"What in Heaven's name are you saying?! Don't you know that going in there and seeking the Goddess of Gossip is a sin, and you could get excommunicated for it?!" Pamela exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief and fear.

"Yeah, so?" Desira responded nonchalantly, unaffected by Pamela's warning.

"I hope that these enemies coming at us are strong or it wouldn't be a challenge at all," Iraelyn chimed in, her eagerness for battle evident in her tone.

"Let's just hope that they're not too strong. I don't want to waste my precious resources on them after all," Malifira commented, beaming.

"Are there a lot of food where we're going?" Vivi asked, her thoughts drifting to more mundane matters.

"I hope there's a sauna. Colder places tend to have those," Elena hoped, her mind already envisioning the comforts of a hot spring.

"It would be cool if there are Hot Springs in where we're going!" Azazel exclaimed excitedly, his eyes lighting up at the thought.

Ren rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "Like I said, we're not here on vacation.

"I want hot springs too," Evie added, her face expressionless. Ren could only sigh at his teammates. As Pamela observed their interaction, she couldn't help but feel incredulous. How had the tables turned so quickly? How had she, a supposed goddess, ended up being led by the nose by a group of lost souls?

"You must be joking?! If the other gods knew that you're going to Whispering Peak, or even just thinking about it, they would obliterate you and you wouldn't be able to reincarnate!" Pamela exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear and urgency.

Azazel and the others exchanged a glance before bursting out laughing, their laughter echoing through the open field.

"Won't be able to reincarnate she said," Desira scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Gyahahaha. Who cares?" Iraelyn bellowed, her laughter booming against the walls.

Azazel guffawed and playfully tapped Pamela's shoulder. "Kyahahaha! I don't like you. You're a goddess yourself, but you're a coward and easily get scared."

Pamela's shoulders slumped, a mixture of hurt and anger swirling inside her. How dare these souls mock her, questioning her bravery and resilience?

"Well, the feeling is mutual!" Pamela retorted, her voice edged with frustration.

"Alright. Scaredy-cat, lead the way to Whispering Peak," Desira commanded, her tone laced with authority. "And don't even think for a second about trying to escape. Because if you do . . ."

Desira paused, letting her sentence hang in the air before fixing Pamela with a menacing glare. "Make sure you know how to hide because we will be coming for you, and you wouldn't like what would happen if we find you."

Pamela swallowed hard, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. She knew she had no choice but to comply with their demands, at least for now. But deep down, she vowed to herself that she would find a way to outsmart them and escape this predicament.

The group then head out with the map and Pamela as their guide.

Pamela couldn't help but wonder as she begrudgingly followed Ren and his companions towards Whispering Peak. She had always relied on her divine abilities to navigate tricky situations, but now she found herself at the mercy of a group of eccentric souls whose motivations were as unclear as the fog that once shrouded Cloudy Forest.

As they walked, Pamela couldn't shake off the feeling of unease gnawing at her insides. She had to tread carefully from now on, lest she become entangled in even more absurd predicaments orchestrated by Ren and his band of misfits.

But for the time being, all she could do was keep her wits about her and hope that her luck would hold out long enough to see her through this journey, and maybe, she would have a chance to escape.

"Aren't we going to ride Tiki?" Vivi complained. "I'm tired already from all this walking. I think it would be faster that way."

"No. Tiki would attract too much attention," Ren reasoned, his tone firm. "Do you want to be surrounded by enemies from all sides?"

"Yeah. I want to be surrounded by enemies." Iraelyn agreed with a nod, her expression serious.

"No," Vivi countered, her dissent clear.

"Let's just stick to walking for now," Elena suggested, her voice calm amidst the debate. "Are we heading in the right direction, though?"

"Yes. At least that's where the map is pointing us," Malifira confirmed, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.

Meanwhile, Pamela observed the conversation with intrigue, her curiosity piqued by the mention of Tiki. Was it the giant lizard they had used for travel before? It must be. These souls possessed strange pets and abilities, making them far from ordinary.

"Hey, angel over there," Desira called out, breaking Pamela's train of thought.

Pamela paused and pointed at herself. "Who, me?"

Desira rolled her eyes. "Who else is the angel here?"

Pamela pouted. "I'm a goddess."

"But you're more useless than an angel," Desira retorted, her words cutting through Pamela's confidence like a knife.

Pamela shrunk to the side, her heart heavy with Desira's harsh words.

"Anyway, are we heading in the right direction?" Ren interjected, attempting to steer the conversation away from Desira's bullying.

"I don't know, I'm just a useless goddess anyway, useless even compared to an angel! Ugh!" Pamela cried out in frustration, her voice cracking with emotion.

Ren and the others exchanged disapproving glances, silently condemning Desira's cruelty.

Desira frowned. "What?"

"Stop bullying her so much or she won't cooperate with us," Ren admonished, his tone stern.

Desira scoffed. "It's not my fault that she gets scared so easily."

Azazel approached Pamela, attempting to offer comfort, much to Desira's annoyance.

"Now, now, angel. You're not more useless than an angel. In fact, that would be an insult to the angels," Azazel reassured, his tone lightening the mood slightly.

Pamela cried even harder and Ren whacked Azazel's head. "That's enough out of you." Ren ordered firmly.

But Azazel only laughed. "I was only teasing her to lighten up. She's so tense."