El Tigre: Redemption

"Well, this is awkward."

-Ulrich "Blitz" von Krieger

Chapter 11

"It's not too late to turn back."

Blitz and Frida stood at the edge of the foothills, where the ground began to rise. Frida pshawed Blitz's remark.

"Turn back? Look at the big, bad assassin, afraid of a little mountain."

"You call that little?" Blitz pointed at the mountain looming above them. Mount Tartarus was indeed intimidating.

"It's our only lead so far," Frida said, "Especially since the Black Shrine was a bust." Frida clapped her hands together. "Welp, let's get to climbing."

"Wait a minute."

Frida groaned. "What is it with you and this mountain?"

"No, it's not that!" Blitz said. "That!" He motioned for Frida to look into the distance. Not all too far away from them was a small shack.

"We should check it out," Blitz suggested. "You never know; the Crown could be in there."

"You're just putting off going up the mountain," Frida grumbled, but followed the assassin anyway.

Once they reached the shack, Frida could sense the power emanating from inside.

Maybe Bonehead was right…

"Do you feel that?" Blitz asked. Even he could sense it. Frida nodded.

Carefully, they made their way inside. Frida gasped at the surprisingly familiar sight, one she hadn't seen in a long time. A bowl of water sat before them, with hundreds of images streaming through its depths. Behind the bowl was a large chair, and in the chair sat a skeletal man with a wild mane of Einstein-ian grey hair.

"Dude, it's that Prophet guy!" Frida stated. "I always wondered what happened to him."

"Apparently he died." Blitz surmised.

The Prophet looked up at his new visitors, but seemed to be staring past them. "All paths converge…"

"Hey, Prophet Guy!" Frida waved. "It's me Frida! The special one? Are you still going on about the weather?"

"All paths converge, the dead shall rise…" The Prophet continued in a monotone.

"I don't think he's all there, kid," Blitz said.

"Well, he is a Prophet," Frida said. "Maybe he's Propheting."

"You mean prophesying? I suppose he could be."

The Prophet went on. "The chrysalis will form…"

"What's a chrysalis?" asked Frida.

"Butterfly cocoon." Blitz answered. "What the hell is he going on about?"

Frida walked up to the Prophet. "Hey! Do you know where the Crown is?"

"The chrysalis will form…and evil will be reborn…"

"He's just spouting nonsense." Blitz dismissed with a wave. "Let's go."

As Blitz left, Frida looked the Prophet in the eye sockets one last time, but this time, he actually seemed to see her.

"Evil will be reborn," he cautioned, then bowed his head, contemplating the bowl of water.

Frida frowned, then followed Blitz outside.

"Okay, so we're not just looking for a way up," Blitz started, looking up at the mountain and sighing, "We also need a way in. If the Crown's there, it'll be close to the pit inside. At least that's where I'd put it…if I were psychotic…"

Frida went into a coughing fit, and Blitz shot her a glare.

"It seems I've caught you just in time!"

Frida and Blitz turned to see a welcome sight. It was Antonio, coming in for the landing.

"Hey, Antonio!" Frida called out. Blitz acknowledged him with a nod.

"I see you have found our mutual friend the Prophet," Antonio remarked, gesturing to the shack.

"He's a special one, isn't he?" Blitz asked.

Antonio shook his head. "He has not handled death well."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Frida asked Antonio.

He nodded. "I did." He motioned behind him, revealing more souls who had followed him.

Frida gasped. "The Riveras!"

Indeed it was the Rivera family, at least the deceased members; the original El Tigre, Dark Leopard, Golden Leon, the Mighty Cheetar, Justice Jaguar, and even…

"White Pantera!" It was Blitz's turn to gasp. "Well, this is awkward."

"Are you sure we can trust him?" White Pantera asked Antonio, eyeing Blitz warily.

"Jeez, you kill a guy once," Blitz chuckled. Both Frida and White Pantera glared at him. "What? Too soon?"

Addressing White Pantera, Antonio said, "I do not know. That would be a question I would ask this young lady here. After all, she has spent the most time with him."

All eyes, or the lack of them, were on Frida. She fidgeted around, trying to come up with an answer.

"He's cool…I guess…"

Antonio clapped his hands. "That's all I needed to hear!"

There was a general murmur of consensus amongst the Riveras.

"So what's the plan then?" asked the first El Tigre.

"I believe La Corona lies within this mountain," Antonio declared.

"Told ya," Frida gloated, elbowing Blitz.

"And several sources have confirmed that Doña Ultima herself was headed here, to Mount Tartarus. Riveras, Frida, Blitz, we go into that mountain facing great danger."

"Ha!" Golden Leon bellowed. "Rivera men laugh at danger!"

The other Riveras roared in agreement.

"Bring it on!" Frida cried.

"Eh, I've got nothing better to do," Blitz said nonchalantly.

"Good," Antonio smiled. "Let's go."

Meanwhile…at the Miracle City Military Base…

Dr. Espadas surveyed his prisoners. There was no cell; they were in a large, open room, but all of them were restrained by crimson magic, floating in the air at the mad doctor's mercy. There were Maria, Mer, and Trina, as well as John and Meredith, along with survivors of the massacre at the volcano, such as Dodge and Lash Inferno. There was also Puma Loco, sombrero-less. But the atmosphere was not right for a happy reunion.

A soldier ran up to Espadas, imparted some information to him, then quickly left. El Santo Nuevo turned to his "collection."

"Where is the boy?" he demanded. "Four objects, four locations. We found pests in three locations, but not the fourth. I'll ask again: Where. Is. The. Boy?"

He swept his arm, bringing Maria closer to him.

"I don't know!" she cried. "And if I did, I would never tell you!"

Espadas tsked Maria, then sent her floating away. "No matter, I have everything I need. Soon I will be a god, and you shall all become public examples of what happens to blasphemers."

"Don't listen to him!" Mer called out to everyone. "He's afraid! He's afraid because he knows Manny can stop him! He wouldn't be looking for him if he wasn't!"

Espadas brought Mer closer. "You would place your faith…in a child?"

Mer grinned. "I've seen that kid kick plenty of ass."

The doctor nodded. "Very well then." He opened the Tome of Torment, and from its pages, he extracted the Sword. "This Sword is called the Godslayer, because it is the only thing that can truly kill a god. I'll make sure to keep an eye on it once I achieve godhood myself." Espadas admired the blade, swinging it around a few times.

"But, use it on a mortal soul, and you erase that soul completely. No Land of the Dead, no afterlife. Just nothingness."

He drove the Sword straight through Mer's chest.

"MER!" Trina cried out.

The doctor used magic to bring Mer closer, driving the blade deeper. He whispered in the gasping man's ear, "Taste oblivion."

With a sucking noise, he withdrew the Sword. The magic that held up Mer dissipated, and he fell motionless to the ground. Everyone was silent, save for Trina, who was sobbing.

Espadas wiped the blade. "He learned what happens when you defy a god! And soon you shall all learn!"

With that, Espadas turned and left the stunned prisoners.