The End of the City of Gold

Menator and Kalmeque regain their base and set up the vase, the Great Olmeque Inheritance, as their eternal source of power. In the City of Gold, the Hight Priest is most anxious. He knows that the Olmeque's Great Inheritance has been treated wrongly and that as a result all life will be destroyed. The only way to prevent such disaster, he tells our friends, is the vase. They make a stretcher for the Priest, so seriously wounded by Kalmeque, and the children then bear him to the Mountain of the Smoking Shield. Already the ill-effects of the Heritage are to be seen as toxic gases are killing plants and animals. The Priest orders the children to turn back and he continues alone. Meanwhile, Mendoza has learned from the guardians of the City of Gold that the High Priest is none other than Esteban's father. But Mendoza keeps this to himself, knowing that the news would be too much for Esteban to bear. The High Priest goes into the Olmeque base and manages to place Tao's vase in the center of the Inheritance. He is immediately destroyed by the blinding light which erupts. The next morning, the City of Gold has completely disappeared. Sancho is heartbroken to have taken none of the gold but Mendoza has a fine surprise for him. He had time to pick up a few ingots, enough for them to be able to achieve wealth and great success at home. Esteban, Tao and Zia decide to continue on their adventures and find the other six Cities of Gold, while Mendoza, Pedro and Sancho will return home to Spain. They agree to go their separate ways but to meet again soon in the tavern in Barcelona where they all met for the very first time.