Two weeks after the festival that had marked the founding of Chichen Itza, Yaxkin found himself far beyond the city walls, leading a band of his most skilled apprentices and masters through the wild, enchanting expanse of Ikal.
The natural world here defied expectation, with colossal trees towering above them, each branch as thick as the pillars back home, and leaves that seemed to hum with life. As Yaxkin and his entourage moved carefully through the dense forest, their attention sharpened on every sound, every flicker of movement, and every glimmer of strange vegetation.
The journey had already yielded precious discoveries plants that Yaxkin instantly recognized as potentially invaluable, thanks to his gift of visualization.
"Pacal, look here," he said, gesturing to a cluster of silver-veined leaves at the base of a tree.
"I see properties here that amplify strength perhaps even accelerate recovery."
Pacal, Yaxkin's loyal attendant and daughter of his esteemed majordomo, Zazil, knelt beside him, examining the leaves with fascination. "It's beautiful," she murmured, touching the plant with reverence.
"And strange. Like it holds a secret of its own."
Yaxkin nodded.
"Yes, and not just beauty."
"This plant could empower our warriors, making them more resilient." He looked up, his gaze fierce.
"Gather as many samples as possible. We'll bring these back for cultivation."
Around him, his guards and apprentices set to work, carefully harvesting the silver-veined leaves, as well as other mysterious plants they had encountered.
Some had medicinal qualities, others emitted a faint, ominous glow suggesting poisons of potent efficacy. Yaxkin knew each of these discoveries had the potential to shape their city's future, bolstering both their health and their economy.
As evening fell, they made camp on a hill overlooking the wild expanse of Ikal. The stars began to scatter across the sky, and the three moons rose in succession, casting an ethereal glow over the landscape.
The warriors gathered around a crackling fire, their expressions relaxed and filled with contentment.
Pacal handed Yaxkin a warm drink, brewed from some of the herbs they had collected earlier that day.
"Here, for strength," she said with a smile, "though you seem to have plenty."
He took it, chuckling.
"I need all I can get with you all pushing forward so relentlessly. I'm grateful for each of you."
Their laughter filled the night air, echoing among the towering trees. Nearby, Kuk and Noíl, Yaxkin's closest allies, swapped stories about the day's battles.
"That last bison beast almost got the better of me!" Kuk admitted with a sheepish grin, rubbing his shoulder.
"But I think the Léets style is working. I could feel it like the macuahuitl in my hand was part of me."
Noíl nodded, her eyes bright.
"I felt it too. Each strike seemed.... true. Yaxkin, your method has connected us to our weapons in a way I never thought possible."
Yaxkin, watching his companions, felt a quiet satisfaction.
Léets, the sword style he had painstakingly developed, was becoming more than just technique; it was a bond, an understanding between weapon and wielder, amplified by Ikal's supernatural essence.
His warriors' auras, each unique and vivid, flared around them with a brilliance he had rarely seen. They were becoming legends.
He addressed the group.
"Our ancestors crafted the macuahuitl as a tool of survival, of connection. Léets builds on that, allowing each of you to draw from your essence. I see in each of you the potential to surpass even the masters of old."
The next day brought new challenges. As the party advanced, they encountered a pack of monstrous wolves, each one easily twice the size of their Earthly counterparts, with eyes like molten gold and claws sharp enough to shred steel.
Kuk tightened his grip on his macuahuitl, eyes narrowing as he positioned himself beside Yaxkin.
"Looks like these beasts won't be as welcoming as yesterday's plants," he muttered, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Yaxkin grinned back.
"Good. It'll give us a chance to test what we've learned."
The first wolf lunged a blur of muscle and fury, its claws tearing through the air toward Kuk. He deflected with a swift swing, the aura around his macuahuitl flaring as he channeled his strength.
The beast stumbled back, but more were already upon them.
"Watch your flanks!" Yaxkin shouted, his voice carrying over the snarls. He plunged into the fray, moving with the practiced precision of his Léets style, his weapon connecting with a sharp crack as he struck.
His aura flickered into flames, enveloping his macuahuitl in a blaze that seared through the thick hide of the nearest wolf.
One of the younger apprentices let out a triumphant cheer.
"We're holding them back!"
Pacal, fighting at Yaxkin's side, added,
"These beasts don't know who they're up against."
With coordinated strikes, they forced the wolves to retreat, their battered forms slinking back into the shadows. The warriors caught their breath, grinning at one another, exhilarated by the victory.
"That was....." Noíl began, looking around at her fellow warriors.
"Invigorating," Yaxkin finished, his eyes gleaming with pride.
"We're growing stronger with each encounter. Ikal is sharpening us, molding us into what we're meant to be."
The group continued to journey deeper into the wilderness, discovering more plants, each more intriguing than the last.
Yaxkin categorized them in his mind as those with healing properties, those with poison, and a select few with remarkable potential to stimulate physical strength and mental clarity.
One night, as they rested beside a river, Kuk turned to Yaxkin with a question that had been on his mind for days.
"Do you think our city will truly thrive, with all we're bringing back?"
Yaxkin looked out at the stars, his expression thoughtful.
"I believe so. We're gathering the materials, the knowledge, and the strength needed to ensure it. Each plant we bring, each battle we win, it all build the foundation for something greater. Chichen Itza will not just survive it will flourish."
Pacal, her gaze soft and reflective, added, "And we will be the ones to see it grow. This land is unfamiliar, but it is welcoming us. I feel it with every step."
Noíl leaned in, her voice quiet yet resolute.
"I think we're meant to be here. This land...…. it feels like it's part of us already."
Yaxkin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We are Viatori, but here in Ikal, we're building our own legacy. And one day, we'll look back on these nights around the fire, these days of hardship and discovery, and know it was worth every moment."
They all fell silent, letting the sounds of the night, the gentle rustle of the river, and the distant calls of creatures in the forest fill the space. Under the light of the three moons, they each felt a profound connection to each other and the land itself.
In that shared silence, Yaxkin's heart stirred with a quiet determination.
This journey was only beginning, and with each passing day, they became a part of Ikal.