The Sanguine and Blackbeard's Cutlass
“I bet this is the guardian,” you whisper to Jack and William. “Stick behind me.”
You exit your hiding place in the trees and walk down the path towards the beast. Jack and William follow behind you a few paces, one at each side. The creature is larger up close. It stands unmoving, staring at you with its blackened eyes.
“You are Quetzalcoatl’s protector?” you break the silence.
“Ha! Quetzalcoatl wishes. My twin brother banished me from his temple ages ago. I would destroy him myself if the magic seals didn’t bar my entrance,” it replies. “I am Xolotl, god of lightning and fire.”
“I am—“you begin.
“—your name matters not to me, mortal,” Xolotl growls. “I know you seek the cutlass, the artifact Quetzalcoatl embodies. Destroy it for me and I will give you my blessing.”
“What sort of blessing would that be?” you ask.
“The one that far eclipses possessing the cutlass for yourself.”
“Ah, you see, I’m not taking the blade for myself. My employer requires it,” you say.
“Ha-ha-ha!” Xolotl rears his fangs to the sky. “No fool would willingly give away that type of power in their possession. For what? A few gold pieces? ‘Wealth’ is the bane of your existence.”
“What type of man would I be to go against my word?”
“The type of man who would possess the power to etch his name into history forever. I will allow you to pass. Do not fail me.”
Xolotl disappears in a flash of light leaving you, Jack, and William alone. There’s no sign of your missing crew and the entrance to the temple lies open. You make your way up the staircase.
The arched entryway leads you into the temple’s outer chamber. The place looks as if a shell of its former glory. Ruined, decaying statues line the walls. Pieces of stone blocks lie scattered on the floor, the ceiling’s cracks the obvious source. Braziers are in key locations, although in their unlit state they serve no real purpose. By the activity on the island, you were expecting the temple to be, well, not a graveyard. Then the more you think about it, it starts to make sense; you doubt very many, if any, would make it past Xolotl. Still, that didn’t necessarily mean the temple is void of all danger. There is powerful magic keeping Xolotl at bay and for all you know that power could be directed at intruders as well. You step carefully sensing for traps.
A steady beat diverts your attention away from your internal thoughts. The deep rumbling appears muted, and you guess there are many walls muffling the sound. Likewise as the temple is the obvious place to find the cutlass, it is likely the centerpiece of whatever ceremonial event was taking place. The drums signify another thing: the temple is not as deserted as the outer chamber looks.
Navigating through the halls, you listen for the drum beat and head in the direction it is loudest. You arrive at a balcony overhanging a long rectangular room. At the far end sits an altar with a cutlass mounted on a stand. The staircase leading up to the altar is much larger than it should be, like it's a testament to the temple itself. The cutlass isn’t what draws your attention though. A single celled cage sits on either end of the altar. Inside you see a bound and gagged Procter and Freddy. Several hooded figures stand between you and the altar. A few bang on drums just before the altar's steps. Their red robes are a darker color than the natives you first encountered.
“Look down there. We’ve got to help them,” William whispers pointing over the edge.
“Of course we do,” Jack answers. “Any ideas on how?”
You interrupt, “I’ve got something in mind…”
You exit your hiding place in the trees and walk down the path towards the beast. Jack and William follow behind you a few paces, one at each side. The creature is larger up close. It stands unmoving, staring at you with its blackened eyes.
“You are Quetzalcoatl’s protector?” you break the silence.
“Ha! Quetzalcoatl wishes. My twin brother banished me from his temple ages ago. I would destroy him myself if the magic seals didn’t bar my entrance,” it replies. “I am Xolotl, god of lightning and fire.”
“I am—“you begin.
“—your name matters not to me, mortal,” Xolotl growls. “I know you seek the cutlass, the artifact Quetzalcoatl embodies. Destroy it for me and I will give you my blessing.”
“What sort of blessing would that be?” you ask.
“The one that far eclipses possessing the cutlass for yourself.”
“Ah, you see, I’m not taking the blade for myself. My employer requires it,” you say.
“Ha-ha-ha!” Xolotl rears his fangs to the sky. “No fool would willingly give away that type of power in their possession. For what? A few gold pieces? ‘Wealth’ is the bane of your existence.”
“What type of man would I be to go against my word?”
“The type of man who would possess the power to etch his name into history forever. I will allow you to pass. Do not fail me.”
Xolotl disappears in a flash of light leaving you, Jack, and William alone. There’s no sign of your missing crew and the entrance to the temple lies open. You make your way up the staircase.
The arched entryway leads you into the temple’s outer chamber. The place looks as if a shell of its former glory. Ruined, decaying statues line the walls. Pieces of stone blocks lie scattered on the floor, the ceiling’s cracks the obvious source. Braziers are in key locations, although in their unlit state they serve no real purpose. By the activity on the island, you were expecting the temple to be, well, not a graveyard. Then the more you think about it, it starts to make sense; you doubt very many, if any, would make it past Xolotl. Still, that didn’t necessarily mean the temple is void of all danger. There is powerful magic keeping Xolotl at bay and for all you know that power could be directed at intruders as well. You step carefully sensing for traps.
A steady beat diverts your attention away from your internal thoughts. The deep rumbling appears muted, and you guess there are many walls muffling the sound. Likewise as the temple is the obvious place to find the cutlass, it is likely the centerpiece of whatever ceremonial event was taking place. The drums signify another thing: the temple is not as deserted as the outer chamber looks.
Navigating through the halls, you listen for the drum beat and head in the direction it is loudest. You arrive at a balcony overhanging a long rectangular room. At the far end sits an altar with a cutlass mounted on a stand. The staircase leading up to the altar is much larger than it should be, like it's a testament to the temple itself. The cutlass isn’t what draws your attention though. A single celled cage sits on either end of the altar. Inside you see a bound and gagged Procter and Freddy. Several hooded figures stand between you and the altar. A few bang on drums just before the altar's steps. Their red robes are a darker color than the natives you first encountered.
“Look down there. We’ve got to help them,” William whispers pointing over the edge.
“Of course we do,” Jack answers. “Any ideas on how?”
You interrupt, “I’ve got something in mind…”