The morning sun rises into the sky, spreading light to the earth. The chants of the Mexica priests echoed between heaven and earth, becoming the only bridge between gods and humans.
In the central square of Xilotepec, the priests of Otomi had just been sacrificed collectively, and the grand sacrificial ceremony was about to reach its climax.
Looking at the kneeling thousand Otomi soldiers and their bloody hands, the royal commander Ocelor nodded with satisfaction and laughed heartily.
"Okay, excellent! Come, please invite the priests and elders of Ugel to preside over the sacred conversion ceremony!"
The guards retired respectfully. After a while, the priests and elders of Ugel came in with steady steps, wearing heavy and solemn obsidian attire, holding an emerald staff.
Looking from a distance of dozens of steps, the stone crown of the gemstone is shining brightly, the bottom covering the broad forehead, the gorgeous feathers spread towards the sky, and the ends cover the chubby cheeks. At this time, the priests and elders of Ugel are like the messengers of the gods in the human world, with indescribable majesty.
Commander Ocelor bowed his head to greet the priests and elders, and Ugel also slightly moved his staff to return the favor to his old friend of decades. Immediately, the priests and elders climbed onto the altar, stretched out their staffs again, and pointed towards the holy fire under the altar.
Dozens of low-level priests came respectfully, carrying bright yellow mysterious Stones of the Dead. The priests first placed several huge sacrificial pots in front of the altar and poured barrels of tequila into them. Then, they borrowed the flame of the holy fire and placed dozens of widely spaced braziers in the square. Finally, they stood solemnly in front of the brazier, with several pottery cups for offering wine at their feet. On both sides of each priest were four temple guards in black wolf suits. These temple warriors hold shields and sticks and guard their faith devoutly.
The accompanying third-level officiant quickly stepped forward, knelt down and asked for instructions.
"Dear sect chief priest, what kind of sacrifice should be used when swearing on blood?"
Wugel's face was calm and he ordered in a deep voice.
"This is the first collective conversion after the Supreme God. Naturally, we use the highest-level descendants of God. It will take at least a month for you to find Ocelot!"
The officiant nodded and left. Soon, he came to the side of Commander Ocelot, saluted and reported. Hearing this, Ocelot was slightly startled and looked up in the direction of Ugel, who also looked at him at the same time. The commander looked at his dignified and serious old friend, nodded helplessly, and whispered instructions to the guards.
"Bring a small team of the divine royal family and try to gather as many as twenty people."
Surprise flashed across the guard's face. Immediately, he respectfully withdrew and went to find the warriors in charge of guarding him.
Time passed quietly, and the songs of the Mexica priests echoed across heaven and earth. The Otomi people were confused about their fate, looking in all directions with blank eyes. Then, they suddenly shouted loudly and were ruthlessly suppressed by the Mexica warriors.
I saw a team of elite eagle warriors, escorting twenty Otomi gods, heading towards the central square. This is the supreme royal bloodline of the city-state. It has ruled the city of Herotepec for hundreds of years and is another source of faith for the Otomi people.
A dozen mid-level priests immediately came forward and took the descendants directly to the altar.
Under the disbelieving eyes of all the Otomi people, the gods already understood their fate. Some of them are generous, some are angry, some are afraid, some cry bitterly... Silently or vocally, calm or trembling, they will all disappear forever.
In the square, the chants of the priests suddenly became louder, the drums of the warriors became louder again, and the screams of the gods gradually became fainter. Only the Otomi people were desperate and silent. They watched the vigorous vitality flow rapidly, and when the sacrificial pots were filled with bright red, the jumping fuel was thrown into the Holy Fire, burning away all the spiritual sustenance of the Otomi people.
Soon, the wine-sacrifice cups were filled with bright red holy wine and placed in front of dozens of braziers.
Wugel looked up at the sky. The sun had risen to its highest point, blooming with infinite light and heat. The priests and elders nodded slightly. He waved his magic staff, and all the sounds stopped, and there was only the supreme divine word in heaven and earth!
"Praise be to my god Huitzilopochtli! His power is infinite and supreme. From the past to the future, he controls all existence until the end...
...Those who obey my God will ascend to heaven, be forgiven, and enjoy eternal peace! Those who disobey our God will sink into the abyss of the earth and turn into gold and stone, never to be liberated! ...
Otomi people, offer all your body and mind to the Supreme God, wash away all sins from now on, and enjoy the light forever! "
After hearing Eternal Light, Natalie, who had been crawling for a long time, finally raised her head. He saw the Mexica priests adding bright yellow sacred objects to the sacred fire, and the flames instantly turned into blue. A long wind blew, and the sacred breath hit his face, choking him with pious tears.
Natalie stood up with difficulty, and under the guidance of the warriors, walked quickly to the location of the holy fire. Immediately, he came to the brazier, faced the smiling middle-aged priest, and knelt down devoutly again.
Bravo smiled and nodded. He looked at the young Otomi warrior with kindness in his eyes.
After meeting His Highness that time, things suddenly changed for him. The priests in the capital first sent out people to recruit people and asked for information about many local nobles. The middle-aged priests responded in detail one by one. Soon, he got the opportunity to learn writing, then study new doctrines, learn charity and theology of God. This time, he came north with the head priest of Ugel, and as a first-level assistant, participated in the great conversion ceremony of Herotepec.
"My child, come, cut off a bunch of your hair and throw it into the holy fire in front of you. From then on, under the witness of the supreme Lord God, you will burn away your past sins, dedicate your whole-hearted love, and embrace the light of the Lord God! "
The middle-aged priest's voice was magnetic and gentle, and his words were even more seductive.
Natalie perked up. Under the attention of the temple guards, he took the obsidian dagger, cut off half of his hair without hesitation, and threw the hair into the brazier.
Looking at the burning black hair and smelling the burnt breath, the young warrior's shoulders suddenly felt relaxed. The darkness in his heart slowly burned away in the sacred ceremony, and the light in his chest gradually bloomed with the warmth of the flame.
"I...pious...faith, I...sinless...bright..."
Natalie kept mumbling, her eyes brightened and a smile appeared on her lips.
Bravo nodded with satisfaction. This is a good and devout believer, and may even become a fanatic. The first batch of Otomi warriors returned only a few months ago. It is incredible to have such faith!
"My child, come, drink this cup of holy wine and pray to the Lord God. From now on, under the witness of the Supreme Lord God, you will swear an oath to Him, obtain the sacred duty, and glorify the glory of the Lord God!"
Natalie was certain. Under the more serious attention of the temple guards, he obediently took the blood wine, faced the burning brazier, and drank it all in one gulp. Immediately, the bright red slid down the corners of his mouth, fell into the brazier, and then rose and dispersed. This is the sacred fire that shines brightly. Wherever the divine power reaches, it can do anything. It can drive away the dead souls in your hands, lift the blood in your mouth, and ignite the light in your heart.
Smelling the strong fishy smell and tasting the bitterness of the holy wine, the young warrior's chest heated up and his heart beat powerfully. He was injected with inexhaustible motivation and had new goals and missions:
In this land where we have grown up since childhood, bring light to all the lost ones! ...let them feel the warmth of God...let them all be like themselves...
"I...accept...God's responsibility, I...spread...God's glory!"
Natalie whispered to herself. He clenched his fists and pressed his arms tightly to his chest, feeling the heartbeat of his soul.
Hearing this, Bravo nodded again, this warrior has a bright future! He pondered for a moment, then took off a brand new silver necklace amulet from his neck and handed it to Natalie.
"My child, come and take it with you. This is a symbol of the Lord God. From now on, you will be a warrior of the Lord God. Live for Him, fight for Him, and die for Him! After death, you will ascend to the kingdom of God!"
Natalie took the silver necklace devoutly, put it on her neck carefully, then held the amulet and prayed. At the front of the necklace is a gold sun amulet. A simple hummingbird is carved into the sun, shaped like a simple "dagger". The hummingbird and the sun are the God of War and the God of the Sun, and now, He is the supreme God!
"The Most High Huitzilopochtli, for whom I fight..."
Natalie continued to chant, immersing herself in it, with a strange look in her eyes.
Bravo exclaimed in amazement, he is truly a born believer!
At this time, on the altar not far away, Ugel was also smiling, looking at the blood-sworn Otomi warriors with satisfaction.
Unexpectedly, these thousands of surrendered soldiers were all excellent believers. Their hearts have been completely emptied, filled with a desire for faith and salvation. As long as they inject the glory of God and rebuild their faith, these people will become the most devout temple warriors and firmly control the north for the Mexica Alliance...no, for the High Priests.
Soon, a thousand surrendered soldiers completed the ceremony of cutting their hair and wiping their blood. Everything went smoothly, with only a small hiccup.
"Elder Wugel, there is an Otomi warrior who has no hair. How should he perform the hair cutting ceremony?"
The officiant came on stage again and asked in a low voice.
Wu Geer frowned slightly. He shook the heavy stone crown, thought for a while and said.
"If you don't have hair, then sacrifice a piece of your little finger! I seem to have heard someone say that this is also a way to eliminate sin. Let's do this from now on!"
The officiant was slightly startled. He was very knowledgeable, but he had never heard of such a ceremony. He looked at the elder's frown, bowed his head respectfully, and left silently.
"No matter what, the sacrifice of one's own flesh and blood can always make the sacrificer more pious!"
After getting off the altar, the chief priest shook his head silently and hurried away.
Next, there are more than 4,000 newly surrendered Ottomi warriors. The Mexican warriors divided them into small groups of a hundred people, and led them forward in batches to cut off their hair, convert their faith, and swear blood oaths.
Cutting off one's hair and converting one to a warrior-like allegiance, in the new doctrine, meant burning one's guilt and converting to the Lord God. And swearing on blood is an oath to God. From then on, you will assume the responsibilities given by the Lord God and spread the glory of the Lord God. The priesthood has set different specifications for blood oaths based on the level of sacrifice, thereby distinguishing believers. The blood oath itself also symbolizes a religious qualification. At present, the priesthood is not ready to popularize it.
These newly surrendered Otomi warriors looked pale and acted hesitantly. In their concept, there are many gods in the world, and there is no obstacle to believing in the God of War. But from then on, they regarded the God of War as the only main god, believing that he was omnipotent and supreme, and believed that the other gods were just subordinates of the main god, or even just ordinary saints... This was a huge impact on their cognition and a new concept. shape.
The priests of the Otomi people have passed away, and the temples were completely burned. Most of the Otomi warriors chose to bow their heads and convert, burning their severed hair. Then, the royal family of the gods withered, and the blood and wine were placed before their eyes, and some of the Otomi warriors could no longer bear it. They excitedly grasped the sacrificial daggers, and before they stabbed the Mexica priest in front of them, they were violently knocked down by the well-prepared temple guards.
Regardless of whether the Otomi warriors are silent or resisting, as long as they cannot complete the two key steps of the ritual, they will be mercilessly dragged out by the guards. Then, these warriors had their hands tied tightly and were guarded in the corner of the square.
Wugel looked around the square, calculating in his mind. After the two-step ceremony, about 3,500 Otomi warriors completely surrendered, and more than 600 warriors were captured. These warriors looked angry and had sword-like eyes. They stared intently at the two groups of Ottomi soldiers, and cursed angrily, their words piercing into the hearts of the soldiers like arrows.
Natalie listened to the harsh curses and stared at these unrepentant warriors, her eyes gradually filled with murderous intent. Beside him, a thousand Otomi descended to regain the samurai's clubs and shields. Their expressions were cold and murderous, and they were even better than the elite Mexica warriors.
"They are really die-hard Otomi mountain people." Ugel curled his lips slightly. Immediately, he waved the staff vigorously.
"Praise the supreme Lord God! Otomi warriors beloved by God, you have chosen to believe in the Lord God, and you have been saved and embarked on the road of light! Now, the road to the Kingdom of God has been opened. You can fight with these lost people. The warriors engage in a sacred duel to help them go to the beautiful kingdom of God instead of falling into the abyss of suffering!"
After hearing the priest's message, Natalie raised the war stick in his hand and prepared to fight. Unexpectedly, Priest Bravo shook his head slightly at him.
"My children, you have proven your loyalty and bravery. Now it is the turn of the second batch of newly returned warriors!"
Natalie was slightly startled. Soon, he looked at the demoralized more than 3,000 surrendered soldiers, saw the civilian battalion commander who opened the city gate for him, and strode over.
The surrounding Mexica warriors were about to step forward, but Commander Ocelot smiled and waved his hand to stop them. Elder Wugel also cast his gaze over. Priest Bravo was thoughtful.
"Weimark! What are you still hesitating about?" Natalie grabbed her friend's shoulders from the crowd.
"These warriors are lost people who cannot be saved, and they are a symbol of darkness! They will inevitably die, so let us send these warriors a way and let them ascend to the kingdom of the Lord God!"
Waymark looked at Natalie in disbelief. His friend was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. Is this still the simple warrior who cared about his comrades and loved the villagers? He looked carefully into his friend's eyes and saw a bright clarity, full of firm faith. This put him into a trance again.
"Weimark, don't hesitate! For the sake of the Lord God, kill, free, and light!" As he said this, Natalie thought for a moment, glanced at the stunned poet warrior again, then put the war stick and shield into the hands of his friend, and put the He pushed towards the corner of the duel.
Waymark's expression changed. He slowly walked to the center of the duel, and was pushed across from him by a warrior with empty hands. After guarding the city for two years, the two became familiar with each other, went through ups and downs together, and stood firm under the siege of the Mexica people. However, at this moment, when the other party saw him, he cursed loudly, struggled to lift his injured body, and rushed forward.
At first, Waymark felt guilty and just parried and blocked with his shield. The empty-handed samurai opposite him used all his strength to hit his unprepared back hard, and tried to take away the war club in his hand. Waymark felt a pain, his life was threatened, and his eyes gradually became cruel.
Finally, the opponent lunged forward again, but was blocked by the shield in his left hand. The warrior's body leaned forward inertia, sending his cursing head into the range of the war stick. Then, the war stick hesitated for a moment, then swiped hard from the side, hitting the vulnerable temple with a bang. Then there was a click, and the warrior on the opposite side bent his neck and made a strange posture. Then he smiled strangely and fell softly to the ground.
The anger in Waymark's chest suddenly subsided. He stood there for two seconds, looking at the smile on the corpse, sighing softly in his heart, and then turned around and returned. Then, he avoided Natalie's embrace, just returned the war stick and shield to his friend, and then knelt on the ground absentmindedly, praying in a low voice subconsciously.
On the altar, Wugel nodded with satisfaction. He thought again and asked the Otomi warriors to persuade each other.
Under the demonstration of battalion commander Weimark, another one or two hundred surrendered soldiers came out one after another. They held shields and war clubs and fought with the wounded and empty-handed warriors on the opposite side, killing their former comrades in turn. Then, under the guidance of the priests, the soldiers prayed devoutly to the Lord God, seeking relief and light. In their hearts, the shackles burst silently, and the fire burned quietly.
Wu Geer waited for a moment more, and when he saw that no more soldiers came out, he shook his head slightly, but did not force it. When he got a little closer, there were about five hundred die-hard warriors left in the corner, so he put them aside for the time being.
Next, it was the turn of the more than 20,000 civilians who had been waiting for a long time. Long-term hunger has left deep marks on these civilians, and their thin chests outline clear ribs. They are like duckweed in the wind, the fire of life may be extinguished at any time.
Ugel waved the staff again. The priests removed the remaining holy wine and replaced it with freshly heated corn tortillas. The aroma of tortillas stirred people's hearts, and the eyes of the civilians glowed with frightening longing. They haven't had a good meal in two years, a full meal in four months, and even days without food. At this time, the civilians were like beasts driven by desire, urging them to line up in hundreds of lines.
Cut off the hair, throw it into the fire, chant the name of the god, and eat corn cakes. The process is so simple and quick, the only thing is to take away the civilians who have received the food to prevent them from receiving it again. In the end, only about a hundred people who were unwilling to convert were stripped of their clothes, checked for identity, and driven out of the city naked.
Ugel didn't care and left these civilians to fend for themselves. He calculated silently in his mind, and then ordered his left and right people to wave the magic staff again.
Immediately, a group of forty or fifty civilians were driven forward, and on the other side was an Otomi warrior with his hands tied. The supervising temple guards threw several obsidian daggers into the field and ordered the duel to begin, to the death.
Next, there was a deathly silence. One side is afraid, the other side is powerless. It wasn't until half a quarter of an hour later that everyone was executed. The civilians opened their eyes again and looked at the reality that they had to choose.
The subsequent duel is much simpler and faster. Among the forty or fifty people, there will always be someone who grabs the dagger, and there will always be someone who takes decisive action to kill the warrior who cannot fight back. When the blood is ignited, cruel scenes will unfold. The civilians rushed forward, using daggers, limbs and even teeth as weapons to tear the threats to life into pieces. In order to survive at this time, there is no room for hesitation and hesitation. The old order was thus overthrown again, as had long been the idea.
Paramo looked at it for a while, then shook his head sadly and sighed.
"When ants gather into a torrent, they can swallow up a native dog without leaving any flesh and blood. What kind of surging power is hidden under the gentle water?"
After reading this, the poet warrior looked at Natalie again, only to see that he was holding the Sun Hummingbird necklace and praying devoutly with his eyes closed.
In the wide square, dozens of groups of duels were held simultaneously. The Mexica priests watched calmly, and the Mexica warriors looked appreciative. The first Otomi civilian in each team to take action against the samurai will be called out. As a loyal civilian, he will accept the approval of the priest and the judgment of the samurai. Later, these people were gathered near the surrendered soldiers, and the two sides looked at each other complicatedly, waiting for the next reward.
In the eyes of the priests and elders in the capital, a duel of this level was lengthy and boring. Wu Geer closed his eyes slightly and fell asleep standing for a while. It wasn't until the sun set that the chief priest carefully stepped forward and gently awakened the priests and elders who were "communicating with God."
Wugel opened his eyes and saw that more than five hundred loyal civilians had been selected. Their faces showed the ferocity after a life-and-death fight, their eyes showed the confusion when their concepts collapsed, and their bodies were covered with various scattered blood stains.
The priests and elders assessed for a moment, then waved the staff again. Bravo has returned to the brazier to wait, turning the flame into blue again. The priests connected heaven and earth, scooped out the remaining holy wine, and performed a blood oath for these outstanding commoners.
Time passed quietly, and loyal civilians completed their blood oaths one after another. Their expressions changed again, and there seemed to be something vaguely added. The royal commander walked up to the altar, discussed with the priests and elders for a while, and finally made the final decision.
The 1,200 blood-stained Ottomi troops before and after them had the highest status. These people have executed rebellious priests and warriors and are the most trusted force in the Alliance. The commander generously rewarded them with gold and silver feathers, noble mansions and enough land, and promoted them to new nobles based on their performance. In the next formed Otomi warrior corps, they will serve as all grassroots officers and even as warrior battalion commanders, commanding thousands of people.
The remaining three thousand Otomi warriors will be rewarded with houses and property, and will become warriors of the alliance from then on. They will also undergo two months of training and integration and re-establish their faith under the guidance of the priests.
More than five hundred civilians who prove their loyalty will serve as community managers of the alliance and will also be rewarded with houses and property. They will use community priests as the core to drive the alliance's roots deep into the grassroots.
The last 20,000 civilians will form a community and continue to serve as the foundation of the alliance. They would till the fields, work as craftsmen, and provide labor. Of course, what the civilians can do now is to follow the priests, pray devoutly, and then receive food for survival from the priests.
The chants of the priests sounded again, and the warriors performed war dances in farewell to the gods. Ugel respectfully bid farewell to the main god and left, then announced the end of the sacrifice. The main god was extremely satisfied!
Upon hearing this, everyone fell to the ground together, called God's name three times, and respectfully bid farewell to the sunset. The Ottomi soldiers prostrated themselves in the crimson sunset, letting the bright colors fill their eyes and flow into their hearts.
Subsequently, under the command of the commander, most of the Mexican warriors returned to the camp outside the city with various belongings in their arms. Those with outstanding military exploits would receive another reward. Paramo grabbed Natalie and looked at the new trees in the garden. I saw that the other party looked calm, sitting cross-legged on the ground alone, still praying silently.
"Natalie, my friend, let's go. There is a new reward outside the camp, and the commander specifically mentioned your name."
Natalie nodded silently. He looked around, but Waymack didn't know where he was. The young Otomi warrior just sighed slightly and strode away with firm eyes.
The two of them were silent all the way. The poet warrior also fell into melancholy meditation. It wasn't until he arrived outside the city that he smiled gracefully, patted Natalie on the shoulder, and looked at the camp not far away and the beautiful captives in the camp.
Natalie looked slightly sideways, but saw hundreds of Ottomi ladies with torn clothes, ranging in age from fourteen to thirty. Under the guard of the warriors, they huddled together, shivering and weeping silently. From time to time, a licensed Mexica warrior strode in, selected a favorite, and carried him away.
"Natalie, my good friend, haven't you always wanted a wife from a noble family? Come on, you are still young, choose a younger partner, take her back and treat her well."
Baramo smiled slightly and hugged Natalie's shoulders. The poet warrior's eyes are still clear, and his smile is melancholy and vicissitudes of life.
Natalie watched silently for a moment. Immediately, he firmly held the amulet around his neck, prayed for a moment, and his eyes became bright again.
"No, Paramo. I'm going back and praying."
After speaking, Natalie nodded to the poet warrior and strode towards the military camp.
Looking at Natalie's retreating figure, Baramo shook his head. He sighed softly, feeling inexplicably melancholy and poetic.
Immediately, the poet warrior showed the token given by the commander, stepped into the fragrant camp, and looked for the heart-warming moment. After searching for a moment, his eyes lit up and he found a delicate girl with bright eyes.
"What pure eyes, just like my pure heart. What a beautiful face. Just like my beautiful love... Now, you are the new flower in my garden!"
After saying that, Paramo took two steps forward, held the other person's cold and soft hands, looked into the pure and restless eyes like a deer, and smiled softly and with satisfaction.
At this time, Wugel sat cross-legged on the altar in the city, yawning slightly as he watched the priests finish cleaning up.
"It's finally done. Execute the hopeless priests, sacrifice the nobles with noble blood, reward the noble girls suitable for childbearing, and then convert the warriors needed by the alliance and convert the largest number of civilians...
Loyal Trunks are selected from among the warriors, bloodied on their hands, break with the past, and serve as officers of the Chapter. Loyal roots were selected from civilians, and they were stained with blood, separated from the past, and served as community managers... There were also conflicts between samurai and civilians...
Then bring God's revelation and comfort to these loyalists whose concepts have collapsed, cultivate the faith of the Lord God, and inject light into their hearts... Well, the experiences of these wise men can be told at the meeting of the High Priests..."
Wugel laughed heartily, his round face trembling, feeling inexplicably proud.
"Haha, I'm so smart! What should this be called class analysis, differentiated processing... I seem to have heard someone say... No matter, I still have time to study anyway!"
Thinking of these words and a familiar old friend, Ugel laughed heartily again. Then, the elder priest shook his big head, and under the respectful eyes of the priests, he strode towards the commander's camp.
There was an undercurrent in the capital, and he happened to go ask his old friend for his opinion.
"Ocelot is probably a little smarter than me... maybe we can hear something more..."
The priests and elders walked briskly and were far away in a short time.
Then the sun sets, darkness falls, and the city of Xilotepec is conquered.
