The Winged Serpent of the Pyramids - Voyages of the Destiny's Dreams

“Yaretzi, what is the green winged serpent carving that you wear on the string around your neck?”

The child called Citlali, meaning “Star,” looked at Yaretzi, whose name meant “You will always be loved.”

Citlali’s face was lit with curiosity.

Their group of family and friends were a peaceful community, wandering the ocean shores, mountains, and forests.

The nomadic group still told the story of the rebel from the pyramid. Quauhtli the Eagle, led them away from the pyramid and its warlike people.

They lived on the tropical west coast of the long branch of land connecting South America and North America.

Many centuries later, these words were in the journals discovered in the attic of the Mystical Lighthouse inside an old wooden sea chest from an 1800s clipper ship called the Destiny’s Dreams.

Inside the sea chest was a necklace made of a string of plant fiber attached to a carving in green stone of a serpent with wings.

The handwritten words of the journal’s brown ink continued.

Yaretzi turned her eyes to Citlali. My ancestors gave me this green carving that once belonged to Quauhtli. This is his story.

Deep inside the tunnels beneath the Pyramid of the Bay, a child and his teacher walked past walls shimmering with dust from crushed mineral crystals.

The child was in training to be a keeper of the pyramid for a warlike people. But the forces of the winds, the sea, and the mountains were calling him to a different life.

He wanted to live in peace with nature.

The young boy named Quauhtli the Eagle, spoke, "Atzi, Wise Woman of the Rain, tell me again about the serpent."

Quauhtli and Atzi lived thousands of years ago,. They were people of the pyramid.

The boy and the woman walked past the carvings and paintings, to the place where crushed mineral dust sparkled from light beams coming through the air shafts in the ceiling.

"Ometeotl made the world.:

"It began as fire and water... stillness and movement..." Atzi the Wise Woman of Rain paused.

Quauhtli leaned forward.

"Ometeotl made harmony and order...chaos too."

Her voice echoed in the tunnel under the pyramid. It was dark and shadows moved on the walls.

"What chaos is that?"

"A dragon serpent that floats in nothingness."

"Earth is a flat disc. Surrounded by waters of the sky."

“Everything floats inside the dragon.”

“See the carvings in the stone of the tunnel. Someday you will be the caretaker of the pyramid."

“The Ancients passed the wisdom down to us.

Years ago Atzi gave Quauhtli the Eagle his name, in a village ceremony, and there was always a bond of trust between them.

"Every direction of a walk leads to water."

Atzi swept one arm across the view of mountain sky peaks to the east and the water." 

"Walking even to the ends of the earth, following the sunrise and sunset, it is a watery world."

Like his hair, Quauhtli's nature was dark and light, changeable with the currents of the days and nights.

“Why did our ancestors build the Pyramid of the Bay in this place?”

“Because the Ancients told our people to build it where the Eagle landed on a tree, carrying a snake.”

Atzi, Wise Woman of the Rain, what do the carvings of the reeds on the tunnels of the pyramid mean?”

The reeds are the son of the leader. He was forbidden to marry the girl he loved. His father wanted him to marry another leader's daughter."

"But why are there reeds?"

"Because he cried so much for his true love that he turned into river reeds. Then the girl who loved him wept so many tears she turned into the water."

"Now they are joined, near this pyramid, never to be separated again."

“I will take good care of the pyramid, Atzi, when my time comes.”

“I know.” Atzi’s wrinkled face smiled at him.

“Here. I want you to have this.”

She handed Quauhtli a figure carved out of green stone. It was a serpent dragon with the wings of an eagle flying.

“My ancestors have passed this down to each generation. Now it is yours.”

Time flowed by. Quauhtli no longer liked the pyramid and working in the tunnels. He wanted to escape the caretaking and keeping of the pyramid and the tunnels beneath it.

He yearned for the sunshine on his face, the forest paths beneath his feet, and freedom.

He began to plan how to leave.

But when he gazed at the unknown world of the mountains and beaches stretching beyond, fear rose inside of him.

“No, I cannot go,” he thought.

Then the leaders were preparing a ceremony. Quauhtli listened to their plans.

“Now, I know I must leave.” His family got ready to go with him.

One day he told Atzi what he wanted.

“My dearest Eagle, I will tell you what I know about the places beyond the pyramid.”

“I must be free. Atzi I will carry you in my thoughts.”

Quauhtli loved his wife, Quetzalli, whose name meant a precious thing, a feather.

He wanted his children to grow up on the beaches and in the forest, not living in the war like world of the pyramid and its leaders.

Quetzalli wore Quauhtli’s green flying serpent carving on a string of plant fiber around her neck.

“Let’s fly away, like the green carving. To a different world.”

When Quauhtli spoke his wife smiled.

They packed and left with their children and friends on a night with bright light from the moon and stars. Their feet carried them along the river, to the sea, and into the tropical forests.

Decades went by. Quauhtli told the children the stories from Atzi.

Thousands of years passed. Every generation passed on to the next generation the carved green stone of the serpent with eagle’s wings.

The plants and vines grew over the pyramid where Quauhtli and his family used to live, and it slept beneath the greenery.

In the 1800s the carved green stone passed to a girl named Milli, whose name meant gentle strength, brave and strong. She wore it on a string from her neck. 

Milli lived with her kin and friends in a village near the large bay and sometimes they visited the abandoned pyramid to climb the steps or creep through the tunnels underneath it.

They also roamed the tidepools at the bay, collecting thick strands of slippery seaweed that had large bulbs on one end.

“Ooooo. Ooooo.” They punched holes in the hollow tubes of the seaweed and made flutes to blow.

Her people traveled a region along the coast, building temporary huts in the warm climate, then eventually moving along to a new place, enjoying the warm climate and plentiful food.

One morning the ship known as Destiny’s Dreams floated through the offshore marine layer fog and anchored off the bay.

Voices of the sailors and captain echoed across the water.

"Prepare to drop the anchor."

"Get the surfboat ready to go over the railing into the water."

"Reef the sails."

"Bring the water barrels. We will refill."

"Pack supplies. The landing parties can stay on the beach."

The ship was followed by a small, fast schooner, the Otter," with two white triangles of sails flashing.

 A third ship in their fleet, the fishing boat called "The Soggy Sardine," zig zagged nearby.

Volcanic mountains surrounded the bay. Their jagged peaks scratched the sky beyond the sandy beaches.

A woman and a man, with a sixteen year old boy, were joining the group going to shore.

“I don’t want to go.” The boy’s tones were firm. His thin frame hunched over and he stepped back.

The man and woman leaned towards each other, whispering.

“I don’t know what is wrong with Albert.” The man listened, nodded, and then whispered back.

“I know. He is afraid. We did our best raising him. Maybe we were too protective.” 

Albert heard them. His face drooped.

“Why can’t they understand,” he thought.

He felt the trauma from their past attempted adventures.

On the beach the landing party from the ships met Milli and she led them to her village.

Milli wore a woven wrap of bright embroidery, and a full skirt reaching below her knees, with sandals woven from reeds. Her long hair blew in the light wind and she had shining eyes.

Albert was not aware that he was watching her. But she felt someone’s eyes and noticed him.

They gathered at a fireside. The fresh sea air was filled with the aromas of food cooking.

Milli’s family and friends shared maize, or corn, roasted over a fire, a shellfish stew, spicy chili peppers, and a drink they called xocolatl, their version of chocolate from ground beans grown in the region.

Even Albert enjoyed the meal. “Can we have this to eat on the ship too?”

His parents noticed and exchanged pleased looks.

Milli talked to the visitors about the pyramid and offered to be their guide.

Captain Alfonse of the clipper ship, Ana the Storyteller of the Blue Light, Isabella who was learning map making, Adelberto her husband who was the first mate, and the rest of the others were enthusiastic.

Isabella and Adelberto exchanged looks, gazing into each other’s eyes. Newly married by Captain Alfonse in recent months, their smiles widened and they shared thoughts of excitement over the new adventure.

“We can use the surfboats and go by water instead of trekking.” When Adelberto spoke the group nodded.

Adelberto and the sailors waded through the surf, tugging the boats along the beach to the river.

Then the explorers waded from the riverbank and climbed into the boats.

An incoming high tide made a current that carried them inland. The rock walls of the mountains rose on each side and they floated through the deep crevice carved the river over time.

"We need to return when the tide is going out so it will carry us back."

One of the sailors nodded.

Adelberto watched twigs swirling in the water on a path going inland.

"Yes, it makes rowing and paddling easier." He pulled hard on an oar.

"Look. I brought spare canvas for a tent and poles. We can rig up a sail too." The sailor set up the canvas to catch the wind.

"That is better." The rowers murmured and rested.

The river took them through a deep, stony crevice in the mountain. Trees and greenery appeared on the other side.

"What is that? Look." Then Isabella’s sharp eyes shined.

"There. A mound rising. Like a broken pyramid." Her excited voice blended with forest sounds of birds who screached, called, and trilled.

"Drop the sails. Paddle to the shore. We can go look." Captain Alfonse's voice was eager.

“Follow me.” Milli led them to a dark stone entrance and they went inside.

Albert hung back. But then he was alone outside so he hurried to catch up to the group.

Ana, The Storyteller of the Blue Lantern, carried her lantern to light the way with its indigo glow.

The twinkling crystal dust on the walls of the tunnels sparkled. Then they came upon the carvings and paintings.

“Look. The serpent with eagle wings, like Milli’s green stone carving that she wears hanging from her neck.” Isabella pointed.

In the light of Ana’s Blue Lantern, no the painted carving seemed to come alive.

Albert thought he saw it move.

“Look out.” He called.

“Everything is alright. Don’t worry.” Milli spoke to reassure him. “The tunnels make all of us nervous sometimes.”

Albert looked at Milli gratefully.

“She understands,” he thought. His face lit up a little. He noticed she smiled when she spoke to him.

Milli turned and saw Albert gazing at her. Their eyes met for a second and then each looked away.

They came upon a chamber filled with pottery, carved stones, and sharp blades made from rock.

“These belong to the ancestors.” Milli’s voice echoed. “Do not take anything.”

“It is hard to breathe in here. I need more air.” It was Albert’s voice. “And the ground feels like it is moving. Can we leave now?”

Then a vibration began to shake the walls of the tunnel. Bits of rock broke from the ceiling and fell. The tunnels rumbled and drummed.

“Earthquake. Run. We need to get out.” Milli’s hollered and everyone turned and rushed, falling and tripping.

Their feet pounded. They dashed back to the entrance. Outside they looked and saw someone was missing.

“Milli must have fallen. She is still in there.” Adelberto shouted and Albert the reluctant adventurer turned back toward the tunnel.

“I will get her.” His voice had a determined tone. His mother and father stared in astonishment.

Their Albert, rushing back like a hero?

Ana handed him the Blue Lantern.

“Albert, wait.” His father started to reach to stop him.

“No. Let him go.” His mother felt a flash of insight.

“Let him do this. He needs to.” When she spoke to her husband he drew in a breath and then nodded.

“Milli.” Albert’s voice rang through the tunnels. “Where are you?"

He swung the Blue Lantern and saw that the sparkling walls, the carvings and paintings were breaking apart in the earthquake.

The rock ceilings and walls vibrated and it sounded like drums pounding.

Albert’s heart raced, he gasped with a whining noise in the airless tunnel, and his legs flew. There she was. Ahead.

A pile of rocks that fell from the ceiling trapped her.

He held the Blue Lantern high and saw her in the azure glow.

“Milli.”

“Albert.”

“I will get you out.” Albert began picking up rocks and pushing small boulders out of the way.

Milli crawled around more rocks, stood, and reached for Albert’s hand.

“Come on. Let’s go before the tunnels cave in.”

In the light and shadows of the Blue Lantern they ran through the rain of dust falling from the ceiling.

“The tunnels are collapsing. Hurry.” Milli pushed her legs to go faster and together they ran.

“There they are now.” Isabella rushed to the couple emerging from the underground pathways.

Trees swayed and branches fell.

“Get over here. Out in the open.” Adelberto shouted.

Thunderous sounds came from the distance.

“There must be a landslide from the mountains. Go this way.” Milli hollered over the sounds.

They scrambled following her to an empty plateau where nothing would fall on them. In a few minutes the ground stopped shaking.

“Are you alright, Milli?” Albert’s voice carried to his parents and they heard a new tone. They pretended not to watch but they cocked their heads and listened.

“Thank you Albert.”

“It was nothing.”

“I want you to have something.” Milli reached for the green stone carving of the serpent with wings hanging around her neck.

“I couldn’t. That is too special.”

“That is why I want you to have it. Because you are special.”

Albert was speechless. Milli put the necklace around his neck. He reached up to touch it.

She smiled and he felt his face responding. They stood looking at each other.

Albert reached for her hand the way he did in the tunnel, but this time it was different.

Milli squeezed his hand.

Albert’s parents slid their eyes to each other.

During the following weeks the crew and passengers from the Destiny’s Dreams, the Otter, and the Soggy Sardine, explored and gathered fruits, shellfish, and other foods from the lands around the bay.

Albert wore the green winged serpent pendent and Milli led him on explorations of the fallen pyramid. He was no longer afraid.

Albert became an expert at cooking with the maize, spicy chili peppers, ground chocolate beans, and herb flavored shellfish stews.

Milli visited the ship Destiny’s Dreams.

Then Albert went to Captain Alfonse with a request.

Under a full, tropical moon, with stars shining in a clear night sky, Albert and Milli were joined in marriage by Captain Alfonse in a shipboard ceremony.

The groom wore his pendant of the green stone serpent with wings . The bride wore a wedding ring and a new pendant made by Albert from a glistening abalone shell.

The ship enjoyed the new foods prepared by Albert and the new stories told by Milli.

Ana, The Storyteller of the Blue Lantern, sat with her pen moving fast across the pages of her journal while she listened to Milli.

When it was time for the Destiny’s Dreams to pull up her anchor, Albert and Milli helped the sailors pull the halyards to furl the sails.

“I may be going all the way around the world, someday.” Captain Alfonse told them.

“That sounds great. We want to go too.” Albert and Millie spoke together.

Albert reached up to touch his winged serpent pendant, and then reached for Milli’s hand.

“I am ready for adventure.” The new Albert spoke. He had already forgotten what he used to be like.

At his words Milli nodded.

"You are so brave, my dear Albert."

He beamed, standing straight and tall, and reached to squeeze her hand.