Momentos En La Canción

Into the Castle

As we landed down at the gates of La Muerte's castle, I wanted to flee and never return but my family must be there.

Swallowing a slowly rising bile, I turned to Miguel "Let's go get my family back" He gave me an encouraging smile before we all slowly entered the double doors.

I shuddered as it creaked open and all I saw was darkness and barely even light seeped in from the outside.

"Since when did La Muerte change her lovely scenery to this?"

I asked and the response I got was a shrug from Hector and Imelda "I rarely see her. Usually she would just show herself at the start of Dia de Muertos" Imelda answered.

I nodded before continuing our walk across the rather long hallway. Thunder cracked coupled with angry shouts coming from the other side of the hall.

"What was that?" Miguel asked, accidentally grabbing a leverage. The ground shook and before Hector and I even could comprehend what Miguel just did...

We both were falling in a black void.

***

"Papa Hector! Angelita!" Miguel screamed as he stared at the spot where the two were suppose to be standing. Imelda jumped from the sudden scream of Hector and Angelita moments before they disappeared and a familiar fear came crawling back.

The fear that crawled on her spine every time she sees Hector in the Final Death Stage and his weak state during his recovery and the feeling of hopelessness that he might never wake up.

"We have to find them"

Miguel said before flashes of those who were long forgotten floated crazily around them. Grabbing her great great grandson by the hand and arming herself with her boot, Imelda charged across the moaning and groaning spirits that were filled with agony.

They came across a large door and before they could even open it, the door burst open and bright light shrouded their sight as Imelda stood over Miguel and the screams of the forgotten ones slowly faded into nothing.

Miguel felt himself being pulled in and he was there standing face to face with La Muerte and a darker entity beside her. Miguel eyed the entity suspiciously before La Muerte spoke, her voice full of authority yet a hint of softness and light to it.

"Miguel Rivera, I am pleased to find you here so soon before many more of the Forgotten Ones broke free"

Imelda gave La Muerte a confused look "What do you mean by "broke free"¿Y quien es este?" Imelda asked, pointing a bony finger to the entity who looked bored out of his mind.

La Muerte rolled her eyes and glared at him "He is Xibalba, he is the one in charge of the souls who have been forgotten" Miguel gaped but didn't make another word, he looked like the type of guy that doesn't give a second thought on who is being forgotten or not.

"Can you tell us why the forgotten ones had been like this?" Miguel asked as he waved his arms wildly. La Muerte frowned "Forgotten Ones like these are souls who had a hard life in their time in the living and when they are being forgotten, they try to find the peace each and every individual wished for as they slowly fade away. However, once the soul cannot find its  peace..."

"It tends to relive its moments where it did find peace and unfortunately, most of its peaceful days were violent"

Miguel shivered before Imelda asked another question "What has happened to my husband and Miguel's friend" La Muerte eyed the door separating them from the creatures outside.

"They are somewhere around the castle but to pinpoint their location with the souls running rampant around, it is hard"

Xibalba shrugged "They might as well be caught by Fallen Alebrijes" Miguel gave him a confused look.

"Why use the word fallen?"

"When an alebrijes' host has been forgotten, it can either be adopted to another family member or become a Fallen Alebrije to join with its host"

La Muerte explained and Xibalba added on with an amused grin on his face.

"They tend to be aggressive to other forgotten souls. Most likely your husband and friend are already encountering them now"

***

"¡Corre más rápido!"

"I can't! You know I'm lanky in structure!"

"How can someone with such tall legs run slow?!"

Currently me and Hector are being chased off by alebrijes and let me tell you...they're not the friendly time.

Also, their skin color is a bit duller than Dante and Pepita's and I'm quite sure those aren't the alebrijes we normally see in the Land of the Dead.

How we got into this mess?

Well, after Miguel accidentally pulled a lever, Hector and I were being transported to the basement which was filled with photos of almost everyone including those who were forgotten.

When we try to find our way around the castle, Hector accidentally stumbled upon a lonely alebrije and Hector took the initiative to try and talk to them.

Bad idea of the day.

"We have to find a way out!" I screamed. I know the souls of the dead are whay draws the attention of these creatures and will most likely leave me alone but I could not leave Hector alone.

We screeched to a stop when we came upon a dead end. Growls from behind made us froze and we pressed ourselves to the wall "You can make a run for it. They won't hurt you" Hector said and I gave him an incredulous look.

"I am not leaving you Hector. You are part of Miguel's family and I don't want him sad to see the fact that he lost his Papa Hector to this!"

If skeletons can cry, Papa Hector sure felt phantom tears race down his boney cheeks as he stared at Angelita that was fiercely staring at the alebrijes with the look that could burn a person through.

She would really make a great wife to Miguel.

They both tensed up as the alebrijes closed in on them.

***

A loud scream made Miguel jump and whip his head towards the door and he swore he felt his bones freeze to death.

He knew that scream.

Imelda also tensed up at the frightened scream. It sounded like it was going to be devoured by something. La Muerte and Xibalba stayed silent before Miguel dashed out.

"Miguel!" Imelda shouted at him to come back but her screams fall deaf at his ears as he raced towards the echoing screams that was getting fainter and fainter by the minute.

"ANGELITA!"