Sisimito III--Topoxte

by Henry W. Anderson

  “We will see,” challenged Yochi.

  “We will use all enchantments we have,” I declared. “We will not only invoke Ix Na Li Kawa, but all gods that may give us their blessings.” Bass looked at me, wistfully, but said nothing.

  Wah-co!-wah-co!-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

  Wah-co!-wah-co!-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

  Wah-co!-wah-co!-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

  The crazy laughter of the kos was in rapid succession. It was quickly followed by noisy cries of Piam-piam!-Piam-piam!-Piam-piam! as a large flock of paaps rose from both sides of the jungle, some flying crazily into each other. Then came barks followed by prolonged screams as the canopy became alive with jumping k’oys. Soon added were the distant loud howls of the batz and koal seed immediately spread over my body. I shivered.

  “What the madafok?” shouted Teul, looking around.

  We all started to jump up, then the land moved beneath our feet, dangerously, a threatening rumbling sound enveloping the jungle.

  “Achaq!” swore Eztli, springing up onto his feet. “Kabraqan!”

  Namacuix put his hands to his ears. “Worq’otik,” he shouted.

  “Xut’!” cussed Xiuhcoatl, reaching for his maquahuitl. “Xut’! “Xut’! “Xut’!”

  Then all was quiet, the moving and rumbling earth had stopped. We all stood, holding onto our weapons as if they would be able to provide protection from the kabraqan.

  “Madafok!” sputtered Teul. “What the madafok was that?”

  “Kabraqan!” answered Bo. “It is not unusual here, Teul.”

  There were no sounds from the creatures of the jungle and no sound from the Warriors. Suddenly, the sounds of incantations from Coatl and his priests broke the silence. “Stop them, Teyacapan,” I ordered and, as quickly as he disappeared into the jungle, the chanting stopped and he was back with us.

  “At least, it’s over,” grunted Teul.

  “Over? I don’t know if having that kabraqan was good. It might just be signaling the beginning of a series of even more powerful ones,” predicted Bo.

  “Well, that’s the last thing we need now,” signed Teul. “A madafok series of kabraqans!”

  Bo frowned and looked at me. “What?” I asked.

  “A kabraqan can influence the water levels in the ha’. Many tuns ago, the water level rose and a deep channel formed between Ha’ Sacnab and Ha’ Yaxha. Another time the water level fell and the islands of Topoxte became landlocked. There can be extreme fluctuations, without reason, except that it is the will of the gods.”

  “You’re telling me that those fluctuations can occur at any time.” Bo nodded. I frowned.

  “Landlocked islands would assist Mahanamtz. His fear of water would not come into play,” added Bo. “Perhaps, he is being assisted by one of the dark gods.”

  “Another fokin problem. Another fokin uncertainty,” I sighed, kicking up white dust with my lej-xajäbs. We looked around at the quiet jungle then everyone looked at me.

  “Your plans, Nabe Nacon,” urged Yochi. I kicked up more dust.

  “Choj has briefed us in detail. Inform your sections that today we journey through the jungle until we reach south of the peninsulas that surround the bay west of K’aay. We remain together, sending out scouts to look for signs of Mahanamtz. If we find Mahanamtz, we plan quickly, we attack him if we have a strategically strong position. If we do not find Mahanamtz, we wait. If he attacks Topoxte, we finalize our plans during his battle, then we attack when Kinich Ahau travels in the Underworld. We journey as before, keeping in contact with each other continuously. Yochi will be with Eztli’s group. I will be with Yaotl’s group. Yochi and I will meet as necessary. That is my current plan of action.” They all raised their fists.

  “Anything else?”

  “My group?” asked Teyacapan.

  “You still use the sacbeob until it turns to Topoxte, then you travel in the jungle with us.”

  “Do I tell my group of the plans?” asked Teyacapan.

  “You can tell Extic, Loni, Huitl, Taat, Sacnite, and Xochitl, but do not give Coatl and his priests any details from the briefing. Instruct Coatl, however, to work out how they will use their incantations against Mahanamtz, his Kechelaj Komon, and his Kechelaj Jupuq. They are to do that immediately. We will let them know what they need to know as soon as we find Mahanamtz, his Kechelaj Komon, and his Kechelaj Jupuq.” Teyacapan nodded.

  “Ko’one’ex,” said Yochi. “The Warriors must be getting anxious. I think we should march at a slow to moderate pace, rest occasionally, be vigilant.” I nodded. As we turned and headed into the jungle, I felt a slight movement of U Wach Ulew below my feet.477

  We marched westward, about quarter mile inward of the broken and hilly southern edge of Ha’ Sacnab. The jungle canopy was thick, and with only occasional breaks so the jungle floor was not heavily overgrown. I walked mainly in the jungle, but met with Yochi intermittently on the sacbeob as we had planned. We were not walking too quickly as we were on guard and looking for any signs of Mahanamtz. At times, I felt that I was alone as the Warriors moved stealthy, quietly, and almost invisibly. It was the same for Patli and, although I knew that he was always near me, I was mostly totally unaware of him.

  Kinich was four hands above the eastern horizon and the noises of the jungle had returned. The low-pitched grunting calls of the k’ambul were everywhere, both on the jungle floor and in the canopy. There were kuts as well and because we were moving quietly, sometimes, I came right up to one before it was aware of my presence. Many times, it would just look at me and watch me pass. My mouth watered as I thought of eating the birds roasted or stewed. I felt sure that the Warriors were thinking the same as we were living off berries and fruits, eating those when we came across them. Every now and again, we came upon noisy flocks of xt’uts perched high up in the canopy. It was difficult to see them as they were well camouflaged and I recognized them purely because of their loud cries. I was pulled from the birds when a t’ix ran across the jungle floor not far from me, closely followed by her calf. The t’ix were always more nervous when they had young. As they moved away, I saw Papan and Milintica coming towards me.

  “Nabe Nacon,” they said, raising their fists. As I responded, Yochi was beside me.

  “Mahanamtz, his Kechelaj Komon, and his Kechelaj Jupuq are near the peninsulas west of K’aay,” briefed Papan. “He also has a large force of enchanted animals, about five hundred hach-k’ek’ens and batz. They wait in silence. There are no howls from the batz; no barking, grunting, coughing from the hach-k’ek’ens. They just sit there and wait.

  “Patli.”

  “Nabe Nacon.”

  “Tell the Nacons to stop the advance and have them meet with me. Now!” He nodded and disappeared.

  “Where are we, Papan, in relation to the peninsulas?”

  “We are about half k’ab south of the western tip of Ha’ Sacnab, and about quarter k’ab from the sacbeob that goes north across the ulew-q’a’m and on to Nakúm. We are about two k’abs from the peninsulas.”

  “What cities in the south does that sacbeob lead from?”

  “There are many small villages and towns that have sworn fealty to Yaxha. That sacbeob leads to them and then continues to the greater cities in the south like Jumulaj Yaxché478 and Porobal Awaj.

  I turned to Yochi. “What do you think?”

  He looked around. “Let’s wait for the Nacons.” I nodded and began watching a slow moving áak. It, immediately, took me to Uch Ben Cah. I shuddered. The men arrived and Yochi updated them on what Papal had said.

  “Continue, Papan.”

  “Mahanamtz has his Kechelaj Jupuq in a reverse arrowhead formation, the tip projecting inland away from the peninsulas. There is no tang and each of the barbs is pointed to one of the peninsulas. His Warriors are lined up following the shape of the blade. I estimate one hundred and fifty hach-k’ek’ens in the first ranks; one hundred and fifty batz in the second; one hundred hach-k’ek�
��ens in the third; one hundred batz in the fourth. Following those is his Kechelaj Komon. In a circular formation around the Kechelaj Komon is Kitam Ajchaq’e479 and a drove of about or just over twenty kitams. He and Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ stands at the tip of the arrowhead, together.”

  I felt my anger rise in me and my face burn as I tightened my grip on my maquahuitl. I knew that I would have eventually been faced with that truth, but when it was told to me, it was as if a rage had suddenly exploded within me. I have to keep focused. I have to be a Warrior. “And how is she, Papan?”

  Illustration 16: Mahanamatz Battle Formation at the Peninsulas.

  The Reverse Arrowhead Formation.

  Papan looked at me and sighed. “I was not able to get too close, but she is ragged, Nabe Nacon. Her clothes are torn, her hair un-kept. She is dirty. She stands beside Mahanamtz and does nothing.”

  “She is already enchanted, Nabe Nacon,” said Teyacapan, calmly.

  “Madafok!” swore Teul. “I don’t want to see her go through what you went through, Chiac.”

  My mind began to tear at me, but my thoughts were suddenly pulled away from me as a flock of paap rose noisily from the canopy and the jungle floor began to move once again.

  “Cabrakan is here,” stressed Teyacapan. “That is not good.”

  The movement stopped and I pulled myself together. “Is that your brief, Papan?” I asked.

  “It is, Nabe Nacon. Mahanamtz is in place to launch his attack on the peninsulas then Topoxte.”

  I turned to Milintica. “And you, Milintica. Do you have a brief?”

  “I bring news from the Nim-q’ij Envoys at Yaxha, Topoxte, and Ox Te’ Tuun. Yaxha maintains that they will not attack our forces, they know we are here, if our only purpose is to attack Mahanamtz and not to make Topoxte a satellite city of Ox Witz Ha. They have become weary of Topoxte’s growing alliance with Yax Mutul, but do not want to see Topoxte become a satellite city of the Kingdom of Ox Witz Ha, any kingdom for that matter as their security would be compromised. They want Topoxte to remain under their polity. Because of Topoxte’s recent overtures to Yax Mutul, Yaxha is giving Topoxte only token assistance as Topoxte prepares and awaits the expected, but yet uncertain, attack from Mahanamtz. Yaxha is offering no military assistance, but is accepting the fleeing citizens of Topoxte.

  “Yax Mutul is saying” continued Milintica, “that Yaxha was not doing anything to help Topoxte fight Mahanamtz and was allowing Ox Witz Ha to await Mahanamtz’ attack on Topoxte. Yax Mutul also says that Yaxha is doing that because it wanted to strengthen its growing alliance with Ox Witz Ha. Once Mahanamtz’ attack was done, Ox Witz Ha would then overwhelm the ravaged Topoxte and make it a satellite city of Ox Witz Ha. Yax Mutul accused K’an II and Yaxha of doing that because of Topoxte’s growing alliance with Yax Mutul and they said they would not allow that. They have ignored that Yaxha had specifically stated that Topoxte was not to become a satellite city of Ox Witz Ha. Under the shadow of an impending Mahanamatz attack, Yax Mutul is continuing with the assertion that once the whole issue of Mahanamtz is over, it wouldn’t be long before Yaxha and Ox Witz Ha attack Yax Mutul from the south, and Ox Te’ Tun from the north, in a joint effort to gain political control of the Kingdom of Yax Mutul, its people, and resources. So, Yax Mutul is preemptively sending Warriors rapidly to Topoxte. They plan to march through Yaxha. Yax Mutul, in their arguments, is intentionally and totally ignoring the fact that Ox Witz Ha is no threat, at this time, as Ox Witz Ha is itself being threatened by Naj Tunich and is fully involved with that possible confrontation. It is obvious that Yax Mutul is using this oportunuty to attack Yaxha.”

  “If they are going to do that, Yax Mutul’s plan is actually to battle and defeat Yaxha, remove the Nim-q’ij Family, acquire many sacrificial victims, and then send Warriors to Topoxte to defend the city against our supposed invasion and to defeat us,” interjected Bo. “That would ensure Topoxte’s status as a vassal city.”

  “But what about Mahanamtz?” I asked.

  “It would not be good strategy for them to battle Mahanamtz before encountering us, if that were the scenario,” added Choj. “Even if victorious at Yaxha, they would have already suffered losses there. They would try to avoid Mahanamtz, if they could, before battling us. It may be their hope that they arrive at Topoxte before Mahanamtz attacks. They would be able to establish their defences, entrench themselves, and the large and increased military presence of trained Warriors may make Mahanamtz cautious. That is, of course, if they do overrun Yaxha or if Mahanamatz does not arrive first.”

  “I don’t think Yax Mutul would intervene if Mahanamtz ravages Topoxte and fortifies himself there,” continued Milintica. “Mahanamtz assaults, sacks, and after a few days, withdraws. Yax Mutul may wait until after Mahanamtz withdraws to establish themselves on Topoxte. That way, they would still be a formidable army should K’an II plan to attack Topoxte and, therefore, the Yax Mutul army. Again, that depends on what happens at Yaxha. But one never knows. The Nabe Kaloonte’ of Yax Mutul may decide that it was expedient to battle Mahanamtz on Topoxte and, hopefully, vanquish and eliminate him there once and for all. Every kingdom would like to see Mahanamtz and his Kechelaj Komon killed and removed from U Wach Ulew. That would be a great political victory for Yax Mutul. Many stelae would be built honoring their Dynasty. Many songs would be sung. Also, they do have the intelligence that they do not need to fear intervention from Ox Witz Ha, at this time, as Ox Witz Ha is now under siege by Naj Tunich, although they conveniently ignore this in their arguments. That is the brief from the Nim-q’ij Envoys.”

  “Under siege?” I questioned, loudly, hoping that Ox Witz Ha’s situation had not deteriorated that badly. “I thought they were only being threatened by Izel.”

  “Yes,” Nabe Nacon. “Already under siege. Izel has had the time to do it.”

  I had been so involved in marching on Mahanamtz that I had put aside the intelligence I was given on the approach of Naj Tunich’s army. But I had to keep focused on what my mission was. K’an II and Xico would have to take care of Izel. I looked at my Nacons.

  “We continue our march to Topoxte,” I said, “and for now we all move through the jungle on the south of the sacbeob. We are only two k’abs away from the peninsulas and if Mahanamtz has not attacked Topoxte when we arrive, one of the options will be to attack Mahanamtz there. Before we attack Mahanamtz, however, we will have to send out scouts to confirm that the formation Papan has briefed us on is still in place. Once that is done, we decide on our strategy and we attack only if that is the best strategy. I want one Warrior from each section chosen for scouting, that is, except Teyacapan’s. As soon as I call for them, bring them to Yochi and me for a briefing.”

  “If Mahanamtz attacks Topoxte’s Warriors in their field of operations on the peninsulas, why don’t we attack from the rear. Mahanamtz would be flanked and have to fight on two fronts,” said Namacuix.

  “That is true, Namacuix, but we are now also faced with the possibility of battle with Warriors from Yax Mutul. The picture is changing. Our Operation Plan will have to be modified as necessary.”

  “Our primary mission is, Kill Mahanamtz. Yaxha will have to take care of Yax Mutul,” insisted Yochi. “How far away are Yax Mutul’s Warriors?”

  “The Warriors left before aq’abil, before Kinich Ahau arrived on U Wach Ulew. They will be at Yaxha before moimatik,480 before Kinich Ahau returns to the Underworld,” remarked Milintica.

  “Namacuix’s idea of attacking Mahanamtz as soon as he attacks the peninsulas is not a bad one, Nabe Nacon,” said Choj. “If a flanking maneuver succeeds, Mahanamtz will be surrounded from all directions. The Militia would be attacking the barbs of Mahanamtz’ reversed arrowhead. We could then attack the blades from the north and the south. Flanking Mahanamtz and his Warriors would bring lesser risks to us while gradually weakening their strength. Flanking them would also reduce their maneuverability and ability to defend themselves.”

 
I smiled, offhandedly. “That is all good, Choj. However, we are just sixty, not all of us well trained Warriors.”

  “As I said earlier, Topoxte’s Militia is made up of boys, koolnáals, fishermen, artisans, who would rather not be fighting,” countered Choj. They

  will not stand long against Mahanamtz. We need to defeat Mahanamtz on the peninsulas with whatever assistance we can get from the militia.”

  I shook my head. “There are no guarantees that flanking is effective, especially when outnumbered and we are greatly outnumbered. Mahanamtz has at least five hundred enchanted animals, and it’s possible he will enchant captured Warriors as the battle progresses. Flanking would not be a good tactic in this military situation.”

  Choj lifted his eyebrows. “As you say, Nabe Nacon.”

  “Your plan, Nabe Nacon?” entreated Yochi.

  I chuckled. “This is the third time you have asked me that, Yochi.”

  “Yes! I should not need to ask it again,” he responded, his face expressionless.

  “My friend, Yochi,” I sighed, raising my eyebrows. He made to answer, but he closed his mouth instead. I nodded. I hesitated, thinking over all we had discussed. “We wait.”

  “We wait?” he exploded, emotions glaring.

  “Yes, we wait. But, firstly, we march and locate a suitable site for our base camp. We wait there and monitor Mahanamtz. I am rethinking everything, but I will consult with you before I make any final decision. Perhaps, we wait for Mahanamtz to begin his attack, then we attack, as Namacuix suggests. I fear our decision will depend on what happens, how it happens, when it happens. We wait! Yochi. Send out scouts and have them look over the area. You decide where we establish our base.”