Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

June arrived in the warm drizzle, soaking the coasts of the Totonac tribes. The rudimentary farmland was lush and green; the beans had just sprouted new buds, and the maize grew strong alongside the weeds—it was indeed the busy farming season. Yet, at this moment around Golden Bay City, the tribespeople couldn't spare the effort to clear the weeds. With fear on their faces, they gathered before the altar of the Feathered Serpent Divine, anxiously discussing, even in panic.

Travelers fled along the coastal roads, the escaping militia bringing terrifying news. More than half a month ago, the ancient Feathered Serpent Holy City to the north had already fallen under the Aztec invasion!

"The brutal Aztec legion summoned demons from the earth's volcano! They shattered the Feathered Serpent Divine Priest's protection with roaring thunderbolts! The sacred High Priests and noble Divine Descendant Nobility perished in the invasion. Their blood and bodies were sacrificed to the War God! Their heads and feather crowns were even piled into small mountains!"

The fleeing Feathered Serpent Priest, Papu, told the leader of the Snake Lake Tribe, the village chief Chuchut. In the Totonac language, Papu means "moon," while Chuchut means "water." Both bore names of divinity, passed down from their divine ancestor, naturally placing them within the Aztec's purging scope.

"Chuchut, I escaped from the fallen Feathered Serpent Ancient City and stayed in a nearby village for over ten days. The Aztecs' treatment of the nobility is more brutal than any mythological epic, even surpassing the Evil God!"

Papu appeared disheveled, sitting in Chuchut's longhouse. He grasped his Divine Staff, recalling the past more than half a month, still unsettled.

Months ago, in the name of the Chief Divine, the Aztecs demanded the Defectors from Tlaxcala and seized the fortified Five Mountains City. The priests of the Feathered Serpent Ancient City were furious, enmity against the Chief Divine's faith, raised the banner of the Feathered Serpent Divine, and rallied warriors and militia of each tribe to rely on mountain camps for a desperate fight against the invading enemy! However, to everyone's surprise, the fierce resistance of each mountain tribe lasted merely over a month before the ferocious Mexica legion reached the outskirts of Feathered Serpent Ancient City, even before reinforcements from the Totonac City-States could arrive!

The Feathered Serpent Ancient City was open on all sides, lacking walls, with only the solid, expansive central Holy Temple as the final fortress. During the Aztec legion's attack, as an inconspicuous middle-ranking Feathered Serpent Priest, he chose the courageous escape rather than return to the Holy Temple for a desperate resistance!

The surroundings outside the city were filled with chaotic battles among warriors. He took no risks traveling but quietly hid in a nearby Totonac fishing village, waiting for the situation to calm.

"The brutal Aztecs show no reverence for any Divine. They even set fire to the ancient pyramid! The black smoke from the burning Feathered Serpent Holy Temple—I could see it clearly from the village more than ten miles away!"

Speaking of this, Papu's face was filled with uncontrollable fear, tears unwittingly falling from his eyes. Had he made a wrong choice back then, he, too, would have turned to ashes along with the Elder Priests.

But now, the Western ancient holy land has been occupied, the Feathered Serpent Holy Temple burned to ash. The Feathered Serpent Priests of the Western tribes have lost their foundation, akin to stray dogs. From now on, these remaining Ancient City Priests might have no choice but to bow under the Eastern Holy Land of Hidden Snake City!

"The village leader, with deep reverence for the Feathered Serpent Divine, carefully protected me. The Aztec barbarian patrol came once, extorted a batch of food from the village, and returned to Feathered Serpent Ancient City. At that time, though the Feathered Serpent Ancient City had fallen, the villages outside still had allegiance toward the Feathered Serpent Divine! But afterward, afterward... alas!"

"Honored Papu Priest, what happened next?"

Under Chuchut's concerned gaze, Papu paused and let out a deep sigh. He gritted his teeth, speaking each word with deep-seated hatred and contempt for the overthrow of nobility.

"Afterward, the Aztec army dispersed from Feathered Serpent City and began cleansing the countryside! Led by local militia who betrayed the Divine and tribal leaders, they reached the fishing village where I was hiding... They, they actually gathered the villagers, ordered them to destroy the Feathered Serpent Divine's altar! They openly executed the village leader and even granted the village's population, land, and administration to surrendered vile militia!"

"Hiss!... Feathered Serpent Divine! The Aztecs are indeed so brutal!"

Hearing this, the leader, Chuchut, drew a breath, his face turning pale. He initially thought the Aztecs' arrival meant merely a new entity to pay tribute to, akin to tribal skirmishes. However, listening to Papu Priest's description, Aztecs not only sought to overturn each tribal faith but aimed to completely overthrow the hierarchy of tribes!

"This is... this leaves no room for us to survive! Every tribal leader, every City-State shall resist to the end!"

"Feathered Serpent Divine's protection! We have no choice but to resist to the last! Those traitors betraying the Divine, daring to collude with the Aztecs, shall face Divine Punishment and fall into the deep dark sea forever!"

Papu gritted his teeth, cursing harshly.

At this very moment, the Totonac militia converted to the Mexica Chief Divine, were leading Aztec warriors, one after another, brutally and cruelly clearing the villages outside Feathered Serpent City. If an escaping Feathered Serpent Priest were captured, they faced only immediate execution! Had it not been for the prematurely executed village leader who prepared two canoes and appointed a few tribal youths as escorts, he could not have escaped to this place, merely thirty miles from Golden Bay City.

"Feathered Serpent Divine, just as the Tlaxcala nobility warned! The Aztec invasion is fundamentally different from previous tribal skirmishes! They do not accept surrender from Divine Descendant Nobility, they do not honor the sacredness of the Feathered Serpent Priest, they want to offer the noble leaders to the Divine and demons as sacrifices! They unleash demons from human hearts, seducing warriors and militia to grant tribes and villages to commoners without Divine Blood. They would even distribute the leader's lands to the most lowly ant-like commoners!"

Papu Priest shut his eyes, painfully recalling before opening them again. He clamped his teeth shut, squeezing icy words through his teeth, chilling to the core.

"Therefore, Chuchut, village chief, do not harbor any illusions, do not hope for surrender! Even if the tribespeople under you survive, you will lose everything, your life and soul! This Aztec war is completely different from the past... It is the War God against the Feathered Serpent Divine, an invasion of volcanic demons, aimed at completely overthrowing the ancient order!..."

Hearing this, Chuchut's face turned ashen. His eyes were filled with unhideable fear as he tremulously asked.

"Respected Papu Priest, in the face of the Aztec legion's invasion, Five Mountains City, Feathered Serpent Ancient City... all the powerful Totonac Tribes have been destroyed one by one. What can small, weak tribes like ours do?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, the Papu Priest pressed his lips tightly together and remained silent for a long time. It was not until Chuchut, the village chief, asked again that he responded in a low voice.

"The Feathered Serpent Divine observes everything! Even though darkness assaults from the horizon, light will eventually arrive after the storm... Facing the Aztec invasion, the priests and Divine Descendants of all Totonac city-states actually have no retreat. They will certainly unite, gather the strength of all the tribes, and resist to the end! However, the chieftains need time to see their situation clearly. Gathering the warriors and militia of each tribe also requires more time..."

"And at this moment, the Aztec army is sweeping south, advancing to attack. When I was in the canoe, I saw a force of over a thousand Totonac defectors marching south along the coast... It is estimated they will arrive here in two or three days."

"Two or three days? Only two or three days!"

Chuchut was like thunderstruck, rooted to the spot. His mind was blank, and his eyes were filled with fear and helpless confusion.

"In two or three days, the Aztec army will arrive here?!"

"Yes. That is the most optimistic estimate. When I headed south, each tribe along the way was in disarray, totally unable to withstand for long!"

"Ah! What should I do? Papu Priest, what should we do?"

The Papu Priest squinted his eyes, deeply observing the panicked and bewildered Chuchut, the village chief. Only then, under the guise of trying to save him, did he state the purpose of this trip.

"Chuchut, village chief, now, there are only two or three days left. Our families have been connected for generations, and we have always been close... I will not harm you. In the current situation, if the tribe resists, it is a dead end. If the tribe surrenders, it is also a dead end... The only way to survive is to take your valuables, gather the tribe's warriors and able-bodied men, and migrate the entire tribe!"

"Migrate the entire tribe? Escape to the nearest Golden Bay City? There is a circle of walls there, it should be defensible, right?"

"...Although Golden Bay City is strong, it may not be defensible. Even if it is, it will inevitably be the frontline against the Aztecs..."

The Papu Priest paused for a moment, walked out of the longhouse, and looked to the distant East. His gaze was far-reaching, his thoughts thorough. However, at this moment, he was just an ordinary priest who had lost his belonging and was fleeing alone. He must gain the tribe's support to go where he wished, maintaining his revered status.

"Therefore, Golden Bay City is just the beginning of the migration, the further East the better! I know the road to the East, even to the Hidden Serpent City Holy Land, and only there is truly safe... But for now, let's quickly mobilize the tribe and hide behind Golden Bay City for now! May the Feathered Serpent Divine protect us!"

"May the Feathered Serpent Divine protect us!"

Chieftain Chuchut prayed, standing up. He stood shoulder to shoulder with the Papu Priest, looking towards the East.

In their view, the East was an expanse of jungle and flowing marshland. The low-lying villages of the Totonac people were scattered on the high grounds of the jungle and marshland, along the river. In the unseen distance, an ancient flourishing city-state stood reliant on the Long River that extended into the southern jungle, beside the winding Golden Bay.

At this time, the name of this city-state was aptly attributed to the seaside scenery, called Golden Bay City. In the eyes of the Totonac people, this riverside city-state had continued for hundreds of years and would always worship the Feathered Serpent Divine until the end of the era arrived.

And in later history, it had a more prominent name: the arrival point of the Conquistador Cortes, the first settlement of Spaniards in Central America, "the True Cross," Veracruz!