The Final Judgement

The atmosphere in the arena was oppressive. Every spectator, whether human or god, knew that the confrontation was reaching its climax. Thor, standing with lightning in his eyes, invoked the power of the heavens and his ancestors.

"Mortal, you have proved yourself worthy," Thor declared, clutching Mjöllnir. "But now it's time to end it."

In front of him stood Leonidas, wounded, panting, but still standing. His armour was in tatters, his shield lost, but his eyes shone with indomitable fire. He planted his spear in the ground, holding it firmly despite his trembling arms.

"Do what you must, Thor," he replied calmly. "But know that I will never fall without a final blow."

Thor, concentrating, raised his hammer above his head. Lightning flashed from the sky, all converging on Mjöllnir. The accumulated power shook the entire arena.

"Gerrod's Fossoyeuse!" screamed Thor, announcing his ultimate attack.

Leonidas, for his part, murmured a silent prayer, not for his survival, but for his sacrifice to inspire others. He gathered his last strength and declared:

"Here is my answer, god of storms. Last Stand of Sparta!"

His spear lit up with a golden glow, imbued with the strength and will of thousands of fallen Spartans before him. With a heart-rending battle cry, he charged Thor, his spear pointed straight at his heart.

The two attacks collided in a colossal explosion of energy. Thor's lightning clashed with Leonidas' brute force, creating a shock so powerful that even the furthest spectators were thrown backwards.

The arena shook, the ground cracked and the sky itself seemed to tear apart. Every fraction of a second seemed like an eternity as the power of the two combatants was measured.

But little by little, Thor gained the upper hand. Leonidas' divine spear, remarkable though it was, began to give way under the crushing pressure of Mjöllnir. With a final cry, the spear exploded into fragments, taking both of Leonidas' arms with it.

The Spartan collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe.

When the dust settled, Thor was on his feet, his glittering hammer still in his hand. He looked down at his fallen opponent, a mixture of triumph and sadness in his eyes.

"You are the bravest warrior I have ever faced, Leonidas," Thor murmured, moving slowly forward.

Leonidas, despite his mortal wounds, raised his head and stared at Thor. His voice, though weak, still carried the same force:

"Even a god... is not invincible."

The words struck Thor like a bolt of lightning. The god of thunder stood still, his hammer ready to strike one last time, but his heart heavy.

Thor raised Mjöllnir, ready to deliver the final blow. But something stopped him. Leonidas' gaze, proud and serene, prevented him from acting.

"You have won," murmured Leonidas, a faint but dignified smile on his lips. "Do it."

But Thor, for the first time, hesitated. He slowly lowered his hammer, then laid a hand on Leonidas' shoulder.

"Your name will be etched in the memory of gods and men. Rest in peace, King of Sparta."

Leonidas, satisfied, let out one last breath before collapsing, his inert body bearing witness to his sacrifice.

The entire arena stood silent, as if frozen in time. The gods, who had never seen Thor accord such respect to a mortal, were left speechless.

On the human side, the loss of Leonidas was heavy, but his courage and determination inspired a new fervour.

Thor turned and walked slowly towards his people, his hammer trailing behind him. His shoulders, usually straight and proud, seemed slightly slumped.

"Who's next?" Zeus said with a satisfied smile, but Thor ignored him, staring at the horizon.

Leonidas was dead, but his spirit lived on. The humans, galvanised by his performance, knew that they could rival the gods.

The gods, for their part, understood that each battle would be more difficult than the last.

Valhalla had trembled, but the story was far from over.