“I am not familiar with that name,” Epona said, embarrassed.
“I am,” Tania added. “He is a sort of Helel for the Greek religion, correct?”
Tul then shuddered a little.
“Is he a bad man?” she asked.
At that moment, Menrva interrupted the conversation while stretching her arms in a relaxed manner over the table.
“I believe he would be seen more as a tragic hero,” the Etruscan goddess said. “A benefactor to humanity, but a traitor to the world of the gods.”
Then Menrva began explaining about Prometheus.
“Prometheus was a Titan; in other words, he belonged to a generation of gods prior to the current gods in Olympus,” the Etruscan goddess said, while seeing that Tul was looking at her with great curiosity.
“But Prometheus always advocated for humanity, to the point that humans considered him their creator,” Menrva continued explaining.
“And was he punished for that? Why did they think he was humanity’s creator?” Tul asked, confused.
Menrva shook her head.
“No. During those times, there was a change in temperature caused by a global glaciation, so Prometheus used his powers as a Sun god to bring heat and fire to humanity. For that, he was condemned by the courts of Olympus,” Menrva replied.
“It was said that Prometheus had stolen fire from the gods and given it to humans, all because of that action,” Nabu added.
“That is correct,” the Etruscan goddess replied. “Thus, Prometheus was condemned to be bound to a mountain, where an eagle tore out his liver every day.”
Tul covered her mouth with her hands in surprise.
“Why would they do something so cruel to someone who only wanted to help humans?” the rabbit goddess asked, frightened.
“Because the intervention of gods in human affairs is forbidden on this continent,” Menrva replied calmly. “However, I assume it was due more to the envy the gods felt toward him as a benefactor of humans.”
Epona then remembered how her brothers had hated her because of the devotion humans had felt toward her years ago. The Celtic goddess could not help feeling moved by the story.
“Nevertheless, Heracles freed Prometheus, and he took refuge in the human world, hidden from Olympus,” Nabu said. “With that, he also took several secrets of Olympus with him.”
Tul then became thoughtful for a moment.
“Tell me, yuum Nabu,” the Maya goddess said. “Was the plague affecting the people in this city caused by those same gods?”
The Babylonian god nodded sorrowfully.
“Apollo, the archer of Olympus, cast a poisoned dart into the seas of this island, infecting the marine fauna. From there, the humans consumed that food and fell ill,” Nabu replied.
“Then why don’t we use our divine powers to heal them?” she asked.
Tania was about to answer that gods could not intervene in the human world, but she understood Tul’s point. It was an illness caused by the whim of a god, so they, as protectors of humanity, had to counteract it with their divine powers.
“You have a point, little one,” Nabu replied. “But even if you healed them, it is very possible that Lel would seek new ways to attack this city, whether through plagues or by moving armies through dreams to communicate with kings and warlords.”
“But just like that Prometheus you told us about, it is our duty to protect humans from the whims of the gods,” Tul replied anxiously. “As long as this is divine mobilization, we must use our powers to fight it.”
Tania then stood.
“Tul,” she said. “If you can heal them all, do it!”
Nabu also stood, somewhat nervous. The god had his doubts about whether they should display their divine powers so openly.
“If it were a normal disease, I myself would endure the pain of seeing my people wounded. But Lel’s whim must not be tolerated,” Tania added.
“I agree with them,” Epona said. “I lived through similar situations when I was younger, and I would never intervene if it were an act of nature. But when a god throws a tantrum, we must not allow it.”
“We are goddesses, after all,” Menrva replied and nodded.
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Seeing that the four goddesses were willing to help the people of Ibiza, Nabu breathed deeply and sat down again.
“Do you understand that it will not go unnoticed if the humans are healed?” he asked.
“They did this only because they could not cross your barrier,” Tania said. “Otherwise, I am certain that Apollo would have mercilessly shot the humans here.”
“After all, if Apollo works for Olympus, then he must also work for that false empress in Constantinople,” Menrva added.
Nabu was puzzled by that fact, so Tania and Menrva explained Irene of Constantinople to him. When they finished, the god’s face was pale.
“Irene died more than a century ago… Does that mean they have been acting so brazenly all this time?” he asked in shock.
“I believe we can no longer keep playing,” Tania said.
Then the goddess looked fixedly at Nabu with a determined expression.
“We want to see this Prometheus so he can tell us how we can enter Tartarus,” the goddess said. “Where can we find him?”
Nabu then took from among his books a map rolled like a parchment. The map showed the European continent, the Middle East, North Africa, and a tiny part of the rest of the Asian continent. The god then pointed to the Crimean Peninsula.
“Here, south of the Taurica Peninsula,” the Babylonian god said. “He is taking refuge in the mountain range called ‘Ai-Petri.’”
“Good. I will go immediately,” Tania said, but at that moment, Epona stopped her.
“Tania, you stay here with Tul to heal these people. I will go there with the other ones,” the equine goddess said.
“But I know you are a good healer for humans,” Tania said to the Celtic goddess.
“I am certain Tul will be enough to heal them,” Epona replied. “This town needs health and protection in case those bastards from Lel decide to attack again.”
Tania turned to look at Tul, and she nodded.
“Very well. Little Tul and I will take care of everything here,” Tania said.
Tul then covered her face again with her bluish tunic and stood.
“I’ll heal these people right away,” the Maya goddess said with a determined look. “And I’ll stay here in case there are new bacteriological attacks, and to help the people with whatever they need.”
Menrva then placed her hand on the rabbit goddess’s shoulder.
“Tul, once this is over, I will take you to see the world without any trouble,” the Etruscan goddess said to the Maya goddess. “Forgive us for having to leave you here for the moment.”
Tul shook her head, indicating that it did not matter.
“Menrva, have you been to Taurica?” Epona asked, confused.
The Etruscan goddess nodded.
“In ancient times, there used to be a group of Amazon warriors there,” the goddess said. “I went there long ago to find inspiration as a warrior woman, so I can take you by teleportation to Korsún, the city located in front of that mountain range.”
The Etruscan goddess then showed Nabu the star pendant the masked man had given her.
“Forgive me, Lord Nabu,” Menrva said to the Babylonian god as she returned the pendant. “Would you happen to have a similar pendant so I may return here?” she asked.
The god nodded and made another star-shaped pendant appear. He gave it to her and closed her hands around it.
“Teleport from here as much as you wish. Consider this a safe zone,” Nabu said.
The goddess nodded.
“Show that pendant to Prometheus as well, so he knows I sent you,” Nabu added.
Menrva then stood and gave Epona her hand. Epona accepted and took it.
“We will go first to Tuscania, and from there, we will move to Taurica,” Menrva said.
“By the way,” Epona interrupted. “It seems your father wants to hold a feast for your return tomorrow at midday.”
The Etruscan goddess fell thoughtful for a moment.
“We will resolve all of this before that feast,” the Etruscan goddess said proudly.
Tania and Tul said goodbye to their companions as they disappeared.
The Maya goddess gave Nabu a slight bow and left through the door of Tania’s room. There, she saw the masked man tending to the dying patients.
Tania then touched Tul’s head and stroked it.
“Let me talk to them first,” she said.
Tania then told the patients that the illness they suffered had been caused by mischievous little jinn, and that they had to be exorcised. Nabu also came out to offer the goddess moral support.
Then Tania saw the masked man staring fixedly at her. The goddess did not know whether it was out of curiosity or disapproval, but it made her somewhat uncomfortable.
The Punic goddess then presented Tul to the sick.
“She is a muqri I have brought from Baghdad to perform the exorcism, so do not worry. You will recover your health soon.”
Tania then mentally told Tul a mantra she had to recite again and again. The Maya goddess accepted and did what the Punic goddess asked of her, while invoking the healing of the people with her hands.
At that moment, the sick began to feel better and stood, filled with joy and happiness, all thanking Tania and Tul, although the Maya goddess preferred to keep her distance so they would not see her leporine face.
Tul and Tania remained in Ibiza, tending to the people.
Meanwhile, Menrva returned with Epona to Tuscania and told Ana, Anpiel, and Susanoo everything that had happened in Ibiza.
“So, Prometheus? It has been some time since I last heard that name,” Anpiel said thoughtfully.
“I suggest we go immediately, now that we will not receive interruptions from the fief’s servants,” Menrva said.
“But it must be a fact that Lel has eyes in that region,” Epona added, worried.
“Well, remember that we will not teleport directly here,” Menrva replied. “Only if we come from Ibiza, because we know it is a safe zone.”
“Very well. I believe I will go on this occasion,” Anpiel said as he stood and made his golden macuahuitl appear.
“I am going with you, Anpiel,” Epona interrupted while approaching the malak.
Anpiel looked at the equine goddess and shook his head.
“Please, Epona. Do not begin with your customary tantrums. We are going into unexplored territory,” the angel replied.
“How long has it been since I last did anything like that?” the Celtic goddess asked, annoyed.
“Fine. I will stay here with Susanoo in case something happens in the fief,” Ana added.
Susanoo nodded while remaining seated in his lotus position.
“Very well. We shall see one another soon,” Menrva said, and everyone nodded.
Epona wore her totema while Anpiel changed his clothes for his malak armor. The two gods gave Menrva their hands, and she teleported outside Tuscania.
Meanwhile, in front of Yggdrasil, Freyja levitated in space with her entrails opened and surrounded by floating gouts of blood. The goddess was unconscious while Baalat looked at her with disdain.
Loki was transformed into his dark elf form and had his staff pointed at Freyja, while she continued floating slowly through space.
“It’s impossible that you beat my sister,” Baalat said angrily while licking the blood smeared across her arms.
Loki said nothing, but his gaze expressed concern.
“Well, now I’m gonna kill you, you stupid traitor, and pull my sister out of her shitty kingdom,” the Phoenician goddess said as she prepared to attack Loki.