17. Temple of the Fates

Time is slowed in this particular area as if you just used the Amulet of the
Fates. Kratos will start out in the water. Swim up ahead and you'll find a
save point on the platform to the right. The first task here is to get rid of
the crystal that is slowing the time in this area. Swim over to the circular
platform in front of the stone sculpture of Lahkesis' face. You'll notice that
the R1 icon appears on the bottom of the screen while standing in front of her
face. Press R1 to grapple up to the platform with the crystal that is causing
time to slow. Destroy the crystal by attacking it to make time resume. This
will also allow you to use the Amulet of the Fates to slow time in this area
since the statue head has a glowing green stone in the middle of its forehead.
There is a --GREEN CHEST-- on the left side of the room if needed.

BELL PUZZLE

Start out by finding the blue lever below the platform where the crystal was.
Swim over to the lever and Kratos will be able to stand on the bottom half of
the platform. Push the lever so that the piece with the blue crystal on it
below the water moves over the groove below the platform. You should only have
to move it to the right just a bit. Jump into the water and pull the switch at
the very bottom of the platform. This will cause the circular piece up above
to move upward and lock in place with the smaller piece. Now you can turn the
platform using the lever on the bottom. Don't turn it just yet though since it
is set up perfectly for the next part of the puzzle.

Get up on the platform with the bell that has an image of Cronos on it and
press R1. Tap R1 and L1 to ring the bell. Quickly slow time with the Amulet
of the Fates then jump and run to the middle of the platform in front of the
statue head of Lahkesis. Grapple up to the platform where the crystal was and
press R1 while facing the bell ringer to have it slam into the bell. If done
correctly the statue head of Lahkesis will crack.

Jump below the platform with the bell ringer and rotate the lever so that the
bell ringer is facing the statue head in the back. Grapple back up to the
platform then stand facing the bell ringer and drive it straight into the
statue head to reveal a new path through the statue's face.

Before leaving the room, rotate the platform so that the bell ringer faces the
back left portion of the room then quickly slow time. The platform will not
stay in this position so slowing time is necessary when it starts to rotate
back into place. While time is slowed down, swim out toward the side of the
bell ringer then jump and wait for the R1 icon to appear so that you can
grapple back up to the platform. The camera angle is very unfriendly at this
point, so you will have to make the best of it and jump to the bell ringer and
follow it over to the --2 RED CHESTS-- and --UNMARKED CHEST-- on the left side.
You can also do the same task to retrieve some chest on the back right side.
Over there you will find --2 RED CHEST-- and an --UNMARKED CHEST-- also. Make
sure that you save your game before leaving this area!

Right after stepping through the face of the statue, look to the right to find
a --RED CHEST-- then look to the left to find another --RED CHEST--. These
were the chests that could be seen outside of this area. In the circular
corridor ahead, look for the --BLUE CHEST-- on the right side. Lift the gate
in the center and walk up the stairs.

The Throne of Lahkesis

Glide over to the platform with the mirrors on the side of it for a cutscene.

BOSS: LAHKESIS

Prepare for one hell of a battle!

Attacks (Phase #1):

Staff Combo: Lahkesis holds her staff to the side as green light glows from the
top. She floats toward Kratos and performs three strikes with her staff.

How to avoid: Block, roll, or deflect.

Energy Shot: Lahkesis holds her staff to the side as green light glows from the
top. She quickly fires an energy shot toward Kratos.

How to avoid: Roll or deflect. If you deflect, keep in mind that she can
reflect it right back at you and you can do the same until one character is hit
or dodges the attack.

Energy Shots: Lahkesis dodges through Kratos' attacks and moves to one side of
the platform. She holds back her staff and spins around then sends one wave of
three fireballs followed by another wave of fireballs.

How to avoid: Roll or deflect. Lahkesis will deflect these shots back just
like the other shots.

Energy Ball: Lahkesis dodges to the side while Kratos attack and leaves behind
an energy ball that explodes.

How to avoid: Block, roll, or deflect.

Energy Shockwave: Lahkesis hovers toward Kratos then flies into the air and
prepares her attack. She flies downward and plunges her staff into the ground,
making a small shockwave around her.

How to avoid: Roll.

Lahkesis only has two primary attacks from the start of the battle as well as a
few counter attacks. At close range, she will try to hit Kratos with her
three-hit staff combo and at a distance, she will try to shoot a green energy
shot at Kratos. Kratos cannot block the energy shot, but he can deflect it
right back at her and get a very good amount of blue and green orbs in return.
You should learn the timing since deflecting this move will pay off big time.
Lahkesis is not a total sucker though. She will actually deflect the energy
shot right back at you to which you can respond with another deflection. Both
of you can be locked in a battle of deflection until one loses, or the shot is
dodged on your behalf. She will also let loose a counter blast of three energy
shots at a time to which you can deflect, but keep in mind that she will still
deflect sometimes. Her counter moves are some of her most deadly attacks so be
sure to watch her while she dodges.

Attack her with whichever weapon you feel comfortable with and if you are good
at deflection, you can spam magic all you want to since you can always get some
back by deflecting her energy shots. All magic attacks except for the Head of
Euryale are useful during this battle.

Once she has been weakened she will mainly stick with her Energy Shockwave
attack as her primary attack. Watch for her to suddenly move toward you then
jump to the air. She will only hit the area below her, so just roll away from
her at that point to escape the attack. She will very rarely shoot a single
energy blast at this time and will mainly rely on only dodge moves and the
Energy Shockwave.

Attacks (Phase #2):

Electric Floor: Lahkesis twirls her staff in front of her while flying then
strikes the floor with a green lightening bolt. This will electrify the entire
floor.

How to avoid: Grapple to any of the grapple points on the side of the room and
jump between them while avoiding her energy shots.

Downward Energy Shots: Lahkesis spins her staff while holding it upward and
unleashes energy shots that will rain down upon Kratos.

How to avoid: Roll or deflect. These can be deflected back at Lahkesis just
like any other energy shot.

When she releases orbs for the first time she will start to fly high in the
air. She will perform a whole new set of attacks at this time except for the
single hit energy shot. Her most deadly move at this stage is her electric
floor attack where she will electrify the whole floor. Grapple up to one of
the four grapple points found around the room. She will shoot energy shots
while you're grappled to a grapple point, so jump and grapple to the other
grapple points until the green glow fades away from the floor. You can jump
toward her and attack her as she shoots an energy shot then grapple back
without getting hit also (See Extra Note). One of the best ways to hit
Lahkesis during this phase is to deflect one of her energy shots at her. Keep
in mind that you can deflect the downward energy shots also. If it hits her,
she will fall to the ground and you will be free to wail on her as much as you
like until she recovers. Once she has been weakened enough to where the icon
appears over her head, you must grapple to the grapple point closest to her
then jump toward her and press the O button. A cutscene will begin once Kratos
delivers the final attack.

Extra Note: One way that I have found to totally take advantage of Lahkesis
while she flies is to grapple to a grapple point and wait for her to shoot an
energy shot. Right when she shoots, jump toward her and hit her with the /\
attack with the Athena's Blades then quickly grapple back when the move ends.
Do this again as she shoots the next fireball and keep doing it to get her in a
pattern that she will likely not break. She needs to be close in order for
this to work, but sometimes jumping toward her with a /\ attack from a grapple
point will lure her toward you.

BOSS: ATROPOS

This battle is just heating up!

Attacks:

Energy Shots: Atropos shots two energy shots toward Kratos from the
background. She will fire a single shot while up close.

How to avoid: Roll or deflect.

Energy Beam: Atropos floats next to the platform and shoots electricity onto
the sword to make a slight energy field in front of her while she tries to
destroy the sword.

How to avoid: Deflect or stay away.

Atropos will start the battle by summoning Sentries to attack. The Sentries
will be your main source of magic during this battle and you will need magic in
order to attack Atropos since she will basically always fly in the distance.
Target her with Typhon's Bane and shoot her when the Sentries are not grouped
all over you. Deflect her energy shots just like you did with Lahkesis. She
won't release orbs from a deflection like her sister though. Keep in mind that
her energy shots will follow you until they hit something, either the platform,
you, or your blades through deflection.

She will sometimes fly toward the large sword that you are on and either shoot
a single energy shot or create an energy field in front of her in her attempts
to try to destroy the sword. You can really rack up the hits at this time with
a combo attack against her, but you can only perform jumping attacks while she
performs her energy field and that is usually what she moves toward the
platform to do.

She will cycle between the above two phases throughout the battle and will not
change. Use Typhon's Bane while she flies in the background and Cronos' Rage
whenever she gets close. Don't try for jump hits too often when she performs
her energy field attack or you will suffer damage. The main attacks you have
to watch out for are her energy shots since they will follow you. It's really
good to deflect them. Keep in mind that this is a timed battle and each time
she hits the sword with her electricity beams when she flies nearby it will
damage the sword. If she destroys the sword then the battle is over. When she
weakens, she will lean on the side of the large sword with an icon over her
head.

Action Sequence

Kratos latches onto Atropos with his blades and tugs at her, but Atropos
starts to fly away. Kratos quickly [PLUNGES] one of his blades into her
chest making her fall on top of the large sword. He quickly [STABS] her
in the throat, performs a blade spin on her face, then [JUMPS] and
plunges his blade into her head.

Fun Fact: If Atropos manages to destroy the sword, an extra cutscene will take
place afterward that will change Kratos' fate.

BOSS: LAHKESIS & ATROPOS

Like I said, this is one hell of a battle!

Attacks (Atropos)

Energy Shot: Atropos will fire a green energy shot towards Kratos.

How to avoid: Roll or deflect.

Energy Beam: Atropos will start from one side and fire out an energy beam then
move it horizontally over the floor of the whole room.

How to avoid: Jump or grapple.

Now Kratos is back in the Temple of the Fates with Lahkesis. Atropos is
trapped in another time where the past Kratos is about to defeat Ares. Atropos
can still attack during this battle however. She will be able to get half of
herself through the mirror and will shoot energy shots and fire a beam.
Atropos will retreat back into the mirror each time Kratos approaches the
mirror that she is attacking from. You can also deflect her energy shot back
at her to make her instantly retreat.

Lahkesis will have the same exact attacks as the last fight for this battle,
but she will alternate between flying and simply floating near the ground. You
need to go after Lahkesis first of all. Use Cronos' Rage to put a constant
hurt on her and do not let up with your attacks. She will eventually fall to
the ground and lean over. Notice how her forehead glows at that time.

Quickly use the Amulet of the Fates as Lahkesis falls to the ground to slow
time and find the mirror that Atropos is hanging out of. Run toward the mirror
and attack Atropos as much as you can. She will fall over to the ground after
enough attacks and will retreat into the mirror at it cracks. Use constant
attacks once time resumes while the mirror is cracked to shatter the mirror
permanently. Fail to break the mirror in time and it will renew itself and you
will need to go through the whole sequence again.

Lahkesis will attack once again as the mirror breaks. Go back to wearing
Lahkesis down once again until she falls then quickly use the Amulet of the
Fates and find Atropos' mirror once again.

Attacks: (after 2 mirrors are destroyed)

Energy Pillars: Lahkesis summons electricity all around her then releases it in
flying pillars toward Kratos.

How to avoid: Stand between the waves.

Energy Gust: Lahkesis summons electricity around her that will stay for a few
seconds.

How to avoid: Stay away from her immediate area.

Once there is only one mirror left, Lahkesis will float over to it and stand in
front of it to protect the mirror. She will perform a few new attacks at this
time in an effort to guard the final mirror. Atropos will not attack at all
during this phase. Be sure to roll away from Lahkesis when she unleashes an
energy gust around her and it starts to stack up into pillars. She will
unleash several energy pillars at that time and you must stand in between them
in order to avoid them. She will also still shoot her energy shots, but she
will shoot more of them at a time. Reflect her energy shots from a distance to
help out in damaging her. Lay out Cronos' Rage orbs near her and attack her
from about mid range just in case she performs her energy pillar move. Once
she falls, she will have an icon over her head, so quickly tap the O button to
start the Action Sequence.

Action Sequence

Kratos leans toward her and picks up her staff then [LEANS BACK] and hits
her on the back with it while she tries to get up. Kratos picks her up
and throw her to the middle of the room. Atropos crawls out from the
mirror behind Kratos and grabs him. Lahkesis recovers then readies her
staff. Kratos [NOTICES] the attack and quickly breaks out of Atropos'
grip and grapples to the side grapple point as Lahkesis flies toward
Atropos and stabs her with the staff. Kratos [SWINGS] toward Lahkesis
and grabs her then holds her and [STABS] her directly in the forehead
with his blade. Kratos pulls out his blade then pushes her into the
mirror to join her sister.

Now that both sisters are in the mirror, you must break it to end the fight.
The interesting aspect about this part of the battle is that you can take all
the time you want to gloat in your victory before breaking the mirror. The
mirror is broken and they cannot fix it. Go get yourself a soda and take a
restroom break while the game remains unpaused then come back and shatter the
mirror to end the battle.

Fun Fact: You can still use the Amulet of the Fates while the two are trapped
in the mirror. Time will instantly resume, but it still amuses me that it
actually works at that point.