AS THE DARKNESS RISES ABOVE YOU
Itzli placed the bag down he hated that un-dead horse not only was it annoying but it didn't like him. Every time he'd taken a bag off the foul tempered beast had tried to bite him. He had no idea which saddle bag the Blood Jaguar had the godly items in but it didn't matter he wasn't going to even attempt to use them. They didn't work for mortals and the only reason the fertility's goddess's pendent had was because she'd taken the serpent tattoo. She had cut the tattoo from the Blood Jaguars back then healed the woman's skin. She'd replacing her own skin with it. She'd then drunken her blood because she needed it in her system to make the serpent tattoo work.
He placed the bag down before then calmly sat himself down close to the tall dark haired warrior. He could see that the Blood Jaguar was leaning against her partner. He had to say he found their affection sickening sometimes. Frankly though he was dreading the thought of them having sex more, because the last place he wanted to be was near them when they did. They were both suffocating enough as it was, he didn't even want to imagine what they were both like when they started to roll around in the bed roll. Xena eyed Itzli watching as she moved the bags over she pulled the Aztec bag up quickly putting it next to her lover, who eased it up putting it over her shoulder.
Her gaze drifted up as she watched two young women walk in to the keep one of them had one of the odd woolly beasts. They said nothing as they both took out woven bags and placed them on the long tables. Xena stood up slowly walking over to the odd woolly beast which made grunting sounds as it lowered its ears and it long neck. "What are these woolly walking carpets called anyway?" Gabrielle stood up slowly. "There called llamas and you really shouldn't go any closer." Xena didn't think as she grabbed its reins. "Why are they unfriendly?" She turned only to cry out as the animal suddenly spat sending a spray of saliva directly in to her face. She let go of the reins instantly as stepped back trying to wipe her face. "Son of a Bacchae!"
Gabrielle looked down trying not to laugh. "No…they spit." Xena turned eyeing her lover. "It's not funny!" Gabrielle eased up her hand sniggering slightly. "I'm sorry…but you should have seen your face." Xena turned sharply. "Gabrielle!" Gabrielle smiled slightly. "It happens to every one don't be embarrassed." Xena narrowed her gaze as she grabbed a cloth from the table wiping her face. "Did it happen to you?" Gabrielle looked up slightly. "No…" Xena growled aloud. "How come it didn't happen to you?" Gabrielle eased up her hand. "I read a few scrolls about Mexica before I came here. Any one who wrote about this place seemed to put that at the top of the scroll for some reason." Xena eyed Itzli in annoyance watching as he stopped sniggering. "Great…."
"Ah I see that you've found that our llama's spit."
Xena turned sharply seeing that Xochipilli was standing close by she grunted aloud saying nothing. Xochipilli smiled watching as the two servant women left with the llama. His gaze turned to the small blonde woman who slowly met his gaze. "At last we finally meet Blood Jaguar you're quite the legend here." Gabrielle lowered her gaze. "You saved us both…why?" Xochipilli felt his smile widen as he stepped forward. "As you know my sister has been very depressed lately because she's missing a certain someone." He winked as he looked up. "I felt that she shouldn't be taking it out on both of you." He leaned over taking a mango slice out of the fruit bowl. "It's never fair to pick on helpless mortals and she knows better."
Gabrielle took a slow step forward. "What's your price?" Xochipilli laughed slightly. "You don't miss a trick do you? Well if I was one of the other gods I'd have a price…but I'm not so you needn't worry." Gabrielle eyed him for a long moment. "All the Aztec gods have a price…." Xochipilli bit down on the mango enjoying the sweet taste. "I'm a god of love why would I need anything?" Gabrielle turned sharply. "Every one in Mexica wants something…and the price is always blood or gold." Xochipilli laughed slightly. "You really have met the wrong people." He put his hands up. "Frankly I'm just happy to finally meet two of Zeus's soul mate creations." He felt his smile widen. "Just being able to stand in your presence is fascinating."
He folded his arms. "Although I am surprised that you're not the dark soul, I always thought you were due to your reputation." He eased up his hand pointing at the taller dark haired warrior. "But you're the darker soul the dark Yin." He moved slightly eyeing the Blood Jaguar. "And you're the light Yang it all sounds really interesting." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze as she eased the Aztec bag free from her shoulder. "I'm not here to add to my reputation." She turned sharply watching as the fertility goddess walked through the golden doors. The woman's violet eyes slowly narrowed as she sat her self down on the throne in the centre of the room.
Xochiquetzal looked up slightly. "Why are you here Blood Jaguar? No one ever thought that you'd return…after all you did break the order of the gods. You stole from the feathered serpent and he's had problems ever since, despite that he is in essence still king of the gods." Gabrielle breathed in painfully. "I paid the price for stealing from him he stole from me…." Xochiquetzal laughed slightly but it was a cold laugh. "What did he take from you, more items that you stole?" Gabrielle turned sharply. "He took my younger sister!" She turned the bag over watching as the items spilled out at her feet. "If I don't return these items she is going to die!" Xena folded her arms watching as the goddess's face turned to shock as she looked at her lover and then the items at her feet.
Xochiquetzal stood up slowly walking towards the other items her brother calmly followed. "You have them all…all the items of the lesser Aztec gods here…." She kneeled down looking at the first item which was a half staff with gold snake's encrusted with crystal and jade skulls. "Itzpapalotl's staff of souls…." Her gaze drifted to the gold and silver Aztec axe hilt. "Huitzilopochtli's Macuahuitl axe…." Her gaze turned to the last item which she picked up sadly it was a bone dagger encrusted with red gem stone. "Chantico's dagger of treasures…." She looked up slowly meeting the Blood Jaguars gaze. "You brought all these back…I never thought you would. I thought you'd keep them to spite the feathered serpent."
Gabrielle lowered her gaze sadly. "I want my sister back I came here for her…I'm not here to spite anyone." Xochiquetzal kept hold of the bone dagger as she stood up. Her gaze turned to meet the dark haired warriors. "Why are you here?" Xena grunted aloud as she folded her arms. "I'm here because where ever Gabrielle goes I go." Xochiquetzal narrowed her gaze. "So you do know that you're going to be a target for every god who loathes the Blood Jaguar?" Xena turned slightly watching as a sad expression travelled across Gabrielle's face. "I'm here because I want to be here." Xochiquetzal sighed aloud as she sat back down on the throne she eyed the dark haired warrior. "I don't know if you're incredibly brave or incredibly foolish."
Xochipilli shook his head as he met his sister's gaze. "Now, now there's no need to be rude…I'm sure this dark haired warrior wants to be here as much as anyone else." Xena eyed the fertility goddess coldly. "It's all right…I've been called worse." Xochiquetzal leaned on her elbow eyeing the dark haired woman. "Have you now?" Gabrielle slowly met the fertility goddess's gaze. "I came here to return your pendent to you, so please stop giving my lover a hard time. She never stole from you I stole from you." Xochiquetzal's gaze drifted slowly back to the bone dagger which she moved between her fingers. "Yes you did, which begs the question, are you just going to return these to the serpent god?"
Gabrielle looked at all the items. "I have to return them to the feathered serpent." Xochiquetzal felt her grip tighten around the bone dagger. "Then you can return these two…the one in my hand stays." Xochipilli turned slightly. "Sister…" Xochiquetzal turned sharply. "It's not that bastard serpent's! It belonged to Chantico and since I have nothing of hers I should have something." Xochipilli raised his hand. "What if the feathered serpent kills the Blood Jaguar's sister…your playing with an innocent life here?" Xochiquetzal stood up sharply. "I hate the creator gods! I will not bow to them anymore and the fact of the matter is I won't give the Blood Jaguar an item that she has no right to own!"
Xochipilli turned sharply. "That's not fair!" Xena walked forward slowly. "He's right you're not being fair we came here willingly!" Xochiquetzal turned sharply. "Since when, is life ever fair warrior? Maybe you should ask that question to all those who've suffered under the feathered serpent? As well as all those who've suffered under the creator gods and whose souls have been condemned because of it." She raised the dagger. "No this is mine it's not yours or the feathered serpents!" Xochipilli watched as his sister vanished in blast of coloured light. He turned eyeing both women. "Give a moment I'll talk to her." Gabrielle raised her hand. "No there's no need." Xena turned sharply. "Gabrielle?" Gabrielle lowered her gaze sadly. "She's right…it should be hers …it belonged to some one she loved."
8
Ares opened his eyes slowly his body hurt once again the only difference was that this time around he was lying on his front in the same place that he'd passed out. He got up slowly feeling his body once again spike with pain. The pain was no longer in his ribs and he could move his arm and his hand, he had once again been healed. Huitzilopochtli smiled as he watched the lesser god get on to his knees. "Do you still need to sleep or are you fully rested?" Ares turned sharply he pulled him self painfully up on to his feet. He didn't think as closed his eyes trying to teleport only to find his eyes snapping open sharply what was going on! He couldn't teleport!
Huitzilopochtli laughed slightly. "You don't think I'd just let you escape do you war god?" He sat back in his throne feeling his smile widen. "After all children who abuse their power have no right to their power, wouldn't you agree?" Ares pulled up his hand trying to form a fireball only to feel his fingers tingle but no fire ball formed. "What have you done to me?!" Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply. "I've taken away the power of your godhood, you're still a god but you have no use of your powers." He looked up slightly. "You're here to learn and until you learn you will not be able to leave, I can heal you over and over again until the end of time." He raised his hand. "That is until you learn and become an adult as opposes to a child."
Ares sneered slightly as he met the gods amber gaze. "You can't keep me here." Huitzilopochtli leaned back in his throne. "You are quite the arrogant one aren't you lesser war god? Do you truly believe that you can escape me and my power which is infinitely more than yours?" Ares stepped forward ignoring the pain. "I am Ares god of war no one keeps me anywhere!" Huitzilopochtli slowly met his gaze. "I bet you say that to all the women you sleep with when you're dropping your trousers and forcing them in to your bedchamber against their will, my guess is they fall to your every whim because of fear. Terrified men kneel to you but they kneel only out of fear not out of love as you bellow those same words."
Ares looked up sharply. "I have never forced any women in to my bed chamber!" Huitzilopochtli looked up slightly ignoring the lesser god's defensive words. "Have you ever once seen your world through the eyes of those you terrorise?" He stood up slowly walking towards the young god. "Gods like you look upon mortals like their insects but allow me to show you the so called insect perspective." Ares didn't get a chance to move as his throat was grabbed he was lifted up high in to the air. His feet kicked out once again only to cause no pain to the towering god who just smiled. Huitzilopochtli raised his other hand. "Coaxoch!" Blue and gold light showered down on them as a white light appeared high above the white light slowly parted revealing a gold and silver tunnel.
His gaze moved as, a white, green and gold humming bird flew out of the silver tunnel it landed on the floor close by. Its body blasted in to white light as it formed in to that of a person. The Humming bird warrior was a tall man in his early thirties with white, green and gold plumes on his Jaguar headdress and his coils. His body had old scars from battle and his brown eyes narrowed as he stood up swinging his axe the patterns on it glowed green with his every movement. The white light of his very soul could be seen streamed out of his eyes like smoke rising from a fire as he opened them fully. He slowly rose to his feet while keeping his head lowered.
Huitzilopochtli closed his hand watching as his paradise closed he slowly turned back to the god. "Allow me to introduce the head warrior of my grand Humming bird army." He smiled slightly. "I have two grand armies one of living warrior and in my heavenly paradise one who are my angels. They are my greatest warriors who have found their place in my heaven, which is for both warriors and none warriors alike." Coaxoch kept his eyes low as he bowed his head. "I live to serve you mighty god of the sun." Huitzilopochtli threw the lesser god down watching as he landed in front of the humming bird warrior. He ignored his cry of pain. "Show him the suffering you have seen…show him from the perspective of those who suffer needlessly and those who are innocent and who only know pain."
Coaxoch moved forward he slowly raised his axe putting it to the lesser god's chest, he watched as patterns basted out with green light. "See all as you are meant to see it." Ares felt the pain all too suddenly his mind was filled with images of pain, images of sadness and images of cruelty. He could see faces hear names even feel the painfully emotions. Death, fire, destruction and suffering filled with screaming and pain, he could feel it all in his mind! Huitzilopochtli slowly re seated himself watching as the lesser gods body tensed up as his eyes closed and his scream of agony hit the air. He ignored it, as he sat back he knew what the god was seeing, he was seeing all the suffering he had caused in his own land. He was seeing it through the eyes of the innocents who he'd sent his armies out to pillage and plunder.
He'd once asked his people after his return to Mexica to let him see their feelings in the same way. He had found himself hating who he was and what he'd done. He raised slowly his hand. "Stop." He watched as the head warrior pulled away his axe calmly stepping back. The lesser war god's body went still, his brown eyes closed as he groaned painfully. "That is the pain you cause to others that is the truth of who you are and how people see you through their eyes." He looked up slightly. "So tell me now are you still as grand as you believe yourself to be? Or are you a curse up on the mortal world lesser god?" Ares sneered slightly. "You're trying to break me…aren't you? I won't be broken by you!" Huitzilopochtli shook his head as he sighed aloud. "Still thinking like a child." He raised his hand to the head warrior who eased up his glowing weapon. "Again Coaxoch …."
8
Baldomero opened his eyes slowly he could feel the cold stone floor he blinked painfully as he raised his head that little bitch, she'd knocked him out! He pulled himself up painfully on to his knees. He looked down sharply seeing that his rings were missing. He pulled up his hand to his chest in a sharp motion his pendent was gone!
"Looking for this?"
He looked up slightly meeting the red eyes of a tall woman who was looming over him he swallowed catching sight of the overly long canines. In her hand was his pendent. "Please tell me you grinded your teeth to those points…." Itzpapalotl narrowed her gaze as she sneered meeting the captain's terrified gaze. "I was born with them this way…just like all the other Aztec gods…but you knew that already didn't you?" Baldomero put his hands together. "Can we talk about this you see there was this…." Itzpapalotl felt her teeth grind together. "Quite!" Baldomero tried to smile. "Yes as you command great goddess." Itzpapalotl looked at the pendent. "I'm Itzpapalotl and you've been stealing from me for a very long time." Baldomero shivered nervously. "I'm a poor man…just getting by."
Itzpapalotl turned sharply. "Do you think that excuse means anything to me mortal?" Baldomero looked around catching sight of the keep with his frightening walls and bloody floors. Itzpapalotl grinned slightly. "Yes mortal you're in the keep of one of the gods. She stepped aside so he could see the Jaguar god sitting on his throne. Tezcatlipoca roared as stood up slowly. "Your in my keep you fifthly vile little mortal!" Baldomero could feel him self shaking as the huge Jaguar god stepped towards him. Tezcatlipoca snarled in disgust as he came to stand over the mortal. "You're going to tell me everything I want to know! Or I will make you suffer so much that you'll beg for your death."
Baldomero looked down not daring to meet the god's cat like eyes. "I'll tell you everything! Please just don't hurt me!" Tezcatlipoca sneered in disgust how he hated begging. He raised his clawed hand pushing one of his long clawed fingers in to the mortal's neck. "Do you know the Blood Jaguar?" Baldomero tried to stop shaking. "Yes…I know her she came here aboard my ship…her true name is Gabrielle." Tezcatlipoca pushed his claw in deeper. "Very good…now tell me who is she with?" Baldomero swallowed. "A warrior!" Tezcatlipoca raised his hand slowly to the man's hand. The mortal's scream of agony hit the air as the flesh was ripped from his hand leaving only muscle and tendon. He watched as blood spattered across the floor. "Do not mock my intelligence mortal."
Baldomero pulled his bloody hand to his chest crying in pain every movement of his fingers caused more pain. "Two warriors she's travelling with two warriors! Ones a man the others a woman!" Tezcatlipoca moved his hand watching as the flesh was torn from his upper arm along with his shirts arms causing him to cry out even more. "I want their names!" Baldomero looked up painfully he was being flayed alive piece by piece. "Itzli is her slave!" Tezcatlipoca narrowed his gaze. "Who is the female warrior?" He didn't think as fire burst from his hand setting fire to the mortals already damaged arm. He ignored his screaming as it was burnt down to the bone leaving half a skeleton arm. "What's her name?!"
Baldomero looked up slowly. "Xena Warrior Princess she's Greek." Tezcatlipoca narrowed his gaze. "What is her relationship with this warrior?" Baldomero looked up sharply. "She's sleeping with her!" Tezcatlipoca pulled his claw away sharply. "Define sleeping with her!" Baldomero narrowed his gaze. "She's having sex with her!" Tezcatlipoca pulled back slightly eyeing Itzpapalotl. "The Star Coyote is true to her word it would seem." Itzpapalotl felt her mouth form a cruel smile. "Does she love this Warrior Princess?" Baldomero blinked as he looked up. "She's always kissing her I found it sickening personally." Itzpapalotl eyed him in disgust. "No doubt because you couldn't join in…"
Baldomero tried to ignore the pain and the terror which was consuming him. "I hated them both…the last place I wanted to be was near them. The Warrior Princess is a walking wall and she's always trying to protect the Blood Jaguar. Even though she's out of her depth in Mexica and she's the one who needs protecting." Tezcatlipoca felt his smile widened. "Then it would appear that the Blood Jaguar has a weakness." Tezcatlipoca turned back slowly eyeing the terrified mortal. "Where were these two heading before you ran away?" Baldomero looked up slowly. "They were heading towards Xochiquetzal's region on flying horses." Tezcatlipoca turned sharply in anger he turned back letting it pass. "Time for you to die mortal…I'm going to take apart piece by piece." Baldomero looked up sharply. "Please! I told you all I know! You said you'd spare me!" Tezcatlipoca laughed slightly as he raised both hands. "Your really are the little fool the Star Coyote said you were…you should be grateful to me because I will make your end quick!" Itzpapalotl heard the man's screams of pain hit the air as his skin was torn slowly off…Tezcatlipoca was so cruel and it was so beautiful to watch.
8
Ehecatl looked up sharply hearing the screaming in the other room it sounded like a man no doubt the traitor that the Star Coyote had brought in. He looked at his skeleton hand he was no doubt being flayed alive. A feeling he remembered well since it had been his punishment many years go further back than he cared to remember. He eyed Amimitl who said nothing as he kept his eyes on the Star Coyote. "I'm sure my god will give you, your wish now." The Star Coyote turned slightly eyeing him. "The fool deserves to die…as does the Blood Jaguar." Ehecatl got up slowly he calmly walked towards her so he was standing next to her. He raised his hand running it through her hair. "What bothers you so about this Blood Jaguar?"
He enjoyed the soft hair as it ran through his fingers. "She has nothing over you, you're so beautiful." The Star Coyote turned slightly. "Have you ever had something in your grasp and in that moment you had everything and you were complete?" Ehecatl raised his hand to her face running his fingers across her cheek. "Yes…I have." The Star Coyote pulled her hair away in a forceful motion he narrowed his red eyes undeterred by her actions. She did this all the time if only she'd let him give her affection. Despite his appearance he was still human and she was the only woman who he could touch. Every time he just wanted to touch more of her and imagine what she was like under her clothes.
The Star Coyotes eyes narrowed. "I had that once and she took it away from me!" Ehecatl blinked slightly. "We all loose what we prize…it's the nature of the world, it's cruel and heartless." He raised his hand again running it through her hair. "It's the price we pay for being human beings we must endure just to survive." The Star Coyote gave him a cold look. "I intend to get back what was taken from me." Ehecatl pulled back putting his hand on his rib cage blinking in confusion. "Do you believe that you can bring the Blood Jaguar to her knees?" An evil smile formed across the Star Coyote's face. "Yes I can and I'm going to destroy her piece by piece when I do so!"
End of part 27
Silvermoonlight.
