From his position in the field, William had a clear view of the jungle’s expanse to the eastern horizon, where the odd lights flashed along the treetops like a laser light show. Bright orange bursts illuminated the jungle and each flare shot a beam into the sky like a beacon. After several minutes, the flashing stopped, and a long silence followed.
“What the hell was that?” William asked.
Priest Quisac turned back with a startled expression. “The energy was similar to lightning… yet there was no thunder.”
“Many of our citizens live in that area,” Yax said. “We must investigate.”
William didn’t always look forward to the war planning sessions, but the meeting that night took on an interesting angle when Chief Etznab announced what they discovered in the outskirts of town where the lights had been flashing. An entire village of farmers had vanished. Over two hundred residents of Dzibanche appeared to have fled without a trace, leaving all their possessions behind.
“Did the lights scare them off?” William asked. “Or were they captured?”
“There were no indications of a struggle,” Etznab said, glancing over to Captain Salmac for his confirmation.
“That’s right,” Salmac said with a nod. “We scouted a wide area around the village. There were no signs to follow.”
Yax thought for a long while. The torches in the North Palace flickered across the dark shadows of his disturbed face. “It must be a trick. King Aztuk means to frighten us-to put us off balance before launching his attack.”
Priest Quisac shook his head, disagreeing. “I do not believe Calakmul was involved with this incident. They would not attack before the evening star.”
“If we continue to lose our people like this, we won’t make it until the evening star!” Yax said.
Later that night, the King ordered all the citizens to move in close to the city center-to avoid losing more people outside of town to the strange lights.
Several days drifted by without further incident, and sitting alone atop the Temple of the Lintels-the same pyramid where they had first made their appearance known to the people of Dzibanche-William watched Venus become the first visible light in the darkening sky. Funny, he thought, how a mere prick of light could cast such a wave of dreadful anticipation through the entire population.
“There you are,” Betty said, her voice echoing from the base of the pyramid. “Teshna’s been looking for you.”
William gave her a wave in return. He leaned against the steps with a calm smile, watching Betty approach. She sat beside him and said, “I haven’t been up this pyramid since the first day we got here.”
William gazed out at the tranquil jungles beyond the plaster courtyard, watching the palm and mahogany trees sway in the breeze. “From this peaceful view, it’s hard to imagine that by sunrise tomorrow all hell’s gonna break loose.” A group of elderly Mayan women had set up their backstrap looms near the trees, attached to the low-hanging branches, weaving colorful brocade designs into the fabric of the huipils they were making. Apparently, the coming battle wasn’t going to get in the way of their daily routines, he figured.
Betty stared at the evening star with a perplexed look. “I still don’t understand what Venus has to do with anything. If that stupid King Aztuk had any brains, he would’ve attacked us before we had time to get ready. Waiting for this planet to show up in the sky, giving us so much time to get prepared, seems like a mistake. Not that I’m complaining, of course. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Maybe Betty was right, William thought. He could understand that Calakmul would want to wait long enough for Dzibanche to weaken from reduced supplies, but to plan the attack on a specific day that everyone knew about removed the advantage of surprise. Why had they waited? Silly superstitions or rules from the gods? William preferred to go on instinct. “Priest Quisac says that they plan everything around the stars-when to harvest, where to build, and when to go to war.” Something caught his attention in the western horizon. “Did you see that?” he asked, pointing to his left. He stood for a better look.
Betty’s eyes narrowed as she studied the sky. “Wow, look at that!” She stood abruptly and moved further up the pyramid steps for a good look.
From the top of the pyramid they witnessed another round of flashing lights in the sky. “We’d better get back,” he said. “We need to tell the others.”
They hurried down the pyramid steps and ran up the path to the King’s palace. When they arrived, dozens of nobles were already outside, staring at the sky with startled faces. William spotted the bald head of the Serpent Priest amidst the crowd and called out to him. “Priest Quisac, did you see it?”
The Serpent Priest nodded with a baffled look.
Yax and Teshna raced over from the arched entrance of the palace to join them. “What is it?” Yax asked.
“Another incident,” Priest Quisac said. “Flashing lights appeared in the west… in the direction of the Calakmul army.”
“So it was Calakmul before,” Teshna declared. She went to William’s side and took his hand. “They must have a new weapon… They used it to destroy our people in the east. Now they will use this weapon as they begin their attack from the west.”
“Would they attack before sunrise?” William asked. Priest Quisac blinked twice as he considered the idea.
Yax glowered at the Serpent Priest. “Well…?”
Priest Quisac cleared his throat and said, “The evening star has arrived. King Aztuk has honored the gods by waiting until this moment. Yet there is no need to delay the invasion until the morning, other than benefiting from the light of day.”
“He could attack at any moment. Why not begin when we are unprepared?” Yax paced back and forth, considering the options. “None of us will sleep well this night anyhow. We will go to our positions in the west and wait for the approaching army.” He pointed at the stocky chief of the royal guard. “Etznab, give the signal!”
A moment later, the low-pitched bellows of seashell trumpets echoed, capturing the attention of the entire community.
“You all know what to do,” Etznab shouted to the nobles and warriors who had gathered outside the King’s palace.
“Spread the word,” Yax said in a commanding voice. “The time has come! Ready yourselves, and meet at your assigned positions.” He gave William a determined stare, turned, and marched inside the palace.
The crowd dispersed in various directions to prepare for battle. As they hurried into the palace, William exchanged a knowing look with Betty and Teshna; the time had finally come.
William ran to his room and scrambled to get dressed, worried that the invaders could come storming through the palace gates at any moment. He fumbled with his leather vest and put his heavy cotton skirt on backwards at first. After getting his uniform sorted out, he tossed his headdress to the side and replaced it with a helmet made from the hard skin of an armadillo, adorned with bright blue macaw feathers.
Through the flickering light of the torches near the entrance to his room, William saw Teshna standing there. A tense look haunted her face, accentuated by the red and black streaks of war paint across her forehead and cheeks. William became transfixed on the Princess-dressed for battle, looking like some sexy war goddess as she stood there with her bow in hand, and a quiver of arrows slung against her back. For a brief moment, he completely forgot about the looming battle.
Teshna leaned her bow against the wall and approached William with a cup in the palm of her hands. She stared into his eyes with a nervous gaze, dipped two fingers into the cup, and ran streaks of paint across William’s forehead and cheeks.
“So it all comes down to this day,” William whispered.
“Yes, Balam,” Teshna said. “Today we fight because… it’s the right thing to do. Isn’t that what you said?”
William nodded reluctantly. “Yes, that’s what I said. I only hope my words aren’t leading everyone to their deaths.”
Teshna held William’s hand; the energy of the bloodstone tingled through his fingers. “Your actions and your words united us. The gods brought you here to save our people, and they spoke through you that night. If you had not come here, we would already be dead. You gave us a new life… a chance for our future.”
William smiled. “That’s nice of you to say.”
“There is something else I have to say before we go, Balam.” Teshna turned her back to him.
“What is it, Teshna?” he asked with concern, spinning her around with a gentle tug on her shoulder.
She stared at him with misty eyes. “I know your true home is in another world. I know that at times you miss your life there. Perhaps you still think about returning. But I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want to lose you. I love you, Balam. I had to tell you so my mind will be clear for the battle. I would hate to die without telling you.”
“You are not going to die, Teshna,” William said. “We’ll get through this-all of us.” He gazed into her eyes and rested his hands softly along her neck. He pulled her close and kissed her passionately, feeling her tension melt into his arms. Their lips parted for a moment, and William sighed. “This is where I belong now. I can’t imagine my life without you, Teshna. We’re going to survive this.”
Teshna jumped into his arms, kissing him again and again.
“Teshna! Balam!” the Serpent Priest said in a scolding tone. They both straightened up with the guilty look of teenagers who had just been caught fooling around. “Destiny calls upon us. Teshna, the other women are waiting for you outside the palace. Go now. I must speak with Balam privately.”
Teshna gave William a wink, grabbed her bow, and hastened out.
Priest Quisac reached into a sack and pulled out one of the sacred items-the ancient weapon that would be used to fire a bolt of lightning at the enemy forces. “I now entrust this with you, Balam,” the Serpent Priest said, his head bowed and holding the weapon out. William accepted the sacred item with a nod in return. “Remember, you must wait until the enemy is near before using it.”
“What if they don’t charge at me, like we’re expecting? What then?” William asked.
“When King Aztuk realizes that the aerial assault upon you has failed from the sun shield, he will indeed send his men in heavy force upon you. His desire for the bloodstone will be too tempting for him to do otherwise. In that moment, you will kill hundreds with the energy of this weapon. But it can only be used twice, and then you must retreat to your next position.”
William nodded with a deep breath. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Priest Quisac bowed. “Here is where we must part, my friend… until it is over. You know the Ritual of Resurrection. You can break the soil plague even without me, if necessary.”
“Thank you, Priest Quisac… for everything. We can win this battle.”
“Only the gods know our destiny, Balam. The stars speak of an end… yet not in a manner that I understand. I must meditate on this while we wait for the attack. Go now. The captains of the royal guard will take you to your place.”
William marched beside Salmac and other royal guards along the trail leading west from the city. They joined a procession of hundreds of warriors, streaked with war paint, clutching their spears and clubs with anxious grips. The path twisted through the jungle for nearly an hour before opening into a huge field. Thousands of torches lit the area like a football stadium at night.
“Balam!” Yax called out as he approached.
William almost didn’t recognize the young King with his red and blue painted face; his head appeared swallowed between the jaws of the jaguar headdress he was wearing. He grasped Yax’s hand and they exchanged a serious nod when their eyes met. “Good luck, Yax.”
“I would say the same to you, but the gods are on your side, Balam. You don’t need extra luck. Now take your position. It may be too soon, but it’s better than being caught off guard. Salmac and the other captains are taking their positions in the field as well.”
William turned to face the clearing ahead. He took a few steps and paused to look back. Glancing into the trees, he knew Teshna was among the group of archers hidden high up in the branches; he could somehow sense her love, even though he couldn’t see her.
Upon reaching his position in the middle of the clearing, William planted his torch in the ground and looked back at the long line of flickering torches near the jungle’s edge. He shifted his gaze in the opposite direction, to the western side, where he knew the invasion could begin at any time, and he took a deep breath.
The hours passed. As the last lingering flames from his torch went out, and the smoldering embers turned to ash, darkness consumed him. William expected to hear war drums or some noise from the approaching army, but instead, an uncomfortable quiet enveloped him. Not even the sounds of chirping crickets were there to keep him company. He resigned himself to the idea that the battle would not begin until dawn, as they had originally assumed. Having the battle at daybreak was preferable so William could take advantage of the sun to create a strong sun shield. The sun shield could also be activated from the light of the moon, but he couldn’t sustain it as long as he could with sunlight.
He strained his eyes to spot any movement in the jungle, while nervously scratching the whiskers on his chin. It occurred to him that he had never let his facial hair grow out that much before. Although his beard was still a little sparse-compared how his dad’s used to get-it made him feel older. His mom always made him shave it off before it got too long.
While thinking about how long it took to grow his beard, William recognized how much time had passed while living with the Mayans. He wondered if his mom still mourned him. William wished he could let her know that he was okay, but then recalled his promise to Teshna… that he would never leave her. He sighed and shook his head with a nervous chuckle, realizing that if he didn’t survive the battle, those concerns wouldn’t matter. He had to focus on the task at hand, and returned his attention to the jungle.
William thought he saw something move in the shadows. His subconscious filled in the gaps, creating thousands of little faces staring back at him through the brush. The wind rolling across the tall grass in the field became warriors sneaking up on him, and he tried to focus on the shapes. His heart raced as he pulled his pack with the sacred weapon near. He gripped the bloodstone, readying himself to use it.
When he rubbed his eyes, the images were gone, and he could only see the quiet jungle again. With his mind playing tricks on him, William decided to rest for a while. He knew the royal guards were also keeping watch; they would signal with seashell trumpets at the first sign of the enemy. Within minutes, William drifted off to sleep, feeling the sensation of floating on water.
William dog paddled in the middle of the Cenote Azul. He heard a familiar voice; it was his mom. “William,” she said. “Come home… this way.”
Startled by the voice, William gagged on a mouthful of water. He splashed around, looking for his mom. She stood near a thatched table at the restaurant. He swam toward her.
A different voice called to him. It was Teshna. “Balam,” she said. “Stay with me. You promised.” Teshna stood at the other side of the cenote, waving him back.
Frustration surfaced as William bobbed in the cenote. He didn’t know which way to swim. While treading water, something bumped against his feet. It floated up, rubbing along his body as it ascended. Terror shook William as the thing became visible. It was his father’s decapitated head. While supporting it by the hair, he noticed that the head was missing an ear and eyeball… as though he was continuing where he left off from his previous nightmare-when he dreamt of his dad’s head on a platter.
“Free me!” his dad’s head demanded over and over in the demon’s creepy voice.
William dropped the head and watched it sink back into the depths of the lake. It continued to mouth the words, “Free me,” as it descended. A giant bubble burped out of the head’s mouth and popped at the surface. The water began to spin around him-faster and faster-until William felt himself drop down the whirlpool.
William kicked as he snapped awake from the falling sensation of his dream. He bolted to a sitting position, alarmed that he had slept too long. The sky had transformed to a lighter shade of blue; it was already dawn.
“Do not be concerned,” Priest Quisac said from behind him. “I came to keep watch with you. It is well that you slept. The others have also been resting in turn.” He handed William a jug of water and some food.
William took a swig from the jug and chewed on a crunchy tortilla. “Shouldn’t you be at your position?”
Priest Quisac looked across to the western side of the clearing, about two hundred yards away. “Something is not right.”
“What do you mean?”
“I do not sense an approaching army.”
William scratched his head, still shaking off the cobwebs of his sleep. “Could the attack start on another day?”
“To take advantage of the energy from the evening star, the battle must occur before sunset today.”
“How do you know they’re not there,” William asked. “Maybe they’re just being really quiet.”
The Serpent Priest stood with a concentrated gaze, holding his palms out at the jungle ahead. “The living energy from thousands-especially those focused on battle-is something that I can sense from a distance. I feel nothing.”
William stood when he saw a small group coming from the east. It was Yax, Teshna, Betty, Etznab, Salmac, Lamat and some other guards; they all had similar, puzzled looks on their tired faces.
“What’s going on?” Yax asked. “Calakmul’s forces should be here by now.”
“Yes, where are they?” Betty asked in her broken Yucatec-Maya. William had been teaching her their language over the months, but it still surprised him to hear her speaking it.
“It’s a trick!” Etznab said. “They are attempting to draw us from our positions, to put us off balance. We should wait as planned.”
“They are not there,” the Serpent Priest said with certainty. He looked troubled. “Perhaps I have misinterpreted the meaning of the evening star. I did not expect the flashes of light from the jungle or foresee the delay in the battle. I believe there is an alternate truth behind these events.”
Yax walked a few steps away, his back to the others. He stared across the clearing for a moment before spinning back with a decisive look. “We have to search for signs of their movement. Priest Quisac, Etznab, and Salmac will scout ahead. We will wait here in case they attack from another direction.”
William felt the bloodstone burning on his chest. “I’m going too,” he said.
“No, Balam!” Teshna said. “You must stay behind… with us.”
“I have to go, Teshna,” William said, touching the stone. “Something is out there. The bloodstone wants me to find it.”
Yax’s eyes grew wide when he saw the intense look on William’s face. “If the bloodstone is speaking to you, there has to be a reason. The bloodstone is a channel to the gods, and we must follow their calling.”
“I’m also going,” Betty said in her limited native vocabulary. She turned to William, speaking in English again. “After stressing out all this time while waiting for this stupid battle, I want to know what the hell is happening here!”
Teshna moved close to William. “I will also go.”
“No, Teshna,” Yax said. “You need to stay… to lead the women.”
Teshna glared at her brother, but he held firm. She gave William a quick hug before storming off with a disgruntled face, muttering to herself as she returned to the eastern side of the clearing.
Yax sighed, looking discouraged. “How could the gods misdirect me? I was made to believe that a battle would start at this very moment. Have I angered the gods in some manner to be fooled?”
“No, King Stone Frog. It is my error,” the Serpent Priest said, looking ashamed, his head hanging down. “I also believed an attack would commence. I thought this day represented an end to a nation-either ours or theirs. It made sense. However, it seems that the stars have been speaking of an end to all our people in these lands… while also speaking of a new beginning.”
Yax stared blankly at Priest Quisac, looking unsure of what to think. “Go now! We have to know where King Aztuk and his army are,” he said, and went with Lamat back to the camp.
William hiked at a fast pace beside Betty, a few steps behind Priest Quisac, Etznab, and Salmac. A contingent of ten royal guards blanketed the team, keeping a careful watch for the enemy. They continued on for several hours in a westerly direction through the dense jungle trail until a massive field came into view. The smell of smoke lingered in the afternoon air.
As they crept ahead William was certain they would find the Calakmul army there, just beyond the trees, ready to charge at them. But when he looked down into the valley, his blue eyes grew wide with curiosity-a reflection of the mood shared by all those who gazed below.
“Where is everyone?” William asked as he stared into the deserted camp.