#maize the snake

[smiley-maize]

Biiiiig yawn

[stranwyne]

This is Maize. He is somehow a real animal that lives in my house.

Look at this thing

(Disclaimer: Maize has a jaw deformity and sometimes likes to hold his mouth open. He does not have a respiratory illness. He's just a weird lookin guy)

[whencyclopedia]

Quetzalcóatl

Quetzalcóatl (pron. Quet-zal-co-at) or 'Plumed Serpent' was one of the most important gods in ancient Mesoamerica. Quetzalcóatl was the god of winds and rain, and the creator of the world and humanity. A mix of bird and rattlesnake, his name is a combination of the Nahuatl words quetzal (the emerald plumed bird) and coatl (serpent).

In Central Mexico from 1200, the feathered serpent god was considered the patron god of priests and merchants as well as the god of learning, science, agriculture, crafts and the arts. He also invented the calendar, was identified with the Morning Star Venus, the rising morning star, he was associated with opossums and even discovered corn (maize) with the help of giant red ant that led him to a mountain packed full of grain and seeds. He was known as Kukulkán to the Maya, Gucumatz to the Quiché of Guatemala, and Ehecatl to the Gulf Coast Huastecs.

Quetzalcóatl was the son of the primordial androgynous god Ometeotl. In Aztec mythology he was the brother of Tezcatlipoca, Huizilopochtli and Xipe Totec. He is the 9th of the 13 Lords of the Day and is often associated with the rain god Tláloc. The god was particularly associated with the sacred site of Cholula, an important place of pilgrimage from 1200, and all round buildings of the Aztec culture were dedicated to the deity.

A Creator God

In the Late Postclassical period (from 1200) in Central Mexico the god came to be strongly associated with the wind (in particular as a bringer of rain clouds) and as the creator god Ehecatl-Quetzalcóatl. In Postclassical Nahua tradition Quetzalcóatl is also the creator of the cosmos along with either his brother Tezcatlipoca or Huitzilopochtli and is one of the four sons of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacihuatl, the original creator gods. After waiting for 600 years this aged couple instructed Quetzalcóatl to create the world. In some versions of the myth Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca repeatedly fight each other and as a consequence the four ages are created and destroyed with each successive battle between the two gods.

In an alternative version of creation Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca are more cooperative and together they create the sun, the first man and woman, fire and the rain gods. The pair of gods had created the earth and the sky when they transformed themselves into huge snakes and ripped in two the female reptilian monster known as Tlaltcuhtli (or Cipactli), one part becoming the earth and the other the sky. Trees, plants and flowers sprang from the dead creature's hair and skin whilst springs and caves were made from her eyes and nose and the valleys and mountains came from her mouth. In some versions of the story the divine spirit of Cipactli was understandably upset to have lost her physical body in such a brutal attack and the only way to appease her was through the sacrifice of blood and hearts and so one of the more unpalatable practices of ancient Mesoamerican culture, the ritual of human sacrifice, was justified.

Continue reading...

[blackhistorystoryteller]

AFRICAN PROVERBS AND THEIR MEANINGS

This is a message to my black brothers and sisters

Learn about African proverbs and know your culture is filled with poetry

1) Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.

Meaning: You don’t jump straight into a situation without thinking about it first.

2) Knowledge is like a garden: If it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.

Meaning: If you don’t make efforts to acquire knowledge then you would not expect to have it and if you do not put the knowledge you have to use, you cannot expect to gain anything from it.

3) Sugarcane is sweetest at its joint.

Meaning: Good and sweet things of life may appear difficult to achieve but in the end, it is worth it.

4) If you offend, ask for a pardon; if offended forgive.

Meaning: This is as simple as it sounds: If you upset someone, apologise to him or her. If someone upsets you, forgive him or her because what goes around, comes around.

5) Don’t set sail using someone else’s star.

Meaning: Avoid copying someone else. Just because someone has been successful in what he/she does should not be what will make you to do the same thing and expect to be successful.

6) The best way to eat an elephant in your path, is to cut him up into little pieces.

Meaning: The best approach to solving a problem is to take it bit by bit; one at a time.

7) A restless feet may walk into a snake pit.

Meaning: If someone is busy doing nothing or is involved in what he does not know about, it is easy for him/her to get into trouble.

8) A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches.

Meaning: You can easily foresee the future of something through the character and tell-tale signs it exhibits today.

9) After a foolish deed comes remorse.

Meaning: Feeling sorry always follows a foolish act.

10) A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness.

Meaning: What goes around, comes around so whatever you sow, you shall reap.

11) He who does not know one thing knows another.

Meaning: No one knows everything, but everyone knows something.

12) A roaring lion kills no one.

Meaning: You cannot achieve or gain anything by mere sitting around and just talking about it.

13) Do not call the forest that shelters you a jungle.

Meaning: Do not insult someone who is taking care of your responsibility or taking care of you.

14) When a king has good counsellors, his reign is peaceful.

Meaning: What defines a man is the circumstances and people around him and if they are good, he turns out good.

15) It takes a whole village to raise a child.

Meaning: The society is responsible for the moral characters it creates and everyone in a community should be responsible for helping to train a child irrespective of who the parents are; offering correction where they are needed.

16) If a child washes his hands he could eat with kings.

Meaning: If you prepare and allow yourself to be well trained when you have the opportunity, you will achieve a lot and be favoured in due course.

17) The Rain does not fall on one roof.

Meaning: Trouble comes to everyone at one time or another.

18) Life is like a mist or a shadow; it quickly passes by.

Meaning: Life is too short, and you only live it once.

19) Wherever a man goes to dwell, his character goes with him.

Meaning: What defines a man is his character which is, inseparable from him and follows him everywhere he goes.

20) Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.

Meaning: Don’t look at your mistakes; look at what caused your mistakes, otherwise you may repeat the same mistake again.

He who sees an old hag squatting should leave her alone; who knows how she breathes?

Meaning: You should never interfere in someone's issues, particularly when you do not know anything about them.

Anger against a brother is felt on the flesh, not in the bone. Meaning: You should forget and forgive anything your relatives did to you.

Maize bears fruits once and dies because it is not rooted in the ground. Meaning: You will never get to the top and stay prosperous without a good foundation.

He who will swallow the 'udala' seed must consider the size of his stomach. Meaning: 'Udala' seed is an apple seed. It is never digested in the stomach

[talonabraxas]

Quetzalcoatl Talon Abraxas

Quetzalcoatl: "precious feathered serpent" from quetzalli, “precious feather,” and coatl, “snake”

The Story of Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl was born of the virgin Chinmalman in the Toltec city of Tollan. The God Above Gods known as “The Morning” descended and breathed upon her, and she conceived. She died when giving birth, and went to the heaven of heroes who died in battle and women who died in childbirth.

Her son was born able to speak and was filled with knowledge and wisdom. He was fair skinned and when grown had a white beard. He became the priest-king of Tollan and brought the nation great prosperity and peace. He taught his people all the arts, music, and dance; he established the priesthood and created the Aztec calendar; he reformed the religious practices and outlawed human sacrifice; he domesticated animals, discovered maize, and more.

His temple-palace was of four sections: the East was golden; the South was white with shells and pearls; the West, blue of turquoise and jade; and the North, red of bloodstone. A giant river that flowed through Tollan passed directly under this palace so that Quetzalcoatl could descend every night to bathe in its pure waters.

After a lifetime work for his people, the time came for his predestined fall and he did not evade it.

The reforms that he had brought had made him many enemies. Those who practiced human sacrifices plotted to do away with Quetzalcoatl. But they knew that if they killed him he would gain more followers so they planned to discredit him.

To his palace came a young magician named Tezcatlipoca carrying a mirror wrapped in rabbit skin (the animal who is seen in the Moon). He said to the palace servants, “Tell your master I am here to show him his own flesh.”

When Quetzalcoatl received him, the youth uncovered the mirror and said, “Look upon yourself! See yourself as you are seen!”

When Quetzalcoatl saw his aged and sore-ridden face, he was appalled and wondered how any could see him without shock.

Tezcatlipoca had brought a potion made from the agave plant by the goddess Mayahuel (the alcoholic drink pulque); he offered it the aged king and said it would make him young again, but Quetzalcoatl claimed he was ill and would not drink it. But Tezcatlipoca pressed him merely to taste it with the tip of his finger; he did so, and was overcome. He took the bowl and drank and became drunk. He then called for his sister Quetzalpetlatl who also drank of the potion and was overcome. The two then sank together in a fit of drunken passion, and Quetzalcoatl fell into disgrace.

At dawn, the humiliated king said, “I have sinned. I am not fit to rule.” He burned his palace, buried his treasures in the earth, and left.

"And so greatly did (the Toltecs) believe in their priest Quetzalcoatl, and so greatly obedient and given to the things of their God, and so fearful of God, all believed in Quetzalcoatl when he left Tula... And so much did they trust Quetzalcoatl that they went with him; they entrusted upon him their wives, their children, their sick ones. They stood up, they set off, the old men, the old women, no one ceased to obey; all set off." - Chimalpopoca Codex

After awhile, he stopped to rest and looked back at the City of the Sun, Tollan, and he wept. His tears went into the rock, and he left there an imprint of his sitting and his palms.

In his journeys, he had many adventures and misfortunes. Most notably, he made an arrow of a pochotl tree and fired it into another pochotl tree, forming the sign of Quetzalcoatl: a cross.

Thus he passed though the land leaving many signs and marks behind him until he arrived at the place where the land, sky, and water come together. He then sailed away on a raft of serpents. In another version of the story he cast himself into a funeral pyre; from the burning body his heart escaped, and after four days he reappeared as the Morning Star.

From then it was said that he would return from the East with a fair-faced retinue to resume his reign, restoring Tollan to its lost glory.

-Aztec Christic Magic

[gorjee-art]

Hello! Big fan of your art. You've answered one of thw questions on my ask before, about the True Prophets of the Crown's, and here's my interpretation of them, if you don't mind!

I try to put in some symbol association on them that correspends to the crown they're holding. I dunno if you'll notice it or not, just in case in the future I get blocked from interacting from your blog by some bug, so here the bits are:

Stag of Order: Not much symbols that means order, so I put in the Zodiac symbol for Balance, Libra, on the shirt, the closest thing.

Cow of Harvest: She's surrounded by the fruits of her harvest, a wooden basket full of food freshly harvested and her arm full of maize plants (rice?).

Dove of Peace: She carries an olive branch, the symbol associated with doves and peace. She also has crescent and full moons on her shawl there.

Snakes of Healing: Fun one! I went with the Ascleipus symbol of a snake on a staff, because he's the Greek god of healing and snakes are his thing, but you mentioned snakes in plural so I wonder if you're also one of those that you confused with Caduceus, Hermes's symbol instead. So I put three snakes together, add some wings to the staff, and voilà, Snakes.

Please enjoy it, have a good month come to you, drink water and eat vegetables daily.

Oooh my goooood!!! This makes me so happy! You perfectly envisioned what I had in mind!!! Including the symbolism I wanted to use! Oh I'm geeking so much, fanning myself currently, the only thing that I didn't perfectly envision is the Snakes of Healing! Why I used plural is because...they have multiple heads on one body! Just as you've said they were inspired by the Caduceus! BUT THREE? ...makes it all the better, it incorporates both of the symbols and makes it more the fun! Oooohhh this is such a lovely morning present I'm so giddy with joy...I must doodle them in the future with all the ornate bits and pieces I wanted to give them, but UGH I'm so happy.

[artifacts-archive]

Relief with Maize Goddess (Chicomecóatl)

Aztec

1440-1521

The relief panel of the maize goddess Chicomecóatl may have been set into an altar. Chicomecóatl controlled the positive and negative powers of growth and famine. Her elaborate headdress is topped by two ears of corn. In her right hand, she holds a snake-shaped rattle staff, used to penetrate and fertilize the soil.

source

[snake-spotted]

Maize for u. And also... his little, less silly brother Riften

snake spotted!!!! thank u so much, Maize and Riften are sooo cute!!! they are so squiggly <3

[santoschristos]

Quetzalcoatl, The Sun God

Quetzalcoatl: "precious feathered serpent" from quetzalli, “precious feather,” and coatl, “snake

The marvelous work of our Lord Quetzalcoatl should be chiseled with gold upon divine marble. . .

Friends, the hour in which we must revolt against ourselves has arrived. The hour in which we must transform ourselves has arrived. The moment in which we must open ancient codices of Anahuac and know the serpentine wisdom of our Lord Quetzalcoatl has arrived.

Hail to the Lord Quetzalcoatl! Hail to the Lord Quetzalcoatl! Hail to the Lord Quetzalcoatl!

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Do you happen to know about Boa Imperator (BCI) localities? I'm interested in getting one in the near future but I really don't want to end up with a Boa longer than 6ft. I heard some localities are more dwarf sized than others.

I'll do my own research, of course, I'm just curious if you have anything to say about them :)

Sure do, here are the average sizes you'll usually find in BCIs. These are averages, of course, so there are exceptions to every rule, and captive-bred locality boas are usually outcrossed to hell and back, so they're not hard-and-fast guides. When buying a boa constrictor, I always recommend asking the breeder how big the parents are.

Anyway, BCI localities -

Your general BCIs from Belize, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Paraguay are your average-sized ones, you can usually expect an adult that's 5-8 feet but 12-foot maximums do happen.

Cay Caulker, Sonoran Desert (and Tarahumara mountains), Isla de Maize, Hog Island, and Crawl Cay are your dwarf localities. They usually max out at 3-5 feet.

Nicuragua boas tend to fall somewhere in the middle, they're not quite as small as the really teeny localities but they're smaller than other BCIs. You can usually expect a 4-6 foot adult.

If you're looking for a snake that's on the smaller side, make sure to get a male, the difference can be substantial. I have a male Colombian who's nearly 9 feet long, but he's the exception that proves the rule; male BCIs rarely get over 7 feet long no matter the locality.

It's worth noting that dwarf locality BCIs are stereotyped as being a bit snappier than full-size BCIs, and that's not entirely without reason; smaller snakes tend to be more defensive. It's worth going out of your way to pick out a baby with a good temperament if you opt for a dwarf locality!

All the best!

[crossdreamers]

Report from a young Ugandan lesbian refugee in Kenya.

Nakafeero Swabulah is an activist leader of lesbians advocating for support for vulnerable lesbians and children. Nakafeero is currently living in the Kenya Kakuma refugee camp. We present her story and some of the political and cultural context.

The Kenya Kakuma refugee camp

The camp, which is located in the north-west corner of Kenya,  consists of four parts (Kakuma I-IV), and is managed by the Kenyan government and the Kenyan Department of Refugee Affairs in collaboration with the UNHCR.   

New arrivals normally receive one piece of reinforced plastic 4 by 5 meters with which to construct their shelter. As Nakafeero will explain below, this is not a safe environment.

Escaping from the homophobia in Uganda

Nakafeero has escaped from Uganda, a country where the government is doing everything in its power to scapegoat and persecute LGBTQ people.

 Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda, even if a 2016 court ruling found the 2014 Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act invalid on procedural grounds.  

Ugandan Members of Parliament have recently reintroduced an anti-LGBTQ bill. Homosexuality is described a “cancer”.  

The parliament is currently investigating what it calls “the festering of homosexual activities” in schools. This is a classic example of homophobic and transphobic hysteria, where the culture stigmatizes queer people, leading people to try to “protect” kids from gay people, leading to more oppression. 

The idea is that kids are lured into becoming queer, arguments similar to the ones presented by right wing extremists and TERFs in Europe and North America. This vicious circle is particularly strong in a country like Uganda, partly because the family structure plays such an important role in peoples’ lives.

Ironically, the anti-LGBTQ activists in Uganda claim that the acceptance of gay and trans people is a “foreign” Western idea. The fact is that it is the homophobia and transphobia that has been imported from the colonial powers of the past. Homosexual relations were accepted and commonplace in pre-colonial Ugandan society.

Nakafeero Swabulah has sent us the following report from the Kenya Kakuma refugee camp:

Living as a lesbian refugee in a camp in Kenya

By Nakafeero Swabulah

Kenya Kakuma refugee camp it's located in Kenya North Western Tulucana county. It has over 2000 LGBTQ refugees passing through, due to the homophobic situation and the many challenges found here and in nearby countries. 

I would like to tell you about my situation and experience.

As a young lesbian I moved from my mother country Uganda because I was facing a lot of invalidation. Some even wanted to slaughter me like a goat because am a lesbian.

I am not willing to change what and who I am, even if that had been possible (which it is not).

The Ugandan president does not accept lesbians, gays or transgender people. My mother and my sister were both killed in our home by local people because they thought that was inside the house.  In Uganda lesbians are seen as devils right now. I have no one who can help me, so I decided to come to Kenya. 

People from Uganda are still looking for me and others like me. I thought that I would be safe in Kenya, but the situation right now is not good. This is why I want to seek asylum elsewhere.

This photo shows you where we sleep in the camp. The authorities have not provided shelters where we can at least sleep safely.  

At night we have been attacked by homophobic people. There are dangerous insects such as snakes and scorpions.

In the camp we are given one kilogram of millet, one of sorghum, one kilogram of maize and one cup of cookies oil per month. This isn’t enough for a week.

Kakuma is not a safe place for LGBTQ people.  We need help.

Nakafeero Swabulah and Giulia Sarro (photo above) are organising a fundraiser campaign to pay for food and sanitary pads for the lesbian refugees in the camp. 

You can support them here!

You can follow Nakafeero on twitter.

Photos provided by Nakafeero.

[smiley-maize]

Keeper....

It is my food day...

[stranwyne]

These are the same animal to me

[mmmmalo]

Mallek uses the equal sign as the word "is", a quirk which, when enacted upon the parallel lines in his name, begets the word Maizek. I'd previously thought this referred to magic, given the motif of disillusionment in the story, but now I suspect the point is "maize", as in corn. Couple points potentially to that effect:

One of the cereals in his apartment is FURY POPS (ty to @momestuck's old liveblog), a curious distortion of Corn Pops

Your hard landing on the asphalt in a Bad End is titled "Sweet Plant"

On the off chance that "Adalov" functioned as a distortion of "idol of", I ran a search for maize gods and found the paired (or else blurred) Aztec gods Centeotl and Chicomecoatl, whose names mean "dried maize on the cob" and "seven serpents", respectively. The latter maize god might explain Mallek's snake lusus.

More free associative: Native American connotations of the mohawk aside, Mallek's wisp of hair made me think of the silk atop ears of corn. So the matter of his ears being pierced, and his candy corn horns being pierced, gave me the sudden impression that Mallek's horns themselves were a piercing, looping through the ear of corn that is his head... the reading of horns as psychic antennae would color his interest in an underground space without a strong wireless signal, maybe

The "exploding buttery kernels" bit from Polypa's route also points towards to a weird cageyness around corn... as does the name "Konyyl", if we can read that as a distortion of kernel. Her last name Okimaw is also a Cree word for Chieftain, so the Native American connection to corn would persist... also weird how if you take her first name as Colonel it becomes two leadership titles in a row. Master Chief ass

[oddyssey77]

Endless - Reyna

POV Reyna Avilla Ramírez Arellano 

"HELLO?" I yelled.

I scanned my surroundings, hoping for any signs of life, but it was impossible to see anything through the endless wheat and maize. I was standing in a field of tall, high-grown crops.

"ANYONE?!" I screamed even louder. 

It was useless though. I analysed my situation, only there wasn't much to analyse other than the facts that I didn't know what happened, where I was, or why I was here. I thought about the last thing I remembered; The stone warriors attacking, Artemis leaving because she couldn't get involved, the Romans and I getting our butts whooped by Ethan Nakamura, running into Thalia, and finally, falling into a bottomless pit that opened up, right beneath our feet.

I didn't feel like I was in too much danger, that was until the arrows started flying.

SWOOP!

One arrow landed right where I was standing. I unsheathed my sword and prepared for a battle. I quickly realised that there were far too many to handle. So I ran in the opposite directions of the arrows and eventually got clipped in the arm by an arrow shot with excellent precision. I wanted to yank it out but that could take too long and I didn't want to risk losing any blood. 

Whoever was was hunting me had been trained well. They had an excellent strategy. But I was fast. They were only moving in one direction so I had the chance to escape. I begun moving further and further left as I ran, until I was right at the edge of their field of vision. I crouched instantly, slowly rustling through endless stems of wheat.

Once I had traveled far enough away, I stopped sneaking and began running as far away from them as I possibly could, all while trying to ignore the writhing pain in my elbow, where I had been shot.

THUMP!

I tripped over something soft and lumpy that I hadn't been able to see before due to all the wheat. I crawled over to investigate. I reached my arm out, feeling around for the lump and placed my hand on it. It writhed and wiggled until I realised that this lump wasn't just any lump, it was a body. And this body wasn't just any body, It was Thalia.

She looked over to me with a weak expression. 

"Reyna?"

"Yeah, what happened to you?" I asked. She was clutching her side where it looked like something had bit her. 

"G-g-gorgons," she gasped, pointing into the depths of wheat. I ruffled around in there until I evidently found two dead Gorgons sprawled on the grass. They reminded me of the attack on the Roman camp where Percy slayed the gorgons in the river.

"Nice job Grace," I said to her.

She staggered to her feet, with my support and turned to face me.

"Light work," she chuckled, "And don't call me Grace."

I let her lean on me and we made our way over to the two slain gorgons.

"Why haven't they evaporated yet," I asked her 

"I don't know."

She crouched down to examine the bodies. I watched as she brushed the snakes out of the way and uncovered a large metal plate on the back of the gorgon's skull. Her head lifted and her eyes flashed me a concerned look.

"These aren't real gorgons." Her tone darkened, "They're automatons."

"What could that mean?" I awaited a response but one never came. Thalia's face turned paler than snow and her arms began to tremble. I caught her just in time as she slowly lost consciousness and her breathing shallowed.

"THALIA?!" I yelled. Thalia and I had never really gotten along but I certainly didn't want her to die. I dipped her in my arms a bit and her hair dropped down into a pool of the gorgon's blood. This gave me an idea. 

I examined the bite in her side and realised that the Gorgons must have fatally poisoned her during the fight. I rush to the body of the nearest one and find the right side of it. 

"I'm sorry Thalia." I muttered as I tilted her head toward the body, opened her mouth, and placed it on the body, allowing the blood to flow right into her mouth. I hoped upon hope that It was the right side that heals and the left that poisons. If not, Thalia would be surely dead.

First, I felt a pulse, then, movement, her breathing returned and her skin regained color. She subconsciously began sucking on the side of the Gorgon, trying to get more of the blood. Then her eyes opened with a look of disgust on her face

"BLEGHH!" she choked, removing her mouth from the monster, clearly revolted. "That's terrible!" 

I went to help her up but she didn't seem to need me. She was pumped full of energy and ready to go. All of her scratches, wounds and bruises healed and she looked like she could fight an army.

~Some Time Later~

"OMG," Thalia shrieked in excitement.

"It's a clearing!" I said, amazed.

We were standing in the only patch of this field that had not been covered in wheat. It was a perfect circle and in the center was a rock. Thalia rushes over and sits down on the rock comfortably. But I stayed where I was.

"Come on, Reyna," she beckoned, "Don't tell me you're not tired."

"I am. It's just..."

"Just what?"

"Something just isn't right," I said uncertainly.

"Don't be such a Goldilocks!" Thalia replied kind of drunkenly 

"What?"

"A Goldilocks. You know too little, too much, just right. Have you not heard that story."

"Thalia, you are not making any sense."

"The story is about three little piggies. Wait. No. That's not right. It's about..." Thalia's voice was slurring and trailing off as if she was something that the mortals would refer to as... High.

"Thalia!" I said urgently, "What's wrong with you?!"

"Have you got any more of that Gorgon juice? It was reeeeaaalllly good." 

"I think you've had just enough Gorgon juice." I said definitively while I sat her back down on the rocks.

I looked around, trying to find what had seemed off about this clearing before. It had a certain ethereal aspect to it. Godly almost. Then I spotted something shiny in my peripheral. I turned back to the rock and noticed a bronze plating with something engraved on it. I examined it closer but bit my lip when I saw that the writing is in Greek.

Ὁ Δικαιόπολις βραδέως ἐκβαίνει έκ τοῦ οἴκου.

"Thalia? Can you come over here?" She looks down at me, still high, with a look that told me she was offended that I would even suggest she get off her comfy rock for a quick second.

"What does that mean?" I asked her, gesturing at the golden Greek engravings.

"That is a bronze plate with golden, Greek engravings Reyna, I'd expect you to know that." 

"OMG Thalia, the writing! What does it say?!!

"Oooooh. Gotcha. It says...  Ὁ Δικαιόπολις βραδέως ἐκβαίνει έκ τοῦ οἴκου."

"IN ENGLISH THALIA!!! ENGLISH!!!" 

"Oh. It means Shrine of Demeter." She replied, very casually as if I hadn't just broken the sound barrier getting her to simply break the language barrier.

"Hmm. Demeter," she pondered absently, "I met Demeter once. Such a bitch."

I tackled Thalia to the ground making her start hitting me like crazy as if I was the enemy. I wish I had known the Gorgon's blood would do this to her. Maybe I wouldn't have let her consume as much of it if I had. 

"Why would you say something like that?!"

"Like what?" she asked innocently.

"You can't call a goddess things like that!" I hushed urgently, "Bad things can happen."

"Yeah well what's the Goddess of Agriculture going to do? Decompose my apple before I get the chance to eat it?"

"THALIA! WE ARE LITERALLY TRAPPED IN A FIELD OF AGRICULTURE!!!"

"Alright, Alright, No need to..."

FLASH!

"I am A WHAT!"

Thalia and I remain blinded for another few seconds before the light cleared to reveal the short, chubby, fruity goddess that I knew as Demeter. Instinctively, I bowed and forced Thalia down with me.

"She meant no disrespect at all, I swear!"

"No, No, NO! I meant all of the disrespects little lady!" Thalia announced, "You are a hippy little bitch!"

Demeter's face turned as purple as a plum and the wheat around us began to shake. I made a silent prayer to Zeus for him to make his daughter shut the hell up but the lord of the sky did not come through.

"You are a TERRIBLE Goddess! You'd rather stand here and argue with teenagers than actually go out and DO YOUR JOB! No wonder the entire agricultural, farming industry is dying. Oh and one more thing, You're a short, fat, GREEN BEAN!"

I bent my head and prepared for the little goddess to explode.

"You are one of Artemis's ones aren't you?"

 

"Yes. She is and she is very sorry" I said respectfully. 

"Shut it YOU!" she snapped back at me. But her face softened when she turned back to Thalia.

"Never in all my years has someone told me how I can be better. And I must admit, it is refreshing! Thank you Thalia Grace, for being honest with me. With Pan gone and everything, it has been hard to hold together. But I suppose, if we want to save the agricultural aspect of our world, then we have to fight for it."

"Anytime, little lady." Thalia replied, "And while you're at it, how would you feel about further promoting the growth of mariju..." 

I kicked Thalia before she could finish that sentence which caused her to go back to hitting me. I swatted Thalia away and returned my focus to the Goddess. 

"Demeter, How can we get out of here?"

"Ah, I suppose I owe you an explanation, don't I? Well how about this? You're not getting one! But... I can offer you directions."

"Please, anything that could help us." I begged

"If you walk in that direction for a few miles, you will find a crevasse. There, you will assemble for answers."

I wanted to ask what Assemble for Answers meant but I had a feeling she wouldn't explain. 

"Goodbye, Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and lieutenant of Artemis. And you." She nodded distastefully to me as she said that last part. Demeter rises into the air from the rocks and flashes into her true form as I force Thalia's eyes away from her.

"Goodbye Green Bean!" she yelled as Demeter vanished.

We trundled along in silence for about 30 minutes and Thalia wasn't getting much better. She noticed the wound on my arm with an arrow sticking out of it. I had completely about the arrow and I had come to ignore the pain of it.

"That's cool!" she said, "I have one of those."

"No you don't Thalia," I said impatiently, showing her her own arms. It felt like trying to talk to someone with a serious case of Alzheimer's 

"No silly, not there." she said pulling her arms away from me, "Here." She had reached back to her quiver and pulled an arrow. I gasped when I realised how identical they are. The only difference was the engravings. One had Thalia written on it and the other had the name Nightshade.

"Isn't Zoe dead?" I asked her. A tear stroked down Thalia's face.

"Gods, I miss Zoe. She was such a funny bunny." 

"Thalia, if Zoe is dead, how could she have shot me?"

SWOOP!

I take cover as more arrows flew. Thalia leapt back in shock when a figure emerged from the crops.

She was a huntress. Her dark brown hair lay in a plaid down on her shoulder

"Z...Zz...Zoe?" Thalia shuddered.

"Hey, Thalia," But Zoe didn't seem friendly.

Thalia looked into Zoe's eyes and all of a sudden she looked fully sober.

HYAH!

Zoe went to smack Thalia across the face with her bow but Thalia caught it in her hands. 

"Zoe, It's me!" she yelled but it was no use. It was like she was in some kind of a trance. I jump up to help Thalia and tackle Zoe off of her. When I stand up to fight however I am interrupted by-

THWACK!

I feel the flat of a gold blade knock me off balance and I rolled to the ground. I hear a voice from behind me chuckle.

"Hey Reyna." My whole body stops working at the sound of his voice. The voice of Jason Grace

~Flashback~

"I can't wait to get back home," Jason said reminiscently, "If I stand here another day I may just collapse."

"Same." I replied, "You'd think they'd find a new dragon by now."

Jason and I were standing in front of a tree sprouting golden apples with our swords drawn. The garden of the Hesperides was looking beautiful today, a lot of that was because Jason was in it. We weren't expecting a fight, simply preparing for one just in case. That was the job of a warrior and Jason was the best one I knew. Looking at him stand there heroically like that made my lips tremble. I knew that Piper had won Jason fair and square but still, I was never going to get over him.

"Can I just say it is incredible that you are willing to do this for us," One of the Hesperides chimed, "Ever since the dragon fell ill we have searched tirelessly for a replacement and this morning we found one."

"That's great!" Jason stated, "When can it get here?"

"Well it was in Mexico so it will take it aa few more hours to make it up here."

"That's alright. We will stand guard as long as you need."

Jason looked annoyed that I said that. I could tell he was getting tired of standing out here with me guarding the Golden tree of the Hesperides. He wanted to see Piper again. I felt selfish to want to spend more time with him.

"Well here is a letter that we feel commissions our deepest gratitude for your service." The little girl reached out and handed me a letter. I began to open it while she trundled away down the hill.

"What does it say?" Jason asked.

Dear Reyna Ramírez Arellano and Jason Grace.

You and all demigods have torn apart our world for thousands of years. It is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Starting with you, all demigods and those who aid them will be slaughtered. This will be your final reckoning. 

The King shall rise again.

And say hello to Ebony for us.

Jason and I glanced at each other in horror as we read the letter. 

"Who's Ebony?" Jason asked. I look up to the sky with the most fear I had ever felt.

"Ebony is the dragon."

ROARRR!

FSSHHHH!

Flames danced through the sky as the dragon who had never truly been ill swooped down and went for the kill on Jason. 

"NOOOO!" I yelled as I stabbed my sword deep into the dragons throat. But it barely pierced the scales. The dragon shook me off and my sword remained in its neck. I regained consciousness and tried to think of a way to get to my sword without getting killed. I could hear Jason fighting with the dragon but I knew that even he wouldn't be able to kill it. 

His sword flew off the side of the hill and he backed away from the dragon nervously. 

"What do we do?" I asked him.

"Run." he replied. I never liked to retreat but I felt like this was the necessary opportunity. My mistake was never checking if Jason had been running with me. Once I had gotten far away. I turned to where Jason should've been standing. When I see that he isn't there a wave of dread envelops me. I turn around and spot him in a one on one with the dragon, up on the hill.

"JASON!" I yelled uselessly. I ran toward him but I knew I couldn't make it in time. My brave praetor had only told me to run to get me out of there. He thought he could face this on his own. He couldn't. Jason made eye contact one last time with me as the dragon's jaws split him clean in half and slurped the rest up.

"NOOOOO!!!" 

~End of Flashback~

"Jason please," I begged, "It's me, Reyna. What's wrong with you."

Zoe and Jason were not acting themselves. Their skin was paler than the moon. Their eyes were as dark as the night. Whatever had happened to them had sent them into rage mode because they would not stop fighting us. 

"DIE!!!" Jason yelled. Between Jason and Zoe, Jason looked a lot worse. His tunic was tattered and his hair burnt up as if he had been electrocuted. It looked like he had only just been in another fight.

I looked over to Thalia as she fought against Zoe. I could tell she didn't want to fight but she had to. I knew I had to as well I just couldn't. 

CRASH!

Jason had tried to stab me but I had twisted his sword around and whacked him with the flat of his own blade. He yelled in frustration and I took it as an opportunity to disarm him. He roared at me this time and punched me relentlessly. 

SMACK!

Jason was knocked out when I had stuck him between his eyes with the hilt of his sword. I turned to Thalia and it seemed like she had taken out Zoe as well. She looked at Jason and a tear swelled in her eyes.

"I almost forgot he was your brother, Grace."

"Don't say was Reyna. He is my brother. And don't call me Grace."

Happy Birthday Julie

This Chapter is Dedicated to Charlie.

[talonabraxas]

Quetzalcoatl Talon Abraxas

Quetzalcoatl: “precious feathered serpent” from quetzalli, “precious feather,” and coatl, “snake”

The Story of Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl was born of the virgin Chinmalman in the Toltec city of Tollan. The God Above Gods known as “The Morning” descended and breathed upon her, and she conceived. She died when giving birth, and went to the heaven of heroes who died in battle and women who died in childbirth.

Her son was born able to speak and was filled with knowledge and wisdom. He was fair skinned and when grown had a white beard. He became the priest-king of Tollan and brought the nation great prosperity and peace. He taught his people all the arts, music, and dance; he established the priesthood and created the Aztec calendar; he reformed the religious practices and outlawed human sacrifice; he domesticated animals, discovered maize, and more.

His temple-palace was of four sections: the East was golden; the South was white with shells and pearls; the West, blue of turquoise and jade; and the North, red of bloodstone. A giant river that flowed through Tollan passed directly under this palace so that Quetzalcoatl could descend every night to bathe in its pure waters.

After a lifetime work for his people, the time came for his predestined fall and he did not evade it.

The reforms that he had brought had made him many enemies. Those who practiced human sacrifices plotted to do away with Quetzalcoatl. But they knew that if they killed him he would gain more followers so they planned to discredit him.

To his palace came a young magician named Tezcatlipoca carrying a mirror wrapped in rabbit skin (the animal who is seen in the Moon). He said to the palace servants, “Tell your master I am here to show him his own flesh.”

When Quetzalcoatl received him, the youth uncovered the mirror and said, “Look upon yourself! See yourself as you are seen!”

When Quetzalcoatl saw his aged and sore-ridden face, he was appalled and wondered how any could see him without shock.

Tezcatlipoca had brought a potion made from the agave plant by the goddess Mayahuel (the alcoholic drink pulque); he offered it the aged king and said it would make him young again, but Quetzalcoatl claimed he was ill and would not drink it. But Tezcatlipoca pressed him merely to taste it with the tip of his finger; he did so, and was overcome. He took the bowl and drank and became drunk. He then called for his sister Quetzalpetlatl who also drank of the potion and was overcome. The two then sank together in a fit of drunken passion, and Quetzalcoatl fell into disgrace.

At dawn, the humiliated king said, “I have sinned. I am not fit to rule.” He burned his palace, buried his treasures in the earth, and left.

“And so greatly did (the Toltecs) believe in their priest Quetzalcoatl, and so greatly obedient and given to the things of their God, and so fearful of God, all believed in Quetzalcoatl when he left Tula… And so much did they trust Quetzalcoatl that they went with him; they entrusted upon him their wives, their children, their sick ones. They stood up, they set off, the old men, the old women, no one ceased to obey; all set off.” - Chimalpopoca Codex

After awhile, he stopped to rest and looked back at the City of the Sun, Tollan, and he wept. His tears went into the rock, and he left there an imprint of his sitting and his palms.

In his journeys, he had many adventures and misfortunes. Most notably, he made an arrow of a pochotl tree and fired it into another pochotl tree, forming the sign of Quetzalcoatl: a cross.

Thus he passed though the land leaving many signs and marks behind him until he arrived at the place where the land, sky, and water come together. He then sailed away on a raft of serpents. In another version of the story he cast himself into a funeral pyre; from the burning body his heart escaped, and after four days he reappeared as the Morning Star.

From then it was said that he would return from the East with a fair-faced retinue to resume his reign, restoring Tollan to its lost glory.

-Aztec Christic Magic