Good Instincts 1.13 - ING. VERSIÓN

-The big problem- said Old Xiao while looking the young redhead in the eye -is that your divine power heals your wounds and muscles, to the point that your muscles do not strengthen, grow and become more resistant-

Viggo frowned, looking at the Asian old man with long sideburns and said - I don't understand you -

-Your strength prevents your mu...- old Xiao was going to continue, but Kratos interrupted him.

-You don't get strong, boy- Kratos said.

Viggo turned his gaze from left to right and looked at his teacher, who gave him a firm and threatening look. Viggo nodded without understanding much and asked -What do I need to do?-

-To begin with, your sword- said Kratos, he was staring at Viggo at all times and noticed how he closed his hands, forming two fists in a gesture of tension –it is too powerful a weapon-

-Of course it's a powerful weapon- said Viggo, raising his voice in an annoying tone -it's the sword my father made for me. It must be the best weapon-

-That's right- Kratos said, maintaining a vigilant and authoritarian expression -but it damages the growth of a young warrior. A month ago, when we went hunting the troll, I had to give him two attacks on the same part of the neck to cut his throat. However, you, with your sword, almost cut off his leg in one move. That wasn't your power, boy, don't lie to yourself; it was the power of the sword-

Viggo look down, letting his blood-red hair fall around his face. Out of the corner of his eyes were the red curls he inherited from his mother. Then he lifts his face and bring his hand to his face to pull his hair back. Then he stares at his master.

-How do I have to fight from now on?- asks Viggo.

Kratos turned his eyes from left to right and looked at the benevolent-looking primordial old man. He wore that strange red and black robe, while in his eyes he could only elucidate the wisdom of the years. The old man smiled and nodded. Then he stretched out his index and pretended to cut through the air. The next instant an axe came down from the sky spinning until it fell in the middle of the three, on the snow.

-To begin with, you will stop using the crazy sword your father made and use a replica of Kratos' axe- Xiao said.

Viggo opened his wide eyes in a gesture of amazement and looked at his master. The latter nodded with a serious face, and Viggo stood up. He stepped forward and stretched out his left hand to take the axe knob. Then he put his right hand on the handle of the axe and lifted it. Heavy, it's the first thing he thought. The sword given to him by his father, hopefully weighed 1.5 kgs, but this was almost double. Viggo raised his head from the axe looked at the intricate runic drawings through his head. At the same time the edge was in perfect condition, while, on the counter edge, it had a kind of pike.

Viggo returned to the trunk and sat down. Then he laid the axe on his legs and looked at the body. It was made of a strange red wood, with a slight undulation along the body.

-Don't rejoice, boy- Kratos said, and Viggo gave a jump —this means that now your training will be ten times heavier, and you will no longer be able to depend on your power. Every part of your body will hurt, and you will exercise all day without rest-

Viggo made a broad smile and said -yes, sir-

-Bring your sword- Kratos said in a calmer tone.

-Huh?- replied Viggo without understanding

Kratos narrowed his eyes and insisted –bring your sword-

-Okay- said Viggo, looking down at the ground, as if the joy brought to him by his master's-like axe had vanished. He stood up, not letting go of the axe, as if afraid that it would be taken away and walked towards the cave. From there take the sword with my right hand and carry the axe with my left hand. Walk in sorrow all the way and once get in front of Kratos, he put the sword horizontally for him to take.

Kratos looked at him from the trunk and could see the tears in the boy's eyes. He take a deep breath and then take the blade with his huge hand. Viggo went to sit on the log, while hugging the axe and shedding a tear.

-It's not like we're going to take it away from you, Viggo- old Xiao said with a worried tone of voice. Then he looked at Kratos and stretched out his left hand. Kratos passed the sword, and Old Xiao took it by the handle. Then he looked at Viggo and gestured to him with the index finger of his right hand to come in front of him. Viggo walked over to old Xiao, with a look full of pity.

Old Xiao gave him a kind smile that softened the expression in Viggo. The latter hugged the axe against his chest and Xiao stretched out his hand, to rest it on Viggo's left and for him to show his chest covered by the thick jacket made of deer skin. Then he raised the sword in front of Viggo and made it levitate.

-Nice trick- said Viggo, running his right hand through his eyes to wipe away tears.

-Sure, it's a nice trick- Xiao said, then raised his right hand and made the gesture of cutting something and the sword began to shine with a red light. Then he made the gesture of pushing with his right hand and the sword moved towards Viggo's body. However, as it approached, the sword became transparent until it became invisible.

For his part, Viggo felt as if a great heat invaded his body, but the next second, he felt a terrible cold. Then he released the axe and it fell into the snow. Viggo hugged and felt colder than ever before in his life. It was like being wrapped in ice.

What did you do to me?- asked Viggo as he shivered.

-I made you mortal- replied Old Xiao

- What?! -

-I told you- Kratos replied when he saw Viggo dead of cold -your training is going to be ten times harder. Now there is no way to escape the cold, fatigue, or pain. Your only way to overcome your current state is to train-

Viggo looked at his master as he shivered and nodded in a clumsy gesture —will I stay that way forever?— he asked.

-No, when you are ready, we will send you to perform a test. If you succeed, you will recover the sword and your divinity-

-What if it fails?-

Kratos narrowed his eyes and said in a biting tone –there is only one end for the weak–

Viggo swallowed saliva and nodded. Then he crooked down and raised the axe in his hands – can I make ice? – he asks.

Kratos smiled like few times and stood up –in your dreams– he said. He turned his back on him and started walking –before thinking about making ice, you'd better prepare for your workout-

Viggo was left in stone, he thought he had won a big gun, but it seems that he was only scammed. He looked at old Xiao and said -explain-

Old Xiao carried the index of his right hand to his face and scratched his cheek -you see- he said -I asked your father for something, but just like the other time, he did something too crazy. So, I had to remove many of the fortresses that the axe had. You can get them back, but that will also depend on how you're doing on your test-

-Did you trick me?-

-I don't trick you, let's say, just hide some information- Xiao let out a sigh and continued -I'll leave you some books for you to learn about treatments and medicinal plants, you're going to need it-

Viggo fell on his butt on the snow while holding the fake, lying and treacherous leviathan axe. He looked at the head of the axe, with intricate runic drawings, and intended to throw it away. However, as much as it is now rubbish, it was his father's job.

Old Xiao left him some books in the cave where Viggo lived. He said a few things to him, but since Viggo was still shocked, he left without saying goodbye. An hour after the primordial left, Viggo stood up and walked like a zombie to Kratos' house. He walks in as if his soul had gone somewhere and sat around the fire. Where there was a pot hanging from a metal support.

Kratos smiled at seeing him so down from the loss of his favorite weapon, while Faye and Atreus were worried about Viggo. Faye handed him a bowl of food. Viggo's mind was elsewhere, so he ate without realizing that he had eaten.

Once the meal was over, Kratos stood up and said -Kid, come, let's see your workout-

-Yes- replied Viggo without strength, his eyes looked dull and lifeless. He stood up and walked to the door of the hut without looking at anything or anyone.

Faye looked at Kratos with a frown, but he refused and just went on his way to the exit without answering for Viggo's status.

Once they were in the front yard, Kratos patted Viggo's shoulder and walked ahead. Viggo followed, passing through the shed with the logs stacked and reaching the backyard.

Kratos took a piece of trunk 60 centimeters high by 30 wide and put it on another piece of trunk. Then he went to where Viggo was, standing with lifeless eyes while holding the false leviathan axe in his hands.

-Start cutting- Kratos said.

Viggo raised his face and said in a weak tone of voice – Huh?-

-I said go and cut firewood-

-Why?-

Kratos took a deep breath and replied – using an axe is not the same as a sword. To begin with, you must learn to use the strength of your whole body. Now go cut wood-

-Is that a joke?-

-No kidding!- roared Kratos -now go cut the wood-

Viggo frowned and said in an annoying tone –I'm going, I'm going, you only had to say it once-

Kratos clenched his fists by thundering his knuckles and Viggo rushed his steps. He was tempting luck too much, he thought. Once he arrived in front of the logs, he looked at Kratos and kratos folded his arms and nodded.

-You must put your left hand on the back of the body and the right hand near the head of the axe. You lift it and drop it, while you slide your right hand and join it to your left hand in the back- Kratos said -the axe is a weapon of strength and speed, but also of technique-

-Okay, I'll try- Viggo said. Then he places his hands along the body of the axe as Kratos indicated and lift it. He takes a deep breath and drop it vertically. The axe hit in the middle of the trunk, the wood opened, creaked, but did not split. Instead, the axe was squeezed between the wood of the trunk. Viggo moved the handle up and down and after doing it several times, he was able to pull his head out of the axe. Then he turned his face to the side and looked at his master, he refused with a frown, and Viggo let out a sigh, thinking that surely this training would be much harder than the previous one.