The Chosen One

Achakari slowly and methodically waded into the surf of the turquoise Sea of Cortez with a ragged bit of leather around his neck and a sword held aloft reverently. He screamed at the top of his lungs "Aquí! Aquí! Aquí!" and rhythmically waved the sword over his head. He then repeated the refrain "Aquí, aquí, aquí"; this time striking the water with the sword. Concentrating with his eyes firmly shut, he chanted the words again and cut into three breaking waves, one after the other. Achakari was thirty years old and had a fine athletic body. He remained a while with the water up to his chest. Then, with a dejected look, slowly waded back to the beach, his lips moving - talking to himself.

He sat down on a stump, next to a smoldering fire, which was in the middle of a well-worn clearing atop a little hillock. This small perch overlooked the beach and was delineated with posts bearing weather-beaten grimacing human skulls, which imparted a mien of reverence to what would have otherwise looked like a beachfront gazebo.

"Aquí, aquí, aquí" he repeated to himself. He must not forget the magic words - the words that he had heard the Surem shout, but he had no idea of their real meaning. He referred to the sword as "a wand". He was saying the right words and using the wand as the Surem had. Why hadn't he traveled to the stars like the Surem? This was the place. This was where the star-traveler had embarked to the sun. He had seen it with his own eyes.

Of all the generations of Cahita, Achakari was the chosen one. As a youth he had heard from the wise men the tales of the ancient ones. How the earth had been inhabited by Surems who had left to live on the sun and how, someday, they would return to bring their chosen ones with them.

Every day, at sunset, he repeated the ritual with the waving of the wand, the beating of the water and the shouting of the sacred words. The bit of leather at one time had been a vest but after so many dunkings had started to rot, attracting a family of rats who had eaten a good part of it. The sword's bronze hilt had acquired a green patina. Months had passed since he had seen the Surem and during this time Achakari had practically lived at the little promontory. Every afternoon, his wife would faithfully bring him his dinner and corn beer.

He was a respected member of his tribe and a distinguished warrior. While still young, he had killed an enemy and had brought the severed head back to his village for the appropriate victory rituals. This was long before he had seen the Surem.

He hadn't immediately realized that the strange being was a Surem. He was walking along the shore collecting mussels among the submerged rocks when he spotted him for the first time. When he had gotten a better look and seen his white skin, blue eyes, his shiny silver headdress and the light brown hair encircling his face, he had thought, "I have beheld a Surem". The Surem was fleeing from pursuers and halted an instant to draw his wand out of its sheath just as a warrior appeared at the head of the trail. Achakari recognized this warrior as one of his hated enemies – a Guasave - trespassing in sacred Cahita lands. Enraged, he drew his bow and let loose an arrow that lodged in the Guasave's throat. The Surem turned to look in the direction the arrow had come from and his eyes met with Achakari's. A shiver had run up Achakari's spine. The Surem then ran on towards the beach.

In one leap Achakari was upon his fallen enemy with his war-club, quickly killing him with a crushing blow to the skull. As he placed his foot upon his dead foe's chest to dedicate a victory chant, another brave jumped out of the bush, right in front of him. This second Guasave was so surprised to see a Cahita warrior that he paused for an instant and didn't throw his lance. Achakari took advantage of the moment and attacked, but the Guasave parried the blow. It was Guasave lance against Cahita war club. He managed to get inside his opponent's guard and hit him hard on the shin, cracking the bone. Achakari had him against the trees where he couldn't take advantage of the longer reach of his weapon. He jumped from side to side, delivering blows that the Guasave defended off with his lance. After a few minutes of strenuous fighting, he managed to land a couple of hard hits to the Guasave who wavered allowing Achakari to finish him off. After all, it wasn't for nothing that he was the champion of his village.