Quetzalcoatl, that hoary dragon that had relished the sacrifice of tens of thousands of ancient earthlings, peered menacingly up from the abyss. It had been imprisoned there during the Great War with Michael, the chief prince of Israel. Now it detected an approaching heartbeat and smiled demonically, warmed by the notion that business was about to resume. Heartbeats were such a delightful thing, especially when ripped from a human's chest and offered in sacrifice to the Feathered Serpent.