Chapter Twenty Three
Andy began to tell Käpu’n about how he found the Talisman and how he and Tim discovered the secrets of using it. Käpu’n was a good listener, not interrupting unless he needed to clear up some confusing aspect of the story. It took half an hour to reach the point of being in the dungeon with Käpu’n’s brother.
“And that’s where you come into the tale,” he said.
Käpu’n nodded.
“It was good you and the children were rescued. You were going to be sacrificed by the Priest tomorrow. You and your friend did well to discover how to use Talisman. Many have tried to do what you did. Most have failed.”
“What else do you know?” Andy asked.
Käpu’n thought for a few seconds, trying to find the correct English to use.
“There is one more thing that we have heard of but have not seen,” he said hesitantly.
“What is it?”
“Your ‘key’ will keep you here if Talisman is taken from you. But, if Talisman’s time is changed and then key is taken from you, you will be destroyed.”
Andy thought about what Käpu’n had said for a minute.
“Käpu’n, how do you know so much about the Talisman and why is it that you can speak English?”
“I think it is my turn to be storyteller. Two questions can be answered at one time.”
Käpu’n leaned back against a tree and made himself comfortable. He sat and composed his thoughts for a few seconds, then started telling Andy his story.
“Two summers ago I was captured by a group of Spanish sailors who had come inland looking for fresh water. They took me to their ship where I was put in a cage with other people. We were to be sold as slaves.”
Käpu’n had only just started his tale, when a member of his group came over to offer them food. His story was forgotten for a few minutes, while he and Andy ate. They were ravenous. Neither of them could remember when they’d last eaten.
Andy was wary of the Mayan food, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was quite tasty. When they’d finished, Käpu’n continued.
After several days of hunger and thirst, the Spanish ship was attacked by an English warship. Those slaves who had not been killed in the battle were given the option of staying with the sinking Spanish ship or going with the English to work as crew.
Käpu’n made the best of a bad situation and joined the English. After several months on board the English Man of War, he’d become a skilled and popular member of the crew. It was during this time he learned to understand and speak passable English.
The ship and its crew cruised the Caribbean Sea, chasing and attacking the Spanish ships wherever they met them.
Käpu’n‘s luck ran out again when his ship was caught in a hurricane and was smashed upon the coast of Central America. Only Käpu’n and a few of his crew mates survived. Käpu’n decided to trek south towards his Mayan homeland, whilst his crewmates headed north hoping to find an English settlement. By the time a sick and half-starving Käpu’n returned home, he’d been gone for over a year.
While he had been away, a plague swept through the city, killing thousands, including the king and most of the royal family.
The royal High Priest and his followers had locked themselves away in the temple to avoid the plague. When the sickness had passed, the High Priest took advantage of the situation to take the king’s place as ruler.
Something needed to be done about the Spanish who had conquered South America and who now threatened the city. In the ancient records held in the city temple the Priest had read of an ancient Talisman. It was said to be hidden in the tomb of a Mayan king in one of the old cities to the south, which had been abandoned and lost to the jungle.
The legends told of a Talisman that allowed those who wore it to travel back and forward in time. The Priest believed he could use the Talisman to rid them of the Spanish.
Several groups were sent in search of the Talisman. Käpu’n’s adventures had made him a hero, so he was made one of the leaders. As they went south, they were constantly harassed by the Spanish. One group was captured and tortured, and eventually told them about the Talisman.
After great pain and struggle Käpu’n’s group found the ruins of the lost city hidden in the jungle. In the heart of a great pyramid they discovered the dead king with the Talisman around his neck.
Looking around the king’s tomb they found some scrolls. The first part of the scrolls told the story of how the ancient Mayans had tried to use the Talisman to gain power. The end came when a time traveler returned carrying a plague that caused massive famine and death. Their civilization collapsed and the people fled. Those who stayed put the Talisman and the scrolls in the tomb with the king and left a warning not to use it.
There was an older section of the scrolls that appeared to be about the Talisman and how to work it. Käpu’n considered this information to be as important as the Talisman itself.
Given the dangers of using the Talisman, Käpu’n’s and his comrades considered leaving the Talisman where it was and saying they had never found it, but they knew the Spanish would eventually discover the city. Not wanting the Talisman, or the instructions on how to use it contained in the scrolls, to fall into the hands of the invaders, they decided to return home with it and persuade the Priest to seek a new place to hide it.
Käpu’n’s party split into three groups for the journey home, two carrying one half of the Talisman each and the third carrying the scrolls. The trip was a disaster. The Spanish captured the group with the scrolls and the group carrying the back-travel half of the Talisman disappeared without a trace.
When they finally returned to the city they found the High Priest had declared the plague was the act of vengeful gods and ordered human sacrifices to appease them. The remaining members of the royal family, and anyone loyal to them, were the first to go.
With no-one to oppose him the High Priest ruled mercilessly. He used fear and hunger to control the population. Loyalty was paid for with food and his law was brutally enforced.
On discovering what the High Priest had done in their absence, Käpu’n and his comrades knew that they had made a terrible mistake returning with something as powerful as the Talisman. Fearful for their lives, they presented the remaining, forward travel, half of the Talisman to the High Priest, knowing it was useless without an item from the future to activate it.
They did not get a hero’s welcome. Instead, the High Priest flew into an uncontrollable rage over the loss of half the Talisman and the scrolls. He ordered the families of those who failed to return to be sacrificed, while Käpu’n and his friends fled the city, certain that his wrath would eventually be turned upon them.
In the months following, he had the forward half of the Talisman secured in a special vault, under heavy guard. His men captured and tortured as many Spaniards as possible for information about the missing half of the Talisman and the scrolls. They found out nothing about the other half of the Talisman, but they did establish that the Spaniards were preparing to send the scrolls back to Spain for further examination.
Finally, he created his own religious sect, charged with fanning out through the known world to find and return the missing items.
Käpu’n stopped talking for a minute then continued…
“We learned about the capture of you and the Talisman through a junior priest we caught in the jungle. The Priest said, 'He was going to a feast to rejoice the two halves of the Talisman being together again.' Our people in the palace poisoned as much food and drink as we could. When they fell ill, I entered the dungeon to rescue you and the children while my people attacked the palace to get the Talisman. Sadly, the High Priest and many of his guards were not ill. We won a victory but lost many brave people.
“The group with me has made their own blood oath to fight the evil Priest. We now need the scrolls from the Spanish. If we could unite the halves and learn their secrets from the scrolls, we may find how to destroy it.”
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Both Andy and Käpu’n were silent for a time, lost in their own thoughts. Andy spoke first.
“You say the group carrying my half of the Talisman went missing?”
“Yes.”
“So how did it come to me?”
Käpu’n shook his head.
“I do not know.”
Andy was silent again. He was hoping Käpu’n would tell him, or at least give him something that would explain how he got entangled in this mess.
“So what do we do now Käpu’n?”
Käpu’n didn’t answer at first. He turned and spoke to a young man who was waiting nearby.
“It is time now. Go and get the others.”
The young man nodded and went off to fetch the other members of the group. Käpu’n turned back to Andy.
“Andy, have you anything from your time that will not rot away?”
Andy thought for a second then, got up and ran over to his trousers which he’d discarded. Gingerly he felt through the filthy pocket and found what he was looking for.
“Here it is!” he shouted to Käpu’n. “I’m amazed it’s still here.”
He walked back to Käpu’n with his hand held open displaying a coin. Käpu’n picked it out of Andy’s hand and smiled.
“Very good Andy,” he said as he studied the coin. “Who is this man?”
“Don’t know,” said Andy. “Let’s have a closer look.”
Andy studied the coin for a few seconds.
“King George? Bugger! This is from 1936. Archie gave me some spending money the day I was captured in London.”
“I will take it,” said Käpu’n. “Do you have something from your time?”
Andy looked back over at his ruined clothes lying on the ground.
“My clothes will rot away,” he said almost to himself. “Hang on! Give me your knife.”
Käpu’n gave Andy his knife. Andy went back to the jeans and began to cut off the brass button above the fly. When he’d finished with the jeans he returned to Käpu’n and handed him the knife and the button.
“Why do you want them?” he asked.
“I can use them to come to your time and see you when the time is right.”
“When will that be?” asked Andy.
Käpu’n didn’t get a chance to reply, as Acan arrived with the rest of the group. Andy noticed he had both halves of the Talisman in his hand, which he gave to Käpu’n.
“We will not keep the two together. The Priest will chase us and we will have to move on to avoid capture. We will send you back to your time Andy. Put Talisman on and take the gold thing off.”
Andy felt the thin band around his neck and gave it a gentle tug. He’d almost forgotten it was there.
“The Priest’s men put it on you.” said Käpu’n. “It is keeping you in our time. Did you not know it was there?”
“No. There has been so much going on and I must have got used to wearing it.”
Käpu’n was still chuckling as he handed Andy’s half of the Talisman back to him.
“Take this Andy, and I will take that thing from your neck. You will travel back to the time you left from. We will leave here and chase the Spaniards for the scrolls. We will learn from them, and I will come back for you. Then we destroy the Talisman.”
Andy was still annoyed by not realising the band was around his neck, but he listened to Käpu’n’s plan and thought it was a good one. He stopped to look at Käpu’n and his people.
“I don’t know what to say Käpu’n. I got myself into this mess and you and your people have got me out of it. As you said before, a lot of people have paid for it. I feel really bad.”
“What is happening now and in your time is not about you or me Andy. There will be many people from other times in this story. If not, history will be broken and you would not be here. Do not feel bad. The Talisman takes us where it wants us to go.”
Käpu’n stopped talking and stepped behind Andy. He struggled with the catch for a few moments, and then flicked the clasp open on the gold collar. Before Andy could say goodbye he was gone.