After the exhausting encounter with the chupacabras, combined with the sleepless night hiding in the bunker below Yax’s room the night before, William slept for almost twelve hours. His eyes snapped open around noon, and he recalled-as if someone had hung a flashing neon sign on the ceiling of his room-that the lunar eclipse was that very night. He sprang from his bed and hurried to get ready. Mixed emotions crashed like waves through his psyche. Although nervous about the coming sacrifice, he also couldn’t wait to get it over with. With the Resurrection Ritual complete, and the soil plague reversed, William believed he would also be free from the burden of the curse. He could move on with his life… in whatever direction he wanted.
Something had been disturbing William over recent days as well. He felt a longing to kill King Aztuk. The bloodstone craved to draw the life out of the King of Calakmul, to end its curse. That thirst had intensified with the approaching lunar eclipse, and William carried the same sensation with him.
Later that afternoon, they went down to the clearing to wait for the vessel to arrive. William paced around the grassy field, becoming anxious as the sun began to set. “What if they don’t come?” he asked Priest Quisac with a troubled look.
“They will come,” the Serpent Priest said. “They desire the bloodstone to be healed, and this is the only way.”
“Why do they care about the bloodstone? They’ll be leaving our planet soon. What’s in it for them?”
Priest Quisac returned a confused stare. He seemed caught off guard by the question. “I cannot sense the deeper thoughts behind their words, and so I can only assume that, as our ancestors, they wish for our race to thrive here as well. They seem to understand how the bloodstone helps our land to flourish.”
William approached the Serpent Priest with a troubled gaze, feeling apprehensive about the grey men. “Are you sure they are your ancestors?”
Priest Quisac thought about it, but before he could respond, the familiar buzzing sound distracted their conversation. The dark cloud rolled in over the southern horizon, and an orange flash illuminated the field, leaving three people standing there. William zoned in on Teshna, becoming lost in the curves of her body. He was so happy to see her that the concerns he had voiced to Priest Quisac moments before dissolved with the swiftness of a breath strip melting in his mouth. William rushed across the clearing. He was so captivated by Teshna that it didn’t occur to him that Betty and Yax were there beside her.
William held Teshna for a long moment, as though they had been apart for months rather than days. “I missed you so much,” he said, lifting her off the ground.
“I was going crazy without you,” Teshna whispered in his ear. He gave her a long kiss.
“Hey, there are children around,” Betty said, interrupting them.
Like waking up from a dream, William turned his attention to Betty and Yax, as if they had just materialized.
Betty studied William and Priest Quisac. “You guys look tired. What have you been up to while we were gone?”
William rolled his eyes. “I’ll tell you about it later.” He realized that their struggle with the chupacabras still showed on their worn faces. Suddenly, the strange craving for King Aztuk’s life filtered through the bloodstone again, making William feel irritable. “Where is he?”
Yax looked up at the cloud. “They said they would follow after us.”
For a moment, William worried that the grey aliens might renege on their promise to bring the King of Calakmul. But then another burst of light left two grey men in the clearing; they were wearing their tight-fitting suits and bird-faced helmets. Beside them, a large crystalline cylinder-about the size of a carnival dunk tank-sat on a pad. It appeared to be hovering just above the ground. Lights blinked on a panel along its side. William approached and peeked inside.
“Is it really him?” Teshna asked from a safe distance.
William checked closer, pressing his forehead against the glass. He jumped when the stocky body of a Mayan floated near, startling him with an angry expression frozen on his scar-covered face. A dark red glow from the bloodstone lit up the inside of the chamber, casting an amber tint on the man’s face. Tubes were connected to his limbs, like a creature in some freak show. William pressed his hands on the cylinder, craving to kill him. Yet he recognized that the desire was caused by the bloodstone’s deep thirst for the man’s life-to end its curse. William tried to ignore the distracting desires, and he pulled away.
“It is King Aztuk,” Seblinov said, speaking in their minds.
“He floats in a state of suspension,” Jensik said while poking buttons on the side of the cylinder. It began to move forward, and he steered it with the instruments on the control panel.
As darkness settled in, they lit torches to illuminate the trail on the way to the ballcourt. William held Teshna’s hand as they went along. He wanted to ask her if she planned to go with her people to the other world, but he was afraid she would ask him to go with her. He wasn’t sure how he would respond. He turned to Betty, walking beside them. “So how was it up there?” he asked her in English.
Betty shot a quick glance back at Seblinov and Jensik; they were maneuvering the shiny cylinder up the path behind them. She looked paranoid that they might hear her thoughts. “Oh, it’s… comfortable enough, I guess,” she said in a pleasant voice, while sticking her finger into her mouth and pretending to gag. “It’s a little sterile for my taste. Did you know that there’s no dirt anywhere? The trees and plants grow right up from the floor. Weird, huh? There are a few birds flying around and some smaller animals, but I think it’s all for show… to make it more comfortable for them.”
“Does it seem safe?” William whispered.
Betty looked away. “I guess so. But the warriors still haven’t returned. Others are missing now, too. Plus they’ve been mixing in people from other kingdoms. It’s all a little confusing.” Betty suddenly had a hopeful look, as if she remembered something really important. “I told Jensik about the Serpent Passage… how we can’t go back because it’s underwater. He seemed really interested about that, and said they would set up two of their suits for us to use… so we can go back!”
“Oh, I see,” William said. He glanced over to Teshna with an anxious feeling coming over him. He had put the idea of going back to his own time out of his head, and he preferred believing that it was not a valid option. Having one less possibility to consider had been a relief. Now it was back on the table again.
Betty noticed his strained face. “If you’d rather stay, I totally understand,” she said, acknowledging Teshna beside him. “I could tell your mom for you… let her know that you’re okay. You could write her a note.” She smiled at the idea.
William’s face lit up. “Really?” He realized what a relief that would be for his mom to know what really happened to him.
As they entered the ceremonial center, Yax pointed at the moon above them. “Look,” he said, indicating the beginning stages of the lunar eclipse.
The group picked up their pace to the ballcourt. When they arrived, the eclipsing moon had begun to darken the land. Seblinov and Jensik tapped at the controls on the side of the cylinder, dropping the platform to the ground with a heavy thud. Jensik pressed a few buttons, causing the liquid inside to evaporate.
“We shall draw the blood that you require from the specimen,” Seblinov said. “However, he must first be awakened, for his blood is not active at the moment.”
William stayed by Priest Quisac’s side, waiting for his directions for the ritual. The Serpent Priest approached Seblinov, looking worried. “I must profess, Master Seblinov, that your method will not satisfy the requirement of the gods for breaking the curse of the soil plague. King Aztuk must be sacrificed. His soul needs to be freed from his blood.”
“Although we respect your beliefs, Priest Quisac, we disagree,” Seblinov said. “It is only the blood of this individual that is required-a chemical reaction to release the negative ions, amplified by the bloodstone. This will counter the effects of the soil plague by bonding with the electrical force of the eclipse.”
Priest Quisac shook his head. “It is only the act of the sacrifice that will restore order. You have been far too removed from the natural laws within a living world to understand this. A balance must be maintained!”
“This individual holds… properties… that are desirable to us,” Seblinov said in a disturbing manner. “We prefer to keep him intact for further use after this ritual.”
As the gaseous liquid finished evaporating from the cylinder, King Aztuk slumped against the side. His body jerked and twitched.
“He is restored,” Jensik said. He reached into a pouch at his side and retrieved a large vile, positioning it near the control panel. After turning a knob, the blood of King Aztuk filled the vile, like he was pouring himself a glass of grape juice from a soda fountain.
“It will not work like this, Seblinov!” the Serpent Priest said.
King Aztuk seemed to hear Priest Quisac’s words, for he suddenly awoke and snapped his stare in every direction.
“The eclipse is nearly complete!” Teshna said.
“What is this?” King Aztuk asked in a muffled voice from inside the crystal chamber. He staggered to his feet.
“Re-suspend the specimen,” Seblinov said with urgency in his voice.
Jensik handed the vile to William and returned to the control panel. King Aztuk slammed his body into the crystal wall, rocking the cylinder forward. Jensik took a step back when King Aztuk pressed his hands and face against the glass, peering out. He rammed his body into the side of the cylinder again.
From the ballcourt, Betty called out, “The eclipse!”
The Serpent Priest snapped a look at the moon, seeing the total eclipse. “Quickly, Balam… we must try.”
While rushing to the northern end of the ballcourt, William held the bloodstone over the vile. It glowed in his fist as it rapidly absorbed the blood. Yet the bloodstone craved for more. William shared the feeling of desperation that the bloodstone suffered through; he could sense it thirsting for the King’s life essence. He felt infuriated that he couldn’t have more, and he wanted to go back for the rest of his blood.
Priest Quisac called out to him, pulling his attention back to his task. “Finish it, Balam!”
William dropped the bloodstone into a ceramic jar and held it above his head. While facing the eclipsed moon, he spoke the prayer of resurrection, “Hok’sah numya!” He felt the jar shaking in his hand when he threw it. The jar smashed on the surface of the ballcourt near the same spot where Honac-Fey had first set the curse in motion. William backed away, studying the area around the broken fragments of the jar, along with everyone else, waiting to see what would happen.
King Aztuk drew their attention back by ramming his body from one end of the crystal cylinder to the other, making it rock back and forth. Jensik stepped further away from it, unable to work the controls with it moving. With a final push, the cylinder tipped over. It came down with a crash, opening a fissure along the side of the chamber. King Aztuk kicked at the crack in the crystal wall, widening it further.
Priest Quisac studied King Aztuk inside the chamber and then shifted his attention back to Seblinov. “There is still time, he must be sacrificed. We must remove his head!”
“I should have known you were behind this, Serpent Priest!” King Aztuk said, pressing his face up to the crack in the cylinder. “Yes, let me out of here. I would like to see how you intend to sacrifice me.”
“What should we do?” William asked.
“Ah, this must be Balam… the precious warrior of the gods,” King Aztuk said in a mocking tone. “In truth, you are the Serpent Priest’s slave! Get me out of here, and you can be my slave instead.” He spit at the glass.
William pressed his hands against the crystal and glared at King Aztuk with more hatred than he had ever experienced, fueled by the bloodstone that burned for the man’s life.
He vaguely heard Teshna yelling behind him. “Something’s happening,” she hollered.
A red light illuminated the cylinder, coming from the ballcourt where William had cast the bloodstone during the ritual. Seeing King Aztuk so clearly made William crave to take his life even more. He slammed his fist against the wall, shattering fragments of the crystal loose. He clawed at the little pieces, trying to dig the man out with his hands. The tips of his fingers bled, and he smeared his blood across the cylinder. “Yeah, get your ass out of there, you piece of crap! I’ll rip your head off myself!”
“That’s the spirit!” King Aztuk said with a wicked smile.
Spotting the stone axe, William rushed over and grabbed it with a wild look in his eyes. He charged at the cylinder and smashed the heavy axe into it, shattering a chunk of crystal loose.
When he leaned back to take another swing, the Serpent Priest grabbed William by the shoulders and jerked him backwards to the ground, “No, Balam!” Priest Quisac said. “Your rage is damaging the bloodstone. Look!”
William turned his attention to the bloodstone on the ballcourt; blood flowed out from the stone, creating a red puddle that began to boil. The bubbling blood burst into flames for a moment, and then fizzled out. William calmed down as the glow of the bloodstone faded. He stood and approached with Priest Quisac, watching the bloodstone dim to a dull black.
“Did it work?” Yax asked. “Is the curse broken?”
“No, it did not,” Priest Quisac said with certainty. He shot an angry look at Seblinov.
“The eclipse is retreating,” Teshna said.
An uncomfortable stillness followed. King Aztuk broke the silence by kicking at the cracked crystal, trying to break his way out.
A thump from the plaster floor near the bloodstone drew their attention, followed by a tremendous cracking noise that sounded like a car crash. They backed away with startled looks.
“What was that?” Betty asked.
Before anyone could answer, a giant claw punched through the floor of the ballcourt, causing chunks of dirt and plaster to rain down on them. Another claw tore through the surface, and they backed further away, stunned to witness the beast ripping its way up. A skulllike head lurched out. It was the demon, Yum Cimil!
The god of death opened a gaping hole in the floor of the ballcourt, and he pulled his large frame onto the surface. He spotted William near the crystal cylinder and stormed over to him; black goop dripped from his jaw bone as he approached.
“I thought you said the demon couldn’t harm us here… in the physical world,” William said to Priest Quisac.
“The eclipse,” the Serpent Priest said, “has merged our worlds for the moment.”
Yum Cimil stopped just in front of William, breathing his hot putrid breath on him; he thought he was about to be squished like a bug. However, the demon spoke to William as though they were old buddies. “If it’s not my dear friend, Jupiter. Oh, how I have missed your delightful stories.”
King Aztuk called out from the cylinder. “Yum Cimil, I call upon your services. I pledge my life to you. Free me, and we shall rule the world together!”
“Tell me, Jupiter… who is this that calls me by my name?”
“This is the man responsible for the curse of the soil plague,” William said. “He is King Aztuk… the King of Calakmul.”
Yum Cimil rested his claws against his boney chin, and he tilted his skull with a creepy smile. “How exquisite… how delightful…. how wonderful how you have angered me!” he said, with his black drool splattering against the cylinder. The demon smashed his clawed fist against the crystal, shattering it. He yanked the King out, holding him by his waist, and glared at the struggling man with his black sunken eyes.
“Yum Cimil, it is not true. I will help you,” King Aztuk said, begging for his life.
The demon studied King Aztuk for a moment and then shifted his attention back to William. “You do realize, Jupiter, that to reverse the curse of the soil plague, the King must be dead?”
“Yes, of course,” William said. “We had a bit of a problem.” He glowered at the grey men; they had backed further away from the hideous demon.
“Must I do everything myself,” Yum Cimil said, and promptly bit off the King’s head, with his screams cut short. The demon turned with a devilish grin and spit the head right through the center of the scoring ring of the ballcourt. He went beside the bloodstone and dropped the headless body beside it. Kneeling over, he watched closely as the bloodstone drained the corpse of its remaining blood. Yum Cimil let out a pleasurable moan as he stretched, with his joints cracking. “It is done. I am free.” He glanced back to William. “Although I would love to stay and hear more of your stories, Jupiter, other duties now call my attention.” Yum Cimil trudged over to the chasm in the ballcourt and climbed back in. As the lunar eclipse concluded, he gave a farewell nod and dissolved into the light of the moon.
William went over to the broken area of the ballcourt and retrieved the bloodstone. He draped it over his neck, feeling the warmth of its radiant energy. Looking into the stone, he sensed that its curse had been lifted. Yet the bloodstone still felt… tired. He hoped it was a temporary symptom-from the stress from the ritual-and would soon pass.
“The distortion has been lifted from these lands,” Jensik said. The vessel hidden in the dark cloud drifted in, blotting out the moonlight.
Seblinov approached the Serpent Priest, beside the crater where the demon had just disappeared. “You were correct in this matter. There are forces on this world that we do not fully understand.”
The Serpent Priest glowered at them. “I hope that you will trust the advice of my people when you settle back on your world.”
“You will join us, of course,” Seblinov said.
Priest Quisac shook his head. “I choose to remain behind.”
“No, Priest Quisac,” Yax said. “Come with us.”
“Yes, you must come with us,” Seblinov said in a more urgent manner. “Your… traits… are desirable to us.”
Priest Quisac moved over to the dead body of King Aztuk and stared at the lifeless corpse for a moment. He sighed and looked back to Seblinov. “I have made an oath to the Solar Cult to help the people of this land. I intend to keep my promise to those who remain behind.”
Seblinov studied him in silence for a long awkward moment. He finally nodded, appearing to agree, and snapped his attention to William. “Strangely, Balam also contains the genetic codes of a strong bloodline. It is very faint, and it required extended analysis to be certain. It is also the reason that his connection to the bloodstone is so great. This requires further analysis. He must join us.”
“No,” William said, becoming angry, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here!” The glowing bloodstone emphasized his decision. William felt rooted to the ground, just like he did in Kohunlich before the explosion. He sensed that the bloodstone would prevent the grey men from taking him, if it was against his will. Luckily, he had learned to better control his mind since that outburst, and he was able to settle his nerves before his hostility caused another deadly fire.
The grey men appeared frustrated; their helmets twitched on their heads as they stared at each other like they were having a secret argument.
Teshna rushed to William’s side. “I will also stay,” she said.
“Teshna?” Yax asked with a sad face. The sound of a ‘hoot’ distracted him. The white owl was sitting on a wall above the ballcourt. William wondered if it had been there the whole time, watching the ritual unfold.
Seblinov and Jensik moved over to the broken cylinder, investigating the damage, while continuing their private conversation. An orange light lit up the area, and the wrecked equipment vanished. They turned back, and Seblinov said, “Allow us to escort you to Chichen Itza.”
“It is not necessary,” Priest Quisac said with a stern face. “We have other tasks to attend to before we can leave. It will take some time. We can make our own way.”
William remembered something important that he needed to ask the grey men before they left. He approached Jensik. “Bati plans to return home, back to our time… through the Serpent Passage. She said you offered to help by providing equipment?” He thought they might go back on their promise to Betty since he wouldn’t give them what they wanted. However, after another hidden dialogue, Jensik nodded and a metallic box materialized beside him.
“Inside this container are the suits that have been configured to supply you with the air that you require,” Jensik said.
“Very well,” Seblinov said. “We must depart.”
Yax reached over and held his sister’s hand. “Are you sure you won’t come with us, Teshna?”
“No, Yax,” Teshna said. “My place is with Balam. Go now, and be a strong leader for our people!”
Yax nodded. He hugged William, Teshna, and Betty, and then bowed to Priest Quisac before moving beside Seblinov. Yax lifted his arm for a final wave goodbye. The gesture caught the attention of the white owl; it flew down and perched on Yax’s outstretched arm. He jumped, startled by its sudden appearance. A smile could be seen spreading across his face as a flash of light took them all away… including the owl.
William consoled Teshna in his arms as she wept. He also felt sad for Yax’s departure, knowing that he would likely never see him again. But as the dark cloud moved off to the north, and the light of the full moon illuminated the land, a wave of satisfaction swept over him. Although the outcome wasn’t what anyone expected-for Dzibanche had been abandoned-he felt relieved to know that most the people survived. They had reversed the curse on the land, and future generations would be able to inhabit the region. The bloodstone had been healed too, so it could be used to help the Mayan civilizations in the north.
Yet before looking too far ahead, William recognized that his next priority was to assist Betty in her return home-on the day of the winter solstice. But more than helping Betty, he felt the need for closure on his old life, and he sensed that sending Betty home would provide that.