The bright sunshine showered upon the Chief Minister’s palace, casting the painted curtains in a radiant and gentle light. Yet as one traversed the long stone path, delving deeper into the interior of the palace, darkness gradually engulfed the light, just as the cold, hard stone bricks replaced the soft fabric of the curtains, creating an atmosphere of chilling gloom.
The elder proceeded down the steps with calm and measured steps, each one precise as if measured with a ruler. This was not intentional, but rather a habit of precise control over his body that had developed over the years. Leaders of the Mexica had always come from outstanding samurai, receiving the finest teaching from early childhood, along with decades of relentless training. The elder had also been an Eagle Warrior when he was young, shedding blood in fierce battles against the Tepanecs for the establishment of the Empire.
However, time had taken away his youthful vigor. The elder, whose life spanned centuries, could now only walk at a steady pace. To accommodate the elder’s strength, the passage was deliberately constructed to be slow and long, leading into the utter darkness. There, in the solemn presence of the samurai and the flickering light of expensive candles. The candlelight illuminated the murals along the way, and also outlined a solid stone door.
Inside the pitch-black stone chamber, Aweit sat down with his legs crossed in silence, resting with his eyes closed. In this deep and secluded space, he had no perception of time. The ethereal fragrance of sandalwood permeated his body and mind, his thoughts gradually becoming ethereal as if sinking deep within himself, feeling the power hidden deep within his body.
"Klunk..." The stone door slowly opened, and specks of candlelight seeped into the chamber, outlining the murals of the mighty and inscrutable Guardian God.
Aweit opened his eyes and saw the time-worn yet majestic elder. Behind the elder stood the Head Warrior, holding a clay pot.
"Respected elder, your most excellent descendant Aweit, pays his respects to you!" Aweit bowed deeply with a solemn salute, showing no dissatisfaction.
The elder silently watched Aweit, observing his expression, demeanor, listening to his voice and heartbeat, watching his meticulous salute.
After a long while, he finally spoke slowly.
"Aweit, my child, you killed Tizoc, your brother. Do you admit your error?"
Aweit remained silent for a moment, then firmly shook his head.
The elder just calmly looked at Aweit, his gaze carrying a pressure as heavy as a mountain. After a moment, he continued to inquire.
"My child, you are a descendant of Montezuma I. If you admit your error, I will forgive you."
Aweit pondered for a moment, then firmly refused once again.
"I am not wrong! Tizoc lacked the ability to lead the Alliance to greatness, he was not my equal! I will lead the Mexica to conquer the world!"
Listening to Aweit’s ambitious plans, the elder remained impassive. He still calmly looked at Aweit, his gaze now even tinged with indifference. There was a murderous intent in that indifference, as if it were the will of the gods.
In an instant, Aweit felt a chill through his entire body as if he had plunged naked into a deep pond in February. This was the authority of one at the pinnacle, a man of his word, commanding the lives of millions. Provoked by this murderous intent, he no longer concealed his own grandeur, returning the elder’s cold gaze, though his hands trembled slightly.
It was a long time before the elder nodded slightly.
"As the supreme ruler, the reasons are unimportant, the means are unimportant, good and evil, right and wrong are also unimportant. The only thing important is steadfast conviction, an unyielding spirit, efficient action, and the correct objectives."
"My child, tell me, what is a Priest?"
Aweit finally let out a sigh of relief. He leaned slightly against the wall, feeling weak in his limbs. After a while, he calmly answered.
"A Priest is a tool for the Royal Family to rule the Alliance, using the gods they create and rituals to maintain the bond with the Mexica people’s hearts! They must obey the supreme King and serve the Royal Family in the name of the gods!"
The elder nodded without objection. He calmly asked again.
"My child, tell me, what is a King?"
"A King is the ruler of the nation, the supreme and only one. All Priests, Nobility, and samurai must pledge loyalty to him. And he will lead the Mexica warriors to conquer the Tarasco, Tlaxcalans, Zapotecs, Mistecs, Otomi, Vastecs, Totonacs... until all the known world is conquered!"
Now that his true motives had been revealed, Aweit no longer held back. His gaze burned with fierce longing, and his words thrummed with the ambition to swallow the world whole!
Still unmoved, the elder quietly waited until Aweit’s emotions settled before asking once more.
"My child, tell me, what does the future look like for the Alliance?"
This time, Aweit pondered for a long time before seriously responding.
"The future of the Alliance is that of a vast Empire, stretching from the Great Lake in the west to the Great Lake in the east, from the White Disaster in the north to the Rainforest in the south, ruling all known lands. The King holds supreme authority! Priests, following the directives of the King, maintain the nation’s morale. The minor Nobility relinquish the taxes they have intercepted, the Great Nobility surrender their privately held warriors, and the fate of City-State lords is decided by the King’s word alone!"
Listening to Aweit’s description, the elder remained silent for a long time. He made no comment, neither affirming nor denying. Finally, he spoke slowly.
"My child, remember the words you’ve spoken today, remember the goals you’ve pledged. The future will present you with many choices. When making these choices, remember, in a nation, no one is exempt from sacrifice. The only differences lie in when to sacrifice, how much to sacrifice, and for what. As long as the value justifies it, even you and I can be sacrificed."
After hearing the elder’s words, Aweit fell into deep thought. The elder silently watched him for a while, then turned and left, leaving behind one last statement.