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Authors: Barry Sadler
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such ships. His curse of life had for once been of benefit. When he had survived the plunge of the sacrificial dagger, the Teotecs believed him to be a god, and his word became law.
The only law he had given them was that human sacrifice would end. His memory cast back to that distant time when he had stood before the boy king of the Teotec, Cuzmecli, saying: " Your Majesty, wise men of the Teotec nation, listen to my words and pay heed. It has come to me that my time with you is at an end. The circle is complete. As I came to you from the sea, so I must return again to the sea. It is my fate and the will of the gods." The young boy king had started to protest against his leaving, but Casca had stopped him. "No, young king, it must be so. Now hear me. As I have said, everything is a great circle, and all that was shall be again. So it shall. One day I will return. Watch for me to come from the sea. I brought you messages from the gods. Obey them. There shall be no more human sacrifices on your altars. Remove from all the paintings and artwork of your city any sign of human sacrifice. It is not needed."
An aged shaman of the people had been nodding, when suddenly his eyes snapped open, a far, glazed look passing over the film-covered orbs. In a thin cracking voice he spoke:
"Tectli," he began, giving Casca the title due a noble. "I have seen that what you say is true. You will come again with others, but the ships will not be of the dragon. They will have many sails, and the men will appear different, with skins of shining light. Marvelous beasts will do their bidding and carry them into battle so that they will appear to be half man and half animal, able to run like the wind and travel far. They will spread fire and death among those who still sacrifice on the altars. The people of the valley will be destroyed, but they will not be our people. Our city will long since have been covered by the forests and deserts. But though our city will die, so shall those who come after us, because your laws will be broken.
"You shall return to the valley of the Teotec, but we shall be gone. Yet shall you be remembered. We shall send out holy men to tell of your law and your coming. As you have said, the circle will be complete, and those who have not honored your command will perish. As a people and a nation, they shall be as dust. New ones will inherit all that was in the valley. On 1 Reed, Tectli. It is so, and shall be..."
Casca snapped back from his reverie, the long-dead shaman's words haunting him. On 1 Reed he had said that Casca would return. He knew that by their calendar 1 Reed occurred every fifty-two years. Was this the time? The old priest had been right about him returning in ships with many sails, and there was little doubt that the wondrous beasts he had spoken of were the horses of the Spaniards. If the rest of the priest's vision was as accurate, there surely would be rivers of blood set loose upon the land before he left these shores again.
If Juan de Castro had been able to see what his friend had been dreaming of, he would have thought him a man gone mad. For him it was enough that he was part of this magnificent adventure, and his thoughts, while not as bloody-minded as some, still clung to the riches they might find and take home, riches enough to make them all kings. Casca didn't have to wonder what his young friend was thinking about. He knew the signs all too well and only hoped that cruel death, instead of gold and silver, did not wait for his gallant companion.
CHAPTER SIX
At a river the Indians called Tabasco, the ships of the fleet dropped anchor. The place looked familiar to Casca. He was certain that he had been there before and that this was to be the beginning of the old priest's prophecies. He had returned.
Many Indians had gathered on the shore to watch the anchoring of the fleet. They were well-built, handsome men who showed no overt sign of fear at the arrival of the Spaniards. They had
The only law he had given them was that human sacrifice would end. His memory cast back to that distant time when he had stood before the boy king of the Teotec, Cuzmecli, saying: " Your Majesty, wise men of the Teotec nation, listen to my words and pay heed. It has come to me that my time with you is at an end. The circle is complete. As I came to you from the sea, so I must return again to the sea. It is my fate and the will of the gods." The young boy king had started to protest against his leaving, but Casca had stopped him. "No, young king, it must be so. Now hear me. As I have said, everything is a great circle, and all that was shall be again. So it shall. One day I will return. Watch for me to come from the sea. I brought you messages from the gods. Obey them. There shall be no more human sacrifices on your altars. Remove from all the paintings and artwork of your city any sign of human sacrifice. It is not needed."
An aged shaman of the people had been nodding, when suddenly his eyes snapped open, a far, glazed look passing over the film-covered orbs. In a thin cracking voice he spoke:
"Tectli," he began, giving Casca the title due a noble. "I have seen that what you say is true. You will come again with others, but the ships will not be of the dragon. They will have many sails, and the men will appear different, with skins of shining light. Marvelous beasts will do their bidding and carry them into battle so that they will appear to be half man and half animal, able to run like the wind and travel far. They will spread fire and death among those who still sacrifice on the altars. The people of the valley will be destroyed, but they will not be our people. Our city will long since have been covered by the forests and deserts. But though our city will die, so shall those who come after us, because your laws will be broken.
"You shall return to the valley of the Teotec, but we shall be gone. Yet shall you be remembered. We shall send out holy men to tell of your law and your coming. As you have said, the circle will be complete, and those who have not honored your command will perish. As a people and a nation, they shall be as dust. New ones will inherit all that was in the valley. On 1 Reed, Tectli. It is so, and shall be..."
Casca snapped back from his reverie, the long-dead shaman's words haunting him. On 1 Reed he had said that Casca would return. He knew that by their calendar 1 Reed occurred every fifty-two years. Was this the time? The old priest had been right about him returning in ships with many sails, and there was little doubt that the wondrous beasts he had spoken of were the horses of the Spaniards. If the rest of the priest's vision was as accurate, there surely would be rivers of blood set loose upon the land before he left these shores again.
If Juan de Castro had been able to see what his friend had been dreaming of, he would have thought him a man gone mad. For him it was enough that he was part of this magnificent adventure, and his thoughts, while not as bloody-minded as some, still clung to the riches they might find and take home, riches enough to make them all kings. Casca didn't have to wonder what his young friend was thinking about. He knew the signs all too well and only hoped that cruel death, instead of gold and silver, did not wait for his gallant companion.
CHAPTER SIX
At a river the Indians called Tabasco, the ships of the fleet dropped anchor. The place looked familiar to Casca. He was certain that he had been there before and that this was to be the beginning of the old priest's prophecies. He had returned.
Many Indians had gathered on the shore to watch the anchoring of the fleet. They were well-built, handsome men who showed no overt sign of fear at the arrival of the Spaniards. They had
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