El Tigre: Evolution
"Ha! My kung fu is strong!"
-Frida
Chapter 11
The newly formed alliance stood outside the gates of Sartana's prison. It consisted of White Pantera, Maria (who had her glove on standby), Mer, Pulsera (Trina decked out in crimson armor, which was quite flattering actually), El Tigre, and Frida.
They stood in silence for a moment.
"What's Goggles doing here again?" Mer asked, referring to Frida.
"She's been training!" said El Tigre. Frida gave a little wave.
"Right," said Mer, totally not sounding reassured.
"Let's move in!" White Pantera called out, motioning with his arm.
As they began to move in, skeleton banditos burst from the ground, and started swarming towards the intruders.
"ATTACK!" cried White Pantera, charging out in front.
"Wait!" said El Tigre. "Í thought we weren't fighting!"
Mer grimaced as he brandished his caduceus. "There's always some fighting involved, kid."
Maria grimaced as well, because she knew what she had to do. She put on her glove and…
"PLATA PELIGROSA! YI YI YI!!" she whooped as she made the transformation to the silver sombrero wearing, danger-loving goddess. White Pantera was distracted for a second by this, and got smacked in the face by a bandito.
Pulsera extended her arm, and the crimson blade emerged from the ruby bracelet.
"Is that all that thing does?" asked Mer.
"Watch and find out," Pulsera grinned.
Frida took a fighting stance. "Ha! My kung fu is strong!"
Suddenly, there was an explosion of red smoke, and Sartana herself appeared at the head of the pack of banditos.
"Not that strong," Frida said, falling out of her stance.
"Who dares invade my home during my siesta!" The undead villainess hissed. But as she scanned the crowd, her mood suddenly changed. "I haven't sensed such power since…" Then her eyes fell on Frida. "And what is she doing here?"
Frida tried to look imposing again. "Watch out, Sartana! I have supercool new demon powers that can take you down!"
Sartana got in her face, exhaling fire.
"…I'll just take my usual cell," Frida resigned, walking off.
"We really don't want to fight!" El Tigre said. We just wanted to ask about…the Tome of Torment!"
Sartana gasped. Her skeleton banditos responded by going back into the earth. Sartana's gaze fell to the ground. "I was afraid this time would come. Follow me, Riveras and…others." She turned and retreated back into her prison domain. The alliance exchanged glances, and then followed.
Sartana explained on the way to her inner sanctum: "You Riveras have no idea what it has been like fighting against you all these years while knowing that in the end that somehow, someway, we would have to join forces to stop a greater threat, something the world hasn't seen for centuries."
"Then why didn't you just become a good guy?" asked El Tigre.
Sartana rubbed her bony chin. " One could ask you the same question…but…how does the saying go? Oh yes," She grinned menacingly, "To each his own." Then she shrugged. "Or her own. Whichever."
"Huh?" said Frida.
"She's saying that being a villain is in her nature," Mer answered. "I know where she's coming from." He glared at Pulsera, who rolled her eyes.
"So what happened?" asked El Tigre. "What's the deal with this book?"
Sartana sighed. "Sorry. I'm just still adjusting to this…uh…
"Change of circumstances?" Frida chimed helpfully.
"Um, yes. That will do." Sartana sighed again. "Well, it all started when I was a little girl…and alive…of course," she started, waggling her fingers spookily to transition to flashback mode…
FLASHBACK…
A beautiful girl, who had long flowing black hair and looked to be around Manny and Frida's age, sat drawing pictures in the sand. A growing shadow indicated that someone was approaching from behind. She turned to see…
"Papi!" she cried, throwing herself into the man's arms. "You remembered!"
"Uh, remembered what, Sartana?" her father asked. The young Sartana looked down in disappointment. The man began to laugh.
"I'm just kidding. Of course I remembered your birthday. And you're going to receive something very special…"
Sartana looked at her father with excitement. He was an imposing figure, also with black hair, and a mystic guitar slung across his back. "What is it, Papi?"
He took his hands out from behind his back to reveal…another guitar. "This."
Sartana gasped. "Bisabuela's mystic guitar?"
"Yes," he said. "And I believe you are finally old enough to have it. It's like mine! There are only two in existence."
Sartana marveled over her new guitar, but then suddenly looked curious. "Why?"
"Well, They were made by El Dios de los Muertos, a mighty god with four arms. He made two so he could play them both at once."
"Why would he want to do that?" asked Sartana.
"For a richer harmony, of course!" He laughed. But his jovial expression quickly turned serious. "But, this guitar is not a toy. It is an immense responsibility."
Sartana nodded. "I understand."
Sartana's father shook his head. "No, you don't. As long as you use the mystic guitar properly, it will give you the gift of immortality. You will live forever. But…"
"But what, Papi?" asked Sartana, wide-eyed.'
"If you use the guitar for evil, or for the sole purpose of gaining power, it will corrupt your spirit, allowing it to live on while your body decays and you become something beyond death. Remember this."
Sartana gulped, then nodded again. "Yes Papi."
END FLASHBACK…
"Geez, we just asked about the book," said El Tigre. "We didn't need your whole life story!"
"Do you want my help or not!" Sartana shouted.
"Well, it's obvious you chose evil, because…well…look at you," Frida stated.
"Of course I chose evil," said Sartana. "I swore revenge against El Santo Oscuro after he killed my father. Power was my only concern. Then the others sealed him away and tore the book apart before I could finish the job."
"Do you know where they hid the pages?" asked Pulsera.
"Some of them, yes," Sartana pondered. "But there are hundreds."
"The Prophet said that Luxe is only a couple of pages away from finishing the book!" El Tigre exclaimed.
"There is one," said Sartana. "The most well protected page I know of…if any are left, it's most likely that one."
"Where is it?" asked the alliance in unison.
"The Temple of El Dios de las Arañas."
MEANWHILE…AT LUXECORP…
Diego Luxe stood on the roof of one of the three towers surrounding the dome at LuxeCorp., waiting for Los Alados. Eventually the waiting paid off, as Los Alados came circling in from the sky, coming in for the landing. They touched down, immediately retracted their wings, and approached Luxe. The black-haired Alado held out a page for him to take. He did, and he began to laugh as he did.
"You know what this means, don't you?" Luxe asked.
Los Alados smiled and nodded.
Luxe held up the page and grinned wickedly. "Just one more to go."