Tania, wrapped in flames like a living sun, began to roar, and the chamber lit up. The shadow creatures clinging to the walls recoiled in terror as the blazing heat flooded the massive fissure.

  When illuminated by the goddess’s overwhelming energy, the beings dissolved into dust.

  “I will never sell you my soul. It belongs to my friends and to the people who were unjustly sacrificed to me, Loki,” Tania said as she watched her companions begin to break free from their frozen prisons.

  Loki stared at her in awe.

  “The power of this girl is incredible. Almost on par with Thor… Where did she obtain such strength?” he wondered, trembling before the vision of Tania’s divinity.

  “What happened?” Ana asked as she shattered the ice encasing her.

  At the same time, the others thawed and rose to their feet, staring at Tania’s blazing form.

  “Did you save us, Tania?” Anpiel asked as he stood, his legs finally responding again.

  “Thy puissance is truly formidable, Tania-san,” Susanoo said, visibly impressed.

  Menrva, breaking free of her own icy shell, stared at Tania in disbelief.

  “Was she this strong before? No… she wasn’t,” she thought.

  “Are you alright?” Epona asked Rodrigo as he thawed and collapsed into the equine goddess’s arms.

  Rodrigo nodded, still confused about what had happened.

  “Listen,” Tania said. “Our minds were invaded by the shadow creatures Nanook mentioned. That’s why we lost our will to fight.”

  “The Taqriaqsuit?” Anpiel asked.

  “Yes,” Tania replied. “Unfortunately, I’m using all my power just to endure this cold. If we go any farther, I might not be able to save you.”

  “And your power is draining fast,” Ana added.

  “So I’ll take you as far as my body can endure,” the Punic goddess continued.

  “We don’t even know how long this cavern is. We can’t accept a useless sacrifice from you,” Menrva shouted angrily.

  “If we go back, we’ll face the god of Tula. We either win, or we’re captured here,” Tania replied.

  “Pray steel thy resolve, Tania-san, for we shall have no recourse but to engage in battle,” Susanoo said resolutely. “Our purpose in venturing hither was the augmentation of our strength. It is through the crucible of combat that we shall obtain the vital experience requisite for our growth.”

  “Wait,” Anpiel interrupted. “You’re forgetting that Lel has several allies in these lands, like the man who attacked Adlivun. Do you really think we could defeat a squad like that?”

  Tania suddenly cried out in pain, squeezing her eyes shut as her body doubled over in agony.

  “Come on… I’ll take you as far as I can,” she said, her face twisted with pain.

  “Why do you insist on making things so difficult?” Loki asked, leaning arrogantly against a wall.

  “When did he remove his restraints?” Ana asked.

  “Metal has no value in this infernal cold. They were made of something like adamantine, so they froze. I’m free,” Loki replied mockingly.

  The group shifted into defensive stances at the sight of Loki unchained, but the Norse god remained casually leaning against the wall.

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  “As I told you before, I am a frost giant. Unless it’s colder than Niflheim, the cold cannot affect me in the slightest,” Loki said.

  “But your legs were frozen in prison,” Ana pointed out.

  “That? I froze them myself for dramatic effect,” Loki answered.

  Tania cried out again and dropped to her knees, still maintaining her transformation at full power.

  “How long do you think she can keep heating this place? Do you want her to die in vain just to buy yourselves a few more seconds of warmth?” Loki asked.

  “Alright, Loki. Use your frost giant ‘magic’ and protect us,” Menrva said impatiently.

  “We can’t just let someone like him act freely!” Epona shouted, but Rodrigo quickly tried to calm her.

  “If you can save Tania, I will personally thank you,” Rodrigo shouted to the Norse god.

  Ana turned toward him in surprise.

  “No… please, I… I can still—” Tania said weakly as her flames began to fade.

  “Just do it. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility,” Menrva said, worry etched on her face.

  “Very well,” Loki said.

  The dark god donned his totema: a black Viking armor. Raising his mistletoe staff toward the cavern ceiling, he shouted, “íshindrun (Ice Barrier).”

  A translucent blue cube instantly formed around all the members of Orniskem, just as Tania’s Manticore transformation faded.

  The cold vanished entirely. Ana rushed to Tania, who was kneeling and breathing heavily.

  “Here, Tania. Drink,” the Irish goddess said, offering her ambrosia—now thankfully thawed.

  Tania drank and recovered quickly. She turned to Loki, about to speak, when she heard Rodrigo thanking him as Loki bowed politely.

  “Thank you for saving Tania from doing something reckless,” Rodrigo said.

  “Well, of course. I would do anything for a goddess as beautiful as Tannit,” Loki replied smugly.

  “Hey, idiot, you’ll call me Tania, alright?” she snapped, then blushed and looked away.

  “And… thank you for helping us,” she added nervously.

  Loki raised his arms theatrically and smiled with satisfaction.

  “Good. Then we can leave this cavern using this shield,” Menrva said, standing again.

  “Tell me, Loki. How long will your technique last?”

  “Long enough to get us out of this cavern,” Loki replied arrogantly.

  “Good. Move out,” the Etruscan goddess ordered. Everyone nodded and advanced.

  A few meters ahead, countless Taqriaqsuit began to gather. Being mere shadows, they clung to the walls and ceiling, darkening the passage even more.

  Menrva and Tania unleashed light and fire attacks that destroyed them, yet more and more kept appearing.

  “Run.”

  “Go back.”

  “Do not go on.”

  The voices echoed relentlessly. Ana and Epona were visibly the most affected by the mental assaults.

  “Forgive me, Rui, for being useless,” Ana said, biting her lip in frustration.

  “Leave me here! I’m just a burden!” Epona cried through tears.

  The others tried to encourage them while Menrva and Tania continued attacking.

  Then Loki stepped forward and said, “Hugur sprengja (Mind Blast).”

  All the Taqriaqsuit exploded and vanished in masses.

  “Am I the only one here with mental powers?” Loki asked mockingly.

  “What did you do to them?” Tania asked.

  “Oh, I simply destroyed their minds,” the Norse god replied.

  Ana slammed her fist against the ground.

  “Damn it! Why do I fall for these attacks so easily?” she shouted.

  “It wasn’t your fault, Ana,” Rodrigo tried to console her, but she turned away.

  “I fell for them too, Ana,” Epona said bitterly. “Don’t feel so bad. I guess we still have skeletons to pull from our closets.”

  “As long as that man lives, I can’t grow,” Ana said angrily.

  Rodrigo understood she meant the god who had abused her in her homeland.

  “Let’s keep moving, Ana, Epona,” Tania said, offering both of them her hands.

  “Tell me, Tania,” Ana asked. “If I had fallen into the nightmare you were trapped in on Mars… could I have escaped?”

  “Of course you could have. You’re mentally stronger than I am,” Tania replied, pulling both goddesses back to their feet.

  “It’s embarrassing to admit, but we wouldn’t have crossed this dungeon without Loki’s help,” Menrva said.

  “It was nothing,” Loki replied. “When I’m surrounded by such beautiful women, my full potential awakens.”

  Tania shot him a look of disdain, and they continued onward.

  “I just want you to know, Ep, I respect you a lot. I don’t think you’re what you said you were,” Rodrigo told Epona as they walked.

  “I know. Thank you,” the Celtic goddess replied. “Still, it’s humiliating to fall for such cheap mental traps.”

  “They affected me too,” Rodrigo said. “They called me a coward for not avenging my mother’s death. I felt like it would destroy me.”

  “Then we have only one choice—grow stronger,” Epona said, patting his shoulder.

  “Mate,” Susanoo said suddenly.

  “What is it, Susanoo?” Menrva asked.

  “Dost thou not perceive that foul odour? The very air carries the miasma of mortality.”

  “Do you think it’s… the beast Nanook mentioned?” Ana asked.

  “Mahaha,” Anpiel said.

  “That’s the one,” Ana replied uneasily.

  “I think only Anpiel can remember names that strange,” Epona said with a nervous laugh.

  At the end of the corridor, white eyes and a massive, mocking grin shone like pearls. From the darkness, enormous claws slowly emerged, caressing the dungeon wall with a sinister delight.

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