Wendy sees Élivágar raise its massive hand to strike Tiko with its deadly claws. The only thing that saves Tiko is his bone armor. He wears wrist guards, a bone necklace, a belt of bones, and probably something on his lower limbs. The bones are connected with Tiko’s power to form a flexible protective sheath that absorbs the blow from Élivágar, though Tiko is driven to his knees. With Tiko occupied with defending himself, Wendy senses the spirits still on the earthly plane and subject to Élivágar’s hunger. They need to keep Élivágar away from Tiko, so he can complete the ritual.
“Hey, ugly. Why don’t you come after someone more in your weight class?” Wendy shouts. She tosses a handful of cursebags to Sully, he has better aim than she does. It doesn’t matter who throws the cursebags, Wendy created them specific to Élivágar based on the remnants of venom in the bloodstream. If the cursebags make contact and hit hard enough to burst open, they should have some effect on Élivágar.
Sully’s first throw hits Élivágar but isn’t enough for the bag to erupt. His second throw is harder, and the dried herbs and minerals erupt in a cloud coating the back of Élivágar’s head, or at least the area opposite its mouth. The effect is slight, perhaps a small slowing of its movements. It will take multiple strikes to have a significant response. While the effect is slight, the reaction is positive as Élivágar turns its attention to Sully. Sepulveda follows up the cursebag by launching a limestone rock at Élivágar, driving it a couple of steps away from Tiko. Taking advantage of this, Tiko swings his large bone knife in a wide arc, creating even more space around him so he can continue the ritual.
A combination of limestone rocks from Sepulveda and other Ga-hon-ga, plus a few well-placed cursebags thrown by Sully steadily brings Élivágar closer to Wendy’s side of the clearing. The curses are keyed to the venomous poison and should have little effect on the plants and land, though Wendy and Maddie will have a large area to cleanse when this is over. Suddenly, Élivágar disappears and Wendy and Sully frantically look around. She can sense it, she just can’t see it. Finally, Wendy sees a shiny reflection out of the corner of her eye. “Diego. Behind you!”
The Ga-hon-ga near Diego begin to throw limestones at Élivágar to drive it away but are limited by its proximity to Diego who is central to their plans. Diego’s role isn’t just to warm the weather and melt the ice, he will also contain Élivágar once it reaches the water. Suddenly, an impossibly bright light erupts from Diego, stalling Élivágar and temporarily blinding the others in the clearing.
After blinking rapidly, Wendy turns her streaming eyes towards Diego, not fully believing what her senses are telling her. Did we know that Weather Guides can channel sunlight, is that common knowledge that I never knew? If so, I guess it’s nifty. But maybe next time, warn your allies so they can have sunglasses on hand. Wendy thinks to herself.
Whatever blinding effect it has on Wendy and the rest, it seems to have an even more detrimental effect on Élivágar. It shrank in size, going from a massive 9-foot tall nightmare to a more manageable 7-foot nuisance as well as becoming thinner. It makes sense if ice, snow, and cold are its element then directing the bright light of the sun will have a great effect. Or perhaps Tiko cutting off its sustenance at the same time has a multiplier effect. The Ga-hon-ga resume throwing their limestones, concentrating on the lower limbs of Élivágar. With Diego stalking it and the barrage of rocks, Élivágar is slowly driven to the edge of the water where Wendy waits to perform her ultimate task.
She finishes her ritual step rhythm and inhales deeply in her final preparation, lifting her masks at the last second. Poisonous breath of Élivágar, meet kikukpoli, the Breath of Death, Wendy thinks as she breathes out a grayish-black cloud onto Élivágar. It ceases movement and becomes less shiny. Maddie comes up behind Wendy carrying a staff made from a fallen tree limb. Together, they strike the center mass of Élivágar and push it into the river.
Diego, aided by Hogun and some Ga-hon-ga, flash freezes a sphere of water around Élivágar, then calls the ice globe to him. The Ga-hon-ga and some Oh-do-was are prepared with a large canvas stretcher to haul the frozen Élivágar to the depths of the underground. The Oh-do-was spent last night preparing a cavernous room for Élivágar and there it will remain in death. There is no water nor roots plus they lined with limestone to prevent possible escape. The room is cool as is typical with underground caves and the Ga-hon-ga will keep the ice surrounding Élivágar frozen. Wendy isn’t sure if Élivágar was ever truly alive, at least by their definition. So, if kikukpoli wasn’t enough to kill it, then stunned, immobilized, and imprisoned for the rest of its existence is a fine second option.
Diego exhaustedly slumps to the ground. As he wished to mitigate rebound weather events, he expended considerable personal resources in fighting Élivágar and merely restored the weather to its natural state for the area at the time of year. He even contained the sun flare he caused so the event would not affect the surrounding weather. Diego gratefully accepts the first of many sandwiches that Wendy brings to replenish his energy.
Libby takes over the task of feeding and watering Diego as Wendy and Maddie begin the cleansing ritual. Tewow consults with Jo-gä-oh to estimate
