"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.

          Zatz watches with a furrowed brow as they got closer and closer to the portal, one hand desperately gripping onto feathers as the other held you closer. They were basically flying straight up, and it took everything in the group not to fall right off the owl.

          The green got brighter, and brighter, until they finally broke through and they were engulfed in bright light.

          Picchu watches proudly as the portal closes with a loud hum, the green disappearing into nothing but stormy clouds as bones all around him fell. "If it to be. . ." He sighs, and smiles, "Up to me."

          . . .

          . . .

          . . .

          A new presence had entered your dreamscape.

          The otherworldly quiet was disturbed as you hear a grunt of surprise from behind you, ear twitching slightly as you turn to glance at him. Your heart tightens, but you found it in you to smile.

          "Hola, Picchu."

          "Where. . ?" You turn and see him stumbling about disoriented in the near pitch black darkness, standing out weirdly and in-color against the unnatural black. You raise a hand as if to further catch his attention, and it did. He blinks at you in surprise, before grinning. "Eyy! Goddess lady friend!"

          "Yes, that's me." You chuckled, watching in amusement as he tries not to make it obvious that he was so clearly weirded out by the empty space. You nod in understanding, and with a wave of your wrist the void was replaced by a large field. But you gained the exact opposite of the reaction you wanted to achieve, because Picchu ended up yelping in surprise when grass hit his ankles and he fell to the flowers.

          You laughed loudly, seating yourself on a rock and shaking your head. To your left were a mountainous expanse with a large and foreboding forest, and to your right was a cliff that led down to a green, almost yellowish field with the sun just barely peeking over the horizon. It was a lovely sight, and you amused yourself at how peaceful you made it feel.

          "Sooo, where are we?" You turned to see he had walked closer to you, sat on the one patch of grass that had no flowers, and his weapons were held tightly in an attempt to make sure he didn't disturb any more plant life than he needed to. It hurt your heart to see him be so delicate, even in a made up space. "Picchu was fighting gods."

          "You don't have to worry about them here now." You reassure him, sighing as you crossed your legs. "You're in my dreamscape."

          "Dreamscape?" He parrots, blinking in confusion as he looked down at himself. "Picchu asleep?"

          "Well. . .sort of, yeah." You sigh again, but deeper. Gods, this job never did get much easier. You cursed at yourself for entertaining it again when you had already told your mom long ago that you refused to have it. "But only for a while. This is just a. . .temporary spot, before you can go to your final destination."

          "Destin. . ." Picchu trails off before you hear him gasp, and you flinched upon realizing that you're going to have to see him cry in realization of what had happened to him.

          . . .

          But you don't get that, and are instead met with a large grin on his downright jolly face. "Picchu finally have honorable warrior's death!"

          . . .

          "Yeah! You did!" You mirrored his enthusiasm as you decided against asking him exactly what he meant, finding that this conversation would be coming to a halt anyway as you hear the sounds of something creaking behind you. You turn, and your expectations are confirmed as you see the slit of light that cut upwards in midair, before it extends sideways and it forms a glowing door.

          Its frame is made of wood and is carved with delicate little markings, the vaguest shape of a face forming at the top as you could make out candles and a large hat. "And here it is!"

          Your fake enthusiasm continued even as you jumped up, floating towards the door and gesturing to it dramatically with both hands. "This. . .this door is here, to lead you to your final destination." You then quickly add, "But only if you're ready to pass! You can stay here longer if you don't feel like going yet!"

          "Final destination. . .Picchu find parents?" The barbarian is eager to follow you as he somberly stares at the door, putting both his weapons back on his back as you slowly lower yourself to the grass. You could only nod quietly.

          . . .

          His smile widens, and you're surprised when he pulls you into a downright bone-crushing hug. His grip is tight but welcoming as you could do nothing but attempt to hug him back, despite the fact that you could control the physics of this plane you still managed to find yourself losing breath and patting his back in surrender.

          He eventually puts you down, and all your complaints die in your throat as you watch him shed a tear. His smile never faltered as he kneels down to your height. "Picchu thank you."

          . . .

          You could only smile back, fighting off the urge to cry yourself as you nodded and pat his shoulder. "And I thank Picchu. We may not have known each other long, but I know you deserve this happy ending more than anything."

          He hugs you one last time. "Thank you, kind goddess lady."

          You giggled. "Please, it's Y/N."

          . . .

          He smiles, this time a lot softer as he nods. "Thank you, Y/N."

          You take a step back as you watch him slowly enter the door, his nerves no doubt getting to him even with the relatively welcoming entrance. You could hear the faint sounds of fiesta from the other side, and you couldn't help but call out 'say hi to my aunty for me!' at his confused face. 'Okay, Picchu try!' he had called out, and you could only wave enthusiastically goodbye as he fully goes through the light, and the now-closed door dissipates into a pile of marigold that floats off with the wind.

          . . .

          . . .

          . . .

          You shake your head and wipe away the stray tears, the dreamscape quick to go right back to a black, empty void as you shakily inhale.

          It never gets easier.

• • •

          You know, as the Goddess of Sleep, you really should be used to waking up. And you were, you really were. There was a difference, however, between waking up normally in your bedroom, and waking up midair currently and quickly falling to the earth below.

          "We're. . .down!" Voices faded in and out of your brain as you fought off the grasps of your dietic capabilities that affected even you, cold air rushing and slapping you across the face rudely while you felt yourself slowly rising. You bump chests with someone before you were forcefully dragged back down.

          "Where. . ." You could barely even hear yourself as your eyes finally open properly, being met with one wide eye as Zatz blinks at you in surprise. "Y/N! You're— hold on!"

          It seems you picked probably the worst time to wake up, one glance to your side and finding your feathery ride currently heading straight for an uncomfortable landing in a cave below. "Mis dioses."

          You all braced yourselves as the owl crashes onto the edge of the opening, one last desperate attempt of a saving flap failing as she hurled straight towards the dirt. You as a passenger had no better luck, flying off of the owl and even out of Zatz's tight grasp as you yourself tumbled unceremoniously into the earth.

          "Y/N!— Ow! Dammit!" Your vision goes dark as dirt and rocks flew onto your face and openings, coughing weakly as you let defeat take you and just accept failure with open arms.

          You heard a yelp then two resounding clunks, one more hollow than the other before everything calmed down.

          "Is everyone alright?" You recognized the voice as Maya from somewhere behind you, one glance up finding nothing but a dark space before it led into a large lake with a cliff that overlooked it. And one glance down revealed nothing but dirt.

          "Where are we?"

          "Hidden. For now."

          You hear footsteps approach you and a head of white hair popping up in your peripheral, Zatz extending out a hand as you lazily and blindly fumbled for it. He catches it for you, and with a grunt pulls you back up.

          The world spins for a bit and you find yourself using him as leverage for balance, but a pained shriek is enough to make you snap right back out and look at the injured owl. "It's hurt!" You hear the princess announce, rushing to her with great panic, "Chimi, do you speak owl?"

          Chimi's face crinkles. "That's not a regular—"

          "Mama!" Shock spreads in the group as you stumbled out of Zatz's help, hand waving around in your failed attempt at regaining balance before falling to your knees beside her. Maya jumps out of your way quickly, not really knowing how to react as your hand desperately searches her feathered face.

          There's a moment of silence as the group struggled to comprehend just what exactly that one word meant, but the Teca princess is given no time to react properly when sunflowers sprout of the ground and she jumps away even further out of panic.

          "What in the—" You ended up getting hidden by the new patch of flowers, and upon realizing that they're harmless Maya is quick to jump right back in and part them away.

          Now, where the owl once laid was replaced by the injured figure of the Goddess of Death, dawning a new look as her head rested on your folded lap. Your back was to Maya, but she could tell from your shaking hands that you weren't taking this any better than the rest of them. "Lady Micte?" She breathed out in disbelief, a different hand reaching to push away a sunflower as Chimi appears from beside her. "The Goddess of Death?"

          Your mother's face twitches. Chimi gasps. "The Goddess of Death!"

          You ended up jumping involuntarily when she drops to her knees and bows deeply to your mother, practically kissing the dirt the same way you did just mere minutes before but somehow with a lot more dignity. "Please, I beg you, can you introduce me to my mother?"

          You watch as your mother groans, using a hand to push herself up as you tried to extend your own in protest. "In time, yes, Chimi." She addresses the warrior but holds a hand to your face as her own way of reassuring you, following her as you yourself stood up. And it was the right choice too, because her legs gave up under her and she found herself holding onto yours and the painted girl's shoulders for balance. "We need to help her!"

          You watch as Zatz attempts to walk over, but Maya holds a hand out quickly, scrutinizing your injured mother. "Can we trust her?"

          "Wow." You scoff loudly, this word being the first you've ever said addressing any of them that wasn't either Zatz or Picchu. "Wow. Mama literally flew through fire just so we could escape, and this is how you repay her?!"

          "Mi amor—" She groans again as she holds on to her side, and your free hand clutches tightly in growing frustration.

          "Weren't you asleep?" You hear somebody mumble, and your head is quick to snap to him in address. "You really think that I'd be unaware while I'm asleep? I would've thought that my title would be more than enough to get you to respect me." Your face crumples in disgust. "Or at least give you enough common sense to put two and two together."

          "Okay, okay, everybody just needs to calm down." Zatz at least