The sun gradually sank toward dusk, and the great sea lay deep and dim. On the desolate, broad shore, the ancient little Pyramid Temple had stood for a thousand years, telling of history's vicissitudes and silence. Yet at this very moment, that long-lasting quiet was shattered by the cries of warriors from both sides.
Two hundred kingdom warriors, clad in armor, spears raised and great bows lifted, faced off against more than six hundred elite Maya warriors. Puapu, the Grey Earth noble, had reddened eyes as he stared at the Heavenly Snake Divine Descendant several hundred paces away, Prince Xiu Tul, who held a shield.
Prince Xiu Tul of the Xiu family wore a grave expression as he looked at Tomatl, the Main God's priest, who had rushed to the front of the formation. And a few steps away stood the Xiu Clan's Nahua translator, a remnant of the Toltec people, Usto.
"Nahua chief, Maya prince, greetings! Trade gems, do not fight!"
The Nahua translator Usto wore a commoner's long robe and raised both hands high. Unable to stop himself from trembling, he shouted loudly toward the priest opposite him. At a glance, he recognized the other man's attire: a tall feather crown, a long robe marked with divine patterns, and an amulet of the gods around his neck. This was precisely the revered plateau priest from the stories of his ancestors.
"Honored priest! We, trade, gems!"
"Mm?"
Priest Tomatl pricked up his ears, trying hard to distinguish the other man's language. This Nahua Language seemed to have blended in many Maya sounds and words, making it extremely difficult to identify. It differed greatly from the Nahua Language of the plateau tribes, even more than Mexica differed from the Purepecha Language. Of course, there was another possibility as well: perhaps