Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

The vast Lake Texcoco, shimmering with ripples, reflects the blazing sun in the sky, as well as the towering Great Temple. The temple of white stone and red roof casts its reflection in the tranquil lake, appearing entirely crimson. The stairs of the temple, stained by the thousands of sacrifices when red was painted on, were engraved with the last traces of the Divine Descendants. The nearby water of Lake Texcoco was also infused with bright red, transforming into a faint Blood Lake. The Red Temple of the Blood Lake, that is the realm of redness!

On the temple, priests prayed and chanted, wielding sacrificial stone blades. In the ball court, the prisoners of war played desperately, exchanging it for rounds of cheers. In the plaza, poets recited loudly, reciting their composed verses. In the communities, musicians played bamboo flutes and beat lively drum rhythms. Beside the roads, maidens danced and sang joyously, attracting admiring youths...

At this moment, the voices, music, songs, roars, chants, prayers... all echoed together in the magnificent Lake Capital City, pleasing the hundreds of thousands of citizens with a festival of life, composing a symphony of celebration! This is the annual New Year Great Festival, as well as the rare Victory Festival!

The people of the Lake Capital City, indulging in an unprecedented great festival, were savoring the rare joy and mourning the departed elders. Such devotion and sacrifice, the color red and death, are a shared aesthetic of the Mexica, that has continued for over a hundred years, and no one knows when it might change.

The victory festivities have lasted for a full nine days! And today, is the final day. King Aweit, dressed in royal attire, still sat high on the Throne of the Gods. His gaze sharp, he scanned the Twelve Elder Priests presiding over the sacrifice in front of the temple, and swept over the nobles drinking and spectating in the plaza, along with the armored warriors keeping watch. His eyes were keen, observing the celebrating crowd, gazing upon the sprawling communities, feeling the inclination of the hearts of the city's people.

After a while, Aweit lowered his eyes, feeling both satisfied and somewhat inadequate. Gripping the Divine Staff in his hand, he murmured to himself at the highest point of the city.

"In their hearts, I am a battle-savvy king, a devoted Divine King, but not yet… not yet the immortal Sun! Reputation and legend need the sediment of time, and more so... need remarkable feats engraved in memory!"

After a moment of contemplation, Aweit's eyes sharpened, a fire igniting in his chest. He waved his hand, summoning a trusted aide, and whispered a few words.

In no time, a few trusted aides brought the king's splendid bronze cloth armor, bronze helmet, feather shield, and battle axe, below the Throne of the Gods. Following them, another trusted aide approached High Priest Uguel, who was presiding over the ceremony, and whispered a couple of sentences.

A look of surprise flashed in Uguel's eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he glanced at the king on the Throne of the Gods. Aweit nodded affirmatively, his expression one of irrefutable command. Soon, the Twelve Elder Priests ceased the sacrifices, standing around in front of the Great Temple, forming a large circle. Chief Priest Yaoke personally escorted the two most important sacrifices, ascending the sixty to seventy meters high pyramid to the forefront of the Great Temple.

The priests' chanting ceased, and the sacrifices of the Divine Descendants no longer rolled down. The change before the Great Temple quickly attracted everyone's attention. Thousands of Alliance nobles and warriors gathered below the Temple Pyramid, gazing up at the sacred elevation, as if anticipating something.

High Priest Uguel cleared his throat, raising the Divine Staff in his hand high. In a hoarse voice, he announced to everyone.

"The Chief Divine watches over us! He yearns for valor and battle!... To please the Chief Divine, the devoted King Aweit will personally enter the arena to engage in a not to die sacrificial duel with two of the most revered Tlaxcala Divine Descendants! Our great Divine King will personally showcase valor, sacrificing our most dangerous and powerful foes!"

"What? The king himself is entering the arena to participate in a dangerous sacrificial duel, and it is one against two?!"

Upon hearing this shocking news, the city's nobles were collectively speechless for a moment. Then, an unparalleled tide of sound, filled with unprecedented anticipation, surged towards the high places of the Great Temple.

"Ah! Sacrifice, duel! Sacrifice, duel!... War God bless the king, bless the valiant Divine King! Roar!"

The excited shouts, like thunder, quickly spread throughout the city. Soon, the entire Lake Capital City echoed with a heartfelt call.

"Sacrifice, duel! Divine bless the Divine King!..."

In the hearts of the Mexica, valor and battle prowess are the greatest virtues! The tribes have not been distant from antiquity, warlike spirits are intense, and the people take honor in dying in battle... Aweit's deeds, if placed in the Celestial Empire of this time, would immediately prompt the ministers to earnestly dissuade and stop it at all costs. But in the Mexica Capital City at this moment, in the hearts of tens of thousands of people, there is only one expectant call.

"Quick! Hurry up!"

Aweit glanced around the Capital City, watching the masses gathering and surging, and nodded in satisfaction. Then, he slowly rose, raising the Divine Staff adorned with a Yellow Gemstone high, walking down the Divine Platform like a War God amid cheers. The guards promptly assisted the king in changing attire, putting on sturdy bronze cloth armor, donning an eagle feather bronze helm that concealed the face, followed by a solid tricolor feather shield and a sharp bronze short axe. Quickly, Aweit transformed into an elite Eagle Warrior, standing at the center of the twelve-member priesthood.

Then, two "most dangerous and formidable" Tlaxcala Divine Descendants, also stepped into the duel's small circle. City Lord Okote of Tree Snake City, with red eyes, clad in a robe painted with Cloud Serpents, wielded a war club with its sharp pieces removed. Meanwhile, City Lord Quiahuitz of Feathered Serpent City pressed his lips firmly, wearing a Feathered Serpent robe, handed a magnificent short baton adorned with feathers.