After seeing Bellona, Epona and Ana began waving and shouting to show that they were there. The sight filled Tania and Rodrigo with relief, as they had been searching for their companions as well.

  Even so, the wolves immediately shifted into an aggressive stance, preparing for any threat this unfamiliar group might pose.

  “Who are you, demons?” the gray wolf demanded, just as Tania, Rodrigo, and Menrva regrouped with Epona and Ana.

  “We’ve already told you—we are deities from across the ocean. We do not wish to fight you. We only want to leave this place and reach the human world,” Ana replied once more.

  The wolves began murmuring among themselves in their native tongue, Na-Dene, which none of the members of Orniskem could understand.

  “Hey! How about me? Did you see that?” Bellona shouted, still dancing exuberantly in the open sky.

  “You—get down here! This is no time to act like a clown!” Tania snapped furiously at the Roman goddess.

  “Did you see Anpiel and Susanoo?” Epona asked Rodrigo.

  “They decided to stay below, just in case something happened,” the young tannin replied.

  The murmuring ceased. The apparent leader—the gray, one-eyed wolf—stepped forward and fixed his gaze on Ana.

  “Very well. For now, we believe you,” the wolf said.

  “Oh—thank you, sir… wolf?” Ana asked awkwardly, unsure how to address him.

  “My name is EbedahoLtihe. I am the leader of the wolves who guard the sacred domain of the great Yamozha,” the gray wolf answered.

  “More strange names,” Epona thought, her expression puzzled.

  “What exactly happened here?” Ana continued. “What were those flying, furry creatures?”

  “Beavers,” the wolf replied. “Creatures from the lower world, called Tsúéko. We have been at war with them for many years.”

  “So that illusion was yours, and we destroyed it. That’s how they managed to come up here, isn’t it?” Ana said.

  “Indeed,” EbedahoLtihe replied.

  “I’ve already contacted the one who broke the illusion. He stopped the rain. Those creatures won’t reach this place again,” Epona added.

  “But wasn’t that rain made of swords that cut everything they touched?” Rodrigo asked.

  “If an attack uses the water element, the beavers are completely immune to it,” EbedahoLtihe answered.

  “That makes sense—they came from a vast lake,” Tania mused, resting a hand on her chin.

  “We never expected anyone to shatter our illusions in Tsúéko,” the wolf lamented.

  “It truly was our fault. We apologize,” Ana said sincerely.

  “Ana, get to the point,” Menrva interjected.

  The Etruscan goddess stepped forward and bowed her head.

  “Sir Wolf, we ask that you show us a way out of this world. We are in great haste,” she said.

  “There is a way—but only our great lord Yamozha can open it,” the wolf replied.

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  “Then may we see him?” Menrva asked eagerly.

  “No,” the wolf said flatly.

  “Why not?” Tania and Menrva asked in unison.

  “Long ago, Yamozha grew bored of this realm and descended to Tsúéko. There he became enemies with the beavers you saw. That is why they seek revenge upon our world,” EbedahoLtihe explained.

  “How long ago was that?” Tania asked.

  “More than two centuries,” the wolf answered.

  “You’re joking,” Menrva said incredulously. “How do you even know he’s alive?”

  “Yamozha often descended to hunt in the lower world and stayed away for long periods. He has never been gone this long,” the wolf said, resigned. The other wolves nodded.

  “So only he can help us leave this world?” Ana asked dejectedly.

  “Yes. If you bring him back, he will surely be able to send you to the human world,” EbedahoLtihe replied.

  Menrva sighed deeply and gathered everyone around her.

  “So what do we do? Now we have to search for this god in the lower world,” she asked.

  “It’s not like we have many options,” Tania said wearily.

  “And these… wolves? Won’t they offer us, I don’t know, hospitality? I’m exhausted,” Epona complained.

  “And should Loki really be listening to this?” Tania added, pointing at the bound god on Ana’s back.

  “Please, pretend I’m not here. You never listen to my opinions anyway,” Loki replied dryly.

  “Ignore him for now,” Menrva said. “But Epona is right. We haven’t rested for a single minute—nearly a month at sea, then fleeing Adlivun, and now this.”

  “Let’s at least ask. We lose nothing,” Epona suggested.

  Ana turned to EbedahoLtihe and smiled.

  “Excuse me… Ebe… Ebeh… Sir Wolf, would there be any way for my companions and me to remain here briefly to rest? We are in a hurry, but we haven’t rested for at least a month,” she asked warmly.

  “I’m sorry, but we do not yet trust you. Unless you return with Lord Yamozha and he grants approval, you may not proceed further in our world,” the wolf replied sternly.

  “Hey, don’t you remember? I saved you from those weasels. Shouldn’t that earn me some reward?” Bellona pleaded, striking a submissive pose with an exaggerated smile.

  “You brought them here. It was the least you could do,” the wolf answered, deflating Bellona entirely.

  “I haven’t rested in two months—pretty please?” she insisted. The wolves all shook their heads. There was no convincing them.

  “Let’s go back to the lower world and set up your cabin, Ana. We can rest before searching for that god,” Rodrigo suggested.

  “That’s right. Let’s rest there. It seems those rodents won’t show up again in the illusion world,” Ana agreed.

  Menrva turned to the wolves and offered a polite, hollow smile.

  “Thank you for your hospitality. We will return with your lord as soon as possible.”

  “One thing,” the gray wolf warned. “If you destroy the illusion in the lower world again, you will never be allowed to return here. We will ensure you remain trapped below forever.”

  “We understand,” Menrva replied reluctantly. The others nodded.

  The members of Orniskem walked toward the great hole, where the crown of the colossal pine towered before the wolves. Menrva leapt in, and the others followed.

  As they fell, the tree and clouds vanished once more, leaving only the endless prairie. Below stood Susanoo and Anpiel, with thousands of chained beavers beside them.

  “Behold, Anpiel-san. They return,” said Susanoo, turning as the group descended.

  The gods landed gracefully, though they could not ignore the furious cries of the bound beavers.

  “Release us!” they shouted. “You’ll regret this! We will have vengeance for this humiliation!”

  “I suppose I should remove them so they don’t learn where the entrance is,” Bellona said, pointing at the rodents.

  “Probably—but I’d like to speak with them first,” Menrva replied, stepping closer and meeting their eyes.

  “We have nothing to say to you, witch!” the beavers snarled.

  “Nothing?” Menrva asked calmly. “We seek the whereabouts of Yamozha. Tell us, and we may show mercy.”

  “Yamozha is the butcher of our kind! We’ll never tell you where he is!” they screamed.

  Menrva turned to Bellona. “Do it.”

  The Roman goddess seized the mass of beavers by the chains and lifted them into the air, spinning so fast she created a vortex. The beavers screamed in agony.

  “You’re confident because you know the way to the upper world. But if my companion throws you now, dizzy as you are, you won’t know where this place lies,” Menrva said evenly.

  “No—please, save us!” the beavers cried.

  “Stop, Bellona,” Menrva ordered.

  Bellona halted and dropped the bound mass. A heavy crash echoed as they struck the ground, leaving a deep fissure.

  “Well? Will you tell us now?” Menrva asked.

  “And how could we? We can’t even return to our den because of this illusion! Idiot woman!” a beaver shouted, the rest hurling insults.

  Menrva sighed. “Remove them.”

  Bellona lifted the beavers again, spun them like a cyclone, and hurled them so far that no one could see where they landed.

  “So… what do we do now?” Rodrigo asked.

  “I don’t know. For now, we rest. We’ll think more clearly tomorrow,” Tania replied.

  “Remember this,” Anpiel warned. “We don’t know how long Sedna can distract the god of Tula. We must leave this place as soon as possible. If we’re captured here, it will be the end of us.”

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

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  The next part will be released on Monday.