When I was finished with my blackening, the Warriors surrounded me. “You have been briefed on what you are to do. Follow the orders of your Nacon.” I lifted my right arm into the air. “Defeat to the Death and Demon Guards,” I shouted. They beat their chests three times and cried out war whoops until Xibalba resounded with their cries. We didn’t have to worry if Xiuhcoatl heard us. He knew we were there. “Let’s go and may the gods be with you.” They all hit their chests once more and then we began disappearing silently into the grey darkness of the Wastelands. I estimated we had about four more kab’s before the red glow of the Xibalba sky announced the arrival of Kinich Ahau.
Marching among hot boulders, shallow pools of larva, sharp pieces of rock, and small fires was difficult. Yet, I heard no complaints from the Warriors and no one spoke. They moved quietly and unseen, as instructed. There were not always boulders to conceal us from the sacbeob and many times we moved ahead in a crouched position. At times, we did a high crawl, but sometimes we had to resort to a low crawl even though the ground of the Wastelands was hot. Wearing a huipil did have its advantages in the Wastelands of Xibalba.
There were eighteen of us on my side of the sacbeob. Ikan and his five Warriors led us, armed with jatz’oms. Chicahua, who was in Ikan’s section, also carried his sk’op. Next were Yochi and his six Warriors armed with short bate’s and to’bal-ribs. Then came my four men and I, carrying our machetes and knives. Taat also carried his sling or wik’iaq. All the Warriors carried knives as that was a standard item in their weaponry.
Ichik and his six Warriors were on the left side of the sacbeob, moving towards the bend, carrying sk’ops and maquahuitls. Teul and his seven warriors were waiting for the fall of the ch’ab. They were armed with long bate’s and maquahuitls, and Teul had his machete. I was not sure about Robertson and Tototl, but hoped that they would be coming down the sacbeob towards Teul. Where Kish, Iztali, and the Red Team were, I had absolutely no idea. I put them aside. My concern had to be that our enemies were waiting for us at the bend in the sacbeob to the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans. About a k’ab’ later, we came to the bend. Our enemies were there.
We spread out in the Wastelands, about one hundred yards from the sacbeob, avoiding the lava pools for fear that the tongues of flame that arose from the pools would reflect on us or on the chay and chert blades of some of our weapons. Yochi was to the left, Ikan in the middle, and I was to the right. Chicahua was just beside me. We alternated, one Warrior looking forward, one Warrior looking backward to where we had advanced. I was really tired of the fokin huipil and headdress, but I knew Yochi was right. I had to keep my golden skin hidden.
Once we were all settled in, hidden by the boulders, I whispered to Chicahua. “Go as close as you can get. I want information on their formation.” He nodded, put his weapons aside, except his knife, and disappeared into the dark greyness of the Wasteland.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
RIVER OF SCORPIONS: NIM-JA’ TI’ SĺINA’ANS
K’iin 9 - The Uinal of Yaxk’in’
Tuesday, May 8, 1973
Time passed and there was not a sound except for the occasional bubbling of lava. I was agitated, in a kneeling position, thankful that the huipil helped to protect my knees from the rocky and hot terrain. The warmth and sultry air didn’t help my uneasiness and wearing the headdress and pati’ increased my discomfort.
Sweat was pouring from my body and as time dragged on I became more tense, fighting to put my concerns aside. There were no sounds from the enemy on the sacbeob and Chicahua had not returned. I did not believe he had been caught even if the Death Guards had posted Warriors in the Wastelands. He was trusted by Yochi and that was a great recommendation on its own.
“Ek Baläm has whistled” came a quiet voice from behind me.
I turned and responded, “Ek Baläm has whistled” and Chicahua was, once again, beside me.
“I didn’t hear you approach,” I confessed.
“I could have taken your head, Nacon.” He looked grave. “Perhaps you were distracted.”
Another subtle reprimand. “Brief me,” I murmured.
“They all face the sacbeob we are expected to come down. The Death Guards have divided into six columns of twelve Warriors each, three in rank and four in file. The long bate’ and long to’bal-rib columns are on either flank. The middle two are armed with maquahuitls and ba’ats. The remaining two have short bate’s and short to’bal-ribs. Behind the columns in rank are three Nacons and Kaloonte’ Xiuhcoatl. In the rear are twenty-four Demon Guards, in rank, with sk’ops, and jatz’oms. They are in classical Xibalba formation and will follow the regular protocols of battle.”
“You are sure of this?”
Chicahua looked up to the grey Xibalba skies, then continued. “This is what they will do. As the enemy advances a frontal attack, when the command is given, all the columns will kneel and the Demon Guards will unleash their ch’abs and bate’s. Once they are done, the columns will take over. The long bate’ troops will attack first from the flanks as they try to complete an envelopment. Once that is done, they will drive the enemy Warriors into their remaining columns that will already be fighting. The enemy Warriors will be wedged and killed. If any should escape from the envelopment, they will be taken out by the ch’abs of the Demon Guards. Of course, in our case, there will be no advancing enemy Warriors.”
“Are Ichik and his Warriors in place?”
“Yes, Nacon. They are.”
I was about to ask Chicahua how he had done the recce, how he had obtained the intelligence, but decided against it. “Go to Kaloonte’ and Ikan. Give them the information then return to me. Remind them that we attack in silence.” I turned to Choc, Choco, Rhys, and Taat. I did not feel any fear and koal seed covered my body as deep emotions built within me. I began to glow so tried my utmost to bury my emotions, something all the Warriors were able to do, something I had to learn to do. I hugged Choco then Choc. “Ka xi’ik teech utzil,” I said. I came to Rhys. He smiled and I managed to say, “You have been my friend when I needed you most. Fight well, my friend.”
“Fight well, my friend,” he answered.
I came to Taat and kissed him on the forehead. “I love you. Taat.”
“I love you, Paal.” That’s when emotions overwhelmed me and the tears came. Fok the gold! I hugged him then I went to take up my position. Once again, I waited and I sweated until the fokin huipil stuck to my body. Then Chicahua was back.
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Once we advance, I want you to take out Xiuhcoatl and the three Nacons. That is your job.” He nodded. “Now, Chicahua, let your first ch’ab fly and may Ek Chuah guide your aim. Chicahua stood as the first signs of redness began to appear in the Xibalba sky. It was still dark enough and we were, hopefully, far enough away from the bend in the sacbeob so that he would not see. I looked at him with pride as he pulled back on his bow, then the only sound that broke the silence of Xibalba was that of the hiss of the almost silent ch’ab in flight as it made its way towards Teul. I waited for about a minute then nodded. The second ch’ab was on its way, this one going to Ichik and his section; then there was absolute silence. I removed my headdress and dropped it along with the pati’.
A cry came from the sacbeob as the first of Ichik’s ch’abs fell among the columns. That was quickly followed by another volley of ch’abs, each finding the neck of a Death Guard just above the armor jacket he wore. The Demon Guards were quick to see where the ch’abs were coming from and unleashed their own salvo of ch’abs, but they had not seen or heard any Warriors and were shooting blindly. Another flight of ch’abs hissed into their targets among the columns of Warriors who had turned to face Ichik’s onslaught.
“To’bal-ribs,” shouted Xiuhcoatl, and the Death Guards held up their to’bal-ribs in an attempt to field off the ch’abs.
Ichik released more ch’abs, no longer targeting the columns. Seven of the Demon Guards fell to the ground.
&nbs
p; “Find them,” shouted Xiuhcoatl, above the cries of his Warriors. “Kill them. Kill them all.”
Illustration 16:
Battle Formation at the Bend of the Sacbeob to the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans.
The remaining Death Guards nearest to Ichik and his Warriors stormed off the sacbeob into the greyness of the Wastelands as yet another shower of ch’abs fell among the Demon Guards. Ikan and his Warriors, flanked by Yochi on the left and me on the right, were then close to the sacbeob. He and his Warriors released the first set of bate’s from their jatz’oms into the heads of some of the Death Guards facing Ichik. The guards fell. Ikan and his Warriors quickly reloaded and another line of guards fell. Chicahua released a ch’ab taking out one of the Nacons. Xiuhcoatl saw the Nacon fall and immediately realized that he was also being attacked from our side of the sacbeob. He rushed up to the first three columns and ordered them to advance on our position while ordering the other three to continue their charge towards Ichik. As the Death Guards tuned to face us, this left their backs exposed and Ichik’s ch’abs immediately started taking them out. Ikan, followed the same tactic, launching his bate’s towards the Death Guards facing Ichik. Chicahua let his ch’ab fly and another Nacon fell.
I was not certain how many of our enemy had fallen, but knew that they had initially totaled one hundred Warriors. The three columns rushing us would have comprised thirty-six Warriors. We were eighteen. Ichik’s group was seven. We were in trouble if we had to go into close man to man combat, but I knew that was inevitable. I held tightly onto my machete.
The Demon Guards sent a flight of ch’abs towards a target up the sacbeob. That meant that Teul and his Warriors had arrived. I could not see them, but I knew that they did not carry to’bal-ribs. I tossed the developing images from my mind.
I saw the silhouettes of a troop of Death Guards approaching. Ikan and his Warriors released another fusillade of bate’s and I saw some of the guards drop. They were in a double rank formation and almost upon us. What seemed like out of nowhere, a raised maquahuitl was coming down towards me, the Death Guard’s gruesome mouth wide opened as he cried out his victory. Then he stopped as a ch’ab from Chicahua tore through his mouth, exiting the back of his skull. It was then time for the cries of battle to sound. I picked up his maquahuitl and with all the power I could gather I bellowed the roar of the mating baläm, Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! and I heard it echoing throughout Xibalba. My battle had begun.
Another guard was soon upon me, pushing his short bate’ towards my belly. I took the bate’ with the maquahuitl, which I held in my left hand, and cut upwards with my machete towards his neck. The machete slipped through so easily that for a brief moment I was puzzled, wondering if I had reached the guard’s neck. Then his head fell forward and his blood was gushing over me, invigorating me. Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! I cried again and lunged forward, chopping, slicing, crushing, totally insane, overwhelmed by the powers of war and survival that gripped me.
“All taken out,” I vaguely heard Chicahua say, referring to the troop that had attacked us. “Now we take their own maquahuitls and ba’ats to crush and slash open the bodies of their remaining Warriors. But I will fight by your side, Nacon. You are a good omen.” I actually heard him laugh.
Then Choc and Choco were beside me. “Time you did get rid of that madafoka huipil, Koz,”439 said Choco. There was actually humor in his voice. I looked at my body. The huipil was torn to bits and my golden skin was glowing like the fiery chariot of Kinich Ahau wherever the black ash I had rubbed on had sweated away. I tore off the remaining shreds. “Don’t worry, Koz. We’ll stay with you. Yochi has ordered that we are your first line of defence.”
I looked up just in time to see Chicahua bring down his maquahuitl onto the skull of a guard who had hesitated only momentarily as he gazed upon my golden skin. The guard’s skull disintegrated into a flare of blood and brains, Choco’s machete already ripping into the guard’s belly.
We were all then fighting on the sacbeob and as the red glow of Xibalba continued to make its appearance, the number of Warriors fighting had lessened, though the battle was no less intense. The dead and wounded were all around us, and the smell of blood, sweat, shit, and piss was so overpowering that the usual smell of sulfur did not seem to be there anymore. Choco, Choc, and Chicahua were still with me, as were Yochi and Ichik. They had formed a circle around me, protecting me. I didn’t want that. It was my battle as much as theirs and I should be fighting just like any other Warrior. I forcibly pushed myself out of the circle and immediately felt the powerful blow of a weapon against my skull. As I began to fall, I thought I saw a kohaw rushing towards me. Then my golden skin began to fade and all was black.
I heard angry voices around me and tried to move. Every part of my body hurt and my head felt as if I had drunk, not one case, but two cases of Heineken at the army barracks.
“Let the stupid madafoka sleep it off,” I heard Choco say. “He only got a madafoka glancing blow in the head. He’ll be okay.”
“But suppose he has a concussion?” asked Robertson.
“And if he does?” responded Choco, “What the madafoka can you do about it, Medic? Just let him sleep until we move out. Look after your own wounds and … There’re a lot of serious casualties here. That stupid madafoka isn’t one of them.”
I felt myself drifting off and I didn’t want to, but I was soon off again until I felt someone kicking me on the rump.
“Okay, Fok,” said Choco, sounding annoyed. “You’ve had enough madafoka sleep. We have to go.” I opened my eyes slowly staring up to the red glow of Xibalba. “I suppose I should say Nacon,” he added, brooding angrily. “But I must wonder if you deserve that.”
I was suddenly very alert and started to get up, but felt heavy resistance within my body. Also, the sudden movement of my head sent my brain reeling and I swayed a bit. I looked at my body. I was bruised, covered with cuts, full of blood, sweat, ash, and I stunk. Yet, beneath all that, my golden color still glowed dimly.
“Okay, Nacon! Take it easy.” Choco stretched out his hands and I took them. He pulled me up. “You got a madafoka nasty blow to your head. Not that you didn’t deserve it. Luckily, Yochi took out the guard just as he was about to sink his ba’at into your madafoka half-baked hard-head.” He then sounded very angry. “Why couldn’t you have stayed where we had you, where you belonged?” Choco shook his head, indignantly. “You almost got completely madafokad. And don’t try to pull rank on me.” I raised my hand to my head. There was a large area of dried blood on the right side and it was very tender to touch. “And we don’t even have any k’uutz for the pain.” He shook his head, scowling.
“And how are you, Koz?” I asked him, trying to feel a bit amused at his cussing expressions of concern even though I was extremely painful and a dizzy … and very angry at myself for what I had done.
He gave me a dirty look. “I’m okay. Bruised and cut up, just like you. Got a few good blows to my back and shoulders. Pissing a bit of blood. Almost got my body opened up.” He trailed his fingers along a shallow laceration that began at his neck and went downward to his navel. “But I’ll be alright.”
“And the rest of the men?”
“We’re still assessing. There’re a lot of casualties. But we won the battle. I can only hope we do the same with the war that’s to come.”
“My Warriors, Choco. My section.”
“We are all your Warriors, Nacon.” I turned to face the voice.
“Kish,” I said, relieved to see him. Yochi and Ichik were with him. Both of them were covered in dry blood and ash and they were swollen in many places, with many superficial cuts and abrasions. I noted that Yochi no longer wore the kohaw; neither did Kish.
“We are all your Warriors, Nacon. Every one of us fought for you and your mission. Don’t forget that.”
Reprimanded again. “I’m sorry, Kish. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.”
“I’m here
to brief you on the situation, then we have to move on to the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans. It will not be long before the Lords of Xibalba send more Death and Demon Guards to attack us. I am sure one or two escaped and are rushing to Xibalba to brief the Lords on their defeat. More Death and Demon Guards may already be on their way here, and it won’t be only a hundred this time.” He held his head askew and looked at me, scowling. “Your recent decision to leave your protective circle was not that of a Nacon, not that of a T’oit’ik-jolom, not even that of a waach.”
I nodded and hit my chest, not wanting to give my explanation, knowing that he would regard it as irresponsible. My brain spun and I felt nauseous. I wanted to ask again about my men from the Red Team, but I decided to keep my mouth shut and wait.
“When we separated at the festivities, after the ballgame,” Kish continued, “I told my teammates to scatter about and that naked Warriors, acting like slaves, would find them and they were to do as instructed. I gave them the password. That would have progressed as I intended, but it seemed that the Lords of Xibalba had changed their plans and still wanted some additional spectacle. They had decided that the Red Team would provide it. I do not think it was because we had really lost the ballgame. I think they wanted to punish you for the many times you humiliated them. Guards began searching through the crowds for us. My Warrior-slaves were immediately aware that something was going on and knew that they needed to get their individual mate out of the city as quickly as possible. As soon as each found their assigned mate, they began eluding the guards in order to accomplish their mission. That was difficult and time consuming and they would have been seen and recognized if they had tried going to the gates to join you. I decided to seek out the Warrior-slaves and inform them that we were going to leave the city by taking the route of Can-Tzicnal, northward to the city wall, then breach the city wall. I had told those I met to inform the others if they encountered them. That would brief any I hadn’t rendezvous with. They were not to search for them, however. Their only duty was to get their mate to the wall. Any who didn’t arrive would be left behind. We would then travel between the routes of Can-Tzicnal and Hobnil, the northeast, to the bend in the sacbeob just before the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans. I told them to find weapons for themselves and their mates. All made it to the wall.”
Sisimito II--Xibalba Page 57