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Maya opened her eyes, the familiar blur of pastel colours swimming into view as she awoke from her beating in the ghost town. Ever since her death and restoration, she’d seen the world as a blurred mess of colours without strong outlines, but the one good thing about this was that light and dark weren’t a thing, she could see in complete darkness or under the glaring face of the sun. The place she’d awoken in was neither, and the smells and sound of machinery in the distance suggested that she was in a foundry or an industrial complex. There had been one in Cameo, and she doubted her attackers had taken both her and the still unconscious Crusader far, even when they had been unconscious. And while the zip ties binding her hands behind a steel pole would stop most from escaping by themselves, Maya had learnt a useful, albeit painful, trick from her partner Danika. With a scream she dislocated her wrists with one savage movement, slipped out of the zip ties and fell to the floor.
Gritting her teeth, Maya pushed her bones back into place, before getting to her feet and looking around for her crossbow, or anything that would help her. “They took my weapons too false saint,” The Crusader murmured as he began to try and free himself from his bonds, “but one such as you needs no arms to kill a chained soldier, even one protected by the lord.”
“I’m not going to kill you, but I am going to send you to jail when I come back.” Maya whispered, as she stalked out of the room towards a stairway leading up a floor. While the factory was working, it seemed as deserted as Cameo had been, at least before the Owl Priest had attacked. Keeping to the shadows, Maya worked along the corridors, until she came to a large chamber, one that had been gutted, the machinery replaced by a throne carved of stone, shaped into the foul visage of the Aztec god of death Mictlantecuhtli. And all around the throne, there were children knelt, as if in prayer to the dark lord that seemingly ruled this hall.
“We welcome another sister to our glorious family!” The all too familiar voice of the Owl Priest croaked, as he whisked into the room. “This is Chloe,” He added, as a teenage girl of about fifteen walked into the chamber, her face bruised and broken, “another wayward child taken advantage of by the violent and the greedy.”
“Welcome Sister.” The children droned.
“Uh thank you.” Chloe sobbed, as the Owl Priest took a seat in his throne and put his hands together, his body hunched over like a vulture standing on carrion. “This is all…nice and all, but I just want to go home.”
“They all do at first.” The Owl Priest murmured. “You will learn your place in our family soon. Let Chloe die and be reborn Iotia, daughter of Nahutal!” He boomed.
“Iotia, Iotia, Iotia...” The children chanted, as Chloe looked around fearfully before sprinting towards the exit as they moved towards her. Heading towards the nearest stairs, Maya ran to the door of the chamber, her sudden appearance causing the children to stop, almost as if they had never seen another adult beside their master.
“I think she wants to leave!” Maya yelled, as Chloe ducked behind her. “And I think all of you felt the same when you first arrived here. It’s not too late, your parents miss you, want you to come home safely.” She added, as the Owl Priest stalked towards her, his acolytes standing aside to allow him to reach the woman who dared intrude on their sacred place.
“Oh Jade, their parents don’t deserve them.” The Owl Priest hissed. “Oltencatl here was beaten by her father.” He added as he gestured to a girl, her face painted with what looked like blood. “I took her, released her inner strength and when she was ready, she brought me payment for his passing.” It took Maya a few seconds to realise what he meant, that Oltencatl had been Beth, and she’d been the one who’d killed her father. As the realisation set in, she felt pain radiate into her shoulder, as the Owl Priest lashed out with a scalpel before backing off, the world spinning and morphing around her.
Blinking Maya balled her fists as her attacker transformed from a man in a tacky feathered cape and Halloween mask into a human-owl hybrid, his taloned fingers dripping with thick black venom.
“Cheer for your God!!” The priest boomed, his voice echoing around the obsidian lined temple he was stood in. Almost immediately a roar joined his call, as his skeletal followers cheered for their master. Not waiting for him to strike again, Maya slammed her elbow into her foes throat the blow knocking him backwards, allowing her to aim a kick into his chest, the impact sending her target spinning. In an instance though he had recovered, and sprung at her, clawed feet knocking her to the floor. Standing over her, the priest plunged his hand down towards his prey, only for his victim to reach out and stop the blow with one arm, her other one desperately searching for something to fight back with. “You prolong your journey to Xibulba.” The Priest hissed, as Maya’s hand wrapped round a rod of obsidian. “Accept death and go in peace.”
“Pass!!” Maya snarled, as she swung the rod at the Priest, the stone cracking against bone and causing her attacker to back off. Struggling to her feet, Maya saw the Priest lash out, his fist smashing into her face knocking her off balance for a second, just long enough for him to grab her road and throw it away. With a scream Maya tackled the Priest, her charge knocking him into his throne.
“Cheer for me!!” The priest yelled, as he ducked under a punch throw at his neck.
“Mictlantecuhtli!!” His child followers yelled, their calls invigorating their leader as he jabbed at Maya’s ribs, black venom leaking into his wounds. “Mictlantechtli!!” Every chant seemed to strengthen Maya’s foe, and each blow was sapping her strength, each one forcing her back towards the entrance of the chamber.
“Please Lady.” A quiet voice, one almost lost called out. “Help me!”
“Chloe run!!” Maya yelled, as she attempted a block, only for her attacker’s talons to stab into her skin.
“Don’t run far Iotia!” The Owl Priest hissed, as he grabbed Maya by the throat and swung her into an outcropping of obsidian. “Your god loves you!” He hissed, as he stabbed talons into Maya’s chest and slammed her into the ground.
“Don’t listen!” Maya screamed as she twisted, the claws of her enemy snapping as she thrashed and bucked in an attempt to knock him off. Finally with a vicious kick, she was able to clear enough room to stand, pain sparking through every muscle and tendon as she did so.
“You underestimate my power Jade.” The Owl Priest cackled as he held out his hand, a massive stone club, its edges laced with obsidian flying across the room into his open palm. “Bow before me in humility!!” He snarled, as he charged in, his weapon swinging towards Maya, the blow whizzing over her head as she ducked under his guard and pushed him off balance onto his back. With a snarl, Maya went to slam her foot into her enemies’ head, only for her target to slam the club into her leg, the obsidian studs tearing through her boot, the pain sending her reeling. Without time to regain her balance, the next blow from the club knocked her down once again.
“Please leave the lady alone!!” Chloe called, as she dashed from her hiding place to where Maya was laying. Without even saying a word, the Owl Priest slapped her aside, black venom splashed over her already bruised face.
“Enemy of Christ, you will fall this day!!” A deep voice boomed as a black falcon whizzed through the air and bit into the owl priest’s hand, forcing him to drop the heavy club. Turning Maya saw a figure dressed in black armour save for a blood red cross painted on the chest-plate, his eyes aflame with seemingly demonic energies. Getting to her feet, Maya backed off, his eyes blinking as the room began to return to normal.
“Conquistador scum!!” The Owl Priest snapped as her charged towards the Crusader, only for another crossbow bolt to bite into his chest. Advancing on his enemy, the Crusader grabbed the priest and threw him into the next room, the cult leader slamming into a pile of machinery, its gears wheezing and coughing like a stricken animal. Following the action, Maya and the acolytes watched as the Crusader landed punch after punch on the priest.
“Cheer for me!!” The priest ordered, only for his words to fall on seemingly deaf ears. “Cheer for your god!” He boomed through broken teeth and a bloody nose.
“There is only one god,” The Crusader hissed as he stood back and sneered at the man lying broken and bloody at his feet, “and you are not him, nor his servant.” He added coldly as he loaded another bolt into the hand-bow.
“Stop!” Maya yelled. “Not here!” She snapped, as the Crusader turned to face her. “He needs to live, to pay for his crimes.”
“False Patron Saint of Crime, I do not listen to your wicked words!” The Crusader snapped, as he turned back to face the priest. With a snarl he slammed his fist one last time into the man’s face, before tossing the crossbow aside and stalking away. “For the sake of the innocents I will not shed anymore blood. That won’t save you or your associates next time we meet daughter of Satan!” He snarled as he walked away.
“Fool.” The Owl Priest hissed, as Maya walked over to him and snatched the pair of eyes dangling from the chain around his neck. As she pulled her hand away, the Priest grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him and bit into Maya’s neck. “I will be worshiped as the homecoming son in Xibulba!” He snarled, as he pushed his victim away, her neck bleeding, and grabbed one of the children, his arm wrapped around the boy’s neck. “And I won’t be going alone will I?” He hissed, as Maya grabbed the dropped hand-bow and pointed the weapon at her enemy.
“Let him go!” She snarled as the Priest positioned himself in-front of the machinery’s ‘feed’ slot, revolving gears chomping like teeth behind him.
“You have one shot Jade, one that will take a life whatever the target!” The Priest hissed, as Maya got to her feet and pulled the trigger of her hand-bow, the bolt streaking towards the machinery and into the power button just to the left of where the hostage taker was standing, the teeth grinding to a stop. “Gods curse you.” The Owl Priest hissed, as he kicked the child away and reached for the button, only for Maya to slam his head into the machinery, the blow fracturing his skull and sending him collapsing to the floor.
“Already done.” Maya replied bitterly, as she collapsed onto one knee, blood dripping down her neck. As the world turned dark she felt a warm hand press against her neck, and as she flitted on the edge of consciousness she saw Chloe look down at her. “Thank you.” She whispered before closing her eyes.
**
The police were full of questions, and to be honest Maya had no answers prepared this time, although in the end it didn’t seem to matter. The fact that the town’s missing children had been found seemed to have brought her some breathing space. Between the defeat of the Owl Priest and the first cruiser arriving, Maya had just enough time to hide ‘the eye pendent’ and retrieve her glasses, the rose tinted lens hiding her lack of eyeballs.
“You’ll be okay.” The EMT checking her wounds stated. “Got to say some of the guys are calling you a hero for what you did tonight.”
“I don’t want to be a hero.” Maya replied briskly. “Are all the children okay?”
“Yeah we have all eighteen of them.” The EMT replied.
“Nineteen, he took one tonight.” Maya grunted. “She’s called Chloe, she may not have been reported missing yet.”
“Yeah we have her, she’s number eighteen.” The EMT told her. “Brave little girl that one, her parents are delighted that she’s safe.”
“Then who’s still missing?” Maya asked.
“Jason Cruz.” The EMT stated. “We’ve talked to some of the others and it looks like he was never here.” He added as he gestured to the flashing lights dotted around Cameo. “I’d hate to be the person to tell his mother.” He added as Maya balled her hands into fists. She now had a good idea why Moira had slipped the word ‘saint’ into their conversation last night.
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