"Honorable Red Crow Chieftain! We... need so ti... to discuss..."
"Alright! Discuss right here, don’t keep waiting too long!..."
The sun set into the western wilderness, the large tent lit by an unsteady bonfire. Old militia Chiwaco frowned, leaning in with the Priest kate, their heads bowed. The two whispered quickly in the dialect of the Patzcuaro Lake region.
"Captain Chi, what should we do?"
"What to do? What do you think we should do?!..."
"Do you think... she would be intimidated by the threats of the Kingdom Legion?"
Hearing this, the old militia shuddered. He glanced imdiately at the female chieftain with the icy mask, then covered kate’s mouth.
"Damn it! Are you crazy? We’ve been blown here by the storm, the Kingdom doesn’t even know! A bare-bottod fox fell into a wolf’s den, and you bring up Jaguar to intimidate! ... The wolf would eat you up, not leaving a bone... By then, no matter how fierce that Jaguar is, it knows nothing!"
Upon hearing this, Priest kate pursed his lips, clenching his fists, filled with regret. He glanced around at the fierce Canine Warriors, remained silent for a mont, then sighed helplessly.
"Alas! Fine! The Kingdom searched for so long, only to discover a small iron mine at Black Rock Mountain. His Majesty said, iron ores are scarce in the world and hard to find... Surely, there wouldn’t be iron mines surrounding the Red Crow Tribe. Then, we leave a few people for them, and they find it directly..."
"kate, shut your mouth!"
Old militia Chiwaco gritted his teeth, wishing to seal the other’s mouth. Then, he frowned, thought for a while, and his expression gradually relaxed.
"Forget it, on second thought, this may not be a bad thing!... We still have three wounded on the ship, who won’t recover soon. Why not let them stay here and recuperate properly. The Red Crow Tribe needs them to seek mines, the Female Chief enjoys hearing stories, surely they won’t be mistreated... I’ll have Chipawa watch over them, after all, they are fellow villagers..."
The two discussed for a mont, then chose to yield.
"Honorable Red Crow Chieftain! We have three wounded sailors, all Purpecha people, who also know what iron ore looks like... They can stay here, please take care of them..."
Alan was quite satisfied with their sensible statent. She had been traveling across the wilderness, accustod to the majestic sights of the land. Yet, she was full of unknown curiosity towards everything mysterious at sea. Whether her arrogance to keep so crew was truly for finding iron mines or just to hear stories, it’s hard to say.
"So, the Kingdom of the Lake sent out an army, to conquer the Totonac tribes, also for the legendary prophecy?"
"Uh... His Majesty’s plans aren’t for us to know. When we departed, the Kingdom hadn’t launched an eastward expedition to the Totonac coast... but His Majesty indeed, placed great importance on the route to the Eastern Snake Island... In fact, the prophecy of the white-skinned demons also ca from His Majesty’s divine revelation..."
"Divine Revelation?..."
Alan’s eyes flickered, contemplating this rare word heard on the wilderness. If soone claid to have a divine revelation on the wilderness, they must accept challenges from nurous Warriors, using force to prove themselves! Otherwise, if you can’t even defeat , why would the Gods enlighten you instead of ? You must be fake!...
"The Divine Revelation of the Southern Tribes..."
Alan tilted her head, pondering a bit further. She knew that the southern tribes were devout in their faith to the Divine and valued divine revelations far more than the wilderness did. Since the War God enlightened the xica, and the enemy was on the eastern seas, the xica’s troops should march eastward... In other words, in a few years, they won’t have ti to worry about what’s happening far in the north. anwhile, the migrating Red Crow Tribe would have ample ti to develop!
"Not bad! Very well!... I will let you return, let your king know that the divine revelation he received truly exists!"
Alan’s voice slightly rose, then quickly turned low, seemingly to deliberately maintain her dignity. Thereafter, she inquired about the xica Alliance and the Kingdom of the Lake, questioned cautiously by Priest kate.
After this round of questioning, poor Priest kate’s short shirts were soaked in his sweat. He already realized the terrifying nature of the masked female chieftain, unsure what wilderness witchcraft she might have used, able to discern his words’ truth, nearly like reading minds...
"Honorable... powerful... Red Crow Chieftain, we haven’t had dinner yet... Could we retreat first?"
"Oh ancestors! Does your Kingdom of the Lake truly have eight legions? And in one legion, there are eight thousand able warriors? ... Oh, and you haven’t told , what are the differences between these legions? How do those powerful chieftains commanding the legions continue to obey your king’s orders?..."
"Huh? Judging from your expression, is this question strange? Powerful chieftains on the wilderness, constantly think of dominating a region unless suppressed by an exceptionally strong Great Chief... Oh! So your king must truly be powerful, aning your king, suppresses the Great Chiefs of each legion? ... Indeed! So, if your king were to fall in battle, would the Great Chiefs of each legion claim lands as kings? ... They wouldn’t listen to the king of the xica Alliance? I see! ... Ah! Don’t cry..."
Priest kate turned pale, his fingers trembling, eyes filled with tears. He hadn’t said anything, it was the masked chieftain opposite, deducing all on her own. Beside him, the old militia Chiwaco stood stunned, clutching the Sun Amulet around his neck, praying with rare sincerity.
"Ah! Chief Divine protect ! Don’t ask ! I... I don’t know anything..."
Alan’s lips curled into a smile, stifling her laughter, savoring the joy of controlling the situation. She looked at the trembling pair before her, estimating they dared not lie anymore, she then leisurely stood up from her cushion. When she stood in front of them, her tall, slender figure appeared much taller than the standing two.
"I rember you said you’re the Purpecha’s God of War Priest, very familiar with the xica’s faith?"
Alan’s eyes were sharp, staring at the pale-faced Priest kate, watching him nod nervously. Afterward, she seemingly casually, pulled out a dagger from her bosom, showcasing it before Priest kate.
"I’m watching you, don’t even think of lying!... Tell , what is written on this dagger?"
"Uh! It says... ’Xiulote’, that is, the God of Death among the xica gods..."
"Very good!"
Upon hearing this, Alan nodded, her face unchanged. Naturally, she wore a mask, so her expression was unreadable. She had already asked about the three words on the dagger beforehand, knowing it was the na of the xica’s God of Death. What she truly wanted to ask was...
"Honest Purpecha Priest, tell ! What kind of person would have such a dagger? Having the na of the God of Death engraved on their personal weapon from young?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers