Jaguar

Chapter 2: The Golden City

When the light receded, I found myself in a strange place. Towering skyscrapers of gold glinted in the light. High above me, cars zipped by either being flying cars or using an invisible road. But my money was on the flying cars. A woman with brownish-red skin and black hair, and wearing a white robe, approached me.

"Hello, Avatar, it is an honor to meet you," she greeted me. "I am Kaya, the High Elder on the council of Elders. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to Dorado, the City of Gold."

"Dorado, I think Anna mentioned that name," I responded, I was in awe as I looked around.

"Anna? You mean the previous Avatar of the Jaguar Spirit, don't you?"

"Yes, but she's insisting for me to call her that since I apparently 'can't comprehend her real name.'"

Kaya chuckled. "Yes, no doubt she has much disdain towards those of European descent. As I'm sure you know the reason why."

"She also said that I could enter Dorado at will, but I wasn't thinking of this place when I exited the temple."

"We have the ability to bring you here if necessary, whether you wish it or not. And we needed to tend to your companions' injuries and memories. They will remain in a comatose state until we send you all back to the surface."

"I get tending their wounds. But memories? Like brainwashing?" I gave her a confused look as she led me down a flight of stairs to a large, towering fountain.

"More like false memory implantation. The healers will erase their memories of what really happened in the temple and they will be given a new recounting of events and evidence in support of the new recollection. Here, drink this." She gave me a vial she had dipped in the water following her explanation.

"Is this...?" I allowed my question, mostly unasked, to hang in the air.

"Yes. The Fountain of Youth can heal any wound, as long as you can reach it. It is what also gives the survivors of the Matawan Empire supernatural longevity. It won't necessarily have that effect on you though, as an Avatar, but it will heal your injuries." With a nod, I drank the water from the vial, immediately feeling rejuvenated, all my pain having vanished.

"So what aren't you telling me about the reason I'm here?" Ever since I'd met her, my Enhanced Perception and Awareness had been on high alert.

"Come with me." Her response was somewhere between a request and a demand. But I followed her anyways. She led me into a nearby building that reminded me of a martial arts dojo. Along each wall was a total of twelve statues: a jaguar, a chameleon, a butterfly or a moth, a mammoth, a monkey, an owl, a frog, a snake, a large fish, an otter, an elk, and a wolf. There was a crevice below the head of each statue, but only two had something in them. There were amulets similar to mine in the crevices of the chameleon and mammoth statues. "As you can see, there are more amulets like your own, eleven more to be exact. And 11 more Avatars."

"Alright. But what does that have to do with me?"

"When the amulets were first created, they were used to seal away an evil spirit named Ataros, the Spirit of Chaos and Destruction. The Avatars then continued to protect our empire against his influence. But four Avatars and their amulets became corrupted by his power, the Fer de Lance Avatar and Amulet, the Poison Dart Frog Avatar and Amulet, the Arapaima Avatar and Amulet, and the Wolf Avatar and Amulet. Since then, Ataros has been growing stronger and your finding of the Jaguar Amulet was the final push. You have to find the other amulets, while we find their avatars. When you arrive back to the United States, there will be a book in your possession, detailing each amulet which will allow you to find them."

"So what should I do while I wait?"

"Learn more about what you can do as the Jaguar Avatar. Stop some crimes, save some people. Whatever those 'superheroes' can do."

"Ok...I can do that. I think."

"Before you go, there's one last warning I must give you."

"What is it?"

"The twelve amulets are created by Kalio, the Spirit of Creation and Order. Ataros created eight similar amulets and avatars. You will face them eventually. Like you, they will try to find the other amulets and corrupt the ones that haven't been yet. They will seek to release Ataros and help him destroy the world. You must stop them, the Dark Avatars and Ataros, or the world as you know it will be destroyed."

"Great, the fate of the world is in my hands," I responded sardonically.

"Precisely. We are still locating the Mammoth Avatar but the Chameleon Avatar is in New York City, a student at Empire State University. Her name is Fatima Yusuf."

"I know her. She's a math major, we only have a few classes together."

"It is time for you to go. We will meet again soon."

The bright light filled my vision once more. When it receded, I found myself and the others near the airport with all our luggage. I looked around, surprised to see ourselves in JFK International. We walked as a group towards the exit. I was uncharacteristically quiet, contemplating my next moves following the revelations in Dorado. But the docs and Brad were chatting animatedly. With halfhearted goodbyes and "see you in class"-es, I made way to my apartment in Lower Manhattan.

Thankfully, none of my roommates and best friends were home, so I just locked myself in my bedroom. I placed my suitcase by my closet and then poured out my bag. Out tumbled with my own possessions, an ancient-looking tome and a small jaguar statue like the one that the Elders of Dorado gave Dr. Montgomery to go along with the cover story they placed in her head. I placed the statue at the far end of the room, images of the stone jaguars in the temple popping in my head. I shook off the memory and sat on my bed.

I picked up the tome and opened it up. At first glance, it's dry, stiff pages looked blank, but then I noticed a soft golden orb that traveled across the page, leaving writing in its wake. I read about the rise and subsequent fall of Dorado and the Matawan Empire. I read about Kalio, the Spirit of Creation and Order and how she was paramount to the creation of the universe and how she created the amulets for the Matawan Empire to protect them from her brother, Ataros, and their future enemies. One passage detailed each amulet, their appearance mainly, and even had detailed illustrations of them. The last thing I read was a detailed account of how the four Avatars and Amulets were corrupted.

I felt something hard and solid brush against my leg. I lowered the book to see the stone jaguar had grown to the size of the Temple Guardian ones and was moving about the room. Reflexively, I leapt up to the ceiling, my claws sinking into the plaster and drywall.

"What the f—"