Kratos Before Ashes Novels & Stories

“No. That’s something breaking through.” Kyren rose beside me, pulling me up with a hand firm at my waist. “We need to move. Now.” But Ashen’s eyes fixed on the mural. Or rather, what emerged from it. A crack split down the center of the stone figure. White light seeped through the fracture, pulsing to the rhythm of something alive. “Kyren,” Ashen said tightly, “get her back.” “What is it?” Kyren demanded. Ashen drew a long breath, jaw tightening. “A side effect of the Pact awakening.”

The world didn’t end quietly, it ended with Ash’s roar, a raw, animal sound from a man watching his future disappear in front of him. He forgot the spear in his shoulder, the fire in his ribs, everything except Liora falling, the broken wood in her back a cruel mark of Gregor’s madness. Gregor stood over her, his face twisted with triumph. “Darkness always wins! It claims what it’s owed!” A red haze blurred Ash’s sight, he charged, not with a knife, but with his broken body, tackling Gregor down. His hands grabbed the elder’s throat, driven by one pure instinct: to erase the source of pain.

The guild members' resolve held strong, and they emerged victorious once more. Finally, they reached the last floor. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as they entered the final room. Samuel's voice crackled over the communication devices, guiding their movements. As they stepped into the room, the sight that met their eyes was chilling. Greyson stood before them, his expression a mix of arrogance and defiance. He was flanked by his remaining henchmen, their guns aimed at the guild members. "Jota," Greyson's voice was mocking, his gaze flickering over the guild members. "You've come to face me at last, be ready to die."

“Why? Williams, you’re a firefighter. Don’t you know how toxic smoke is? “I told you that I was pregnant, but you gave the mask to Leia. Now, you’re asking me why I had an abortion? Are you pretending to be clueless?” I did not want to look at him any longer. I was afraid that I might feel disgusted if I did. Williams trembled and tried to hug me. However, Leia suddenly held her forehead and started falling to the side. Coincidentally, she fell right onto Williams. He withdrew his hands and quickly supported her instead.

As if she had already chosen the world she wanted to live in. I rose. My knees left prints in the mud, half filled by the river’s edge. When I stood, the cold air pulled me back into myself. The moon trembled across the surface, broken by current. The ash began to move downstream, slow and gleaming, as if the river itself was carrying the dead toward whatever waited for them. I turned away and followed the sound of fire rising in the distance. Kael (POV) The ash came first.

The acrid scent of burning wires hung thick. Natalie rose, coughing, scanning the damage. “All down,” Cassandra confirmed. “We got them.” “No backup power,” Adrian said. “We fried the whole system.” Natalie’s heart pounded in her chest. “That was the last of them.” But in her gut, she knew it wasn’t the end. Just a delay. Aftermath They surfaced an hour later, coated in dust and ash. Natalie stared across the dunes—empty and vast. “We’ve cut the snake’s head off twice now,” Cassandra said. “How many heads does it have?”

Into the sky, Into the blood in Liora’s veins. It made her bones itch, It made her forget mid-thought, what she was about to say, It didn’t need to fight her It could simply unmake meaning, Ashen clutched her head, trembling. “It’s feeding.” Liora turned sharply. “On what?” Ashen met her eyes. “On structure.” The assassin twins collapsed beside her, weapons vanishing into flickers, One tried to scream, The scream came out as silence, As if the noise itself had been devoured.

Ryker went silent and with time not being on their side, Remus said, “What say, Ryker? Would you rather allow him to die?” “Fine.” Cassian breathed a sigh of relief and let his body slump to the floor. Ryker went to him and he crouched to look at the black line that was slowly spreading around his neck. “Before you try anything funny, remember I am faster than you are,” Cassian warned him. “Just stay still,” Ryker said and let his hand transform to a wolf with long nails. Cassian’s lips pulled when he saw the transformation and the next thing he felt was Ryker digging into his skin where the poison was spreading.

Let everything go back to normal. Normal. The word tasted like ash. I turned the water off and stood dripping in the quiet. Steam swirled around me thick and heavy. But I didn’t want normal, all I want is her. And that scared me more than any slap Ethan could throw.

She kissed him, slow and sure, the kind of kiss that didn’t belong to youth, but to eternity. And for once, nothing hurt. No separations. No betrayals. No wars. Just love, powerful enough to break a universe… and gentle enough to hold it together afterward. Emerald whispered against his lips, “We did it, Egon.” He held her close, his voice barely audible. “Together… we conquered everything.” They were still feared by the world. Still dark. Still dangerous. But they were alive, in love, and undefeated. The villains didn’t die in the storm.