“Continue moving to the bank,” bellowed Zyanya.
Gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwot.
Loud cries came from Xwáay Chikoop as the ch’abs tore into her straw wings and body. Then, suddenly, an earsplitting cackle ruptured the air around them as she metamorphosed into a ball of fire and hurled herself towards the troop.
“Dive,” roared Zyanya. Xwáay Chikoop plunged to the river where they were then immediately swooped off towards the south. Cries of terror and pain came from many of the scattered members of the troop, not only out of fear, but the water around them had grown hot as the fireball sped overhead.
Taat and Cipactli had dived with Chiac. They rose above the surface still holding onto him, their hair singed and burnt. A dazed Taat started to sink back into the river.
“Teul,” shouted Cipactli. “Help Taat.
“Madafok!”
“Keep your positions and move together,” shouted Zyanya. “We have to reach the bank.”
“Some are lost,” called out Teyacapan.
“Ko’one’ex,” bellowed Zyanya. “Now.”
Gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwot.
A very large green snake, eyes red in anger, mouth spitting froth through sharp fangs, hissing and swaying, broke the surface in front of Chimalli. “Xtabai,”371 hollered Chimalli as he hurled himself and his long bate’ at her. The bate’ entered her just below her head and opened jaw, and a harsh loathsome pitiful cry swept across the river as she swung up her scaled body, lifting Chimalli completely out the water as he held onto his embedded bate’. Xtabai heaved her head backwards tossing Chimalli upward and he let go of his bate’. Xtabai lunged forward, her large jaws fully opened and directed at Chimalli’s abdomen as he fell towards the river surface. A ch’ab buried itself into her lower jaw and the cry that emanated was so horrendous that all the pujuys, icims, and other birds of the night took to flight, and the loud, deep guttural growls of the batz echoed through the valley. Chimalli continued falling.
Bas and Chino were attempting to club Xwáay Kumätz with their Maquahutl, trying their best to get at her upper body, but she kept them at bay with her tail. Suddenly, she hurled herself high above the water and fell forcefully into the middle of the struggling group, wrapping her tail around Taat and Chiac. Q’eq Ha’ Wíinik 372 rose above the surface and stretched for the green Scapular. Namacuix slammed down his maquahuitl onto Q’eq Ha’ Wíinik’s reaching shoulder and with a terrible cry, the creature sank quickly below the surface. Xwáay Kumätz still held onto Taat and Chiac, pulling them under water, while Ichtaca and Cipactli struggled to hold onto Chiac and bring him once again to the surface. Taat, who had regained some alertness, pulled his ba’at from his loincloth and began hitting at Xwáay Kumätz ‘s tail, but the scales were hard and being under water, it was difficult to chop.
Across from the fragmenting circle, Xipilli with his maquahuitl and Zyanya with his short bate’ were attacking Xwáay Ok’ol’s two tails. Xipilli was shouting over and over, “Patzoj! Patzoj! Patzoj!” as he hammered at Xwáay Ok’ol. Teul was trying to get at her body with his long bate’, but one of the tails was hitting at him almost continuously and he had to keep dodging, knowing that if she got the end of either of her tails into his nostrils, she would send them up into his skull.
The inner group had reorganized after Xwáay Chikoop’s fireball passage and Alt and Namacuix were fighting Xwáay Kumätz, trying to get her to let go of Taat and Chiac, but Xwáay Kumätz held her body high above the water so Alt and Namacuix could not get at her and they were having unsurmountable difficulties trying to injure her tail because of the tough scales there.
“U-ye’el toons!” swore Alt, becoming frustrated at not being able to cause any injury to Xwáay Kumätz.
Chicahua was fighting hard with his ba’at, trying to keep the creatures’ tails from coiling around any of them, not being been able to use his sk’op from the time Ole Heg had retreated.
Zyanya looked for Chicahua and saw him fighting near Ichtaca and Cipactli. “Chicahua!” he shouted. Chicahua looked at him briefly then turned back to his fighting. “Shoot the ch’abs. Hit them in their chests.”
Chicahua hesitated a moment, not wanting to leave the fight to rescue Taat and Chiac. He reached for a ch’ab from his kus,373 shouting, “Iuitl! Work with me.”
“Ch’ab after ch’ab hissed as they flew into the chests of Xwáay Ok’ol and Xwáay Kumätz while other ch’abs sunk themselves into Xtabai’s head. With pain, anger, and disbelief, all three creatures of the Kechelaj Komon towered themselves above the water, wailing the horrifying eek-eek of the sotz’, the hiss, grunt, and growl of the áayin, the loud rattle of the kiaqxop, then together they pummeled down into the Warriors’ circles; then all was silent except the sounds of small waves hitting the riverbanks.
A whirling movement began in the water nearby. “Regroup,” bellowed Zyanya. “Continue to the bank.” Running around them, disappearing in the water every now and again, was Q’eq Ha’ Wíinik.
“Q’eq Ha’ Wíinik,” shouted Teyacapan. “Does that mean the missing are dead?”
“To the bank,” shouted Zyanya, again.
Ichtaca and Cipactli threw down Chiac on the bankside and Teul rushed over to him to examine him. Chalchiuitl knelt beside Chiac, chanting, and Bas, also kneeling beside him and breathing hard with exhaustion, reached over and held his Green Scapular.
Taat was vomiting to one side, Choc and Xipilli holding him up. Chimalli appeared lifeless. Chino, who had pulled Chimalli from the river was placing him against a tree while Sacnite and Xochitl stood by to treat him. The children who had survived began chanting quietly and the rest of the group was sitting or lying down, some groaning, all breathing hard, some burnt by the fireball, bruised with bloody areas where the tails had hit them, bloody from where the tough scales had scraped against them. Chicahua and Iuitl stood facing the river, their sk’ops ready.
Zyanya walked over. Teul had Chiac on his back and was doing chest compressions and mouth to mouth resuscitation, crying out continuously, “Come Chiac! You madafok! Come Chiac! You …”
“Is Chiac dead?” Zyanya asked, emotionlessly.
“No,” answered Chalchiuitl. “He barely holds onto life. Teul is trying to get air into his lungs. He was under water a long time.”
“I hope he was still in the trance,” said Zyanya. “That may have been a good thing if he was like the áayin as it sleeps in the chokoh.” He looked around him. There was growing moonlight in the east. “Ix Chel will soon be high up and we will have enough light to make our march easier.”
“That will be good,” said Teyacapan, who had just come up after making a quick assessment of their situation.
Wah-co!-Wah-co!-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
“We have to go. Now.”
“But, buteveryone is tired, we are all hurt … and some are missing,” countered Teyacapan, pleadingly. “Others were burnt by Xwáay Chikoop. They carry the smell of the xakanul in what’s left of their hair, and on their skin. Chimalli is lifeless. Taat is weak after nearing drowning. Choc has reinjured his wound. Five of the children are missing, also Manama, Nenetl, and Taylor. Then there’s Nabe Kaloonte’. Teul is still trying to revive him.”
“Are you a Warrior, Teyacapan, or are you still a slave of the Chuchqajaw Rech Tinimit and Cum Hau?”374
“I am a Warrior,” he snapped, hit his chest then walked away to the river bank. His eyes searched the surface for any signs of someone alive and struggling. He saw nothing. He heard nothing.
“We move now,” ordered Zyanya. Some Warriors got up, followed by those you could. “Those creatures of the Kechelaj Komon were only hurt. They will be back. We have only made them angry.” He looked at those who were having difficulty getting up. “We cannot fight them again. Yes! We are exhausted, injured, and have also lost some of our weapons. That is why we need to reach Ukab Kaloonte’ Yochi and his Warriors.”
“But those creatures had injuries as
well, Kaloonte’. Some were severe,” interjected Bas.
“They are enchanted,” uttered Teyacapan, who had returned. “They may have healed already.”
“We have to march,” repeated Zyanya.
Chiac suddenly heaved and water gushed out of his mouth. Teul quickly turned him on his side, hitting him on his back. More water came and he started breathing, but he remained unconscious. Teyacapan and Bas moved quickly to his side.
“We march now!” stormed Zyanya. “Chicahua! You will lead. Teul! You take the rear. Bas! Get everything organized, and quickly, then follow me. You are Nabe Nacon. Namacuix! Get your weapon. You and I will go ahead and scout the trail,” Zyanya ordered. He turned, raced off, Namacuix soon following.
“Come, Choc,” said Ohtli. “Ko’one’ex.” Choc smiled as she helped him up.
Taat was too weak to help carry Chiac, so Ichtaca, Cipactli, and Chino swung Chiac over their shoulders while Xipilli assigned himself to help Taat, who was struggling to walk.
Chimalli was still lifeless and was picked up by Bas, Teyacapan, and Sacnite.
The terrain was very rugged, but the trail avoided the higher elevations. As Ix Chel was well above the horizon, Chicahua found it easier to keep them on the trail even though most of the light was blocked by the jungle canopy; yet, they marched slowly.
They had just descended into a valley when Chicahua raised his hand and the column stopped. He walked ahead a little, looking around him. He lifted his nose and smelled. He turned. “We are at the next nim-ja’, Nacon.”
Bas walked towards him. “Any signs of Ukab Kaloonte’?”
“None, Nacon.”
Bas breathe out deeply. “We’re just about three k’abs away from Kinich Ahau’s first light. Ko’one’ex.”
Within a short time, they were at the southern riverbank. Almost silently came the whistle of the baläm from the opposite bank.
“Ek baläm,” warned Bas.
Chicahua smiled. “That is not the ek baläm, Nacon. That is Yochi.” Bas looked at Chicahua and nodded, they smiled.
“So, you smile, Nacon.”
“Sometimes, I think I forget how.” Bas shrugged his shoulders. “Ko’one’ex,” he shouted. And they started to cross the river.
The river was deep in parts and sometimes reached their necks, but they crossed without incident. As they climbed the bank, Yochi, Zyanya, and Namacuix, stepped from the jungle.
“You are here,” said Zyanya, hitting his chest.
“And you are here,” replied Bas, hitting his chest. “I thought you would return.”
“There was no need to. I saw that you would face no new dangers.”
“And Chiac?” asked Yochi.
“The same!”
Yochi nodded then stared at the Warriors as they began climbing onto the bankside. “Your Warriors received many injuries?”
Bas looked at Zyanya and knew that Zyanya had not told Yochi anything about the casualties.
“Yes! And many deaths,” acknowledged Zyanya.
Yochi was quiet as Ichtaca, Cipactli, and Chino, carrying Chiac, passed him. “Our camp is quarter k’ab away. Come and rest. We will have a briefing when Ahau Kinich rises. Then, we go to Ox Witz Ha.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
OX WITZ HA
K’iin 24 - The Uinal of Mol
Wednesday, May 23, 1973
Kinich Ahau had barely sent out his first glimmer of light when Yochi kicked Teyacapan awake. “How is Chiac?”
“I was up with him most of the night. He rests peacefully, but he is still somewhere else. Not on U Wach Ulew.”
“And Chimalli?”
“He is okay. The burns are not too deep, but he’s badly bruised, pissing blood, a little confused.”
“The others?”
“Taat coughs, but he can run. Choc’s leg is much better. He can run, but will need help as I don’t want the wound to open up again. Most of the rest are bruised and painful. Some carry burns to the head and shoulders, especially Cipactli and Atl. They can run.”
Yochi nodded then moved towards Zyanya who was pissing at the edge of the camp. “Tell me about the battle,” he demanded as he sat, his legs crossed. Zyanya finished pissing and sat painfully beside him, relating, without emotion, the facts of the battle.
“How many did you lose?”
“I lost Manauia, Nenetl, Taylor, two of the boys, and three of the girls. Nenetl tried to save Manauia. She should have let him go and fight. She would have saved herself. Iuitl’s ch’abs were needed. He had to let Taylor go. Taylor was his mate. He is very angry.”
Yochi nodded. “So, Taylor is on his way back to Xibalba. He and Kish will be drinking iztāc-octli before Kinich Ahau returns to the Underworld.” He smiled. “He was a good Warrior.” He looked towards the unconscious Chiac. “Chiac is still new to the Way of the Warrior. He will feel sorrow at Taylor’s return to Xibalba. He will feel that he has failed Taylor again.” Yochi was quiet then continued. “I never know what he thinks. Look how he sleeps, unaware. You would not know what a great T’oit’ik-jolom he is. At times, I wonder where he is truly from, this great T’oit’ik-jolom called Fuck, Nabe Kaloonte’ to Ajawinel K’an II of Ox Witz Ha. Sometimes I wonder if he is not one of the gods come to U Wach Ulew. And there are the stories of the Ix Na Li Kawa and the Raax Ch’ayom Puag.”
“He is indeed a great T’oit’ik-jolom. Yet. there are many things he needs to learn about the Way of the Warrior.” Zyanya smiled. “Yes! He sleeps. Perhaps he is just tired of walking and running. He has us carry him to Ox Witz Ha.”
Yochi chuckled. “Well, let’s go to Ox Witz Ha, Zyanya. It has been a long journey so far and this journey has just begun. We have a mission to complete, even if Chiac continues sleeping.”
Once everyone was awakened, they were ordered to gather around Yochi. “There is no food, and we have no time to hunt. Before we leave, we go for water. The Warriors Ichtaca, Cipactli, and Chino will continue to carry the Nabe Kaloonte’. The Warrior Chimalli has decided not to journey on the sacbeob to Xibalba.” The Warriors hit their chests. “He will remain with Bas, Teyacapan, and Sacnite. The Warrior Choc will be helped by the Warrior Ohtli. Now drink some water. We will be in Ox Witz Ha when Kinich Ahau begins his journey to the west, the lands of Zac-Cimi.”
Yochi and Zyanya ran north along the trail through a wide valley with hills and deciduous seasonal jungle, the canopy reaching as high as one hundred feet. After two k’abs, they arrived at the northern edge of the valley. Yochi called a brief rest as the trail was then going into higher mountainous areas after which it would be descending to Ox Witz Ha. There were no incidents along the higher trail and Kinich Ahau had passed his zenith when they began the descent into the lower hills that marked the approach to Ox Witz Ha. Yochi called a brief rest then they continued racing through the jungle until the trail reached a smooth rocked sacbeob marking the beginning of the outskirts of Ox Wit Ha.
Six Warriors came from the jungle onto the sacbeob, each with a long bate’ held in the attack position and with to’bal-ribs protecting them. They lined up across the sacbeob, one taking a step forward. Yochi raised a hand and his Warriors approached him then stopped. Yochi hit his chest. “I am Yochi, Ukab Kaloonte’ to the great T’oit’ik-jolom of Ajawinel K’an II, the Warrior called Fuck.” The Warriors of Ox Witz Ha, except for their leader who had stepped forward, glanced at each other then looked back.
“I am Zyanya, Ukab Kaloonte’ to Ahau Naj Tunich,” said Zyanya. He hit his chest.
The Warriors facing them tensed at Zyanya’s words, but did nothing.
“I am Eztli, Nabe K’ojol to Nimalaj Achi Xochipepe, and Nabe Ajch’o’j of Sib Juyub. I am here to seek an audience with Ajawinel K’an II. He hit his chest.
“I am Xipilli, Nabeal K’ojol and Envoy of Nimalaj Achi Zipactonal of Nito. I seek an audience with Ajawinel K’an II.” He hit his chest.
“I am Atl, Nabeal K’ojol and Envoy of Nimalaj A
chi Tochtli of Zactun. I am here to seek an audience with Ajawinel K’an II.”
“I am Xiuhcoatl, Ukab K’ojol’ and Envoy of Ajaw But’z Chan of Pusilhá. I am here to seek an audience with Ajawinel K’an II.
I am Huehue, formerly known as Huehuetlotl, Alaxel of Yax Mutul. I am here to seek an audience with Ajawinel K’an II.
“The T’oit’ik-jolom, Fuck, is very sick, suffering from Mahanamatz’ enchantments and k’aas he received when Hach-k’ek’en Ajchaq’e and his hach-k’ek’ens attacked us. The T’oit’ik-jolom was injured when their tusks tore into his legs during a great battle,” informed Yochi. “We have removed some of the enchantments and ch’u’j-k’aas, but much remains. We need to take him into Ox Witz Ha.” Ichtaca, Cipactli, and Chino, with Chiac still across their shoulders, came out and stood beside Yochi and Zyanya. The Warriors of Ox Witz Ha again glanced at each other.
“I am Xicohtencatl,375 Nim-q’ij Nabe Kaloonte’ to Ajawinel K’an II. I am known as Xico. My Nim-q’ij Scouts have already briefed me on your advance and of the condition of the T’oit’ik-jolom.” He walked up to Chiac and watched his face intently. Briefly, there was a shadow of recognition then deep concern on his face. He reached for the Green Scapular, held it, then placed it back on Chiac’s chest. He raised a hand and, immediately, Warriors lined the sacbeob as far as Yochi could see, others rapidly enveloping Yochi and his troop. Xico walked back to his Warriors and selected two. One he sent running to Ox Witz Ha, while the other stopped and talked with different Warriors along the route. He turned and faced Yochi. “Ajawinel K’an II welcomes you to Ox Witz Ha.
The Warriors were armed with long bate’s fixed with chay blades on the shafts, sk’ops and kus, wik’iaqs, pubs,376 and jatz’oms 377 with sheaves of darts or short bate’s. They also carried either choq’ knives with a sharp serrated edge, or razor-sharp chay knives. Many of the Warriors wore a short piece of cloth over their loincloth, decorated with black spots making it look like the skin of the ek baläm. Others used a mere loincloth. They carried large to’bal-ribs made from animal pelt and decorated in gold, green, red, and white, with long feathers and plumes hanging from the lower half. They wore breastplates in the shapes of butterflies and bands of protective armor around the waist, arms, and legs. For every troop of about twenty-four Warriors, there was a Nacon wearing an ek baläm headdress plumed with white and green feathers. All the Warriors wore lej-xajäbs.
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 35