- There is honor in defeat, Colima… Now we know how well fortified that town is, and return for their food and women.

- And what good will that do us Nabilo? We have almost no food reserves. We won’t last another moon.

The small Panche warband had been recently defeated. They had come from far away to raid the Muisca, but not for glory as they usually did, but for food and women. And how they needed both… A Panche warrior could never marry someone from the same tribe, for all members are siblings, and they constantly needed children and women to bear them, because they were constantly at war; against the Muisca, different Carib peoples, and even other Panches. But in this particular warband’s tribe, there were not many women except for their mothers and sisters, and there was not much food left.



They chose the lands of the Muisca to raid because news had gotten to them about a lot of infighting and strangers from beyond the seas who were attacking the Muisca, but apparently, they were also helping them, for the Muisca who defeated their warband had fighters with white skin.

The invaders were a weird bunch. They looked malnourished and sick, and yet they fought like jaguars. They were quick, cunning, and had terribly effective weapons and protection. It took only a couple of them helping the Muisca for their whole warband to rout.

The sun moved across the sky while the defeated Panches patched their wounds. When the twilight hour came, footsteps were heard. A huge retinue appeared. The scouts were wounded so no alarm was given. Despite this, and despite everyone else’s wounds, all warriors readied weapons.

White men accompanied by Muisca warriors surrounded the encampment. A bearded man who had a long shiny knife strapped to his hip took a couple of steps alongside an unarmed Muisca and said some unintelligible words.

- The most honorable Gonzalo de Burgos wants to speak with your leader. Said the Muisca
- What for? And why would we talk to him? Who is this Gonzalo you speak of? Asked Curima.
- He is the ally of my chief, Suamecheguya. As to why you should talk to him, I’d say it’s because he has an offer you may want to hear, especially after attacking the lands that my chief claims as his.
- Then I’ll speak on behalf of my brothers.

The bearded man started talking, making several circular hand movements pointing at the other white men and the accompanying Muisca. He then pointed at their weapons and signaled a white warrior, who threw a bag filled with food at Curima’s feet.



- Master Gonzalo recognizes the struggle and chaos the land is in. He represents his chief, the king of Spain, a land beyond the sea; who sent him and many others to help us in all regards. Master Gonzalo has decided to side with my chief; Suamecheguya, in his struggle against his uncle, who currently acts unlawfully as chief of the town you raided today. Master Gonzalo wishes to offer you a chance at revenge. He also offers some superior weapons to the ones you use and my chief offers food. Declared the translator.
- We would demand some of the women of that town too. Replied Curima.

The translator started talking in Muysccubun, the language of the Muisca, and then in the language of the white men. The would-be-chief, adorned in emeralds and gold, started to argue angrily while Gonzalo de Burgos appeared to think while looking at Curima’s warband with a slight look of disgust, which he hid so fast Curima wasn’t sure it was ever there.

After a few minutes of arguing, Gonzalo placated the young pretender and said some words, which the translator reproduced as soon as he finished talking.

- We find the terms acceptable, but no woman inside the inner walls may be touched, and you must agree to join master Gonzalo in other attacks against other Muisca domains.

Curima didn’t need further convincing. He grabbed his axe and his spear and said:
- Then let’s butcher your brothers, Muisca.