Template:Infobox gods
| “ | This time, Ghost of Sparta, I will have your head! | ” |
–The Barbarian King, to Kratos. | ||
Alrik, better known as Barbarian King, was the leader of the Barbarian army and a strong warrior himself. He was killed by Kratos after the later gained the Blades of Chaos. He and his brutish army drove Kratos to beg Ares to save him, leading to the events of God of War: Ascension.
God of War Series
Quest for Ambrosia
A contest was created by a few Gods of Olympus, where they choose mortals to be their champions, with the ultimate goal being the capture of the healing elixir known as Ambrosia. The God Hades chose Alrik as his champion, who went on a quest for Ambrosia after his father fell ill(Hades secretly placed this disease on him). In his journey, he encountered Danaus, Hermes' champion, but decapitated him with haste and pressed on. Alrik and his Barbarians then discovered that a warrior named Kratos and his Spartan army are searching for the Ambrosia as well, resolving to destroy them shortly after. The Barbarians then encountered the Spartans, and fought them after the latter's leader required the Ambrosia.
In their battle, Alrik unleashed the head of Danaus, who he revealed to be a commander of animals. He then used the head to command a massive army of Rocs to tear the Spartans apart. Alrik then flew away, clutching the Ambrosia in his hand. Kratos then slew the Rocs that were torturing him, yet Hades had then sent many devilish arms in order to kill the Spartans. Kratos then flew on a surviving Roc to catch up with Alrik, at the cost of his own men. Kratos and Alrik then met up with each other, and fought for the Ambrosia, spilling some on them in their struggle.
The battle then took to the ground, as Kratos tackled Alrik over the Roc. As the spilled Ambrosia healed Alrik, Kratos took the head of Danaus and commanded more Rocs to slash away at Alrik. Kratos then flew away on a Roc to Sparta, taking the Ambrosia with him and leaving Alrik to his fate. As Alrik lay bruised, bloodied, and near-death, Hades healed him and commanded him to slay the Spartan who defied him victory in the wager. As the Barbarian left for his home, he found his dead father's body being cremated. Alrik, as the new Barbarian King, then vowed vengeance on Kratos.
Battle Against the Spartans
During his conquest, Kratos overcame his most powerful and ruthless opponents, until he
Alrik, in the War Against the Spartans
encountered the Barbarians from the east yet again. Even with the superior combat skills of the Spartans, the Barbarians numbered in the thousands. Kratos, gazing upon the massive army, realized this was not a winning fight. Alrik began the battle by launching an arrow into the face of a single Spartan soldier. The furious Kratos called out to his men and led them into combat. His men were being led into a massacre. The Barbarians showed no mercy to the Spartans, leaving their dead bodies filling the battlefield.
Even Kratos, who fought against Alrik himself, was no match for the wrath of this enemy. Standing atop a hill of dead bodies, he looked into the eyes of Alrik as he raised his large hammer to end Kratos’ life. Before Alrik could deliver the final blow to the young general, Kratos called upon Ares. Within moments, the Barbarians were eliminated by the powers of the God of War. Men were split in half, bodies were burned alive, and Kratos was granted the Blades of Chaos, which he used to decapitate the Barbarian King.
Alrik and his army fell to the Underworld, where it was thought they would remain forever.
Return from the Underworld
Alrik managed to battle his way through the guardians of the Underworld and rose again, though his appearance was radically altered by the fires of Hades. He was possibly helped by the Sisters of Fate to help them stop Kratos on his quest. He gained magical abilities and journeyed to the Island of Creation where he hoped, like others, he would change his fate. However, during his crossing through the Bog of the Forgotten, he attacked Kratos, and dragged him through the bog. The two ended up facing one another on a platform in the middle of the swamp. Alrik laughed as he gazed upon his greatest enemy. Feeling blessed by the gods, Alrik asked if Kratos remembered the day when both warriors’ lives were changed. Kratos claimed he would never forget that day, as he looked at Alrik’s scarred neck from what he had done.
Alrik told Kratos that this time he would have his head, and attacked without delay. The souls of the dead were cast from the mighty hammer Alrik used in his fight against Kratos. Eventually, these Souls were absorbed by Alrik and he grew three times larger than Kratos. Ultimately, Kratos shrunk the king down to size, seized Alrik's hammer and used it to crush his head. Looking upon the corpse, the haunting memories came back once more.
God of War 3
A note from a Tortured soul found in the Underworld reads "Let me out so that I may defeat" this note was most likely written by Alrik as he held a vendetta against kratos who was responsible for his torment. At the game Alrik could of escaped due to Hades' death along with the other tormented souls.
Powers and Abilities
Due to his size, Alrik always had great strength and power, as he was able to nearly defeat Kratos, a son of Zeus. As for his weapons, he carried a gigantic war hammer, and a large battle bow. After returning from the Underworld, he gained the ability to summon his soldiers using his hammer. He could also absorb magical spirits and grow in size. The abilities seemed to come from the hammer itself. He also had the ability to teleport around through the ground and rode a giant undead horse. It is unknown where this horse came from (since he's never seen riding it in life) but it is likely it came from the darkest pits of the Underworld, as it has no visible skin and only its muscles and flames are showing. When he rode the horse, cursed souls would protect and shield him; Kratos had to eliminate them in order to damage and kill the steed.
Alrik's Horse
When Kratos encounters Alrik on the Island of Creation, the King is riding on a large, demonic steed. The horse's body itself is bloodied, and is also wreathed in flames. It is not stated how the King obtained the horse, but chances are he got it while he was in the depths of Hades, or during his escape from Hades. In the first part of Kratos' battle with the King, he actually sticks the Horse with his blades from behind, and is literally dragged through the Bog of the Forgotten. After that, Kratos fights the King while he rides on his steed and shoots arrows at Kratos. After damaging the Horse, Kratos then ultimately kills it by leaping at it and plunging his blades into its head or in fact the horse was actually undead as barbarians also used horses.
Trivia
- When Kratos falls into The Pool of Blood in God of War III, Alrik is one of the voices that Kratos hears.
- It is possible that Hades' helped Alrik to escape the depths of the Underworld, since he was his champion and Hades knew Alrik was thristy for revenge on Kratos, a common enemy. It could have also been Hades who gave him the horse.
- It is unknown why Alrik is so powerful for a mortal, it may be because he has trained for years but it is possible that Hades powered him up as he was his champion.
- Alrik makes another appearance in God of War: Ascension (as a flashback of the beheading scene).
- It is unknown how he knows of Kratos' reputation as the Ghost of Sparta as he was killed long before kratos earned his nicknam.
- Due to hades' death in God of War 3 Alrik could of possibly escaped the Underworld along with the tormented souls of Hades.
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