Kachina

by Rada, J. R.

  Scinaro pulled a long-blade knife from his waistband, and David raised the langher. Scinaro looked at him and shook his head. He turned the knife so that the pointed edge of the blade faced up, and he jammed it into a crack between two rocks. As he pushed down hard on the blade, the rock wall behind Scinaro rose until it had reached the height of David’s waist.

  “Whoa,” David whispered.

  No, levers, Scinaro thought with a smile. Go through.

  Polanque bent over and slipped over to the other side of the wall. David slipped under the wall. As he straightened up on the other side, the wall slid back to the floor.

  What about Scinaro? David wanted to know.

  He must warn the slaves. When the Bow Clan discovers the body of the one you killed, they will attack the slaves.

  I’m sorry that others will die.

  Polanque shrugged. It does not matter. If it had not been this incident, they would have found another reason.

  Polanque led David through a maze of passages lit by torches with no flames. Instead, the heads of torches seemed to glow with an interior light. The stranger knew exactly where he was going. He looked to David to be a wisp of smoke. His thin, white body glowed in the dim light and glided through the passages. He didn’t waver in indecision at the junction of passages. They passed many open passages that were equally well lit, but Polanque simply passed them by.

  Where do the passages lead that you don’t take? David thought finally when his curiosity got the better of him.

  Death. They are traps to keep those who do not know the way away from the pueblo. I take you to the pueblo of the Sun Clan. It is a great hidden pueblo, and it must always remain so. If the Bow Clan were to discover the pueblo, they could kill all the Sun Clan and steal our stores of food and weapons, Polanque explained.

  David nodded that he understood. He did not. Why did the Bow Clan hate the Sun Clan? Polanque, Scinaro, and Masani were of the Sun Clan. Were they the good guys or the bad guys?

  The passage they were walking through ended abruptly. Off to the side was a ladder leaning against the wall. David looked up. The tunnel continued straight up further than the light from the flameless torches could penetrate the darkness.

  Polanque began to climb the ladder and David silently followed. David wondered how long it had been since he had been sealed in the maze with Polanque. His body was weary and he needed to sleep. He hadn’t slept since just before he and Masani had entered Kuskurza.

  When they reached the top of the ladder, there was another pale man waiting at the entrance to another series of tunnels. Polanque spoke to the man in whispers occasionally glancing over his shoulder at David.

  Finally, Polanque turned to them and thought, You will rest for a cycle. When Ma´saw returns, he will speak with you.

  David offered no argument. He would be glad for the rest. How will I know where to go?

  We will meet again. I must prepare an exploration group now. He pointed to the short, stocky man at his side. This is Teron. He will take you to a room.

  Polanque turned and quickly left at a trot. Teron watched him go and then turned to David. Teron looked at David from head to foot and shook his head.

  You are the lost white brother. So the Fourth World truly does exist. Why is Polanque worried? He should be overjoyed at your discovery.

  I have killed the Bow Clan, David thought.

  Teron laughed. His low-pitched voice echoed through the tunnels. You have not killed the Bow Clan. The Bow Clan still lives just as a manatus will live even with seven legs. David didn’t know what a manatus was, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out.

  Teron led David down the passageway until he came to a room divided from the tunnel by a curtain. Teron pulled back the curtain and ushered David into the room.

  When Ma´saw wishes to see you, he will call. Do not hope, though. Ma´saw meets very few. I have yet to meet him myself.

  Teron left the room. David turned around slowly to see what the room looked like. It was lit by a single flameless torch, which sat in the center of the room. The walls were bare and carved from stone. Metal spikes had been driven into the wall and a soft material had been stretched between the spikes to form a hammock. David sat on one of the hammocks, then lay on it.

  When he awoke later, it was neither light nor dark in the room. He hated the poor lighting in Kuskurza almost as much as he hated the total darkness of the caves.

  David was still alone in the room, but someone had set a plate of fruit on the floor in front of the torch. David did not like the fact that he had slept while a stranger had entered the room. The person could have been an enemy, and David would not have been awake enough to defend himself.

  Rolling out of the hammock, he sat down in front of the plate. It was filled with what looked like vegetables and fruit, but there was no meat. He picked up a long, ribbed piece of what he guessed was fruit and bit into it. It was sweet and juicy. His stomach reminded him that it had been a while since he had eaten. David finished eating the fruit, and then he went on to eat four other odd-shaped pieces of fruit.

  He thought the fruit and vegetables were quite delicious, and they compared in taste to other foods he had eaten on the surface. He peeled a round piece of fruit and began eating the white pulp inside.

  As he ate, David realized how badly he wanted to get back to Blanding. He needed the sun and the rivers.

  The curtain parted and Polanque stepped in. David jumped to his feet prepared for whatever might happen. He was still not totally convinced Polanque was a friend.

  You have rested and eaten. That is good. Ma´saw is here, and he would speak to you. Follow me.

  Teron did not think Ma´saw would meet me, David said as they stepped into the passageway.

  Teron is not Ma´saw.

  Polanque again led the way following the maze of tunnels with undisturbed surety. When they stopped, they were standing next to a wall with no exits or doors. Polanque picked up a rock from the ground and pounded it against the wall once. He paused, then struck the rock against the wall two more times. He paused again, and then hit the wall once more.

  The wall slid up as the wall next to the pueblos had.

  Levers, David said proudly.

  Polanque smiled as he ducked inside the room. David followed. The walls of the room were covered with large maps drawn on skins. David could not guess what sort of animal skins they were. Maybe the manatus. Most of the maps seemed to depict the passageways in the tunnels. None of them seemed to agree in what passage lay where, but they all had a large central chamber in the middle and smaller lines radiating outward. A few of the maps showed lines and rooms within huge triangular shapes. David guessed these were drawings of the stone pyramids.

  Across the room, a man stood with his back to David studying one of the maps on the wall. His white hair hung in two braids at his waist. His shoulders were wide, but sloped. He wore a vest made of a dark material David did not know and pants made of an animal skin.

  The wall touched the floor with a dull thud, and the man turned around. He was older than David had expected him to be. Even from across the room, David could see the deep wrinkles in his face and hands. He did not seem as feeble as many old people.

  Welcome to Kuskurza, the old man thought. I am Ma´saw.

  David nodded. I am David.

  Ma´saw’s eyes studied David. David? David nodded. Is that your only name?

  Purcell, David told Ma´saw.

  Ma´saw smiled. Pahana.

  David shook his head. No, Purcell.

  Ma´saw nodded. Pahana.

  David dropped the subject not wanting to get into an argument.

  I have been told of what you did in the fields, Pahana, and I am curious. Why were you not killed by the Bow Clan?

  I fell into a cave and broke my legs. Masani found me and made me eat something that healed my legs. He knew the Bow Clan was coming after me, so he carried me to safety.

  Ma´saw nodded as he approached D
avid slowly. Ma´saw sat on the floor and beckoned for Polanque and David to join him.

  Taiowa was with you, Pahana. By saving you, Masani has brought us both our lost white brother and a breeder, Ma´saw thought.

  A breeder? David repeated.

  A man who keeps his parts and is able to father children is a breeder. There are few breeders among the Sun Clan. You are only the fifth.

  Are you a breeder? David asked.

  Ma´saw cocked his head to one side and smiled. I have my male parts, but I am too old to breed.

  How old are you?

  One-hundred-and-forty-one seasons.

  David gasped even though he didn’t know how long a unit of time “season” was in Kuskurza, but it sounded like a long time.

  Ma´saw chuckled at their amazement. Do not be startled. I am not yet old among my people. If I am not slain, I may live another sixty or seventy seasons. The oldest Sun Clansman lived to be two-hundred-and-fifty-six seasons.

  Is Ma´saw your title? David thought.

  The old man shook his head. The first Ma´saw was left behind in Kuskurza to guard the dark kachinas. The twin sons of Taiowa gave him the responsibility of keeping the dark kachinas imprisoned so they would not destroy Tu´waqachi. After a time, the dark kachinas started to regain their power, and they created more people to be their slaves. Ma´saw led some of the slaves away to form the Sun Clan to oppose the Bow Clan and the dark kachinas. When Ma´saw grew old, he passed on his name and his mission to a deserving warrior among the Sun Clan. The second Ma´saw gathered the rebels and began the construction of this hidden pueblo. Ma´saw held his hands over his head and waved them around. When his time ended, he gave his name to the most-deserving member of the Sun Clan. When my time ends, I will give the name to Polanque, and he will become Ma´saw. As long as the dark kachinas exist, so must Ma´saw and the Sun Clan.

  Who are the dark kachina? David asked.

  They are spirits, evil spirits. They treat our people as slaves. They continue to use the Bow Clan to inspire fear. The Bow Clan think and act as one person. They communicate their thoughts without words, which is a skill we also have, but for some reason a Sun Clansman cannot read a Bow Clansman’s thoughts or vice versa. The mission of the Sun Clan is to lead the people of Kuskurza to the surface in the same way the twins sons of Taiowa led our people to the surface long ago.

  I could show you the way to the surface, David thought excitedly.

  I value your offer, Pahana, but I do not think you know what you say.

  But I do! I remember the entrance I came through, and I remember the landmarks I saw along the journey to Kuskurza.

  But many of those landmarks will no longer be there. Do you see all these maps? Ma´saw pointed to the various maps around the room. These are the maps that show the structure and traps of the caves. No two agree. These maps are all outdated. There seems to be only one path to the surface. If that path is ever discovered, the dark kachinas quickly change it with their magic. They can close tunnels, make new ones, cause water to spring from the ground, or create deep pits. They seem to be able to sense whenever someone is in the passages. They then send the Bow Clan after them. Our exploration parties must work quickly when they are in the passageways or they are slaughtered by the Bow Clan. We continue to search for a permanent path to the surface, but we have not found it. And now our exploration parties are far between. I am surprised Masani made it close enough to the Fourth World to find you and then find the way back to Kuskurza. The dark kachinas are becoming careless as their power grows. Hopefully, that will be their downfall.

  Why not send many teams out at once to search for the entrance? David proposed.

  Our numbers are few. Even with breeders, there are no women to breed with. Our numbers increase simply because the dark kachinas must maintain slaves to work the fields and perform other labors. We seek out the slaves that are unhappy with their conditions and we bring them into the Sun Clan.

  Where do the slaves come from?

  The dark kachinas keep the women in a breeding area. Some are selected as sacrifices for the dark kachinas. Others are used for breeding. The rest are killed. The Bow Clansmen are all breeders. They mate with the women to produce children. The female children are trained to birth children like their mothers do. The males are separated into Bow Clansmen and slaves. The slaves have their male parts removed and are given to other slaves to raise. Occasionally, a male will not be mutilated through the sloppiness of the Bow Clan and the slaves will have a breeder. Now that you have found Kuskurza, our cause will be strengthened. You are proof that the Fourth World exists and can be reached.

  Ma´saw’s face went out of focus, and David wondered what was happening. As he regained his vision, all he saw was the ground rushing toward him as he fell off the bench and collapsed on the floor.

  CHAPTER 43

  “David, are you all right?” Peter asked as he grabbed David by the arm.

  Yes. Yes, I’m fine, he tried to answer with his thoughts. When he realized Peter couldn’t understand his thoughts, he said, “I’m fine.”

  Peter wiped David’s face with a wet cloth. The cool water felt refreshing on David’s skin and it helped bring him to his senses.

  “Walk slowly and I’ll help you climb out of here.”

  David shook his head. “No, I can’t go now. I’m starting to remember things, but there’s more to remember. I have to remember everything,” David insisted.

  “But you’ve been down here for over four hours.”

  “Really?” David staggered to his feet. He put one hand on the wall to keep himself from falling. Then he fell back onto the bench. “I have to remember. It’s too important to stop now.”

  “You’re acting like Adam. The visions drained him. People thought he was crazy.”

  David smiled. “I think you’re trying to scold me, Peter, but comparing me to Adam is actually a compliment.”

  David leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He tried to relax his body, which wasn’t too difficult under the circumstances. He was exhausted. He could understand how the visions would have drained Adam. It didn’t take as long for the visions to return this time.

  Like before, he saw all of Kuskurza - the temples, the slave pueblos, the fields, and the slaves working in the fields. His vision focused on the people, and David saw himself raise his head slowly without stopping his tilling. He was wearing the green tunic of a slave like everyone else in the fields. David looked around the field. All around him were others quietly tending the fields as if they were slaves, but David knew now they weren’t. The slaves had readily agreed to stay in their pueblos for the work cycle when Ma´saw told them the Sun Clan would work in their place.

  The Sun Clan slowly moved in the direction of the eastern stone mountain next to the central temple. Among the disguised Sun Clansmen was Ma´saw. When he dropped his hoe, that would be the signal for the small groups of Sun Clansmen to attack the Bow Clan overseers dressed in their red tunics with black trim. David looked at the imposing mountain of stone and wondered for the first time if the plan he had proposed would work.

  He had been the one who presented the idea to Ma´saw, and he would be the one to take the responsibility if it failed.

  The idea had occurred to David when he had heard Ma´saw address the Sun Clan. He had been standing in the corner of the meeting room that was tightly packed with men who wanted to be in the presence of Ma´saw when he spoke. David had stood in the corner of the room unable to see the legendary leader. David gave up trying and crossed his arms over his chest and relaxed.

  Ma´saw stood in the center of the large room speaking. Brothers, the exploration team Polanque sent out three cycles ago is dead. They were trapped in the caves and killed by the Bow Clan. Their bodies have been hung on the central temple as proof to us of the dark kachinas’ supremacy. Disappointed mumbles could be heard among the all-male group. Our numbers are now fewer than they have ever been. The dark kachinas have not increased the
number of slaves for many cycles. Until the time comes when our numbers are greater, there can no more exploration parties, and no more attacks on Bow Clan quatis. We must focus our efforts on recruiting more slaves to our cause. It is the only way the Sun Clan will grow.”

  David shook his head slowly, but he said and thought nothing. It would not be wise for him, still considered an Outlander, to challenge the leader, especially in front of so many witnesses. Besides, he had been in Kuskurza only a short time. There might be circumstances of which he had not yet been made aware.

  Ma´saw spoke for a short time longer on how the Sun Clansmen would go about recruiting slaves to the cause of the Sun Clan. When he had finished, the men filed out of the room to go about their normal business. Their heads hung low as if they had been defeated in battle. David stayed behind while all the others left. Ma´saw had moved to the front of the room and was studying the maps with Polanque. The leader turned and saw David.

  Ma´saw flashed a weak smile at David. I can see you did not like what I said, Ma´saw thought. David nodded slowly. What in particular is troubling you?

  If you allow the Sun Clan to rest and grow stronger, so will the Bow Clan. But for every slave that becomes a Sun Clansmen during this rest, the dark kachinas will gain four or five Bow Clansmen. By waiting, the Sun Clan only becomes weaker, not stronger.

  Polanque stepped forward and for a moment, David thought the powerful-looking man might strike him. You have been here only three cycles, Outlander, and you propose to instruct Ma´saw, who has been in Kuskurza all his life, how to lead the Sun Clan?

  Ma´saw laid his hand on Polanque’s shoulder. Let him speak. We should never grow so confident in our abilities that we cannot consider another opinion. Pahana comes from a different world, Polanque. He sees things in a different way than either we or the Bow Clan see them. Ma´saw turned to David and waved his hand. Speak, please.

  David took a deep breath. You can’t just sit still and hope for things to change. We must attack the Bow Clan’s weak points so that the balance will turn in our favor.