The Road To El Dorado: What if you were there?

17: Jaguar

Miguel remained angry for the rest of the day. Not like you were in the best mood either. Tulio, however, was having the time of his life. 

You were watching a play that the Native children had prepared. It was about Miguels first commandment. You would've normally been delighted but today you slumped in your chair. You also eyed Miguel as he clutched his drink in a fist, unsmiling. 

"There will be no sacrifices!" exclaimed the boy in the play. 

Tulio laughed and said to Miguel, "That kid does you better than you do." Miguel clutched his drink harder. "Some send-off, huh? We're finally in the 'go back to Spain and live like kings' part." 

You watched him flirt with Chel from afar and bit your tongue. You had nothing against Chel, she was amazing, but Tulio is causing a tear in your little family. 

Miguel noticed as well and said a little too innocently, "Well, isn't king kind of a step down from god?"

Tulio spit out his drink. "What? Wh-whoa, whoa, whoa. Miguel we can't stay here. We have a plan, remember? Tell him, Y/N."

You mouth tasted of acid from staying quiet. 

"How about... we forget the plan? Hmm?" asked Miguel icily. 

"wha-"

Tulio was cut off by a Jaguars roar, loud and powerful to your left. You watched the temple erupt and screamed at the top of your lungs. 

It was a metallic, green jaguar. It was nearly as big as the temple it came out of. It's green, glowing eyes were robotic and its strong feet trampled over everything in it's path. 

You stared at it, wide eyed, until you snapped back into your senses. You needed to run. Now. You found Altivo and wen to mount it but realized that there was only room from three on him. 

You let the others, panic-stricken, get on. 

"Come on!" shouted Chel before they all realized. 

You smiled brightly at them, just in case you'd never see them again, and ran. They went to chase you but realized that it wouldn't matter if they got to you. Your only option was to run away. The Jaguar hesitated between you and them for a second before going after the boys. 

You turned to run the opposite direction and then stopped. 

They could never handle anything themselves. 

You hadn't seen a single horse in all of El Dorado so it was time to improvise. The birds, the huge ones, were ridable. You chased after the Jaguar on a bird. Majestic you were. You reached them at the temple, the Jaguar was too heavy and the stairs were collapsing. 

Someone fell to the side and Altivo picked them up and took them to safety. The long hair was a giveaway. 

The bird took you up the steps and once next to Miguel and Tulio dropped you off and ran away.

"Hello," you said overly cheerily. They gave you a confused look and you shrugged. You jumped down and continued running, glancing back once at the Jaguars broken eye. Fire and rocks were thrown and erupted around you. The magma from beneath the ground appeared under the jaguars steps. You were in a volcano. 

You were cornered and the Jaguar stepped closer. You held your breath but it slipped and fell down. Tulio grabbed your arm and Miguels, pulling you onto the Jaguars' back. The Jaguar began to sink. You ran and and reached its tail. 

"Jump!" yelled Tulio and you did, landing safely on land. You panted. You laid down but then the Jaguar came up again.

You ran once more. Your breathing was quick and your heart quicker. Your legs ached but the adrenaline refused to let you give up. 

Then you neared a cliff. The cliff to Xibalba.