Many years ago... In Ancient Greece...

They fought further through the prison. Rainbow Dash ran one of the foes through with her sword, right into Twilight's spear. Kratos swung his Blades, and before another opponent could flank him, Pinkie Pie had flattered him immediately with her huge mallet, folding it into nothingness.

"We need to move further!" Applejack shouted.

"Which way though!?" Rarity cried out, using her bow and arrow desperately to fend off the enemies that tried to swarm them.

"..." Kratos looked at the green amulet. He raised it high, and there was an immediate rumble and shake. The team were surprised to see how there was a sudden movement of stone and debris. It was in a short moment that the prison would begin to reconstruct itself. Parts that were scattered and destroyed were now reforming and would build up into another section of this sprawling prison, giving them a way forward. By then, the enemies had relented, and they had a quiet passage forward.

"That amulet is amazing..." Twilight Sparkle quietly whispered with eyes of amazement. The team would run further down the complex, running across the stone floor. They ran forward, until they reached a wooden door.

Kratos stepped through.

Yet, the others did not.

He stepped into a room. A ceremonial room. Spartans stood with their weapons at attention, all lined up as the path led to an armored man at the end of the room. Kratos could not help but calmly stepped closer to him. He knew of this ceremony. He understood that he was going to be awarded for his hard work.

The armored man spoke, welcoming Kratos to him. "...I have watched you over the years. When you were just a boy, I saw the signs. Even the loss of your brother did not sway your focus. The tragedy only improved you, honed your skills, and now, Kratos, you have fulfilled your promise of greatness. You served with honor."

Kratos heard some voices behind him. They were shouting for him. Almost attempting to break through a barrier. Yet, he was left uninterrupted as he kept walking forward to the man. He saw the ceremonial sword being held by him, being extended out to Kratos.

And yet, Kratos saw the ring...

"You brought glory to us all and today. You have earned your place among us as the greatest general Sparta has ever known!"

Kratos looked at the sword being prepared for him. Yet, he was not going to pull this trick. He grabbed the Spartan by the wrist, and kicked him forward.

The room crumbled into nothingness - there was no more gorgeous decoration, and the soldiers around them were gone. It was now a mere ridge on the edge of the cliff. The decorated Spartan was now replaced with a horrendous Fury.

This second Fury hissed angrily, unfurling her wings and starting to fly. It was around this time that a door behind Kratos had burst open. The girls that followed Kratos were able to run right through, with Applejack running it through with her shoulder. "Kratos!"

The Fury saw the backup and laughed. "So, there is something you value more than ambition!?" She laughed, then looked at the rest of them. "Well, you may have killed my sister - but I have planned a horrid fate for each and every one of you."

The Fury flew off - dodging and flying past the arrows that Rarity tried to shoot. As she escaped, the team ran up to Kratos.

"Kratos, what happened!?" Twilight cried out. "We tried to follow you, but there was a magical seal on the door. Applejack had to use her strength just to get through it."

"Wasn't easy either, a'll tell ya that much!" Applejack nervously laughed.

"...The illusions are not relenting..." Fluttershy softly said. "That's the only way that the Furies could get close to you, Kratos. We need to stick together."

"..." Kratos sighed and nodded. He knew that being separate from his team had these risks. There was nothing to be done against these illusions, but the presence of the others meant that he had some form of reality check that could help him.

***

They went further down the prison. There were more foes that attempted to stop them, and they were becoming bolder. Stronger. The Furies were siccing bigger challenges against them, but the team stood strong together, especially now that they had gathered the aspects of the Gods - although they refused to use the Soul of Hades no matter what.

Having calmed down after using the power of Ares, the team had gone further into the prison. Then, they heard the sounds of scribbling. Something was being written, with something chalk-like. It came from one of the walls. Curiously, Twilight and Kratos were the first to approach the cell, poking around to see what was happening.

They heard the sounds of whispering and muttering.

"This will definitely have to go into the record. Record. Must record. Must record."

Twilight saw an old famished man, wearing an eyepatch and completely covered in strange writing. Twilight frowned, worried about the state of this prisoner, for the cell had kept him in.

"H-Hello? Sir, are you alright?" Twilight softly whispered. It caught the man's attention. He turned around and looked at the two, then he saw the rest of the team behind them.

The prisoner turned to them, studying with great interest. He nodded to himself, then started to write more things. His cell was covered on various writings, different things that covered every inch of the cramped cell. "You're the Spartans that Orkos talked about, aren't you? Definitely need to get this down..."

Kratos and Twilight crouched by the cell. Kratos murmured. "What do you know of the Oath Keeper?"

The prisoner immediately sprung up and began to rapidly pace around the room, shaking his head. "...I know he paid for what he's done. They say he was the first Marked One, but his father didn't like the way he turned out. I know. I was the first man to be put here by the Furies. See, I've been keeping a record. Orkos was born here. Then his mothers, they... They became... They used to be fair. Harsh, but fair had something to do with Ares, I imagine. The way they treated him... Their own son."

"That's... That's terrible." Twilight softly frowned.

"Ah' couldn't imagine that abuse towards one's own family..." Applejack softly said under her breath.

Kratos humphed. "That is no reason to betray your own..."

"I'm not sure about that." Fluttershy whispered. "I wouldn't be able to trust someone if they abused me, kin or not..."

"Mm." Rarity nodded. "What is "your own" when they treat you like dirt?"

"But it's kin..." Applejack said."

"...Loyalty's a weird thing." Rainbow Dash said. "It's a two-way street though, I'll tell you that much."

Yet, at the words, the mad scribe walked closer to the cell, grinning madly at them. "Betrayed his own... Sounds familiar, but he did it because of you..." He said, looking right at Kratos.

The words did not strike Kratos, it got no reaction from him. "I did not ask for his help..."

The old man, yet, grinned wider - the insane man smiled ever knowingly. "But you received it, nonetheless, didn't you, Spartan?"

Kratos closed his eyes, exhaling through his nostrils. The others looked at him with curious worry. Yet, the old man did not linger. He instead walked over to the worn-out and scribbled wall, chuckling. "This would make a wonderful addition to the record..."

The Spartan sat by the cell with Twilight, until he stood up and turned. Twilight stood up as well, but gazed at the man in the cell. "...Kratos, hang on..." Twilight said, but by then, Kratos kept walking.

Applejack thought fast on her feet. "Y'all girls catch up!" She said. They followed her order, quickly jogging up to catch up with Kratos and followed him. Meanwhile, Applejack gripped the cell and with her raw, sheer strength ripped the cage door off of its hinges, carefully setting it aside. She then saw the shackle that kept the man pinned to the wall and stomped on the chain, shattering it. The man did not pay her any mind as he kept writing. "Hey, fella - you're free!"

"..." The old man turned to her for a moment, and laughed. "Can't be free when there's so much to write. There's so, so much more to record. But... maybe now, I can use the rest of these walls If I rub out. Heheh..."

Perturbed, Applejack backed out of the cell. She heard the sounds of shouting and combat further down the prison and immediately ran to catch up with the team as they started to combat yet another myriad of monsters within the prison.

***

Covered in blood and scars, they only continued to run through the many cells that the hallway contained. As Kratos lifted up another gate, they finally poured out to the outside, light shining upon their faces.

"This way!" Twilight said, leading the team. They kept running - until they saw a gate, and beyond that, another closed, golden gate that led into another section of the cavernous interiors. As the group prepared to open the gate however, they were interrupted. The sound of something swooping in from the skies made itself clear.

"It's one of the Furies!" Rarity cried out, readying her bow as she aimed - yet, the fluid and fast motions of the flying Monstress did not give her a clear shot - the gate also acted as an obstacle, leaving the team only to listen to her vile words.

"If neither pleasure of the flesh or glory will return you to us, then there is only one thing left!" She shouted with her toxic tone.

From behind her, a skeletal, Phoenix-like beast flew to rush Kratos, its skin blue with a raging fire across it. It rolled through the sky, and made a beeline right for Kratos.

"Watch out!" Twilight said, pushing Fluttershy out of the way. Yet, it had no interest in the women, only in Kratos as it attempted to peck him. The huge bird-like creature began to wrestle with him, he held himself planted in the ground. With his strength, he wrestled the beast over - where Pinkie Pie prepared her massive mallet, swinging it and smashing the bird right in its face, causing it to scream in pain.

The team quickly worked together, Rarity firing an arrow into one of its skeletal wings, grounding it. Stomping one of the other wings, Applejack held the beast to the ground while Kratos straddled it from the top, plunging his fist right into its chest. A golden, brilliant glow came from it. In pain, the massive beast began to thrash, and once Kratos had pulled something out from it, it flailed one of its wings, throwing Applejack against the wall. Hurt, it immediately flew back to the Fury who stood in-front of the golden gate. She hissed in pain as the bird flew behind her.

"It matters not that you have my son's toy. It is your heart that will betray you!" She barked at them.

"What in Tartarus does that mean!?" Rainbow Dash screamed. Yet, the Fury took flight, and the beast followed her as they flew through the golden gate, and into the darkness.

There, Kratos stood with a red, heart-like object that he plucked from the flying beast, gazing at it. Twilight stood by his side, and gazed at it.

She whispered. "Is that...?"

Kratos' gaze lingered on it, and he closed his eyes.

Kratos knew he was close. Close to a time when illusion would have no power over him. Close to the defeat of the Furies and finally, close to the freedom he so desperately sought.

TWO WEEKS EARLIER...

The sailors murmured in fear. They anxiously sailed to the island, knowing well of the curses and dangers. Yet, they had a job to do. They arrived at the port, and once Kratos stepped off, they rushed to get the sails ready to leave. Yet, what distracted them were corpses. Corpses of beasts, slain with various weapons.

Kratos knew exactly who caused this - and his blood began to boil. He walked a little forward, where past the mountains of debris and corpses, he saw six figures waiting for him.

"Well, well...What took ya so long? Guess you got a slow ship. We found a much better crew, it seems." Rainbow Dash grinned, pushing herself forward after leaning against a wooden beam.

"What are you doing here!?" Kratos barked, furious. "I told you that this is--"

"Your war, huh?" Twilight asked, shaking her head. "Kratos, listen to yourself. You're stubborn and you're enraged. You're blind with anger, and you're--"

Kratos immediately drew one of his Blades, yet - the others had drawn their weapons. They were pointed at him - but not with lethal intent. They simply reminded him that they were serious, and that they did not appreciate him drawing a blade at a friend.

"Kratos!" Applejack barked. "A Spartan does not raise their arms against one of their own!"

"This isn't about Sparta anymore." He roared, tightening his grip on the blade. "What the Furies are responsible for, and what Ares is responsible for, it's--"

Twilight puts a hand on Applejack's shoulder, and walked forward. "We've made an oath to fight alongside each other, Kratos." She said. "Against men, Gods - that doesn't matter. You cannot discard your comrades. You may not owe us the truth about anything that has happened, but what you owe us is the chance to fight shoulder to shoulder with you. And do you know why?"

He was quiet, blowing air through his nose. Twilight's gaze softened.

"We're your friends, Kratos - and leaving you to fate, to whatever prophecies or oaths that have been kept, would be torture to us. You know this well. We've learned how to fight, not to lay down our weapons and let the tide of fate takes us. You're looking for answers, and revenge - and we'll look for it together. And your alternative?"

Twilight held her spear to her side, and opened her arms. "Well, you can kill us here. That's the only other way this can go right now."

...

Kratos felt his fists tight on his Blades, and yet... Seeing Twilight open herself to the possibility of being killed right here, the idea that he'd strike down one of the few soldiers that were loyal to him, and those that were still here and still willing to fight alongside him...

He remembered the faces of all the Spartans who've fallen by his side.

He closed his eyes, and sheathed the Blades. He grunted. "You have some nerve. All of you."

"Steel nerves are why we're Spartans, too." Pinkie Pie giggled, approaching him to pat him on his shoulder. "Now, let's see what this place has in store for us. I've always wanted to see what Apollo cooked up on thi little island."

Kratos nodded. He took the lead, approaching the scaffolding that would grant them access up the hill. Yet, there was a pause - the waves beyond seemed to roar uncontrollably, and a shape began to emerge from beneath. Much to Fluttershy's horror, a tentacle burst out from underneath the surface, surrounding the ship that brought Kratos to the island. The sailors screamed in terror, crying out and shouting. The ship did not stand a chance against the imposing monster that lurked beneath, wrapping itself around sections of the ship before starting to crush and snap it in half.

"No!" Fluttershy cried out. She tried run towards the ship that was in the middle of destruction, but was immediately stopped by Applejack, who held her back.

"Hey, what are you plannin' on doing!?" Applejack barked. "There ain't no way you're gonna just up and get those sailors saved! What, you're gonna talk to that Sea Monster!? Ain't happening, gi--"

"Watch out!" Pinkie Pie shouted, immediately pouncing on Applejack and Fluttershy to get them out of the way. As the ship was crushed and destroyed in sheer seconds, a section of the front was flung out, flying over the waters and heading right for the group. Kratos had to simply walk back, the piece of debris striking the wooden structure of the harbor, ripping apart the scaffolding that would allow them to climb up the mountain. There was nothing left, except a pile of scattered wood, sinking in the water.

Twilight walked up to stand to Kratos, sighing. "What are the odds? You still have that amulet?"

Kratos acquiesced, extending his fist with the jade-like amulet. It began to glow green, the wood started to piece itself into place. The wood would attach to the cliff once again, allowing the team to ascend up the cliff. They would need to climb and jump - with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash able to fly up and avoid the climb, doing so to scout for them. The team made their way up the mountain, and then they stepped before a path that would let them continue their trek upwards.

Yet, by the time the group made it, they heard the sounds of screaming. Approaching from the path, three dock workers run in terror, trying to flee from a trio of Satyrs. They yelled for the running men, each taking a javelin and aiming to throw right at them. Rarity gasped - pulling back an arrow to fire it at one of the mid-air javelins, which threw the weapon off-course and sent it flying back into one of the monsters.

Another human was rescued by Pinkie Pie, who jumped over the human to then swipe her mallet across and shatter the javelin, landing on her feet with ease. The final human was rescued by Kratos, who merely shoved him to the side to let the human stumble and go off-course, and the javelin missing him.

"Hey, a "Thanks" woulda been enough!" Rainbow Dash barked at the running men, joining the ranks alongside the others to face their threats once again. Kratos picked up the javelin and spun it around, throwing at one of the Satyrs. It impaled the stomach, allowing Fluttershy to quickly jump off the cliff to enter flight - using the momentum to then swoop in and slash the monster's neck. One was left screaming in anger. It did not have a chance - Rainbow Dash quickly sprinted and slid across, slicing her sword across its ankles and grounding it, while Applejack ran over to kick its head off, sending the head flying across the entire island.

More Satyrs jumped out to face them - they now circled the group with lethal intent, feeling the urge to kill.

Knowing they were cornered, the girls sighed. They looked at one another and nodded. They would need to evoke the powers they had acquired - all except the power of Hades. With the power of Zeus, Rainbow Dash and Rarity allowed arrogant and power-hungry power to guide their weapons, using the power of lightning to strike and kill off the Satyrs - though they neglected helping their friends. Even as a monster sliced Rarity across her stomach, Rainbow Dash did nothing to help, instead focusing on increasing her kill count. Not that Rarity had an issue with it, using the anger to fire an arrow that swooped through to behead the beast.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack evoked the aspect of Ares - their eyes only seeing red as they rushed and struck the enemy with sheer fury, their blunt weapons added with such a level of anger that they now became the most dangerous - each strike exploding the Satyrs into bits and pieces. Applejack's fists would take entire chunks off of their heads, able to push her fists through their bodies like a hot knife through butter. Pinkie Pie's laughs of joy were turned into laughs of sadism, her mallet flattening and dismembering each monster that tried to as much as look at her funny.

Fluttershy and Twilight evoked Poseidon's power - removing all emotions from themselves to target weak points. Fluttershy would swiftly move through the myriad of foes, her dagger quickly connecting with the most vulnerable points - slashing arteries and joints, forcing them to collapse on the spot. Twilight thrusted her spear with cold and efficient calculation, skewering enemies several at a time, bursting their hearts and brains. She did not care that her spear came dangerously close to hitting her friends - only results and efficient killing mattered to her.

Only Kratos had the perfect harmony of all the powers - able to even evoke the dark power of Hades to slash and break the enemies, felling the beasts one by one with ease. By the time they were surrounded with corpses, the powers left them. They looked at one another apologetically, but could not say anything. They sighed, knowing that these powers were the only way they'd fight off this amount of enemies, and their humanity not enough to let them do anything else.

They kept climbing the mountain, with Kratos moving ahead of them. Yet, not all was clear. On their way, the Sea Monster that destroyed the ship from earlier was aware of their presence. On the edge of the mountain, Fluttershy felt the presence of a creature. She immediately grabbed Twilight's arm and pulled her away - the tentacles erupted from the water and began to batter at the mountain, trying to grab a desperate victim.

"Stop!" Fluttershy yelled at the sea beast, but her voice did not matter, even if it somehow heard her. Twilight pulled Fluttershy down to let them both kneel as a tentacle nearly lopped their heads off.

"It's not going to bend to your will!" Twilight said. As they tried to avoid the tentacles, one of them locked right onto Kratos. It raised one of its tentacles high up into the air, raising it high and smashing right upon the male Spartan. With a yell, he reached his arms up, stopping the beast's limb before it crushed him. He grunted, pushing it away with all his might - immediately assisted by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the latter stabbing it with her sword. Kratos too had plunged his Blades of Chaos into it - and it was enough to force the monster to pull the tentacle away. Yet, as it did, it took Applejack, Kratos and Rainbow Dash with it, swinging them wildly in the air.

"No!" Rarity cried out - she breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the tentacle not recede into the water, but instead throwing the three onto the other side of the mountain. Twilight panicked, but immediately began to look around for another way to regroup.

"Fluttershy, go help them!" Twilight exclaimed. "We'll get back to you!"

"Okay!" The winged woman called out, jumping off the mountain to fly once more. She would do so to make her way around the mountain, regrouping with the team as they were already fighting more monsters - the statues that came to life and detached themselves from the cliff's side.

With their combined might, the intense fight was in their favor. Kratos swung his Blades to smash the torsos and heads, while the others distracted the rest and weakened them. Kratos' Blades were the best weapon, for Rainbow Dash's sword or Fluttershy's dagger was not enough to strike. Applejack could wrestle with these hammer-wielding giants. She caught one of the electrified mallets as it was about to squash her. She swung her arms left, causing the hammer to miss and embed itself into the ground. With her mighty fist, she briefly evoked the power of Ares once more, and with a flash of red, her Cestus tore it apart between the torso and legs.

Fighting off the beasts, they ran further up Delos Landing. They stopped when some rocks above them began to tumble down - though no monsters came this time. The rest of them regrouped, having taken another way up by climbing.

"Oh thank--" Twilight stopped herself before naming a God. "...You're in one piece. Good..." She sighed in relief. "We need to keep going before that beast reappears!"

***

Climbing further up the mountain, they eventually made their way onto a balcony - the wooden platform giving them a wonderful view of the island and the surroundings. Applejack took a deep breath, letting her lungs fill with the salty air of the sea. "...Aw yeah - this is the kinda view 'ah--"

Her short moment of rest and admiration was stopped by shaking and screaming. They looked up to see a massive beast vaulting over a wooden platform, more defenseless men running from it. It merely smashed all of them, while gutting another with its tusk. It jumped down onto the ground, a dying man impaled on the ivory. It simply threw the poor man aside into the chasm, then blaring its trunk like a loud trumpet at Kratos and the others. The beast was like a bipedal Elephant, enormous and full of rage as it rushed them, raising a massive spiked mace.

"That looks like one of those enormous things we fought in the East!" Twilight exclaimed, preparing her spear.

"Except they had four legs back then!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She jumped back as the mace nearly crushed her, forcing her to jump side to side and backwards, barely able to get away from the swinging weapon. Its eyes were full of rage, barely any grace to its way of fighting. Pinkie Pie was the next target, attempting to block - but her mallet did not shield her, causing her to be flung away and slide across the wooden floor.

Kratos battled the beast - but even his Blades did not hinder the Elephant monster as much as they should. It was able to pick him up and throw him up into the air, and although he was able to stab it in the face on the way down, it did not relent.

The situation was desperate, the Elephant was impossible to subdue on an easy whim, not when it seemed invincible with its thick skin, and a weapon that none could defend against. It had nearly infinite stamina, and no end to the amount of blood it could shed.

Desperate, Twilight sighed. She let the power of Death course through her - her eyes and spear glowing black and purple.

Rarity gasped. "Twilight, no!" She cried out - but it was too late. Twilight only saw Death - and at the very least, she had a massive target to take care of first, before she'd take care of the other six.

The Elephant took the advantage of her staying still - but it was too late. Twilight simply weaved her head underneath the massive club - then stood upright to throw her spear into its face. The spear jammed straight into its eye, stabbing the brain. She jumped forward, landing onto its head as she took the spear out. The Elephant attempted to grab her, but Kratos would not let his friend do it on her own. He stabbed its legs, forcing it on one knee. Twilight used her sheer strength to pull the spear out, then attempted to stab the other eye. It jerked its head - which forced her to miss, but the spear was still able to strike one of its bloodied tusks, snapping it off of its face. It screamed, thrashing and throwing Twilight onto the ground as it kept recoiling and trumpetting in rage. It dropped the mace, scrambling to pick it up.

Yet, Twilight had only Death on her mind - and it was Death she sought to deal. She grabbed the detached tusk with unprecedented strength. With sprint, she ran at the Elephant - the sharp ivory pointed into its heart. With a jump, she rammed the tusk straight through, embedding the sharp improvised weapon into its heart. The beast let out a bloody trumpet of pain and desperation - cut short by Kratos, who swung both Blades at once from both sides - lopping off its massive head. The skull would fall off with its remaining tusk embedding into the wood, and the body fell limp.

Twilight was not done. She turned around to face the others, breathing heavily. The team balled their fists, prepared to fight her in a non-lethal point to make her feel sense. However, Fluttershy had a better idea. With a fast sprint, she quickly rushed Twilight - ducking underneath her spear as it grazed one of her wings. She was able to go in for the attack - and hugged Twilight tightly. "Twilight! Stop! It's us! It's us! Please calm down!"

Twilight felt the Death compel her to put her hands on her friend's neck - to snap it... But she felt her warmth. She felt the affection and love, the friendship and respect. She raised her hands for a mere moment, Rarity aiming at the palm to fire...

But instead, Twilight's arms wrapped around Fluttershy, and she sighed into her shoulder. "...I-I'm okay, Fluttershy. I'm sorry..."

Author's Note

Well everyone, by popular demand, here is Chapter 4 of this crossover story between MLP and God of War: Ascension!

Four more Chapters and Sneak Peeks left before this story is finished, and we would move on to the next Prequel.

Now, I had to do this chapter on my phone, because my laptop is fucked up. If you see any mistakes, that is on me, and you can post your complaints.

Thank you so much for waiting for this chapter to come out, and I will bring out Chapter 5, as well as its Sneak Peek very soon.