AS BLOOD COURSES THROUGH MY VEINS

Ehecatl pulled up the large pack filled with hand held muskets, black powder and rounds up slightly as he followed Akemi through the trees. Somehow he was glad that they'd finally gotten away from Cortez. The man was a bastard there was no other way of saying it, he was power hungry and rude he also thought himself to be a god among men. He'd met powerful men through out his living and un-dead life but none matched this Spanish fool's lust for power and conquest. Only Akemi's desire for conquest matched his but it was obvious that she didn't like him. Still she'd shared the information about how to destroy the gods with him as one of his men wrote down her directions and places to go to find gold.

This had gone on in to the early hours of the morning and then he'd shown her finally how to fire the musket pistol. He didn't understand why she was so desperate to obtain this weapon. It was true that it was powerful and could kill people with one shot but from what he'd seen it took a while to load the black powder in to the barrel followed by the heavy metal ball. There was another issue with it once the flint lock as they called it was fired which in turn caused a spark of fire there was sometimes a delay before it fired. Cortez had said that you had to keep the powder dry but it seemed that Akemi knew that part already and had ignored him as she carried on loading and firing until she'd gotten the hang of it.

He couldn't really see the method in her plans but what did it matter? He'd find out soon enough what getting these muskets had been all about. She liked to tell him her plans although never in a very nice way. He watched as she came to a stop pulling up the merged pendent which looked just the same as its counterpart in the past with the exception of looking slightly dirty. He could now see the pistol which was attached to Akemi's waist along with black powder and rounds. He looked up slightly. "How much further are we going to go, I mean you have the pendent now can't we just go home?" Akemi turned eyeing him. "No not we can't I don't trust that bastard Cortez and I don't want him to see the power that I hold."

She eyed the tree line someone had been following them the problem was that Ehecatl hadn't realized it yet. She'd hoped that she could just out walk this fool but it obvious now that they weren't going to shrug him off. So instead it was time to lay a little trap for him. She stopped in front of the lake close by. She carefully eased the loaded musket free, now was as good a time as any to test it. She sighed aloud emphasising her next words. "If he knew he could control the whole of Mexica with this pendent in the blink of an eye, I doubt that he would have given it to me for nothing." She turned to Ehecatl who red glowing eyes were full of confusion. "I mean it would make him look rather stupid wouldn't you agree!?"

She turned watching as the Spanish warrior smashed through the jungle directly behind them his long musket rose as he got it ready to fire in her direction. She didn't think as she raised the musket so it was pointed at Ehecatl's head. She raised her eyebrow as she met his stunned gaze as he became aware of the man who had just come out of the trees behind them. "Ehecatl I'd duck right now." She watched in what felt like slow motion as Ehecatl ducked down as she pulled the flintlock back shaking her head as the Spanish warrior came closer raising his long musket higher. Stupid pitiful fool, she raised the pistol higher this would be an interesting test anyway since she wanted to see what a close up shot did.

She could see the warrior now had his flint lock pulled back she closed her eye as she lined up the shot, he was so close now. Funny how he'd forgotten the first rule which Cortez had been so adamant about? He'd said that the long muskets should be used at a distance, because there was an issue with them. This issue meant their shots weren't always accurate unlike the pistol which was much more accurate close up. She pulled the trigger watching as the flintlock hit the fire pan sparking a fire. The blood flew outwards as it hits its mark right in the lower chest plate his whole body fell sideway as he hit the floor hard on his back his whole body going in to spasm.

Akemi breathed out blowing the smoke away she eyed the fallen warrior's lower body watching as blood poured out. She slowly re load the pistol again pulling the flint lock back watching as Ehecatl pulled out his axe as he got to his feet the anger showing in his red eyes. He walked over to the fallen man kicking off his helmet with his skeleton foot ignoring his cry of pain. He shook his head raising his axe higher as he met the fallen man's shocked gaze. "Very stupid, I do hope your hell welcomes you." He raised the weapon fully getting ready to strike. Akemi moved forward grabbing his skeleton arm. "Not that way Ehecatl." She watched as he lowered the weapon blinking. She smiled as she raised the musket pistol to the warriors head as she put a foot on his armoured chest.

She smiled enjoying the fear in his eyes as the realization of his impending death hit home. "Cortez was very foolish to send you here." She pulled the flint lock back as she put her finger on the trigger. "First rule of combat is that you should never ever teach anyone how to use your own weapons against you." She smiled evilly as she eyed him. "Because they just might...and it'll be your undoing." She pulled the trigger watching as the blood flew outwards spattering across the grass. She eased up the musket watching as the smoke drifted outward as she pulled it away from the dead mans body. "Now we can go home, now that that bastards not following us anymore." Her gaze drifted to the pendent as she raised it higher.

She pulled the pendent free from her neck. "Open C'thulon's gate to the past!" She smiled as the purple and gold light moved outward from the merged pendent in steams. These streams suddenly blasted in to white light which slowly formed in to a huge glowing circle. She found herself smiling as she turned to Ehecatl. "Time to go home." She didn't think as she used her foot to push him through ignoring his cry of pain as he disappeared in to the blazing white light. She smiled as she eyed the jungle raised her musket higher this had been fun, but it was merely a stepping stone. The best part was yet to come and she was so looking forward to it.

She didn't think as she leapt through in to the light watching as for a second it encompassed everything around her. She felt the solid floor as her feet hit it on the other side and the light slowly faded away. She turned seeing everything in the temple just as it had been as well as the spinning calendar and its skulls. She smiled as she watched the calendar stop spinning she looked up watching as Ehecatl slowly got to his feet. She felt a cruel smile form as turned to the golden centre piece whose eyes flashed red as she put the pendent back around her neck. "Well I must be so much better than you already centre piece since I'm not dead."

The golden skull grinded its jaw bone as it spoke. "You forget that when a stone hits the water it is not always the plash that attracts attention it is the ripples its sends out afterwards." Its red eyes glowed brighter as its colds words hit the air. "The echoes of time are no different and their ripples will attract attention the more you choose to make." Akemi laughed as she placed the musket back on her waist's belt as she eyed the glowing circles behind her which were filled with white light but showing no imagery. "Well as you care to mention echoes I would like to see the future of what I've just done." She sneered slightly. "Do hurry up though I have other times to be in."

The golden skulls eyes glowed brighter. "As you wish..." Akemi ignored the sarcasm in its voice as she turned seeing the five images appear inside the gleaming gold circles which moved closer. She turned walking towards them she could already hear the screaming, she smiled closing her eyes for a moment as she enjoyed the sound. She slowly opened her eyes seeing the images of cities on fire as the Spanish conquistadors moved through them spilling the blood of women, children men and warriors. The golden skull ground its jaw in disgust. "As you can see your plan was success full Cortez was able to plunder, pillage and destroy the Aztec empire."

Its eyes glowed white for an instant. "Though you weren't honest about everything, you told some half truths which cost his armies many men." Akemi smirked slightly. "What can I say he's a bastard and I felt he should have a taste of what it's like loose badly?" The golden skull grinded his lower jaw against its upper once more. "Then you succeeded." Akemi eyed the image of Tenochtitlan which was burning, her gaze drifted to Teotihuacán which was also on fire. "Nothing makes me happier than to watch the Aztec empire burn." She turned sharply. "What happened to Quetzalcoatl?" The golden skulls eyes turned white as it spoke. "Quetzalcoatl fled in to the heavens leaving the kingdom of Mexica to the mercy of Cortez."

It paused before speaking. "The other gods having no alliances or no strong king and staving from lack of blood had no choice but to flee to save themselves." Akemi eyed the images again her evil smile widening. "Just the way I wanted it." The golden skulls eyes flashed red as it spoke its words filled with venom. "You should be more careful when you're looking at your handy work." It cold words hit the air again. "What you see may not be what you think you see, time can play its own cruel game against you." Akemi eyed the skull in disgust making sure that her tone was condescending. "That's fascinating I'll keep that in mind you dead centre piece." She watched as Ehecatl carefully put the muskets down close by.

Ehecatl stopped still as an odd sensation went through his whole body he eased up his skeleton hand watching as it started to shake. He felt hot spikes of pain go through his finger tips. He blinked in confusion only to watch as his whole hand started to shake violently which caused intense pain to go through his arms. He grinded his jaw bone trying to ignore it only to feel it get worse what the hell was happening to him? He felt himself stop still in shock as blood began to pour out of his fingers moving down the length of each one in turn. He watched as the blood formed in muscle and then skin appeared covering it, he ignored the pain as he raised hand staring at his fingers with their fully formed skin and nails.

The golden skulls eyes flashed red as it spoke. "The echoes of time, they can be so very painfully as your going to find out with in a few seconds Ehecatl." Ehecatl found himself crying out in agony as every joint of his body shook violently bringing him to his knees. All he could do was close his eyes as he felt liquid pour out of his bones as he tried to take the pain. Akemi blinked in confusion as she watched blood spill out of every bone on Ehecatl's body, it slowly began to form in to muscle and tendons. She stared in shock as the whole of his inside formed taking up their place in side his empty bones. His belt was pulled loose as his thick muscle forced it outwards as skin grew over it.

She breathed in as skin grew over the muscled face which was very broad with dark eyebrows and dark skin. The hair that grew was thick dark and as black as night, it was also medium length. The body that formed was thick with heavy muscles on the chest, arms and legs. She blinked as he fell forward his whole body shaking violently as it final features formed. A long scar appeared running through his right eye as well as scars on his back no doubt from weapons. It was the body of a man who was about twenty nine seasons old. She stepped back hearing him groan as he got to his knees adjusting his belt so it fitted around his waist as he raised his hand opening his eyes slowly.

They now looked normal except for the colour which was a dark shade of red. She could see the shock in his face as he stared at his hands, body. His fingers moved to his face as he started to feel it. Ehecatl stared at himself feeling the odd sensations of his own body once more as he felt the pain dissipate in an instant. Was this truly for real or was it just a strange waking dream? It didn't feel real, how could it be? After all he had been un-dead for seasons. He breathed in putting a hand on his chest feeling the sweat on his skin and the drumming of his own heart beat as well as the odd sensation as he breathed air in to his chest.

Everything felt odd the way his arms moved and how his muscles flexed he put a hand on his stomach feeling the odd sensation of once more having insides something which he really wasn't used to. He tried to ignore the pounding in his head and the odd dizzy feeling as he struggled to stand up once more. He could see Akemi staring at him in utter shock he felt the pounding pass in his head as he steadied himself. He eased up his hand slowly moving all his fingers. He didn't think as he loosened his belt slightly opening his hanging cloth he closed it redoing his belt feeling a smile slowly form on his lips which was an even odder sensation as he'd been so used to grinding his jaw bone.

He suddenly couldn't stop the joyful feeling as his laugher hit the air breaking the silence everything was back his place. His manhood and everything that came with it, oh hell this was the best thing ever! He eased up his hand moving again as he tightened his belt fully he looked even better than he remembered! He smiled again enjoying all the odd feelings of having facial expressions as he turned eyed the golden centre piece. "What is this!?" He moved his fingers as he laughed again. "I have my living form back? Why has this happened tell me how can it be so?" The golden skulls eyes flashed red as it spoke in an even tone. "The price of power has many implications, some beyond even your comprehension."

8

Tezcatlipoca roared as the godly whip smashed against his back he leaned forward trying to take the pain. He was so tired of being beaten by an un-dead warrior with a whip which was so undeserving of his hands. He'd expected to be beaten by his own brother that would have least been honourable but it was all to clear that his brother was more interested in screwing Manaia. He was looking up slightly he had been chained up with heavy godly chains which held his body up right and were tight around both his arms and legs and neck. He could see his brother's city in the mornings light from this chained position on top of the temple. He snarled as he tried to ignore the pain in his body. He felt the agonizing sting as the whip smashed across his back once more and the cold feeling of blood dripping down his back was felt once more. He wished that he wasn't so weak. His earlier blood loss has caused this weakness and now a part of him just wanted to break his godly chains and crush the face of the smirking un-dead warrior who was punishing him.

"Enjoying yourself you pitiful god?"

Tezcatlipoca turned eyeing the smiling un-dead warrior. "Pray I don't get free you un-dead maggot, because I swear that I will eat you alive!" The fake flesh warrior laughed as he turned picking up another godly whip, his god's special torture devices were so much fun. He threw the other whip down as he looked down at the city from his god's mighty keep. He ran his fingers over the spiked cat of nine tails with its godly bladed metal tips coated in gold he felt an evil smile form. "You talk very big for a fallen pathetic fool. You were beaten by Chantico and now you're in the position that she used to be, you're a fallen god." He laughed slightly enjoying how mocking his laugher was. "Maybe you should learn not to steal other women's girlfriends."

Tezcatlipoca eyed him in disgust. "When I get free I will eat you, mark my words." The warrior laughed as he twirled the whip getting it ready. "You talk big but the truth is that you have no power anymore, you're crippled." He flicked the whip. "And because you're a fallen looser its going to be my job to torture you for an eternity…you should get used to it." He didn't think as she lashed the weapon across the huge gods back hearing his roar of agony. "It's going to be so much fun and I'm going to enjoy torturing you everyday." Tezcatlipoca turned ignoring the pain. "I'm going to enjoy digesting you, you disgusting little dead servant." He felt both his hands form fist. "And believe me when I say I'm going to enjoy it!"

He heard the un-dead servant's laugher the next moments turned to agony as the godly whip hit his back again. He breathed in grinding his teeth together as he tried to ignore it. He looked up slightly only to feel his world stop in an instant as he caught sight of something in the distance some thing which became brighter. It was a spire of white light heading up in to the sky and higher in to the heavens, he narrowed his eyes watching as its spire of light became wider and even more noticeable. Its light was a white and for him to even see it from this distance it had to be huge. He felt his gaze narrow as he lowered his ears shaking his mane of fur.

He knew what it was he had been there the first time around when he'd been no more than child. He had seen his father bring this same spire of light in the heavens from the main keep in Teotihuacán. He had never known why he had done it only that he'd had a mortals help and that he had not been not been allowed in side the keep. He had been young enough though to see that with this power there were consequences, consequences which meant that C'thulon had told his father to turn it off. He had seen some of these consequences up close he felt a cold smile form as he stared in to the spires light ignoring the sting of the cat of nine tails as it ripped across his back.

He turned eyeing the un-dead torturer. "You are a disgusting pitiful maggot you do not see the consequences of what has befallen you. My younger brother will soon see that his power is meaningless when the tragedy begins!" He snarled as he pulled on the thick chains with all his might as his laughter hit the air. He carried on laughing enjoying the sound oh this was going to be so amusing it had been centuries since he'd seen this chaos. The chaos to come would be unlike any other. As strong as any one believed them selves to be there worth their worth only had meaning until it was truly tested in the wake of C'thulon's ultimate might. His might was the greatest of all it shaped the world and just to see a taste of it would terrify any god Aztec or lesser god. His great might had no equal and no equal could stop his heavenly spire. Only mortal hands could bring this spire in to existence but what mortal hands would try when be faced with such terrifying power which was so beyond them?

End of part 91

Silvermoonlight

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