Braig had slowed their pace just enough that they never alerted the conmen to their presence; however, they eventually caught up with Miguel and Tulio at an enormous carved rock, semi-shrouded in mist. The air was still, and if not for the roaring waterfall further beyond, Mira would've questioned whether time flowed there at all. Compared to the liveliness and vibrance of the rest of the jungle, this place was eerie and lifeless. The conmen were glaring at their map and arguing in raised voices, though they were muffled and difficult to hear against the waterfall's din.
"Apparently, El Dorado is native for Great. Big. Rock!" Tulio's yell echoed through the surrounding area. He had an impressive set of lungs. He hopped on Altivo, sneering, "But hey, you know what? Since I'm feeling generous, you can have my share!"
"Eh, should we give them a minute?" Mira whispered, stopping before the pair could see them.
Braig snorted. "What? And miss the show? As if." He pressed a hand to her upper back, urging her put into the open.
Tulio turned his angry gaze on them. "In fact, I'm feeling so generous that you two can also have-"
"You don't think Cortes could have gotten here before us and-"
"And what?" he snapped. "Taken all the other really big rocks?"
"Tulio, we have to think about this," Miguel began frantically, face pinched and distraught. Catching sight of her, he attempted a smile. "We should really, um..."
Tulio leaned down, grabbing the front of Miguel's shirt and pulling him close. "Get. On. The horse."
Mira picked up the map they had discarded on the ground, mouth falling agape. Braig stood close behind her, mirroring her disbelief. "This is barely a map," she mumbled. "These are just pictures..." How had Miguel managed to lead them all this way with such a useless illustration?
"That's what I'm saying!" Tulio exclaimed, while Miguel mounted Altivo behind him. "This was a huge waste of time. C'mon, we need to get back to the boats."
Before they could take a single step, a tanned young woman dressed in simple, revealing clothes darted around the large rock, running into Altivo and causing him to rear back. She fell to the ground, gasping in fear. Behind her, burly men in loincloths clutching spears followed closely behind, led by a warrior with a pelt on his head. Mira grabbed Braig's hand to retreat, but they were quickly surrounded. A pointy spear poked into her back. Trapped again.
Her keyblade materialized in her hand. She glared at it. Now it decided to show up! "Think we can take them?"
"Just wait," he breathed, tickling her ear. She shivered.
The young woman threw something at Tulio, which he caught and returned. The warriors, Mira and Braig included, looked on in bemused silence at their impromptu game of catch. In typical fashion, Tulio broke the awkward tension when it slammed against his head. The sound it made was metallic and hollow. "Ouch. Uh... hello. Is this your rock? Sorry, we were just looking..." He gnawed his lip. "We're uh... tourists." The leader of the warriors grunted, brandishing his spear threateningly and Mira tensed, muscles coiled to spring into action. If they attacked, she'd be ready-
Braig gripped her waist, and she froze. "Don't be hasty." The leader of the warriors motioned for them to follow a second later and Braig let out a soft chuckle. "See? No need to be so jumpy."
Mira bit back a retort, trying instead to calm her racing heart. Another spear jabbed her back, not hard enough to wound but enough to get her attention, and one of the warriors urged her forward. Mira glowered at him. The passed through the waterfall into a cave; she shivered as chilly water rushed over her. Light reflected off the water onto the carved rocks above them, lending the area a mystic, alien quality. A few boats equipped with torches floated on the surface, tied to short posts with sturdy rope. Braig eyed them wearily.
"Don't be a baby," she whispered, tugging him along. Serene river water was nowhere near the same as the ocean. Braig said nothing and settled himself into the boat. A few warriors joined them, steering the boat. She tried to catch Braig's eye, but his gaze didn't budge from where it rested on his clenched fists. Soon, they came upon a stone archway blocked by vines. Sunlight filtered through, casting a warm glow upon them. The water sparkled brilliantly, as if made from liquid gold. Mira squinted when they passed through and her jaw dropped. Beside her, Braig looked up and whistled.
Enormous stone pyramids touched the sky, golden and glittering in the sun. City of gold, indeed. Locals adorned in silks in a wide array of colors dotted the streets, peering over at them with undisguised curiosity. They docked before the largest pyramid and the guards urged them to disembark. Astride Altivo, Miguel and Tulio trotted ahead.
"Well," Tulio began, "it was nice working with you, partner."
"Tulio, I just want you to know... I'm sorry about that girl in Barcelona."
He growled, "You fu-"
"Behold!" Miguel and Tulio gasped fearfully and Mira's grip on her keyblade tightened. A lean man in ceremonial silks stalked down the steps, bellowing, "As the prophecies foretold, the time for judgement is now!" A larger man with a golden headdress and silks of deep turquoise joined the ceremonial man, staring at them awe. She didn't sign up for judgement- "Citizens! Did I not predict that the gods would come to us?" The lean man bowed deeply before Miguel and Tulio. "My lords, I am Tzekel-kan, your devoted high priest and speaker for the gods." Tzekel-kan bowed impossibly lower. Mira's eye twitched. Miguel and Tulio, gods? To borrow from Braig's vocabulary: as if.
"Hey." Tulio waved, he and Miguel grinning shyly.
The larger man joined Tzekel-kan. "I am Chief Tannabok. What names may we call you?"
If she hadn't been watching them closely, she would have missed the sly glance the two conmen shared. In deep dramatic voices, they introduced themselves:
"I am Miguel."
"And I am Tulio."
Mira had to stifle a laugh when Miguel dismounted, catching his foot on Altivo's stirrup. "And together, they call us Miguel and Tulio."
"Your arrival has been greatly anticipated," Tzekel-kan stated affably. His dark eyes met Mira's and his mouth fell open in surprise, brows drawn together. His gaze darted between her and her keyblade. "You..."
Tannabok fell into a deep bow before her and smiled brilliantly. "You honor us on this glorious day, my lady! Please, what might we call you and your companion?"
Mira glanced at the joyous, hopeful faces around her and exhaled. For the time being, they'd have to play along with this charade. They were outnumbered and would be hard-pressed to escape unscathed should the people turn on them. Her eyes met Braig's, but he only stared at her with raised brows. No help would come from him. "You may call me, Mira. And this," she pointed to Braig, "is my mortal servant." Her 'mortal servant' scoffed and pinched her side discreetly. She winced but showed no other sign anything was amiss. Worth it.
Tannabok straightened, sending one last beaming smile at her. "My lords and lady, how long will you be staying in El Dorado?"
"Aha!" Tzekel-kan interrupted, pointing at the young woman Mira had completely forgotten about. "I see you've captured this temple-robbing thief." He snatched her wrist, dragging her away from Altivo. "How would you have us punish her, my lords?"
The young woman struggled against the high priest's superior strength. "No-no-no! My lord, I am not a thief. The gods! They sent me a vision to bring them tribute from the temple to guide them here! My only wish... is to serve the gods." Mira had to hand it to her; if she didn't already know that Miguel and Tulio were charlatans, she might have been convinced of the girl's honesty.
Tzekel-kan looked to the conmen for guidance. It was Tulio who spoke up. "Release her, don't you think?"
The crowd gasped. "Then," he let her go, shoving the artifact into her hands, "you will begin by returning this to its rightful place." His crestfallen expression was discomfiting; it was almost like he wanted to punish her... was it for stealing? Or because she supposedly received a vision from the 'gods and he had not?'
Tannabok stepped forward. "My lords and lady, why now do you choose to visit us?"
"Enough! You do not question the gods!" Tzekel-kan snapped.
"That's right! Do not question us!" Miguel bellowed. "Or we shall have to release our awesome and terrible power, and you don't want that!" He punctuated his words with a fearsome glare. Mira could have punched him. Of all the supposed 'gods' present, she was the only one who could muster anything stronger than a loud belch. Not to mention, even her 'mortal servant' had more power than Miguel and Tulio combined. Were they trying to get them killed?
The high priest grinned maniacally. "Well, yes we do!"
"Y-you do?"
"Of course, we do! Visit your wrath upon this non-believer! Show us the truth of your divinity!" They were done for.
"Divinity!" Tulio choked. Miguel laughed nervously. "One moment!" They began arguing in hushed whispers and Mira rolled her eyes.
"I suppose you'd like proof of my 'divinity' as well?" She needed to take matters into her own hands and solidify her position in case the conmen betrayed them when they inevitably failed. But this world had already proven to be hostile to magical ability... Then again, they were all-but asking to see something fantastical. It was unlikely that these people would burn her at the stake for being a 'witch.' Hopefully. When the two leaders agreed, Mira gave them a benevolent nod, channeling what she hoped was her inner goddess. "Bring me one of your wounded." `
With a bloodthirsty grin, Tzekel-kan brandished a ceremonial knife and sliced his own palm open. Thick red droplets splashed onto the stone. "Allow me."
Mira grimaced, grasping his injured hand delicately in hers, whispering a silent 'curaga.' The flesh knitted together with a glow, leaving no sign of injury other than the blood that had dripped from the cut. A quick peek behind her showed Miguel and Tulio none the wiser to what transpired.
The priest fell to his knees before her and gripped her hands tightly. "My lady..." Bile rose in her throat at the stickiness of his coagulating blood.
A muffled snort had her looking to the side, catching Braig's amused smirk. The sharpshooter bowed dramatically. "Oh yes, my goddess." He was lucky to be standing out of reach, otherwise she'd use that damn coat as a napkin-
Rumbling shook the streets, forcing Tzekel-kan to release her. Menacing smoke rose from a volcano close by, but Miguel and Tulio were so entrenched in their argument to the point that Tulio was smacking the blond's forehead, ignorant to the doom before them. How could they be so unobservant? Then again, it wasn't as if anyone but she and Braig had a chance of escaping the pyroclastic flow. Catching the sharpshooter's eye, she glanced at the volcano meaningfully, and he stepped close to her. If that volcano erupted, they were not sticking around. While the natives were distracted, she casted a silent "waterga," to cleanse her hands of the priest's blood, and readied herself to flee through a dark corridor. It'd be an unfortunate end to their journey, but-
"Stop!" Tulio boomed.
As if by magic, the volcano heeded his command and ceased its fury. With a collective gasp, the citizens fell to their knees before them. Mira gaped. That... was a coincidence, right? Miguel and Tulio struck, what they thought were, godly poses and strutted toward the high priest and chief.
"Oh, mighty lords." Tzekel-kan bowed before them. "Come, allow me to show you to your temple."
Tzekel-kan led them up the steps of the tallest pyramid, but by the halfway mark, the conmen were out of breath and struggling to go further. Braig scoffed, rolling his eyes and warping a few steps at a time. Mira followed at a brisk pace. By the time they reached the top, she was a little winded. Her eyes found Braig's, and she scowled. Having only climbed maybe a third of the stairs, he was completely fine. Lazy jerk. Miguel and Tulio, however, were heaving and gasping. Even the horse was ready to drop dead. To their credit, when Tzekel-kan and Tannabok turned, the conmen struck their godly poses, pretending they weren't drenched in sweat. A valiant effort, if ever there was one.
Upon entering the temple, they were greeted by lush furnishings and a bathing pool set into the floor. Once she could get a moment away from everyone, Mira was going to take a relaxing bath.
The high priest cleared his throat, pulling their attention from the luxurious interior. "To commemorate your arrival, I propose a reverent ceremony at dawn."
"Ah, then perhaps I could prepare a glorious feast for you tonight," Tannabok suggested, stepping in front of Tzekel-kan. The high priest shot him an annoyed look.
"Which would you prefer?" Their apparent rivalry could prove problematic if they sought favor from their new resident deities.
After a brief glance, Miguel and Tulio answered in unison, "Both." She nodded in agreement. Best not to upset their hosts by showing favoritism to either party.
The two men bowed again, and Tzekel-kan addressed her. "My lady, shall I relieve you of your mortal servant?" He shot Braig a poorly disguised look of disdain.
"He stays with me," she said coldly.
The high priest bowed once more, and both he and the chief left the four of them alone in the temple. Just like that, they were gods in a golden land. As long as they kept up the act, they wouldn't be executed. How hard could it be? Miguel and Tulio burst into laughter and cheered.
"Tulio - Tulio! They actually think we're gods!" Miguel whispered.
"It's an entire city of suckers! We just have to keep this up long enough to get the gold and get the hell out of here!"
"More like we've taken advantage of their religious beliefs for our own gain," Mira pointed out with a frown. "It's a little despicable, if you think about it-"
"Oh come on, Mira! Live a little!" Miguel exclaimed. "How often do people get to live like this?" He made a sweeping gesture around the chamber. Mira blinked, unimpressed. Though the décor was different, the luxury was akin to that of Radiant Garden. Even the Land of Departure held a level of understated elegance. Had she grown accustomed to such luxury in her long absence from her master's cottage? Mira frowned. She was becoming spoiled.
"I just think you two need to be careful. This could turn dangerous fast if they catch on. And your display of... endurance on the stairs was not very godly, if you ask me."
"We did well enough! Speaking of that, though, you didn't seem to have any trouble at all. How did you manage?"
"I'm in better shape than you," she deadpanned.
"But how? We run away from guards and other people we've cheated all the time-"
"Why am I not surprised?" They were petty criminals, after all.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tulio snapped, narrowing his dark eyes. "At least we're honest about ourselves – barring this whole god-thing, of course. I haven't forgotten about what happened on the ship, you know. We'd been at sea for weeks; how were you able to stow away that long without being caught?"
Mira gulped and Braig came to her side, folding his arms over his chest. To anyone who didn't know him well, he cut an intimidating figure. "Do you really want the answer to that?"
Tulio took a step back, sharing a nervous look with Miguel, then nodded. "That's why I asked."
"Before I say anything," Braig began, "just remember that it would be very easy to tell those people down there that you're frauds. Capiche?" Their eyes widened and they nodded slowly.
Mira furrowed her brow, eyeing the sharpshooter cautiously. Was he going to reveal they were from another world? "Braig, you can't-"
"Just trust me." He smirked, tucking a some of her hair behind her ear. Her cheeks warmed. "How about a little demonstration, hm?" He disappeared from her side, reappearing behind the conmen and slapping a hand on each of their shoulders. They sucked in sharp gasps.
"Y-you're... magicians?"
"Eh... not the word I'd use for it," Braig muttered. "But it is magic, yeah."
Miguel turned his verdant gaze on her, eyes shining with wonder. "And you, Mira? Can you do magic as well?" She nodded stiffly, eyeing their body language for any indication of hostility. Miguel was practically buzzing with excitement, and Tulio... his frown and thoughtful stare was unnerving.
"Prove it."
"That's not how this works, buddy," Braig murmured, clapping Tulio on the shoulder. "See, it's thanks to her magic that you even made it to this island alive. She found you two passed out in your boat and brought you with us out of the goodness of her heart." His gaze met hers. "Still not sure why she was so generous with the likes of you, but you owe her. Not the other way around."
"Y-you did that?" Miguel bounded toward her, grasping her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it.
She grimaced, pulling the appendage back. Braig reappeared, a looming presence at her side. "I did. But more to the point, he's shown you how we got on the ship and stuff. Can we all agree to move on from that now?"
Tulio dipped his head slowly. "Fine. I don't know how you did this stuff but... we're in this together for now. Truce?"
"Sure," she said with a shrug. They could always leave if things got ugly, she reminded herself. But the idea of giving up when the adventure was starting to get interesting didn't sit well with her. Her master would want her to learn as much as she could, not give up when the going got tough. With that out of the way, Miguel and Tulio moved about the chamber, looking over the artifacts and treasures around them.
Braig bumped her shoulder. "So, how long do you think they'll be able to keep this up?"
"Hard to say. Depends on how much the locals' faith can compensate for their shortcomings."
"Always so serious. Do you wanna make a bet?"
"Not particularly. I don't have munny to waste on frivolous things."
He huffed. "The prize doesn't have to be munny."
She raised a brow, lips twisting in displeasure. "That's the opposite of incentive, y'know, considering that you tried blackmailing me for a favor when we met. I'm not interested."
"Boring."
"Sensible is the word you're looking for."
"That's what I said. Boring."
"You're so-" There was movement at the edge of her sight and her mouth snapped shut; Mira's eyes widened at the presence of the young woman from earlier. Her eyes snapped to Miguel and Tulio; they were flexing in front of a large statue, admiring their reflections in it. Idiots. "On second thought, I'll take you up on it."
"Really?" Braig grinned. "Alright, if I win, you have to answer a single question I ask with complete honesty. No holding anything back."
"Deal. And if I win, I want the same."
"Deal. I think they'll be discovered within two days." His grin was smug, self-assured.
Mira nodded sagely. "That's very reasonable. But I think they'll get caught..." she eyed the woman making her move, "right now."
"What d'you-?"
A quiet "hello" cut through the chamber, pulling Miguel and Tulio's attention away from their deific fantasies. They shrieked. So much for being godly.
"You clever little sneak," came Braig's husky voice, tickling her ear.
"Depart, mortal! Before we strike you with a lightning bolt!" Tulio shook his fist.
"Beware the wrath of the gods!"
Unmoved by their empty threats, the woman hummed slyly, sharing an exasperated look with Mira. "Save it for the high priest, you're gonna need it." She cocked her hip to the side, revealing more tanned skin. "But don't worry, your secret is safe with me. My only wish is 'to serve the gods,' remember?"
Tulio narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"Well, if you guys want the gold and you don't want to get caught, you're going to need my help."
"And what makes you think you can help us?"
"Because you've been lucky until now," Mira scoffed. "Do you know anything about their culture?" A single faux pas could be the difference between success and execution. The woman's knowledge would be invaluable, and they couldn't afford to alienate her.
The young woman smirked. "Exactly."
"And what are you getting out of this?" Braig grumbled. Mira fought to keep the superior grin off her face; someone was a sore loser.
Her eyes roved down his form appreciatively. "I want in on the scam, obviously."
"S-scam? There's no scam," Tulio stuttered.
"Look, you're not the only ones who dream of better things. You've got your reasons, and I've got mine. Let's not make it personal, boys." She sashayed toward them, winking at Braig. Mira frowned. "It's just business. So, whenever you guys plan on going back to wherever you came from," she looped an arm around Miguel and Tulio, "I'm going with you."
Tulio laughed, pulling away. "No way, I don't think so."
"Fine." She shrugged, swaying her hips as she walked away. "After all, I'm sure you know all the proper rituals for blessing a tribute, the holiest days on the calendar – oh! And of course," she turned back with a smug grin, "you know all about Xibalba? Good luck – see you at the execution."
"Hold up!"
She held out her hand. "Deal?" Tulio hesitated, looking at Mira helplessly, but when she said nothing, he shook it reluctantly. "Call me Chel, your new partner!" Chel dashed into a side room, returning with brightly colored silks and headdresses. "Put these on!" She also thrust a simple white bundle into Braig's arms before facing Mira. "I have something for you as well, if you want to change in the other room?" She gestured away from Miguel and Tulio, who'd already begun stripping.
Mira nodded quickly, escaping after the woman into a side room and drawing the curtain behind her. Chel handed her a bundle of deep purple silk, golden chains, and a crown of dried flowers. Mira pulled off her coat and grey turtleneck, followed by her shoes, shorts, arm sleeves, and socks. She refused to remove her bra in front of the other girl. Holding out the silk, she stared blankly. It was a single piece of fabric; no arm holes, no seams to hold it onto her body, nothing. Was this a joke?
Chel laughed at her ignorance. "Let me." Clipping the golden chains to the edge of the fabric, she draped it over her, leaving her entire back exposed. It was the most skin she had ever revealed at one time. Chel snapped the band of her bra against her back. "You need to take that off."
Praying the delicate gold chains holding the fabric up were strong, Mira removed her bra and folded it within her other clothes. Chel lead her to a seat and pulled her hair out of its half ponytail, running a golden comb through the strands.
"I saw what you did to the priest's hand. How did you get mixed up in all this?" Chel asked after a moment.
"Unfortunate coincidence, I'm afraid. For what it's worth, I wasn't planning on impersonating a deity when I got here."
"You're... they don't actually think you're a god." That was probably for the best anyway. "It has to do with what you carried earlier. Long ago, there was another who came to El Dorado bearing the same weapon. It is said he performed miracles and blessed the people."
Her brows rose. Mira shouldn't have been surprised by the notion that another keyblade wielder had been here before; but nowadays, they were so few and far between. Time sometimes travelled differently between the worlds; could it have been someone she knew? Or someone from before the Keyblade War?
"What did he look like?"
"That knowledge is lost..." she trailed off. "Not even the high priest knows."
Mira sighed. There went that idea. "What are Miguel and Tulio supposed to be gods of?"
"The two gods descended into our realm a thousand years ago and blessed El Dorado with gold. The high priest has long been predicting their return and the judgement they'll bring."
"Judgement?"
"To 'cleanse' the city of the unworthy." Chel looked uncomfortable for a second but when Mira blinked, her expression was placid once again. "The year of the jaguar has just begun, and he expects great and terrible things from the gods."
How bleak. she dared not ask what the criteria for being 'unclean' was, nor how such people were to be 'cleansed.' Chel settled the flower crown atop Mira's head and went to rummage through some of the gold piled in the room. She returned with a handful of golden jewelry - primarily bangles, but a few necklace chains as well. Mira accepted them with quiet thanks. "Why are you helping me?"
"If you don't look the part, the high priest will know something's not right. Plus," a coy smile stretched across her face, "I wanted to ask you about your 'mortal servant.' Is he...?"
Mira stared blankly. "Is he what?"
"You know..." she winked, "available?"
"I..." The way he held her on the boat and the numerous times he teased her came to mind, but Mira banished the thought. That didn't mean anything. "I don't actually know. You should ask him." They'd never spoken of romantic matters before. Truthfully, Mira didn't have an answer, and that in and of itself bothered her more than Chel's casual interest.
Chel raised a brow but didn't reply. She finished her work without further conversation, and once she was satisfied with it, she returned to the temple's main room. The bangles on Mira's wrists jangled when she touched one of the braids lightly, marveling at her appearance. Chel had smeared a shiny golden powder on her cheekbones, clavicle, exposed back, and from her shoulders down her arms. This was the most dressed up she had ever been in her life. But her stomach churned with nerves, and her hands shook. All she had to do now was not make a fool of herself. With that in mind, she rejoined everyone in the main chamber.
The setting sun cast pink and purple hues around the room, reflecting on the various gold items and lending the space a dreamlike quality. Miguel and Tulio lounged on chaises, adorned in luxurious silks and leaf crowns. Braig leaned against a pillar, arms crossed over his bare muscled chest, listening to their 'godly' banter with amusement. His clothing wasn't nearly as fine as theirs, but even without opulent silks, he exuded a certain sex appeal that left her breathless. Well-defined abs and pectorals drew her eyes south of his face, trailing downward to the knotted fabric below his navel. His legs were bare, and he wore simple sandals on his feet. When their eyes met, she fidgeted with the silk, cheeks aflame. Miguel called out to her, but his words didn't register as she gazed at the sharpshooter. The pair stared at one another wordlessly, with Mira trying and failing to maintain eye contact. This was a bad idea-
Braig approached her at last, coming to a stop close enough to feel the body heat radiating from him. "You look nice, Princess." Were his cheeks a little pink, or was she imagining things?
"You too," she whispered, averting her eyes.
Miguel and Tulio jerked open the hangings over the entrance and the slight breeze carried lively music, enticing them to join the celebration below. Too late to back out now. It was show time.
He couldn't take his eyes off her. Mira had taken up a permanent residence in his thoughts since she'd saved his life and there were no signs of her going anywhere. The clever little thing even played him and now he owed her an honest answer to a question of her choosing. He should've been annoyed or concerned, but instead, he was just impressed. She was clever and resourceful – admirable qualities in a keyblade warrior – but it was more than that. Mira kept him on his toes.
And now, with her draped sensually in thin silks, there was a new dimension to the challenge she presented. But his wasn't the only appreciative gaze. Miguel was itching to approach them – to be near her. He scowled at the blond, taking a step closer to Mira and shielding her from the other man. His proximity, however, came with a drawback: the temptation to run his fingers through her smooth auburn hair and down the soft skin of her back was overwhelming. He needed only to reach out...
But he refrained. It wasn't right. Mira couldn't look him in the eye for more than a few seconds, and she hadn't stopped fidgeting since she came out. A far cry from the confidence she normally exuded. As much as he appreciated her appearance for the party, he couldn't wait for it to be over so she could go back to normal.