Things have been bad in Otoch. Long-forgotten by the warring powers to the north, the southern peninsula has suffered years of drought and storm. Hungry refugees from other places who had seen the same cycle. And then the big one that wiped out whole villages. In the north, there was food. In the north, they were wanted.
The elders wouldn't let strong young children wait for the big one. If you don't leave now, you'll be forced to leave later.
Follow the Sacbe. Follow it to the great city in the north. Follow it to another village. Follow it to the pyramid of the sorcerer. Follow it anywhere that's not here.
Who? The best, the brightest, the young:
"Young Savage" Quick with a spear. He knows how to make pulque.
"Zolin" Well-armed, with shield and axe. She keeps the peace.
"Huasteco" Strong like a water plant. She knows how to braid rope.
"Divemoye" the jokester. He fights with an axe.
"Atl" the sleeepy Plumaweaver. He is good at making a fire.
They had slept in the jungle before and the first day was like a party. But quiet. No animals.
The second day was the same. They saw the pyramid and went toward it.
Attack of the flying cat creature-- larger than the largest dog and with wings like a bat. Huasteco launched her spear as the monster descended. Shadecian braced his against the ground and drove the blade into its armpit even as he was knocked to the ground. The obsidian blade broke and the monster howled lashing out with its claws. Mazateco embarassed himself by using this opportunity to strip off Shadecian's loincloth. Wayob was scratched by the monster and fled into the underbrush. Zolin beat the monster over the head with her axe. When the blade broke, she beat him with the haft. The monster roared so loudly that all were stunned. The monster flapped its wings and took to the air.
The explorers continued their way to the pyramid. They went to the room on the top platform where they found an old man weaving with feathers. His design looked like the monster they had just fought. He explained that he liked to be left alone, but didn't mind the occasional visitor.
Zolin asked the man what he ate. He said that he was hungry and she gave him some food. He thanked her and showed them around his home.
Soon it was time to press on. The pyramid was a safe place to rest, but neither the travelers nor the old man had food to spare.
From the top of the pyramid they studied what lay before them. The sacbe threaded invisibly through the jungle, but in the distance, it emerged from the greenery into a sea of brown grass, the white stones glistening in the bright sun. From the top of the pyramid, they saw their road would join another road to become part of the great sacbe pointing northwest, to heart of the Nexal empire.
As they made their way through the last few miles of jungle, this image of the open road was by turns encouraging and tantalyzing. Huasteco fell sick, but the others urged her on. Night came They slept, and woke before dawn, stumbling forward in the darkness and the fog. They emerged from the fog and jungle onto the plains. As the fog cleared, they saw people, other travelers.
The other travelers were a larger group than them and moving slowly, also traveling north and west. Some were laden with baskets, others with red head-dresses and whips.
Blastoise told his companions that he was going to kill the men with the whips. Taking his axe in hand, he sprinted forward. The others trotted behind him and, when they came in range, shot arrows at the man at the head of the column. Blastoiste attacked the big man at the back of the column and killed him with two quick blows.
The men in red head-dresses welcomed this opportunity for battle. Their five captives, laden with baskets continued to walk the road.
Blastoiste fought ferociously, felling another foe and wounding two others. His companions closed more cautiously, continuing to shoot arrows. Their enemies hurled their spears and closed. With two men down, the red-head-dress men numbered 5 and the travelers from Otoch soon relized they were out-matched. Young Savage was the first to be wounded and the first to desert the battle. He drew off two of the red head-dress men. One was hit by Young Savage's arrow, but did not falter. They caught him and together battered him to the ground. One knelt to prevent Young Savage from bleeding to death and the other overpowered Huasteco.
Atl was the next to fall, followed by Blastoise, but not before he killed another foe. As on of the red-head-dressed men, knelt to take Atl as a living prisoner, Zolin came behind him and cleaved his skull with her axe. The other red-head-dress men jeered their friend's spectacular death and jeered at Zolin as they tried to grapple her my the shoulders. Zolin shook them off, swinging her axe. She fought alone against two attackers, while the third living red head-dressed men went from one friend to another, staunching their wounds and claiming them as prisoners.
Zolin was struck by a maca and fell to one knee. As her assailant again tried to overpower her, she rose and attacked them in a blind fury. She killed them both and broke her axe head.
The last of her foes, smiling at this opportunity to take such a fearsome prisoner or die trying, was clubbed sensenless and then to death.
Zolin called out to the burden carriers. They stopped, awaiting the commands of their new master. They wer carrying loads of beans and rice. Zolin confirmed that her friends were all still breathing. She gave them water and helped them recover their breath.
Zolin selected the best of the weapons from the fallen enemies. The burden-carriers refused to touch any weapons, but would help Zolin bring her friends back to the old man's pyramid.
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