The Jaguar temple
We made our way out into the dessert once again. I used my locomotive band and we all hopped aboard 340. The tracks led us far off, soon enough the locomotive passed through what were hundreds of skeletal remains. Dinosaur bones of all kinds that reached for miles.
“The kingdom of the Dinosaurs." Montezuma whispered. “Look and see what Nefarious is capable of."
We could all feel and knew how strong Nefarious actually was. There were so many bones. Nefarious had wiped out their entire existence.
“Keep in mind… this happened many years ago.” Montezuma warned. “Nefarious has become much stronger since then."
The bones looked awkward. They were all intact. As if all the dinosaurs had all fallen asleep before dying. What was even more disturbing was the fact that there were all kinds, some herbivores and some carnivores like t-rexes and Triceratops laying side by side. From what I could tell there was no sign of struggle. It made me feel as though they had gotten along just for a moment to die together. We found this place quite eerie.
We finally passed this field of countless bones and continued on through more dessert. Further away life came into view, greenery.
A tropical forest ahead. The locomotive stopped at the beginning of the forest. We could see the Jaguar temple from outside of the forest but only the top was showing. There was some kind of fire burning at the top. We would have to travel though the forest to get to the temple.
The five of us and Dodo entered the forest. Montezuma brought out his Jaguar blade and began to hack a path through the vines that grew blocking us at every turn. There were beautiful species of birds, plants and insects everywhere in this forest.
My favorite thing about this tropical forest was the long tailed parrots. We could hear them singing to each other in the trees. Most of the birds and animals would flee before we came close enough for us to see them.
At one time there were small monkeys swinging from the highest of vines in the forest. One of the monkeys swung down landing on Bigfoot. This startled Bigfoot and he began to squirm and shout. The playful monkey then leaped off and back into the trees.
“I no like this forest!” Bigfoot Shouted. “It not like forest back home.”
“Oh you big cry baby!” Westwood laughed, but not long after he too was startled, meeting face to face with a large snake. Westwood stopped in his tracks as he slowly and shakenly reached for his revolver. The snake darted out springing at him, but suddenly with a crack and slash the snake was be-headed by Coasts corkscrew spear.
“Who baby now?” Bigfoot chuckled.
Coast rubbed Bigfoots back and calmly scolded him saying. “You be nice too.”
We finally reached the Jaguar temple. It was very large and shaped like a pyramid, there was an entrance at the face of the temple and above it were stairs that had begun to crumble over time. The entrance was wide open.
Westwood was about to march right in to the temple when Montezuma stopped him.
“We’re not going inside.” Montezuma said. “We’re going to climb to the top.”
“Why not just go inside?” I asked.
“Because it’s much too dangerous inside.” He replied. “We have a better chance climbing to the top.”
“What inside?” Bigfoot asked.
“Horrors.” Montezuma replied. “I have been in there before, there’s nothing good inside, and there is no way I’m ever going back in there. Besides what we need is at the top of the temple anyway.”
There was an eerie darkness at the temples opening, and something inside me knew it had some kind of dark past, but I didn’t exactly know what. I shook off the eerie feeling and focused on the task at hand.
“What’s at the top?” I asked.
“Forever fire.” Montezuma replied. “A flame that burns for all time. We need to use it to reveal Nefarious’ location.”
“I good climber.” Bigfoot announced. “I go up first?”
“If you wouldn’t mind.” Montezuma replied.
“It no trouble.” Said Bigfoot and he climbed the stone blocks that led up to the top of the temple, carrying the rope wrapped around him. There were some stairs on the temple leading up but most were crumbling and vines made it almost impossible to climb to the top. Some edges of the stones would crack and crumble under Bigfoots weight. He even slipped at one point but held on with one hand dangling for a moment. I held Dodo as we watched Bigfoot slip. The bird squawked up at Bigfoot as if it was telling him to be careful.
“It okay Dodo.” Bigfoot shouted from up high. “I no fall.”
Bigfoot caught his footing and continued to climb once again. Once he reached the top of the temple he tied the rope around a large pillar. He then cast the rest of the line down to us. There was more than enough rope at the bottom. Each of us began climbing up the steep side of the temple using the rope as a guide. Monte went first. Then I put Dodo in my backpack and made my way up.
“Okay, little lady.” Said Westwood handing the rope to Coast. “Your turn.”
“Oh I think not!” Replied Coast.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Can’t you see I’m wearing a dress???”
“That’s okay, I won’t look.” Westwood replied.
“I know you won’t… that’s why you’re going first.”
Coast handed the rope back to Westwood and he began his climb to the top. Once coast made it to the top Westwood and I grabbed her pulling her up the remaining few feet.
At the top of the temple burned a fire in a stone pit. There was also a large platform that was meant for something big to go over the fire.
“I’ll need everyone’s help.” Said Montezuma.
He led us over to where a giant bolder was sitting, it was perfectly spherical. Together we rolled the boulder to the pit and with all our might we were able to place it above the fire on its platform. The boulder began to glow hot white…It was large and blinding. Montezuma took out the final seal. Its glow was almost completely gone now.
“Show us the path to Nefarious.” He whispered into the fire then touching the seal to the boulder. A flame shot out of the boulder and across the dessert in a long straight line to where it hit something hidden, something over a large lake far off in the distance. A glimmer appeared on the object and then suddenly a giant mountain of ice was revealed. It was not as if the mountain was covered in ice, but the entire mountain was made purely of ice. It looked like a giant crystal. The flame burned through the mountain melting a pathway inside. The flame then returned to the stone pit.
“There it is.” Said Montezuma. “Just where I left him, on reflection lake. From here on out no more operator’s bands.”
“What do you mean?” Coast asked. “How are we to protect ourselves?”
“Nefarious can feel their power. We don’t want him to know we’re coming.”
“Nefarious is mountain?” Bigfoot asked.
“No.” Montezuma replied. “Nefarious is in the center of the mountain.”
“How do you know that?” Westwood added.
“Because he is the source of the ice. His cold heart has created the mountain around him. Ice is always coldest at its center.”
“It’s not very far off." I added. “We should be able to make it there in no time.”
Carefully we climbed back down the temple and made our way back through the tropical forest and back into the dessert. We traveled only a few hours before we came upon reflection lake.
“This is where I sealed Nefarious away.” Said Montezuma. “You were there that day too Miko.”
“I can’t remember that far back.” I replied. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay, you were so little back then. I don’t want to distress you Miko, and I know you would rather not know, but I need you to at least know that Nefarious is wicked beyond anything you have seen in this world.”
“Please don’t Monte.” I said interrupting Montezuma. I knew that whatever he was going to say would be about our family from years ago. I knew there was something in my mind that was trying to reach through and surface, but I didn’t want to know. I could feel that it would only make me sad. Just the thought of remembering was making me sad and I wasn’t ready to know about that day all those years ago.
“You need to know.” Montezuma insisted.
“You’re right, but not now.” I replied. “We are running out of time. Tell me after we’ve sealed Nefarious away, if you tell me now I don’t think I’ll be able to keep my head on straight.”
Montezuma reluctantly agreed and we continued on.
“So I guess were going for a dip?” Westwood asked.
“Yes sheriff.”
Before going into the lake, Montezuma warned us not to look into the water. He said that if we did we’d see a reflection of ourselves whether it be good or bad. He warned that if we didn’t like what we saw we might become so upset that we would drown.
We all entered the water with extreme caution and began to swim to Mount Nefarious. The water was dark and extremely cold...
While trying to keep up with Dodo, Bigfoot accidently looked into the water. What he saw was an angry beast in place of his reflection.
“Monster!” Bigfoot shouted, beginning to cry. “I no monster.”
Westwood swam to bigfoot trying to cover his eyes. “Don’t look.” He said. “That’s not really you.”
Bigfoot began to calm down and together we finally reached the icy entrance where the forever fire had melted an opening.
We were now inside the entrance of Mount Nefarious.
“From here on we stick together.” Said Montezuma. “I don’t know what dangers lie ahead.”
Monte asked if we were all ready.
“Yes.” Westwood answered. “Let’s bring back Tommy and the rest of the people of Calico.”
“And tribe from forest too.” Replied Bigfoot.
“Let’s take back Surfside.” Coast added. “And Mr. Knott and his family.”
We continued on. Wind passed through the tunnel that the forever fire had created. Yet other than the wind it was eerily quiet inside. The tunnel didn’t reach very far before it came to a cavern. The walls were shiny and there was nothing but ice.
Light began to slowly fade from the mountain as we entered its center. Our path came to an end… an Ice wall.
“There’s nothing here.” Declared Coast. “Where is Nefarious?”
“He’s here.” Montezuma replied rubbing frost from the center of the ice wall which revealed a man frozen away in the ice. He looked around the same age as Monte or I. But what was most interesting was the fact that though his clothes were different and his hair was much longer, he looked almost identical to Montezuma.
“Monte?” I asked. “Why does he look just like you?”
“I have to tell you something Miko.” Montezuma Replied.
At that everyone took a step back from Montezuma. Westwood pulled out his revolvers pointing them directly at him....
“Are you Nefarious?” Westwood Demanded.
“Westwood please calm down.” Montezuma pleaded. “I’m not your enemy, I didn’t know he was going to look just like me.”
But before Montezuma could explain Bigfoot grabbed him pinning him to the ground.
“You bad witch man!” Bigfoot said in an angry grunt then grabbed at his neck.
“Where is Surfside.” Coast Demanded. “Give him back!”
Montezuma’s’ face began to turn blue as Bigfoot squished at his throat.
Suddenly I remembered the story Montezuma had told us back at the calico mines. The story of Nefarious.
“Wait!” I shouted. “Let him go.”
“But he bad witch man!” Replied Bigfoot.
“No he’s not!” I demanded. “Bigfoot let him go!”
Bigfoot whined for a moment but did what I asked. Montezuma gasped for air.
“Put your guns away.” I said to Westwood.
“Not on your life.” Westwood replied.
I leaned Monte to the side of the ice wall.
“It was you.” I said. “Wasn’t it? That story you told us that night outside the Calico mines, you’re the good. You said all the good was removed from Nefarious and became an infant. You were that baby weren’t you? Nefarious had to rid himself of you in order to live forever... Isn’t that right?”
Montezuma nodded rubbing his freshly bruised throat.
“I had to get us here." Replied Montezuma. “I need to stop Nefarious at all costs. That’s why I didn’t tell you before. I haven’t told anyone before now, not even Diego whom I have trusted my whole life. If people were to find out that I am Nefarious’ other half they would try and seal me away too, but if they were to do that then this world would be consumed by him. Just look at what happened when I told you just now. I’m the only one that can stop him for good.”
“Stop him for good?” I asked. “But you said Nefarious could only be sealed away.”
“Not everything from that story is true.” Said Montezuma. “Nefarious can be killed.”
“How?” I asked.
“I didn’t want you to be here Miko. I wanted to send you home immediately. I didn’t want you to know me or this world, it would have been better that way. That way in your memory I wouldn’t matter. That way I could have done this alone.”
“What do you mean Monte?” I asked. “What exactly do you want to do alone?"
“I should have done it when I first had the chance, but I was afraid.”
“Done what?” I demanded. “Just tell me!”
“… I haven’t come here to seal Nefarious away.” Montezuma said beginning to cry. “I’ve come here to kill him and in order to do that I also would have to die. Because we were once one, we must die together as one.”
My stomach sank. I understood now.
“No. I can’t let you do that.” I demanded.
“I have to.” He replied. “It’s the only way to stop him for good.”
“You said yourself that if I use the final seal on Nefarious that He’d be locked away for much longer. Isn’t that true?”
“Yes, but if I kill him now the world of Boysenvale will no longer be in danger by him.”
“You’re a good person.” Said Coast. “If we let you die, then we are no better than Nefarious.”
“I sorry I try hurt you.” Said Bigfoot. “But me and Dodo no want you die.”
“I have to.” Replied Monte.
“You can’t!” I shouted.
The mountain began to shake for a moment.... then suddenly the shaking subsided.
“I can’t!” I added. “I won’t let you die!”
“Westwood?” Montezuma asked. “You know I have to do this. Wouldn’t YOU do it too? If you could protect the people of Calico?”
Westwood thought for a moment removing his hat and scratching his head.
“Well, partner,” Westwood finally replied. “Killing Nefarious would be the best course of action. But I couldn’t live with myself if you were to die too. You deserve to live just as much as the people of Calico.” Westwood Put his hat back on. “Nope, can’t let you do it. Besides why let you get all the glory? We are in this together, and we’ve come here to stop Nefarious together.”
“What you want to do is a good thing.” I said. “But you have to realize that the people of Boysenvale need you to protect them and not just from Nefarious.” I grabbed Montezuma by the hand and helped him to stand up.
“Monte I’m glad that you are my Brother.” I said. “I’ve only just met you, and I’m not going to lose you now.”
Montezuma sighed reluctantly giving in. He brought out the final seal and handed it to me.
“You need to seal him right when he starts to wake.” Said Montezuma. “All you have to do is touch him with it. The seal will do the rest.”
I took the seal to the ice wall I staring at the frozen figure of Nefarious inside. His eyes were closed.
“Everyone be prepared just in case.” Warned Montezuma. Westwood brought out his revolvers and Bigfoot was ready to pounce. Coast stood there starring at her operator’s bands, ready to use them if needed.
“He’s about to wake.” Said Monte. “I can feel it.”
The glow from the final seal was now gone and the mountain began to shake and melt, some parts crumbling around us. The ice that kept Nefarious was now melting. His chest was about to be revealed. Suddenly I could see Nefarious’ eyes begin to slowly open, they stared directly at me.
“Now!” Shouted Monte. “Use the seal!”
Nefarious chest was revealed! Quickly in hand I thrust the seal at Nefarious’ chest but even quicker Nefarious’ hand busted out of the ice grabbing me by my wrist stopping me. The Ice melted around his face and for the first time in many years… Nefarious spoke.
“Montezuma’s little brother.” He said with a smile. “…Mikozuma. You’ve come back to me.”
At that Nefarious created a burst of energy and I flew back tumbling and sliding on the icy floor. Nefarious now had the final seal which he crushed in his bare hand. The seal broke back into its seven pieces all shattering into different directions.
“Get the seals!” Shouted Westwood and he and coast stumbled to find them all. Dodo hopped out of my backpack that now lay on the ground and rushed at Nefarious squawking, but coast grabbed Dodo before it could get to him.
Bigfoot jumped on Nefarious attacking him and was able to hold him off for a moment, but Nefarious was much too strong, even for Bigfoot! He tossed Bigfoot aside slamming him into an icy wall. Montezuma used his band from within, he flashing white light and his Aztec armor appearing. He brought out his Jaguar blade and rushed at Nefarious, but he too was overcome by the strength of Nefarious. Nefarious grabbed him crippling him to the floor. He then grabbed Montezuma’s’ chin making him look at me as I lay on the ground.
“You’ve been a very bad boy.” Said Nefarious. “Trying to kill us.... For that I’ll make you watch him die!”
“Michael run!” Montezuma shouted. “You’re the one he wants!”
I didn’t want to leave but I did what Montezuma told me and I ran outside of the Mountain and back into the lake trying my best to swim across.
The Mountain then melted away with everyone in it now swimming in reflection lake and there was now the dark storm from above. Thousands of ravens circling in the center of the storm.
“No look.” Said Bigfoot as he swam for land keeping his eyes closed from reflection lake, Dodo escaped from Coasts grasp and headed swimming after Bigfoot.
Westwood had found four of the seals by now touching them together fusing them into one. Coast had grabbed two before the mountain had melted away. She gave them to Westwood and he fused those together also. There was one left and the two began to search the lake to find it. Trying their best not to look in the water.
As I swam for land Nefarious headed after me walking on the water. I called out for Monte, I could see the others in the water but Monte was nowhere to be found! When I finally made it to land Nefarious had caught up to me standing less than a hundred feet away. He smiled waving his hand motioning me to come to him. Something in my mind was now triggering and it was ever painful. I had seen Nefarious do this before!
“Come Miko.” Said Nefarious. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Suddenly in my mind a memory came to me. A memory from when I was little boy all those years ago, before I had left Boysenvale...
*****************************
The lost memories from years ago
I remembered my three siblings for a moment. The oldest was Montezuma. He was a young teenager and was watching the rest of us as we played. My sister couldn’t have been much older than ten years old. She had long black hair that reached far beyond her back almost reaching her ankles, I could remember her name was Aythel. The other was my brother Koma. He was only two years older than I, around the age of seven at the time. He was always carrying me around. My brothers and Sister… My siblings. They were such good children, always looking out for each other making sure none of us got into too much trouble, always watching me. I remember how happy I was.
Then I remembered my mother and father. They were sitting together with us around a fire outside as we all ate soup that our mother had made for dinner in a large pot resting above the fire. My father was telling stories about his adventures, my mother sat next to him as close as she could with me sitting on her lap. The two were very much in love and everything about my family was love.
The memory skipped events and a new memory came.... The worst memory of all, the memory I had suppressed my whole life... the memory of the night that Nefarious came.
“Come Miko.” Said Nefarious. I remember being terrified as I watched him walking toward me. I was crying and scared.
I could see my family. They were laying in grassy fields. Not moving, only the wind swaying the grass back and forth as their lifeless body’s lay still.
Then I saw Montezuma. He was crying as he held our brother Komas body in his arms. My heart ached and I was terrified. Nefarious slowly continued walking toward me. I called out for my brother.
“Monte!” I said.
With tears in his eyes Monte put down Koma’s body and angrily rushed towards Nefarious, but he too was just a boy and Nefarious grabbed him choking him, holding him up in the air by his neck with one hand as Monte tried his best to kick himself free. Nefarious continued to motion me to come to him with his other hand.
“Come Miko.” Nefarious said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
I remember feeling totally helpless, I wanted to help Monte but I was scared and I didn’t know what to do.
Nefarious continued to chock Monte with his hand but then something happened, something had changed. Suddenly Monte flashed white light and for the first time his band within emerged and he was now covered in Aztec armor and used his shield to knock himself free from Nefarious’ grasp.
“Run Miko!” Monte Shouted. So I did While Monte continued to keep Nefarious at bay.
************************************************************
That was what came to me in that memory, I know there was more, but that’s all my mind would let me remember, and now Nefarious stood in front of me once again all these years later. Motioning me once again.
“Come Miko, I’m not going to hurt you.” Said Nefarious.
“...You killed them.” I replied. “My Mother, My Father...My brother and sister.... There were just children.”
Nefarious just stood there for a moment with a smile then replied in a sarcastically sympathetic tone. “Aww. You remembered.”
Everything inside of me wanted to do harm to this man! No, not a man! a monster! All of my bands now glimmered with white light prepared to attack.
“Boomerang!” I shouted throwing my boomerang in massive size.
“Wind seeker!” Nefarious countered and an eight bladed weapon appeared blocking the attack. We continued to battle throwing our weapons.
Meanwhile Westwood and coast continued to search for the final seal in the lake.
Suddenly out of the water came Montezuma gasping for air, the last of the seals in his hand. Westwood gave the stones to Monte and he fused them to make the final seal. They made their way out of reflection lake headed towards Nefarious and I.