“He’s not the same young and inexperienced Warrior I found at Sib Juyub,” murmured Chiac.
Choj chuckled briefly. “Maybe he just wanted to be rub shoulder to shoulder513 with an alaxel.”
“I doubt that. Briefing,” ordered Chiac.
“We need to move, Chiac,” whispered Yochi. “The Kechelaj Jupuq is being pushed south. If that continues, there will be a fierce battle over this whole field inclusive of Mahanamtz’ Headquarters. Our chances of getting out Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ will become slim. As we have discussed, if Mahanamtz knows that he may lose the battle and there’s difficulty in escaping, he will kill her. He isn’t going to want anyone else to have her, especially you.” Chiac did not answer. “We need to get to the stairs, see if Ichik has taken it.”
Chiac raised his hand, pointing down the beach and they started marching along the wall, low, but still partially exposed when the u-hatz’il-cháaks enflamed Topoxte. The ground moved beneath their feet and the ha’ along the waterline became agitated. They continued west and as they drew near the stair, Chiac raised his hand and they stopped. “There’s no one there, Yochi,” he whispered.
“They wouldn’t have gone above without us,” responded Yochi.
“No, they wouldn’t.” Chiac was quiet, thinking. “We wait. Tell the Warriors to get into a low crawl position against the wall. Cover themselves as much as possible.
Ichik had still not taken the stair. After rescuing Teul from the Batz, they marched east, trying to keep hidden, that being difficult because of the flares from the repetitive u-hatz’il-cháaks. As they approached the stair from the west, he noted that it was in two sections. One led from the beach to the first tier or main platform, the second led from the first tier to the second where the buildings were.
“Ihicamina,” he whispered, and Ihicamina was beside him. “What’s above the stair?”
“Immediately above the stair are two small buildings, another small building just west of them and a larger one to the north. In front of that group is the largest building, the one Papan told us Mahanamtz and the Kechelaj Komon are in. Papan also told us that it is heavily guarded. West of that are two large buildings at the end of the upper platform. Below, to the west and on the main lower platform, are a group of five buildings. There is one small building on a small even lower platform on the southwest tip. That is the canoe house. If any troops are guarding the stairs and we do not see them, they will be in either or both of the two small buildings just above us.” Ichik nodded and Ihicamina drifted back.
“Bas,” ordered Ichik. “Take Hulse, Ichtaca, Cipactli, and Choco. Find out what’s in those two buildings above us.”
Bas got the men together, did a quiet briefing and instructed them that they would only rush immediately after the flash of a u-hatz’il-cháak when the eyes of the enemy would not have adapted to the dark. As the next u-hatz’il-cháak flash disappeared, they did a low rush to the north side of the stair where they crouched and waited. They next moved up the stairs to the lower platform and hid against the wall. They heard nothing to indicate that they had been discovered though it would have been difficult for the many sounds of battle were only two hundred feet away. Once again, they did a low rush, climbing the upper stairs to the upper platform where they got into the kneeling position, looked around, noted no immediate danger then began a low crawl to a narrow area, between the two buildings, that probably served as a drain. Ichik and Rhys then rushed up the stairs to the lower platform and disappeared into the nearby darkness, one on either side of the stairway, where they planned to remain. Ihicamina soon joined them.
The buildings were not completely enclosed. The southern sides were open and so it was possible that anyone reaching the upper platform from the stairs could be easily seen. The upper part of the building walls that bordered the drain comprised a series of open windows about two feet apart and four feet above the drain floor, the drain about five feet wide. The section crouched, completely shadowed, making it hard to be seen unless an enemy Warrior looked directly at them. Bas beckoned to Choco and they moved forward in a low crawl, about a foot from the walls to avoid rubbing or bumping on the walls which might be heard. Bas moved cautiously along the wall of the east building and Choco the west, until they reached the first of the windows. As a flash died, they came out of their prone position and quickly looked into the room from the lower corner of the window then they were back down and crawling backwards towards the rest of the section.
“Not a madafoka in mine,” briefed Choco.
“They were all in mine,” whispered Bas. “About one dozen, but all looking towards the fighting.”
“Lucky for us, the madafokas weren’t looking at the stairs. They weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing,” snickered Choco.
“How many Batz? How many Hach-k’ek’ens?” asked Hulse.
“Six of each. I wish I had the archers,” said Bas.
“Might be worth having them,” concurred Ichtaca. “If we attack these Warriors, those protecting Mahanamtz will definitely hear their shouts, even with all that’s happening out there, even with all the thunder.”
“We have to get the archers, and we have to be quick.” Bas looked around. “Cipactli. Go back down to Ichik. Tell him what’s happening then recce with Chiac and tell him to give you the two Sk’op Fireteams. He and the other Warriors are to wait at the lower stairs. Tell Nabe Nacon not to come up. I will send someone to get them as soon as soon as we have mopped-up.” As a flash from a u-hatz’il-cháak died, Cipactli rushed and slid down the wall until he reached the lower platform thirty feet below. He informed Ichik and after sliding down the lower wall, rushed up the beach towards Chiac.
Meanwhile, Chicahua and his fireteam had returned and Chicahua began briefing Chiac on the sortie. “The ch’abs did deter Xwáay Chikoop and lessen the intensity of her ball of fire, but they weren’t as effective as I had hoped they would be. We did get some ch’abs to one of the Topoxte sk’op fireteams, but not many are left. We have kept a few.” He raised his fist.
“Well, that’s all you could have done, Chicahua.” responded Chiac.
As Cipactli ran along the beach in the dark, about a foot off the wall to avoid rubbing or bumping sounds, he was aware of red glowing eyes of the áayins in the shallow waters; but they remained there, not coming onto the beach. He was soon with Chiac and his Warriors for they were only about one hundred yards away from the stairs. He quickly explained.
“We need Huehue’s and Chicahua’s fireteams to take out the Warriors guarding the stairs. If we use our knives and weapons, there will be a struggle and cries. Mahanamtz’ guards will hear. Ichik, Rhys, and Ihicamina are on the lower platform near the stairs. Ichik wants you to advance and meet up with him, but it would be best for you to remain on the beach. Once the guards are taken out, Bas will inform Ichik and you and both your sections will move into the western of the two buildings just above. They are free of troops.”
“Use the ya’ax-chich blades, at first. Go!” instructed Chiac, and Cipactli and the fireteams were off and soon rendezvousing with Ichik and Rhys.
“Brief them, Cipactli,” ordered Ichik.
“There are two buildings just above the stairs, roofs not burnt. The guards are in the eastern one, the one on your right. Both have a complete view of the stairs and that could be why the guards are in there, to give the impression that no one is monitoring the stairs. There are a dozen Warriors, six Hach-k’ek’ens and six Batz. From the top of the stairs, as soon as the flash from an u-hatz’il-cháak dies, you do a fast low crawl in three ranks. Iztali and I, first, followed by Huehue, Mazatl, Necalli and Iuitl, then Chicahua, Yaotl, Iccauhtli, and Cuauhtemoc. We go as one column. The u-hatz’il-cháak comes about three minutes apart. You will be able to reach the drain between the two buildings before the next one comes. Once you reach the drain, you’ll link up with Bas, Hulse, Ichtaca, and Choco. Go past them, remain in a low crouch and line up the lengt
h of the building. As I said, the enemy is a dozen. Total. There are nine of you with sk’ops. Huehue and Chicahua. You decide who will take out which. We want your fireteams to take out the six Hach-k’ek’en and three Batz. We will take care of the other three Batz with bate’s. Do two quick volleys of ch’abs to the same targets, then we all move in with our weapons to finish the job. Bas will give the signal. As soon as you can, slit or crush their throats to stop any shouts of alarm.”
“If we are discovered?” asked Huehue.
“Then fight, Huehue. Fight!” responded Ichik, sounding peeved. “Anything else?” There was no answer. “Then go, Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag.”
Cipactli, Huehue, Chicahua, and the fireteams moved stealthy up the first stair onto the lower platform, moving to either side of the base of the stair leading to the upper platform, waiting for the u-hatz’il-cháak. It came with explosive thunder and as the flash died, they rushed up to the edge of the platform where they again waited. The expected flash blanketed Kaán then rapidly withdrew leaving only darkness, then thunder smashed into Topoxte. “Ko’one’ex,” ordered Cipactli and he and Iztali started their fast crawl towards the buildings. Huehue, Mazatl, Necalli, and Iuitl quickly followed then Chicahua, Yaotl, Iccauhtli, and Cuauhtemoc. They were already lowering themselves into the drain when the next flash of a u-hatz’il-cháak came.
Bas and Hulse moved down the drain, then Huehue and his four archers followed. Cipactli was next then three of Chicahua’s archers, tailed by Chicahua, Choco and Ichtaca. The total of fourteen Warriors placed themselves below the open windows of the building.
The green light of the u-hatz’il-cháak surrounded the detail and, as the light began to fade, Bas shouted, “Now!” They jumped up from their crouch. Hurled ch’abs, bate’s, and knives were already ripping into the backs of the targeted Batz and Hach-k’ek’en before Bas’ detail was even completely upright. The Warriors of the Kechelaj Jupuq turned towards them, surprised, and another volley of ch’abs and knives torn into them, that time into their chests. “Now” shouted Bas, again, and they were climbing over the short wall and through the windows, knowing where their targets were, using ba’ats and maquahuitls. Those who had hurled their bate’s, ripped them from the Batz and Hach-k’ek’ens and used them again until all twelve Warriors of the Kechelaj Jupuq lay bloodied from multiple wounds, all their throats slit or crushed, gasping as they died.
“Get them into the drain,” ordered Bas, and the Warriors quickly disposed of the bodies through the windows. “Put down your weapons separately against the wall we came through, where you can reach them quickly. Remain near the wall, but I want you to walk around between each other. From a distance, I want everything to look normal, that means,” Bas chuckled, “you will have to walk like the Batz and Hach-k’ek’ens.”
“I must walk like a flippin-potato-cloth-dog animal,” reflected Hulse, aloud, sounding amused.
“Yes Hulse,” answered Bas. “Let’s get to it. But I have something else for you, Hulse. You and Choco. Do a recce of that small building just to our west. Ichtaca and Iuitl. You recce the one to the north. Remember, the palace is east of us and in the south. Use that to identify your compass points. Cipactli. Tell Ichik our targets are secured.”
It was dark as Cipactli rushed to the edge of the platform, west of the stairs. He whistled the whistle of the baläm and the whistle came back. He lowered himself over the side, slid down the incline of the almost perpendicular wall, and was over the edge of the lower platform and on the beach where Chiac and Ichik were. “Targets secured. Guards taken out. We can move up the stairs to the western of the two buildings now.”
“Ko’one’ex,” ordered Chiac, and they were soon at the top of the upper stairs just below the platform’s edge. Chiac, Yochi, Ichik, and Cipactli climbed a stair higher to recce, analyze and evaluate. Heavy fighting was going on just east of a large building to their northeast, the frontline extending northward just about fifty feet east of Mahanamtz’ Headquarters. In the u-hatz’il-cháak flashes, they saw that Mahanamtz was heavily guarded, the concentration of Warriors to the east, south, and north of the Command Post. On the western side were less than a dozen Batz patrolling up and down the length of the building, swinging their q’osibals.
“Lead, Cipactli,” said Chiac and they took off in a rush, entering the western building. Bas immediately came over, walking over the dead lying in the drain.
“What’s your assessment, Bas?” asked Chiac. “And your strategy? You’ve been up here. I’ll go with whatever tactic you propose.”
“All you Foks, listen in,” said Bas. “We will move from here to the northern building. We’ll call it North House. Huehue and Chicahua. You and your Sk’op Fireteams will march west of North House. Hulse and Choco checked it out and it is empty. You will then spread out in two wedges, approaching Mahanamtz’ Command Post, the target, in a low crawl. You take out the dozen or so guards in the west. If you take out the guards and are not discovered, both wedges move north and form a flank there as one unit. There are two open buildings to your west, the roofs burnt, and I don’t think any Kechelaj Jupuq are there, but be alert. If necessary, you can lay low in those buildings. Do nothing until Chiac and the Foks with him, including me, rush the guards on the south of the targeted Command Post. We will rush from North House with a central block and two flanks formation. Once we rush, Huehue and Chicahua Sk’op Fireteams will leave their cover, hopefully they’ll be there as planned, and take out the guards on the north of the target and go into hand-to-hand combat as they continue around the target. Our troop will be engaging the enemy, but we will push along the southern side of the target to meet up with you. Remember that the rear line of the Kechelaj Jupuq will be only fifty feet away, but, hopefully, they will be fully engaged in the forward area.514 After eliminating the guards, we then move into the target building and secure it.”
Chiac put up his hand. “Do you agree, Yochi?” He nodded. “Continue Bas.”
“At the target, we terminate everyone except Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. We leave by the rear of the target to avoid detection. We take a circular track around the two burnt out buildings, make our way to the stair and go down to the beach. We march west and Ikan and his canoes pick us up. If we have to make adjustments to the plan, we will make them.” Bas turned his head, trying to catch each pair of eyes. “Listen to me, you Foks. Not one of us is going to Xibalba this night. Is that clear?” he concluded. Everyone lifted their fists.
For a brief space of time, all were silent then Chiac spoke. “Our objectives are to kill Mahanamtz and rescue Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. Once that is accomplished, we do not engage the enemy any further unless they engage us.”
“It would be good to have the priests close when we attack Mahanamtz and the Kechelaj Komon,” said Yochi, with simple directness.
Chiac moved his hand up to his Green Scapular, hesitating to answer, looking at Yochi. “I agree, Yochi, but are you sure their enchantments are for us? I still have my concerns.”
Yochi nodded. “They will not enchant for Mahanamtz and his Kechelaj Komon.”
Chiac looked to Cipactli. “Cipactli. You will go and bring Coatl and his priests. You must not be seen. Put them in the North House. Tell them they will remain quiet until we rush and if Coatl hesitates to come with you, tell him there’ll be no quarter given, you will kill them all. If he still refuses, kill one of the priests and continue until they decide to follow you. Once you have them in the building tell Extic that if the priests do anything suspicious, kill them. Also, bring the three guards and the two ah’-cuabs. I want Ch’aw-baqs and La’j-tuns playing once the invoking begins. That is my command.”
“And Teul?”
“Once the priests leave, he is to get back in his canoe and monitor the southwest beach from there.”
“Nabe Nacon!” said Cipactli, disappearing into the strange, wild, and repeatedly shattered darkness.
“What do we kn
ow of the building Mahanamtz is in?” questioned Namacuix.
“Amoxtli!”
“Nabe Nacon. The building is about seven Warriors long and three Warriors wide. It has three small and high windows on the west; it will be difficult to enter from there. The northern and southern walls have no windows or doors. The northern wall has two open doors. The inside has columns and there is a flat stone ceiling. There is no dividing wall inside. Bas said we’d leave by the rear, the west. We can, but the windows are small and high. It will take some time to get all of us through. I don’t know how much time we will have.”
Chiac nodded. “So, the only access we have is through the two doors. Those doors are also our only exit, if we don’t have time to use the windows.”
“We can’t all go in,” cautioned Yochi. “Some of us will have to remain outside to keep the doors free … and, most likely, to fight.”
Chiac frowned in thought. “Namacuix and Ichik along with your sections, also Choj, Bo, and Yochi, you will continue to engage the enemy, if necessary, and keep the doors free. Huehue’s and Chicahua’s fireteams will assist you when they link up with us. Eztli. You and your section will be with me, also Patli, Teyacapan, and Amoxtli. We will enter the target. Yochi. If we need more Warriors, you will hear the whistle of the baläm.”
“There will be much noise,” advised Yochi.
Chiac took in a deep breath. “You are right, Yochi. “If the whistle of the baläm does not work out, we shout our war whoop, Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!”
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 58