The Merchant's Heavenly Contract

10

It was quite hard to convince the others to let me go to Mictlán on my own, but in the end, I did manage to convince them. That's why I'm in front of the pot where I was, hours ago, no one is here beside me. The sun is about to set.

Hindi sa ayokong may kasama, o sa wala akong tiwala sa kanila. They are demigods. But bringing someone to Mictlán with me might be our disadvantage. Hindi pa sila nakapupunta roon.

I don't know about Izel, but I assume he hasn't crossed the gate yet. Lalo na si Celi na bago pa lang. Jairo did, once. But only on the first level.

The Aztec underworld has 9 levels. Even I, only managed to last until the 7th.

Nilamon na ng langit ang araw, tuluyang nawala ang liwanag na siyang kabaliktaran ng paglitaw ng usok sa harapan ko. 

I smirked, my hand on my waist as the wind coming from the smoke blew my hair away. The emerald between my collarbones gleamed. A huge skull emerged from the ground with bright-colored feathers on its head.

I can already hear the voices of the creatures and the long-dead before the skull could open its mouth, the gate.

"¡Si no es la hija de Quetzalcóatl! ¡No tienes permitido aquí, perra! (If it isn't the daughter of Quetzalcoatl! You're not allowed here, you bitch!)"

"¡Únete a nosotros, Quetzalli! Tenemos un lugar especial para ti jijiji. (Join us, Quetzalli! We have a special place for you hihihi.)"

"¡Quetzalli! ¡Tú eres la razón por la que estoy aquí! ¡Te mataré! (Quetzalli! You're the reason why I'm here! I'll kill you!)"

I smiled at them, waiting for the mouth to fully open. I couldn't see them lurking in the shadows, but I could feel them. Their bloodlust.

"Lo siento amigos. (I'm sorry, my friends) I'm not here to play with you all just yet. I have an appointment you see." I chuckled. "no te preocupes (don't worry), we will see each other very soon. For now, let me pass, hmm?"

I glanced at my side. Other than the creatures from the land of the dead . . . "It seems like there's another alive soul here." Ngumisi ako.

Inaasahan ko ang paglabas niya mula sa pagtatago sa likod ng puno. Sumalubong sa akin ang malaking tao na kahanga-hangang nakakatago pa sa puno.

"What are you doing here, Jairo?" I asked with a smirk that made him click his tongue. "I thought we agreed that I'll go alone? Did you change your mind?"

Sinamaan niya 'ko ng tingin. "They agreed. I didn't. I'll come with you."

"Why? You know better than them that I could go alone."

Hindi niya 'ko tinignan, bagkus ay lumapit na siya sa gate papuntang Mictlán. "And you should also know better than them that I would never follow your orders," sagot niya bago ako daanan at pumasok sa lagusan.

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. "Hmm, okay." I followed him inside. As soon as we entered, the skull's mouth closed.

We were greeted by the smell of something burning, and countless bones scattered around. Bungad kaagad pagkaapak sa lagusan ang unang lebel ng Mictlán.

It's a whole new world, no one could see the end of this place. Sobrang lawak pero walang araw o kahit anong nabubuhay na halaman, napupuno lang ng usok at makulimlim ang kalangitan. It's the waste land. The whole place is gloomy.

"Feels like home, don't you think?" I chuckled on my joke, Jairo didn't. "Let's go." Pag-aya ko bago maunang maglakad. He followed me.

Tuyong lupa at matutulis na mga bato ang inaapakan namin, nahahalo pa rito ang mga buto-buto.