The four of them then began their journey forward, carefully making their way through the narrow path that stretched ahead.
Along the trail, large branches reached out across their way, twisting like arms of the forest itself, as if attempting to block their passage.
Zelos raised his hand slightly and used a minor spell to gently push the branches aside, clearing the path without breaking or damaging them, something that made Kratos stop his instinctive motion to hack them away with his axe simply.
Freya, noticing Zelos's approach, attempted to assist by channeling her own magic, but as she tried, she quickly realized that nothing was responding.
Her connection to nature—the very essence of Seidr magic—felt completely severed.
She could no longer hear the faint whispers of the trees, nor feel the rhythm of the soil beneath her feet.
For a moment, Freya's eyes widened with visible confusion, until she remembered what Zelos had told her earlier about the consequence of his spell.
"You weren't kidding," Freya said softly as she looked down at her hands, feeling the emptiness where her power once resided. "My magic really is gone."
"Yeah," Zelos replied, glancing back at her as they stepped onto a wide platform. "That's one of the main effects of separating your true self. It's not exactly pleasant, but sometimes, losing what you depend on most gives you a whole new way of seeing things. You might find the change useful later."
Freya nodded silently, accepting his words. The group continued moving across the bridge-like structure, their footsteps echoing faintly.
Soon, they came across an ancient wall covered with carved inscriptions written in the language of the elves.
Only Kratos could not read it, while Zelos, Atreus, and Freya immediately recognized the script.
"Boy," Kratos said, motioning toward the runes.
Atreus stepped forward and began reading the writing aloud. "Hmm… something about an 'eternal war for the light.' I don't get it. If both sides need the light, why don't they just share it?"
Zelos and Freya exchanged looks, while Kratos grunted quietly before replying.
"Greed," Kratos said simply. "You will find it to be a common cause for war."
Freya, however, shook her head lightly. "It isn't just greed," she said, her tone thoughtful. "The eternal war between the elves comes from a conflict in belief. The Light Elves want to control and shape the light, to bend it to their will. The Dark Elves, on the other hand, believe the light should remain untouched, untainted by mortal or divine hands. It is that difference in purpose that drives them to endless war."
She paused for a moment, her voice quieter now. "Sometimes, it takes nothing more than a difference in belief to justify the destruction of entire legions."
Both Zelos and Kratos nodded at her words. Zelos understood all too well—he came from an age where, despite all claims of progress, people still managed to hate one another for things as trivial as the color of their skin. It was not even something magical, just the result of the places their ancestors had once lived.
As they walked deeper into the bright yet strangely somber landscape of Alfheim, Atreus could not help but look around.
Across all platforms, battles were occurring between the two races. He saw Dark Elves driving spears through Light Elves, who fell lifelessly from the sky.
The violence was brutal and unrelenting, and it unsettled him deeply.
"They keep murdering the Light Elves," Atreus said quietly, his eyes filled with disbelief as he witnessed another group fall.
"What you are seeing," Kratos said, his tone calm but heavy, "is the result of war. The Dark Elves have won."
Freya nodded slightly, her eyes distant as she watched the battlefield below. As a former leader who had commanded armies herself, she understood the sight all too well.
"Should we do something?" Atreus asked, turning to his father. His voice carried genuine concern. Kratos opened his mouth to respond, but Zelos spoke first.
"Do not judge a battle solely by what your eyes show you," Zelos said. "What may seem unjust to us could be the inevitable result of years of struggle. Wars like these stretch across centuries. Each side has done terrible things to the other, and now, all that's left is survival. What you see as cruelty is, to them, self-preservation."
Atreus blinked, confused. "I don't understand what that means."
"It means don't interfere in something that isn't your business," Zelos clarified. "Conceal."
With that single word, he extended his hand, and a wave of energy enveloped the four of them.
The air shimmered slightly before vanishing entirely, leaving no trace of their presence behind.
Neither sound nor scent nor shadow could be detected. Even the Dark Elves flying nearby passed them by without hesitation, completely unaware that anyone else was there.
Freya raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Your concealment magic is remarkable," she said, her voice filled with curiosity. "It hides not only our physical forms but our very presence. Even those attuned to energy would not be able to sense us."
Zelos turned to her with mild surprise. "How were you able to tell, even without your magic?"
Freya smiled faintly. "Experience. I may not be able to command nature right now, but I've lived long enough to understand the subtle signs of great magic. The way the air bends around us, the stillness it leaves behind—it's unmistakable."
"I could learn a lot from your brain," Zelos said absentmindedly.
Freya blinked in confusion, while both Kratos and Atreus stared at him in silence. It took Zelos a moment to realize how his words had sounded.
"I mean," he corrected quickly, "to study under your guidance, not literally study your brain."
Freya laughed softly, easing the tension. "When you have time, I would gladly exchange knowledge with you. Especially if it means sharing spells and theories of magic."
"Mark the date," Zelos said enthusiastically, smiling as the group continued forward. The concealment held strong, keeping them hidden as they crossed another wide bridge.
The Dark Elves flew above, scanning for enemies, but none of them noticed the four travelers quietly walking below.
After a while, they reached a small forge built into the stone—a familiar structure that Kratos, Atreus, and Zelos immediately recognized. It was Sindri's workshop.
"Wait, is that Sindri?" Atreus asked in surprise. "Wow, that teleportation magic you wanted to learn from the dwarves really is incredible. I didn't even see him use the Bifrost."
"Told you it was worth the effort," Zelos said with satisfaction.
Freya looked slightly confused and turned to Kratos, as if asking for an explanation, but Kratos remained silent.
Zelos then extended his hand and whispered a small incantation, granting Sindri the ability to see them through the concealment.
"AGHHH!" Sindri yelled out in panic as the four suddenly appeared before him, causing him to stumble backward.
Zelos immediately cast a noise suppression spell so their presence would not draw unwanted attention.
"You nearly scared the life out of me!" Sindri complained, clutching his chest. When he looked up, his eyes went wide as he recognized Kratos standing just a few feet away. Then, his gaze shifted toward Freya, and he froze entirely.
"Y-your majesty… Freya?" Sindri stammered, lowering his head and nearly kneeling before her. Freya quickly placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, stopping him from bowing fully.
Atreus blinked, looking between them in confusion. "Wait… you're Freya? The Freya? The goddess Freya?"
Freya chuckled softly at his reaction, smiling in a way that lightened the tension. Her identity was now revealed to the one person in their group who had remained unaware until now.