The champion

The smell of the succulent steak the maid placed down drowned Brolg’s nose in bliss.

“Hello? Father? Hello?" Someone said with snapping fingers to bring him back.

“Huh? Yes, Anna, what is it?”

“The expedition.”

“Oh, yes. A demon general beat us to the last God portal piece. Tomorrow, we ride out to his stronghold for retrieval before they finish destroying it. I will go with the other piece and revive the Gods then and there, right in their faces.”

“And then it will be over?”

“Thundor so help me, it ends tomorrow.”

“And then you and Dalia will…” she said with an expectant smile.

He let out a hearty laugh at that. “Save your delusions till after the Gods’ wills are done.”

“Children are quite cheeky nowadays.” A formless voice whispered to Brolg.

“Indeed, Lord Thundor.”

…

Brolg mounted his horse in the somber grey of the morning.

Dalia rode up to him at the gate. “Ready for this, Brolg?”

“My whole life. With us at the front lines, and Perci guarding the land, the God's era is imminent."

"Percivelth, huh. I feel like that man doesn't see us non-champions."

"But he protects them well."

Their attention turned to Anna, swinging the mansion door open, and running to them frantically.

“It’s too early to be up, isn’t it?” Brolg said.

Anna climbed up the horse to hug him. “Good luck, Father. Finish all this ‘god war’ stuff.”

Brolg squeezed her back. “It ends today.”

“God stuff, she says. Yeah kid, only the fate of the world.” Thundor remarked to Brolg.

Then she went to hug Dalia. “Good luck. Make sure he makes it back, okay?”

“With not a scratch on him.” She said.

They rode to the gate. They heard the cheers of citizens who woke up early to see off their champion.

Brolg and Dalia rode to the front of their regiment. They stood by a man dressed in studded silk. 

"Percivelth." Brolg said.

"Greetings, Brolg." He replied.

"Champion Percivelth." Dalia greeted.

He flashed his face towards her. "Yes Yes."

He turned back to Brolg with a great grin. "Today's the day, Brolg. Today the God's reign. I wish you luck on your final conquest as a God champion."

"And I trust you'll protect our people well."

Brolg turned to face his army and the citizens. “Since the dawn of time abominations have slaughtered us. They kill our children and call it mercy; burn down our protectorates and call it justice. But our will stands strong. For the Gods themselves bequeathed the powers of this world to us to lay them to waste and I will do just that! Many soldiers laid down their life for this chance and we will take it! We ride out today with our brothers, but we will return with our Gods!” Deep cries of admiration woke the city as the army rode out to salvation.

…

The regiment galloped through the dense forest with a fierce stride. The roots and limbs of trees snapped under the bolting movements.

“Brolg, a word warning. This general has magic in mind tainting.” Thundor said.

“Mind, body. We will bolt through everything that comes our way.”

Thundor gave a chuckle. “For so long us Gods have been trapped in this dimension of barrenness; a world that doesn’t respond to my magic. So long it’s been since I’ve felt that breeze grace my skin, or the weightlessness of a tulip. But now, you give us hope for a new era. You alone have my thanks. Our thanks.”

“No. You came to give us, who are magicless, power. You are the reason I can instill hope. It’s you who granted me my dreams. The dream of being a champion.” Sunlight glistened around them as they met up on the stronghold past the thicket. “And now I ride out to live every champion's dream. Thank you, Thundor.”

"Brolg! Incoming!" Dalia said, breaking him into a mind for battle.

Nearing in sight now were beasts of many stripes coming from both air and sky.

"Dalia, I leave troops to you."

"We will join you shortly." She grabbed his arm, her gaze unwavering "Just make sure you last till then." 

Brolg nodded. He stood up on his horse, still galloping. He turned to the men, sparks building between his hairs. The air crackled as he spoke. "It's time! Men of thunder! After this, the Gods themselves will walk amongst us. I charge forth now, knowing who waits for me!" He turned back around, electricity now running down his arms and armor. It built up on his body as he knelt down and tensed his legs.

"For the Gods! For Thundor!" He shot off from his horse at the clap of thunder, with the speed of lightning. He catapulted past the hoard of monsters on the ground and bolted through those in the sky. He flew like a morning star over the stronghold walls straight into the tower with the most magic. 

With great ferocity he massacred the demon lurking there. He ascended the staircase and approached the door with the most magic coming from it, then he heard a cry. He looked down below to see a group of soldiers struggling, fighting tooth and nail against the winged demons with their spears. Brolg approached the window and prepared to jump.

“No!” Thundor echoed

“They need help!” Blorg retorted.

“They are here for a reason, a mission. Your mission. Don’t let this stop the God’s era!” 

Brolg stared at the soldiers.

“Brolg!”

Brolg turned around and burst through the main doors. He discharged bursts of lightning on entry, killing the demons in the room. All except for one.

Brolg pointed his sword to him. "Beast of the Mind, I presume."

He held up his scimitar. "Yes, Azoth." He was an

impish figure with wings. He crouched at five feet.

"No traps?" He didn't look around much. He already found what he was looking for. Right in the furnace center stage, the other piece of the relic. "I thought you thought higher of us."

"Those children's toys won't kill the Gods' champions. Only one thing will." He held up his scimitar as power built in it. "The same thing that killed the rest of them. My power!" 

Brolg's sword surged with power as he moved to meet the demon's blade. They both stood their ground as sparks and dark energy bombarded the room. The demon cackled as he stood to 7 feet and pressed the blade down on Brolg. He tore through Brolg's defenses and knocked his sword to the ground, letting the discharge dissipate in the ground. He thrust his blade into Brolg's stomach, flooding his body with dark energy, and pinning him to the ground.

"It’s time for beasts of nature to reign free! The era of Gods ends today!" 

Dark energy creeped its way up the demon’s claws as he pierced Brolg’s skull. The champion felt his eyes doing laps around his head as the energy coursed through his mind.

The demon laughed louder this time. “It's over! Mind Ra-“ A fist coated in lightning met the demon’s gut with stifling power, paralyzing him.

“You abominations think you deserve to rule?” Bolts of lightning flew from Brolg’s armor. They rushed past the demon’s skin, permeating through the demon’s torso to lock him in place. Brolg nailed the demon in the head with a rising uppercut and rushed for his sword. “Don’t be foolish! This is the Gods’ world!” He ran all the current he could through his sword, till it was burning red. He ran to the demon and lay down slashed upon slash of burning fury until the demon was as red as his sword. He lay the demon down with his foot and delivered the same blow dealt to him, a sword right through the gut. Brolg stared at the demon, its body paralyzed from lightning, its eyes scared from the scarring. Brolg yanked out the sword, poised for a final blow to the head.

“Wait. No. It wasn’t supposed to end like this!”

“Oh, so even the king’s strongest abomination begs in the end.”

Tears started flowing. “You think we asked for this? To be created for rejection!?”

Brolg stopped at the words.

Thunder echoed through the room. “Brolg, kill him! Don't give him time for mind games!” Thundor said.

“You Gods up in heaven think you’re so perfect. Think you can pass judgment on us? Fuck yo-!”

Brolg took the blade to his head.

Azoth only had strength for a whisper “I wasn’t a mistake, you hear-“

Even with laboured breath, Brolg went to the altar where the relic was being melted. He pryed the relic from the cauldron with his sword ans laid it down, still searing. But Brolg wasted no time for cooling, he got the other half of the relic from his bag a put it in with the burning one.

“Yes, Brolg! Finally, it’s time!” Thundor shouted.

“So you actually did it.” Dalia came up behind him, freshly coated in blood. She hugged him.

“He never stood a chance.”

“C’mon, Brolg. Let’s do it. We can all celebrate after.” Thundor said impatiently.

“Thundor is getting angsty. We should hurry. It’s time for the God’s reign.”

Brolg smiled as he channeled electrcity through the relic. Power surged from the relic, shaking the area. Bolts and sparks from Brolg's magic shot everywhere. Things started moving. First it was just dust, then objects in the room, until the ground itself started crumbling.

Brolg felt a tingle in his hands. “Thundor? What’s going on?” Then burning. “Thundor? Thundor, what’s going on?”

He heard Thundor say something “Brolg! Brolg!-“ But outside of his name he couldn’t make hide or hair.

Dalia’s excitement turned to worry. “Hey, Brolg. What’s going on?”

Then more power than could even be feasible burst from the relic with a bright light. Brolg felt as though every fiber of his being was attacked simultaneously. Dalia’s shouts went quiet as everything was engulfed in white.

…

Ringing. That was the only noise Brolg heard when he came to. His eyes proved functional, though his vision was painted in blots of red and tinted in smoke and ash. He felt the burns on his hands and knees as he sat up and looked around. A lifeless wasteland, much like the Thundor described Godfall prison to be, but this was definitely the overworld. Bodies, demons and men alike sprawled out on the battlefield, the humans sporting burn marks as they lay flat. He saw a lone arm beside him, coated in lightning. He was about to take a closer look at it until something to his left caught his attention. His eyes went wide and his stomach turned to knots. It was Dalia laying lifeless on the ground. He crawled over to her body, burned almost to cinders. He touched her, gently, as though she would break apart. He cried out as tears ran down his face. He could feel his consciousness slipping again.

“ Damn iiiit!” He fell unconscious again.

…

A brash heat bit Brolg as he opened his eyes.his vision was again painted red, but not from blood. This time it was from the glowing, hot, material lining the cave-like prison walls. 

“Nice to see you up.” The heat wasn’t the most striking feeling in the room though. That went to the immense outpour of energy rushing from the figure staring at Brolg from behind the cage bars. 

Four arms, a rattly tail, two big horn it wore like crowns. “Sylvestis, Demon King, I presume.” Brolg said.

“Brolg, Champion of Thundor, I presume.” 

Brolg looked at his body, not a scratch on him. Then his bare arms. “You’re foolish not to chain me.”

The king gave a giggle “What’s there to chain?”

“How did I get here? Did you take me from the ruins?” Brolg said, miffed now.

“General Azoth’s magic took effect later than expected. Mind Rapture. Only your mind is here. Your body lays elsewhere in recovery.”

“You foul demon. It was you who blew up the battlefield, wasn’t it!”

“No, piece of the relic was missing so the gid transportation didn’t work. Completely.”

“Completely?”

“We demons are smarter than we get credit. We analyzed the energy of the stronghold remains. The wave of energy that killed your men. That was the intended effect of the relic, it just couldn’t be completed because of the missing piece.”

“You lie. You just want our heads.”

He looked at Brolg, his gaze unwavered. “I swear it true. We fight against the Gods, not humans. They think my creations, my creatures, are a scorn to this world. They know we alone can possess magic without their aid. If they return, they will kill the lot of them in fear and disgust.”

“And that has what to do with me?”

“You think yourself different? Do you really think the God’s care for humans. Or are you just a means to their end?”

Brolg held silence briefly. “Liar.”

“I have to go now, before the final piece is returned. Our reasons are selfish, but if you really care of humanity, you’ll throw the relic to the shadows.”

“Before the piece is returned?”

“It hasn’t been days since you were unconscious, It’s been months. A human scout has found the last piece and is returning it to the other champion. Our troops are preparing to intercept the transfer in your capital.”

“Wait? The capital.” The vision of the rapture started to fade.

“I pray you do right by humanity.” Sylvestis said as he faded.

“Wait!”

 He said as he jerked upright. He was sat in a moving carriage in a field under a grey sky. Before he could even look around, he left a hug. It was his daughter.

“Father! You’re awake!” Tears burst from her eyes. Brolg looked at her, messy clothes and matted hair. 

“Anna? Where? How?”

Anna spoke between her all her sniffling. “The expedition, you- you were- and Dalia was- she was-“ 

He wrapped his arms around her as she lost all composure. He looked to the maid who was beside them. “What happened?”

“After your regiment’s death and the discovery of the missing piece 4 months ago, they ordered an evacuation to deal with the Demon King and his army.”

Anna’s cries settled down. “Father, Dalia is-“

Brolg put his head in his hands. “I know.”

“It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to end today! All this god shit! It was supposed to be the three of us. It was- It was-“ tears started flowing again, erupting this time.

Brolg looked around at his citizens. The ones that cheered him on. In grief, some surely over relatives gutted in glory in his last conquest. He leaned in close to Anna. 

“I know, and from now on, our family, our nation, is everything. I act for them.” He said as he moved from the carriage. 

Anna’s eyes went wide when she saw it. “Where are you going? You’re not leaving again, right?”

He said as he hopped on a horse nearby. “This time, it’s not for God. It’s for you.” He said as he rode off.

“That was touching.” A voice whispered as he galloped.

“Thundor? Where the fuck have you been, huh!? Dalia’s dead because of you!”

“I’m sorry, truly. The relic must have been incomplete. I was trying to tell you but you couldn’t hear me.”

Brolg kept silence at that.

But regardless we have to go. Battles must be fought.”

Brolg paused. “Right.” 

 …

Percivelth lay in his now burning captial only feet away from the demon king, Sylvestis. Percivelth was down an arm and a leg, and Sylvestis was missing his entire lower body. And just a yard away, was the last piece of the relic.

“The Gods’ era is here. you hear that, you abomination? Damnation is here!"

“You think we are monsters, mistakes. Just like the Gods. That is why I cannot let your world come.”

They hurled insults back and forth as they inched towards the remaining piece of the relic.

Then out of the flames, something emerged. A man covered in scars and bandages, with steps like thunder.

Percivelth grinned at the sight of him. "Thank the Gods! Brolg, you're here!"

Brolg walked past without a glance. He picked up the pieces of the relic.

Thundor thundered. "Yes. Yes, Brolg! It's time! Time for our reign! Wait, wait! What are you doing?"

Brolg held the pieces over the hot cauldron. "Thundor. At the ruins I saw an arm coated in lightning. It was your arm, wasn't it."

"What? No, I swe-"

Brolg swung the relic over the cauldron. "The truth."

"OK, OK just wait. The transportation… the transportation requires the life blood of at least 100,000 non-champions who confess to me as God."

Brolg almost fell over at that. "So all those people who brought us here. You'd obliterate them without a thought?"

Percivelt spoke up. "What are you doing, Brolg? We are so close to ruling with God's. Who cares of the shits under."

"This is just my people. How many more will be sacrificed for other Gods?" He held up the relics. "You watch me grow and love these people and yet you want them dead?! All my soldiers!? The villagers?! Hell, you made me kill Dalia! You don't care about us, you never did!"

"Please, Please! Whatever you want in return, it's yours! You want your daughter alive? We'll make her a champion! Riches? An ocean full! Just please step away from the cauldron."

"Do you know who I am!?

"Yes, you are my Champion! One to be adorned an celebrated!"

"No! I am not a champion of money or fame!

"Brolg, hold on."

 And I am not a champion of the Gods!

"Brolg, wait!"

 "I am a champion of the people!" He said as he threw the crown in the cauldron, setting for destruction.