You're wandering through the scorched, desolate beauty of the Malis region, specifically the Valley of the Spercheios, and you stumble upon a quest that feels like a punch in the gut. That's Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey for you. It isn't just another checklist item on your map. Honestly, it’s one of those pivotal moments where the game stops being a power fantasy and starts being a tragedy about the choices you make—or the ones you're too late to save.
Most people remember this quest for the Chrysis encounter. She’s one of the most detestable members of the Worshippers of the Bloodline, a sub-branch of the Cult of Kosmos. But the quest is a trap. A literal, burning trap.
The Brutal Reality of the Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey Choice
Let’s talk about that temple.
When you track Chrysis to the Temple of Apollo, you expect a boss fight. Instead, you get a crying infant. This is where Ubisoft really leaned into the "tragedy" aspect of Greek drama. Chrysis sets the temple on fire and leaves a baby on an altar surrounded by flames.
You have two options.
- Save the baby.
- Chase Chrysis.
If you’re like most players on their first run, your instinct is to kill the Cultist. You’ve spent hours hunting these people down. You want her dead. But if you sprint after her, the baby dies. It’s a permanent choice. If you save the baby, Chrysis slips away, and you have to hunt her down later via a side quest called "Death Comes for Us All."
Kinda messed up, right?
The game doesn't give you a "perfect" ending here. If you save the infant, you lose your immediate chance at a piece of the Immortal Set legendary armor. If you kill her now, you're a monster who let a child burn for the sake of a gear upgrade. Most veterans of the game will tell you to save the kid. Why? Because hunting her later is actually more satisfying, and you get the gear eventually anyway. Plus, walking out of a burning temple with a living child just feels more like something Alexios or Kassandra would actually do.
Locating the Temple Without Losing Your Mind
Finding the starting point for Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey is sometimes half the battle. You need to finish the "Abandoned by Gods" and "And the Streets Run Red" quests first. This takes you to the region of Malis.
Look for the "Temple of Apollo" in the Valley of the Spercheios. It’s not a subtle place. It’s a ruin, and it’s crawling with Cultist guards.
Once you’re inside, the atmosphere shifts. The music gets tense. You find the clues—the "Notes on a Dead Body" or the "Scribbled Note"—that lead you to the actual encounter. If you're speeding through, you might miss the environmental storytelling. There are remnants of the Cult's "experiments" everywhere. It’s grim stuff.
Why Chrysis is More Than Just a Target
Chrysis isn't just a random name on a menu. She’s the one who essentially kidnapped your sibling (Deimos) and raised them to be a weapon. That’s why the Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey quest feels so personal.
She represents the corruption of the maternal instinct. Instead of nurturing, she poisons. When she places that baby on the altar, she isn't just trying to escape; she's testing you. She wants to see if the "Eagle Bearer" is just as bloodthirsty as the Cult they claim to hate.
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If you choose revenge over the life of an innocent, you’ve basically proven her right.
The Gear Drop: Is the Immortal Set Worth It?
Let's get technical for a second. Chrysis drops the Gauntlets of the Immortal. This is part of a legendary set that has a very specific perk: it restores 20% of your Health upon death (with a 2-minute cooldown).
Is it good? Sorta.
In the early game, it’s a lifesaver. If you're playing on Nightmare difficulty, that 20% health boost is the difference between a desynchronization and a narrow victory. However, in the late game, most players switch to "Glass Cannon" builds or sets like the Greek Hero (for tanking) or the Pirate Set (for Assassin damage).
So, don't feel like you're missing out on the "best gear in the game" if you let her run. You’ll get those gauntlets eventually. The quest "Death Comes for Us All" will trigger later in Argolis, usually after you’ve progressed a bit further in the main story. You’ll find a distraught woman near the city of Argos. Follow that trail, and you’ll get your final showdown with Chrysis in a forest. No burning babies this time. Just a fair fight.
Common Mistakes During the Quest
People mess this up all the time.
First, don't ignore the clues. If you just rush the temple without interacting with the specific items the game wants you to see, the quest markers can get a bit wonky.
Second, the fire damage is real.
If you decide to save the baby, don't just stand there. The temple collapses fast. You need to interact with the altar and then get out. I’ve seen players get stuck in the geometry of the burning wood because they were trying to loot chests while the building was coming down. Prioritize the kid. Loot the chests after the quest completes if they’re still accessible, or just forget them. They usually contain standard epic gear anyway.
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Third, don't forget to confirm the kill.
If you do choose to kill Chrysis right then and there, you must "Confirm Cultist Kill" to get the fragment and the gear. If you kill her and then die to the fire before the game saves, you might have to do the whole sequence over again. It’s a nightmare.
The Impact on the Ending
Does Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey affect the "Good Ending" of the game?
Not directly.
Your choice here doesn't determine if you save your family at the end of the Odyssey. That depends on your interactions with Deimos, Myrrine, and Nikolaos. However, it does affect your soul. Okay, that sounds dramatic, but Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a role-playing game. If you're trying to play a "Redemption" arc for your character, leaving a baby to die is a pretty big stain on that record.
Interestingly, the game doesn't judge you in the UI. There’s no "Morality Meter" that goes down. The world just continues. That’s the most realistic part of the whole thing. You just have to live with the fact that you chose a piece of armor over a life.
Navigating Malis: The Survival Guide
Malis is a weird region. It’s swampy, hot, and full of aggressive wildlife. While you're there for the Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey quest, keep an eye out for the "Pandora's Kovis" (a legendary animal encounter) nearby.
The region is also home to the Pillars of Hercules and the Hot Springs of Thermopylae. It’s worth exploring once the smoke clears from the temple.
I’ve found that the best way to approach this area is from the sea. If you dock the Adrestia nearby, you have a quick escape route. The cultists in this area are higher level than the ones in Megaris or Phokis, so if you're under-leveled, you’re going to have a bad time. Make sure you’re at least level 25-28 before tackling this head-on.
Tactical Breakdown: Chasing Chrysis Later
If you chose to save the baby, you'll eventually find Chrysis again.
When you finally track her down in "Death Comes for Us All," she isn't alone. She usually has a small entourage of guards and sometimes a lion or a wolf.
- Use the surroundings. The forest offers plenty of high ground for Archer builds.
- Hero Strike is your friend. Since she’s a Cultist, she has more health than a standard soldier. A well-timed Hero Strike can shave off half her health bar.
- Don't let her distance you. She uses poison and ranged attacks. Close the gap quickly.
- Vanish or Smoke Bombs. If her guards swarm you, pop a Vanish to reset the fight.
Once she’s down, you get the artifact fragment. These fragments are vital for upgrading the Spear of Leonidas. You need those upgrades to unlock the Tier 3 abilities like "Fury of the Bloodline" or the final level of "Second Wind." This is the real reason people hunt Cultists—not just for the gear, but for the power of the spear.
Looking Back at the Legacy of the Quest
Why do we still talk about this quest years after the game came out?
It's because it was one of the first times Odyssey forced a player to choose between a "Gamer" goal (loot) and a "Human" goal (saving an NPC). In most games, you can do both. You’re the hero; you’re fast enough to save the day and get the girl/guy/gold.
Odyssey said "No."
It forced a trade-off. It made the world feel a little more dangerous and a little less fair. Even if you’re a demi-god with a piece of First Civilization tech, you can’t be in two places at once.
Next Steps for Your Odyssey
If you've just finished Ashes to Ashes AC Odyssey, your next move should be focusing on the remaining members of the Worshippers of the Bloodline.
Chrysis is just one piece of the puzzle. You still have to deal with Melite in Messara and Harpalos in Keos. Clearing this specific branch is highly recommended because the Immortal Set is one of the easiest legendary sets to complete early on, and the set bonus is incredibly forgiving for players who struggle with parry timings.
Check your inventory for the "Cultist Clues" you picked up in the temple. Sometimes, these clues point to other branches entirely, like the Delian League or the Heroes of the Cult.
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Don't rush the main story after Malis. Take the time to clear the side quests in Argolis. The narrative weight of the game hits much harder when you see the ripple effects of the Cult's influence on the common people. You’ll see the shrines they’ve defiled and the families they’ve broken. It makes the final confrontation with the Ghost of Kosmos much more earned.
Go get that gear, but save the baby first. You'll feel better about yourself when the credits roll.