The sun rises and sets, and in a blink of an eye it’s dusk again. It was a clear evening, and the brilliance of the setting sun came from the western sky. It dyes through the burning clouds, illuminates the majestic temple, and shines with brilliance all over the sky.
At a glance, the sky is red, the sunset is golden red, and the top of the great temple is blood red. This red country is reflected in the eyes, like the kingdom of God coming!
High Priest Shuter wore black sacrificial robes, a feather stone crown on his head, an obsidian necklace around his neck, jaguar skin boots on his feet, and an emerald scepter in his hand. With a solemn expression, he silently looked at the setting sun on the horizon for a while, and then walked down the towering Great Pyramid step by step.
After the expansion of the Great Pyramid was completed, it was nearly 70 meters high and divided into six levels inside and outside. The newly built sixth floor was built with green bricks, reinforced with mortar, and an additional foundation was added. It took five years to build this layer alone, and more than 10,000 prisoners of war were consumed.
The setting sun shines on the face, bringing distant warmth. The high priest was meticulous, stepping on the steps and slowly walked down the altar. Then, he turned slightly and walked into the not-so-distant Chief Palace with still steady steps. The fiery red sunset disappeared behind him, and a black shadow shrouded in front of him. He passed through the corridor of shadows, climbed the rising stairs, walked through the corridors of gods, and finally arrived at the top of the chief hall.
The elder was dressed in sacrificial robes, holding a magic staff in his hand, and sat quietly on the cold stone seat. He stared at the door calmly, and the setting sun appeared behind him again, giving his silver hair a faint blush.
The high priest paused slightly and was shocked. He hadn't seen the elder get up for a long time. An inexplicable premonition came to my mind, turning into an ominous shadow. However, his expression did not change, he just lowered his head, knelt on one knee, and saluted the elder.
"Dear elder, Shuter, descendant of Acamapichtli, greets you!"
"Well, Shuttle, no need to be polite."
The elder nodded slightly with an expressionless face. He raised his hand slightly and whispered calmly.
"Come, sit next to me."
Hearing this, the high priest raised his brows. He stood up, paused for a few breaths, and then slowly stepped forward. Shadow Chevali had already moved a stone chair and placed it opposite the elder. The high priest gave a slight greeting and sat down calmly. The two faced each other head-on, with only two steps apart.
"Since the Eastern Expedition, what has been the situation on the north and south grain roads?"
"Dear elder, the north and south grain roads can still be maintained."
The high priest pondered for a moment and answered in a deep voice.
"More than 100,000 troops marched eastward, and the logistics and food mainly came from the capital. Three years after the Western Expedition, there were no floods in the alliance. Tributes from various states continued, and there was a little savings in the warehouses... The North Road grain road totaled more than 200 miles. , transported to the front line, a loss of one or two per ten. The grain road along the south road, totaling 400 miles, was transported to the front line, and a loss of two or three per ten. And each city-state in the alliance has its support, and the Huastec Alliance and the Kingdom of the Lake both have food supplements. Come... it will last until the autumn harvest in October, no problem."
“What about after the harvest?”
"After the autumn harvest, it is necessary to reduce the army and withdraw half of the army to reduce the burden on the front line. As for whether the southern vassals will pay tribute after this year's autumn harvest, it is not yet known."
"Um."
The elder nodded slightly and thought for a moment. Then, he continued to ask.
"What's the situation in the capital city in the lake since the Eastern Expedition?"
"Dear elder, the capital city in the lake is as stable as the mountains."
The high priest looked confident and responded calmly.
"There are four thousand royal warriors in the capital, as well as two thousand temple guards and one thousand elder guards. The nobles, priests and civilians in the capital all support the Eastern Expedition and pray day and night without neglect. And after the completion of the great temple, there is no need to go outside. Wood and stone are supplied. The high priests have promulgated religious laws, controlled the merchant groups in the capital, arrested dozens of spies from various ministries, and confiscated the merchants' properties... Since the Eastern Expedition, everything has gone smoothly on both the north and south routes, and the city is as stable as the mountains."
"Ah, very good!"
The elder smiled rarely. He stretched out his old, skinny hand and patted the high priest's shoulder gently. Then, he lowered his eyes and said calmly.
"Xu Teer, last night, I suddenly had a dream."
"Senior citizens?"
The high priest was startled and looked at the elder's face, but he only saw a flat lake.
"...What dream?"
Mexica people attach great importance to omens and believe that omens can reveal destiny. Dreams are the most common omen.
"...It was a very dark night. I heard my brother's call and walked into the deep forest."
The elder looked calm and told his dream with some memories. The corners of his mouth gradually turned into a smile.
"Deep in the forest, there is a towering sacred tree. I came under the sacred tree, followed the direction of the sound, raised my head... and saw my brother's body, standing on a high branch. He laughed Just call to me."
"The elder's brother...the late Lord Montezuma..."
The high priest pursed his lips and listened patiently. The shadow in his heart was gradually growing, swallowing up the light of life.
"He said... 'Te'ler, Te'ler!'"
The elder's full name is Trakaeler. And Terelle is his nickname. This name, since the death of the late king Montezuma, no one has dared to shout it.
At this moment, the smile on the elder's face became more and more obvious, even a little strange. His eyes were a little cloudy and his expression was a little dazed, like an old child, whispering his nickname. An inexplicable warmth surged in his heart. And such emotions have not appeared in him for countless years.
"...I was surprised and looked at my brother. He smiled and said to me, 'Teler, come up quickly! I have been waiting for you on this tree for twenty years! They are all waiting for you. !...'
So, I raised my head and looked carefully at the tree..."
Having said this, the elder lowered his head and narrowed his eyes, as if he was recalling a very special and profound scene. There was silence in the main hall, and even the wind stopped. It was not until a long time later that the elder raised his head and smiled old and kindly.
"Little Shuttle, guess what I saw?"
"..."
The high priest pursed his lips and said nothing. His expression became vicissitudes of life and his eyes became dim. After a while, he replied in a low voice.
"You saw the corpses of your ancestors, they were all in the trees, smiling at you."
"oh?"
The elder's face showed a bit of surprise. He nodded slowly and asked with a smile.
"Little Shuttle, how did you know?"
"Dear elder, I have had such a dream too."
The high priest took off his feather crown and lowered his head slightly, revealing the same silver-white hair.
"The priest's inheritance says, 'The living corpse of the heroic spirit stands on the tall sacred tree of the family, smiling at the new arrival... This is a sign of death'!"
"Yes, a harbinger of death...our collective harbinger..."
The elder nodded, his expression unchanged, and continued with a gentle smile.
"...The sacred tree has many branches and is divided into several levels, with people standing on each level. There are also stairs on the tree. When I got to the first level, I saw Tisok shot through the throat. He saluted me and shouted 'Grandfather!'..."
"...Then, in front of Tisok, there was Asia Catal who died of illness. He lowered his head and also shouted 'Grandpa!'..."
Asia Cartel is the eldest brother of Tisoke and Avitt, and the third generation ancestor of the Mexican Alliance.
"...I didn't say anything and continued to walk up to the second floor. The first was your father, Hitler, who died in the battle. He asked me, 'Brother, is little Shuter okay?'"
Having said this, the elder's eyes became dark and his expression returned to calm. He looked at the high priest Shuter, and the high priest looked at him. Then, the elder seemed to be a different person and repeated gently.
"Little Shuttle, are you okay?"
The high priest was silent for a while, lowered his head, and responded calmly.
"...Father, I'll be here soon."
"...Well, well...in front of Hitler, there was Tesosomok who also died in the battle. He saw me, smiled, and asked, 'Cousin, my youngest son, Avite Are you okay? His brothers are all waiting for him here.'...
I smiled and told him, 'Avit is fine. He's an outstanding kid. But, it will take a long time for him to come. '..."
Tesosomok was Avitt's father and an early general of the alliance. He was the cousin of Montezuma and the elder, but married Montezuma's eldest daughter, Princess Atotosteli.
"Next to Tesosomok is little Atotli. She holds an obsidian dagger in her hand, and she is still as heroic. And further ahead is her brother, Chimalpopoka, who was assassinated. I saluted him, and he saluted back..."
Chimalpopoka is the third ancestor of the capital city in the lake and the elder's brother. He was only 29 years old when he died and was assassinated.
"I continued walking forward, and first I saw an empty seat, and then I saw my brother, Montezuma. He was very happy, looked at me, stretched out his hand, and took my arm... He said, 'Come here , Terelle, stand by my side!'"
The elder looked a little dazed. Everything in the dream is so real, the reality is within reach, making people fall deeply into it. Darkness came like a tide, seeming to swallow people up... The elder bit his lip hard, feeling a trace of pain, and then broke free from the whirlpool of the dream. He took a breath, spoke faster, and continued.
"...My brother stretched out his hand to me, but I shook my head and refused. I said, 'Wait a little longer, I still have something to do...What's more, I have lived longer and done more, so I should stand. In front of you!'"
"My brother smiled, shook his head, and nodded. He let go of his hand, pointed to the upper floor, and said with a smile, 'Well, you go up first and meet your uncle, father, and grandfather!'"
"So, I continued to walk up and came to the third floor. I first saw my uncle Isko Atel. He had a scepter in his hand, but his face was still so calm. We saluted each other... I remember, I was forty-four years old when he died of illness."
Isko Atel is the fourth ancestor of the Lake City and the first Grand Tratoani of the Three Kingdoms Alliance. Together with Montezuma and Tlacahelal, he established the Triple Alliance of Mexico.
"Further forward, there is my father, Huitzilivetel. He is holding a hummingbird feather in his hand, with a slight smile on his face. Did he die of illness, or was he poisoned by the Tepanek people? Until Now, I don’t have an answer. All I know is that I was twenty years old when he died.”
Vitzili Vittel was the second ancestor of the capital city in the lake. During his reign, Trochititlan was subordinated to the Tepanek Alliance and was a vassal city-state, but its strength was growing rapidly.
"I continued to walk up, and on the last floor was the grandfather I had never seen before, Akama Picchitli. I couldn't see his face clearly, and I couldn't hear his voice. I only saw a picture on a wooden board, a picture. There is a tree painted on it. But I know that he is our common ancestor, the origin of the Mexica royal family, and the beginning of the family sacred tree!"
Akama Picchitli was the first ancestor of the capital in the lake and the founder of Trochititlan. He established the city-state and built the innermost floor of the six-story temple. From then on, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, entered the temple and became the patron saint of the Mexica people.
The long story finally came to an end, and silence returned to the hall, and you could hear a needle drop.
The elder closed his eyes and panted slightly, recovering his exhausted energy and calming down his ups and downs of emotions. The high priest watched silently, his thoughts drifting away, and he didn't know what he was thinking. The sacred tree of the Mexica royal family is hidden in the blood of these two people.
Time gradually passed and the sun sank into the mountains. The last glimmer of light gradually disappeared from the sky. Sensing the change in the sky, the elder finally opened his eyes and looked at the high priest who was also looking at him.
"Shuter, did you hear the call of the sacred tree?"
"Elder, I hear you."
The high priest looked solemn and nodded calmly. His heart was completely shrouded in black shadow, and he faced his fate calmly.
"Ah, very good!"
Looking at the calm high priest, a gratified and kind smile appeared on the elder's face. He spoke slowly, word by word, and asked gently.
"Okay, my child...can you help me and go to the family's sacred tree first to say something?...I will be there soon."
The elder's words fell faintly without any emotion. The setting sun finally disappeared completely, taking away the last hope of life. And the deep darkness is coming from the horizon, like an endless sea of darkness, completely engulfing the hall!
