Author's note: Before we begin, I want you to know that this story was based on a fan-theory that all of us, who have watched the Book of Life and then Maya and the Three, had. As soon as I saw that Jorge Gutierrez himself had confirmed it, it was "GREEN LIGHT; GIRL!" and this story began to took form. I just hope you guys like it and dedicate this with all my love to el Sr. Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua. ¡Muchas gracias a los dos por darnos estas maravillosas historias! I also want to include Carlos Meglia (Te echamos mucho de menos), author of Cybersix, and his comic Cañari, which is set in Pre Columbian Tulum.

Let's get started! Oh, mind you! There be spoilers!

1. Metztli

The moon slowly rose over San Angel, white as a puddle of water in the sky, watching as the festivities of the wedding and the previous battle had died down. The Moon Rabbit shaped on its figure, like a fleeing memory, that seemed to run tirelessly through the town until it finally stopped at General Posadas 'house. Pepe's guitar still rung in some nearby corner but the pale light didn't seemed bothered by it. It reached softly, gently and troubling nothing but the dark reflection in the mirrors; looking for a familiar face, a distant memory, that was hiding in the nearby room.

Manolo Sanchez had spent a wonderful evening with his now-wife Maria, surrounded by his friends and the ghosts of his ancestors, but as they left them in the solitude of the mansion, he found himself incapable of braving the loss of his father Carlos and his Abuela. Manolo was the only Sanchez left and that idea was driving him mad. How was he going to be a good husband and parent without his two references? With no family to turn to? He couldn't withstand the idea.

"Manolo?" Maria wasn't stupid and understood his grief. "Is there anything I can do, mi amor? You have been very quiet since last night. I'm not even sure if you slept at all with Pepe's songs" they both chuckled softly. "If you need some time alone, all you have to do is say it" they both leaned on each other.

"I know, Maria, but it's not that. I never imagined that I would see myself without Papa, that's all. I know that you are here and so is the General, but it's been a long day. And, well, I'm not really sure of this but I had a really weird dream last night. Like mucho loco, you know? I feel it has something to do with my trip to the Land of the Dead but it was one big jalada, Maria, and I dunno why I had it" Manolo sighed. "I don't remember much of it, except I think I saw the City of the Gods, the great temple, or so I think"

"Why was it weird? Because they were cheering on the Great Sanchez?" asked the woman trying to make him smile.

"¡Andate, linda! I wish. All I remember is that it wasn't a warm welcome. Don't ask. I could almost swear that someone tried to spear me" the bullfighter touched his neck.

"Ok, now that is loco"

"What really gets me is that it all felt real. As if I was really there, you know? But that's impossible, no? Please tell me it is, Maria, or I won't be able to rest tonight" Manolo seemed scared out of his wit. It was just a dream, and yet it couldn't be coincidental. He had visited the Land of the Dead and came back after all.

"Well, the Sisters of the Convent once told me that the Aztecs believed in reincarnation but only in very restricted cases. Normally people wouldn't go that way, unless they had a really important thing to do. Most came back as birds and animals, but I don't think you were an Aztec warrior, Manolo. You are too sweet, gordo!" they shared a smile. "Maybe it's just a dream, mi amor. Nothing to it, but if it keeps bugging you, we'll ask the Sisters"

"Gracias, Maria. I hope you are right" they shared a glance in time to hear General Posada calling for them. The couple sniggered and got up to join Maria's father. The woman left first to reassure Ramiro Posada, while her husband made sure that his guitar was still in one piece. With a more relieved expression, Manolo walked to the door and passed in front of a mirror, where he somehow saw a stranger and yet familiar face. The pale moonlight shone on the dark surface and revealed the features of a young man with a single red iris, moon-colored hair and a black clad armor, who looked at Manolo for a brief second. Like a lost photograph from the past or the reflection of a man in the darkest of nights. Manolo knew who it was and yet, it slip from his memory. When the Sanchez man blinked, the stranger was gone, vanished into the thin air. The young man couldn't understand it. Was he going mad? What was going on? A voice was singing in the streets outside the large house.

"Ay de mí, Llorona,

Llorona de ayer y hoy;

ayer maravilla fui, ay Llorona,

y ahora ni mi sombra soy"

A woman had joined Pepe and his Mariachi Brothers, thought Manolo before glancing again at the mirror. Who was that figure he had just saw? Why did he seemed so familiar and so sad? Walking down to join Maria and the others, the young man remembered another detail from his dream: he had walked into the City of Gods carrying a Macuahuitl, a wooden sword with obsidian edges. He hadn't went to the temple to be celebrated or pray, he was there to fight, or was he?

Maria saw Manolo's dark expression and walked to him. Her touch brought him back from his gloomy memories. It was still the day after their wedding, a happy one, and not even the gods could take that away from him. As the moon found them in their sleep later that night, a soft voice whispered in Maria's ear.

"Be well, Princess Maya. I'll see you soon" the moon slid back outside without making a noise. The Moon Rabbit went back to his snow-white dome, deep unto his burrow, just in time to see the bats flying out to catch a late snack and watch over the sleeping town.

It's not going to be long, I promise, but I hope you like it.

Oh! And the lyrics of "La Llorona" are from an early version of the song. Don't get me wrong, but I liked Jorge's film better than Disney's. No offense. And the god Metztli is the Aztec Moon God, just in case you are curious.

More to come!

Stay tuned!