The world had been in chaos as the gods reigned. Though most hadn't interfered directly, a few had, and despite everything, humanity somehow prevailed. Even now, as everything spiralled further into madness and more and more humans perished each day, there were still men, women, and children who survived to see another tomorrow. That was the hope, anyway.
One of such places where the most hid was the outskirts of Antarctica, where a majority of humanity remained. It wasn't ideal, but most of the abominations and monsters couldn't survive here. The sea served as salvation, preventing them from swimming to the frozen refuge. But the problem was, humanity could barely survive here either. A blizzard raged outside, as always, while humanity's remaining leaders gathered in a dimly lit room.
"Humanity's fallen, hasn't it?"
The men and women in the room had nothing to say. He was right. Humanity had lost. Their faces were tired, their eyes hollow, and hope had long since left them.
"We can't contact anyone anymore using anything and we don't know how many people are still alive."
"Not like we can support them anyway,"
A soldier opened the door with news.
"Sir, more people have arrived, and the demand for food and water is growing,"
"Damn it!. We already don't have enough. What the hell can we do now?"
"Calm down. This won't get us anywhere,"
A guard burst into the room, panting, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at them, terror written in his face.
"T-There's a monster, a titan, coming from the sea!!!"
They rushed outside, and their faces paled at the sight before them. A giant of incomprehensible proportions loomed over the icy waters. It was something that could devastate entire cities, an eldritch horror with tentacles seeping from its body and face, two massive glowing orange eyes, and hundreds of arms. Six crab-like legs carried its monstrous form, and at the ends of two of its massive arms were jagged pinchers. Blood marred its teeth and jaw, remnants of whatever it had devoured in the depths of that hellish ocean. Its bluish-grey body towered above them, staring soullessly down at the human settlement.
Panic erupted as people screamed and ran for shelter. The military responded immediately, firing everything they had: guns, tanks, explosives, but the titan merely raised an arm. In a single swipe, hundreds perished in an instant. Civilians huddled behind the dwindling military forces, their faces filled with terror as the creature made its way closer.
"I-I thought they couldn't reach here, Mommy..."
"T-They can't... don't worry,"
The mother smiled even as tears streamed down her face as she held him close, hiding him from the cursed reality.
The creature took another step forward. The military's attacks were futile. Some people tried to flee, others fell to their knees in prayer, and some simply accepted their fate. This was it. The end of humanity.
"W-What do we do, sir?" a soldier asked, his voice shaking as uncertainty reached everyone in that moment.
"I... I don't know," his superior admitted, despair clear in his eyes. Even with all their advancements in technology, they were utterly powerless.
Electricity crackled from the earth as a man emerged from the blizzard, covered in blood. Wounds rapidly healed as energy surged through his body. Humanity had not lost yet. He clenched his fist, lightning dancing around him as his wound healed in a flash. He had come to kill a titan.
Amias sighed. Here he was again, wandering the endless maze of mirrors. He was immortal now didn't need to eat, sleep, or drink. It was almost funny, really. He wasn't sure if he was going insane, but it certainly felt like it. His reflections moved when he wasn't looking and when he was looking. He had already suffered from the shadow man's torment, so this wasn't helping his fractured mind.
And then something suddenly speared through his heart.
"Haha. Great, isn't it?" he joked sarcastically, gritting his teeth as he turned to face the creature. A massive spider loomed before him as he looked at it unimpressed. Strangely, he wasn't scared.
"I should be scared, right?" he muttered. "FUCK,," he sighed, "Well, aren't you a delight." He laughed as he slipped his body off the spear-like limb and healed instantly once more.
In the deep vacuum of space, where nothing should survive, a man wreathed in fire drifted toward Earth.
His eyes fluttered open, staring through the flames at the vast black abyss ahead. He felt weightless, floating through the void at an incredible speed, though it felt agonizingly slow. Right now, he simply lay back, exhausted.
"I've lost the god," Tobi mused. He looked blankly ahead; space was so empty was so empty as he stared blankly into it.
It's peaceful
He thought as he drifted through the void, slowly descending back to the world below.
What's done is done. I will continue and go forth, Tobi thought as he observed the flames still engulfing him. They were warm, oddly comforting, despite everything he had lost.
He tilted his head up, gazing down at his own half-burned, charred body. If he could, he would have laughed. But at this moment, he was utterly alone in space, drifting toward Earth. I had looked like this once before, haven't I he reminisced.
That boy Amais I hope he's well, Tobi thought. His body now bore the scars from the Lord of Flames. Raising his charred fist, he willed it to ignite. The fire flickered to life weakly, nothing compared to when he had the god's power but still, it was something. A small victory.
Yet, something gnawed at him, an unease that never went away. But he was still alive. That meant he hadn't lost yet.