D A A N Y B E É D X E.
THIRD PART
Night Eagle was lying on a stone slabs floor. Could not open his eyes and inside of him still resounded the echo of a powerful burst that reverberated inside; it had numbed his ears and every cell in his body was vibrating. An acute buzzing took over his mind and at times turned into iridescent colored lights that bounced in the dark vaults of his eyes and went, to the deepest part of his brain.
He wanted to open his eyes and could not; or perhaps they were open and saw nothing. The buzz frequency went up and it seemed his head would explode. He felt cold sweat moist his entire body and periodic spasms roamed through his sore body. He did not know where he was, everything was confusing and imprecise. The only clear sensation he had, was the pain he felt in his body. It seemed that all particles that made up his body had immensely suffered individually and as a raging Ocean sought to return to their place of origin.
A powerful lightning strike had preceded his fall in this strange place. The darkness was total, he did not know if he was blind or in a closed and dark night. The only thing familiar was the stone slab floor, on which he curled up in a fetal position, probably looking for a long-yearned protection.
The first light rays and the birds trill, made Night Eagle slowly open his eyes. A red ant walking very close to his face, which lay on the floor, made of large stones perfectly polished and assembled.
Carefully observed the nervous insect movements, when he focused on the ant, could appreciate its small black eyes, its antennas, and the two pincers in its mouth. As if it had succeeded in its mission of waking him up, the ant quickly moved away from his eyes focus. Night Eagle then, very slowly began to get up and see where he was.
The birds trill increasingly became stronger and morning light was quickly gaining spaces from darkness and silence; the night was quietly going under the Earth.
His body felt very sore, some parts still pounded, as if they did not realize they were part of a single unit once again.
Perhaps, for the first time in his life, Night Eagle engrossedly stared at his body, as an indescribable prodigy, from the joy of being as well as the intrinsic body beauty.
His eyes attentive roamed the long and thin fingers of his hands. Amazed he attested the complex marvels of the joints. His skin, veins, and tendons kept him bewitched. He could not believe the prodigy of being alive and having a body.
He continued with his legs, chest and abdomen. With his eyes caressed, with his hands he felt; both the smoothness of the skin, as its warmth and elasticity. The aurora was breaking in the horizon; to the east, began emerging the majestic Lord of fire darts.
Night Eagle realized he was at the foot of a building. Clarity allowed him to see the walls of a stone arc, which was just above him. His attention was called by the fact that the stones were perfectly polished and assembled. Rarely this work was seen, generally speaking, buildings were covered with a layer of stucco; profuse and beautifully decorated, with secret knowledge themes of the old Toltec grandparents. While he was concentrated in the stone work, the arch was suddenly illuminated.
He immediately raised his sight and saw, a light beam, detached from the horizon, embedded itself in the flat surface of something resembling an inverted bench at the top of the arch. By some unknown effect, light gained more power and only illuminated the area covered by the huge stone arch.
Night Eagle felt that light literally penetrating him, igniting his body as a shining torch. His body first experienced a temperature increase, and then a sense of energy and fullness went through his body. He felt a pressure in the chest, which faded away as he was flooded by the certainty that death was left behind, in the vast and uninhabited cliff, in the Sierra Norte, where he had jumped into emptiness.
He slowly incorporated and observed the place. The Stone Arch had the height of four human bodies and consisted of two rectangular structures, which at a body high; the stone began turning inwards, forming the arch. At the top of the structure, were four stone rows depicting a pyramid silhouette and in the center, was a series of carved stones assembled into the structure, with a very strange face, which had human form as a whole, but each of the pieces that formed it, individually symbolized strange forms.
They were basically two faces, each was a side view, and the two placed face to face, produced a third face.
The nose of the face, protruded as a lump of the carving. Its shape was very similar to the structure of the famous seven stars that almost joined, formed a spiritual and esoteric symbol for the old Toltec grandparents. The ancient tradition stated that from these seven stars, in the beginning of time, had arrived the early old Toltec grandparents to earth in search of a promised land to live.
When the boy looked around, noticed that the Stone Arch was in a forest clearing. There were no buildings near, only a sacbe, a road made from skillfully assembled polished stone, which made it look like a completely smooth surface. To get to the Stone Arch two sets of ten steps each had to be climbed, the arch was on a rectangular stone base, which raised two bodies high from the ground.
The last clouds were preparing to leave their night bed, over the tree tops. Night Eagle knew that this construction was a power site of the old grandparents, as humanely, the arch construction made no sense in the middle of the jungle, without a practical function in everyday life.
The Sun was beginning to warm up the morning. The head of the boy was still completely confused. He could remember absolutely nothing. The lightning burst seemed to permanently remain on on his head. He had no strength or did not know how to remember what had happened. Few things were clear and firm in his mind; one was that he was Night Eagle and the other; was that he had just returned from death, it was all.
Suddenly in the distance, he began to hear a rhythmic drum noise and the sound of sea snails. The sound was coming from the west, just where the stone path entered the closed forest. Without thinking he started to walk down the path, in search of the origin of the mysterious music.
Upon entering the jungle, he became fascinated by its beauty, thickness and danger. Never before he had seen this foliage, moisture was increasingly greater and vegetation as a whole, made him feel a human being, the fragility and insignificance of his life in particular, against all the vegetation.
The road was built with calcareous stone of whitish color that in the thick of the jungle, highlighted with intensity. Each time the music became more clear and vigorous. Suddenly, in a large clear of the jungle appeared a wonderful revelation.
A building complex beautifully decorated splendid in the jungle; as if by a dazzling miracle. A group of men came to greet him. Their physiognomy and clothing were different from what he knew; tall men with large heads, a prominent nose that reminded him of certain birds.
When they reached him, the oldest of them spoke in Mayan, a strange language that he could not understand. The old man waited a moment and then spoke to him in Nahuatl, another strange language, which Night Eagle mysteriously understood.
The elderly welcomed him then this place called Uxmal that meant "The three times built" and said that he was welcome. And asked him to follow them, they walked through an impressive array of buildings, of which two were special. The first was a strange elliptical shaped pyramid and with a surprising height, because it was about 20 bodies in the highest part; the second was a quadrangular building, which had a huge plaza in the center. The facades of all constructions were magnificently and sophisticated decorated, depicting snakes, jaguars, huts and a few superb large masks representations, very similar to what he saw at the Stone Arch.
The entourage passed on the left side of the great pyramid and at the ballgame court, they turned right, they were facing the south facade of the quadrangular building. The façade was two stories high and a huge door, with four small openings on both sides. The gate was an arch, exactly the same, as where he fell to reach these lands, especially by the dimensions of its hollow.
When he entered, he experienced a sensation all over his body, as if he penetrated a barely perceptible energy field. On the other side of the arch, was the large rectangular square and there were dancers dancing around a group of musicians, several hundreds of people, who in four eccentric circles, spun in opposing directions, interspersed, two to on right and two on the left. The sound produced by large drums, whistles and marine snails, was rhythmically accompanied with the rattles made from seeds which all dancers, men and women, had on their arms and legs.
They crossed the square around the perimeter and climbed stairs that led them to a few rooms on the second floor. The room where Night Eagle stayed had two spaces. The place was fresh and had very efficient ventilation through small openings at the top of the walls, where air circulated.
At the rear was a stone bed, there was fruit and a water jug on a petate. The old man told him to eat and rest, that in the afternoon they would lead him to the authority of the place. The boy ate, drank, and fell deeply asleep.
When he woke up, he left the room. At his feet was the plaza now deserted and in complete silence. The Lord of fire darts had just hid under the horizon. The sky was intense blue and some clouds that decorated the evening, began to change color. The flocks of birds were flying, with loud songs, towards the jungle interior. The ambiance warmth and the forest smell, permeating a feeling of wellbeing and joy.
Then the old man came. He carried a torch in his hand and asked him to follow him. They crossed the square and turned to the great elliptical pyramid. They climbed up the east side stairs. It followed an ascendant path, as moving snakes.
At the top of stairs was a room. The old man stayed at the door and invited the young man to enter. The interior was small and dark; a strong copal smell flooded the room. He heard a voice welcoming him and asked; who he was, where did he come from; what was the reason for their presence.
Until that point Night Eagle realized, that perhaps the violent discharge took him there, having acted unconsciously and instinctively, but when he heard the questions of the voice, terrified he realized he did not have the answers.
The silence was total; the warrior began a cold sweat. His mind was searching and researching in nothingness, and panicky noticed, nothing came. Inside, the questions echoed and as in a huge dark cave. He began to feel dizzy and the room shadows, turned into total darkness.
Immense distress was beginning to overflow from his chest. He made a great effort to remember and nothing came to his mind. As a turbulent current, anguish started to flood him, covering his entire body and every smallest corner. When he felt about to explode by the pressure, first from his eyes the anguish began to show, and then became a thread of tears which converted into water falls.
The boy fell on the ground, his desperate cry, was accompanied by convulsions, which wrung his body against the floor slabs. After a while he opened his eyes and the darkness was complete. The ground was very wet and was heard water running all over, noticed that he was inside a cavern.
The anguish returned to his body more violently. He wanted to get up, but he fell, the floor had moss slime. Awkwardly he crawled; he wanted to leave this place, whichever way. He continued the flow of a stream, in the darkest ambiance. He stopped screaming and crying, regrouped his forces and energy to get out of cave. He felt that if he surrendered, he would never get out of there.
After a long time of walking, slipping and falling, he felt his strength was running out. He felt an intense cold coming from his inside, numbing him, and inviting him to lie down on the floor to sleep. His body temperature had dropped much. Did not know where he was going and was almost caught by hopelessness. Finally he threw himself on the floor exhausted and closed his eyes.
He dreamt he was falling off a cliff, with a terrifying scream, which scraped the cliff walls, producing an echo that was lost in the surrounding high mountains. With eyes popping out, he saw how he was going to the bottom of the cliff at high speed. Suddenly he heard a thunder and blew up into millions of small lights, each in turn blew again. Regrouping then into a ball of fire, that rapidly went up to the top of the cliff, only to explode there in a bright flash and once again fall to the bottom of the cliff, with death in his eyes. In the depths of his dream, he suddenly heard a name, which shook his guts.
—Night Eagle! Return to Etla Valley, we are waiting for you. As an echo, the message began to reverberate all over his body. In some unknown way, he had the certainty that his name was Night Eagle, his home was in the Etla Valley and they were waiting for him there.
A light beam penetrated the dark cave, perceived an exit point far in the distance. He then heard again the voice, which told him:
—In life, there is no way out, which has not previously been traveled inward. Search for your internal voice; establish the bridge with the divine particle that you carry within. You have to fight and go a long way, to reach yourself.
He opened his eyes and found himself in the room, which was assigned by the kind men, who greeted him in that place. His body was very weak, but in his chest, had brightness and harmony. He knew who he was and where he came from.
Night Eagle turned to explore the impressive buildings of that wonderful complex. He walked to the south part, where a superb building was located; it had eleven gates and a marvelous panel at the top. At the center was a slightly larger door, on both sides were three doors; immediately a couple of strange accesses to the building interior, through which a man could barely pass because its height and width forming a triangle through an arc, which resembled the tip of an arrow, pointing to the sky. Then were two doors on each side of the arches. The front of the façade faced southeast and then was a stairway down to a large plaza.
In the afternoon he returned to the arch where he had fallen when he arrived and sitting on the bench waited the night arrival . The evening star appeared in the east. Night Eagle chest was pressed by mixed feelings. He felt a great nostalgia for something undetermined; and at the same time, a deep anguish for not knowing anything about his past. He was caught by a strange feeling, he felt as if he was about to remember everything. He had very definite feelings, that almost told him all the truth of his life, but everything remained on the verge of revelation, because his mind was still blank and his heart about to explode.
The next morning, the old man he first met came to his room and told him that he would have to go to the top of the pyramid, that the Venerable Teacher of the place was there waiting for him.
On this occasion he climbed on the eastern side of the pyramid, the stairs were wider and crawled to ascend. The Lord of fire darts was not out yet, but there was enough clarity. Upon reaching the top, he found two entries, a guide told him to enter through the right entrance. When he crossed the threshold he saw an old man, sitting on a stone resembling a human being lying on a rectangular stone block. His feet soles rested on the floor, his knees were high, his hips, abdomen, and part of his back was supported on the stone surface and his chest and head were erect, only supported on his elbows and his hands faded in the abdomen.
Something in the room, made Night Eagle heart pound faster. He did not know why, but he felt a deep emotion, something there or perhaps everything transmitted a feeling of inner strength, of self-control, of fullness, but at the same time, the memory source was not clear.
Night Eagle stared at the eyes of the old man. His face conveyed a great peace and harmony. Without realizing he sank in the depth of the Venerable Teacher gaze. He felt his body almost remembered and his mind was still blank.
Suddenly the old man turned to the boy and said:
—You have arrived to this our house, great mercy and goodness has had our beloved Lord, "he who is everywhere and for whom we live", for choosing us to send one of his spirit warriors, to these lands of the Feathered Serpent.
Our beloved omnipresent Lord has sent to us a fire dart, a precious stone, to this his humble home. We are apprentice warriors, humble servants of our beloved father. We are here poor artisans, carvers of the precious stone, which our beloved Father deposited in our soul, total freedom humble aspirants. We are his insignificant children, who seek to approach with his clumsy steps the light of truth.
In this complex, the precious stone is carved, that we all carry inside; every stone of these buildings is dedicated to the spirit purification and the strength of the body, here we keep the knowledge treasures of the Feathered Serpent.
You are a fire dart, came through the knowledge door and you have a mission to fulfill in this sacred land of the Feathered Serpent. Is our duty to support and help you in what you should do; but we cannot do anymore.
Your deed is very difficult; you must remember what was it that made you come to this land, through the power arch, and what is your mission. I will assign North wind to you, so that he teaches you our Mayan language and our customs, because the Nahuatl language we are using, which is that of the old Toltec grandparents; in these lands, no one will understand you, and will be more difficult for you to achieve the mission, assigned to you by the power.
Night Eagle addressed the old man as follows:
—Very humane and Venerable Teacher, ruler and governor of this sacred complex. I have no words to thank so much goodness and mercy that you have, with this poor man who dares to speak to such an illustrious Teacher.
In truth I do not know who I am, and much less what is the mission that our beloved Lord, "he who invents himself", has entrusted upon me. I just feel with truth, an immense nostalgia for my spirit to regain full consciousness.
I will fulfill my destiny, I am infinitely grateful for your will and mercy, with this poor pilgrim.
Immediately after, Night Eagle left the place. The long days of the year went by, the first rains began and warm weather started to go away. North wind was a middle aged man with a serene countenance, following the Venerable Teacher instructions, began to teach both the language and customs of the land of the Feathered Serpent.
Night Eagle learned very easily; seemed as if rather than learning, he just remembered it. North wind addressed the boy with much respect, as he sensed, that Night Eagle was a polished and virtuous flourished death warrior, but that at the time, he was at a temporary disadvantaged condition.
When his daily instruction was completed, Night Eagle preference in the evenings was to go to the highest part of the south pyramid of the complex. He had an inexplicable fascination in seeing the extensive surface of those lands. The horizon line bewitched him; such land immensity literally captivated him, as an unfathomable earth sea. From the top of the pyramid, he saw the slow sinking of the incandescent star; gradually devoured by earth. Lots of different types of bird flocks flew on their way to rest and until very late remained the reddish glow of the day that had ended. North wind was taciturn with his mouth, he lectured his pupil with lustful efficiency, so he did not spare any word or example. But he always kept a prudent and respectful distance with his student, he felt him as a powerful eagle that for some reason could not fly and was convalescent.
Night Eagle came to know all the facilities of this complex of women and men of knowledge. North wind was his patient guide. Thus one day came when Night Eagle was one more, of the warriors there seeking the spirit perfection and the body temperance through millenary secret teachings. However one morning he asked North wind, to take him before the illustrious Venerable Teacher, as he felt the need to talk to him.
Days later, Night Eagle was climbing as a snake, the steep stairs of the great pyramid. Now he noticed that at the top, in the middle of the two doors, was a small niche at the top of the wall. Resembling a small hut carved in stone, it had a door and inside was a wonderful sculpture of a coiled snake, it was finely sculpted in green stone, its skin and designs were carved and embossed in gold and silver. Its eyes were represented by two beautiful precious stones embedded in the green stone. The eyes of this sculpture had their own life, Night Eagle felt the weight of its glance, when he began the ascent. It seemed that the gemstones caught light and returned it in a fine and powerful beam of light.
He entered the same room on the right and found the old man, who asked him for the reason for his visit. Night Eagle told the Venerable Teacher that he felt his time there had concluded and that should go out to seek his destiny, that he had no words to express his gratitude for such fraternal solidarity from all those who struggled there, to be the best of themselves, to be humans and to flourish their hearts. He explained to the Venerable Teacher that something inside told him that he should embark on a path towards the profane world. The old man listened unmoved and after a long pause said:
—I see with joy that this puppy follows the designs of his destiny. The interior stone that for many years you have worked to shape and polish it is helping you. This sacred place dedicated to the wonderful mystery of life, has been your temporary shelter; you've got strength, already, you have courage, and you can start your journey back to the bottom of yourself.
Be very careful, precious pebble, because it is very dangerous. You could very easily get lost and never get your place of destiny. The death could be a hollow and inattentive, a life lost in the "comings and goings" of the human daily life, it is very easy to succumb to this. Perhaps you will go through the utmost difficult test you have so far taken. You will enter the everyday world of humanity, is a real world and totally true, saturated with urgent things to do, but very few important things. It is a captivating and seductive world, pain and pleasure are extreme, but harmless. It is a world of real ghosts that trap you in their worldly spells, but that if you fall, they annihilate you and turn you into another ghost. Remember always, that you are a true man and you're in pursuit of the impossible, the big difference between you and the ghosts, is that you know that it is impossible achieve what you intend, but you are not discouraged when you slip, you simply get up and try again: that's the mark of the sons of the Feathered Serpent, they always go without fear and obsession towards their objective.
Before you go to fulfill your destiny, this sacred place, will give you a gift so that you can better fulfill your mission.
When the awaited nightfall arrived, Night Eagle was taken to the great square, where the building of had the arrow shaped arches pointing towards the sky was located. The men accompanying him were painted, half of the body in black color and the other half red. They had strange white color drawings, like tattoos throughout the body. They sat him facing west, in the carved stone on the small construction platform. Four warriors painted blue, black, red and white, climbed into the four stairs, with a torch and a lit brazier; they knelt facing the four cardinal points and began to sing a prayer in a strange language, which Night Eagle could not identify.
The prayer rather seemed a chant, with four tones which are monotonously repeated, creating an atmosphere of great spiritual strength. Later he was taken to the arch arrow shaped, on the right side of the building presiding over the plaza. They slowly climbed the steps, the moonlight seemed that to make the stones shine with own light, walked down the aisle and at the Arch entrance, invited him to enter.
The man painted in white told Night Eagle, to stand motionless and to get rid of all thoughts. The small space was upholstered with fragrant herbs and copal was burned.
The night was cool and quiet; the absolute silence was only broken by a sweet and mysterious whistle, which from time to time, harmoniously played like a beautiful prayer. Night Eagle quickly fell asleep or passed onto a deep trance state.
When he opened his eyes he realized he was at the top of a four level tower. He clung immediately and vertigo rapidly ran though his back, leaving a trail of cold sweat. Looked below carefully and realized that he was in an unknown place, a great nine body pyramid, with a building at the top, and five large entrances. He then looked to the north and far in the distance appeared the mesmerizing horizon line, a green plain, as a motionless sea.
To the south was the mountain range with all shades of green, something in him was excited with the mountains. He was contemplating a wonderful landscape, when part of the cornice where he was standing began to detach. He felt his heart jump out through his mouth. He clung with despair, but the stones crumbled in his hands, slowly began sliding until half of his body was hanging.
Night Eagle felt his strength exhausted. When he felt it was the end, he let go, but fell on top of a large pyramid, just in front of the steep stairways, the highest he had ever seen in his life. For an instant he was balanced, but then he went forward, so he had to take a leap and land steps down, then another jump and another step, until he began to feel the fall vertigo, but now on a fast way down the steep stairs, that seemed endless. Jump after jump he gained speed and felt he would crash upon reaching the ground. Distress of the speed and the fall, ran through his body as adrenaline sprays.
He felt inevitably lost when something extraordinary happened. Suddenly he began to feel warmth, which developed below his navel gradually spreading throughout his body. The fast fall began to diminish, until he was immobile. The energy coming out from inside his body, was accompanied by a musical note in a grave tone, which as the flapping of a beetle, was increasing.
Night Eagle felt the plenitude and strength of his body, who sang with the musical note or the energy. A need from the deepest and oldest of his self, came out like a volcano erupting. With the support of a telluric force, Night Eagle was literally shot into the sky. From his body long flames of fire detached and when he reached above the clouds, exploded into a thousand pieces, with an immense joy, he fell in a star shower.
Night Eagle desperately opened his eyes and noticed he was standing below the left arch of that building. It was perhaps dawn, when he decided to embark on the return journey. He walked across all the installations of this beautiful place. They seemed to be asleep, to not feel the departure of the fire dart that had mysteriously arrived one night and that after an electric shock, was laying below the mysterious arc that directs the intrepid travelers to eternity, and that in that strange occasion, threw to them a pilgrim of the spirit, that came from remote lands, and that today left as he had arrived; without a trace.
He headed toward one of white roads, leaving the complex and quietly left the place.
Night Eagle walked towards the east, through the splendid elevated road, made in stone, very well assembled and maintained a perfect horizontal line, in relation to the ground, which occasionally made him be up to a body above the ground. The road was so wide that they six men could walk at the same without disturbing one another.
The jungle was truly intriguing and seductive, but inspired a deep respect. Its large trees and lush vegetation, saturated with unimaginable quantities of plants and insects, of various forms, sizes and colors, living in a total balance.
On the chest of the young man was a sense of excitement for something that was to come and at the same time felt distress, over not knowing what it was he wanted to find.
Not knowing who he actually was, not knowing his past, his origins, his ancestors, created an underground anguish in him, as a water spring under the ground, which stalked him and under permanent threat.
He could not face the present, if I did not know who he was. Because by not knowing who he was, he could not know that he wanted from life and the world. Thus, if he was unaware of his origins, and if he did not know where came from; he could never know where he was headed. He realized that a human being, a family or a village, are what remember themselves. Who does not remember has no memories, livelihood, and internal force. Turns into a leave in the wind.
He felt completely neutralized and helpless. Not knowing who he was, where he came from and where he was headed, seduced him to abandon himself in indifference and oblivion. He walked and walked, and did not know where he was going. This sentiment became stronger after he found several crossroads and had no elements to decide his own path, did not know if he was going or coming.
During all the day's walk, he maintained two feelings that overwhelmed him. The first was of astonishment on everything he saw; the second was distress and desolation, ignoring his identity.
In the afternoon he reached Dzibilchaltún, whose name means "where the writings on stone slabs are", it was a very strange place, it consisted of a group of buildings and pyramids, but they were in ruins and completely abandoned. The implacable jungle had regained its spaces and trees, shrubs and plants, it appropriated the buildings. With the powerful hydraulic force of nature, plants, roots, trunks and branches were gradually knocking down walls, moving large stones and collapsing the pyramids. The relentless and jealous jungle, did not forgive the desecration of its spaces.
Night Eagle came amid the ruins of a huge complex, with moss invaded stones and its buildings swamped by the vegetation. Suddenly, in front of his eyes, was a mound and above it, a square construction, seemingly a house with a door and two small windows on its four sides. On top each door was a stone figure depicting a humanized face, the same was in the four upper corners of the building. In the center of the building protruded an elevated structure resembling a tower. He climbed what was left the stairs and entered the building. The afternoon began to decline, the Lord of fire darts, was almost on the horizon. Night Eagle entered through the west door and dropped onto the floor. When his body loosened, fatigue invaded him. He had not eaten all day and was exhausted. While he was looking the arc shaped roof of the strange construction, realized that a reddish light slowly began to invade the room, creating a peace and well-being ambiance.
His body felt that it was in a benign place. The sun before sinking on the horizon, directly sent its rays and entered horizontally through the west door, producing an uncommon brightness; seemed that due to unknown reasons the building stones multiplied the light intensity. On the east side came out red light rays, through the doors and windows, giving life to the room.
Night Eagle gradually felt his body recovered the mood and strength lost during the walk, but the most surprising was that his heart was filled with an immense peace and tranquility. All the anguish that he felt from the moment he came to these strange lands, was dissolving as a morning mist in the jungle and turned into nothing.
He felt an immense joy of being alive, of feeling alive, of thinking of him alive. That house was as the beloved mother's womb, without thinking about it; he took a fetal position and closed his eyes, only concentrating on the well-being feeling being that surrounded him, to fall deeply asleep.
The next morning, Night Eagle did not want to open his eyes. The birds from early hours started their noisy trilling. The eastern light had already entered the room and in its dazzling rise, had already left the area in search of the heights. Heat began to increase and the boy refused to open their eyes. In his inner depths, wished for time to have stop the previous evening, with its impressive and deep feeling of well-being.
He slowly opened his eyes; he stretched like a feline, slowly and deliberately. He got up and walked out the door.
The Sun was mid-morning, while the structure was not very high; he was unable to determine the likely extension of the complex. He decided to walk about it, he had not gone far when he clearly heard the noise made by a body falling into water, immediately turned cautiously to the source of the sound, between some bushes, and he saw a cenote, with completely crystalline water.
All of a sudden, a young man emerged from the water, to breathe and once again plunged. Night Eagle was watching the stranger from his hiding place, which from time to time, pulled out a fish, skewered in a harpoon and introduced them in a basket, at the edge of the beautiful natural well.
Finally, during a dive of the fisherman, Night Eagle decided to come out from hiding and saw the diver disappear on one end of the cenote, where the water changed its color to a more intense blue, which indicated a deeper part of the cenote.
Shortly thereafter, he began seeing the diver figure appear. Again he had an enormous fish skewered in his harpoon. The man quickly moved as a submarine reflection, until reaching the surface and immediately taking a fresh breath of air.
When the diver noticed Night Eagle presence, he welcomed him with a broad smile and said good morning in the language he had learned from the teachers that received him in the complex of Uxmal, "The thrice built".
Without further comment, the diver invited Night Eagle to plunge into the cenote. Then the two boys dived in the dark side. Night Eagle was amazed of the underwater beauty of that place. Small fish accompanied them and occasionally bit them. The water color was a light blue and amazingly clear. Light penetrating the cenote mixed with the water and gave it life of its own.
After a while, the basket was filled with fish and the two young men came to rest on the surface. Night Eagle told the boy that he came from distant lands and that he now was on his way back home. For its part the fisherman told him that he was called Marine Snake and lived on the coast, about a half day away to the north.
While preparing a grilled fish, the two boys were already friends. A stream of empathy from the outset joined them. Both felt as if they knew one another for a lifetime. Night Eagle realized he was very hungry when he began eating.
Marine Snake after preparing his fish with salt invited his new friend to visit Yucalpetén, his village which was in front of the sea. Very late at night they reached the small fishermen community and Marine Snake introduced his guest to his parents, who was respectfully received.
The next morning Marine Snake took his guest to the village authorities and asked for permission to have Night Eagle as his guest in the community. The Supreme Council questioned the stranger and realized that he was a warrior of the Lord of the darts of fire, so it was approved, taking the event as a good omen.
Marine Snake, as almost all young people of his community, had studied in Tulum, a city that was five days of navigation to the east. He had just finished his studies in the youth house and had returned to marry Morning star, a young girl he had been in love with from his teens. The custom was that a young man, who wanted to have a family, should first be trained in what would be their adult life. Life in a small coastal community, made women and men less specialized and knew different family sustainment sources, of which of course, fishing was the fundamental basis of their diet.
Night Eagle accompanied his friend, fishing, hunting, collecting, weaving, and to collect rubber from a few special trees, through incisions they made, so that a white substance came out, which was later used for religious and sporting purposes as they used this material to make the balls used to play the ancient ball game. They planted corn, beans, squash and chili, less intensively, as the soil did not have a thick layer of soil, so it forced them to rotate crops in every crop, implying the slashing and burning, and long distances to walk with small areas for cultivation.
Therefore the community every five days took their products to a local market and every twenty to a regional market for trade, and could exchange salted fish and rubber, for all those products they needed and their community did not produce.
The commerce notion did not exist, as a wealth source. The spirit of exchange was to satisfy primary needs, and have the freedom to indulge body and soul, to the devotion of the Supreme divinity, represented in multiple devotions which were related to nature. The reason for existence was basically spiritual, this resulted in religious manifestations, which pervaded all spaces of everyday life and the way of expressing this spirituality was through "Flower and Song".
However there were a very small group of men, serving through a fraternity, performed the exchange of goods with remote and distant lands. This action was not precisely trade, because products exchanged were strictly religious, so their work was well recognized by all communities, as without their valuable services, worship which the people made to the various manifestations of "he for whom one lives", could not be properly executed.
Besides being well recognized, these long journeys were extremely dangerous and many times, never returned, because they had to walk, sometimes months, crossing jungles, swamps or climbing through desolate mountains and mountain ranges, always stalked by animals and poisonous insects, wild beasts and a host of dangers; and all this did was by foot and carrying themselves, the precious sacred goods.
From certain places, they took marine snails, pearls, dyes, Quetzal and parrot feathers, turtle and armadillo shells, jade, emerald, jaguar skins; and from those places brought paper, copal, precious stones, herbal medicine, cochineal tincture, skin rabbit, cotton blankets, and obsidian and copper knives. This brotherhood of transporters had their own rules and their knowledge was secretive of initiatory nature. Their organization was paramilitary, which were highly valued, and respected by all peoples. Wherever they went, were well received and were provided everything needed to fulfill their sacred mission.
The Marine Snake community, Yucalpetén was located in a small cove next to the blue sea. The sand of its beach was very white and very fine. Small fishermen village; its people lived in a simple and harmonious manner with nature.
As time went by, Night Eagle was became part of the community without realizing it. The Council of elders saw the young man presence as a good thing; he already began his maturity stage and could marry a maiden from the town. Hence, the calendar wheels continued its inexorable march and Night Eagle quickly learned the art of fishing, weaving nets and sail in small coastal vessels. His learning ability was surprising, seemed he already knew and just remembered.
Marine Snake and Night Eagle became great friends, shared work and entertainment alike. Marine Snake felt a great admiration and respect for his friend, who was slightly older than him. For its part Night Eagle had found in Marine Snake, more than a friend, a family and a foundation in which to settle, as his inability to remember his previous life was complete.
Despite while everything was developing harmoniously, in those hot nights, when all the people slept, Night Eagle remained awake in his hammock, fighting against the fog wall which prevented him to see its past. As an obsession stalked him, preventing him from fully enjoying everything he was living in this wonderful place and people, nice and simple, which had received him fraternally with solidarity, adding him without distinction, as one more, of the everyday life of the people.
One evening, when anguish seemed it would explode the chest of Night Eagle and the fog wall smothered, Night Eagle began to repeat a verse that mysteriously came from the depths of his guts. As an avenue of feelings, it opened a gap in the pressing fog. One by one, the words were coming out and as a balm, eased his sore heart.
"In vain I was born,
in vain I came out
from the house of the earthly God,
I am needy!
I wish I had not really came out,
that actually I would have not come to Earth.
I do not say, but...
What is it I will do?
Do I live with in front of the people’s face?
Should I stand on Earth?
What is my destiny?
I am needy,
my heart suffers,
You're barely my friend
Here on Earth.
How should we live next to the people?
Live in peace!
spend your life calmly!
I have yielded,
only live with my head down
next to the people.
That is why I worry,
I am unhappy!
I have been abandoned
Next to the people on Earth.
I have come to grow with sorrow,
with you and next to you, life giver."
Three years had passed; Night Eagle skin had hardened with the salt and the marine Sun. His hair was slightly reddish. At that time he had won a place in the village and was already a great fisherman. He mastered language to perfection and if it were not for his physical difference, he could pass as a native of the place.
At last came the great event, Marine Snake godparents went to ask for morning star hand, accompanied by an elder lady from the village, whose job was "asking" for maidens in wedding. The entourage arrived with corn, dried fish, chocolate and a cotton blanket. The woman was heard with attention and respect, by Morning star parents, but in the end, refused permission by saying that the girl was not yet in marriage age and was not worthy of Marine Snake.
Five days later the procession returned to Morning star house, again began the speeches of pediment. This time, the father and the mother accepted; the godparents of Marine Snake made arrangements with the men of "the black and red ink", to a propitious day for the wedding.
The ceremony took place at the groom's House in the evening. The day before there had been a party at the Morning star’s home. The afternoon of the wedding, the bride had taken a bath with fragrant flowers and wore a luxurious huipil for the occasion. From her house was carried on a small litter adorned of flowers, carried by her relatives, followed by two rows of young girls, carrying flowers and torches; behind them, musicians playing hornpipes and small drums, followed by relatives and friends.
When they arrived at the house, friends and family of Marine Snake were waiting for them; after having been welcomed with an eloquent speech by the groom grandfather. The couple sat on petates decorated with flowers and four fragrant braziers in the corners. Then Morning star godmother began a speech:
—My daughter, you're here, through you the elder and our kin are honored; you are already in the number of elderly women: you've already stopped being a girl and started being a woman; now stop children play.
From now on you will not be a child, it is important that you and greet all as it should be; you shall get up night and sweep the house, and set a fire before dawn, you'll have to get up every day; see our daughter that you do not shame us, that we are not do not disgrace your father and your mother, and your grandparents that are already deceased. Look, poor thing, that you strive, you've already separated from your father and mother, see that your heart does not tilt more towards them; you can't any longer be with your father and your mother, you have already completely left them: our daughter, we want you to be blessed and prosperous. -After of a moment, Morning star answered to her godmother, -my lady, esteemed persons who have greatly favored me by being here; with your heart have taken my cause, they are sorrow and work to honor me; the words you have said I shall treasure them as something precious, and much appreciated, said as real fathers and mothers in telling and warning me; I very much appreciate the good vested upon me.
Then, relatives of the bride and groom tied the bride huipil, with the groom cloak, symbolizing this way that the marriage had been consummated. Then the oldest lady relative of the groom spoke to Morning star:
—My child, your mothers here and your fathers, wish to comfort you; strive daughter, do not worry by the burden of marriage that you've now taken upon yourself, and although it is a heavy load, with the help of our Lord you shall manage, beg for help from him; our Lord will like that you live many days and climb the slope over work; by venture you shall reach the summit without any impediment or fatigue sent from our Lord.
We do not know what our Lord will bestow upon you, humbly expect everything from him. Here are five blankets given by your husband, to trade in the market and thereby obtain chile, salt, torches, and firewood with which you will have to cook the food. This is the custom that left by the old grandparents; work my daughter and do your job as a woman, because nobody will help.
Immediately thereafter, Morning star’s mother, talked to the groom: —Here you are, my son you're our jaguar and our eagle, and our rich feather and our precious stone, already you are our very tenderly loved son; understand, son that you are a man, and a married man, and man who has for wife our daughter; this should not seem to you a mockery, must realize that you're in another world, you're exercising your freedom, your decision takes you to another way of living, become responsible.
See that you're already a man and that you do not have a child’s heart; does not behoove you to be a mischievous child; you don't want from here onwards riding the boys vices, because you already have the responsibility of a married man, who is a family’s father; begin work in carrying loads on the roads, such as the chili and salt, saltpeter, and fish, walk from town to town; learn the work and fatigue you must feel in the heart and body, sleeping in the corners outside of other’s houses, on the portals of houses of people that do not know you. You must temper your spirit and strengthen your body, without hurting your tender heart. All these efforts and many more you will have to do, because is as was told and we were taught, by our old and wise grandparents.
The celebration lasted for five days and nights; they danced and ate, with fullness and in abundance. Night Eagle joined in a member of Marine Snake family, but something told him inside that he was losing something more than a dear friend.
From that day, Night Eagle became a loner. Complied scrupulously with his tasks, but he did not have the cheerful companionship of Marine Snake, as it was the tradition, that single people did not mix with married men, in the works and groups of friends.
The days started to be long and tedious; Night Eagle occasionally visited Marine Snake, to whom the "Houses Complex", had given him a plot of land. It was this ancient institution, that managed the land, as nobody had land as private property, it was considered property of the village or "Houses Complex", through the Council of elders and through "He who speaks" or leader, granted them usage to citizens who had an established family.
The new Marine Snake obligations left him very little time available to be with his dear friend. Night Eagle became inaccessible. His anguish overtook him, like an enormous emptiness avalanche and distressing doubts.
Certain morning the sky was overcast. The wind was blowing strongly. The sea was rough, crashing its swells of waves without mercy against the deserted beaches. At noon, the Council of elders reconvened, the situation was becoming more dangerous all the time.
The situation was widely discussed and by consensus, it was decided that the entire population, would take refuge in the caves of the sacred Cenote, because a hurricane approached.
A one day walking distance inland from the village, in the neighboring town of Motul, which had various structures and an important temple, connected with the cenote by large sacbé, it had two large plazas from where various sacbe departed towards the four cardinal points, heading to the distant lands where they traded their goods. There was a cenote called Bolonchol, from where water was taken for the community, it was a public space, which was fitted with stone stairs that allowed comfortable access to the depths of the cenote, to carry water without major effort or danger. But there was a restricted area, where common people did not access. At the end of the cave, there was a small tunnel, where a crawling person could barely pass. After a stretch, the tunnel came into a huge gallery; the path went downwards a good way until reaching an interior large lake. In the center of the Lake, at the top of the cave roof, plenty light entered through a hole, the opening, which vertically came to the water surface, had traces of a cataclysm. Light colliding with the water, produced beautiful reflections, the walls contained an ore that increased reflexes and provide a mosaic of indescribable colors.
This was the secret place of the pochtecas. They had a carved an altar in the rock, lavishly decorated with painted stucco. Especially highlighted was the mask of the water divinity. Each eye consisted of three rectangular shaped and profusely carved stones. The first resembled an eyebrow, with a line resembling a mountain, but at the same time was the symbol of the snake, three circles within the mount and below them, a vertical lines carved symbolizing eyelashes. The second stone, under the first, had an eye cavity and a circle carved as an eye, with three stone circles per side. The third stone, under the second, had the same design as the first, but inverted, forming the complementing part of the eye. In the middle of the six stones other three were embedded, making the shape of the nose, which was characteristic of the water God in these lands, as it was very similar to the "shining seven stars" design; the mouth immediately below the eyes and the jaws formed two snakes in profile looking at each other.
The storm turned into a hurricane as never seen before, the winds destroyed everything in its path. Thanks to the Elders Council precautions, when the wind was destroying homes and knocking down trees, the entire population was safe in the makeshift shelter.
The night was terrible. The rain that fell nonstop accompanied by fierce gusts of wind, that howled upon entering the mouth of the cave. The community was safe in that cave and would wait until the hurricane passed.
Due to the number of people at the place, since people from other neighboring villages also arrived to take refuge, Night Eagle and other men went to the secret part of the cenote. When Night Eagle was observing the impressive altar, lightning fell a few yards from the opening, so for a moment they saw the cavern fully lit and something else, in the depths of his being, was also struck with the violent discharge. By the lightning thunder, which multiplied in the cave, he then had a fleeting memory, as a frozen view of something, which was related to the cave and his past, something that was very important and that he was about to catch in his conscious part.
Night Eagle spent all night trying to open his memories floodgate. A huge fog wall made his distraught intelligence lose clarity and ending with a blank mind, as in a trance or dozing. He again recovered and concentrated on his memories, only to once again crash against the fog wall, which gradually surrounded him, making him lose clarity and will.
One of the elderly, a member of the secret pochtecas brotherhood, realized what was happening to Night Eagle and I spoke to him in Nahuatl, the language of the old grandparents:
—Listen young traveller, these clumsy words from a poor and ignorant guy, wants to speak to you, deliver his poor heart to you.
I am already an old man, the vultures will soon come for him. My name is Evening light. The only thing I have, the only thing that I possess, want to give to; because I see and feel that your heart is in great pity, a great sadness that is hurting your noble and tender heart. Follow me.
Night Eagle was not in the least surprised to hear the words of the old man. His entire body understood what was happening and his mind was not opposed. He slowly followed the old man, who took him to a discreet corner, where there was a tunnel which led to a small chamber. Evening light was carrying a torch that lit up the enclosure. Night Eagle found himself in a crypt. Carved on the wall, were a few niches containing human skeletons. At the center was a rectangular stone surface, large enough for a human body.
The entire crypt was carved in stone, the ceiling was arch shaped, and it was decorated with human figures, in procession. Evening light invited Night Eagle to lie on the stone and said:
—Put your mind blank, silence your heart and make distress go away. We are all going to die, some before, others later. So if we are going to die, the rest is unimportant. Relax.
Indeed, the power is putting you through a test. No matter if you are victorious or not from it. What matters is that you're flawless in solving it. The impeccable implies doing what you do in the best possible manner. Don't you see, in the light of death nothing is important. Those that are here were warriors like you. As you can see, their victories and defeats, now are not important; the only transcendental part is that they were impeccable and it is why their offal are symbolically here, as a testimony of their spiritual struggle, for those behind them.
The difference between a warrior and a common man is that the warrior knows that what he is attempting to do is impossible to achieve and when he falls, he gets up and continues to struggle, without surrender and without any complaints. The common man does not yet know his limitations and wants it all and everything and without measure in life.
It is very difficult to have all ideas clear in life, more so, if it is that of a spirit warrior. Ask your death for advice, she is always on our side and observes everything that we do; until the day comes when she touches our left side, with her emaciated hand. Ask death for advice, if you befriend her, she will always advise you in the best way, because when she touches you, everything takes on its true dimension and sense. Night Eagle laid on the stone, closed his eyes, put his mind blank and fell asleep.
Five days went by. When he opened his eyes, he felt a deep inner peace. Everything was distant and indifferent. He stretched as a jaguar and all his bones cracked, he could see in the darkness and found the way out. The Grotto was deserted and when he came to the surface, light hurt his eyes.
A splendid blue covered the sky, completely clean and transparent, it was noon; the fury of nature had disrupted everything around. The weather was hot and humidity was stifling.
Shortly the old man arrived and said to him directly, without asking questions, go to the village to help rebuild and that when you are done, say good bye to them forever and that he would wait for him at the cenote entrance. That he should not worry, that he would know when it was the right time.
Night Eagle walked towards his adopted village, with a firm step and a quiet heart.
Three months passed and Night Eagle returned one afternoon to the entrance of the sacred cenote. The day had been overcast and the temperature was rather fresh.
The conviction flame was lit his chest; of not knowing his past, something happened that night in the cave of the sacred Cenote, and Night Eagle, understood that he could not live trying to deny the profound anguish he felt, by not knowing his past. He did not have anything else in this world, than the need to know who he was and where he came from?, without knowing this, everything else had no sense. Then a sacred chant mysteriously came to his mind:
"But I say:
only briefly,
only as a corn flower,
we have come to flourish,
so we have come to meet
on Earth."
only to Polish the precious stone,
just as Eagle and jaguar in flourished battle,
so we have come to sculpt an own face,
so we have come to forge a true heart,
on land, strong heart as stone."
A light beam flooded his body. As a balm, the poem calm down and appeased his heart. He closed his eyes, took a breath of fresh air and sat down to wait for the old man. He was thinking what to do when he saw him and when he stop his thoughts, he noticed that Evening light had been there, almost in front of him, but in absolute immobility and the green color of his cloak, made him invisible to Night Eagle eyes and the multiple feelings at his heart.
—I see that you are faithful to your destiny— said the old man. Night Eagle rapidly incorporated; kneel down at the feet of the Teacher. Evening Light took his hands and got him up immediately and said to him:
—A warrior of the Lord of fire darts, a brave man of the flourished battle; never bows before any mortal. The Warriors only bows before the omnipresent Lord, before the impalpable and invisible, the one who invented himself. Never ever before any man, do not forget. They walked to the entrance and began to go down through the large stairs of the sacred cenote.
—Our brotherhood understands, —the old man continued talking— that although you're not one of ours; you're also not a common man. You surely come from distant lands and you are serving a power intention or a knowledge test. Whatever your destiny, the brotherhood has decided to support you in fulfilling your commitment. We see in your energy, that you have knowledge in a latent state, by some mysterious deed; it seems that you need to recover yourself, to be able to advance. Both you and we know that if you do not do it, you shall die of sorrow or desolation.
You know that our brotherhood, has entrusted for many bundles of years, the exchange of products to keep the cult of our beloved Lord, the invisible and impalpable. That this work assigned to us by the old Toltec grandparents, and from generation to generation, we have been scrupulously complying with our hard work.
Among us there are expert and very knowledgeable people of the roads and their dangers. We would like to you to join us, but you need to pass a test. We believe that each man has the innate ability to orient themselves and reach the right place. Everything is a consequence of sensitivity and the development of certain intuition.
The test is that if you want to join us, to explore this world and recover your own face and your true heart, your identity; you will have to find "The power stone of the men of the land of the feathered serpent". If you accept, you will have ten days to find it; otherwise you will lose the memory.
Night Eagle responded that he didn't have a better option, and that if he was going to die, he rather be dead trying to regain his identity. He asked how was the power stone and the old man replied that they did not know either, that Night Eagle would try it, because you are a warrior and we are simple and humble porters of the instruments, to honor and worship to our beloved and kind Lord, he for whom one live. Evening light concluded speaking.
Later that night, Night Eagle started the test, he entered the transporters holy compound, and he was given two gourds, one with ground roasted corn and the other with water and a backpack. Evening Light warned the boy, that he should not eat and drink any more than what they were giving him, otherwise it would lose his memory. Then they have him a strange drink and began to pray with them throughout the night, until he fell asleep.
The next morning he woke up in a clearing of the jungle. At his side were the two gourds and the backpack, recalled everything immediately and slowly got up and started to walk.
Without knowing why, he walked in the direction where the Sun hides. Two days went by and did not see anybody on the road, until the afternoon of the third. Three richly dressed men warmly greeted him; they asked him where he was headed. Night Eagle told them he was searching for the "The power stone of the men of the land of the feathered serpent". The men laughed in unison and one of them told him:
—Who told you such lie? That stone does not exist. We are headed to the fertile Eagle Valley, where the milpa corn grows up to two-body height and the cobs are the size of an arm. There all men are immensely wealthy and happiness is eternal. Come with us, will show you the way.
Night Eagle thanked them for the offer and said goodbye with courtesy, continuing his journey. The men called him and tried to persuade him while following the hurried walk of the warrior.
Days went by and Night Eagle continued walking towards the west. The forest was almost impenetrable and on the fifth day, in the late afternoon, Night Eagle perceived a feeling of concern. He hastened this walk, in search of some clear in which to make a fire and sleep. The forest was still closed and thick. Birds began their noisy trills, the monkeys were screaming with excitement. The first star of the night appeared in an orange sky with various shades of blue.
Suddenly, mysteriously all the jungle animals went silent and Night Eagle stopped walking and stood motionless. The jungle that seconds before was alive and sound, now was in total silence.
Night Eagle sharpened his ears and opened his perception. These were distress minutes. In the warrior back a cold sweat ran down slowly. The atmosphere was charged with electricity.
Suddenly, he heard the powerful roar of a jaguar very near Night Eagle. The warrior legs bent involuntarily and something tore his belly. With a feline jump, Night Eagle faced the side where the roar came from. His body tensed and was on alert. Another roar was heard, but on the opposite side.
From the roar loudness, the warrior was surrounded by at least two huge Jaguars. Decided to hasten the walk, in hopes of finding a shelter place or a clearing where to make a savior fire; since in the narrow and closed path, he was totally defenseless.
Night suddenly fell, Night Eagle walked at a very fast pace, but without running. He knew that he had to let the animals feel his strength and temperance; otherwise they would immediately attack him.
The warrior was not carrying any weapons, other than the gourds, the backpack and personal power. The roars were increasingly heard closer and advancing. The warrior devised a strategy. He picked a trunk and started to scream with all forces that came from his despair, at the same time struck everything within his grasp, making a true scandal. The strategy resulted, the jaguars apparently bewildered moved away a bit, to find out what happened.
Meanwhile, Night Eagle advanced rapidly, tearing apart his throat and desperately hitting, hoping to find a solution to the situation. When the Jaguars began to get closer again, because they had realized the trick, their roar was more threatening and fierce. Night Eagle knew that he did not have more time, the felines were about to attack, when the long-awaited jungle clearing appeared.
On one side were a small hill and a cave. The warrior upon seeing the clear ran to hide in the small cavity. To his fortune, he found dry trunks and branches, and immediately started making a bonfire. With skill and speed, he rubbed two pieces of wood with a small bow, from his backpack.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, walked around the mouth of the cave and did not dare entering; only heard their snorting and grunts. When flames sprouted, the felines withdrew silently.
The next morning, the warrior again started his way; he had been very austere with water and ground corn, so he had enough to last for the remaining five days.
He continued with the same determination as in the beginning, walking west. Before noon, arrived at a very cool place with ample shades provided by large and leafy Ceiba trees called Xmabén, he heard a sweet female voice, singing a melodious song. He slowly got closer and discovered a girl, who was collecting plants. He had never seen such a beautiful woman.
Mysteriously his heart began to beat with great strength and felt he could not breathe. The girl sang and talked to the plants. Suddenly, she turned and discovered Night Eagle, who stood immobile. She ran to hide and after a few moments the warrior reacted. He apologized and told her that she should not fear, that his intentions were not to scare her and that he would immediately leave. The young girl remained quiet and when Night Eagle turned around to leave in the same direction he had arrived, the girl called him. She explained that she was not accustomed to seeing anyone in these places, but that she would like to talk with him. A strange force dragged the warrior before the eyes of the girl, he had never before felt attracted to a woman, and something in her stare developed an overwhelming feeling.
They walked up a small stone house, which was near a small cenote. After a few hours of conversation, Night Eagle knew that the girl was called Rain flower and was imprisoned there by an enchantment. For his part, Night Eagle told her what he knew of his life and the anguish that he lived for not knowing his past.
It was already night when, under a star studded sky, the couple could not contain the passion that consumed them. Night Eagle for the first time in his life, knew the intensity of love. Tenderly and with sweetly was introduced in the magical rites of love. Throughout his body, the warrior discovered a complete and virginal universe for his senses. With own dynamism, his body took command and almost separated from its self, perfectly integrating with Rain flower. Night Eagle felt as the millions of beings that formed it, had entered into an absolute shock. A force coming from the depths of his being, from its marine millennial origin, felt the wonderful and vital ability to perpetuate in this world, mocking death and clinging on to the future.
His body was quivering delusional and through it ran a hot fire stream seeking fulfillment. As a volcano erupting, Night Eagle felt sharply, how the fire of life get came out of his bones, from his flesh and his blood, and among passion rales, Night Eagle surrendered in the depths of Rain flower. For an instant, in a divine spark; their bodies merged into one. For a moment they were joined by the immeasurable mystery of life.
When everything was at rest, they embraced and emotionally cried. The excitement was so great, that it did not fit in their breasts and overflowed through their eyes. They cried of happiness and joy. Eventually they fell asleep. Embracing tenderly, unconsciously they were unwilling to separate in the future.
Morning woke them up with love. The first sun rays that came into the room, found the couple in a love ritual. Rain Flower rain and Night Eagle wanted to recover all lost time, their time of love.
For four days and nights, love took over all spaces in that room. Sometimes tenderly, sometimes with passion, the lovers recuperated all the kisses and caresses that fate had denied them. Night Eagle was materially captivated. The world had disappeared. Love was the strongest sentiment which had thus far experienced. The only reality was incarnated in Rain flower tenderness and passion. Her body was the only true thing and represented a lost paradise.
The morning of the tenth day Night Eagle reacted when he saw his empty gourds. He recalled at that same moment, that this was the last day when he must find "The stone of power of the land of the feathered serpent".
He explained his situation to Rain flower and suggested that she went with him in search of the stone. Rain Flower explained to her beloved, that by enchantment, she could not get far from the Cenote, that if she did, she would gradually disappear as mist, that if he left, because of the same spell, he would never find the way back to her. The girl passionately asked him that instead, he should stay and live with her in the House. With kisses and caresses, she told him that they would have everything and could love one another for life.
Night Eagle then told her, that he also suffered from an incantation, and if in ten days he did not find "The power stone ", he would forever lose his memory. The warrior said to Rain flower:
—So if I stay, tomorrow you will love a body, but my being, will be totally lost. The woman cried disconsolate in the warrior arms. They had no choice; love had been eternal in those five days. Night Eagle's chest was saturated with pain, his heart was impaled on thorns and small bitterness streaks ran down his cheeks. He had just encountered love and he had to leave it, there was no alternative.
Night Eagle broke the embrace of her beloved and firmly said that he would find "The stone of power" and would return for her. He left the room and began walking toward the east. Through his cheeks ran down all the excruciating bitterness that oppressed his heart; Rain flower knew that the warrior could not return for her and knowing this, he followed her beloved, without him realizing it; because she knew she would die anyway, from sadness in her heart.
As a shadow, Rain flower followed Night Eagle in the distance. Her deep stare covered the Warrior with her love. Gradually the woman started vanishing gradually, her tears became dew drops and her body faded into nothing.
That night was full moon. The warrior walked great strides down a white road he encountered. His body was completely wet from sweat, he was about to collapse from thirst fever and fatigue. His mind was fixed with the idea of "The power stone of the feathered serpent"; and heart kept the image of Rain flower. Involuntarily started to repeat out loud, as a prayer, a sacred chant:
"It is not true that we live,
it is not true that we last
on Earth.
I have to leave the beautiful flowers,
I have to go in search of the site of mystery!
But for a short time,
Let’s sing our beautiful chants."
He walked up to a large stone arch and a wall shaped as a snake. When he entered the complex through the north access, he felt an electric shock throughout his body, an energy field that opened and closed.
The moon brightness made everything clear. First he reached the immense Itza cenote, which was perfectly shaped as a circle. When he looked in it, the moon reflections to the depths were clear blue.
He walked through a large sacbe and reached a large plaza. In front of him was a small square platform two-body high with four stairs topped with feathered serpent heads and the Venus symbol engraved in stone. Immediately behind were a wonderful nine stage pyramid and a building at the top. It had four stairways, one per side, which in turn faced the four cardinal points and ended with immense feathered serpent heads.
To his right side was a monumental ballgame court and to his left, a smaller pyramid than the first, but I had hundreds of columns. Something inside made him go there.
Standing in front of the building, it noted he was on a large rectangular platform, with a few small steps in the center leading up to four rows of sixteen columns. Immediately after was a stairway to the top of the four bodied pyramid.
The warrior slowly climbed up the stairs, where he found two engraved rectangular stones. When he reached the top, Night Eagle was on the verge of collapse; his body burned in high temperature and was shaking from fatigue.
At the top of the pyramid, was a large room, which had two compartments. At the entrance two immense snakes were sculpted, shaped as central columns.
Their heads rested on the floor with open jaws, the column bodies rose up and the feathered tail was bent above the head of the sacred animal, as if directing as offering, its feathers to the sky.
At the sides of the door of the building and in front of two guardian snakes, was the sculpture of a Chac-Mool, a man lying on the ground in a reclining position with folded legs and his heels up against his buttocks. His waist rose and with his chest lifted, supported his elbows on the floor and his hands on his belly. The head of the sculpture turned ninety degrees to his left. His eyes had a penetrating stare, almost human, glancing with a serene and impassive expression that exuded sobriety and temperance.
Night Eagle felt as if in that instant, his strength had disappeared. He began to hear a rhythmic snake rattle. A high-pitched buzzing sound penetrated all over his body, making it vibrate at a very high frequency. The pale moon light was quickly disappearing. An intense darkness began covering the complex. When darkness was complete, the buss suddenly projected onto the sculpture and dim energy flashes began sprouting from it.
The warrior made a great effort not to faint. The buzz became more acute and around the sculpture began spinning electrical charges, which became iridescent lights.
The spectacle was impressive, in the complete darkness, the Chac-Mool sculpture shone with intense color lights, which spun at high speed around the monolith. Night Eagle was standing in front of "The power stone of the land of the feathered serpent". From his silhouette began emanating power and his hair began rising in all directions. An energy bridge was created between the stone and the warrior.
Suddenly a powerful thunder, which disrupted the silence and multiplied, while expanded in the atmosphere, with rapid and successive outbursts. A beam fell from heaven to earth zigzagging, illuminating for a moment the holy complex, joining the warrior with the power stone, through an electric current, which was circulated all over his body and went into earth, through the sculpture.
Night Eagle fell on his face on the stone.
When Night Eagle opened his eyes, five day had gone by. He was in a small room, lying on a petate and his entire body ached. He tried to get up, but his body did not respond. Like a wounded animal, he remained expectant.
Later a man came; his face was painted with three stripes. The first across his forehead was red, the second, from eyebrows to the nose, was black and the last from the mouth to his chin was red. As was the clothing custom, he had a loin cloth tied to his hip, with a part going through his legs and he wore huaraches. A deer bone pectoral covered his chest and cuffs on his wrists made from small jade stones, drilled and woven in a cotton thread, completed his attire.
—Our beloved brother, —said the man. Finally you have returned to the place of the emaciated, we thought you'd never be with us again, welcome to this poor House, "The mouth of the warriors well."
The painted man told him with paused and very clear voice, that he was at a knowledge center of the Feathered Serpent. That Night Eagle was a warrior and that he came from very far lands to recuperate, what once had been his "own face", carved from systematic studies and a deep understanding of all what his ancestors had achieved through their millenary rise on the animal scale; being that all came from a single continental and ancient civilization. Everything that surrounds us, was created and recreated by our ancestors, by the venerable and wise, old Toltec grandparents.
We —the man asserted— are now doing our part: we try to be the best of ourselves, we strive to achieve the level of "human being" and we try flourishing our hearts, through the wisdom of "Feathered Serpent", in this sacred place, with hundreds of year bundles, the warriors have learned to be "real men" in search of total freedom.
You must recover your own face, and thereby recover also your "true heart", the one that throughout your life, you have been sculpting; this precious stone which its cutting edges have been smoothed, which has acquired a beautiful shape and was polished with patience, wisdom and love, the precious stone that you carry within.
You have come to us in a mysterious way and thanks to your personal power; you crossed the energy barrier of the snake wall and came directly to "The power stone of the feathered serpent".
We will help you regain your own face and a real heart. But this difficult task is strictly personal; it is your warrior challenge. Here you can start your way back. First you have to recover, since you received a lightning shock, which should have killed a common man. As you are a warrior and you have a destiny, you're still alive. Now you should only rest.
Night Eagle spent fifteen days recuperating. Every day he was cared by two female warriors that impeccably provided everything he needed. As days went by Night Eagle was feeling better and at the same time, his need to return for Rain flower grew, his heart had a concern which he had never felt before.
When he fully recuperated, Night Eagle joined other warriors in the preparation of the spring equinox ceremony. The great pyramid of the Feathered Serpent, twice a year, held a ritual that had to do with the symbolic energy descent from the Sun to Earth. This energy is symbolized by "Feathered Serpent".
Twice a year, when the sun began its descent, the sunlight is projected on the main balustrade, forming seven isosceles triangles, which suggest a snake body of approximately 20 human bodies in length, which is connected to the snake heads at the base of the pyramid. The undulating and downward effect of the snake, coming down from heaven through the pyramid, takes very little time, but is cause for great celebration.
That day the hundreds of male and female warriors, who were receiving instruction on the "Feathered Serpent" grounds, searching for Total freedom, danced with all their strength around the pyramid at the tune of a large group of musicians.
Their bodies vibrated while convening mother earth with their ground throbbing. A prodigious flow of energy came from the ground and as a fire whirlwind; an energy snake rose into the atmosphere and linked men with the immeasurable. At the equinoxes, when daytime is equal to nighttime energy is more balanced. Humans become a bridge, the channel between our dear mother and our father the Sun. The human being is where heaven and earth "kiss".
For this reason, the human being embodies this dual symbol; the Quetzal, the sacred bird seeking the bright heights of higher consciousness, and the serpent, which represents the telluric forces that bind human being in the fields of dark matter and Earth; complementing opposites, beginning and end of human life. Quetzalcoatl is a philosophical symbol that embodies the human aspiration to find the balance between spirit and matter.
The pyramid was surrounded by male and female warriors, revolving in eccentric circles dancing to the rhythm of the huge tree trunk drums, whistles, and rattles, which filled the entire ambiance with its roar. Marine snails bellowed, Night Eagle without knowing how, was dancing with a teacher’s dexterity. His body seemed to remember better than his mind. The rhythmic feet pounding on mother earth, called telluric energies to join the sky through human beings, who became a sacred bridge, between the divine and the mundane. Everyone danced for hours; there were no speeches or prayers. Bodies spoke their own language with mother earth, a dialogue of filial love that the old Toltec grandparents had taught, a dialogue through energy. The oldest "language" of human beings on earth... dances!
Night Eagle had a flame lit in his heart. The memory of Rain flower burned his thoughts and had become an imperative need. Never before in his life, had he felt this pressing need of being with another person. The memory of Rain flower shuddered to his body and made his heart jump wild.
The warrior informed his decision to leave soon to the Venerable Teacher, who told him to fulfill his destiny.
—All that I ask of you, —said the old man— is that when you go back to meet the pochtecas, transporters of worship objects, tell them that "The power stone of the land of the feathered snake" is under their feet. Tell them —the elder went on talking— that this entire peninsula is a huge stone, which is alive and feels... do not tell them more. Night Eagle left in the morning headed west, in search of the woman who had caught all his energy and concentration. His steps were long and his heart pulled his body. Through his mind passed many images and flower and Rain flower was at the center of all of them.
He finally came to the place where the stone house was and found it in ruins and totally deserted, seemed that no one had lived there in years. Baffled the warrior explored the surroundings, to make sure he was at the right place. After a while he confirmed that it was actually the place, only that it was covered by the forest and the stone house had traces of not having been inhabited in years.
The warrior felt a very severe pain in the chest, the denial of his love in these desolate ruins, was violently rejected by the fire that was about to explode in his heart.
Night Eagle could not accept that R flower and his love, not had existed, and although the physical evidence pointed that way, his memories and body did not accepted it. Rain Flower was the greatest feeling, the most overwhelming passion the Warrior had ever lived and that could not just be a dream.
The Warrior walked into the house ruins and cried in its half-light. First slowly and then strongly, Night Eagle cried as he had never before cried. The desolation his soul felt was so great that he felt he was dying. He howled a wolf; the forest shuddered with his long and torn laments. He never before had embraced loneliness. He was in the ruins of what had been the most flourished and intense space of his existence; and the neglect and desolation of the place, made a choir with the warrior pain cries and anger, his heart was falling apart as the stones from those ruins, that indifferent and silent contemplated him.
Evening came through the door and shortly after was night. Night Eagle ignored them, because he was in midst of pain. Finally, he fell asleep with uneasiness. Very early in the morning Night Eagle woke up. His body was extremely sore, as a reflection of his spirit. He understood that a warrior not it can hold onto anything in life. A warrior is a teacher in the art of detachment, because if he holds, he goes below and sinks with his holdings. For this reason a warrior has no attachment to feelings, ideas and much less objects. A warrior carries the least he can, so he walks light in the world, without having to defend anything, only protects his existence, thus the warrior is invulnerable.
These feelings were growing, as the Sun on the horizon and in the same way the rays heated the forest, as the training he had received as warrior for years, warmed his desolate heart. He knew he was a human being and that he felt pain despite being a warrior, what made him different, was that a warrior did not surrendered to pain.
His spirits returned and remembered he had an appointment with Night light in the sacred cenote. He undertook his journey immediately and on his mind a sacred chant appeared:
"where will we go
where there is no death?
But, for this will I live crying?
That your heart straighten:
no one here will live forever.
Even the princes came to die,
People are being incinerated.
No one will live here forever.
Eagles and Jaguars attention!
to the florid battle
with songs and darts
the turquoise drum resonates,
a path of light.
Let the battle begin!"
Time went by and when he opened his eyes, realized he was surrounded by thirteen warriors, wearing war implements. From their painted faces, came out fierce stares that made him uneasy. He was not afraid, but his body was wrapped in a censorship atmosphere.
Night Eagle was taken by the warriors to a chamber with a cylindrical stone, of medium height and half a body high. The piece was beautifully carved with symbols depicting luminous energy, represented by water and the spiritual energy, represented by wind, in the center a humanized Sun and signs of the four cardinal points.
The warriors laid him on his back on the stone and four of them strongly took each of his limbs. Night Eagle did not feel any fear and was very attentive. One of the warriors then addressed him:
—We are sons of the Fifth Sun, called "The Sun of the equilibrium". This Sun was preceded by four earlier, in which human beings lost the opportunity to transcend. In this fifth opportunity to humanize life, humans can achieve it through spiritual sacrifice and the balance of forces that move the universe and live in your heart.
Human beings incarnate a universe inside another universe. The four directions of the universe are within your heart. Your head represents the sky or the spirit, your feet land or matter, the right side of your body represents reason or the known world and the left side is intuition or the unknown world. The human being cannot be totally spiritual, nor wholly material; nor he can be entirely rational, or totally intuitive. The right balance of these two pairs complementing and opposite, is the art of living, the florid battle of the Jaguar warriors, of the Eagle warriors. When balance of these four forces that govern the micro universe is achieved, the warrior manages to place his energy on the fifth point, in the center.
When this happens, the warrior comes in contact with the forces that govern the macro universe through his fifth point found in the middle of his body. The warrior energy rises to higher planes; when the four directions of the micro-universe unbalance and energy are charged in one of them, then he falls into the depths of denial and stupidity. The time has come to open your energy body.
The nine remaining warriors began to sing a monotonous chant, which followed a very well defined tonal scale and producing an ample state of sensory perception.
The four warriors strongly pulled towards the four cardinal directions. Night Eagle felt that he was going to break. But strangely the most intense pain came from his belly. Suddenly the oldest warrior raised his left hand and it started to glow. Night Eagle stared at the hand, which suddenly became a quartz flint which emitted light, and with astonishment, saw it rushed towards his body.
The impact on his belly was heard as a thunder and the hand of the old man entered the body of Night Eagle. Suddenly, from his belly a light beam began to go out with great pressure, as a rain bow, but with very intense and colorful lights. Night Eagle did not feel pain, on the contrary, felt a sense of well-being and harmony, the stream of light was spreading throughout his body, in eccentric circles, like waves in a water pond. The warriors chant became stronger and the light beam became a splendid and wonderful tree, with two large lateral branches, which together formed a cross.
At the top of the tree, appeared a beautiful bird of marvelous and iridescent colors; it was an eagle that shone like a Sun and in its feathers had flints. Night Eagle felt the absolute fullness; as never before, he felt that his limbs touched the confines of the universe.
The light tree had fruits even brighter and the eagle was devouring them. The warrior had a revelation at that moment. The Eagle looked at him with its penetrating eyes and the warrior felt fear for the first time, the warrior was afraid and panicked from being eaten by the Eagle. The luminous animal opened its beak and introduced it in the warrior belly. Night Eagle felt as his life was going, in energy suction.
He felt millions of live beings commotion who had the desire to be part of it and that disorderly fell in an upward spiral towards the peak of the Eagle. Suddenly he felt much pain and saw a black tunnel. What remained of his conscience resisted with all his strength, with a loud cry refusing such fate.
Night Eagle opened his eyes and realized he was dreaming and that was soaked in sweat. He immediately got up and wanted to get out of the chamber, but a voice stopped him.
Night light was at the head of the stone and taking him by the shoulders told him to lie down on the stone.
—Life is a dream, young warrior. The remains of the thirteen immaculate warriors resting here, remind us of their dreams as their reality, are exactly the same for us. Their dreams are so real and so lively, that invited you to live with them a wonderful experience. You had a power dream, thanks to the strength of these warriors. The revelation that you lived was a gift from the power. Your body was really open and as of today, you are in contact with the four directions of the universe.
As of today, you are one of us. Our mission is to explore the four points of the existence, taking and bringing, the materials and objects necessary for human beings to worship the different manifestations of "he for whom one lives", and thereby develop their spiritual awareness. But you now know, thanks to this revelation, that the force has an objective on us living beings and our conscience. It is an immeasurable chain of breath energy, which goes far beyond our beloved mother; human beings are food for a consciousness far superior to anything understandable.
You will walk with us and open up new roads, in the search of "your face and your heart", now that we are your brothers, will help you. Because it is very true, that there is no rest and balance, in a village, a family or a human being, that does not have clear conscience of where he comes from, where is he and where is he going.
"The own face and true heart", is the most inalienable right of any conscious being and of all people. Without an own face and a true heart, we are dust in the wind. But before proceeding further, immaculate dart fire warrior, spirit traveller, you have to tell this fraternity where is "The power stone of the land of the feathered serpent".
Night Eagle intently stared at the old Sage and clearly and slowly said:
—We are standing on it.
Night Eagle became part of the daily life of that community of Pochteca transporters of goods for worship to the various devotions of the divine duality, that has no name, form, or is seen or touched. Although in principle the community was the same as all, because the land was farmed and certain products were manufactured to live adequately. The pochtecas had as main activity, travel and transport the sacred utensils. This task was carried out with the greatest pride and the tradition came from family in family over many bundles of years.
Night Light told Night Eagle, that he should prepare to leave with a group of travelers who would take a large amount amate paper, brought from the highlands, to remote southern regions of the land surrounded by great waters or Anahuac. From those distant lands they brought back gold, to make sacred utensils.
From immemorial times, the old Toltec grandparents had taught to use gold as representation of the purity that matter can achieve and that from this same purity, avoided corruption. For this reason, the gold was a symbolic material of the Supreme aspiration of mortals to reach purity, to prevent the death or matter corruption.
The loads of amate paper were duly prepared, provisions and one day in the morning, Night Eagle came out with twenty walkers heading to the distant lands of the south.
The Pochteca brotherhood of carriers had a military structure, which had ranks and discipline was very strict. Walkers should among other things, master several languages and know the cultural diversity of peoples, have an impressive physical built and condition, and should have experts knowledge of the vast territories and the roads of the land between great waters, as well as its nature, climate, plants, animals and insects.
The journeys made by these intrepid men, were full of dangers, many of these resulted in death. For them, belonging to this fraternity, represented the greatest privilege that a common man could aspire. In this exchange of cult materials, were not considered any personal or profit interest, since from the basic education of society, they had no speculation, appropriation or wealth accumulation. On the contrary, society as a whole was directed to more mystical and spiritual existence aspects. They developed from an early age and very precisely the concept that individuals should serve the community. That valued more the "we", than the individual self.
Therefore, to be an important part of the religious cult enablers represented for the brotherhood members, a privilege that was paid with a high sacrifice and often with life itself. The brotherhood members were also expert fighters and excellent hunters.
Military discipline was not only for organization. From very small the members were trained in the use of weapons. The ancestors, from the very origin of the time, had invented rudimentary weapons, such as spear, shield, bow and arrows and a few macuahuitl or macana with very sharp obsidian stone at the ends, because wars were not very common among the old Toltec grandparents children and they never used their intelligence for weapon development except for the dart launcher, than the old grandparents invented to hunt flying birds and that was very effective, it could throw a dart at a much greater speed than an arrow from a bow.
The concept of the war and the warrior was focused on a spiritual struggle, called florid battle and the warrior fought it in an internal struggle exclusively. However, this spiritual characteristic did not make the battles less difficult or fierce. This is how the spiritual warriors, by tradition concocted a more allegorical than practical military suits. Furs and feathers were more a mystical order, which for example had to do with symbolic animals, such as the jaguar and the eagle, for example. The internal war was one of the most important spiritual Toltec legacies.
The brotherhood instead was a military group of real fighters, because in their long journeys, sometimes they were attacked by hostile nomadic groups or beasts, which saturated the forests or the jungles. The smallest organization, was made up of five people, the next in size were twenty people and was the common size, although they could organize teams of multiples of twenty, like the fingers of a body, to form units of up to four hundred transporters.
In the group, Night Eagle was a guest and was entrusted to Fire Jaguar by Night light. Fire Jaguar was a very experienced transporter chief and renowned in the village by his intelligence, courage and for strength. They had told him that Night Eagle was a warrior and was searching for his people, would therefore be you provided all assistance so that along the way, he could find his people.
They began the journey; the transport unit was organized as a rattlesnake. The man at the front functioned as the eyes, was the explorer. An Archer, who was not carrying any loads to be light and quick in his movements, he was the snake fangs. Immediately behind the archer, was the head of the group or serpent head. Then were fifteen men carrying loads and in the end, was the man responsible for the rear, which represented the snake rattles and who periodically played a marine snail, which was the means of distance communication. It was fascinating to see how this group of people was perfectly organized as a single organism. They knew that the success of their sacred responsibility and their life itself, depended on the degree of organization and discipline, the team operated with.
The carriers when they went on trips to take and bring their valuable cargo; used clothes and painted their body in such a way that they easily mixed with the ambiance. This painting more than a ritual, was a habit. On many occasions, they saved their life thanks to the camouflage painting; therefore, they were used to no taking baths until their missions were completed and were secure among their people.
As a special guest Night Eagle, did not wear the brotherhood costumes and only carried food for the long journey, because he did not belong to the brotherhood. As far as provisions, which due to the large distances and the time to cover them were very scarce. The carriers’ temperance and strength was legendary. There were three food sources. The most important during the journey was hunting and gathering, because these teams learned to be as autonomous as possible; secondly, what sometimes was offered by the peoples where they passed through, that it was always more symbolic and occasional; finally, the provisions carried by the team and which were only used at the most pressing moments. Travel food technology, taught by the old grandparents, was excellent, for hundreds of year bundles, communication between all the peoples who lived on the land surrounded by great waters or Anahuac, was a very important habit. Except for the products and devises used for gods worship, what people exchanged most were ideas and feelings.
Among foodstuff carried by the transporters were maize and ground beans, prepared insects, seeds, amaranth, honey, salted fish and deer meat, and big tortillas that were very elastic and were eaten cold. Most of these foods could last a long time during the voyage.
Fire Jaguar team advanced to the south by the plain, as a rattlesnake. The transporters carried their sacred cargo in baskets, which were supported by a wide leather strap against the forehead, so their hands were free.
Night Eagle soon learned the walk rhythm of these millennial walkers. With the body slightly inclined forward and legs flexed on their knees; they walked lightly and fast, through the zigzag paths. The warrior learned very soon to maintain the correct breathing and stop thinking, to melt into the team spirit. The old grandparents had taught them all the techniques to achieve their difficult brotherhood mission. Among them was the road singing; a number of power songs, which made that the carriers integrate more as a team. Very old songs were chanted with great joy and passion. These songs were used when the tiredness or road dangerousness of the journey, required energy to rebuild or spirit strengthening. These formidable chants were heard on the roads as the voice of a single organism, vigorous and loud; scaring away the enemy, whether they were human beings, animals or malignant spirits.
The warrior also soon learned that the team safety lied in the efficiency in which each of the members fulfilled their individual role. The team only worked, if each of the members ceded a part of their individuality and integrated to the entire team; by strictly obeying the chief, the head. To do this, it required over time, to develop an absolute trust between them and all of them with the head.
The day’s journeys were from sunrise to sunset. They started before sunrise, with worship to the Lord and Lady of the roads, forests and animals. They asked for free passage without being damaged and without hurting anyone. Then they burned copal and buried a small offering on the ground. Another ceremony was performed in the evening, where they were thankful for the good uneventful day.
The team only rested a little after midday meals. The days were intense. One of pointer or snake tongue functions was to get ahead of the group at noon and afternoon, to select the most suitable place to eat and sleep.
One day, Night Eagle, was doing his night guard, wrapped in his cotton blanket and walking around the campfire. He watched how the animals and nocturnal entities eyes lurked the guards. Fire Jaguar had already warned the warrior about these dangers. Because the Night Lord, sent his children to hunt down unsuspecting guards, whom attracted by strange noises, voices or images, moved away from the protective fire and never returned from the dark.
Soon the transporters team left the peninsula flat lands and began to climb mountains, each time growing in size and height.
The climate and vegetation began to change. The humid rainforest transformed into mid-mountain lush vegetation, the shade freshness from trees made the journey lighter. Night eagle body immediately registered the change. Something inside, recalled the trees and mountains.
After a few days the team left the mid-mountains and entered majestic forests. Immense pines, which saturated the hills and mountains, changed the weather completely. Cold air passed between the trees branches, making them sing and whistle. Night Eagle body became alert, as when someone recognizes an old song, very familiar.
The carriers were moving south, between mountain ranges oriented east west. They climbed steep roads, to reach the high tops, to immediately, start descending, reaching small streams that were at the bottom of the ravines, to again start climbing another peak.
In the midst of these remote and uninhabited Petén Mountains, a man appeared in the middle of the road. He was tall and wearing a headdress made from tanned skin, with the design of the head of a snake, formed by small Turquoise stones, attached to the skin and which together gave the idea of a splendid color mosaic, the snake eyes and fangs were highlighted in white. Crowned with beautiful quetzal feathers, that despite making him majestic because its size, made him light. The man was chest and back shields, made from sea shells, supported by small green beads. In the abdomen had protection made from deer bones, also had green beads attached. He wore a small skirt made from jaguar skin. Green beads were woven in his wrists and ankles; as protection. In his right hand had a huge spear, with beautiful feathers at the top and was crowned with a large obsidian tip.
The man stopped them and informed that Bat Jaguar, Venerable Teacher of the Smoky Mirror House at Mutal, invited them to relax and replenish their supplies, before continuing their path. Fire Jaguar understood that this was a very special invitation, by tradition, he knew of that place, but none of the carriers had reached it, he ordered his men to follow the guard.
In the afternoon they arrived in Mutal, it was in a narrow valley flanked by two high mountain ranges. The city was built around a large central plaza, with many buildings, other plazas and structures, profusely decorated with glyphs sculpted in steps and the many steles across the city. The Smoky Mirror House was built on the top of an artificial hill, about one kilometer east of the main plaza, from where the entire valley could be observed. Access was on the west side. They walked into the main large plaza. To the left, the north was the highest part of the hill and there, were the most important buildings. At the top was a pyramid. In between the plaza and the Smoky Mirror House was the Bat Temple, a very important and secret complex with access to a series of caves that extended for many kilometers, below the ground. Towards the northeast, a vast and beautiful ballgame court next to a regular sized pyramid, five small constructions were built just north of the court. The guard took them to the northern part and inside a building; they found petates ready, food and water, so they could rest. They were informed that they would be received by the Venerable Teacher Bat Jaguar in the morning.
The reception ceremony was solemn. The Jaguars Palace was ornamented with beautiful flowers and abundant copal was being burned. A group of musicians played soft melodies with different whistles. The guests were placed in the south side part of the room. The music went silent and those attending looked to the eastern door, from where the Venerable Teacher came in accompanied by five elders, who dressed in a very austere and moderate fashion.
After sitting on petates surrounded by flowers the Venerable Teacher addressed his guests:
"Let us rejoice, my friends:
Come and hug!
In flourished land we walk walking
and there is no one who can end it.
The flower and song are shown
There at the House of the Sun.
Only for a short time on earth we live:
It will not always be like this: the mystery region waits
Will there be joy? Will there be friendship?
Oh no, that not only on earth
we come to know one another!"
Bat Jaguar extensively briefed his guests of the mission entrusted upon the Smoky mirror house. For many bundles of years, the old grandparents had established across the continent, sites similar to this one, with the mission or maintaining unchanged, knowledge and wisdom that the old Toltec grandparents had left in the land from the very origins of this ancient civilization. In remote places and segregated; inaccessible and watertight, these knowledge houses accumulated this information in the language, and the heart of wise men and women. These people were prepared from children. The men of "the black and Red ink", who lived in the communities, were entrusted that when they saw to a newborn with a very special energy which only they could observe, talked the parents of these extraordinary creatures, into offering them for this important mission.
The child was then initiated in a ceremony similar to the first water, which was carried out in secret and in the presence of the proud parents. In this ceremony an energy operation was performed, which ensured that the child’s mind would never close, and with that permanent opening be in permanent contact with the immeasurable forces of the world. During the first five years, the child lived with his parents, the wise men taught the mother to put tablets in the head, so it was deformed little by little, which allowed them to have a brain configuration, that in turn empowered him to perceive energy fields, which ordinary mortals could not achieve.
At the age of five the child already was quite different; they were then taken to these houses of knowledge, where they learned their mission.
These human beings were neither men of knowledge, warriors nor priests. Their mission was to maintain intact the knowledge of the old Toltec grandparents, from one generation to another. To put it in some way, they were human books, guaranteeing the permanence and purity of human wisdom. They lived in a very austere and frugal manner, completely detached from the profane world.
After having extensively explained his guests, the Venerable Teacher concluded:
"The sage: a light, a torch
a thick torch that does not smoke.
A perforated mirror,
A mirror perforated in both sides.
His is the black and red ink,
His are the codices, his are the codices.
He himself is scripture and wisdom.
He is a path, accurate guide to others.
He leads to people and things,
is a guide for human business.
The true Sage is careful
and holds tradition.
His is wisdom transmitted,
he is who teaches,
follows the truth.
He does not allow reprimands.
Makes other’s faces wise,
makes others take a face, a personality,
makes them develop it.
He opens their ears, illuminates them.
He is a teacher's guide,
gives them a way,
One can depend on him.
He puts a mirror in front of others,
Makes them sane careful;
makes a face appear on them, a personality.
He observes things,
regulates their way,
offers and orders.
applies his light on the world.
Knows what is upon us,
And the region of the dead.
He is a serious man.
Anyone is comforted by him,
is corrected, is taught.
Thanks to him, people humanizes their wanting
and receives a strict education.
Comforts the heart,
comforts people,
helps, remedies,
cures everyone.
Those who see,
those who are dedicated to watch
the course and orderly sky proceeding,
how night splits.
Those who are watching, reading,
Those who speak or talk about what they read.
Those who loudly turn the Codex pages.
Those who possess
the black and red ink, wisdom
and the painted,
they lead us, guide us,
tell us the way."
That evening Fire Jaguar and Night Eagle were invited to a special ceremony by the Venerable Teacher, who told them that they were awaiting the arrival of Night Eagle, that the force thus announced to them and that they were humbly serving the designs.
—This House of knowledge is not visited by people from the profane world, our contact is through the elders and priests; those who come to learn or cloister themselves. The fact that you are here, is an extraordinary event. These places should be far from worldly energy, this House of the Flourished paintings and flowered songs, it is an immaculate reserve to ensure the future of the wisdom of the old Toltec grandparents. Through hundreds of bundles of years, the wisdom of our ancestors has been threatened many times and we know that it will be threatened in the future. So that, only losing the memory and language may erase the presence of our beloved and wise men, our old Toltec grandparents from the face of our dear mother.
On some occasions in the past, our voice has been reduced to the breath of the wind, which sings among the branches of the solitary woods or condemned to live with the jaguar in their caves, sheltered by mother earth and the darkness of the mysterious night. The knowledge and the wisdom of our ancestors, allows us to reduce ourselves to nothing, prepares us to be inaccessible when necessary, for that reason we are invulnerable. We are the wind, we are the night; we disappear and yet remain there forever.
Now we live in good times, but as the day is so is the night, first one and then the other, everything is change and movement, nothing is static everything moves, happens and happens again. In the light of day is the essence of the darkness of night; and in the midst of night darkness, the essence of day light is contained.
That is why our sacred mission, is to keep alive the wisdom and knowledge of our parents, so that their children always act accordingly, with a heart solid as earth and an own and true face as jade. We are prepared to stay all the time that is necessary in the forest song, the jungle humidity or in the depths of earth.
Nothing is eternal, after the night follows the light of day and then again comes the darkness. The important part is that both maintain the wisdom and knowledge of our ancestors, that we do not lose the root of our people; that we are never left orphaned and forgetful. We are one of the oldest men houses on the planet.
Now that you know we were expecting you; spirit warrior, we will comply with the force design, you will have to spend the night in the Temple of the Smoky mirror. Night Eagle was taken to the top of the hill where two pyramids were built. That one on the west had four stairways on the four cardinal points; the second had a single stairway that faced west. He went up and found a small square building that had feathered Jaguars painted on the walls, with open jaws, speaking florid words from its their depth, represented by symbols with flowers in the upper part.
The room had four doors that pointed to the four cardinal points. Bat Jaguar came up to the south door with Night Eagle and said:
—Enlightened Spirit Warrior, son of hope, precious stone. Your fate brought you to the gates of this, the House of the Lord of the Smoky mirror, the eternally young warrior, of the internal war, who does not allow hearts to rest, who has the mirror and reflects the men image and his self-awareness, the protector of all, forgiver and purifier of all sins, the eternal young man of perfect perfection and without blemish.
He is darkness and knowing shadow of the human heart, he is the unbearable revealing spirit of truth, of dangerous revealing presence; the truth that is the beginning of the internal battle, the flourished battle.
You walk in search of your heart’s face, but there is no path walked outwards, which has not previously been walked inwards, now you have an appointment with the Smoky mirror.
Immediately thereafter, the Venerable Teacher invited Night Eagle to enter the room. The four accesses were part of a small labyrinth, leading to an inner chamber that was illuminated by torches. The entrance was at the bottom of a wall and had to enter crawling.
Inside, the four walls were lined in gold and had codex style engraved the history of Smoky mirror, in its four representations. The roof was lined with silver sheets, with gemstone inlays depicting a starry sky. In the four walls were sculptures, one in red ceramic, another in black obsidian stone, another was wood painted blue and the latest in green jade.
In the chamber center, that apparently did not have access and that projected a sense of profound secrecy, was a perfect cube stone, which had its four faces sculpted with the Smoky mirror representation. At the top, was a beautiful frame, made from very long profusely carved bones that were properly assembled.
The frame did not contain anything, was empty. Suddenly the mouth of the four sculptures began exhausting large quantities of bluish smoke, which in brief moments completely flooded the chamber. The frame then began to glow and strange noises came from it, such as chants and prayers in an unknown language.
In the frame hollow, smoke began to assume capricious shapes, as if it had life and will. A buzzing sound, like the flapping of a beetle came from within the frame. Instinctively Night Eagle cleared his heart of all feelings and ideas from his mind, with cross eyes he separately focused and concentrated in the internal buzz.
After a while he realized his eyes were closed and he open them, saw in the smoke at the other side of the mirror a face that was barely distinguished. He focused his eyes and bones appeared. From the skull ocular cavities, a deep and disturbing stare came out, that penetrated the warrior, flooded his guts with a desolate cold. Night Eagle knew that the bones were his and the look was his own death calling him.
Night Eagle closed his eyes and concentrated all his energy in the middle of his body. The pressure ceased and heard a bone breaking noise. He opened his eyes and saw how the skull slowly breaking in half longitudinally. With great surprise he saw that an older man face appeared. When carefully observed it, he recognized him, was himself, but with all the years over him. The old man had a face that projected peace and harmony, the face smiled slightly and Night Eagle was invaded a sense of well-being. He once again closed his eyes to sink in that feeling, when he heard another noise and when he opened his eyes, saw the face of the old man breaking and from it emerged his expressionless image, as if it were a sculpture, he was watching closely when the sculpture broke again and the face of a child appeared. He had large eyes, a look full of tenderness and on his thin lips delineated a smile of complete happiness and harmony.
Night Eagle felt a burning dart entering his heart. For the first time in many years he had something more than a mild memory, he was certain he was that boy; a quasi-memory, a feeling and an internal conviction that he had been very happy in his childhood. His eyes began to shed tears, his body began to vibrate and the buzz of the insect became stronger, until it covered everything.
His legs loosened and he fell on the ground. The child’s face was still in his eyes, he felt he was about to remember. Suddenly he heard a woman singing, a voice so known and loved, that evoked safety and love, sang a cradle song, and clearly felt the hand of the woman with and undefined and nebulous face, caressing his forehead and his hair. Night Eagle had not felt this security and well-being for a long time, which the quasi memory evoked.
Something in him found its base, something indefinable was assembled and brought a wave of well-being, which made him totally abandon himself in the darkness of time and the memories that were about to come. The next morning, the team of transporters left the home of the Smoky mirror. Silent as a snake, they advanced between steep mountains. When the Sun was at the top of the sky, they began to descend to warmer lands.
Night Eagle was radiant; his body felt very happy, something happened and not knowing what it was exactly, something told him that he was on the right track.
The Fire Jaguar team began to pass through a region of volcanoes, lakes and lagoons of unmatched beauty. The climate and vegetation were lush. The mountains mixed all the imaginable greens, the birds’ trills, the animals’ cries and a transparent blue sky, made the carriers walk with renewed energy.
The walk was bearing fruit in the warrior body and spirit. The years spent in warm, moist areas of the Great Plains, living passions of secular life, had numbed his spirit and loosened his body. The tiring physical exertion, the contact with nature and the practice of a discipline, full of mysticism and force, had again tempered and tuned the warrior body and spirit.
The team was advancing by the winding paths of the mid-mountain lands. Very often they saw on their path the animals in those lands; deer, jaguar, tapir, wild boar, monkey; birds of all colors and sizes, where the quetzals, macaws, ducks and eagles were remarkable.
Later, when they arrived in a region of small lakes, they found many villages, where they were well received. The old Toltec grandparents had spilled everywhere their wisdom from the beginning of time. All peoples had the same root. Despite their multiple differences, linguistic, ethnic and cultural; they all had a common philosophical origin, which made them share a single civilization. So religion was very similar in all towns. They changed the names, the physical representations a little and the metaphorical figure of the various devotions of “he for whom one lives”, but basically the essence was the same. An absolute divinity that is abstract, as it is not seen or touched, so it is not represented and has no name; then a second representation of this abstraction, but now tangible and visible, as the divine duality, the male and female principle of everything that exists, in a pair of complementing opposites. Immediately afterwards, the representation of the two energies that govern the universe, the luminous and the spiritual, represented by the water and wind symbol and hence, arise a series of symbols of the laws that rule the universe through all the devotions which shall interpret the basic teaching of the old Toltec grandparents. The essence of religion was the same in all the land that is surrounded by great waters. It was thus taught by the Toltecs.
For this reason, the carriers were well received everywhere and only in some few regions where people living there did not have the wisdom tradition of the ancient ancestors, where the places where the carriers were attacked. These peoples were generally nomadic hunters or were in incipient sedentary periods; which made them warlike and unrelated to the civilized world on the continent.
After four moons, the Fire Jaguar transporter team finally reached their destination, the city of Nicarao, the southern Anahuac border. It was a beautiful city at the edge of the huge Cocibolca Lake, near the great waters, that bordered closely on both sides. It was the last bastion of civilization, to the south, where the mysterious and impenetrable jungles of men never returned were. The sun came down this far on its path and rose through the year to the northern most part, where the great impenetrable desert begins.
This was the land of Nicarao, ruler of a vast region that was known as land of earthquakes and volcanoes; it included lordships all around the region, including the Ometepe Island with its two impressive mountains.
From hundreds of bundles of years ago, there was contact with another great civilization which was in great mountains of the south of the continent. It was known that the old Toltec grandparents had started its development at the same time as in the north, and that both civilizations were sisters. However, although there was contact through navigation, communications were very sporadic and very dangerous. The barrier of the forests, marshes and mangrove swamps, south of Nicarao, made it impenetrable and the long-awaited land route to join the two sisters civilizations, had never been achieved, because in each attempt, the expedition never returned.
Fire Jaguar men were received with joy and fraternity. The city authorities, led by the tlatoani, the female snake and the high priest attended Fire Jaguar personally, gave details of the journey, because transporters not only carried worship articles, they also carried news, ideas and feelings.
The Elders Council was present at the banquet offered to the travellers. Night Eagle was also invited and soon came to the conversation. Some men of the Elders Council immediately recognized him as a warrior, so from that time on he was treated differently.
The team rested for twenty days, to recover their strength to return. Now they would take gold back, which was common to find in the rivers of the region and which was used to make ceremonial objects. Gold was a symbol representing the degree of purity that matter can reach. Gold was the symbol of purity that humans aspired before “He for whom one lives". Similarly, silver and jade were used. They had the idea that luminous energy started its way back to the creative source; so it was recycling over time, increasingly purifying itself. Thus from mineral energy reached a higher level, that was gold. Then it turned to vegetal energy, to become a Ceiba or a Sabino tree, which are the longest living beings; to later become animals, until reaching the human being category, those who have the possibility to achieve spiritual purity and again turn into pure energy, in light.
Fire Jaguar had intended to recommend to Night Eagle to their community at their return, so that he was initiated in the brotherhood, because during the voyage he had become a polished and experienced carrier. Night Eagle however had other plans.
During their stay in the city, he met a group of young men who were preparing an expedition to the southern part of the continent. They were intending to find a land route to join the two civilizations in the continent. The group headed by Awakened Jaguar, was backed by the city authorities, who knew that it was necessary, and at the same time, a very dangerous expedition.
Night Eagle had received in the House of the Smoky mirror a signal that pushed him to find his home, which was nothing but his memory and destiny; his own face and his true heart, the reason of his existence. He was not willing to walk for life; not knowing where came from, what were his origins; where he was. But fundamentally, where he wanted to go, what was his destination, what sort of future wanted to build. He preferred death than to live without an own face and a solid and true heart like stone.
When Awakened Jaguar told him of the plan to find the route to the peoples who lived in the great southern mountains, Night Eagle saw the possibility that the Etla Valley was at the foot of one of these mountains. The invitation to join the expedition came soon and before the team of transporters left, Fire Jaguar knew the decision to the spirit traveller. Twenty days after the departure of Fire Jaguar to the north; Night Eagle left towards the jungles of the south, with a group consisting of nine explorers. Equipment integrated the same way as the carriers; the difference was that they did not carry loads.
An explorer was in front and represented the tongue; Night Eagle was the fangs, since he was an excellent Archer. Without knowing how, when the warrior took a bow it became part of his arm. The arrow was the vehicle of inner strength. When loaded the arrow and tightened the rope, his internal dialogue stopped. The feelings and thoughts were displaced by the spirit. Between his right eye and the chosen target, only mediated an instant, in which the spirit power of the Warrior hit the target. Archery is the domain of the inner world, which condenses in the outside world, through an accurate shot. Behind an excellent Archer, is a flawless spiritual temperance.
Behind the fangs was Awakened Jaguar as the head and the eyes of the group. Immediately behind were six explorers with ready weapons and at the end, one of the most experienced explorers Deer Head, who fulfilled the snake rattle functions. All carried their provisions and equipment.
The Group had painted their entire body, resembling a jaguar skin, which gave them some advantages and filled them with power. They were advancing in complete silence and attentive, waiting for a surprise attack from either men or animals. An area of mangroves and marshes surrounded the impenetrable jungle, brackish water, which was in a decomposition state; from weeds and logs, had a foul odor. Insects and snakes, made the difficult walk forward, an ordeal and a challenge, that every time moved between life and death; but the most dangerous was the nestling presence of lizards and alligators that infested the area. These rotten and muddy waters made their detection very difficult. If they were not carefully watching their steps on the ground, the animal could throw a killing bite; with unprecedented force dragged its prey, to deep water. The surprise attack was so fast and so strong, that nothing could be done when a man was caught by one of these fierce animals.
The mangroves and swamps were so extensive and the walk so slow and tired, that it took the explorers ten days to reach the mainland. These were days of great suffering, stress and tiresome, that they could not recover overnight. Mosquitoes and insects made their rest impossible, plus one evening one of the explorers woke up with a gigantic snake around his body, that had him completely trapped and was stifling him, pressing its rings with such strength that his teammates could barely cut the animal to pieces, to free him, because the snake, even when dead, its rings tightened.
Finally the explorers reached the southern forests, mangroves and swamps had been left behind. The vegetation was thick, large trees prevented the entry of light. A sky green and threatening covered them.
Awakened Jaguar was heading south. At night, they climbed trees, so from the top could see the stars and orient the group; in their supplies always had water and food, because it was plentiful in those humid forests.
They walked in the thick jungle wilderness, when they heard the sound of water running. They came looking for the creek that flowed in the middle of a small ravine. They were resting next to a few large stones, when Night Eagle who was on watch, saw among the vegetation something moving fast towards one of his companions filling his gourd with water in the creek.
Immediately tightened his bow and shot an accurate arrow which stopped the race of a huge boar, that when wounded began to scream loudly. When the group saw what happened, Night Eagle barely had time to shoot again at another boar attacking furiously. The explorers retreat back to the top of the rocks, where Night Eagle was standing.
The Group was surrounded by a large herd of wild boars. Between one hundred and one hundred thirty animals of all sizes, attacked the explorers. Although they could not climb over the high rocks, their hate and frightened the explorers. Awakened Jaguar gave the order not shot at them, because it seemed that the death of their companions and the frustration of not being able to reach them was what maintained the animals aggressive. They roared loudly and in a defiant attitude, they ran against the rocks, knowing that they could not climb and that they could be killed easily.
Awakened Jaguar prepared his men to spend the night at the top of those rocks. All night the ferocious animals continued crashing against the rocks. Their cries of rage kept the explorers awake overnight. When the morning came, they thought that the animals would go away, but strangely they remained, still determined to finish the men. The wild boars seemed prepared to stay there forever, until they got the explorers down. Some left and others returned, but the fact is that they were permanently surrounded by at least 50 animals. Some were laying down on the grass, others, the more aggressive tried to climb the rocks, challenging the presence of the men. What they did not stop doing was screaming and shouting so loud and annoying, that the men began to lose control.
They had been for four days and their nights on top of these rocks and surrounded by the stubborn animals, it seemed that they were ready to kill them in any way possible. They knew that time was on their side and knew what they were doing. The fifth day a big storm started in the afternoon. The stream became a river with a large flow of water. The wild boars were still there waiting. In the early evening the storm became stronger and a miracle determined the outcome. As if by mandate, powerful lightning began to strike around the rocks illuminating the storm darkness and the baffled and frightened animals around the rocks. Each thunder was followed by the terrified scream of the dozens of animals that ran in all directions. Awakened Jaguar gave the order to run in column, not knowing how Night Eagle was at the front leading the explorers in the midst of the darkness.
Three moons after their departure from the city, the expedition was a disaster. In addition to dangers experienced, two men were ill with high temperatures, another had been bitten by a poisonous snake and even when the poison had been extracted and he was provided a miracle plant juice, his body was badly weakened. Group morale was very low mainly because they knew they had made very little progress and it appeared the jungle would swallow them alive anytime soon.
Awakened Jaguar consulted alone with Night Eagle on their desperate situation. So far they had not lost any life and the chances of the explorers team, was decreasing day by day. Night Eagle coincided with Awakened Jaguar the best was to return. With the firmness of a leader, Awakened Jaguar informed his decision to the team, whom with the destroyed moral accepted to resign and return.
They had been walking for three days with tiring and slow progress, when the pointer detected a group of hunters approaching. They were fifteen armed men who followed the steps of a wounded animal. The groups noticed one another. Awakened Jaguar gave the order not to shoot and stay hidden in the jungle. The hunters slowly surrounded the explorers. These were moments of great tension. The hunters were preparing to attack those who had invaded their territory. Night Eagle realized the fight would be inevitable. They all prepared their weapons. The bows were tensed and spears and obsidian knives were held tightly.
When the siege was fully closed and knowing their numerical advantage, the hunters attacked with loud deadly screams. The explorers skillfully defended themselves, before reaching physical contact; accurate explorer arrows downed half of the attackers. The fight was quick and the four surviving attackers fled the site.
Awakened Jaguar reviewed his men; all were well, only three had superficial cuts and blows. He then gave the order to leave immediately; they knew the hunters would soon return soon seeking in revenge.
In the afternoon Awakened Jaguar gave the order that the eight team members moved away to the north without stopping; he and Night Eagle would wait for the hunters to attack them and delay them, giving them time to flee with the sick. There was a silence and the men told Awakened Jaguar that they considered it impossible to flee, and as they were going to die that evening anyway, they rather die fighting together. The group response was strong, not in contempt of an order, was the last will of a team, to receive death with dignity.
By mutual agreement they chose the site of their death, around a huge Ceiba, perhaps the largest in the forest. There they began to entrench themselves. When they were painting their faces in a ritual manner, each sang a farewell song. They could already hear the snails announcing the hunters, who followed their enemies trail. Finally, the explores said goodbye to one another and took their places to fight.
The afternoon was dying when the first hunters appeared, one by one, arrows were knocking them down. When a man is facing his impending death and he receives it with dignity and courage. Death respectfully grants, in those sublime moments, the impeccability. So every explorer arrow hit target. The hunters who had arrived in disorder upon seeing the slaughter retreated and despite being more than eighty, they were not willing to be killed that way. They decided to wait for the night, because in the darkness the fearsome arrows were not efficient and the fight would have to be man to man.
Awakened Jaguar gave his men the order to prepare weapons for the upcoming fight. They began to sing a song with so much passion and strength that for a moment the hunters lost concentration. Those men were ready to put a high price to their death; they could feel an unusual detachment, before their imminent death. The effect was devastating in the hunters, some quietly withdrew and others lacked courage to begin the final assault.
The hunters’ chiefs’ nervous cries, inciting their people to fight, contrasted with the sure and firm songs of those who were ready to find death with sobriety. Finally after indecision, the hunters attacked.
Fire jaguar men multiplied in speed and force. Once and again the hunters were rejected by the explorers, the hunters’ mortality was alarming. But little by little, Night Eagle partners were falling. In the end more than ten hunters were fighting Awakened Jaguar; Night Eagle managed to climb the huge Ceiba, it prevented the hunters’ attack, at the time were tearing Awakened Jaguar body to pieces with unprecedented viciousness.
Among the Ceiba branches, Night Eagle was cornered like a jaguar. He took over the only access to the tree and each time a hunter tried to climb to kill him, Night Eagle with a force and feline ability, would kill them with one blow. Hunters fell, the warrior had a high price on his life. At a point in time at the foot of the Ceiba were fifteen dead hunters and nobody wanted to climb and fight that special enemy. The hunters then decided start a huge fire at the foot of the Ceiba, to be able to see the warrior and use bows and arrows. When Night Eagle was illuminated, began receiving nearby shots. This forced him to climb to the middle of the tree, where branches protected him from the arrows. Again the hunters attempted to climb the tree, and when they arrived where Night Eagle was hiding, personal combat ensued again, as not more than two hunters could attack at the time, they started falling deadly wounded.
Night Eagle felt he was living his last moments. He did not feel fear or anger against his adversaries. He could not waste such valuable energy in that task. On the contrary, knowing that he was about to die, he executed every fighting move, with the awareness that it could be the last movement of his life, so it had to be the best. With a luxurious efficiency, he had become an instrument of death; that bewildered and terrified the hunters, who decided to change tactics and began to cut down the tree, so the warrior would fall into their hands.
Night Eagle immediately understood the intention of his adversaries. He decided then, to climb to the top of the Ceiba and from there, for the last time observe the sky, now dark and studded with stars. He heard below the rhythmic pounding of the axes, which marked the warrior destiny.
When he reached the top of the tree and saw the night sky, with its immensity of colored lights. When he felt the forest as a living being; he began to feel nostalgia for having to leave this world so intense and beautiful. He felt that his whole body was saying goodbye to this wonderful world. A chant came to his heart:
"It is not true that we live,
it is not true that we last
on Earth,
I have to leave the beautiful flowers,
I have to go in search of the mystery site!
But for a short time,
Let’s make the beautiful songs ours.
Emeralds are: turquoise
your clay and your feathers,
Oh life giver!
Happiness and wealth to the warriors
is to die at war."
Night Eagle did not feel sad over his imminent death. Something in his guts did not accept leaving this world, without having found his own face, his true heart, his home. Etla Valley came from very far away and held onto the warrior heart.
Death became desolation, by not having regained his identity, not knowing his true history, what were his origins. In front of such truth, his present fell out of context, even his own death dislodged. Thought Night Eagle, if I do not know who I am, who dies in truth?
A courage and outrage discharge came from the warrior guts. At that instant he decided that he could not die without having regained his memory. The huge tree began to crack and the enthusiasm shouts of the hunters did not disrupt him. The tree was beginning to lean producing a roar. Night Eagle looked at the sky and saw, at that moment, a shooting star fell luminously scratching to sky sphere. At the time when the star was falling, Night Eagle stretched his arms towards the sky immensity. Tree started its noisy fall and the warrior in the darkness of the night, miraculously turned into a huge eagle, opening its wings to fly slowly in pursuit of the immeasurable.
In his majestic flight left behind the jungle and was returning to the south, bordering the west coast on a night flight.