Ah-Puch

Ah-Puch (pronounced "ah-POOCH") is the skeletal god of death.

History
Many years ago, Ah-Puch ruled over the ninth lowest level of Xib’alb’a, the Mayan underworld, known as Mitnal. He used to go to the houses of the sick and dying and wait outside, his rusty laugh echoing in the wind. After waging war against the other Mayan gods, like Nakon and Ixkakaw, Ah-Puch was sentenced to a lifetime imprisonment as a piece of folded paper inside an owl figurine at the bottom of a volcano made by Hurakan. Were he to escape and exact his vengeance, the fate of the entire world could be at stake. But the goddess of time, Pacific, foresaw that he will be freed from a godborn during a solar eclipse.

The Storm Runner
When Zane Obispo reaches his holding chamber he tells the boy to free him. He agrees if he can save Brooks and bring Rosie back, a Demon Runner killed the latter and poisoned the former. Ah-Puch agrees and the boy breaks the small ceramic owl containing the god. Once he is free, he feeds on blood and becomes a regular looking man. He restores Muwan to her former glory and transports every one from the cavern to a penthouse balcony in Los Angeles. He agrees to save Brooks and return Rosie to life, only if Zane becomes his soldier and answers his call in three days. Zane agrees and the boy is blown away.

Two days later he arrives at Jordan and Bird’s party and thanks Zane for leading him to the twins. He summons the Yant’o Triad to subdue the twins and he reveals that they never defeated him, only a few of his underlings. He goes on to say that they used this lie to trick the gods into their pact to not have more demigod children so they would not have compete. He leaves with the twins and tells Zane he will see him very soon.

When Zane is about to enter the Old World. Ah-Puch speaks to him through the tattoo. When the godborn plunges his wrist in the water, they both feel the pain of the mark being eaten.

After Zane kills Muwan, he encases Brooks and Quinn in hands of smoke and summons demon runners to defeat Zane. Soon after Ixtab arrives and tries to kill him, only to be saved by Zane. He imprisons the godborn in a cage of smoke and watches as the others fight. He releases Zane and he thrown his spear at the death god, only to teleport behind Zane at the last second. As he is about to crush his neck, the other gods arrive. He is ecstatic when Hurakan claims Zane as his son, he convinces the gods to let Zane fight him. Zane takes him to the Empty where, in the form of a large snake, he offers to train him as he is going to die regardless of the battle, Zane declines and attacks him. He follows Zane to an abyss and, just before going over, he is set on fire by Zane and swears vengeance.

Appearance
In Zane's book about Mayan mythology, Ah-Puch looked like a bloated zombie with decomposing gray skin with nasty black spots, and he had a dark, twisted smile. He wore this weird helmet that had eyes hanging off it, the eyes of the people he’d recently killed. Around his fat neck was a red cape made of human skin, and stitched to the hood was an owl’s head that resemble Muwan.

When he was first released from the owl artifact prison, Ah-Puch was a skeletal figure with paper-thin transparent skin. After consuming blood, he becomes more alive with an olive complexion and black hair and eyes. He wears a dark suit with a white shirt and dark tie.

When Zane takes him to the Empty, Ah-Puch takes the form of a monstrous blackish-green snake the size of Jazz. Writhing and slimy maggots oozed from between his scales. He had slitted eyes that blazed red and yellow fangs that glistened in the moonlight. His underbelly was red and maggoty scales.

Ah-Puch is often depicted as a skeleton wearing a collar of dangling eyeballs from those he’s killed.

Personality
Conniving, manipulative, and all-powerful, Ah-Puch is a force to be reckoned with. He carries a violent grudge against other gods and is consumed with the desire to bring about their destruction.

Abilities

 * Necromancy: As the God of Death, he has control over the souls of the deceased.
 * Umbrakinesis: As the God of Darkness, he has divine authority and absolute control over darkness and shadows.
 * Destruction Aura: As the God of Destruction, he is able to generate an aura of destruction, as shown when he destroyed the hero twin’s penthouse.
 * Tracking: Ah-Puch is able to tack those who bound themselves to him.
 * Typhokinesis: He is able to control smoke as he used smoke to trap and imprison Zane in a cage of smoke and Brooks and Quinn in a pair of smoke hands.
 * Teleportation: Ah-Puch is able to teleport himself.