A World Darkly (Wrath of the Old Gods Book 3)

by John Triptych

  It took forty minutes for the pedicab to drop them off at the entrance of Tepiltzin’s ancestral home. His mother, Carmencita Cabrera, would be meeting him for lunch. Unlike most other women, Carmencita eschewed her Nahuatl name and insisted that everyone address her by her original Spanish name. Even the house had not been rebuilt to Aztec standards, it still retained the old Spanish colonial style, with an inner courtyard ringed with rooms all around it. The fact that Carmencita was the sister of the avatar to Xipe Totec gave her a certain type of immunity from harassment by her neighbors. She even used her influence to her advantage, securing goods that were normally no longer available to the general public. To that effect, she wielded considerable power within the neighborhood.

  Tepiltzin paid off the pedicab driver before walking up to the front gate and pushed the doorbell button. Unlike most other houses, his mother’s home still had electricity. Chipahua stood by his master’s side as he carefully folded the letter of authority that had been vested to Tepiltzin into a leather folder.

  The front gate opened and a servant let them in. The two men walked into the courtyard and noticed that Carmencita was sitting near the open living room with another woman. Tepiltzin immediately recognized the guest as Isabel Rivero, one of their neighbors. He remembered her before the Glooming had started, but he didn’t know her new Nahuatl name. As he stood underneath the overhanging roof with Chipahua, his mother got up from her leather chair and walked towards them.

  “Buenas tardes, mi hijo,” Carmencita said, still using the old Spanish greeting before switching to Nahuatl. Unlike the Aztec women of today, she still wore a blouse and her imported jewelry along with makeup. Her deep black hair was perfectly coiffed. She was rich enough to afford a hairdresser. “We have already had our lunch, but the food is still laid out in the dining hall. You and your assistant may go ahead and eat now.”

  Tepiltzin gestured to his junior priest to go on ahead. Chipahua made a slight bow to his mother before excusing himself to head over to the dining room. They had been staying as guests here for the past few days while Tepiltzin finished up his business in the city. He had to admit that this old house, with all of its colonial furnishings, was still a very comfortable place to live when compared to the retrofitted Aztec houses that now dominated the empire.

  “Everything went well, Mama,” Tepiltzin said as he kissed his mother on her cheeks. “I now have the authority to hunt down the traitors to the empire. I will teach that Morales bastard a lesson he soon won’t forget.”

  Carmencita nodded. “I don’t know why old man Morales’s son is so angry at you. We always treated them well even though they were just servants. I even paid for extra schooling of some of the kids in our old hacienda. And now this is how they repay our generosity? They don’t deserve any mercy.”

  Tepiltzin rolled his eyes. “It is the new empire, Mama. Anyone who is touched by the gods can become a high priest and I guess Coaxoch just got lucky. Now all of a sudden, he thinks he is somehow equal to me now.”

  “What a fool,” Carmencita said. “Doesn’t he realize your uncle is the actual avatar of Xipe Totec? That makes him one of the two most powerful men here. The only one who is equal to Paco is the avatar of Huitzilopochtli, but I forgot his name.”

  “Ixtli,” Tepiltzin said. “He was the one I spoke to at the grand temple this morning. He gave me full authority to deal with traitors.”

  Carmencita grinned as she hugged her eldest son. “Oh that is so wonderful! This means that you now have the confidence of both avatars! I see a very bright future for you, mi hijo. Our family is so blessed!”

  “Thank you, Mama.”

  “Tell me,” Carmencita said. “Have you seen your brother Jorge lately? It’s been months and I have not heard from him. I am awfully worried about him.”

  “He doesn’t want to be called Jorge anymore, Mama,” Tepiltzin said. “His name is Yaotl, which means warrior. I spoke to him a few weeks ago and I was able to get him transferred to the front line unit. He hopes to be an Eagle Knight soon.”

  Carmencita looked away. “I know that our armies cannot lose since our warriors can come back to life, but I’m still worried for him. What if the Yankees destroy his whole body with a bomb or something? There would be no way our war god could bring him back from the dead, right?”

  Tepiltzin laughed a little. He was also somewhat concerned but he needed to show an air of confidence to his mother. “Do not worry, Mama. Yaotl is sure to return. There was one jaguar warrior who was torn apart by a missile I think, yet Huitzilopochtli made him whole again and he returned from Mictlan to keep on fighting. I’m confident Yaotl knows what he is doing.”

  “I hope so,” Carmencita said. “I always found your brother to be a little slow …and somewhat naïve when it comes to the world.”

  Tepiltzin crossed his arms. If there was one thing that made him angry, it was people condescending his brother. “Mama, don’t talk about him like that. Jorge will make you proud soon enough.”

  Carmencita smiled and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “Oh alright, you know him better than me and I trust your judgment. I remember when your brother was picked on at school, you would always come to his aid.”

  “Of course, he is my brother after all,” Tepiltzin said before glancing over at the living room. “Is that Isabel?”

  Carmencita took him by the arm as she led him towards the lounge by the courtyard. “Yes it is. I think it’s been a long time since you two saw each other, come and greet her. She came to me because she has a problem and I think you can help her.”

  As Tepiltzin and his mother moved over to where she was, Isabel stood up and walked up to them. She bowed a little before extending her hand to the high priest. “High Priest Tepiltzin, it is an honor,” she said softly as she shook his hand.

  Tepiltzin was surprised. “Oh, you know about me?”

  Isabel nodded. “Who doesn’t know you? I have heard many stories about your exploits. They say you could succeed your uncle as avatar of Xipe Totec in the years to come.”

  Carmencita smiled as she gestured to the nearby chairs and sofas. “Why don’t we all sit down? Isabel, you ought to tell him of your problem.”

  Isabel’s fidgeted nervously as she sat down on a brown leather sofa. “He hasn’t eaten yet? Perhaps he should have his lunch first?”

  Tepiltzin smiled as he sat down on a chair beside her. “I ate a little before I came back here. Lunch can wait. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Isabel. I’m sorry if I am not addressing you properly, but I do not know your Nahuatl name.”

  “It’s Nenetl,” Isabel said. “Don’t worry, you can still call me Isabel.” She tried to smile but her lips startled to tremble and she looked away in shame.

  Tepiltzin leaned forward. “Is something the matter?”

  “I-it’s my son,” Isabel said softly. She was fighting back tears. “He is only nine years old and he is the darling of my life. The priests of Tlaloc came to his school yesterday and chose him. They said I must present him to their new temple in Teotihuacan in four day’s time.”

  Tepiltzin leaned back and sighed. This was indeed a serious matter. When Tlaloc’s priests chose a specific child, that kid would be their chosen sacrifice. It was said that when the child’s tears rolled down their cheeks just before they were killed, it would signify good rains for crops. Unlike the other gods of the Aztec pantheon, Tlaloc’s sacrifices were exclusively children. Tlaloc the rain god had been an important deity in the old Aztec Empire because his rains that would determine either a good harvest or a drought. The old Aztecs were highly dependent on a steady season of rainfall, but with the advent of the new empire, Tepiltzin had believed Tlaloc’s influence would have been lessened since modern farming techniques were now the norm. Nevertheless, the Tlaloc faction was an important part of the Triple Alliance, and their demands would not be denied.

  Isabel started sobbing as Carmencita stood up and offered her some tissue paper to wipe her tear
s away. Tepiltzin looked away as he sat there thinking about what to do. To use his influence to prevent the sacrifice of Isabel’s son would precipitate a transgression against the priests of the rain god. If Tlaloc was offended, then the empire would be embroiled in an inner turmoil. The offensive against the United States was scheduled to resume as soon as Tlaloc’s avatar was reborn. Without the proper sacrifices, the rain god might not even manifest himself and that would be even worse for all of them.

  Just before she sat down again, Carmencita tapped her son’s shoulder. “Isabel came here to ask for our help. I told her that we will do whatever we could.”

  Tepiltzin glanced at his mother before turning to look at Isabel. “Nenetl, I can understand your feelings as a mother to your boy. You have to realize that many people in the empire would consider it an honor to have their child chosen as a sacrifice to the rain god. Your son will live happily in the afterlife. My uncle, the avatar of Xipe Totec, has had visions of Tlaloc’s realm and he says it is the best place for anyone to go after they had passed their final death. It is a paradise of light rains and water gardens for him to play in for the rest of eternity. He will be very happy there.”

  Isabel started crying again as she clutched the wad of wet tissues in her hands. “P-please do something! M-my son is a-all I have. He isn’t ready for this. I am begging you. Could you maybe ask the high priests of Tlaloc and see if they could choose somebody else? Please, anybody but my son!”

  Tepiltzin looked down at the red brick flooring of the house. “This will be very hard. I do know Tlaloc uses dreams and visions to guide his priests, just like Xipe Totec and Huitzilopochtli. If he has personally chosen your son then there is a reason why. The temple of the rain god in Teotihuacan will be completed soon and to be chosen as one of the inaugural sacrifices, well I think a lot of other parents would jump at the chance for that.”

  “Not me! Not me!” Isabel said. “We were neighbors once. We’ve known each other since we were kids. I never asked you for anything, Tepiltzin. Please, I am begging you to save my son. If he is sacrificed, there’s no reason for me to go on living either.”

  Carmencita looked at her son with slight contempt. “Mi hijo, you cannot know the anguish of a mother when she loses a son. I’ve known Isabel’s family long before you were even born. I’m sure you can come up with something to solve this problem.”

  Tepiltzin frowned as he looked at his mother. “But Mama, the priests of Tlaloc are the third power in the empire, I cannot just go over to them and tell them they shouldn’t be doing this. The Triple Alliance might unravel!”

  Carmencita snorted in disgust as she looked away from him. “You are just like your father, always making excuses instead of doing the right thing. I think it’s better I talk to your uncle instead. I’m sure he will put a stop to this.”

  Tepiltzin had a sudden flash of anger as he almost stood up. This is what he hated every time he visited his mother. She would always force him to do something. “Mama, don’t do that! If you go to Uncle Tlazopilli, you will make things even worse!”

  Carmencita glanced away from him in slight condescension. “You think I can’t get this done? Your uncle, the great avatar of Xipe Totec, is my brother. He won’t say no to me. He never has.”

  Tepiltzin threw his arms up in aggravation. “Alright, let me handle this! I’ll see what I can do.”

  Isabel cried out as she knelt down on the floor at his feet. “Oh thank you, Tepiltzin! I am so lucky I have you as a friend! I will be forever in your debt if you could find a way to spare my son’s life!”

  Tepiltzin stood up as he took Isabel by her shoulders and made her stand up as well. “Don’t cry anymore. I will see what I can do. You must remember that this is a very delicate matter and there is a good chance I might fail.”

  Carmencita took out a cigarette from a metal case and placed it in her mouth. Then she reached for her gold lighter lying on a side table. “Make sure you don’t fail. The family honor is at stake. If you’re such a powerful high priest, this should be easy for you.”

  As Tepiltzin hugged Isabel, he glanced briefly at his mother. He had daggers in his eyes.

  Chipahua was already on his third cup of coffee when Tepiltzin came over into the dining room and joined him. The young acolyte noticed his superior seemed to be in a troubled mood as Tepiltzin quietly began to spoon some food onto his plate. He had heard a little bit of crying and screaming coming from the courtyard and wondered what it was about.

  Tepiltzin began to eat, but the problem that had been thrust onto him had killed his appetite. He put down the fork and sighed.

  “Is everything okay?” Chipahua said.

  Tepiltzin leaned back on the chair and tapped his fingers on the old wooden table. “I thought it would be a good day today but now I have another problem. How well do you know the priests in Tlaloc’s temple in Teotihuacan?”

  “I’ve spoken to the high priest there a few times though I do not know him personally,” Chipahua said. “Their acolytes I know very well. We’ve had lunch together a number of times. Why do you ask?”

  “How many times have they sacrificed at the temple of the rain god here in Tenochtitlan?”

  “I’m sure they have sacrificed tens of thousands of children already,” Chipahua said. “I’ve been to a few of them during my training days.”

  “How many children are scheduled for the inaugural sacrifice in the temple at Teotihuacan when it’s finally completed?”

  “I’m not sure,” Chipahua said. “If I were to guess, it would be at least a thousand children on the first day, then a few hundred more on the succeeding days until Tlaloc’s avatar has been reborn.”

  Tepiltzin nodded as he collated the information. “If one of the chosen children were to be substituted by another child, do you think the priests would notice it?”

  “I do know the high priest examines them carefully just before they walk up the steps of the pyramid,” Chipahua said. “Then they are led up by the acolytes as the sacrificial ritual begins. Are you planning to trick them or something like that?”

  Tepiltzin nodded. “Yes, something like that.”

  18. A Model Family

  Kansas

  Charles Eason was always a believer. His father, a minister, had taught him that the only thing that mattered was the Bible, and he had to memorize the first three gospels by the time he was twelve years old. Charles was nervous when he stood in front of his father and began to recite the passages word for word. His father had his own personal Bible out and stood in front of him as he made sure that each and every word was said exactly as it was written. Every time Charles got a word wrong, he received a hard slap in the face, and by the time he had recited all three gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, his cheeks were swollen purple and he had blood oozing out from his split lip. His father then took out a white handkerchief and began wiping the blood off his son’s face, telling him that he needed to get it right, because Charles would be retaking the test again the week after. On the second try, Charles did get everything right. His father placed his hand over the child’s head and told him he was ready. It was the day when Charles finally understood what it was that meant to be a man of god, simply because he knew his father was right after all. Years later, when his father was on his deathbed in the hospital, he made his only son swear on his soul that he would always abide in the teachings of the Lord. Charles wept like a baby as his father let out a gurgle and died, and he vowed to continue on his legacy. It was the last time he ever cried.

  When he finally started his own family, Charles had a dream. He would raise as many children as he could, and he would pass on the teachings of his father. It was his faith in the wisdom of the Lord that would serve as a spiritual bulwark against any sort of adversity that life would throw at him, and he was fully confident the holy book had all the answers. Then he encountered the biggest obstacle of all: his wife Lisa was unable to bear him any children. He had thought about divorcing her, but that wo
uld have gone against his religion. It was nothing more than one of God’s tests, and he knew he would not fail it. There had to be another way. Not long after, Charles and Lisa began adopting needy children. The acceptance of orphans served a dual purpose. First, it allowed them to rear a large family they could teach and pass on their faith, and second, it gave them a good source of income, since the state was willing to pay them to take care of the children. By the time of the Glooming, Charles and Lisa had a large brood of ten foster kids living with them in Lexington.

  Not long after the pagan gods had returned, Charles heeded the words of the great Pastor Erik Burnley and his Rock of God Church. He quickly got their possessions together and moved the entire family over to the McPherson compound for a few weeks, before finally settling in an abandoned house given to them by the church at the outskirts of Dodge City. Charles was completely devoted to his newly adopted church and was soon chosen to head the morality council in the city when the state declared its independence. He had been so diligent in his work, he was soon given another assignment to serve as assistant to the camp commander for the undesirables in Camp Purgatory, over at Fort Leavenworth. Charles hated the place because of the prisoners in it. He felt that any unbeliever was a fool and he would sometimes take out his frustrations by beating on them. After his request to be transferred back to Dodge was approved, Charles did find a number of children in the camp to be most eligible for adoption. Since the undesirables had no rights, he merely picked the ones he wanted and told the guards to take them away and put them in his car. A few of the parents protested and they were naturally dealt with. Since the prisoners refused to believe in the Lord’s truth, there was no recourse but to take their children away because there was still some hope of turning the kids around to the church’s point of view, he reasoned.