Downpour(III:3): The Psychopomp

3. The Psychopomp

     Nick and Lopsang stopped dead in the entryway, as the creature in the corner surveyed those on their way to death. It stood nearly three times taller than Nick, and held an ugly looking weapon in its hands. The shaft looked as though it were made from bone, ending in a cleft patch at the bottom. The middle had been dressed with leather to make it easier to grip, and ornamented with a few smaller bones. Atop it was a curved blade, like a scythe, only sharp on all sides.

     Xolotl himself, bore the snarling head of a dog, and spoke to the dead in gruff tones, in a language that Nick could not understand. He wore robes of deep black, and a necklace of skulls whose eyes burned with red fire. He ran a crooked hand, somewhere between that of a man and a beast, over the large circular stone door. Wherever he touched, the symbols grew brighter, and interacted with one another like a living painting.

     With surprising ease, the stone rolled aside, revealing a swath of green light. It was the same hue that had surrounded the soldiers when they were leaving the burial mound. Nick squinted to see what lay beyond, but found the light to be far too strong.

     “I don’t think he’s seen us yet,” said Nick hopefully.

     Lopsang stood in the silence, tense, and did not say anything back.

     “Oh I have seen you,” muttered the creature in passable English. “But I have not decided what to do with you yet.”

     Nick’s heart leapt into his throat and his limbs went numb.

     “Don’t act so surprised. I know everything that enters this temple. If I hadn’t seen you, I wouldn’t be doing my job would I?” The creature’s voice was gravelly and low. He held out a hand to one of the men in line and pulled him aside.

     The man looked incredibly nervous, and was visibly shaking. He muttered a plea to Xolotl, who leaned forward, listening intently.

     Then, with a sudden swiftness and a bark, he swung the weapon down and removed the man’s head instantly. The man’s head screamed as it fell from his shoulders, but Xolotl caught it in his free hand. Red lines appeared on the wall beside him, and filled in the space to reveal a door. Setting the head down behind him, and ignoring the man’s cries, he grabbed the body and chucked it through the door unceremoniously.

     Fire erupted from beyond the wall, and Nick thought he heard a distant wail. The man’s head fell silent, and the eyes slackened. With a last jet of fire, the door closed and disappeared back into the wall.

     Xolotl motioned back to the line of soldiers, who were all beginning to look nervous. He motioned for them to continue, and they began to move forward through the door once more. “I do so hate it when people try to cheat me.” His tone had become conversational, but Nick could hear the danger hiding just behind it. “A traitor like that, trying to get back through my temple, unbelievable.”

     Nick noticed the annoyance and tried to appeal to it. “Yeah, it’s really a pain when,”

     Xolotl cut him off, “When people try to do exactly what you are doing? Yes, it is quite a ‘pain’.” He punctuated the last word with a great deal of sarcasm.

     Lopsang still did not speak. He had developed a healthy fear of psychopomps, and believed them to be nothing but tricksters, looking for souls to collect.

     Xolotl watched over the last of the men as they filtered through the door. He ran a hand over it, and the symbols returned to their darkened state. The large stone rolled shut once more. There was a moment of darkness, but then the psychopomp conjured a ball of fire in his hand, casting his brutish face in a dim orange glow.

     “Now, what to do with you.” His throaty growl seemed suddenly more frightening in the darkened room. “Two intruders that have come into my temple, seeking to gain passage to the other side.” He paused and clucked his tongue, as if thinking the statement over. “Why couldn’t you have just waited to die like everyone else?” He seemed genuinely annoyed at the prospect of someone wanting to enter the land of the dead early.

     Nick debated in his mind. He knew that the wrong words would likely land their heads around Xolotl’s neck, but there was always a way out. He likes to talk, he thought. Let’s keep him doing that. “We’ve got business down below. It’s very important, and he’d be so angry if you didn’t let us through to carry it out.” Even as Nick said it, he felt stupid. His knowledge of the Aztec underworld was lacking, a thing he had forgotten to read up on while drinking himself into stupor on the plane ride over. What little he did remember seemed irrelevant and unhelpful.

     “A very important appointment eh?” Xolotl stamped over to them and held the torch up to examine their faces. “Don’t look like demons to me, and we’ve already established that you’re not dead. No, I don’t think so. Who down below would possibly want to see two uninteresting humans like you?” He laughed, loudly, and it echoed through the chamber, hurting Nick’s ears. It sounded not too unlike the feral howl of a werewolf.

     “We’re not demons,” said Lopsang, unexpectedly breaking the silence. He stepped forward and looked Xolotl dead in the eyes.

This seemed to take the creature aback, and he returned to his inquisitive nature. “You,” he sniffed the air around Lopsang, “Who are you?” A look of interest had crossed over his face, and Nick watched his grip on the spear slacken slightly.

We can take him if we have to, he thought, stupidly. They had weapons in the bag, but none that were easily accessible, and it was terribly difficult to kill a god when they were on their home turf. Nick had often fancied himself to be the slayer of a god, but in reality, had come nowhere close to achieving the feat.

“I am a direct descendent of one of the many sun gods.” Lopsang swelled up, and Nick thought he could see an orange glow beginning to form around him. “And my friend here, is what some would call a trickster god.”

Nicked stifled a laugh. It was an odd thing to be masquerading as a god, but he supposed that if it were to be anything, a trickster would be most accurate.

Xolotl scanned them, as if assessing the authenticity of Lopsang’s statement.

“I know that you used to escort the setting sun through the underworld in this part of the world. It is a shame that this task was taken from you,” Lopsang trailed off, and threw Xolotl a look of discussed. “This is what some in my family would consider a great discrace.”

Xolotl snarled, and Nick looked at Lopsang pleadingly. Maybe don’t insult the god, he thought. He knew that Lopsang possessed power, but he doubted it was any measure to that of a real god.

“So why is it you’ve come here? To mock me about the loss of my position?” he stamped to the other side of the room, anger quickly growing in his voice.

Nick motioned to speak, but Lopsang held up a hand to quiet him.

Fine, but if we die, it’s on your head, he thought, and wished that he were back in the golden city.

“I’ve got a proposition to talk over with your master. We’re considering giving you your status back, but after such treatment, I am not sure this decision is wise.”

Xolotl turned around abruptly, and rushed back toward them. “You speak lies,” he said through bared teeth. “My position is to ferry the dead now, no more.”

“But it does not have to be just that.” Lopsang held out a hand toward the creature, and a white-hot ball of light appeared in it.

Xolotl’s eyes widened, regarding the light with great reverence. “It can’t be true,” he spoke with a whisper.

Nick watched in amazement, unbelieving that what he was witnessing was truly happening. Lopsang is a direct descendent of the sun god? It seemed that there was a never-ending amount of secrets about his traveling partner that he did not know. Neat trick too, he said, squinting at the ball of light.

“It can be, but in order for me to discuss this proposition,” Lopsang motioned to the large circular door, “we must enter into the Land of the Dead. I also do not intend to waste any time moving through your ‘challenges’.” He said the last word with disgust, as if the idea of proving himself worthy was disgusting.

Xolotl looked torn. He reached out for the light to touch it, but Lopsang snapped his hand shut. Nick thought he saw tears welling at the corner of the beast’s eyes. “I want it back, so badly,” he said, once more in a whisper.

“Then let us through.”

Xolotl licked his teeth, considering. “Alright fine, but you are to go straight to his castle, and do not stray off the path. It is easy for gods that do not belong in this realm to get lost. I could guide you if you like?” Xolotl seemed hopeful, as if proximity to Lopsang would let him see the glowing ball again.

“No guidance will be necessary, thank you,” said Lopsang.

Xolotl nodded and headed back to the door, running his fingers over it once more and illuminating the symbols. The stone rolled back and revealed the blinding green light.

Lopsang looked at Nick and motioned to the door hurriedly. Not asking twice, he stepped forward and walked toward it. “Thanks very much for your help,” he said to Xolotl, and gave him a cheeky grin.

     The beast nodded.

     Lopsang walked through the green light and disappeared.

     Nick waited outside it for a moment, slightly concerned, but then remembered that he was standing in a room with a massive ill-tempered dog. He quickly followed, with a sort of running jump.

     He landed next to Lopsang, once more in a dark tunnel. “You’re a sun god?” he blurted.

     “Demi-god, and no, not even close.” Lopsang was grinning slyly.

     “You mean to tell me that you just pulled one over on death?” Nick was astonished. He knew that Lopsang was very capable, but had no idea that he was such a clever liar.

     Lopsang merely nodded.

     “What about the ball of light?” he asked, still not fully understanding.

     “OH this?” Lopsang asked, conjuring the white ball of light again. “This is just something all demi-gods can do if they practice. It’s a great form of non-violent defense.” Lopsang let the ball grow bright enough to blind Nick momentarily, and then extinguished it.

     “Well however you did it, that was brilliant. Come on, let’s go find James.” They started down the dark tunnel together, following a glowing green haze that illuminated the end.