A World Darkly (Wrath of the Old Gods Book 3)
Page 25
“I dwelled in the forests when the world was young,” the voice said. “I instructed many children of the tribes in the ways of healing and knowledge of the land. Now I am being used to hunt the horned serpent for greed. This ship is cursed, as all who are in it. You should do well to heed my warnings, Tyrone Gatlin.”
Tyrone was still breathing rapidly. He was too nervous to think properly. “You know my name. But how do I know this ain’t a trick? Maybe the captain has you trapped in there for a good reason. You could be an evil creature that needs to be imprisoned for all I know.”
The voice inside let out a muffled laugh. “Ah, for a shaman of the one who sits above us, you are easily deceived by the greedy others. In due time you will learn who is telling the truth. Let us hope that by then it will not be too late, for your sake.”
Tyrone just stood there silently for a minute. He wasn’t sure about what he was going to do. The captain seemed like an honorable man. He was now a trusted member of the crew and he had risked his life for them. Now all of a sudden, a creature inside of a box was telling him something else. Who could he believe?
Biting his lip, Tyrone made his decision. He placed the keys back in his pants pocket and gripped the portrait of Captain Pillinger’s son. As he turned and twisted the knob on the door, he heard a bit of laughter coming from what was inside of the box, then it fell silent. Tyrone glanced at the container for one last time before opening the door and stepping out.
Tyrone closed the door and locked it. As he turned to head down the corridor towards the stairs, he realized that JJ Glanton was standing there, leaning on one side of the passageway, looking at him. The ship’s first officer had his hand placed on the hip holster that had his Kimber 1911 pistol. Tyrone stayed rooted as Glanton walked over to him and made eye contact.
“Just what the hell were you doin’ in the captain’s quarters?” Glanton said. He smelled of whisky, tobacco and sweat.
Tyrone instinctively kept his feet close together as his arms lay at his side, as if he was still standing at attention back in the military. “The captain told me to get a picture and bring it up to the pilot house. He gave me the keys.”
Glanton nodded sarcastically. “Is that right? Then why did I hear talking in there? Answer me, boy.”
“You were just probably hearing things,” Tyrone said as he turned and started to walk away.
Glanton placed a restraining hand on his shoulders. “Don’t you walk away from me, boy.”
Tyrone used his arm to knock away Glanton’s hand as he kept on walking. Glanton cursed as he ran up in front of Tyrone and tried to block his way. Tyrone used his arm to gently push the first officer aside as he kept on going. The stairs were close.
Glanton nearly drew his pistol, but then realized he didn’t have much of a backing if the captain questioned him about it afterwards. “You think this is finished, boy? Well it ain’t! I’m gonna get you one of these days, and not even the captain is gonna be able to save you!”
As Tyrone made his way up the stairs towards the wheel house, he regretted not having the shotgun with him. You’re right, asshole. Next time it’ll be different, he thought.
17. A Child to the Mother
Tenochtitlan
At the center of the new metropolis stood two gigantic stepped pyramids, one facing the other. Both were of identical height, signifying the equality between the two patron gods of the empire who were now allied with each other. The façade of the great temple of Xipe Totec had now been stained red with the blood of its sacrifices. On the other hand, the grand temple of Huitzilopochtli’s walls took on a bluish tinge, as befitted the god’s other name, that of the Blue Tezcatlipoca. In the complex mythology of the Aztec gods, their titles and names would sometimes overlap with the others. It was as if one god had assumed many names and guises, or that each of the deities could become like the other. Every god had different aspects to their personality, so each had to be placated.
High Priest Tepiltzin ascended the interior stairs of the grand temple. He had been slowly making his way upwards for the past twenty minutes. The stone steps that were carved on the outside of the pyramid were reserved for public sacrifices, while the priests that attended private matters came up from the inner chambers of the temple. An occasional warrior passed him on the flight of stairs and he acknowledged them with a nod. He was now in the main temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of war and of the sun. Even though the interior layout of this place was very similar to the great temple of Xipe Totec, he soon realized that it was markedly different in scope and intent. For one, he noticed that there were other passageways in the ground floor that led underneath the pyramid. No such passageways existed in Xipe Totec’s temples. Tepiltzin had heard rumors that the passageways underneath Huitzilopochtli’s temple led directly to Mictlan, the underworld of death. That would pretty much explain why the place was filled with warriors who had come back from the dead.
It took nearly an hour, but Tepiltzin finally made it to the upper chambers of the temple. The constant exercise of going up these pyramids made his legs stronger, but he still wished that they could have installed modern day elevators, in order to make it easier for all of them. Even though he was used to the workout, he was still exhausted by the time he made it to where he needed to go. As he rubbed his aching legs, Tepiltzin lowered his breathing as he stood at the base of the upper stairwell. He could see a corridor that led to the personal chambers of the avatar of Huitzilopochtli and that was where he was summoned to. Steeling himself, he walked out of the stairway and into an adjoining passage.
As he went past another stairwell that led to the top of the pyramid, he came upon the entrance to a large, interior hall within the pyramid. Two acolytes stood at the side of the stone doorway, they wore the brightly feathered headdresses that differentiated Huitzilopochtli’s priests from that of the other gods. The polished obsidian walls around him seemed to glow with a faint bluish fire. He was not in his element, and it made him nervous.
One of the acolytes gestured at him to proceed, so Tepiltzin drew a deep breath before entering the great chamber. Unlike the halls of Xipe Totec’s pyramid, there were no openings out into the sky, the whole place was hemmed in like a shadowy cave. Without the yellowish light of the numerous burning torches placed in set areas, the room would have been completely dark. The hall was large enough to house several twenty-foot tall stone statues that depicted the war god Huitzilopochtli in various poses. As Tepiltzin looked up, he could see glowing orange spheres that helped to illuminate the upper recesses. He wasn’t sure what those were, most probably some sort of magic from the underworld that helped provide some light in this otherwise stygian place. The sacred stone idol of the war god was in a nearby alcove on the east side of the chamber.
“Those glowing balls of light are a gift from the tzitzimimeh,” a voice coming from the far end of the room said. “The goddesses of the stars welcome our alliance with Tlaloc, and it is through his good graces that we are so fortunate to have them as part of our invincible armies.”
Tepiltzin turned. Standing at an alcove near the far end of the hall was a man wearing an ornate feathered headdress. He had an embroidered loincloth and a harness fashioned from bright plumage over his shoulders. His face was painted blue and he had glowing, yellowish eyes that seemed to bore right into Tepiltzin’s skull. For a brief moment, Tepiltzin felt a twinge of fear rising from his stomach and making its way to his heart. He had heard stories the avatars to the gods could see through a man’s soul and would know if they were lying or not. Tepiltzin began to calm down after he realized that he would have already been killed if they had found out that he was lying. The fact that his uncle, the avatar to Xipe Totec, had instructed him to go to the temple of Huitzilopochtli instead of meeting him personally still gave Tepiltzin a sense of dread. Had they seen through his façade? Was he to be punished by the war god instead of the Flayed One instead? No, he couldn’t allow his fear to overcome him.
As he tried his best to hide his unease, Tepiltzin casually made his way and stood facing the war god’s avatar at the edge of the alcove. The high priest of Xipe Totec made a slight bow, acknowledging his respect and honor to be granted for such an audience. Everyone knew that Ixtli had been possessed by the very essence of Huitzilopochtli, and it was through him the war god spoke. “I am honored to be called here to the grand temple of the Blue Hummingbird of the South,” Tepiltzin said. “To be in direct contact with the great god Huitzilopochtli is a privilege that is bestowed on only a few, and I am grateful for it. How may I, a lowly priest of Xipe Totec, be at your service?”
“The avatar of your patron god, Xipe Totec, has spoken to me,” Ixtli said. “He has stated you have dreamed of the smoking mirror, our enemy Tezcatlipoca. He has said you are aware of a powerful traitor within our empire. Is this true?”
Tepiltzin nodded slowly. He needed to keep up with the lie. There was no turning back now. “Yes, Avatar Ixtli. I have been having visions of Tezcatlipoca. My patron Xipe Totec has been appearing to me in my dreams as of late. He has warned me that the Lord of the Near and the Nigh is set to return, and it would be my duty to stop him.”
Ixtli looked away briefly, as if he was staring into the darkened recesses of the alcove. “It is strange why Huitzilopochtli would be silent about this. Of the times I have spoken to him, he has not mentioned the god of the smoking mirror at all. I have also spoken to Grand Priest Tlazopilli, and he says that Xipe Totec hasn’t said a word to him about it either. I find it strange the Flayed One would not discuss a portent like this to his avatar, and instead would relay it to one of his high priests.”
Tepiltzin shrugged. “I too find it strange. Maybe it is perhaps because of my position. Since I am just a high priest, it would allow me the time and the way to find the traitor and kill him in order to prevent a wider conflict. If Xipe Totec had communicated through his avatar instead, the whole city would be aware of it. This way, our patron gods can keep it quiet, so I may find the avatar of Tezcatlipoca and deal with him.”
“If the avatar of Tezcatlipoca has manifested himself here,” Ixtli said. “Then he may already be too powerful for you to overcome and destroy. This is most peculiar.”
Tepiltzin was about to say something, but then he heard rapid whispering coming from the darkened sides of the alcove around Ixtli. Were there other people hidden nearby? It seemed that the avatar of Huitzilopochtli had hidden advisors that he was talking to. Ixtli seemed to nod his head as if he was listening to the nearby voices. Tepiltzin couldn’t quite make out what they were saying so he just stood there quietly. Ixtli moved slightly to his left and a figure moved out of the shadows as it stood beside him.
A sudden sense of terror gripped Tepiltzin. The creature that stood next to the avatar of Huitzilopochtli looked like a pale, emaciated old woman wearing nothing but a jeweled loincloth. The creature stared back at him with hollow eye sockets that had a faint blue light in them. Its fleshless, skull-like face had a fanged mouth and long strands of limp black hair covered the top part of its head. Deflated breasts draped over the creature’s skeletal ribcage. Long, sinewy arms and legs ended in black talons. Tepiltzin knew that he was facing a tzitzimitl, one of the great star demons from the Aztec cosmology. These female monsters served as the literal shock troops of the Aztec armies. No mortal could stand against their fangs and claws. Tepiltzin knew he could be torn apart by this demonic hag— he had no defense against her whatsoever. He had seen one of these demons literally tear apart American battle tanks with their bare hands. They were the true reason why the United States was losing the war.
For what felt like an eternity, Tepiltzin just stood there as the tzitzimitl seemed to be examining him closely. Beads of sweat began to pour down his forehead. It seemed the Ixtli might be testing him by using a star demon to gauge whether he was telling the truth. Since his hands were clasped behind his back, Tepiltzin hoped they wouldn’t notice his trembling. The creature swayed back and forth, but it didn’t make any sudden moves.
Ixtli crossed his arms as he glanced at the creature at his side before turning his gaze back to Tepiltzin. “It seems that the star goddess cannot see into your aura. That too is strange, for the tzitzimimeh are supposed to see through all. It may be perhaps that Xipe Totec has extended this protective cloak over your soul in order to give you some defense against the avatar of Tezcatlipoca, should you find him. I myself have tried to peer into your mind, but I cannot either. Since you are a high priest of Xipe Totec and a trusted member of his servants, I shall give you my trust.”
Tepiltzin slowly exhaled and made a short bow. “I thank you for your faith in me, Avatar Ixtli. It will be my sacred duty to find Tezcatlipoca’s avatar and defeat him.”
“I must confess,” Ixtli said. “Your uncle, the avatar of Xipe Totec, cannot seem to examine your aura either, and that is why he asked me to send for you. He told me he expects great things from you, that hopefully you will replace him as the new avatar when it is his time to go to Mictlan.”
Tepiltzin bowed again. He was out of danger and it looked like they trusted him to do the right thing. He was now free to go after his enemies. “My uncle honors me with his confidence in my abilities. I will make sure that I do not let him down, and neither will I fail the empire.”
Ixtli nodded. “That is good. We need more men of your confidence and ability. You are doubly blessed since your god is watching over you. Now what are your plans on how to find this avatar of Tezcatlipoca?”
“In my dreams, Xipe Totec gave me some clues,” Tepiltzin said. “He mentioned to me that the traitor has a flint knife with which to make sacrifices and that he is someone very influential in the temples of either this city, or in Teotihuacan.”
Ixtli frowned. “From what you are saying, it seems the avatar is already a priest. Did your god tell you as to what order does this priest belong to?”
“No, Avatar Ixtli,” Tepiltzin said. “My god simply said that I shall know him when all is revealed. To this end, I must visit all the temples and talk to the priests in them. I am confident that when the time comes, Xipe Totec will reveal to me who the traitor is and I shall kill him before he brings back Tezcatlipoca.”
“Very well,” Ixtli said. “I shall draw up official documents that will state that you will be given the authority to question any priest and from whatever temple they belong to. You shall also be allowed to enter their private quarters to examine their possessions. As you well know, we are still waiting for the avatar of Tlaloc to manifest itself in his temple, so you must tread carefully and take steps so as to not to upset his high priests. Remember that our alliance is still not solidly built, at least not until the main temple of the rain god is completed in Teotihuacan, and his avatar has been chosen. It is through Tlaloc’s generosity that the tzitzimimeh are helping us win the war against the hated Americans. So if one of his priests is a traitor, you must not act until you discuss it with me first, is that clear?”
Tepiltzin nodded. “Yes, Avatar Ixtli. I swear on my family’s honor I shall not act rashly. Only when I have all the evidence shall I then proceed with the traitor’s execution. The new Triple Alliance will not unravel. Together we shall banish Tezcatlipoca’s essence back to Mictlan.”
“I am proud to be allied with your order,” Ixtli said. “Now you may go.”
Tepiltzin bowed for the third time before turning around and walking out of the hall. He could hardly suppress a smile as he passed through the outer doorway and headed for the stairwell. He couldn’t believe that his ruse was working. The moment the tzitzimitl appeared, he thought he was dead for sure. Now it seemed that even the gods were with him. It looked like he was being protected by one of the gods since they all had failed to sense his deceptions. That must have been final proof that he was right after all. All he had to do now was to make sure that
any evidence he uncovered would lead right to Coaxoch, his enemy in Tenochtitlan. As Tepiltzin descended down the narrow stairway, he was practically grinning. So this accursed high priest thinks he can usurp my position in my own city? He was just a stupid son of one my servants before and now he thinks he can disrespect me? Just wait until I have him lying on the stone slab so I can take out his still beating heart. After that, I’ll wear his skin for a whole month until it falls off, he thought.
His assistant priest Chipahua had been waiting for him at the foot of the temple and they took a pedicab out of the central plaza. They crossed the eastern causeway and were soon traveling into the residential neighborhoods along the lakeshore. A light, afternoon rain had begun to pour so they drew up their cloaks since the pedicab had an open top. Although there were still cars around, fuel was now rationed since there had been management problems with the nearby oil refineries. Many of the foreign workers had abandoned the oil platforms out in the Gulf of Mexico and the oil production across the empire had suddenly ground to a halt. There had been a proposal to enslave a number of American oil workers to make them work at the wells and the fuel production plants, but the high priests couldn’t come to a consensus. It seemed that each temple faction wanted exclusive control over the oil production in the empire and no one was willing to compromise. So far, each bloc had their own exclusive responsibilities. The priests of Huitzilopochtli had exclusive control of the Aztec Army, while the temple of Xipe Totec had the run of the inner workings within the empire, which included most aspects of running the state. The Tlaloc faction was still in the gestation stage, their high priests were waiting for one of their own to become Tlaloc’s avatar, but so far the god spoke only to them in vague dreams. Nevertheless, both the priests of Huitzilopochtli and Xipe Totec courted the members of Tlaloc’s clergy as consensus builders when it came to deciding on state matters, so even though their faction was weak, it still wielded tremendous influence throughout the empire.