they end

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          "Go! Go, go, go, go, go!" Maya urges, before there was a collective gasp as Picchu lifts everyone up and easily tosses them onto the large bird. They're caught off-guard, but are forced to focus once more at the sounds of an impatient growl and a buzz that came from a now-glowing staff.

          The owl was much more prepared, and with one last shriek she takes off running.

          "Colmillo, run!!" Picchu's voice was clear as he keeps up with the cat and owl, and the God of Dark Magic is quick behind them with an annoyed growl. "Come back here, Teca girl!!"

          It was a bumpy, feathery ride as the Prince of Bats sat himself near the front of the owl, still cradling the unconscious goddess as he tries his best to steady his breathing. The poison hadn't fully left him yet, and he knew that he'd be nothing but a liability if he ever attempted to try and fight.

          Maya was sat next to him, holding onto her helmet and staring at you in quiet curiosity. With a quiet voice she asks, "Is. . .is she my sister?"

          Zatz could only nod, adjusting himself as if to give her a better view of your sleeping face. There were scratches left from stray rock and dust from the many explosions since earlier.

          "I thought you said she didn't want to help. . ." The princess whispers, and he could only inhale a breath. He didn't exactly know what prompted you to change your mind either.

          He racks his brain trying to think of something to respond, but he didn't need to when Maya smiles softly. "But I'm glad she did."

          The both of them share a smile, but yelp in surprise when the owl goes through the bumpy terrain. "Picchu, grab Estefan!" Rico's exclamation had the both of them snapping their heads at the noise, scrambling to try and grab hold of the staff before Maya raises a hand. "We got this, hold her!"

          Zatz could only blink uselessly as Maya lightly shoves him away to grab better hold of the wood, but he nods in agreement, only squeezing your shoulders slightly as he looks forward.

          There was a noise of surprise, before the owl shrieks, and Zatz found himself bouncing up and down as their ride did the same. He panickedly turns to look at the source, and finds that it was when Picchu had jumped on to join the rest of them. His heart tightens as he came to a not-so enjoyable conclusion, the selfish urge to wake you up and ask for your help only getting stronger the more the bird struggled to get off the ground.

          "Picchu too heavy!" The barbarian announces, and that sentence isn't given much time to settle when a belt of fire emerges in front of them. Everybody gasps as the owl flies through it, the piercing flames forcing her to crash onto the ground unceremoniously. Your head ended up bumping straight onto Zatz's armor, an audible 'clang!' as he curses and apologizes quickly.

          The owl was quick to regain her balance however, glaring at the sorcerer with so much hate that it made even her passengers shudder. She turns to attempt to fly up again, but there was a barking order from Chivo.

          "Hurry up you useless hunk of junk!" The bird shrieks when she feels something clamp onto her feet, the group watching in horror as one of the twins—either Hurra or Can, they didn't exactly care enough to differentiate—managed to survive your spell. Whoever he was, he looked to be in terrible shape, with black smoke hissing from the surface of his gray, peeling skin.

          "You can't leave us just yet!" Chivo announces proudly, but is shoved to the side by a gust of flames as Colmillo runs past him.

          The goat clicks his tongue in growing annoyance, and sends a blast of magic that hits the cat before he could help with the wind god. Colmillo is thrown, and he lays on the floor motionless as the fire from his eyes fade away. Zatz jolts forward from his spot, "COLMILLO!!"

          

          The group is thrown into chaos as everybody struggles to get the god off the owl's feet, cries of spells and sounds of arrows being fired being all that Zatz could hear as he struggles to keep his composure.

          Amidst the chaos nobody had noticed you stirring, the prince looking down to see your eyes struggling to even squint. They looked hazy. Distracted and not-there as he watches in worried confusion the lump you were swallowing with great difficulty. "N. . ." Your voice was hoarse as you struggle to claw for his hand, before it fell and hung by the side of the owl, consciousness quickly slipping as you whisper, "Nightmare. . ."

          "Gods-dammit, Y/N!" Zatz curses loudly as black smoke exits your now free hand, spreading downwards at speeds that was getting more familiar but not appreciated when you looked like this. Your lips paled and you folded in on yourself, worrying the prince even further as he struggled to hold onto you.

          "Even while asleep?!" Rico cries out in exaggerated surprise, going right back to blasting spells with Estefan when the prince ignores him.

          Despite your attempts, your strength barely matched up to your usual capabilities, and the group still found the few remaining gods that have miraculously survived your spell to have the upper hand.

          The worst of this realization hit Picchu the most.

          He sits at the back of the owl with quiet contemplation, thoughts racing a mile a minute as he watches his group try their best fighting. Chimi's fingers were turning red from the constant string pulling, Rico's knuckles were ghostly-white as he held Estefan tighter and tighter. Maya was holding onto feather and limbs as she swung her weapon downwards in an attempt to fend the god off, tears staining her tanned cheeks as she cried out in stressed frustration. Hell, even the goddess they just met today had still managed to land one last blow before you passed out again, held in the arms of the vampiro boy that barely looked alive from the poison that had entered his system not too long ago.

          . . .

          "I love you, familia." The warrior could only smile in content as he reaches up his helmet, breaking the emblem off and presenting it to a confused Chimi.

          She could do nothing but accept it when he opens her hands, placing it there and smiling with a nod. "Don't forget me."

          Her painted eyes widened as she reaches for him on instinct, a cry of 'Picchu!' catching the attention of everyone else as said warrior jumps off the owl. "No! No! NO!" Her hand clutches the emblem to her chest as the other reaches out to him as some failed desperate attempt to keep him on the bird, crying out once again as he wields his axes and aims for the gods with a fierce battle-cry.

          He lands on the dirt with a loud crash, getting the stone twin to let go of the bird's feet as she finally gets enough strength to fly off.

          "PICCHU!"

          "Owl, stop!" Rico's voice from behind her fades as Chimi shakily holds up the emblem, the gold glinting off what little light could be found in the underworld as her eyes water with that familiar stinging sensation. "Stop, owl! Stop, stop!!"

          Desperate voices sang out for the bird to go back, to return and get their friend back as she flew higher and higher. They didn't see it, but it pained her to ignore their cries, flapping her wings faster as she steadily approaches the bright green portal swirling with stormy clouds.

          There was the sounds of loud crashing, and the group could only watch in horror as the bone steps that led up to the portal crumbled downwards in brittle defeat. Picchu had managed to destroy it, and the barbarian looked up at the escaping owl fondly and with a large, triumphant grin. His familia would have a chance now.

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙨 || ᶻᵃᵗᶻWhere stories live. Discover now