StarFall Comics
A Division of Pullemouttayerhat Productions
A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of StarFall Innovations
Proudly Presents:
Winter Solstice Festival
(author's note: for the reader's sake, all spoken text has been translated from the original Spanish)
A crisp, cold breeze nipped at Kara Vichana's nose and ears as she made her way through the cobblestoned streets of Cuzco. The mountaintop Peruvian city bustled with people, many of them moving simply to stay warm. El Nino had hit the city with an unseasonably humid summer, and now La Nina threatened to make the coming winter even more harsh than normal.
Stepping inside a corner cafe, Kara scanned the booths. Smiling, she made her way through to the far corner, and slid into the seat across from an older man.
"Hello, Dr. Ollandanto."
"Kara! This is a pleasant surprise. How's my favorite pupil doing?"
"Surviving. I just thought I'd stop in for a few days for the Solstice Festival."
Dr. Ollandanto shook his head. "The current Festival here is a tourist attraction. Hell, this whole town in a tourist trap. I know of a small village, about fifteen miles north of here, that still holds the Festival the way it was held four hundred years ago." He pulled a small, hand-drawn map out of his jacket and opened it up on the table.
"Follow the river downstream for two miles, then cut across to the train tracks. Follow that for another two miles. Instead of going over the bridge, hang a right at the crevice, and follow that for a mile."
"Thanks, Dr. O. Will you be coming along?"
"Sadly, no. This tired old body of mine won't be able to make the hike."
"Too bad." She glanced out the window. "Well, if I'm to hike the whole way there, I might as well head over to the hotel, and get my stuff together."
"Take care, Kara."
"You, too, Dr. O."
An hour later found Kara walking through the city, heading towards the river. She was wrapped in a llama-skin overcoat, with a llama-skin cap pulled over her ears. Her face was wrapped in a thick cloth scarf, leaving only the eyes visible. Most of the people she passed on the street paid her no attention, being similarly dressed.
For a brief minute, she stopped in front of a costume store, one that advertised "Authentic Inca and Conquistador Costumes". Hesitating, she stepped inside. Half an hour later, she stepped back out, carrying an overloaded paper bag, which she promptly stuffed under her coat.
As she passed an alley, she heard a scuffle coming from within. Peering into it, she saw a pair of men dragging a young child, no more than ten years of age, into a car. The child was wide awake, kicking and scratching at the men.
"Let the kid go!" Kara yelled out, running towards them. One of the men moved with lightning speed, and, pulling out a small pellet, slammed it against the wall. The resultant flash blinded Kara momentarily, long enough for the car to disappear into traffic.
"Dammit. Too slow." She looked down. While the snow had started to cover the tracks, they were still visible. And they were headed in the same direction she was.
Maybe I'll be able to help after all.
The tire tracks ended at the river. What caught Kara's eye were the tracks leading away from the car, and followed the river downstream. "Curiouser and curiouser," she muttered. "Something's just not right about this trip. I just can't place my finger on it."
Three hours later, Kara found herself in the village Dr. Ollandanto had told her about, in a small crowd of people entering the local temple. The tracks she had followed had led here, despite her hopes that they'd lead elsewhere.
Standing near the doorway, she watched as an older man in ancient Inca ceremonial garb led a now-sedated child - the exact same one Kara had witnessed being abducted, and clearly a girl - to the altar, and tied the girl down.
Child sacrifice, Kara thought. Looks like Dr. O's statement that the Ceremony here is unchanged was too close to the truth. I've got to do something... I'm the Champion, dammit! She reached inside her overcoat, and fiddled with the jade amulet hanging on a chain around her neck. I'm Inca, and this is part of my heritage. It's barbaric. But it's who we are. Up by the alter, a trio of robed priests started lighting candles.
It's starting. Make your decision, Kara. What am I thinking? I'm the Champion. I can't let that girl be killed.
Slipping away from the crowd, she slipped into one of the temple latrines. When she exited, she wore a scarlet robe, similar to the ones worn by the priests. Wandering back into the temple, she was pleased to see that the sacrifice had not yet been performed.
She made her way up to the altar. The head priest noticed her, and gave her a scowl from under the hood. She ignored him.
She waited the ceremony had progressed a bit. It was as the head priest reached for the ceremonial dagger that she acted.
Moving with a speed that surprised even her, she threw off the robe and grabbed the knife out of his hand. Without thinking, she spun and threw the knife at the far wall. The knife embedded itself in the stone. She stood in front of the head priest, decked out in ornate Inca ceremonial garb. The outfit was made of bronze, with gold and jade trim. Her wrists and ankles were wrapped in gold serpents. Atop her head, keeping her hair out of her eyes, was a serpent-head headband. But most prominent was the jade amulet she'd uncovered months before, dangling on a chain from her neck; it seemed to glow with an unearthly light.
"As the Inca Champion," she exclaimed in fluent Inca, "I demand that this child be set free!"
"How dare you?!" the head priest asked, indignant. "This is an important ceremony! Do you know what your interruptions will do? The Sun will be furious!"
"You are not the only one with a direct link with the Sun," she replied. "I'm here to deliver a message, straight from the Sun. Stop the child sacrifices in His name."
"Could it be?" she heard from the crowd. "Has the Champion returned?"
She glared at the priest. "What do you think?" she asked, slamming her fist into the stone wall, leaving a sizable impression.
The priest nodded. Standing up, he walked over to the altar, chanted a few Inca phrases, and released the girl from the altar. A llama was brought in, and tied to the alter instead.
Kara nodded. "Continue with the ceremony," she stated. Well, she thought with a smile. It might not be the ceremony they expected, but it is educational.