William slipped from the plaster road and tumbled down the embankment, rolling to a stop near the half-eaten bodies; vultures swarmed over his head. William gathered himself, struggled up to his feet, and wiped the mud off his shoulders. He exchanged a look of disbelief with the other guard.
Salmac marched down the embankment after him. “Not so tough without the bloodstone, are you?”
On Salmac’s next step, William heard a snap and noticed something move in his periphery. He shot his attention to his left and saw a spike-filled log swinging on a rope toward Salmac. “Watch out!” William yelled.
Salmac only had time to glance in the direction of the trap before William lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. The log swung over them both; the spikes whisked past, just inches over them. They stayed low for the log’s backswing and then crawled fast to get out of its way.
William shook his head with the relief one feels after the near miss of a car crash. Salmac got up and studied the deadly snare swinging back and forth. He approached William, gazing down at him with the usual scowl across his tattoo-covered face. But then he smiled and held out his hand. “I misjudged you,” he said, lifting William up.
While clasping their hands in a firm grip, William saw Teshna arrive along the trail, out of breath. She stared off the road with a flabbergasted expression—seeming more surprised by the bond between Salmac and himself than all the dead corpses around them.
“Go on,” Salmac said, motioning for William to go to her.
He nodded and went back up to the road, while Salmac stayed with the other guard to stop the momentum of the log. Teshna gave William a curious look as he approached. “I’ll tell you later,” he said.
By the time the rest of the group arrived, Salmac had deduced that the dead people were part of the group that had accompanied the ambassadors from Kohunlich. He found a white feather and showed it to the others.
“It’s from Honac-Fey’s white owl,” elder Subiac said with certainty. “He was here.”
“The other ambassadors are not among the dead,” Lamat said. “They have been captured.”
As the group prepared to leave, Priest Ik-Tanil announced that he would remain behind to tend to the bodies, and to provide proper prayers. He planned to join them later at their evening camp. Before they continued, Salmac ordered one of the guards, Axel, to stay and help the priest.
They continued on for several hours in a heavy downpour. When the sun finally broke through the clouds, mist arose from the plaster floor, giving the area a surreal atmosphere.
Salmac stopped, his hand raised in a halting gesture. Out of the mist ahead, a group of thirteen warriors appeared; their bodies were painted with orange and black spots, like jaguars. They stopped in their tracks upon spotting them.
“Kohunlich warriors,” Subiac whispered.
“Lamat and I will approach,” Teshna said.
“I must accompany you,” Salmac said. “It is not safe.”
William leaned forward with concern. “I agree, Teshna.”
“We must demonstrate our peaceful intentions. Come, Lamat,” Teshna said, walking toward the Kohunlich warriors. She raised her arms over her head and held her index fingers and thumbs together, forming a triangle. William assumed it was a symbol of good will, for the warriors relaxed in their stance as she approached.
When they had covered half the distance to the warriors, she stopped and spoke with a strong voice. “I am Princess Teshna of Dzibanché, daughter of the Great Jade Owl, sister to King Stone Frog.” She lowered her hands and bowed. Lamat did the same.
Two Kohunlich warriors stepped forward from the group, their spears still in hand as they came near. The taller of the two men spoke with a deep voice that carried down the trail. “I am Muluk, leader of this dispatch—sent by King Snarl Tooth. We seek our ambassadors.”
William couldn’t hear what they were saying from that point on, but figured she was explaining the situation to them. She pointed to the servants holding the litter, and signaled them to come forward. Muluk ordered his men to approach as well.
As the servants set the litter down before Muluk, a semi-circle of Kohunlich warriors formed behind him. He bent over and pulled the red tapestry down. “It is indeed Ambassador Chen-Uk,” he said, and then gave William a double-take when he and the others moved in closer. All the Kohunlich warriors gawked at him. “I see the stories of the white warrior are true.”
Teshna motioned to William. “This is Balam… sent by the gods. He makes the journey to help in our task of requesting assistance from your kingdom.”
William took a step forward, the bloodstone glowing on his chest. “Greetings,” William said with a nod to Muluk. He scanned the faces of the Kohunlich warriors; they each took a step back when he looked their way, like they thought he was casting a spell on them.
After a short conversation, Muluk agreed to take Teshna and the others to Kohunlich. But due to the circumstances, he said they would have to surrender their weapons and travel as captives, until King Snarl Tooth could determine their fate.
Teshna believed it would benefit their cause to have a formal escort to Kohunlich. Being the highest ranking noble on the trip, her decision was final. “We will do as you say, captain Muluk.”
Just before departing, William overheard Muluk order three of his warriors back down the trail to confirm the details of the ambush near Kinichná. He wondered what would happen when they encountered Ik-Tanil and Axel by the dead bodies. Yet Teshna and the others kept quiet about it, and so he did the same, focusing his attention on the trail ahead.
When darkness settled, they made camp in a clearing. Soon, the delicious aroma of roasted venison wafted through the area as the Kohunlich warriors prepared a meal. William could tell that Lamat enjoyed their new company—or at least the food they had with them. The chubby noble devoured his chunk of meat and licked his fingers clean before settling back to sleep with a content look on his face.
Teshna reassured William that they weren’t in a typical captive situation. She explained how warriors captured in battle are stripped, bound, and taken for sacrifice. In contrast, they were being treated like political prisoners, as a formality to avoid potential conflicts on the journey to their homeland.
Later that night, William relaxed beside the fire enjoying how Teshna rested against him, using his side as a pillow, her eyelashes tickling his chest. He noticed her staring at Subiac with a troubled look. “What’s the matter?” he asked her.
She sat up and told him what Subiac had said atop the temple in Kinichná. “In a dream, the Sun god warned Subiac to stay away—said that if he were to look into his eyes, it would be his end.”
William shrugged. “Well, it was just a dream,” he said, trying to comfort her. But he recalled his own bizarre nightmare with his dad’s head on a platter, and he knew that the demon, Yum Cimil, had found a way to communicate with him through his sleep. However, he kept that memory to himself, not wanting to worry her.
The three warriors that had been sent back to investigate the crime scene in Kinichná returned. They approached Muluk; he was eating his meal by the campfire.
“It is just as they say,” one of the warriors said to Muluk. “They are all dead along the path.”
“Strangely though,” another warrior said, “the bodies are aligned with their heads to the north.”
“That hardly sounds like the scene of an ambush,” Muluk said loud enough for everyone to hear. His eyebrows rose when he stared at Teshna. While waiting for her response, he picked at a piece of meat stuck between his teeth.
“Yes, we did that, Captain,” Teshna said. “We could not carry them all with us, and did not wish to leave them in such a disrespectful position.”
Muluk glared at her for a time, as if trying to sense any deception. Teshna kept a steady look his way until Muluk turned. Seeming satisfied with her answer, he went back to chewing off the last bits of meat from a bone.
William wondered why
Teshna didn’t say anything about Priest Ik-Tanil and the guard, or why the Kohunlich warriors didn’t find them. But he brushed it off. He was tired from the long day and cuddled up beside Teshna to get some rest.
After hiking all morning through the thick jungle, William found it refreshing when they passed through a wide open field of tall grass. It was nice to get a break from the somewhat claustrophobic sensation of being beneath a canopy of dense vegetation all the time. A pleasant breeze drifted by, causing waves to roll through the grass. The trail continued through the clearing for about an hour before they returned to the shade of the jungle again. The journey became strenuous as the contour of the land inclined. When they reached the plateau, the kingdom of Kohunlich was visible in the valley below. After a quick break to regain their strength, they continued on.
When they arrived in town, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows from the citizens who ran through the streets to see them. The Kohunlich warriors controlled the crowd like security guards escorting a rock band to the concert. The growing mob cheered, shook terracotta rattles, and banged drums as they followed the group along. Although William had only seen Kohunlich as ruins before, he recognized many of pyramids that they passed along the way. Tall cohoon palm trees swayed in the breeze, providing a peaceful contrast to the frenzied atmosphere of the townsfolk hustling around them. High atop the hills overlooking the ceremonial centers, William saw the nobles of Kohunlich descending from their residential areas and rushing to their place up front, following them through the vibrant city.
“The Temple of the Sun,” Subiac said, pointing at the bright red pyramid with orange steps.
William saw the masks that Kohunlich was famous for; six large stucco masks—three on either side of the stairway—painted blue and yellow.
When they reached the base of the temple, Teshna leaned to William and said, “The masks represent different incarnations of the Sun god, Kinich Ahau.”
Following Muluk’s instruction, they kneeled along the right side of the pyramid. William was beside Subiac, Lamat, and Teshna at the front. Salmac and the three royal guards were behind them, with the four servants at the very back of the group. They waited there for a long while, along with the entire city of thousands, forming a sea of bodies in the courtyard. The intense quiet was only interrupted by the ghoulish cries of howler monkeys from the jungle beyond.
When the sun reached a specific point in its descent, it cast an eerie reflection from the Sun god masks, making the eyes appear to glow. Seashell trumpets bellowed, and William saw King Snarl Tooth standing atop the pyramid. He wore a jaguar mask that covered the upper part of his face. His headdress had a strange combination of quetzal feathers and snakes dried into striking postures. He wore a jaguar-skin cape, bordered with jade beads. A dazzling array of gems glittered from the necklace resting on his plump belly.
King Snarl Tooth held his hands high as he loomed over the crowd. He made his way down the steps, accompanied by the deafening beat of banging drums, and moved to a throne beneath the Sun god mask on the first level, to the right of the stairway facing them. The drumming ceased the instant the King sat, replaced by a thousand shaking rattles that sounded like the static from a radio turned up full blast. King Snarl Tooth raised his hands again, silencing the rattles. William saw the King studying him through the eyeholes of his jaguar mask. The King let loose a big smile, exposing his sharp teeth that were bent and curved in strange angles. Beneath the jaguar mask like that, his real teeth appeared to be an extension of the jaguar’s actual jaw—like a fat creepy jaguar monster smiling at them.
“Call for the refreshments that I have requested,” King Snarl Tooth said to a servant in a scratchy voice. He removed the jaguar mask, revealing his wrinkled and tattooed face that resembled an old wild cat. His focus turned to Subiac. “My old friend, it is good to see you.”
Subiac bowed. “It is my honor to be in your presence, King Snarl Tooth.”
“Noble Lamat, they say your kingdom has a lack of food these days, and now I can see where it has all gone,” the King said, followed by a hiss of a laugh.
“The gods have been generous to me,” Lamat said with a nod.
“Princess Teshna,” the King said, greeting her with a warm smile. “It has been many tuns. You were but a young girl in your father’s shadow then. He would be proud to see the strong and beautiful woman here before me now.”
“Thank you, King Snarl Tooth. Yes, much time has passed,” she said, and retrieved a small bag from her pack. “I brought you a gift.”
William had forgotten about the gift that Teshna had asked Priest Ik-Tanil to get while they were in Kinichná, and he was curious to know what it was. A servant brought Teshna’s bag up the steps and handed it to the King. He reached inside and pulled out a reddish blob, popped it into his mouth, and began chewing on it.
“It’s gum?” William asked Lamat.
Although he had whispered, William’s movement drew the attention of the King his way. “So this is the Balam… the one spoken of in the stars,” King Snarl Tooth said, and then regarded Teshna with a scolding look. “Why have you brought this one here?” He stood.
The crowd shook their rattles until the King raised his hand to stop them again.
Taken aback by the King’s sudden shift in demeanor, Teshna appeared flustered in her response. “He was sent by the gods to help our people. We thought if you could see him for yourself, you would know it to be true, and that our need for your kingdom’s support is sincere.”
King Snarl Tooth sat back in his throne. He grabbed another chunk of gum, adding it to the already big wad in his mouth. “Please drink,” he said, motioning in an exaggerated sweep of his hand to the cups on the servant’s tray.
The servant handed William a cup, and then held the tray out to the others. After they started drinking, a priest wearing a cloak and full jaguar mask over his head ascended the pyramid steps, chanting and waving an incense burner. He stopped to pray at each Sun god mask as he went.
The King watched William with an unnerving smile, while he sipped from his drink. It tasted terrible, William thought, like saltwater. The King blinked twice and shifted his attention back to Teshna. “The immediate matter here is the fate of our ambassadors,” he said. “Stand now, Princess Teshna, and speak of this.”
Teshna stood and explained everything: William and Betty arriving, the soil plague, the early harvest, and how the ambassadors met their unfortunate end on their journey back to Kohunlich. “We believe that the King of Calakmul did not want our message to reach you.”
“What message had you intended for the ambassadors to deliver?” the King asked.
“King Aztuk desires to create a new empire in Bacalar, to use the power of the Sacred Cavern of Jade to dominate the region. We ask for your help—to join us against Calakmul before their kingdom becomes too powerful.”
King Snarl Tooth leaned back, appearing to consider her story. He shifted his attention to William again, watching his movements as though he was a rare animal at a zoo. William began to feel dizzy.
“There is no evidence that our ambassadors were killed by Calakmul warriors,” the King said. “I also do not believe that Dzibanché is to blame. Our kingdom will remain neutral. We will not aid you against Calakmul, or turn against you either.”
The King stood, his arms raised. “It is my judgment,” he said, with his voice carrying into the hills, “that the citizens of Dzibanché are not responsible for the deaths of our people. They are free to return to their kingdom.”
The hiss of a thousand rattles sounded for a time and then faded out.
“Thank you, King Snarl Tooth,” Teshna said with a gracious bow, shielding her disappointment that he would not agree to help them against Calakmul.
The King looked angry all of the sudden. “However, our ambassadors were killed on your land. Therefore, an exchange must be made. Balam is not a citizen of Dzibanché. He will remain here with us… until his fate is determined.�
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The crowd cheered, making a ruckus with their drums and rattles.
Salmac and his men jumped to their feet, but a number of Kohunlich warriors swept in with long spears corralling the Dzibanché warriors.
Teshna looked dumbfounded by the turn of events. “Please, King Snarl Tooth, I beg you…”
William lost focus on what was being said, and he started to hallucinate. The mask behind the King blinked and rolled its eyes, gazing down at him. In fact, all six masks seemed to come alive. They broke free; their long arms reached out of the stones, wriggling their way up from the pyramid that held them. A cascade of rocks tumbled down the steps. The six giant beings moved to the stairway and merged together, morphing one into the other. A furry creature took shape before his eyes. Its tall muscular body twisted and turned, and then it stretched out its long claws with sharp nails.
“This is messed up,” William said.
The hairy beast sprang from the second level of the pyramid, landing just before him. William looked to the others for help, but they weren’t there anymore—he could only see the pyramid and the horrible growling monster.
The strange creature was at least twice William’s size. It crawled closer, moving like a cat, and then stood on its hind legs, glaring at him with squarish eyes that appeared cross-eyed. Its wide nose and protruding jaw with sharp incisors made its face seem like a cross between a jaguar and a man.
“Balam,” the creature said, “I have been expecting you.”
“Who are you?”
“I am the Sun god, Kinich Ahau,” he said, as his name echoed throughout the valley. “Come. There are important decisions to be made before the day’s end.” The Sun god grabbed William’s arm and dragged him up the steps.
Teshna held William as his body convulsed. Subiac snatched the cup he had been drinking from, sniffed at it and grimaced. He gave Teshna a knowing look.
“What have you done?” Teshna asked the King, struggling to hold back her tears.
The Serpent Passage Page 16