"...I was surprised, looking at my brother. He smiled at and said, ’Trakel Er, co up quickly! I’ve been waiting for you on this tree for twenty years now! They’re all waiting for you!...’
So, I lifted my head and looked carefully up the tree..."
Speaking of this, the elder lowered his head, squinted his eyes, as if recalling an extrely special and profound scene. The main hall was silent, even the wind stopped. After a long while, the elder raised his head, smiling gently and kindly.
"Little Xutel, guess what I saw?"
"..."
The High Priest pursed his lips, remaining silent. His expression beca weathered, and his gaze dimd. After a while, he finally replied in a low voice.
"You saw the bodies of the past predecessor monarchs, all smiling at you from the tree."
"Oh?"
Surprise appeared on the elder’s face. He nodded slowly, smiling as he asked.
"Little Xutel, how did you know?"
"Respected Elder, I’ve had the sa dream."
The High Priest took off his Feather Crown, bowed slightly, revealing the sa silvery hair.
"In the priestly lineage it is said, ’The vivid bodies of the spirits stand on the family’s high Divine Tree, smiling at the new arrivals... This is a death on!’ "
"Indeed, a death on... our shared on..."
The elder nodded, his expression unchanged, continuing with a gentle smile.
"...That Divine Tree has many branches, divided into multiple layers, each layer with people standing. There are stairs on the tree, I reached the first layer, and saw Tizoc with his throat pierced. He greeted with a salute, calling ’Grandfather!’..."
"...Next was Asayacatl, who died of illness, lowered his head and also called ’Grandfather!’..."
Asayacatl was the elder brother of Tizoc and Aweit, the third predecessor monarch of the xica Alliance.
"...I said nothing and continued upward to the second layer. First, there was your father, Xitlal, killed in battle. He asked , ’Brother, is little Xutel well?’"
At this point, the elder’s eyes deepened, his deanor returned to calm. He gazed at High Priest Xutel, who gazed back. Then, the elder seemingly transford, gently repeated.
"Little Xutel, are you well?"
The High Priest remained silent for a mont, bowed his head, and responded calmly.
"...Father, I’ll be there soon."
"...Hmm, good... In front of Xitlal was Texosoxomoc, who also died in battle. Seeing , he smiled slightly and asked, ’Cousin, is my little son, Aweit, well? His brothers are all waiting here for him.’..."
I smiled and told him, ’Aweit is very well. He’s an outstanding child. But it will be a long ti before he cos over.’..."
Texosoxomoc was Aweit’s father, an early general of the alliance. He was the cousin of Montezuma and the elder, but married Montezuma’s eldest daughter, Princess Atototztli.
"Beside Texosoxomoc was little Atototztli. She held a dagger of Obsidian, still as valiant. Further ahead was my brother, Chimalpopoca, who was assassinated. I greeted him, and he greeted back..."
Chimalpopoca was the third predecessor monarch of the Lake Capital City, the elder’s brother. He died at the age of 29, killed in assassination.
"I continued forward and saw an empty spot, then I saw my brother, Montezuma. He was joyous, gazing at , extending his hand and pulling my arm... He said, ’Co, Trakel Er, stand by my side!’
The elder’s expression beca a little distracted. Everything in the dream was so real, so tangible, leading to a deep imrsion. Darkness surged like tides, seemingly ready to engulf soone... The elder bit his lip hard, feeling a slight pain, breaking free from the whirlpool of the dream. He breathed for a while, speeding up his speech, and continued to narrate.
"... My brother extended his hand to , but I shook my head in refusal. I said ’Wait a little longer, there’s sothing I haven’t done yet... Moreover, I’ve lived longer, done more, I should stand in front of you!’"
"My brother smiled, shook his head, then nodded. He released his hand, pointed to the layer above, smiled and said ’Alright then, continue upward, and et uncle, father, and grandfather!’
"So, I continued upward to the third layer, first seeing uncle Itzcoatl. He held a Scepter, still as composed. We exchanged greetings... I rember, when he died of illness, I was forty-four."
Itzcoatl was the fourth predecessor monarch of the Lake Capital City and the first Great Tlatoani of the Three States alliance. He, along with Montezuma and Trakel Er, established the xica Three States Alliance.
"Further ahead was my father, Huitzilíhuitl. Holding the feather of a Hummingbird, his face carried a faint smile. Did he die of illness or was he poisoned by the Tepanec people? There’s still no answer. I only know he died when I was twenty."
Huitzilíhuitl was the second predecessor monarch of the Lake Capital City. During his reign, Tloquiditlan submitted to the Teopanek Alliance as a vassal city-state, yet its power was rapidly growing.
"I continued upward, reaching the last layer, where I saw my grandfather, Acamapichtli, whom I never t. I couldn’t see his face, nor hear his voice, only a wooden drawing depicting a tree. But I knew he was our common ancestor, the origin of the xican Royal Family, and the initial source of the family’s Divine Tree!"
Acamapichtli was the first predecessor monarch of the Lake Capital City, founder of Tloquiditlan. He established the city-state and built the innermost layer of the six-layer Great Temple. From then on, the War God Huitzilopochtli entered the Temple, becoming the guardian god of the xica people.
The lengthy story finally reached its end, the grand hall returned to silence, with not a sound to be heard.
The elder closed his eyes, breathing slightly to recover consud energy and calming fluctuating emotions. The High Priest watched silently, his thoughts drifting, pondering unknown matters. The Divine Tree of the xican Royal Family lay hidden in their bloodlines.
Ti gradually passed, the sunset sank into the mountains. The last rays of light slowly vanished from the horizon. The elder sensed the change in daylight, finally opened his eyes, looking towards the High Priest who equally gazed back.
"Xutel, have you heard the call of the Divine Tree?"
"Elder, I have."
The High Priest’s expression was solemn, nodding composedly. His heart was completely shrouded by black shadows, calmly welcoming fate.
"Hmm, very well!"
Looking at the calm High Priest, the elder’s face revealed a contented and kindly smile. He began to speak slowly, warmly, word by word.
"Then good, my child... Could you help , by going to the family’s Divine Tree first and saying a few words?... I’ll be there soon."
The elder’s words fell lightly, without a hint of emotion. The sunset finally completely hidden, taking away the last spark of vitality. And deep darkness surged from the horizon, like an endless dark sea, completely engulfing the main hall!
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