The Days of Peleg (32 page)

Since
Viracocha
sent
Apu Inti
into the heavens each day, it was important that any discovered sickness be brought before the priests. If an offender were found incurable, his twisted heart was reclaimed by
Viracocha
.

Manco Chavin was on his back, stripped of his robe, and tied to a large stone table. He was surrounded by the Inner Nine, some of whom had tears in their eyes as they prepared to restore their fallen priest and friend to the mercies of
Viracocha
. In their center was a lone fiery torch lifted on a pole.

Manco Cachi began the recitation.

“Before
Viracocha
destroyed the previous inhabitants of this world, he sent a warning. A comet appeared between the constellation of the Bull and the Archer, but they would not heed it.
Apu Inti
showed not his face for thirteen months until the wrath of
Viracocha
was ended.

“The Great Serpent then remade us in
his
image, and now we thrive today at the top of the world by his mercy.

“But never again will we risk his anger. We will purge the offence from us so that
Apu Inti
will forever shine his favor upon us.”

The nine priests murmured their agreement. The myths and charades upon which their new culture was based had to be maintained. They could not risk insubordination or contrary thoughts undermining their control. The strength and continuity of their society was at stake.

Manco Cachi produced instruments of tempered steel, created in a process known only to the priests. It would be sunrise soon, and he must have
Apu Inti
’s offering ready when he appeared.

Wet robes were warmer than no robes, and the four escapees tried their best to find some warmth and rest.

After climbing out of the moat, they rushed into the nearby underbrush and tried to create coverings of leaves and dirt in an effort to stave off hypothermia.

The knots of their waist-packs were soggy and impossible to loosen. They didn’t dare build a fire, but Untash was able to dig up a few roots which he assured them were edible. After fasting for over twelve hours, anything was welcome.

The four men fell into a fitful, shivering sleep, only to be awakened a few hours later by rustling sounds and voices in the distance. Instantly they were fully alert, and, as the voices persisted, they brushed off their coverings and moved silently in their direction, rubbing their stiff muscles into submission.

They came to the edge of a large sunken courtyard which was lit up by a lone, central flame. Their sensitive eyes could see clearly and they immediately recognized the robes of the priests who had sentenced them the day before. One of the priests was lying on a stone table, and they watched in shock when his robe was forcibly removed from his body.

“It’s Manco Chavin,” whispered Peleg as he recognized the man who now lay bound—terrified in his undergarments.

The others grunted in agreement.

“We have to help him,” said Serug.

Thaxad said, “Our first responsibility is to get back to the
Urbat
. We only have four weeks before it leaves us.” He paused. “If those priests see us, they will kill us in a more immediate manner.”

“They’re going to murder him!” Peleg whispered harshly, ignoring Thaxad. “We can’t just sit here.”

“How do you propose we stop them?” asked Thaxad. “Nine strong priests versus four famished, sleep-deprived hypothermics?”

“They are standing in a circle facing each other,” said Untash. “And in the light of that flame, they are unable to see anything in the darkness beyond.”

“We can sneak up on them and attack,” said Serug.

“With what?” asked Peleg.

“With these,” offered Untash.

He pointed to some long wooden staffs which were used by the workwomen to haul large buckets of building materials. They rested upon the back of the neck, allowing a container to hang from each end.

Untash picked up a staff and wrapped a large arm around one end.

“We encircle them at a distance, and then close in on them together. When we get within striking distance, we each strike two priests in the back of the head like this.”

He swung the pole diagonally upward, hitting the base of an imaginary skull, then continued up and over in an arc, crashing down below the ear of the imaginary priest standing next to the first casualty.

“If we do it together, we can each take out two.” He nodded, trying to get the others to nod with him. “We will have surprise on our side.”

“Yes,” grinned Serug. “Plus we are the dreaded,
Waca
demons.”

“He’s right,” said Peleg, amazed at his bravery. “We have just come back from the dead, and we’re covered in dirt and leaves. That should terrify anyone.”

Thaxad knew he was outnumbered, but he had one final observation.

“There are nine,” he said quietly.

“I shall kill three,” Untash stated calmly. They all suddenly realized that Untash had been in similar battles before. There was a sense that Untash could probably handle all nine by himself, but was allowing the others to assist him just to be considerate.

“We must coordinate this very carefully,” Untash said as he assumed command. “A set of steps leads down into the courtyard on each of its four sides. I will go around to the far side and descend the steps there. Thaxad, you take the left, and Serug the right. Peleg, you will wait for a few moments, and then descend the nearest set of steps.”

He waited for their nods, then continued.

“We will each take a staff and go down into the courtyard and wait at the base of each set of steps. We will be able to see each other, but they are unable to see beyond the fire range since their eyes are not adjusted to the dark. We will close in on them slowly until we are within striking distance, where we will each be responsible for the two nearest priests.”

He looked at each of them to make sure they understood.

“If we are noticed before we are within range, we will yell at the top of our voices to surprise them and rush in swinging.”

The men nodded in agreement.

“I hope they
do
notice us,” said Serug. “It would be more fun to scare them first.”

Thaxad glared at him.

“You will not jeopardize this attack,” he admonished. “Don’t risk our lives for your warped childish humor.”

Untash gave one final warning.

“Don’t look directly into their fire or you will be as blind as they.”

Manco Chavin struggled slightly with his bonds, but he knew it was no use.

His fellow priests—the ones who had nurtured and taught him—were now preparing to remove his life.

The nine Survivors circled closely over him as Manco Cachi produced a long slender knife which gleamed in the overhead firelight.

“Your heart betrayed you first, and you became its first victim. It then betrayed
Apu Inti
, and he now demands its return.”

He raised his arms above his head.

“We are sad to see you depart.”

The men from the
Urbat
approached silently, holding their staffs as Untash had instructed. They were within five paces, and it appeared that the surprise was going to be complete.

Suddenly Peleg’s foot slipped on a loose stone, and his feet went out from under him. He managed to hang onto his staff, but the other end fell to the ground with a loud
Clack!
, and more loose stones went flying as his arms and hands flailed across the floor in a failed attempt to catch himself.

The priests turned at the sudden commotion. They tried to peer into the darkness, but their night vision was gone and their large hoods hindered their peripheral view.

Loud screams came from the night and the priests stood in shock as wild apparitions, the color of pasty mud, emerged from the darkness and bore down upon them.

Too late, they recognized their attackers.

Waca!

The men from the
Urbat
rushed in with their large carrying staffs. Thaxad successfully struck down his two men, while Untash fulfilled his earlier promise of three. Serug dropped his first target, but somehow, his second man (who happened to be High Priest Manco Cachi) turned just in time to deflect Serug’s blow with his forearm. The High Priest fell to the ground, but his knife was knocked from his hand and flew through the air until it landed (almost striking the bound Manco Chavin) on the stone table, skittering to a stop near the edge.

By this time, Peleg was back on his feet and had already struck down his first man. However, his second man (who was now the last priest standing) arched backwards to avoid Peleg’s staff. In so doing, he almost lost his balance, but he managed to grab the edge of the stone table and, as he straightened, he spotted Manco Cachi’s aberrant knife. He grabbed it and lunged towards Peleg, who was now completely disoriented—his initial determination now fully replaced by confusion and fear. Just as the knife was about to enter Peleg, the man was suddenly knocked sideways as Untash rushed in with his staff and stuck a violent blow to his right kidney, crumpling him immediately.

Manco Cachi was the only priest who was still able to move, but after seeing his fellow priests fall, he had spun around, and was now running towards the eastern steps.

The men from the
Urbat
gathered around the stone table, breathing heavily.

Manco Chavin was visibly terrified, as his source of fear had been transferred from the murderous priests to what appeared to be genuine
Waca
.

As Serug and Untash untied him, the fallen priest whispered with a terrified, questioning tone.

“
Waca
?
Waca
?”

Serug spoke to him.

“We are not Waca,” he assured him. “We’re just dirty.”

Recognition came suddenly.

“How did you get out?” he asked, incredulous.

“Well,” Peleg answered him, intoxicated with giddy relief. “It’s quite a story. We first used our robes to…”

“No time,” hissed Untash. “That priest will be bringing guards soon. We must leave NOW!”

Manco Chavin was up and rubbing his wrists.

“Which way?” Untash asked him.

After a brief moment’s thought, he replied, “We must head towards the sea. There is no way we can travel the mountains without being caught.”

“No,” said Thaxad. “Our ship is on the coast to the Southeast. We must go in that direction.”

“That is not possible,” Manco Chavin said emphatically. “Soon there will be guards and patrols everywhere.”

As if in response, loud, resonant bells began ringing from the west.

“They will be here soon,” Manco Chavin urged. “We must run to the sea and swim to escape. I know where we can hide.”

Upon hearing this, Untash ordered, “Remove your robes. We can’t swim with them around our legs. From now on they are useless.”

They tossed their robes aside and sprinted up the northern steps toward the sea, running as fast as they could.

As they approached the beach they could hear men yelling after them. The sun was just beginning to appear over the mountains, and in the first pale light of daybreak they could see the thick cloud of fog covering the surface of the sea that stretched out in front of them. They ran, crouching low in the fog, and then dove into the water as small darts struck the sands behind them. They swam in silence under cover of the vapor listening to men on the shore shout for boats and lights. They brushed aside small clumps of reeds which collected on the surface as they resignedly followed Manco Chavin who seemed to have the semblance of a plan.

Peleg was surprised at the buoyancy of the water and remembered the salt he had smelled earlier. This was indeed a salt-water sea, high in the mountains! He could taste the salinity as small wavelets pushed water and spray into his mouth.

They continued swimming for about thirty minutes as their lungs ached with the additional pain of gasping in the thin air. Eventually, Manco Chavin led them to a large natural raft of matted reeds and leaves. He climbed on top of it and motioned for the others to follow.

Slowly the men pulled themselves onto the matte. For the second time in less than eight hours they were glad to be out of the water—even though this time they were not on dry land. They gasped, trying to restore their breathing to normal, and looked back through the fog in a useless attempt to see any pursuers.

After several minutes of calm, Peleg began to look around the place where they were resting.

“I’m surprised this clump of reeds can support us,” commented Peleg.

“Oh, this is nothing,” said the priest, slightly amused. “Some families build their entire house on mattes such as this. They can be strengthened and tied together to last for many years.”

“Where do we go now?” asked Thaxad eventually.

“Soon the mist will clear and we can see whether or not any searchers are near us. After that we can head for the western shore and find something to eat.”

“That sounds good to me,” announced Serug.

Surprisingly, five priests—in addition to Manco Cachi—were still alive. They regained consciousness as the sun began to rise above them, and began cautiously touching the welts and bruises on the backs of their necks. Manco Chivo’s lower back ached as his damaged kidney pulsated, shooting darts of excruciating pain throughout his entire body.

Strangely, the three who had
not
survived had been standing together, and seemed to have been attacked by the same assailant. Upon examination it was found that all three had had their skulls separated from the cervical vertebrae, expertly severing all spinal connection.

Manco Cachi was returning down the western steps and came running towards them.

“You are alive!” he exclaimed.

“Not all of us,” said Manco Chivo. “The demons killed Manco Chando, Manco Khavo, and Manco Pampu.”

The High Priest knelt down beside the dead priests, anger and bewilderment in his face.