Chapter 36 Chapter Thirty-Five
In the distance, the three giant rocks dominating the top of Baigang Mountain are like shadows in the dark sky, with a blue halo faintly hanging above.
Anna Maya looked at Vera Omar.
Years of fighting had deepened the lines on his face, and his sunken eye sockets were like two stones with braziers on them.Since the beginning of the war, he has been running back and forth on the battlefield, interpreting the instructions of the gods, and is responsible for rewarding good and punishing evil.It was rumored at court that his parched body needed nothing to eat but coca leaf juice.
Even though the dawn had not driven away the night, Vera Omar still led a small group of people towards the top of the mountain with firm steps.Ana Maya followed closely behind him, walking beside Guapa, who was silent and lost in thought.They walked at the forefront, and the entourage behind them was responsible for transporting some offerings for worship, including several jars of chicha wine, several gold and silver vases, and several bolts of cloth.Two other shepherd boys were chasing ten alpacas that were also used for sacrifice.
The presence of Guyappa made her uneasy.She would never forget his strange request and his disappointed and painful expression. She really didn't know how to explain to him that she had no hostility towards him.She wished she could comfort him with her eyes, but whenever she turned to face him, he always seemed to be staring intently at the dawn sky.
The houses in the village are concentrated at the foot of the mountain, and the residents of the whole village depend on working in Huaca for a living; they have heard that Shapa Inca Atahuallpa sent two princes to Huaca for divination and divination, so they all left Go to the door and watch quietly as Vila Omar, Guyappa, and their entourage pass by the house.Ana Maya couldn't see any expression in their black eyes, which were nearly invisible.
Finally, the first rays of sunlight climbed up the mountain: on the highest rock on the mountain stood several walls made of black stones to protect the statue from the wind and sun.
As they climbed the cliff, Anna Maya turned to Vera Omar:
"What the hell is Prince Atahualpa trying to do?"
"He wants to know something else that his father didn't tell you," Vera Omar said weakly.
"You mean it's my fault again?"
"That's not what I meant, little girl," murmured the wise man. "I don't need a divination to know that it's not a good omen for a hero to be afraid."
Anna Maya was silent.In her heart, she knew that the wise man was right.
The priest guarding Huaca was frighteningly thin.The circumference of his neck was only about three fingers thick, and he was so old that even his beard was gray.He was blind-eyed and had trouble standing, leaning on a walking stick with a curled-up snake on the handle.His bare feet were filthy, and his priestly robes fell to his ankles.The robe is of long animal fur—possibly alpaca—and from it hangs many small reddish shells.
Behind him stood a small group of priests, as old and filthy as he was.
After Vera Omar stood still in front of him, the abbot of the temple finally spoke, and Annamaya couldn't help taking a step back, because although his teeth were all gone, his voice was as loud as a horn— —That was the sound of the gods through the horn.
"I know why you came here."
When the sun is in the middle of the day, Vera Omar will take out offerings to worship the statue, a stone statue as tall as a person.There is only one ancestral hall in this ancient temple that shelters the statue of the god, without a roof, the windows face east, and the temple gate faces west.Shrines on the walls were enshrined with many gold ornaments, all covered with ornate drapes.
First, the deacons sprinkled coca leaves at the feet of the idol.After that, Vera Omar and Guyappa faced the statue, each pulled out an eyelash, blew at the statue, and poured chicha wine on the ground while chanting scriptures.
They hand over the remaining offerings to the abbot of the temple.He first breathed on each offering, and then placed them on the blanket in order: coca leaves, ears of corn, colorful feathers... Finally, he tied up all the blankets and threw them into the fire outside Huaca .
When the flames were completely extinguished, Vera Umar presented two gold vases and two silver vases to the idol.Then he motioned to the shepherd boy guarding the alpacas to tie each alpaca to a big stone in turn, and then walk around the stone.After each alpaca turned around four or five times, the abbot of the temple inserted the knife in his hand into the chest of the alpaca, took out the heart, and put it near his mouth, while the other priests were responsible for collecting the blood.
All the attendants were all heartbeats.
Anna Maya turned her head away. Although she had participated in the mysterious festival in the Lost City, she might have fulfilled her wish, but she was always hesitant when faced with sacrifices.
The blood flowed down the mouth of the abbot of the temple, along the neck, and flowed down to the sacrificial robe, and finally the strands of blood sank into the light red shells hanging between the long hairs.Without a word, he stepped through the gates of the temple, followed only by Vera Omar.
Ana Maya and Guyappa, attendants, shepherd boys and priests remained in Huakali.The wind blew up, cooling their necks.The sky was cloudy and the air was stuffy and hot.
The abbot of the temple walked behind the statue, and the thin figure disappeared from his eyes.Peering through the open temple door, one can see the hunched back of Vera Umar like a praying man and the terrified expression on the face of Khadeji, the statue of the god of war.
"Ask!" said the idol.
"The prince of our district, Chapa Inca Atahualpa, wants to know his future."
Immediately the idol answered, with a voice resounding like thunder echoing in the sky.
"Atahuallpa kills so much that the gods don't think so. His death is near."
In an instant, Vera Omar's back froze and all the entourage held their breaths.Ana Maya heard her own heart beating.
"His death is near!" repeated the voice as loud as a trumpet, as the sky filled with clouds and the rain began to fall.
Vera Omar stood up from the ground, turned around, and stepped out of the temple gate.His face was ashen.
They walked quietly down the hilly slope with their backs hunched in heavy rain.The village at the foot of the mountain was silent. It seemed that all the servants working for Huaca had already heard about this terrible prophecy, and they all hid in their houses in fright.
When he saw the walls of Huamachuco, Vera Omar stopped and took Guyappa's arm.
"Don't follow."
"why?"
"If Atahualpa gets a lottery, we can go in together. Unfortunately, now I have to explain to him alone that the result of the divination is not optimistic."
Guapa trembled with helplessness and disappointment.Anna Maya took his hand tenderly, then pointed to the neatly piled stones on the outer wall of the palace where Atahualpa was waiting for the result of the divination, and said:
"We know you're not afraid."
Guapa opened his black eyes wide and turned to look at her.
"Only I know best what I'm afraid of."
"Forget it, Guyappa," said the wise man, "go back to the Quad and wait quietly for instructions from the One King."
Guapa's eyes were still fixed on Anna Maya, who saw a strong dissatisfaction in her fierce eyes, and she was so frightened that she didn't dare to pursue her intentions, so she had to swallow those comforting and friendly words back into her throat.
"I'm going with you!" Guapa insisted.
"Did you hear that, Vera Omar?"
Atahualpa's eyes sparkled with excitement and joy.
"Huascar is defeated!"
"I'm all ears."
"Speak to him again, Sikanshara, just like you did when you reported to me, slowly and clearly, word for word."
Anna Maya immediately recognized Captain Likanshara, the man who had taken her from the forest so many years ago.Every time she saw him, she couldn't help being terrified, just like when she was a little girl.In fact, deep down in her heart, she has always been the little girl back then.
"Our army has smitten Huascar's soldiers, and the valley is shaken by their begging for mercy. Members of their army fled or died, or surrendered to your banner, the only king."
In the inner courtyard of the square courtyard, deafening cheers came from behind several thick walls.
"You don't look very happy, Vera Omar, aren't you satisfied that we won the battle?"
"You sent me to ask the Khadeji statue about the battle, Prince."
"Maybe it predicted to you that I would win."
"not quite."
"not quite?"
There was an angry tone in Atahualpa's rhetorical question.
"Tell me what the oracle says."
"I thought you might not want to hear it."
"Let me decide for myself if I want to listen."
Vera Omar gasped.
"Here is the divine instruction: 'Atahuallpa killed so much that the gods took no notice. His death is near.'"
The entire palace fell into silence.Atahualpa sat on a three-legged chair set on a raised platform.He's all regal attire—wearing a Bolla and a feathered crown, and holding a regal scepter.Sikanshara stood beside him, Vera Omar and Guyappa faced him with their heads bowed, and Ana Maya stood a little further away.When she looked up at him, she could almost feel the anger projected from the fiery Inca king.However, he said in an unexpectedly gentle tone:
"Talk about this oracle."
Veera Omar began to describe the night's trek, the village, and the old abbot in the pale red shell robe.Afterwards, he repeated these words: "The time of death is near."
Atahualpa laughed out loud.
"Do you believe in this oracle?"
Vera Omar didn't answer.
"You are called a wise man, and you are full of wise words, please answer. Do you believe in that oracle?"
"I don't want to answer, Prince."
"What about you, Ana Maya?"
She was also silent.
"You are frightened," Atahualpa said, "by the statue of Huakali, who is as much my nemesis as my brother Huascal."
Although his voice became calmer, Anna Maya could still hear the extreme uneasiness hidden in it.
"What about you, Guappa," he couldn't help asking, "what do you think?"
"I think that all opposition to you should be eliminated, Prince."
"That's how I feel like a good brother," Atahualpa said.
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