On the shore of Texcoco Lake, under the burning sunset, Shulot looked forward calmly. Behind him, dozens of elite warriors followed, and hundreds of craftsmen and civilians were busy.
The warrior captain remained motionless, guarding silently. But the old warrior Etalik looked at the young man, silently took a few steps forward, smiled and bowed his head in greeting.
"Your Highness, do you have any other instructions regarding the burning of charcoal, bricks and gems here? I will obey your wishes! I am willing to spur the craftsmen for you and guard the rebirth of the sun until dawn covers the earth!"
Hearing the old warrior's candid thoughts, Shulot was slightly surprised. The young man looked at Etalik carefully and saw the same fire in his eyes. He was silent for a few seconds before speaking.
"Etalik, what do you think of this place?"
The old warrior put away the smile on his face and answered seriously and decisively.
"Your Highness, the common men are just burning charcoal, maintaining the operation of the alliance. The warriors are the hard clay bricks, protecting the greatness of the alliance. And only you are the crystal clear gem, carrying the will of the Lord God and guiding the
Forward the Alliance!”
Facing such an answer, Shulot was surprised. He stared into the eyes of the old warrior and nodded slowly after a long while.
"Very good! Etalik, you can be of great use!"
Hearing this, the old warrior lowered his head and saluted again, and the smile flashed from his face.
The water of the lake passed quietly, and a few days passed in an instant. On this morning, facing the first ray of the sun in February, Shulot dressed up and went out. Carrying the little golden eagle looking around on his back, he went to Montezuma's palace again. Then,
He then received an unexpected message from the north that he had been prepared for.
"What? The elders postponed the New Year's sacrifice for another two weeks? The city of Herotepec was finally captured?!" The boy's eyes widened and his tone rose.
Avitt nodded. He touched the soft feathers of the little golden eagle and flicked its little head habitually. Then, he smiled and handed the trembling cute eagle to his expectant daughter.
Alyssa happily hugged the little Averlot, pressed it against her chest, and smiled innocently. Then, the girl gently stroked the little golden eagle's neck, and then it stretched out its head comfortably, proudly.
"Yo yo" at Avitt.
"This is the news that came at night. It was brought by the fastest warriors rowing day and night: seven days ago, there was a lack of food and civil strife in Herotepeque. Hundreds of Otomi warriors opened the city gates at night and led the alliance army into the city.
The important town in the north fell immediately. When the messenger set out, only the temple pyramid in the center was still resisting, so it must have been pacified by this time!"
Gillim reported solemnly, standing upright. Hulot looked at the scarred wounds on his ears, and then looked at the intelligence officer's trembling shoulders, feeling a little puzzled.
"Your Highness, you have made great achievements again!" The intelligence officer smiled slightly and then looked at the young man.
"It was at the suggestion of Baramo, the garrison officer of the camp, that Commander Ocelor sent out the Otomi warriors you recruited to surrender. They secretly sneaked into the city and persuaded the civilian warrior camp stationed there to launch a rebellion and surrender!"
Hearing the intelligence officer's approval, Shulot shook his head calmly.
"The second siege lasted for more than four months, and Xilotepec's food and supplies have been exhausted. Even if there is no internal response, it will only last one more month... How will the alliance handle the follow-up?"
Avitt pondered for a moment. Thinking of the past, he reached out his hand and rubbed the boy's hair intimately.
"Xulot, don't be soft-hearted! The elders have been waiting for the New Year sacrifice for a long time. The alliance needs a grand ceremony to appease the shaken nobles and to deter the vassals who need to pay tribute..."
After a moment, Shulot looked calm and nodded slightly. Time has forged ruthlessly, and after all, his heart is as hard as iron, but soft and buried deeply.
At the same time, in the important town in the far north, the morning sun rose again. The brilliant golden light shone on the burning temple, turning the past sacredness and faith into scorched earth, and also illuminated the dim central square.
More than 20,000 civilians were driven to the left side of the square, including many strong militiamen. They were as skinny as wood, covered with traces of hunger, weak and weak, and even lost the strength to cry. On the right side of the square, there were four
There are more than a thousand Otomi warriors who have just surrendered. They are unarmed, lean and look good, but their faces are ashen and they have lost the faith and courage to fight.
In the center of the square, there were two to three hundred Otomi priests of different levels. Wearing black and white priest robes, with their hands tied by sisal ropes, they knelt down toward the burning temple and cried their last bitter cry.
In the square, tens of thousands of Otomi people were either dazed and silent, or holding their heads and crying, worrying about their next fate. Outside, there were tens of thousands of Mexica royal warriors. Their faces were filled with murderous intent, and they were holding bloody war weapons.
Sticks and shields, fully armed, surrounded the square, waiting for the Otomi people's next choice.
In other areas of the city, teams of Mexica warriors were scattered and hunting. With their bulging pockets, they escorted thousands of noble men and women in gorgeous clothes. They gradually gathered from all directions to the main road in the center and took away the prisoners who were crying.
Take them outside the city and gather them together. These people have lost the chance to choose.
Going against the flow of captives, the poet warrior Paramo pulled a young Otomi warrior with a depressed expression and whispered affectionate instructions.
"Natalie, my friend, please don't hesitate later! After killing the Otomi priests as ordered, kneel down and convert to the Mexica priests, and loudly sing the name of the sun god! Anyway, so is the sun god.
Your God of War should also be sung on weekdays."
After hearing the words of the poet warrior, Natalie still looked dazed. He pulled his hair in pain, unwilling to look at the burning temple or the noble men and women leaving the city. Since being betrayed by the city-state of Otopan, he
His heart was filled with despair and confusion, and he and his brothers surrendered to the Mexica army one after another without being able to hold on for long.
Afterwards, they were stationed in the mountain camps in the west, under the supervision of Mexica warriors, and received the teachings of the war priests for two months. Then, the thousand Otomi soldiers were completely separated and assigned to different armies.
.And he was assigned to the poet warrior, the garrison officer of the mountain camp, Paramo.
Paramo treated Otomi's soldiers very well. He was frank and approachable, brave and good at fighting, and could fearlessly recite poems on the battlefield. He was a perfect example of a warrior and a poet, and he won everyone's hearts in a short time.
During the siege of the city, looking at the hungry villagers, Natali took the initiative to propose surrender. Then, he ventured into Hirotepec and persuaded his former partner, the civilian battalion commander stationed at the north gate, to surrender. However, at this moment, when the city
As expected, he fell, but he could not forgive himself. Thousands of sorrows flowed in his heart, and thousands of thoughts were swirling and unspeakable.
Seeing the shaken look on his new subordinate's face, Paramo shook his head in his heart.
"What a fragile flower. It can't withstand the baptism of the cold wind! But the flower is beautiful after all, and it belongs to my garden. So let me plant it and cultivate it diligently to serve as a help in the future!"
Thinking of this, the poet warrior smiled sadly, put his arm around Natalie's shoulders affectionately, and whispered persuasion.
"Natalie, my friend, look at these nobles passing by!"
Parramo pointed to the gorgeously dressed team.
"Besieged the city for two years, nearly half of the civilians in the city starved to death, and tens of thousands of people turned into skeletons! These nobles still have no worries about food and clothing, and their faces are rosy. They are high-ranking cocos, why do they ever care about you weeds?"
Natalie was startled when he heard this. He raised his head and looked at the long escort team, taking a closer look for the first time. Indeed, although these men and women in fine clothes looked miserable, they actually had plump cheeks and no trace of hunger.
Thinking of the villagers dying of hunger and cold, starving people everywhere, a strange anger arose in his heart, and his guilt and sorrow instantly disappeared.
The poet warrior looked at Natalie's expression, smiled slightly, and continued to speak in a low magnetic voice.
"Natalie, those aristocratic priests have always been kind to you civilian warriors. They have been guarding the city for so long, and they have been praying for gods and nobles day and night. How many of them have actually led the way to the Kingdom of God for the common people?"
These words pierced into the heart of the young Otomi warrior like an awl. His expression gradually changed, as if he had a reason to convince himself, turning his disgusted and repulsive self into a self-confident and approving one.
"This war was all caused by these greedy nobles and stupid priests! If the nobles hadn't refused to pay tribute, how could they have been punished by the alliance? If it hadn't been for the priests' repeated instigation, how could there have been a needless rebellion that led to the failure of the harvest last autumn?
?If the priests and nobles had not refused to surrender, how could they have been tried and executed by the Alliance?
They brought war and let the warriors shed their blood. They slept well and let countless civilians die of hunger and cold! Now, it is time for them to pay for it all! After seeing this scene, what can you blame yourself for?
What? The city of Hilotepec will eventually fall, and more people will starve to death. So, Natalie, you did nothing wrong, you are the savior here!"
Parramo's persuasion suddenly flowed into Natalie's heart like a clear spring.
The young Otomi warrior stood blankly for a long time. After a moment, he murmured.
"All deaths, all mistakes, all hatred are caused by these people in front of you!"
The poet warrior listened carefully, then smiled with satisfaction and hugged Natalie's shoulders tighter.
"Go, Natalie, my friend. Use the weapons in your hands to execute the real sinners! Pray devoutly to the Sun God, and the Lord God will forgive all your sins and lead the departed soul to heaven.
"
"I'm not wrong, it's them who are wrong! The God of War will illuminate everything!"
Natalie muttered repeatedly. Thinking of this explanation, he felt like he was grabbing a piece of driftwood in the deep Tampon River, and suddenly there was strength in his hands. The more he thought in this direction, the more settled he became.
Until we reached the central square.
Seeing the arrival of the Thousand Otomi surrender troops, the Mexica army priests stepped into the square. They built a altar for the Sun God, lit a blazing sacred fire, and sang in unison under the flames. Soon, the surroundings
The Mexica warriors also sang. They beat their shields with their war sticks, and the sound of chanting suddenly rose, covering the sky and the sun, with the terrifying roar of tigers and the cry of eagles!
Seeing the grand sacrifice beginning, the Otomi civilians knelt on the ground in fear. The Otomi warriors on the other side also looked pale and were shocked in their hearts. Only the Otomi priests in the middle suddenly became angry and roared loudly.
The shout was immediately drowned in an even more intense roar.
In the middle of the crowd of Mexica warriors, Commander Ocelot listened with satisfaction for a moment. Then, he waved his big hand forward powerfully, and a low drum beat sounded. In the Nahua language, Ocelot's
The meaning is jaguar, agile beast, and elite warrior. This noble name is also only spread among the royal family of Mexica.
Hearing the sudden sound of drums, Parramo quickly patted Natalie on the shoulder, gave him a long obsidian dagger, and then pushed him forward violently.
Natali staggered two steps and was the first to rush out of the Ottomi troops. Under the gaze of tens of thousands of civilians and warriors, he staggered towards the priests in the center.
At this moment, the young Otomi warrior seemed to be walking on the clouds, and as if he was in a dream. For more than twenty years, the fear of gods suddenly came to his heart. Looking at the holy and supreme priest, his steps hesitated slightly.
.Immediately, Paramo's low words flowed in his heart again, as if they had strange magic power.
"They...guilty...kill...I...guilty...save..."
Muttering in a low voice and hurriedly, Natalie finally walked to the leader of the priests at the front. The other person's god-like face was looking at him angrily and roaring.
"The sinner who betrayed the original God! You will forever fall into... uh... ah..."
With a puff, Natali stabbed the dagger out with force and penetrated the chest of the priest leader. His hand trembled, and he missed the vital point of the heart. The other party screamed and fell down. He pulled out the weapon and stabbed again, the tip of the blade deflected,
There was still no death. In the end, the young Otomi warrior's eyes were red. He crossed his long dagger and cut the neck above the chest, finally giving the other party relief.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! This powerful slash broke through the skin and flesh, and also broke through the last obstacle in Natalie's heart, bloomed with blood, and took away all the guilt in his heart. He
Finally gained a new life.
Natalie's face was distorted, and his eyes swept across the square fiercely until he saw the Mexica priest next to the holy fire. He woke up slightly, dropped the dagger tremblingly, and ran a few steps toward the light in his heart. Bang
Natalie shouted piously, then fell to the ground, with her face on the ground, and murmured the last three words.
"...save me..."
"Good, very good!" Commander Ocelot laughed heartily and swung his war stick violently, creating a roaring wind.
He looked at Natalie with great satisfaction. This Otomi soldier was the first to rush out. In front of tens of thousands of Otomi people, he killed the priest leader in the city without hesitation, completely breaking with the past. His methods
Fierce and decisive, firm-willed, and so devout in his belief in the Sun God!
"Remember the name of this Otomi warrior! I will promote him to a new hereditary noble, betroth him to a Mexican noble daughter, and give him a thousand Otomi warrior camps!"
Ocelot ordered the guards majestically. This will be a model for all Otomi people and the most loyal servants of the Alliance.
Not far away, the poet warrior Paramo looked at the scene in front of him in stunned silence.
"God, this...this...flower in the garden has just been planted, and it has grown into a big tree in the blink of an eye? Am I blinded, or is the world blinded?"
The holy fire burned blazingly. The thousand Otomi warriors who had surrendered for a long time were finally inspired to break free from the last shackles and no longer had any scruples. They howled and rushed forward, and soon, the chanting of the Otomi priests,
Just like their blood, it sank into the deep soil. Not far away, there was the burning temple, which was almost gone.
At the front, Natalie was still kneeling devoutly in front of the holy fire. He murmured silently, immersed himself in imagination, and felt the complete light and warmth. Behind him, more Otomi warriors quickly knelt down, counting
More than a dozen, more than hundreds, more than a thousand...so many that the future of the North is determined!