Balance And Control

Tenochtitlan 1521 A.D.

Through the centuries, I’ve noticed recurring themes no matter where we go or how evolved society claims to be: bullies, religion, conquering, and witch hunts. Somehow they all intertwined. For most of the millennium, the prime candidate for all those categories was the Romans, but now there was a new breed of European colonizers terrorizing smaller communities. The Conquistadors were running rampant in the Aztec Empire and it was awful, but I could do nothing about it because there were Deviants running rampant alongside the Spanish. 

“Those two are headed towards the village, what do we do?” I asked, landing a solar punch on a Deviant’s snout. 

“Take Thena and Makkari, keep them away from people. We’ll take care of these ones,” Ikaris decided. 

“Split up? Is that a good idea?”

“I don’t have time to argue with you right now, Ereida. Just go.” 

Before I could open my mouth again, Makkari was scooping up Thena and I and depositing us in front of the Deviants. 

“You take the one on the right, I’ll take the one on the left,” Thena said, already charging one of the creatures. 

“Do I wanna make this quick or do I wanna make this fun?” I asked myself. I ducked and rolled as claws slashed at me. “Quick it is.” I dodged as the creature turned and advanced on me again. This time it was my turn to slash, full force. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited until the animal was mere feet from me. “Come to mama!” Two arcs of opposing force criss crossed through the air, ripping through the beast. Black goo splattered the trees as its head slid to the ground and it tipped over. 

Suddenly, the sounds of screaming and the pop pop pop of gunshots echoed through the air. 

“Do you smell smoke?” Makkari signed. 

Just above the canopy of trees, a thick charcoal cloud hung in the air. 

“The village! Thena, go meet up with everyone, I need to go check that out.”

“We’re not supposed to interfere with humans, Ereida,” Thena warned. 

“I won’t interfere. There could be kids in that village, someone has to protect them.”

“Fine. Take Makkari but don’t be too long.” 

I nodded, hopping on Makkari’s back so she could speed us to the village. 

“Oh my god!” I muttered, taking in the sight. 

The village was in disarray. Huts and religious pyramids were ablaze, being devoured as quickly as kindling. Spanish soldiers with rapiers, broadswords, and ropes trampled villagers, cutting them down into bloody piles. They toppled statutes and carts. Soldiers on foot followed after the villagers who managed to escape into the woods, shooting at them with muskets, the sharp sour smell of smoke and gunpowder infiltrating my nostrils. The cries of despair, of anguish and fear, coupled with the crazed and rowdy whoops and war calls of the conquistadores was a symphony of dissonance on the ears. The sky was a horrible masterpiece of blotchy orange, red, and black; a sunset only found in nightmares. 

“What do we do?” I signed frantically. 

“I don’t think there’s anything we can do, at least not alone. We have to meet the others. I’m sorry, Eri,” she responded. 

“So, we just abandon them? They’re helpless!” 

There, standing amidst everything, was a little boy no older than eight. A rider was coming right at him. “Look out!” I screamed. But the soldier’s target was an older man standing beside the boy. The man went down and the rider continued on.