A delicate balance 1.18 - ING. VERSIÓN

Viggo woke up one morning in early spring with one foot crushing his ribs. He was in a dark place, so he deduced that he slept in his bed, inside the cave. He felt sleepy, yawned, and closed his eyes again. It was still time for training, otherwise the bald man would be roaring "boy, get up". So Viggo settled into his feather mattress and tried to keep sleeping. However, when he began to grope his chest and the rest of the body in search of the wolf skin to wrap himself, he did not find it. So, he began to grope to the side, surely Atreus had been left with all the wolf skin, he thought. Flora was the same, Viggo thought, whenever they slept as children, she uncovered Tatsumi and him.

He began to grope, finding an stinky feet stuck to his ribs and then a leg. He denied in his mind without opening his eyes, and thought that, surely Atreus had been tossing and sleeping in a bad posture. However, when he passed his hand from the smelly foot to the bed, his eyes widened seeing the dark ceiling of the cave. He began to groping with an expression of disbelief and then closed his eyes with resignation. He put his other hand to his face and squeezed the septum of his nose; Atreus had wet the bed.

Viggo slapped his foot and said -Atreus, Atreus, wake up-

-Brother, go to train- replied Atreus in a sleepy voice, and at the end, let out a yawn and continue sleeping.

Viggo frowned and pinched his leg. Atreus gave a scream, sat at the end of the bed, and shook his leg.

-Why are you pinching me, brother?- ask Atreus.

-Because you fall asleep and you have to get up- Viggo said in a serious tone, he also sat on the bed -you urinated on your side of the bed and you have to take out the mattress. Otherwise, it will stink forever-

-I didn't- was the first thing Atreus replied, and Viggo let out a growl in response, believing him little or nothing.

-Now, hurry up!- roared Viggo -get up and help me take out the mattress-

-It's early, let's keep sleeping-

-None of that, if you don't want me to tell the aunt, start moving-

-Okay- Atreus replied reluctantly.

Once they were dressed to go out of the cave, Viggo took the mattress from the front, leading the way. While Atreus was still carrying him the back of the mattress, in a half-asleep state. Once they left the cave, they felt the morning cold and the fresh wind that carried the icy air of the thaws. The sky was clear and going from a dark blue to a light one. The pine trees always eternal, were standing along the backyard. They s rocked in the gentle morning breeze. Viggo and Atreus shivered as they felt the cold. They took the mattress avoiding the trees to the center of the grove where there was a large rock wide enough to pose the mattress and that it did not touch the ground.

-Now, let's leave it here- said Viggo and lifted the mattress on his side. Atreus kept carrying it as usual and only followed the movement, until the mattress was on the stone.

-I'm sleepy- Atreus said once they completed the task -I'm going to go to sleep at home-

Viggo frowned and let out a growl. Atreus caught the trouble, turned around and began to flee to his home. Thanks to the cold air, he hugged himself and rubbed his arms. Viggo stood next to the mattress and let out a sigh. Now it would be he who would have to be lifting from early, even before his master.

-Whatever- he said with resignation and began to walk towards the shed, where the logs and firewood were already cut into "chips" (sticks sixty centimeters long, with a thickness of ten centimeters, which gives the impression of having been cut in a triangle). Once he got to the shed, he took ten chips and took them back to the mattress. He put the chips between the mattress and the stone, so that the mattress will be raised, and you could pray on all sides, avoiding capturing the moisture of the stone itself.

After leaving the mattress arranged, Viggo looked at the grove in the backyard. Starting from the trunk, he raised his gaze five meters until he reached the branches of pine trees, full of those small dark green strands that made the foliage. Then he continued to raise his gaze until he reached the treetops, with the clear sky above them. Viggo took a deep breath and then let go of his breath, creating a faint cloud of steam that dissipated within a few inches of his face.

After a while, Viggo stop looking at the sky, closed his eyes, and opened his eyes again with a clear expression of determination. He climbed up and under his shoulders in a circular motion, then put himself in a boxing position. He began by moving slowly, moving forward as he bowed his head, as if he was dodging powerful punches underneath. He could almost hear Kratos' fists cut through the air. He kept moving slowly, controlling his breathing, the movement of his feet, and the swaying of his body. Then continuous added to the movement, a punch to the ribs. Then he continued to add a second dodge. He increased his speed, moving along the courtyard, dodging the trees and rocks and continuing his struggle with the shade of his master. To the dodges was added a sibylline murmur and to the punches a scream, a mixture of fury and strength.

An hour later, Viggo finished his training and realized he was covered in sweat. Then he went to get clothes in his cave and walked back to the center of the courtyard, and then went to the rock wall on the right. He climbed carrying his clothes on his shoulder and climbed to the top. Then he looked at the pine-covered courtyard from the top of the natural wall. Beyond was the black wooden house. Notice that a faint cloud of smoke was beginning to come out, which tell him had started the day at Kratos' house. Then walk over the "wall" which was a natural rock formation. He advanced three meters along the hard rocky surface and jumped, to fall on a path. He could have left the yard and turned around Kratos' house, as if going to the forest where they collected mushrooms but taking a detour to the left. However, jumping the rock wall was faster.

Viggo advanced along a path that went down a slope, with a rock wall to his left and right. As I went down the slope, the wall on the left ran out and gave way to a grove of trees. At the same time, the sound of the current of a river was heard, which came down from the mountains, passed through an underground grotto and reached the end of the walk. Once Viggo reached the end of the dirt road, he found a small dock and a boat. I walk to the pier and once I get to the end, he looked at the boat with nothing but an oar, and a little beyond the crystal clear water. The water was clear showing the dark stones in its shallow bed. The Viggo view followed the current of the river and reached a grotto, which looked like a dark mouth from which water emanated.

Viggo took off his clothes, left them aside and walked to a corner of the pier. He took a deep breath and threw himself into the water generating a large explosion. At the same time, he shrank his legs and let gravity push him to the base of the river, which was only a little more than 1 meter deep. Touching the soft stones at the bottom he knew it was enough and stood up, emerging on the surface. The water was icy, very icy, but in turn, he had become accustomed to this feeling and found it pleasant after having trained.

Viggo came out of the water five minutes later. His formerly childish body was now taking on the nuances of a warrior, with marked muscles in his abdomen, pectoral and arms. Her legs were also thicker and more contoured, where the muscles of her thighs and twins stood out for their definition.

Viggo dried up and put on new clothes. Once ready, walk back. He climbed the slope listening in the background to the noise of the river current and watching as the large trees rose to his right. Once he reached the top of the slope, he followed the path and saw on his right, a fence of crossed branches. A little further on was Kratos' house, which emitted a cloud of smoke from the roof.

Viggo advanced along the path and once he reached the corner of the house, he turned right and walked until he reached the door. He struck a few times and from the inside his master's thick voice was heard.

-Pass, boy- Kratos said calmly.

Viggo pushed the door, there was a little squeak, and he moved forward to run into his master on the right side of the door. He was standing in front of the inn attached to the wall, where they left the vessels with all kinds of food. Kratos looked back and then continued with what he was doing. Since he was so big, Viggo couldn't see what he was doing.

-Did you train?- ask.

-Yes- replied Viggo, closing the door behind him and moving forward past Kratos. He kept advancing to the campfire, at the other end of the house, where Faye and Atreus were eating. Viggo sat on a log to Faye's right.

-Brother, you're late- Atreus said with a bowl of food in his hand. From his reluctant expression on his face, Viggo knew he didn't like food.

-Oh, I'm sorry, I was taking a bath-

-Atreus, eat your food- Faye said in a serious tone, then looked at Viggo and continued -Viggo, take out a bowl and serve by yourself-

-Can I sit down with Viggo?- asks Atreus.

-No, and you're not going to give him your food- Faye said in a strict tone -I know you don't like it, but you must eat it-

Atreus frowned, looked down, and pouted. Viggo only smiled at seeing him defeated without being able to fight his mother. Then he went to get a bowl and went to the campfire. Above the fire was a pot covered outside with soot. Viggo stretched out his hand and looked inside. Then he reached for a ladle inside and took out food.

-Look at Viggo, he's going to eat the food, very different from a certain person- Faye said, trying to annoy Atreus.

-mmm- replied Atreus in an annoying tone

Viggo sat on his trunk, avoiding looking at Atreus and laughing.

-Boy- Kratos said from the meson next to the door. Viggo turned back and looked. Kratos continued -come here, I have something to tell you-

-I'm going- replied Viggo. He moved forward at the same time that he stirred the food in his bowl and it emitted a steam of pleasant aroma. He stood next to Kratos and saw that kratos had a large piece of meat spread over the meson. He was cutting it with a large knife about 60 centimeters in length.

-What do you need?- asks Viggo in a respectful tone.

-I want you to go hunting a bear- Kratos said as he cut a slice of meat the width of an inch -I want to eat his meat and make new clothes with his skin-

-Sure, but currently they are just getting up-

-Yes, and they are very hungry and grumpy, remember it-

Viggo let out a sigh, gave a taste to his food, and nodded. Once he swallowed his food, he said –I'm going to delay-

-Don't come back without the bear- Kratos replied indifferently.

-Okay-

Viggo waited for his master to tell him something else, but he just kept cutting the meat in large 1-inch-thick slices. So he understood that the conversation was over. Then he turned around and walked back to the campfire. However, when he was 3 steps away from Kratos, hear-

-Your first test is decided- Kratos said. Viggo froze, looking at Faye and Atreus at the end of the house, they were eating in front of the campfire. He felt that for a brief moment time stagnated. Kratos continued -it will be at the beginning of summer. Get ready, it will be the most difficult thing you have lived so far-

-Yes- Viggo replied in a faint voice.