In the life of a human, betrayals are often what force us to forge ahead—yet sometimes, just sometimes, betrayal strikes with a severity so absolute that rising again feels impossible.
Returning to our tale, our companions stand frozen in perplexity, staring at the monolithic structure of solid ice engulfing DANTE's body while the dim flicker of surrounding torches barely illuminates the cavernous room. Standing before them is a woman draped in provocative attire paired with an ornate cape—her skin as pale as fresh snow, crowned with a plumage tiara, her intense sapphire eyes set against flowing white hair. The only features separating her figure from a mound of snow are those piercing blue eyes and her indigo garments.
She casts a frigid glare upon our companions, who hesitate to initiate an assault while witnessing DANTE trapped within the block. Suddenly, her voice breaks the silence.
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: (Soft-spoken) Fufu... This man poses entirely too great a threat to my lord's campaign. He may be immobilized, yet his eyes continue to defy me from within... Ah, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is YOLLOTZIN. It is a pleasure... and allow me to assure you that this chamber shall serve as your collective tomb.
ELENA: (Desperate) We have to break him out, quickly! I'll draw her focus!
ISAMU: (Restraining Elena by the shoulder) Calm yourself, woman. She is deliberately provoking us. We must approach this with utmost caution; if she can encase DANTE in ice within a fraction of a second, consider what she could do to the rest of us.
QUETZALCÓATL: Indeed, Elena. Do not act on impulse. You represent our greatest counter-asset here, considering you hold mastery over ice magic as well... Am I mistaken?
ELENA: (Composing herself) No... You're right. Forgive me.
REX: Don't worry, Elena! We won't allow anything to happen to Dante.
MALEKIN: Very well. I shall take the frontline against her, given that my green barrier offers the highest resistance against magic and elemental toxins.
QUETZALCÓATL: Then here is our strategy: Malekin will spearhead the offensive, while the rest of us maneuver toward Dante to thaw him out.
As the group finishes coordinating their next move, a glacial mist begins to cascade across the floor, steadily obscuring their vision. Realizing the danger too late, the ambient air thickens as dense frost saturates the entire hall. REX attempts to track her position by scent, but the biting cold stings his snout, forcing him to wince in pain.
QUETZALCÓATL: Do not push yourself, Rex. I have a solution.
Channeling her divine energy, QUETZALCÓATL summons a formidable serpent, dispatching it to track YOLLOTZIN via thermal vision. Yet after several agonizing seconds, the serpent fails to locate any heat signatures. A malicious chuckle echoes through the mist—it is YOLLOTZIN.
YOLLOTZIN: Hahaha... How amusing it is to watch you scramble to locate my presence! That elongated creature will grant you no aid—my vessel ceased generating body heat centuries ago. I am a sorceress of pure ice; even my heart remains frozen solid, driven solely by the unyielding wrath I harbor toward despicable humanity!
QUETZALCÓATL: What in the world...? Her voice resonates from every direction at once—it's as if she surrounds us entirely! (The serpent dissolves into divine essence). Curse it... What do we do now?
Out of nowhere, several spatial rifts ignite above, raining down scorched meteors that slam into the stone floor. A sharp screech echoes through the fog.
YOLLOTZIN: (Enraged) Wretched brat! What do you think you are doing?! Do you harbor no concern for that human's safety?!
ELENA: Are you dense? The spell you invoked was "Ice Prison"—a simple barrage of thermal meteors won't shatter a barrier of that caliber. After all... I am capable of casting that exact same spell.
YOLLOTZIN: Insufferable girl... You, too, pose a threat to my lord! It is time for all of you to perish!
Dispelling the mist surrounding her, YOLLOTZIN manifests directly before our companions. Reacting in an instant, ELENA attempts to teleport toward DANTE's frozen block, only to collide headfirst with an invisible wall of ice, forcing her back.
YOLLOTZIN: Fufu... Foolish child! Do you truly believe I would allow you passage so easily? This barrier will permit nothing to pass—not even spatial magic!
ELENA: This is unbelievable... Her ice magic freezes down to the atomic level, nullifying all magic! Her mastery of ice surpasses mine completely—it feels as though her frost drops far below absolute zero!
QUETZALCÓATL: (Sweating profusely) Then Dante is in severe danger... I have no choice!
Transforming into her winged serpent form, QUETZALCÓATL launches a full-scale assault on YOLLOTZIN, only to be abruptly halted by a massive wall of glacial ice. Towering ice golems erupt from the bedrock, seizing the giant serpent's jaws in an iron grip. Spikes of jagged frost surge from below, poised to impale the deity's head—when ISAMU flashes forward, dicing the constructs to pieces. QUETZALCÓATL instantly reverts to her humanoid form, leaping back alongside ISAMU to regroup.
Enveloped in his glowing green barrier, MALEKIN charges YOLLOTZIN, swinging with heavy fist strikes. She steps back, firing a endless salvo of ice lances—yet upon making contact with MALEKIN's enchanted armor, the projectiles shatter harmlessly into mist. Spotting the defense, a light blue aura erupts around the priestess as she engages MALEKIN in direct hand-to-hand combat.
Nearby, REX surges toward DANTE's frozen block in his massive wolf form with ELENA riding atop his back, only to be intercepted by a horde of ice golems led by a frost clone of the priestess. Observing from the rear line, ISAMU turns to QUETZALCÓATL.
ISAMU: Quetzalcoatl... why not assume a form even larger than the last and crush everything in sight?
QUETZALCÓATL: Do you think I haven't tried? The reality of this realm severely suppresses my divine powers—especially within this domain where the dead god holds absolute control. Only Dante possesses the capacity to slay him, but he remains imprisoned. We must do the impossible to shatter his tomb!
ISAMU: Forgive my boldness... I was unaware of those restrictions.
QUETZALCÓATL: Pay it no mind. I kept it quiet so as not to cause panic... We must pave a clear path for Elena while Malekin keeps her occupied!
ISAMU: Understood!
Meanwhile, MALEKIN's strike frequency begins to falter. He reverts entirely to a defensive posture against YOLLOTZIN's relentless punches as she taunts him with arrogant laughter.
YOLLOTZIN: What is the matter, little demon? Can you not keep up with my pace? Hahaha!
MALEKIN: Curse you...! Why isn't my barrier holding?!
YOLLOTZIN: Heh... Allow me to enlighten you: with every blow you throw and every strike you block, I siphon away your magical energy! I am steadily dropping the ambient temperature immediately surrounding us, slowing your motor functions to a crawl. I could encase you in ice this very second, but where would be the fun in that?
MALEKIN: You psychotic monster...
YOLLOTZIN: Please, spare me your hypocrisy—a demon speaking of monsters! (Her expression twists in rage) Your kind is wretched, and humans are far worse! I despise you all. Only my lord is worthy of reigning over existence, and I shall see to it that his vision comes to pass!
Screaming in fury, YOLLOTZIN unleashes a rapid sequence of strikes on MALEKIN, whose defensive guards crumble under the biting cold. Tormented by the looming dread of defeat, MALEKIN struggles to move—when a dark shadow casts over the priestess from above.
Before she can react, REX drops from the sky in his hybrid form, landing square on YOLLOTZIN's back and slamming her into the stone floor, carving a deep crater with her body.
Sighing in relief at REX's timely arrival, MALEKIN watches as REX vaults back to his side. In the next second, YOLLOTZIN's body shatters into a thousand crystalline fragments like delicate glass. Stunned by the sight, MALEKIN and REX watch in disbelief as a cold laughter echoes through the chamber—her body reforming seamlessly out of pure ice directly from the ground.
REX: What in the world is she?! Fine... I know how to deal with this!
Inhaling deeply, REX unleashes a massive stream of fiery breath directly toward YOLLOTZIN. Reacting instantly, she summons four heavy ice golems to shield her body. As the flames subside, the constructs display only minimal heat damage.
REX: This is ridiculous... Those golems barely even melted! She's incredible...
Enraged, YOLLOTZIN rises to her feet, raising a forest of razor-sharp ice spikes that impale REX and MALEKIN, sending them crashing to the floor with critical injuries. Spotting them down, ELENA teleports beside her wounded allies, channeling healing magic to close their wounds.
Spotting ELENA vulnerable, YOLLOTZIN dashes forward to execute the mage with her bare hands. Just as her fist is about to connect, a devastating kick slams squarely into the priestess's face, sending her flying across the hall—it is QUETZALCÓATL!
ELENA: Thank you, my friend! Where is ISAMU?!
QUETZALCÓATL: He is holding off the frost clone and the surrounding golems, trying to break through that ice wall!
YOLLOTZIN emerges from the rubble, her body seamlessly reconstructing itself from pure frost.
YOLLOTZIN: Hahaha! Is that all you've got? I'm just getting warmed up... Pfft, how ironic coming from an ice sorceress!
Our companions glare at her, deeply irritated by the arrogant remark.
QUETZALCÓATL: This wretched brat... Who does she think she is?! Fine... She asked for this. It goes against my pride, but I have no choice!
QUETZALCÓATL begins concentrating her divine essence, her frame expanding dramatically. Her features morph as her scales shift, blending dragon-like attributes into a massive, humanoid hybrid form. QUETZALCÓATL has transformed into a draconic monster—half human, half primal dragon. Without giving her opponent a second to react, she lunges at YOLLOTZIN, who retreats in shock, hastily erecting multiple ice barriers to withstand the crushing blows of the goddess's beastly form.
Meanwhile, ISAMU fights fiercely against the horde of frost constructs, dicing them with master-level precision. The ice clone poses the greatest threat, but out of nowhere, it suddenly shatters into dust. Confused by its collapse, ISAMU turns just in time to see YOLLOTZIN blasted across the room, crashing hard into the main ice wall and enveloping herself in a protective sphere of solid frost.
In a flash, the transformed QUETZALCÓATL leaps forward, raining devastating blows upon the icy sphere. Each impact drives the priestess deeper into the fracturing wall, leaving ISAMU thoroughly astonished.
Trapped within her frost barrier, panic sets in for YOLLOTZIN as she senses QUETZALCÓATL's terrifying power, realizing she is facing a true deity on par with MICTLANTEKUTI. Within seconds, the wall of absolute ice cracks and collapses entirely. A localized explosion from the ice sphere forces QUETZALCÓATL back to regroup.
Having finished tending to her allies, ELENA helps them to their feet. Glancing toward the main ice barrier, her eyes widen upon seeing it shattered. Wasting no time, she teleports beside DANTE's frozen tomb, placing her palm against the surface.
Recognizing the threat, YOLLOTZIN flies into an uncontrollable rage, screaming: "DAMN YOU ALL!"
A forest of massive ice spikes erupts across the entire hall, impaling everything in their path. Just before a spike pierces ELENA, she manages to utter a single word: "Dispel!"
The glacial block encasing DANTE shatters to pieces.
A tragic scene unfolds: every single ally lies impaled by jagged ice pillars, appearing lifeless. With the glacial prison gone, DANTE emerges, catching a critically injured ELENA in his arms. In a single fluid motion, DANTE severs the ice spikes, freeing ELENA and immediately channeling his aura to stabilize her wounds. ELENA barely manages to stand, all under the terrified gaze of YOLLOTZIN, who trembles in realization.
DANTE gently instructs ELENA to heal the others while he takes care of the enemy.
Tears streaming down her face, ELENA nods: "Yes..."
In the blink of an eye, DANTE manifests directly in front of YOLLOTZIN. Having activated all of his powers simultaneously, he casts an ice-cold glare down at her. Shaking uncontrollably, the priestess stares into DANTE's glowing yellow eyes as they pierce directly into her soul.
DANTE HERALDI: (Furious) What's the matter? Are you cold... or are you terrified?
Those words echo through YOLLOTZIN's mind, triggering a painful memory from her past—the moment she died and ended up in Mictlan.
Flashback:
We step back in time to see a joyful, vibrant YOLLOTZIN with warm skin tone and flowing black hair. She is carrying a bouquet of flowers toward an altar atop a frozen mountain peak. Upon reaching the summit, several figures await her—most notably a stout, wealthy human adorned in fine robes, holding a golden staff.
YOLLOTZIN: Oh, High Shaman! I bring the sacred flowers for the ritual sacrifice to the god Tlaloc.
HIGH SHAMAN: Excellent work, my daughter. As priestess of this cult, your faithful service to Tlaloc has not gone unnoticed. Today, you shall receive your true reward.
YOLLOTZIN: Thank you, my lord. Since childhood I have served you without question—even when my own parents were sacrificed in Tlaloc's name, I remained obedient at your side. I will give everything for the god... and for you.
Kneeling in reverence, a single tear rolls down her cheek. The High Shaman places a heavy hand on her shoulder and speaks.
HIGH SHAMAN: I want to thank you, my child. You have demonstrated incredible devotion to our god, and today... (Malicious smile) you shall be the sacrifice.
YOLLOTZIN: ...What?
In an instant, guards seize YOLLOTZIN, binding her tightly to a wooden altar frame. Desperate screams echo through the sanctuary as she begs for her release.
YOLLOTZIN: (Crying and terrified) Please, High Shaman! What did I do wrong?! Please, let me go! I have served faithfully!
Casting an arrogant glance down at her, the High Shaman leans close to her ear, whispering venomously.
HIGH SHAMAN: Simply by being born, you deserve to die. Your lineage stripped everything from me... Your parents deserved their fate, and so do you.
Driven by pure panic, an instinctive surge of ice spikes erupts from the ground, gashing the High Shaman and forcing him back. Enraged, he strikes her hard across the temple, leaving her clinging to life.
HIGH SHAMAN: (In his mind) To think the direct descendant of the god Tlaloc would awaken her dormant bloodline at the very end... With her death, that divine bloodline ends today. Everything shall belong to me! Hahaha!
Hauling her limp, bleeding body via ropes, they leave YOLLOTZIN suspended atop the frozen altar as howling sub-zero winds batter her frame, abandoning her to freeze to death.
A full day passes. On the precipice of death, she feels the altar frame lowering. As it touches the ground, her fading vision catches the silhouette of the High Shaman. Clinging to her last breath, a solitary tear trickles down her cheek. The High Shaman addresses her with cold arrogance.
HIGH SHAMAN: What's the matter? Are you cold? Or are you terrified? In the end, your lineage perishes alongside you. My design was always to eliminate your family—the true heirs to the throne. Now that you are out of the picture, all that remains is to assassinate the reigning king... Farewell, brat!
As life slips away, YOLLOTZIN cries out to her god in her mind, yet her prayers meet only silence. Slowly dying in the bitter cold, an unyielding hatred takes root in her heart—hatred for the humanity that betrayed her, and for the gods who abandoned her to her fate. Minutes later, her heart stops.
She awakens within a cavernous stone hall. A deep voice echoes through the silence: "So, you have awakened."
Trembling in fear, she turns toward the source of the voice, coming face to face with MICTLANTEKUTI, who gazes down at her with solemn pity.
YOLLOTZIN: (Shaking) Who... Who are you? Where am I?
MICTLANTEKUTI: You died like a dog, rewarded with nothing but suffering throughout your entire life. Yet I bring you an opportunity. I am the Lord of the Dead, and I intend to grant you what you truly deserve.
YOLLOTZIN: (Nervous) And... what would that be?
MICTLANTEKUTI: VENGEANCE!
As the god speaks, a spatial rift tears open above, dropping the bound High Shaman onto the stone floor. The moment her eyes lock onto her killer, pure malice and rage consume her. Her skin bleeds into a ghostly pale white, her hair turns as snow, and a glacial mist saturates the chamber.
MICTLANTEKUTI: Hold nothing back... Hey, fat filth, wake up!
Opening his eyes, the High Shaman trembles violently upon beholding the God of the Dead alongside the transformed YOLLOTZIN, desperately babbling for mercy. Step by step, YOLLOTZIN approaches his terror-stricken face, staring down at him with utter indifference.
YOLLOTZIN: What's the matter? Are you terrified... or are you cold?
Paralyzed with horror, the High Shaman freezes. Chains of solid frost surge forward, binding his limbs before encasing him inside an icy maiden. From the inner walls, jagged ice spikes slowly elongate, piercing through his flesh millimeter by millimeter. Agonized shrieks of torment echo endlessly across the grand hall.
When the screaming finally ceases, she kneels before the Lord of the Dead, swearing her eternal loyalty to MICTLANTEKUTI.
Present Day:
Returning to the present, YOLLOTZIN lies prostrate before DANTE, who glares down at her with unbridled fury. She attempts to push herself up, only to be flattened into the stone by the crushing weight of DANTE's spiritual pressure. Writhing on the floor, she screams out for aid from her master, MICTLANTEKUTI—yet no answer comes.
Battered and broken, the realization that she has been abandoned once again shatters her spirit. Closing her eyes in resignation, she surrenders.
Drawing his legendary katana Kusanagi, DANTE channels his entire energy reserve into the blade, releasing a apocalyptic Shadow Slash. The wave obliterates the bedrock, completely atomizing YOLLOTZIN. Dissolving into tears, her form evaporates into nothingness beneath DANTE's overwhelming divine power.
With the battle brought to a close, DANTE rushes over to his companions, finding that ELENA has already restored them to full health. Relieved, he collapses onto his back, cracking a soft smile—unleashing his full power simultaneously had drained his energy reserves completely. Within seconds, his allies gather around him in a circle.
MALEKIN: Thank you, Dante... You saved our lives once again.
DANTE HERALDI: (Smiling) Don't mention it, my friends. After all, you all stepped up to help me first. It's just a shame there was nothing left of that woman to absorb... I won't be able to grow any stronger from this fight.
REX: Don't stress over it, buddy! It looks like there's only one guardian left before we reach the summit.
QUETZALCÓATL: Indeed. And this time, I shall fight alongside you without holding back a fraction of my power.
ISAMU: Neither shall I. This fortress has proven far too treacherous for restraint.
Exchanging determined glances, our companions catch their breath and steady their hearts. Fully restored thanks to ELENA's magic, they begin their ascent up the stone staircase once more. As they climb higher, a suffocating heat begins to saturate the atmosphere.
QUETZALCÓATL: This heat is unnatural... Below, we were freezing in sub-zero frost, and now... intense heat?
DANTE HERALDI: We're almost at the top. We'll find out soon enough.
REX: Hold on, Dante! Let me step up first this time—we can't have a repeat of what happened on the floor below!
DANTE HERALDI: (Embarrassed) Come on, Rex... don't be like that!
Laughter breaks the tension as everyone chuckles at REX's teasing. Moments later, they reach the landing of the third level. Though slightly more compact than the previous chambers, the hall remains immensely vast. An eerie atmosphere permeates the room, draped in heavy iron chains that all converge toward a single point. Faintly flickering torches offer minimal light, yet the blistering heat remains almost unbearable.
Far off in the distance sits a silhouette upon a stone throne. As they draw closer, they notice heavy shackles binding the figure's wrists and ankles, secured by the massive chains as if he were a high-security prisoner. The group halts fifty meters away. Raising his head, the seated figure opens his eyes—bursting into bright, roaring flames as he speaks.
MYSTERIOUS FIGURE: Mortals... you have finally arrived. (Rising from the throne as a towering wall of fire erupts behind him, illuminating the entire hall) My name is INTI, the Sun God. Welcome... to your final resting place.
Sweat glistening on their brows, our companions stare in sheer shock at the divine entity standing before them.
What terrifying trials await them now? How immense is INTI's true solar power? And why is a god of his stature bound in chains? Everything shall be revealed very soon!