God of War (2018) - Entry 3: Path to the Mountain

We set off through caverns revealed by the destruction of my battle with the Stranger. Along the way, Atreus asked about killing the man and whether I had killed before. I simply told him I did what had to be done.

As we exited the caverns, we saw the house and forest below. Atreus noticed a protective stave around the woods had been broken when I cut down the marked tree for Faye’s pyre. Realizing this was part of Faye's plan, I understood she intended for us to leave and journey to the mountain together.

We continued through the River Pass, with Atreus marveling at the world beyond the Wildwoods but naïve to its dangers. I used each enemy encounter to teach him combat skills and situational awareness. At a ruined marketplace once inhabited by giants, Atreus read markings indicating the area’s history. As we pressed on, we encountered Reavers—cannibalistic men. I took care of most of them, but when one lunged at Atreus, he defended himself, killing the man. Since Atreus was visibly shaken by the experience, I tried to redirect his focus to the journey and harden his resolve.

As we exit the ruins, we meet a blue skinned dwarf on a bridge named Brok. His pack animal won't  move no matter what he does, and Atreus tells him that it's because she's afraid of something in the trees. He then asks me to toss my ax into the trees that scares something off, and sure enough, the pack animal is just fine after that.

As all of us cross the bridge, Brok claimed to have crafted the Leviathan Axe with his estranged brother and former partner. Skeptical at first, I believed him when he described the brand on the handle. Brok upgraded the axe, and I tested it on some returning draugr. I also purchase some new armor for Atreus and upgrades for his bow with the materials we have discovered on our journey so far. As we leave, Brok warns us that the world was growing more dangerous.

Continuing onward, we solved a riddle left by giants to unlock a revolving, circular door. Through the door, Atreus spotted tracks and identified them as belonging to a type of boar. However, before we could follow the trail, a fire troll attacked. Together, we brought it down, with Atreus’ growing skills proving more useful. As we leave the cave, I signal to Atreus that I hear the boar up ahead. He rushes to my side and quickly spots it. I quietly coach him as he readies his bow for the shot. His aim is true, but the arrow merely bounces off the boar’s thick hide. Confused, Atreus wonders aloud if the creature is magical.

We continue along the trail, tracking the boar, until we come across a small settlement—its charred remains suggesting a recent battle between draugr and men. Searching the burned-out huts, we gather what few supplies may aid us on our journey. As we leave the village, Atreus catches sight of the boar once more. This time, his arrow finds its mark, but the wounded animal bolts. I instruct Atreus to give chase.

As I prepare to follow, I notice something on the ground—Faye’s knife. Atreus must have dropped it without realizing. I pick it up, intending to use this moment as a lesson later. When I look back up, Atreus is nowhere in sight, and the trail leads into a mist-filled ravine. A surge of concern grips me, and I sprint forward, calling out his name. His voice calls back, but before I can reach him, an unfamiliar woman’s voice, sharp with outrage, demands, “What did you do?!”

Emerging from the ravine, I find Atreus kneeling beside the boar, while a woman tends to the creature. Hoping to defuse her anger, I take responsibility, explaining that the boy was only following my command. She, however, remains exasperated, revealing that this boar is the only one of its kind in this realm—and her friend. As she works to stabilize the wound, she asks if we are in need of food. Atreus explains that it was target practice. The woman fixes me with an incredulous look and repeats his words.

Without hostility but with clear urgency, she instructs me to hold together the severed artery. As she chants a healing incantation, Atreus blurts out that she is a witch. Unbothered, she then asks me to carry the boar to her home, just beyond the trees, where she can complete its healing. She murmurs another incantation, and a tangle of vines blocking the path magically unravels.

We step into a breathtaking sanctuary, untouched by ruin—a place where nature thrives in harmony. At its center stands a massive tree. As we walk, the woman speaks to Atreus in a gentle, inquisitive tone, and he openly shares details of our journey. I remain silent, my guard up, silently reminding Atreus to be cautious.

Then, the woman calls out, “Heimili.”The ground trembles as an enormous tortoise rises from the earth, the great tree resting upon its back. Atreus, wide-eyed with wonder, dashes forward, eager to greet the magnificent creature. Beneath its massive form lies the woman’s home.

I carry the boar inside, and the witch immediately resumes tending to its wounds. She instructs Atreus to fetch herbs from her garden, ones essential for the healing process. Once he leaves, she turns to me, her expression serious.

“I know what you are,” she says. “A god—but not of this realm.”

Her tone sharpens as she voices her concern: I have kept the truth from Atreus, and the gods of these lands do not welcome outsiders. I tell her plainly that it is none of her concern—that it is my burden to bear alone. She studies me for a moment, then simply asks me to assist Atreus in gathering another herb.

I find him struggling to uproot a plant, frustration clear on his face. I approach and suggest he use his knife—returning it to him. The moment he sees it, guilt washes over him. He grips the handle tightly and promises to take better care of his mother’s knife.

We return to the witch, who uses her deep knowledge of herbs, medicine, and magic to heal the boar.Grateful, she offers her thanks—and her aid. She marks us with a magical sigil, one that should shield us from those who might be searching. Then, she reveals a hidden path beneath her home, a shortcut that will lead us safely out of the woods.

As we prepare to leave, Atreus hesitates. “Will we see you again?” he asks.

The witch smiles, something almost affectionate in her gaze. “You may see me as much or as little as you like,” she replies.

We navigate through the underground cavern beneath the witch’s home, eventually reaching a small boat. As we paddle through the winding waterway, the cavern opens up to reveal the vast Lake of Nine. Towering above the water, we see a half-submerged statue of Thor, and in the distance, a glow emanates from another statue.

Atreus, ever eager, begins recounting the myths and history of the realms, knowledge passed down from Faye. His understanding is impressive but purely academic—he lacks real-world experience with the nature of gods and men. This is evident in his openness and enthusiasm when meeting others, a stark contrast to my own guarded approach.

We steer toward the glow and discover a statue inscribed with a message instructing us to cast our weapons into the water. With some hesitation, I hurl my axe—but when I summon it back, it does not immediately return. Suddenly, the lake begins to churn violently. Atreus and I grip the boat tightly as massive waves rock us.

Then, from the depths, an enormous serpent’s head emerges.

The creature—impossibly vast—rises before us and spits my axe back into the boat. Atreus, wide-eyed with excitement, immediately recognizes it as Jörmungandr—the World Serpent. The beast speaks in a deep, rumbling tongue we do not understand, though its presence does not seem hostile. After a moment, it retreats, and as it moves, the lake’s water level drops dramatically, revealing a dock and a grand temple nearby.

We pull up to the dock, and Atreus marvels at the sight, noting that we may be the first to set foot here in ages. Climbing the stairs, we reach the top of a massive bridge—only to be met with an unexpected annoyance.

The temple doors swing open, and Brok steps out, loudly declaring this as the flagship location of his shop. I sigh, already exasperated. He then beckons us inside, claiming he has something for us. Though irritated, we follow him into his workshop.

Once inside, Brok hands us a crystal, explaining that it can be used for one-way travel through the Mystic Gateway to his shop.

Upon leaving the shop, we cross the bridge and continue along the path toward the mountain. At the base of the Vaneheim Tower, we enter a doorway and immediately encounter poisonous enemies and Scorn Poles that emanate an impassible poison barrier. As we fight through, I tell Atreus that it was Faye who taught me how to handle these threats with her axe.

We press on into the Foothills, where we come across another dwarf. I attempt to ignore him, but he pointedly confronts me about the axe, demanding to know where I got it—since I was not the one he forged it for. Atreus speaks up, explaining that it belonged to his mother, who has passed. A wave of sadness washes over the dwarf before he softens, speaking fondly of Faye. Then, with a resigned sigh, he offers to undo the "act of vandalism" his brother inflicted on the axe. So, this is Brok’s brother.

He introduces himself as Sindri, an anxious, germophobic dwarf whose excessive caution quickly tests my patience. As he attempts to clean the axe meticulously, I grow tired of waiting and take it back. Before we leave, I purchase a resurrection stone from his shop.

We continue through the Foothills, battling enemies along the way, until we reach a door at the mountain’s base. As I push it open, a raging ogre bursts through, charging straight at us. Atreus reacts quickly, stabbing it in the eye, but the beast swings wildly in retaliation. As it lunges for him, I thrust my arm into its mouth, stopping it from biting down before striking it unconscious with my axe.

Before we can catch our breath, more enemies close in behind us. At the same time, the ogre shakes off its daze and rises again. Fueled by rage and the power of my newly improved axe, I tear through the foes, cutting them down one by one. Once the battle is over, we pass through the door to the mountain’s base—only to be met by a thick black mist, an impenetrable barrier blocking our path.

Atreus sighs in frustration, muttering that he wishes the witch were here to help.

From behind us, her voice answers.