Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

The sea and sky are vast, with endless waves in the East, and land appearing faintly in the southeast. The Kingdom's exploration fleet set out from the mouth of the Cat Owl River, along the extended land, heading east. Traveling one hundred and twenty miles, they reached the mouth of the Sharp Corner River (Rio Filobobos); another sixty miles, and they arrived at the mouth of the Flat Sand River (Rio Colipa).

The Cat Owl River, Sharp Corner River, and Flat Sand River lined up like the roots of a tree, extending inland and branching out into more than ten tributaries. These tributaries connect to the Four States of Tlaxcala, the Vastec coast, and the Totonac coast. They even stretch southeast, reaching the border where Totonac, Mistec, and Zapotecs converge at the expansive Great Lake (Lake Miguel Alemán), seven hundred miles away. In other words...

"Oh Supreme Main God! This eastern seaside is truly a wild place, with trees everywhere, relying solely on these rivers to connect!"

Puap took off the Eagle Helmet, wiping the sweat from his forehead and neck. Then, he took a piece of dried, shriveled tomato, tossed it into his mouth, and chewed absentmindedly. The sour and slightly sweet taste spread in the Graysoil Samurai's mouth, reviving his spirits.

"Descending from the highland, the coastal lowlands are nothing but continuous rainforest and one river after another!... If it weren't for these rivers of various sizes streaming through the forest stretching for hundreds of miles, it would be life-threatening!"

Hearing this, the Mayan merchant Tikalo shook his head with a smile. Is this even a challenge? Next, when we reach the various Maya territories in Yucatan, with two thousand miles of rainforest from north to south and sixteen hundred miles from east to west, everywhere is a green ocean, and the inland lacks long rivers to connect through—that's truly life-threatening!

If there weren't local guides leading the way and local City-States' support, any legion venturing into the rainforest was doomed, no matter how strong the legion!

Thinking of this, Tikalo lowered his eyes, pondering without speaking. Some ancient family records flashed in his mind, leaving a lingering unease. After a moment, he smiled and said.

"After crossing the three Great Rivers, we leave the reach of the Vastec Tribe, arriving at the territory of the Totonac people. Heading southeast for another hundred and twenty miles, we reach the esteemed Feathered Serpent City among the various Totonac tribes! According to ancient legends, this was the very starting point where the Feathered Serpent Divine left the continent, riding a serpent raft to the Eastern Sea!..."

"Hence, hundreds of years ago, the coastal tribes that worshipped the Feathered Serpent established an ancient City-State here and built the revered ancient Temple of the Feathered Serpent! Then, the Totonac people, coming from the northern Wilderness and settling by the Sea, gradually converted to the Feathered Serpent Divine..."

"It is now mid-January, coinciding with the first Feathered Serpent Day of the new year! The various Totonac tribes along the coast will hold grand festival rites lasting several days. If the fleet hastens their pace, they should just arrive in time!..."

The rowers paddled in shifts, the fleet moving forward continuously. Two days later, the Kingdom's exploration fleet finally arrived at Feathered Serpent City. By this time, Feathered Serpent City was celebrating a ritual devoted to the gods. Tens of thousands of Totonac tribes were dancing and celebrating inside and outside the City-State!

"...Merciful Feathered Serpent Divine, You possess the world's most beautiful feathers! You dance through storms at the sea's edge, driven by the wind through your feathers! With your beard flowing, face smiling, You sing with us!..."

The jubilant songs echoed throughout the entire City-State. The nobility and chieftains dressed in bright costumes, adorned with tall bird feathers, and surrounded by gold and silver and gemstones, raised their hands in singing. Meanwhile, the young maidens wore scanty tops, their wrists and ankles bare, strung with multicolored shells, dancing lively and youthful dances with jingling sounds.

The entire city was immersed in a sea of festivity and joy. The arrival of the Kingdom's fleet did not garner much attention. Although the Kingdom's longship was large, it was not much different from the large oared sailing ships commonly seen by the Mayans. In fact, a few Mayan merchant ships were also docked at the seashore of the City-State. On such festive days, the nobility and chieftains never scrimp on wealth; it is a prime time to do business!

Under the vigilant eyes of their Mayan companions, a group disembarked from the longship, entering the ancient city before them. This Feathered Serpent City of the Totonac people, although sharing its name with the Feathered Serpent City of Tlaxcala, had a much more ancient architectural style, greatly different.

The Feathered Serpent City of the Tlaxcalans was a small but sturdy fortress with complete green stone outer walls and tall twin temples. In contrast, the Totonac's Feathered Serpent City was a sprawling marketplace City-State, expansive, with only simple wooden fences, and most houses were low straw huts and wooden shacks. In the City-State, the only stone building over two stories high was a single pyramid ten-plus meters tall, with the most revered Temple of the Feathered Serpent built on its summit!

"Huh? Is this the statue of the Feathered Serpent Divine? It looks really strange."

Old militia member Chiwaco stood near the temple, looking up curiously at the carvings of the Pyramid Temple. The Prepetcha people believe in the Sun, Earth, and Moon, and the Mexica Alliance had already abandoned the Feathered Serpent belief, completely destroying the Feathered Serpent sculptures. So indeed, this was his first time seeing the Feathered Serpent Divine.

The reliefs were vividly dynamic, carved hundreds of years ago. In the spiraling Feathered Serpent, the Feathered Serpent Divine stood with distinct features. The Feathered Serpent Divine's eyes were two huge blue jewels, with an extremely broad forehead and a high nose, a visage so profound that it was entirely different from the other gods of the Nava. More importantly...

"Really strange! Why would the Feathered Serpent Divine have such a long beard?... Eww! It's uglier than His Majesty!..."

Seeing this, Chiwaco shook his head and sighed. In this era, no part of the world had the habit of growing a beard. Genetically, American Natives also had the least body hair, with skin follicles least sensitive to male hormones, almost never growing lush beards. This statue in Chiwaco's eyes was just like how ancient Celestial Empire's people first felt seeing "foreigners."

A couple of steps away, Puap widened his eyes. The Feathered Serpent Divine's beard was dyed with gray-red pigment, with rubies embedded in it. The Feathered Serpent Divine's face was inlaid with some silver pieces, shimmering in the sunlight.

"A broad forehead, a high nose, blue eyes, white skin, and a gray-red big beard?... Hmm? I think I heard someone say that this is..."

"This is the Evil Demon of foreign lands! Damn! These degenerate Totonac people not only believe in the Feathered Serpent Divine but also depicted it in the appearance of the white-skinned Evil Demons!..."

Seeing the temple's carvings, Chief God Priest Tomate glared, anger shaking his hands. Although the Feathered Serpent Divine of the Alliance also had a big beard, it wasn't carved into this image of the evil demon from the Divine Revelation!

"Oh! Supreme Main God! May you unleash thunder to punish these lost tribes! The Alliance's legions must come here, destroy the statue, and burn the demons to ashes!..."

"Tsk tsk!... The Totonac's Feathered Serpent Divine truly is peculiar. I wonder where they learned to make it look completely different from our Mayan Feathered Serpent Divine!"

Not far away, the Mayan merchant Tikalo touched his clever bald head, looking at the temple's sculpture with confusion and puzzlement.

However, just at this moment, several elderly Feathered Serpent priests suddenly emerged from the high temple. Holding corn and feathers, they sang and danced as they descended the pyramid. Behind them, a dozen priest apprentices carried a magnificent bamboo raft, carefully following.

The young Dark Snake stood on tiptoe to look. On the raft, there was a two-person tall wooden statue of the Feathered Serpent, adorned with gold and silver. At the base of the statue were rows of long wooden snakes. This was precisely the sculpture of the Feathered Serpent Divine riding the serpent raft.

"...Merciful Feathered Serpent Divine, He bears a somber heartache.

He was harmed by dark spirits, witnessing the decay of the end!

He took an Obsidian Stone Mirror, observing his pale face.

He extended an aged hand, leaving the last handprint on the stone...

"

The Feathered Serpent Priests sang and danced, carrying rafts towards the seaside miles away. The people of the city-state sang loudly, following the priests' footsteps. The nobility took out thin Obsidian mirrors, reflecting the sunlight onto the rolling sea, like sparkling stars.

Everyone in the fleet glanced at each other and followed the city-state residents to the seaside.

"Merciful Feathered Serpent God, He chooses self-exile!

He leaves the people He loves, to head towards the endless Eastern Great Lake.

There lies His homeland, with countless birds and beautiful flowers.

The citizens who love Him cry, pleading. They say:

O merciful and radiant God, when shall You return?...

"

By this point, the Feathered Serpent Priests had reached the seaside. They set down the ornate rafts and placed them into the vast sea. Nobility and chieftains immediately stepped forward, eagerly placing their gold and silver and jewels onto the god-honoring rafts. Meanwhile, the young, pure maidens of the city-state carried tropical flowers, adorning the surroundings of the rafts.

Soon, as the sea currents and tides carried the tall Feathered Serpent statue, loaded with gold, silver, jewels, and flowers, it slowly sailed into the depths of the sea. Tens of thousands of Totonac people stood on the shore, staring blankly at the departing raft. Gradually, sadness appeared on their faces, some even shedding tears.

Only after a big wave came, making the statue on the raft disappear, did the Feathered Serpent Priests sing again in a sorrowful tone.

"Merciful Feathered Serpent God, He left the crying people!

He travels on the green serpent's raft, heading to the distant East.

He promises a divine vow to those who love and are loved by Him!

Beautiful Feathered Serpent will return one spring,

bringing prosperous flowers, ending the brief withering...

"

"He says: I will return from the surface of the Eastern lake,

sailing a ship the likes of which has never been seen!

Bringing peace and prosperity, bringing light and wisdom,

to save you all once more!...

"

The song of the Feathered Serpent Priests halted abruptly in the wind. Priest apprentices blew a melancholic conch, like crying sinking at the lake bottom. The mythology of the Feathered Serpent God spreads in ballads, telling this tale, leaving only endless regret and a final, wispy hope.

A sorrowful atmosphere engulfed the crowd. Tens of thousands of Totonac people could no longer endure it. They knelt in groups on the seaside, eyes filled with tears. Trembling, they stretched out their hands towards the boundless sea in the East. Led by the priests, they issued hysterical cries:

"... Return! Merciful Feathered Serpent God! ..."

"... Return! Glorious Quetzalcoatl! ..."

"... Please, sail a great ship back from the Eastern sea! Save your people with light and prosperity!"

"... Please, we beg you, come back! ..."

Cry after cry, heart-wrenching. The calls and wails of tens of thousands sounded on the shore outside Feathered Serpent City, echoing far away. Yet on the distant horizon of the East, there was only an empty sea and lonely flying seabirds.

Chiwaco stood amongst the crowd, gazing towards the East in a daze. He had never participated in such a celebration, but he could genuinely feel the people's yearning for the Feathered Serpent God, their longing for peace, light, and prosperity!

However, in the past hundreds of years, throughout thousands of divine ritual events, the merciful and radiant Feathered Serpent God had never returned. Central America was maintained in a precarious balance through endless division and slaughter, trudging toward the Bronze Age, awaiting a breakthrough millennia in the making.

And in the original history, such Feathered Serpent God rituals would continue to be held. Such calls and waits would persist!

Until exactly thirty years later, a towering three-masted ship indeed returned from the Eastern coast on the day of the festival, sailing towards the ecstatic welcoming crowd. Then, it brought the "envoys and incarnations of the Feathered Serpent God," filled with brutal greed and desire, bringing endless darkness and death!