As soon as the ten days expired, Itzlacol went had his carriage prepared and went to the Land of the Remembered as soon as possible. As soon as he arrived to the castle, he saw a familiar black horse being saddle up by some servants. He still cursed his luck for losing the chance to acquire one of Epona's horses, but overall he was frustrated he had lost to Osvaldo… Though if he was right and it worked, he'd be able t keep this magnificent beast. He climbed out of the carriage and strode elegantly but hurriedly through the halls of the palace. He half-expected La Muerte and Osvaldo to be in the dining hall, but when he inquired about it to a maid she said they were in one of the balconies overlooking the garden. He wondered if 'Osvaldo' had brought another of his goddamn, beautiful blue roses.
He found them outside on the tea table sharing some small sandwiches and tea; he remained hidden in the shadows, watching as they chatted so amiably, La Muerte looked so happy with him, and they often held hands, not to mention there was a sweet, tender feeling in the glances they often exchanged. At that moment, Itzlacol knew he was far behind, Osvaldo had already won her over. He better execute his plan as soon as possible, thankfully it seemed Osvaldo would be taking his leave soon…
"Itzlacol?"
The God od Fire jumped when he heard Sol's voice behind him, but quickly regained his composure as he turned around and gave King Sol a respectful bow. "Your Highnesss."
"What are you doing?" Sol inquired curiously. "Were you spying on my daughter…?"
"Oh, no, Majesty. I was merely waiting for Osvaldo to go so I could speak with her calmly, I do not like to interrupt private conversations. "
"That's very polite on your part, Itzlacol. But may I inquire as to why you couldn't present yourself these days?"
"I'm afraid wagers by the Ancient Rules must be fulfilled, especially when one loses."
Sol looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Itzlacol glanced at Osvaldo. "Our dear friend Count Osvaldo is much smarter than he seems. We made a wager, and I lost; the loser was to stay away from La Muerte for ten days…" he feigned sadness. "… Every moment away from her was like a dying fire deprived from his coal to keep itself lit."
"I see…"
"But I must ask you, your Highness, what has happened in my absence?"
Sol sighed, but he looked calm and content. "Osvaldo has been a true gentleman. La Muerte has gotten out of her depression with him, I am grateful for that."
"I see..." Itzlacol managed to hide the bitterness in his voice. "And any word from Xibalba?
"That man has not shown his face around here, and he hasn't replied to the King's letters either. It's like he shut himself away."
"I suspect so. But let us go somewhere else to discuss, shall we?" Itzlacol glanced back at the tea table warily, silently motioning King Sol to follow him somewhere else. Unbeknown to the secret plot, La Muerte and Osvaldo continued with their chat.
"Epona wants to throw me a baby shower?" La Muerte giggled with red cheeks, she felt rather embarrassed at the news.
"I was not supposed to tell you, it was going to be a surprise…" Osvaldo blushed.
"I could pretend I'm surprised."
"She'll figure it out, that woman has a sharp eye for these kind of things…"
"So, what do you think of her and Zipacna being… You know, if they…"
Osvaldo sighed and leaned back into his seat, glancing at the Remembered city beyond the garden walls. "I don't know… I mean, Epona deserves to be happy, but I'm still afraid Zipacna might use her, I know how he is. Diablos, I've even counted how many girls he has bedded and dumped over the years…"
"You used to be like that, didn't you?"
"Well…" She had him there. "I admit it, I'm not a saint, but Epona is different. She is like a sister to me, I just…"
"You care for her."
"She is of the few people who accepted me for who I was." Osvaldo noticed it was getting late, and sighed. "I hate to say this, but I should go."
"Paperwork?"
"A mountain of it." He sighed in dismay. "It's going to be a long night."
La Muerte sighed sadly as she took another sniff at today's blue rose. "Will you at least come back to accompany me for dinner?"
Osvaldo smiled and gently took her hand to plant a kiss on the back of it. "I'll be more than pleased, milady. I'll gladly make some time for you and the baby." Squeezing her hand reassuringly once again, Osvaldo reluctantly walked away from the balcony, down to the hall and outside, where his steed was ready. Glancing back one more time, Osvaldo climbed unto Medianoche and galloped away.
He didn't see the gold carriage following after him a few minutes.
"I do not like this!"
"Come on, we have to find what Itzlacol is up to!"
"This is breaking and entering!"
"I have to agree on Zipacna on that one."
Epona rolled her eyes, and looked around from the bushes to make sure there were no guards posted. They had dozed off a while ago, and they didn't seem like they were light sleepers. The Candlemaker's ridiculously bright glow was going to make things very difficult for them, he could be spotted from miles away, but he knew all the gods better than anyone, since he was the keeper of the Book of Life, who was taking a small peek around to make sure no one was around. When it was certain all the guards were out of sight and earshot, the Book flew down to the trio and flapped its wings.
"I heard it was the Book of Life, but I never thought it was actually alive." Epona whispered, wincing when Book turned its cover towards her in an almost reproachful manner. "Sorry…"
"Don't worry, Epony, Book is not the type to hold grudges." The Candlemaker shrugged. "Well, he does have quite some grudges written in its pages, but it's not grudgy!"
"Could you two stop chatting? The sooner we get there, the sooner we can take our asses out of there before we get sent to the dungeons for break-in!"
Epona rolled her eyes and motioned the two gods behind her to follow her, sneaking silently across the main path leading to the entrance, opening the door as silently as she could while staring at the posted guards warily, until the door was open enough for the three of them-the Candlemaker included-to step inside, before closing the door behind them.
Zipacna stuck out his tongue in disgust at the walls made of gold and jewels. "Heck, this guy seriously needs a redecoration! It's too… golden!"
"It's Itzlacol, man. You know he's the showy type." The Candlemaker whispered hurriedly, clapping his hands. "Okay… If I were Itzy, were would I keep my mail?"
"Let me think…" Zipacna looked up, and spoke imitating Itzlacol's voice. "I'm so very rich will save myself the bother of a mailbox an keep it somewhere where my simple mind can remember I left it there." He blushed when Epona giggled at his poor imitation. The Book of Life shook its pages and flapped one of its sides for them to follow. The trio followed Book through the halls of Itzlacol's castle, walking upstairs and into the higher levels, all the while avoiding to be seen by servants or guards. Finally, Book pointed to a giant door encrusted with hundreds of jewels, apparently Itzlacol's bedchambers.
As they opened the doors and walked inside, Epona gasped in shock at the sight. Most of the room was made of gold, even the frames of the canopy bed, whose curtains were made of tiger skin. Above the chimney, there was a great portrait of Itzlacol on top of a red horse holding a sword, and surrounding the portrait were lots of game trophies. Unicorns, dragons, and many more poor creatures, whose expressions still seemed anguished, even after death. "He's a monster…"
"Let's look for what we came for." Zipacna whispered hurriedly as he started looking inside the drawers, messing papers carelessly.
Epona took a look at the Book of Life, and noticed it was flying around in front of the wardrobe. "What does it mean when it does that?"
"He knows something that we don't." the Candlemaker explained, flinching when Epona turned to him. "Why are you looking at me like that…?" he gulped.
"Well, a lady shouldn't look into a man's wardrobe, it's inappropriate." Epona smiled innocently.
"But I don't want to look at Itzlacol's underwear!"
"Just go and look for something suspicious." Zipacna said flatly.
Reluctantly, the Candlemaker opened the large wardrobe, and thankfully there wasn't any underwear visible, only coats and robes of the most rare animal furs and the most expensive fabrics. He found a golden envelope with Egyptian hieroglyphs on top of the safe- wait, Egyptian hieroglyps?
"Guys, there's something strange here." The Candlemaker grabbed the envelope and went back to Zipacna and Epona, sliding a paper out of it
"Let me see." Epona grabbed the letter and started to read it. But as her gaze moved downwards, her eyes widened in horror and her pupils shrunk in shock. "Candlemaker, have the Book of Life open to Xibalba's Story! QUICK!"
It had been a while ever since he left the territory of the Land of the Remembered, and reached a neutral region from where he could get to any realm, including his. This was a wooded region, some forests were very thick and dark, and one could get lost in them if you weren't careful. Xibalba was making his way down a path that led back to his realm when Medianoche stopped. Xibalba glanced frontwards, and saw a large fallen tree was blocking the main road leading to the Land of the Forgotten.
"Great." Xibalba muttered as he stared at the tree. "Just great…" He turned Medianoche around and tried to see if there was some way to surround the tree, but it was very long and thick, there wasn't a way to jump over it either. Muttering again, Xibalba turned Medianoche around completely and kicked him into a small trot. It seemed they would have to take the long way around, much to Medianoche's discomfort. He had never liked this area.
"It's okay, chico." Xibalba patted his neck reassuringly. "It'll be quick, I promise." How he wished it were true. He had to be careful around this forest, though it had no predators and no apparent danger, the rumor said that if you got lost within it you would never find your way out. He often dismissed these rumors as nothing more than a children's tale to warn kids to stay out of the forest, but as he led his horse down the other road and entered the foliage-covered path, he felt a shiver down his spine. Medianoche had similar thoughts, and shook his head in fear, but nevertheless he continued down the path. The more they advanced, the darker the path got, and the branches of the trees looked like they were reaching out to grab any lost souls that wandered through there. This is why he hated to take the long way, it technically gave him the creeps.
Suddenly, Medianoche stopped, snorting and shaking his head.
"What is it, boy? It's okay." He gently kicked his horse's sides, but the horse only advanced a few steps before stopping again. "Medianoche, we can't stay here for long-"
Suddenly, there was a small but very explosion a few steps away in front of them. They were caught off guard by it, so much Xibalba didn't have to secure himself and fell off his horse as Medianoche reared up in fright. Before he could reach, shadows fell over him and pinned him against the round.
"QUE DEMO- MPH!" Xibalba couldn't finish the sentence as suddenly a rag was shoved forcefully into his mouth, and he felt his wings and arms being tied down. Ponzoña slithered out of his master's armor and tried to defend him, but was carelessly kicked aside a few steps, while Medianoche's reins were being held by some of the shadow creatures in an attempt to subdue him, but the stallion continued to fight with kicks and bucking.
Before he could do anything else, a napkin was put over his nose and mouth, and his consciousness started to slip away, his vision turning into a blur as he caught a last glimpse of Ponzoña and Medianoche…
…
When he started to regain his consciousness, his head was aching terribly. He opened his eyes slowly, and found himself surrounded by darkness. He couldn't see anything, but as he tried to move, he felt his hands held in place behind him by something, and on closer inspection realized they were tied behind a pole; he attempted to cry out, but there was a thick piece of cloth tied around his jaw and mouth that prevented him from speaking. How had he ended up here? Or rather, who had brought him here?"
"I see you're awake."
That voice… Looking around frantically, Xibalba saw a figure a few steps away from him. Long red hair, short matching beard, pale skin… Oh, no. the figure lit up a small fireball in his hand, making Xibalba closer his eyes momentarily till his eyes got adjusted to the small but sudden light.
"I must admit, Xibalba, with your reputation I thought you'd be harder to capture, but it didn't even take a drop of sweat." Itzlacol scoffed, looking at his rival with disdain, and decided to test the waters a bit. "Are you comfortable?"
If glares could kill, Itzlacol would be dead by then. Xibalba struggled with his bonds, but they were too tightly knit on his wrists and wings. The gag muffled his response as he thought to himself. "I would be more comfortable to see you hanged!"
"Oh, right, you can't talk."
"HMHPH!"
"Anyway, I do hope you're comfortable. You won't be leaving this place for a long time. You never will, actually…" Itzlacol glanced around curiously. "Remember this place? Set told me about."
Set? How did Itzlacol know Set? Xibalba glanced around and realized that, in fact, he had been here before, when he and La Muerte came to Egypt. Realizing what Itzlacol intended to do; he glared at him with all the hatred he could muster.
"The roles were inverted that time, though. La Muerte was in your place, and you saved her life" He gave another mocking chuckle. "But this time, you won't have her luck. I doubt anyone would care enough for you to save you, right?"
"You would be surprised." Xibalba thought.
"In a few minutes, you'll be out of the way and I'll be able to keep La Muerte for myself. I must say, I've never met such a woman… She's not like all the others." Itzlacol grinned maliciously at the look in Xibalba's eyes, and decided to taunt him a little more. "She has a fire… A passion…"
Xibalba narrowed his eyes and tightened his hands into fists, just what Itzlacol expected. He decided to go a little farther.
"I can't wait till our wedding night… I can imagine her curves, those hips, those breasts…"
The dark god's blood started to boil and tried to take off the gag, giving muffled curses and insults.
"Too bad you only got to taste her once. I, on the other hand, will get to taste her whenever I want…" he leaned in closer to Xibalba's ear to whisper into it. "Whether she likes it or not. Of course, first I have to get rid of that little… problem."
That was the last straw.
Itzlacol had to step back when out of sudden, Xibalba's wings broke their bindings and flared out in uncontainable fury, and the gag slipped off his jaw; Xibalba yelled at the top of his lungs. "OVER MY DEAD BODY! YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY CHILD!" Itzlacol just stared at him in surprise, but indifference. "YOU THINK THAT YOU WILL GET AWAY WITH THIS SO EASILY?! THEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M CAPABLE OF!"
The fire god smirked. "Ah, but I do know what you're capable of. If you risked yourself being caught by Sol when you took on that pathetic disguise, then I don't doubt that you're very reckless. And please" he scoffed. "Do you really think La Muerte could ever love such a pathetic creature as you when there are much more, better-looking fish at the sea?"
Xibalba scoffed. "Like you? Please!"
"I don't need her to love me. I only need her to obey my every wish. That's how a wife should treat her husband."
"You know nothing about what a wife should be to her husband!" Xibalba retorted, thinking about La Muerte, and all she meant to him. "A man should cherish his wife, love her like man and treat her like a queen!"
Now it was Itzlacol's turn to scoff. "You talk much about love after you technically kicked her out of your life. No wonder she left you."
That struck a nerve, but he tried not to show it. "I had good intentions, I had my reasons to do so." He frowned, but spoke in a mocking tone. "What about you, oh all mighty Itzlacol?!"
Itzlacol frowned. "What about me, according to you?"
"You think La Muerte will agree to this wedding? Or your stupid plan at all?"
"She won't have any other choice once you're out of the way."
"She can decide for herself if she would want to marry you or not…" Xibalba smirked mockingly. "But I already know the answer."
Itzlacol's reaction was a simple frown. "I can see why Sol dislikes you so much, you really are a nuisance." He was losing control of the situation. He better put him back in place. And he knew just the perfect way. "You know, I'm still thinking of how I'll be getting rid of that engender La Muerte is carrying."
Xibalba's smirk instantly vanished.
"I was thinking…" Itzlacol laughed humorlessly. "A terrible accident, and the product is lost…"
"Why you little-?!" Xibalba attempted to lunge at him, but his ties prevented him from moving. How dare he refer to a baby as if he were a thing?! He struggled violently, flapping his wings wildly as he roared. "DON'T YOU DARE!"
"What? I'll be doing the three of us a favor." Itzlacol shrugged indifferently.
"Another reason why everyone thinks you are a hypocrite!"
Itzlacol shrugged, uninterested. "What? La Muerte will be rid of that spawn that has ruined her life, you won't have to respond for that brat, and I'll get to make La Muerte mine, and who knows?" the fire god's smirk as insufferable. "In a few months there may be little Itzlacol's running around."
Xibalba frowned once more. "You don't know her… She loves her child no matter whose it is…" the thought of La Muerte losing their child, their baby, made him tremble. "The only one who would do that would be you."
"It doesn't really matter, does it? I've heard that losing a child makes women more fertile…. I mean, if it works with lionesses it must work on such a wild-spirited lioness as her…"
"Wow, how did you discover that fact?" Xibalba cried out sarcastically. "Oh, let me guess, you read it? Can you actually read?"
Itzlacol chuckled humorlessly again, not amused in the least at the comment. "Your sense of humor is amusing. It seems you're forgetting your situation. I expected you'd be a bit more worried about yourself."
"No, I'm actually more worried on your situation. But why would I waste my saliva on deaf people?"
"You know, I agree with you on that one. I'm sick of hearing you talk." With a snap of Itzlacol's fingers, the thick piece of cloth flew back to Xibalba's jaw and wrapped tightly around his mouth.
Xibalba narrowed his eyes in hatred at the fire god, thinking. "And I'm sick of you living."
"Now that I recall, I hear humans have invented a new way to get rid of unwanted features…" Itzlacol took a hand to his chin in thought. "… Abortion, I think they call it." He noticed the horrified expression on Xibalba's face, which meant he knew about the practice. Good. "That would be much easier, less planning, more action." Itzlacol smiled tauntingly and approached the bound god. "Definitely, the abortion sounds amusing. Have you heard of it? Turns out there are various forms to do it. They either get a spoon into the womb and take the product little by little, piece by piece… or a vacuum and flush it out. Which do you think would work best on your child?"
Xibalba glared daggers at him. "I'll take your brain out piece by piece!"
"Though there are a few setbacks to it… the mother can either die of blood loss, or get a psychological trauma, or become infertile… I do hope it'll be the psychological trauma, she'll be easier to manipulate that way."
Every word was torture for Xibalba. The thought of his beloved wife being subjected to that torturous process, the thought of his baby being taken out of the warmth and safety of its mother's womb before it could even take its first breath, it broke his heart severely.
Itzlacol started to pace round. "And once we ascend to the throne, I doubt I'll have any more use of her when she gives me an heir. Who knows?" Itzlacol tapped his chin again. "I hear there are goblins in Europe who have been looking for slaves. I wonder how they'd treat such a beautiful woman…"
Xibalba closed his eyes shut and turned his head away, he didn't want to hear anymore.
"Oops. Did I hit a sore spot?" Itzlacol chuckled evilly. "You won't have to worry about her for long. Soon you'll be gone, and you'll never see her again."
Hot tears of anger were moistening his eyes, but he tensed up and tried not to show them in front of Itzlacol. He didn't want to give the god another thing to mock him about.
"It appears you do have a heart, after all. Who would have thought? The feared and powerful Lord Xibalba weeping like a little girl!" Itzlacol snickered, before taking a hand to his ear. "You hear that?"
Xibalba raised his head and, in fact, heard something from behind the walls. Water rushing.
That's my cue. Well, it was nice chatting with you, but I just had these clothes washed and I wouldn't like them to get wet. Besides, I'll need to be presentable tonight."
"HMPH!" Xibalba cried out through the gag, looking angrily at the God.
"Sorry, I forgot to mention. Sol will be telling La Muerte we are to be married soon, and I will inform them you will no longer be a problem." As Itzlacol started to climb up the stairs, he looked down at Xibalba mockingly. "Hasta nunca, Osvaldo."
The door slammed closed.
Xibalba continued to struggle in his ties, flapping his wings furiously in an attempt to free himself, until he heard the water flushing into the room, and at his feet. Realizing he had only a few seconds before this room was completely flooded, Xibalba continued to struggle with all his might, until he remembered his knife. With some difficulty, he managed to take the small blade out of his glove and started to cut through the rope. When the water was by his chest, he managed to cut off his ropes, removing the rag from his mouth just as the level of water started to ascend, and his feet were lifted from the ground. Xibalba swam towards the trapdoor, but wen he tried to open it he realized it was locked. The cold water had nearly flooded the room completely, in a few more seconds the level would reach the ceiling. Xibalba took a deep breath just as he was completely submerged in the water.
In desperation, he pounded at the door with all his might, trying to break it and somehow get some sort of oxygen source while he opened it, but the lack of air started to get to him, and his pounding became weaker and fainter as he struggled to even move. Xibalba struggled to keep fighting, but soon his body went completely numb and limp as water went into his lungs, and his eyes started to close.
I can't die like this….!
I can't leave her alone…!
I… I c-can't….
M-Mi amor….
He saw holes in his vision, and for one moment, he caught a glimpse of something going on, but his consciousness slipped away as the water pressure overcame him… The last thing he felt was being dragged by a pair of arms.
"I – him!"
"Pull -!"
"Santa-! What- we-?!"
They barely managed to open the trapdoor of the flooded room and drag the unconscious god before he completely ran out of air. Zipacna and the Candlemaker dragged Xibalba unto the dry ground, closing the trapdoor shut again before the water could get out.
"XIBALBA!" Zipacna shook his brother violently and in worry. "HERMANITO, WAKE UP!"
"It's no use! He's got water inside his lungs!" the Candlemaker stated. "I know now's not the moment, but couldn't we-?"
"Out of the way!" Epona shoved the two gods aside and performed CPR on him, temporally removing his chest plate to compress his chest, and much to Zipacna's shock, started to apply mouth-to-mouth to try and force oxygen unto his brother's lungs.
Zipacna couldn't help it, when he saw Epona kissing Xibalba like that, even if it was to save his life, it bothered him. Made him recall she had once been Xibalba's woman, even if temporally, but he quickly shook the thought out of his head; she was saing his life.
"Hey, man, are you okay?" the Candlemaker asked him after noticing Zipacna stiffening every time Epona's lips touched Xibalba's.
"Considering my brother could have drowned, no, I'm not!" Zipacna snapped back, crossing his arms, though the Candlemaker could tell this was not only about Xibalba being nearly killed.
Finally, Epona gave a final compression on Xibalba's chest, and the dark god reacted, coughing the water out of his lungs, but his consciousness took a few more seconds to return. Xibalba's vision cleared and he took deep breaths to regain the lost air as he glanced at the three familiar faces. "What…?"
"Xibalba, are you okay?!" Epona asked him, gently touching his cheek in worry-Xibalba noted Zipacna's head feathers bristling in jealously.
"Hermanito, for goodness sake, don't scare me like that!" Zipacna snapped at his brother, pulling him into a hug.
"What happened…?" Xibalba's eyes widened in realization when he remembered what had happened before he nearly drowned, and he pulled back from the hug abruptly. "P-Ponzoña! And M-Medianoche, they are-!"
"Don't worry, man, they're safe and sound." The Candlemaker patted his shoulder so strongly he nearly sent Xibalba to the ground again. "It's curious! We were going to your location when we ran into Medianoche, and Ponzoña was with him. But when we noticed you were not with him, we knew something had happened."
"And how did you find me…?"
"Let's say dear ol' Itzlacol should do better if he wants to keep his secrets a secret." Zipacna snickered, holding out the letter. "Turns out he and Set have been exchanging mail for a while."
At the mention of Itzlacol, Xibalba's blood started to boil. He ignored Epona and the others' protests as he shabbily stood back up, stretching out his soaked wings, not even bothering to put his chest plate back on as he teleported away.
He had pending matters with that bastard, after all.
