The sunlight creeping across the prairie began to lift the darkness. The deep violet sky bled into pink and orange, thinning the oppressive night.

  The fire had died out long ago, yet Tania was still awake, staring at the horizon. Ana slept in her lap, her head resting against her.

  Rodrigo—always used to waking early—watched the sunrise as well, Epona asleep against his shoulder. Beside him, Anpiel sipped hot milk. Loki, still bound, slept deeply.

  Inside the cabin, Menrva stood at one of the upstairs windows, equally absorbed by the horizon. She had felt excluded the night before, not being invited to sit with them, but deep down she understood: Epona still didn’t trust her.

  The Etruscan goddess looked melancholic, her head leaned against the window frame. She wore only a long nightgown. Behind her, in the same room, Bellona snored without any decorum, half her body hanging off the bed.

  Susanoo, meanwhile, sat in lotus position in the main room, facing the cold firepit. He had chosen to meditate through the night rather than join the gathering. Social warmth did not appeal to him—and he feared getting drunk again as he once had.

  The morning light struck Ana’s face. She opened her eyes with an irritated squint. As her mind cleared, she realized Tania’s face was completely buried beneath Ana’s own enormous breasts.

  “Ah, Tania… good morning,” Ana mumbled, still half-asleep.

  “Hey. Morning, Ana,” the Punic goddess replied.

  “You scared me. You reminded me of that one time I turned into a cow,” the Irish goddess added.

  “You’re an idiot, crow-face,” Tania said, blushing—though Ana still couldn’t see her expression.

  Then Ana remembered: she had meant to stay awake in case the flying rodents attacked, yet she had fallen asleep. She’d drunk too much, and the intoxication had knocked her out. She jolted upright from Tania’s lap, alarmed.

  “Right! I fell asleep!” she shouted, embarrassed.

  Tania laughed. Rodrigo and Anpiel looked over as well.

  “Relax, idiot. I kept watch all night,” Tania said, still amused.

  “Damn… my head hurts,” Ana muttered, rubbing her forehead. “I think I owe you one.”

  “Nothing happened last night,” Tania answered. “Besides, I’m sure Menrva watched all night too—from the window.”

  Tania glanced up at the second-floor window, where Menrva still stood, staring outward.

  “Good morning, Ana!” Rodrigo called, while Anpiel raised his mug of milk in greeting.

  “Morning, Rui. Morning, Anpiel,” Ana replied. She sat down again beside Tania, pressing her temple as the hangover throbbed.

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  “I think it’s time we talk,” Tania said, her expression turning serious. “We need to decide how we’re going to find that god they mentioned in the upper world.”

  “Without breaking this illusion, it’ll be almost impossible,” Ana said.

  “Can’t you turn into hundreds of crows and scout the entire area?” Tania asked.

  “My crows can’t stray far from my real body,” Ana replied, still clutching her head. “Only a few kilometers.”

  “Ohhh, you lot had quite the party last night! I would’ve loved to join, but I was exhausted after going more than twenty days without sleep,” Bellona’s voice called from behind them.

  Ana and Tania turned.

  Bellona stood there in a simple sleeping shift that left very little to the imagination. Her body was athletic and well-trained. She was moderately tall—only a few centimeters shorter than Rodrigo.

  “Well, if you want to cure a hangover, nothing beats a good workout outdoors,” the Roman goddess declared, immediately starting warm-up stretches.

  Rodrigo couldn’t help looking. He turned bright red.

  “Lucky for you Epona is still asleep, Sir Rodrigo,” Anpiel said dryly.

  “Hey! Put some clothes on, you exhibitionist!” Tania snapped.

  Bellona ignored her and continued stretching, bending down to touch her feet.

  “Don’t look, Rui!” Ana shouted, forming a curtain with her power to block Rodrigo’s view of Bellona.

  “It’s shameful to walk around half-naked, Bellona,” Menrva scolded as she stepped out of the cabin as well—wearing a semi-transparent nightgown herself.

  Tania, furious, stood up and smacked both goddesses.

  “Get dressed. Both of you!” she roared.

  Both fell to the ground, flustered, apologizing.

  Soon everyone had put their totemas back on and gathered outside the cabin. Epona was awake now, and so was Loki—though he remained bound. Susanoo was with them too, slightly apart, still seated in lotus position.

  “We need a way to navigate this world without distorting the dimensional illusion,” Tania said, frustrated. “Does anyone have an idea?”

  Silence. They looked at one another, searching for an answer.

  “If you untie me, I can help you again,” Loki offered with a smile.

  “After you tried to escape yesterday? Forget it,” Tania snapped.

  “Wait, Tania,” Menrva interrupted. “I want to hear what he offers.”

  Epona huffed and looked away. Ana and Tania both disapproved.

  “We don’t have another option, do we?” Menrva pressed. “Remember, we don’t know how long Sedna can stall the god of Tula—and he’ll likely come for us.”

  “That doesn’t mean we have to untie him,” Epona said.

  Menrva fixed her narrowed blue eyes on the equine goddess.

  “Epona… do you trust me?” she asked.

  Epona stayed silent.

  “I know it’s my fault,” Menrva continued. “How can someone who was your enemy come here and give orders now? I know it bothers you. Believe me, I wish I could undo it. But all I can do is what my master Athena assigned me.”

  She placed a hand on Epona’s shoulder.

  “If I fail you, you can kill me. I won’t defend myself,” Menrva said, staring directly into her eyes.

  Epona didn’t know what to say. In the end, she sighed and looked away.

  “Don’t worry. We’d never do that,” she said.

  “Good,” Menrva replied, patting her shoulder. Then she turned to Loki.

  “Alright, Loki,” she said. “How will you break this illusion without harming the rodents of this world?”

  “I already told you,” Loki answered. “I’m not saying anything until you untie me.”

  Menrva turned to Bellona.

  “Untie him.”

  “Very well!” Bellona cheered—and Loki’s chains vanished.

  Instantly, Tania, Ana, and Epona moved into fighting stances, but Menrva raised her right arm.

  “Don’t,” she ordered the furious goddesses.

  “Oh! It feels so good to be free,” Loki said with a grin.

  “Now talk,” Menrva demanded. “How are you going to help?”

  “It’s simple,” Loki said. “If you can follow me, I’ll lead you through this labyrinth.”

  And in that very moment, he vanished from sight.

  “That bastard escaped again!” Tania screamed.

  “I knew it—you’d let him get away!” Epona yelled, lunging toward Menrva to strike her, but Rodrigo and Anpiel grabbed her together and held her back.

  "Calm down, you three," Menrva said in a conciliatory voice, and sat down on the grass. "Loki will find this Yamocha for us."

  "Yamozha," Anpiel corrected.

  "That's right, Yamozha," she said, and smiled at the goddesses.

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  The next part will be released at 8 PM (GMT 6).