CHAPTER 17
Judas Priest
The Shaman spoke with the crystal skulls, "The strength of the warriors has grown in us, their sacrifice has given us the power to establish the new order."
"The warriors were a threat," rasped a skull, "nobody must stand in the way of the gods."
"I am unsure of these new gods," said a skull, "the helmet so recently delivered to us has proved worthless."
Another skull replied harshly, "If the helmet has no power then these strangers are not the gods we seek."
The Shaman sat down upon a stone bench, the air around him seemed to crackle and split as though repelled by the great energy emanating from his foul being. He shouted, "I shall watch them and listen, we must know the truth of this!"
"It is of no matter Shaman," said a skull, "The gods are close, there is no doubt of that, we sense them. Their light has been seen, the old man who sleeps the sleep of death bears their mark."
The skull which had raised doubts was still not sure, "If we cannot control these strangers they may destroy us, their power is great. The mirror of life has shown the man encased in stone, his anger would have destroyed the Shaman if we had not acted. Our power was not enough to withstand the signs he bore."
"Was he a god? He was not one of these men," said the Shaman.
"It is of no consequence, fate can be altered, we shall work against this man in stone we shall turn his to our ways as we have turned the priest of these
[email protected] AThe priest is with
[email protected] asked the Shaman.
AHe shall come to you,@ grated a skull, AHe is a weak man, ours to manipulate as we
[email protected] AThe man in stone is a danger, he must be
[email protected] barked the Shaman.
"We shall use all our power to change his fate," said a number of skulls, together they rasped, AHis scales shall be tipped, his balance
[email protected] The Shaman stood up, he stared up into the roof of the cell, his eyes scanned towards the corners, probing into every recess. A skull started to speak. "Hash!" hissed the Shaman. His stare extended out beyond the confines of the cell, it penetrated the stone blocks of the temple.
"What is there?" whispered a skull.
The Shaman did not answer, his concentration projected his sight through the air, sweeping the clouds, searching, examining. His eyes narrowed as his search extended.
Davey's hands moved nearer towards his helmet.
"Steady there lad. Hold it steady, we'll soon tell if this witch can find us without his looking glass."
"Someone gazes upon us. We are being watched," snarled the Shaman, Aperhaps the boy in the mirror is out
[email protected] "We shall combine and unite, our energies will seek out the intruder," hissed the skulls.
"Be sure that we shall find them out!" rasped the Shaman.
"He's onto us Uncle Paddy," said Davey as a shiver ran down his back.
"Look's that way lad but don't panic, he's the feller who get's it in the end. We've seen the stone-man."
"Yeah, but they reckon they can change that from happening. They're going to upset his balance or something."
"Well that's another thing for us to look at lad. Maybe we can do something to stop them changing thing's. Let's not hang about here though. This lot are a little too touchy for my liking. It must be like when someone's starin' at yer and you can feel it."
"Should I check on how Axa and his daughter are?" asked Davey, "or try to speak to the old man again? he might have woken up now."
"Check the old man, he's the only one who know's we're around."
The old man lay still. The faint light from a flaring torch did not reveal even the faintest sign of breathing to indicate that he was still alive. Paddy shook his head slowly from side to side making a hissing sound as he drew air in between his teeth, "Let's get the hell out of this temple eh lad, it's giving me the creeps."
Davey did not need any encouragement, AI'll go to the
[email protected] "Thank God for that, I was getting the eeby-jeeby's. What's goin' on 'ere then? That's Uncle Poppy ain't
[email protected] The elder was crouching down, he was peering intently through the wall.
AHe's got one of them blow-pipes the warriors had Uncle
[email protected] AHandy, he can take pot-shots at >em, they won't know what's hit >em. Have a look see what he's looking
[email protected] Their view moved through the wall.
These fellers 'ave got it good. Look at them all. Rub-a-dub-dub! At least they're
[email protected] Beautiful servant girls poured heated waters into a great bath and added fragrant oils. The junior officers wallowed drunkenly in the water singing coarse, rough military songs. Some had drunk their fill and had to be helped out to empty their churning stomachs. There was a lot of horseplay and laughter, Joaquim was ducked by Enrique as an Inca nobleman entered the room. The nobleman walked backwards that he might not look upon their godly faces. When Joaquim came up gasping for air the Inca informed them, "My masters, much gold has arrived from beyond the mountains."
"Told yer they wouldn't waste any time in getting their hands on it lad."
"Come!" laughed the men, "Let us see what they have brought their gods this time!"
As they crawled from the water, flopping about in their weak, drunken state a servant girl saw her chance to slip away. "No you don't you little beauty!" shouted two of the officers, they chased her, picked her up and threw her shrieking into the pool.
Enrique's servant was distracted by the scream and dropped his master's sword to the floor, the clatter of its landing was quiet compared to the sound of the slap which Enrique landed across the servant's face. "Idiot, pick it up!"
"Spare me. Forgive me!" cried the servant who fell to the floor and began kissing the god's feet. Everyone's attention was upon him, nobody noticed a spider scuttle from a crack in the wall, it quickly disappeared into the bundle of Enrique's piled up clothes.
ALook Uncle Paddy, he's stuck the tip of his blowpipe through the
[email protected] AGo on, give it a
[email protected] Paddy urged.
They watched as Popacata withdrew the weapon.
Ae must reckon that spider's goin' to do the job for >im, if it's as vicious as it looks he's got no worries on that score
[email protected] They followed the men who were joined by the senior officers as they made their way to the treasure room.
"At ease," ordered the sergeant-at-arms to the two pikemen who guarded the entrance. The commander, Francesco and the junior officers entered followed by Father Salamanga.
"There is more wealth here than any King or Queen in the Old World could dream of," said Carlos.
Enrique answered, "This is surely the 'City of Gold' and we have taken it without a fight," his thin pink skin was still flushed from the hot water, his attitude was boastful.
"Wow look at that!" exclaimed Davey.
From wall to ceiling the rear end of the room was piled with gold, silver, jewels. Fashioned into a multitude of artifices from statues to bracelets to caskets, the dull metal glimmered under flaring torches as the men who stared upon it drank it into their souls.
"Do not be blinded by this material wealth," said the priest, "it is more a token of faith from the savages. Their conversion will be costly, churches will have to be built and missionaries will have to take on the task of educating the people. Is this not so commander?" he asked seeking some sort of commitment.
"It is as you say, Father," replied the commander, immediately aware of the priest's reason for asking such a question, AThe first raft-load of the spoils of war is already making its way down-river, it carries immeasurable wealth. More will follow, soon the first ship will sail to deliver this new found wealth to King and Church. Father, I ask you to place your blessings upon our mission in this
[email protected] Father Salamanga was not wholly convinced but did as he was asked.
The commander tried using another tactic and changed the subject , "The Shaman has shown us loyalty but we cannot hope to deal with such a man for long. I fear his power is far too great.
I propose that we look towards removing him," he looked towards the priest, "if that meets with your approval?"
"But of course Commander, we must enforce God's will in all matters, we cannot make a deal with the Devil himself. Have not my teachers in Toledo warned me of just such a man."
"Thank you Father, you have made the Church's position perfectly clear to us," said the commander, happy that he had diverted the priest's question but even he shivered at the priest's mention of the Spanish Inquisition.
Carlos spoke, "Sir I have to inform you that I have learnt from talking to these people that if we harm the Shaman then the nobles and elders will almost certainly lead the warriors against us. News of our attack upon the settlement is spreading, if it were not for the Shaman insisting that we are gods and that the people need to be cleansed, we would be attacked immediately."
Francesco was jealous of the junior officer, he decided he should make a bold statement.
"Then if such is the case this problem of the nobles and elders will have to be resolved before the Shaman can be removed. Father, these are military matters, I request that you absent yourself from our presence whilst we discuss possible solutions."
"As you wish my son, as you wish," sighed the priest. His sandals flapped over the stone floor as he made his way from the room.
"This is timely," said the commander, "I have of course been thinking exactly the same thing myself Francesco, which is why I brought up the question of the Shaman."
"Of course Sir," replied Carlos in his flattering manner, "did you not inform me of such this very day."
"Thank you Carlos," said the commander pausing to smile at his favourite's commitment before continuing, "I have been aware over these last few days that the men are losing battle awareness, they are drinking to excess and behaving like beasts. The time to celebrate is when victory is complete, not now. I propose that before the men relax and we lose our element of surprise, and before these natives realise that, perhaps with the exception of the good Father himself," he smiled," we are no closer to being gods than they are, we must seize the initiative."
Having made his little speech which provided no plan or even an idea of how they were to accomplish what he proposed the commander looked at his officers for answers.
Francesco was determined to be seen as someone with a complete grasp of the situation, a leader whose thinking could be counted upon. He spoke in his short, clipped voice, "To kill the Shaman would cause us a major problem, the people would then unite behind the nobles and elders. They outnumber us so greatly that if they all joined forces and stopped fighting amongst themselves we could not hope to survive. But if the nobles and elders were in our power we would be able to state terms and demands as we see fit."
"And how do you propose we achieve this?" asked Carlos with a hint of a smirk upon his lips.
"It will be quite easy." Francesco paused, obtaining full attention before continuing."We shall invite the nobles and elders here, to celebrate our return to these lands...." His voice dropped to a whisper.
"What's 'e saying lad? I can't hear a thing."
"They're going to set a trap so they can capture them," said Davey, he moved towards the mirror.
"Excellent Francesco," said the commander when he had finished.
Francesco seemed pleased to have re-established his position. The commander added to the plan, "After the Incas are merry and the drink has loosened their wits...we strike."
Joaquim felt something scratch against his skin, he ignored it at first but then put his hand inside his shirt, immediately he screamed in pain and snatched his hand back out. Attached to it was a great spider, its hairy legs and body were tossed around as the man jerked his whole arm around trying to dislodge it.
"Get it off me! It's biting me!" he roared in his pain.
Someone drew a sword. "Not with that imbecile!" shouted Francesco.
He took a burning brand from the wall and pressed it against the spider's body. It leapt to the floor and scuttled away, the sword bit into the ground as the spider escaped through a crack in the wall. The bottom half of one of it's legs was left twitching where the sword had struck.
The poison spread rapidly through Joaquim's bloodstream. "Send for Father Salamanga," whispered Francesco.
The priest returned, sandals flapping furiously, cassock ballooning out behind him as he ran.
Joaquim groaned, "Bless me Father, forgive my sins."
"Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini," said the priest, but his words fell on deaf ears. The body was in such seizure that even the final death rattle was prevented.
"Well that's one less to worry about," said Paddy.
Father Salamanga tipped water from his flask to his forefinger and drew the sign of the cross onto Joaquim's forehead. He followed the body out reading aloud from his Bible as the two guards dragged it by the feet, AYou will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, >I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'@
AWhat does he
[email protected] asked Davey.
AI reckon >e's going to do the dirty on >em lad. But the sooner this lot start knockin' each other off the better for us. The girl and Axa are the one's we need to worry about. There's only one chance we've got up till now and that's the old man. Nobody else knows who we
[email protected] AExcept maybe the Shaman. Should we have another look at the old man, he may have come round?"
"Aye, give it a go lad."
They flashed back to the small cell in which the old man lay.
"Yeah! He's startin' to wake up. Come on yer lazy old git. Get yerself up!"
The old man raised his hand to an excruciating pain in his left temple, he sat up, thinking about the things he had witnessed but it was all too much for his thoughts to comprehend.
"I must get out of this place," he cried. He moved to the door which creaked open to his pull. Crouching low to get under the doorway he stepped outside into a barely lit corridor. Torches flared along the walls dropping burning embers to the stone floor. He pulled a torch from a recess then started to walk. As he walked he remembered what had happened; his flight through the ether, the strange sights, the child and her father.
"He's looking for the girl and Axa!" said Davey.
"There's no way of tellin' what he's up to lad, the stuff he's had pumped into him I'd be surprised if he remembers who he is."
"No, he's looking for them, I'm sure of it."
Paddy chewed the side of his lip.
The old man travelled along corridors passing stern guards who did not look at him as he went by. He was in a labrynthine maze with no way out. He walked for some time, then realising that he was possibly re-tracing his own steps he used his flaring torch to scorch and char an arrow against the side of the passageways. On he went marking his course but never once returning to anywhere he had marked. The size of the pyramid was immense with different levels of subterranean passageways woven into its structure.
"This place is massive, that old man can't have a clue where he is lad. He must be lost."
"He is lost. If he was looking for the girl he should have turned left at the start of this corridor, that would have taken him back towards the chamber of the snake, from there he'd be able to find them."
"But how do you know that lad?"
"I was just thinking how would I get there and the helmet showed me the best way. Hold on what's he doing now?"
"Look's like he's throwin' in the towel, he must have had enough."
The old man opened a door and moved into a cell, once inside he slumped to the floor. Like the other numerous cells it was totally bare. For some time they sat watching him, he sat without moving.
"Come on lad, leave 'im here. He's a waste of space."
"Wait Uncle Paddy, remember those images we saw when he was sitting with the Shaman?"
"Yeah."
"Well they were things he was thinking. How come we could see them?"
"Got me there lad."
>
"He's clever Uncle Paddy. He's up to something. Look, he's looking at something on the wall."
Davey leant forward and focused on the object. It was a big copper-coloured beetle.
"Yugh! It's a flippin' cockermouchy. They had them in the Chinese down the road. Took months to get rid of 'em. Them 'roaches is indestructible."
"You mean in Chowney's?"
"Yeah, that's the one, never ask for curried prawns in there lad," smiled Paddy.
"Uurgh Uncle Paddy! That's horrible."
"What's 'e doin' now?"
The old man jumped up from the floor and although the insect scuttled rapidly away he caught it and clamped his hand around it. Back to the centre of the cell he moved, still clutching hold of the struggling insect.
"What on earth's he up to? Don't tell me he's heard us and is feeling peckish?"
"Hush Uncle Paddy. It's something like that."
"What! You're kidding me. He's not goin' to eat the thing is he?"
"No, but there's something going on. I can feel what he's trying to do.... the insect is important."
"Well if you say so lad. Just looks like a 'roach to me."
"Watch Uncle Paddy. Something's going to happen!"
The old man used his teeth to rip a strip of cloth from his garment and carefully tied it tightly round the insect. He then lowered the insect to the floor, as soon as its feet touched it tried to scrabble away.
"He's going to let it go. Watch where it goes!" exclaimed Davey.
"I know this is fascinating lad but wouldn't we be better off seeing what's happening with Lord Axa or the Shaman."
Again Davey hushed him into silence.
"There it goes!"
The old man opened his fingers, releasing the insect. In the same instant he pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes and pushed his middle fingers hard into his ears.
"He's gone flippin' nuts, I hope the flippin' roach bites his backside."
"Follow it Uncle Paddy!"
The insect ran behind the old man, darted to where the wall met the floor, then scuttled along it to the corner of the cell where it disappeared into one of the many cracks. All that showed was the strip of cloth.
"He wants us to tell him where it is!"
After a short time the old man removed his hands. He sat still, without opening his eyes, then pointed behind him at the corner where the insect had disappeared.
"He's got it! shouted Davey.
Paddy sat frowning chewing craters into his lip.
The old man turned round and smiled when he saw the strip of cloth. He carefully dragged the insect from the wall.
"Here we go again," sighed Paddy as he watched the old man return to sit in the middle of the cell. He released the insect in the same way as previously and clamped his hands in place.
The cockroach shot underneath the door out of the cell. Davey followed it along the passageway for a short distance before it was able to bury itself into a recess in the wall.
The door opened and the old man appeared.
"Watch Uncle Paddy, I'm letting him know where it is!"
The old man walked straight to the spot which Davey focused upon, retrieved the insect, then released the cloth which held it before setting it free.
"He did it!" cried Davey.
"Mind tellin' me what's 'appenin' lad? Or should I send for the fellers from the funny farm? Me skins crawling watching this."
"He knows we're here Uncle Paddy! He saw us in the mirror. This is fantastic! He knows that we know that he knows!
Paddy interrupted, "Hang on the flippin' slack lad! get a grip of yerself. Tell me in plain flippin' English what the heck yer goin' on about!"
"He saw us in the mirror. He heard us asking him to help the girl. He knows we're here. He knows we're watching him. He's clever Uncle Paddy, he thought of using the insect to test us, to check if we can do anything to help him!"
"Hey this is good this, I see what yer gettin' at," said Paddy lifting his eyebrows, "Don't waste any time, show 'im how to get to the girl."
The old man turned round and walked back in the direction he had come from, on the wall he walked past a charred arrow he had drawn.
"SEE! I told him he was going the wrong way, now he's going back."
"You sure he's goin' the right way lad?"
"It's easy Uncle Paddy. I just ask and then I know."
"Be handy that thing in Jimmy Duffy's market. The time me mother wastes down there trying to find her way from stall to stall. I remember when me and yer old feller were workin' on the Queen Mary a feller got hiself lost in the hull. We could hear 'im bangin' his way round for two days, tryin' to find his way out. If he'd had that 'elmet he'd have been out in five minutes."
"We'll get him to look in the mirror Uncle Paddy then we might be able to help him some more."
The old man walked on down passageway after passageway, all identical, all leading nowhere. All cold, dark and frightening. A fierce looking guard appeared and questioned him. The old man made no attempt to reply but imposed his will upon the guard who swung back a block of stone, revealing a narrow passage.
Torchlight lit the way as the old man entered the passage, it quickly reduced in size so that he was forced to stoop. A stone snake stared at him, its fangs were barely wide enough for him to pass through but inside the snake he was able to stand up.
Flaring light showed up the carvings on the walls in stark relief. One look at the carvings convinced him that the things that had happened to him were not dreams but were real, the carvings matched his dreams.
He noticed that the flame of the torch were burning brighter, "The air in here should be still and weak," he thought. He placed the torch into various places around the chamber until he found a narrow opening set low into a wall, the slight draught which pulled the flames towards it told him that it must lead to the outside air.
He was about to leave but saw the flat, highly polished stone the Shaman had looked into resting against the wall. Within its depths something stirred. Carefully he picked up the stone and stared into it. Suddenly a vivid image presented itself, it was such an intense image that he almost dropped the stone in fright. It was Davey.
"I can see you," said Davey.
"I hear you," said the old man.
"We do not have much time, the girl must be saved," said Davey.
"Her soul cries out to be saved, take me to her that I may help." He returned the mirror to its resting place and crawled from the chamber.
"He's going to have to go past the room where all the skulls are," said Davey.
They watched as the old man crept past the chamber of the skulls. He was sickened by what he saw. It was a charnel house of the dead, the stench was unbearable but he kept on. The corridor he followed met another larger passageway. He could turn either to the right or to the left but the hair which raised itself upon the back of his neck told him that something not of this world was near. From a cell on the left side of the corridor he heard the harsh grating voices of the crystal skulls. He edged closer until he could hear more clearly.
The skulls spoke together of things he could understand;
"What of the Lord Axa?"
"He is to be tested at the stake before sacrifice, his fighting energy will be great but the testing will wear it down that we may absorb his soul more easily."
"What of the old man?"
"Is he not a god?"
"He has the mark upon his temple."
"Did he not travel the winds of the ether?"
"It is of no account, the helmet would have given any man the power to travel,"
"We must warn the Shaman of these things."
And they spoke together of things which he could not understand;
"What of the man encased in stone?"
"He bears the signs on his hands."
AConcentrate upon his
[email protected] "The fates are becoming clearer, nothing can stand in the way of our domination, we mus
t combine our powers, transform destiny and alter the fates to suit ourselves."
The old man did not dare to look through the doorway. Davey looked into the room.
The skulls were arranged into a semicircle on the floor, the helmet was placed before them.
They emitted a low humming sound as they concentrated their energies upon the helmet. The sound allowed them to release their energy which was so strong that light and sparks flickered from out of the doorway as the helmet became the hub for their evil powers.
The old man crept slowly away, he had heard enough. It would not be long before these things of evil discovered that he was just a man. He tried to pass down the corridor to the right but from another identical cell he heard voices, this time he recognised one of the voices, the voice was not those of the foul skulls and the Shaman. It was a Spanish voice, it was the voice of the priest.
"Father Salamanga," he whispered to himself as the realisation dawned upon him. He crept towards the cell door and listened to the priest.
"You must understand we come to deliver you, we are your gods returned but even the gods can become evil. I am not only a God but am also a holy man as you are, we can work together to rid ourselves of this evil, listen to me. The commander of the gods is going to steal your country from you, your wealth will soon be on ships sailing far away, the commander is going to murder your people and will take everything from you. He wants everything for himself, the Incas will cease to exist. The commander must be stopped, I can help you but you must listen to me."
The Shaman spoke, "It is hard for a man such as myself to understand these things of which you speak. I listen but I do not understand."
"Look at this!" the priest thrust out his crucifix towards the Shaman, "it is the sign of the God of all gods, it was on this same-shaped cross that the Son of God was crucified."
"Then where was his father?" asked the Shaman, "Why did he not protect his son?"
"His Father gave His son in
[email protected] "It is the highest sacrifice when a father gives his child," agreed the Shaman.
"The Father of the son has stayed in the heavens above and sent us to earth to carry out his holy message. This sign is carried by me alone because I am his messenger."
"Can you fly the ether, and become an animal or insect? Can you carry out magic? Show me these things that I may witness your power," said the Shaman.
"My power rests in the hands of God the Father, he will not act when I command him, he is too great to be commanded by any lesser god. He will never show himself to anyone but He is with me at all times. He listens to me and answers me when I call."
"Then call this great God that I may hear him answer you," said the Shaman, an evil sneer curled his lips.
"Only I can hear his voice, he speaks only to me. You must believe me. I have come to warn you, tonight the commander plans to capture the nobles and elders, the celebration is a trap."
"It is good that you have told me of these things. I shall warn my people to be ready."
"Good, good, you must tell your men that I am to be left alone, that I will burn anyone in flames that comes near to me. You must tell them that this sign is my power," the priest held out his crucifix.
"I shall see to it that your holy power is protected by the leader of the guards, his name is Aquila," said the Shaman, Ahe shall carry out this task and shall then join those others who hold power and threaten the
[email protected] The two holy men sat still, staring at each other, the look in the Shaman's eye was like that of a wild animal whose life depends on its stealth and slyness in its hunt for food. The priest looked away from him.
"There is one other matter which needs to be resolved," said the Shaman, "within this temple a great noble leader and his child are held ready for sacrifice, their deaths must take place as soon as possible. While the noble is alive the warriors will always have someone to lead them. He is a danger to you and to me and must be eliminated."
"I understand you Shaman," said the priest, "this is why I have come to see you, the commander will not allow you to make anymore sacrifices to your God but you and I know it is something which must be done. Once the commander is taken care of there will be no problem with this."
"Before the sacrifice the man will be tested at the stake, if there is to be enough sun left for his testing today, we should take him from this place immediately," said the Shaman, "Come."
Sounds of movement sent the old man hurrying back along the passageway, running on shaky legs as fast as he could he stubbed out his torch against the wall only a moment before the Shaman walked from the cell. The Shaman walked with a slight limp, a toe had been sliced off, blood had congealed upon the stump. Concealed in darkness the old man shrank back against a wall.
The Shaman's eyes started to narrow to a slit and began to pierce the darkness. "Who is there?" he hissed.
The old man lowered himself to the floor and lay very still but something told him that the darkness would not be enough to hide him. It was the priest who inadvertently saved him, "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, distracting the Shaman's attention for a moment and allowing the old man to crawl out of sight into a cell.
"Crikey lad, that was a close call. If yer really communycating with the old man then keep 'im well away from the Shyman. He's the flippin' devil in disguise he is."
" I'll do me best Uncle
[email protected] In darkness the old man followed the sound of the priest's sandals as they flapped along corridor and passageways, down stairways and over ramps he trailed until the sound of the echoing footsteps stopped. In fear he shrank back into a recess in the wall.
"It's okay Uncle Paddy, they're at the cell where Lord Axa and the girl are."
From within came the plaintive cries of the child.
The Shaman drew back a heavy wooden bar which bolted the door, then slowly pushed it open, the child within clung to her father, crying in her fear.
The priest looked fondly at the child, "There, there," he said, "do not cry child, it will all soon be over." Lord Axa returned his look with such fearsome hatred that he quickly stood up, "I see what you mean, this man is dangerous."
Fearing that they would return past him the old man moved from the recess and hid in a cell. To his good fortune as soon as the Shaman had slid home the wooden bar they continued along the corridor in the opposite direction. He lost no time in entering the cell.
"Go on lad. Get yerself in there," urged Paddy.
"Do not be afraid child," said the old man, "I am here to help you."
"Set me free," said Axa. His war costume had long since been ripped from him, under-nourished his body had weakened but the fire still burnt within his eyes.
"What have they done to you?" asked the old man realising the trapped man could not have been fed for many days. The realisation also dawned upon him that he himself must have slept in a dead sleep for a similar length of time.
Axa was held in place by a wooden block which was fastened to the wall by means of two thick wooden pegs hammered through it at either end. The old man took hold of each of the pegs in turn and used all his strength to try to turn them. They did not move even a fraction.
"Find something to use to withdraw the pegs," whispered Lord Axa.
There was nothing in the bare cell, the old man started to leave to search for anything that could be used but as he put his head into the corridor faint footsteps could be heard, it was the flapping of sandals.
"Take her! Take my child, quickly old man, protect her from harm," begged Lord Axa. The old man knew there was no other choice. He held his arms out towards the child, "Come now child. Follow me." But Chacuti clung fiercely onto her father, she would sooner die than leave him.
"Go my child. GO!" ordered Axa. She turned sorrowfully towards the old man but her legs were so weak she was unable to walk, the old man lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the cell.
Davey shot along the corridor and saw the Shaman and priest re
turning with two guards.
"Hurry up, they're coming!"
"Get out of there!"
"Where is the child?" snarled the Shaman at Lord Axa, "what trickery is this?"
He turned to the two guards, "Take him! I shall find the child!" His eyes cut like knives into the thoughts of the priest who visibly shrank with under the stare.
AI cannot understand how she has escaped,@ he protested his innocence.
Along pitch-black passageways the old man ran carrying Chacuti. He had a plan, as he ran he thought it through, "We cannot leave this place by any proper entrance, guards will surely be posted, I must return to my cell while this child must hide until I can fetch her and take her to a safe place." He felt her thin arms and legs, "Child you must hide, I know of somewhere you can stay until it becomes safe for me to fetch you. Can you do that?" he asked.
Chacuti knew her only chance of survival was to do whatever the old man told her, "My father has told me to be brave," she said.
When they came near to the chamber of the snake the old man walked into an empty cell and gently lowered her to the floor, "Stay here, I shall be but a moment."
He walked along the corridor and took a flaming brand from a wall, outside the entrance to the chamber stood the guard, "Do you come as a friend?" asked the guard.
The old man smashed him full force across the head with the torch. "No!" he said, as the jaguar guard fell dead at his feet. He dragged the guard back to where he had left Chacuti and left his body in the cell. Already in the distance cries of searchers echoed along the passageways.
The old man carried the child into the chamber. "See that hole child," he pointed out the hole in the wall, "that is where you must hide, you will be safe in there, no man could enter into such a confined space. Come now, crawl inside and you will be safe."
Chacuti had lost a lot of weight, her thin frame allowed her to wriggle into the hole and squirm her way along it for a short distance before her weakened state forced her to rest.
"That's it child, make your way up as far as you can, I shall come back for you when it is safe," he encouraged her. Then quickly he left the chamber and returned to his room. He had barely made it back before the door slowly opened. He knew better than to feign sleep to the Shaman.
Sitting up on his bed he groaned, "Where am I? What is this place?"
The Shaman stared furiously into the old man's eyes, his powerful evil mind searched for tell-tale thoughts. The old man knew what the Shaman was doing but just kept looking back at him with a puzzled look on his face, the clarity of his ice-blue eyes seemed to reflect the Shaman's thoughts back to him. Without needing to use any energy the old man began to win the contest of wills but just before the Shaman was forced to look away, the old man pretended that he could not withstand the Shaman's gaze and fell back onto his bed exhausted.
A guard appeared, the man looked terrified, "The child is nowhere to be found," he said but with a baffled look on his face added, "And yet she could not have left the temple."
The Shaman snarled, "Leave her! Take Lord Axa!"
"Blimey that was a close shave!"
"They'll get Lord Axa but the girl's safe."
"Don't count on that lad, that Shyman's such a sly number nothing's safe when he's around."
"I'll check she's alright Uncle Paddy."
"Right lad, the sooner she's out this bloody pit the better."