Tales of the Witchblade Issue 5 is the fifth of nine part Witchblade comics series, which focus on other wielders of the Witchblade.
Synopsis[]
The story of the Mayan Witchblade wielder, Maitea.
Characters[]
Plot Summary[]
In modern times, a group of scientist and tourists come to the ruins of an ancient Mayan city for the conference and performance of their rituals and activities. One of the the tourist's ask the leading guide to tell her theory on the Mayan's disappearance. The guide tells that Mayans did various rituals in order to please their gods, that today might look barbaric. This included bloodletting in order to have visions or cutting out still beating heart out of man's chest.
The guide tells that there was another ritual that is not spoken of, called the ritual of Cerro. In 50 B.C. Cerro was the most elaborate Mayan city ever built with its voluminous temples and courtyards. Apparently, beings from another universe made contact with the Mayans and sought to contribute to their wellness by sharing their knowledge with them. With this new knowledge, the Mayans in Cerro developed new ways of working with minerals and forging techniques that were even beyond today's comprehension.
They were responsible for designing the modern calendar and had ways of farming that cannot be outdone in our most modern technological machines. The Mayan also made a lot advancements in the astronomy in order to prepare for the arrival of the being that helped them. Eventually the aliens deemed the Mayans worthy of their gift. As their visitors landed in Cerro they were welcomed by the Mayans, including their king Teotihuacana and his daughter Maitea.
The visitors gave the king unknown piece of technology and then proceeded to leave. As soon as the device came in the presence of Maitea, it started to force her near it. As days passed, situation only worsened. The leaders of the Cerro began to fight over who will get the device. As two priests, Nacon and Seer of the Underworld, started to argue, the device spoke to Maitea, telling that it belongs only to her. As the mysterious device erected tentacles, which started to wrap around Maitea, her father, Teotihuacana takes the device for himself. Although Maitea tries to warn him, Teotihuacana doesn't listen and is killed by the device.
After seeing this, the priests begin to blame Maitea for killing their king and proceed to attack her. The device comes to Maitea's protection and begins destroying the city. The visitors notice the disturbance in the city and come to look as to what has happened. Seeing the device destroying Cerro, the visitors, filling responsible for what has transpired, decide to take the surviving Mayans to their homeworld. As they try to leave, the device tries to destroy the their ship, but Maitea manages to stop it from accomplishing this. As Maitea watches her people leave, she fills a bit of piece, knowing that she can control the mysterious device.
Back in the present, the tourist is touched by the story and tears up. He then asks as to what happened next. The guide, revealed to be Maitea herself, tells that she doesn't know what happened to the Mayans, but has heard that Maitea is still protecting the land and waiting for their return. The tourist thanks for the story and asks the guide's name. Maitea answers, that he can call her Maira.