"And now!" Heimdall declared. "We present to you… Ragnarok! The battle for the survival of mankind! And right from the start, we've got one hell of a match!" The announcer flung his arm toward Perun. "Representing the gods is the king of the slavic pantheon! The Empyrean Paladin, Perun!" Perun smiled as the gods cheered, looking smugly at his opponent, unimpressed by the display.

"And his opponent, representing humanity…" Heimdall pointed toward Gilgamesh. "The king of Uruk…" Humanity's cheers picked up as the gods examined their opposition.

"Uruk?" Shiva thought aloud. Odin grunted. Zeus and the other VIPS remained silent.

"Humanity's first hero!" Heimdall continued. "Gilgamesh!" Humanity began chanting his name: "Gilgamesh! Gilgamesh! Gilgamesh!", uniting them all under one man. The gods remained undeterred, and they cheered for Perun in response. Directly behind the god, in the middle of the crowd, a beautiful goddess was trying to be heard over the roars. She had long, silver hair, and a crown of flowers rested atop her head. She wore green and blue robes that covered her whole body, with slavic symbols decorating them.

"Perun~! Do me proud and crush that puny human~!"

MOKOSH(SLAVIC)

GODDESS OF THE EARTH

WIFE OF PERUN

"Come on, Gilgamesh! Tear that shitty god a new asshole!" a shout came from opposite Mokosh. The shouter was the hairy man, who was by far cheering the hardest out of anyone in the crowd.

ENKIDU(SUMERIAN)

THE MIGHTY WILDMAN

BEST FRIEND OF GILGAMESH

"Hmph! How vulgar!" Mokosh said, indignant.

"Come on, everyone! Let's cheer Gilgamesh to victory!" Enkidu encouraged the Sumerians around him. They shouted their agreement.

Up above them, Göll was trembling from sheer nervousness. Her knees wobbled as sweat dripped down her face. "Hilde… does Gilgamesh even stand a chance?"

"'No man can defeat a god'," Brunhilde responded. "Is that what you think, Göll?"

"Uh–" Göll sputtered. "Well– um– heh…"

"I'm sure," Brunhilde continued, "all the gods here believe that, too." She slightly narrowed her eyes. "And that's exactly why we have a chance! This is our best opportunity to smack those shit-eating grins off their faces!"

"Shit-eating…?" Göll asked.

"Shit-eating grins."

"Smack…?"

"Smack 'em off!"

Göll turned back to the battlefield, still not reassured. Sometimes her manner of speech gets really vulgar… she thought.

Meanwhile, in the arena, Gilgamesh grinned wider. As his name resounded through the voices of all humanity, the king pointed his mace at Perun, a look of steely determination on his face.

"Here this, false god!" he began. The divine crowd gasped. All the VIPS perked up at Gilgamesh's proclamation. Perun's face darkened. "By the end of this battle… I will have you on your knees!"

Perun did not reply, his face slightly downward. The gods immediately began jeering at him. Some even went so far as to throw small objects at him, but they were completely ineffective. Humanity echoed Gilgamesh's sentiment, returning fire at the gods. The stands were in utter pandemonium.

Brunhilde smiled wickedly. Göll's jaw dropped.

"Eeeeehhhhh?!" she exclaimed. "What does he think he's doing?! Is he trying to get smote?!"

"No," Brunhilde said. "He's doing exactly what I was talking about!" She began laughing evilly, which only frightened Göll more.

Up in the VIP box, a multitude of reactions were occurring. Aphrodite was enraged, glaring daggers at Gilgamesh. Odin and Amun-Ra were silent, with no visible change in their demeanor. Shiva was initially surprised but then smirked.

"That guy… he's sure got balls, saying something like that to Perun," he said. "Let's see if he has the bite to back up his bark."

Zeus leaned closer to the edge, his pupils shining through his cavernous eye holes, but he said nothing.

Through it all, Gilgamesh never stopped smiling.

Finally, Perun looked up. Surprisingly, he looked the same as he did before: overconfident, arrogant, and sneering.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" he boomed. "Dost thou presumeth to declare what shall befall mine person? Mine ears must deceiveth me. But, if not–" His eyes widened, and his mouth contorted into a crazed smile. "-then prepareth thyself to face mine divine wrath."

Göll yelped. Brunhilde grimaced. Humanity collectively breathed in and held it, trembling beneath the pressure exuding from Perun. Even most of the gods were surprised. Zeus chuckled and stroked his beard.

"Hohoho! I'm surprised. That human has already managed to bring out Perun's bloodlust." The old god narrowed his eyes. "Even so… now his chances of victory have gone into the negatives."

Every eye was now looking toward Gilgamesh, gauging his response. The gods looked for fear and cowardliness, while humanity looked for courage and resolve. Neither crowd found what they were searching for.

The shimmering king was now stonefaced, his mouth turned downward in a frown. His eyes were slightly narrowed, staring at Perun. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. His mace hung at his side, clutched firmly. His fist was clenched. He was simultaneously afraid and determined.

TRULY, HE REPRESENTS THE DUALITY OF MAN.

Heimdall, having remained silent for the exchange, saw his opportunity to continue. Stretching both his arms outward, the spotlight returned to him and the crowds grew quiet. The announcer waited for just the right time to keep the suspense and mood going. Everyone in the stands was on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting Heimdall's next move.

At last, the god brought his Gjallarhorn to his mouth and tilted his head upward. Breathing in as hard as he could, he summoned a torrent of air that visibly gathered into the horn. Everyone breathed in with him, holding it in while Heimdall gathered more and more air. For how long have I waited for this day? he thought. For the chance to blow this horn?

THE HERALD OF THE END, HEIMDALL, HELD THE GJALLARHORN IN HIS GRASP.

IT WOULD BE THE SIGNAL OF RAGNAROK.

-FROM THE PROSE EDDA

Göll brought her hand to her chin. It's finally beginning… the duels…

BETWEEN MAN AND THE GODS!

Heimdall blew into the horn with all his might. It let out a tremendous deep bellow that shook all of Valhalla to its core. The clouds surrounding the arena dispersed and reformed quickly, and the animals above it fled. Every being that was not in the arena found themselves gazing intently at it, transfixed by the sound. But though they were at ground zero, neither of the fighters moved.

"Now!" Heimdall said. "The battle between the strongest of the gods and humanity… begins!"

Perun slouched over and didn't move. The audience let out confused noises. Zeus and Amun-Ra perked up.

"Huh?" Heimdall's jaw hung open in bewilderment. "Perun has slumped over! Did something happen?!"

Gilgamesh grimaced. He put one foot behind him and raised his mace slightly, bracing himself for something only he seemed to know was coming. But Perun still didn't move.

Brunhilde gasped with realization. "No! Gilgamesh, watch out!" Göll looked up at her elder sister with frightened eyes.

"What, Hilde?! What's happening?!" she asked. But Brunhilde didn't respond.

If Gilgamesh heard the valkyries, he didn't react. He was watching Perun intently, not taking his eyes off the god for even a split second. He gripped his mace tighter, his muscles bulging. His teeth were practically welded shut. His breath grew quicker and shallower.

All eyes were on Perun, every member of the audience desperately wondering what could possibly be happening. Everyone except the VIPS.

"Hmm?" Shiva muttered. "Oh. So he's going for that. Ha ha ha ha! That human is done for."

Zeus grinned. "That old fool. He's planning to end it with one strike! He's not even going to let us enjoy this fight before he obliterates that human."

In the crowd, Enkidu was panicking. "Gilgamesh? What's wrong? What's happening?!" He gripped the arena walls so hard they started to break. He exhaled forcefully from his nostrils. The people around Enkidu looked at him with concerned faces and slowly moved away.

Back in the arena, Heimdall was trying to find his voice. He had been so stunned by Perun's actions that he was temporarily at a loss for words. But with a shake of his head, he regained his senses and resumed commenting. "What a strange development, folks! Perun has not moved since the start of the match! What could he possibly be planning?!"

And then, suddenly, Perun was gone, a gust of wind taking his place.

THE HIGHFATHER OF THE SLAVS, PERUN.

Except… he wasn't gone. He was right in front of Gilgamesh, still slumped over. A gale behind him ripped up small pieces of stone. He still held his axe with both hands at his hip. Gilgamesh gasped and moved back more, but Perun was too fast. He looked up, his features once more twisted into an insane look, and swung Topor Peruna up with impossible speeds. The axe glinted in the light, giving a sickening view of its razor-sharp blades.

KNOWN FOR HIS UNRELENTING FEROCITY IN BATTLE, WITH HIS OPENING STRIKE, HE AIMED…

Gilgamesh brought his mace down to counter Perun, generating wind as he swung. His hair flew back from Perun's sudden appearance. He braced his legs for the inevitable clash.

TO UTTERLY ANNIHILATE HIS FOE!

The two weapons struck each other, creating such force that the ground beneath them crumbled. The audience members closest to the two combatants nearly fell out of their seats, holding on for dear life to the walls. The humans looked on with fright, despairing at the seeming hopelessness that Gilgamesh was confronted with. The gods watched with joy and mild shock, surprised that a human could hold off Perun. Gilgamesh was struggling against the power of his opponent's strike, while Perun was grinning like a madman.

"Oho?" Shiva perked up. "He's actually contending with Perun… who would've thought?"

Göll let out a breath she had been holding. "Wow! Gilgamesh is really holding his own!" She turned to Brunhilde, who was smiling triumphantly. "How did you know he could do it?"

"I've traveled many times and places in the human world," Brunhilde answered. "And never have I known a man quite like him. His unparalleled strength and infallible courage set him above others like him. And…" she trailed off, leaving Göll to wonder.

Perun eventually gained the advantage, shoving Gilgamesh several meters away. The king's feet dug into the ground as he slid across it, leaving a trail of indentations several inches deep. He slammed his mace into the ground to stop himself, but Perun didn't give him a chance to recover, lunging at Gilgamesh once again, this time with an overhead swing. Gilgamesh just barely brought his mace up to block it in time.

Another powerful blast erupted, dislodging the rock around the fighters. They struggled for a few short seconds before Gilgamesh was able to push Perun's axe to the side, throwing the god off balance. Gilgamesh nearly made contact with Perun's head, but he smiled and swiftly dodged backward.

Gilgamesh grimaced, and the two stared each other down for a moment.

"I-Incredible! They're equal!" Heimdall shouted. "What a surprising development!" The audience was in agreement.

"That's it, Perun!" "Wow!" "I haven't seen a fight like this in eons!" "Take it to 'em, Gilgamesh!"

Gilgamesh initiated the next series of attacks, running instead of dashing at his opponent. He held his mace at his right shoulder and brought it down, which Perun moved to block with his axe. However, Gilgamesh suddenly halted his attack, shifting his weight from his left foot to his right, and performed a thrust with the mace.

"What's this? A feint!" Heimdall announced. "Gilgamesh is going to make first contact!" Humanity's cheers picked up in volume, elated that their representative was going to gain the lead. The gods were shocked and desperately shouted at Perun in the vain hope it would save him.

But their cries were unnecessary. With the fastest move ever displayed, he swung the hilt Topor Peruna and hit Gilgamesh's mace, deflecting it away. Gilgamesh looked shocked, as did the audience.

"Kyeh," Perun snorted. Shifting his grip slightly, Topor Peruna descended upon Gilgamesh with equally surprising speed. Gilgamesh stepped back just as the axe made contact with the ground, forming a small crater. Perun lifted it out, staring at his opponent the whole time. They began circling each other, waiting for the other to make the next blow.

"They're at a standoff! The situation is growing more tense with each passing second! Who will make the first move?!" Heimdall's enthusiasm never wavered. His millennia of announcing for the gods' many tournaments had given him ample time to perfect his craft. And it was perfect.

Both of the combatants abruptly charged at each other, weapons poised to strike. They met in the middle of the arena, creating the strongest clash yet. The audience stared in amazement the whole time, awestruck by the display of power in front of them. Perun and Gilgamesh stared at each other as each pushed against the other, Gilgamesh with a glare and Perun with a sinister grin.

Zeus stroked his beard. "I'm shocked… I never expected a human to keep up against Perun this long… hohohohoho! But it won't be long now–" The old god smiled, and his pupils became visible. "–until he unleashes his true power."

In the arena, Perun and Gilgamesh were still struggling. Finally, Perun leaped away, landing lightly on his feet. Gilgamesh and everyone else looked at him confused.

"I congratulate thee!" Perun proclaimed. "Not a single soul hath provided me a sufficient challenge for a long, long time." He narrowed his eyes as his mouth spread into a wicked smirk. "But thou hast shown me that thy strength is at its utmost limits. And, as a sign of respect…" He raised Topor Peruna above his head, moving his hand down to the hilt. "...I shall grant thee the honor of perishing beneath mine special attack." Above the axe, storm clouds began gathering, forming a large cluster over the arena. Gales began to fill it, and lightning flashed between the clouds and around Perun, awing everyone in the crowd. Rain poured onto the fighters and Heimdall, who attempted to shield himself with his cloak.

Enkidu looked on with fear. "Gilgamesh!" he cried.

Mokosh, meanwhile, was highly exasperated. "Perun, what do you think you're doing?! You don't need to use that on that stupid human! It's a waste!"

"Now, now, Mother," a voice from next to her said. It came from a god who shone with a captivating brilliance. His golden hair fell at his shoulders and his similarly-colored, bushy facial hair covered the lower half of his face. His striking blue eyes seemed to exhibit a calming presence. He was well-muscled, but it was mostly hidden by his loose, white robes that were embroidered with gold.

DAZHBOG(SLAVIC)

SON OF PERUN

GOD OF THE SUN

"We must respect Father's decision," he continued. "And besides, he wouldn't use that move if he didn't deem it necessary."

Back in the arena, Heimdall was trying to commentate whilst simultaneously protecting him from the high-force rains that were barraging him relentlessly. "Hang on to your butts, folks! Perun has, very surprisingly, decided to use his signature move! This is a display that I haven't witnessed in centuries!" The gods answered his words with their own exhilarated shouts, ecstatic that they were about to see something few gods had the privilege of.

Perun was once more beaming disturbingly. "Rejoice, human! For thou art about to receive a glorious death the likes of which no mortal hath ever experienced!"

Throughout all of this, Gilgamesh's expression remained the same. And it wasn't about to anytime soon. With a grave frown and unblinking eyes, he met Perun's gaze with a determination the god had never seen before.

And he smiled all the wider because of it.

ANCIENT TIMES

PRAWIA

FOR AS LONG AS TIME, PRAWIA HAS SERVED AS THE REALM OF THE SLAVIC GODS.

The sun shown down on a meadow filled with beautiful flowers, deer, rabbits, squirrels, and butterflies. Large, deep green trees surrounded it. A hill in the distance gently curved up and over, slightly covering the bottom portion of the sun. In the middle of the meadow, some humanoid beings lounged about and played, but their divine beauty identified them as gods.

IT'S INHABITANTS HAD LIVED IN PEACE FOR EONS, LIVING UNDER KINGDOMS SEPARATED BY CLEARLY DEFINED BORDERS. THIS ENSURED THAT NO DISPUTES AROSE OVER TERRITORY, AND ALL THE GODS ABIDED BY THESE BORDERS.

Images of multiple castles and kingdoms showcased the harmony which all the gods of Prawia dwelled. Gods in medieval-style towns milled about their daily lives, purchasing goods, doing their chores, and talking with each other. Outside the walls, in the rural areas, other gods dressed as shepherds tended their flocks, farmers tilled and harvested their crops, and children laughed and ran around playing an imaginary game.

In the middle of a forest, guards wearing knight armor took up their posts in a straight clearing, facing other guards doing the same thing. Insignias on their shoulders signified that they were border patrol, responsible for keeping watch at the edges of each territory in case a god was to try and disrupt the peace.

It was paradise.

THEN HE CAME.

A noise behind a group of guards shook the forest, sending leaves and branches tumbling out of trees. All of them turned to look at what was making such a commotion, and what they saw sent shivers down their spines as their faces became masks of terror.

Out of the forest came a massive man wielding a huge double-bladed axe. Most of his features were obscured by shadow, but it made him all the more menacing. The guards trembled in fear, unable to move. Animals fled at the man's feet. Gusts of wind threatened to blow the trees over. He raised his axe above his head as the clouds, once white and bright, darkened and cast a gloomy atmosphere over them. The guards finally came to their senses and began running away, but by then it was far too late.

A massive ball of wind erupted from the border, shredding everything it touched. The ground was ripped up and flung far away. Trees splintered into thousands of pieces and went hurtling toward nearby villages, impaling themselves into anything and anyone. The guards held up their weapons or hands, trying in vain desperation to defend themselves from the onslaught. Their armor ripped apart and sent flying back. Their skin simply disintegrated at horrifying speeds until only skeletons remained. And then those were gone, too.

BORN TO SVAROG AND LADA, SINCE BIRTH, PERUN WAS A MONSTER.

A young Perun was rampaging through the inside of a stone room, destroying furniture and breaking windows. He had a look of pure, evil joy, something far too dark for a mere child to possess. Eventually, he got bored of wood and glass and moved on to punching holes in the stone.

An adolescent version of Perun was outside, terrorizing small animals. He picked up a rabbit by its tail, spun in a circle with the rabbit still in his hands, and let go, sending the small animal flying. Once again, he leered at his actions, unexplainably amused by his cruel tendencies.

HIS PARENTS TRIED TO STAMP THE DEMON OUT OF HIM.

A now teenage Perun was being yelled at by a man in kingly robes over a brown tunic. His white hair covered his face, and a crown sat atop his head. In the background, a woman with golden hair and a white dress with yellow detailing stood with a worried expression.

SVAROG(SLAVIC)

GOD OF FIRE AND BLACKSMITHING

KING OF NEBESA

LADA(SLAVIC)

GODDESS OF SPRING AND FERTILITY

QUEEN OF NEBESA

Perun looked disinterested in the scolding he was receiving, his head turned away from his father and examining something else.

THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

Perun, as a young adult, barged into a large chamber with gods in fancy clothes seated around a large roundtable. He was holding two things in his hands. They gasped when they saw what they were: Topor Peruna coated in blood in his left, and the severed head of Svarog, frozen in a fearful scream, in the right. Perun threw the head of his father onto the table, landing with a wet splat. Blood seeped out of the neck and stained the table. While most of the gods stared at it in utter horror, one stood and pointed an accusing finger at Perun.

"What hast thou done, devil-spawn?!" he shouted. "What hast driven thou to commit this terrible act?!"

"I challenged him in ritual combat for the throne of Nebesa," Perun snapped. "As expected, I utterly humiliated him, and he died a sniveling coward."

Another god spoke up. "And what hath become of Queen Lada?!"

"She hath also been disposed of," Perun responded, grinning. His eyes were half open in a diabolic stare. The gods stepped back, fearing for their lives. But Perun simply took the crown that Svarog had once worn and put it on his own head. "Thou shalt be under mine rule from now on."

LIKE A PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS, PERUN DESCENDED UPON KINGDOM AFTER KINGDOM, DESTROYING EVERYTHING IN HIS PATH, KILLING KINGS AND TAKING THEIR PLACES.

One by one, images of Perun's conquest flashed by. A castle exploding with the wind sphere at the center, a terrified king crawling away from a massive shadow, rows of houses being blown apart as villagers ran for their lives, and Perun standing in the middle of an army as a lightning bolt struck him, incinerating the soldiers closest to him.

UNTIL, AT LAST, HE HAD UNITED ALL OF PRAWIA UNDER HIS RULE.

An older Perun, now resembling his modern counterpart, reclined on a silver throne, surrounded by the heads of the kings he had killed mounted on stakes, each one displaying a look of shock or fear. He looked mildly tired, and his posture suggested a pervasive feeling of disinterest. Before him, a throng of gods was bowing down to him, worshiping and praising so as to avoid his wrath. The room they were in was very dungeon-like, with chains hanging from the ceiling, metal bars over the windows, and other brutal trophies adorning the walls.

EXCEPT FOR ONE.

Perun stopped in front of a very large gothic castle, followed by an army of gods dressed similarly to him. He exhaled a big breath and examined the massive stone structure, seemingly unimpressed with it. He hoisted his axe, which he had been holding down at his side, onto his shoulder and strolled in. A pair of guards blocked the entrance with their halberds, but Perun easily cut them both in half with one swing.

Within the castle, inside a throne room, a very burly man wearing an ornate red cloak, gold armor with extremely complex detailing, and a slavic helmet with white wings that stood straight up. His face was immaculate, almost sparkling in the light that shone in from a nearby window. He held a staff made of wood, with the top wrapped in white cloth, and a miniature sun as the head.

ROD(SLAVIC)

GOD OF FATE, CREATOR OF PRAWIA

KING OF SION

A loud commotion outside the throne room caught Rod's attention. He sat up straight but continued to look calm. Some screams echoed down a hallway, followed by cracking sounds and thumps against the wooden doors that blocked the horrible scene.

Suddenly, the doors broke, sending wood pieces everywhere across the room. Gales blew over nearly everything, but Rod and the area around him remained unharmed. In the doorway stood Perun, holding his bloodied axe in front of him. Guards who had been next to the doors and managed not to get thrown away by the wind swung their halberds at Perun, but he countered, shattering the weapons and the guards' arms in the process. They cried out in pain and fell to their knees, cradling the stumps that had once been limbs. The entire time, Perun's attention was completely focused on Rod.

"So," the king boomed. "Thou art the fiend who hath been laying waste to mine realm. And now, thou hast cometh to take mine head, just as thou didst to all the others. I have been expecting thou."

"Thy flattery will get thou nowhere," Perun responded smugly. He raised Topor Peruna to his side, entering a combat stance.

"Hmph. I suppose not," Rod remarked. He stood up, shed his cloak, and descended the stairs in front of his throne. As he continued to make his way toward Perun, the air in the room seemed to get heavier. The sunlight dimmed until it was completely gone. Once bright and fanciful, the room was now very dark and imposing. Rod's face darkened as he got closer, and his grip on the staff tightened. His presence grew immensely, threatening to bring down the whole castle. But Perun did not react.

Rod stopped just a few meters from his opponent, his face still hidden. Then he lifted his head, revealing that his eyes had turned bright white and shone with a cosmic brilliance. His mouth was downturned in a furious sneer, his teeth clenched tightly together. His left hand was at his hip, opened, and lightly-colored energy gathered around it. The sun on his staff shone gold. Objects in the room started floating in the air, and the walls started crumbling, the stones slowly spreading out in all directions.

"Thou hast defiled my sacred land and massacred mine beloved people! In doing so, thou hast brought upon thyself mine RETRIBUTION!" Rod roared. His body began emitting a white light. It expanded and filled the room, creating a shockwave that blew away what remained of the throne room. Perun was somewhat able to make out Rod's face, but the rest of his body had been absorbed by the galaxy-like presence. The entire castle was now disassembled, and the objects were flying around at high speeds. Some of it hit Perun, but he was unfazed.

Throughout Rod's transformation, Perun had not moved nor had he even seemed to care about what was happening. He was perpetually neutral, never expressing any emotion. But at Rod's words, he chuckled.

"H-ha ha ha ha ha… retribution? Thou art a fool if thou believeth that," Perun replied. "I have not defiled Prawia. I have not massacred its inhabitants. The conflict I have wrought has corrected the egregious error committed when thou created this realm." He smirked. "The weak hath been destroyed. The strong hath ascended to their rightful place at the top. And the insipid peace that once contaminated the minds of the Prawians with frailty and false happiness hath been permanently removed, so that we shalt become what destiny hath ordained for us, and what thy rule hast withheld from us." He stared intently into Rod's eyes.

"Warriors."

Rod was now more furious than he had ever been in his existence. He could stand the abomination in front of him no more. It was time to erase it from reality permanently.

"ENOUGH!" he screamed. "I SHAN'T TOLERATE THY PRESENCE IN THIS WORLD ANY LONGER!" An ethereal hand emerged from the vortex, gathering energy into its palm. Then, when it had collected enough, Rod thrust it outward, releasing a blast of blue energy at Perun. When it collided with the god it exploded, vaporizing everything around him. Steam shrouded the area, preventing Rod from seeing what had happened.

Eventually, it cleared, and with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, he realized that his attack had done absolutely nothing.

Perun still stood in the same spot, completely fine. He looked like the attack had never even connected. However, he now had a large, evil smile and wild eyes. Joy emanated from him. It was suffocating, threatening to choke out Rod. He stepped back, fearing for his life. He had never encountered anything this powerful before. Nothing could even compare. In front of him, Perun's shadow became massive and monstrous, moving by itself as if it were alive.

The storm god gleefully watched as Rod crumbled beneath Perun's gravity. This was the most fun he had had with any of the pitiful rulers of Prawia. Even though the once proud king of creation was an insignificant flea just like all the others, he was impressive enough that he deserved to be obliterated with an extraordinary attack. He lifted Topor Peruna, grasped the hilt, and summoned the storm.

PERUN'S SIGNATURE MOVE IS ONE OF THE DEADLIEST ATTACKS EVER CONCEIVED OF IN THE DIVINE WORLD.

BY GRASPING TOPOR PERUNA AT ITS HILT, HE GENERATES MORE FORCE ON A DOWNWARD SWING.

UTILIZING HIS INNATE STORM-GENERATING ABILITIES, HE BOOSTS THE MOMENTUM OF THE AXE EVEN FURTHER BY PUSHING IT ALONG WITH INCREDIBLY STRONG AND FAST WINDS.

THE RESULTING IMPACT GENERATES RAZOR-SHARP GALES THAT SHRED SKIN AND REND BONES.

IN SHORT, IT IS THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION OF DESTRUCTIVE POWER AND UNFATHOMABLE SPEED.

A wind sphere erupted from the remains of the castle, dislodging earth and ripping stone apart. Rod's death cries were drowned out by the ear-splitting gales that melted him in just a few short seconds.

…AND SINCE THEN, THE GODS HAVE TOLD TALES OF HIS GLORY.

VALHALLA ARENA

The storm assaulted the crowd, pelting them with large raindrops and destabilizing them with high-force winds. Heimdall had his back to the arena wall, attempting to stay standing.

"Now this is insane!" he announced. "The entire arena is filled with mighty winds!"

AND THEY BESTOWED A NAME UPON HIS INSTANT KILL TECHNIQUE.

Zeus leaned back in his chair, his interest in the fight waning. "Playtime's over."

Odin and Amun-Ra were as stoic as ever. Shiva was reclining on his seat, his feet resting on the handrails. Aphrodite glanced over at the fight, but was otherwise preoccupied with a rather handsome-looking god she had spotted in the audience. Göll stood open-mouthed, afraid for Gilgamesh. Brunhilde was somehow calm in spite of the disastrous events occurring in front of her.

Tensing his muscles, Perun let his axe fall backward a little in preparation for the blow.

THEY CALLED IT…

Gilgamesh's mouth opened slightly and his eyes widened. Finally, Perun swung Topor Peruna at the human king, who simply stared at it with wonder. For him, the arena grew dark and Topor Peruna shone brightly, already only inches from his face.

HEAVENLY GUARDIAN'S TEMPEST

The blast that followed covered the whole arena with a thick whirlwind, forcing the audience to shield their eyes. Heimdall was blown out of the arena and into a group of gods, flattening them.

Aphrodite's breasts were blown into her face, temporarily smothering her. Her golems desperately tried to recover and regain control, but they fumbled over each other haplessly. Shiva sighed, his eyes half closed. "Oh, dear. I guess that's it for round one."

"Gaaaahhhhh!" Enkidu cried, clinging to the walls so as to not blow away.

"WOOOOOOO!" Mokosh cheered. "That's my Perun for you! Hahahahaha- ack! Pfft!" Sand from the arena ground had flown into her mouth, interrupting her maniacal cackling. Dazhbog laughed.

"Hmph," Odin huffed. His hair was whipping in the wind, but his body was still. Huginn and Muninn grasped the old god's shoulders tightly, using their wings to block the wind. Amun-Ra did not react at all.

The human audience looked downward in despair. Their hope was gone. They had given up. There was no way Gilgamesh could possibly win, no way humanity could ever survive. Göll was similarly distressed. Tears streamed down her face as she crumbled to her knees.

That's the true strength of a god?! she thought. It's over… no matter how you look at it… even the thought of a human defeating a god is foolish after all.

"Stand up, Göll," said Brunhilde. Göll looked up at her sister, then turned away.

"No more!" she exclaimed, on the verge of crying. "I… I can't watch any longer!"

Brunhilde crouched down and put her arm around Göll's shoulders. "Don't avert your eyes."

"But–!" the younger valkyrie started to protest, but Brunhilde wasn't having it.

"Watch closely." She was focused on the arena now, her eyes narrowed. "For this historical moment… for both gods and humanity!" Göll stared in awe, wondering how Brunhilde was able to watch the slaughter.

In the arena, the steam slowly dissipated, showing Perun holding Topor Peruna, which was again lodged in the ground. But Gilgamesh was nowhere to be seen.

"Wow… I guess he was completely destroyed," Shiva mused. The other gods echoed his sentiment.

Suddenly, out of the steam, a blur rushed forward and slammed into Perun. It was holding a familiar-looking mace that was now firmly planted in the god's midsection. The crack of bones fracturing resounded through the arena. Perun's eyes bulged and he exhaled sharply as he folded against the momentum of the mace, then was sent hurling toward the arena wall, crashing into it with a deep thoom!

Everyone except Brunhilde looked with utter shock at what just happened. Gilgamesh stood in the middle of the arena, mace held with both hands, let out a breath, and smiled. Perun sat slumped over in the massive dent his body had created. No one said anything for a few seconds. Enkidu broke the silence with a shout. "Yeeeeaaaaahhhh!"

Immediately, the arena erupted with chatter and jeers. Mokosh was outraged. Dazhbog couldn't believe his eyes, sitting in stunned silence.

Shiva was confused, but not dumbfounded. "...you're kidding." The rest of the VIPS remained silent, but they were shaken.

Brunhilde smiled triumphantly, gripping Göll's shoulder again, while the latter just sat with her mouth hanging open.

"P-Perun has crashed into the wall!" Heimdall yelled. "Gilgamesh's strike… has injured a chief god!"

Gilgamesh pointed his mace up at the VIP box. "Watch closely, charlatans! For I, Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, will expose your crimes to the world!" With fire in his eyes, he made a declaration that would be remembered for millenia to come.

"And when I'm done with him–" Gilgamesh pointed motioned at Perun, who still hadn't moved. "-heaven itself with quake before me!"