“That is not the way for a Warrior to die.” Teoxihuitl hit his chest. “Again, you have done well, Xipil.”
“Nabe Kaloonte’!” Xipil said, hitting his chest.
“Tell your Runners to give my Nacons and Warriors the information of Yax Mutul’s arrival. Tell them to continue to fight bravely, that Yax Mutul is about to arrive. As they beach, find Nabe Kaloonte’ Yolotli and bring him here.” Xipil rushed to the end of the tier of the Nim-q’ij Temple where Runners waited and, in an instant, they were all rushing down the palace steps.
On Alaj Topoxte, Chiac and his Warriors observed the faint outlines of the Warriors of Yax Mutul in the mist as they approached Topoxte Bay, passing south of Chio Chio and east of Alaj Topoxte. He heard the terrified cries of the Warriors, the haunting cries of Xwáay Ok’ol and Xwáay Kumätz, and the vile giggling of Q’eq Ha’ Wíinik. He felt the sudden gusts of Etzelal Iq’ and he and his Warriors moved away from the beach and deeper into the jungle for fear of the wicked wind and the illness it could bring.
“You still wait, Chiac,” said Yochi. “If we wait much longer, we may not be able to cross to Topoxte. The ha’ is itself enchanted. Waves are high, the strange green mists are thick. The storm clouds grow and are ready to move towards us. This Maria will soon be upon us.”
“It is still too light, Yochi. We have to wait until after moimatik. Yax Mutul will establish their beachhead anytime now. Mahanamtz will be engaged from the north and the east; he will have to move south and west. That is where Mahanamtz and the Kechelaj Jupuq will make their stand. They will reorganize themselves there and push eastward across the island taking everything with them unless they are stopped. Yet, we must not get into close combat with them. That is not our mission. We have to isolate Mahanamtz and kill him. As you said, that is our mission. We will land somewhere on the eastern end and move towards and along the southern beaches. Also, if we go now, we will also lose Warriors to the Kechelaj Komon over the ha’. I will not have my Warriors eaten by the áayins.” Chiac looked to the west. “None of my Warriors will die in this battle as this battle is not ours. We go in, rescue Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, kill Mahanamtz, and withdraw.
Yochi was quiet for a while then he said, “Even Kinich Ahau hides.”
“It will soon be time, my friend. Tell the Warriors, we leave in two k’abs. Tell them we complete the mission no matter what the cost.”
“Buaidh no has,” said Robertson, who was standing near Chiac. “It is a saying used by many. That one was the battle cry of the Scottish MacDougall Clan. ‘Victory or Death’.”
Nabe Kaloonte’ Yolotli was in the first canoe to hit the beach of the ulew-q’a’m. His two companies quickly disembarked, separated, one rushing to engage the Warriors of the Kechelaj Jupuq that had turned east, the other engaging those still on the ulew-q’a’m. The Kechelaj Jupuq was suddenly engaged on three fronts; on the north and east by Yax Mutul, and on the south by Topoxte. There were still residual pockets of Topoxte’s Warriors on the beach along the wall of the platform, but most had been killed and heavy close combat fighting was taking place on the platform at the steps leading up to the Nim-q’ij Palace. Although the Kechelaj Jupuq still outnumbered the Topoxte and Yax Mutul Warriors, the sudden influx of Yolotli and his seasoned Warriors put immediate and unexpected pressure on the Kechelaj Jupuq. Slowly, they began their westward move along the northern beach of the island.
Mahanamtz, Molly, the Kechelaj Komon, and Kitam Ajchaq’e and his Kitams, reached a stairway leading up to the first tier of the platform, but they did not take it. Further west was a larger stair that rose to the first tier then to the second. They climbed that one, surrounded by Batz and Hach-k’ek’en Warriors. They stood at the top of the stairs like victors, looking at the deserted western part of the city that spread along the platform. Batz Warriors rushed through it, taking live coals from fire hearts, setting fire to the roofs of several buildings, but leaving others. Some Warriors ran down the steps and set two buildings on the lower tier to fire. Mahanamtz and Molly watched the fires with fascination, then a Batz Warrior brought embers to Mahanamtz and he dined on them. Xwáay Mulibal-k’ux’s eerie laughter and loud whistling rose above the battle, while Xwáay Éek’ was laughing and showing her breasts to every Batz and Hach-k’ek’en Warrior that passed her. Patzapik was running all over, hunting for anyone who may have been left behind. There was no one. Kitam Ajchaq’e sat on a slightly raised platform, treating the wounds of the Hach-k’ek’en Warriors that were not too injured to come to him. Tata Ponopik sat on an overturned stela, his bloody machete and his large hat at his feet. He kept looking at his shirt and white satin pants picking at the blood stains that covered them. Xtabai, in her excitement, was changing back and forth from a floating white mass to a hissing green snake. The Alaj Ponopik were throwing stones at the burning buildings and the Alaj Chaj-r-ij Xibs were rolling and jumping in any ashes they could find. In the center of Topoxte, blood was outpouring.
Chiac and Yochi looked towards Topoxte and saw the western part of the island go up in flames. Loud explosive thunder came from the northwest, but the black bellowing clouds still did not move. “Kaán darkens, Chiac. It is time,” urged Yochi, adamantly. “We wait no longer.”
“Call the Warriors, Patli,” ordered Chiac, and they were all soon around him. “We leave now. It is getting dark and the mist grows heavy. Maria is pushing the wind from the northwest, so it will push us towards Topoxte. We will beach on the northeastern end of Topoxte. From what Ukab Nacon and I have seen, that area is free of fighting. We go south and then westward along the beach, advancing towards where Mahanamtz has decided to hunker down his battalion as he prepares for his march north and east. If Mahanamtz manages to do that, Topoxte is lost. Warriors! Whether Topoxte falls or not is not our concern. Our mission is to kill Mahanamtz and rescue Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. Papan had informed me that the Batz Warriors are armed with q’osibals, and the Hach-k’ek’en Warriors march upright with tusks extended to unnatural lengths. Those are not animals that we fight. They are Warriors. We battle them as we would any enemy Warrior. As we advance we will stay in the dark, see our target, kill it and return to the dark. If it is a Batz Warrior, put down your weapon, approach from behind with your knife and slit its throat. Kill with your knife then return for your weapon. It is the same tactic you would use against an enemy Warrior. Tonight, we fight using the new ways your Nacons have taught you. The time for training has been short, but you are all great Warriors. For the Hach-k’ek’en Warriors, the knife will not do the job. You will have to use your other weapons. Our archers will shoot from the dark. You will only hear the hiss of the flying ch’ab, and the thud as it sinks into the flesh of the enemy. The ch’abs with the ya’ax-chich tips are to be used only against the Kechelaj Komon.” Chiac paused. “Once we arrive at Topoxte, Ikan’s Section will paddle the war canoes along the southern beach to the west end of the island and wait there for eventual extraction, or whenever extraction becomes necessary.”
Teul was a troop in Ikan’s section and he interrupted, angrily, “Why will I be paddling? I am a Warrior. I fight.”
“And a Warrior takes his orders,” stormed Yochi, gripping his short bate’. Teul’s eyes flared red then he raised his fist.
“Ikan, you will also have Ohtli and Atl from Namacuix’ Section. That makes nine of you, one responsible for each of the nine canoes. You are to protect those canoes and get them to the extreme southwestern point of Topoxte, but you will stay off the beach. Remain in the mists.
“Ikan! Appoint a scout. He will paddle out of the mist when he hears the whistle of the baläm. The whistle will mean that there is an injured Warrior to pick up, or that we are ready for extraction. Once we have extracted, we then go south to the mainland and take the sacbeob to Ox Witz Ha. We do not return to Topoxte. That is the plan. I may have to adjust later, but that is the plan. It is also my plan that not one of you will take the sacbeob to the Underworld and the City of Xibal
ba today. Do you hear me Warriors?” Chiac shouted.
Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
“Ikan!”
“Nabe Nacon!”
“You will also take Ah-k’inob Coatl, his five priests, and their three guards, Extic, Loni, and Huitl. Who will you put in charge of them, Ikan?”
“Teul, Nabe Nacon.”
Chiac looked to the Ah-k’inob. “Ikan will help you find a place on the beach in the far southwest, just before the platform wall, for you and your priests. You will begin your enchantments immediately when you beach. Mahanamtz’ hold on the Kechelaj Jupuq must be lessened or completely removed. However, you will do that without making a sound.” Coatl scrunched his eyes and frowned in puzzlement, but said nothing. “You cannot speak or sing your enchantments or they will hear you and kill you. You are Ah-k’inob. You will find a way to do that.” Coatl opened his mouth then closed it again. “My Warriors! You all wear the Raax Ch’ayom Puaq around your necks. If you are in trouble, place it to your lips, then fight again.”
“Using the Raax Ch’ayom Puaq will weaken our enchantments,” grumbled Coatl, strongly.
“It will not,” answered Chiac. “We need all the help we can get. You get your help from Ek Chuah. I will get help from Ix Na Li Kawa. Ikan! You will also have Taat, Sacnite, and Xochitl. I want them in the mist, available to help injured Warriors. Who will you put in charge of them?”
“They will travel in Xipilli’s canoe.”
“Chiac nodded. “Teyacapan! You will be with me on the beach. You will attend any of our injured Warriors, make the whistle of the baläm, then get them into a canoe once it arrives. Always have another Warrior with you to keep off the áayins. Perhaps you could use Ch’aw-baq and La’j-tun for that duty.” Chiac looked around. “Are we ready?” he shouted.
They all raised their fists three times, followed by three whoops, Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
“Then, ko’one’ex!”
Immediately Chiac’s war canoe left the shore of Alaj Topoxte, Maria began its move towards Topoxte. Ha’ Yaxha was very agitated, waves rushing before the canoes, the green mists swirling and growing as more gasses rose from the bed of the ha’. If it were not that the wind was behind them, the canoes would have swamped. There were the continuous intense growling of thunder and electrifying flashes of green light as u-hatz’il-chaaks ignited in the northwest and rapidly approached them. Amoxtli kept glancing at the advancing Maria, his fear obvious, as they paddled in haste.
It was growing dark quickly. They monitored the ha’, but saw no áayins or members of the Kechelaj Komon. Chiac concluded that the latter had stayed their slaughter of the Yax Mutul Warriors crossing Ha’ Yaxha and had returned to Topoxte to continue the battle and feasting there. As there had not been an attack on his platoon at Alaj Topoxte and none so far on the ha’, he assumed that the Kechelaj Komon was unaware that they had been on the island and were then making the crossing to Topoxte.
They were soon on the desolate beach of eastern Topoxte. Ikan, his section, and those he protected were preparing to paddle to the southern beach to begin their stealth advance west when Papan identified himself and approached.
“How did you find us Papan and how is the battle going?” asked Chiac, gratified that the scout had sought them out.
Papan chuckled. “I am a Nim-q’ij Scout, Nabe Nacon.” He chuckled again. “I saw you leave in the war canoes, paddling west of K’aay and Paxte. You could only be going to Alaj Topoxte. I surmised you would not leave until after moimatik and as there is a battle raging in the center and south of Topoxte, the northeast would be the place to beach.”
“Forgive me,” smiled Chiac, a little shamefaced, hitting Papan on the shoulder. “And the battle? It was impossible for us to see as we approached.”
“Vicious,” he answered. “There’s death everywhere. Mahanamtz was able to secure the west and has fortified himself there. He is getting ready to make his assault eastward, at any time. His front line is just west of the Nim-q’ij Residence and the nearby Temple of Hozanek, and he still has a battalion and couple companies left. Most of his Warriors are just east of his position, readying themselves, as he does not fear an attack from the west. Both Topoxte and Yax Mutul forces have been cut in half. Topoxte has two remaining companies of Warriors that survived when they withdrew as Mahanamtz advanced. They have spread out on the southern portion of the main platform and have surrounded the Nim-q’ij Palace. Yax Mutul’s company occupies the western portion. Nabe Kaloonte’ Teoxihuitl and Nabe Kaloonte’ Yolotli are together on the upper tier of the Nim-q’ij Palace, analyzing the situation. Topoxte archers are now spread out on the upper tiers of the Nim-q’ij Residence, the Temple of Hozanek, four buildings north of the Nim-q’ij Palace, and on and within the rubble of the Temple of the Porobal Awaj512 that was at the northeastern corner of the platform before the kabraqan. The problem the archers face is the darkness. They can only see to shoot when the u-hatz’il-cháak comes and it is so bright, they still have difficulty seeing. So, the battle is not going good for us.”
“And Mahanamtz?”
He is in one of the larger buildings with the burnt remains of a thatched roof, just west of the Temple of Hozanek and on the northern edge of the platform. It is well guarded by Batz Warriors. Hach-k’ek’en Ajchaq’e, the Kechelaj Komon, and the Batz Nacons meet with him there.”
“Batz Nacons?”
“Yes, Kaloonte’. Batz Nacons.”
“And Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’?”
“She is in that same building.” Chiac looked at him, expecting more, but Papan looked to the northwest as a series of u-hatz’il-cháaks hit the ulew-q’a’m not far from Topoxte. The roaring thunder that followed shook the ground they stood on. “I have never seen u-hatz’il-cháaks the color of ya’ax-chich,” Papan commented. “And the mist. They are usually white or grey on a cold morning. Now it is green and rises from the floor of the ha’, and we can see it even in the darkness for it glows as it moves and swirls. Even the waves are green and lit with many tiny” … he shrugged his shoulders
… “ch’um-q’aq’s as they roar towards us.” Papan shook his head. “I fear that this is all part of Mahanamtz’ K’aas that is upon us.”
“The green is like the Raax Ch’ayom Puaq,” said Chiac. “It is not itzel.”
Papan held his Raax Ch’ayom Puaq. “Ajawinel K’an II ordered us to wear the Raax Ch’ayom Puaq.” He grinned. “It is said that Lady Batz’ Ek’ commanded him to order us.” He became serious again. “We have heard stories of its power and that of Ix Na Li Kawa, but that is all new to us and we have not yet seen their power. I sometimes hold it, but I pray to Ek Chuah.”
“Let’s talk about that another time, Papan. Now we fight, we kill Mahanamtz, and we rescue Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’.” Papan raised his fist and disappeared into the darkness.
“Warriors,” ordered Chiac, and he felt them close around him. “We move south and then west along the beach, silently and always in the dark. Watch out for the áayins as if you are attacked, you will remain silent. When we are passing along the Central Courtyard, remain unseen. You have vigilant Topoxte Warriors on the platform and archers on the buildings. They could easily mistake you for Warriors of the Kechelaj Jupuq. Before they realize you’re not, you may be dead and I do not want any of you dead. When we get to the southwestern end of the island, you will spread out. Try to remain in your sections as you know who you are and if one is missing, you will know. Amoxtli informed me that in the southwest there is one main stairway up from the beach to the upper level of the main platform which is six Warriors high. It will most likely be lightly guarded since, as Papan said, they do not expect an attack from the west. The lower platform is three Warriors high. If there were ladders, those were probably washed away during the kabraqan. We could climb each other shoulders and get up, but that would still leave some of us on the beach. Ikan! I will be sending Ichik and his section to take th
e stairs. Which canoe will you use to take them?”
“Atl, Nabe Nacon.”
“Atl! Take Ichik and his section to the southwestern end. You and Teul, travel in the mist, pass the island, then turn back to the beach and disembark. Alt, you will immediately return to the mist. Ichik. The stair we will use to get to Mahanamtz’ Headquarters is your target. You and your section will climb the southern platform and take care of the Warriors guarding it. Ihicamina will provide you with information you need. Teul. You will stay with the priests as they do their silent incantations. Hide the canoe as best you can. You Teul, Extic, Loni, and Huitl will protect the priests. Amoxtli! You are with me. Are we clear?” They all raised their fists, except Teul.
“Madafok paddling then babysitting,” grumbled Teul.
Both Yochi and Chiac ignored Teul. “Ko’one’ex,” ordered Chiac.
The canoes slipped silently into the waters of the ha’ without incident as there were no áayins in the area. It took only a few strokes and they had disappeared into the mist. Chiac and his platoon started moving stealthy down the beach, keeping as close to the platform wall as possible.
Teul and Atl took their canoes silently southward, their paddles cutting the surface of the ha’ in unison. Although the green mist was thick in some areas, in others it was thin enough to see the island and the glow of embers from the fires that had burned. In the northwest, Maria was drawing nearer and u-hatz’il-cháaks were just offshore Topoxte. Yet, except for the intermittent crashing thunder claps, all was abruptly quiet on Topoxte. The Kechelaj Jupuq suddenly withdrew a few feet from the battle line and active combat was halted as the armies faced each other. Then an explosive roar from the Batz Warriors tore open the night and Mahanamtz began his march eastward. They were immediately engaged by the Yax Mutul and Topoxte Warriors and bitter close combat fighting broke out again along the line just west of the Nim-q’ij Residence and the Temple of Hozanek. The archers were useless as they could not see their targets and the Nim-q’ij Residence and the Temple of Hozanek blocked their ch’abs from the advancing Kechelaj Jupuq. They held their positions, however, awaiting new orders.
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 56