Unable to bear the agony the old man hovered above his body, it was slowly dying, soon it would be no more but he returned swiftly into it. As Davey told him what he had seen. "Aaghh!" he sought control then cried, "I hear you! The skulls my Lord! Take them and sink them in water."
The skulls vibrated in Axa's hands, they had replaced his lost energies. He ran across the temple square. Chacuti found it so easy to keep up with her father she felt that she must be in a dream. They ran towards the palace and entered by a gate which was unguarded. In the courtyard a beautiful fountain played from a pedestal which was topped with a water-filled bowl. Without hesitation he plunged the skulls into the water. The instant his hands entered he felt the vibrations cease.
They were not alone in the courtyard, a number of men rushed from the shadows towards them, Axa recognised them, "Hold Labnah! he ordered the man at their head.
"Lord Axa!" shouted a number of the men.
Axa scanned the warriors quickly, "Kabah, Labnah, Coba, Edzna....There is no time. Where is my family?"
"Safe my Lord. They travel under your orders to the hidden city. Popacata guides them."
Above their heads the flames were not dampened by the heavy rain but swept onwards across the rooftops, yells and screams could be heard from within the palace.
AQuickly Kabah, tell me what I need to know.@
AA trap was set, the invaders are murdering the nobles and elders....@
AThe sooner those parasites are wiped out the better it will be for all of us!@ interrupted one of the warriors.
Axa turned towards him, AWill the invaders then leave us to live in peace?@ The warrior stayed silent. "Will no other warriors unite with us?"
"We are fourteen in number, of those who survived the dog Aquila's selection Popacata has roused perhaps another thirty."
"Where are they?"
"They will join us if we send for them," Kabah said.
Axa issued orders, "Coba, fetch the warriors, meet us behind the first canal bridge." Coba hurtled off. "We must attack, the invaders will not expect it!" he raised the club he had taken from the guard, AEdzna, remain here, guard my daughter well.@ He turned to the remaining warriors and yelled his war-cry, they answered him with fierce powerful yells of their own.
Chacuti looked despairingly after her father as he led his warriors into battle.
They entered the palace and ran swiftly to the chambers recently vacated by Lady Axa. The screams and yells grew as they neared the thin partition walls. "Kabah, Labnah," Axa outlined an area of wall to them, "Charge here, we follow!"
The brothers hit the wall smashing a great gap though it, they fell to the floor scrabbling for their clubs, the remaining warriors stormed through, leaping over them.
The floor and walls bore testament to the savagery of the Spaniards attack. Into the slaughter- house, hacking and hewing anybody that was near, the warriors forged, all around them bodies dropped as whirling clubs bit home. The Spaniards were unable to use their pistols or muskets for fear of hitting their own comrades.
"Pikemen form up!" yelled Pancho. The mania of slaughter had to be replaced by military order, men had to be turned from butchery to soldiery.
"I've got to go back to the old man Uncle Paddy, he needs me!"
The old man was backing slowly away from the Shaman.
"Even without the skulls the Shaman's too strong for him!"
The old man suddenly turned round and dived through the doorway.
"He's a flamin' gymnast. I wouldn't have thought he had it in him."
"He's got to stop the Shaman getting out Uncle Paddy, it's his only chance!"
"Tell him to block that hole in the door then, it'll give him some time!"
The old man rose to his feet, the Shaman reached the door.
"Watch out, here he comes!" warned Paddy. They watched as the Shaman began tearing chunks from the door."It's like it's made from paper, that feller's in a right peeve!"
The old man reached down and took hold of the door frame near to the floor. He heaved forcefully, with a cracking sound the frame loosened.
"I see what 'e's doin'. Go on, put yer back into it!" shouted Paddy.
The old man heaved harder. The frame snapped from its fixings.
"He's got it! Come on," encouraged Paddy.
"What difference will it make?" asked Davey.
Before Paddy had time to reply the old man dragged the doorframe clear, the massive doors fell back towards the Shaman, only his speed took him from their path. Davey stared at the gap left by the doors. "He's let him out!"
A rumbling sound started, it was so faint that it sounded as though it might actually be coming from the street outside. Davey looked at Paddy. "Watch lad," was all he said.
Massive stone block after massive stone block came crashing down filling the doorway.
"It's like a stack of cards, once yer've take away the support they all start tumbling."
The whole side of the temple above the doorway slipped downwards, ramming the blocks into the ground with fantastic force, filling the gap with a mass of stone. The main structure of the temple remained intact but the effect of the slip could clearly be seen in its side.
"He's trapped the Shaman! He's safe Uncle Paddy!"
"Don't count on it lad, that snake'll have the strength of fifty men. Go on in, take a look."
They moved inside, thick dust filled the air, the downdraft from the falling blocks had forced some of the torches to blow out, the Shaman could barely be seen. The whites of his eyes glared out from the darkness. He moved towards the blocks, his temper was fearful.
"If 'e's not careful 'e'll blow a gasket. GASKET! Flippin' heck yer should be makin' them!" Paddy looked at his pocket-watch, "Yer start work in 'arf an hour!"