The Serpent and the Crown

by Sam Puma

  “Can I offer you a cup of tea? Something soothing?”

  “No.” Jankaro crossed his arms on his chest. “Just go ahead and explain why you carry filthy worms and produce miscreants instead of soldiers.”

  A frown crossed Anhael’s face as he sipped from a cup of hot tea. “First of all, I don’t appreciate you insulting my spirit guides. And secondly, it was Janesa who botched the initiation.”

  “What?!” Jankaro felt the heat of anger flush into his neck and face as he slapped his hands on the table, spilling Anhael’s tea. He wanted to grab the worms and stomp all over them, but feared that Anhael would overpower him.

  “Janesa has misinformed you. When I found her, she was a half-trained herbalist’s apprentice about to be cast out of her village for disrupting too many marriages with her promiscuous tendencies. You fell for her, didn’t you? You wanted her and she rejected you. She told you she was working with a plant and couldn’t be with a man for a year. You have me to thank for that. I set her up with that plant and that initiation so she could claim her power and come into her own as a medicine woman. She would have chewed you up, spit you out and left you crying for more, but she would already be on to the next man.

  “I’ve tried to support her in becoming an honest, respectable medicine woman. But ever since I started working with my new guides, she has become jealous. She wants my ear and my attention all the time, and now that she doesn’t have it, she is acting out and running amok. She scrambled the recipe for those initiates and now we have a lot of work to do to straighten them out.”

  Jankaro was confused. He didn’t know who to believe. He remembered being with Janesa and hearing the integrity in her voice. He was beginning to doubt her as Anhael seemed so lucid and focused. But he couldn’t get over the worms and the painting. The whole chamber seemed full of darkness and made his skin crawl.

  “You are disgusted by the worms and it makes you mistrust me. I can see it in your eyes. But just listen. Do you remember the day you met Ixtlayo? What did everyone tell you? They told you to stop. Get away. We don’t do that. We don’t ride those beasts. But what did you do? You rode the Ashtari all the way to victory. We couldn’t have done it without him, or your belief in him.

  “So what is different now? Are worms inherently evil? They churn the earth and make the soil fertile, the soil that grows your father’s yucca that brings us life. You know that beautiful butterfly Moropo? She came from a worm, transformed into a shining winged beauty. Open your mind Jankaro. Saskala,” he nodded to the worm on his left arm, “Icala,” he nodded to the worm on his right arm, “and Maravaya,” he reached up and gently stroked the worm draped around his neck, “are my guides. They are here to help us. We are working on a plan to win the war in one final stroke. I will present my plan to Titus tomorrow at the war council.”

  Jankaro couldn’t help but sympathize with Anhael’s situation. In spite of the revulsion he felt as he looked at the worms, the man was making sense. He still had doubts, however.

  “But Anhael, those worms are from the Cruxai. They spread out all over his body after he got shot with those poison arrows.”

  “Not true. Well, half true. They did spread out all over his body after he was hit with the poison arrow. But they were not born of Cruxai poison. They came up out of the earth and helped Ixtlayo to heal.”

  “It was the Sukuwasi that healed him,” said Jankaro. “I brought it back from the jungle.”

  “Yes, but while he was on death’s door, awaiting your return, the worms crawled into his mouth and died in his stomach, nourishing him so he would not die. They sacrificed themselves for our cause.

  “The Cruxai are destroying life. They chop down forests and eat everything they can find so they can breed at an accelerated pace. Their feces pollute the waters with the toxic energy of their spiritual corruption. The fish die and the water runs yellow. That is how Ixtlayo convinced the jaguars to come and fight them. He can see it all unfolding. If we don’t stop them, they will destroy your home and turn it into a lifeless desert.

  “Ashtari and jaguars are not our only allies here. The worms have risen up to help. They are the only creatures who can eat the excrement of the Cruxai and turn it into their own nourishment. But it makes them sick and bloated and confused. They become addicted to it and grow fat. The Cruxai destroy the balance of nature. The worms recognize that and they are here to help us.”

  Jankaro rubbed his temples and tried to take it all in. He thought about Janesa again and wondered what really happened with the initiation. His hip was aching and the room smelled bitter. The shadows danced on the walls and the face seemed to lean out at him. He couldn’t bear to stay in Anhael’s chamber much longer, but was still trying to decide who to believe. He could feel the worms’ attention on him and he had to look away, toward the painting on the wall.

  “What in Sagaya’s name is that? I can’t bear to look at it.”

  “That,” Anhael turned, looked over at the painting and scowled. “That is the face of our enemy, Agustin. In my visions I have seen him.”

  “Why would you paint a picture of your enemy in your chamber?”

  “So that I will no longer fear him. That is the face he wears in the spirit plane, where he looks much like a Cruxai. I don’t know what he looks like in person; most likely he is just a bitter old man.”

  Anhael sipped at his tea. “He beat me the first time. You remember when I journeyed in the spirit realm to find a cure for Ixtlayo. There was a dark force there so powerful that I couldn’t bear to look at it. It repelled me from finding the cure, and I too became ill.

  “But with my guides it is different!” Anhael raised and lowered his arms slowly, showing off his companions. Jankaro cringed and recoiled.

  “We journeyed into the spirit realm together, and they showed me the face of Agustin. We watched him plot his next move and we found a way to stop him.”

  “You’ve got him painted up there above your altar like you are worshipping him.”

  “Oh no, Jankaro. He is there to remind me that I have overcome my fear of him. That together we can defeat him. Each worm introduced me to the spirit of a plant, and when these three plants come together, we will brew a potion that will surely defeat Agustin and his army. Maximus and Franco are collecting the plants as we speak. Tomorrow I will lay out my plan before the war council.”

  “There is no way Titus or Orion will trust you with those worms crawling all over you like that.”

  “I may need your help to convince them. Can I count on you?” Anhael reached his hand out across the table.

  “I don’t know Anhael.” Jankaro pushed himself up out of the chair, starting for the door. “This just doesn’t feel right.”

  “Remember what happened with you and Ixtlayo. At the time it didn’t feel right to anyone but you and him. Please Jankaro, just keep an open mind. Give us a chance to show you what a powerful alliance we have formed.”

  Cut Apart

  “The enemy is coming.” Jankaro read Ixtlayo’s eyes as the Ashtari settled down into his cell at dusk and eyed the yanigo armor that hung on the wall.

  “You and I will fight them again,” said Jankaro as he stroked the Ashtari’s fur. “Who do I trust? Has Anhael lost his mind?”

  Ixtlayo didn’t seem to grasp the human dimensions of Jankaro’s problem. “You and I will fight them together,” was all that Jankaro could read from him.

  “That’s right,” said Jankaro as he turned to retire to his chamber. “You and I will fight them together.”

  A knock at Jankaro’s door roused him from his sleep. At first he didn’t want to respond. After several hours of tossing and turning in his bed, he had finally lost consciousness. He rolled over and tried to ignore the interruption. But the knock persisted.

  “Jankaro.” A familiar voice called to him. It was Janesa.

  He wanted her to go
away and let him rest just as much as he wanted her to come and lie with him.

  The door unlatched and she entered. “Ready to get those stitches removed?”

  He felt the sunlight coming through the door. “Is it really day already?”

  “It is. I heard your Ashtari roar as he loped out the front gate.” Jankaro felt the weight of Janesa’s body sit down on his bed. “He doesn’t venture out too far without you.”

  “Seems to me like he’s ready to fight the Cruxai anytime.”

  “Before Oranos and the people left, the elders used to complain that he was eating all the sheep that roamed the hills. But now no one seems to mind. There is hardly anyone here, just the soldiers and a few civilians. A city of ghosts.” She placed her hand on the back of his neck. “Back first?”

  “Sure.”

  “You want a little bit of sedative?”

  “No, just do it.” The memory of Anhael’s chamber came back to him. He craned his neck around to catch a glimpse of Janesa. He just wanted to be with her for a moment and not think about it. He felt a tugging sensation as she fiddled with the stitches in his back.

  “This is where he put his claws into your back and saved you from falling to your death. It’s healed now. I’m just taking the stitches out.” Jankaro lay on his belly while she worked. “So, you spoke with Anhael?”

  Jankaro took a deep breath in as she pulled on the stitches in his back. “When I first climbed on Ixtlayo’s back, and ever since then, I had this feeling. Ixtlayo has the same feeling. We are here to fight this war together. Whatever happens between you and Anhael, that is between you and him. I am here to fight and win this war.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?!” Janesa pulled hard on the last stitch and Jankaro jerked up and cried out in pain. “Tell me what happened! What did he say?”

  “Janesa, I need to rest for a little while longer before we have this conversation. My head is still spinning.”

  “Jankaro, the war council is in one hour.” Janesa stood and put her hands on her hips. “Anhael will be presenting his plan.” She leaned down and rubbed a cool cream on his back. It felt good. “What next? Shoulder or hip?”

  “My shoulder.” Jankaro reached for the water jug and sipped at it. The water tasted of citrus fruits. He relaxed and stared at the wall. “I don’t like those worms, Janesa.” He sucked in air as she pulled on the stitches in his shoulder. “And I really don’t like that painting on his wall.”

  “Nor do I.”

  “But I have to say he makes some sense. Remember when I first bonded with Ixtlayo? Everyone thought it was crazy. He brought up the point that maybe it is the same with him and the worms. Ouch!” Jankaro cried out as Janesa yanked hard on the last stitch.

  “Jankaro can’t you see the worms have corrupted him? He’s lost it! Didn’t you see those miscreants harassing me? He botched the initiation!” She put her hand on his bed covers and started to pull them to the side. “Just relax. I have to pull the stitches out of your buttocks.”

  Jankaro laid still and clenched his jaw through the pain as she pulled the stitches out of his butt. He hoped that he would be able to walk without the crutch again soon. “Anhael says it was you who botched the initiation. Ouch!” He clenched his teeth as she pulled hard on the last stitch.

  Janesa rubbed the cream into his buttock. “Turn over.” Jankaro complied. She rolled the blanket over to expose the front of his hip while he studied her face.

  “He told me to give them the onyx root and that’s what I did.” She had a somber look on her face as she pulled on the stitches on the front of his hip. He studied her face carefully as she spoke. “I knew it was going to fuck them up, but I trusted him. When they came out all fucked up, he blamed it all on me. Said I chopped it up too fine. What a bastard. Now he is telling everyone about my past, trying to make me look bad.”

  “So…ouch!” Janesa yanked out the last stitch from the front of his hip.

  “Yes, Jankaro, it’s all true! I was too promiscuous to be a healer before Anhael took me on. I admit it. But that doesn’t justify what he is doing now. Maximus and Franco were fools to believe him. Who knows when we will see them again.” She rubbed the cream on the front of his hip.

  He felt awake and alert, and wanted to pull her down and embrace her. “So, do you still intend to complete the period of celibacy that Anhael prescribed?” Jankaro asked without thinking and he reached up to touch her face.

  “Damnit Jankaro!” She flipped the blankets back over him and stood up straight. “I have had enough with soldiers!”

  “Janesa, wait.” He said as she walked briskly to the door. “I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to do.”

  “Don’t believe him, Jankaro. Trust your instincts. Don’t believe him.” Janesa closed the door behind her and left. Jankaro raised himself up and took a step, only to discover that he would still be in need of a cane. He felt a tremendous hunger. He looked to the table by his bed, and there was a hot, steaming meal.

  The arrowhead in his heart ached more than ever as he passed before the ram statue and opened the door to the war council’s chamber. Titus sat up tall at the round table with his arms crossed. “Jankaro.” He was staring off into the distance but returned to the present when Jankaro entered. “Did you speak with Anhael? What did you think?”

  Jankaro was about to respond when Orion entered. He had a new wooden leg affixed to his stump but it was stiff, straight and lacked the workmanship of the one he lost. “Still working on a new one,” Orion said with a frown. “Most of our workers were sent back to Calixo, so I don’t have much help. You still limping?”

  Jankaro nodded gravely.

  “I sent for Anhael,” said Titus. “He will be here in a few minutes, but I want to hear from both of you first. Have a seat, Orion.” He turned and stared at Jankaro expectantly.

  Jankaro paused to collect his thoughts. “The worms bother me. I am sickened by how he could wrap them around his body and listen to their guidance. He made an interesting point, however, that I just can’t shake from my mind: when I first mounted Ixtlayo, everyone thought I was wrong. Look how it turned out. Maybe it could be the same with the worms. I want to hear about his plan.”

  “Hmm.” Titus’s brow furrowed as he rubbed his chin. “Orion?”

  “Anhael and I have grown closer over the years, so this is difficult for me. I could sure use his help with my new leg, but he has become so reclusive. Look at those new soldiers. They need a nursemaid. They would be worth more to us as fighters had they never gone into the chamber. As much as it pains me to say it, I think those worms are corrupting him.”

  “I am nearly convinced of that myself. But the man has patched me up more times than I can remember. Through the dark chamber and his herbs he has given us all the night vision. Without it the war would already be lost. We owe it to him to hear what he has to say.”

  Jankaro and Orion sat silent and shared a worried glance. Titus stood and jingled a bell hanging on the wall. After a moment, Anhael entered, shirtless, with the white worms draped around his arms and neck. In the light of the council chamber he looked pale and slender, with dark circles under his eyes.

  “Greetings, Titus. Orion. Jankaro.” He nodded to all of them and took his seat to Jankaro’s right, across from Titus.

  “Before we hear of this plan,” said Titus, “you’ve got some explaining to do. Those new recruits are not soldiers. They were better before we sent them to you.”

  “It was my mistake,” said Anhael. “I gave them onyx root, the same that I gave Jankaro.” Jankaro raised his eyebrows; he wasn’t aware of all the plants he had been given in the chamber.

  “I thought it would help them to become powerful soldiers who could make a difference. But I made the mistake of trusting Janesa with the preparation. She chopped it up too fine and overdosed them. I thought I was clear with her abou
t the recipe, but apparently I was not clear enough. I apologize.”

  Jankaro was taken aback. If they were given the same plant as him, that leant validation to Anhael’s case. Janesa made it seem like a huge mistake that they were given onyx at all.

  “Who else has taken onyx?” Orion asked.

  “Only these new recruits, Jankaro, Janesa, Maximus, Franco, and myself. It is a powerful plant, but it must be prepared properly, or one’s sanity may be compromised.”

  Titus looked at Jankaro with a frown, then turned his attention back to Anhael. “No more onyx for anyone. Understood?”

  “Yes, commander.” Anhael nodded in compliance. Saskala shifted her position on his left arm. Titus, Orion, and Jankaro cringed.

  “I don’t like those worms. None of us do. But you have served with honor for several years and we owe you a deep debt of gratitude for your service. So I decided to keep an open mind and hear your plan.” Titus leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

  “There is something all of you should know. Agustin is alive and well and more powerful than ever.”

  “He was killed by the Cruxai long ago,” said Orion. “Just like everyone up north. We have seen nothing but Cruxai for years now.”

  “That’s your experience,” said Anhael. “But you can’t confirm these stories because you haven’t been able to scout into Cruxai territory. I have journeyed far into the spirit realm, and I know what happened. And I know what is coming.” The worms wriggled along in affirmation, weaving slimy spirals around his arms and neck. “Agustin controls the Cruxai army, and he will be leading the next attack personally.”

  “Wait a minute,” said Orion. “Jankaro was there in Dorfin. He saw the Jurugas holding a war council of their own. The one who wears the Ashtari hide is clearly their leader. Jankaro did you see anyone other than the Jurugas with them?”

  “No,” he said as his mind went back to Dorfin. He repressed the shudder that gripped his body as he remembered his brush with death.

  “Did you explore the entire city?” Anhael asked. “Just because he didn’t see Agustin while he was there doesn’t mean he’s not there. Agustin has created a powerful weapon and plans to lead the next attack. Do you remember how the war started, before the Cruxai were born? Jankaro was but a babe on his mother’s breast, and Titus you were just a child running through the streets on your brother’s heels. Agustin wanted to kill all the shamans of the northern jungle. Some of them he rounded up. With threats, manipulation and torture, he was able to steal the power of thirteen of the most powerful shamans of the northern jungle. That he might spare their families, they surrendered their power to him and emptied the contents of their medicine bundles into a cauldron. The brew was cooked for five days, and on the fifth, Agustin drank. By drinking, he assumed all of their shamanic power. His body and his spirit were transformed. No one recognized him any more. With his newfound power, he stole control of the Cruxai army away from the shaman who created them to protect himself and his tribe from Agustin.