Thanks everyone for the loverrrrly reviews.
This chapter has been the most difficult to write.
Its pretty major, in an epic way.
So enjoy :)
Crystal had fallen asleep right when she arrived home, but when she felt a dip in the bed she sat up; startled by the presence and assuming it was Godric or maybe Eric. Once she realized it was her mother she laid her head back down on her pillow, remembering what she found out the other night at the restaurant.
"Mija, I want to talk to you about tomorrow." Her mother said quietly. She seemed uneasy, and her voice was soft.
"Mami I'm tired." Crystal responded.
"Yo se, I know, but I just want you to be prepared." Crystal sat up and pulled the pillow into her lap, resting her chin on it and watching her mother intently. The more she cooperated, the quicker her mother would be out of her hair.
"Estoy escuchas." She let her mother know she was listening.
"Now, you know you will have to begin at sundown. Of course I have your beautiful Regalia from my own celebration long ago. A couple relatives will be flying in as well. I have the garden set up to offer the god Kukulkan a sacrifice."
"Whoa whoa whoa, we're sacrificing something?" Crystal had no knowledge of this detail.
"Not a human. I have purchased an Eagle that has already been killed. You just need to speak the prayer, have you learned it?"
"A Yum Hunab Ku. Evam Maya E Ma Hov. Oh Yum, Hunab Ku, Evam Maya E Ma Ho." She stated the rehearsed poem with perfect precision.
Maria smiled, "Perfect." She pushed a lock of her daughter's hair behind her ear before she continued, "I just want you to know that no matter what, I love you. You will discover many things tomorrow, but it will all be understood."
"I just want to get it over with." Crystal lay back in her bed with a sigh. Maria stood up and smoothed out the blankets a little.
"Be good mija, por favor?" Her mother said with pleading eyes.
"Si mami." She answered. With that, Maria left the room and closed the door behind her.
'Please let this curse be broken somehow.' She prayed silently before retreating down the hall to her bedroom.
A draft came into the room and before she could catch him, Godric was laying next to her, his arm around her waist. She turned over to him and grinned. "I'm getting used to the speed thing."
"Good. We wouldn't want you suffering any heart attacks." He tugged on one of her curls, and it bounced back into place.
"I missed you today." She scooted closer to him. He ran his hand up and down her side soothingly as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips.
"I missed you as well. I have many things prepared for your celebration tomorrow evening."
Crystal sighed, "I can't believe you insisted on having this for me. Have you ever thrown a birthday party?"
"No. Trust me I had a lot of outside input in my decisions." He gave a gentle laugh.
Against her will, Crystal yawned. "Ugh, I was applying to jobs all day today." She nestled into Godric's chest and he closed his eyes, lost in the moment with her.
"Were you successful?" He inquired, his fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on her back.
"I don't know yet. Then I got harassed by some guy named Steve Newlin, from the following in the sunlight or something?" She shrugged.
"Fellowship of the sun." He corrected her, his heart filling with disappointment and anger. Their institution was cruel and hateful, and gave no chance to co-exist with vampires peacefully, as Godric had wanted for a while now.
"Yeah, that's it. I don't like them." Another yawn drew forth from her.
"You are tired dulce mia, you should rest for your big day tomorrow."
"I don't want to sleep, I want to stay up and be with you." Crystal argued, running her hand across his chest.
"I will stay with you until dawn," He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "rest."
"If I must." She kissed him and he responded by running his fingers through her hair. Her arms snaked around his neck and she moved her body closer to his. Crystal couldn't shake the feelings she got when she was around him, it was like she wanted to be connected to him in every way possible. It scared her often, for she had never felt that strongly about any man before.
Godric turned her over and hovered over her body, pulling away from their kiss reluctantly as his fangs protracted. "Rest." He looked down at her and smiled.
She leaned up, despite his restraint of her arms and kissed him lightly. "I know."
"Don't worry, our time will come soon, and I promise it will be everything you can ever ask for." He slowly retracted his sharp incisors back into hidden view, "For now, it is not wise to wake your mother and her companion." He rolled back over next to her, wrapping her within his comforting embrace once more. "Or destroy your bed for that matter."
"Alright, I can't argue with that." Crystal agreed, closing her eyes with a mischievous grin.
"Goodnight Crystal." Godric whispered.
"Goodnight." She said softly.
The next morning Crystal stretched out across her bed, only to wake up to emptiness. Last night with Godric replayed in her mind and brought a smile to her face as the sunlight poured over her from the window. An odd feeling filled her, as though she were more in touch with the world around her than usual. And more than anything she had a compelling need to be with Godric, and only him, but not in a sexual manner…it was more as though she wanted to take care of him...if that made any sense at all. She pushed the thoughts out of her head, having to focus on her big ceremony this evening.
"Happy birthday to me." She pushed herself out of bed and quietly showered and brushed her teeth. As she left the bathroom brushing her hair, she heard commotion downstairs. As she descended, she recognized it was some of her cousins, aunts and uncles. They spoke in mixtures of Spanish and Yucatec, and the food was already being prepared.
"Feliz cumpleanos Crystal!" One of her aunts came and embraced her.
"u ki'imak; ol k'iin kaba'" An uncle called out with a grin.
"Gracias a todos." She thanked everyone with a wave. Maria soon swept her from the room and led her upstairs.
"I have your k'iin regalia all ready for you, are you excited?" She asked, pulling out a beautiful beaded dress that reached down to the floor and was a bright assortment of colors.
"Surprisingly, yes." Crystal replied, putting the dress on and allowing her mother to fasten the animal hide ties in the back.
"How do you feel?" Maria pulled it tight and knotted it, turning her daughter back around.
"Nervous." Maria kissed Crystal's forehead lovingly.
"It will arrive soon enough."
Soon enough arrived quicker than Crystal could handle, and many of her family members were pouring into the garden in the backyard where seating was arranged. In the center there was a brilliantly carved stone surface with designs of Kukulkan. Upon the surface lay the eagle, its wings spread wide.
One of Crystal's cousins helped her put on her large headdress that consisted of golden eagle feathers and a serpent going up the center, while Maria spoke to everyone. Drums were being played along with wailing elders, showing their appreciation.
"The time has come for my daughter Crystal to understand her ancestry, and our ancient legend. She must learn why we honour Kukulkan daily." Maria announced, dressed in her own traditional clothing. Everyone grew silent and Crystal was led down a path of tulip petals to a seat directly in front of the eagle sacrifice.
An elder was assisted by several younger relatives and he stood behind the sacrifice. Crystal was told she was not to look behind her at the man as he explained their history, it was disrespectful to the god Kukulkan. She obeyed and listened, a strange buzzing filling her body. Something was definitely in the air tonight.
"Many centuries ago, our ancestors in Campeche sacrificed a healthy virgin to the god Nohochacyum every evening, to bring sunlight in the morning. The feathered serpent god of war and creation, Kukulkan, grew jealous and gave us a great war that separated many Mayans and killed many others. The ones that were killed, were never discovered again, and families became worried for their children. They began giving sacrifices to Kukulkan and his wrath died down over the years, as he was very pleased. Then, one evening, his sacrifice was stolen from him…"
A wave of energy crashed into Crystal, and knocked her unconscious. Standby relatives caught her before she hit the ground, but her consciousness was filled with a vivid vision.
"It comes! Her revelation comes!" Maria screeched.
A boy, no more than sixteen or seventeen years of age, climbed upon the shore with his mother, who was weak from their long journey. They had traveled Far West from their country to escape the genocide that had swept their village. The trip took weeks, and they barely had enough food. The boy had sufficed, for he was young and strong. His mother was on the brink of death.
He carried her into the vast forests until he found a clearing. As he set her down, he heard a commotion not too far from him, and then he saw fire. His mother's groan brought his attention back to her and he kneeled down, touching her face lightly.
"Please hold on mama. I will find you food, please hold on." Tears were filling his eyes.
"I will try my dear son, but if I do not make it, know that I have gone in peace. We have escaped the danger." She coughed, and her voice was raspy. He nodded and broke into a run towards the sounds and fire he had witnessed only moments before.
Suddenly, he stumbled into a large village, filled with breathtaking stone architecture and many stairs that led up to what appeared to be an altar. There were people everywhere, laughing, celebrating…and then there was a girl who was being dragged away by two men. Tears flowed from her face as she screamed, but it had no effect upon her captors.
Seeing a basket of fruit nearby, the boy grabbed it and ran back into the forest, but not before stealing a last glance at the poor girl. Many times in his village he had seen the same kind of scene, and it resulted too often in death.
As he came upon his mother, he placed her head into his lap and gently fed her pieces of fruit. She was still too weak to move much, but she managed to smile at her son. "You are a blessing my son."
"Shh, rest mama." He cooed, laying her head upon a bed of leaves.
"You must eat as well." She worried for his health.
"Rest." He repeated, standing up. The girl's cries were heard closer than before and he could hear the rustling of her being brought through nearby trees. Quickly, he followed the sounds until he happened upon what appeared to be a small hut. He watched from a distance as the girl was thrown into the hut and the men walked away to guard any other entrances.
The boy snuck through the back, and crawled into the hut. The girl shook viciously, curled up in a fetal position. She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Bix a k'aaba?" (who are you?) She asked in a shaky voice. The boy frowned at her, realizing there was a language barrier.
"I'm here to take you away." He whispered, "To save you."
She touched the tattoo of a necklace with intricately drawn sharp teeth made to be strung along the pattern, it was designed along his collarbone. "Ba'ax lela'" (what is this?) She said.
"We must go before we are caught." He took her hand and rushed from the hut before the men could notice their departure. They ran until the boy had brought her back to the clearing where his mother had been, but now she was gone. The ground was bloodstained, and the boy looked around frantically.
In seconds he heard a gasp from beside him and the girl had disappeared. He ran into the clearing, now afraid. "Mama? Mama!" He called out. Fresh tears fell from his eyes and he grew more frantic and anxious. "Mama!" He yelled.
Suddenly a tall man appeared. He was covered in animal skins and feathers adorned his body, while a mask of what appeared to be a dragon was over his face. The boy backed away from this threatening presence, but bumped into two other men. He spun around to see they had two long teeth, like a snake, and their mouths were covered in blood.
"Tas ten waaye" (Bring him to me) the beaded feathered man said in a cold voice. Before he could even attempt to escape, the boy was grabbed by both of the men and brought to the mysterious being. They shoved him onto the ground and pinned him, and the man drew a sharp stone tool from his pocket. His likeness was carved into it, a feathered serpent who's head rested upon the top frozen in a vicious stare. He pressed the tip to his tounge and an onyx dye soaked into the tip.
The boy struggled, but was no match for the strong men that kept a hold on him. The man leaned down, running his finger down the boy's spine.
"What is your name?" He asked. The boy was surprised he could speak his language, but he refused to answer. One of the men squeezed his arm tighter and the boy yelped in pain, crying heavily. "What is your name?" The man demanded.
"Godric!" The boy yelled, struggling with all his might.
"Godric." The man studied the name for a bit, "You are not from here. You have provoked me, Godric. You came upon my land and stole my sacrifice. You will be my sacrifice now, but first I must mark you as mine." The man took his mask off and revealed his horrific face. He had yellow eyes with a black vertical pupil, and slits in his face where his nose would have been, like a serpent. He kneeled behind Godric and used his sharp tool to engrave a feathered serpent down the boy's spine.
Godric screamed out in pain, but it only caused the men holding him down to laugh. After what felt like an eternity, the mark had been made and he was weak from everything that had happened and went unconscious.
He awakened and it was still night around him. His back stung from earlier, reminding him he had not had a nightmare. As his vision stopped its vertigo, there was an elderly man kneeling above him and pressing a cool cloth to his forehead and face. Godric blinked a few times, confused.
"You are heroic. You saved my child from death." The elderly man spoke, his voice accented. "I will save you from the death Kukulkan has sentenced you."
Godric remained silent.
"But you must listen to me, young one. My child will bear a son, and he will grow to bear another son, and this will continue for thousands of years until my last son bears a daughter. Because my blood runs in her veins, she will be responsible for you, you must listen to her always when she gives you direction. My spirit will be alive within her. But because Kukulkan has made me what I am, his blood runs through me also. You must take care of her as you did with my child when you cross her path many years from now. I narrowly escaped Kukulkan, and yet I am still demon. He will kill me, but I am ready to go. He will return, looking to seek revenge upon you and my child, and only she will be able to harness the power to defeat his return forever. Do you understand young one?"
Godric stared at the man, his mind still trying to understand what had happened. He nodded, slowly.
"Good. I will now change you; you must leave immediately when you awaken." The elderly man, with a stunning quickness, lurched forward, sinking his now extended fangs into Godric's neck and draining his blood entirely. When the boy was close to death the man forced him to drink his own blood, and he carried him into the forest.
Crystal gasped, jarring back into consciousness. "Godric." She breathed heavily, looking around at the people who were joyously celebrating her revelation. She smelled something burning and looked back to the eagle, the smoke from it rising endlessly into the sky.
