The gods found the camp where the survivors of the Xochicalco massacre had taken refuge. When they saw their gods, Tláloc and Xipe Tótec, they quickly bowed in reverence.
“You were saved thanks to our divine intervention, simple mortals,” Xipe Tótec said to the survivors, all of whom had their faces pressed to the ground.
“We are not worthy of your words, great lords of Tollan,” the men said before their gods. The members of Orniskem could tell that they were trembling with fear in the presence of their superiors.
Tláloc then pointed at the members of Orniskem.
“Our collaborators lost a great deal of blood in that cruel battle against the beast Tlaltecuhtli. Therefore, when you return to your city, it is imperative that you begin performing human sacrifices in our honor and theirs,” the god said before the humans, who trembled in fear.
Tul was translating what the Toltec gods were saying to their people. When Tania heard about the human sacrifices, she became furious and stomped the ground with such force that she cracked it. The goddess’s eyes burned with uncontrollable rage, and she ground her teeth in fury.
“Do you have a problem?” Xipe Tótec asked the Punic goddess angrily.
“Force them to perform human sacrifices, and I will tear off that head of yours myself and wear your skin,” Tania shouted furiously.
The people bowing before the Toltec gods began to retreat in fear before Tania’s enormous power. An intense heat began to spread throughout the area.
“Ch’úupal, please, calm down,” Tul said, taking the Punic goddess’s hand.
“Listen, woman,” Tláloc said, turning to look at the goddess. “You are making my people nervous.”
“Human sacrifices are a crime, you damned blood-addicted bastards!” Tania continued shouting furiously at the Toltec gods.
“I swear, I will rip both your heads off,” she said.
“Human sacrifices are one of the ways we become stronger, woman!” Tláloc shouted.
“That has been the custom in this region since before I was born,” he explained.
“Every life in this world is precious,” Tania continued arguing. Then she approached Tláloc while wearing her totema. Furious, the goddess grabbed him by the neck.
“Lord Tláloc,” one of the women among the survivors said. “Please protect us from that demon woman.”
Tul tried to approach Tania so she would calm down, but the goddess began emanating fire from her body, and the rabbit goddess hesitated.
“No, woman. Not every life is precious,” Tláloc replied. “Human life is energy, and we gods consume it.”
Xipe Tótec, furious, also drew an obsidian knife and approached the Punic goddess in a rage. Tania looked at him with disdain.
“Tania, hold up,” Loki said, placing his hand on the goddess’s shoulder. Although she was burning, the god protected his hand with ice.
Then Loki whispered to the goddess:
“Cum Romae, ut Romani faciunt fac.”
Tania fell silent for a moment. She turned to look at the people, who were dead with fear, bowing before their gods and believing that a divine battle would break out in front of them. Then she looked at Tul, who was watching with concern, seeing that Tania could not control her rage.
“I… forgive me,” Tania said, releasing Tláloc. Then she turned around and walked toward Tul.
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“Listen, woman,” Tláloc said as Tania turned away.
“Humans need to eat. Therefore, they kill turkeys and deer for food, or tear living tubers from the earth to eat potatoes and jicamas. We gods, in addition to that, can feed on their blood. It is part of nature itself,” the god said.
“Your name is Tláloc, right?” Tania asked. At that moment, she turned to look at him with tired, tearful eyes.
“Have you ever lived among humans? Heard their problems? Cared for their children? Healed their wounds? Helped in their fields?” the Punic goddess asked.
“No. I have never done so. I am a god, and I live in a different sphere. Just as humans do not live among their turkeys or their deer,” Tláloc said.
“You hug that rabbit girl so much,” Xipe Tótec interrupted. “Has she told you how the Maya throw children into cenotes as sacrifices to their rain god?”
Tania looked at her companion in surprise, but Tul, embarrassed, admitted that such things happened often in Mayapán. At that moment, Tania felt something break inside her and did not know what to say.
“Forgive me, ch’úupal,” Tul said to the goddess in shame.
Tania knelt to hug Tul.
“It is not your fault. Calm down,” the Punic goddess replied.
At that moment, Loki stepped between the two groups and asked everyone to calm down.
“Tania,” Loki said, “I know you hate me because I caused a war and provoked human sacrifices to help cure Father Odin. I gotta admit that, some time ago, I saw the world the same way these people do.”
Tania turned to look at the Norse god while still embracing Tul.
“However, after spending time with you people, I’ve found some weight in your words, in the way you see the world when you actually live openly with the human race,” Loki continued explaining.
“It’s obvious you don’t want the people who live with you to die just so they can become part of your own blood,” he added.
Tláloc and Xipe Tótec fell thoughtful at that. Then Loki stared directly at them.
“So, do you two not live in the same city as your humans, instead of living in the world where gods live?” the Norse god asked.
“We live in a separate zone for gods called Tollan,” Tláloc replied.
Loki shrugged and made an indifferent face.
“Then tear down that wall dividing the city of Tollan and live among humans, so you can understand how Tania thinks,” the god said.
The two Toltec gods looked at each other and showed disgust at the idea. To them, it was inconceivable. It was as if a human left his city or tribe to live among animals.
Loki then turned to look at Tania.
“Ebony beauty, you also gotta understand that every region has cultures and customs you might not like, but for them, that way of life is the only truth they know, and they’ll defend it like religion,” the Norse god said.
Tania lowered her head. She felt awful having to accept such a condition.
“Tania, correct?” Tláloc asked.
“The Toltecs… no, since the first empire, we have used human sacrifice to strengthen ourselves against foreign enemies,” the blue god said.
“Huitzilopochtli, Itzpapálotl… even that woman from the continent you come from; they all became incredibly strong through human sacrifices,” Xipe Tótec added angrily.
“How are we supposed to protect our lands if everyone else uses such practices? Answer me!” he asked.
Tania remained silent at that moment.
“There is a way, my dear Toltec god,” Loki said, “and you saw it just moments ago when we faced that horrible monster with the sagging tits.”
“A different method?” Tláloc asked, puzzled.
“That’s right. While you thought that beast would kill us,” the Norse god said cockily, “we used it to break the barrier with that method.”
Then Loki stared at them and smiled.
“But don’t worry. Only the two of us were the ones who hadn’t done it yet. In other words, any of my companions could kick your asses right now,” he warned them.
“Break the barrier?” Tláloc asked.
“Exactly,” Loki continued.
“But obviously, it’s a secret we won’t share with a group of gods who wanted to serve us up as a sacrifice to that beast. Did you think that would boost your strength?” he asked.
Tláloc and Xipe Tótec fell into an uncomfortable silence.
So that was it, Tania thought in surprise.
“Sacrifice this, sacrifice that,” Loki said.
“I admit it. I used to think the same way. But I think you boys need to grow up and see the world. Especially learn from those humans you see as pack animals,” he said.
Tláloc then lowered his head.
“Forgive us for attempting to sacrifice you to Tlaltecuhtli,” the god said.
“I did not believe you could defeat her, considering that even Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca struggled greatly to do so,” he explained.
“We knew from the start,” Loki said mockingly.
“But we used it to make ourselves stronger and break the barrier. That’s why we hid our inability to fly,” he added.
“Now I understand. This ‘breaking the barrier’ means being able to fly on this continent despite the anti-divinity barrier?” Tláloc asked.
“That’s right, and without spilling even a drop of blood,” Loki said, placing his fists on his hips.
“We admit our mistake and our lack of vision,” Tláloc finally said.
“No one will be sacrificed in this city,” he added.
Tania then stood and tried to say something, but Loki gestured for her not to.
“Even so,” Tláloc continued, “we need help recovering Tollan from those Chichimecas.”
“Then that negotiation will have to be handled with this beautiful red-haired woman,” Loki said, striking a pose as if he were presenting Tania.