Quetzalcoatl

Harald arrived with his twenty men in Tula. That made some speculations amongst the natives. It did not take long before they were called to a meeting with the king’s cousin. Thorleif explained that the city was about to be so valuable that it might attract unfriendly forces. Every city of some importance has some protection. They ensured the cousin that he would be in control of foreign affairs and that these officers would train his people in the art of war. Just in case, he added. Somewhat reluctant, the cousin agreed on that. But he also stressed that he was in charge of politics and the foreign affairs. Is ten and twenty the same number in your language, he asked. There was no answer.

The training of the soldiers was progressive. Soon Harald trusted that they actually could be able to stop a raid and even a coup. Then the cousin called for another meeting. This time the king and a priest were present. They were direct. They feared this raise in arms, and wanted to know the reason for it. They were obviously worried that this army eventually could be used to take the neighboring cities, like their own. Thorleif used all his diplomatic skills to convince the others that there were no aggressive intentions and that the army was merely for protection. Protection from whom, the king asked. From us, the priest answered. Thorleif could see the dilemma. If they were weak, they could eventually be overrun. If they were strong, they might be attacked due to some paranoid over-reactions. Your cousin is in charge of foreign affair, Thorleif told the king. Hypothetically he is the only one that can order an attack. You trust your cousin, I believe, he said questioning. The king could only agree to that. Good Thorleif said, and then you trust our army too. They were all satisfied about that, except the priest. Harald noticed that.

The aqueduct and granary were finished. These fine additions to the city made it much richer and secure. The king’s cousin was happy for all the recognition he got for being such a fine leader. It is time to make a proper council to get the balance of power in order before it get out of hand, Harald said. That building of power was needed more than ever. It was necessary for Thorleif, Harald and their men. It was where they were going to plan and manage the development of the city. Meanwhile, they had some other buildings that functioned well for the purpose. However, they did not express much power and respect.

There was a lot of talk in the city about the new building. Soon there were questions of who was going to be in power. Soon there were rumors about an invasion of Thorleif’s men. Some truly believed that Harald’s officers were the first ones to come and soon there would be a whole army. There seemed to be no limit to the imaginations. Harald was used to paranoid rumors and knew very well how to deal with it. He made them ridicules and told his officers to pass that on. It worked for a while, until issues of the Mayans and Quetzalcoatl were the talk of the town. As he anticipated, soon they were called for another official meeting at the king’s cousin’s palace.

This time there were three priests with six temple guards. Harald saw them coming and asked Erik to put ten of his officers at alert. Thorleif knew that this time, it was more important than ever to get the words right. He brought Sequoyah, the interpreter along. The principal priest started out with a direct confrontation and asked Thorleif: Are you Quetzalcoatl? Thorleif looked confused at Harald. The question took him by surprise and he did not know what Harald thought about it. This was not going to split the two. However, he knew he had to give an answer, or else he would be accused for fraud. You should know better than to ask such a question, he replied and sent the challenge in return. The priest were discussing for a long time. This is going to be a decisive meeting Harald said to Thorleif. Hold our position, he added. You are not Quetzalcoatl, leave us, the principal priest roared. Harald rose and roared back, you insult Quetzalcoatl, you petty mortal. You leave now, you untrue priest. Harald could not have insulted the principal priest more in any other way. Now, there was a confrontation that could only have a fatal outcome. But Harald managed to put himself in the frontline instead of Thorleif.

Harald went to the side of the table and seemed to approach the priests. The warrior priest stood up and his guards were at alert. Don’t move any closer or I will have you killed, the priest threatened. Are you threatening to kill the body guard of the executing king of Tula? You are insulting Quetzalcoatl, with your ignorant disbelief. Next you will be threatening the executing king’s position. The principal priests stood up and said slowly in despise. This puppet king has no power. This is about you and us. Repeat that, Harald provoked. The principal priest shook, felt secure and spitted out the words; this boy in a powerless puppet to his uncle, that is in our power. Every one knows that. Now prove your right to this city or leave at once.

Intuitively, Harald grabbed his sword, swung it hard and beheaded the king’s cousin. Everyone had instinctually stepped back in defense. Before anyone could react, Harald had grabbed the head by its hair and held it up. He declared; the king of Tula is dead, pointed at Thorleif and said, long live the king. Harald’s officers stormed the palace. The temple guards draw their swords to protect their priests. Harald merely nodded and the guards fell with several arrows in their chests. The officers grabbed the three priests and led them to the palace entrance, kneeling for Thorleif. Harald raised the king’s cousin’s head and declared the king of Tula is dead, long live King Quetzalcoatl. He paused to let the crowd understand the new situation. Then he declared; the penalty of insulting King Quetzalcoatl is death. The principal priest was beheaded. The penalty for threatening King Quetzalcoatl is death. The warrior priest was beheaded too. Then Harald grabbed the hair of the third priest and lifted him up. You did nothing. That is what you are, and that is your penalty. He was let free to leave and ran out the city gate.

There was a mixed reaction in the crowd. Some were horrified; some were pleased and most did not care at all. A change of leadership was so far from their reality that it did not have any practical meaning. The ten remaining officers were also alert. Some soldiers tried to resist the change. They were executed without questioning. Soon all the remaining soldiers had stated their loyalty to Quetzalcoatl. Then the soldiers were put on guard and high alert. I don’t want problem with the people, Thorleif said. Give them what they need and arrange a festival for this day and the new regime. Harald, he added, stop the building the council, we have got ourselves a palace now. But seriously, you should do something about your theophobic attitude. Harald smiled in recognition. Anything you say my king, he said.

The city was stabilizing in the weeks to come. In a month Thorleif was well recognized as the theocratic king of Tula. There are good and bad sides of theocracy, Harald said. The good thing is that your word is law and no one will ever question that. The bad thing is that you have to do impossible act from time to time to prove your power. That worries me. Don’t worry, Thorleif said. Have you seen what a mess their calendar is? It actually ends in a thousand years. We will give them a new one, based on European astrology, next time we are questioned.

Thorleif and Harald were working with some project plans when the arrival of the Teotihuacán king was announced. They had waited for this and were looked forward to it, even though he was probably not happy about his cousin’s death. They seated by a large table. There were only a few guards and they were not even armed. The king was rather sure that he could leave the palace with his head in place. He started with saying, I am here to ensure that the peaceful coexistence of Teotihuacán and Tula. My friend, Thorleif started out. I can ensure you that we will keep our promise of friendly coexistence with you. The king was pleased with the reassurance. However, Thorleif added. When Tula is threatened by any powers, it will protect itself like a warrior. I give you my condolence for your cousin, he added. We are sorry that he fell. But as we see it, the priests were about to sacrifice him to gain power here. Harald was merely a step ahead and eliminated him before the priest could exploit and eventually kill him.

The king was thinking about his words. This is about family honor. Our family does not stay in power by letting us be killed. I can see your argument and reasoning. But for me to keep the power, I need some revenge. I suggest you keep your version to yourself and give me the heads of the two priests. Two heads for one will do, he added. Now that the vendetta and peace agreement is settled, we need to talk about some details. You are a skilled ruler, Thorleif, he said. But I do not think you are custom to every aspects of our culture. There are a couple of things you need to know to face the challenges ahead. Now that you are declared Quetzalcoatl, the god of light and good, there is an opposing god arising in my town.  Excuse me, Harald interrupted. Is there a god of darkness and evil coming in your city? The king smiled. Not exactly, that would not have much appeal, would it? But it is an opposing god. Quetzalcoatl represents the sun as well. The sun, and not the serpent, is the main reason why you were associated with Quetzalcoatl, Thorleif. The opposing power is the moon. Our temple for the moon and the city of death is more active than ever, and the priest has introduced some cruel rituals. I have no doubt that you are their final goal, my friend. They are constantly praying for the next eclipse of the sun, the only time the moon triumphs over the sun.

There is another thing you should know about. I told you about coca and its power for the workers. You should know there is another drug that is strictly for the priests’ use. It can make any man go crazy for a day. I suspect the priests have started to use it too much for themselves, he added. The simple reason that the priests have such power over me is that they can make my people go temporally crazy. It has happened previously and I fear that it can happen again soon.

There is also another thing you should know about Quetzalcoatl. I think it will be a trick question for you some day. The feathered serpent did not come from where the sun rises. It comes from where the sun sets. Both Thorleif and Harald were puzzled and it showed. Then the king knew they were not who they claimed to be. However, he wanted them as allied more than the priest regime. There is a great empire across the seas where the sun sets. They do not bother us and we do not bother them. I do not know more about it, but it should be sufficient for you.

The last thing he ever told Thorleif was; just beware of the celebration of the moon and your opponent Tezcatlipoca. Then he raised up to go. Thank you my friend, Thorleif said, we have the three bodies waiting for you outside. Once again Thorleif said; I am sorry for your loss. After he had left, Thorleif asked Harald; what do you think? I think that was the last we saw of the king. I also think we should be planning our counter attack, or else it will be the last anyone sees of us.

There were rumors from their neighboring city. One day it was reported that the king was dead after abdicating. Luckily for the priest, all his power was given to them in advance. The heir did not get anything. There was also a change in the theocratic regime after the death of the principle priest. Tezcatlipoca, the god of the moon, darkness and evil, was made superior to Quetzalcoatl, the god of the sun, light and good. That made a mass immigration of people to their city Tula. They were well received, for labour was needed. However, there was no way of knowing if every single one of them was truly loyal to the Tula regime.

Harald had predicted the day the priest came to Tula to challenge Thorleif. He had made an astronomical map and calendar. With that he could predict the next solar eclipse. This was the day that their fate was going to be sealed. It started out as a parade. Thorleif had no intention of stopping them and giving them the advantage of being denied their right for a religious parade. There was no doubt that the theocratic regime had put all their strength to this event. They both knew that, they were determined to win it. There was a long demonstrative display, where the true tradition and religions was shown in a four hour long splendid show. The main message was, there is a time when even the sun changes. The moon helps the true sun to re-appear. The priests were generous too. The people had a food and drink for free. The officers and soldiers were ordered not to take anything from the priest though. It could be poison, they were told.

After the parade, five priests and fifteen temple guards went over to the palace. Thorleif welcomed them with the respect they deserved. There was no need for weapons at this meeting. The priests had practically invaded the city, disguised as a religious celebration. This called for a diplomatic solution. The new principal priest was brief and clear in his intention. He wanted Thorleif to be at the temple’s roof and witness the ceremony from midday on. Thorleif agreed to that. You will have the honourable opportunity to prove your status and relation to Quetzalcoatl, the priest added.

It was a magnificent show, Thorleif had to admit. He did nothing to provoke the priests except for rejecting their holy chips and drinks. He thought the rejection probably was used to indicate that he was not truly religious. However, Thorleif remembered the king’s warning and did not want to risk being drugged at this event. That would be fatal. He had his own supply of chips and drinks, he ensured.

Very soon now, the eclipse starts, Harald whispered. Good luck my friend, and thanks for the honor to serve you for so long. Thorleif look at him with sincere eyes. The same to you my friend, Thorleif said. The very same moment that the moon started to shadow the sun, there was dramatic turns in the celebration. Some priest started some theatrical shows to express their surprise and the importance of the event. That went on for some minutes while the sun was increasingly shadowed.

Meanwhile a figure, stated to be Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, the God of the Night, started walking the stairs to the top of the pyramid. The principal priest asked Thorleif, as Quetzalcoatl, the sun god, what was happening. Priest, do not fear Quetzalcoatl’s shadow more than you fear you own shadow, Thorleif said aloud. Despite the fear in the crowd, there was some laughter. The Tezcatlipoca person had reached the top of the pyramid. The priest announced; Tezcatlipoca, the moon god, is about to overshadow Quetzalcoatl, the sun god. This true Tezcatlipoca has already passed every test this year. The highly decorated strong man stood tall next to the principal priest. While the sun was about to be overshadowed, he roared out; you prove now that you are Quetzalcoatl, or you will forever be overshadowed by this true Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, the God of the Night.

When it became total eclipse, Thorleif roared too; as true as Quetzalcoatl, the sun comes from east. He made a pause to let the words sink in. He noticed the grin on the priests face. As true as Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, come from the west, I come from the east and … there was a pause until Harald roared even louder; I come from the west and remove the moon-shadow. Thorleif swung the rope off his cloak and around Tezcatlipoca’s neck. He tightened the rope hard with a simple knot, while the sun slowly gained its brightness. When the man fell to his knees, Harald kicked him down the stairs. He rolled all the way down the forty meters of stairs. In panic, he could not decide whether to loosen the rope or use the hands for protection against the beating stairs. Finally he ended lifeless on the ground, both beaten and strangled to death. The crowed was terrified of the unexpected turn of event. They were however, happy that the darkness was removed and that the sun returned at the sky.

The high priest demanded a meeting in the palace right away. This is not how this is going to end, he said furiously. You are alien invaders, fraud and murderers. We will from now on use all our powers to expel you, at any cost. Thorleif was calm and let the priest’s anger ebb out. This ends here, Thorleif said. I will leave with my men in safety. In return you will have Harald and lock him in a private room in his temple for Quetzalcoatl. Do you agree? The priest was surprised and wondered what the catch could be, but found none. Finally he said; I agree. There was a great anticipation when they entered the palaces stairs again. The priest announced, Quetzalcoatl the serpent surrenders and Quetzalcoatl returns to the sun. Tula is now liberated and order is restored. People of Tula, you truly deserve a feast. There was an overwhelming roar in the crowd as all the food, drinks and drugs were placed in the city center, free to all.

The officers gathered around Thorleif and Harald. Thorleif turned to Harald and said. You got what you wanted and so did I. Truly, I thought it would not work. Now you take care of yourself and do as you should. The very same to you, Thorleif, he said while taken away by the temple guards. Thorleif also left towards the gulf with his twenty officers.