As sumr drew to a close, the Cloud Serpent Mountain City was warm and sweltering, and the highlands were verdant and lush. Inside the temple, the water cypress stood tall and strong, its trunk bearing black and red marks as if scorched by fire and stained with blood. Outside the temple, the white oaks were bare, their bark and leaves long since consud.
"A great fire scorches the tall trees, and the people consu the bark. Sacrifices are offered by the Divine Descendants, the idol rots and collapses... Light descends, bloodstains vanish, and all glory returns to the Chief Divine!..."
The Head Warrior, Bertade, maintained a calm deanor as he looked at the scene inside and outside the temple. He knew all that had transpired here, and he knew about the sacrificial rite held yesterday, though he had not participated personally. He then instructed his trusted aide to summon the important participants from the sacrificial rite for final arrangents.
"Go! Summon Black Serpent Teuctli!"
"Yes, Holy Eagle Marshal!"
Monts later, Black Serpent Teuctli arrived, bowing respectfully. By now, he was clad in a dark green xica war garnt, with the Sun Amulet of the Chief Divine hanging around his neck. Most striking of all was the red divine emblem engraved on his forehead. One look at the width and depth of the stone dagger carvings would make anyone’s forehead ache.
"Divine protection! Greetings from Black Serpent to you, esteed Holy Eagle Marshal!..."
"Hmm. Black Serpent Teuctli, as promised by His Highness, you will be granted the status of Second Level Hereditary Noble of the Kingdom. Your fief lies far in the North Arican continent, in a warm bay valley region (now Morro Bay, between Los Angeles and San Francisco). Near that bay, there is a northern Salinan tribe called the Oak Tribe!"
"Praise the Supre Main God! Praise the rciful His Highness! And praise you, the valiant Holy Eagle Marshal!..."
Though being reduced from the esteed Cloud Serpent Divine Descendant to a Hereditary Noble of the Kingdom, Black Serpent nevertheless showed joy and respectfully knelt. After all, becoming a Hereditary Noble of the Kingdom ant gaining a foothold in the sweeping Alliance and Kingdom. However, the location of this fief...
"North Arica, bay valley, where is it?... Salinan people, Oak Tribe, what are they?..."
Black Serpent Teuctli thought hard but was certain he had never heard of such a place, nor of any Salinan tribe.
The Head Warrior Bertade gave a faint smile, not telling Black Serpent that the fief’s location was "just" seven thousand miles away in the northwest. A month ago, the northern exploration fleet had sent a report suggesting the establishnt of a supply port between West Mountain Port and Three Hills Port, which led to the arrangent of Black Serpent’s fief... Bertade remained composed, only calmly outlining the next plans.
"Black Serpent, His Highness has granted you a quota of eight hundred tribe mbers. However, together, the two Cloud Serpent sites have more than a thousand survivors. I will entrust those surviving tribe mbers to you, as your tribal residents!"
"The Kingdom’s Naval Forces will first transport you along the Talas River to Zicao County. There, there will be a miraculous rite called the ’Chief Divine’s Eye.’ You must participate in the rite and then listen to the Chief Divine’s Priest preach the scripture... At the end of the year, the religious Inquisition in Zicao County will check your tribe’s beliefs. You must at least morize the important scriptures and prayers..."
"By early next year, the third fleet heading north will take you and a thousand others to that valley, your Black Serpent fief. The area of that valley is vast, and no one will restrict your exploration... The Kingdom fleet will provide you with food and tools for exploration, and dispatch the priests of the Chief Divine. As for the developnt of the fief, it will depend on you all!"
At this point, the Head Warrior Bertade paused for a mont, recalling the sight of the Black Serpent warriors and the surrendering Cloud Serpent warriors.
These Tlaxcala noble warriors, although yellowed and emaciated, appeared weak, that was rely due to hunger. In reality, with their stricter organization and the battle prowess honed from a sea of corpses, they held absolute advantage over the small and dium-sized tribes of North Arica.
However, the Kingdom did not trust these Divine Descendant Nobility warriors. In the Kingdom’s conquest, they lost power, status, wealth, and tribes. They lost so much, yet had too much traditional influence over the ordinary tribal warriors. Thus, it was impossible for them to be integrated into the new legion, and they would often be sacrificed and executed!
But now, the exploration and settlent in North Arica have presented a new option: after conversion, these untrustworthy Divine Descendants, nobles, and warriors could be exiled and relocated to the remote North Arica!
In North Arica, each Divine Descendant and noble would be just isolated outposts. They, having lost contact with their original tribe, were like fish out of water, unable to struggle. And when they fought for and developed their fief, loyalty beca a non-issue.
Once the settlents and small fiefs were established, the colonies in North Arica and the northern trade route outposts would connect in a line. These isolated small fiefs beca diligent pioneers in the north and providers for the fleet’s supply. They could not resist the Kingdom, nor could they confront it even if they developed. After all, besides food, their essential supplies, including tal tools, weapons, sacred gemstones, feathered cotton garnts, were all supplied by the Kingdom’s fleet!
"This new route for northern exploration, the exile and relocation of each Divine Descendant and noble... His Highness is both benevolent and wise!..."
The Head Warrior Bertade’s thoughts raced, recalling the recent letter from His Highness, which emphasized the relocation strategy, evoking feelings of admiration. He reached out and patted Black Serpent Teuctli’s shoulder, patiently advising him.
"Black Serpent, when the Kingdom’s northern fleet transports you to the fief, they will also provide you with an additional batch of leather armor, axes, spears, and bow and arrows! Your tribe mostly consists of warrior-worthy n, lacking won to continue the tribe... As for the Salinan Oak Tribe, only five to six hundred people are there, and other tribes are not large... It is a great opportunity for fusion!"
"Ah! Develop the fief, rging with local tribes?..."
Upon hearing this, Black Serpent Teuctli’s eyes glead, contemplative. The Chief Divine had cast him down from the lofty heights, yet seemingly gave him a barren wilderness, leaving a new hope in so distant North...
"May the Chief Divine protect!..."
Seeing Black Serpent’s sincere prayer, the Head Warrior Bertade nodded with satisfaction. He turned to look at old militia Chiwaco in the corner, speaking solemnly.
"Chief Divine protect! His Highness already has plans for exploring the Southern Continent. Captain Chiwaco, you need to prepare early!... Now that Cloud Serpent City has fallen, you can return to the Kingdom of the Lake, rest a while, and stay at ho for so ti... After all, once the voyage to the Southern Continent begins, the unpredictable fate will once again hover over the sea of death..."
Hearing "go ho," the old militia Chiwaco’s face showed a hint of brightness. But soon, he rembered the endless surging sea, and his expression turned a tad somber.
"Chief Divine protect! Thank you! Holy Eagle Marshal! I heard you’re going to Cuba... If you have ti, I can tell you all about the Taino people in Cuba..."
"Good! I’d love to hear about it!"
The Head Warrior Bertade nodded calmly, giving a positive response. Finally, he looked at the young Dark Snake, inquiring.
"Chief Divine witness! Military rit Noble Dark Snake, what are your plans? Do you wish to follow your father to the northern fief... or do you want to continue staying with the exploration fleet, serving the Kingdom?"
"I?... I would like to..."
Young Dark Snake’s eyes widened, eager to voice his choice. However, as the words reached his lips, he saw his father Black Serpent’s signaling gaze and rembered his father’s previous stern instructions... Monts later, he lowered his head dejectedly and answered softly.
"Chief Divine protect! I am willing to remain with the fleet, continuing to serve the Kingdom!"
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, the Head Warrior Bertade was slightly taken aback. He looked deeply at young Dark Snake, then at the respectful Black Serpent Teuctli, calmly concluding the conversation.
"Very well! Not bad! Dark Snake, if you can survive and return from the voyage to the Southern Continent... there will undoubtedly be a place for you in the future of the Kingdom’s expansion!..."
"Alright, you may go now... May the Chief Divine protect you!"
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