Gifts of the Greeks
Page 14
“Thank you.”
“For a while, I was the head of the Incan pantheon. I really didn’t know everything. That’s ridiculous. No deity can be that powerful. But I knew far more than members of the pantheon. That helped the Incans in their early growth. And by the way, the civilization was originally called Tawantinsuyu or Tahuantinsuyu . The word Inca refers to the ruling class. Those ungrateful morons!”
“Would it be too much to ask why the unfavorable comment?”
“I was the one who brought them up from a collection of mud huts to a great civilization! I gave the order to my son, Inti, the Incan sun god. Then that Sapa Inca Pachacuti, the ninth ruler, had the gall to replace me with him. Well, I should have expected that. Told you I really don’t know everything. I did ask Inti to help the Inca become more than just a large tribe. Only I didn’t think he would choose a crazy murderer as his avatar. That Manco Capac. Killed all his brothers just to be king. But what else is new?”
“You mean you directed your son, the Incan sun god, to encourage a tribe to form the basis of an empire?”
“Well, it started as a kingdom then became an empire under Pachacuti. These rulers do trace their lineage from the sun god. You know legends, they get warped and then distorted some more in the telling. Especially if it could serve an ulterior purpose. In hindsight, I should have expected my removal as the head of my pantheon. Power really corrupts. Fortunately, some still believed in me, so I retained most of my power at the beginning. Moving to Adar on my own did seriously deplete my resources.”
“The sun god, your son, planned your removal?”
“You may call it that. I had thought about the Kingdom of Cuzco being a civilizing cradle. The initial wars and conflicts were unavoidable in its foundation. But as an Empire? That’s another level altogether. It was quite fortuitous for my son to step into my shoes at a time when the Sapa Inca started on his road to empire,” Viracocha stated with an ironic smile.
“But then again, the selection of Manco Capac should have tipped me off,” he added.
“You didn’t resist?”
“Why should I? He had most of the pantheon on his side. I could have handled all of them, but it would have entailed a pantheon war. The deaths of my sons and daughters at each other’s hands. And by my hand. It was a bitter pill to swallow. At first. Then I realized I was free.”
"Free to do what?"
"Why, free to do anything I want. Free from the scheming and worries of being the head of a pantheon. Free to seek knowledge. Free to help man. In small and unobtrusive ways, I may add. Other deities don't look kindly at such acts."
“I noticed. What do you do now?”
“Travel. Observe. Try to better man’s lot. I do know more than most. Even more than some of the heads of other pantheons. Deities tolerate me. I think that’s the proper word. I don’t pose a threat to them and given my history with my pantheon, they don’t think I am capable of any aggressive acts or plans. A retired and non-violent head of a pantheon, if you feel like describing my role. I know some of the more warlike deities detest me for giving in just like that, but that’s the advantage of knowing more than them.”
“If you were such a benevolent god, why the human sacrifices I have heard about?”
“Deities, as long as they are powerful enough, mostly play by their own rules. Like Supay. To be fair, I have tried to limit it, so human sacrifices usually happen during important events. Not like those bloodthirsty Aztecs, as you call them. The proper term is Aztecah, as in Aztecah Empire, as in people from Aztlan. Though some call them Aztecha, or variations of the word."
"So which is the correct term?"
"It doesn't matter. To a man strapped to a sacrificial altar with a priest holding the obsidian knife ready to cut out his heart, the correct name of the people doing it to him would probably not in his thoughts. But whatever name you choose to use is fine."
"You've got a point there."
"Anyway, back to our subject, Supay was the worse of the lot. He demanded child sacrifices on a regular basis. But I really couldn’t understand why humans blindly follow beings like him. And there are a lot like him.”
“Ignorance leads to fear, I guess.”
“Finally! A nugget of wisdom from Mr. West.”
“I have been meaning to ask you. How did you know my name?”
“I have my ways. I am not totally bereft of power. I am still a seeker of knowledge. Your presence here on this world interests me. Not that I would interfere with whatever you’re doing or going to do. I am more of an observer. Adar is a new world. Its mysteries and realities are still unknown despite the millennia of study by the new arrivals. As if they know where to start their inquiries. But one thing I do know. It is a living world. I suspect it is sentient. But of a level far beyond what we can comprehend.”
“Another thing. Why the ceremony about the food and water?”
“Forms have to be followed, Mr. West. Across pantheons, one of the basic formulas remain. Meet a benevolent god in disguise, show kindness, and be rewarded.”
“I get rewarded?”
“You’re a quick one. Fortunately for me, you don’t get to choose your reward. I do.”
“Don’t worry,” said Tyler. “Didn’t plan on asking for world domination.”
“That may be funny for some other being, but with you, it’s not.”
“Uh, sorry?”
“Just don’t joke like that again, it’s unsettling.”
“What do I get?” asked Tyler, steering the conversation in a better direction.
“Knowledge, of course! The best gift any man can hope for.”
“Really?” Tyler replied wryly.
“Especially in your case.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your search, of course. Being in these foothills may look like you’re doing the wine god a favor by getting rid of those Empusas but it doesn’t fool me. An excellent cover story, by the way.”
“What do think am I looking for?”
“A singular place. Of a different energy. Mysterious and unfathomable. To the likes of us deities, anyway.”
“How did you know about such a place?”
“I have my sources,” smugly replied Viracocha. “Come, let’s talk while I lead you there. It’s not that far from here.”
As they walked, Tyler noticed that the deity’s sandaled feet were a few inches from the ground. Same as Dionysus. This really is unfair. I get to feel the rocks and gravel. Though these guys take the phrase “walking on air” into another dimension.
“How did you know about this place again?”
“You won’t catch me with that trick, Mr. West. Anyway, a pantheon around here discovered the place when they first arrived on Adar. But it didn’t allow deities to enter. Some barrier. As expected, beings felt insulted, tempers frayed, and they started trying to wreck the place apart. A few did counsel patience, but fewer listened. I suspect it was as you said. Ignorance led to fear. And fear meant irrational action.”
“They were not able to enter the place?”
“No. But I believe that’s a better result. Deities with unknown, and probably highly dangerous knowledge and artifacts? A recipe for disaster.”
“Then what happened?”
“Those still interested, a lot of them in fact, made deals with two other pantheons. Together, they tried to break open the barrier. Whatever was inside retaliated. Several deities died that day. I think each lost at least two or three. Though most were minor gods. Probably thought the knowledge would grant them the power to become major players. Dimwits. The most prominent casualty was the head of the pantheon around here. Cost him his right leg. And no power known to the pantheons could bring it back. That’s probably why his daughter is the one now leading the pantheon, though in his name.”
Funny how he had avoided mentioning any deity or pantheon by name. He’s a careful one. If what he said is true, then Dionysus must have known of this place. Does that mean I came here with his taci
t approval? Does Athena have a hand in it? If it’s the latter, what did they expect to gain? It’s not as if they expect me to share the knowledge with them willingly. These gods and their games!
“They left?”
“Deities leaving just like that? No chance at all. With their casualties, they became angrier and attacked the mountain instead. Not the barrier. Somebody who was there told me that the combined divine attacks of three pantheons were a sight to behold. The mountain was damaged in the first attacks, but subsequently, nothing the three pantheons did could even scratch it. Though the entrance is now covered by large rocks resulting from that futile waste of energy.”
“Covered entrance? It’s inside the mountain?”
“Not really inside as in the heart of the mountain itself. Inside like in a cave, accessible through a relatively large opening.”
“Oh. Is it still some distance away?”
“Humans. So impatient. Such a trait must have something to do with your short lives.”
“Sorry. But if you noticed, I am the one actually walking while you’re floating.”
“Not floating. Making like walking. See? I am doing the leg strides after all. But if you want, I can do the same for you. But be warned. It’s different when the ability is granted by another. The rest of your body has to learn to compensate and adjust to the weightlessness. It takes practice to master it. If the skill is learned, then it’s different. The ability would encompass your entire body. Adjustment to walking like that would be instinctive.”
He thought about it. The image of falling flat on his face several times was a deterrent.
“No thanks. I think it would be too risky to my flesh and bones. I will continue to feel the rocks beneath my suffering feet instead.”
“Is that all you’re worried about?” asked the surprised deity. “And here I am, thinking you wanted the experience. Let me smooth your way.”
Viracocha stopped walking. He thrust his right hand out, palm down. Tyler observed the deity. Then he felt a wave of energy spread out before them.
“I guess that takes care of it. Thank you,” he told the deity. “Though can I assume that with you by my side, I don’t have to worry about being jumped by wild animals or worse, unnatural predators?”
“Don’t worry about it. If there are any within a mile, they all would be running for their lives without knowing why. I did say I am diminished, not powerless.”
The two continued walking. The fear of being ambushed now gone, Tyler enjoyed the afternoon breeze and the verdant pastoral landscape. The ground did feel better to his aching feet. He couldn’t feel any stones through his sandals.
“You told me about the Aztecs being at war with the Incans, am I right?” he asked.
“Going on for some time now. My son has his hands full. He never had to contend with the Aztecs back in the First World. Different regions. Distance makes good neighbors or something like that. Now with them as his neighbors, I do feel pity for him. The Aztecs are a people organized for war and empire. Their gods still require human sacrifices. Their power relies on it. Blood does have enormous innate energy. The Incans, on the other hand, are like the Norse. Small cities and principalities, bound by loyalty to a common ruler. The empire of the Sapa Inca didn’t survive the transition to this world.”
“Why didn’t you do it yourself? The building of the Incans from a lowly tribal organization to a kingdom? That way your son couldn’t have positioned himself the way he did with the worshippers of the Incan pantheon?”
“I once did try in a major way,” the deity sheepishly admitted. “Long before the Incans. Lasted two millennia. It was a benign civilization. No emphasis on war. Even their towns and cities didn't have wall defenses. But I admit I made some mistakes here and there. Forgot about introducing ceramics for one. I was younger then. Too many pots for these two hands. Also forgot to account for the changing climate. And all those minutiae of civilization. There, I was known as the Staff God.”
“So, with that failure, you turned over the responsibility to your son.”
“Well, that was not my only failure. Only my biggest one.”
“At least you tried.”
“Oh, please don’t patronize me. I know when something is beyond my skills. My son has better organizing talents. Though it appears he is losing his grip on the pantheon. Supay had become too brazen. That shouldn’t have happened.”
“What do you think Supay wants with me?”
“No idea. The ways of death gods are different. Nor can they easily be dealt with.”
“He did mention he was not acting alone.”
“Of course! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be that bold.”
“You really have no idea about what he wants to do with me?”
“I can speculate, but it serves no purpose. But to stop your questions, I will venture a few. Force you to become his Champion, trade you to another pantheon for some substantial gain, or even sacrifice you during rites of power. Or only your heart. Maybe your flesh, or bones. Depends on the rite.”
“Like grinding my bones to make his bread?”
“Exactly! But he'll probably wash it down with chicha.”
Chapter Lore:
Huskarl - Old Norse. A warrior in personal service to someone. Anglicized as housecarl.
Sapa Inca – Incan/Quechua. Meaning “the only one” or “the only Inca.” A title used by Incan rulers.
Staff God – A major Andean deity. Considered to be the oldest god found in archaeological sites in South America. First found in a burial site belonging to the Norte Chico or Caral-Supe civilization dated between the fourth and second millennia B.C. The deity was also worshipped by other succeeding civilizations in the region.
Aztecha – Aztec. The Nahuatl word “Aztecha” is the plural of the word “aztecalt”. Now spelled as “Aztec,” the term actually applies to a group of allied city-states who formed the Aztec Triple Alliance.
Chicha – A South American fermented or non-fermented beverage. Made from corn, fruit, or maize. The way it is made vary from region to region.
Chapter IX
Yin. Yang.
“You’re joking!”
“Maybe. I really only have a vague notion of what death gods do practice. From what I have seen of Supay and his kind, it usually involves precisely those things. Though I believe he prefers children. Disgusting. Sadistic. Barbaric. Depraved.”
“And that arose from what men expected from him?”
“No, no, no. You got it all wrong,” exclaimed Viracocha, waving his hands for emphasis.
“Men expected and believed in a death god. So, a death god arose. When the deity becomes too powerful, then the god or goddess takes on a personality of its own. It can be warped as with Supay, or it can be relatively benign. Or maybe somewhere in between. Being a death god really messes up a deity’s growth and perception. When the being becomes corrupted and sated by blood sacrifices, that’s when the energy can give rise to the materialization of men’s worse nightmares. The more creative the imagination of the worshippers are, the more depraved and horrible the creations. Depending on the pantheon, of course,” he continued.
He just confirmed what I thought about deities, Tyler thought.
“I did, didn’t I?” Viracocha laughed. “But you would have found out the truth sooner or later. This way, I look enlightened and wise. Anyway, we’re very near. Once we clear those trees, you’ll see the entrance.”
Tyler walked faster.
“Excited, are we? Wait up. The pantheons may have left guardians.”
Hearing that, he slowed down and let the deity take the lead.
Guardians? That would mean at least three. One from each pantheon. Shit.
“Stay here. I’ll take a look,” Viracocha said as they reached the trees. Tyler could glimpse the mountain from where he was. From the grove, the ground sloped down directly to the peak’s rocky face. He surmised the cave must be at the bottom of the hillock. The deity disappeared.
“You’re in luck. One from each pantheon. Animals. Exotic ones. I believe one is what the Norse call a vargyr . A huge version. One is an Egyptian hybrid of some sort. I think you humans call it a serpopard . The third is a Greek chimaira , or chimera, as others call it. You can easily handle them. You have my utmost confidence. They’re all nicely positioned in front of the cave. You won’t need to hunt for them.”
I sometimes hate it when I'm right. And such a pathetic pep talk.
“I've met that Norse dire wolf's relatives back in Skaney. Smaller but still dangerous. You know you remind me of a certain deity of wine who was insistent on me facing off with a drakon. Right after a giant mechanical spider-scorpion.”
“He’s lucky. He had seen you at work. I haven’t. And don’t think of asking me to take care of them. I won’t. Other deities may get mad at me if I kill their pets,” commented Viracocha with a knowing smile.
“You just want to see a fight.”
“Of course! Action! Dancing with death! It’s not often one gets to see a mortal confront beasts of myth. Three at once! From different pantheons! Though I would prefer you live through the experience.”
Shaking his head, Tyler stepped out of the cover of the trees and started walking down the hill. The rolling terrain didn’t show him immediately what he was going to meet. Only when he was half-way down when the three creatures came into view. Apparently, they could already smell him as they were warily watching the hill. As soon as he came into view, a cacophony of sounds greeted him. It was a noisy mixture of hisses, growls, grunts, and roars.
An unbelievable animal orchestra. Worse than the zoo, he thought as he continued walking, staff at the ready. Tyler didn’t know if they were in range of his spells. Not that he was going to miss. They were all enormous. The dire wolf was easily thrice the size of the biggest he saw back in Skaney. The chimera was a close second. The odd Egyptian beast, with the body of a leopard on which was stuck the long neck and face of a giant boa, was the size of a small car.