“Kill Mahanamtz,” Chiac screamed above the chaos and he felt intense heat on his chest, and saw the Raax Ch’ayom Puag on his Warriors more brilliant than they ever were. His Warriors surged forward.
Coatl and his priests had also seen Mahanamtz and they, immediately, began loud incantations while Ch’aw-baq and La’j-tun played their beautiful music which floated over the worsening horror. Chiac brought down his maquahuitl over and over again, crushing the heads of Hach-k’ek’ens and Batz, unaware of any injuries he was receiving. Teul was at his side, using his long bate’ with great efficiency. As soon as Chiac slammed down his maquahuitl and the Batz or Hach-k’ek’en fell, Teul took out the one behind the fallen Warrior.
Chiac looked up to the upper platform to see if Mahanamtz and Molly were still there. They weren’t. Hach-k’ek’en Ajchaq’e stood looking towards a small building at the corner of the middle platform. “They’re at the canoe house,” shouted Chiac. Mahanamtz and Molly were climbing down the stairs from the canoe house at the very southwestern tip of Topoxte. Batz Warriors were following them, carrying canoes from the house to the beach where members of the Kechelaj Komon were already gathered. Chiac cried out in desperation for he knew that he would not be able to break through the Kechelaj Jupuq shield wall of Warriors, that was between him and Mahanamtz, before Molly and Mahanamtz boarded the canoes and pushed off into the ha’. Chiac held his Green Scapular and searched for a prayer, then the prayer that Molly taught him when they were prisoners at Ox Witz Ha came back to him. It was the only one he could think of, the only one he knew, so he shouted it to Maria as he brought down his maquahuitl over and over again: Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Kaán burst into flames above Topoxte and a powerful u-hatz’il-cháak targeted the southwestern tip of Topoxte, taking out the canoe house, crushing it into pieces, burning canoes and the Batz that carried them.
U-hatz’il-cháaks were continuously unleashed onto the ulew-q’a’m, disrupting any escape of the retreating Kechelaj Jupuq. Reaching down from Kaán, the winds from Maria swirled tighter and tighter into an intense sutul-q’um,517 tearing apart the itzel gales spawned by Etzelal Iq’. As the sutul-q’um began moving over Topoxte, it cleared the remains of the burning canoe house and canoes, the charred flesh of many Batz, Hach-k’ek’en, and Kitam Warriors, dumping them into the ha’. It continued moving across the entire western tip of Topoxte taking with it all the buildings that stood there, finally hurling them into the reaching green mists on the ha’. A deranged howl heaved from Mahanamtz, and macabre shrieking cries rose from Molly in an unholy crescendo.
“Drop back, Chiac” shouted Yochi. “Mahanamtz has turned back.” He and Chiac withdrew, Bo and Teul taking their places in the battle. “The canoes are destroyed and the Kechelaj Komon is seeking another route to escape. They’re going back up to the platform.”
Chiac looked to the platform above him. Hach-k’ek’en Ajchaq’e was standing there, looking down at the rest of the Kechelaj Komon as they climbed the stairs. Kitam Ajchaq’e stood beside him, wailing his loud eerie hoot for his Kitams. But they were all dead. Patzapik was in the form of a human skeleton pulling a chain, it’s terrifying and haunting clatter heard above the noise of Maria. That and the continuing sounds of battle caused koal seed to cover Chiac’s skin. Xwáay Mulibal-k’ux’, in all her ugliness, was having difficulty climbing as she had to hold up her jawbone with a stick. Many bananas had been torn away from the bunch that was her hair, and her dress of old banana leaves had been mostly ripped apart, only the midribs remained, showing gnarled and twisted stems. Xwáay Éek’ was not laughing and her breasts were totally exposed, lurching from side to side as she fled. Tata Ponopik had lost his hat and walking stick, and was not smoking his pipe. He was having trouble climbing the stairs, going up two, coming down one, much to the frustration of Xtabai who wore the face of a vulture. She kept hitting him on the back, trying to push him forward with her tail.
Teul stepped back, his place immediately taken by Eztli. Chiac couldn’t accept that Teul was grinning as he stood on his toes, looking across the beach to the stairs. “What happened to the casualties?” asked Chiac, roughly.
“Already taken care of, my man.” Teul turned, indicating to the stairs where the Kechelaj Komon was climbing. “Look at Tata Ponopik. That madafok is confused.” Teul laughed out loud. “Because his feet are turned backwards, he doesn’t know if he’s going up or coming down the stairs. Xtabai is so angry, she’s wearing the face of a vulture. She’ll soon leave the madafok.” Teul laughed loudly again then suddenly lunged forward, sending his bate’ into the throat of a Batz who was bringing down his q’osibal towards Bo who was then trying to blow apart the head of a Hach-k’ek’en. Bo had been having some trouble as the Hach-k’ek’en was successfully maneuvering with great agility, trying to get his long and extended tusks into Bo’s abdomen. Teul pulled out his long bate’ and turned back to Chiac, still grinning. “Just wanted to lighten your moment, but I better get back. They just can’t do madafok without me.” He was still grinning as he threw himself back into the battle.
Chiac saw Mahanamtz and Molly standing again on the platform then moving away with the Kechelaj Komon. He knew there was nothing he could do. There were no more ya’ax-chich or chay bladed ch’abs for his archers to use, and there were many ranks of Kechelaj Jupuq between him and the stairs that would take him up to Mahanamtz.
Papan stood beside him. “The Kechelaj Komon are advancing to the ulew-q’a’m even though it is still being bombarded with u-hatz’il-cháaks. They know that is their only means for retreat and they may have enough enchantments to survive and escape.” The ground heaved beneath them, that time more violently, and they had to move their feet apart to provide stability and not lose their balance. The waters of Ha’ Yaxha boiled as it rose, inundating the beach to their mid-calf while the green fluorescent mist swirled, a living undulating anomaly.
“Fok you, Cabrakan!” fumed Chiac. “Leave us alone!”
“It may not be Cabrakan,” blurted out Papan. “And if it is him, don’t cuss him. We certainly don’t need an angrier Cabrakan. Oh! The Hero Twins have returned. Perhaps, they just want to see, but I must go. Ka xi’ik teech utzil,” he shouted as he disappeared into the chaos.
Hach-k’ek’en Ajchaq’e and the Kechelaj Komon had already left the main tier, going down the stairs to two lower platforms in order to reach the ulew-q’a’m that would take them back to Paxte. Mahanamtz and Molly reached the lowest tier and looked towards the ulew-q’a’m. Once again, a deranged howl came from Mahanamtz and Molly screamed the same macabre shrieking cries. They turned and climbed back to the upmost tier, crossed to the where the canoe house had stood, and started descending the stairs.
“Why the fok have they come back?” asked Yochi, who had come beside Chiac. He frowned and looked at the agitated ha’ then at the water that had risen and covered the beach. “The ulew-q’a’m to Paxte must be flooded because of the kabraqan. Maybe, it’s sinking.”
“Bo told me that the ulew-q’am can rise or sink. Both have happened before. And Mahanamtz is afraid of fokin water,” hollered Chiac.
“Then we have him,” surmised Yochi.
“He will just kill Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ if he knows he can’t escape,” portended Chiac, his voice soft with frustration.
Yochi looked to his rear. Coatl, his priests and the two young ah’-cuabs were just behind him, the priests looking frightened, keeping close together, saying their enchantments, but softly as if afraid to speak out loudly. “We’re close to Mahanamtz,” Yochi shouted at them. “Keep close to us, or his Warriors will kill you. Use your most powerful enchantments. Every one of them. Shout them out. It’s not the time to be soft. Be as loud as fokin possible. And you two Warrior Ah’-cuabs, beat your la’j-tun and blow your ch’aw-baq.”
The young ah’-cuabs played as loudly and intently as they could, no fear marking their youthful faces. Before Yochi had turne
d back to Chiac, loud chanting and music was heard above the surrounded chaos. Mahanamtz and Molly were climbing down to the beach, once again, when they suddenly stopped. Mahanamtz glared at Chiac, his face dark; yet, his eyes appeared tormented. Molly appeared glazed and hunted. Koal seed rose.
Teul left the battle-line again. “The fighting hasn’t lessened up, Chiac, and they’ve got the madafok canoe,” he bellowed, angrily.
“Which fokin canoe?” retorted Chiac. disbelieving that there was still a water-ready canoe. “I thought they were all blown to bits by the u-hatz’il-cháaks.”
“The one I hid. The Batz found it and are bringing it to the stairs. Mahanamtz and Molly are coming down the stairs. The canoe is for them.”
“Fok!” shouted Chiac, furious. “Is there a breech anywhere in their defence line so that we can breakout?”
“No breech. Their ranks are tight,” answered Teul.
“Then we make a breech. We have to stop them from reaching the canoe. Tell the Warriors we charge,” ordered Yochi.
“Charge?”
“Yes, Teul. Charge,” confirmed Yochi. “We know what that will mean, but we charge. We have our mission. We kill Mahanamtz, and if we can, we rescue Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. We must do everything we can to complete our mission. That is the Way of the Warrior. If we fail, it must not be because we have failed to do everything we could ” Yochi looked at Chiac with sudden affection, but his eyes told Chiac that, should they fail, there was another order that would have to be given and it was only Chiac who could sanction it. “Chiac?”
Chiac nodded, his countenance ashen. “Teul! Also instruct the Warriors that this is my command which they will obey. If they see that Mahanamtz and Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ will escape, that our mission has failed, hurl their bate’s into them. Both of them.” Teul grimaced as he stared at Chiac. Then he raised his fist and turned to returned to the battle-line with his orders.
“Wait,” called out Chiac. “Tell the Warriors I will be with them, all the way. They are to hold their Raax Ch’ayom Puag in their free hand, whenever they can, and Ix Na Li Kawa will be with them. Charge the enemy and get to Mahanamtz and his guards, then establish a rear guard to take care of what we’ve left behind and to protect the priests and ah’-cuabs. You have five seconds to brief the Warriors Teul, then we’ll follow you.”
“Ko’one’ex,” shouted Chiac, five seconds later, and they surged forward through the water covered beach. They fought with renewed strength, their sole objective, at that point, to break through the remaining ranks of the Kechelaj Jupuq. Chiac was lost in the brutal and savage frenzy as rank after rank of the ferociously counterattacking Kechelaj Jupuq were beaten and pushed aside, pain, lacerations, blood and gore covering all his Warriors bodies. Chiac fought with the heat of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag against his chest, with its soft emerald glow engulfing him, spreading its power in the heat and horror of battle. Then they were through the enemy column.
The canoe was tossing on the water as several Batz held it against the stairs. Mahanamtz stared at the water as he stood on the step just above the canoe. He hesitated then took one of the Batz’ hand and stepped in. A detail of Batz surrounded the canoe, Molly standing halfway up the stair awaiting her turn to climb in. Q’eq Ha Wíinik was at the bow dancing on the water’s surface, displaying his white soles in an agitated and nervous way. Xwáay Kaán and Xwáay Ok’ol were further in the ha’, waiting to pull the canoe away from Topoxte. Although Ha’ Yaxha was wild with breaking large waves, the water around the canoe was calm.
The Warriors rushed towards Mahanamtz. “Redeploy into two sections,” yelled Chiac, and the Warriors divided. Chiac took the lead of a fireteam and stormed towards Molly, Yochi rushing the rest of the Warriors towards Mahanamtz. Six Batz charged Chiac’s section, but as the Batz were only a few, they were quickly taken out and did not halt the advance.
Mahanamtz was in the canoe, looking towards Molly and Molly began running down the stair towards him, shrieking wildly. Chiac reached the stair and flung himself at her, bringing her down. She fought desperately, screaming, gibbering, ripping her nails across Chiac’s body and face, biting him. Even in the frenzy, Chiac noticed that whenever his Green Scapular touched her, she screamed even louder. As he held her down, the other Warriors of his team took on the Batz and Hach-k’ek’ens that were guarding Molly.
Skinny, skinny, yu no know me?
Eztli kissed his Raax Ch’ayom Puag and hurled his long bate’ at Xwáay Chikoop. It lodged into her chest just below one of her straw-mat wings. Her tortured cry tore through Topoxte as she fought to remove the bate’. An u-hatz’il-cháak splintered the shaft of the bate’ and Xwáay Chikoop ignited into a ball of fire as she hurled down into the ha’ where she slowly sank.
Bas knelt beside Molly. “Let me help you, Chiac.”
“Get back into the fight, Bas.”
“We’ve taken care of that detail. The others have gone over to help Yochi.”
The remaining Batz faced off with Yochi and his section, delaying them just enough for Q’eq Ha’ Wíinik to pull the canoe further into the ha’ where he was quickly joined by Xwáay Kaán and Xwáay Ok’ol. Mahanamtz howled and roared pitifully, while Xwáay Ok’ol haunting cries rose from the ha’, making every Warrior shudder. Xwáay Kaán lashed her tail continuously, propelling the canoe towards the green mist, and Etzelal Iq’ maintained an area of absolute calm around the canoe. Xwáay Chikoop, who had risen from the ha’ once again, kept flying in small circles above, crying her tortured Skinny, skinny, yu no know me? over and over again. Soon, the canoe was out of range of the bate’s.
Yochi and his Warriors quickly finished off the last bit of resistance from the Kechelaj Jupuq. He turned and shouted at Coatl. “Get to her.” Coatl rushed to where Chiac was trying to restrain Molly so that she did not hurt herself. Teul, Bas, and Bo were helping him and they finally got her pinned down. “You have to tie her up,” grunted Yochi, as he looked around. “There’s not a fok on the beach we can use.” He suddenly started pulling off his bloody loincloth. Teul immediately followed and they soon had Molly bound at her hands and feet. Chiac took off his Green Scapular and made to place it around Molly’s neck. She screamed, spitting large amounts of blackened froth at him.
“Get that cloth away from her, Chiac,” ordered Coatl. “The enchantments are of U Wach Ulew. Let me get rid of them my way. Go away. You have won your battle, now let me win mine.”
“Won?” snickered Chiac.
Yochi put his hand on Chiac’s shoulder. Chiac replaced his Green Scapular and pulled himself up on Yochi’s outstretched hand, suddenly feeling utterly weakened. He looked at the escaping Mahanamtz, wanting to rush into the lake after him, but Yochi held him strongly and dragged him along the flooded beach, getting him away from the screaming and writhing Molly.
“We can’t even swim after that foka,” bemoaned Chiac, glancing at the áayins, still numerous in the water. He looked at Molly. “I suppose she will die, Yochi,” he said, hopelessly. “I can’t believe I may have to kill her … order that she be killed.”
“Keep Coatl’s words in mind, Achalal. You have won your battle, now let him win his.”
Teul came up. “We have more casualties. Some are rather bad, but they’ll live if they get immediate help.” He felt a large swelling on the right side of his head. “Everyone is hurt, most of us not even aware.” He shook his head. “Those madafok chay blades are sharp. They cut you so quickly you don’t even know and although many of the wounds are not deep, some are. If the Batz were trained Warriors, we’d all be madafok dead. But, we’re alive. I am not sure what the madafok is happening above us on the upper platform and I don’t care. We have Molly and we can’t do a madafok about Mahanamtz. He’s gone. We now need a safe place to treat the casualties … all of us I suppose as pain, cramps, and exhaustion will soon set in.” He looked around. “I suppose this is as good a place as ever for us to treat everyone and reorganize.” He
shrugged his shoulders. “I think. Coatl said that once they stabilize Molly, some of them will work on the injured to stop any poisons and enchantments the Kechelaj Jupuq may have inflicted. I have sent Xiuhcoatl and Choco up the beach to do some whistling, find Ikan if he’s still alive and tell him to bring his section, the Healers, and the casualties he has.” He looked at the circling Xwáay Chikoop. “We never did shoot down that madafok,” grumbled Teul. He chuckled, angrily. “Another time, you madafok,” he shouted. “And you too Mahanamtz. You’re not only madafok. You’re every kind of madafok! All put together in one big ugly ignorant madafok!”
“Ignorant?” questioned Yochi.
Teul shrugged his shoulders.
Chiac and Yochi called the Nacons together: Huehue, Bas, Teul, Chicahua, Eztli, Chino, Ichik. Teyacapan was looking after the injured and Ikan had not arrived. Chiac surveyed them, trying to be a Nabe Nacon, trying to be as the Way of the Warrior dictated. “Let’s leave Mahanamtz for a while and reassess. Well, we’re all fokin beat up, but we’re here. Let’s be quick with this, but I need a report on the injured. There was a howl from the group of casualties. “Who’s that?”
“Namacuix,” answered Chicahua. “He has a dislocated shoulder. Teyacapan must have just reduced it. I suppose we’ll hear a couple more of those. Yaotl is still unconscious. He took a bad hit on his skull. Teyacapan hasn’t touched it as it is very swollen and badly bruised, but he is breathing regularly. Cuauhtémoc has a broken left arm. From Namacuix’s fireteam, Tezcacoatl has a very swollen thigh and is unable to walk. Teyacapan thinks it may be broken. He’ll splint it later.”
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 61