In addition to winning the battle and saving Anpiel from being sacrificed, Athena managed to recruit five warriors from Ares’ Keres:
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Susanoo, the eastern god and Keres number twelve.
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Menrva, the Etruscan goddess and Keres number one.
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Al-Qaum, Nabataean god of the night and Keres number ten.
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Ishtar and Ninshubur—the former being the queen of the ancient kingdom of Uruk, and the latter her companion-in-arms and most faithful devotee.
Things in Lel seemed to be spiraling out of control. According to what Ares had revealed to Athena, Anat, acting as the ruler of Lel under the authority of her father El, had begun an aggressive expansion across the world. She had planned to destroy Asgard to prevent the Norse gods from forging alliances with the gods of Vinland, which would have turned them into a real threat to the proud and powerful kingdom.
Although Odin’s whereabouts—still alive somewhere in Vinland—remained unknown, this was potentially a major advantage, since Lel believed him to be dead.
While Lel had tried to prevent Orniskem from making contact with Asgard, Athena had outmaneuvered Anat’s plans by meeting Tania and Ana first. Now, Orniskem had formalized an alliance with Asgard, and it was necessary to find Odin, who—according to Loki—was hiding somewhere within that vast continent.
Athena had dispatched one of her most powerful warriors, Bellona, to assist Thor and Loki, but contact with them had been lost the moment they entered the continent. No word had come from the Asgardian gods either, leading Athena to suspect enemy forces already bribed by Lel in the region.
The situation was even more complicated because hundreds of kingdoms rose across that continent. Athena was particularly aware of two located in northern Vinland: the Mississippi Kingdom and the Toltec Kingdom, believed to be the most powerful in the region. Both possessed extremely strong gods, not to mention the many vassal kingdoms under their rule.
Of the two, Athena was most concerned about the Toltec Kingdom. She had a strong intuition that Rodrigo’s totem originated from that region—a group of deities who ruled tyrannically over their people, demanding massive human sacrifices. The gods there were exceptionally powerful.
Bellona had used a secret route the Norse gods had created from a massive island they called Greenland. This path was believed to be beyond the sight of Lel’s malakim—or so they hoped. On the other side lay a small kingdom allied with Asgard: the Kingdom of Adlivun, ruled by the goddess Sedna.
In ten days, Rodrigo and the others would depart from Iceland, the last region accessible without Lel’s supervision, to Greenland, and from there enter Vinland through Adlivun, whose people were known as the Skr?ling.
Those who volunteered to enter Vinland were: Rodrigo, who wished to learn about his past; Menrva, who would act as the group’s leader; Tania; Ana; Epona; Anpiel; and—surprisingly—Susanoo, who had insisted on joining them. Perhaps the legend of a feathered serpent in the Toltec Kingdom was what motivated him.
Still, ten days was a long wait.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
After a funeral in Pallas for the malakim who had fallen at Ares’ hands and in the war on Mars, Tania asked Athena for permission to host a celebration she had promised at her home in Ibiza.
The goddess prepared a grand feast where not only gods gathered, but also the common people. Unknowingly, mortals shared bread with deities.
There was abundant beef, lamb, and chicken; lentils, bread, and wine—served sparingly, since Ibiza lay within a Muslim region where wine was not commonly consumed.
Tania prepared most of the feast herself, aided by Epona and Nabu. Ana was forbidden from entering the kitchen, as she somehow managed to burn even soup.
Mitras contributed cattle from his personal herd. He proudly called himself “the lord and master of banquets,” and together with Sol, handled the tables and decorations.
From Orniskem, only Athena and Horus attended the feast. The former Keres of Ares—Ishtar, Ninshubur, Susanoo, Al-Qaum, and Menrva—were also present. The others remained in Pallas to safeguard the planet or await news of Bellona.
The people of Ibiza joyfully joined the celebration.
“I wanted to celebrate my thirtieth spring in luxury,” Tania told them.
Beloved and respected on the island, many brought food and gifts. Tania embraced every single person. Rodrigo was amazed that she remembered everyone’s name, even though there were over a hundred guests.
Nabu, who had stayed behind to protect the island from Baalat’s influence, remained at the feast at Tania’s insistence. He turned out to be an excellent cook, teaching her ancient Mesopotamian recipes—especially a lamb stew he called Tuhu.
Tania worked tirelessly in the kitchen, partly as gratitude to her friends for forgiving her, and partly because her people still stood alive despite Lel’s terrible threats.
Epona, meanwhile, drank wine brought especially from Normandy and laughed with Anpiel, Mitras, and Sol.
“Damn it, Sol, why do you still have that huge bandage on your right arm? Did you hurt yourself or what?” Epona asked, slightly drunk.
“No… well… I like keeping my a-arm like this,” Sol replied.
“He probably got a stupid tattoo in Syria and is embarrassed to show it,” Mitras laughed.
“Really? Show it! Show it!” Epona insisted cheerfully.
“It’s not a tattoo!” Sol protested.
“He’s worn that bandage since I’ve known him. He doesn’t even take it off to bathe,” Mitras added.
“And how do you know how he bathes?” Anpiel asked.
Mitras and Sol blushed instantly.
“Don’t tell me you two—” Epona teased.
“Very Roman,” Anpiel laughed.
“It was completely normal to bathe together in Rome!” Sol snapped.
“But you’re not stuttering anymore,” Epona said.
Anpiel and Epona laughed and kept drinking.
Elsewhere, Rodrigo, Ana, Athena, and Horus sat together.
“I have to admit, Tania’s lentils are incredible,” Rodrigo said enthusiastically.
“She’s an excellent cook,” Horus agreed.
“I’d like to help her, but this must already be exhausting for her alone,” Ana said.
“Don’t worry, Nabu is helping. By the way, have you tried his lamb stew? It’s excellent,” Athena said.
They all nodded.
“By the way, Ana, I see you still stink in the kitchen. That’s why they don’t let you in, right?” Athena teased.
“That’s not true!” Ana snapped.
“When I lived with her and she had to treat one of my wounds, those were the worst days of my life,” Athena continued laughing.
“I asked for something simple—pita bread with lamb and olive oil—and she couldn’t even bake the bread. It came out shapeless, lumpy, burnt. The lamb was dry, and whatever she marinated it with tasted like poison. I’d rather have faced Hades again.”
“Master, you exaggerate,” Ana said, puffing her cheeks.
“By the way, Ramiro, did you hear about the passionate kiss the blonde girl gave you back on Mars?” Athena asked.
“A kiss?” Rodrigo blushed.
“Yes. She grabbed your head and kissed you—even though you were still a tannin and your saliva should’ve been poisonous,” Horus added.
“Epona is shameless,” Ana muttered.
“Disciple, are you jealous?” Athena teased.
“You know very well I haven’t felt physical attraction since what happened in my past,” Ana replied coldly.
“Really? I could’ve sworn you were in love with him,” Athena said.
“No!” Ana snapped.
Rodrigo felt oddly rejected.
“Rodrigo and I are master and disciple. I care deeply for him, but I’m not in love. I’d be happy if he and Epona became a couple,” Ana said stiffly.
“Are you sure, Ana?” Athena asked.
Ana slammed the table.
“I think I’ve had too much to drink. Excuse me,” she said, standing up and walking away.
“Did I upset her?” Rodrigo asked.
“Ana feels something for you, boy,” Horus said bluntly.
“That’s impossible,” Rodrigo replied.
“I think you should go after her and talk,” Athena said.
“You really think so?” Rodrigo asked.
“Yes. Go. Now,” Athena urged.