The Priest's Story, Part One

In the days when the gods still walked the earth, the priest of Itzeltek, The Lord of the Dead, had a beloved daughter. He gave her everything she desired, forbidding only one thing: to go near the sacred beasts. For they, like their god, were fierce of temper and did not welcome the living where the dead hold sway. But the girl was gnawed by curiosity. One night she slipped away to the altar and lingered through the dark hours, until the sky began to pale. When she returned home, a burning fever seized her at once. The priest could not save her… Long he mourned, until at last he chose to walk the road that leads into the realm of the dead, in search of his child. Before him stood the Guardian of the Last Gate—a vast crocodile, barring the way. The priest brought it low in fury, and stepped onto the road of the dead…