On a sunny afternoon, the group moved through the dense forest.
The Jaguar Warrior, scouting ahead, kept glancing back, her eyes filled with unease. Overhead, the sky showed increasing signs of soaricans Pterosaur activity. The Divine Spirit in the plush costu couldn't hold back and turned to protest.
On a sunny afternoon, the group moved through the dense forest.
The Jaguar Warrior, scouting ahead, kept glancing back, her eyes filled with unease. Overhead, the sky showed increasing signs of Wind God Pterosaur activity. The Divine Spirit in the plush costu couldn't hold back and turned to protest.
"No! I've already said everything I should—and shouldn't!"
"If I lead you to Kuku's Sun Temple again, she's really going to kill !"
"She'll rip out my guts, twist my neck, and mount my head on a spike as a warning! She's terrifying!"
Samael approached with honey water and roasted at, gently patting her shoulder as he spoke in a low, soothing voice.
"This ti, we're representing humanity to reason with Kukulkan."
"In her eyes, you're the culprit behind the two destructions of Mayan human civilization. If there's any way to atone, siding with us is your only shot at redemption."
"Think about it. If, under your guidance, the Feathered Serpent truly fulfills her wish to save humanity, won't her hatred for you ease up?"
"That way, you won't have to live every day in fear of being beaten up."
The Jaguar Warrior gave a small nod, clearly moved. While eating a hearty al to steel herself, she couldn't help venting to Samael.
"Kuku is super scary! She loves torturing !"
"If I slack off, she cos to kill . If I go on strike, she cos to kill . If I have fun, she still cos to kill ..."
"If this keeps up, I'll be dead before you guys even arrive, ow..."
The ancient serpent's gaze darkened, a trace of worry slipping into his voice.
"If we can't reach an agreent with Kukulkan, and she fails to save the Surians, she'll have to watch another civilization fall before her eyes."
"Who do you think she'll bla for that?"
"Sotis, once the beating starts going smoothly, certain goddesses just stop overthinking things."
"After all, once Surian civilization falls and you're sent back, she won't have anything better to do, right?"
Rembering the miserable days of being pinned down and pumled by Kukulkan day after day, the Jaguar Warrior shuddered. Then, as if a lightbulb had gone off, she nodded furiously.
"Yes, yes! I want to atone! I'm willing to fight for humanity!"
Samael outwardly acknowledged her repentance, but inwardly, he was rolling his eyes.
Many little kittens harbor thoughts of betraying their owners—and this Jaguar Warrior, a degenerated evil deity, was no different. It wasn't so change of heart that made her surrender so quickly. She was just scared after getting beaten up by the Feathered Serpent God, Quetzalcoatl.
"Not gonna lie, Kuku's a softie. She's got no resistance to humans."
"Just act a little cute and she's done for!"
"Those people she supposedly 'killed'? Yeah, they're not dead. She just locked them up in Eridu for their own protection."
"Now she's personally training them all. Says they have to learn 'self-defense' or whatever… It's brutal. Absolutely miserable… ow…"
Having found a possible way out of her suffering, the Jaguar Warrior eagerly shared valuable intel on Quetzalcoatl with Samael and the others. If they could just get humans and Kukulkan to form an alliance and fulfill her wish for redemption, maybe she wouldn't have to get beaten up every day.
And if Kuku clashed with the Surian gods and ended up getting wiped out? Even better.
Hmph. When that happens, her temple and this land will all be mine!
Concealing her selfish little sche, the feline drear imagined a blissful future. She couldn't help but curl her lips and flash a fang.
"You actually believe her?"
Still harboring so doubt, rlin stepped closer and whispered.
Samael nodded slightly, his eyes shimring with depth.
"That goddess once told —Kukulkan stands at the peak of benevolent deities. Her love for humanity is beyond question."
"It was the conflict between gods that led to the two destructions of human civilization in the Mayan world."
"She left her holand in despair, burning her palace and destroying her treasures."
"But just then, the disaster about to strike Sur awakened her compassion for mankind."
"Just like the hatred of the Goddess of Demonic Beasts has surpassed race and now encompasses all of humanity…"
"This Sun Goddess's love isn't limited to the Maya. It extends to the Surians as well…"
After a brief pause, the ancient serpent lifted his gaze toward the sun temple now faintly visible on the horizon, his tone resolute.
"That's why she rebuilt the Sun Temple here in sopotamia and projected her will into this place—to make up for her regrets."
"Even gods can feel remorse. Even gods can have regrets."
"And now—this is her chance to redeem both humanity and herself!"
rlin thought for a mont, then gave a resigned nod.
"Fine. If you say so, I'll try to believe in her."
"But seriously… Are you really going to follow that jaguar's advice and sweet-talk the goddess?"
The clash between those two chief gods had brought ruin to humanity during the Two Suns Era. To Kukulkan, who bore the weight of guilt, both she and the Jaguar Warrior were culprits. That's why they both needed to atone, to work together for the salvation of mankind.
The ever-suspicious Incubus couldn't help but consider that angle.
Then he glanced ahead at the Jaguar Warrior gleefully charging forward, her face glowing with "wisdom." The corners of his mouth twitched.
"Only an idiot would take advice like that seriously."
The ancient serpent rolled his eyes and looked back toward the city now hidden beneath the forest canopy.
"Not enough people have cried in Ur already? Why hasn't Kukulkan let their n go ho?"
"Humanity's downfall in the Mayan Second Sun Age ca because they gave up on relying on and believing in the Feathered Serpent God. That gave the 'Smoking Mirror' the opening it needed."
"Why do you think she's being so forceful, rounding people up?"
"She doesn't want to repeat the past. She can't bear to watch those who leave her protection march straight into death."
"The weaker humanity is, the less willing she'll be to let them go. For all we know, even we might get locked up in the na of 'protection'!"
This clear-cut insight made rlin suddenly understand. Beside him, Ana, and even Ishtar—who had been eavesdropping—couldn't help but nod in agreent.
Exactly. There was no agreeing with or clinging to a Divine Spirit who thought saving humanity made her righteous and self-satisfied.
The only true counterasure was for humanity to step out of the greenhouse—and face the blood and storm with unwavering steel resolve!
After a brief pause to collect themselves, the group stepped out of the forest and onto the open ground where the Mayan pyramid lood.
"You finally made it! Big sis has been waiting forever!"
At the top of the Mayan pyramid, in front of the Sun Stone engraved with the four seasons and constellations, Quetzalcoatl stood in full battle gear. She looked up with a gleeful grin.
"I'm not too familiar with wrestling, but I picked up so Greek techniques from Leonidas in Uruk—Pankration…"
After a mont of hesitation, under the astonished gazes of the others, Samael rotated his wrists, stepped forward with poise, and looked solemnly at the Feathered Serpent God.
"Didn't you say you'd take down a hundred people every sunrise?"
"If you don't mind, how about I be your first opponent today?"
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