If I ever feared being attacked by predators in the night, I needn’t worry. Mexqutli’s snoring is so obnoxiously loud, any nearby creature could easily mistake it for vicious growling and be warded away from our campsite. I’d find it amusing if I wasn’t suspicious of the man’s intentions.
Throughout the night, watching him slumber undisturbed and unfazed
by the surroundings—likely due to the copious amount of oxtli he consumed—I reflected on our conversation the moments before. He says he’s Auilqa, which isn’t convincing to me, though I don’t have any evidence to prove otherwise. I have only briefly interacted with an Auilqa warrior on the battlefield, and they could hardly be considered representative of an entire faction.
Mexqutli’s mannerisms are also too relaxed, never fearing he’s in any danger. This could be a personality trait of his, or more of the influence of the oxtli, and I wonder why he’s so loose when there’s an act of war taking place on his people’s land. A member of the Auilqa traveling all this way feels out of place, having to go through the lands of the Achope. In fact, there’s no need for him to have traveled this far north to get to Qapauma, as he claims is his quest; there is an Achope trading post on the other side of the Maiu Qoli, with a large road leading from there to the capital city. So why is he really in Tuatiu?
That could be explained from his claim about hunting a Tapeu war band, who could have traveled up our way. But this raises further questions: Why would a Tapeu war band be in our lands, which would be something we may need to be concerned about? Could he be referring to Sianchu and the Tuatiu warriors? Did they make it that far south so quickly, before I was able to find them? Perhaps they reached a point where they encountered the gray creatures, and after fighting them, retreated back north toward Iantana, only to be chased down and hunted, which would be where I found them. If that’s so, did Mexqutli encounter the gray beasts, too?
There’s too much to ponder, on top of my concern for our leader, Haluiqa, and his safety. I still haven’t found any sign of him, or if there are other Tuatiu warriors alive, and I’m starting to worry they may all be dead, led to their doom by that lying Tapeu snake, Sianchu.
As the sun makes its climb and pokes its light through the trees, all the creatures of the jungle begin to stir and spring to life. Surprisingly, so does Mexqutli, who stretches and groans on his bedroll before reaching for one of the pouches and taking a long swig. Disappointed when he finds it empty, he grabs the other pouch and trickles the last remaining drops into his opened mouth, like a baby chick eagerly awaiting food from its mother.
“This is going to be a long day,” he sighs, frustratedly tossing the empty pouch to the ground near the pile of his belongings. “I knew I should have brought a third pouch.”
“It’s a long way from Auilqa,” I say, “and with the way you drink, you thought twopouches would be enough?”
“Slight oversight,” he says in that garbled accent. “Perhaps that trading post might contain some supplies.”
“You mention the trading post,” I say. “You should have passed one on the way to Tuatiu lands. If you were going to Qapauma, why did you not head east from there, instead heading north?”
“The interrogation is beginning so early in the morning?” Mexqutli says. I can tell he’s trying to alleviate the situation, and hopefully get me to stop with my questioning. But he must see that my face signals I am unrelenting in getting an answer, and he lets out another sigh. He gets up from his bedroll and starts packing his belongings, clumsily gathering them in no organized manner and tossing them into a large sack.
“I will be happy to explain on the way,” he says, “although I suppose we should determine which way that will be. What is your plan to search for your leader? Are you heading back to your village, or will you continue looking in the Tuatiu jungles?”
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly. “They were heading away from Iantana, but I don’t know how far they made it before…”
I trail off, uncertain how much information I should disclose. Part of me thinks Mexqutli may have encountered the same gray creatures I did, and we could have common ground with knowing of that particular challenge we’ll face. Knowing the initial plan was for Haluiqa and the others to travel to Qapauma to gain intel and supplies from the Tapeu before pursuing the Ulxa, Mexqutli and I also have a common destination, with him traveling there for reasons of diplomacy. He could be an extra set of eyes to help me search for my missing leader, and now that he doesn’t have any more oxtli, he may be sober enough to be useful.
The other part of me, however, still questions why he has traveled this far north, away from the road leading to Qapauma. There’s more to what he’s telling me, and I’m unsure if he’s withholding information for my benefit or to hide his true intentions. Realizing this, I, too, am withholding information by not telling him about what I’ve encountered so far, and as much as I hate to think it, I suppose I could understand why he wouldn’t tell a complete stranger his entire life story in one night. Even though, let’s be clear, I have more justification to be suspicious of him, a stranger in my homeland, than he does of me.
But also, I don’t want to appear mentally unsound, talking about supernatural creatures which I haven’t seen since the War of Liberation. These seemed slightly different, in that they had the appearance of such creatures I’ve fought, yet more decayed and decomposing, like the dead brought back to life, again. Mexqutli likely fought in the War of Liberation and may have also encountered such beasts, but what if he dismisses my claim outright?
To his credit, Mexqutli initially looks concerned, and then I can tell he notices my uneasiness and nods in affirmation, not pressing the matter any further. He tosses the sack containing his belongings over his shoulder with a grunt, testing his legs with a few bounces to make sure he’s capable of carrying the load.
“You mentioned your party was with a Tapeu, correct?” he asks. “And I am searching for a Tapeu scum who attacked my people and then headed north, correct?” It confirms my initial assessment of his situation, albeit the explanation is awfully convenient.
“I need to get to Qapauma, but if I can find this Tapeu man—Sianchu, as you say—who was last seen with your leader, then perhaps we can accomplish both of our tasks together. Or your leader can help inform me of what they’re saying. However, you are more than welcome to turn down my offer. I will not be offended, believe it or not.”
Still uncertain whether he should be trusted, I reluctantly accept his offer to search together. I figure, if we find Haluiqa, he may be able to shed light on what he’s learned from Sianchu and we can piece together what’s happening, which could reveal information Mexqutli is hiding from me. Or we find Sianchu and can interrogate him together—well, I suppose I’ll be interrogating him while Mexqutli will, I don’t know, become diplomatic drinking partners? Or, the absolute worst case, we don’t find either and I can at the very least have one other person to fight alongside me and witness what I’ve seen if we’re ambushed by those creatures, so I won’t appear deranged when I tell others what is lurking in these jungles.
I was last heading toward Qapauma when I chased after Haluiqa and the Tuatiu warriors, so I begin walking in that direction. Mexqutli looks pleased with this, opening his mouth to inquire about the route we’re taking before nodding and accepting the plan.
The problem is that I don’t know where, or how, to begin searching for them. By chance, I found some of the wounded warriors by a clearing near a creek I happened to approach. I’m only heading in this direction because I assume I would’ve run into anyone turning back to Iantana if they retreated. Yet even then, they may have run off into the jungles to escape the creatures first before returning home.
We spend most of the day on and off the path, making a serpent-like weave as we attempt to cover as much ground as possible with our search efforts. We split off in opposite directions, then rejoin at a certain point in the path and corroborate, which up to this point has only been to tell the other that nothing has been found. Mexqutli tries to keep my spirits up by making jokes about how I should be proud about the elusiveness of the Tuatiu, but until Haluiqa is found, I am in no mood, although I can appreciate his effort.
After the sun has started its descent to return to Pachil, we take a break with our search to rest by a nearby stream, gathering water in the pouches and relieving our tired legs. Mexqutli removes his sandals and massages his feet, then makes an offer to massage mine, which I dutifully decline.
“Have the Tapeu attacked any of your villages?” I ask between swigs of water.
“Fortunately, none that I’m aware of,” Mexqutli says. “However, as I am sure the Tuatiu know, being located between two warring factions doesn’t mean you will not be caught in the middle of the conflict. I do not want any of the Auilqa lands destroyed due to proximity of the Ulxa and Tapeu.”
“So, if you’re supposed to be going to Qapauma to talk diplomacy with their leaders, why are you so far north?” He continues to evade this question, so I must persist with asking it until he can no longer avoid answering.
Mexqutli had been splashing water on his face, but pauses after I voice my observation. He grimaces, and I’m suddenly reminded of the wound I caused him during our skirmish. He’s dressed his wound with the torn cloth that’s begun unraveling, and I offer to help clean the makeshift bandages and tend to the gash.
“You are not going to believe me if I tell you,” he says, a bit downcast. He slumps his shoulders and hangs his head, losing interest in what he was doing before I inquired.
“I already don’t believe you for much of what you’ve said, so you might as well try me.”
I can see Mexqutli mustering up something within himself to speak, nodding and taking a deep breath in.
“I… was attacked,” he says, sounding as if this is something that pains him to admit. Considering I was able to defeat him, perhaps his confidence has been shaken for losing two battles. “On the way to Qapauma.”
“Did the Tapeu ambush you?” I ask.
“They were…” he says, pausing and looking visibly shaken by the thought that’s come across his mind. “I do not know what they were, but it is something I have not seen–“
“Since the War of Liberation?” I ask, perhaps sounding too excited. This is confirmed when Mexqutli looks at me bewilderedly.
“How do you know–“
“I was attacked by such a creature, as well,” I confess. Knowing I’m not alone with this knowledge is oddly comforting, to think that I’m not fighting this by myself.
“Well, that is what has taken me off course,” he says. “I managed to dodge their attacks, and some clumsily injured themselves enough that I was able to run away. Wounded as it was, they attempted to track me down, but I somehow remained hidden well enough that they gave up on finding me and started heading north. I could not in my right consciousness let them wander off and harm others, although by the sound of it, they may have tried. I am not sure if there are more than the dozen or so I faced, but I need to find the source of where they came from—I hope that source is not the Tapeu, seeking to unleash these beasts onto the Ulxa.”
“I suppose it makes sense,” I say, “with how close it is to Tapeu.” There are still questions that remain—why the Tapeu released these creatures in Tuatiu, did they escape, are the creatures attacking anyone else—but I don’t know if Mexqutli would give me an honest answer if he knew.
“It does not please me to admit I ran away from those things,” he says.
“But you survived,” I say, attempting to be reassuring while still mystified at how he managed to elude them.
“If you consider running away in a panic as ‘surviving’,” he says, “then yes, I did.”
“You survived,” I repeat. It’s not wrong: Mexqutli doesn’t seem convinced of it, but knowing what it’s like to take on those beasts, coming out alive feels like a blessing from the gods, especially if it was ‘a dozen or so,’ as he says.
Once we feel well enough, we return to the search. For how long we’ve traveled, I feel we should be nearing the Maiu Qoli by now. Though it’s far into the mountain range that shields Tuatiu from Tapeu, smoke can be seen above the tops of the trees. This is ash spouting out from Petale, the storied volcano that, as legend tells, formed the land. How one volcano could make all this, I don’t believe that’s possible, but it makes for a nice tale to tell the children.
I reach my arm out to stop Mexqutli from walking further, and then I have to motion for him to be quiet to make sure I heard correctly. Off in the distance, I hear grunting, growling, and loud snapping of tree branches. A thunderous roar, followed by a cry in agony, pierces my ears. Without hesitation, I take off. Mexqutli yells out to me, but I can’t be bothered. Someone is in trouble, and that roar sounded like something unnatural, which can mean only one thing, in my mind.
I sprint through the jungle, dodging and weaving around trees, leaping over fallen trunks and stumps. The roar gets louder and louder, causing me to pick up my pace. Is this Haluiqa? Sianchu? Another victim? Considering how difficult it was to hold my own against one of those creatures, I know there isn’t much time to reach the person under attack before the worst outcome happens. To his credit, Mexqutli is nearly keeping pace with me, occasionally tripping up, but able to regain his balance, and he shouts at me the entire time we’re running.
As I get closer, something darts across my vision from left to right. I try to see what it was, and I realize a person was flung, flying through the air and thudding to the ground. I no longer hear the cries of pain and fear the worst. The person may have gotten killed, and the creature may turn to me next, if I’m spotted.
I see a fallen tree at a nearby bank and change direction to get behind it, sliding down low and coming to an abrupt stop. I take one moment to look back and see Mexqutli following, crouching low and stumbling his way to get behind the tree.
“It is one of those things!” he exclaims with the loudest whisper I’ve ever heard. My eyes grow large in annoyance, his remark possibly signaling our presence to the creature. He motions an apology, and we both focus our attention on the beast.
The creature stalks its victim, with its remaining gray skin barely clinging to the bones, exposing blackened muscle. Its lumbering steps give the impression it’s toying with its prey, relishing in the helpless yelps. A low growl reverberates in its chest cavity, and its chapped, thin lips slide back to reveal its toothy grin.
“Alright, I believe we can take it out if we–“
I turn to tell Mexqutli the rest of my plan, but he’s no longer with me behind the tree—only his sack of belongings remain. Instead, he’s leapt over the trunk before I can finish my thought, and charges at the monster, yelling something like a war cry. The creature, just as confused as I am, turns to see what is happening, and in an instant, Mexqutli slides low and kicks the beast’s legs out from under it, causing it to stumble backward.
The creature regains its footing quickly and, once it spots Mexqutli, lets out an angry roar, saliva spitting in every direction. From his side, Mexqutli unsheathed a bejeweled obsidian dagger, its handle glistening with an ethereal glow despite the time of day. It slightly illuminates some of the nearby foliage like a dim torch. Has it done that before? Mocking the beast, Mexqutli gnashes his teeth and gestures tauntingly, flipping the blade in his hand so that it runs parallel to his forearm and makes a “come here” motion.
Taking him up on the offer, the monster begins stomping over to Mexqutli. He crouches low, ready to engage in a fight… except another yell erupts, coming from my right. It’s the previous victim, running at the beast with a dull and well-worn sword. There are now three confused looks, and the person slashes at the monster, but only makes contact with its bony right forearm. The person, who I can now see is a man with a tattered tunic of green and black, gets smacked with the beast’s left hand and tumbles to the ground.
I draw my bow—Sachia’s bow—and hurriedly nock an arrow. Not having much experience with the oversized weapon, its draw string is taut and difficult to pull back without exerting a lot of effort. I manage to pull the string back and release the arrow, surprising myself with how much force it has at it leaves my hand. The shot hits the creature square in its molten face, penetrating and almost soaring clear though its head, the fletching barely visible as sagging, gray skin wraps around it. I can’t help but smile at my successful strike.
But the creature is undisturbed, not downed by either the sword nor my shot. It howls in frustration, and my heart sinks, knowing we’ve just angered it. It swipes its claws at Mexqutli, slashing through his garment and staining it with his blood. Then, with the arrow protruding from its head, it stampedes toward me. I leap to my left, toward the raised section of the embankment, in hopes of getting a little more cover. The beast rams its shoulder through the tree trunk, splintering it into a thousand pieces. Some of the wood rains down upon me, nicking and cutting my legs and arms.
“Both! Of you! Get! Back!” Mexqutli yells, emphasizing each word while unsheathing another one of the daggers. He dashes toward me and the creature, planting a foot on part of the remaining log, and propels himself into the air and slightly above the creature. I’m expecting Mexqutli to come down with both daggers onto the monster’s back. However, as the beast turns to look at what’s approaching it, it steps back and twists its shoulder just enough to avoid being struck by the blades, taking a small stumble backward.
Mexqutli manages to land next to the beast, swinging both daggers down and outward, and ending with them out and to his side. He turns his head toward the creature, then quickly rolls to his left and away as a muscular, gray foot stomps down with a thwomponto where he once was, creating a tiny crater.
I reach for another arrow and, with its leathery back to me, fire another shot into its body. My hope is to distract it enough to give Mexqutli a chance to strike—as well as an opportunity to see what these daggers can do to it.
The plan works. The creature swats at its back as if my arrow was a pestering fly, reaching back in an effort to remove it while turning to me slightly. It grinds its pointed teeth, and its hollowed eye sockets still manage to express frustration and fury.
Mexqutli sprints over to the beast and, with two swipes, slashes its back, dragging the daggers outward. There’s an unearthly howl as the beast arcs its back and begins writhing in pain. It turns once again toward Mexqutli, but I see its gray skin start to wither away like ash. I’ve seen this before, during the final battle against these things, when there was a bright flash from the sky that disintegrated an entire army outnumbering us. One more roar pierces the jungle air before Mexqutli tosses the dagger to himself and steps forward, extending the blade and stabbing the monster in the rib cage.
Mexqutli steps back and releases the dagger from his grip. The creature screeches up to the sky as if pleading for mercy. The gray skin dries up into flakes before curling up and falling apart like wood burning in a fire. A few moments later, the entire monstrosity is nothing more than a pile of ash.
I allow myself only a few breaths to stand and stare stupefied before coming to and scanning the scene for the victim. I lock eyes with the other person, kneeling on the ground and regaining their breathe. To my relief and delight, it’s Haluiqa, looking worse for wear, but still in one relative piece. He’s been wounded, with a long gash on his right side, some heavy bleeding from scratches on both legs, and a few markings on his chest that could have been a lot worse had it not been for the bamboo armor taking the brunt of the blow.
“You’re alive!” I shout excitedly. Unsure what to do, I settle on awkwardly patting him on the shoulder, causing him to wince and inhale a sudden gasp of air through his teeth. I apologize and take a step back, not wanting to unintentionally injure him any further.
“Yes, I’m fine,” he says. “Nothing that won’t heal.”
“Where’s Sianchu, that coward?” I say, angry at the realization he’s nowhere to be seen and leaving our leader to fend for himself.
“Now, Inuxeq,” Mexqutli says, “we will find him in due time.” At this, Haluiqa points accusatorially at Mexqutli, having suddenly noticed him.
“Inuxeq!” Haluiqa yells with a fierce intensity, holding his sword out as it readying to fight. “Why are you traveling with an Ulxa?”
If I ever feared being attacked by predators in the night, I needn’t worry. Mexqutli’s snoring is so obnoxiously loud, any nearby creature could easily mistake it for vicious growling and be warded away from our campsite. I’d find it amusing if I wasn’t suspicious of the man’s intentions.
Throughout the night, watching him slumber undisturbed and unfazed
by the surroundings—likely due to the copious amount of oxtli he consumed—I reflected on our conversation the moments before. He says he’s Auilqa, which isn’t convincing to me, though I don’t have any evidence to prove otherwise. I have only briefly interacted with an Auilqa warrior on the battlefield, and they could hardly be considered representative of an entire faction.
Mexqutli’s mannerisms are also too relaxed, never fearing he’s in any danger. This could be a personality trait of his, or more of the influence of the oxtli, and I wonder why he’s so loose when there’s an act of war taking place on his people’s land. A member of the Auilqa traveling all this way feels out of place, having to go through the lands of the Achope. In fact, there’s no need for him to have traveled this far north to get to Qapauma, as he claims is his quest; there is an Achope trading post on the other side of the Maiu Qoli, with a large road leading from there to the capital city. So why is he really in Tuatiu?
That could be explained from his claim about hunting a Tapeu war band, who could have traveled up our way. But this raises further questions: Why would a Tapeu war band be in our lands, which would be something we may need to be concerned about? Could he be referring to Sianchu and the Tuatiu warriors? Did they make it that far south so quickly, before I was able to find them? Perhaps they reached a point where they encountered the gray creatures, and after fighting them, retreated back north toward Iantana, only to be chased down and hunted, which would be where I found them. If that’s so, did Mexqutli encounter the gray beasts, too?
There’s too much to ponder, on top of my concern for our leader, Haluiqa, and his safety. I still haven’t found any sign of him, or if there are other Tuatiu warriors alive, and I’m starting to worry they may all be dead, led to their doom by that lying Tapeu snake, Sianchu.
As the sun makes its climb and pokes its light through the trees, all the creatures of the jungle begin to stir and spring to life. Surprisingly, so does Mexqutli, who stretches and groans on his bedroll before reaching for one of the pouches and taking a long swig. Disappointed when he finds it empty, he grabs the other pouch and trickles the last remaining drops into his opened mouth, like a baby chick eagerly awaiting food from its mother.
“This is going to be a long day,” he sighs, frustratedly tossing the empty pouch to the ground near the pile of his belongings. “I knew I should have brought a third pouch.”
“It’s a long way from Auilqa,” I say, “and with the way you drink, you thought twopouches would be enough?”
“Slight oversight,” he says in that garbled accent. “Perhaps that trading post might contain some supplies.”
“You mention the trading post,” I say. “You should have passed one on the way to Tuatiu lands. If you were going to Qapauma, why did you not head east from there, instead heading north?”
“The interrogation is beginning so early in the morning?” Mexqutli says. I can tell he’s trying to alleviate the situation, and hopefully get me to stop with my questioning. But he must see that my face signals I am unrelenting in getting an answer, and he lets out another sigh. He gets up from his bedroll and starts packing his belongings, clumsily gathering them in no organized manner and tossing them into a large sack.
“I will be happy to explain on the way,” he says, “although I suppose we should determine which way that will be. What is your plan to search for your leader? Are you heading back to your village, or will you continue looking in the Tuatiu jungles?”
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly. “They were heading away from Iantana, but I don’t know how far they made it before…”
I trail off, uncertain how much information I should disclose. Part of me thinks Mexqutli may have encountered the same gray creatures I did, and we could have common ground with knowing of that particular challenge we’ll face. Knowing the initial plan was for Haluiqa and the others to travel to Qapauma to gain intel and supplies from the Tapeu before pursuing the Ulxa, Mexqutli and I also have a common destination, with him traveling there for reasons of diplomacy. He could be an extra set of eyes to help me search for my missing leader, and now that he doesn’t have any more oxtli, he may be sober enough to be useful.
The other part of me, however, still questions why he has traveled this far north, away from the road leading to Qapauma. There’s more to what he’s telling me, and I’m unsure if he’s withholding information for my benefit or to hide his true intentions. Realizing this, I, too, am withholding information by not telling him about what I’ve encountered so far, and as much as I hate to think it, I suppose I could understand why he wouldn’t tell a complete stranger his entire life story in one night. Even though, let’s be clear, I have more justification to be suspicious of him, a stranger in my homeland, than he does of me.
But also, I don’t want to appear mentally unsound, talking about supernatural creatures which I haven’t seen since the War of Liberation. These seemed slightly different, in that they had the appearance of such creatures I’ve fought, yet more decayed and decomposing, like the dead brought back to life, again. Mexqutli likely fought in the War of Liberation and may have also encountered such beasts, but what if he dismisses my claim outright?
To his credit, Mexqutli initially looks concerned, and then I can tell he notices my uneasiness and nods in affirmation, not pressing the matter any further. He tosses the sack containing his belongings over his shoulder with a grunt, testing his legs with a few bounces to make sure he’s capable of carrying the load.
“You mentioned your party was with a Tapeu, correct?” he asks. “And I am searching for a Tapeu scum who attacked my people and then headed north, correct?” It confirms my initial assessment of his situation, albeit the explanation is awfully convenient.
“I need to get to Qapauma, but if I can find this Tapeu man—Sianchu, as you say—who was last seen with your leader, then perhaps we can accomplish both of our tasks together. Or your leader can help inform me of what they’re saying. However, you are more than welcome to turn down my offer. I will not be offended, believe it or not.”
Still uncertain whether he should be trusted, I reluctantly accept his offer to search together. I figure, if we find Haluiqa, he may be able to shed light on what he’s learned from Sianchu and we can piece together what’s happening, which could reveal information Mexqutli is hiding from me. Or we find Sianchu and can interrogate him together—well, I suppose I’ll be interrogating him while Mexqutli will, I don’t know, become diplomatic drinking partners? Or, the absolute worst case, we don’t find either and I can at the very least have one other person to fight alongside me and witness what I’ve seen if we’re ambushed by those creatures, so I won’t appear deranged when I tell others what is lurking in these jungles.
I was last heading toward Qapauma when I chased after Haluiqa and the Tuatiu warriors, so I begin walking in that direction. Mexqutli looks pleased with this, opening his mouth to inquire about the route we’re taking before nodding and accepting the plan.
The problem is that I don’t know where, or how, to begin searching for them. By chance, I found some of the wounded warriors by a clearing near a creek I happened to approach. I’m only heading in this direction because I assume I would’ve run into anyone turning back to Iantana if they retreated. Yet even then, they may have run off into the jungles to escape the creatures first before returning home.
We spend most of the day on and off the path, making a serpent-like weave as we attempt to cover as much ground as possible with our search efforts. We split off in opposite directions, then rejoin at a certain point in the path and corroborate, which up to this point has only been to tell the other that nothing has been found. Mexqutli tries to keep my spirits up by making jokes about how I should be proud about the elusiveness of the Tuatiu, but until Haluiqa is found, I am in no mood, although I can appreciate his effort.
After the sun has started its descent to return to Pachil, we take a break with our search to rest by a nearby stream, gathering water in the pouches and relieving our tired legs. Mexqutli removes his sandals and massages his feet, then makes an offer to massage mine, which I dutifully decline.
“Have the Tapeu attacked any of your villages?” I ask between swigs of water.
“Fortunately, none that I’m aware of,” Mexqutli says. “However, as I am sure the Tuatiu know, being located between two warring factions doesn’t mean you will not be caught in the middle of the conflict. I do not want any of the Auilqa lands destroyed due to proximity of the Ulxa and Tapeu.”
“So, if you’re supposed to be going to Qapauma to talk diplomacy with their leaders, why are you so far north?” He continues to evade this question, so I must persist with asking it until he can no longer avoid answering.
Mexqutli had been splashing water on his face, but pauses after I voice my observation. He grimaces, and I’m suddenly reminded of the wound I caused him during our skirmish. He’s dressed his wound with the torn cloth that’s begun unraveling, and I offer to help clean the makeshift bandages and tend to the gash.
“You are not going to believe me if I tell you,” he says, a bit downcast. He slumps his shoulders and hangs his head, losing interest in what he was doing before I inquired.
“I already don’t believe you for much of what you’ve said, so you might as well try me.”
I can see Mexqutli mustering up something within himself to speak, nodding and taking a deep breath in.
“I… was attacked,” he says, sounding as if this is something that pains him to admit. Considering I was able to defeat him, perhaps his confidence has been shaken for losing two battles. “On the way to Qapauma.”
“Did the Tapeu ambush you?” I ask.
“They were…” he says, pausing and looking visibly shaken by the thought that’s come across his mind. “I do not know what they were, but it is something I have not seen–“
“Since the War of Liberation?” I ask, perhaps sounding too excited. This is confirmed when Mexqutli looks at me bewilderedly.
“How do you know–“
“I was attacked by such a creature, as well,” I confess. Knowing I’m not alone with this knowledge is oddly comforting, to think that I’m not fighting this by myself.
“Well, that is what has taken me off course,” he says. “I managed to dodge their attacks, and some clumsily injured themselves enough that I was able to run away. Wounded as it was, they attempted to track me down, but I somehow remained hidden well enough that they gave up on finding me and started heading north. I could not in my right consciousness let them wander off and harm others, although by the sound of it, they may have tried. I am not sure if there are more than the dozen or so I faced, but I need to find the source of where they came from—I hope that source is not the Tapeu, seeking to unleash these beasts onto the Ulxa.”
“I suppose it makes sense,” I say, “with how close it is to Tapeu.” There are still questions that remain—why the Tapeu released these creatures in Tuatiu, did they escape, are the creatures attacking anyone else—but I don’t know if Mexqutli would give me an honest answer if he knew.
“It does not please me to admit I ran away from those things,” he says.
“But you survived,” I say, attempting to be reassuring while still mystified at how he managed to elude them.
“If you consider running away in a panic as ‘surviving’,” he says, “then yes, I did.”
“You survived,” I repeat. It’s not wrong: Mexqutli doesn’t seem convinced of it, but knowing what it’s like to take on those beasts, coming out alive feels like a blessing from the gods, especially if it was ‘a dozen or so,’ as he says.
Once we feel well enough, we return to the search. For how long we’ve traveled, I feel we should be nearing the Maiu Qoli by now. Though it’s far into the mountain range that shields Tuatiu from Tapeu, smoke can be seen above the tops of the trees. This is ash spouting out from Petale, the storied volcano that, as legend tells, formed the land. How one volcano could make all this, I don’t believe that’s possible, but it makes for a nice tale to tell the children.
I reach my arm out to stop Mexqutli from walking further, and then I have to motion for him to be quiet to make sure I heard correctly. Off in the distance, I hear grunting, growling, and loud snapping of tree branches. A thunderous roar, followed by a cry in agony, pierces my ears. Without hesitation, I take off. Mexqutli yells out to me, but I can’t be bothered. Someone is in trouble, and that roar sounded like something unnatural, which can mean only one thing, in my mind.
I sprint through the jungle, dodging and weaving around trees, leaping over fallen trunks and stumps. The roar gets louder and louder, causing me to pick up my pace. Is this Haluiqa? Sianchu? Another victim? Considering how difficult it was to hold my own against one of those creatures, I know there isn’t much time to reach the person under attack before the worst outcome happens. To his credit, Mexqutli is nearly keeping pace with me, occasionally tripping up, but able to regain his balance, and he shouts at me the entire time we’re running.
As I get closer, something darts across my vision from left to right. I try to see what it was, and I realize a person was flung, flying through the air and thudding to the ground. I no longer hear the cries of pain and fear the worst. The person may have gotten killed, and the creature may turn to me next, if I’m spotted.
I see a fallen tree at a nearby bank and change direction to get behind it, sliding down low and coming to an abrupt stop. I take one moment to look back and see Mexqutli following, crouching low and stumbling his way to get behind the tree.
“It is one of those things!” he exclaims with the loudest whisper I’ve ever heard. My eyes grow large in annoyance, his remark possibly signaling our presence to the creature. He motions an apology, and we both focus our attention on the beast.
The creature stalks its victim, with its remaining gray skin barely clinging to the bones, exposing blackened muscle. Its lumbering steps give the impression it’s toying with its prey, relishing in the helpless yelps. A low growl reverberates in its chest cavity, and its chapped, thin lips slide back to reveal its toothy grin.
“Alright, I believe we can take it out if we–“
I turn to tell Mexqutli the rest of my plan, but he’s no longer with me behind the tree—only his sack of belongings remain. Instead, he’s leapt over the trunk before I can finish my thought, and charges at the monster, yelling something like a war cry. The creature, just as confused as I am, turns to see what is happening, and in an instant, Mexqutli slides low and kicks the beast’s legs out from under it, causing it to stumble backward.
The creature regains its footing quickly and, once it spots Mexqutli, lets out an angry roar, saliva spitting in every direction. From his side, Mexqutli unsheathed a bejeweled obsidian dagger, its handle glistening with an ethereal glow despite the time of day. It slightly illuminates some of the nearby foliage like a dim torch. Has it done that before? Mocking the beast, Mexqutli gnashes his teeth and gestures tauntingly, flipping the blade in his hand so that it runs parallel to his forearm and makes a “come here” motion.
Taking him up on the offer, the monster begins stomping over to Mexqutli. He crouches low, ready to engage in a fight… except another yell erupts, coming from my right. It’s the previous victim, running at the beast with a dull and well-worn sword. There are now three confused looks, and the person slashes at the monster, but only makes contact with its bony right forearm. The person, who I can now see is a man with a tattered tunic of green and black, gets smacked with the beast’s left hand and tumbles to the ground.
I draw my bow—Sachia’s bow—and hurriedly nock an arrow. Not having much experience with the oversized weapon, its draw string is taut and difficult to pull back without exerting a lot of effort. I manage to pull the string back and release the arrow, surprising myself with how much force it has at it leaves my hand. The shot hits the creature square in its molten face, penetrating and almost soaring clear though its head, the fletching barely visible as sagging, gray skin wraps around it. I can’t help but smile at my successful strike.
But the creature is undisturbed, not downed by either the sword nor my shot. It howls in frustration, and my heart sinks, knowing we’ve just angered it. It swipes its claws at Mexqutli, slashing through his garment and staining it with his blood. Then, with the arrow protruding from its head, it stampedes toward me. I leap to my left, toward the raised section of the embankment, in hopes of getting a little more cover. The beast rams its shoulder through the tree trunk, splintering it into a thousand pieces. Some of the wood rains down upon me, nicking and cutting my legs and arms.
“Both! Of you! Get! Back!” Mexqutli yells, emphasizing each word while unsheathing another one of the daggers. He dashes toward me and the creature, planting a foot on part of the remaining log, and propels himself into the air and slightly above the creature. I’m expecting Mexqutli to come down with both daggers onto the monster’s back. However, as the beast turns to look at what’s approaching it, it steps back and twists its shoulder just enough to avoid being struck by the blades, taking a small stumble backward.
Mexqutli manages to land next to the beast, swinging both daggers down and outward, and ending with them out and to his side. He turns his head toward the creature, then quickly rolls to his left and away as a muscular, gray foot stomps down with a thwomponto where he once was, creating a tiny crater.
I reach for another arrow and, with its leathery back to me, fire another shot into its body. My hope is to distract it enough to give Mexqutli a chance to strike—as well as an opportunity to see what these daggers can do to it.
The plan works. The creature swats at its back as if my arrow was a pestering fly, reaching back in an effort to remove it while turning to me slightly. It grinds its pointed teeth, and its hollowed eye sockets still manage to express frustration and fury.
Mexqutli sprints over to the beast and, with two swipes, slashes its back, dragging the daggers outward. There’s an unearthly howl as the beast arcs its back and begins writhing in pain. It turns once again toward Mexqutli, but I see its gray skin start to wither away like ash. I’ve seen this before, during the final battle against these things, when there was a bright flash from the sky that disintegrated an entire army outnumbering us. One more roar pierces the jungle air before Mexqutli tosses the dagger to himself and steps forward, extending the blade and stabbing the monster in the rib cage.
Mexqutli steps back and releases the dagger from his grip. The creature screeches up to the sky as if pleading for mercy. The gray skin dries up into flakes before curling up and falling apart like wood burning in a fire. A few moments later, the entire monstrosity is nothing more than a pile of ash.
I allow myself only a few breaths to stand and stare stupefied before coming to and scanning the scene for the victim. I lock eyes with the other person, kneeling on the ground and regaining their breathe. To my relief and delight, it’s Haluiqa, looking worse for wear, but still in one relative piece. He’s been wounded, with a long gash on his right side, some heavy bleeding from scratches on both legs, and a few markings on his chest that could have been a lot worse had it not been for the bamboo armor taking the brunt of the blow.
“You’re alive!” I shout excitedly. Unsure what to do, I settle on awkwardly patting him on the shoulder, causing him to wince and inhale a sudden gasp of air through his teeth. I apologize and take a step back, not wanting to unintentionally injure him any further.
“Yes, I’m fine,” he says. “Nothing that won’t heal.”
“Where’s Sianchu, that coward?” I say, angry at the realization he’s nowhere to be seen and leaving our leader to fend for himself.
“Now, Inuxeq,” Mexqutli says, “we will find him in due time.” At this, Haluiqa points accusatorially at Mexqutli, having suddenly noticed him.
“Inuxeq!” Haluiqa yells with a fierce intensity, holding his sword out as it readying to fight. “Why are you traveling with an Ulxa?”
