Hello again, my lovely readers :) I'm so, so, so very sorry for the late update. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this chapter. I'm not sure what I think about it, exactly. And one more thing, I'm doing betareaders thing from now on, so if anyone needs beta, just visit my profile. Love ya. Please don't forget to review :)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Road to Eldorado. The children sitting on the moon does.
--
He had to keep going.
He didn't have any time. If he wanted this to be successful, he had to hurry.
So he once again ignored the pain and protests of his body. He forced his legs forward, trying not to trip on the branches and stones on his path.
The sun was rising steadily in the eastern sky. Noon must be approaching. Tulio didn't pause to look at the watch, though, afraid that that might slow him down.
--Flashback--
'By dawn, then,' Cortes said, not turning to the two men. 'You will have until dusk to return back here with good news. Or...'
He turned back now, glaring dangerously at the young Spaniard.
'Or we will attack without mercy.'
Tulio gulped down his fear and the bile that had come up to his throat. He was very much aware that they were discussing the lives of innocent people at their expanse. He tried to keep his cool enough to give a reply.
'That will not be a problem. They trust me enough to listen to my every word.'
Tzekel Khan made an angry sound, which both Cortes and Tulio ignored. He surely was one to talk about deceiving people into belief, Tulio found himself thinking.
Just then, Cortes took something small out and flipped it to the young Spaniard. Catching it despite his surprise, he realized that was a pocket watch. An elegant pocket watch at that.
'Do not be late,' Cortes warned once again before turning his back to them and walking out of the tent.
--Flashback--
He vaguely realized that he had passed the 'Great big rock' in the new light of the noon as it glinted off the rock, too preoccupied to notice the engravings on the massive stone. Just a bit more, he promised himself. Just a bit more, and I'm there.
--
Miguel couldn't sleep. He tried with all his might during the night, but the images and his nightmares was way too livid for him to get some peace and comfort from the quiet and serene time of the day.
So he rose up from his bed in the temple - which was probably not a good choice to begin with - and started down the steps into the quiet and peaceful looking city. He wandered around, trying to ease his thoughts. He watched as the giant turtle swam up and down the river, chasing little fish. He couldn't imagine how everything still stood unchanged. For him, everything was much less bright, much less colorful, much less lively.
He didn't know just how long he stayed there, looking at the clear river as it turned from navy blue to grayish blue tinted with pink, and then to clear crystal blue as the sun rose steadily. When he heard a quiet sound of hooves approaching to him. He didn't need to look up.
'Hey, Altivo,' he said in a quiet, almost dull tone. Something gently nudged him on the shoulder, and he turned to face the whiteish - grey nuzzle of the horse. He absent-mindedly, almost automatically, put a hand to the horse's nose and pats it a bit, and Altivo responds with a small lick to his palm. Miguel tried not to look into the bright eyes of the horse, almost too intelligent for a pair of horse eye to be.
The natives had begun coming out of their houses, too, greeting him as they passed. He returned their greetings absent-mindedly, and continued his walk throughout the city. Children, playing with the small ball, passed him, too, and one of them passed him the ball, in hopes that maybe he would join their game again, like he did so eagerly a few days ago. Miguel gave the ball a kick, but didn't stay long enough. He was not in the mood. Probably never gonna be.
He followed the river up to where it narrowed into the tunnel, Altivo still beside him. He squinted through the opening, as if to see something else besides the dark water, and the light at the end.
Suddenly, without any visible warning beforehand, Altivo began to get restless.
Or should he call it excited? He didn't know. He couldn't be sure about anything when it came to this horse.
'What is it, boy?' Turning, he found that Altivo had taken a sprinting pose, ready to barge into the tunnel. He thrusted a hand to stop him.
'Ho, boy!' His voice raised a bit when his movement couldn't stop the horse and Altivo leapr forward, almost dropping him into the river. Miguel stared, his mouth dropping, as Altivo splashed through the water and into the tunnel.
--
It was all Tulio did to keep himself conscious as he tried to find his way splashing into the tunnel, but it was already slipping. He felt the rocks under his palms; the water was not deep enough yet, and he could walk in it, going for the light that was still too far away. The question was: would he finally make it?
'Just a bit more,' he mumbled to himself weakly, but his voice was also betraying him. He forced himself to take a couple of more steps. This journey seemed much more easy while in a boat, now it seemed to take an excrutiatingly long time. Where were those river guards, anyway? Just when he needed them.
After the couple of steps, it was just too much for him. He sighed, and collapsed, face first, into the water.
Somehow, even when his senses were fading into non-existence, he could hear something nearby... splashing? His mind vaguely wondered what on earth could make this sound, but gave up after a minute.
He heard a grumble from somewhere above him, and then something nudged very, very slightly to his arm. Another grumble. This time, he sensed something like... an animal through the sound.
There was a tug on his shirt, and then he was on a different surface, a surface rising and falling rythmically. He knew that touch - and... well, smell. He grabbed at the animal's fur a bit more tightly, and a happy neigh echoed in the tunnel.
'Altivo?...' he mumbled, using the small amount of energy to form a small smile. Did the horse come for him? How strange. Though not unexpected, not from Altivo. The horse licked the back of his hand.
This time, the young Spaniard did let the consciousness slip away from him, because he knew Altivo was carrying him back to safety, back to... home.
--
Chel was just about to get out to the city herself. It had been a time since she had woken up, but she didn't want to face El Dorado immediately after she woke up. Not without Tulio, like she got too much used to, waking him up with a kiss, and walking down together with him, hand in hand...
The memory brought fresh tears to her eyes, and she let them flow now, something she didn't allow last night, because she didn't want the people to see her like that. But she had cried a lot, secretly. It was almost unbearable to think. Tulio had given her hope, a huge one at that, and he had been her light at the end of the darkness. Now that light was gone... And she was consumed once again by the darkness, a darkness that was so thick and so intense that she felt like she was suffocating. She tried unsuccessfully to wipe her tears, picked up the golden earrings and got in front of the suit of golden armor which reflects everything off like a mirror. She smiled a bit as she remembered the time the Spaniard gave her the earrings and the tears surprisingly did not fall this time.
She stepped out of the temple a minute later, and is surprised to find the city active and almost excited. Wondering what could be possibly going on, she began descending the steps.
--
Miguel squinted once more as he looked into the tunnel, wondering where Altivo might have gone, and why would he go. A self concerned, almost childish part of him half hoped that the horse wouldn't leave him, too, not after his best friend.
After what seemed like an eternity for him, the horse's white head appeared out of the darkness. It somehow doesn't look like Altivo was alone, Miguel was almost sure there was someone behind the horse. He craned his neck to see.
The first thing he saw was something black, almost in contrast with the animal's fur. Miguel felt like his heart skipped a beat. Maybe two. It may have stopped altogether. He tried to find his voice as the horse swam nearer, bringing into full view of who it was bearing.
The blond was still mesmerized as Altivo made it to the shore, neighing only a little impatiently as he wanted Miguel's help. The blond wondered bitterly if Tulio was still alive, but when he put his hand on Tulio's back to support him while Altivo climbed ashore, he felt his chest rising and falling rythmically under his hand. This brought him such a relief that for one second, he just looked at his partner, marvelling the impossible, forgetting where he was or what he was doing. It was only after Altivo's second impatient neigh that alerted him to the people gathering around them, as if they were encountering some miracle. That should be exactly how this seemed like to them, Miguel thought, seeing someone released from the watery depths of 'Xibalba'. He proceeded in front of Altivo and put a hand on his gem, and with a gentle tug, made the horse start walking. He would take his friend to the healer.
As they walked on, the natives surround them intently, hands reaching to touch Tulio, whichever part they could reach, murmuring in hushed voices. Dazed. Awed. Miguel didn't even have the voice to ask them to stand back a bit.
Around half the way to the village, someone came rushing over to join them.
Chel's mouth fell open as she saw her lover on Altivo, unconscious but alive. She seemed as unable to speak as Miguel while she walked to the horse's side, and whispered in a small voice as she took the black haired Spaniard's hand.
'Tulio...'
Tulio shifted very slightly as he heard a half scared female voice reached his ears, like light through a long tunnel. His eyelids fluttered and opened a bit, showing one of the faces he had missed most in this short span. A small smile raised the corners of his lips.
'Hey...'
A bright smile made its way to Chel's face when she heard his reply, and she held his hand as they walked on. Tulio returned the pressure with just the slightest squeeze, not sure if he had enough strength for more. At that time, chief Tannabuk finally came in front of them, his eyes a little bulging, his expression reflecting those of the villagers.
'This is a miracle...'
Miguel didn't wait long for him to conceive this. 'Chief please, I think he needs to see the healer.'
'Of course. Here, I will lead you.'
They began following him. Tulio almost wanted to tell them to wait, that there were more urgent problems, but he found out that he didn't have the strength or resolve to do that. His body was aching all over after all, and he was very hungry. As if to confirm this, his stomach gave a low grumble. How many hours had he got left, anyway? Maybe there was still a bit of time before he can go back to the camp. He listened to the voices around him, not just the villagers and his friends, but the nature itself. They came to a stop at that time, and Tulio tried to open his eyes again, this time being more successful.
They were in front of a tent, colorful herbs and branches sticking everywhere. The smell wasn't especially pleasant, though. He squinted at the sky, trying to guess the time. Early afternoon, maybe? He groaned softly, not satisfied. Immediately, two person came closer to his side, their expressions worried and wary.
'Tulio, what's the problem? Does it hurt?'
Miguel. He knew his voice anywhere. 'No...' He said a little hoarsely, his voice coming out a bit low. He wondered if they heard him.
'Don't worry. You're gonna be okay.' Chel said reassuringly and turned to someone behind her. She stepped back to allow the chief through, who gently lifted Tulio from the horse and carried him into the tent. The young Spaniard heard mumbling and flurry outside, and instantly regretted the fact that he was now lying on a bed right across the tent entrance. The whole village seemed to be gathered just to watch what was going on.
'Would you like some privacy, my lord?' The healer asked, probably having seen the expression on Tulio's face.
'Please,' Tulio answered through gritted teeth. The native nodded knowingly, and pulled the canvas at the entrance closed, but not before Miguel and Chel came in, too. Tulio closed his eyes, pretending that he couldn't see or hear anyone inside or outside the tent.
'How serious are his wounds?' He heard Miguel asking, as the healer applied some weird smelling ointment to the scratches and cuts across his body. Tulio had all but forgotten the fall through the whirlpool. The injuries didn't feel too bad, however. The dominant feeling now was hunger, an his stomach growled in synchronization with his thoughts.
'My lord, would you like something to eat?'
'I'm starving,' Tulio agreed.
'We are gonna arrange a festivity...'
'No!' His eyes snapped open once again, and the others all gasped in surprise, everyone but the healer, who continued his job like nothing happened.
'Chief, we need to discuss something.' He continued hastily, straightening himself on his elbows. 'They are not really bad,' he added to the healer, who tried to push him back down.
'Tulio...' Chel tried to reason, her beautiful face creased with anxiety. Tulio didn't listen for her, either.
'Look, I really don't have much time, okay? I have to get back and that is why we have to have a talk right now.'
'Get back to where? What are you talking about?' Miguel asked, incredulity masking off much of everything from his voice.
Tulio took a deep breath and looked at each of the faces before explaining. 'Back to Cortes. He has arrived on shore, Miguel, and he is holding me as a captive.'
