God of War (2018) - Entry 6: Inside the Mountain
We use a mystic gateway to return to Týr's temple and make our way across the bridge toward the mountain. The path is easier this time, as the witch’s magic blocks the scorn poles within the temple. We also take advantage of the Skymover elevator to ascend back to the mountain’s base.
Upon reaching the Black Breath, I use the Light of Alfheim stored in the Bifrost to dispel it, allowing us to pass through. We continue our ascent up the mountain until we reach a massive doorway set within the mouth of a carved stone face.
Upon entering the cave, we discover a sand bowl and a massive stag statue positioned across a deep crevice. Activating the light gems reveals glowing runes on the floor. When Atreus inscribes the rune into the sand bowl, a beam from the stag statue creates an opening on our side, allowing us to continue deeper into the cave.
As we navigate the caverns, dispatching enemies along the way, Atreus shares stories about the giants. Lore markers suggest that giants once lived within these tunnels.
We continue our ascent until we reach the Heart of the Mountain, where abandoned mining equipment is scattered throughout the vast chamber. While exploring, Atreus discovers signs that giants and dwarves may have coexisted within the mountain. Together, we devise a plan to use a mining crane to lift ourselves higher.
However, Atreus hastily attempts to operate the crane mechanism, causing a massive boulder to fall onto the crane’s rope, rendering it useless until we can free it. The impact also opens a tunnel, from which a swarm of draugr pours into the cavern.
After defeating them, we proceed through the tunnel and encounter Brok. Frustrated that he never mentioned having a way around the Black Breath, I have him upgrade Atreus’s bow. Before we move on, he warns us about the traps the giants left scattered throughout these caverns.
Continuing our search for a way to reach the area above, where the boulder is entangling the crane’s rope, we find a mine cart. Moving it into position, we use it to access the upper level.
As we enter the room with the crane, an ice troll appears. Atreus and I fight in tandem to bring it down. Once the cavern is clear of additional threats, I climb onto the mine cart to reach the boulder and move it, restoring the crane’s functionality.
With an idea forming, I decide to use the crane hook and mine cart to create a makeshift elevator. However, before proceeding, I return to Brok to have him upgrade my axe with materials recovered from the ice troll.
With everything in place, we position the mine cart and crane hook, climb aboard, and release the mechanism. It successfully begins to ascend, much to Atreus’s excitement. As we rise, he wonders aloud if this will take us to the top. I remind him to focus on what is, rather than what might be, and to stay present.
When we reach the top of the crane, we find ourselves in a dark, open cavern. Atreus spots an intact sky lantern and rushes over excitedly, saying he’s been looking for one. He scribbles something on its surface, then uses his knife and a rock to strike sparks onto the wick, lighting it. As he releases the lantern, he steps beside me and I place a hand on his back. Watching him as his father, I ask what he wrote. He quietly responds that he asked them to take good care of Mom.
We stand together for a moment, watching the lantern’s light drift into the darkness.
When the moment passes, we continue along the path leading upward, remaining cautious of traps. Atreus halts just in time as a mechanism ahead shoots flames across the walkway. I direct him to take a side tunnel, likely carved by dwarves as a bypass, while I proceed along the main path, dodging the flames. Eventually, after a precarious battle with Draugr near a spinning fire trap, I manage to disable the devices.
At the end of the cavern, we come upon a wooden platform that appears to function as a lift. After pushing off massive boulder carts that were weighing it down, the platform begins to ascend. I notice Atreus stumble slightly and quickly ask if he’s alright. He smirks and remarks that for someone as strong as me, I sure do worry a lot.
I tell him that worrying has served me well—it keeps us alive. Then I remind him to keep his eyes open.
Mere moments later, a handful of Draugr leap onto the platform. Atreus and I fight quickly to clear them, but in the chaos, the lift becomes jammed. Once the battle is over, I free the elevator from the debris, and we resume our ascent.
Atreus asks if I think we’ll be attacked again. I tell him yes—so be ready.
Almost on cue, an ogre crashes onto the platform, accompanied by more Draugr. We fight once more, working to eliminate the enemies while the platform jams again amidst the struggle. After the battle, I clear the obstruction, and the lift continues its climb.
As the tension eases, we both remark that we might finally be in the clear. Atreus then asks what we’ll do after we spread the ashes. I tell him simply: we will go home.
He grows quiet, disappointment flickering across his face at the thought of our journey ending. Seeing this, I tell him he was right earlier—the forest is different, and home is no longer safe. There will be much to do to make it so again. And beyond that, his training must continue.
Just as we begin to lower our guard, a dragon suddenly attacks! It slams its claws onto the lift, halting our ascent. I hack at its grip with my axe, dodging its snapping jaws and the grasp of its free claw. The moment it releases its hold, I seize the opportunity—kicking off the wall, I ram the lift into the dragon like a battering ram.
Realizing we are not easy prey, the dragon unleashes a blast of its breath, tearing a hole in the chasm wall. The force drags the lift—and us—into the opening. As the structure collapses beneath us, we find ourselves alone once more, seemingly out of immediate danger.
We continue through the tunnel left in the dragon’s wake, the air crackling with remnants of its electricity. Along the way, we discover that shatter crystals, formed from the sap of the World Tree, explode when exposed to electrical energy. Using this, we hurl the crystals at electrified roots blocking our path, blasting a way forward and finding an exit from the tunnel.
As we step back into the daylight, we spot the dragon—and it has taken an interest in someone else—Sindri. Atreus insists that we help him. I grunt in agreement, despite this being the kind of situation I would usually avoid. But given Sindri’s past help on our journey, I can’t deny Atreus this request.
Atreus then asks if I’ve ever taken down something that big. I tell him we can—if we catch it off balance. I send Atreus to the right to draw the dragon’s attention while I break left. With the beast focused on him, I seize the opportunity, running up its back and leaping into its mouth to attack.
Now with the dragon’s full attention on me, I see Sindri and Atreus scurry to higher ground. The battle begins. I target its claws with my axe, forcing it to reposition, and throw shatter crystals into its mouth to create explosions, stunning it when it unleashes its electrified breath. Seizing the opening, I strike at the soft areas around its eye.
Surveying my surroundings, I notice a crane hook hanging above us and form a plan. I tell Atreus to release the crane on my signal. He asks how, and I simply say, "Figure it out." Then, I return to the fight.
Once I maneuver the dragon into position, I give Atreus the signal. He fires an arrow, severing the rope and sending the massive hook crashing down onto the dragon’s head. I rush in, driving each end of the hook deep into its skull—delivering the final blow.
Sindri stares in awe, marveling that no one has slain a dragon in a century—and yet, we did it for him. I tell him it was simply in our way, but he insists on compensating us, which I don’t argue against.
He asks me to extract a tooth from the dragon and run it across Atreus’s bowstring, allowing him to fire electrified arrows. He then gifts Atreus a set of special green-hued arrows.
With this new ability, we continue our ascent up the mountain. The shock arrows allow us to clear World Tree roots using shatter crystals, making our path forward easier. As we move through the mountain tunnels, we encounter ice Draugr—stronger foes, a sign that we are nearing the summit.
Finally, we push open a wooden door and step outside. The summit is now within reach, just across a snow-covered ledge. As we begin walking, I notice one of Atreus’s quiver straps is broken. When I point it out, he admits it happened during the dragon fight but insists he can manage. He moves to continue, but I stop him.
I tell him, "Pain, we endure. Faulty equipment, we don’t." A broken strap will slow his draw, and that’s not a risk we can afford. I help him with a field repair using one of the gifted green-hued arrows from Sindri to hold the strap before we press on.
As we traverse the ledge, a horde of ice Draugr emerges. Channeling my rage, I make quick work of the frozen undead.
As we approach the summit, voices drift through the air—one of them unmistakably belonging to the Stranger who attacked me at our home. I signal Atreus to stay quiet as we climb closer, listening in.
Three men stand before a man trapped in a tree, interrogating him about us—where we are going, what we seek. The man dismisses them with a smirk, telling them they have nothing to offer him, no threats that would sway him. He advises them to return to Odin. From their exchange, we learn the Stranger’s name—Baldur, one of Odin’s sons.
Once they leave, we climb up to the summit. The man greets us with a smirk, remarking that we were just the topic of conversation. I tell Atreus to confirm that we are alone. As he moves away, the man turns to me.
He knows what I am. And he knows the boy does not.
I warn him to keep it that way.
He introduces himself as Mimir and reveals that Odin has imprisoned him here for over a hundred winters.
When Atreus returns, he explains our purpose—to spread Faye’s ashes at the highest peak in the realms. But Mimir delivers unexpected news: we are in the wrong place. The highest peak is not here—it is in Jötunheim.
Frustration flares in me. That cannot be what Faye meant. Atreus, too, is disheartened. But Mimir says we may yet have a way forward. The realm bridge to Jötunheim is here, and he gestures toward an ancient archway. Using his eye, he shows us the peak in Jötunheim through the portal. But the giants have sealed the gateway. We need more than the Bifröst to reach it.
Still, Mimir assures us we are in luck—he is one of the few who knows how to open it.
I quietly consider our options, and Mimir takes note of my hesitation.“Tactically speaking,” he says, “going to Jötunheim is your only move. The ones searching for you—they can’t follow.”
I agree, much to Atreus’s delight. Then, I ask Mimir what we must do.
“First, you need to cut off my head,” he says. “Then, you’ll need someone who knows the old magic to reanimate it.”
We mention the witch in the woods—she is familiar with such magic.
Atreus steps away, unable to watch what comes next. Once he is gone, Mimir takes the opportunity to speak freely.
“If you can’t bring me back, let me leave you with this: every moment you don’t tell Atreus the truth, you make it harder for both of you.”
I remain silent.
“There’s much about me I don’t want him to know,” I finally say.
Mimir studies me for a moment before asking, “Do you value your privacy more than your son?”
With this I tell him I am ready to cut off his head. I raise my axe—and sever his head.
