As Chestelle led the way toward whatever "beating thing" she'd seen, Finn hung back a little—mostly to catch his breath, but also to get some answers.

"So, uh," he started, "mind telling me what the hell happened while I was inside that thing's throat?"

Naturally, Isolde answered first. Or… tried to.

"Well," she began softly, "after you were inside, Lady Majestria went on quite the… rampage."

Finn blinked. "Define 'rampage.'"

"She destroyed nearly everything in sight," Isolde said plainly. "She tore through the smaller creatures alone. Several adventurers attempted to assist, but… most were nearly caught in her fury, so they decided not to interfere."

'Yeah, that sounds like her,' Finn thought, recalling flashes of her from dangling on the beast's throat—Majestria practically glowing with divine rage while screaming like a banshee on a double shot coffee.

"She continued to fight," Isolde went on, "but she grew increasingly irritated the longer she was covered in slime residue. Her anger reached… well, you can imagine the rest."

"Oh, I can definitely imagine."

"So, she unleashed what I can only describe as lightning explosions. Many of them. Over and over. While screaming."

Finn just stared at her. 'So she knew I was still inside that damn thing and went ahead with nuking it anyway? Wonderful.'

Isolde nodded gravely. "At that point, the creature began clawing at its own neck, as if trying to get you out."

"Yeah, I know why," Finn muttered. "Trust me, I know exactly why."

"Meanwhile, the adventurers and knights handled the remaining small creatures," Isolde continued. "And though Lady Majestria's rampage frightened many, the mages joined in and eventually helped her bring the creature down."

Finn ran a hand down his face. 'So basically, they were all throwing bombs at a house they knew I was still inside.

Perfect. Just… perfect. Thanks, everyone. Really makes me feel loved.'

"And of course, near the end—as you know—she unleashed one last massive attack straight into its chest. It tore right through the creature's body," Isolde explained, her voice slowing slightly. "Including an attack that went directly through its neck."

Finn blinked. "Oh, so she literally blasted the exact spot I was in. Wonderful. She basically killed me if you think about it…"

He trailed off, realization dawning on his face. "Wait—she said she's killed me three times, right? This being the second… what the hell was the first?!"

Just as Finn's brain was about to uncover something he probably shouldn't have, a familiar, furious voice erupted behind him.

"FINN! HOW DARE YOU—"

He didn't even wait to hear the rest. Instinct kicked in immediately. Finn's walk turned into a jog… then into a full-blown sprint.

He held his breath for about half a second before letting out a high-pitched, panicked scream that could rival any terrified schoolgirl.

"OH MY GOD, SHE'S GONNA KILL ME AGAIN!"

Isolde reached out to grab him, but Finn weaved away from her, running like a man whose life depended on it—because it did.

Majestria soared past Isolde in a flash of divine light, her expression pure murder as she closed in on him at terrifying speed.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!" she shouted, lightning sparking from her fingertips.

"OH MY GOD, SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!" Finn screamed, nearly tripping over his own feet as he bolted through the battlefield debris.

"THERE IS NO GOD BUT ME, THE GODDESS!" Majestria roared, her voice shaking the battlefield as she closed the gap—barely inches away from grabbing Finn.

Chestelle, who was happily skipping ahead and humming to herself, stopped when she heard the commotion. She turned around just in time to see a blur of panic and divine fury racing her way.

"Hi Finn, what are you—"

Before she could finish, Finn grabbed her shoulders and shoved her behind him—straight into Majestria's path.

"Get out of my way! I'm so sorry!" he screamed, his voice cracking mid-apology.

Chestelle stumbled forward just as Majestria collided with her. Without hesitation, Majestria backhanded her aside like she was a mildly annoying fruit fly, sending her spinning onto the muddy ground.

"You're not getting away, Finn!"

"Leave me alone! I didn't even do anything!"

"YOU DID EVERYTHING WRONG!" Majestria screamed, stretching her arm forward to grab his shirt.

In a desperate final move, Finn planted his foot, spun, and mimed his signature ability. A pulse of invisible force shot out—tripping Majestria face-first into the muck beside a half-melted slime corpse.

'Oh… shit.'

He didn't even look back. He just ran. Faster. Harder. He knew what came next—and it wasn't forgiveness.

Behind him, a blood-curdling scream of disgust and divine rage echoed through the field, shaking the air itself.

Finn didn't stop running. He didn't even breathe. He just prayed she wouldn't catch him—ironic, since the only god listening was her.

***

It all happened in a blur.

The only thing Finn could hear was the rapid slap of bare feet pounding through mud—fast, furious, and definitely not human. The squelching got louder, closer, faster.

"OH GOD—SHE'S GAINING ON ME!" he screamed, tears of sheer terror streaking down his face as he pushed his legs beyond their mortal limit. Mud splashed, his lungs burned, his soul begged for mercy.

But deep down, he knew—this was pointless. Meaningless. He should've stayed with Isolde. He should've tripped her again. He should've done literally anything else.

But he ran. And now, he would pay for it.

Majestria launched herself into the air like a divine missile—legs spread, dress fluttering up just enough to flash something mortals were not meant to see.

Then—impact.

She crashed down onto his shoulders with the full, catastrophic weight of a caked-up goddess. The force flattened him instantly, slamming his face into the mud so hard the world went dark.

And so there he lay—face-first in the filth, drowning in humiliation, while a goddess's divine butt wiggled proudly atop him.

"Accept this as an easy form of punishment," she said, giving a smug little grind. "Not the full thing—yet."

Finn didn't respond. He couldn't. His muffled sobs blended with the squelch of mud.

Then—

A faint pulse rippled through the ground.

He froze. Slowly lifting his head just enough to see it—his heart dropped into his stomach.

Something… was still beating.

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