my blood type is extremely rare… as in one in six hundred million, so transfusions of blood was difficult if not impossible to get," his comment was a deadpan. "And being that my family is dead and I had no friends in the area, what do you think I turned to? I spent close to eight fucking months in the hospital with my only company being nurses whose only interest in me was feeding me food that tasted about as appealing as cardboard and checking my blood pressure. You try going through that, plus a two year regimen of extremely painful physical therapy and see if you don't end up depressed or worse," his voice was a harsh rasp. What he hadn't revealed was the barely visible, close to two dozen scars on the underside of either forearm, hidden now by the Chinese Dragon markings upon his forearms.

He saw her eyes widen at his rant. "I rarely reveal that about me, so you can imagine that you should be thankful I mentioned to the old man I would handle this without his intervention. I didn't reveal that to him nor my great-great-great-great-grandmother to their faces, so you can imagine how much trust I'm showing," his comment was wary and cautious, revealing he didn't trust any of them.

“Geez… dude, I’m so sorry.” Rainbow wilted, looking back to Joseph after a while. “So… you and Fang have this relationship with a god? That’s what I got out of it from him, but he didn’t talk about it a whole lot.”

“But, he didn’t strike me as the very open type.” Pondered Rarity, tapping her fingers on her arm. “The only one he ever really opened up to was Princess Luna.”

"What we have, in many ways, is not so much salvation for this life, but after this life ends. And our relationship, really, is through one part of the Triune God, or as Artemis called him, 'the Creator' as it was by him all things were made and exist," Joseph commented wryly. "Because the Creator is the Father, the Son whom is also known as the Lamb of Salvation, and the Holy Spirit, whom is the one who helps us to stand despite how much we suffer," he commented. "Admittedly, unlike most… well… I never went to a church so I probably know less than this 'Fangy' as Pinkie called him. In fact, if I'm honest, right this moment is actually the most people I've been around in years… pretty sure the last time I was around this many people was high school…" he sighed.

“Well then, go on you for opening up to complete strangers.” The Changeling Queen smiled, her mandibles twitching as her large wings buzzed softly. “But, will you answer his summons, with this new information on your host?”

"I will say that Alpha of Desolation does sound rather ominous," Joseph hummed. "But it ain't like I have reason not to," he deadpanned dryly.

"But how can you trust Changelings?" Rainbow blurted incredulously.

"How can you not trust them when you've had an encounter with a single truly malicious Changeling? Judge them not based on their race, but by the individual," Joseph admonished gently.

"Gotta say, brother, the runic verbiage here is unlike anything I've seen in the Nine Realms," Mimir commented from a nearby desk where he was reading a book. He knew the fact that Mimir was effectively a decapitated head capable of speech was shocking.

"Just goes to show, Mimir, that even if by your own opinion and Odin's, you were 'the wisest man in the Nine Realms' that there's always more to learn," Joseph chuckled as Twilight, Rarity, and one of the Changeling drones jumped in shock.

“And here I thought I’d seen everything!” The Queen marveled at the head, poking it in the cheek and feeling the horns with her two lower hands. “Reminds me of Havaak’s old horns…”

“Yo, dude.” Rainbow tapped Joseph on the shoulder to get his attention again. “We might want to bring some protection. Hey Twilight, think we could bring some Royal Guards with us?”

“Uh, s-sure.” The purple alicorn took several shaky steps away from the groaning and grumbling head.

Joseph blinked before he snickered at Mimir's discomfort. "You do know what they meant when they mentioned that phrase 'Son of the Spartan', don't you?" he drawled.

He saw Twilight's head tilt inquisitively.

"It's because of the fact that I found something that few knew was there underneath the ruins of Ancient Sparta… though I rather doubt the old man knows what else I found," Joseph commented.

"And what exactly was that, boy?" a deep growl commented dryly. Joseph smirked as they all jumped at Kratos' deep voice as he glanced back, noticing his form was somewhat transparent, much like an astral projection.

Joseph, without a word, stood and tugged free a crystalline yellowish amber stone.

The elder God of War's eyes widened. Upon the stone was inscribed a single name in icy blue: Κράτος.

"Where in Hades did you find this? You found it, didn't you?" the Elder Deity commented, his voice uncharacteristically choked with emotion as he spoke.

All Joseph did was nod. "I met them… before I met you, Kratos-jiji," he said softly. "They don't blame you, Lysandra and Calliope. Lysandra realized that Ares was fucking with you, but couldn't voice it to you," he said softly.

Fluttershy could tell those names meant something important, from the astral projection of the deity. "Who… are they?" she said hesitantly.

"Kratos-jiji's first family, taken from him by a selfish deity's manipulations," was all Joseph said grimly. He saw the older deity give him a look that held a hint of gratefulness at not going into detail.

“I’m glad you’re having a touchy moment with your ancestor who’s using you as a vessel, but when should the Alpha expect your arrival? I doubt he’d be happy with you dropping by unannounced.” The Changeling Queen said, looking to Joseph, ignoring the glare Kratos sent her.

"Depends on where he is and how long it takes to get there. I may be cordial enough to listen, but if you decide to threaten innocents, your head is mine," Joseph deadpanned bluntly. He didn't see his ancestor's eyebrows rise slightly in surprise.

“His pack is in the north Western Hemisphere. Follow the tracker.” The Queen gave him her own deadpan, crossing all four arms.

"You are aware I know, quite literally, nothing about this world, aye?" he sighed with a shake of his head.

Smirking, the Queen used some of her magic to conjure a map of the world. One thing that Joseph noticed right off the bat was that there were no north or south poles, only a single ring of perpetual winter going through the world’s equator. A red marker sprung to life among a small cluster of mountains just below the frozen ring. “That is where you’ll find him. I swear, your generation can’t find anything without google maps…”

"Actually, I found his old home in Sparta without it. In fact…." Joseph spoke, flicking a thumb back at Kratos, "I heard male whispers guiding me to it… and I'm fairly sure whom it was," he deadpanned.

"Orkos," was all Kratos rumbled.

Joseph, however, hadn't taken his eyes off the glowing map, not noticing that a single dark gray tomoe formed within his golden red irises. What he did notice was that he could see details of the map more clearly as it slowly rotated. The marker glowed to the east-northeast of a pale bluish purple palace surrounded by an area of light green and miniscule buildings before the green shifted to white with a rather noticeable boundary. His grip upon the Oath Stone tightened, faint purplish black cracks forming on the dark amber-golden stone.

“So then, how do you plan to get there? It’s quite the distance…” The Queen mused, joining Joseph in observing the map.

“We’ll take the blimp.” Stated Twilight.

Rainbow shook her head, sighing. “And get there in a week? No thanks! Any ideas big guy?”

"I do not know this place that has the ring of green amongst the white, but it appears to be closest to there," Joseph commented, unaware the ponies knew the location as the Crystal Empire. "I'm guessing you don't have mag-lev or bullet trains," he commented, not noticing initially how Twilight's eyes widened at the though of new knowledge, even what would most certainly be a jump in technology for ponies. He was unaware steam trains were the most advanced.

“W-well, there is the Friendship Express… but it only goes to the Crystal Empire.” Fluttershy piped up, looking over the map from behind Twilight. “B-but, weren’t we supposed to be going… o-out of Equestria? To find Fang? S-sorry…”

"The Lord will guide us in His time. Trust in Him. Though I am curious about these 'Elements' she mentioned," Joseph commented, flicking a thumb at Rainbow Dash in reference to the Elements of Harmony.

“Uh…” Rainbow looked at him oddly, then shook her head with a grimace. “They’re old magic tools we used to take down bad guys, the Tree of Harmony was the source of their power. But…”

“But with the tree gone, the Elements are useless. I might as well use them on a necklace for a new dress…” Rarity bemoaned, gracefully sitting in a chair.

The Queen rolled her ebony eyes. “Pfft… good riddance… not like they did much anyway.”

"Just because their physical representation is destroyed or useless doesn't mean their spirit is destroyed. What they embody is not so easily destroyed. As V claimed in 'V for Vendetta' – "Beneath this jacket and body armor is not just flesh and blood… but an idea… and ideas are bulletproof." Joseph's gaze shifted from Rarity to Rainbow as he spoke upon hearing them. "Galatians Chapter 5, verses 22 and 23 – “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” Those who are in Christ are distinguished from unbelievers in that they have been gifted with the Holy Spirit, enabling them to bear fruit." he recited, not noticing how both Rarity's and Fluttershy's eyes widened at the recitation.

AJ's eyes widened slightly, noticing two of the former Elements in that odd recitation. Her gaze flicked to Twilight, who nodded as well, giving away she, too, had noticed.

There came a knock from the door as Twilight went to answer it. “Chancellor Neighsay? W-what can I do for you?”

“Nothing at the moment, my dear. I just came to see how our new… guest was doing.” The Chancellor stepped into the room, his gaze sweeping over the occupied room until his eyes landed on Joseph, a small sneer overtaking his muzzle. “Ah, so you’re our… visitor…”

Joseph cocked his head, looking behind the stallion. "Huh," he commented wryly.

"Huh what, sugarcube?" AJ commented.

"I don't see a tree root sticking out of his ass. Although your, shall we say 'bedside service', really needs work… the approach has the feel of ‘you're not worth my time or effort’. How can you be a diplomat when you tend to approach any meeting with a holier-than-thou attitude and a small redwood shoved up your ass?" Joseph said bluntly.

AJ's eyebrows rose at his blunt honesty, noticing the slightest orange aura flicker from his body.

Rainbow, however, snorted a laugh at his bluntness.

“Hmf!” Neighsay huffed out a snort as he swung himself to face Twilight, a level look in his eyes. “Princess, the delegation from Pencil Fillia is here do descuss the new trade routes.”

“B-bu… y-yes sir…” The alicorn hung her head, knowing that she couldn’t escape her duties.

“Don’t worry Twi, we’ll say hi to Spike for ya!” Rainbow smiled as her saddened friend began her walk towards the door.

"Yep, he's suffering from a severe case of stickupassis. I would say we should pour a lot of termites up his arse to clear out the blockage, but I don't think there's any room to get them in," Joseph deadpanned with a straight face. He could see Rainbow struggling not to laugh as AJ smirked. "You mentioned something about running a bath?" he commented, his gaze shifting to Fluttershy, seeing her cheeks flush. He saw Rainbow's eyebrow twitching upward.

Soon after, the human emerged from the steaming bathroom, the two blushing Pegasus behind.

“So… how was your bath?~” Rarity’s eyes gleamed, begging for any gritty details. Anything to help drive the spark of love!

“I-it was… o-ok…” Fluttershy blushed, burying her face in her pink mane.

Joseph chuckled. "From the way you were cooing and shivering, I'm pretty sure you enjoyed getting clean just as much. And don't think anything else happened other than that…. unless you want to find out for yourself?" he commented, teasing Rarity. He tilted his head at Somnabula, who flopped on the bed with a small, almost dopey smile. "Safe to say she's feeling relaxed, wouldn't you agree?" he commented nonchalantly.

He took a deep breath as both mares had been extremely attentive and thorough in the bath, though he got the sense they had wanted to make him comfortable with them, not thinking that he might decide to help them relax at the same time. He didn't realize that the marking that had been blood red over his right eye, shoulder, and chest had altered its color to a shimmering mother-of-pearl silver, standing out sharply against his light copper-olive skin.

“Very good.” The Changeling Queen nodded, circling him as an approving mother would over her child. “The Alpha will appreciate you cleaning yourself up for the meeting. I shall go ahead of you to inform him of your coming visit. Again, when do you think you’ll arrive? Just a rough estimate will do…”

“Uh…” Applejack looked over at the clock. “It’s about an hour after noon…”

Joseph glanced over his shoulder at Kratos as the older deity gave a slight nod. "Depends on who can keep up with me from that place with the patch of green amongst what I'm guessing is snow. Solo? Depends on the terrain, but being that it's four peaks to the east northeast of that location? I dunno. I'm guessing you have steam locomotion, aye?" he commented wryly.

A Journey's Start and Meetings

“Like they said; they have it, but it doesn’t go out of state. You’ll also have to cross an ocean and a bit of land to get there. I hope you like hiking… or I could just teleport you there…” The Queen nodded to herself, tapping her chin. She then extended a hand out to Joseph, clicking her jaws. “But that is your choice to make, Joseph.”

“Uh… I say teleport!” Exclaimed Rainbow, fluttering her wings. “I’d rather get there pronto.”

"Blind teleportation has its own dangers, much like blind trust," a wry voice commented.

"Hey, just because I trust slightly more than you and the old man's jaded ass, 'Tre, doesn't mean I trust blindly. Otherwise, would I have aimed to disarm Lord Hades with logic rather than risk him tearing my head off through my ass?" Joseph commented dryly.

'Tre' hummed. "True, and I'm mostly around to keep you from getting yourself killed. Though I suppose that lur liten drittunge could use someone to keep her safe from the snakes here," he commented wryly.

Pinkie started giggling as Somnabula blinked before snorting with a laugh.

Ignoring the party pony, the Queen looked Joseph in the eye, her ebony orbs shimmering in the light. “Do you trust me to get you where you need to go? Or do you wish to get there your own way?”

"I have no reason not to. I would wager going over land would probably take a minimum of two if not three weeks," Joseph commented wryly. "I'm guessing that it'll also carry those in physical contact with me?" he commented wryly.

The Queen nodded. “It will. But the portal doesn’t require physical contact. I control it, so all I let enter will go to the assigned destination.”

"Sounds like the Bifrost, almost," 'Tre commented thoughtfully.

"Or a Stargate. Ah, well…. whoever's going might as well get ready," Joseph sighed.

"I kinda doubt you're going to meet him like that, eh?" Atreus commented with a smirk before Joseph swatted him in the back of the head.

"I'm not a nudist, you ass," Joseph deadpanned bluntly before he paused at a breeze before he saw the eyes of everyone, especially the Changelings and Ponies, widen. He didn't realize that his close to 9⅔", 1½” thick flaccid length was obvious above orbs twice the size of ping-pong balls. He also didn't realize that a strong surge of pheromones rushed forth due to a mischievous party pony.

The Queen’s antenne twitched, a groan following as her wings spread and buzzed, trying to dispel the pheromones. “Ugh… w-what is that?!”

"You could say it's my equivalent of an ovipositor, I think that's what the equivalent would be for insects. I'm not going to say 'bugs' as it'd obviously be an insult, and I suspect you're probably closer to an arachnid than an insect," Joseph deadpanned flatly. His eyes narrowed fractionally at Pinkie, who blushed a bit as he glanced her way.

"Damn, you're hung as hell," Rainbow commented bluntly.

Buzzing her wings harder, the Queen ordered her children to do the same. “Begone! Get these pheromones away! They’re weakening us!”

Unfolding her mandibles fully, all the changelings hissed in unison, all speaking in one voice. “Begone!”

Joseph blinked before he noticed Rarity near a cabinet before he unconsciously clasped his hands before he thrust them at the floor, a gust of wind dissipating the pheromones before he heard the cabinet doors creak open. His eyes widened fractionally upon seeing what was inside.

"What exactly do you feed on?" his tone was blunt as he swiftly slipped the armor on.

“Emotions…” The Queen snarled with a strange clicking in her voice, her jaws salivating as she turned to the human. “My kin feed on the emotions of other beings, but we also need to consume massive amounts of protein. Tell me, Joseph… Do you harbor love for anyone? A lover? A brother? Sister? The emotion of love is the most filling… hate, envy, pride, joy, they all taste wonderful, but love is the one that fills my belly up quite nicely.”

“Mother, I know you’re hungry, but shouldn’t we get them to the Alpha?” Asked the drone to her right.

The Queen looked back at her son, nodding. “Indeed… let us be done, and our task fulfilled…” Raising her four arms high, she summoned her magic as a portal of swirling black opened at their feet. “This leads to the outskirts of the village, go.”

"To my knowledge, I'm a single child… though if I can be blunt… my father was a right asshole in need of a boot… considering it was by his recommendation that I joined that so-called 'fraternity' that left me in the hospital for two-thirds of a year," he stated flatly. His gaze dipped to the portal before he cocked an eyebrow fractionally, not noticing the wispy reddish orange aura denoting bitterness drifting towards the emotivores. He didn't realize that the aura shifted to a slightly reddish pink tone after a few moments, denoting fondness. He exhaled softly before he pushed off, dropping into the portal.

Said drop ended with Joseph face planting into a steep slope. It’s rocky terrain clanking and scraping his armor as he tumbled down the mountainside. Finally, covered in dust and grime, he landed on a small plateau… only to be squashed by the flailing bodies of five mares.

“Ouch…” Fluttershy mumbled from somewhere in the pile, her once clean body now covered in dirt.

"Pretty sure I scorpioned a few times there," Joseph groaned, his voice muffled.

"Scorpioned?" Rainbow groaned before a rather noticeable pppppbt followed.

"Faceplant so hard your feet tap the back of your head," he said with a wince.

"Yep, I've ate it a few times that bad," Rainbow muttered before she yelped as a cornflower blue aura pushed her ass off before she tumbled off the pile, revealing Rarity.

"Um… seamstress mare? You're kinda sitting on my face," Joseph deadpanned. He shivered as he felt Fluttershy squirm on his lap.

The sound of something slicing the earth rang through Joseph’s ears, the commotion causing Fluttershy to fall off him with a yelp. Rarity had let out a shriek as she propelled herself off his head, allowing the human to see the cause of distress. A large black blade punctured the ground, looking almost like blackened bone. The blade was connected to a long chain, reaching up along the mountain and wrapping around the arm of a tall and equally black Warg.

Dark blue eyes with hazel rings glared down at them, wisps of deepening greys lashed about his fur, two large horns adorning his brow, like that of a dragon. Dressed in skins and cottons, he wore makeshift pants and a furred vest. Speaking in a double-toned and rumbling voice, he demanded, “Why are you here? Trespassers are forbidden from entering!”

Joseph pulled out the pyramid, his head tilting. "To see the Alpha of Desolation, bub. And if you think you intimidate me, not much can intimidate me after the training my ancestors put me through," he drawled. He drew one of the Blades of Chaos, feeling the chain latch on as the blade ignited.

“Pfft, copycat.” To explain his mocking, the ebony blade lit in a green flame. The Warg smirked, pulling the blade free of the ground as it vanished. Turning slightly, he started down towards them. After coming to a stop a few paces above them, his smirk widened. “You a big God of War fan?”

"Descendant of the Ghost of Sparta and trained by Hades," Joseph deadpanned bluntly.

The Warg chuckled lightly. “And here I thought you were just a huge fan. But enough of that, let’s get you to the Alpha. Follow me.”

He then lead them down the mountain, down into a large and lush valley. Sprawling fields of green and flowers, tall oaks, and a spiraling river rushed through. The two suns shone bright, sending waves of warmth over the travelers. Near the crux of the valley sat a small village.

A single shadow fell over the town, blotting out the suns. The group turned to find an enormous white dragon scaling a mountain in the range, its yellow eyes fixed on Joseph. The dragon stretched it neck out, leaning down just enough to where the side of its head was facing the ground, the slitted eye gazing at the human with intensity. But before Joseph could do anything, the gargantuan beast spoke within his mind, yet he felt as if the world were shaking. It was as if it were actually speaking aloud, yet he could feel the feminine voice piercing his mind.

“Oh? So this is the one Master spoke of? The one he sensed from an ocean away? Quite peculiar…” The single blink she took had enough force behind it to send the ponies on the ground.

Joseph's eyes narrowed warily as he slid a few feet back from the force of her blink. His hands rested close to the hilts of the Blades of Chaos cautiously. He hadn't told anyone that he was related to not only an Olympian, but also a Titan. He let his gaze shift around cautiously as he got a distinct sense of something watching with malice.

The dragoness’ great eye narrowed. “I trust that you mean our Alpha no harm?”

"It's not you or your Alpha I'm worried about. Something is watching us with bloodlust and malice," Joseph deadpanned bluntly. "And besides, only a fool trusts strangers blindly," he deadpanned, not noticing that his comment made the ponies flinch.

“Then our Alpha is quite the fool. He has shown patience where others would kill. Trust and mercy when met with enemies. But he has also met malice with rage. Cruelty with vengeance. He took the heavy responsibility of the king when given an out. And he exiled those who wanted revenge against their dying oppressors, choosing to leave them to their fate.” The dragon’s eye held him in a new light. “Do you think yourself better than all others? Do you belittle the unwilling king?”

"Heh… hell no. Because I've been there. Put my trust in others, only to be betrayed and abandoned. Hell, you think I planned on running into an Ancient Greek Deity and one of the few Greek Titans still alive? No more than I planned to meet you. I mean, how many can claim to have seen a dragon that looks like moonlight brought to life?" Joseph commented honestly, unaware of a mingled red and orange aura flickering around him. "But threaten innocents or those whom cannot protect themselves, you'll find a true God of War," he said bluntly, unaware that arcs of golden electricity flickered from his body. "After all, vengeance from men means little when true Vengeance belongs to the Lord," he finished.

“Hm, well spoken.” The dragoness purred, a smile splitting her snout.

“As awesome and inspiring as that speech was, we should get going.” The Warg urged, motioning for the group to follow. It was as they followed that Joseph caught a flash of gold magic above, only to find a chipper dragoness walking along beside him. Standing on two legs, wings folded behind her back, her scales taking a more thorny appearance.

In response to his stare, she smirked with a sweet little wave, her clawed hands swaying with the breeze. “Hello, tiny human~”

"Sometimes it's not always the largest being that makes the biggest impact. Christ was a single man, yet he's had an impact felt by tens of millions if not hundreds of millions," Joseph commented wryly. "I know he did for me," he sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "And I know that if there's one thing I've never been… it's what anyone would call 'silver-tongued' or 'eloquent'," he sighed as he unconsciously shifted into a loping stride that made one think of a hunting predator, though it only ate ground.

The dragoness rolled her golden orbs, her smirk faltering. “I was teasing you. Geez, don’t be so dead serious. You’ll never get a girl that way.”

“Speaking of…” Damian muttered as they passed the local tavern, the sounds of a scuffle reaching them.

Shattering glass and wood raged on until a single voice roared out over the storm. “TAKE.THIS. OUTSIDE!”

Not a moment later did four Wargs come flying out the door, followed by a stomping Wargess with light grey and black fur. Holed black jeans, a red crop-top, and a thin, spiked choker were all that she wore. Her red and silver eyes gleamed with fury. “You’re banned from the bar for a week Travis! Take your friends too!”

“Hey Gwen!” The Beta waved to his mate with glee, a smile present on his muzzle as he watched the dejected and drunk Wargs stumble down the street.

The Wargess looked over, her anger simmering down, but not vanishing. “Hey. Just taking out some drunken trash.”

“Don’t say that, you’ll hurt their feelings.”

“I will when they stop wrecking my bar!” Gwen snarled, looking over her mate and the new arrivals, but her gaze lingered on the Beta. “You plan on helping me tonight?”

“In what way?~” He smirked.

Gwen rolled her eyes, but the barest hint of a smirk twitched her lips up. “You know~”

Deciding to play dumb, Damian tilted his head. “You want it rough or extra hard?”

The Wargess looked ready to loose her eyeballs after they shot so wide, face red as a stop sign up to her ears. “Wha— you… but… y-you shut up, Frostbite!”

“Make me~”

There came a bit of laughter from inside the bar, along with some whistling. Gwen snarled as she turned, glaring enough to kill a dragon. The commotion stopped instantly, the establishment going silent. Gwen turned back to her mate, arms crossed, sending him a deadpan. “Just shut up and get back to work you dummy…”

“Yes ma’am!” Damian smirked, saluting before he lead the group further into the village.

Joseph shook his head. "See, that's why I rarely imbibe Dionysus' 'magical drink' known as alcohol. Because the only thing it 'magically' does is make you act like an ass. Though I do know a good bit about brewing a good drink," he sighed. He saw the Wargess look at him appraisingly as his gaze flickered to the dragoness. "Honestly, I know very little about being romantic with anyone, especially after the right months I spent in the hospital after… a certain mistake of mine. So you can imagine that I'm not exactly what most would call a 'social butterfly'... probably, with my luck, closer to a 'social sledgehammer'," he sighed. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if that was because of Old Man Kratos," he muttered. His gaze drifted around warily, his instincts warning him that something was very off.

The dragon giggled as the group neared a “regular” house, it’s height matching all the others, towering above himself and the ponies. Up the massive steps they marched, making Joseph feel as small as a five-year-old.

Damian knocked on the door, a voice soon answering before the door opened. Out stepped another Wargess, this one having a black pelt with white streaks. Unlike everyone else, a pair of massive wings were folded on her back and she possessed no horns.

“Princess Luna?!” The ponies gasped, bowing.

Luna rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed. She wore a pair of sweatpants and a baggy blue sweater. Looking to the Beta, she nodded. “Damian.” She then caught sight of Joseph, her brow shooting up. “So, are you him?”

"Hai," Joseph commented as he tugged off the helmet, revealing the mother-of-pearl silver marking over his right eye and shoulder. He tugged free the Blades of Chaos, but didn't ignite them nor angled them at naught but the ground, a fact he suspected they would notice.

“And why did you feel the need to bring those out?” The Wargess asked as if she were scolding a child for running with scissors, her eyes flashing with a blue fire in her teal eyes.

"And trust me, they didn't make my training easy… honestly, I'm kinda surprised they didn't send me after Chronos," he sighed. "Pretty sure it's rather obvious, as I've been sending something watching us with malice and bloodlust every since we, pardon the pun, dropped in, and if they are aiming at us, I'd rather be ready. If they're aiming at you, I'll still be ready," he commented. "Soror in Christi," he finished with a small smirk, referring to Luna as 'sister in Christ' in Latin.

“I don’t know what that means, but thank you.” She then looked to Damian. “He has it?”

The Beta nodded to his Alpha, and nodded back. Turning back into the house, she took a deep breath. “HAVAAK!!… put a shirt on!!!”

There came a bit of shuffling from within, the sound of flapping papers and utensils falling off a desk, before the heavy steps of the Alpha approached. Delivered from the darkness of the house, stepped a Warg of near ten feet and slim build. Fur wafting with verious greys and blacks, his grey-blue eyes with gold rings swept across the deck, finally landing on Joseph and the ponies. His mood seemed to drop at the sight of the ponies, but slightly perked at seeing the human on his doorstep. “Hi, you’re the one I sensed, yes?”

‘Not that much magical power coming from him, but looks can deceive.’ The Alpha thought to himself, feeling his mate hugging his arm.

The Alpha wore nothing of high value. No crown, no rings, no silk clothing, and now sweeping cape. He wore a pair of jeans and a grey tank top.

"'Soror in Christi' is Latin for 'Sister in Christi', but aye, I suppose," Joseph commented wryly.

“And why do you have your God of War swords out?” the Alpha commented.

"Because I've been sensing a malicious bloodlust whilst getting through the village. Don't know the source nor the target. But if it's either me, them, or you, I have no intention of being an unprepared pup," Joseph's eyes were wary as he tilted one Blade of Chaos at the ponies. "And I can assure you, the only reason I will ever draw these Blades are not in support of Chaos nor Death, but Life. True that one of the last lessons that Christ told Simon Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane was that 'those who live by the sword will also die from it' but I will never draw my Blades in a malicious bloodlust. I am not beholden to Ares, but to Christ himself and I remind myself every single day to put on the full armor to guard our lives against attack. We put on the belt of truth to protect against lies and deception. We put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts from the temptations we battle. We put the gospel of peace on our feet, so we’re ready to take your light wherever you send us this day. We choose to walk in the peace and freedom of your Spirit and not be overcome with fear and anxious thoughts. We take up your shield of faith that will extinguish all the darts and threats hurled our way by the enemy. We believe in your power to protect us and choose to trust in you. We put on the helmet of salvation, which covers our minds and thoughts, reminding us we are children of the day, forgiven, set free, saved by the grace of Christ Jesus. We take up the sword of the Spirit, your very Word, the one offensive weapon given to us for battle, which has the power to demolish strongholds, alive, active, and sharper than any double-edged sword," he said in a low voice as he sheathed the blades but kept his hands close to the hilts for ready access, unaware his voice deepened subtly as he unconsciously shifted into a military 'at rest' position.

He didn't notice Fluttershy closing her eyes behind him, nor did he notice how Luna's eyebrows rose in mild surprise.

Damian leaned closer towards his Alpha. “Are we sure he’s not an anime character with that long winded speech?”

Havaak shrugged in response, looking to Joseph with weariness and confusion. “To sum that all up; you’re a follower of Christ and you can sense a… dark force in the area? You do remember that the Devil is the prince of the world, right?” He sighed, looking to the ponies with mild distain. “And let me guess… you want Spike back?”

“And our magic! Give them back!” Rainbow shouted at the towering Warg, flying up to his face.

“And, please try and make sense of this with the one brain cell you all share, but why would I let you take someone who left you willingly? The guy was malnourished, didn’t know about his own species, and was left alone to deal with a broken heart after his first breakup. Here, he’s slowly getting healthier thanks to Okarr and is learning about his innate magics. And, might I add, he’s getting the emotional support he needs.”

“And most nights I find him crying.” Okarr voiced her concerns. “He often asks to sleep under my wing, which I always allow. But the effects are still there…”

“But Twilight… s-she misses him!”

“And? She left him alone in an empty castle, and again; dealing with the aftermath of a breakup!” Eyes alight in red fire, Havaak snarled at the Pegasus. After a long moment of glaring at each other, Havaak let loose a loud roar, throwing his arms up in exasperation. “GAH! Every time I try to help you idiots, you go and make things worse for me! You wanted me to fight off a rogue cult? I find an entire population of Wargs enslaved and brutalized. You want me to kill a mock-Changeling Queen? My daughter dies! And we’re still trying to get over that!! DO YOU REALLY THINK I WANT TO HELP YOU AFTER OUR HISTORY?!” On the verge of tears, the Alpha found himself wrapped in his wife’s embrace, her own tears dampening his shirt.

"You know what I did to the fraternity who literally in both a physical and emotional sense left me on death's door? I helped them when they were in need, despite the fact that I was in debt over seven hundred thousand dollars to the hospital that saved my life all because of two members of said fraternity who had called the Emergency Medical Services which saved my life when they could have done what the rest did and abandon me. True, they never visited me to check on me nor did they apologize, but it was because of what they did I found Christ. True, too, that the doctors were unable to give me a blood transfusion due to my extremely rare blood type. Regardless, I turned the other cheek despite my suffering. As Paul said in Philippians 4:12 and 13 – 'I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through He who strengthens me.' I mean, how many can truly claim they were scourged and survived to tell of it? I don't know why it happened nor what reason it occurred for, but He has his reasons," Joseph said dryly. "Though I will agree fully that demanding things is not the way to go about things, Rainbow," his tone was grim.

Havaak grunted in agreement with a bob of his brows, remembering a few grudges he’d held into for years, but had since forgiven.

“I’ll just go back on patrol… leaving you with the chatterbox and the peanut gallery…” Damian smirked as he walked off.

The Alpha gave him an exaggerated deadpan, running a hand down his face. “Yeah, you’d better run…” He then turned back to his guests, both uninvited and welcomed. “Would you like to come in? It’s warmer in here than it is in the breeze.”

Joseph was about to nod when his ears twitched twice. He then pushed off in a twisting somersault as he heard a distant twang, he unsheathed one of the Blades of Chaos and felt a harsh impact that shattered against the flat of his blade. The thumb-thick crossbow bolt shattered as he flipped, landing just beneath Rainbow, near the Alpha.

“Safe to say that I doubt you'd risk guests right for that," he deadpanned, not noticing that two thick splinters were embedded in his chest. He could understand holding a grudge, but he very much doubted he would order an assassination attempt. That implied something or someone wanted to make it look like so.

His head turned before his grip tightened as the blade ignited, though he waited for another attempt.

Fluttershy's eyes widened slightly as she restrained herself, noticing the thick splinters sticking out near his right collarbone and shoulder as she had the distinct awareness that something dangerous was near. It didn't feel like the terror from Sombra did, but it felt almost as corruptive and deceptive.

Joseph's eyes narrowed, hardening as his head tilted. "Get inside now! Ugh… I can feel its hunger… but I'll be damned if any innocent blood is shed this day!" he growled; he knew that was one thing he was not, regardless of Christ's Grace. His ears twitched twice at an inhuman shriek as he noticed a form lit by the sun in the distance before the creature's skinny arms rose as a burning dark emerald energy engulfed its clawed hands.

Moments later, the ground fractured in two dozen places as bony claws clad in semi-rotten flesh clawed their way out of the ground.

"If you have swift runners to warn the village, I advise doing so. As for me… I'm keeping those bastards from your homes and people," Joseph said sharply, not noticing the deep orange flames were becoming a clean white flame.

But the Alphas didn’t run. Havaak huffed at how dramatically Joseph spoke, finding it over the top, as if the human were trying his hardest to be a dramatic hero and Batman all at once. Lifting a cupped hand to his lips, the Alpha gave a loud howl. Several seconds passed as every Warg in the village rushed out to meet their king’s call.

“Wo-ho-ho! These freaks look like they’re ready for a beatdown.” Smirked Greg as he cracked his knuckles. More than half the crowd voiced their agreement with smirks and howls of their own.

Asher was next to step forth, twirling his lightsabers merrily. “Undead huh? Welp, let’s see if any fire will work.”

“You all set to help?” Havaak smirked as he took a step, only to be stopped by Damian as he appeared next to him. “Uh?”

At the Alpha’s questioning look, Damian smiled. “You rescued us and gave us all a new home. I’ve talked with everybody and they’re all willing to repay you in that kind. Mind stepping back and letting us keep you safe for a change?”

Havaak stalled, his hearts melting at their actions. He gazed out at his pack in awe. “W-wait… really?”

“My Alpha…” Luna’s hand cupped his cheek as she turned his head back toward her, a kiss finding its way onto his lips. “Let them protect us for once… please?”

With a hesitant nod, the Alpha of Desolation relented, struggling to hold back his tears. “S-sure…”

"Then let's show them how to really get wild," Joseph said as he unsheathed the other Blade of Chaos, not noticing that the flames were a brilliant white. He didn't realize his irises bled to a rich canine amber as his pupils narrowed into slits but he most certainly noticed as his senses sharpened.

"If there's two things I protect, it's life and innocence… and perverting both… ugh…." he muttered gruffly as he bared his teeth, unaware his canines and incisors had lengthened as he unknowingly tapped into Artemis' Blessing. His gaze dipped to the ponies. "Get your tails inside… now," he growled, his voice a raspy snarl not unlike a Warg.

The ponies didn’t hesitate… except for Rainbow, who had to be dragged inside by Applejack.

Wiping away his tears, Havaak stretched, his bones and joints popping as he fell back on the porch bench. “Ok then, guess we’ll just relax and enjoy the show.”

“Want me to grab some popcorn?” Luna giggled as she cuddled up next to him.

“Only if you stay right here~”

“As you wish~” Kissing him lightly on the cheek, she summoned a fresh bag of popcorn, placing it between them.

A loud pop sounded next to the couple, revealing the grinning Lord of Chaos himself, Discord… snacking on a second bag of popcorn, but mixed with sardines. “Oooooh! This is going to be good!!”

Then, chaos ensued.

Joseph shifted his weight as he pushed off in long, ground-eating strides as he flipped both Blades of Chaos into a reversed grip, the trails of white flame following after him. He could hear the howls of the other Wargs as he pushed off before he somersaulted, letting the chains uncoil before he slammed both Blades into the ground, executing what the Elder Deity of War called a Prometheus Plume as an eruption of magma and white flame erupted, scorching some of the Draugr Wargs and staggering them.

"I don't know what that white fire is, but it appears to enhance your flames much more strongly," Kratos muttered in his mind.

"I have a suspicion of its source," he replied back mentally. He didn't say it was his faith in Christ, he suspected.

An explosion of power ripped the earth up and half the village, yet the houses still stood, sending undead flying. Joseph turned to find a Wargess made of black stone, golden flames cascading from the edges of her eyes like veins over the entirety of her body. The Wargess glared at him, her voice sounding strangely like the Wargess from either, yet slightly off. “Quite blabbering with your gramps and clear out this filth! We won’t have any of these monsters wreaking havoc on our tavern!”

“Uh, Gwen…?” Damian blocked an undead from striking her on the shoulder, pushing it back with ease. “Or… am I talking with your alter?”

“You can call me Arza.”

Joseph blinked. "He may be my ancestor," he paused as he left a burning slash on one undead Warg, "but I have no idea how far back I'm related to him. I'm more closely related to the Greek Titaness of Love… my great-great-great-great-grandmother," he deadpanned before he headbutted one undead Warg before decapitating it. The white flames consumed the animated corpse, a ghostly form of the freed Warg rising before fading away. He pushed off, employing the Sandals of Hermes and knocking several undead Wargs airborne before he pushed off, spinning as both Blades ripped deep gashes and wounds before he landed.

Damian whistled, coming up beside Joseph after having despatched two more undead. “Sweet moves, but we need to wrap this up. Don’t want the town getting wrecked. Got any ideas on why or who awoke these guys?”

"The Wendigo. The real question isn't who, as it's rather obvious that that Old Serpent and Deceiver is behind this, but 'why'. I'm almost certain the Devil was hoping I'd go for the train or overland route. He likely would have used that time to take out the village slowly, bolster his forces with the newly dead and likely turn your own emotions against you, as he'd hope you'd hesitate to eliminate your loved ones, no doubt. Too bad for him, I didn't," Joseph growled. His eyes narrowed as his muscles tightened, unaware his muscles tensed and bulged before he pushed off with inhuman speed and strength as his body ignited in brilliant silvery white flames, unaware his body fully shifted from Artemis' Blessing.

“Uh, for one; we just moved here and this is a brand new village. Second, the Wargs we’re fighting have been dead for several millenia, so we aren’t killing anyone we know. And three, I played through the GoW game once a few years back, so I’m barely understanding who this ‘Deciever’ is.” With a quick breath, Damian unleashed a raging blizzard at a corralled group of undead. “Asher! Use your fancy bat wings and check up above! See if you can find that Wendigo!”

The Warg in question pumped his leathery wings above the crowd, his three odd horns polished with blood. “Aaaaand a Wendigo is…?”

“THE WANNABE DEER FURRY WITH A GOTH FETISH!!”

“Oh… He’s over by… the… tavern… oh no…”

“COMIN’ THROUGH!!” Gwen shouted as she plowed through both friend and foe, sending all flying on her path of destruction. “I HOPE YOU HAVE INSURANCE, BECAUSE IF YOU TRASH THE PLACE, YOU’RE PAYING FOR THE DAMAGES OUT OF POCKET!!!” A particularly mangled and cracked deer skull was sent flying over the battlefield by one enraged Wargess.

"Were you not listening to the Alpha? The Devil goes by numerous epitaphs that he's known by, but the one that most well defines him is Deceiver as that is what he does, though he is also known as the Prince of Lies," Joseph chided gently. He pushed off in a vaulting leap, seeing the Wendigo's bared face as it reared back with its sharpened and exposed fangs, blackened blood trickling from numerous scratches as it let out an inhuman shriek.

Joseph growled low in the back of his throat as he focused, detaching the Blades of Chaos before he hurled them with power before the wet snap of shattering femurs disabled the Wendigo's speed. It looked down before it looked up as several shards two inches in length and around a half inch thick impaled its chest and throat repeatedly before the spear itself was hurled, pinning itself to the ground through the back of the skull and neck. "What little I do know of Wendigo's of this kind… they are created through the act of cannibalism," he sighed as he landed several yards from the tavern. "Beautiful place you have, hun. I was always a fan of taverns of the older style," he commented wryly as the crystals detonated in surges of white hot flame that consumed the Wendigo. With its demise, the reanimated Wargs fell and swiftly decayed.

The Spear of Destiny and Blades of Chaos were left impaled in the ground.

Gwen glared at the human as she burned the body of the Wendigo, huffing out a plume of smoke. “Heh, trying to mooch a free drink with that sweet talk?”

"No. I know next to nothing about this world, it's monetary use, or its alcohol… though I probably could share my knowledge of mixed drinks, hmmm? I know a good bit about brewing as well as mixed drinks," Joseph commented wryly as his body shifted from its Warg form to human as he groaned softly as he felt his muscles tighten painfully. He pulled free the Blades of Chaos as he sheathed them before he pulled free the Spear of Destiny.

“Whatever happened to staying away from alcohol?” The Wargess smirked, having heard his words from before.

But he didn’t get to answer right away, Havaak having lifted his voice to his still fighting Wargs and guest. “Brace! Anyone who isn’t fireproof, get in the nearest building!”

All the Wargs crouched on all fours, fur hardening to that of polished, glassy stone. Eyes alight with various colors of fire, the Wargs readied themselves as their Alpha’s maw blazed in red flame.

Joseph's eyes widened fractionally before his eyes narrowed, unaware his irises bled to a pale icy teal color before he pushed off the ground with inhuman speed and strength.

The flames in the Alpha’s jaws increased, and with a deafening roar, were released. Red flames erupted throughout the town, burning anything that wasn’t protected from the fire. But in a little village of fire-breathers, everything had a spell matrix over it, fending off the flames indefinitely.

All the undead were burned to ash.

"Damn… reminds me of Lord Hades' “Chaos Flames” all over again, but without the malice. Now I'm wondering if I should have brought chocolate and marshmallows," Joseph commented wryly, landing on the rooftop of the bar. "Although I do wonder what chili peppers he ate to create flames like that… 'cause that can't be fun out the other end," he drawled.

Havaak, having heard the human, teleported up to the roof in a burst of sparks. “No on the chilies, I hate spicy food. If you’ve got graham crackers with the chocolate and marshmallows, I’ll give you a weapon of your choice.” He ended his proposal with a warm smile.

"Although I will admit that my ancestor as well as Lord Hades did make more than certain that I was talented with weapons and dealing with monsters in… well… a quite frankly traumatizing manner," Joseph commented wryly, "if there's two things that I'd want… is to hear your testimony… and get a Bible, rather than get a weapon. Ugh… wore out the one I had after… well… an agonizing experience, and haven't really had a chance to get nor find another. Speaking of… I kinda doubt that dunking I had before I ran into my ancestor would have counted as a baptism," he sighed with a small shake of his head. "But the good thing is that I mastered a subspace pocket that I can hold things in," he commented before he smirked slightly.

“Ah, but the Bible is our greatest weapon.” Havaak smirked with a wink, standing a bit straighter. “But in regards to your… subspace pocket dimension, I’ve got one too.”

The Alpha felt as giddy as a schoolboy on the inside as he swiped his hand through the air, a swirling dark portal opening next to him, rimmed with a gold light. “To be more precise; all Alphas have them as a means to store our power, and I…. Have possibly way too much…”

Shaking his head, Havaak turned to the crowd of Wargs, lifting his voice again. “Hey Angie? Do we have any spare Bibles floating around?!”

“Let me check…” The Wargess in question teleported away, arriving with a brown, leather bound book with golden pages. She handed it to the human with a smile.

Joseph tilted his head before he pulled out two things he was certain would catch the Wargs' attention: two cases of a certain cracker… and a half dozen boxes of chocolate bars.

"Huh… most would feel transcribing and binding Bibles to be a chore… yet in my personal opinion, it would actually be closer to an honor, especially if transcribing it from memory. More, that would truly be a labor of His Love as it would mean His Word gets to more people," Joseph commented. "Makes me think of that old movie 'Book of Eli', as it's only revealed at the end that the book he'd been jealously guarding was, in fact, a Braille Bible… and Eli was capable of reciting it from memory," he commented with a small chuckle.

“Welp, here’s hoping you’ll be able to recite the entire book, unlike me; whose memory is nearly shot…” The Alpha chuckled sheepishly, before turning to the crowd again. “Alright folks, fun’s over!”

“AAAAAWWWWW!” The pack bemoaned as they dispersed.

"If there's one verse I keep in the back of my mind, it's Jeremiah 29:11, because it shows just how dear our Creator holds us," Joseph commented with a hum. He didn't realize that as he turned, the breastplate he'd been wearing gave up the ghost and split at the sides, exposing his near hundred to a hundred fifty silvery flogging scars upon his back and shoulders. He blinked as he heard the clatter of steel, looking down. He took a few swift steps, tempted to hop to the ground.

Havaak looked back to Joseph, eyeing the many scars and the look in the human’s eyes, one of dread and terror. “Those from a bad time in your life? You don’t have to give a long-winded answer. Just nod if that’s all you feel like doing.”

Joseph exhaled softly. "College hazing… damn near killed me. I was in the hospital for eight months recovering due to my having a blood type that maybe five others on the planet have," he said hesitantly. "Of course, it was two members of said fraternity that called the EMS… and though none of them ever visited me, I still helped them when they were in need despite being close to three quarters of a million dollars in debt due to the recovery costs," he sighed.

“Good on you, it’s not easy helping someone who’s hurt you. That’s especially hard for me…” Havaak sighed, watching as his mate flew up to them. “How are our other guests?”

“Traumatized, but alive.” She huffed before critically eyeing Joseph. “You’re not trying to compete in ‘who has the most scars’ are you?”

The Alpha shrugged. “Eh, preferably not. Anyways… you wanted my testimony?”

"Why would I try that? And besides, I can definitely say you got one hot mate, Alpha. Betcha, the only thing sharper than her claws and fangs is her tongue," Joseph quipped cheekily before he squatted, noticing that the breastplate had what appeared to be rabbit fur within and was held shut by loops that, unfortunately, had broken from strain. He didn't notice the tattoo glowing a deep forest green on his right shoulder blade.

"But aye. We all have our own stories of how Christ pulled us up from the darkness and mire. Everyone's story is different just as everyone's life is different but what is the same is that Christ and by extension, the Father, has his hand outstretched to help us at our darkest hour. As the Lord said through Isaiah, 'Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" he commented wryly.

“I should hope so, he’s been through hell and back for us~” Luna’s eyes slowly turned into full silver, a devious smirk playing on her lips as she stepped up next to Joseph, speaking in a completely different voice. Even her mannerisms were different, looming over him with blue fire slipping through her teeth. “Otherwise, I doubt he would be up to the task of pleasuring me~”

“Which is a battle in and of itself.” Havaak smirked as he slipped up behind his lover, kissing her on the cheek with his voice dropping in depth. “My Queen always gives our tussles her best~”

“As I should~”

"Hmmm. I'm sure, though the old man mentioned that whoever summoned him and in turn sent me didn't look very healthy, as if something were trying to weaken her. A pure white… mare? With some odd 'aurora borealis' mane," Joseph commented. He didn't realize they would recognize the description, as various shades of fur close to white existed, certainly, but pure white? That only belonged to a very particular mare.

Moon scoffed, scowling. “You must mean Celestia. What did that pill-chugging mule say?”

“That’s a bit harsh…” Havaak commented, elbowing his mate.

“Ugh… fine… what did the family drug addict say?”

“T-That’s not really any better…”

"The old man claimed she was concerned for 'her little ponies', though it wasn't so much what she said that caught his attention so much as what he sensed from her… a corrupt darkness that was foreign to her. Something that he called 'more corrupt than anything shy of my Father'. Admittedly, he also claimed it was hungry… more hungry than a Wendigo. He only picked up one fragmented thought from whatever it was, the phrase ‘swallow your soul,’" he commented before he blinked before facepalming hard, the reference abruptly hitting him hard as he hadn't even thought about it. "Ah fuck…. I think I know what it is… though if she's resistant to those but something's feeding off of her… it means something is getting stronger as she weakens," he said warily.

"But I do know one thing, and I'm certain you'll agree: she doesn't deserve to die slowly, no matter how much of a bitch she's been, without an opportunity to come to the Father, wouldn't you agree? Because if what's feeding on her is what I think it is, the only thing that can force it out of her is Christ's Grace and the Spirit's power," his voice was very serious.

“You mean a demon?” Havaak asked, motioning him to follow himself and his mate off the roof, stepping into the road.

"A very particular brand of Demon… Khandarian," Joseph said grimly. "We can only hope there isn't a certain Book in this world," he said slowly, thinking of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis.

Spartan's Return, as well as an Ungrateful Rescue

Outside the walls of Canterlot City

Joseph had gotten the Changeling Queen to place the Elements as well as Celestia within the walls of the Palace. He and Atreus, however, he got them placed outside the walls… more precisely, behind the Diamond Dog army. Indeed, this gave him motivation to get into the city… by going through the army… one way or another.

His deep golden crimson irises glowed as if ablaze as he took slow, steady breaths. "Time to get truly blooded… because those idiot nobles will realize that one way or another, everyone has an animal leashed inside.

"Hmmm. You seem to have a connection to another long-lived mortal as well as an odd one… a Daywalker and a 'feral one' whom I don't recognize," he heard Kratos grumble in his mind before he let out a low huffing breath as he bared his teeth, his canines and incisors lengthening subtly as he felt intense burning surge through his body. He hissed softly as the skin between his knuckles split, blood trickling down, as ten inch long blades of slightly golden silvery metal gleamed in the morning sunlight as his eyes widened fractionally. He had never met his father nor his maternal godfather.

However, he did notice that word: Daywalker. He only knew of one that used that particular term. "He was known by other names… the Nightstalker," he muttered as he saw black tribal tattoos unfurl over his skin at that word. "But he was known by another name best: Blade… Eric Brooks," he finished. "Seems you, Hades, and Aphrodite gave me a few enhancements, eh? Heh…. let's let the beast out," he muttered in a low, hoarse growl, unaware his irises had gained slitted pupils before he pushed off with inhuman speed and strength, vaulting high off the raised plinth of stone as he saw the city of Canterlot to the southwest.

'So we're on the cliffside, likely not far from the train stations,' he noted as he landed on top of one Diamond Dog before he took the Diamond Dog's head with a slash of his new claws before he heard the gurgling growl moments before he kicked the head towards another, catching him in the side of the head hard enough to take him off his feet, senseless.

The removed mandible, he noticed,caught a different male Diamond Dog in the side and back of the neck.

He saw several turn before he pushed off the toppling corpse, catching them with vicious European Uppercuts, elbows and forearm strikes. It staggered them before he caught one by an ankle and started using him as a flail, creating more chaos before he tossed the unfortunate Diamond Dog like a discus, knocking more of the army on their collective asses.

He saw several electrically charged arrows hit the ground, paralyzing a good dozen threats each before he pushed off, tackling two before he used them as flails, toppling the rest before tossing them away.

It was moments later that he heard glass shatter.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IC9LEi7hhF8

His eyes narrowed as a low, growling laugh escaped him. He rolled his shoulders. "Where's the wolf bitch?" he roared.

He heard a deep snarl before he half turned, spotting the large, almost eight foot tall Warg. "Damn… you are one ugly motherfucker," he deadpanned dryly as his claws retracted, the wounds between his knuckles closing.

Joseph noticed the darkened leather armor as well as the jagged shoulder blades and large ruby the size of his clasped hands as well as the bandages coiled over the large Warg's fur. He sniffed slightly to take in a breath before he barely restrained an urge to vomit at the foul, rancid copper stench. "He didn't… though with how his energy feels, not only corrupt, but sadistic and perverted. I doubt anyone would want to be near them," he mused, unknowingly employing a Gift Aphrodite had given him combined with his keener senses… the awareness of one's nature through their Aura. He hoped that armor really wasn't what his nose all but hinted at… namely skin.

His eyes narrowed as he noticed the Warg circling, glaring at him. He unconsciously mimicked the Warg in an unspoken challenge. "You threaten innocents much like Goliath and the Philistines. That will not be allowed to stand. You have two simple choices: walk away and take your army with you, letting them return to their homes… or don't. In which case, I take your head, then send them back to their homes and families," he warned.

Joseph's eyes narrowed as he pushed off with inhuman speed to the point time, to him, slowed to a crawl. He saw the Warg inhale before exhaling a jet of dark red flames. His eyes narrowed as he shifted his weight, the golden ram shoulder pauldron glowing hot as it absorbed the force from the attack as he pushed through before he slid low before pushing off into a powerful Flash Kick before he tagged the wolf with a second Flash Kick that hit with twice the force before he tagged him with a third that hit with four times the force, augmented by the Golden Fleece. He landed with a grunt as he heard surprised sounds from the canine onlookers before he heard Atreus chuckle. His hand rose to his shoulder, where a hilt rested.

He drew it, hearing the soft rasping snarl of the keen blade. The sound it made through the air resembled the snarl of a hellhound, hence its name of Kolasménos. The blade ignited with red, violet, dull orange, bright golden orange, and icy blue flames as he twisted it in an arc, the sound like the low snarling growl of a hellhound on the hunt.

He shifted his weight as he held it over his right shoulder in an inverted Ko Gasumi stance before he shifted his weight with inhuman speed and power, seemingly vanishing before reappearing behind the Warg. Gouts of blood and gore sprayed from both the lower chest as well as throat before the Warg fell in three peices. He took a slow breath as he tilted his head. Almost the moment he did, a jet of solar flame incinerated two dozen before carving a broad swath through the army uncaring of guilt or innocence, leaving screaming and burning injured behind with missing limbs and horrific burns.

(2295) Batman Arkham City- One by One Predator Music Extended - YouTube

“Whoever was this bastard’s Beta, tell those who are innocent to retreat to their homes and families!! NOW!!” he roared as he half turned, seeing Celestia glaring at them all. His eyes narrowed before he pushed off, tackling her out of the air before he twisted, shoulder tossing her onto the ground as he rolled with the landing. “Obviously, it didn’t occur to you to bother checking to see if these canines were here willingly or under duress, did it? Clearly, most of the stories about you being a sweet and kind, even impartial, motherly sort were false… and to think that those stories were the ones that kept me alive long enough to find Christ… as well as my shield-brothers,” he growled. His eyes narrowed as they glowed faintly with golden red fire. He shifted his weight, sheathing his katana after slashing the blood away from its keen edge. It was a blade he himself had forged, with titanium and steel, as well as silver and iron within the blade, so it was lethal to numerous supernatural groups. He ignored the wails of the injured and the thunder of footfalls as the army retreated, save for a few hundred who looked hateful and bloodthirsty. “Clearly, those who did not retreat are not those who have families who would want them back. Thus… they are o perpatóntas nekrós and oi adysópitoi nekroí though I just call them éna mátso aneléitoi anóitoi,” he sighed. He shook his head slightly. His gaze shifted to the glaring Celestia.

“How do I know you didn’t lead them here?” she snapped warily. “You are just like that Warg who kidnapped my sister,” she snapped.

“There is no way I led them here, as I was sent here to keep them from getting into your precious city… the one who led them… well… let’s just say he’s brokenhearted and head down in his failure over there,” he deadpanned. “And from what I saw, your sister… Luna, aye? Was not kidnapped… but living rather happily. And trust me… I’d know Stockholm’s Syndrome when I see it… being I once dealt with it,” Joseph growled. “Though if your personality has constantly been like this… bitchy… I could understand why she’d want to get away and live a life of her own. Ugh… why the hell is it the simplest lessons are the hardest to grasp in life? You could just leave those desires… that anger and hatred… that bloodlust and fury… at the foot of His Cross… yet you cling to them so hard,” he sighed, shaking his head.

He saw Celestia pause at that. “Stockholm’s Syndrome? What is that?” she said warily.

“It is a mental condition where the kidnapped begins to sympathize with their kidnapper. However, and I will say again, your sister does not have symptoms of it. I know those symptoms as I have seen them… in the mirror. You see, when I was eight, my babysitter drugged my food under the mistaken assumption I was being abused…. then proceeded to kidnap me and raised me for close to nine years until I was found by my birth aunt and uncle on my mother’s side. The reason they didn’t know where I was, and presumed me deceased, was because my babysitter had rigged the home with a natural gas leak which a spark ignited… detonating the home into a fireball with not only my parents inside, but two of my neices,” Joseph’s tone was flat and icy cold, to the point icy mist was escaping his mouth with every word. His golden reddish orange eyes were staring into Celestia’s magenta-amethyst irises.

His ears twitched as he heard Atreus jog to pause near him. He tilted his head, exhaling softly as he glanced at Atreus.

“You’re a Cryomancer?” Atreus commented with surprise.

“My mother’s name was Abigail Frost,” was all Joseph commented dryly. He tilted his head as he half turned, frigid mist condensing into his hand before he launched it, encasing one of the Diamond Dog who was charging, foam frothing at his mouth, in ice before he shifted his weight before he shoulder blocked the canine before he twisted, planting a spinning side kick into its abdomen that knocked it back before he caught its arm as it staggered back and pulled it into a vicious lariat, hot embers surging from the impact as the chain coiled around his forearm heated before he planted a hopping side kick famously known as a ‘Superkick’ into its face that staggered it back again.

He noticed two more Diamond Dogs charging before he pushed off, not noticing how he shot forward on a layer of ice before he drove his shoulder into the chest and abdomen of one Diamond Dog, sending him tumbling backwards before he turned, not noticing the minor frostbitten wounds from the impact as he unhooked the Leviathan Axe and slapped it into the other Diamond Dog's head, stunning it before he swatted him across the head with the haft, dropping the canine senseless as he rehooked it behind him.

"Damn, brother, you're definitely channeling the elder," Mimir quipped.

Joseph smirked a bit. "I don't like bullies… and these bastards smell of disease… dunno if there's something like a magical form of rabies that makes them hyperaggressive," he commented wryly as he pushed off, his form shattering into ice as he concentrated a shell of cryokinetic energy over his body, producing a frozen 'ice clone' that shattered and encased a leaping Diamond Dog in ice before he caught the frozen form before slamming it into the dazed Diamond Dog in a aerial shoulder throw, rendering both senseless.

Celestia's POV - second person

Celestia hummed, watching the human. She noted that though he was quite heavily armed, he seemed to try to keep fatal casualties to a minimum. 'Why let a threat survive to return?' she considered. She only saw three deceased that she didn't cause. "You could fight," she started calculatingly.

"If you mean Havaak and his ilk, no. I have no reason to fight an ahk babashiah," was the human's flat reply.

"What is that phrase? 'Ack baby-she-ah'?" Celestia said coolly.

"Ahk babashiah is Hebrew… 'brother in Christ', it translates as," Joseph said dryly.

"We did not need your assistance," Celestia's comment was flat.

"Good. I wasn't there to protect your city directly. I was aiming to protect as many lives as possible… especially those recruited through blackmail and threats by that Warg fucker whom, unless I'm mistaken, made his armor from the skin of those he killed. Which frankly, I find highly disturbing," Joseph said flatly.

Celestia's eyebrows shot up at that before she snorted. "You Christians would…" she commented with a sneer before she was startled by Joseph's head turning, glaring at her.

"If you dare to imply that any believer in Christ would do that shit, I don't give a shit if you're royalty or not, I will slap you so hard, you won't be able to taste anything for two weeks," his threat was flat and colder that Sombra's black abyss of a heart.

Celestia blinked at his comment. Her eyebrows rose as he shifted, revealing close to a hundred slashing scars that distinctly looked caused by whips covering his back and shoulders as well as a good part of his sides. He shouldered his jacket, though they were outside the warming enchantment of the city.

“I will say it’s a hell of a view from here. I could distinctly see someone having a hang gliding or wingsuit business here,” he commented as he turned, looking down over the land from the mountainside. “And if you’re curious, those are things that can give those without wings like yourself as well as those patrols I’ve noticed flying around the feeling of flight, yet without the dangers of a little detail called ‘going splat on the rocks’, at least if one is careful. I know, I’ve done it myself,” he commented. “So using Icarus’ Wings isn’t too different from a wingsuit,” he commented wryly.

"Between you and me, I do hope that your bitchy side is just an act, girl. Because if there's one big thing that turns guys off, it's exactly that sort of attitude," he sighed as he turned away towards the train tracks.

"Why do you care?" Celestia snarled.

"I don't. Think of it as friendly advice. I'm guessing you forgot the phrase 'you draw more bees with honey than salt'," he drawled.

Celestia's eyes narrowed, shifting to a ruby red. "And how do I know you aren't a spy for the Wargs to attack?" she deadpanned.

"Hmmm…. perhaps because they sent me upon hearing you were about to be under siege? Regardless, Luna still sees you as a sister. A wayward sister whom has lost her way and faith, yes, but a sister nonetheless." The human's reply was a sigh. "Besides, if I were a spy, I'd have a way to contact them… yet what you see me with is all I have in this world. At present, beyond praying for you to find solace in the Father as one of his many names is El Simchath Gili… it translates as 'God, My Exceeding Joy'," he commented. "Other names of the Father are Elohim Ozer Li and Elohim Machase Lanu… 'God, My Helper' and 'God, My Refuge' respectively," he commented.

"Why do you care so much?" Celestia said warily. She blinked at his shrug.

"Do I need a reason to care? True, Old Man Kratos and Freya both trained me in combat and healing arts, and Hades taught me to fight… or die. They tried to teach me to harden my heart, yet at the same time, it's far too easy to harden your heart… because if you live too long in such a manner, you forget how to open up to others," was the human's dry reply.

He took a deep breath before he spoke, his voice low and soft, yet it carried clearly.

"King of Glory, Prince of Peace:

seated at the right hand

of His Father's throne.

Wondrous and awesome,

Crowned in majesty:

He is Lord alone.

Terrible and beautiful,

Deity in lowly flesh

made this His humble home.

Truth, Way, and Life

lived in our midst

to seek and save His own.

Rescuer, Redeemer –

I rejected, hated Him,

the One Who had made me.

Zealous love, amazing grace

called me on wings of wind,

delivered me, set me free.

Justice and Mercy entwined

forgave my rebellion, my past,

and told me, "You are Mine."

Tender Strength overwhelming,

I saw Him for Who He is

And fail with words to define:

Mighty and firm, a Rock,

a Refuge to hide myself in,

a Monarch ever-adored.

Valiant and noble,

for Him, I laid self down

and crowned Him my Lord.

Power indisputable,

Defender most fierce,

He claimed me as His own.

He answered my foe

and showed me compassion

such as I had never known.

So walk up the hill

did this Great One to die,

my Captain, my Head.

Son of splendour, true and only

gave His life, breathed His last,

and died in my stead.

Shorn of glory, crowned with shame,

He bore my guilt and penalty.

What a cost! What a price!

Scorned and mocked, dead He lay

in my place to save my soul:

for me He laid down His life.

Sacrifice and Substitute,

Death could not hold Him,

Darkness could not keep Him.

Triumphant brilliance,

rose crowned with the rays of dawn

to splendour undimmed.

Magnificent Sovereign,

Undefeated Champion,

broke the curse over me.

Grace unmeasured,

the Lord of creation

reigns eternally.

Wonderful, merciful Saviour

drew me from my wayward path

and the death-sentence thereof.

Now I'm a child of the King,

dressed in righteous robes,

crowned forever by His love."

A soft crackling whump distracted Joseph, noticing the rocks were slightly cracked and scorched as if burnt.