"Oh great Rain God, with your wise eyes, you see through the soul, discerning all black and white! ... Andiwei! You betrayed your family, betrayed the Alliance, betrayed the revered Divine, and led the xica people here! You have shad your ancestors, destined to fall into the deep Abyss, your body corroded by rain, to endure endless storms as Divine Punishnt! ..."
Elder Priest Ita cursed angrily. Andiwei remained silent, his head bowed, his expression unclear. He stumbled forward, his fingers trembling slightly, yet firmly gripping the Obsidian Dagger.
"The Rain God will bring down disasters! Punish you... Ah! ... Ugh... Hahaha! ..."
Elder Ita’s eyes suddenly widened, his face twisted with intense pain. He could no longer utter a word of rebuke, only using his dying, unyielding gaze to deeply curse the young and revered betrayer.
"Puff, tsk! ... Puff tsk!"
Andiwei gritted his teeth, thrusting the sacrificial Obsidian Dagger vigorously into Ita’s chest, then forcefully withdrawing it. His hands trembled, stabbing and pulling, causing blood to splatter, reddening his face, blurring his vision, and soaking through the Rain God Sacrificial Robes of both...
Only after several dozen breaths did Ita fall with a "thud," no longer breathing. Andiwei, his whole body weak, collapsed beside the corpse, his face showing pain and sha. Unknowingly, tears flowed from his eyes.
"Ah! rciful Rain God, please... please forgive ! How could I do such a thing?!"
Black Wolf watched calmly, nodding slightly. He knew that the heart of this young captive was already riddled with wounds, shattered. The faith of the old gods and the family’s honor, all shattered like pottery hitting the ground. And the new god’s idol and the Alliance’s majesty would be rebuilt in the emptiness of his soul. However, a little more was needed...
"Haha! The Rain God can never forgive you! In the gaze of the Rain God, you’ve betrayed him thoroughly!... Now, only the supre Chief Divine, only the War God who values combat, can forgive you! Compared to the Chief Divine of the Alliance, what is your Mistek people’s Rain God?"
"... The great Chief Divine will bless the sacrificial warriors, saving their souls, as long as you fight for the Divine..."
Hearing this, a bit of confusion appeared in Andiwei’s guilty eyes.
"Conversion to the Chief Divine? He can save my soul?..."
"Ah! Andiwei Elder Priest! You... you are insane!"
The captured priests were stunned for a mont, then started shouting in panic. Their cries were filled with incredulity and hatred for the traitor.
"Andiwei! You... you are corrupted by the Volcanic Demon, even death cannot save you!"
"... Even death cannot save?"
Andiwei’s expression fluctuated, guilt and sorrowful moans mixed together. Black Wolf’s words lingered in his heart like soul-devouring volcanic smoke. He closed his eyes, murmured, his face filled with confusion, and hidden within was a hint of murderous ferocity.
"... Chief Divine... forgive ..."
Seeing the struggling young priest, Black Wolf nodded slightly. The beast within this person was about to be summoned. So, he coldly ordered again.
"Andiwei! They have witnessed everything, they know of your betrayal. Go, for the Chief Divine, and for yourself, kill them! ..."
"..."
Andiwei’s expression was dazed, like a puppet on strings. Holding the bloodstained dagger, he slowly advanced again.
The captured priests were all bound, unable to resist, only able to let out cries of panic. Quickly, the screams turned into wails, accompanied by eyes full of blood. The sharp dagger drove into bodies, sliced throats, and even pierced eyes!
The desperate pleas echoed in the Great Hall, turning into dying groans under the silent watch of the Rain God until the last survivor was left.
"Clang!"
Black Wolf drew his bronze sword, a precise strike cleaving the worn Obsidian Blood Dagger in two!
Andiwei, eyes reddened, turned his head, instinctively glaring fiercely. Then, he lowered his head, fear and involuntary submission rising once more in his heart.
"Haha! Enough, well done! You are a qualified little wolf cub now!"
Black Wolf grinned, satisfactorily nodding.
"Andiwei, you have proven your loyalty! The last priest captive will be sent back to Divine Stone City, as a ssenger, to inform the terms of the Alliance!"
"What! This, this!"
Andiwei was shaken, the remaining dagger in his hand clanged to the ground. The Rain God Sacrificial Robe he wore was soaked with blood, seemingly extrely heavy.
When this captive returns to Divine Stone City to report everything that happened today... his honorable family, revered ancestors, and beloved wife and daughters will be severed from him! This was to cut off all his retreat!...
"Honorable xica General! I beg of you..."
"Enough!"
Black Wolf waved his hand, his eyes slightly cold, making a firm decision.
"Now, pray to the Chief Divine! Praise the mighty Wezi Lopochtli! He is supre and omnipotent! ..."
"Praise the mighty Wezi Lopochtli! ..."
Andiwei’s mind was blank, his heart empty. At this mont, he only prayed to the Chief Divine, feeling a slight and peculiar comfort. The new faith was the only hope, sprouting in the void of his heart.
Black Wolf smiled, quite pleased.
"Such a high-status, weak-willed young Divine Descendant is actually rare. Andiwei knows much, familiar with the internal affairs of the Mistec tribes, and well-versed in geography and epics, making him the best guide! Hmm... severing all his thoughts would be best when bringing him along in the army ..."
Thinking it over, Black Wolf felt a bit proud. This maneuver had been learned from his Highness; it should bear so resemblance now! Then, he looked at the last, trembling priest captive.
"You, go and deliver a ssage! Tell the nobility in Divine Stone City: submit to the great Alliance, pay homage to our valiant Highness! ... As long as they comply with the Alliance, we won’t burn the Rain God Temple... Hmm, if the conditions are right, we might even give it back to you!"
Before setting out, His Highness had specifically instructed to preserve the murals and carvings in ancient temples as much as possible, avoiding rampant destruction. This was to preserve more cultural heritage and also leave so leeway with the various Mistec tribes.
In this era of supre Divine Authority, killing thousands of captives was negotiable. However, burning the sacred temples ant not to die!
The last priest, dazed, stumbled and was led away by the guards. In the Great Hall of the Rain God, only the noble corpses and the proud-standing xica warriors remained.
"Chief, are we going to negotiate with Divine Stone City?"
Red Frog Kaka looked sowhat surprised.
"This southward expedition ends like this?"
"Haha! How could it be!"
Black Wolf laughed heartily. He drew his bronze sword and swiftly hacked through the sacred blackwood offering table in front of the Rain God’s statue. Boundless killing intent surged within his chest.
"Inform the entire army! Divide into units of a thousand to plunder! Burn the villages, capture the able-bodied n, disperse the elderly, won, and children, and destroy the soon-to-be-harvested fields completely ruining their autumn harvest!"
"... Anyone who dares to resist, execute on the spot, piling the heads to build Jingguan! ... His Highness said, losing food and population ans losing the ability to wage war. Haha! I want the Mistec tribes to tremble in terror and weep in fear at the re ntion of my na, Black Wolf!"
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