PERUN.
ONE OF THE FIERCEST GODS TO EVER LIVE.
AS THE KING OF PRAWIA AND RULER OF THE SLAVIC GODS, HIS POWER FAR EXCEEDS ALMOST EVERY OTHER CREATURE IN EXISTENCE.
HIS DOMAIN INCLUDES THE SKY, STORMS, RAIN, LIGHTNING, THUNDER, AND WAR.
A TRULY TERRIFYING COLLECTION OF ABILITIES FOR A GOD SO BLOODTHIRSTY.
"This is unprecedented!" Heimdall announced. "Gilgamesh has yet again blown Perun away with his strength, and made it look easy at that!"
"No! My honey!" Mokosh cried. "Please, get up!"
Perun, who had been lying face-down for several seconds, rolled onto his side to look at his opponent standing only a few meters away, a prideful smile on his face.
SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED…
SHOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE!
"Hell yeah!" Enkidu cheered. "That's what I'm talking about, baby! WOOOO!"
The Sumerians were elated at their king's overwhelming lead in the fight. The councilmen who had discouraged Gilgamesh from fighting the Bull of Heaven were particularly excited.
"Haha! I knew he could do it!" "Alright!" "Excellent, my lord!" "You see that, you shitty gods?! Our king is far above you!"
"Silence!" one of the councilmen shouted. He appeared older than the rest, with gray hair covering his wrinkled head and a long beard falling to his chest. His robes were more ornate than the others, indicating a higher rank. "The time of celebration is yet to pass. Look." He pointed a decrepit finger at the arena, where Perun was stirring. Mokosh looked at him with joy, clasping her hands together happily.
"My, my, my," he said, getting to his feet. "Thou hast injured me twice now. I've experienced naught a challenge such as this." He grabbed Topor Peruna, which was stuck in the ground, and lifted it out, leaving a large gash. "But do not mistake mine failures for defeat."
"See how the damage our lord has done has not slowed him down?" the old councilmen said. "There is still a way to go if Gilgamesh is to win. However–" He suddenly smiled widely. "–I cannot deny that I too feel pride at our king's success!"
The councilmen erupted in cheers again, spurred on by the old man. All of humanity joined them, chanting Gilgamesh's name once more.
IN THAT MOMENT, MANKIND SHUDDERED.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY… NO…
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN EXISTENCE…
MANKIND HAD SURPASSED THEIR CREATORS!
Gilgamesh was undeterred by Perun's statement. "I commend you for surviving this long," he boasted. "In some ways, you are not like the others. But still…" He raised his mace, ready to fight. "...You have sins to answer for."
"I see…" Hermes said to himself, rubbing his chin with a gloved hand. "So that's… the extent of their scheme."
"Oh? You've noticed?" Zeus asked.
"The sworn duty of the valkyrie–" Hermes continued, materializing a doll of a woman in his hands "–is the guidance of souls. They descend upon the earth, taking note of humanity's finest warriors, and lead them to Valhalla, where, in preparation for an assault against heaven, they form an army of the gods. However–" Hermes raised the doll's arms above its head. "–since ancient times, a certain rumor has been floating throughout heaven."
Across the arena, Brunhilde, looking rather suspicious, stared down at the battle. Göll stood trembling off to the side.
"It says that the valkyrie's goal was never to form an army. Instead, the warriors summoned to Valhalla bonded with the valkyrie, and the valkyries would transform themselves into the most fitting weapon for their wielder. And in exchange for the power of a god… the warriors would offer their very being." Hermes grabbed the doll's body and twisted it into a drill shape. "That exchange was said to be called… Volund."
Zeus nodded in agreement.
"Hence," Hermes finished, "the souls gathered by the valkyries were granted the power to fight the gods. That is what is happening here, correct?"
"Yes… that's right…" Zeus grumbled. His fingers twitched with anger, tapping the armrest of his throne. "Those pissy little girls… against us mighty gods…" His facial hair flared as his pupils glowed white. "This is a rebellion!"
He let his head hang, still trembling. "But… to think that the valkyries… would seriously turn their blades on us… it's so… this is just…" With great speed, he thrust his head up. "The greatest thrill I've had ever since the big bang!" His eyes were wide with glee, and his tongue hung out, covered with drool. His muscles bulged as he gripped his chair hard. Hermes stared at him, deadpan.
"Right, Bru-ru… Bru-ru… Bru-ru…" Zeus' excitement caused him to stutter, his lips desperately trying to form some semblance of words. He looked over at Brunhilde. "Bru-ru-ru-ru… Brunhilde!"
She stared back at him, unperturbed by his horny outburst. Göll, scared as ever, clutched her sister's dress tightly.
"Hilde… Zeus is looking at us strangely!" she spluttered.
Quit staring over here, Brunhilde thought, her face a mask. Creepy motherfucking geezer.
Without wasting a second, Gilgamesh charged at Perun with blinding speed. The god skillfully dodged the swing and attempted to hit Gilgamesh's midsection with a low swing, but he was equally ready, swinging his mace downward to block it. But Perun wasn't about to let him off so easily. He pushed against his foe, not giving him any time to react. With a burst of strength, he shoved the mace out of the way and delivered a slash across Gilgamesh's chest, not deep enough to seriously injure him, but enough to draw a lot of blood.
"Gah!" the king shouted. He stumbled back, clutching his chest. He held up his hand so he could see it, and it was drenched with blood.
"Wow!" Heimdall yelled. "Perun has landed his first hit on Gilgamesh, and it's given him momentary pause! He's finally got a leg in this fight!"
Gilgamesh, spurred on by anger, let out an angry cry and swung hard at Perun. But the god deftly evaded it and made another gash across his opponent. This time, Gilgamesh retreated a safe distance away from Perun so he could recover.
Calm down! he thought. Don't go in angrily and swing wildly! Think before you attack!
He observed Perun cautiously, looking for an opening he could exploit. But there were none. At least, it looked like that initially. Upon closer inspection, however, Gilgamesh realized that the god was full of openings. His mere presence had unnerved Gilgamesh so much that he only appeared to be fully guarded.
Don't let the fear overtake you, he told himself. You've killed gods before. You can do it again.
He continued to scan his opponent, circling him slowly, ready to counter anything Perun threw at him. He was waiting for the perfect opportunity; his current openings were small and wouldn't give him much in the way of advantages. He needed a bigger one, like a vital area or a chance to disarm Perun.
There! The god's arm was completely exposed. If he could reach it, he could disable it, or better yet, remove it and guarantee his victory. He dived forward and swung down at Perun's elbow. This match is mine!
"Hee hee hee! That fool!" Zeus chortled. "He's fallen right into Perun's trap!"
With an evil gleam in his eye, Perun whipped Topor Peruna at Gilgamesh's mace so fast that the king had barely registered it before the axe made contact with his weapon, pulling it with the momentum away from Gilgamesh's body. He managed to hang on to it, but he was sent tumbling across the ground. He came to a stop after a short moment and looked up to see Perun above him, axe already swinging downward to cut him in half. He brought his mace up and blocked it just in time, but the impact sent shivers across. It took every ounce of effort to hold off the bloodthirsty god.
"Ah, I see," Hermes said. "Perun purposefully exposed his arm to bait Gilgamesh into attacking. Though I must say, I don't know how he managed to defend himself."
"It's because he wasn't open at all," Zeus responded. Hermes looked at him, confused. "You couldn't tell? Perun was fully guarded that whole time. He tricked Gilgamesh into thinking he was open, making him more susceptible to his ploy. Though he doesn't act it, he's a genius at combat."
"Well, Gilgamesh?" Perun taunted. "Art thou going to maketh me pay?"
Gilgamesh didn't reply. He was too concentrated on keeping Perun from cleaving him in half. His muscles were fully flexed, working in overdrive to keep him alive. He had never felt this kind of strength before. Everything he had fought had fallen in mere minutes. This god was entirely different.
"Herja!" he yelled. His mace shone white like before, augmenting his power output. Perun, momentarily distracted by the light, lessened his strength ever so slightly, but it was more than enough for Gilgamesh to push Topor Peruna out of the way and jump to his feet. Perun steadied himself, then glanced over at his opponent and laughed.
"Yes! That is what I want to see!" The god held his axe out in front of him. "Every time thou escapeth mine clutches, thou exciteth me more! Continue it!" This time, he initiated the battle, coming at Gilgamesh with a low swing. The king blocked it, and they resumed their fight.
LIKE A HUNTER CHASING IT'S PREY,
PERUN'S BLOODLUST GROWS THE LONGER THE BATTLE CONTINUES.
Amidst the storm of ringing metal, Perun was waiting. Waiting for just the right moment to snatch Gilgamesh's hope away from him. Between swings, he angled Topor Peruna so that the bottom of the blades were being hit. Almost… now! With an unhinged grin, he hooked Gilgamesh's mace with his axe and wrenched it from his grasp.
"Perun has taken Gilgamesh's weapon away from him! The tables have turned instantly in the Empyrean Paladin's favor!" Heimdall shouted.
Gilgamesh stared incredulously at the weapon that Perun had so effortlessly taken. The god flung it away and delivered a sharp kick to his opponent's chest at the same time, launching him into the air and forcing him to cough up blood.
But Perun didn't stop there. While Gilgamesh was still in midair, he leaped up toward the king, Topor Peruna above his head, and slammed it down. Gilgamesh raised his arms to block the strike, but the impact sent him crashing downward into the ground.
"No! Gilgamesh!" Enkidu cried.
"Perun has landed another blow! And it's a devastating one! Can Gilgamesh even survive?!"
Perun landed a few meters away from the crater, a smug look on his face. As the smoke cleared, the audience could see that Gilgamesh was quite injured and that his gauntlets had broken, exposing his bronze skin to the sunlight. He groaned and looked up at Perun, fear growing inside of him. This god before him was truly strong, not like the ones he had killed so long ago.
"Heh heh heh heh," Perun chuckled. "I see it. The fear overtaking thou. The realization that thou hast made a grave mistake. Thine eyes betray thee." He stopped smiling and raised his weapon again. "Now die."
Gilgamesh rolled out of the way just before he got hit, but was caught in the resulting blast, pushing him away and barraging him with rocks. He got up quickly and ran toward his mace, reaching out to grab it, but Perun was too quick. He appeared out of nowhere in the corner of Gilgamesh's eye, swinging Topor Peruna directly at his head. He ducked, narrowly avoiding decapitation, but it put him off balance and sent him tumbling to the ground.
"Yes!" Perun said, smiling again. "Continue thy struggles! Amuseth me more!" He began spinning his axe and walked toward the downed Gilgamesh, who scrambled away, grabbed the mace, and brought it up to block the blade. The axe bounced back from the impact, allowing Gilgamesh to strike.
He pushed off the ground, aiming for Perun's chest. The god blocked it, deflecting the mace away from him. He then swung at Gilgamesh's midsection, making a surface-level gash. The king grunted and stumbled back, attempting to stay standing through the pain. Perun didn't let up, pummeling Gilgamesh with blow after blow. He couldn't give an inch.
"Hilde, this is bad!" Göll exclaimed. "At this rate, Gilgamesh is going to get chopped into pieces! And he's losing a lot of blood! He might collapse from exhaustion!"
But Brunhilde was unconcerned. "Don't worry, Göll," she replied. "He's yet to show us his real power." But the younger valkyrie wasn't so sure.
Back in the arena, Gilgamesh was still guarding against Perun's assault, but he was losing ground. He needed a way to regain the advantage, and fast, or he would certainly perish. Then, suddenly, he had it.
In between his opponent's swings, Gilgamesh quickly dropped down below and rushed toward Perun's legs, mace ready to swing. The old god could do nothing but watch as Gilgamesh smashed his knee with the mace, bending it backward. The crack of bones splintering rung through the arena.
Perun looked like he was about to explode, holding his breath and trembling. The audience gasped in shock and disgust. Even Enkidu winced. Mokosh was devastated.
"NO! PERUN!" she screamed. She jumped out of her seat and rushed to the edge of the stands, where she nearly fell in her rush to get there. Some gods managed to grab her and pull her back in. But she didn't care. She was hysterical, tears filling her eyes. Dazhbog didn't move, not comprehending what was happening.
Most of the VIPs looked surprised. Odin and Amun-Ra still did not react. Zeus raised an eyebrow, and Hermes covered his mouth with his hand. "Oh, my."
Göll gasped, then started heaving. She couldn't look at Perun's injury. It was just too horrible. Brunhilde, meanwhile, was ecstatic, smirking with sinister joy. She almost started cackling, but decided that was too over-the-top.
Perun was somehow still standing, but he was clearly feeling his injuries now. Blood stained his teeth. His breath came in ragged gasps. Across from him, Gilgamesh was slowly approaching, ready to deal the finishing blow to his opponent. But he stopped when he heard a peculiar sound from Perun: sardonic laughter.
Everyone in the audience looked at him, confused. How could he be laughing at a time like this? His leg was unusable. He had been battered and was losing badly. His defeat was all but assured.
"He's gone mad," Shiva thought aloud.
If Gilgamesh had heard him, he would've agreed. "What are you laughing about?" the king questioned Perun. "Has the reality of your situation set in? Has the knowledge of your loss driven you mad?"
"Oh, far from it," Perun responded. He reached down to his knee, and with a grunt, pushed it back into place, bones crackling as it went. The crowd gasped. Mokosh and Dazhbog sighed with relief. Brunhilde and Göll looked at the god, astonished. Zeus chuckled. Hermes smiled, pleasantly surprised. Shiva grinned excitedly.
Heimdall, who had been dumbstruck by Gilgamesh's surprise attack, shook his head and resumed commenting. "What an unbelievable reversal! Gilgamesh's trick has done nothing to Perun! Does he have any hope of winning?!"
Gilgamesh grimaced. The advantage he thought he had gained had been immediately lost. Perun still seemed quite battle-ready. Nothing was fazing him. If he wanted to win, Gilgamesh needed to take drastic measures.
Moving his right foot behind him, he turned to the side and stretched his arms as far back as they could go. His muscles rippled with the tension. His teeth were bared and his jaw strained.
"What's this?" Heimdall said. "Gilgamesh has twisted himself into a strange position! Could this be some kind of special move?"
"Ah! He's going to use that!" Enkidu realized.
GILGAMESH HAD NOT USED THIS MOVE SINCE HE HAD DIED.
THE ENORMOUS STRAIN IT PUT ON HIS MORTAL BODY WAS JUST TOO MUCH, EVEN WITH DIVINE PHYSIOLOGY.
BUT NOW, IN VALHALLA, HE COULD PUT IT TO GOOD USE.
Perun couldn't help but feel extremely delighted. Whatever Gilgamesh was about to do, it was sure to be powerful. And he couldn't wait.
"Now… stay… DOWN!" Gilgamesh shouted. He pushed off of the ground right at Perun, spontaneously appearing right in front of the god, who smiled even wider. He paused for just a split second, allowing the wind generated by his sudden acceleration to slam into Perun at full force. It started pushing against him violently, but he planted his axe into the ground to stop himself from falling. However, the attack wasn't done.
Gilgamesh let his arms fly forward, free of the immense strain they had been under, which caused them to go even faster. Perun only had time to raise the hilt of Topor Peruna before the inevitable clash.
BLESSING OF SHAMASH
The largest explosion yet covered the arena and momentarily blinded the spectators. Zeus laughed maniacally, thoroughly enjoying himself. Hermes looked mildly surprised but said nothing. Göll joined Gilgamesh's people in cheering, pumping her fist up and down. Brunhilde crossed her arms over her chest, assured of victory.
When the dust settled, the audience got a look at the results of the battle. Surprisingly, Perun was still standing, locked in a struggle with Gilgamesh. The handle of Topor Peruna was intact. The attack hadn't seemed to damage either combatant much. It had simply allowed Gilgamesh to stand on equal footing with his opponent.
Enkidu slammed the wall. "Dammit!" he cursed. "Why doesn't anything fucking work on that guy!" But Gilgamesh wasn't about to give up.
"Herja!" he cried. On command, his mace began to glow brightly, and the valkyrie's apparition appeared again. Perun felt the force pushing against him suddenly increase significantly. He tried to push back, but to his surprise, it didn't do anything. With one final shout, Gilgamesh broke the hilt in two.
The audience gasped. It flew through the air, spinning wildly until it landed a few meters away from the fighters. All the gods except Zeus were thoroughly shocked. Humanity and the two valkyries smiled. Gilgamesh was surely on his way to victory now.
"Wh…What the-?!" Heimdall exclaimed. "I can't believe my eyes! Perun's weapon… has been broken!"
"YES!" Enkidu yelled. "Fuck you, you shitty asshole! Gilgamesh is gonna fuck you up!" Gilgamesh couldn't help but smile at his friend's outburst.
Perun sighed. "Oh, thou foolish mortals. So easily deceived into hysteria by one measly exchange." He walked over to the broken handle and picked up.
"And what do you plan on doing with that?" Gilgamesh asked smugly. "Will you attempt to beat me to death with it?" Humanity laughed at his comment.
Perun chuckled. "Nay, that wouldst make this battle too easy." Gilgamesh grunted in annoyance. "Let me show thee… what separates god from man."
He held the handle to the place on Topor Peruna where it had broken off, keeping it a few centimeters away from the splintered wood. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Gilgamesh scoffed at the ridiculousness of it.
"What the hell are you doing?" Enkidu jeered. "You look like a dumbass!" The Sumerians echoed his sentiments.
"Look at that idiot!" "Hahahaha! What does he think he's doing!" "Did you forget it was broken, Grampa? Ahahahaha!"
Suddenly, a low hum began. Everyone looked around for the source of the noise, but they were unable to find it. Only Zeus seemed to know what was happening. "Ho ho ho ho ho!"
"Lord Zeus?" Hermes inquired.
"That human's in for a big surprise," the old god said giddily. "You see, Hermes, Perun is the god of many things. One of those–" He turned his attention back to the fight. "–is weapons."
Light green energy emerged from the two pieces of the handle and connected at the midpoint. Perun stared intently at it, concentrating. The hum got louder. The crowd gasped, amazed. Gilgamesh stood with his mouth open, unsure of what to make of the situation.
"Wh-what the–?!" Göll said. She pointed a trembling finger at Perun. "Hilde, what is that?! What is he doing?!" But Brunhilde didn't respond.
As Perun held the pieces of Topor Peruna, the green light slowly got brighter, and he brought the pieces closer together. The closer they got, the brighter the light shone, the louder the hum grew, and the harder it seemed for the god to hold the pieces, shaking with the effort. With one last grunt, he connected the hilt to the axehead, and the light covered the entire weapon with an iridescent sheen. Perun lifted it above his head and laughed, allowing the light to bathe the arena in a green glow.
"Woah," Shiva said to himself. "That's cool."
"Ah, now I see," Hermes thought aloud. "His affinity for weapons allows him to repair them when destroyed on the fly."
"Not just that," Zeus interjected. "It also– well, you'll see." Hermes raised an eyebrow but didn't continue.
"Perun… has fixed his axe in only a few seconds!" Heimdall announced in awe. "Add that to his already massive list of abilities!"
"He repaired it…" Göll muttered. "That's totally unfair!"
The light eventually dissipated, and with a contented sigh, Perun lowered Topor Peruna. He stared at Gilgamesh for a while, not saying a word. Gilgamesh stood his ground and clutched his mace harder. Finally, he broke the silence.
"That was an impressive trick. You had me for a moment." He got into a combat stance. "But it will not save you from your evil."
Perun answered in kind. "Let's find out, shall we?"
They rushed toward each other simultaneously and met in the middle of the arena, swinging their weapons in frenzied bursts, attempting to catch the other off guard. But neither gave an inch. With each impact, the ground beneath them slowly cracked, until eventually it shattered, surrounding the two in rubble. They paid it no mind.
The very arena shook with the force of each blow. The crowd grasped their seats to stabilize themselves. Göll nearly fell over backward, saved just in time by Brunhilde, who caught her by her jacket.
Though to an outsider they appeared to be on equal footing, the combatants knew who was winning. And it wasn't Gilgamesh.
I don't understand! he thought. He's stronger than ever before! Each strike has more power behind it! What happened?!
"Hee hee hee hee hee!" Zeus laughed. His legs bounced up and down like a child's.
"What do you find so funny, Lord Zeus?" Hermes asked.
"Can't you see?" Zeus replied. "Perun is winning the fight once again! Hee hee hee!"
"Really? It seems to me that they are equal," Hermes said.
"To the untrained eye, perhaps." Zeus began stroking his beard. "But if you look closely, you'll see the slight differences in Gilgamesh's stance, attacks, and facial expressions. Plus, there's Perun's bonus."
"Bonus?"
"You see, when Perun fixes a weapon, it gains additional durability and attack potency." Hermes' eyes widened slightly. "And, in the case of Topor Peruna… those bonuses are multiplied twofold."
Perun chuckled, pleased with himself. He could hardly wait for the moment when Gilgamesh would break and finally fall beneath his blade. It was sure to come soon.
The king gritted his teeth. It was only a matter of time before he lost at this rate. Somehow, Perun had gotten stronger, and he could no longer compete with the god in a head-to-head. I guess I'll need some help.
"Herja!" he cried once more. Like before, the mace shone white, boosted by the valkyrie's ability. Gilgamesh felt power coursing through him. Emboldened, he started swinging faster and faster until his arms were a blur. Perun did the same, blocking every strike. He grew even more excited, watching Gilgamesh power up and feeling his increased might. The futility of it amused him.
"Not this time, human!" he yelled. His arms bulged, muscles flexed, veins popping, putting more force behind each swing. Immediately, the tide turned back in his favor. Gilgamesh couldn't believe it.
"Huh?!" Göll stood open-mouthed, stunned. "He wasn't even using his full power?!"
Brunhilde put her hand to her chin in thought, clearly distressed. "I think… he still isn't."
Göll's jaw dropped even further. "No way! That can't be true! He's already too strong!"
"But look at him," Brunhilde countered. "He doesn't look like he's exerting all that much effort. He's not sweating, he's not breathing heavily. There are no signs of strain or fatigue at all."
Göll burst into tears. "Oh, it's just like I was saying! Gilgamesh never stood a chance! It's over, Hilde!"
"Don't talk like that," Brunhilde scolded her sister. "I wouldn't have sent him out to fight Perun if I didn't think he could do it." But she had a hard time believing her own words. And it did nothing to calm Göll down.
The clash continued. Perun slowly overtook Gilgamesh, pushing him back toward the arena wall. The god was getting faster, giving Gilgamesh less time to defend himself. Each swing got closer and closer to hitting him. If he was forced into the wall, there would be no room to block. But there was nothing he could do to get out of this situation. Any deviation from his defensive maneuvers would mean multiple deadly hits from Topor Peruna. He couldn't escape. He couldn't use a special technique. He was completely and utterly trapped. He had lost.
But, suddenly, the flurry of blows stopped. Perun took a few steps back and paused, exhaling slowly. Gilgamesh stared at him, bewildered. He was incredibly grateful for the momentary respite, but he was also extremely cautious. What was Perun planning?
"What? Perun has halted his vicious assault!" Heimdall shouted. "Is he too tired to keep going?"
"Hmph. Hardly," Zeus commented.
"I am sure thou art wondering–" Perun began, "–wherefore I have ceased mine attacks. Well, that is simply because I was bored." Everyone perked up at that. Humanity experienced a wave of different emotions.
"Bored?" "That whole time he was bored?!" "Don't fuck with us, bastard!" "We're done, man! We can't win!"
"Heh. Of course he was," Shiva remarked, leaning back on his mat. "This fight is as good as done."
"I do not wish to end a fight in such a manner," Perun continued. "So, I shalt give thou one last chance to defeat me." He closed his eyes and gripped his axe tighter. He inhaled deeply and held it for a moment. Then he opened his eyes.
Immediately, searing heat came upon the arena. Humans and gods alike cried in pain at the sudden increase in temperature. Sweat poured down their bodies. Some panted like dogs, barely able to stand. Göll held onto a nearby pillar to steady herself, gasping for air. Brunhilde, drenched in sweat, managed to stay upright through sheer willpower. The VIPs seemed to be suffering little to no ill effects. Aphrodite was fanning herself, but other than that they didn't react.
Gilgamesh, like the VIPs, wasn't concerned about the heat. He was, however, concerned about what was coming next.
Heimdall was melting under his cloak, but he wasn't about to stop commentating. That wouldn't be right. "The… the temperature… of the arena… has suddenly… and violently… skyrocketed! And… what's this?!"
Perun's eyes had started glowing a bright yellow. He grimaced in pain, straining with the effort. The yellow light spread from his eyes to his right arm, covering it, and quickly spread to Topor Peruna. With a shout, Perun allowed the light to expand outward and envelop the entire arena, blinding the spectators.
When at last it dissipated, everyone slowly regained their sight and looked at Perun. What humanity saw horrified them, and what the gods saw amazed them. The chainmail covering his torso had been burned away. Topor Peruna was covered in orange flames, and the cracks in the wood and the engravings in the metal were filled with molten liquid. Perun's eyes were wide with disturbed glee. He let out a crazed laugh.
Brunhilde gasped. "Oh, no."
"What, Hilde?! What happened to him?!" Göll shrieked.
"Ho ho ho ho!" Zeus chuckled, watching the two valkyries. "It seems she's figured it out."
"What has she figured out?" Hermes inquired.
"You should know, Hermes," Zeus responded. The servant looked away sheepishly. "It's like I said earlier: Perun is the god of many things. The sky, storms, rain, lightning, thunder, war, weapons… and of course, as he's shown us… fire."
Around Perun, the ground dissolved, skipping the liquid phase and going right to gas. "Gilgamesh!" he called to his opponent. "Thy chance at victory is nigh! Waste it not!" The fire flared up, engulfing the axe further. He grabbed Topor Peruna with both hands, preparing for a technique.
Gilgamesh, though he was afraid, knew that he needed to take the opportunity Perun had granted him and strike back as hard as he could. He positioned his mace at his side, the top facing toward Perun. Like with Blessing of Shamash, he shifted his right foot back and dug into the ground, ready to push off. He made sure his arms were as far back as they could possibly go. One mistake, one infinitesimal drop in power, would cost him his life.
A musical trill suddenly played up where Brunhilde and Göll were standing. The younger looked over at her sister, who had pulled out a futuristic phone-like device and was currently examining the screen.
"Ah, that's not allowed, you know!" Göll protested. "You have to turn your phone off while in the arena!" Brunhilde didn't care, instead continuing to gaze at the phone.
Unexpectedly, she let out a surprised noise, overcome with adrenaline. Her eyes shot open, and her hair seemed to almost fly up around her. Then her face darkened, and she calmed down. Göll tried to get a look at the phone, but Brunhilde was holding it too high up for her to see.
"Um…" she said, concerned. She could've sworn she heard Brunhilde's heartbeat get louder and louder each second she stared at the device. It was starting to creep Göll out. "What's the…"
The elder valkyrie smirked and showed Göll the screen. "It's here. The list of combatants for Ragnarok."
"Huh?" Göll uttered. "Th-This is it…?" She looked it over carefully, taking in every name. She grew more worried at each name she saw. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, and looked away, shivering. "The 46 names that will decide everything… and the countdown to decide the fate of humanity…"
TO ALL OF HUMANITY, THESE ARE THE FINAL 23!
GODS
ZEUS
LUGH
BUDDHA
AMUN-RA
LOKI
CHERNOBOG
APOLLO
VISHNU
POSEIDON
BALDUR
SUSANOO-NO-MIKOTO
HERACLES
THE DAGDA
THOR
BISHAMON
FOUR HORSEMEN
ANUBIS
PERUN
ODIN
QUETZALCOATL
BEELZEBUB
HORUS
SHIVA
HUMANITY
QIN SHI HUANG
LEONIDAS I
GENGHIS KHAN
NIKOLA TESLA
SASAKI KOJIRŌ
GILGAMESH
JACK THE RIPPER
ADAM
BENJAMIN HORNIGOLD
RAIDEN TAMEEMON
NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI
OKITA SŌJI
GRIGORI RASPUTIN
SUN TZU
MICHEL DE NOSTREDAME
JESUS CHRIST
LÜ BU
KATŌ DANZŌ
VLAD TEPES
SIMO HÄYHÄ
ACHILLES
SAKATA NO KINTOKI
JOHN WESLEY HARDIN
"'Final'?" Brunhilde repeated. "Ha ha… no, Göll. They will be the ones to carry us to victory. One day–" Her face lit up with hope, looking skyward. She spread her arms out as the sun, hidden by the clouds since the fight began, finally came out.
"–these warriors will be known as… the Einherjar!"
HEAVEN'S MIGHTIEST GODS AND EARTH'S MIGHTIEST MORTALS WILL GATHER IN THIS ARENA!