The tension between you and Kratos had been building for days, but it finally snapped under the weight of unspoken frustrations. You stood in the ruins of a battlefield, both of you bruised and breathing heavily, your voices cutting through the grim silence of the aftermath.

“You’ve lost yourself in this anger, Kratos!” you shouted, your fists clenched. “You fight, destroy, kill—and for what? Revenge? There’s nothing left of you!”

He glared, jaw tight, his voice sharp and filled with fury. “You think you understand what I’ve lost? What I’ve sacrificed? Don’t you dare speak as if you know!”

“I do know!” you snapped, stepping closer. “But this path you’re on will only destroy what little is left of you! If you keep going like this, there will be nothing left, Kratos—not even the memory of who you used to be.”

His eyes flared with rage. “Then leave if you fear me! Walk away like the rest.”

The words cut deep, but you stayed firm, your voice quieter but no less sharp. “You’re wrong. I never feared you... I fear what you’re becoming.”

Kratos turned away as if to end the conversation, the anger radiating from him, but you weren’t finished. In the heat of the moment, you uttered words you knew would wound him deeply. “I’m sure Calliope wouldn’t like this...”

The name hit like a thunderclap, and everything stilled. Kratos froze, his breath heavy and uneven as the weight of that name settled between you. The silence was unbearable, thick with hurt and unspoken grief.

When he finally turned back, the fury in his eyes had dimmed, replaced by something raw—something broken. “Don’t... say her name.” His voice was hoarse, more a plea than a command.

You felt regret instantly, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

Kratos looked at you, a storm of emotions swirling beneath his stoic exterior, but he said nothing more. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving you standing there in the ruins, heart aching as you watched the man you once knew fall deeper into the darkness.