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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Sunrise at Tenochtitlan
Miguel Diaz sat alone at the top of the blood-stained steps of the pagan temple, staring off towards the darkened horizon. His fingers twitched at the sound of movement, reaching over to rest his hand on the butt of his crossbow. “Who goes there?”
“It is I, Lorenzo,” came a rough voice from below.
Miguel’s hand left his crossbow. “Lornezo! I relieved you hours ago. What are you doing up at this hour?”
“One of the captives started shouting and wouldn’t shut up.”
“Ah. I thought I heard a gunshot.” Miguel shook his head, reaching up to touch the cool brim of his helmet. “Did La Malinche say what he was saying?”
Lorenzo spat on the stone step. “Something about their ritual being interrupted.”
Miguel grimaced in the dark, scuffing the sole of his boot on one of the stains on the stone. “It is good that we are here to show them the way of the Lord.”
“Si. I do not understand how a man of God like de Aguilar survived among the savages.”
“They were a different people.”
Lorenzo walked up the last few steps before turning and sitting next to Miguel, his armor scraping dully against the stone as he leaned back. “Did they cut people’s hearts out like these ones?”
“I do not know.” Miguel looked back up towards the horizon, distant hills interrupting the field of stars above. “I am surprised you did not go back to sleep; it is not yet dawn.”
“It must be soon; I slept for some time before the shouting. I am not tired, and I am sure you could use the company.”
Miguel sighed. “I do not think the Mexica will be happy to see us in the morning, after we killed all their priests.”
“Pedro said to be ready to move if they come in numbers. Hopefully the arquebusiers scare them off again.”
“By the grace of God.” Miguel’s hand moved in the sign of the cross before falling back to his knee. “It is too bad the Moon set at midnight. I cannot tell what time it is.”
Lorenzo laughed. “Maybe it ate the Sun.”
Miguel scoffed. “Is that what the priest said?”
“Yes. He said it was only by feeding the Sun the blood of men that it could outrun the Moon and stars.”
“Stupid man. Doesn’t he know that the heavens move by the grace of God?”
“I think they worship the Sun.”
Miguel shook his head. “Things will be different.”
“Si. No more cutting out hearts and eating them.”
Confused animals rustled in the distant jungle as the two men looked out towards the east, hands between their knees, waiting for sunrise.
“It is I, Lorenzo,” came a rough voice from below.
Miguel’s hand left his crossbow. “Lornezo! I relieved you hours ago. What are you doing up at this hour?”
“One of the captives started shouting and wouldn’t shut up.”
“Ah. I thought I heard a gunshot.” Miguel shook his head, reaching up to touch the cool brim of his helmet. “Did La Malinche say what he was saying?”
Lorenzo spat on the stone step. “Something about their ritual being interrupted.”
Miguel grimaced in the dark, scuffing the sole of his boot on one of the stains on the stone. “It is good that we are here to show them the way of the Lord.”
“Si. I do not understand how a man of God like de Aguilar survived among the savages.”
“They were a different people.”
Lorenzo walked up the last few steps before turning and sitting next to Miguel, his armor scraping dully against the stone as he leaned back. “Did they cut people’s hearts out like these ones?”
“I do not know.” Miguel looked back up towards the horizon, distant hills interrupting the field of stars above. “I am surprised you did not go back to sleep; it is not yet dawn.”
“It must be soon; I slept for some time before the shouting. I am not tired, and I am sure you could use the company.”
Miguel sighed. “I do not think the Mexica will be happy to see us in the morning, after we killed all their priests.”
“Pedro said to be ready to move if they come in numbers. Hopefully the arquebusiers scare them off again.”
“By the grace of God.” Miguel’s hand moved in the sign of the cross before falling back to his knee. “It is too bad the Moon set at midnight. I cannot tell what time it is.”
Lorenzo laughed. “Maybe it ate the Sun.”
Miguel scoffed. “Is that what the priest said?”
“Yes. He said it was only by feeding the Sun the blood of men that it could outrun the Moon and stars.”
“Stupid man. Doesn’t he know that the heavens move by the grace of God?”
“I think they worship the Sun.”
Miguel shook his head. “Things will be different.”
“Si. No more cutting out hearts and eating them.”
Confused animals rustled in the distant jungle as the two men looked out towards the east, hands between their knees, waiting for sunrise.