“Yes, Chiac. Just making sure you’re still one of us.”
I finished pissing then felt like I wanted to take a walk deeper into the jungle. I decided to put that off until later. “I haven’t been able to spend much time with you and the men,” I said.
“That’s okay, Chiac. It’s been quite a journey.”
“It has, Robertson.”
“We keep a check on you though, even if you aren’t aware.”
“I keep a check on all of you, also.” I chuckled. “It’s often from the distance, however, as, all of a sudden, I have a platoon instead of a section.” Once again, there came the haunting whistle of the kolol. “My first section? How are they doing, Robertson?”
“They are okay.”
“Just okay?”
“Well, they are still adjusting to what has happened to them. They were at home … then Xibalba … then here. They are still trying to accept the fact that, although by some miracle … or enchantment … they are once again alive, but never be able to return to their former lives.” Robertson laughed softly. “Bloody hell! Who knows? I may soon be in their position also.”
“I’ll get you back home, Robertson. “After I’ve killed Mahanamtz and freed Molly, I’ll take all of us back home … except my first section, of course. I can’t do that.”
“It’s not you who will kill Mahanamtz, Chiac. We’ll kill Mahanamtz. We’re all in this one together. Isn’t that what our motto says, We are never stronger than when we are one.” He was silent for a while. “Well, I’d better get back to my guard duty. Nice talking to you, Chiac.” He moved away silently into the darkness.
I felt miserable that I hadn’t carried on a longer conversation with him. When I was running through the jungle, my mind was on my running, my jungle, what we faced, at that time. When I rested, my mind was on many things, things I couldn’t do anything about at that time. I felt a bit of nausea. I sighed. I took my knife and dug a hole in the jungle floor, pulled aside my loincloth, and had my shit. At least, I didn’t have to do that later.
I walked back into the camp. The Warriors were already stirring, most disappearing into the nearby jungle to do what I had just done, some just pissing where they stood.
“Paal.”
I turned. “Taat,” I said, and I smiled.
“How are you doing, Paal?”
It was still dark and I wasn’t sure if Taat could see the tears that had started to flow down my cheeks. I put my arms around him and we walked to the edge of the camp. “I am okay.” He said nothing else as if waiting for me to continue. “I am a bit exhausted, Taat. The journey has been too long and I have not found Molly. I see pictures of Mahanamtz and her in my mind. They’re not nice pictures, Taat, and they’re there all the time.”
“You have to put those pictures away, Paal, or they will forever be imprinted on your mind. You cannot change what has happened, but you can control what will happen. Once Mahanamtz is dead and Molly is with you again, it is the future you must look to. If you remain in the past, it is the past you will live. That would not be good, Paal.”
“It’s hard to think that he’s fucking her, Taat. It’s hard.” I held my head with both hands.
“You’re not sure what’s happening, Paal. Our legends say that he won’t do that unless married. Think. Mahanamtz has not had the time to have a marriage ceremony. Regardless what happens, Paal, you’ll put it behind you, live in what the future brings. You can do that. You’re a great Warrior.”
I looked at Taat. This was the first time he referred to me as a Warrior.
“And you’re a good paal,” he added.
“Thanks, Taat.” I was quiet for a while, but pictures were coming at me. I had to get busy. “It’s best we get going. I wanted to be in Naj Tunich last night.”
We readied our Warriors and were soon on the way to Naj Tunich. The mountains grew in height, and the ridges twisted on each other, but the trail was good and avoided the summits whenever it could. Because we remained on the lower slopes of the mountains, the jungle surrounding us was thick and many times infringed upon the trail, keeping the undergrowth hot and humid. We were sweating heavily, but we met creeks often and so had adequate water to replenish our body fluids, and throw over our bodies or sit in briefly. Occasionally, we met small groups of traders going either way. We acknowledged each other and quickly were on our way. Other than the groups, we met only birds and small tree climbing animals that watched us from the closed canopy overhead. I knew I was journeying through the Maya Mountains, my jungle, but I was in a different place, a different time, a different world with different people, different customs, different values. Molly had called U Wach Ulew “A violent society”. Yet, I felt it was my home.
We reached the summit of a ridge running north to south and an area that had been cleared as a mirador. Below us lay Naj Tunich.
“Naj Tunich is as dark as its caves,” said Yochi, who stood beside me looking down. “Ahau Naj Tunich317 is also as dark as the caves.”
“What do you mean, Yochi?”
“They have ceremonies when they drink chukwa’, iztāc-octli, and balché mixed with a special ikox called teonanácatl318 and a special xtabentún called tlitliltzin.319 They smoke k’uutz mixed with me’t.320 Those mixtures have strange effects and soon the users are no longer aware of themselves. They chakuj tutuchci on the altars while others around them cut themselves, the men pierce the foreskin of their toon and the women the outer parts of their t’ot’, then they drip their blood over the couples who chakuj tutuchci. They do not put the sacrificial blood on parchment, nor do they burn it so that the offering may rise to the gods. Many times, during those rituals, they sacrifice the young … children, young men, young women.”
I looked towards Yochi whose face carried a black look. “I have done the ritual of the Ch’ahb, the bloodletting, when I cut the foreskin of my toon,” I said. “It was done to give thanks to the Rain God, Chaahk, and a God of Medicine, Cit Bolon Tum, for my team’s victory at pitz.”
“That Ch’ahb is a good ritual, but in Naj Tunich, it is part of a dark ritual.”
“Is this the only place that practices those rituals?”
“Yes! Only Naj Tunich.”
“Strange.”
“And their artisans spend most of their lives in the caves.”
“Their lives? Doing what?”
“Building elaborate tombs and monuments for the Nim-q’ij Dynasty in the many tunnels that exist. They also mark the cave walls with the handprints of the Ahau and his family. They paint and inscribe the walls with writings and many paintings. The caves are rich with jewelry and carvings of ya’ax-chich, q’aq’-puaq,321 choq’322 and there are many tapestries and rugs, jars of scented oils, and many other things. That’s what I have heard.”
“It must be beautiful.”
“Yochi looked at me. “Most don’t see them. Mainly the Nim-q’ijs and those who may attend the death of a Nim-q’ij. Many times, the artisan is sacrificed when he has finished a great painting so that he cannot make a similar painting anywhere else. One of the most famous of these paintings is that of Ix Chel as she chakuj tutuchci with her consort. The artisan painted the consort naked, his tutuchci big and fierce as it should be to enter the t’ot’ of a goddess, his large u-ye’el-toons hanging just below. Ix Chel wore only a narrow wrap hugging her hips, tied in front, so that she could easily receive his large toon.”323
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a painting like that in any of the cities I have visited,” I remarked.
“It’s in Naj Tunich. Only in Naj Tunich.”
I was silent for a moment. “So, they kill the artisans. That’s some thanks,” I said, and a shudder came to my shoulder.
“Sometimes they’ll be merciful and just remove the artisan’s hands.” I stared at Yochi. “He can never paint again. Maybe that’s why there are no more paintings of a tutuchci in our land.” Yochi shook his head sharply as if trying to toss
the thoughts away. “Yes, Chiac. Only in Naj Tunich.”
I looked down at Naj Tunich. The city was beautiful as it lay among the jungle at the bottom of the mountain. Smoke wisps rose from huts that ringed the main courtyard and there was a maze of interconnecting sacbeobs spreading throughout the city and into the jungle. Medium size temples stood to the north and west of a large sinkhole. Other buildings and a cho324 were to the south.
“There seems to be a lot of activity. Many people are on the sacbeobs.”
“Yes. And they are all moving towards the tz’ono’ot.325 We must be arriving during one of their ceremonies. There may be Nim-q’ij Visitors from neighboring cities, Ox Te’ Tuun, Lubaantun, perhaps even your Ox Witz Ha and my Yax Mutul.”
I looked at Yochi who remained watching Naj Tunich. “Ajawinel K’an II would not attend dark rituals,” I remarked.
Yochi kept gazing as if he had not heard me. “Our arrival at this time may not be a good thing.”
“Why the madafok are you two staring at the scenery? Shouldn’t we be going?” asked Teul, loudly, from behind us.
Both Yochi and I jumped. I turned and faced him. “If you weren’t my friend, Teul, I’d cut off your u-ye’el-toons, fry them with onions and tomatoes, season them only with salt and black pepper, and eat them with kua. As a matter of fact, I have already thought about doing that before, so be warned.”
“Who’s talking about seasoning with salt and black pepper?” asked Hulse, who had joined us. “That’s the only seasoning you need. All the other fish-cloth-dog condiments, they only cover the real taste, not enhance it.”
I looked at Hulse and was immediately taken back to Expedition Bold when he had killed the iboy326 and seasoned it with “only salt and black pepper”. We had not eaten any fresh meat for four days and nothing I had ever eaten had tasted better than the iboy that Easter Sunday evening. But then was another life. Another time. “Nacons!” I shouted. Soon Yochi and I were surrounded by Iztali, Huehue, Ichik, Bas, Ikan, Chicahua, Teul, and Chimalli.
“Warriors! Teul is back with us.”
“Yes, Kaloonte’!” he said, hitting his chest. “I have taken back my section from Chimalli, but he is my Ukab.”
“Yaotl,” I shouted.
“Kaloonte’,” he responded, as he came up to join us.
“I am making some minor adjustments. We will have five sections, each will be divided into two fireteams, each fireteam having the Warriors as before. No changes. Each fireteam will have a Nabe Nimal Nacon. Iztali and Huehue’s fireteams will make up Section One, Iztali being Nabe Nacon, and Huehue, Ukab Nacon. Section Two will have Nabe Nacon Ichik and Ukab Nacon Bas. Section Three will have Nabe Nacon Ikan and Ukab Nacon Chicahua. Section Four will have Nabe Nacon Teul and Ukab Nacon Yaotl, not Chimalli. You, Teul, will have the largest section. You will also have Xipilli. I have chosen Yaotl as your Ukab, in charge of your second fireteam. Chimalli will still be with you, but on your fireteam as your Nabe Nimal Nacon. The Nabe and Ukab Nacons can select who they want to be Nabe Nimal, except in the case of Chimalli. Section Five will have one fireteam only with Ukab Kaloonte’ Yochi and me. The Sk’op Fireteam remains the same. Is that clear?” They hit their chests.
“One more thing, Teul …” Teul began to frown … “you will also have Nabeal K’ojol Atl and his two sisters Sacnite and Xochitl.” Teul’s jaw dropped. “They are to be protected by you or you will answer personally to me. Keep them safe.” Teul glared at me then hit his chest. “I will add Ukabal Xiuhcoatl to my Section.”
I couldn’t have Teul and Xipilli fucking all night while the other Warriors lay there hearing them. As Teul was the section leader and Xipilli was under his command that took care of the chakuj tutuchci issue as they couldn’t be fucking female members of their section. I must admit, however, that it would have been somewhat diverting to see which one each fucked, the girl friend or the intended bride … or both. That discovery would have provided some light ribbing when we needed to destress. That would have to wait, however.
I studied my Nacons, knowing that they would follow me wherever my mission took me, realizing that I might lose some of them on the way. Their eyes were riveted on me, knowing that I was lost in another trend of thought. That was not good. They had to see me focused at all times. “Yochi has told me that Naj Tunich is a dark place with strange rituals. It seems that we have arrived here during one of their rituals, or, probably, it is just some festivity. Yochi is wary and so I order you to be vigilant and to instruct your Warriors to be watchful. We will proceed to Naj Tunich, give our greetings to Ahau Naj Tunich and be on our way.”
“Why don’t we just bypass the city,” asked Bas.
“The sacbeob to Ox Witz Ha passes through the city. Also, I am sure there are Warriors posted on the outskirts of the city. A platoon of Warriors moving through the nearby jungle, avoiding marching through the city, would be seen as suspicious, even hostile. We would most certainly be confronted or attacked.”
Bas nodded then continued. “What do we do with our weapons?”
“We carry them. It is very likely that we will be met on the outskirts of the city by the Warriors of Naj Tunich. We are also Warriors and, hopefully, Naj Tunich will grant us passage through their city with our weapons. We just have to wait and see, convince them we have no hostile intentions.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then we advise them that we will withdraw and circumvent the city.” Bas nodded again. “Any more questions?” There was no response. “Remember! Instruct your Warriors to be vigilant whether we go through the city or not. They are not to be distracted by the festivities. As soon as you are finished instructing them, we leave for Naj Tunich.”
The trail down to Naj Tunich was well kept and stuck to the easiest mountain path possible. Yochi ran beside me and his eyes were flickering into both sides of the jungle. “We are seen,” he said “and messages are being sent.”
“How do you know?”
“I heard the hiss of the ch’abs.”
The trail brought us to a wide and cobblestoned sacbeob surrounding the tz’ono’ot. The circular edge, which was about two hundred and fifty feet north to south and two hundred feet east to west, was decorated with stelae, some with carvings and inscriptions, others plain. A bubbling spring, surrounded by spheroid stones, was at the center of the tz’ono’ot. Stairways lined the circular wall, leading down to the floor giving the effect of an amphitheater. Across from us was a cave’s massive entrance, sitting at the northwestern edge of the tz’ono’ot, about three hundred feet away. I estimated the entrance of the cave to be about seventy-five feet wide and the height fifty feet. It was lit with many torches and had an elaborate canopy made from brilliant tapestries with banners and flags. To the east was a balcony upon which many colorfully dressed citizens sat, possibly the elite and visiting dignitaries. Many ah’-cuabs were playing their instruments at the opposite western wall. There were also terraces, platforms, and retaining walls enhancing the monumental architectural construction. I viewed it with awe. Many more spectators stood on the floor of the tz’ono’ot itself, numerous parasols twirling in the midday sun. Just beyond the tz’ono’ot were residences on top of several temples and platforms, most probable the Nim-q’ij Residencies. Smaller temples were to our left where there was also a market place. Stalls were filled with fruit and other wares, pots of food were cooking
on open fires, and the smell of kua, herbs, and smoked meat hung over Naj Tunich. People were everywhere, walking, laughing, talking.
The music stopped suddenly and several nim-tums began their drumroll. The quiet from the crowds was immediate. Many people glanced up towards Kaán and so I did. Kinich Ahau was directly overhead. I looked back down to avoid the bright glare and to focus on what was around us. We were completely surrounded by heavily armed Warriors, each carrying a long or short bate’ and a to’bal-rib. I elbowed Yochi who was still staring at the spectacle. “We are surrounded.”
> “Yes, we are,” he answered, knowingly. “Don’t do anything. Our Warriors are aware.” I wanted to ask him something, anything about this new development, but I kept my mouth shut.
The nim-tums roll continued and a column of about thirty people, in triple file, approached the entrance of the cave from the left and took places along the western wall, just above the ah’-cuabs. Some elaborate headdresses and jewelry that shone brilliantly, lit by the powerful midday rays of Kinich Ahau. The procession also comprised boys, girls, and several priests and was led by two priests, each dressed in a white loincloth and a white cloak covered with pieces of ya’ax-chich and q’aq’-puaq, a naked boy carrying incense burners on either side of them. The other boys wore a white loincloth and the girls wore a white huipil embroidered with designs I could not see because of the distance.
I stared at the priests that were in front and I felt koal seed spread over my body. One of the priests was familiar. I had no idea why seeing that priest gave me that feeling, but 1 felt I knew him, that I had met him before, and the thought stayed with me as I watched the group standing in the torchlight. The nim-tums stopped and other music started again.
“Take a step forward and turn around. Introduce yourself,” said Yochi.
I pushed my odd feeling out of my way and stepped out. I turned and faced the Warriors of Naj Tunich. No one seemed to be in charge so I just spoke. “I am Fuck. Kaloonte’ to Ajawinel K’an II of Ox Witz Ha. This is Yochi, my Ukab Kaloonte’.” None of the Warriors spoke or moved, but their eyes betrayed recognition of my name. “We journey to Ox Witz Ha and, with your consent, will march on the sacbeob through Naj Tunich. We wish to give our greetings to your Ahau and we will be on our way.” There was still no movement or reply. “I see that today is a day of festivities. If your Ahau is unable to receive us, we will continue on our journey, immediately.”
One of the Warriors stepped out. He was dressed no differently from the rest except for the string necklaces denoting his rank. “I am Izel,327 Nabe Kaloonte’ to Ahau Naj Tunich.”
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 27