Grandfather

The High Priest was about to arrive. Everyone immediately stopped talking and went out together to greet him.

Standing at the hall entrance, Xolotl raised his head slightly and saw an old man of around fifty approaching with an expressionless face.

The old man had a pair of hawk-like eyes. Wherever his sharp gaze fell, it sent a chill through people's hearts. Time had carved deep marks into his face, blending with the vivid red tattoos upon it. Those weathered traces, etched across his stern and cold features, gave no sense of frailty. Instead, they lent him an otherworldly, divine strangeness.

The old man wore a formal Obsidian tall crown. It looked immensely heavy, with a broad faceplate. At its center was a "divine face" arranged from gemstones. Two great red rubies formed its "eyes," like the merciless gaze of a god sweeping over the mortal world as the old man walked. Atop the crown stood countless half-meter-long green feathers, while dense blue short feathers spread behind it in neat radiating rows, like a magnificent sun.

Looking at the weighty stone crown of the High Priest, Xolotl immediately felt his scalp ache. Acap and Olorosh, however, seemed as if something had pricked them. They lowered their heads and did not dare meet his gaze.

Under the golden sunlight, the old man gradually drew nearer. The light glittered so brightly that it nearly dazzled Xolotl's eyes.

He wore a red cloak bordered with a ring of red feathers, its surface embroidered with a golden sun. Beneath it was a splendid High Priest's robe, with the radiance of the Sun and The Moon set into its front and back with gold and silver grains.

A dazzling necklace hung from his neck, made from the finest Obsidian and filled with countless crystalline flecks like golden sand. His priestly bracelets and anklets were likewise made of pure gold, flashing with golden light as he walked.

Of course, in the gold-rich Mexica Alliance, priests did not care about gold's monetary value. They simply revered the color of the Sun.

The old man's steps were slow and steady, as if he bore some immense "divinity" upon his shoulders. Acap lowered his head and stepped forward, intending to offer support, only to see the old man turn his head slightly and look at him with an unreadable gaze. He immediately halted, stood respectfully with his hands folded, and waited at the side.

Everyone lowered their heads and waited quietly on either side. Only when the old man slowly entered the side hall did they file in behind him, gathering around his back.

The air abruptly fell silent, until the old man stopped and turned. His sharp gaze fell upon the burly Xoloc's face. Xoloc lowered his head and bent forward, making himself lower than the old man's eyes.

"Commander Xoloc, the priestly council has decided to mobilize an eight-thousand-man regiment to join the king's coronation war. You will become the commander of these eight thousand men and lead them in battle for the Main God, for the king, and for the city-state!"

At this, Olorosh raised his head and let out a suppressed cheer. Then the old man's gaze pierced him, and he lowered his head once more.

"Yes, High Priest. I will fight for the Main God, for the city-state and the king! I will not return without victory!"

Hearing such a resolute reply, a nearly imperceptible smile traced itself across the High Priest's stone-carved face. Then his gaze swept once over Acap and Olorosh.

"Xoloc, I have matters to discuss with you alone."

Acap and Olorosh exchanged a glance, then performed a gesture of reverence to the gods. They consciously went out, closing the doors behind them.

Only then did High Priest Xutl remove the Obsidian crown from his head and slowly place it upon the stone table, revealing a head full of graying hair. In that instant, he seemed to have cast off some heavy divinity and could finally catch his breath. The expression on his face became a little more alive.

The young Xolotl stepped forward and touched the Obsidian tall crown. It was really hard. Then he tried to lift it. It was so heavy. Such a weighty stone crown perched on one's head all day long—being High Priest truly was physically demanding work, and Grandfather was in remarkably good health!

Xoloc hurried forward to support him, helping the old man remove his thick, long cloak, stone necklace, and pure gold bracelets. Only after all those outward marks of divinity had been removed could young Xolotl see that beneath the towering, dazzling priestly regalia stood merely a thin, withered old man weathered by the years.

High Priest Xutl relaxed and sat on the ground, his thin body finally showing a slight stoop. He patted the space beside him, asking young Xolotl to sit there, while his left hand naturally stroked his grandson's head. With his right hand, he pulled his son Xoloc over to sit opposite him. Two adults and one child sat together, making a pleasing picture.

With no outsiders left in the hall, they could finally speak of private matters.

"Our Holy City has decided to mobilize an eight-thousand-man regiment, ten battalions in all. Half will be elite city-state battalions, and half rural commoner battalions. That is, four thousand Samurai and four thousand Militia!"

"Xoloc! This time, I overruled all the elders to have you serve as the commander leading the campaign."

The old man's eyes remained incomparably sharp, while his words were firm and decisive.

"You must seize this opportunity and win enough military merit!"

"When you return, I will have grounds to promote you from a Level 2 Hereditary Noble to a Level 3 Honorary Noble! In a few more years, you will naturally become one of the city's rulers."

The High Priest looked sternly upon his son and spoke of a destiny already ordained.

The burly Xoloc nodded, but an unusual trace of hesitation appeared on his face.

"This battle... will not be easy. The Otomi People are unlikely to fight us head-on. The king's decision seems somewhat hasty."

Hearing this, the High Priest nodded in agreement.

"The king himself will naturally bear responsibility for every decision he makes. However, I will send him a messenger and have you avoid meaningless siege battles."

"Xoloc, all you need to do is find a suitable moment and fight the Otomi People head-on. Do not concern yourself with casualties! I only need you to return; I only need enough results! Samurai are like flowers in full bloom, destined to wither somewhere. Commoners are even more like weeds in the fields—though they wither and die, they will keep sprouting without end. Only you are the Cacao Tree blessed by the gods, destined to bear the duty of leading the city-state!"

Hearing these instructions, Xoloc remained silent. The High Priest placed his right hand on his shoulder, looked at his son's resolute face, and his own expression softened slightly.

"I know that because of your birth, you have developed certain childish feelings toward commoners and low-ranking Samurai. Since childhood, I could not remain at your side and teach you the ways of nobility. Instead, I allowed your mother to give you too many soft, weak feelings from among the common people!"

"But a tree and weeds can never stand at the same height! As a Priest, Canon Law once decreed that I could not formally take a wife. Yet as a bloodline of the Sun God, I had to raise a great tree for the family as soon as possible, one that could shelter us from wind and rain! You were born into this family, born to bear the future... My son, go and fight without restraint! Every victory must be watered with life!"

"Remember this! The city-state's Samurai will not care whether their leader is a bastard. What they care about is whether you are brave and fearless enough, whether your hands are stained with enough of the enemy's blood!"

Hearing such words that struck straight to his heart, Xoloc finally stirred with renewed spirit and fighting will. He nodded, looked into his father's eyes, and promised in a ringing voice.

"I will, Father!"

While the two spoke, young Xolotl sat motionless, listening to this teaching that clashed utterly with his own values. His attention was fixed on his grandfather's robe. How had these tiny gold and silver grains been set into cotton cloth? From the feel of it, some precise cotton-weaving technique seemed to have been used, along with some natural adhesive. Perhaps this technique could also be used to make Cloth-covered Armor?

After a while, High Priest Xutl's gaze finally shifted to his grandson at his side.

"Xoloc, how do you intend to arrange his future?"

At this, Xoloc looked fondly at his son and replied gently.

"Father, Xolotl has just returned from hunting. While I am away on campaign, I intend to let him rest properly at home. His age is just right for him to learn some knowledge related to priests from you."

Hearing this, High Priest Xutl pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

"No. Let Xolotl go with you. Priestly knowledge can be made up later. Once the results of this captive-taking campaign have been counted, I will promote Xolotl to a formal Priest. Then, during this war, arrange several Captives for him. When he returns, I can rightfully promote him to a Level 2 Priest, a 'Pamit.' And when the postwar sacrifices are held, I will have him assist in them, then promote him again to a Level 3 Priest!"

"But Xolotl is only twelve. A Level 3 Priest at such an age?!"

"Take him with you! Xolotl is skilled at mathematics and can help you account clearly for supplies and provisions. With mathematics and military merit, that will be enough to convince everyone. Besides, I am here!"

As he said this, the High Priest lowered his head lovingly again and pinched Xolotl's cheek. His touch was light, and it did not hurt at all.

"Xolotl, you have been clever since childhood. You are our hope, and the family's hope! Listen well to your father. I know that you truly understand everything."

"A Level 3 'Black-and-White Priest' at twelve or thirteen. In another two years, I will make you the youngest Level 5 'coyote Priest.' Then, when I depart, you will be able to take my place and become the new High Priest. Xolotl, remember this!"

The High Priest's expression turned solemn as he stared into the boy's eyes. It was as though he wished to convey something through his gaze, carrying an intense hope.

"You were born extraordinary, and strange signs appeared in the heavens! You are also a descendant of Acamapichtli! Every Mexica king through the generations has shared the same bloodline as you! Your future holds limitless possibilities, and I will seize every opportunity for you!"

"And my future..."

At this, the old man finally murmured softly and lowered his eyes.

"Only a few years remain before the Divine Kingdom."

Note: Acamapichtli was Montezuma I's grandfather, Tizoc's great-great-great-grandfather, Xolotl's great-great-great-great-grandfather, and the origin of the Mexica royal house.