Moments earlier—while Tania and Ana were still battling Surtr and Fenrir—

  Rodrigo and Epona watched in terror as the massive serpent Jormungandr slithered toward them with its jaws wide open, venom dripping from its fangs.

  Epona spread her wings of energy, the shapes of two rearing horses glowing behind her—both bright blue like burning gas, with crimson eyes.

  “Back up, Rodrigo! I’ll hit it first—when I give the signal, you finish it!” Epona shouted as she launched herself toward the colossal reptile.

  “ép bóithl (Horse punch)!”

  Her fist slammed upward into the serpent’s jaw, snapping its head sideways. Epona flew around it, striking from both sides without giving the monster a moment to react. Finally, she dove beneath its chin and delivered a brutal uppercut that knocked the serpent backward into the ground.

  “Now, Rodrigo!”

  Rodrigo hurled himself forward, charging a massive sphere of energy into his fist, and smashed it against Jormungandr’s skull. A violent shockwave rippled outward. The monster recoiled, hissing, and Rodrigo leapt back to safety.

  “Good, Rodrigo. Your attacks hurt it more because you’re a Venus. You command these monsters’ weakness,” Epona explained.

  But the serpent rose again—furious, shrieking, toxic venom dripping from its jaws.

  Jormungandr lunged, and the two barely dodged before its massive head slammed into the ground.

  As it lay partially embedded in the soil, Rodrigo and Epona struck from both sides with tremendous force, making it writhe in agony—before retreating quickly.

  The serpent rose again, hissing violently. Its jaws opened, releasing a thick, poisonous gas.

  “Don’t touch it, Rodrigo!” Epona cried, flying back to escape the toxic cloud.

  Rodrigo jumped away as well—but Jormungandr whipped its head toward Epona, smashing her aside.

  Epona hit the ground hard, and the serpent lunged to bite her. Rodrigo sprinted in and yanked her away at the last instant.

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  “Thank you, Rodrigo,” Epona gasped as the serpent loomed above them, venom dripping and poison gas billowing.

  “This is bad… and we haven’t even scratched its ichor,” Epona muttered.

  Jormungandr attacked again. This time, Epona jumped high over its head and kicked it with all her strength:

  “ép ádhvóithl (Horse kick)!”

  The serpent’s head slammed into the contaminated ground like a meteor. Rodrigo clenched his fists and unleashed a barrage of shining projectiles:

  “Raios de luz (Beams of light)!”

  The blasts tore into the serpent, making it hiss violently. Rodrigo’s divine power was weak—but extremely effective against a tannin like Jormungandr.

  Once the gas dissipated, Epona dove from the sky like an arrow and kicked the serpent with overwhelming force, driving its head deep into the earth and creating a massive crater.

  She flew back toward Rodrigo just as the serpent rose again—almost completely unharmed.

  “Nothing… it’s practically intact,” Epona growled, frustrated.

  “I hate being this weak…”

  She began to glow as her divine power surged.

  “Iccona Loiminna (Title of the goddess Epona in the Lusitanian territories)!”

  When the light faded, Epona had transformed into an anthropomorphic white mare—golden mane, red eyes, equine ears, and a soft moving tail. Rodrigo stared in awe as she spoke clearly.

  “I’ll pour everything into this attack, Rodrigo. If I can’t hurt it now, our only hope is waiting for the girls to finish their battles.”

  Epona shone like a full moon and shouted:

  “ép tascip (Horse assault)!”

  She shot forward like a blazing comet and crashed into the serpent’s neck. Jormungandr shrieked, rearing before slamming back into the ground.

  Still airborne, Epona hurled herself again like a star falling from the heavens, striking the beast’s skull. She repeated the attack, slamming again and again—each collision shaking the earth and splitting it open.

  But her manná expenditure was enormous—her strength began to wane.

  Then, Jormungandr whipped part of its colossal body and struck Epona mid-air, knocking the mare-goddess violently to the ground.

  As she struggled to rise, the serpent vomited another cloud of toxic gas directly over her.

  Epona was trapped—until Rodrigo sprinted into the cloud, grabbed her, and flung her out of harm’s way—remaining behind as the venom engulfed him.

  “No, Rodrigo! Get out of there!” Epona screamed, reverting to her original form after exhausting her transformation.

  But Rodrigo was fully consumed by the poison mist, writhing in agonizing pain as the venom ravaged his body.

  “One down,” Loki’s distant voice mocked.

  “Finish the igigi now, my son,” he ordered Jormungandr.