Madison slept for hours after the feast last night. She wanted to sleep more but she started to feel awake as the sounds of snoring were getting louder. She slowly opened her eyes as she moved little. Her vision became blur until they became clear and saw the con men in front of them. Sleeping and snoring so loudly. As she was about to go to sleep, something popped out.
All three exclaimed in startlement as they saw man in a strange skull mask but in familiar clothing. It was Tzekel-Kan.
"Good morning, my lords!" he greeted with a smile and quickly left.
"He's back." Miguel whispered.
"Oh no." Tulio groaned.
"Forgot there was a ceremony today." Madison groaned while the two sat up.
Madison quickly sat up as she was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes while the guys already got out of the carrier until...
"The Gods and enchantress have awakened!" Tzekel-Kan voice boomed with announcement and the crowd of an audience cheer.
Tulio stumbled as he was startled from hearing everything including the horn being blown. Madison and Miguel looked at him as he was on the ground but stood up still, acting mighty. Miguel quickly helps Madison off the carrier and stood beside Tulio while Chel appeared, throwing flower petals with a scared face.
"Hey, Chel, what's going on?" Tulio whispered as he was waving to the audience.
"It's not gonna be good." she replied.
The trio looked surprise of hearing her respond.
"Thank you." he said to her in sarcasm.
"This city has been granted a great blessing. And what have we done to show our gratitude? A meager celebration." Tzekel-Kan announced while the chief frowned at him, "The gods and the enchantress deserve a proper tribute!"
Three men came by infront of the priest as they carried a tray with a bag that was trapped in flowers and a streamer that was tied around the opening. Miguel and Tulio smiled as they thought it could be gold, but Madison grew a worried face.
"The beginning of a new era, the dawning of a new age... demands..." as the priest kept speaking, the bag disappeared as it reveals to be a weak man with his wrists tied up, "sacrife."
The audience gasped and the chief looked shock, while the trio looked horrified.
"I don't like this." Tulio spoke softly to his partners.
"He's going to kill him." said Madison as she looked scared.
"Tulio, we've got to do something."
Madison watched Tzekel-Kan used his club to push the man towards the edge. She remembered there was a large whirlpool which made cause her a fright if she goes near. But when the priest raised his club to strike him, and a loud voice stopped him.
"Stop!" Tulio commanded as he and Miguel stepped forward.
Madison sighed with relief while the chief and Chel looked shocked as the guys stopped the sacrifice.
"This is not a proper tribute!" Tulio spoke as he faced the priest.
Tzekel-Kan looked confused as he looked at Miguel, who was holding the unconscious man in his arms.
"No. No, no. W-We want tribute. Uh, it's just that, uh- Tulio, tell him." said Miguel as he looked at his partner while Madison quickly came to help him.
"The stars are not in position for this tribute!" Tulio said to the priest as he was making an excuse.
"Like he says the stars... Can't do it. Not today." said Miguel as he and Madison took the man away.
"Thank god, you and Tulio stopped him to save this man." Madison whispered as he looked at Miguel.
"It was something that we have to do." he reply.
"And that's a good thing."
Miguel smiled to her as he and Madison let the other people take care of the man and return to where Tulio and Tzekel-Kan were. The black hair was looking sternly at the priest.
"Perhaps it is possible I misread... the heavens." said Tzekel-Kan.
"Don't worry about it. To err is human, to forgive..." Miguel spoke until Tulio smacked him by the head.
"My lords and lady," the chief spoke, "may the people of El Dorado offer you, our tribute."
All three looked at him but as they looked to where the chief was pointing, a few women came out with a tray of golden items. The trio were awed at the sight as more women came out with trays of gold.
"My lords, does this please you?" the chief asked with a smile on his face.
The boys were awestruck, and Madison was amazed but the trio snapped back into reality.
"Yes, very nice." said Miguel.
"Indeed." Madison answered.
"Certainly acceptable." Tulio agreed.
"Yes, lovely. It'll do." Miguel spoke again.
"The gods and enchantress have chosen!" the chief announced to the audience, "To Xibalba?"
Madison knew that word and knew exactly what's going to happen as she looked at the guys, nodding their heads in agreement, but heard Chel's voice saying no as a warning.
"To Xibalba!" the guys spoke except Madison.
She didn't say a word but heard the crowd cheer and chant "Xibalba" and also looked at Chel as she facepalm herself. As she saw the first woman threw the tray of gold up in the air, the rest of the woman began throwing over the trio. Miguel and Tulio looked horrified as they turned to see where the gold was at but went into the whirlpool. Madison felt a little dizzy for how she really was and worried about falling. She took a few steps back while Chel stood beside Miguel, looking at him and Tulio with a frown look.
"Hey, Chel, um, what are they doing?" Miguel asked.
"They're sending it to Xibalba, the spirit world." she answered.
"Spirit world." Tulio repeated as he was about to cry.
"I'll take care of it."
As Madison watched Chel heading straight towards the chief, she looked back at the guys, looking heartbroken as the gold was going to waste in the whirlpool. She wanted to say something but couldn't find the words to say until...
"STOP!" the chief's voice boomed as the women stopped what they were doing.
Madison turned to look at him but saw the gold plate rolling by, heading straight towards the edge but stopped by Tulio's foot.
"They wish to bask! Take the tribute to the gods and enchantress's temple!" said the chief and the women walked away with the gold.
The trio smiled with relief and satisfaction as looked at Chel.
"Well done, Chel." said Madison.
"Nice going." said Tulio as he smiled at the woman and all four walked off past Tzekel-Kan and the Chief.
A few moments later, there was a parade. Madison was in a separate carrier while the boys were in the other. She can see Chel riding on Altivo beside the boys' carrier but also see the crowd cheering.
"This is really something, huh?" said Madison as she was talking to her necklace.
The crystal glowed twice in response.
"A lot has been happening. Me being the enchantress, a feast, and stopping the sacrifice tribute. I mean... I know that's your work doing all the magic but me... I'm just an ordinary person."
The crystal glowed again.
"Of course, I've been giving you credit. After all, it's you're doing, and you've been such a help."
The crystal responded as it glowed three times.
"The creepy sailor? I don't need to worry about him but then again... I do remember that Cortés and his men are now landed at the new land. Which was here and now the guys are planning to have a boat being built to leave."
The crystal glowed as it was asking a question.
"Staying at the temple? As like what Tulio said to Miguel. Probably not. One rule to break won't hurt and also... I do like to look around. Perhaps, once I'm at the temple while the boys talk to the chief, we'll explore."
The crystal glowed in agreement and Madison smiled.
As another moment passed, Madison was at the temple after the parade and looked down to see the men walked away with the carrier. She already knew that the guys were at the Chief's home talking and Chel was waiting for them. As Madison looked to see if everyone was around, she looked at the necklace.
"Looks like the coast is clear." she said as the necklace glowed.
Madison decided to go down the steps until she saw her necklace glowed bright. Magic came around her but went to her back. She turned her head to look and saw her wings appeared. She starting to realize what the gem was doing.
"Seems like you decided to make things easier to go down." she said, and the gem glowed.
With her wings starts fluttering, and felt herself being lifted up, Madison starts flying towards the bottom of the stairs. Once she landed, her wings suddenly disappeared and looked around. But when she saw the carrier from the distance, knowing that Tulio and Miguel are coming soon, she quickly makes a run from the temple, hoping she won't get caught.
Madison slowed herself down and walked slowly. She looked around to see that she was in a village but see no people around. She now remembered that Tzekel-Kan made the warriors to guard around for the city to be cleansed. But she knew that Miguel and Tulio didn't made those laws or unless it could be THE gods. While she was walking around, she heard whispering sounds. Childish whispers. Madison looked around to see if anyone was around but didn't see them. She smirked.
"I know you're out there." she playfully spoke as she looked around, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt." she spoke and but then thought, 'Now that's a dumb way to say it. They'll think I sound like a villain.'
She heard more whispers but also see some small shadows in hiding spots. Madison sat down near a wall and look around. She fiddled her necklace until she thought of an idea.
"What do we say we give them a small entertainment." she said to the gem.
The gem glowed and out came some small illusions coming out and floating around. Madison could hear the small gasps and the gem created more illusions.
Finally, Madison saw the shadows coming out, revealing themselves as children. They got closer to see the images up close and their eyes were beamed with awed.
"What are they?" a girl spoke as she looked at the images of people who were half fish.
"They are called mermaids." Madison answered as she smiled.
"Mermaids?" the girl repeated.
"Magical people that live underwater who are half human half fish. They're even some mermen as well."
"Have you seen one?" a boy asked.
"Seen one? Of course, I have. Why, I even transformed into one."
"Really? What's it like under the water?" a second girl asked.
"Well, it is beautiful. Lot of different type of fishes, sunken ships with treasure, but there are some dangers in deep." said Madison as the images changed to different illusions.
"Enchantress? What other things you have seen in the outside world?" the second boy asked.
"So many things in the great beyond that was so adventurous. I can even time travel to the future or past, or even worlds that never existed."
"Really?" the boy asked, and Madison asked.
"Can you tell us one? Please?" the first girl asked.
"Hmm... Let's see. Which one should I tell you?" Madison thought until the gem created the illusions of a familiar ogre and a donkey, "Ah! I can tell you that one. That world didn't exist, but it is an adventure.
Meanwhile, Altivo was exploring the city until he heard voices and laughter. The white horse followed the sounds until he saw Madison with a couple of kids and illusions coming out of the necklace. Altivo listened as Madison was telling a story.
"And to my and Donkey's complete shock along with my dragon, the princess was in the form the same as my friend. She told us that when the sun goes down, she becomes an ogre but by day, becomes a beautiful princess and only love's first kiss will the form of true love."
"What happens next?" the girl asked.
"When the ogre was misunderstood the conversation of the princess, he was heartbroken and pushed the princess away. That is until the evil man takes the princess to be his bride and for me to join the wedding. I knew the princess made the mistake of marrying the evil man but thankfully, the ogre finally stopped the wedding, and told the princess he was in love with her."
"Did he get to see the princess's ogre form?" the boy asked, and Madison nodded.
"He did. But the evil man decided to take them away until the dragon from the castle crashed by and ate the evil man. Once that was over, the ogre and the princess shared a first kiss and the princess's true form was her ogre self. Finally, the two are together and lived happily ever after."
"But what about you enchantress?" the second boy asked.
"Well, since their wedding was over, I have to leave and find another adventure."
"I wish I can go out there and find one. But my family won't let me. It's dangerous." said the first boy.
"It is dangerous. But maybe when you're older you'll do that. If it happens." said Madison.
Altivo neighed which got everyone's attention.
"It's the gods' horse!" the girl spoke.
"What's he doing here?" the second girl spoke as the other children gathered around him.
Madison slowly got up and walked towards the horse.
"Seems like you want to look around huh?" she said as she petted his mane and horse nodded.
She looked down to see one of them was trying to get on him. Madison gently lifts the small boy and place him on the horse's back. Altivo smiled and gently trotted as he was carrying the kid. Madison and the kids decided to follow him through the city. She smiled at the moment until she heard music playing. She knew where that was coming from as she along with Altivo peek from the corner and saw Miguel playing the lute.
"Hey, Altivo. Maddie. There you two are." he spoke as he noticed them and kept on playing.
The children gasped of seeing Miguel as they hid behind Altivo's legs and Madison skirt. Madison looked at them but as they saw Miguel playing the lute, they came out of hiding as they were curious to what he was doing but giggled to hear music. Madison looked around to see people coming out of hiding as they watched Miguel playing and the girls dancing around.
She smiled as a man stepped close to the instrument in curiosity, but Miguel smiled and handed the lute to him. The two watched as the man played a tune until Miguel grabbed Madison's hand and the two ran off. They wanted to see more of the city but stopped to see the fishes swimming by but saw something in the reflection of the water. They looked up to see people standing on the other side. The people smiled and the children waved at them which Madison waved back and Miguel smile.
The next moment, the two came to see the people at the pole. Their feet were tied up and were spinning around like some ride. Miguel suggests giving it a try while Madison feels nervous for him, but the blonde was having the time of his life.
Next, they came to two people, who were feeding the birds. The man and the woman handed them bowls of feed for them to try. As Miguel and Madison were giving them out to the birds, larger ones came out of nowhere that took them by surprise but amazed as they handed the feed to them.
As the two kept on exploring, they saw a few getting on something and the man was blowing the horn. The two quickly got on and saw that it was the largest turtle they were riding on. Miguel almost fell off, but the guard and Madison quickly caught him and stood still.
A moment later, Miguel was placing small tiles like dominoes while Madison and the people watched. When he knocked the first tile, the rest went on going down to the last tile, revealing from blue to gold. Madison and Miguel smiled with such amazement.
"You know, Maddie. I'm starting to realize something." said Miguel as he and Madison were walking.
"And what's that?" Madison asked.
"Back in Spain, where me and Tulio won the map. The sailor did say the wonders of the new world. I'm starting to realize that it's not just city that has gold. There's people, animals we have never seen, and... and..."
"There's so much more?"
"Exactly!" Miguel agreed, "Don't you think?"
"I think so too." she replied.
Miguel smiled at his friend until the two saw Altivo going by. The two quickly came towards him with a ball. As Miguel was petting him, Madison looked to see three children grabbing the ball but looked at her and Miguel, as he turned to face him. The small boys smiled and showed Miguel how to play the game.
Madison smiled as she watched her friend playing with them but felt as she was being watched. She turned to look up and saw Tzekel-Kan walked away from the Acolyte. She knew there was going to be big trouble for her and Miguel until she felt her skirt being tugged. She looked down to see children looking at her.
"Enchantress, can you play with us?" the girl asked.
"Yes! Play with us! Please!" the boy spoke with glee.
"Alright! Alright!" Madison chuckled, "What are we playing?"
To Be Continued...