After Susanoo felt, Freyja bit her lips when she realized Susanoo had been unable to overcome the barrier. At that, Loki finally stood and vanished while criticizing his Asgard companion’s attitude.
Several ice stalagmites pierced Nanahuatzin’s body, but the god took no damage. At that moment, a great slash of fire also struck the god, causing a serious wound to one of his arms. Another slash, made of light, severed another of his arms, while a greenish cut separated the god’s head from his body. It had been Tania, Ana, and Epona who launched their attacks together, using their strongest transformations.
Rodrigo, who was not about to fall behind, teleported in front of Nanahuatzin and fired a Sphere of Venus at him with all his power. The Chichimeca god vanished in a white explosion, while the young man lifted Susanoo and teleported back to where his friends were.
The young tannin, carrying Susanoo, and Loki returned to where Tul’s healing vapor barrier was. But at that moment, the vapor faded, and the gods once again began suffering the ravages of the epidemic floating in the air.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, Nanahuatzin appeared again, floating in the air, since Rodrigo had destroyed the hill where he had been sitting.
“Great techniques, but still not enough to defeat me… cough, cough,” the god said as he floated closer over the gods, who were beginning to writhe from the disease.
Nanahuatzin, who had positioned himself directly above the gods, began to shine like the sun.
“Long ago, I sacrificed myself to save my people. That is why my body can only live thanks to the sacrifices made unto me,” the god said in a very calm voice.
“His divine power is increasing tremendously,” Menrva said in agony as she vomited blood, still on all fours on the ground.
Everyone was in a similar state. Their skin began to fall off and rot. Sores filled with blood and pus appeared across their bodies. Welts erupted wherever they still had skin. Their eyes began falling from their faces.
Nanahuatzin once again made that terrible heat spread across the entire area, the same heat they had felt when they first encountered him.
“My name is Nanahuatzin, the Fourth Sun of Teotihuacán,” the Chichimeca deity began to recite.
“And soon, y’all shall become part of my pain,” he continued, just as all the members of Orniskem screamed in agony under the god’s heat attack.
But suddenly, a voice was heard throughout the entire region.
“Enough, Nanahuatzin,” it said.
Nanahuatzin extinguished his heat while watching the gods of Orniskem continue suffering from the plague on the ground.
“Great King Xólotl, I do not believe you would have any interest in these weaklings,” Nanahuatzin said to the voice that seemed to come from everywhere.
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“I have matters to settle with that individual who bears Ehécatl’s teotonli, and I cannot allow you to take the glory,” said the magnificent voice. It sounded harsh and imposing, yet carried a trace of pain.
As best she could, Tul took out her last medicinal bottle and threw it into the air so that it would rain over everyone, destroying it with her mental power at the same time. As the gods were bathed by the rain, they felt momentary relief, since the cloud of pestilence still lingered throughout the valley.
“And may I, then, take care of killing the others?” Nanahuatzin asked, but the voice flatly refused him.
“I do not know whether y’all are fortunate or condemned for having drawn the attention of great Xólotl,” Nanahuatzin said as he moved his hands and made the plague disappear completely. This allowed the rest of the gods to rise with difficulty, though at least they could breathe better now.
“Go on. Y’all may pass,” Nanahuatzin said. “Our king in Tlacuitlapán is waitin’ for ya.”
The Chichimeca god floated away from there and disappeared, leaving the entire group frustrated and nervous.
“He seemed to be only one of the gods serving that so-called king,” Tania said in frustration. “And we could not even wound him.”
Susanoo, who had already regained consciousness, raised his hand and once again created a small cloud of vapor with the liquid from Tul’s potion. Everyone finally began to feel better as the Chichimeca god’s plague fully dissipated.
“Gomen nasai,” the eastern god said, ashamed, his face marked by embarrassment. He knelt on the ground and lowered his head.
“My selfishness almost cost all of you your lives,” he said in shame.
“We all make mistakes, Susanoo. What matters is overcoming them,” Menrva replied, not giving it much importance.
“But my mistake would have cost you your lives if that voice had not stopped the fight,” Susanoo continued.
“Please, remove this shame my being feels,” he ordered.
“You are not suggesting that we take your life, are you?” Menrva asked again.
“If necessary, then do so,” Susanoo replied.
“Don’t say things like that, yuum Susanoo,” Tul said, somewhat angry.
“It is you, Tul-chan, whom I failed most,” the eastern god continued. “That man insulted your honor, and I could do nothing.”
“It’s all right, yuum. Really,” the rabbit goddess answered with a somewhat embarrassed smile.
“And then you tried to help me with your electric power, and I still could do nothing. I wasted your technique!” Susanoo kept lamenting.
Everyone felt uncomfortable at that moment, but Rodrigo broke the silence.
“Your goal is to become stronger so you can face us again, right? Then you have to keep fighting to become stronger without looking back at the falls you might suffer,” the young tannin replied.
“Besides,” Freyja added, “part of the blame’s mine for stoppin’ everyone from helpin’ you.”
Everyone remained silent for a moment.
“We forgot that we are a team,” Tania interrupted. “We must fight together. We cannot lose our lives because of pride or individualism.”
“Gomen nasai, Tania-san,” Susanoo continued apologizing, ashamed.
“I have made mistakes too, but that is all right, Susanoo. That is what makes us grow,” the Punic goddess replied.
“Freyja and I understand your frustration, Susanoo,” Menrva added. “But let us try to help one another break the seal of this barrier together.”
Susanoo nodded and stood once again.
At that moment, groups of Zacateco soldiers surrounded the gods. The men aimed their bows at the group.
“I am beginning to feel bored of always ending up in similar situations,” Anpiel said sarcastically.
One of the men gestured for them to follow.
“I think he wants us to travel with them,” Rodrigo said.
“Yes. They must be taking us before their king,” Epona replied.
Then Loki began to laugh quietly.
“What’s wrong with you, idiot?” Tania asked him.
“If we couldn’t do a damn thing to that guy, what hope do we have of defeating the king? Or of running into that so-called king of Tula again if he actually fights seriously this time?” Loki asked.
All the gods swallowed hard and prepared for the worst.