Chapter 5 - Echoes from the Past

James woke up feeling the dampness of the mud on his cheek. Hazy and confused, images of last night came rushing to his mind giving him a splitting headache. He looked around to find that he was in a shallow pool, muddy water creeping along his arms.

"Where am I?" He asked no one in particular.

He saw the silhouette of a figure heading towards him. As the fog that blurred his vision started to fade, he recognized Eduardo. The image of the boat exploding was now as vivid as if it was happening right at that moment. The deafening sound. The brightness of the flames. And Yani soundless screams as Don Miguel was blown alongside his beloved ship.

He remembered feeling a sharp pain on the back of his head and then starting to fall into nothingness. Instinctively, he led his hand to where he assumed he had suffered some kind of blow. It was wet, but not with blood. More like a warm, viscous liquid.

"Help me, Eduardo. I need your help!"

The forest was eerily quiet. James tried to find his voice but only managed to croak out a strangled sound.

"Don't waste your breath," Eduardo said calmly. "It's alright. We're all...", his voice trailed off. "It's all right."

He took hold of James's hand and guided him to the water's edge.

"We need to get you out of this water," Eduardo said urgently.

James nodded in agreement but quickly regretted it as a sharp pain flowed through his head and spread all over his body.

"The others?" He asked with a sense of urgency in his voice. "Where are they?"

"Over there," pointed Eduardo.

Bill was going in a wide circle around them casting protective spells from his wand. A little farther, next to the river shore, Yani stood alone. Her arms embraced her body, as she looked into the vastness of the Amazon river.

James tried to imagine what she was feeling, but discover that he couldn't. He knew that she was close to the old man. His protegée of sorts. He felt a twinge of guilt thinking about what happened the night before.

Was this their fault? Were the masked figures that attacked them there because of his and his uncle's quest to find the Lost Magical City? Would she blame him?

He didn't know how to answer any of those questions and that scared him even more. He was lost. Lost in a place he didn't know. Lost, and out of options.

He dragged himself through the mud until he was only a few steps from her. He stopped to admire her beauty. The first rays of the sun were beginning to climb up the horizon, passing over the palm trees, the water and Yani's hair. It looked like a golden crown around her face.

Suddenly his feet seemed to gain weight, rooting him to the ground. He wanted to move, but it was like trying to win a tug-of-war against an Erumpent. He shook his head, trying to break the spell.

"Yani!" He called softly.

The spell seemed to get stronger and James flinched when she slowly turned her head towards him. Her face showed a mix of emotions. Sadness, understanding, and a bit of fear.

James understood then why he had been drawn to her in the first place. It was her eyes. They were green and clear as emeralds. He felt that he could see all the way to her soul through them.

He started to walk towards her. She had once again turned her head towards the river, fixing her eyes on a spot in the middle of the water, but not seeing it. With effort, James mustered the will to continue to walk, step by step, until he was side by side with Yani.

He stayed there, next to her, silent just letting his presence talk for him. They stayed there for some minutes until he finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry". His voice sounded strained.

She looked at him. Expecting anger, James was surprised to see that in her eyes there was sadness, confusion, and some pity.

"What for?" She asked softly.

"For this", he said. "For all this. For dragging you into this. For leading you into danger. For..." he faulted for a moment, "killing Don Miguel."

"Don't be stupid," she snapped. "You didn't kill him. None of this is your fault."

"But if we didn't convince him to come..." he tried to continue but Yani interrupted.

"Convinced him? Don Miguel didn't need anyone to convince him to search for the Lost City. It was his life's work. You inspired him once again to get out of the house and continue his job."

James shook his head, not wanting to believe her. It was all his fault. All of it.

"Come," she said after a while, "let's go back to the others."

He wanted to argue, to tell her that he didn't deserve her forgiveness, but the words wouldn't form in his mouth. So he simply nodded and followed her back to where the others were waiting.

James had finished performing the protection spells around the makeshift encampment. He was speaking to Edu who was gathering what they managed to salvage from the wreck. They stooped talking when James and Yani got nearer.

"Hey," she said in a low voice.

"How are you holding up?" Asked Eduardo.

She shrugged her shoulders but didn't answer. James thought it was best not to push her on the topic, and decided to change it.

"So," he asked in a decisive tone, "what do we do now?"

"We must get back," said Bill in a defeated voice. "Without Don Míguel and the boat, there is no hope of finding the city".

"I agree," concurred Eduardo.

"No", answered Yani in a determined tone.

Like Eduardo, Bill now turned his attention towards Yani, waiting for her to say something.

She looked at both of them, and then she turned to James. Then finally said "After what happened last night we should continue. If the people who attacked us are searching for the Lost City then even more of a reason to continue. But if they are following us, we need to change the trail. The best thing to do would be to keep heading towards the north, following the bank of the Amazon."

James nodded in agreement "I agree. We’ve come this far and we owe it to Don Miguel.” He waited to see if anyone would say something. As they all continue to be silent he continued.

“Yani is right. We need to find another way, and one that can provide us with some safety and that can throw whoever attacked us after our trail.”

"We won't be able to ditch them so easily," said Bill, "they could easily set up an ambush further down the river."

"There is another way," said Yani serenely, "if you're willing to face whatever dangers lie in that path."

"We have to", said James. "Do you know another path?"

Yani looked into the heart of the jungle for a moment before answering. James thought he could discern an inner battle ragging in her mind about what to do next.

"There's a path through the jungle", she said. "A magical path that can make a journey of weeks be done in a few days. But it's a hidden path full of dangers."

Eduardo sighed and looked at Yani.

"I've heard of it, in whispers, but never seen it. If we can find that path, it's a good plan," he said. "But there is no guarantee that we'll find it."

"Yes," said Yani, "there is the risk that we can't find it. But we need to take the risk. Otherwise, Don Míguel has died for nothing. And that I won't allow."

They all fell silent for a moment. Even the forest around them seemed to be quiet in a moment of respect.

"It's a shame," said Bill, shaking his head in regret, "that I was the one to tell Don Míguel about the map to the Lost City of Z."

"It's true," said Eduardo, "we could have had much more time to explore."

"I knew him better than you," Yani interjected. "He wouldn't want us to give up on his behalf. Finding that city was his life ambition, and we owe it to him to try and finish what he started."

Bill nodded.

“Ok then, We’ll continue.” Turning to Yani he asked, “how sure are you about this path?”

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“It is a long-lost legend of the Amazon. Old and wise people all talk about the magical road that crosses the heart of the jungle and can lead its travellers to where their heart desires. They say it is full of hidden treasure and unspeakable perils. None has travelled it, but many have seen it and a few dares to walk its path.” She paused for a heartbeat. “I’m one of those.”

“You have seen the path?” Asked Eduardo with astonishment.

She nodded. “Once, when I was about eleven. I was out gathering roots for my grandmother when I heard noises and saw many rough men with axes and chainsaws. Madeireiros…” she said in disgust.

“Lumberjacks” Eduardo translated to Bill and James.

“I knew if they found me I would be in danger. So I hid from them. But I was careless and cracked a branch. They heard it and thought that I could be some kind of animal they could hunt. As they got nearer I panicked and started to run throughout the jungle as they came after me.”

“Why would they go after you?” Asked James.

Yani looked into his eyes but decided not to answer.

“I was running blindly not knowing where I was going. I must’ve run for more than an hour until I could go no further. I was standing in the middle of a clearing and couldn’t hear the men chasing me anymore. Somehow I’d either lost them or they decided that I wasn’t worth chasing anymore.”

For a moment, as she told them her story, James felt as if she was transported to that moment in her life and was actually there. While she was physically with them, in spirit and memory she was far away from the banks of the Amazon where they stood.

"It was a place like no other I've seen before in the jungle. The trees were tall and their leaves were a delicate light green and their trunks thick and white, a delicate bark that looked like the skin of the oldest and wisest of the eldest mothers that came before us. The air was rich with the scent of damp earth and leaf litter, with the heady aroma of wildflowers and mossy undergrowth."

She was now looking deep into the trees that surrounded them as if she was looking into something that was there, but only she could see it. James felt compelled to look at it, even though he knew there was nothing there aside from the trees that surrounded them.

"The strangest thing was that there was no noise, except for a light breeze that ruffled the leaves over my head. It was as if the world had magically come to a standstill. I felt scared and lonely, and only wanted to get back to my village." She paused. "That's when I saw it. A path lay down in front of me. A clear path that run through the jungle as if it was lighted from above, although the thick canopy didn't allow the sun to get through it."

Yani paused. Her face had filled with the hard-angled shadows of morning shadows. James and the others were mesmerised by her tale. She continued her story.

"I was hesitant at first, but as I looked down the path I could see that it led to the village, and beckoned me forward. I knew this was a trick, but I couldn't resist the pull of it. So I started down the path, always looking to see if the men I'd run from were following close behind.

I was almost halfway down the path when I heard a rustle in the trees up ahead. I stopped short and saw a large, white jaguar glaring at us with baleful eyes. The animal snarled and leapt towards us, bearing its sharp claws and fangs.

But then, it seemed to hesitate, as if it too was being pulled into the path. It crouched low to the ground, hissing and growling as if it was fighting off some unseen force.

And then, suddenly, it was gone. Just like that. The jaguar had vanished into thin air as if it had never been there at all.

I continued down the path, my heart racing with fear and excitement. And when we finally made it back to the village, I felt like I had just returned from the edges of the universe."

Yani stopped her story for a moment, taking a long, deep breath and looking around at the awe-stricken face of the others.

"When I told this tale to my grandmother she became agitated and asked me not to tell it to anyone. She refused to tell me anything more. It was only later that I discovered about the path, and how dangerous it can be. But at the time, my grandmother didn't want anyone else to know that I had magical abilities, and so I never told anyone about it until later when I was at school."

After Yani stopped, the others continue to be silent for a while. Bill was the first to speak.

"That is a fascinating tale. And it seems to me that the path you mentioned is surely protected by magical spells and enchantments. And most likely than not, by some creatures like your white jaguar."

"What Yani told," said Eduardo, "is similar to what I've heard from other people that either found the path or have heard tales of others that walked it. Not all the stories I've heard have a happy end."

"Well," said James trying to move on after that ominous remark, "looking for that path, or at least one that will lead us to our destination, seems a better plan than staying here where we know that someone already found and attacked us."

"Yes," said his uncle. "That is true. But this also leads us to another important question: who were those wizards that attacked us last night? Yani, do you know about any enemies that Don Miguel had? Someone that threatened him?"

Yani shook her head.

"No. Don Míguel didn't have any enemies that I know of. He was a well-liked, if a bit strange man, around the region, and he...", she gasped and stopped talking.

"What is it?" Asked James visibly concerned.

"There was one time that he asked me and everyone that worked in the house to leave for a day because he was having some important visitors. He didn't tell us who they were, and was adamant that everyone left him alone saying he didn't need any help."

"But when I returned two days later he was visibly shaken by something. He refused to tell me anything and pretended that everything was ok, but I could see a change in him like he was scared of something."

"When was this?" Asked Bill.

"About three months ago."

"That would be when I first talked with you about this trip, right Eduardo?"

"Yes," answered Eduardo. "I talked with Don Míguel about the possibility of receiving you as you wanted to learn more about the Lost City, but we didn't discuss any details as you hadn't given me any."

"Yes," said Bill pensively while walking in circles, "it might just be a coincidence. Although a rather curious one. And I for one am not fond of relying on coincidences."

"Yani," he asked, "have you any idea who these people were?"

"No. The best I could get was from one of the servants that had to go to the house to fix something. They were gringos, sorry..."

"No problem."

"He told me that they weren't from here and spoke in a language he didn't understand."

"That doesn't help us much," said Bill. "Going into a perilous journey knowing that something is looking to attack you, but not knowing who or why isn't a good prospect. Does any of you remember anything from last night's attack that can give us a clue?"

They remain silent for a while until James spoke.

"I think I saw something," he said.

"What?" Asked Bill with urgency

"I'm not sure because it was dark, but the one I was fighting on the boat had a symbol tattooed on the inside of his arm. I saw it when I threw the log on fire at him."

"Can you describe it?"

"Yes. It was a sword inside a knot of some sort of rope. And involving it, there were symbols, that seemed to me to be runes. But I can't be sure of that, as I only saw it briefly and that wasn't the focus of my attention."

Even before he finished describing the tattoo, Bill started to draw something in the sand with his wand.

"Was this what you saw?" He asked after finishing it.

Bill looked at the figure his uncle drew and sure enough it seemed like what the wizard had engraved into his arm.

"Yeah," he answered. "If it wasn't this it definitely was something very like it. What is it? And how do you know about it?"

Bill passed his hand through his long red-haired.

"This is the symbol of the Ahnenerbe. And you would know it too if you studied all the books I've lent you."

James blushed a little at the remark of his uncle. But Yani came quickly to his rescue.

"What is this thing you speak of?"

"The Ahnenerbe was an organization formed during the Second World War by the Nazi regime in Germany. Although appeared to be a muggle organization focused on researching muggle history, it was in reality led by wizards associated with the regime and Grindelwald, in his attempt to create a new world order."

"Grindelwald?" Asked James incredulous.

"Yes," continued Bill. "Their goal was to seek and find powerful magical objects that were hidden or lost. I've never heard or read anything about them looking for the Lost City, but it makes sense that it was in fact something that was on their radar."

"What happened to them?" Asked Yani.

"When Grindelwald was defeated, and the muggle Nazi regime fell, they were disbanded. Several of their members were caught, stood trial, and sent to life sentences in Nurmengard. I don't know if any are still alive."

"But some of them might have escaped. Several members of the nazi regime fled Europe to South America in the last months of the war and immediately after. It's possible that some of the wizards did the same."

"So," interjected James, "you think these followers of Grindelwald are still active and were the ones that attacked us?"

"Possibly. Although it's more likely that some part of the organisation continued to exist focused on the look for magical artefacts."

"Hang on," said James. "When I was talking with Don Míguel yesterday he talked about how he had moved here after the war, as he was tired of such destruction and death. At the time I didn't think about what war he was talking about, but it's possible it was the Second World War."

“It was,” said Yani softly. “He told me that once. When the great war ended he came to South America to see if, as he put it, the ones Europeans called savages were not, in reality, the civilized ones”.

“Be as it may,” said Bill, “we know that these people are dangerous and they probably are looking for the same thing as we are. If in reality, they are a long-lost branch of the Ahnenerbe, we must be careful as they will stop at nothing to get want they want.”

“Agree”, said Eduardo. “Whoever they are, we are in danger while they are out there and we are out in the open. We need to get going and be vigilant from now on.”

They all assented and started to get ready packing all that they were able to salvage from the shipwreck. When they were all set and done, Bill called them to get together once more.

“So,” he said unfolding a map of the region, “from what I can guess we are roughly here”, he pointed to a spot in the map where four small circles appeared. “We need to continue to go west, through the jungle, without losing sight of the river as we’ll have to cross it eventually. Yani, can you lead the way? You are more familiar with the region and are the only one of us that can recognize the magical path.”

Yani nodded. James smiled encouragingly at her.

“Right,” said Bill. “From now on, wands always at the ready.”

They all nodded and James picked his wand from his pocket and ready himself to leave.

At that moment, as the sun continued to rise up the horizon, sending its golden rays across the river and to the deepest reaches of the forest, James thought he saw something shimmering in the middle of the river. He looked again with a frown and saw the same thing happen again. A golden faint light, like a flying sparkle of sand, but much brighter.

James turned his head just in time to hear a distant scream coming from somewhere out of the forest. Yani and Eduardo tightened their grips on their wands and Bill quickly uttered a shield spell. But it was too late.

From all around them, men and women armed with spears and bows appeared and surrounded them. They rose from the undergrowth, from behind the trees, and some, to their astonishment, even climbed down the trees in a monkey-like fashion. James quickly thought of escaping to the river, but as soon as he turned, he saw that the way was also blocked by several of the natives.

The four of them closed ranks, huddling together back to back. They formed a square so that each of them could cover one side. But there were too many of the assailants. Even if they could fight them, magic wouldn’t be enough against so many foes.

The natives continued to get closer, with their weapons fixed on their targets. James studied them trying to find a weak point among their ranks that he could use to his advantage. But the natives were well trained and moved which symmetry that it seemed they were as one. He saw tall men and women among them. But also others rather small but that were no children as their faces showed aged lines.

“Keep calm”, whispered Bill. “When I say “go” everyone creates a distraction and we’ll try and run towards the thick of the forest. Do you all agree?”

They all muttered some sort of assent and readied themselves for the attack.

“Ok, get ready. One… Two…”

But before he could finish, a woman appeared from the midst of the army that surrounded them. She was tall and old, with long white air. Her arms were open and she had a smile on her face. She spoke to them. Or rather, they listened to her in their heads for the woman had not moved her mouth or uttered any sound.

“Greetings, oh white man and child of the forest”, said the voice in their heads. It was a soft and melodious voice that echoed with warmth and safety. “Put down your weapons. You are not in danger. At least not for now.”