The Old Foxes of the Holy City

Light canoes drifted north against the Talsas River's current; in just over half a day, they could travel fifty li. Messengers galloping across the flat basin could cover the same distance in barely half a day. As for a great army on the march, trampling the fields before the spring plowing, it would take at most two days to arrive as well.

Fifty li—that was the distance from Shuigu City to Cholula! From a shattered, forbidden land of burning flames, fallen corpses, and drifting gunsmoke, to a flourishing Holy City bright with brocade-like flowers, woven with streams of people, and crowned by thriving temples!

The morning sun had just risen, and brilliant light fell upon the Great pyramid of Cholula as though upon a sacred mountain built by mortal hands. Divine Smoke coiled through the air, its pleasing fragrance spreading among the gods' sanctuaries, carrying the breath of divine blessing. At this very moment, atop the towering sacred mountain, within the open sanctuary, more than a dozen venerable priest elders sat cross-legged, facing one another in silence, eyes lowered without a word.

"Yo, yo!"

White egrets cried in the Sky, stretching their long necks as they looked at these two-legged beasts who also wore Feathers, circling and gazing about curiously.

"Yo, yo?"

"Yesterday afternoon, the Mexica People's Southern Legion captured Shuigu City."

After a long silence, Petel, the priestly leader of the Holy City, was the first to speak. He wore formal priestly robes, held a jade prayer plate in his hands, and wore an Obsidian pendant around his neck. At this moment, his ever-kindly smile had vanished, and his expression had turned dark, even somewhat cold and stern.

"Water Snake clan chief Acoatl was killed by the Mexica People, and his head was hung over the gate of Shuigu