As the evening came, Madison was at the front of the temple, looking at the workers as they were building the boat. Tulio did informed her that in three days, they'll leave. She understands it because she needs to go on more adventures and the boys do need to go back to Spain along with Chel. But there was something else on her mind. She was more concern as she remembered the high priest will be bringing the stone jaguar soon as he knew the guys are not gods and probably knew that she was not an enchantress.
While she was walking up the stairs, Madison placed her hand on her necklace as she looked at the crystal.
"We must be prepared, my friend. That crazy priest will be causing destruction before we leave." she said, and the gem glowed in response. "I don't know if he's around, but we must be on guard."
As she was about to continue going up, she heard voices.
"Enchantress! Enchantress!" small voices hollered.
Madison smiled as she knew who was hollering and decided to go down.
Following the voices, Madison spotted the children by the corner as they were looking for her.
"You called me?" she asked with a smirk.
The children turned to see her and run towards.
"Enchantress, we didn't get to finish our game." the girl spoke.
"Why did Lord Tulio take you away?" said a boy.
"Lord Tulio... has some business that he needed me for that until he and Lord Miguel got into a game." Madison answered with an excuse.
"Well... now that you're here, we get to finish our game." the second boy spoke.
"Just one quick game before you go back to the temple." said the girl.
"Sure. Just one quick game."
"And maybe tomorrow you can tell me about the mermaids?" the second girl asked.
"Sure. I'll tell you that tomorrow." Madison answered with a smile.
As the nighttime came, Madison flew off with her wings and headed straight towards the temple, she looked down to see workers continued building the boat. But as she reached to the top, and her wings disappeared, Madison gently lifted the drape and went inside the temple.
It was quiet around the temple. Too quiet. Madison don't know if the guys were sleeping or probably waiting for her. She walked slowly to her bed chamber but then heard something. Madison listened as she heard footsteps behind her and felt someone was reaching out for her. Slowly with her steady, Madison quickly turned and grabbed something and raised her other arm like she was about to punch. But what she grabbed... was an arm. The gem glowed for Madison to see and reveal to be Tulio.
"Tulio?!" Madison spoke in a hushed tone.
"Please not the face. I am completely sore all over from that game."
"Oh really? Pretty sure you missed a spot somewhere."
"Just... put your guard down. I'm sorry to startle you. Why were you out late?"
"Because I was out watching the kids and realized how late it was."
"What's with you and the kids?" Tulio asked.
"What's with you and Chel?" Madison asked with a smirk.
Tulio was about to say something, but that word got him silent and saw Madison's smirk.
"Nothing. Just nothing." he answered.
"Mmhmm. Yeah right. I saw you two making eye contact."
"Oh! Would you... would you just go to bed."
"I'm not a child Tulio." said Madison as she walked away but still smirking until she reached to her bed chambers to sleep.
The next morning, Madison was already up from her sleep. As she got out of the temple, her wings appeared and starts flying down towards the bottom. She starts running towards the location to where she will meet the kids at. Once she got there, she didn't see the children around. She thought that they might still be sleeping or going slow. So, she decided to wait.
A few minutes later, she finally saw the kids coming. They came running towards her with excitement on their faces.
"We're here, Enchantress! We're here!"
"Are you going to tell us about the mermaids now?"
Madison smiled as many questions came from the children.
"Alright. Alright. Settle down now. I'll tell you a tale about a young mermaid who dreamed of going to the human world." said Madison and the crystal starts glowing.
Miguel was already out of the temple, walking by as he saw the boat being built but saw a couple of kids going past him. Curious to him, Miguel starts following them until he stops to see them around Madison as she was telling a story with illusions. He looked to the side to the chief with his kids, they were smiling but saw more of the people as they were fascinated. He smiled as well and decided to listen to the story.
Later on, after the story, the children start running to play around while Madison just sat down and watch. Taking a break from storytelling even her necklace needs a break but as she looked at the direction. She saw that one temple from the distance that she knew of. Tzekel-Kan's temple. Soon, tomorrow night, that's where the stone jaguar will come out. Her heart was pounding but knew that she and the guys have to face them.
"You alright?" a voice asked.
Madison turned to see Miguel as he was standing beside her.
"Yeah. I'm fine... just had a bad feeling that's all." she said as she looked back at the priest's temple.
"What kind of feeling?" Miguel asked as he was curious.
"It's just... we haven't seen that crazy priest since after the game. He might be up to something."
"What makes you think that?"
"I don't know. It's just this... crazy bad feeling that's all." she answered.
Things became silent between the two as they watched the kids playing but something was on Miguel's mind and looked at Madison.
"Listen, Maddie." he spoke as he got her attention, "About yesterday... that kiss I gave you. I'm really sorry, I..."
"No, no. It's alright. You just took me by surprise."
"But I take it that you do have someone in your life. Do you?"
Madison blushed and looked away for a bit.
"One boy, actually. He's an adventure and volunteers as a guard in different places. We did go separate ways, not in a breakup way, but we did promise to see each other someday. But... I don't know when that be."
"Sorry you were taken."
"It's not your fault. I... I should have told you sooner. I don't mind the jealously from him, but I do see you more as a brother or should I say... primo."
Miguel chuckled from remembering the moment.
"And Tulio?"
"Ah, he's just a big jerk brother as well."
Miguel laughed which cause Madison to smile and the two continued watching to see people chatting and walking around.
A moment later, after Miguel left to some fun in the city, Madison starts walking around until she saw the boat still getting built. It was almost done and soon there will be a battle later and leave. But for now, she decides to walk and get this whole battle thing off of her mind. As the night came, Madison was heading back to the temple but stopped as she spotted two people. It was Tulio and Chel.
The two were having a moment like they were on a date. Madison smiled as she saw him giving a flower to Chel, but the petals turned into birds which startle the woman but still smiling. Madison turned away as she decided to go another way to the temple, leaving the two be.
The second day came, and Madison was still playing with the children. They both adored her and were fascinated by her adventurous stories that she has been to. Madison smiled to them but saw a girl sitting by the wall, who was frowning with her head down.
"Hey... Why the long face?" she asked concern as she sat beside her.
"Enchantress... we don't want you to go and leave with the gods." the girl answered.
"Yes, we don't want you to go." the boy begged.
Madison sadly looked at them as she heard their begs and plead.
"I'm sorry. But I have to go. There are so many worlds and places to go and see."
"But who would tell us your stories? How will we know if there are more adventures you are going?"
Madison looked at them. She doesn't know what to say. Maybe she'll say they'll come up with adventures about her or something.
"Enchantress... your necklace is glowing." the second boy spoke.
Madison looked at her crystal and saw that it was glowing. Magic sparks of light coming out and swirled around. She and children watched as the magic was morphing into something. It looked like something to hold that cause Madison to grab the handle. As the glowing stopped, they all looked to see that it was a golden mirror.
"What is it?" a girl asked.
"I think I know what it is." said Madison as she starts testing it, "Show me... the Swamp."
With that command, the reflection of the mirror glowed until it showed the image of the swamp where Madison's friend lived.
"Show me... one of my adventures." she commanded again.
As the mirror glowed again, the children looked to see the reflection and Madison in her mermaid form, swimming under the sea. Madison smiled and saw that it works.
"Well children, I think this mirror can solve your problems while I'm away. This magic mirror is like a small window to the outside world and other worlds that never existed. It can show you my old and new adventures whatever you wished to see. Take this mirror as a gift from me and the gods." said Madison as she handed the mirror to one of the girls.
The children were all so amazed as they looked at the mirror and looked back at Madison.
"Thank you, Enchantress."
"Yes, thank you."
"You're welcome. But remember to share it and also try not to break it. I don't know what it'll happen if it breaks."
"Don't worry. We won't."
Later that evening, Madison was walking by as she saw the boat was finally finished. As what Miguel said in the movie, it looked nice. But when she turned to look at the temple, she saw Miguel and Altivo going down. She walked straight towards the stairs, but when she saw them going near the bottom, a frown was on the blonde's face.
"Miguel?" she spoke to him, but he walked past her. "Altivo, what happened?"
The horse's face looked down in sadness.
"Where's Tulio?" she asked, and the horse lifted his head, pointing at the temple.
She was about to go up until she was stopped by Altivo as he grabbed her skirt.
"Let me guess. He's with Chel?" she asked and the horse nod in reply and then walked away.
Suddenly, it hit her. She forgot about that part of the movie that Tulio actually said, "Forget Miguel." and that's what caused Miguel to look mad. Plus, she also remembered that the Chief did gave Miguel a choice if he could stay. There were so many things going inside her head on what she would do until her necklace glowed as it was responding to her.
"I'm sure Miguel will be fine. Even me." she said to the crystal, "But for now, be ready for tonight."
The glowed in reply as it agreed what's going to happen that night. The Battle against the Mad Priest.
To Be Continued...