Ever since the funerary rites had been carried out, no one in the pantheon heard from either Zipacna or La Muerte, only a few had been able to see them, Epona among them. She did her best to comfort the two of them as best as she could, but it wasn't easy when she herself was in pain from the loss. She also had been tending to Medianoche, who had been very aggressive lately. So much not even Juarez could get close to him now. The stallion would neigh and stomp inside his stall, turn around in circles and try to open the door. For the first time, Epona couldn't understand what he wanted to say.

She made her way to Zipacna's throne room, hoping to at least manage to cheer him up a bit, but as she opened the door, she saw him sitting on his throne, his feathers unkept, his eyes bloodshot and his wings outstretched. In his left hand he was clutching a bottle of halfway-drunk tequila, and judging by his expression she could tell he had been drinking it for a while now.

She had to do something before he got too drunk and ended up destroying half of his castle. Again. And it hurt her to see him like this. This was so unlike the funny and playful Zipacna she knew and liked so much. Just going in and telling him to quit it wouldn't work. Epona thought for a few moments, before holding out her palm and concentrating, soon a white cup filled with warm tea materialized in a small swirl of golden energy. After taking a sniff of it to make sure it was the tea she wanted, she walked into the throne room and warily approached him. Zipacna's ears pricked when he heard her footsteps, but other than that he didn't have any other reaction.

"Zipacna…?" she called out.

That did get a reaction from him. He barely managed to lift his head, his bloodshot green eyes setting unto her. "What?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Epona leaned unto his throne and held out the cup. "Trust me, it will make you feel much better than tequila."

Zipacna tried to hold it out of her reach, but his senses were not as sharp as usual due to his half-drunken state and she snatched it out of his hand. "Hey, give that back!" he tried to grab it, only for her to hold it out of reach.

"Zipacna, this is not the answer to your problems. Trust me."

"Oh, come on! At least alcohol makes me forget about everything at least for a few hours… *Hick*… Besides, I hate tea."

Epona rolled her eyes. "It's green tea. You may not like it, but it's from my own garden, so stop complaining and drink it." She frowned as he continued to try and to take the bottle from her, and in his last attempt she let the bottle slip form her hand and unto the ground, shattering it into pieces and spilling its contents, which vaporized in five mere seconds due to the heat.

"Hey! It was a expensive brand!" Zipacna complained, before having another hiccup.

"I don't care, it's not the answer." The horse goddess temporally placed the cup aside. "Believe me, it doesn't make you feel better and it makes you distracted. Much more than usual."

"But it makes the pain go away! It distracts me from the fact that I'm alone, okay?! My mother, father and only brother are gone!"

"No, Zipacna!" Epona said loudly as she pulled him into a hug. "You are not alone! I'm here!"

"I have no family left! I think that's pretty much the definition of being alone in the world!"

"You are not alone, Zipacna." She repeated, stroking his cheek. "Look at me." She pulled back and moved his head so that he was looking at her, all the pain in his eyes broke her heart. "I know how you feel, and I know it hurts, but they wouldn't have anted to see you like this." She spoke in behalf of Selena and Xibalba, she was pretty certain Akrinok would actually enjoy this. "Drinking only makes it worse when the effects wear off."

He could not bear it anymore. The thoughts he tried to shut away came back tenfold when she spoke to him like that, and his hands went to his head, his ears pressing unto his head as he started to sob again, the tears trickling down his snout. "It's not fair… Why must I lose everything I hold dear?! What is wrong with me?!

"Nothing is wrong! Life sucks, life is not fair! And only the strongest ones survive! I know you can overcome this! You didn't love everyone! La Muerte is still carrying your brother's child, and she needs as much help as she can to go through this! She can't do it alone! Xibalba would have wanted you to take care of them both!"

"What can I do about it? I'm not him, I'm not responsible enough…"

"You can learn! I will be there to help you…" Epona grabbed the cup and placed it on his hands. "Just stop it…"

Realizing it would be futile to argue, Zipacna took a sip from the tea, and though it wasn't as bitter as he expected it he still sticked out his tongue in disgust. "I hate tea, but this one's not as bad."

"I put extra sugar in it and some other things to help you calm down, and you should take a break. I heard you haven't slept in days."

He continued to drink it (and sob as he did so), and soon enough he felt his days of crying without rest catching up to him. He had the feeling Epona had put something in the tea to help him rest, and though usually he would be mad, this time he let it pass.

"Tired, right? We should get you to bed." She helped him up his throne, and had to help him back to his chambers due to the his half-drunken state. However, as she momentarily sat down to put Zipacna in bed, he lay his head on her lap before she could stand up. "Z-Zipacna…?"

"Your legs are so comfortable…" he simply said, closing his eyes and lowering his ears, remembering when his mother.

For some reason, Epona couldn't bring herself to just push him away. He looked so sad, and at the same time so content… Was this one of the things he used to do with his mom? If so, it gave her another reason not to push him away, instead she started to stroke his feathers, almost giggling when he purred like a cat. Maybe she could lend him a hand… "Do you mind if I… sing something? Or aren't the Cursed souls allowed to be soothed?" she wasn't only referring to the tormented spirits outside, but also to this tortured soul in front of her.

"Don't worry. I don't think they will mind, and neither do I."

Epona smiled sadly as she started to sing a beautiful celtic lullaby she had often heard as a child. Zipacna's ears prickled as he heard her beautiful voice… That song… He had the feeling he had heard it before, but right now he wasn't in the mood for forcing his brain to remember. All he wanted was to sleep and forget about everything.

The sweet nightingale singing voice soon sent him into the realm of slumber.


She had been so devastated she didn't have the strength to even leave bed. She hadn't left bed in days, she would spend her time weeping, staring at the empty space on the bed. She didn't feel like eating, but she forced herself to do so for the baby's wellbeing. She had to take care of her, she would be the only thing the goddess would ever have left of her beloved husband. She still couldn't believe it, she didn't want to, she hoped Xibalba would come at any moment through that door with a bouquet of flowers, but as time went on, it became apparent that wouldn't happen.

Regina said she would bring a cup of tea for her, but it had taken her a long while. She never took this long, especially now that she knew how delicate La Muerte was. The goddess had a bad feeling, she didn't know why, but she always had the thing for sensing when something was going to happen. With some effort, La Muerte slid out of bed, and pulled a green shawl over her shoulders to protect herself from the night air. She would have headed towards the kitchen, but she assumed Regina had gone into the throne room to weep like she did nowadays. She couldn't blame her for it, she tried to be strong when La Muerte was around but she broke down when by herself.

La Muerte wiped the tears on her cheeks with the sleeve of her black dress, if Regina was in there she had to make sure she didn't see her crying.

However, as she opened the door, she found the room was pitch black. The only source of light was coming from the two rivers of lava from each side of the room, everything else was lit off. "Regina?" She called out, stepping into the room while pulling the shawl tighter around her shoulder. "Regina, are you here?"

"Evening, La Muerte!"

The goddess froze when she heard that familiar voice, the last voice she wanted to hear at the moment, and the torches lit up. There he was, sitting on Xibalba's throne casually as if he owned the place, with that damn grin of his, and that arrogant gaze. Itzlacol didn't seem to notice the hating glare she was giving him, or he did and didn't care. "How kind of you to join me!"

"What are you doing here?!" La Muerte hissed, stepping forward fearlessly and with great anger. "That's Xibalba's throne! You have no right to sit there!"

"Don't step any closer, my dear, there's something I want to discuss with you." Itzlacol calmly said as he stood up and approached her, still smiling. "I'm so sorry about your loss, like I said before, but as you know, your… child will need a father."

At the mention of the baby she stepped back, taking her hands to her abdomen in a protective way. "I can take care of my child myself. Do me a favor and leave."

"Before I go, I have something to ask you." With that, he produced a small red box with a beautiful diamond ring, the most beautiful a woman would desire. "Will you marry me, La Muerte?"

She couldn't believe it. He actually dared to ask her such a question just after she lost Xibalba? She glared at him with all the hatred the could muster, her eyes stinging with tears once again. "I just… lost… my husband, and you… You dare to ask me this?! I would never marry you even if you were the last man on the Thirteen Realms!" Much to her confusion, his expression remained serene.

"Ahh, maybe you will want to reconsider after my little… present." Itzlacol snapped his fingers, La Muerte heard footsteps coming from behind the throne. One of Itzlacol's fire-created entities emerged from behind the throne holding a wiggling sack. The creature opened the sack and shook it, dropping a certain female lizard, bound in ropes and gagged with a thick cloth. La Muerte's heard skipped a beat.

"REGINA!" She yelled in horror. But as she tried to run to her, Itzlacol held out his arm to grab her as she tried to go past him. She wiggled in his hold violently. "Let her go, you monster!"

"Oh, this is only part of it, my dear." Itzlacol simply said, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the balcony that overlook into the bridge and lava. Emilio, Roberto and the rest of the lizards were down there, also tied up and gagged, Medianoche and Blanca gave loud neighs as they tried to release themselves from Itzlacol's guards, Garra and Colmillo had been put in metal cages along with the rest of the pack, but what shook La Muerte to the core was the sight of her father and Aimé tied up with ropes, and spears being pointed at them. La Muerte realized what Itzlacol was doing, and she glared at him in anger.

"Let them go, you-!"

"Oh, don't worry, my dear! No harm will come to them…" Itzlacol's expression changed into a cruel smile. "…As long as you do as I say."

"You're mad!" La Muerte hissed, releasing her arm from his grip and stepping away. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh, but I already did! And your beloved Xibalba will not save you this time!"

Her heart skipped a beat when he spoke about Xibalba in such a way. La Muerte's pupils shrunk when she realized the message behind those mocking words. "What did you do…?" His cruel and mocking gaze confirmed her suspicions. "Y-You…" The fire started to burn as she lunged at him, hitting his chest violently, only for him to grab her arms in a rough manner, but she didn't stop there and tried violently to get free of his hold, the hot tears running down her cheeks. "YOU MURDERER! YOU KILLED HIM!"

"Me?" Itzlacol gave a laugh. "What makes you think I followed him and stabbed him with a poisonous blade?

"YOU DID KILL HIM, BASTARDO!"

"And you have no idea of how much I enjoyed it!" he retorted as he grabbed the goddess by the neck. "He humiliated me more times than I could count! It was time to take my payback!"

"Y-You're hurting me…!"

"The worst part of all is that he ruined everything. But now that he's gone, the Lands of the Remembered and Forgotten are as good as mine. Ah, but the best part is that now I finally own you!"

The glare La Muerte gave him would have send the Cursed Beasts away whining like whipped dogs. "Estas demente! I will never let you touch me!"

Itzlacol frowned and let her fall to the ground, watching as she coughed and took a delicate hand to the forming bruises. "How sad. People don't stop saying you're not selfless, but I see you have no intention of saving your friends." He snapped his fingers again, and the fire guard produced a fiery knife from its own flames, then it pressed it against Regina's neck.

"NO!"

Itzlacol smirked, holding up his hand and signaling the fire guard to stop. "What was that? Will you be my wife then?"

La Muerte was silent for a few moments. Regina was looking at her, shaking her head pleadingly, begging her not to give him what he wanted. But she couldn't let them harm her, harm any of them, they were her family now. And she couldn't let them hurt Aimé or her father either. She wouldn't forgive herself if it ever happened. LA Muerte closed her eyes shut.

"Promise that you won't do harm to any of them, and you'll let them go."

"Oh, I won't hurt them but I cannot let them go just yet. I have to ensure you will keep your end of the deal first."

She would never forgive herself for this. "I will do it, but leave them alone."

"Good!" Itzlacol clapped his hands together. "It's settled then!"

With that, he grabbed La Muerte's hand and forced her unto her feet. He saw the wedding band Xibalba had given her, and removed it, carelessly tossing it aside as he forced his own engagement ring unto her finger. However, La Muerte freed herself and kneeled down to retrieve the cheaper ring, holding it close.

"I want to keep it." La Muerte said, the anger bubbling in the bottom of her voice, but she knew better than to provoke him.

"What for?" Itzlacol said, growling. "You will never see him again, you belong to me now." He glanced down at her abdomen, disgusted at the engender that was growing in there. The damn product of the love she and Xibalba shared, the reminder she had already been deflowered. "And enjoy that brat as long as you can. As soon as its out, I'm getting rid of it."

AT that proclamation, La Muerte stood up once again, this time glaring at Itzlacol, stepping back and placing her hands on her abdomen in a protective way. "You will not touch my child!" she growled like a lioness about to pounce on any potential threat to her cubs. She would rather die than let Itzlacol take her little one away.

"I will not have Xibalba's spawn growing in my house."

"Your house?" La Muerte narrowed her eyes, clenching her fists. "I will only marry you on two conditions. The first is that you bring no harm on my family nor any of the lizards. The second is that you will not touch my child. "

Itzlacol chuckled. "In case you forgot, La Muerte, you are in no position to make any demands. One word and those lizards will be gone, along with your daddy and your baby sister."

"Really? In case you forgot, you have many sins against the Ancient Rules. And you shouldn't forget the Kings already know about your attempt to kill Xibalba, so they will certainly figure out you killed him! Those are my only two conditions!"

"…. Very well, then." At least until she was permanently bound to him.

"Now release them, you don't need them! It's me you want!"

"Oh, no! Like I said, they are the warrant you won't try to escape. I will release them when we have formally become husband and wife."

"I can at least talk with my father and sister, can't I?"

Itzlacol rolled his eyes. "Fine, but don't try anything funny or she dies." He pointed at Regina, who was weeping by then. "Though in her case, I wonder what would happen, considering she is already dead."

La Muerte didn't say anything else. She clenched her fists as Itzlacol led her down the hall towards one of the common rooms in the lower levels, where her family had already been taken. There were fire guards placed outside the doors, and they looked down at her with ironically cold gaze. There was no sign of intelligence there. Itzlacol merely had to snap his fingers to have the creatures step aside.

"Remember, do not try anything." Itzlacol warned once more, narrowing his eyes.

"I just want to talk to them."

"Just hurry, we have to plan for our wedding."

She said nothing else as she stepped inside the room. King Sol and Aimé were inside, the former embracing the latter, and there were guards posted around them. When the door creaked open, both looked up and their eyes lit up when they saw the goddess clad in red stepping inside.

"La Muerte!"

However, La Muerte was glaring at him, her hands on top of her abdomen in an attempt to tell the little one to calm down. She glanced at the guards darkly momentarily, before glancing back at her father again.

"Please don't step any closer." She said

"B-But La Muerte…"

"Big sis…!" Aimé whispered with teary eyes.

"You helped Itzlacol kill my husband." La Muerte hissed at the verge of tears, only staring at her father. "You trusted him. You forced him into my life!"

"La Muerte, I swear I never imagined he would be this monster! I accept I was wrong about Itzlacol, but…" he tried to step closer, but she stepped back.

"Don't! You helped him even if unintentionally! If only you had listened to me, if you had listened to Xibalba, all of this could have been prevented! Now my baby, your grandchild, will be fatherless because of you!"

"Muertita, don't marry Itzlacol! What if he hurts you or the baby?!" Aimé pleaded, sobbing.

"What should I do?! Let him kill you both too?! And Regina and Emilio, and the others?!"

Sol felt ashamed of himself, every single word she said was a piercing stab to his heart, but the worst of all was that deep down, he knew she was right. "My daughter, please forgive me…"

"How can I?!" La Muerte snapped, turning her back on her father, trying to hide her tears. "I loved Xibalba more than anything, and now he's gone…! All because you wouldn't listen to me!"

"Big sis…" Aimé did walk closer, and hugged her elder sister, sobbing. "I'm sorry about what happened…"

La Muerte closed her eyes shut, reluctant at what she was going to do. "It won't bring him back, Amy. I have to do what Itzlacol wants to keep everyone, including my baby, safe. Please don't try to stop me." With this, she released gave her little sister one last hug before heading for the door under the watchful eyes of the fire creatures.

"La Muerte, wait!" Sol tried to go after her, only for one of the guards to stretch out a fiery arm to block his path, letting out a hiss and smoke.

"Don't insist, father. You are the least person who would have the right."

"But…!"

"You always wanted me to be the perfect daughter. You always wanted me to be always the 'good one', the stainless, the obedient little girl." La Muerte uttered bitterly at him. "Pero se acabó. Ya no mas. I will do what I must do, no matter what you say."

With these parting words, La Muerte ran out of the room, and towards her bedchambers, just as the guards closed the doors behind her. She ignored Itzlacol standing just outside, all she wanted to was to go into her room and disappear; she slammed the doors shut just behind her, and now that she was certain she was alone, she broke down in tears of anger and sorrow. That monster had her in his grasp, and if she wasn't careful he would hurt the baby, the only thing she would ever have left from Xibalba, the love of her life. The little one was squirming inside, as if she were crying too, sensing her mama was upset.

"It's okay, mi pequeñita…" La Muerte whispered to the baby, gently rubbing her hands over her abdomen, trying not to sob as she comforted her. "Everything will be okay… Mama will not let that evil man hurt you, I promise…"

I promise


Epona opened her eyes, and she noticed she was still in the Land of the Cursed, specifically Zipacna's room. However, when she glanced at the side of the bed to see if he was still asleep, she realized he was not in bed. In fact, he wasn't in the room. She panicked momentarily, wondering if he had gone back to drinking, or worse. She dashed off the bed and out of the room, running down the hallway and calling out for him. "Zipacna!"

"I'm in the study! And don't worry, I'm sober!"

Epona was dashing just in front of the study door when she surprisingly heard his reply. She stopped, nearly tripping in the process due to the speed, and almost burst the door down. Zipacna jumped in surprise when it happened, and she noticed he was on his desk with… a pile of paperwork, and… a quill, not discarded momentarily due to the surprise of the moment.

Zipacna felt nervous when he saw the way she was looking at him. "What?" he asked, shrugging.

"Are you okay?" Epona inquired, approaching warily, glancing over at the desk subtly, looking for any signs that Zipacna might be drunk or not in his senses, any empty bottles of alcohol or anything, but the desk was bare except for the papers.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well… for instance, you're doing paperwork… on your own free will, and you look… calm…"

Zipacna sighed sadly. "Well, considering Xibalba won't be around to help with this anymore, I figured I could start on it before it grows into another endless pile."

Epona didn't know what to say to that. She merely approached and placed a compassionate hand on his shoulder, before speaking up again. "When did you wake up? Did you eat something?"

"A few hours ago, and no. What kind of gentleman would I be if I ate by myself when there's a lady visiting?"

"You didn't eat for two days and you haven't eaten anything for… me?"

"In this situation, food is the last of my concern."

"It affects you, you get on a bad mood and you'll go become weaker the more you go without eating."

"I guess it would explain why I have been a bit grumpier."

"Not to mention you look paler. You really need something to eat. I could… You know… prepare something for you." Epona blushed as she sat in one of his legs, stroking his scaly cheek. "Please, Zipacna… take better care of yourself, or let me take care of you."

Zipacna was blushing deeply, his heart pumping at top speed in his chest when he felt her gentle hand touching his face in such a tender way. "I guess you're right. Maybe I should take a break, and sincerely, I love your cooking."

"My cooking is terrible, believe me, you've never tasted any of my food."C

"Come on, you just need some practice."

"Seriously, I've been trying to cook something edible for years." She grabbed his hand. "Come now."

The two disappeared in a flash of golden light.