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Volume 1 - The Heir of Dorado [right]Footsteps in the Jungle[/right]
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Moquihuix sat at the head of the room, his broad shoulders casting a long shadow across the stone table. The chamber, lit by the warm glow of torches, felt heavy with tension as his advisors discussed the unsettling news. The soft hum of water from a nearby fountain was the only sound cutting through the low murmur of voices.

"They are drawing closer." one advisor said. "Our scouts have reported sightings of foreign invaders, armed, trying to sweep the jungle, no doubt looking for something."

"Still." another advisor added, her arms crossed over her chest "They have not come close to breaching the cloaking systems. Our technology remains far superior. Let them wander in circles for now."

Moquihuix exhaled slowly, his dark eyes glinting with thought. "And the drones?" he asked, his voice calm yet commanding. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his fist as he surveyed the room.

"Harmless." one of the senior generals answered. "They fly blind. Even with their surveillance, they see nothing but the dense jungle. None have come near our shields."

There was a pause as Moquihuix considered the situation. His fingers traced absent patterns on a map that lay on the table, as if trying to calculate the hundreds of ways the invaders could find his city. He nodded slowly, his fingers tapping lightly against the stone table as he considered their words. His voice, low and commanding, carried across the room. 

"If we confront them, we risk drawing attention to ourselves. Dorado has been hidden for millenia for a reason. The world is not yet ready to know we exist, and we cannot reveal ourselves prematurely."

Another advisor, older and draped in richly embroidered robes, leaned forward, his voice carrying tones of concern. "But, my lord, how long can we rely on the jungle's protection? These outsiders, these invaders, are persistent. If we wait too long, we may find ourselves cornered."

Moquihuix’s jaw clenched slightly. He knew the stakes. "For as long as it takes. Our priority is secrecy. Monitor them. Engage only if absolutely necessary, and even then, leave no trace. The time will come when we will reveal ourselves to the rest of the world, but that time is not now."

The advisors nodded, though unease flickered in their expressions. They had kept the invaders at bay for years, but the presence of the foreign drones and soldiers on their borders was becoming too frequent to ignore. Time felt like it was running out, and maybe it was.

Moquihuix rose from his seat as his advisors left the room and made his way over to a balcony that overlooked a large city square in front of his palace. The city was bathed in the golden light of the lowering sun. A million thoughts were racing through his mind. They'd had sparse contact with outsiders over the years. Centuries ago one plucky adventurer might stumble across Dorado every 100, or even 200 years, but as technology advanced so did the methods those in the know used to try and find the golden city. Now it was every 50, or even sometimes 25 years that a foreigner had managed to wander their way too close to Dorado's gates. 

They kept secluded from the outside world, but the outside world was no secret to them. They surveilled every major country, and it was of the utmost importance for the royal family to learn the languages of other cultures on the off chance they were forced to make contact. They'd lived in almost absolute peace for centuries, getting involved in the wars and skirmishes of the wider world was just too risky, especially with the interest they'd draw from global superpowers once Vibranium was discovered. 

He heard the door open and a set of footsteps gently approaching him.

"The meeting is adjourned. You can bring me anymore problems tomorrow."

"Do I often bring you problems, Moquihuix?" replied his wife, Citlali, her voice soft yet teasing as she stepped out onto the balcony beside him. Her long, flowing dress, a deep shade of red embroidered with golden patterns, caught the fading sunlight, and her dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Though her presence brought a certain calm, the weight of their shared concerns was still reflected in her dark eyes.

Moquihuix turned to her, the faintest smile tugging at his mouth, though the seriousness of the meeting lingered in his expression. "Only when the problems are worth hearing." he said, his tone lightening slightly as he took her hand and pressed it gently to his lips.

Citlali gave him a knowing look, then turned her gaze over the city. The streets below were bustling with activity, families returning home as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. Despite the peaceful view, the tension from the earlier discussions clung to the air like an unwelcome shadow.

"They're getting closer, aren't they?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might bring the invaders nearer.

Moquihuix nodded, his eyes still focused on the city below. "Closer than ever. They’re persistent, but our shields hold. For now."

"For now." Citlali echoed, her grip tightening slightly on his arm. "But how long can we hide, Moquihuix? The world beyond the jungle…it has changed so much. Maybe it’s time we consider making contact. On our own terms, before they find us on theirs."

Moquihuix's face darkened at the suggestion. He turned to face her fully, his voice firm. "No. The outside world is not ready for Dorado. They would tear us apart. Strip this city of its secrets, its power. You know this."

"I do." Citlali replied gently, searching his eyes. "But times are different. They’re not just wanderers or explorers anymore. They're armed with satellites, drones, technology we’ve never faced before. Eventually, they will find us. And when they do, we may not have the upper hand."

Her words hung in the air. Moquihuix clenched his jaw, turning back toward the horizon, his mind racing. "They are not ready." he repeated, his voice more resolute. "And neither are we. If we reveal ourselves now, it will invite destruction. The moment they learn of our Vibranium, every superpower on the planet will be at our gates, and then it will be war. We have the technological advantage, but they have the numbers."

Citlali was silent for a moment, her brow furrowed. She had heard these arguments many times before, understood the logic. But her heart whispered otherwise. "And yet, if we wait too long, Moquihuix...we may lose control of the situation entirely. The world has a way of finding what it wants, whether we're ready or not. Who knows, perhaps there are those out there who would wish to help Dorado, to live in harmony with us?"

Moquihuix didn't respond right away. He stood there, the silence stretching between them, the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on his shoulders. Finally, he sighed. "I will not risk our people. Not yet. Not until I am certain we can control the outcome."

Citlali placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch grounding him. "I understand. But we've kept this secret from Necalli for long enough. Sooner or later, he'll need to know what's happening beyond our borders."

Moquihuix’s expression softened slightly, though the concern didn’t leave his eyes. "He's not ready for that burden yet. He needs time."

Citlali nodded. "Perhaps. But he's not a child anymore, Moquihuix. He deserves to know what he will one day be responsible for."

Moquihuix followed her gaze as it drifted toward the square below, where Necalli had emerged from his lessons and was playing Pok-ta-pok with his friends. His movements were quick and precise, his body language focused and strong, laughing and shouting as the ball moved across the court.

Moquihuix watched in silence, the sight of his son both comforting and unsettling. After a long pause, he spoke softly, almost to himself. "I shouldn't have compared him to Itzcóatl yesterday. It was unfair."

Citlali glanced at him, her expression gentle. "You've always been hard on him, Moquihuix. He's not his brother, and he never will be. But that doesn't mean he's not capable in his own way."

Moquihuix sighed. "I know. I just...sometimes, I worry. About whether he's ready. About whether he'll ever be ready to be king."

Citlali placed a hand on his arm, her voice soft and reassuring. "Necalli has great potential. He may not be like Itzcóatl, but he's strong in his own right. When the time comes, he'll rise to the challenge."

Moquihuix nodded slowly, though the tension in his posture remained. "I hope you're right" he said quietly. "For his sake...and for Dorado's."

They stood together for a moment longer, watching as the sun dipped lower, casting a warm glow over the city and the courtyard below where their son played, unaware of the burdens waiting for him.


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Necalli chewed on the end of his already destroyed pencil as he struggled to stay awake. His instructor had been droning on about the compelexities of foreign diplomacy for what felt like weeks now. This was his tradeoff. Either get a job working with his fathers advisors or attend these boring classes. He was supposed to be paying attention to the lesson, supposed to be learning about the dynamics of places like America, Britain, or China, countries far removed from the quiet and cloaked world of Dorado.

But his mind was elsewhere.

As the teacher lectured, Necalli's thoughts drifted to the outside world, what it was like beyond the borders of Dorado. He'd learned about their cultures and traditions, but never met someone from anywhere else. Part of him longed to run away to these places, to visit the Empire State Building, Big Ben, or the Great Wall. But instead he was stuck learning about the correct way to speak to foreign nationals without insulting them. It all seemed kind of pointless when his father refused to make contact with anyone.

The sound of his friends outside only further spurred his daydreams. He'd been cooped up far too long and his muscles were stiff from sitting still. He could hear the heavy ball thumping against a nearby wall as the game of Pok-ta-pok continued on without him. 

Finally, the lesson ended, and Necalli wasted no time heading toward the courtyard. He stepped out into the cool, fresh air, the sun already beginning to set in the distance, and stretched his back letting out an exagerrated yawn. The streets were alive with people going about their business, but Necalli had only one destination in mind.

The second match had already started when he arrived. His friends were in the middle of a fast paced game, the heavy rubber ball bouncing off the stone walls with sharp, resonating thuds. Necalli grinned as he joined them, his earlier impatience fading as he focused on the game.

"Nice of you to join us, princess!" Shouted Tepe, volleying the ball into the air towards Necalli with his elbow. Necalli bounced it off his chest before booting it towards the stone goal mounted up on the wall.

"Well I couldn't let you lose [b]all [/b]day!"

Pok-ta-pok was more than a pastime, it was a way of life for the people of Dorado. Teams had formed over the centuries of the game being played and the superstars of the sport were on the same level in Dorado as people like Ronaldo or Michael Jordan were in the outside world. The ballgame was played with intensity, and it didn't take long for Necalli to lose himself in the rhythm of it all, sweat dripping down his brow as he ran across the court.

But even as he played, something gnawed at the back of his mind. A faint whisper of something out of place. He couldn’t shake the sense that something was happening, something he wasn’t aware of.

His suspicions were confirmed when he overheard a conversation from the sidelines. 

"My cousins a scout, he says they’ve been spotted again, on the outskirts." one voice said, just loud enough for Necalli to catch. "More foreigners this time, with machines. They're searching for something. Maybe…for us."

Necalli’s heart skipped a beat. He missed the ball as it flew past him, slamming against the wall. His friends laughed, giving him a light shove, but he barely heard them. His mind was elsewhere, fixated on the words that now echoed in his ears.

Foreigners. Searching for Dorado.

"They’ll never find us." another voice replied. "Moquihuix has decided we will remain hidden. They'll never get passed our borders."

Necalli forced a laugh with his friends, but the unease within him grew. Why hadn’t he been told about this? Why was his father keeping this from him? He'd heard rumours like this all his life, but they only got more common as time went on. 

The game continued, but Necalli’s concentration faltered. His movements grew slower, his thoughts elsewhere. He couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he needed to know more. The invaders were too close, their presence too persistent. How could they just stand by and watch?

He glanced toward the jungle in the distance, the thick canopy visible beyond the city’s shield. Somewhere out there, foreigners, strangers from a world Necalli had never seen, were pushing against the edges of their hidden world.

As the game came to an end, Necalli wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind already made up. He had to find out more. He couldn’t just stand by while his father and the council debated behind closed doors. Dorado was in danger, and he wasn’t going to wait for someone else to act.

Necalli left the courtyard with a purpose. It was time to confront his father.