Saqik'oxol

Not part of Riordanverse The following article/section is from the Storm Runner/Shadow Bruja continuity under Rick Riordan Presents and not the Riordanverse canon.

Saqik'oxol
Biographical information
Full name	Saqik'oxol
Gender	Female
Alias	White Sparkstriker Old Sparky
Residence	Old World
Status	Immortal
Physical description
Hair	Red
Height	Short
Behind the scenes
Appearances	The Storm Runner The Fire Keeper (mentioned) The Shadow Crosser Dawn of the Jaguar

“	The storm runs through you, in you. You and the storm must become one, which is why I must pound this lightning into you. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You could also possess nothing of true value. Storms need a place to spend their power, and you may be a terrible vessel with no ability to control any of it.	”
–Saqik'oxol to Zane about godborn powers in The Storm Runner.

Saqik'oxol (pronounced: sock-ee-kh-oh-SHOLE), also known as the White Sparkstriker, is a being that lives in the woods and the maker of lightning bolts in Mayan mythology. She pounded lightning into the first daykeepers (diviners).

History

According to Popol Vuh, Saqik’oxol escaped into the shelter of the woods when the first sun rose to avoid Spanish domination. She took animals that the sun petrified into a tree and may be encountered in caves, deep woods, and at night.

Storm Runner Trilogy

The Storm Runner

After Zane Obispo arrives in her cave in the Old World, she gives him a cane that hides his limp and can turn into a spear, she advised him not to take off the mask "Nobody" gave him or his eye will be fried out of his sockets from the light. She gives him a cane with a jade handle to allows his short leg to grow. Then she tells him to fish out a lightning bolt and when he does she tells him to lay down on her slab so she can pound it into his short leg. Zane is reluctant until she says it is the only way to unlock what ever powers Hurakan passed on to him. She reveals that his short leg is actually the most powerful part of him, the doorway to his magic, and the only clue to his ancestry. Regarding the name Zane was given, the Storm Runner, the White Sparkstriker explains that running actually means channeling, like the Demon Runners. Zane agrees to this and she proceeds, Zane is then taken to the Empty because he was taken to Hurakan. After she finishes, Zane informs her that he has power over fire, moments after that she senses Ah-Puch. She has a vision of the other gods arriving very soon and warns Zane and Quinn to find the death god quickly.

The Fire Keeper

Quinn mentions the sparkstriker when saying she saw something in her pool that scared her that sent the nawal undercover in Xib'alb'a.

The Shadow Crosser

She is present for the claiming ceremony at the Shaman Institute of Higher-Order Magic and pounds lighting into the godborns as they are claimed. When Adrik and Alana are up, she tells Ixtab one is stronger then the others and chastises Zane for missing the ceremony.

A few days later as Hondo Obispo acts as a shadow crosser so the others can go to 1987 and back, she arrives to help him out and informs Brooks and the godborns that the Ceiba World Tree is under attack and summons her army. They arrive in Hurakan's treehouse and see the jungle in flames as the records are burned. She leaves the others to fight.

Appearance

Saqik'oxol is a deformed woman shorter than Mrs. Obispo, she had red hair all ratted out like a nest, teeny tiny silver bells were woven into the knotted strands. She had a nose bent a little too far to the right and her left eye hanging lower down her face then her right eye. Her forehead had a lump in the center that looked like a giant mosquito bite. She wears a red robe with bells attached to it.

Abilities

In the series, Saqik'oxol can pound lightning into others and objects for different effects such as bringing out the power of Zane Obispo's Serpent Leg and giving power to his spear.

• Electrokinesis: It can be assumed she has some power over electricity and lightning

Trivia

• Some versions of Mayan Mythology have her as a male.
• Saqik'oxol is also the K'iche' name of Rabinal Achí, a Maya theatrical play.
• Jennifer Cervantes felt that the scene with the Spark Striker was really powerful for her. She had chills when she wrote the part when the lightning was struck into Zane's leg and Saqik'oxol saying it was actually his conduit of strength. Cervantes loved writing that scene because it was filled with magic, folklore, and also power.
• Her Greek equivalents are the Cyclops.