God of War (2018) - Entry 2: The Marked Trees
As I chopped down the last tree, the finality of her passing weighed heavily on me, along with the responsibility I now had for our son. When we return to the house, we make the final funeral preparations and say our final goodbyes to Faye. Right after we place her body on the pyre, Atreus reaches and grab's Faye's knife from her funeral wrappings to keep as a memento-burning his hand in the process. He apologizes to me-but I silently reassure him and place a handful of snow on his burn. I then give him the knife telling him she wanted him to have it.
After we said our goodbyes during the funeral, I resolved to test Atreus to see if he was ready for the long and dangerous journey ahead, using training as a way to channel his grief—and mine.I tasked him with hunting a deer to demonstrate his abilities. Eager but inexperienced, Atreus startled the deer with an ill-timed shot. Frustrated, I took his bow and reprimanded him, struggling to guide him like a father rather than a commander. As we tracked the deer deeper into the woods, we encountered draugr—something unusual so close to home. Eventually, Atreus managed to wound the deer, but he couldn't bring himself to deal the final blow. I helped him finish it, recognizing the weight of his first kill.
Suddenly, a troll ambushed us, flinging Atreus aside. Working together, we managed to bring it down. However, after the battle, Atreus lost control, stabbing the fallen troll repeatedly in a fit of rage. Concerned by his outburst, I decided he was not ready for the journey and told him so, much to his disappointment.
On our way back home, we encountered more draugr and strange creatures, confirming that something had changed in the woods. At the house, I began preparing Faye’s ashes for the journey while trying to explain to Atreus why he wasn’t ready. Our conversation was interrupted by a thunderous noise and a knock at the door. I told Atreus to hide and confronted the visitor—a tattooed man who seemed to know who, and what, I am. I tell him to leave but neither one of us will stand down. The confrontation quickly escalated into a godly battle that devastated the surrounding landscape. I barely managed to defeat him, snapping his neck. Confused and unsettled by how they had found me after years of peace, I returned to the house.
Reassured that Atreus was safe, I told him to gather his things. It was no longer safe to stay, and we needed to leave. Though I still believed he wasn’t ready, I challenged him to prove me wrong. In my mind I also questioned if I was ready, unsure how to guide Atreus as his father.
