Getting Past Barriers

• [-] Kratos find himself returning to the convergence where Shiva performs.
  • He doesn't know why his feet carried him to this location.
  • He simply spends time looking at Shiva perform.
• [-] Murugan only manages to find a scant few. Those were also belonging to small border conflicts.
• [-] He finds it hard to accept that the idea of justice could be warped so senselessly in the name of war.
  • Kratos explains to him that his perspective is naivete.
  • He explains that war isn't child's play.
  • He asks whether Murugan himself has participated in or observed any wars or conflicts in reality.
  • Murugan denies it sheepishly.
  • Kratos admonishes him by saying that nothing is more dangerous than being half-informed and preaching to others.
• [-] Murugan asks if Kratos has partaken in any wars.
  • Kratos leaves, as he doesn't want to share his past.
  • Murugan follows him and inquires him sincerely that he wishes to learn what war truly is.
• [-] After Kratos denies him for the n-th time, Murugan doesn't bug him anymore.
  • But Kratos notices that the boy isn't really paying attention anymore, he appears distracted.
  • After force and corporal punishment fails, Kratos decides to relent.
• [-] Kratos allows Murugan a glimpse into his past.
  • Refer to Upanishad.
  • As Kratos relives his past and tries to orate it, the skies start to rumble.
  • Murugan immediately stops Kratos.
  • This nature of reaction is often a result of the world recognising the dangerous nature of the knowledge.
  • Murugan sits closer to Kratos and asks him to narrate directly into his ear.
  • Kratos finds it weird, and so Murugan explains the above theory.
• [-] The more Kratos talks, the more he reveals to Murugan about his past. Including his crimes and trials. Including how he killed his family, his father and all the gods.
• [-] Once he finishes, he sees that Murugan is conflicted, but there is no disdain in his gaze:
  • Murugan simply says, "I understand now."
  • He thanks Kratos for the lesson, prostrates before him, and leaves in a daze.
• [-] Murugan returns to Ganesh and sits quietly in his study.
  • When Ganesh probes on Murugan's state of mind, he says that he'd been a fool all along.
  • He says that they've been underestimating Kratos this entire time, and that he was far more dangerous than he appears.
  • He also says that Kratos is a lot like their father. The only difference is that they Father doesn't feel regret for his actions, but Kratos does.
  • They don't realise that Shiva was outside their room this entire time and he had heard the entire conversation.

Starting from Scratch

• [-] Kratos struggles to teach Murugan at first, because he lacks the proper bearing of a teacher.
  • Initial lesson is about defense.
  • There are three methods of defense:
    • Dodge
      • Expends energy, but allows for repositioning.
      • Useful if the enemy deals a lot more damage than you and is larger.
      • i.e. it is useful if the enemy tries faster than you do.
    • Block
      • Opens up to damage, but allows for a more violent momentum break.
      • Useful in most other situations.
    • Parry
      • Best used when an attacker is fighting with techniques.
      • Techniques, though superior, are predictable.
      • Wild attacks are not worth parrying.
  • This lesson can only be taught in practise.
• [-] The duo go looking for trouble.