I flew out of the Divine Gate and into the world of humans. Mictlan has to be stopped. I am the only one going to do it, so I might as well try. I know I am weak against him but, I can't just let him attack the Tecas!

I followed the path back to Teca, only to be stopped half way as Mictlan was already in war with the humans. "Mi hijos!" King Teca cried, raising his sword towards Mictlan. "Charge!" Three Jaguar Warriors, the ones from before, charged toward Mictlan.

I hid behind a tree. So those Jaguar Warriors are Maya's siblings. I watched as the battle ensued. Mictlan was overpowered for a few minutes, until he called his whole army. First, he took down King Teca's army, leaving him and his sons left. "Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Hand over Princess Maya and no one else will die, or refuse my order and the rest of you will never see the light of day again!"

"I will never hand over Maya!" King Teca replied. "I rather die than hand over my daughter!"

"Then so be it," Mictlan said, his voice turning dark. He charged after the Jaguar Warriors personally and easily killed them. Then he knocked down a tree as he began to leave. "I'll leave you alive as a threat to your city. If you don't give me Maya, then you and the rest of your poor little civilization will die!"

Mictlan flew away as I burried myself into the tree more. I can't let him see me. I returned my gaze to King Teca, just as the tree that fell over caused a rock to land of King Teca's hand. He yelled out in pain. Ah, poor Maya. She just learned she was the daughter of Lady Micte and now she's lost her hermanos. And her Papa is injured and she has no army.

Mictlan has engaged in war with the humans. They have no way to protect themselves. Except, Maya is half god, like me. She probably has a way to stop them. But how? Mictlan is powerful, and once he gets his hands on Maya, there will be nothing that can stop him.

I gathered the remaining weapons from the Jaguar Warriors. Maya will need these. She can set them up at their shrines and they will lead the way. I'll make sure of it.

Maya jumped out of a tree. "Papa! What happened?"

"Mictlan, he...he killed the whole army. He even killed your brothers."

"He killed my brothers?" Maya asked. "How? Why? Why did he do that?"

"Maya, he wants you as a sacrifice," King Teca said.

"What for?" Maya asked, raising her voice. I get it, she's mad. She's mad she lost her family. "I don't know, Maya." King Teca paused. "Can you get this rock off of me, Maya?"

"Si, Papa," Maya said, lowering her voice. She put her hands on the bottom of the rock and tried to lift it. It didn't budge. "Papa, it's too heavy."

"Try again, Maya. Please," King Teca said. "I know you can do it! You're strong, like your brothers!"

Maya said nothing but tried again. Once again the rock didn't budge. "Okay, one more time," Maya muttered. I flew towards the rock, out of everyone's view, and began to help Maya lift the rock. This time, it moved, just enough to free King Teca's arm. "See, what did I say, Maya! You're strong!" He slapped Maya on the back with his other arm.

"Yeah, I guess so," Maya said. "Except I feel like someone helped me," she muttered to herself.

"Let's return to Teca. We have to tell your mother what happened here."

"Yeah, okay," Maya agreed. She stayed behind just a little as her father left, examining the rock. Then she looked up and began walking away.

As soon as her father got far enough, I took the chance. Maya needs her brother's weapons to know the way. I floated down to the ground and kneeled, just like our first encounter. "Maya, listen to me."

"Why do I have to listen to you?" she yelled. "You're a monster, just like the rest of them!" Maya is upset that the gods took away her family. So I sighed and placed the Jaguar Warriors weapons on the floor, in front of her, wrapped with a white cloth. "I gathered what I could, Maya," I said.

"Why would you do this?" Maya asked, looking at me.

"Not all gods are monsters," I said, as I began to float away. Maya doesn't want to see me right now, so I'll leave her be. "at least, not that you think," I finished. "Just think about it." I flew into the trees and watched as Maya retrieved the weapons, after glancing at the trees. "'Not all gods are monsters.'" Maya repeated. "Maybe, but... I'm not sure about that."

I frowned. It's going to take more than just a few words to convince her. But what can I say? What can I say that would help her understand me? I want to help her! I don't want to be stuck working with Mictlan anymore! Mictlan is ruthless! He scares people and makes my father follow his orders because he's so scared of him. He even controls the other gods! He has no decency!

I followed Maya back to Teca. She is sure to use those weapons in the shrine that her family will set up. Or at least, I hope she will. She doens't want to see me right now so I can't tell her what to do with them.

She quickly caught up with her father and met him inside the Teca palace. "Papa..."

"Maya, I'm sorry. Your father told me what happened," Queen Teca said, calmly. "I know they loved you, Maya. They goot you gifts for your fifteenth birthday."

"Mama, I...I wish I was there to help them."

"Maya, you know you can't fight, mijo. I don't want you to ingure yourself more," Queen Teca said, pointing at Maya's arm. "What have you done to your cast?"

"Mama, I didn't need it. It feels better." Queen Teca sighed. "Maya, I told you not to take it off. Not until it's better!"

"I'm sorry, Mama."

"Maya, I'm sorry I couldn't save them. Mictlan was savage. He didn't stop until I was the only one left."

"It's okay, mi vida. You tried very hard. Now let's get you some medicine."

Ah, poor Maya. She just lost her brothers. They cared so much about her to risk their lives to save her; to keep her safe. Her family really cares for her, even if most of them aren't her family. Lady Micte cares for her too as she sent her away to protect her from Mictlan.

Maya left the Teca palace and walked over to the statue of the Jaguar Warriors. She placed their wrapped weapons in front of her and the statue. Ah good, she's figured it out. "Hermanos, I'm sorry. I couldn't be there to help you. I wanted to come but Mama trapped me in that palace. Because of me, I couldn't save you. Because of me, Mictlan kiled you. Because of me, Mictlan took Papa's arm.

"I'm sorry, hermanos. Please, the least you could do is show me the way. Show me what I can do to help. Please. It's my final wish to you, Jaguar Warriors." The Jaguar's eyes lit up in a golden hue and flowed down a carved trail on the jaguar, flowing until they stopped at a rooster, a skull and a puma.

"Rooster...skull...and a puma..." Maya said, watching the gold trail down. "Rooster, skull and puma. Where have I seen those before? Rooster, skull and puma...ah! That's it!"

Maya stood up and ran into the palace once again. "Rooster, skull and puma. They have to be here somewhere..."

She raided the book shelves to find the order of the symbols her brothers told her. I know what the symbols mean. The Rooster. The Rooster Wizard from Luna Island. The Skull. The Skull Warrior from the Jungle Lands. The Puma. The Puma Warrior from the Golden Mountains.

Once all three warriors come together with the Eagle, they can destroy the Divine Gate, seperating the Underworld from the Overworld. Then, the Eagle Warrior will become the greatest Eagle Warrior. If they destroy the Divine Gate, they can defeat Mictlan, and stop this war that he's begun; stop this plan Mictlan has set for himself; to save everyone.

The Golden Mountains. That's Mama's home. I haven't been back there ever since Mictlan destroyed it. Ever since Mama died. It's for the best. I don't want those memories of Mictlan, killing Mama and her home. The memories of being alone with Papa, not that I mind Papa. The memories of Papa crying himself to sleep. The memories of Papa needing Lady Micte's help to care for me. Mictlan is a burden. Mictlan is a monster. He's the face of true evil.

I returned home, to Papa, to tell him the news. To tell him that Maya is going to destroy the Divine Gate. "You mean it?" Papa asked after I told him the story.

"Si, Papa. Maya is going to gather the Rooster Wizard, the Skull Warrior and the Puma Warrior to become the Great Eagle Warrior."

"This is good!" Papa exclaimed.

"Papa! Quiet!" I warned. "We don't want Mictlan to hear us!"

"Sorry, mijo," Papa whispered again. "This is good," he said again, this time in a whisper. "That means that Mictlan willl be defeated!"

"If," I emphasized that word before moving on, "she can stop him. You know that trail the Divine Gate hosts for the people trying to destroy it. Plus, Luna Island has secluded itself from everyone else. They are hard to contact."

"Are you doubting Maya?" Papa asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought she was strong and brave?"

"Of course she is, Papa! It's just...this'll be challenging for her!"

"Then why don't you go and help her?" Papa suggested.

"I tried already. She hates us!"

"But you aren't one of us, mijo," Papa said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You are still half human." Papa's right! I'm not one of the gods! I'm human! Maybe she'll listen to me then! "Yeah, you're right, Papa!" I hugged him. "Thank you."

"No, thank you, Zatz," Papa said, returning the hug.

"I'd hate to break up this happy lovely-dovey moment but I have a job for you, Zatz," Mictlan said.

"Sorry, Zatz," Papa said, breaking the hug. "I was about to tell you."

"It's okay, Papa," I said, smiling at him. Papa made me feel better. Sometimes, I forget I'm half human. I get treated like a god so often that, sometimes, I forget Mama was human. Telling Maya this is sure to help her. But, she just has to listen first.

"Zatz, I want you and Acat to stop Maya."

"Stop her?" I asked. "What do you mean, my lord?"

"Maya is on the move to Luna Island. Once she gets the Rooster Wizard to join her, they'll be on their merry little way to destroy the Divine Gate. You know what that means, don't you Zatz?"

"Of course, sir," I replied.

"Good. So then take Acat and stop Maya from progressing further. And this time, I don't want you to return unless you get Maya. Next time, I WILL NOT be merciful. Do you hear me, boy?"

"Yes, Mictlan. I do."

"Good, then do your job. And don't disappoint me this time."