...The Temple of Kukulcán...

After introducing themselves officially, Rodriguez took the group on a tour around the ancient city. Rodriguez tried to act like a professional guide:

- Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities and it was likely to have been one of the mythical great cities. The city may have had the most diverse population in the Maya world, a factor that could have contributed to the variety of architectural styles on the site.

- Why it is called Chichen Itza? It is kind of a strange name.

- The Maya name "Chichen Itza" means "At the mouth of the well of the Itza." This derives from chi', meaning "mouth" or "edge", and chʼen or chʼeʼen, meaning "well". Itzá is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula. One possible translation for Itza is "enchanter (or enchantment) of the water," from its (itz), "sorcerer", and ha, "water".

- How did you know all of that?

- It is written in the Chilam Balam books.

- Is there any other information in the books?

- Well, as I remember, Chilam Balam books indicate another, earlier name for this city prior to the arrival of the Itza hegemony in northern Yucatán. While most sources agree the first word means seven, there is considerable debate as to the correct translation of the rest. This earlier name is difficult to define because of the absence of a single standard of orthography, but it is represented variously as Uuc Yabnal ("Seven Great House"), Uuc Hab Nal ("Seven Bushy Places"), Uucyabnal ("Seven Great Rulers") or Uc Abnal ("Seven Lines of Abnal").

When Dylan heard that information he became more interested.

" Maybe the number seven refers to those seven strangers. I must look more into this matter on my own. I can't let Rodriguez involve much more than this. He seems like a normal local, yet I can't trust him. "

While Dylan was writing down the important information, Aaron wasn't listening at all, instead, he was looking around:

- I can see that there are a lot of guards strolling around the place. Is it that important?

- Of course, it is. The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site's stewardship is maintained by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

Rodriguez kept talking about that city's history until they arrive in front of a pyramid.

- What is that exactly?

- That's the Temple of Kukulcán.

- So, that's a temple and not a grave like the ones in Egypt.

- Yeah, the pyramid served as a temple to the deity Kukulcán, the Yucatec Maya Feathered Serpent deity closely related to Quetzalcoatl, a deity known to the Aztecs and other central Mexican cultures of the Postclassic period. It has a substructure that likely was constructed several centuries earlier for the same purpose.

- Do you know what is there inside?

- Well, I heard that the pyramid of Kukulcán was built on top of a much older pyramid.

At that moment, Dylan became sure that the temple is the first place they should search.

- An older Pyramid? Do you mean there is an older Pyramid inside that one?

- Yeah, and It is located above a cavity filled with water, labeled a cenote.

- And what is that?

- Is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater.

Dylan became more curious to explore the temple from the inside:

" I want to see what is in there maybe we can find something about the next clue. "

- Can we enter? We are also archeologists.

- No, you must, at first, ask for the approval of the government.

- But we don't have such a thing!

- In that case, you will be able to only check it from the outside until you get the approval.

At that moment, Aaron whispered in Dylan's ear:

- Well, it doesn't matter, because we will sneak in at night.

Dylan got closer to the temple to have a better look. The pyramid consists of a series of square terraces with stairways up each of the four sides to the temple on top. Sculptures of plumed serpents run down the sides of the northern balustrade.

" I'm sure that this is the right Place, but first I must get rid of Rodriguez. "

He looked at Rodriguez and pretended to be sad:

- It is unfortunate that we can't go in, the next time I will make sure to bring approval with me....Now...I think we must say goodbye, Rodriguez.