“Okay enough.”
“You will take seven men and six women to the area just above Chino and to the right. Hulse! You will take seven women and six men to the left and above Anderson. Eme! You will take the remaining man and six women to the first work-shed. Try to divide the trained Warriors evenly between your sections. Eme, get the most experienced Warrior in your platoon and use him to guide you.” She nodded. “I will remain in front of the central shed with my twelve men until there is the clash between Kish and Coatl’s Warriors.” I stared at them. “We will not be able to hold them at the summit.” They all stared back at me. “As we drop back and reach the outskirts of Chay Abaj, Clarke and Hulse will attack from the sides. As we drop back more, Chino and Anderson will attack. Once we reach the central shed, Eme will attack.” I looked at my two Warriors. “Is it clear?”
“Nacon!” they shouted, hitting their chest. I nodded, hitting my chest in acknowledgement, yet wondering at the outcome of the impending battle against a strong and bitter foe, we being a small hodgepodge army.
“If any of the new Warriors hesitate, or act as if they are changing sides, kill him or her immediately. To your positions,” I ordered, “and teach your Warriors our war-whoop, the roar of the mating baläm: Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! I will brief Kish on the deployments.”
Kish, with maquahuitl and to’bal-rib, stood on the summit of the hill, looking to the south at the sacbeob approaching Chay Abaj. Coatl’s Warriors were about half k’ab away. Iztali and Yochi stood at his side, each armed with sk’op, long bate’ and to’bal-rib. A few paces away were Teul, Choco, and Kish’s two Warriors, armed with maquahuitls and to’bal-ribs; Yaotl and Iccauhtli were armed with sk’ops, long bate’s and to’bal-ribs; the remaining six Warriors carried short bate’s, to’bal-ribs, and sk’ops. Huehue stood holding his ch’aw-baq, having placed his sk’op and long bate’ on the ground beside him. Kish looked to the east. Kinich Ahau was already three hands up. He looked to all his Warriors.
“We are sixteen against a hundred,” cautioned Kish. no one answered. “We’ll take our positions. Teul, Choco, and my two Warriors will remain here on the sacbeob, facing the enemy. Iztali, Yaotl, and your three Warriors will go to my right and fade into the land. Yochi. Iccauhtli, and your three Warriors, go to my left and also fade. Once we are withdrawing into Chay Abaj, the fireteams will break away from the fighting and circumvent the sacbeob on both sides, one fireteam joining up with Clarke and one with Hulse. Huehue, after playing your song, you will go to the weapons pit and from there monitor the fighting, picking off targets with your sk’op. If any of our weapons are broken, you will replace them, immediately, irrespective of any danger to yourself. Is that clear to all of you?”
“Kaloonte’!” they all shouted, hitting their breasts. Very soon, it was only Kish, Teul, Choco, and the two Warriors who were left standing on the summit of North Hill.
It was a fresh morning. There was still some dampness in the air, but white rather than dark clouds moved overhead. The mountains were cloud free and appeared abundantly green. Even the volcanoes, except for their bare summits, were verdant from the tree-line downwards. On the sacbeob from Tulam Tzu were two faint dust clouds.
Kish did not look about him, but only at the sacbeob to Tulam Tzu. The time had passed quickly and Coatl’s Warriors were so close that each Warrior stood out on his own. The second dust cloud was about quarter k’ab away.
“I didn’t think that I would die this way,” said Choco.
“Do not think of dying or living,” retorted Kish. “Think only of the battle ahead. Think like the Warrior you are, Choco.”
“I will, Kaloonte’. Teul!”
“Yes, Choco.”
“My brother. Whatever happens, we will meet, be it either alive on this sacbeob from Tulam Tzu after the battle, or in Xibalba.”
“We will meet, my friend. We will meet,” answered Teul, grinning.
“They are here,” said Kish.
Coatl’s Warriors came to within a hundred yards then stopped. Their bodies were painted in red, blue, and black patterns. They were fully armored, wore lej-xajäbs, decorated loincloths, and were armed with the weapons of their choice. Coatl stepped forward.
“Greetings Coatl, Nabe Kaloonte’ of the Ajaw of Tulam Tzu. I did not think to meet you on this hill top. I thought this too lowly a battle for one as renowned as you.”
“Greetings, Kish, Kaloonte’ of the Ajawinel of Ox Witz Ha. It would not be honorable to have a lesser rank do battle with you Kish, buttoday we do not have to battle.”
“And how may that be done, my worthy adversary, Coatl, Nabe Kaloonte’ of the Ajaw of Tulam Tzu?”
You are outnumbered. Surrender and you will dine tonight in Tulam Tzu and not be journeying to Xibalba. My Ajaw still wants to have you carry his message to Ajawinel K’an II, telling him that his Nabeal Mial, Alixel Moyolehuani, must be returned to him. Also, Achcauhtli and Tlacaelel must be delivered to him for sacrifice.”
“And if the Ajawinel refuses?”
“Then Tulam Tzu will attack and destroy Ox Witz Ha and the story of Ajawinel K’an II’s defeat will be written on every stella in this land.”
Kish smiled. “And what about my Warriors?”
“They will be given the death of Warriors.”
“And Iccauhtli and Yaotl?”
“They will be given the death of slaves. But why do you worry about them? Surrender and by tomorrow you will be on the sacbeob to Ox Witz Ha.”
“And the slaves?”
“They are slaves.” Coatl frowned. “Why do you tarry? It serves no purpose.” Kish stared at Coatl. Coatl shrugged his shoulders. “The slaves will be slaves. They will continue to work the mines. But enough of that. The choice is simple. Live or die. Do you accept the kind offer my Ajaw has made?”
“I am afraid, I cannot,” answered Kish.
“Pity,” said Coatl as he walked back into the front line of his Warriors’ spearhead. “May your death be glorious.”
“And may your death be glorious too,” replied Kish. Coatl stopped then turned and faced Kish. He wore a strange inscrutable look after which he smiled.
It was absolutely quiet. Kinich Ahau was beating down on the Warriors, sending little rainbows off the sweat that glistened on their bodies. Even just moments before battle, the men were as calm as the land that surrounded them that morning. Coatl raised his arm in a fist. The picture of pristine serenity was completed as the beautiful notes from Huehue’s ch’aw-baq floated across the summit of the hill and into the valleys and mountains beyond. Coatl gave out a war whoop and he and his Warriors rushed forward as Kish and his Warriors drifted back a little.
The first cries of the battle came from wounded Warriors as Iztali, Yochi and their Warriors rose from behind the rocks and out of the pits where they had waited. Their ch’abs flew from both sides into the advancing army. Coatl did not hesitate, but continued forward, knowing that the loss of a few Warriors would in no way stop their advance on Kish and Chay Abaj. But Yochi and Iztali and their Warriors made every ch’ab count and within seconds, twenty of Coatl’s Warriors were wounded or dead.
Illustration 7: Battle Formation at Chay Abaj.
Kish soon lost his sk’op fireteams, however, as a section of Coatl’s Warriors, armed with to’bal-ribs and long bate’s, left each side of the spearhead, running towards Yochi and Iztali fireteams on opposite sides. The fireteams ch’abs took down about half of the advancing Warriors, but some ch’abs did not penetrate the to’bal-ribs. The fireteams had to put down their sk’ops and grab their bate’s as the advancing Warriors closed in on them.
Huehue, however, was well hidden among the pits and boulders and, using his sk’op, was able to rain a constant and deadly flight of ch’abs into the enemy.
Yochi, Iztali and their fireteams were fighting for their lives on the flanks as Coatl’s Warriors there were being reinforced by Warriors from the spearhead. Kish and his fireteam
were in close man-to-man combat with Coatl. The fighting was intense and Kish and his small vanguard kept moving backwards, slowly. Huehue’s arrows continued to fell Warriors in Coatl’s front line, causing confusion among the Warriors there. Then the ch’abs stopped.
Chay Abaj was absolutely quiet. The paaps that had gathered noisily in the nearby trees had all flown away, taking their piam!-piam!-piam!-piam! with them. Even the xirs had stopped their chirp-chirp. Kinich Ahau beat down unsympathetically through the humid air and I smelled the odor from my body and the men beside me rising about me. It was not the odor of man, nor the odor of fear. It was the odor of impending battle. I was armed with a to’bal-rib, a maquahuitl, a ba’at, and a knife. Six of my Warriors were each armed with a sk’op and short bate’, six with to’bal-ribs and maquahuitls. Then came the beautiful and soft sound of the ch’aw-baq, floating down the mountain side, quickly shattered by the war whoops, loud cries, whistling, and shouting of battle.
“Ko’one’ex,” I roared and my twelve former slaves, now Warriors, and I were running uphill to the battle on the summit. My gold color, which had been mainly dormant, began to glow.
Kish and his Warriors were fighting frantically, but Coatl’s Warriors were beginning to slide around them in order to envelope them. Fortunately, Coatl and his Warriors were so engrossed in their tactic that they did not see us until we were almost on top of them. I dropped down to the kneeling position and, immediately, my six Warriors with maquahuitl went down too. Ch’abs were instantly hissing over our heads, before our knees actually touched the rocky ground. The Warriors trying to encircle Kish and his Warriors cried out in pain and surprise as our ch’abs tore into them. We raced on, not being able to use ch’abs again for fear of hitting our own men. Iztali, Yochi, and their fireteams had risen from the boulders on either flank and were fighting fiercely against the two sections of Coatl’s Warriors that had separated from the spearhead on either side.
I looked to my left to see Huehue fighting desperately for his life. Three of Coatl’s Warriors had left the spearhead and had him surrounded trying to get to him with their maquahuitls. Huehue was moving at an amazing speed, swirling with his long bate’, keeping them off him. He would suddenly stop and surge with his long bate’ and twice he had been able to sink the bate’ blade into exposed body parts of the attacking warriors, but not deep enough to incapacitate them. I dropped back and shouted to two of my archers, “Help Huehue,” and they were immediately off to my left. They both leaped into the air, in unison, while readying their ch’abs and before their feet touched the ground their ch’abs were swiftly away and two of the Warriors were falling to the ground. They immediately returned to our section, leaving Huehue to battle the remaining Warrior. That was the Way of the Warrior. It was up to Huehue to prove his worth, to prove his worth as Alaxel of Yax Mutul. I thought no more of Huehue as we were now immersing ourselves among Kish and his Warriors and we were in the heat of battle.
The battle was fierce and I felt the warmth of blood on my body, the taste of blood in my mouth. I was fighting beside Kish, back to back as we held off a circle of Coatl’s Warriors. “It’s time to retreat,” I shouted to Kish.
A Warrior never uses that word,” he bellowed. “You are not even supposed to be here with me.”
“It is time to stick to our plan and withdraw,” I retorted.
“We wait as planned. We wait for the signal.” I was about to say that Huehue was probably dead when Kish pushed me violently backwards with his body. The blade of a ba’at tore across my upper back and I cried out in pain. “Now shut up and fight,” he yelled at me, “or you will die today. Then even above the sounds of battle, came the sweet melody of the ch’aw-baq. Huehue was alive.
“Move back,” Kish shouted, as we brought down our maquahuitls heavily on two Warriors that blocked our way to Chay Abaj. They fell before us.
“Victory is ours,” shouted Coatl. He stood in front of his Warriors with his to’bal-rib raised high, all his Warriors quickly forming a column behind him. “They are retreating like the ch’o’s132 they are. Ek Chuah turns his head in shame. They will not enter Xibalba as Warriors, but as slaves.” We ignored him and even in the chaos of battle, I remembered the brave ch’o’ that had helped me survive U-yeh Ja.
We continued withdrawing as quickly as we could, downhill towards the center of Chay Abaj. What was left of Yochi and Iztali’s fireteams moved deeper into the flanks, moving towards Hulse and Clarke. A fighting withdrawal downhill wasn’t necessarily a good tactic, but it had to be done. Our very short respite was soon over, however, as Coatl’s Warriors surged towards us.
The sacbeob was rocky and uneven and, most of the times, we couldn’t see where we were going as we had to keep facing Coatl’s forces. At times, we’d stumble a little and that put us at a great disadvantage as Coatl’s Warriors were well trained and were just waiting for any advantage to drive their bate’s home. Teul and Choco were fighting on either side of me, Kish three Warriors away on my right. One of my Warriors stumbled and he did not even have time to cry out as a maquahuitl’s powerful blow crushed his head, showering us with brain and blood. I head Teul’s war whoop as he howled in anger and, before the enemy Warrior could lift his maquahuitl again, Teul hurled himself into the air and sent the Warrior’s head into his abdomen as his entire chest split into two under the force and anger of Teul’s maquahuitl. My new Warriors continued to fall and I knew that it was because they were either ill trained or out of practice. I pushed the thoughts away. I had to think only of the battle, or I would soon be on my way back to Xibalba.
We reached the bottom of the hill, continuing our fighting withdrawal, always facing the enemy. As we came adjacent to the male slave shed, ch’abs began finding targets from the flanks as Yochi and Iztali had met up with Hulse and Clarke. The advantage was soon lost, however, as Coatl’s Warriors left the spearhead to attack our archers and close hand-to-hand combat ensued.
We were soon in front of the yaxché tree and Chino’s and Anderson’s sections, with war-whoops, whistles, and war-cries, attacked from the flanks with short bate’s, maquahuitls, and to’bal-ribs. They were immediately met with fierce resistance. What remained of Kish’s and my sections were then fighting around the yaxché tree, bathing its roots in Warrior blood. Far in the distance I hear the crazy laughter of the kos, Wah-co!-Wah-co!-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! and in the yaxché tree, above me, the crazy call of Xwáay Chikoop133 Skinny, skinny, yu no know me?, taunting me, trying to get into my head.
I concentrated on the battle, knowing that my thoughts must not stray if I wanted to live. Teul and Choco were still with me, and Kish was off to my side. But the weaker new Warriors were falling to the onslaught of Coatl’s well-trained Warriors. I saw the women Warriors from Hulse and Clarke’s squads fight bravely, but fall. I heard the war-whoops of Eme’s squad as they ran from the work sheds to join the battle. But we were losing, and I knew it.
I fought, tasting blood, tasting sweat, feeling the touch of the enemies’ weapons as they began tearing at me. I had to focus, but it was difficult for I knew the battle was lost, and images of Mahanamtz holding my woman, taking her to his bed, fucking her, kept tearing at my mind, my chest, my heart, and amidst all the fervor of death, the smell of fighting bodies, the smell of blood, the smell of entrails sliced open and gushing out their contents, odors of shit and piss, and the noise of close combat, I felt my tears stream down my face.
“Not now,” shouted Teul. “Just madafok fight.” Then he grinned and turned once more to face his enemies.
Kish was at my side. “Today I will die beside you, my friend,” he said, weakly. Then I heard him gurgle and I turned and saw the black blade of the long bate’ exiting his chest. He looked at me, smiling as he fell. I looked quickly back, and saw Coatl hit his chest, his countenance revealing only honor for the defeated.
“Fight,” screamed Teul. “Madafok fight!”
I took a short bate’ in my to’bal-rib and sta
red into the black eyes of the Warrior who had thrust it. I quickly raised my to’bal-rib up, then drove my bate’ beneath it and into the belly of the Warrior that had tried to kill me. I heard him grunt as I pushed and turned my bate’, feeling it go through him until there was no more resistance. I pulled it out and faced my next foe.
Then there came the soft majestic sound of the ch’-aw-bag, amazingly beautiful above the horror we endured. I looked towards South Hill and saw Warriors running down the incline towards us. For a moment, the battle ceased and all Warriors turned towards the sound of the ch’-aw-bag and the Warriors descending upon us. I stretched out my arms and embraced Teul and Choco, saying, “We have lost, my friends. Tonight, we feast in Xibalba,” And as I embraced those men I loved, I also said, “I am sorry, Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. I will always love you.” Then there was pandemonium as I heard Coatl shout to his Warriors. Immediately, about a platoon of Warriors, led by Coatl, turned and began running towards the advancing Warriors, leaving only a squad facing us. I didn’t know what was happening, but I shouted to the top of my lungs, “Warriors! For Kish! Fight. No quarter given! No mercy! Kill them all!” With cries of madness we attacked the remaining of Coatl’s Warriors and their blood was soon gushing from their wounds of smashed skulls, severed arms and legs, opened abdomens, all giving their Warrior blood to the yaxché tree around which we fought. As the last one fell, we rushed towards the rear of Coatl’s men who were now heavily engaged in fighting the unknown Warriors reinforcing us. As we clashed, Hope grew within me. Perhaps, I would not feast in Xibalba that night.
The close combat remained violent and bitter, bloody and cruel. Shooting ch’abs or firing a rifle was very different from being able to look into your enemy’s eyes and see him stare at you as you sunk your bate’ into his body. And the look in each Warrior’s face was different, yet none showed fear, just acceptance as was the Way of the Warrior.
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 9