Against All Odds

The Rescue

Two days.

Two days had passed since she had been brought here, to this hell. La Muerte refused to let Víbora touch her, and she feared for baby's life. She didn't feel her move as much as before, it was like she was weakening with everytime they spent there. She was praying more than ever before that her child would be alright.

Víbora slid into the room, his eyes set on La Muerte's delicate figure. "Muertita? How are you feeling today?"

She didn't move, there was not even a muffled reply.

"La Muerte?" Víbora slithered closer to her, starting to worry. She should have at least let out a muffled yell. "Are you okay?"

When he touched her with the tip of his tail, his eyes widened in horror. She was boiling hot; he quickly touched her forehead, and realized she was feverish. La Muerte started trembling, this time not only out of repulsion, but also because she felt terribly cold. Even in that state, her hands were on top of her bump.

"Nonono! Mi amor, what's wrong?!" Víbora shook her gently.

La Muerte was so weak she didn't even bother to try and reply. Víbora quickly took a nearby blanket and pulled it over her. Her baby was the only thing in her mind right now.

Víbora was freaking out, not knowing what she had. He had to do something, fast. He recalled that there was a medicinal herb that grew in the Land of the Forgotten, but not in these caves. He would have to leave for a while to find them, but it was the love of his life.

"I'll be right back, amor mío."

La Muerte trembled, this time with repulsion, when Víbora licked her cheek, and then slithered out of the room, once more locking the door behind him. She was hungry, thirsty and now, to make things worse, ill. But she had to be strong. She would hang on until the end, for her child.

"Hang on, bebita…" La Muerte directed her thoughts at her baby, her hands gently stroking her bump. "Please, hang on. Papi is surely on his way, he'll take us back home…"

These were her last thoughts before she lost consciousness.

Quietly, Xibalba led his horse carefully through the canyons that led to the system of caves within the canyons themselves. Medianoche's hooves clopped against the rock, trying to make as less noise as possible. These canyons were located to the northwest of Xibalba's castle, although it was actually very hard to tell directions down in that place.

When a few pebbles fell form above into the ground, Medianoche jumped in alarm and let out a neigh, though his master pulled on his reins to make him go back a bit, then looking up to make sure there wouldn't be a collapse. When he was certain it was safe to continue, Xibalba gently kicked his horse's sides and continued on his way. There were many entrances to the cave system, but he was heading towards the closest one. He was familiarized with these caves, he used to come here as a child to hide from his father.

When he spotted the cavern, Xibalba quickly cantered inside, before braking. Medianoche snorted and stomped on his foot, nervous at the blinding darkness ahead. Xibalba patted his neck reassuringly before dismounting. "Don't be afraid, chico. There's nothing in this cave except bats." As soon as the horse heard the word 'bats', it snorted even louder and tried to leave the cave, but Xibalba held him tightly by the bridle. "Medianoche, lower your volume! You'll alert Víbora, if he's here!"

Xibalba looked at the inky darkness of the cave. If his wife was here, he would find her. Ponzoña slid out from within his armor and wrapped around his arm, both sniffing the air.

"Did you catch her scent, old friend?" the dark god inquired.

Ponzoña dropped from his arm and slithered away into the darkness, hissing back at his master to signal him to follow. Xibalba quickly went after his snake, the green fires of the candles on his crown and shoulder pads illuminating the way. The tunnels varied in size and length, but he memorized the way they were going. Ponzoña sniffed the air, following the familiar scent of marigolds of his master's mistress.

Xibalba didn't know how much time passed before they finally arrived to a door, one he was certain had not been here before. Ponzoña hissed and rubbed its heads against the door, then looked up at his owner. Xibalba immediately understood the message; quickly removing the board that blocked the door (which meant that, thankfully, that Víbora was not there, though it didn't mean he wouldn't come back anytime soon), Xibalba kicked the door open and took a peek inside. The cave was dimly lit by a candle on top of a wooden table, and there was an old mattress at the side; on top of the mattress was…

"LA MUERTE!" Xibalba quickly flew to his wife's side and tried to shake her awake. "La Muerte, are you okay?!" he grew alarmed when she didn't respond. He placed his fingers on her neck, and was relieved when he felt a pulse; however, he realized she was also boiling hot. Xibalba cut off the ropes that bound La Muerte's hand and feet together and removed the gag, before placing a hand on her bump. The baby wasn't moving, but he thought he could feel its little heartbeat.

He had to get them out of here.

Xibalba carefully but swiftly picked La Muerte up in his arms, then flew back from whence he came, followed by Ponzoña. He went back through the same passages he had memorized, until they were back in the mouth of the cavern. Medianoche lifted his head when he saw his master return, holding his wife in his arms with a worried expression, Ponzoña closely behind. Xibalba allowed Ponzoña to slid unto his cloak and back inside his armor, before quickly climbing up unto Medianoche, accommodating La Muerte in his arms.

"Hang on, mi amor…" he whispered, planting a kiss on her head. "I'm here, I'm going to take you home…"

Knowing he didn't have much time before Víbora returned, Xibalba quickly took the reins with one hand while holding his La Muerte with the other, and kicked his horse's sides. Medianoche cantered out of the cave, and through the canyons as his master led him. Xibalba was careful to hold his wife and child close to him with one arm and wing, cradling La Muerte close to his chest. It would take a few hours to return to his castle, but he didn't know how ill his wife was. Perhaps she needed urgent medical attention, so he had to go as fast as he could.

…..

Once he had ridden out of the canyons, and was certain he was far enough to be safe from Víbora, Xibalba pulled the reins and braked. Medianoche complied without complaint. Now he could do a better check up on La Muerte. Xibalba shifted her in his arms once more, and touched her forehead gingerly; she was boiling hot. Then he placed it on her bump to see if the baby was alright. He felt a great relief when the unborn child gave a small kick on his hand, though it was so faint he nearly overlooked it.

"La Muerte..." Xibalba stroked the goddess's cheek gently. "Hang in there, mi corazón. Do it for our baby, we're almost there."

La Muerte didn't know what was going on around her, but she thought she heard her Balby's voice in the darkness. She wasn't certain if she had really heard him, or if she was just having a dream, but in either case, she was glad to hear him.

"Balby…." Her voice was almost like an unconscious whisper.

Xibalba felt a great weight being lifted off his chest when she talked to him. She was still unconscious, but at least it meant she had heard him. Once more, he carefully accommodated his wife in his embrace and went on his way, galloping towards his castle. It wasn't that far now, luckily for him it was located in the center of his realm, so it was easy to reach from any point.

In fact, he could already see the two snake-shaped towers in the distance.

By the time he was galloping across the bridge, he was certain Víbora must have found he had rescued La Muerte. But that was the least of his worries for the moment, his wife was the main reason right now. She was still unconscious, and feverish. Xibalba started pulling Medianoche's reins to slow down his pace, until they stopped at the gates of the castle. Dismounting quickly, Xibalba glanced at his horse. "Good boy, Medianoche…"

Medianoche snorted in reply.

The dark god's attention turned to a lizard resting on top of some creates. "Juarez!"

Immediately, Juarez jumped and approached his master. "Y-Yes, My Lord?" he instantly noticed La Muerte's condition, but chose not to say anything.

"Take Medianoche to his stable, give him warm water and straw and take a look at his leg. I think he's hurt because I forced him too much."

"Yes, My Lord."

As Juarez led the horse away, Xibalba took off with a flap of his wings and flew towards his balcony with the speed of bullet, holding La Muerte close to his chest; bursting the doors open with a flap of his wings, then flew inside. Gently, he lay La Muerte down on bed and pulled the sheets over her.

"EMILIO!"

Not three seconds passed before the lizard rushed into the chambers. "IS there something you need, my….." he noticed La Muerte was on bed, and she looked very grave. "…Lord?"

"Bring me cold water and cloths! NOW!" Xibalba ordered him abruptly.

"Right away, My Lord!"

As soon as Emilio was gone, Xibalba sat down next to his wife and held her hand. "Don't worry, mi amor, you and the baby safe now…" he placed his hand on her bump, and now directed his words at his baby. "Hang in there, my child. Papi's here." The unborn baby seemingly recognized his voice, and gave another set of kicks, though they were very faint.

As soon as Ponzoña slid out of his armor, Xibalba grabbed him and turned him back into a staff, before standing up and going back to his balcony. Muttering a spell under his breath, he stamped his staff on the ground, and a bolt of green energy fired upwards, before exploding and raining down around his castle, turning into a protective barrier. No one would be able to come into his castle unless he allowed them to, not even Víbora.

Speaking of which, had he already noticed he had rescued La Muerte?

"La Muerte!"

Víbora removed the board that blocked the door from the outside and opened it. He didn't find any of those damn flowers, so the best would be to take her somewhere else and find someone who could heal her. So desperate he was.

"La Muerte, I think it's best that we-!"

He froze upon finding that the mattress was unoccupied, the only thing left from his beloved were a few marigold petals of her dress, and dark feathers…wait, dark feathers?

Víbora slithered closer to the mattress and took one of the torn, worn dark feathers with the tip of his tail. Víbora sniffed the feather, and felt a familiar scent of tar… anger brewed up inside his chest like rising lava from a volcano as he tightened his tail around the feather.

"Xibalba…"

When La Muerte started regaining consciousness, the first thing she noticed was that she was no longer tied nor gagged, and she felt strangely comfortable; she felt warm, and her baby was thankfully squirming happily inside her. She felt something cold and humid on her forehead; La Muerte stirred, and she heard a voice.

"Muertita…?"

That voice…

"X-Xibalba…?" she tiredly cracked her eyelids open, and found herself staring into her beloved husband's eyes.

"Shhh, don't worry, mi amor." Xibalba shushed her gently, stroking her head and taking her hand. "You're safe now."

La Muerte felt her eyes tearing up with relief and joy. "Balby…" she tried to sit down, but Xibalba gently lay her back down.

"You need to rest, my dear. You're very weak."

"The baby… How's the baby?"

Xibalba smiled and stroked her bump lovingly. "He's a happy little baby now that he knows you are safe."

La Muerte started coughing, making Xibalba panic. He took a small glass of water from his bedside table, and lowered it to his wife's lips. "Here, have a little water."

She felt her lips and mouth dry, so she complied without protest, and she felt relieved when she felt the cool water going down her throat, refreshing her. La Muerte then shifted in bed and placed her hands on her abdomen, hoping with all her might that her baby would be alright after what happened and after being stressed for so much time. Xibalba took notice of this. "Are you still worried about our baby, mi amor?"

"I'm scared, Xibalba, what if she… if she…?" her eyes started tearing up. "I wouldn't bear it…"

"Don't say that, mi corazón. She'll be okay, she's our baby; I promise you, nothing will happen to her." He remembered he had questions of his own that needed answers. "What happened when Víbora kidnapped you?" his hold on her hand tightened. "Did he dare to touch you?"

La Muerte stiffened, and her eyes swelled up with tears at the thought. "He… He wanted me to abandon my baby… and run away with him."

"If I had him in front of me, I swear, I'd kill him with my own hands."

"Don't be like him, Balby…" La Muerte squeezed her husband's hand. "Don't be a murderer…"

"No one is allowed to touch you and get away with it. And he didn't even care you were expecting a baby, did he?" Xibalba noticed La Muerte didn't want to talk about it, so he decided not to pressure the matter. "Well, let's not talk about him any longer. What matters now is that you and the baby are okay, mi amor." He bent down and planted a kiss on La Muerte's forehead. Before he could stand up, La Muerte grabbed his hands weakly.

"Don't go, Balby… Please, don't leave me alone…" she sobbed, still terrified from when Víbora touched her.

"I won't, preciosa." The dark god reassured her as he lay down next to her and pulled her into a protective embrace, wrapping his wings around her. "Better now?" he whispered into her ear seductively.

La Muerte giggled and snuggled deeply into his embrace. "Much better now, Balby…"

The two shared a tender kiss to rekindle their love for each other, as Xibalba stroked his wife's cheek lovingly. Suddenly, La Muerte pulled away from the kiss and let out a cry of pain when she felt a pang of harsh pain in her legs and liquid spilling out of her.

"La Muerte? What's wrong?" Xibalba asked her in concern.

La Muerte quickly threw the covers off her and found her dress was stained with blood and amniotic fluid. Her eyes widened in shock and horror, and she winced at another contraction. "B-Balby…" she whimpered. "…I think it's time…"

Xibalba nearly had a heart attack as he glanced at his wife's blood-stained dress. It couldn't be! Of all the times, the baby had to come now?! Oh, no! Nononono!

"Por todos los cielos!" he jumped from bed and took La Muerte's hand tightly. "We have to go back to Aztlan." However, as he tried to lift his wife from bed she cried out in pain and he had to lay her back down. And they couldn't teleport, so it made things worse.

"It hurts!" La Muerte cried out at another contraction.

"What do we do?! We can't teleport and I can't move you!" And he was not going to leave his wife alone in this moment. Even if he could actually move her, they wouldn't get to Aztlan in time. Xibalba sighed in worry, and dread.

He'd have to deliver his child himself.