Darkness extended in the hall, bringing a deathly silence. A shadow hit my heart and fell on my face, making it blurry. Only two pairs of old and deep eyes were left, looking at each other in silence.
"Dang, Dang..."
Soon, two elder guards came in with short soldiers. They took out the kindling, lit the candles under the mural, bowed respectfully, and then left silently. The candlelight lit up the light and fell on the bodies of the two white-haired old men, casting long and deep shadows. The real shadow Chevali was standing beside the two of them, holding a clay pot in one hand and holding a copper ax in the other.
Silence spreads, silence is soundless. The elder lowered his eyes, his expression calm, and waited patiently. There was no murderous intent or urgency on his face. He just smiled calmly, as if he was still recalling that long and true dream.
The high priest closed his eyes, and many memories came to his mind. There are deceased fathers and grandfathers, there are dead wives, there are children who died in infancy, and there is also the hope of continuation. The long time flowed in his heart like a peaceful river, making death seem dull.
He thought of his youth, which was the time of the late king Isko Atel, when the Three Kingdoms Alliance had just been established, and the majestic capital city in the lake had just emerged. He thought of his youth and middle age, which was the ancient holy city of Teotihuacan that had gone through vicissitudes of life during the time of the late King Montezuma and was gradually restored. Then, he thought of his old age and the hope that gradually grew, from the precocious chicks in the holy city, to the young feathers growing in the capital, to the eagle spreading its wings in the west! ...Gradually, a smile appeared on the corners of his mouth and bloomed wildly.
After a long time, the high priest straightened his back. For the first time, he looked straight at the elder and nodded slowly with the same majestic gesture.
"Can!"
Hearing this, the elder opened his eyes. He looked at his nephew, seeing his calmness and calmness in the face of death, and smiled with relief and satisfaction.
"Okay! Shuttle, you did not disappoint me."
The high priest looked calm, nodded, and said nothing. He looked at Chevali beside him, staring at the small clay pot, calmly waiting for death. He had long known what was in the other person's clay pot.
There was a smile on the elder's lips. He looked at the expression of the high priest and whispered quietly.
"My child, not now, not here."
"Huh? Elder?..."
Hearing this, the high priest was slightly startled. The calmness on his face was finally broken, showing a bit of surprise.
"Shuttle, I won't live for long, but I can still wait for two days."
The elder smiled calmly and spoke frankly about life and death.
"Your body won't survive for two years, but you can still travel far."
"Um."
The high priest was silent, waiting for the answer, the answer about death.
"Before returning to the sacred tree, don't you want to see that child again?"
The elder smiled kindly and asked calmly.
The expression of the high priest suddenly changed, and a little light gradually lit up in his heart.
"what do you mean?..."
"It's just the two of us on the road, so it's inevitably a bit deserted. In this world, there are too many old guys who don't want to leave, and they occupy too many positions of power..."
The elder smiled, his expression gentle and calm. At this moment, he looked like a kind-hearted old man holding a broom named death in his hand, hoping to clean the house.
"The Holy City of Cholula and the family of Twelve Priests have lasted for too long... just take them with you!"
"Take them with you?"
Hearing this, the high priest suddenly smiled. His smile was pure and clean, like a hard-working child who also wanted to clean the house.
"Yes. The holy city of Cholula is where the hearts of the world are. It's always hard for children to take action without a big reason."
The elder smiled and nodded, the corners of his mouth raised. He thought of the familiar old friends in Cholula, and he did miss them a little.
"There are just a few days left, let's make a death pact. I'll let you leave, go see the kid first, and then go to Cholula City to catch up with the old guys... Their magic smoke is good, and it burns The incense is good, the potion is also good, you can enjoy it for a while...Then, you can leave there!..."
"Leave there?"
The high priest narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and nodded in agreement.
"I see...that's not bad!"
"Yes. I will let Shadow Chevali leave the lake capital with you."
The elder ordered calmly. This is a guarantee and a contract. Of course, form is greater than reality.
"...You go away for two days. When the shadow comes back, I will come over."
"Ha, a promise of death!..."
The corners of the high priest's mouth raised. He looked at the elder's face and asked with a smile.
"Elder, aren't you worried if you let me go?"
"Shutter, my child, I believe in you."
The elder had deep eyes and a calm smile.
"After I leave, the balance of power in the alliance will be broken. If you don't want to see the children make mistakes, you will make a choice."
"Indeed. After the warm sun goes down, the cold darkness falls. Certain things are inevitable..."
The high priest thought for a moment and nodded slowly. With the elder's plan, there will be no counterattack left. The food routes of the Southern Route Army are all in the hands of the capital city in the lake. And if he leaves the lake capital, most of the influence he can exert will be lost... Now, it's not time for Shulot to take over.
"Forget it! With my body, there is no need to live greedily for another two years."
The high priest smiled with relief, stretched out his hand again, put on the venerable feather crown, and covered his silver hair.
"Elder, then we have agreed to meet at the sacred tree!"
"OK!"
The elder smiled heartily. This was his first time in many years, and it would be his last. He smiled and stretched out his hand to hold the high priest's arm, which was equally skinny and old.
"For the Alliance."
Hearing this, the high priest shook his head and answered solemnly.
"No, for my grandson."
"It doesn't matter. Your grandson is the future of the alliance."
The elder promised calmly.
"I will leave a legacy and leave it in his hands."
Hearing this, the high priest paused and nodded heavily.
"Okay! God bless you!"
At this moment, High Priest Shuter's face showed rare piety. He rarely prayed like this, but now he was full of hope.
The elder was slightly startled. He was silent for a while, then responded softly, praying devoutly to the god he had molded for the first time.
"God bless you!"
The two old men lowered their eyes and prayed for a few breaths at the same time. Then, the high priest stood up, looked at the elder deeply for a while, and asked the last question.
"Elder, who will take over as the high priest after I leave?"
"Ugl."
"Ugel?..."
"Well. In the past few years, the pace of the religious reform has gone too far. The power of the priests has also been too great. After we leave, there is no need for strong changes, and there is no need to go further... Pause Take a break and wait for a generation."
"...good!"
The high priest was silent for a moment, lowered his head, and bowed solemnly.
The elder smiled and nodded slightly in return.
Then, the high priest turned around and left without stopping. Behind him, a silent shadow followed and disappeared into the dark corridor.
The elder stared for a moment, smiled calmly, and closed his eyes. The deep dark sea struck again, swallowing his soul into it, bringing about an inescapable dream. Then, a faint light lit up on the sacred tree in his dream, slowly guiding him to the eternal end.
