The end of an era draws near: two siblings who hate each other and could never resolve their differences.
After this terrible end, Tlaloc renounces his role as the sun and decides to marry another goddess named Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of lakes and streams, a goddess perfectly suited to Tlaloc. And this goddess, seeing that the sun's place was empty, proclaimed herself the new sun. With the help of Quetzalcoatl, they recreated life on Earth, but this time with something different: humans were part fish, and this would bring new problems from Tezcatlipoca.
Years blew past like the wind, and the earth enjoyed an era of tranquility under the new Sun, but troubles do not vanish overnight. Years after his defeat, Quetzalcoatl isolated himself far from his siblings to refine his powers. He had grown exceedingly powerful and could command his new abilities with mastery. Furthermore, his brother XIPETOTEC had crafted him a conch shell necklace, bestowing upon him authority over the winds to conjure hurricanes. Quetzalcoatl now wandered through TOMOANCHAN without a fixed destination, occasionally visiting the new Sun and speaking with his other siblings.
A thousand years of peace had elapsed upon the mortal earth, and the deities resolved to celebrate this monumental milestone, as the Fourth Sun had accomplished the unthinkable. Though minor disasters had occurred over the centuries, everything seemed serene; mortals offered sacrifices to the gods, and nothing more transpired. Life was remarkably monotonous, yet no one gave it much thought. At the grand celebration feast, all the Nahua deities assembled, and the three primary siblings stood conversing.
XIPETOTEC: What a magnificent celebration! It seems Tlaloc's wife is doing an exemplary job, don't you think?
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: I remain uncertain. Some gods claim this new iteration of humanity falls short of our expectations given their physical forms. Moreover, several disasters have occurred that the new Sun has been unable to resolve.
QUETZALCOATL: Come now, brothers, do not be so harsh! She is performing admirably. I suspect those rumors are being spread by Tezcatlipoca.
XIPETOTEC: You think so? Our brother hasn't been seen for many years.
QUETZALCOATL: I no longer consider him our brother. He is plotting something immense, I can feel it. During my last clash with him, I caught him speaking with Mictlantecuhtli.
Both siblings were visibly stunned by this revelation.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: What?! The God of the Dead speaking with a god? Everyone dreads him—why would Tezcatlipoca converse with him?!
XIPETOTEC: Brother, are you absolute in what you say? We must bring this before the other gods so we can prepare ourselves!
QUETZALCOATL: Absolutely certain. We must act swiftly before this spirals out of our control, but let us deliberate on this in the morning, please. Remind me first thing tomorrow, but for tonight, let us celebrate! Hey, bring more pulque over here, hahaha!
A mysterious woman approached the siblings, offering them pulque.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: Hold on, I haven't seen you around these lands before. Who are you?
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: Greetings, my name is Coatlicue. I am new here. The All-Parents created me recently, and today I come to serve your drinks. I hope you enjoy them.
XIPETOTEC: I believe I have heard of her. If you are new, your assistance is appreciated, sister.
QUETZALCOATL: You are very beautiful, sister, hehe.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: Hmph, exercise some restraint, Quetzalcoatl—it appears the pulque has already gotten to your head.
QUETZALCOATL: Nonsense! Let us continue drinking to this glorious day!
The night proceeded without incident. The gods made merry, with Quetzalcoatl drinking as if there were no tomorrow while the others looked on in mild embarrassment. Morning arrived, yet the sun failed to rise. "What is happening?" We shift to the Solar Palace, where in the bedchamber within, our dear Quetzalcoatl begins to awaken.
QUETZALCOATL: By my parents... what is all this?! My head hurts so much... Um, where am I?
A loud pounding suddenly echoes against the door of the Solar Palace. Quetzalcoatl jumps in alarm at the noise, and as he tries to rise, he notices someone lying beside him: it was the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue. Quetzalcoatl is completely stunned—she is entirely unclothed, and so is he. But greater still is his shock upon realizing he was no longer a man, but a woman; his form had changed. He wonders what on earth happened as vague memories flash in his mind of how he lay with his brother Tlaloc's wife.
He frantically attempts to dress himself just as the doors to the solar throne room are smashed open. All the gods storm in, and upon witnessing the scene, they are filled with disgust, realizing Quetzalcoatl was now a woman and had been intimate with Chalchiuhtlicue. Present among them was Tlaloc, who could barely process what was unfolding before his eyes; he felt utterly betrayed and heartbroken.
TLALOC: Woman! How could you do this to me?! And you, cursed Quetzalcoatl... what treason is this?! And why have you transformed into a woman?!
QUETZALCOATL: Wait! Let me explain! I truly don't know what happened—all I know is we were drinking, and then...
Out of nowhere, a booming laughter rings out, freezing everyone in their tracks. A thick black mist creeps through the Solar Palace beneath the feet of all the deities, and from the shadows enters Tezcatlipoca.
TEZCATLIPOCA: To think that the well-behaved Quetzalcoatl is now a woman and has dishonored her brother Tlaloc! hahaha, it's almost laughable!
QUETZALCOATL: YOU! What are you doing here?! I don't know how, but all of this is your doing, isn't it?!
TEZCATLIPOCA: Mine? But you were the one who got drunk and lost all self-control!
CHALCHIUHTLICUE: Tlaloc, I don't know what happened! Someone tricked us!
TEZCATLIPOCA: So says this fourth-rate goddess! Look at the state of the earth, BROTHERS! Do you truly believe this goddess deserves our forgiveness? Those humans she created alongside Quetzalcoatl—those abominations—are unworthy of our divine majesty. Would it not be far more practical to sacrifice her? What say you all? This abhorrent act committed between Quetzalcoatl and Chalchiuhtlicue is unforgivable!
Muffled murmurs erupt throughout the room as Quetzalcoatl finishes dressing and Chalchiuhtlicue buries herself beneath the bedsheets. All the gods exchange glances, debating what must be done.
TEZCATLIPOCA: Why do you hesitate, siblings? The choice is simple... (a malevolent grin spreads across his face)
Without warning, Tezcatlipoca lunges toward Quetzalcoatl. Wielding a war club that materialized out of thin air, Tezcatlipoca strikes Quetzalcoatl across the head with crushing force, blasting her clear out of the palace. The gathered gods stand frozen in shock. In his mind, Tezcatlipoca savors his long-awaited revenge against his sibling—but before the thought can fully form, a colossal serpent's tail lashes through the gap, wrapping around Tezcatlipoca and dragging him outside. It was Quetzalcoatl, fully transformed into a gargantuan winged serpent.
Tezcatlipoca wastes no time, assuming his humanoid jaguar form and expanding his size to engage Quetzalcoatl in battle.
Meanwhile, back inside the palace, Chalchiuhtlicue screams at everyone to get out. Her shrieks echo with such deafening power that the gods begin losing their hearing, leaving them no choice but to flee. As everyone vacates the Solar Palace, Chalchiuhtlicue bursts into uncontrollable sobs over the tragedy. Her tears flood the solar throne room, slamming the doors shut as the entire palace fills with water. Seating herself upon the Solar Throne, Chalchiuhtlicue summons the Sun once more, but from the throne room's balcony, water begins cascading down onto the mortal plane like a gigantic waterfall.
Down on the mortal ground below, the two deities clash violently. Quetzalcoatl attempts to coil her massive body around her brother to suffocate him, but Tezcatlipoca slashes with his claws, inflicting deep wounds to break free. Suddenly, Quetzalcoatl activates her necklace, using her serpent wings to whip up monstrous hurricanes that batter Tezcatlipoca. However, the true casualties are the helpless humans caught in the crossfire of these two gods—their battle obliterating the mortal realm while the rest of the pantheon watches the spectacle from TOMOANCHAN.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: This is bad. What are we going to do?! Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl are destroying the mortal plane, while Chalchiuhtlicue locked herself inside the Solar Throne and won't stop crying. Her tears have created a massive waterfall that is flooding the earth! What do we do now?!
XIPETOTEC: All we can do is watch how this battle unfolds and see what becomes of humanity.
TLALOC: I believe the most sensible action is to transform the humans into fish so they can survive this deluge. I don't think goddess Chalchiuhtlicue will stop weeping for many years to come. What on earth happened?! Who the hell is to blame for all of this?!
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: Something tells me Tezcatlipoca is at fault, since Quetzalcoatl told us he seems to have a deal with Mictlantecuhtli.
All the gods stand shocked by this revelation.
HUEHUETEOTL: Are you certain of what you're saying, Huitzilopochtli? That is a massive accusation!
XIPETOTEC: He told me as well. I trust my sister... or brother. Well, at this point, I don't even know what Quetzalcoatl is anymore.
While all the deities ponder those words, they watch the battle between the two siblings escalate. In their beast forms, the two divine beings are laying waste to all life on the planet. Simultaneously, planet Earth is gradually submerging beneath the water flowing from Chalchiuhtlicue's endless tears.
After a long time trading devastating blows, the two siblings revert to their human forms. They find themselves face-to-face on a small remaining island surrounded by jagged chasms carved out by their overwhelming power.
TEZCATLIPOCA: I see you've finally grown strong and brave! If only you had been like this back on that day, I wouldn't have lost my leg... But I've already exacted my revenge upon you. No one will ever believe you again after what you've done, hahaha!
QUETZALCOATL: You bastard! I know you did something to make me end up in bed with that woman and leave me trapped in this female form!
TEZCATLIPOCA: You're an idiot—you fail to see your own potential! Look closer at yourself: your power has surged in that form!
Quetzalcoatl examines herself, realizing it is true. She stands stunned, staring at her brother.
TEZCATLIPOCA: You're probably wondering what happened. Honestly, not much. I was the one who gave you the pulque; I was Coatlicue, and she is already dead. Do you remember the woman I sacrificed during our last clash? That was her! And your female form compelled you to release your peak authority, leaving you stuck like this. Even I don't know what you were thinking when you transformed like that, wahahahahahaha!
Quetzalcoatl stands frozen in shock, her mind spinning.
QUETZALCOATL: (furious) I will ask you one last thing: what are you plotting with Mictlantecuhtli?!
TEZCATLIPOCA: (with a malevolent grin) That... is a secret.
Without another word, Tezcatlipoca lunges at Quetzalcoatl. They grab hold of each other's hands, locking fingers with a grip so crushing that the very earth trembles. Still locked together, they trade brutal kicks. In the flurry, one kick strikes Quetzalcoatl squarely in the ribs, shattering her balance and forcing her to her knees.
Just as Tezcatlipoca prepares to thrust his hand forward like a spear straight into her heart, Quetzalcoatl reacts instinctively: a serpent tail bursts from her back, impaling Tezcatlipoca straight through the heart. However, Tezcatlipoca's strike had already landed on the left side of Quetzalcoatl's chest; thanks to her female form, the blow narrowly missed her vital organs.
Quetzalcoatl yanks her tail out of her brother's chest, causing a torrent of blood to spurt from Tezcatlipoca's body. Crippled by the fatal wound, he plunges into the dark abyss behind him—though not before ripping away Quetzalcoatl's necklace, the artifact that granted her control over hurricanes.
Overcome by her agonizing injuries, Quetzalcoatl collapses into unconsciousness.
Forty years pass following that catastrophic day. Throughout those four decades, Chalchiuhtlicue never ceased weeping, completely submerging the earth in water. The humans below were transformed into fish and other aquatic creatures so they could adapt to their new aquatic world.
We now shift to a modest dwelling built in TOMOANCHAN, where Quetzalcoatl begins to awaken, with her divine siblings standing by her side.
QUETZALCOATL: (sits up in bed) What on earth?! Where am I?!
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: Brother, you are in TOMOANCHAN, inside a home built by XIPETOTEC.
XIPETOTEC: It seems you are feeling better. You know... as for our brother Tezcatlipoca, we never found his body, and forty years have already passed.
QUETZALCOATL: Forty years?! It can't be... I was asleep for that long? No wonder my injuries have healed.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI: Yes. Right now, the Solar Throne stands vacant. Father and Mother refuse to restore humanity, and they dispatched the bones of creation to Mictlan so that the human race would never be created again—our parents believe they are cursed due to everything that transpired.
QUETZALCOATL: Curses... this cannot be! All of this is my fault and Tezcatlipoca's; humanity should not pay the price for this!
Overcome by immense remorse, Quetzalcoatl rises from bed and rushes to the sacred altar to confront their divine parents. Both turn their backs on Quetzalcoatl, and none of the remaining siblings offer support.
In a fit of rage, Quetzalcoatl curses their parents and siblings, swearing an oath to retrieve the bones of creation and bring humanity back to life without anyone's help. Quetzalcoatl immediately departs for the entrance of the Underworld to face the Lord of Mictlan, Mictlantecuhtli.
QUETZALCOATL, possessing the powers of a god, swiftly arrives before Mictlantecuhtli, who sits on a throne in the shadows, where only his silhouette is visible. Quetzalcoatl immediately demands the bones of creation.
QUETZALCOATL: Lord of Mictlan! Surrender the bones of creation so that humanity may rise once more!
MICTLANTECUHTLI: WAHAHAHAHA! Do not make me laugh, third-rate deity! By what right do you stand before me to demand such a thing?! After you slaughtered all of humanity with your own hands over a petty family feud?! Please, how pathetic can you be?!
QUETZALCOATL: I know... I know I am pathetic! But they are blameless! (falls to knees and bows head) I beg of you... humanity should not suffer for my arrogance!
MICTLANTECUHTLI: Hmm... I think you're sincere. I'll give you a chance, but my current self won't be the one to judge you. Besides, this world is already doomed, ha, ha, ha, ha.
QUETZALCOATL: (lifts head in shock) What did you say?!
MICTLANTECUHTLI fires a beam of energy, casting Quetzalcoatl into a swirling portal. Before QUETZALCOATL disappears, MICTLANTECUHTLI roars that they will have to traverse all of Mictlan once more, but stripped of much of their power.
Just as Quetzalcoatl was pulled through the portal, their brother HUEHUETEOTL appears, demanding that the God of Death release his sibling. Instead, Mictlantecuhtli seizes HUEHUETEOTL and hurls him into the portal as well, sending both siblings through space and time.
Upon awakening, the two deities find themselves in a realm entirely alien to anything they knew. Before them stands a dark cavern bearing a sign that reads: Mictlan.
Just before they enter, a very familiar figure appears: BELL, who had arrived to greet the newcomers. The gods fail to understand this being's true nature; after a brief exchange, they sense his hostile intentions and adopt a defensive stance.
Perceiving their hostility, BELL provokes HUEHUETEOTL into a fight while shoving QUETZALCOATL aside. The sheer intensity of his power triggers a reaction from MICTLANTECUHTLI: a bolt of crimson lightning strikes from the blood-red sky above, enveloping HUEHUETEOTL. A booming voice declares that for his meddling, he shall be imprisoned within a cursed forest, and HUEHUETEOTL vanishes into thin air.
BELL merely laughs, vanishing instantly while looking down on Quetzalcoatl. Shaken yet determined, Quetzalcoatl enters Mictlan to fulfill the mission.
We witness Quetzalcoatl enduring the trials of Mictlan countlessly, falling into numerous traps and constantly being sent back to the beginning. After a long time, Quetzalcoatl meets Fausto, caring for him and leaving him in a shelter to survive on his own before moving forward. Upon reaching a deep cavern, Quetzalcoatl falls into another one of Mictlantecuhtli's traps, trapping Quetzalcoatl within a pit and sealing their form into that of a man—the rest is history.
In the Present Day
Quetzalcoatl finishes recollecting the past, surging forward with renewed resolve to face the incoming enemy forces. Deeply troubled by the unfolding chaos, the goddess ponders: "How did my brother reach this place? And what dark pact does he hold with Mictlantecuhtli?"
Meanwhile, we turn our gaze toward MALEKIN, who is channeling lightning from his hands and obliterating enemy ranks while the Jaguar General watches on... but that shall unfold in the next chapter!