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Authors: John Lucarotti
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will of the Gods we shall be destroyed.’
‘When Quetzecoatl reigned supreme as the Sun God was there human sacrifice?’
‘No, only after his banishment was blood demanded.’
‘By Huitzilipochtli, the dark God of the Sun.’ Barbara put her hand around the bracelet on her wrist. ‘What sacrifice did Quetzecoatl demand?’
‘A bird, a fish, a serpent, none other.’
‘Why should that have been?’
‘He so dearly loved his people he wished no harm to anyone,’ Autloc explained.
‘Is not a return of Quetzecoatl possible?’
‘Only a God can banish a God. We mortals can do nothing.’
‘And were Quetzecoatl to send you a messenger?’ Barbara took her hand off the bracelet.
Autloc glanced at it and looked away. ‘I serve Huitzilipochtli,’ he said quietly, ‘this is his temple.’
‘Then where must Quetzecoatl seek his servants?’ Autloc remained silent and Barbara shifted tack ‘When is to be the next sacrifice?’ she asked.
‘Three days from this day,’ Autloc replied, ‘the moon will pass before the sun when it is at its zenith and all will he in darkness.’
‘So there’s to be an eclipse and Tlotoxl will offer a human heart.’
‘The Perfect Victim’s.’
‘And the sun will shine again!’ Barbara stamped her sandalled foot angrily. ‘As the High Priest of Knowledge, you must know that the moon will pass across the sun and continue on its celestial voyage’
‘Unless Huitzilipochtli, the Sun God, the Supreme God, withdraws his favour from us.’ Autloc was adamant.
‘Am I not a God?’ Barbara heard herself say with a shock. There was no turning back for her now.’Support me, Autloc; she pleaded, ‘the High Priest of Sacrifice won’t dare defy us both.’
Autloc bent his head and touched his lips with the posy he held. A full minute passed in silence, then he raised his head and looked at Barbara. If you come as Quetzecoatl’s messenger and I take your course, there is no way back for me. So in all humility I entreat you not to deceive me nor prove false to me’
Barbara’s appearance remained serene but her heart ached and she was in mental anguish.
Tlotoxl sidled up to the Doctor, who was sitting disconsolately in the garden.
‘What manner of servant are you?’ the High Priest asked.
‘Oh, go away,’ the Doctor snapped, but Tlotoxl sat down beside him.
‘I am curious about you,’ he said. ‘First you try to secure a victory for Ixta.’
‘He cheated me,’ the Doctor replied hotly.
Tlotoxl looked sideways at the Doctor.
‘I am faithful to my friends,’ the Doctor insisted. ‘Yet you deceive Yetaxa.’
‘Not at all,’ the Doctor was indignant.
‘You are trying to enter the tomb without Yetaxa’s knowledge,’ the High Priest studied the edge of his obsidian knife. ‘What is it you want from there?’
‘What is it you want from me?’ the Doctor countered. ‘But one thing,’ Tlotoxl held up the knife, ‘proof that she is a false God.’
‘Then open the tomb.’
‘That cannot be achieved.’
‘Can’t it?’ the Doctor raised an eyebrow. ‘Talk to your Chosen Warrior. He has a drawing.’
Tlotoxl stared with glinting black eyes at the Doctor. ‘In whose service are you?’ he asked.
The Doctor took the knife from Tlotoxl and touched both edges with his thumb, then handed the weapon back to him. ‘In the service of truth; the Doctor replied, a touch pompously, ‘and if you help me, you’ll also find it.’
When Ian awoke he was lying on the straw mattress in the bedroom of his quarters, but he was not alone. Standing over him was a smiling Ixta with a short sword in his hand. Ian struggled to sit up so that he could, at least, try to defend himself.
‘Do not be afraid of me, Ian,’ Ixta laughed. ‘Now that I can defeat you openly, I have no need to destroy you in secret.’
‘Whatever it was you scratched me with, beat me,’ Ian mumbled and rubbed his temples with his fingers trying to clear the cobwebs from his
‘When Quetzecoatl reigned supreme as the Sun God was there human sacrifice?’
‘No, only after his banishment was blood demanded.’
‘By Huitzilipochtli, the dark God of the Sun.’ Barbara put her hand around the bracelet on her wrist. ‘What sacrifice did Quetzecoatl demand?’
‘A bird, a fish, a serpent, none other.’
‘Why should that have been?’
‘He so dearly loved his people he wished no harm to anyone,’ Autloc explained.
‘Is not a return of Quetzecoatl possible?’
‘Only a God can banish a God. We mortals can do nothing.’
‘And were Quetzecoatl to send you a messenger?’ Barbara took her hand off the bracelet.
Autloc glanced at it and looked away. ‘I serve Huitzilipochtli,’ he said quietly, ‘this is his temple.’
‘Then where must Quetzecoatl seek his servants?’ Autloc remained silent and Barbara shifted tack ‘When is to be the next sacrifice?’ she asked.
‘Three days from this day,’ Autloc replied, ‘the moon will pass before the sun when it is at its zenith and all will he in darkness.’
‘So there’s to be an eclipse and Tlotoxl will offer a human heart.’
‘The Perfect Victim’s.’
‘And the sun will shine again!’ Barbara stamped her sandalled foot angrily. ‘As the High Priest of Knowledge, you must know that the moon will pass across the sun and continue on its celestial voyage’
‘Unless Huitzilipochtli, the Sun God, the Supreme God, withdraws his favour from us.’ Autloc was adamant.
‘Am I not a God?’ Barbara heard herself say with a shock. There was no turning back for her now.’Support me, Autloc; she pleaded, ‘the High Priest of Sacrifice won’t dare defy us both.’
Autloc bent his head and touched his lips with the posy he held. A full minute passed in silence, then he raised his head and looked at Barbara. If you come as Quetzecoatl’s messenger and I take your course, there is no way back for me. So in all humility I entreat you not to deceive me nor prove false to me’
Barbara’s appearance remained serene but her heart ached and she was in mental anguish.
Tlotoxl sidled up to the Doctor, who was sitting disconsolately in the garden.
‘What manner of servant are you?’ the High Priest asked.
‘Oh, go away,’ the Doctor snapped, but Tlotoxl sat down beside him.
‘I am curious about you,’ he said. ‘First you try to secure a victory for Ixta.’
‘He cheated me,’ the Doctor replied hotly.
Tlotoxl looked sideways at the Doctor.
‘I am faithful to my friends,’ the Doctor insisted. ‘Yet you deceive Yetaxa.’
‘Not at all,’ the Doctor was indignant.
‘You are trying to enter the tomb without Yetaxa’s knowledge,’ the High Priest studied the edge of his obsidian knife. ‘What is it you want from there?’
‘What is it you want from me?’ the Doctor countered. ‘But one thing,’ Tlotoxl held up the knife, ‘proof that she is a false God.’
‘Then open the tomb.’
‘That cannot be achieved.’
‘Can’t it?’ the Doctor raised an eyebrow. ‘Talk to your Chosen Warrior. He has a drawing.’
Tlotoxl stared with glinting black eyes at the Doctor. ‘In whose service are you?’ he asked.
The Doctor took the knife from Tlotoxl and touched both edges with his thumb, then handed the weapon back to him. ‘In the service of truth; the Doctor replied, a touch pompously, ‘and if you help me, you’ll also find it.’
When Ian awoke he was lying on the straw mattress in the bedroom of his quarters, but he was not alone. Standing over him was a smiling Ixta with a short sword in his hand. Ian struggled to sit up so that he could, at least, try to defend himself.
‘Do not be afraid of me, Ian,’ Ixta laughed. ‘Now that I can defeat you openly, I have no need to destroy you in secret.’
‘Whatever it was you scratched me with, beat me,’ Ian mumbled and rubbed his temples with his fingers trying to clear the cobwebs from his
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