Esteban stood in front of Zia, ready to defend her at a moment's notice. Tao stood firm. Kulkapetal buried himself deep within Tau's robes.
The old man gave Esteban an exasperated look, gazed up to the heavens, and whispered a string of unintelligible words. Suddenly, the cockpit window of the condor opened and the old man jumped inside. Esteban, Zia, and Tao gasped at once.
The old man said, "I am Akabi, northern sage of the Maya. What you just saw was an optical illusion I created..."
"What's that?" asked Tao, "An illusion?"
"That's right," Akabi continued, "I have built a special lens on a nearby mountaintop, a lens built from plans I discovered while researching the ancient Heva Empire..."
"Wow! A Heva Lens?" asked Tao.
"Yes," said Akabi, "It can capture and retain sunlight and focus its energy into the upper atmosphere, giving the illusion that something is there that isn't."
"So those seven golden condors weren't real at all?" asked Zia.
"Ha, ha, ha... no, they weren't, my child," Akabi replied.
"But the Olmecs..." Esteban began.
"They were certainly after you, but we've outsmarted them for the time being. Before they return here, there's something I'd like to show the three of you. You see, I had word of your coming..."
"You knew we were coming here?" Esteban asked.
"Yes. A wise old condor flew far to tell me to expect you. His name is Pachu."
Zia's eyes grew wide. "Oh, my Pachu? My condor? He was the one who told you to expect us?"
"Ridiculous," Tao said, "Condors can't talk."
"Oh, but they do... if you know how to listen," Akabi said.
The children glanced outside the cockpit once more, only to see the wary Olmec legion approach them again from the edge of the plateau. Akabi looked out also.
"Quickly," he said, "My cave is not far from here, and it is well hidden. Leave your golden condor here, as it will be quite safe. Just follow me, now!"
Akabi climbed out of the cockpit and slid down the beak of the condor. The children followed and sealed the condor's flight deck behind them. The Olmecs approached closer in the dark, but Akabi lead the children without falter.
After walking several yards, Akabi knelt to the ground. He brushed the smooth, dusty surface lightly and a portal opened. "Slide after me," he said. Akabi lowered himself into the hole and slid down into the ground. He vanished from sight. Esteban, Zia, and Tao looked at each other.
"Should we follow him?" Esteban asked.
"What choice do we have?" asked Zia.
Esteban and Zia held hands tightly and followed after Akabi, into the underground shaft. Tao leaped in after them.
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"Nephew?" Pedro asked, "Mendoza is your nephew?"
Gomez was starting a fire. He answered, "He would have my head if he knew I told you, but yes. Mendoza is my sister's son."
Pedro and Sancho looked at each other in disbelief. "Wow," Pedro said, "I never knew that, and probably never would have guessed..."
"Y-y-y-uh-yeah," Sancho agreed, "M-uh-Mendoza never would've t-uh-t-uh-told us."
The kindling burst into flame and Gomez sat back against a felled tree stump. He smiled, looking down at the little fire. "Of course Mendoza would never tell you anything. He'd never mention how he shamed his family and indirectly caused the deaths of his own parents."
A flash of blue and a gasp. Mendoza jumped from the forest and held his sword at Gomez's throat. Gomez's eyes filled with fear and Sancho and Pedro hugged each other, frightened. Mendoza glared at Gomez with the eyes of a killer.
"I think that a change of subject is in order, Captain Gomez," Mendoza said, "Immediately."
Gomez began, "The Mayas are probably nearly finished rebuilding their village. We'll make for it tomorrow with the rest of the wood we've gathered today. Then, we can concentrate on leaving here."
"That's right," Pedro was quick to continue, "It shouldn't take us that long to put a good, sturdy boat together, so then we could head home."
Contented, Mendoza ripped his sword away from Gomez's neck, but not before leaving a thin cut behind. Gomez yelled, but was quick to regain his calmness.
Mendoza sat down, close to the fire. Gomez stood up and brushed himself off. "Mendoza," Gomez said, "The next time you unsheath a naked sword before me shall be your last."
Mendoza replied, "Is that so, Gomez? Perhaps the next time you open your mouth shall be the last time you do so."
A voice from the encroaching darkness called out, "Mendoza! Mendoza!"
Mendoza, Sancho, and Pedro stood up. A young Maya warrior ran out of the forest, towards them.
"Yes? What is it?" Mendoza asked.
The Maya warrior caught his breath. He said, "Mendoza... a flying golden man... flying through a neighboring village... burning everything!"
"What's that?" Mendoza asked, "A flying golden man?"
"Yes..." stammered the warrior, "A man is floating through the village next to ours... he is all gold and burning everything he touches!"
Mendoza turned to Pedro, Sancho, and Gomez. "We must head to the Maya village immediately. We cannot let another catastrophe befall the local Mayans."
"Lead on!" Gomez shouted. The warrior turned and fled into the forest, with Mendoza and his companions in pursuit.
As they ran, Mendoza caught up to the Maya warrior. He said, "Tell me more about this golden man."
The warrior responded, "He does not know what he is doing... it is part of sh'kang'ri, our healing ritual. Only one in ten thousand reacts the way he does... we must hurry!"
"I don't understand," Mendoza said, "He is a patient you tried to heal?"
"He is a holy man, a prophet of the highest order."
Mendoza stopped dead. Gomez, Sancho, and Pedro stopped short behind him.
"You said he is a prophet?" Mendoza asked.
"Yes," the warrior said, "A travelling man, ever searching."
"Searching?" asked Mendoza, "Searching for what?"
"We must hurry... he'll destroy our village next unless we can stop him."
"What is he searching for?" asked Mendoza, "Where did you find him?"
"We didn't find him, but the elders from the neighboring village told us that he climbed out of the Earth... at the Mountain of the Burning Shield."