As the three of them continued exploring the interior of the mountain, they eventually came across a statue of someone who seemed to possess the head of a deer, yet the body was shaped like an ordinary human. The sight of it made Zelos pause for a moment, as he tried to understand what the figure was supposed to represent.
'Looks like a mink deer to me,' Zelos thought, as he inspected the statue in front of him with a curious expression. Atreus and Kratos, meanwhile, walked around the surrounding area while searching for another path forward, since the one in front of them was blocked and too solid to break through without causing unnecessary problems.
"Father, Zelos, come here. There is another sand bowl and there is a riddle inscribed on the top of it," Atreus called out, raising his voice so they could hear him clearly. Both Zelos and Kratos walked over to where Atreus stood, wanting to see what he was referring to.
"No yoked beast, nor fearful thrall. Nor rooted tree doth know my call," Atreus read aloud once Zelos and Kratos arrived beside him. The riddle hung in the air for a moment as they each considered it.
"Freedom," Zelos answered as he looked at the bowl, and he then told Atreus to write the rune onto the sand surface. When Atreus completed it, the statue of the deer like figure began to glow faintly.
The staff it held started to gather the light it was emitting, as if it was collecting the energy inside the mountain.
After a short moment, the staff released a beam that shot directly toward the wall of enchanted stone ahead.
The rocks began to crumble piece by piece, and each layer fell apart as the beam continued emitting its effect. Eventually, the wall broke down entirely, revealing a concealed passage that had been hidden behind it.
Kratos moved forward without hesitation, entering the narrow way, with Zelos and Atreus following closely behind him.
"That rune reminds me of the ones I saw on the giant shrines inside Tyr's temple. Do you think the giants were here before?" Atreus asked Kratos while looking around the passage.
"I do not know. The passages here are far too small for giants," Kratos replied. The moment he said that, Atreus looked at Zelos, and the two of them tried to suppress their amusement.
Zelos managed to maintain his composure, but Atreus failed, letting out a louder laugh that Kratos immediately noticed.
"Why do you laugh?" Kratos asked, turning toward Atreus with confusion. Atreus composed himself with some effort, glancing at Zelos to help explain.
"Father, giants are usually meant to refer to the race, not their height. That is why they should be called jotunn. They probably got called giants because there are many among them who are large enough to deserve that title, but not every jotunn is like that," Zelos explained. Kratos nodded once as he accepted the clarification, and the three of them continued walking along the path.
The hidden passage led deeper toward the heart of the mountain, and as they advanced, they began to encounter more monsters and enemies.
These creatures were dispatched quickly, with each of them testing their weapons and skills along the way.
Zelos was especially eager to try his new weapon, which cut through an Ice Draugr instantly due to its sharpness, weight, and perfect balance.
"I would enjoy using this more often," Zelos commented as he examined the sword in his hands.
Atreus also tried out the upgrades to his bow and quiver, while Kratos used the chance to adjust his own approach, letting them test themselves as they moved forward.
After a long period of trekking and defeating enemies, they reached an open space with a large platform situated in the center.
Kratos noticed that this platform was connected to a lever system that appeared to be intended to lift them upward.
However, he also saw that the platform would not work properly without additional leverage.
The three of them jumped down toward the lower area where the platform rested, and the moment they landed, countless Draugrs began to rise.
They emerged from every corner, as if they had been waiting to be disturbed. More monsters started to spawn randomly throughout the room, surrounding Kratos, Zelos, and Atreus from every direction.
Realizing the situation they were in, all three prepared their weapons. Zelos decided to use a spell that he had been wanting to test for a long time, but had not yet found the right moment to do so.
"Blessing: Sacred Turn Undead," Zelos cast, placing his hand along the blade of his newly obtained sword. A white flame ignited along the metal, replacing the usual orange color of ordinary fire.
With that, Zelos charged forward and began cutting through the Draugrs. Kratos ran beside him, while Atreus provided continuous support from behind with precise arrows.
Zelos swung his sword into one of the Draugrs, and the creature disintegrated immediately upon contact.
This made Zelos smile slightly before stepping into his next motion. He deflected an incoming strike, spun to kick a Draugr attempting to ambush him, and moved from one enemy to another without allowing any of their weapons to touch him.
He tapped deeply into his training with Kratos, controlling every part of his movement, from the strength behind each swing to the precision at the very tip of the blade.
Nothing was wasted. Every attack, block, and step connected into the next, forming a smooth flow of continuous motion.
More than thirty minutes passed as the three of them fought together. During this time, Kratos instructed Atreus on how to conserve stamina and use precision instead of strength when fighting groups of enemies.
Atreus's skill with the bow noticeably improved, and he applied his training with fewer mistakes each time he released an arrow.
When the last enemy fell and the fighting stopped, the three of them stepped onto the platform.
Zelos lifted it by directing his strength upward, and he then cut the lever that had been holding it in place, ensuring there would be no interference as they rose.
"Father, what happens after we scatter Mother's ashes?" Atreus asked suddenly, thinking their journey was coming to an end.
"For now, that is all. But you were correct when you said the forest changed. We must prepare for whatever dangers might come in the future," Kratos answered in his deep voice.
"What do you think, Zelos?" Atreus asked, noticing that Zelos seemed distracted by something.
"I think I smell blood," Zelos replied, which made both Atreus and Kratos look at him with confusion.
Before either of them could ask him more, a focused bolt of lightning struck the platform. Zelos reacted immediately and created a barrier that protected them from the impact.
A loud screech echoed from above, revealing the attacker. A dragon emerged from the open area of the mountain, circling them with hostility.
It attacked again, but the barrier still held, forcing the dragon to fly upward, away toward the open space, while Zelos, Atreus, and Kratos continued rising on the platform, listening to the distant cries of the creature.