Epona lay unconscious in Mithras’s arms. The Persian god had struck the back of the horse goddess’s neck with the hilt of his knife to calm her down. Even so, her condition continued to worsen due to the wounds on her body and the tremendous stress to which she had been subjected.

  Still, her state seemed only slightly more stable than Tania’s, who lay unconscious in Maahes’s arms. Her body temperature refused to drop, and they were unable to stop her internal bleeding.

  At that moment, the sky darkened, and a deafening roar echoed across the land. The planet began to tremble violently.

  Areopagus, which had already been smoking, began to erupt with volcanic explosions and magma, forcing everyone to retreat to avoid being bathed in the sea of lava that was about to fall.

  It was not only Areopagus that erupted—every volcano on the planet did. The ground began to fracture and break apart. Red thunderbolts started to fall from the sky, even in areas without clouds. Clearly visible above the heavens were the planet’s two moons, glowing blood-red.

  “This is bad. I can feel an abysmal power,” Mithras said anxiously as he carried Epona in his arms.

  “If this continues, time will start moving even faster, and that sword will fall straight through the malak’s chest,” Montu said worriedly, carrying Sol and Anpiel on his back, both still unconscious.

  The sword Chronoxiphos had continued to follow Anpiel, as if it were bound to him.

  “That damn sword is following us,” Maahes growled, carrying Tania on his back.

  At that moment, an overwhelming gravitational pressure began to emanate from Areopagus. The planet Mars started to crack apart, mountains tearing themselves open as debris was pulled toward the gravitational point at its center. Upon contact, everything dissolved as if inside a massive blender.

  “That power is so strong it’s creating a small black hole!” Montu shouted in alarm.

  “Impossible. Not even Athena’s power reaches this level,” Mithras said, shaken.

  “We must help them, but we also need to return to Pallas so they can be treated!” Maahes shouted.

  “Idiot! Only Athena and Horus can enter the labyrinth—we’d be lost forever in there,” Mithras snapped in frustration.

  “And that sword will kill the malak in just a few minutes,” Montu added.

  Mithras bit his lip in frustration.

  “I feel terrible for being so weak,” he muttered.

  “I… will fight,” Tania began to murmur.

  “Tania, are you awake?” Maahes asked in surprise, feeling her stir on his back.

  “Please… let me fight… Ares,” she continued, her body temperature still rising.

  Her face was covered in blood and flushed from the intense heat consuming her body.

  “Not a chance!” Maahes replied, alarmed.

  “And I… will be a shield for Anpiel,” Epona murmured weakly.

  “What the hell is wrong with these girls?” Mithras said in panic.

  “If I take Chronoxiphos instead… of him… then I will have been… useful… please,” Epona whispered in Mithras’s arms.

  The surface of Mars began spewing lava and toxic gases. The planet was shrinking, preparing for an implosion. The heat and gravity were unbearable.

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  At that moment, beams of heat erupted from the cracks forming across the planet, triggering explosions everywhere.

  Chronoxiphos began to sway back and forth, its tip aligning with Anpiel’s heart.

  “Please… please… let me,” both Tania and Epona repeated weakly.

  The two goddesses struggled with what little strength they had, trying to break free from Mithras’s and Maahes’s arms.

  “No! Don’t you understand you’ll die if you keep this up?!” Mithras shouted furiously.

  “I will die for Rodrigo gladly!” Tania cried, wrenching herself free from Maahes.

  “I will give my life for Anpiel!” Epona shouted as she slipped from Mithras’s grasp.

  “Enough, both of you! You’re nothing but miserable burdens!” a woman’s voice shouted.

  Everyone turned.

  It was Ninshubur, hovering before them.

  “Who the hell are you?!” Mithras demanded.

  “Ninshubur, servant of the great Ishtar,” the goddess replied, her white wings beating steadily as she met their gazes with defiance.

  Mithras assumed a combat stance. “So there are still followers of Ares left?”

  Ninshubur sighed.

  “I didn’t come to fight you. I came to help.”

  “What do you mean?” Montu asked.

  Ninshubur pulled a vial of ambrosia from her garments.

  “Take it,” she said, tossing it to Mithras.

  “Why?” the Persian god asked as he caught it.

  “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not doing this for you—I’m just following my lady’s orders,” she replied irritably.

  Mithras rushed to Epona, cradled her, and gave her a sip of ambrosia. He then tossed the vial to Maahes, who did the same for Tania. Finally, the Egyptian god threw it to Montu, who made Sol and Anpiel drink.

  The vial contained just enough for the four of them.

  “All right, they’re stable now. I suppose I have no reason to stay here,” Ishtar’s attendant said—but to her surprise, Mithras, Montu, and Maahes knelt before her.

  “Thank you. Truly, thank you,” the three said in unison.

  “I… didn’t do it for you,” Ninshubur said, blushing and crossing her arms, avoiding their gaze.

  “Even so, even if Anpiel regains consciousness, that sword will still pierce his heart,” Montu said bitterly.

  “Lord Mithras!” a voice cried from afar.

  They turned to see the group of malakim who had traveled with them. Some had fallen in battle, but most had survived.

  “We know the situation and we’ve come to help,” one of them said, stepping in front of Anpiel, who was still supported by Montu.

  One by one, the malakim formed a protective barrier around Anpiel, shielding him from Chronoxiphos. Only a few minutes remained.

  “Stop it! Don’t sacrifice your lives!” Maahes shouted.

  “Lord Maahes, it’s the only thing we can do,” one malak replied, and the others nodded.

  “It’s pointless,” Ninshubur said.

  “What do you mean?” Mithras asked.

  She pointed at the sword.

  “That sword will not stop until it pierces its target. Even if El himself stood between them, it would still strike,” she said.

  “Then all we can do is defeat Ares—but with that power, I doubt it,” Mithras replied.

  “Even so, we’ll try,” said the malak leader, and the others agreed.

  At that moment, Tania and Epona stirred and sat up. Sol and Anpiel also began to show signs of life.

  “Are you all right?” Mithras asked.

  “What happened?” Tania asked, rubbing her head. Her bleeding had finally stopped.

  “Is that Ares’s power?” Epona asked. Jonsu’s wounds had vanished as well.

  “I’m al… alive,” Sol said, staring at his hands. His crucifixion wounds had healed too.

  “Where am I? What happened?” Anpiel asked as he stood—then froze when he saw an entire malakim army standing before him, backs turned.

  “Anpiel…” Epona said, tears streaming down her face.

  “Lady Epona? What happened?” Anpiel asked, still disoriented—until he felt the immense power surrounding the area and began to panic.

  “We’ll talk later, Anpiel. For now, we have to stop that abomination!” Tania shouted as she rose.

  Mithras gently struck Epona’s back.

  “Aren’t you going to thank the girl who saved your lives?” he asked.

  “No need,” Ninshubur replied.

  Epona quickly bowed before her.

  “I don’t know who you are, but thank you for saving my friends and my life. I am grateful,” she said.

  “It was nothing, truly,” Ninshubur answered.

  “Wait—you were the girl with Ishtar,” Tania said, glaring at her.

  “Wait, Tania! Everything’s fine!” Maahes shouted, grabbing her arm.

  The two goddesses locked eyes, but a massive explosion from the palace of Areopagus interrupted them.

  “And it’s still increasing,” Montu said anxiously.

  “How can such a monstrosity exist?” Maahes asked.

  “Forgive my intrusion, but what does this army of malakim in front of me mean?” Anpiel asked, confused.

  “They are protecting you, Lord Anpiel,” a malak replied.

  “From what?” the angel asked.

  That was when he saw the sword floating above him.

  “Don’t tell me that’s… a Chronoxiphos?” Anpiel asked, alarmed.

  “Indeed. We came to rescue you—but that sword belongs to Ares, and unless we defeat him, we cannot save you,” Mithras said.

  “I apologize for the trouble my mere existence has caused you,” Anpiel said uneasily.

  “Those two girls over there decided to sacrifice everything to save you,” Mithras added, pointing to Tania and Epona.

  “Epona? Impossible. She only does things if alcohol is involved,” Anpiel replied sarcastically.

  “And I missed you too, you damn bastard,” Epona shot back with a smile, making Anpiel blush.

  “Are you sure that’s Epona? Couldn’t it be an angel wearing her face?” one malak asked in disbelief.