"Our Prophecy"
Fandom : Maya and the Three / Mesoamericans, Aztec, Mayan, Mythological Cultures AU
Declaimer : All rights reserved to Gorge Gutiérrez. This FanFiction and it's OCs belong to me. No copies are authorised unless given specific approval; this includes OC characters and plot development, unless properly given credit to. No money is being made with this, it's purely for fun. Reviews are welcomed, and positive criticism is encouraged.
Warnings : (16) Gods, magic, mythology, worship, romance, angst, character death, sexual and mature themes, gore, torture, explicit content, mentions of non-con/rape, fluff, mental breakdown, anxiety n/or panic attacks, mental abuse, enemies to friends to lovers.
Mainpairing: Princess Maya of Teca/Zatz Prince of Bats
Language: English and some Spanish
Summary : Her Coronation Day ruined, all Maya can do is hold her anger, to let it fester and grow as her Father and Brothers march with the Teca Army towards their certain doom...
A single choice to make or break. Maya's decision changes the course of history and diverges from her fated path.
A/N: the first two episodes of the show have been greatly quoted to better transfer from the original plot line to my own.
Prologue: A Broken Promise
"Long, long ago, when magic turned the world, in a time some cannot remember, but our hearts will never forget. In a kingdom past the ferocious pumas of the Golden Mountains. Just above the deadly skulls of the Jungle Lands. And just below the magical roosters of Luna Island. Resting above an ancient secret lake was the legendary Kingdom of Teca. There, the ancients told of a great prophecy that a Mighty Eagle and three courageous jaguars would one day vanquish the dark lords of the underworld! But know this, though prophecies may give hope, the battle will still be fought, for victory rides on the shoulders of heroes!"
-Maya and the three, S1EP1
~~~~~~~~~~
Letting out a breath, Maya opened her eyes, half painted red face set determined. She could do this. She was born for this.
Walking forward and into the sun, the crowed cheered upon seeing their Teca Princess, Maya smiled and kept forward, head held high and proud, for this was not just her moment, it was the peoples too.
'Her coronation was really happening!' Honestly, why was she so nervous! All she had to do was go to the front, say a few words and then party, why did her mom make it such a big de— and there goes her shoes...
"Maya!" Her older brothers rushed to her, hesitant over her fallen form, arms outstretched and hovering, not daring to touch her painted body nor pull from her ornamented self. Thankfully her head piece did not tilt nor break, now that would've been a pain to deal with, the maids took hours to put it together.
"I'm okay! Gracias Hermanos... I can do this" she stood up and walked at a slower pace, minding her barefoot steps. Her fathers cooing was what graced her upon reaching the edge, where she saw all four tribes, cheering for her. Together.
Her mother stepped up besides her and raised her arms, the Teca Warriors banging spears to their shields in rhythm until the crowed silenced. "We thank the Barbarian Kingdom! The Jungle Kingdom! And the Kingdom of the Wizards! For joining us on this special Day" a hush fell "today on this day, we are gathered to Celebrate the Teca Princess's coronation!"
Booming explosions sounded around, halting the celebrations. A large colony of bats flying upwards from the trees -an ominous thing, as they represent death- and from beyond the selva, thunder was heard rumbling. The sky darkened and winds rushed by. Thunder starting to hit the edges of the kingdom, perhaps not long before rain begins to fall.
"Mamá qué está pasando?" Maya's voice barely heard through the winds. Her three older brothers Lance, Daggers, and Shield forming a protective barrier before her, preventing anyone from seeing their only sister and holding their weapons in a ready stance. "Stand back little sister! Your brothers will protect you!"
"Mi amor something is going to happen, I can feel it in my bones!" The Teca King grinned in excitement, but all Maya can do is watch. Watch from the protective circle her brothers and parents form around her, watch as the earth trembles and the weather became colder, as her people rush towards safety and their warriors holding their own formations spread before the other three kingdoms. Shielding them.
There was another quake before a deep roar sounded from where the tree line separating the Teca kingdom and la selva lied. Out stepped a large puma-like creature made of bones, where instead of eyes it held two pits of burning bright fire. Upon its back was a rider, a warrior -for he (definitely a he) could be nothing else- with his shiny black green accented large armour, holding a red burning flag.
"Podrá ser? Could it be? The Gods have sent their own emissary?" The Gran Bruja said, taking steps back in clear shock. The other three Kingdoms now protecting each of their leaders.
The Teca warriors advanced slowly and held their weapons towards the unknown intruder "For Teca!" Their weapons sounding in warning to this unknown.
The mysterious warrior got down from his skeleton beast, armour clinking as he walked forward and slammed the pole of the flag to the ground. "Great King and Queen of Teca! Allow me to introduce myself" Bowing the warrior removed his helmet revealing pure white flowing hair and a single red eye, his other hidden underneath a patch. "I am Zatz! The Prince of Bats" voice barley above a whisper, echoed around the entire kingdom, it's warning subtle but not unclear. "I am but a humble emissary for Lord Mictlan"
The Teca King signalled his three sons, never taking his eyes from the warrior bellow "the Prophecy is upon us mi amor" he whispered to his wife, "Prepare Teca Warriors" he stated much louder
Queen Teca stood proud before her people, "Porque estás aquí? Why are you here? We have done nothing but honour the Gods!" She pointed her dagger toward Zatz, it's shine prominent against the darkness around.
The Bat Prince smiled charmingly and continued walking forward "Please allow me the honour to escort the beloved Princess Maya to her rightful Kingdom, The Underworld. Where she will be sacrificed"
Exclamations of shock heard around, all Maya could think of was what the Prince of Bats mentioned, her 'rightful Kingdom'. Queen Teca could only glare at her husband and shield her daughter from the gaze of the stranger.
"Never fear, Princess Maya shall be welcomed to the endless Death by her true mother, Lady Micte". The revelation did nothing to calm her, it only serve to bring more questions forward, "'true mother' Mamá what is he saying?" Maya begged her for answers reaching to hold her hand. Queen Teca gently shushed her "everything will be alright mija", two of the Queen's warriors moving besides the decorated Princess, their spears ready. King Teca looked up towards their own big beast, a dark jaguar standing on top of a pillar. "Chiapa! Ven Protect Maya!" nodding it jumped down bellow with a leap, landing behind the Princess and staring down with a growl anyone looking at her.
"At my signal Jaguares!" The king commanded to his sons. Each in position to attack. Ready to strike fear to the enemy. Zatz shook his head "Allow me to escort the honourable Princess Maya, I promise no harm will befall anyone, but should you resist, all will die, eso se los juró that I promise"
The Teca King looked towards his daughter, his only daughter, and then to his people. Breathing in deeply he raised his arm, sword gleaming and pointing towards the Heavens. "En el nombre de Teca! In the name of Teca! Attack!" The warriors battle cries echoed by their army, the three Teca Princes advanced first, jumping down to meet their opponent, their father and King not far behind. The Teca Army staying in stance to prevent casualties to the rest. Queen Teca glanced behind towards her impulsive daughter expecting a fight, but all she saw was her determined face, body standing tall and strong. She was not moving. Not wavering in the face of possible death towards those she loved. She was proud. She was in that very moment a true Teca Princess.
A conch shell horn blew, Zatz the Bat Prince holding it high up. Earth trembling as cracks appeared in the surrounding pillars. People screaming as the volcano ways behind the Kingdom exploded, its smog starting to penetrate the air. Little flakes of ash falling around.
From the front of the jungle, two gigantic boulder heads rolled out, stopping each besides the Godly Emissary with a resounding bang. The skeleton puma roared as rocks flew from behind and built arms and legs and torsos for both rock heads, who stood and towered above, seemingly reaching the clouds.
"You have left me no choice" Zatz the Prince of Bats said, deep voice rumbling within Maya, -hitting her very core- who could only desperately stare as her brothers and father readied themselves to a battle they could surely not win, but hope not dimming. 'If this is what they have to fight against un emisario, how much worse will it be against the Gods? They must survive!' Maya clenched her fists. Anger cursing through her as she began to slowly remove her headpiece, not an easy task.
Down bellow the battle started, her brothers each taking turns to attack the Bat Prince whose only defence was a green glowing sword, all the while her father went one against two with the rock golems. "Know that the Kingdom of Teca fears no dark Gods!!" Prince Daggers exclaimed as his two twins advanced towards the Bat Prince, each throwing their best and missing as he sidestepped. Zatz catching whatever was thrown his way and repaying the favour with force, the three Teca Warrior Princes starting to struggle to evade and advance, but not letting it burn their excitement away. The fight was clearly one-sided, the Bat Prince not moving much save for slow strikes that hit their target while the three Princes spared no effort to keep up with him. The Teca King taking hit after hit from his opponents, was captured in the hand of one of the giant golems, hiding in between the fingers, the King jump and slammed his mighty golden easels sword in the head, it not breaking. Salvation came when the the Teca King managed to have both golems hit each other, the only consequence his arm being trapped beneath the rubble of his fallen opponents. "This ends now" The Bat Prince said as he caught the shield aiming for his throat in his hand easily, knocking them down with a single strike from hit using it as a boomerang. Turning to watch as the Teca king crumbled beneath the rock golems fall missing half an arm, he laid down the Royal Teca weapons. "I will not fight you, King Teca, it is clear you are hurt" Zatz jumped on his puma ready to ride. King Teca laughed with strain, staring him down and practically growled, "tell your Gods niño, that if they want my daughter, they have to rip her from my. Cold. Dead. Arms... Am I understood?"
Zatz, the Prince of Bats stared at the King, his arm bleeding but the golems behind him fallen to pieces. He inclined his head "the God of War will not be pleased" his companion roared a nightly sound. "Be well Princess Maya, as we will see each other soon" both beast and rider bowed and turned to leave into the darkness of the jungle, their shadows disappearing into nothingness, the flag left behind burning green godly fire.
The silence was broken by three Teca warrior Princes, slowly moving towards where their Father barley stood loosing blood fast. "Did we win papá?" Lance asked glancing at the pile of what the rock golems used to be while Daggers tightened a piece of cloth around his wound and Shield bandaged around it to stop it from getting bleeding more. All three sons red and purple from bruises, but standing proudly.
"My Gods!" The Teca Queen finally reaching her husband and sons, the latter of which she begins to push towards their Palace while servants bustled around the King trying to ease him into his carrier throne to better move him.
"Esto es una locura! The God of War will be furious, and this will be all your fault Teca Princess!" The Grand Bruja exclaimed, pointing her staff to Maya, who had descended from the Pyramid to join her family the divide of her people and that of the Luna palpable. "This is war, and We the Kingdom of Wizards and Sorcerers of Luna Island will have no part of this!" The Grand Bruja stomped her staff twice before her and her companions disappeared in a flourish of purple swirls.
Maya took a deep breath and raised her arms, voice loud and clear "Now more than ever we must stand united, debemos estar juntos! Will the alliance be with the Teca Kingdom?" Maya's plea was answered with deafening silence
"This war the Teca Kingdom has is against Gods Princess Maya, for you we will not kill us all. The Jungle Kingdom says no" the Widow Queen -a small child- denied her for the safety of her people. Glancing around them, the Barbarian King and Barbarian Princess looked at one another before the Princess stepped forward, "We of the Barbarian Kingdom also desire to say no, our numbers are not many, we struggle bordering so close to the celestial beasts and monsters. This War we cannot join" the Barbarian King gave a battle cry, their women and men repeating it twice before bowing "May the God Huitzil smile upon the Teca Kingdom", it was with those parting words that the Barbarians left.
"Estoy orgullosa de ti mijita I am so proud Maya, you showed great leadership, and although the results were not ideal, they responded with honesty, and that is all we can ask of the other Kingdoms" Her mother gently took her face in her hands and kissed her forehead. Maya exhaled and straighten her back, looking at her father and brothers in the eye. "Papá, mis hermanos... you are not going to march to fight the God of War" her father startled looking confused for a second before composing himself, ignoring her brothers complaints "Maya, we will do anything for you— "Even if it means Death Little sister!!" Her three brothers interrupted their father, who just glared at them before smiling in a tired manner. "While we don't want that to happen, that is the truth mijita, but how did you know that is what I planned?" Maya just smiled down, seeing her painted red hands, calluses visible, proof of her many years of training with weapons, learning to protect not just her, but her loved ones. Her people.
"Because papá, that is what I would have done if it were the me from yesterday"
Night had already fallen, and with it came the dread of what was to happen next.
"Gordo no"
"Mi amor si"
"I refuse to and besides! Maya agreed with me about—
Already the sound of the King and Queen of Teca sounded faded as they walked passed the Library their daughter hid herself. Maya was tired of their back and forth, each trying to choose the better idea of what to do.
A blue flutter on her left, and Colibrí hovered besides her before chirping and zooming to the back of the library, where the older scrolls were held. "Buena Idea Colibrí! Good idea! Maybe one of these old scrolls will help us find what we need". Minutes turned into an hour, and that hour turned into many more. Already the sun rays were starting to shine, and still no signed of clues, all night searching for nothing.
A sparkle bellow grabbed her attention. Beneath the center of the table in the grand library, a single speck of light was shining. Maya hurriedly tried touching all around the stone to see if anything could give a clue. "Gocha!" Underneath the eagle head carving, was a different piece carved, that of the body of a serpent, going around the table showed the same for each head. 'They don't go with each other! They need to be aligned!' Trying to twist the heavy stone was a hard task. Maya yelled with frustration as she continues to slide and fall. "Need some help from 3 handsome and strong big brothers hermanita?" Shield asked behind her as he and his twins each took a pose, Daggers sticking his nose up and Lance flexing his arms. Maya smiled at her silly brothers, who honestly spoiled her too much. "Ay mis hermanos, you came at the perfect time! Yes help me move this stone, I think maybe this is the clue I was looking for!" Her brothers each took a position on the circular stone table and began to slide it right "there!" Maya said as each head properly aligned with its designated carved body, the symbols illuminating a bright gold light for a few seconds before setting.
The library began to trembled and from each corner of the room 4 statues came out of the floor; a rooster, a monkey, a puma, and a eagle. "Hermana look at this!" Shield excitedly pointed underneath the eagle statue, where a double door was. Surprising since it's fading golden hue was really bright and impossible to miss.
The four siblings went inside the room, decorated with so many different scrolls of colours. The wall on the left green with the word 'nature' above it, the one in between it and the center one which said 'War' holding red scrolls underneath used purple and had the plaque say 'Magic', and lastly, the two on the right had blue and black, 'healing' and 'death' respectively. At the very centre of the room was a small stone table -similar to the library- with an eagle carved in it. "Mis hermanos, I think we should get mamá y papá here..." two of her brothers saluted her before running out in excitement. Shield ever the academic one of the three stayed behind, reading as many scrolls as possible and stacking some on the table "these have useful stuff you know" was his explanation. It wasn't until he was sure the others were gone that he asked "Hermanita how did you figure something could be in the library?" tone cautious as he took each scroll with care, since it was unknown how long they had been hidden there. "Honestly, No tenia idea, I just wanted to maybe be helpful and find something in the Library about the prophecy, it makes no sense that as the three jaguares and papá the mighty eagle, it was a tough battle against a mere emissary... I don't like that while I'm stuck being a 'diplomat', and learning the ways of being a proper wife you three get to have amazing adventures! Also, what if in some battle you guys need help? A messenger would take too long... I just want to do my part while listening to mamá, I'm tired of making her angry at me and I'm tired of not knowing what my place as a princess should really be never mind what that princesito said about me." Maya explained, looking for a scroll that could perhaps have an answer.
"Ay mija, all I wanted was for you to be safe and learn other ways besides brute force to solve any situations" her mother's voice sounded behind her. Startled, the two siblings spun to where the rest of her family stood. The King and Queen of Teca with forced smiles and her brothers with encouraging ones. "Alright! So what are we looking for? Also, I had no idea this was here! Talk about embarrassing" her father, as always, putting a smile on their faces walked around the room. Stopping in front of the 'Death' scrolls, he pointed. "This is a no" he moved next to them, to the 'healing' blue scrolls. "This is helpful. Shield, look for anything that can be used from here on battle, quick fixes, maybe even about an arm!" He winked and move to stand before the 'War' red wall after his son winked back and started looking. "Now this! This I'll do myself!" Maya saw how amazed everyone of her family seemed at the bulk of the room around and smiled. 'I love my family'. Thoughts straying to the events of her coronation, a frown graced her face. 'Ese repugnante hijo de burro leproso! How dare he! How dare they!'
Fist clenched, Maya breathed deeply twice before looking at the black scrolls. 'This is not just about me, the Gods have basically declared War on the Teca Kingdom! Sacrifices are one thing, but to demand a specific person and lie about it!' Maya looked back at her family, if she had to die for her family, she would do so, but to threaten her people and the other three kingdoms... that was unacceptable. She would have to take care of it all. And she was starting with those black scrolls. Her family was to preoccupied to notice anyways.
'Necromancy wasn't it, helpful though (maybe she should take this one just in case), lamia summoning no, invocation of Tezcatl!! Gods no, that would bring disaster' that specific scroll Maya pushed to the very back of the walled shelf. '"Illusions spells"' that one large scroll she put inside her bag. 'Better safe than sorry'. It continued like this for some time, at the end of it Maya hid 2 more scrolls besides those two inside her bag, 'Poisons and Remedies' and 'Poderes de los Sacrificios'.
It wasn't until a few hours later that her mother discovered something. "Ayayai! Tell me this isn't true!" In her hand was a golden scroll. Everyone crowded around, her hands trembling as the it revealed something impossible.
Another prophecy.
Queen Teca laid it down on the stone table so all four Royal members could clearly see it. "Unlike with the eagle and three jaguars ancient prophecy the Grand Brujo showed us, this one appears to be as old as eighteen generations ago. See here children, this is La lengua Maya the Mayan language. The last Teca King to speak it was your many times great grandfather, seventh Teca King ever, and even then it was still considered the old tongue" the Queen pointed to the words -drawings really- and identified 3. "This grey one here for example, two dices of two, one at the bottom right and the other top left, with the other two blank square next to them having four vertical lines each. This means tz'am, 'throne'" pointing to another two symbols over "this green one that looks like two circled long squares making an X horizontally is hal or 'to manifest'" to the last one, she hesitated, face consecrated with a scowl. "The gold one with the head of a bat is sotz it means 'bat'." Her voice flat, she closed her eyes and looked at her husband. His face a mirror of her own, eyes communicating, having a conversation as those who know one another for as long as they have do can only do.
"Then we must march to La Puerta Divina the divine gate" the Teca King said at last, his tone final. Not that the Teca Princess listened. "NO! Papá ¿porqué? I thought we agreed that we shouldn't! You will all die!" Maya grabbed his good arm, hand small against his own. Her three older brothers, pulling her back, each hugging her seemingly in appeasement. "I will take the Teca Army with me, all of you will be protected by your mother's squadrons and royal guards. Should anything happen to me, you should flee. Maya..." her father hesitated to continue, eyes downcast and arm raised to her head.
His shoulders sank down, and he breathed out slowly. "Maya, there is something you should know, something we should have told you many moons ago". The Teca Queen sucked in air. And straightened herself. "Not here Gordo, not here! we should move somewhere secured. I will decipher this later" she grabbed the scroll, and briskly walk out, her husband hurrying after her. Maya and her brothers looked at each other, and making sure they weren't overhears, they started to whisper. "I found this green one with ingredients about making a spell of protection earlier, I think we have to find them so we have a better chance in the future" Shield said showing a 3inch thick scroll with his twins nodding and holding up their armour motioning to their own finds. "¡Vámonos! We have to follow them first, after that, tell me more about that" the siblings grinning, then they took to running after their parents. Door closing behind them with a resounding slam.
Jumping over servants, running through secret passages in walls and ceilings, each trying to outrun the other. Maya jumped pillars barely catching herself, what with her still sore shoulder. The Princess and princes arriving at their parents quarters, they stopped narrowly crashing into King Teca. "You should all sit down mijos... although not long, this will not be easy to say" Queen Teca motioned to the bed while she looked at her husband. The King cleared his throat and soften his voice, his tone that of regret. "When you were young, and it seem to soon to tell you -tell all of you- about this... Maya, your birth mother is the Goddess of Death" It was at this moment that the Queen smacked his left arm -his hurt arm it should be mentioned- and all children just sat still. "W-w-what do you mean? ¿Mamá?" Maya started to tremble slightly, out of anger or shock she didn't know. All she knew was that, her whole identity was crashing down. 'Was she even a teca princess, a Teca at all...were her brothers her brothers? What about her poor mamá? He cheated on her!'. "Mija— "Don't 'mija' me!" The Queen cut in before she could continue "this is not an easy discussion to have Maya" her tone sad, she hugged herself. Maya glared at her father, gaze not moving or acknowledging the other occupants of the room. "Well, papá could have said 'And by the way Maya! The Gods walk among us! And I cheated on your mother with one of them! Then boom! You were born.'" Maya at this point had started walking and gesturing all over, getting louder and louder till she ended up in a flat voice. The triplets staring at their father, for once serious, their younger sister -half sister- in almost hysteria behind them, still going in circles until so frustrated she just threw herself backwards into the large bed. "Why did you wait until now to tell us? We're you not going to until we all died for not understanding something and rushing to battle against a God? Probably a God your own actions have enraged?" Shield asked -like what almost happened on her coronation day went unsaid. "What about Maya? She is half a god. Maybe it doesn't matter to you but she deserved the right to know of her heritage" Daggers continued while scowling. "Or about us. When were you both thinking of telling us this? Maya is our little sister. Even if we have different mothers, truth and trust is what keeps us all together, lies will just make it easier to have seeds of doubt" Lance finished, him and his twins with crossed arms. The King of Teca winced, "hijos... mija... too much time had passed since you were all small, I didn't know how to even start this talk, I couldn't very well one day go 'oh and Maya your birth mother is Lady Micte! Hey, can you pass me the tamales your mother made?'" This time it wasn't just his children who shot him glares, his wife as well. "How could you betray your wife?" Maya asked, eyes wet. The Queen slowly approached her, arms going around Maya for a hug. "I was furious when I found out mija, even stabbed him for the first time then, but when I first laid eyes on you... Maya you were just a baby when the forest spirits brought you to us. Your father immediately recognised your necklace as one from Death Goddess, that's when we knew who you were. But I could never hate you, never be angry at you for that. This was not a choice you made Maya. You were pure in an impure world" mother and daughter hugged for what seem the longest time. Her brothers joining in. "And my birth mother mamá? Why did she abandon me?Why kill me now after all these years?" Maya asked, walking to the edge of the balcony. The sun setting and moon rising in a perfect irony.
"Ay Maya... none of us can ever hope to comprehend the will of the Gods" the Queen stated with a short laugh. Reaching to touch her daughters hair. "Don't worry hermanita! We the mighty jaguares shall protect you!" The three princes said, each with an exaggerated pose. Lance tripping over the large woolen rug at his feet.
The Teca King tried to approach his daughter, hand reaching her, but Maya moved away, closer to her mother. "I hate that Diosa with all my heart, and you for lying to us about my mother!" Her voice a whisper still cut deep inside the Kings heart. And Maya ran. She ran passed her bedroom, pass that of her brothers. She ran away from the palace, pass the main Teca city and into the ceremonial precinct near the edge of Teca, where tributes of the dark were made. No one would think to look for her inside these Sacred walls. El templo an ominous looking long pyramid scaring most of the population save for their healers and some priests.
Calmed at last, Maya laid on the floor, bathed by the moonlight shinning through the opening above. Her thoughts quite for once since the coronation. All those feelings she had been bottling since then exploding out of her. Eyes closing, she pictured wings growing behind her. Large brown things with sharp feathers flapping once and moving her across the sky. Where the stars -the heavens themselves- envelope her in a warm embrace of safety. Wind rushing pass her as she could dive beneath the clouds and into the ocean, a big blue sea of possibilities. Away from the impending war -for that is what her Father is planning to do. Away from the Gods.
Away from it all.
Her head being touched is what finally woke her up. 'Honestly couldn't they just let her sleep for five more minutes' "I told you she was going to be here!" Her brother's Lance voice annoyingly sounded above her head. "Be quite Lance, hermanita here is sleeping, besides I was the one who thought of this place" Shield said from next to her. 'He must be the one massaging my head then' Maya thought. "Well, we all know who was here first though, 'twas I, the great and powerful Dagger". Maya cracked an eye open, taking in the view of her brother flexing biceps and legs and flipping his wavy hair behind him, helmet in hand. "You were always the most dramatic Dagger" Maya said sitting up and cracking her back. Dagger startled and squeaked. "¡Eso es mentira! I'm the cool handsome brother women and men alike fall for" he snubbed. Nose high in the air as his siblings just laughed and laughed. Maya smiled at them, heart warmed. "How did you figure it out? That I was here I mean" looking down playing with her hands, she missed the looks the princes gave each other. "Maya, desde queeras chiquita you always hid either here or way underneath the palace in the the Royal tombs -thankfully you stopped that when you were six." Shield said kneeling in front of her (the last part murmured probably not meant to be heard). Hand in her face, squishing her cheeks. "Adorable hermanita , no matter what happens, we are family, we share blood. Who cares if your birth mother is a clearly crazy Diosa! We will always be family, and us three will go to the ends of this earth for you". Shield nodded behind him, and her two other brothers knelt besides him, each now showing a simple wooden box in their hands. "We didn't get to properly give you your birthday gifts, well we had these besides those amazing ones your older, fabulous, and smart brothers got you" Shield said with a wink. Maya, face covered with snot and tears (she wasn't crying, it was just that her eyes need fixing because she started leaking salty water, must be a demigod thing), just gave a wet laugh and reached for the first box. A beautiful golden squared earring was inside, Jewelled with turquoise gems stones around it and a big amethyst at the very center. "This is something I crafted myself when on the quest to control the northern borders against the Otomí, I met someone from Tahuantinsuyu, The Realm of the Four, and as you know the Incas are amazing at metal work. He traded his techniques for a piece of land to settle, easy thing to do as a Prince of Teca. Let me tell you hermanita, this brother of yours did not stop until he had the best most perfect earring!" Daggers said before gently putting it in her right ear, between the painted lines and kissed her forehead. Lance smacked his brothers arm away and push his own box into Maya's hands. Opening it, an emerald green jade necklace glowed. Each bead rounded in perfect symmetry with black onyx near the clasp. "After diving into the Cursed Ocean, after returning to defeat the the Sea Beast, your brother saved an Ocean Spirit! This beautiful creature -body of a woman with a serpentine form for legs- called Chalchiutli. I still don't know if she was the actual Goddess or just a spirit wishing to take her form. Maya let me tell you, my heart never moved as fast! She was so beautiful, gleaming skin— ofcourse she grateful that I, the amazing Lance, had vanquished her evil foe, she helped me searched for these jades, even going as far as showing me how to mold them each the same" Lance told her excitedly rubbing the side where Daggers had elbowed him sourly, spun her around and clasped the necklace on her all in a blink of an eye. Maya looked down at it and smiled. 'It so beautiful'. The last of her brothers cleared his throat and rolled his bright eyes. "Amateurs. Your valiant and greatest brother Shield not only got you the ferociousColibrí, but also this silver arm bracelet! Which was forged with black onyx and welded with the fire of Lord Xiuhtecuhtli the God of Fire himself!" He held it up towards the sky as if holding an offering to the heavens. Lance and Daggers snorted behind him, Maya gave them a look before reaching for it. "It's beautiful hermano, thank you" Shield stopped her before her fingers could touch it. "Hermanita, let me explain its amazing history first! This arm bracelet is like no other. Once belonging to an unfortunate mortal priest of Lady Itzpapalotl!! the Obsidian Butterfly Goddess! Not only had it been passed from Kings and Queens for many generations seeking victory in times of war and powers they know not, this bracelet bares the curse of death should anyone try to remove it from the wearer. It also has the side effect of protection against illusions so there's that too" he finished with a shrug. Maya and the his twins stared at him with wide eyes while Shield carefully slid the bracelet all the way above her elbow and nodded to himself. Maya for her part didn't know what to say, already emotionally, not knowing how to express her emotions. Lance cleared his throat once and pulled out his hidden scroll from beneath his armour, his brother following along. "Now. Let's talk about what's to be done", they all laid the papers flat on the ground, sitting around it. "The one I grabbed speaks about a mystical everlasting plant that can heal any illness or wound, it's atop the highest mountain, en el Volcán Tajumulco, protected and guarded by Jacawitz a Mountain God. He only lets those that make a sacrifice in his name pass" Daggers started, pointing at the portrait made showing a being made of rocks and lava. Lance shuddered "this is why I am glad I passed that one to you, I hate volcanos!" His scroll having a dragon-like creature drawn, not inspiring much confidence. Seeing Maya's expression Lance quickly explained, "this is a dragon! Much more cool than a horrible mountain God. I've encountered it once but narrowly managed to escape since I had no idea to to deal with it, but this scroll explains everything! Plus having this creature here means victory from the dark Gods, and we will not need to fear the underworld, since it can go to and from and back again!" Lance finished, clearly proud of his idea. Shield tutted and opened his much longer -it really was a long- scroll. "My tasks are a little more straightforward than theirs, although more time consuming. I need to get ingredients for a ritual to create a type of shield that will protect the Teca Kingdom from the Dark Gods and all that wish harm. The list is pretty short, only 7 things to find" He pointed at each one and their respective illustrations. "the first is flayed skin from a captured sacrificed warrior that must have been worn at least for 20 days by a Totec Priest. Pretty easy since they will be starting their Spring to Summer rituals soon, so I have 3 full-moons till then. The second is by using an obsidian blade, to rip a still warm beating heart from a strong male warrior, I'll be doing this one last. In the list there also is getting a branch of the wacah Chan world tree, picking a spine from the ahuizotl water dog companion of the Rain Gods..." Shield stared at his paper. "I think I'm going to need help with some of these" he murmured.
Maya could only stare at her eldest brother -eldest by minutes between the triplets- as she quickly started writing down what she was going to help with, choosing the easiest closer to home tasks, they were hers to complete. "Hermano querido, you really go for the hard stuff, you should thank the Celestials that some of these things I can easily find on my way to the Realm of the Four" Lance bragged while doing the same as his sister. All four bickering as siblings tend to do. It wasn't till they finished their plans that it suddenly hit Maya, her brothers were going to be gone for a long while. Even just travelling to El volcán Tajumulco took weeks if not months to complete. And that one was the closest of locations from their destinations. Her worry palpable, Daggers -who was sitting closest to her- smiled softly and kissed her forehead again. "Dearest hermanita, I hope you can see us off to our quests to find what is needed to protect this Teca Kingdom from the eyes of the Dark Gods". She sharply nodded, face set determined before hugging her older brothers. "Let's go back."
Arriving at the bottom of the palace, the Jaguar royal squadron was in preparation to depart. "What is going on?" Maya asked reaching where her mother stood. The Queen so still she could be mistaken for a statue. "Your father and half the Teca Army have already departed to destroy the divine gate. Your brothers will leave soon on their own quests" Maya felt her heart pick up. "The King may be clueless, but a mother always knows Maya, even if you four hide your plans. I know they don't plan to join your father in his expedition" she explained, eyes never leaving the warriors bellow saying their goodbyes.
The Queen relaxed her posture and began walking where the princes stood boosting their troops morale. "—— let us return with success! No more unnecessary wars for Gods who wish us destruction. ¡No más!" "¡¡No más!!" the troops replied. Maya stood behind as she watched her mother and brothers hug each other. Body cold in fear for what could happen. Knowing as much as she did.
Hurrying towards them, she threw herself at their arms burying her head in her closest brother's chest. "Be safe mis hermanos, I want to see you all here when my nieces and nephews are born" they laughed loudly. "¡Mija porfavor! Maybe help me get them married before that happens si?" the Queen said with a shark smile. "¡Mamá!! We are perfectly able to do that on our own. Just for that I'll marry a foreigner and bring them here only for visits!" Lance replied with a pout. Maya jumping on top his shoulders, hugged his head. "You better. I want to see little yellowed eyed babies walking around here" Shield smacked her leg "gol-den! G o l d e n eyes hermanita, yellow is plain" He said
Tambores sounded. Their squadron ready, the three Jaguar warriors went to the front. "We swear to find all mystical objects needed to protect our Kingdom! To protect our people! Should the others fail, we shall be the protection against the dark Gods! For Teca!" "For Teca!!" Their scream echoing around the city, cheers from their families urging them on as they marched forward into the selva.
Maya raised her arm and shouted. "Ride mighty Jaguares! Show the Gods the might of Teca!"
Elsewhere, the God of War smirked. His two heads looking above, forked tongues hissing. "I can taste their fear already! foolish mortals. This benevolent God of War gave you the option of surrender and you have chosen death!! I will gladly bring upon what your wish" he laughed a horrid laugh, sounds like the screech of a knife against a glass bottle, screams of the damned, of warfare and its victims, of the horrors of men themselves all joint together in a melody of nightmares.
The time had comes for Hell to open its Gates
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