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“They are starting to not believe” Hunab Ku the sole god sighed wearily and sat on his throne which was always much higher than the others but now it seemed to be the same size as the others. He stroked his beard looking at his fellow gods that were slowly shrinking and their glows slowly fading, “I've called you all here because every attempt to make them believe only makes this worse”
“How else can we get them to believe?” Kukulcan the water god stood scoffing at him “We can't just sit here and hope that they believe, can we? Then nothing will be done!” He growled motioning for the other gods to stand as well, “I say we all go down there an-”
“Silence you fool!” if Hunab Ku had any strength he’d strike him down where he stood “There's nothing that can be done! Every time we try and do some miracle they praise their new god!” Hunab walked to the center where Kukulcan stood poking his chest and pushing him back a little “Every time we show up they call us demons and pray to a new god!” Hunab Ku huffed and turned to the other gods “There is nothing that can be done we are all dead we will all face a painfully slow death even I will! There Sole Diety The main One I shall perish with you! ” at this, all the gods murmured to one another.
“If he won't survive then how can we Kukulcan?” Ciptactli watched as Kukulcan lowered his head “That's what I thought” Ciptactli turned her head to Maya the new sun god giving her a sad smile “Looks like your godhood is going to be short eh Nina?”
“It was short…” Maya looked across to the other side of the room where Zatz was talking with another god, “We didn't have much time together” Maya let out a shaky breath and turned back to Cipactli “Will our deaths be slow? Like he says?”
Cipactli shrugged “There's no way to know for sure other gods have faded before but they weren't well-known enough to ask” Cipactli groaned holding her head her glow was growing much fainter then Before as soon as her pain came it left “A lot of them are gone” she sighed looking down to the golden floor once done by humankind how strange it felt for thousands of years humankind always turned to them but now they could care less.
“Ha! You know who will survive this?” Kukulcan raised his arms in the air in victory as all the gods quieted down
“You idiot No one will” one shouted but was quickly silenced by Kukulcan
“At least three will! La Muerte, El Chamuco and Xibalba! They are well known and the only gods those new humans believe in” Instantly all the gods turned their heads to the three sure enough they seemed fine.
but Xibalba scoffed “You are such an Idiot eventually I will start to decay as well as will my wife and brother we're just lucky for now” La Muerte nodded and Chamuco laughed loudly
“You know what Kukulcan if I didn't know any better I’d say all you want us to do is go to war with humans” Chamuco shook his head watching Kukulcan stumble over his words
“You’ve always been the one looking for trouble but we will not help you fight humans us three see to it that humans live and die when they are scheduled to not to when we want it to happen so no I will not join your petty war even if it means our lifes” At that El Chamuco vanished into thin air returning to his realm
“I stand with my Brother shall we leave Mi Amor?” Xibalba extended his hand to La Muerte the moment she took it they vanished.
Hunab Ku had returned to his throne leaving Kukulcan in the middle, “if that was your plan it failed even if you had asked me I would have said no” With The wave of his hand all the gods were dismissed “Go live out the remaining hours or days of life”
She waited for Zatz at the exit of the grand meeting room with all sorts of feelings but mainly sadness. She hadn't had much time left she didn't know which one would go fade first she wished it was her so she wouldn't feel the pain of losing him again, but also hoped it wasn't her so that he wouldn't feel the pain of losing her and just in time he pulled her out of her own trap.
“Maya you okay?” He grabbed her shoulder gently shaking her within the blink of an eye she hugged him tight almost causing him to lose his balance but thank gods someone caught him from behind pushing him back up. Zatz returned her hug sighing sadly “It seems we were never meant to have much time together” He chuckled a little hearing her sniffle she finally let go her eyes red and puffy showed him what she was thinking because he thought about it too “Do you want to go home?”
“Yes” she croaked out her head hanging low on the walk to their room the moment they made it they both laid on the bed facing each other she rested her head on his arm and wrapped an arm around him, Zatz stroked her face in his comforting way smiling. It confused her weren't they close to death? Did he not pay attention to the meeting? They would fade away and be gone for eternity.“Why are you smiling?”
“Because at least my final moment will be with-” he let out a grunt then groaned loudly he took his hand from under her head to grab his
“Zatz oh my gods No!” she quickly hugged him hoping that if this was his moment then maybe she'd be able to hold him here longer. His pain lasted longer than Cipactli ad his seemed worse his body shook uncontrollably until it stopped.
He let out one last groan shaking his head lightly and letting his head fall onto the pillow
“I wonder if that's what It’ll feel like” Zatz sighed and held onto Maya “because if that's what it feels like I'm not looking forward to it” He smiled again
“Im not either I do not want either of us to go” Maya sobbed into his neck his attempt to comfort her failed his smile fell for a moment they were quiet. Quiet enough to hear gods argue about humans.
“It's funny they spend their moments fighting knowing it won't matter pretty soon” Zatz smiled again and patted her back signaling for Maya to get off of him she reluctantly got off and watched in confusion when he stood up “So instead of laying here until we fade how about we dance? Like we do every day and night? Let's live our last moments doing what we love to do… Care to dance Senorita? ”
Maya let her tears fall letting herself smile a bit “How can you be this upbeat?” He shrugged and his smile only got bigger stretching out his hand to her “Sometimes I can't believe I married a prince of bats and god of the moon both things are dark but you are so bubbly and sweet” She stood up taking his hand putting one arm around his shoulder letting her head fall on his shoulder as well and he put an arm around her waist.
“Really? So who did you marry then?” Zatz set his head on hers smiling
“I'm not sure but not a Bat or Moon”
“Oh? So my mortal part?”
“No” Maya laughed as they waltzed around the room for the moment she had forgotten they were both near death. It almost seemed like they had an eternity.
“No? So what did you marry?” Zatz felt a strange feeling in his body he decided to ignore it for now liked dancing he liked these games he loved her and he was going to fight this feeling.
“Your dancing part I like how you dance”
“My dancing part? Interesting” he coughed a bit it hurt his lungs “Did you know I used to never like dancing? When I was younger I did but the Dark gods would tease me so I stopped” The feeling went to his legs making him dance a little slower
“They were terrible and If I could I'd make them suffer” Maya never liked them but when she and Zatz got together and he opened up about his past She decided she hated them even more. Zatz laughed a little at her comment and took in a deep breath it was harder now.
“So my dancing part nothing else?” Zatz had to take his mind off the pain spreading throughout his body it felt as though he were on fire and slowly burning for the first time in years he felt pain again.
“Nothing I can think of” May felt a little pain in her legs but ignored it she would take advantage of this short or long time she had with him
“Nothing else? What about my great bad boy looks” His body felt weaker and his voice a little quieter now.
“Maybe it's hard to say really” Maya pulled her head back to look at him for a moment she regretted it his eyes were closed his glow was a lot dimmer and oh gods …His body looking down to see him she realized he was becoming transparent, “Zatz Oh My Gods No!” He shouted out in pain letting himself fall onto the ground with all the strength he had left he turned his body to her Maya fell to her knees to lift his head up. “Zatz, please….don't leave me” Maya sobbed above him he was in pain and there was nothing she could do for him….all she could do was watch him fade away to nothing.
“I would…” He let out another pained shout it was like a thousand swords stabbed into his body all at once then twisted it around he let out a shaky breath in an attempt to control his breathing “Never lea-” he groaned again and shut his eyes all of a sudden the lit room seemed too bright for him he tried again in a weaker voice “Leave you princess-” he shouted again the pain was all too intense for him…..then he felt nothing his world faded to black…He didn’t get to say goodbye. The god of the moon had fallen never to rise again.
Maya watched helplessly she watched his body turn grey and soon his body was completely untouchable she couldn't feel any part of him it was like he was made up of air then he just faded away into the air, “I only wished we had more time…” She wiped her tears away and lay on the floor waiting for her time to come there wasn't much she could do anymore it seemed to happen so slowly yet so fast that she didn't even get to say much what was she going to say that would change what happened to him? What could she say? What could anyone say when they are in shock or panic and forced to face the unknown?
When the goddess of wolves heard the word of all of the god's impending doom she decided she would take action she had already seen gods fade away slowly sometimes she would see the most loyal trustworthy gods disappear and it hurt her somehow it seemed they always deserved another chance shed recently came up with a solution a forbidden one a very forbidden one. Which was reincarnation she had convinced the candlemaker to help her and so far only two have been reincarnated. While walking down the halls she heard the screams of someone familiar someone very familiar….Zatz, she bolted to the end of the hall but it was too late his screams stopped and for a moment her heart did as well. she cracked the door open her heart stuck in her throat at the sight in front of her “Maya?” she was sobbing on the ground curled up in a ball
She looked out between her fingers at the sound of a familiar voice it was Chaska immediately she stood and hugged the god at this Moment Chaska was her anchor to this mockingly immortal life . She felt Chaska stroke her hair whispering her condolences but she knew they both lost someone so important to their lives.
“Shhh Maya it's okay there is nothing you could have done” Chaska sighed and wiped her own tears away she had lost a nephew and Maya had lost her husband. Eventually, the two sat on the bed in heavy silence.
“I only wished I had more time with him” Maya sniffled and wiped her tears away taking in a shaky breath she looked down at her hands. So far they had lived a thousand years together but somehow that did not seem like a lot. It never was, to be honest.
“I was actually on my way here when I heard him….but I wanted to ask both of you about reincarnation” Chaska laughed a little before continuing “I wanted to ask if you wanted to be born again together.”
Maya lifted her head turning to her did she just say reincarnation? Wasn't that forbidden? “Reincarnation? Like Rebirth?” to hell with it she supposed all the gods were dying anyways she couldn't be punished even if they tried and why would they punish her? She was going to die anyways.
“Yes Rebirth you would be born again you and Zatz you could be reborn and live another life with him have a normal life as a mortal and not deal with the duties of a god a chance at an easy life” Chaska smiled a little as her light grew dimmer
Maya thought about it for a moment…Another life with him a mortal one where they would grow old where they wouldn't feel any sort of pressure and would most likely live a calmer life than the one they had she knew the answer was yes. There was only one thing she wanted to know “Would we remember this life?”
Chaska hummed before shrugging “It's hard to say maybe if something impacted your next life you might but at most very small pieces of this life” Before continuing she looked to Maya smiling “I reassure you that you will find him in the next life”
“I would like it then thank you so much Chaska” Maya went in for a hug wheezing a bit it was hard to breathe. Her time was coming the sun would eventually fall.
Down in the cave of souls
“Ok so these four right?” Candlemaker burned four yellow candles letting loose four white spirits
“Yes, and this one” Chaska handed him Another Candle Maya's candle was unlit now Chaska smiled sadly as he burned it now all they needed was to find two couples and give their baby a soul or either Zatz or Maya.
Chaska did not live to see that day but Candlemaker had found the perfect hosts or at least semi-prefect.
San Angel Mexico 1927
“Now what are you writing?” Maria rolled her eyes smiling a bit it was cute to see him so focused on a piece of paper and words recently he would stay up a write God knows what but today she was curious to know.
“Another song” His eyebrows were knitted together his lips were tight in a small frown his hand ached from holding his pen too tight and his brain hurt from thinking but he’d finally got it. He got the words in order now he just wanted to fix them a bit but Maria had other plans. She snatched his book in one swift motion and hurried onto the bed, “Maria give it back” he whined and walked over to the bed “It's not finished yet” he whined but She moved over to the other side making him sit on the bed.
“I just want to see who your having an affair with” She teased watching him go from a child who wanted their toy back to a man of pure innocence
“What? An Affair?!” His mouth hung open eyes wide but she shook her head laughing and finally reading the words on the page for some reason some part of her felt a very strong connection to the words something that seemed like a promise.
“Wow, that….” Maria couldn't figure out what it was that made her feel this way “Play it for me?” She looked to him with pleading eyes and how could he deny her?
He sighed nodding grabbed his guitar and motioned for Maria to show him the words she did and held up the book, he practiced the strum and position himself at the edge of the bed then he played slowly.
Te vi
Y te reconocí enseguida, sonreí
Supe que el amor de mi vida, estaba frente a mí
Y suspiramos, mi alma y yo
(I saw you and I recognized you immediately I smiled
I knew the love of my life was in front of me
And y soul and me both sighed)
No ocupé decirte lo que siento
La sonrisa ya me delató
Agradezco a Dios cada momento
Porque sé bien que él nos presentó
(I didn't need to tell you how I felt
My smile revealed that
I thank God every moment because
I know he led me to you)
Te volvería a elegir
En esta vida y en las siguientes
Hacernos viejos
Y amarte eternamente
(Id pick you again in this life and in the next
We would grow old together
And love each other eternally)
Te volvería a elegir
Una y mil veces, las necesarias
Del cielo y tú
Te elegiría a ti, y sin pensarla
(Id pick you again
A thosand times, Millions of times
the nessarcy amount of times
And Id do it without thinking)
He set down his Gutair smiling proudly and moved to sit next to her but instead, she got on top of him taking him off guard a little he chuckled placing his hands on her hips “Did you like it?”
she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, “I loved it every part of it was beautiful” She wasn't sure what it was but she felt a click in her head it was familiar to her somehow.
He had a proud grin on his face and peppered her with kisses “I was afraid you wouldn't it seemed too sappy” He chuckled a bit earning a small pinch on his neck.
“Hey! I like some sappy stuff okay? And the song wasn't sappy it made me think that if we had another life we would live it again…Together” She sighed content with her life maybe if reincarnation did exist she was a hundred percent sure she'd end up with him again not that she minded it.
“We probably would” he locked eyes with her smiling, “Maybe if it were real then in every life I would find you”
“And in every life, we’d find each other” Maria laughed before continuing “Can you imagine that maybe we had one before this?”
Manolo hummed in thought before shrugging “Maybe….Maybe that's why you love me”
He smiled teasingly at her “You only love me for my past life” He leaned in for a kiss. And for some reason the idea of having a life before this one seemed very likely or maybe he was just a little buzzed. Whatever it was he didn't care, even if it did exist then he would find her in the life after this one. And the next ones to follow for an eternity. They'd find each other they would make sure of it.