The journey to Cayocan (Part 3)

A current section of my story. Set in an ancient Mesoamerica world.

Xochi stretched, arms laced behind her head, and let out a loud groan. “Finally. Thought he’d never stop rambling.”

“Speak for yourself,” Renzo said, rolling his shoulders loose. “I think I was starting to like the old guy. He’s got that whole weird uncle at dinner vibe.”

Tezca kept walking, silent, and the others naturally fell in behind him. The road curved south, past faded murals and swaying lanterns. The farther they left the plaza, the quieter it grew. Houses shrank into straw roofs and cracked clay walls, vines dragging down their sides.

It was quiet, but not abandoned. Just old.

Their footsteps found a rhythm. Birds flitted overhead in sudden bursts. Strange monkey-like creatures crouched on branches, yellow eyes too steady in their watch, before melting back into the canopy. The air was thick with the sweet tang of sap and blooming wildflowers.

Renzo kicked a stone down the road. “So, uh… do we even know what this ‘infamous cave’ looks like? Or are we just walking south on pure dramatic vibes?”

Xochi arched a brow. “Yeah. You got a plan, oh fearless leader?”

Tezca didn’t slow. “Follow the road until the dirt turns black. Past the ridges. Then look for the hill.”

Renzo squinted. “That’s… oddly specific. Jaztayan tell you that?”

“No,” Tezca said simply. “Scouting log. Read it last night.”

Renzo blinked, then smirked. “Of course you did. Always three steps ahead, huh?”

Xochi nudged him with her elbow. “He always finds the weirdest stuff. I don’t think he sleeps.”

“He doesn’t rest,” Renzo said, deepening his voice. “He only plots.”

Tezca shook his head, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

The road lifted into low hills and thinning brush. Sunlight broke in patches through the canopy, painting the path gold. A stream whispered alongside them, its bubbling blending with the breeze.

The remnants of civilization faded. A broken fence. A collapsed cart overtaken by vines. The silence deepened.

Tezca slowed.

Xochi glanced at him. “You sense something?”

He nodded slightly. “Not danger. Just… attention.”

They walked on, quieter now.

Soon the terrain flattened. Shorter trees. A sharp clay scent mixed with the sweetness of fruit. The wind stirred the tall grass like something breathing beneath it.

Renzo exhaled. “Feels like we’re leaving the jungle behind.”

“We are,” Tezca said. “The cave’s close.”

They moved with instinctive quiet. Not fear—just awareness. Behind them, the jungle watched. Ahead, the land opened into something waiting.

They reached the edge of Cayocan. The buildings here were smaller—wood, clay, and scattered granite bricks in slow construction. As they walked the basalt path, villagers eyed them with quiet suspicion.

“Did we do something wrong?” Renzo whispered, glancing back. More stares. More murmurs.

“I dunno,” Xochi muttered, irritated. Her brow creased slightly.

Tezca caught one hushed voice from a man nearby: “Another group of fools chasing death.”

Tezca chose to ignore it.

The road turned to dirt. A small hill rose ahead, blocking their view of what lay beyond. A local boy stood at the base, hugging a passion fruit to his chest. He watched them approach, curiosity flickering behind his cautious expression.

Renzo knelt beside him and cupped his hand near the boy’s ear. “Hey little man,” he said gently. “Know why everyone’s acting so weird?”

The boy looked up at him, then at the villagers, then back to Renzo.

“Where’re you headed, mister?”

Renzo smiled. “To the spooky cave. Heard of it?”

The boy’s shoulders slumped. “Figures.”

Renzo blinked. “Huh?”

“Every traveler that comes this way heads to the cave… and doesn’t come back.” He glanced at the hill. “My mummy says it’s forbidden. If you go near it, monsters come out and eat you.”

Renzo’s eyes widened. “Really terrifyingly horrible monsters. Sounds… fun.”

The boy frowned. “Fun? You’re crazy, mister.”

“Maybe I am. See ya, little buddy.” Renzo gave him a two-finger salute and turned to leave.

As Tezca, Xochi, and Renzo began to climb, the boy called out behind them.

“Only if you make it back!”

The sun was still high and shimmering flawlessly, the surrounding area was mostly deep emerald grass. Puffy pink clouds bounced in the vastness of the yellow tinted sky. Only a few minutes had passed as they now reached the cave’s grand entrance. The air shifting from warm and buzzing to still and cool. They stand before a yawning black mouth carved into the mountainside—a jagged opening as if the earth itself had been clawed open. Moss clings to the stone edges. From within the cave, the faint sound of dripping water echoes, but otherwise, it’s silent. Too silent.

Tezca steps forward, brow furrowed, scanning the dark. The wind brushes past him, tugging at the edges of his cloak. “Okay, before we head in. We need a plan.” He murmured, tone even but eyes sharp

“And… he’s gone.” Xochi said, as her eyes tracked Renzo running head first into the cave’s abyss.

Tezca’s head quickly whipped round, “Huh… what?” His gaze found Renzo, dancing, disappearing in the darkness. “Renzo, WAIT!”

“Too late.” Xochi replied flatly, folding her arms.

Renzo whistled joyfully, and after a long pause it echoed back at him. “Hmh, cool.”

Tezca slowly shook his head disapprovingly. “Let’s go, before he gets us killed.”

Xochi hummed in agreement and they both began trailing after Renzo. Entering through the cave’s teeth, they reached the void. Tezca was slowly moving forward with Xochi, avoiding obstacles in their way. It was eerily quiet. Only a few droplets of water scattered, accompanied by the faint rustle of fabric with each step.

Tezca began to hear his own and Xochi’s quiet breathing, it had grown slightly louder without them realising. Then Tezca’s ear twitched, “Was that a squeak? Or am I hearing things?” He thought, eyes scanning while trying to adjust.

He took another step forward, “AAHHH!” He yelled, filling the air and breaking the silence.

Xochi rapidly turned to him, worried, “WHAT’S WRONG?!”

“I… uh… stepped in a puddle.” He quietly muttered.

“A PUDDLE?! SERIOUSLY!” She panted a little, regaining her breath, “You got me spooked.”

Tezca’s body hunched a little as he rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, sorry. I just didn’t expect my foot to be suddenly soaked.” He raised his foot out and shook it like a cat flicking its wet paw.

Xochi whispered, “Okay, let’s keep going,” as they steadied themselves.

Just as they began to walk again, Tezca’s eyes suddenly widened, “Oh!” He looked down and hastily grabbed the enchanted red gem from his pocket. He held it out. A ruby glow bled from the gem, pushing back the dark in a soft, flickering radius.

Tezca lifted it up, revealing his dumb, gleeful face. As he was now able to see Xochi, “I almost forgot about it,” he uttered.

She narrowed her eyes dangerously, “Let me see that.” Xochi violently reached for the gem, slightly tussling him for it. She eyed it carefully, letting it twist between her fingers. But the moment was interrupted by a loud voice in the distance, Renzo’s voice.

“…Bet there’s nothing in here that bites harder than Xochi when she’s mad…” He muttered to himself.

Her eyes darted to Tezca’s face, he was trying his best to hold his laughter. “You better not laugh,” she warned with a stern expression.

But after a long pause, Renzo’s words had echoed back, mockingly. Tezca, covered his mouth and wheezed.

He laughed, unforgivingly, “Oh come on, that was so good,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye.

Xochi gritted her teeth, but as she realised how stupid it was, it quickly became a smirk tugging at her lips. “I bite one person and suddenly I’m a legend,” Xochi grinned, shaking her head.

Tezca raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking to her in quiet amusement. “Just one? You sure about that?”

Xochi gave him an exaggerated innocent look, shrugging with a smirk. “Alright, maybe a few more… but who’s counting?”

Tezca chuckled, shaking his head as he followed after Xochi, who was already moving toward the sound of Renzo’s voice echoing from the cave’s depths. The path narrowed as it twisted between jagged rock, the shadows stretching long and strange in the dim light. Renzo’s whistling still carried—faint now, but steady—an offbeat soundtrack to their descent.

Xochi led the way, the enchanted gem cradled in her palm. Its red glow pulsed against the stone walls, casting flickering light that barely pushed back the dark. The mouth of the cave was long gone behind them, swallowed by the underground silence.

She didn’t speak right away. Her eyes flicked back toward Tezca, the earlier teasing still lingering in her expression, though dulled by focus.

“If he doesn’t stop whistling,” she muttered, voice low, “I’m throwing him in first. Let whatever’s waiting decide if he’s worth the trouble.”

Tezca walked just behind her, his steps measured. “Wouldn’t be the worst plan.”

Xochi didn’t reply. The gem’s light caught in the rough edges of the tunnel, glowing dimly as Renzo’s whistle warped through the cavern—playful, but twisted now, stretched too far by the walls.

She lifted the gem higher, its glow curling through the dark ahead.

“Renzo!” she called sharply as they rounded a bend—and there he was, their loud-mouthed companion.

Standing with his back to them, hands on his hips, Renzo faced the darkness like it was an old friend. A wide grin stretched across his face.

“I’m just saying,” he said, “no need to make it so dramatic. This place is probably harmless. Probably.”

Tezca stepped up beside him, unimpressed. “And how much of that ‘probably’ is just your brain trying to convince you?”

Renzo glanced over his shoulder, grin still intact. “More than you’d think. But hey, I’m here for the adventure.”

Xochi rolled her eyes. “You’re here for the chaos.”

“Same difference,” he shrugged, then whistled again—louder this time. The sound bounced off the walls, echoing so deep it seemed to disappear into some unseen place below.

“Seriously,” Xochi muttered, folding her arms. “We should’ve left him behind.”

Tezca sighed, though a small smile tugged at his lips. “At least he’s got a good attitude about being useless.”

Renzo turned to face them, feigning offense. “I’m not useless. I’m just… making the journey more fun.”

Tezca gave him a flat look. “Touché. I see what you did there.”

But before anyone could toss another word, something shifted.

The air changed—cooler, denser. A low chill wrapped around them, enough to send a shiver down Renzo’s spine. The shadows deepened, stretching unnaturally across the walls, like something unseen had stirred from the depths.

Xochi’s expression tightened. “Alright, fun time’s over. We stick together. keep our senses sharp.”

Renzo’s grin faltered slightly. For the first time, the whistling stopped.

Tezca nodded once, the last trace of amusement draining from his face. The cave’s entrance felt impossibly far now, like it belonged to a different world.

“Stay close. And don’t forget what we’re here for,” he said, his voice low.

With a final glance between them, the three stepped further into the dark, their footsteps echoing through stone as the cave swallowed them whole.

The path wound deeper, and the shadows thickened.

With each step, the cave walls seemed to close in tighter.

The red gem clutched in Xochi’s hand continued to pulse dimly, its glow unveiled the cover of darkness that hid damp stone and jagged corners.

They continue to march but was suddenly halted by a sharp crunch underneath Renzo’s foot. He froze, lifting his boot slightly. Xochi slowly waved the gem below, discovering a scattered mess of bones.

Human bones.

A fractured skull rested beside what seemed to be the ruins of a ribcage.

An unsettling feeling had slithered between them as they stared at each other, with wary eyes.

They said nothing, there was no need to. Aware of the possible danger, they edged forward.

Small droplets fell from above like distant echoes, the only sound aside from their careful footsteps.

Tezca kept near the front, his eyes scanning. The light from the gem bounced along his face, revealing the sharp furrow of his brow.

The deeper they went, the colder it became.

A windless cold. Not the kind that stung the skin- but the kind that made your chest tighten, like something unseen was waiting just around the corner.

Then, the space opened up.

They stepped cautiously into a vast chamber. The ceiling rose out of sight, lost in shadows. The red glow dimmed- overwhelmed by a new light.

Numerous glowing ores were embedded into the cave’s ceiling, they sparkled like a starry night, illuminating the area. The three of them looked up, mouths slightly gapping and eyes shimmering, reflecting the ores varied colours.

For the first time since the cave’s entrance, they could see almost freely without the need of the gem. They strolled in, absorbing the new environment but something didn’t feel quite right.

They wandered.

Xochi crouched, inspecting the pulsing ore protruding from the floor. Meanwhile Tezca gazed at the far wall and heard a familiar sounding whistle. It echoed through the cave.

Renzo’s whistle?

He looked at Renzo, who was already raising both palms, “…That wasn’t me.”

Tezca blinked and turned to Xochi.

”Don’t look at me.”

All of them tensed. Tezca’s jaw clenched in realization. Who or what whistled?

He lowered his eye lids, began focusing, trying to sense another presence with his Nahualli.

He was surprisingly calm, slowly feeling the room.

Nahualli was always present — in the air, the earth, the walls themselves. Ahead, in the direction of the whistle, there was only silence.

But what he felt wasn’t presence.
It was absence.

A void.

His heart kicked in his chest. He opened his eyes and whispered, “No Nahualli? That’s impossible…”

“What?” Xochi asked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“There’s something here,” he said. “But it’s… wrong. It’s like eating the Nahualli around it.”

Then—movement. Subtle, just at the edge of vision. A shimmer, like a trick of the light, dragging across the far wall.

Tezca’s breath caught.

He saw it.

A dark, twisted creature.

An agonised screech, raw and serrated, crashed against the walls. Each tremor of sound twisting the gut into knots and leaving the blood ringing in your ears.

Instinctively, they ran.

Fast.

Behind them, the sound of countless lanky limbs crashed on floor, hurling themselves like rabid beasts.

In the corner of their eyes, glimpses of the huge figures darted forward. The sound of jagged claws gaining ground behind them.

They were relentless, their breaths heavy and growl-like as they closed in.

As the three of them ran to the chambers exit, the walls tightened and the path slowly shrank.

Adeline had took over, no room for second thoughts or hesitation. Just the absolute force of their sweaty bodies and tired legs, advancing.

Xochi, unprepared for the terror that awaited her, tripped.

As she fell face first, she yelped.

Tezca and Renzo instantly stopped in their tracks, whipping their heads around, only to find the closes beast just inches away from her.

Renzo froze, but Tezca took off so fast, like something raw in him had awakened-an older brother’s instinct that didn’t wait for thought.

The creature pounced. In a blur of motion, its claws tore across Xochi’s back. A sickening sound split the air—flesh ripping, skin shredding. Already on the ground, she jolted forward with a cry, blood spraying in a jagged streak down her spine.

The wound was deep.

Its mouth then widened, revealing the rows of pointed teeth, aimed for her neck.

But before it had the chance too, Tezca with all his might and momentum, kicked the cave crawlers head directly. It was launched, tumbling somewhere in the darkness.

Tezca hastily pulled Xochi up, her wincing at the pain, and grabbed the gem from her pocket. He threw it as hard as he could at the ground in front of them, it sparked, and ignited an enormous flame. The fire roared- hot against thier skin, created a wall between them and the things from nightmares.

They could finally catch their breath, “Are you… okay?” Tezca panted.

“I’m fine.” She said, wincing at the pain again as she touched her back.

Tezca held Xochi tightly as she mumbled into his shoulder.

Renzo cursed, his voice sharp with frustration. “Dammit—they’re fast! Real fast.”

“Relentless,” Xochi added.

Tezca’s gaze was fixed on the glowing embers ahead, his mind clearly racing. “The wall separating us is fading. We can’t outrun them.”

Xochi peeked up slightly. “We still need the feather—”

“But they’re in our way!” Renzo snapped.

Tezca growled and turned to face him. “That’s why our only option is to fight.”

“Fight?! One of those things almost killed Xochi!” Renzo barked. “And we have no idea how many there are”.

“Renzo… What other choice do we have?!”

He hesitated, then exhaled harshly. “Fine. But this is either brave or stupid, and I’m not sure which”.

The leaping flames fell just under head height. Tezca blinked as he looked across, and then they saw it.

They weren’t just beasts.

Four of them, each hunched and long, like a canine warped by a nightmare. Spidery limbs ending in claws that scraped sparks off stone.

When the flames caught their skin just right, it revealed matted, midnight skin. It was speckled with white and yellow, like stars flicked across by a violent painter. Coarse, patchy hair clung to skin stretched too tightly over irregular bones. A ratlike tail whipped behind them, twitching.
But it was their heads that truly unsettled.
No eyes. Just a face dominated by four enormous fangs jutted upward and downward, like tusks twisted by madness.

Renzo’s eyes flickered in shock, his jaw clenched. “It’s what I feared, they’re dogs. The only thing that freaks me out the most.”

Xochi’s eyes narrowed towards him. “This is no time for your stupid phobia,” she uttered.

The beast hissed. Revealing endless rows of jagged, mismatched teeth.

The group tensed, but shifted stance, activating their enchantments. One wrong move and they die.

Smoke curled around Tezca’s arms and shoulders. Renzo’s fists hardened, caked in rough earth and stone. Ice solidified into a cool dagger in Xochi’s palm, she held it firm, preparing for the ambush.

The flames dimmed, casting weaker light against the cave walls, and the heat that once pressed against their skin began to fade. It lowered to knee height, and they rushed across.

Lunging with primal force, Tezca sent a dense blast of smoke, suffocating at least one of them. It choked, thrashing violently, but stood its ground and swiped. One of its serrated claws tore across Tezca’s bicep, but he didn’t falter. He pushed on. Swinging his leg with a gust of smoke, adding to its velocity. His foot slammed into the temple of its skull, staggering it.

Renzo bellowed as his fist crashed into another crawler’s skull, his enchantment amplifying the blow. Bone dented under the strike, blood spraying—but the beast lurched and clamped down on his calf before he could pull away.

Flesh tore. Renzo’s leg buckled and he collapsed hard against the stone floor.

The crawler pounced instantly, driving claws into his shoulders. Renzo snarled in pain, shielding his face with one arm as its jaw gaped wide.

“Stonehide!” he roared.

The beast’s fangs sank down—only to catch on hardened stone. Its teeth stuck fast, scraping uselessly against his rock-forged arm. Its breath hit Renzo’s face like a furnace full of rot. He gagged hard, almost vomiting.

He struck with his free hand, hammering its skull again and again. Blood spattered. The crawler screeched, raking its claws down his chest until his shirt was nothing but strips and his skin a patchwork of gashes.

It tried as hard as possible to pull its head away, but was unable to escape. Renzo kept landing with more vigour each time.

Beside him, Xochi had somehow whipped around another crawler, slashing its side with her ice-made dagger. She climbed its boney back and dragged the blade across its throat.

A spray of crimson arced through the cave as the creature collapsed under her. She landed lightly, standing over its twitching body.

Her hands trembled, slick with blood, and breath ragged.

She lowered her head, voice breaking as she whispered, “Sorry.”

From the shadows—another cave crawler lunged at Tezca, as the first one staggered back to its feet. He slipped between them like smoke, evading their snapping jaws with fluid grace.

His hand closed around the gemstone at his feet, and he gave it a hard shake. It flickered, then began to glow—brighter, hotter.

The two nightmares snarled, their twisted barks echoing through the cave as they began to circle him. Tezca clenched his fists, eyes darting, trying to track them both. His head snapped side to side.

A sharp howl tore through the air—he turned instinctively. Too late. The second crawler slammed into him, teeth plunging into his shoulder.

His knees buckled as it pulled, dragging him down.

But instead, he grounded his footing and drove the gemstone into the creature’s empty eye socket.

The gem pulsed with heat—searing the nightmare’s flesh and scorching his own hand.

It squirmed and shrieked, the other creature rushing to him with its mouth already gaping.

Xochi, quick to react, froze the ground beneath it. A thin layer of ice spread instantly, making its claws lose traction and slip.

Renzo, drenched in red, shoved his attacker off. Its skull cracked and spilled blood as it trembled—then collapsed for good.

Defeated.

He coughed out a bitter laugh. “Man—that was close.”

The other cave crawler continued to slip on Xochi’s ice, as she gestured towards Renzo for backup.

But Tezca was pinned by the first. Its claws tore into his ribs as he wrestled it to the ground.

He pinned it beneath him and struck with his fists, over and over, skin splitting across his knuckles until bone showed white.

The beast slashed deeper into his side, but he only roared and kept hammering until its face was pulp.

He snatched up a jagged stone. Tezca’s jaw clenched hard, muscles flexing as a savage glare burned in his eyes.

With a final cry, he raised it high and brought it down, smashing the crawler’s skull again and again until blood and brain leaked across the floor.

He sat there, trembling, breath ragged. Sweat and blood streaked down his face.

His voice rasped, “Forgive me.”

Breaking free of the ice, the beast darted behind Xochi before she could react. Its jaws snapped shut around her ankle, teeth sinking deep, swallowing the lower half of her leg.

White-hot pain ripped through her—her eyes bulged, breath caught, a strangled cry tearing from her throat.

Renzo slid in beside Xochi, his leg encased in stone. With a brutal kick, he hammered the crawler’s side.

The beast shrieked and tore free of her leg, stumbling back but holding its stance low, fangs bared.

Renzo’s fist clenched, earth gathering until a jagged rock formed in his palm. He hurled it, the stone cracking against the creature’s face.

It reeled, head snapping sideways.

Xochi didn’t waste the opening. She lunged, driving her heel into its bony knee with a sharp crack.

The leg buckled inward, forcing the beast into a limp.

Her palms slapped the ground beneath it, and cold surged from her fingertips. Ice raced upward, shaping into a jagged spike that thrust toward the cavern roof.

“Now!”

Renzo leapt, arms sheathed in stone, swinging his fist high over his head.

The crawler staggered under its broken knee—perfect.

With a roar, Renzo brought his stone-clad fist down like a hammer.

The blow crushed the beast’s skull against the ice. The spike drove straight through, bursting from the top of its head in a spray of blood.

The crawler twitched once, then slumped forward, impaled and still.

Silence fell. Four beasts lay scattered across the cavern floor, pools of blood spreading beneath their corpses.

All eyes turned to Tezca.

He was still on his knees, hunched over the crawler he’d slain, his face streaked red, hands raw and torn, scorched and soaked in blood.

Slowly, he pushed himself upright, staring down at the carcass.

His chest rose and fell in ragged breaths before he exhaled a long, weary sigh.

“Come on,” he muttered, voice rough. “Let’s move.”

“Wait!” Xochi shouted, her voice cutting sharp through the cavern. “There’s steam—look, from the corpse!”

Just as she said, wisps of white hissed off the crawler’s broken body.

Then another.

And another.

Tezca’s eyes darted between them, panic tightening his chest.

What’s happening?

A claw twitched. His eyes widened.

The crawler jerked upright, towering again.

Its head still split open, its skull still shattered—yet it stood, trembling with rage.

It refused to die.

“No…” Tezca muttered, horror creeping into his voice. “They can’t die.”

Xochi blinked as if the sight betrayed her senses. “It—it can’t die?!”

Tezca only pointed, his finger trembling.

The other three were already back on their feet, their bodies whole, their blood gone, their eyes glowing with the same cold hunger.

Renzo swore under his breath. “Well, shit. What the hell do we do now—?”

He turned to his side, but Tezca and Xochi were already bolting down the tunnel.

“HEY! WAIT UP!”

The three of them tore through the cave, lungs burning. Their wounds screamed with every step, legs limping, ribs aching.

Behind them came the pounding scrape of claws, the guttural roars echoing off stone.

Tezca held the gem high, its light spilling ahead, guiding their frantic sprint.

His free hand brushed the jagged walls as they ran—once, twice, at every corner. His touch was quick, deliberate, leaving marks in the dark.

“What are you doing?!” Xochi gasped.

“Making sure we don’t run in circles,” he snapped, eyes hard, fixed forward.

His tone brooked no question, and she didn’t press further. She trusted that look.

The crawlers gained, their screeches clawing at their ears. Shadows loomed closer, closing in.

Tezca spun. His palm erupted in smoke, a thick, rolling shroud that smothered the air.

He grabbed both Xochi and Renzo, dragging them with him as he dove sideways. They hit the stone floor hard, breath blasted from their lungs.

“Are you out of your damn mind?!” Renzo hissed, coughing.

“Shh.” Tezca’s whisper cut him off.

The crawlers halted just a breath away, their hulking shapes swallowed in the thick, expanding fog.

They huffed and sniffed, claws scraping stone as they prowled uncertainly.

Tezca’s fists clenched. His lips moved in a low murmur. “Susurro Step.”

From deeper in the cave came the rapid patter of footsteps.

The beasts froze, ears twitching, then whipped their heads toward the sound.

Renzo’s eyes widened in confusion. What the hell—?

The crawlers shrieked and bounded toward the noise, their claws rattling over the rock.

The sound faded into the distance.

Tezca’s fists tightened again. More footsteps echoed—this time from another direction.

The crawlers lunged toward the echo, only for it to leap elsewhere.

Snarling, they pivoted, claws raking stone as they chased one phantom after another.

Tezca’s smoke curled and pulsed, feeding the illusion.

Finally, he exhaled, voice low but steady. “That should keep them busy.”

“How did you do that?” Renzo asked, still catching his breath.

Tezca pushed himself up, brushing dust and grit from his clothes. “Echo enchantment. I can capture sounds and replay them. Had to stick them to the walls to throw the crawlers off.”

“And you’re telling us now?” Xochi snapped.

“Relax. I only figured it out recently.”

“So you were just hoping it would work?”

Tezca shrugged. “Look, I used my mercy smoke to shield us, so you two wouldn’t choke to death.”

“But they don’t have eyes,” Xochi said.

“Exactly. The smoke masked our scent, forcing them to rely on hearing. Then I fed them the echoes. Simple.”

Renzo glanced at Xochi, then back at Tezca. “Alright… that was actually pretty smart.”

“Thanks,” Tezca said flatly, like he needed that idiot’s approval. He dusted his hands. “Let’s get out of here.”

They moved towards the cave’s mouth, their steps heavy, bodies battered.

The air shifted; a faint breeze stirred, cool and fresh against their skin.

After so long in choking dark and red glow, the hint of open air felt almost unreal.

Light crept in gradually, spilling over rough stone. By the time they neared the exit, sunlight was pouring down the tunnel.

Tezca stepped into the first ray, warmth searing his bruised skin. His coppery complexion glowed in the light, as did Xochi’s.

Renzo’s dark skin shone with the same sunlit sheen.

Outside, the world seemed indifferent to what they had endured.

The sun had shifted across the yellow tinted sky since they entered, with soft pink clouds drifting lazily.

The scent of wild foliage hung sweet in the air.

They climbed a small hill just beyond the cave. A figure was waiting at the top.

“Oh look,” Renzo said, his tiredness slipping for a moment, “it’s that boy.”

When they reached him, Renzo clapped the boy gently on the back. “Yo, kid. Did you wait here for us?”

The boy nodded hard, his eyes wide as if he were staring at spirits.

“Why?” Renzo asked.

“B… because everyone said you were stupid and you’d die in there, but I didn’t. They even bet you wouldn’t come back, but I didn’t.”

Renzo gave a weary laugh. “Well, you’re right, and so was your mum. Never set foot in that cave.”

He let out a sigh, half amusement, half exhaustion.

The boy looked over their torn, bloodied bodies, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. “Yup.”

When they descended the hill, the villagers gathered, their voices rising in a chorus of disbelief.

Gasps, whispers, mutters:

“How are they alive?”

“Impossible.”

“Are they cursed?”

A young man pushed through the crowd, his broad frame towering over Tezca.

His jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed. The small boy darted up to him, tugging at his shirt with urgent hands.

“See?” the boy said, pointing at Tezca and the others. “I told you they’d make it back.”

The man swatted his hand away with a sharp kiss of his teeth. His voice cut through the murmurs.

“Hey, you! How did you survive?”

His glare locked on Tezca, daring him for an answer.

Tezca, weary and bloodstained, didn’t even blink. His half-lidded eyes slid past the man, carrying no concern, no effort.

“Hey!” the boy called again, tugging at the man’s shirt with stubborn innocence. “Where’s the coins you promised me? You promised, didn’t you?”

The man’s patience snapped.

His hand struck the boy’s chest, knocking him back into the dirt.

His small palms scraped against gravel, leaving thin streaks of blood.

He looked up at the man, wide-eyed, not angry—just confused, betrayed.

“Shut up!” he barked, before refocusing his fury on Tezca.

He marched forward until his chest nearly brushed against him, breath hot and sour.

Spittle struck his cheek as the man shouted, “What trick did you use, huh?! What curse kept you alive when better men died in that cave!?”

Tezca’s gaze flicked down to the boy sprawled in the dirt, then rose back to the man.

His voice was quiet, but edged like a blade.

“Give him the coins.”

The man’s lips curled in defiance. “You think just because you stumbled out alive you can order me around? Look at you—half-dead, all of you.”

But then he met Tezca’s eyes.

And what he saw there froze him.

Gone was the fatigue, the apathy. Tezca’s stare burned—cold fire, steady and merciless.

It made the man’s chest tighten, his breath falter.

“What kind of man,” Tezca muttered, voice low but carrying through the hush of the crowd, “goes back on his word—especially to a child?”

The man staggered back a half-step.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.

With a grunt, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. He tossed it toward the boy without looking away from Tezca.

“Fine. Take it.”

Then, muttering curses, he melted into the crowd.

As quickly as it had flared, the fire in Tezca’s eyes dimmed.

His expression softened back to neutral as always.

Without another word, he walked past the villagers, the others falling into step behind him.

Renzo scratched at his chin, brow raised.

“What was that guy’s problem?”

“Probably just salty he lost that bet,” Xochi said, shrugging.

Tezca shook his head slightly. “No. It wasn’t about the bet.”

Before they could press him, the boy hurried up beside them, clutching his pouch tightly.

His voice was gentler now. “Don’t mind him, mister. His papa died in that cave.”

Xochi and Renzo traded a glance, then turned their eyes toward Tezca.

Tezca crouched low, his bloodstained hands surprisingly gentle as he brushed the dust off the boy’s scraped knuckles.

“What’s your name, kid?” His voice was calm, almost tender.

“Mixtli,” he said quietly.

Tezca gestured to each of them in turn. “Tezca. Renzo. Xochi.”

He smiled and nodded, the coins clinking at his waist.

“Well, Mixtli,” Tezca said, tapping the pouch with a faint smirk, “don’t let anyone take that from you. You earned it.”

He ruffled the boy’s hair, drawing a shy grin.

“Goodbye!” Mixtli called as they walked away.

“See ya,” Renzo replied, while Tezca and Xochi raised their hands in farewell.

Renzo and Xochi’s eyes lingered on Tezca as they moved forward. It was moments like this where he revealed something rare—not a dazzling shine like a star, but a quiet, immovable weight. The kind of presence that pressed on you when you realised it was there, like standing in the shadow of an ancient tree.

But the weight did not lift. If anything, it sank deeper into them as they left the cave behind. Their footsteps were slow, unsteady, as though the earth itself resisted them. The sunlight that had felt like salvation now only showed the full state of their wounds.

They didn’t need to say they had failed.

It was in the slump of their shoulders, in the way Xochi’s gaze stayed fixed on the dirt, in how Tezca’s jaw never unclenched.