by Chris Blake
Tom had to stop himself from smiling. He knew Zuma loved playing a role. But when she pointed up the Great Pyramid a few seconds later it was no laughing matter. Acalan and Mat had reached the entrance to Tlaloc’s temple. Mat was struggling hard in the high priest’s grip, but he couldn’t stop himself from being dragged inside.
Tom and Zuma raced up the pyramid after their friend, taking two steps at a time. Rain started to fall, splashing them with fat drops. In the distance, Tom heard a low growl of thunder.
The first set of steps led out on to a wide terrace halfway up the Great Pyramid. As Tom and Zuma raced across the terrace, a figure dressed in jaguar skin stepped out from the shadows, blocking their path to the next set of steps. It was Zolin.
“Stop right there, yellow-hair!” he sneered. “You might be able to fool the Shorn Ones by dressing up like an Aztec, but I can see right through it.”
“You again!” said Tom. “I should have known that you’d be mixed up in this.”
“Acalan asked me to stand guard,” Zolin said proudly. “He knew I wouldn’t let him down.” He drew his sword. “Ready to see how a real Aztec fights, yellow-hair?”
Tom stepped forward, raising his sword. He watched Zolin carefully. The young Jaguar Warrior was quick and strong, but did he know how to handle a sword?
He soon found out. Zolin lunged towards him, swinging wildly. Tom easily dodged the blow. The Aztec boy had no style at all. He used the sword like he was trying to chop down a tree.
“Come on, Tom!” called Zuma. “Give that jaguar fool a taste of your sword!”
Tom caught Zolin’s second blow on his shield. With a crunch, the sharp glass shards cut into the wood. Quickly, he jumped backwards.
“Trying to run again, coward?” snarled Zolin. He swung his sword once more.
I’m not trying to run, thought Tom. Just trying to get you off balance. He lashed out with his shield. The blow smashed into Zolin’s shoulder. He staggered backwards. Just like that, thought Tom.
Zolin’s feet were slipping on the wet terrace. As he struggled to regain his footing, there was a sharp bark and Chilli streaked forward. With a snarl, the little dog sank his teeth into the warrior’s shin.
“Aaaargh! Get it off me!” screamed Zolin. He raised his sword, ready to bring it down on the Chihuahua.
He never got the chance. Tom stepped forward and swung his own sword in a mighty arc, knocking Zolin’s weapon from his hands. The Jaguar Warrior watched in horror as his sword whirled away into the night, clattering on to the pyramid steps far below.
“You win, yellow-hair,” snarled Zolin. “Finish me now.” He closed his eyes and lowered his head.
Tom rolled his eyes. There was no way he would be ‘finishing’ anyone.
“You really are a little twerp,” Zuma told Zolin. Running forward, she kicked the Aztec boy in his other shin. With a yelp of pain, Zolin half fell, half hopped away down the steps.
“That’s for trying to hurt Chilli!” Zuma called after him.
They might have defeated Zolin, but he had cost them precious time. The storm was getting heavier. Wiping the rain from their faces, they dashed across the terrace. As they ran up the second set of steps, they heard Mat’s voice shouting for help from inside Tlaloc’s temple.
“Oh no!” Zuma cried. “We’re too late!”
The storm crashed over the Sacred Precinct. Angry streaks of lightning crackled across the sky. As he and Zuma reached the square temple at the top of the pyramid, Tom looked down. A sea of faces gazed up into the flashing clouds. Even over the noise of the storm, he could hear the whole city chanting, “Tlaloc, Tlaloc, Tlaloc!”
A dark doorway led into Tlaloc’s temple. Fear gripped Tom. The last thing he wanted was to go inside, but there was no choice. His friend was in danger. Judging by the look on Zuma’s face, she was thinking the same thing. Taking a deep breath, they entered the temple at the same time. Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they sprinted along a gloomy passage. Up ahead, lights were blazing.
Tom and Zuma burst into a huge room lit by torches. A giant painted statue of Tlaloc glared down upon a stone slab in the centre of the room. Mat had been tied to the slab. His Eagle headdress, cloak and atlatl lay scattered on the floor. Acalan was standing over him, a knife in his hand. The high priest had thrown back the hood of his feathered robe. His jade mask gleamed in the torchlight.
Tom gasped. Embedded in the forehead of Acalan’s mask was a glittering gold disc. It was Tlaloc’s last coin!
“Stop!” cried Zuma. “Get away from him!”
Acalan turned. The evil-looking mask looked from Zuma to Tom. Then the high priest of Tlaloc chuckled.
There was a movement in the shadows behind Tom. Too late, he tried to run. A strong arm shot out and wrapped itself round him like a snake. Tom heard Zuma cry out, and saw that she had been grabbed too. Necalli emerged from the darkness. There was an ugly smile on his face. The slave owner was big and strong enough to trap both Tom and Zuma in an iron embrace. He laughed at Chilli as the Chihuahua snarled and snapped at his ankles. They had run straight into a trap!
“I knew you would try and save your little friend,” Acalan sneered. “Why else do you think I took him?”
“You won’t get away this time,” Necalli told Zuma.
“None of you will get away,” added Acalan, looking straight at Tom. “Tlaloc will have three sacrifices tonight. He will be very pleased. This harvest will be the best yet.”
Acalan raised his knife into the air. Lifting his face towards Tlaloc’s statue, he began to chant. On the stone slab, Mat was struggling to get free. Tom’s eyes widened as he spotted a knot at the Eagle Warrior’s ankle. It had obviously been tied in a hurry and was beginning to unravel.
Tom’s mind worked quickly. If Acalan or Necalli saw that Mat might break free they’d stop the ceremony and tie him up more tightly. Tom had to do something to distract them …
“Hey, Acalan!” he shouted. The high priest stopped and looked at him, surprised. “I know something you don’t know. In a few years ships will come across the ocean from Spain. The Spanish will conquer your people and destroy your empire. There will be no more human sacrifices.”
“Silence!” hissed Necalli. “You must respect the high priest of Tlaloc!”
“Why?” said Tom. “I’ve met Tlaloc. He’s nothing special. What did we decide he was, Zuma?”
“A twit,” Zuma chipped in.
“That’s right, a twit. No one will worship him after the Spanish arrive.”
Both Necalli and Acalan gasped. Tom’s plan was working. Mat had almost managed to get his foot free. He only needed a few more moments.
“Tlaloc will always be worshipped,” Acalan howled. “He is the greatest god of all!”
“That’s what you think,” said Tom. “Tlaloc isn’t—”
He didn’t need to say any more. Mat’s foot was free. The young Eagle Warrior kicked out, catching Acalan in the back of the legs. The high priest stumbled forward with a cry of surprise, tripping over Mat’s atlatl. As Acalan went sprawling to the floor, the jade mask tumbled from his face.
“The mask, Zuma!” Tom said desperately. “We have to get it!”
“Chilli!” yelled Zuma. “Fetch!”
Seeing where the Aztec girl was pointing, Chilli sprang forward and grabbed the jade mask in his teeth.
“Stop that dog, Necalli!” roared Acalan, from his knees. “I need my mask to complete the sacrifice!”
The slave owner let go of Tom and Zuma and chased after Chilli. The Chihuahua bounded out of his reach.
“After him!” Acalan howled. His face was red with rage. “Quickly, you fool!”
Necalli scurried towards Chilli, but the little dog danced out of reach again. Grunting and lunging once more, this time Necalli let out a shout of victory. As the slave owner straightened up, Tom groaned. Necalli was holding Chilli by the scruff of the neck, and easily wrestled the jade mask from his mouth.
“I have i
t, brother!” Necalli yelled. He held up the mask, shining in the torchlight. “It is safe!”
“Not yet, it isn’t,” said Tom.
Leaping over towards Mat’s fallen weapon, he snatched it up and hurled it with all his strength. The spear flew across the temple and smashed into Acalan’s jade mask, shattering it into a thousand pieces. As Tom punched the air in triumph, Tlaloc’s gleaming gold coin went rolling away across the floor.
“Nooooo!” screeched Acalan.
“Nooooo!” screamed Necalli.
The two brothers dived for the coin at the same time. But Zuma was too fast for them. Covering the ground like lightning, she snatched up the coin and leaped out of the way. As Acalan and Necalli slid along the ground, their heads smacked together with a loud crack. They cried out in pain and fell backwards.
Zuma and Tom ignored them as they gazed in wonder at Tlaloc’s last gold coin. Zuma’s eyes were sparkling. They both grinned, and gave each other a high-five.
But as their hands slapped together, a rumble of thunder shook the temple. Rain began pouring from the ceiling. Tom and Zuma looked up into a face that was as furious as the fiercest storm.
Tlaloc had arrived.
Tlaloc’s face was full of rage, his eyes bulging out of their sockets. The rain god gnashed his sharp teeth together. Rain was hammering down on to the stone floor.
But Zuma was smiling from ear to ear. Without a word, she held up the golden coin. Then she flicked it up in the air to Tlaloc. For a long time the god said nothing. He looked almost too angry to speak. Tom held his breath. Would the god keep his word?
“You have passed all six of my tests,” Tlaloc said eventually. “You have proved your courage. I shall take no more revenge on you for running away from your sacrifice. You have your life and your freedom. No one shall ever call you ‘slave’ again.”
Zuma smiled. “Thank you, Tlaloc,” she said.
Acalan and Necalli had picked themselves up from the floor, and were both rubbing their sore heads.
“You idiot, brother!” screeched Acalan. “Do you see what you’ve done? Now we’ll never be able to sacrifice the girl!”
“You’re the idiot!” Necalli snapped back. “If you hadn’t—”
“ENOUGH!” roared Tlaloc. The two brothers immediately stopped bickering. “Tom and Zuma have proved their courage, but you have only proved your stupidity. Now you will pay the price.”
Two dark rainclouds separated themselves from the storm around Tlaloc and floated above Acalan and Necalli’s heads, drenching the brothers.
“For the rest of your lives, a cloud of misfortune will follow you wherever you go,” rumbled Tlaloc. “Even when others’ crops flourish, your harvests will fail. Let it be a reminder of how you have let me down. Now get out of my sight.”
Acalan and Necalli stumbled towards the exit of the temple, the clouds following their every step. The brothers knocked into one another in the doorway and then tripped going down the steps. Tom and Zuma giggled.
But Tom’s laughter faded as Tlaloc turned his bulging eyes upon him. He had to stop himself from trembling. I called him a twit, Tom reminded himself. Twice!
“Your time here is over,” Tlaloc told him. “You may have helped Zuma win her freedom, but Tlaloc sees everything and hears everything. I will remember your insult. You had better hope our paths do not cross again.”
White-faced, Tom nodded.
“Now prepare to return to your own time,” the god told him.
“Can I say goodbye to Zuma first?”
Tlaloc paused. “Very well. You are insolent, but brave. As a reward I shall give you one minute.”
In all the excitement, Tom and Zuma had nearly forgotten about Mat. Now they rushed over to the stone slab and helped to free the young Eagle Warrior. Mat sat up, rubbing his wrists. “You were right,” he said to Zuma. “Sacrifice doesn’t feel like much of an honour when the priest is standing over you with a knife.”
“But you don’t have to worry about being sacrificed any more,” Tom added. “You’re free now.”
“I know,” said Zuma. There was a sad look in her eyes. “I just wish I had somewhere to go.”
“Come with me,” said Mat. He jumped down from the stone slab and stood beside the Aztec girl. “You’ve saved my life twice now. I’d be honoured if you’d stay with me in my parents’ house. I’m sure they’d love to have you.” When Chilli jumped up at his knee, he added, with a laugh, “And you too, little doggie, of course.”
Zuma’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
Mat nodded.
“Great!” she said. “You could help me train to become an Eagle Warrior just like you!”
“I’m not sure Aztec girls are allowed to become warriors,” said Tom.
“Ha! We’ll see about that,” said Zuma. “If I’m brave enough for Tlaloc, I’m sure I can be brave enough for the Eagle Warriors.”
“If anyone can, it’s you,” grinned Tom.
A sparkling mist was swirling impatiently around Tlaloc’s head. It was time to say goodbye.
“I have to go now,” said Tom. “It’s been a pleasure travelling with you, Zuma.”
“You too,” Zuma replied. “Thank you so much – you were amazing.” She lifted the black pendant from round her neck and lowered the necklace over Tom’s head. “This is so you remember me. You always were better than me at working out the riddles.”
“Goodbye, Zuma,” Tom said. Sadness welled up in his chest as Tlaloc’s shimmering mist began to close round him. With a loud yelp, Chilli jumped into Tom’s arms and gave his face a big lick. “And goodbye to you too, little doggie,” laughed Tom, as he scratched the Chihuahua behind the ears.
He put Chilli back on the floor and gave Zuma and Mat a final wave. Then the ground gave way beneath his feet, and Tom entered the glittering tunnels of time.
“Tom! Tom! You’re up! Come on, there’s only a minute left until full time!”
Blinking with surprise, Tom looked around. He was back at the final of the five-a-side tournament. Mr Simmons, his football coach, was staring at him with his hands on his hips. One of the Townbridge players was limping off the pitch with a twisted ankle.
Tom glanced at the scoreboard. The score was still 0–0! Leaping to his feet, he jogged on to the pitch.
“Go on, Tom, show them what you can do!” his dad shouted from the sidelines.
The referee blew his whistle. A second later, Tom caught the ball on his chest and let it drop to his feet. One of the Riverside defenders rushed towards him – just like Zolin had on the Ulama court. This time Tom knocked the ball through the defender’s legs and swerved past him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the referee look at his stopwatch and raise a whistle to his lips.
It was now or never. Pulling back his foot, Tom took a shot towards the goal. The ball flew through the air like a bullet, whistling past the Riverside goalkeeper into the back of the net.
The referee blew his whistle.
For a moment, there was silence. Then the crowd started cheering. Townbridge School had won the final! Tom was swamped by his team-mates. On the sidelines, his mum and dad were hugging each other and jumping with joy. Mr Simmons came over and slapped Tom on the back, telling him it was a great goal.
As his team-mates ran over and lifted him on to their shoulders, Tom felt something jangling round his neck – it was Zuma’s black pendant, gleaming against his skin.
From far away in the distance there was a small rumble of thunder. Tom smiled to himself as he thought of the defeated Tlaloc, and his friend Zuma, and the incredible adventures they’d had. Then, for the second time that day, he was carried off the pitch into a cheering crowd.
WHO WERE THE MIGHTIEST AZTECS?
Ahuizotl was a real Aztec. Find out more about him and other famous Aztecs!
AHUIZOTL was the eighth ruler of the Aztec Empire and one of the most powerful. Under his reign the size of the empire doubled. Ahuizotl was also responsible for rebuilding much of
the capital, Tenochtitlán, including the Templo Mayor, the Great Pyramid with Tlaloc’s temple on top of it. To celebrate the new temple Ahuizotl ordered 20,000 people to be sacrificed in its honour!
MOCTEZUMA II was the ninth ruler of the Aztec Empire. When the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés landed on the east coast of his empire, Moctezuma II invited him and his men to stay with him. But when the Aztecs and the Spanish fell out, Moctezuma II became a prisoner in his own home. There was a huge battle during which Moctezuma II was killed, but the Spanish were forced to flee Tenochtitlán. However they joined forces with the Aztecs’ local enemies and returned. The city eventually fell to the Spanish in 1521, which spelled the end for the Aztec empire.
TLALOC was the Aztec god of rain and the harvest. He was one of the most important and powerful gods in the Aztec world. Not only did he have a temple on top of the biggest pyramid in Tenochtitlán, but he had a whole mountain named after him. Aztec people from all over the empire travelled to Mount Tlaloc to offer up gifts and valuables. Thousands of people were sacrificed in his name. With his bulging eyes and sharp fangs, the god was a terrifying sight.
ZUMA is an Aztec slave girl whose master Necalli sold her as a human sacrifice to Acalan, the high priest of Tlaloc. But Zuma managed to escape at the last second, along with Chilli the Chihuahua. Tlaloc was furious and magically trapped the pair in a drum for 500 years. When Tom releases them, Zuma is determined to win back both her life and her freedom. She is brave and a fast runner – the perfect ally for Tom as he travels through time.
WEAPONS
Ahuizotl fought with a maquahuitl! Find out about this and other weapons used by the Aztecs.
Maquahuitl: An incredibly deadly sword made from wood with flint or obsidian edges.
Atlatl: A spear-throwing device for long-distance combat.
Tematlatl: A sling made from fibres of the maguey plant used to hurl rocks great distances.