Using four jars of chocolatl, Rodrigo, Tania, Ana, and Epona were able to recover from the mortal wounds caused by the three Camazotz beasts. Tul realized there were only five jars left, which worried her greatly.
However, instead of worrying, Tania and Ana congratulated their friends for finally breaking the barrier.
“I would love to celebrate your progress,” Tania said, “but we still have a road ahead of us.”
“But what were those beasts doing fluttering around this area?” Tul wondered, puzzled.
“It’s simple,” Loki said.
“That so-called new king of Tula must be carrying out an expansion of his empire, and the kingdom we’re heading toward must currently be under attack or already destroyed,” he explained.
“He looked like such a nice person… to think he was our enemy from the start,” Ana said indignantly.
“He probably just mocked us,” Epona added.
“I do not think this is the time to discuss that,” Anpiel said as he stood.
“We need to find a place to rest, considering that more monsters like those could attack us here at night,” he said.
“I’m still fine, Anpiel,” Ana replied, quickly standing up.
“Fine? Absolutely not!” the angel replied angrily.
“A monster ripped your head off, and you almost died!” he shouted furiously.
“I’m in excellent condition thanks to Tul’s chocolatl,” Ana replied, raising her arms and showing her biceps.
“Ana, please rest. None of us is fine,” Rodrigo replied in a conciliatory tone while sitting on a mound of stones.
“Rodrigo and Anpiel are right, Ana,” Tania said, standing as she listened to the conversation.
Immediately, Tania turned to look at Tul, who was preparing medicine to use on other occasions.
“Tul,” Tania asked the rabbit goddess. “How far are we from the nearest kingdom?”
“Like I told you a little while ago, ch’úupal,” Tul replied. “If we cross those mountains, we’ll reach a valley with a huge lake. There are several Otomí kingdoms there.”
“I have an idea,” Menrva said. “Rodrigo and I will cross the mountains, and if we find standing villages, we will teleport back here.”
“Do you think you can teleport from that far away?” Tania asked, puzzled.
“At this moment, I believe I could even return to the Zacateco kingdom,” Menrva explained, as her power had risen higher than everyone else’s.
“All right, Menrva. I will go too,” Rodrigo said.
Rodrigo and Menrva crossed the vast mountains together and reached a gigantic lake, just as Tul had said.
“Look, Rodrigo. I can see a city from here,” the Etruscan goddess said, “and it seems to correspond to the city of Xaltocan, the one Ehécatl indicated to us.”
Stolen story; please report.
Indeed, on one of the islands in that lake, where only the moon could be seen reflected in the darkness, there was a town with bonfires burning. The gods decided to land far away so as not to draw unnecessary attention.
The two gods removed their totemas and remained in the clothes they had bought in Chaco. Though they worried that those clothes might attract attention, since they were not in the style of the region.
However, when they approached the city, they saw soldiers patrolling the area. Their faces were painted with red lines, and they wore maguey tunics, macanas, and shields. All of them seemed to be watching the sky.
“Could they be searching for those bats that attacked us?” Menrva asked Rodrigo.
“Do you think it would be a good idea, then, to bring Tul so she can speak with these soldiers?” Rodrigo replied with another question.
“But Tul’s appearance… well, it is not as though we have had problems with that so far,” Menrva said.
The Etruscan goddess teleported again, and when she returned, she brought Tul with her face completely covered by a veil.
I do not think that was necessary, Rodrigo thought.
The gods approached the town, and the soldiers patrolling the area blocked their path.
“Hello, hello,” Tul replied in Nahuatl. “We are travelers, and we come from the north looking for a place to rest.”
The men saw the gods’ clothes and realized that, indeed, they came from the north.
“Impossible. How did you cross the Chichimeca kingdoms?” one of them asked.
“And why are you covered, woman?” another asked.
Tul did not answer the question.
The men began speaking in Otomí among themselves. Unfortunately, Tul could not understand that language.
After discussing it, one of the men approached Tul, who was a little nervous that she might be discovered.
“We cannot guarantee you anything, because some beasts have been attacking our kingdom. It would be best for you to return whence you came,” the soldier said.
After Tul mentally translated the response to all her companions, Menrva told her:
“Ask if the creatures they are referring to were bats.”
Tul asked about the chiropteran creatures, and the soldiers looked at one another.
“Did you see them? How did you survive?” the man asked.
“Tul, ask how many creatures there were,” Menrva again ordered Tul telepathically.
“There were three beasts that have been attacking Xaltocan, the capital of this kingdom, at night. But we suspect more creatures must have appeared throughout the Hñahñú territory,” the soldier replied.
“Though tonight they have not appeared,” another man said.
“Well, that is because we destroyed those monsters,” Tul said, removing the veil and showing her rabbit face to the men.
“A rabbit woman?” the soldier wondered.
“My name is T’uul Uj, and I am the servant of great Ixchel in Mayapán,” the rabbit goddess said while the men looked at her strangely.
After hesitating for a moment, the men quickly bowed before the Maya deity. The act made Tul blush, as she was not accustomed to such protocols.
“Lady T’uul Uj,” the man said, still prostrated, “we thank you for having destroyed those beasts that tormented us. It is the least we could expect from one of mighty Ixchel’s warriors in Mayapán.”
“Actually, my friend was the one who finished off one of them,” Tul said, pointing at Menrva. The Etruscan goddess realized they were pointing at her and nervously greeted the people.
“We thank you for your help,” the men said, though the Etruscan goddess did not understand what they were saying.
Tul then explained that her friends came from the other side of the world and that they had been tasked with going to the great pyramid in Cholollan. But that night, they wished to rest.
The men gladly agreed, while two soldiers headed into the city to announce the arrival of gods who had saved the capital of the Otomí kingdom.
Menrva and Rodrigo quickly teleported and brought the entire group with them so they could enter the city of Xaltocan. However, when they appeared, they saw the soldiers escorting a man into their presence.
The man had silver hair and brown skin. His eyes were red, but shone like rubies. His face was painted like those of his soldiers, with red lines.
The man had the bearing of a ruler, as he wore a red-and-white cape covering his body, tied from his shoulder.
At that moment, the man prostrated himself on the ground, bowing before Tul, who remained bewildered by such customs.
“Great Rabbit of the Moon, servant of Ixchel, I, Otontecutli, wish to thank you for saving the capital of my kingdom from those terrible Ttzinacan,” the man said while still prostrated before Tul, speaking in Nahuatl.