Teotihuacan

"Our great world was once all united. With us, it was once a humble amount of numbers. It was known as Teotihuacan. We came into these lands with soil that is so fertile that it can spew forth millions of crops that can survive in any season. We have wells far from the great ocean that will never dry. We have ports that houseboats that can carry thousands of fish. With such bounties, our numbers grew ever more so. Even with such a population, our resources were still in excess. Thanks to the size of the many intricate buildings, we did not fear the masses being without homes. The designs alone made by the gods that a single house is enough for a whole village. All of the walls within are made entirely of carved statues depicting our vast history. How we came to be in this great place. To honor the gods, we built temples, 3 in total built over an artificial mountain as high as the clouds. At the bottom of the staircase toward the top are filled with the statues of the gods to look after the people. One statue of Quetzalcoatl, the god of the, reaches both the top and bottom of the mountain. Housed within them, are artifacts of grandeur. Some can control the very weather like the gods. Control the seas. And even hold knowledge beyond great proportions. How did we gain such a place? Why a gift from the Gods when they built this land? Every day we must show our gratitude to them with offerings. Life would not be prosperous for long, however. We would be veiled by a dark cloud that we never noticed. People exist outside of our country. Yes, beyond the great ocean lies people. They showed themselves on our very shores. Speaking in tongues that not even the wisest can translate. They were pale as if they were dead yet roamed like the living. Some had sunken eyes, with some that have red or blue spots all over the skin. Mouth filled with blood, missing teeth. And skin that with the slightest touch, bruised easily. They were easily tired, irritable, and depressed. They gave us all sorts of goods the likes we've never seen. We offered food and all sorts of products as thanks. Fearing them to be ill we gave them shelter within our village. We tried communication with them despite their word of mouth. As they continued to stay, we gave them food and rejoiced with them during our festivities. Slowly their blue and red spots were disappearing. No longer were they easily offended, depressed, tired, and bruised. Their skin began to toughen after what were close to six months of stay. The pale strangers needed to continue their journey. Despite only a few months, both of us saw each other as families. They left with heavy hearts as did we. With some deciding to stay. We called them soldiers for they were dressed the same as ours. Years passed after they left. Until more of their ships came by. Trading more goods and asking for more of our food. We repeated what we once did. And gave them enough for their journey and sent them on their way once more. One day, those who decided to stay one man, would begin to ask questions. He would gesture at anything and if we responded with its name as if it were a question. He quickly wrote it down. He stayed with us instead of with his people. Those who decided to stay would keep to themselves in the houses at the far left of the island. Communally chatting with us on terms. Oh, what is to come? The man was allowed to stay on our side thereafter. For some reason, we were compelled to do so. Soon after, he began to speak like us. Like children, we were entranced by it and taught him more. We believed him to be of no ill intentions. Up to that day, we spoke with these people with simple gestures that a child would understand. So it came as a surprise when their whole village began to speak like us. Why would someone ever want to abuse knowledge? He was picked up by one of the ships later a month, returning home. The usual 5-10 month goes on and the ships that arrived brought those who spoke like us! Though they were off on pronunciation. Like our supposed friend. They stayed, and joined us in celebrations. We aided them with bountiful food at the time as we did not fear our stocks to ever be diminished. Days passed until a unique ship came by. One with a cross laying on one foot came by. Thinking they were more of our friends, we simply waited on the shores. No weapons on hand, no armor, the way one would speak to their ally. Once they descended, we came close to them and spoke like usual and waited for a reply believing they understood. Yet this time around, they didn't respond in our language but in tongues once more. They became angry and rude. Believing we had offended them we gave them our usual trades. Yet they did not give anything back and began to point sticks with a metal pole on top of them. They repeatedly shouted so we moved back. After a while, we simply let them be. After only a few days, our supposed friends began stealing from us. Our crops were from our tilled lands despite the food we gave them. They would steal our offerings for the gods in our sacred lands. They would break the sacred statues and search for their pieces. And showed no respect when we tried to reason with them. A group of us, myself, included went to confront them. We shouted at them for their disrespect and they pointed the same sticks at us, shouting as usual. We argued for what seemed only seconds until a flash appeared with thunder. And by mere moments one of us had begun to fall. His face was blundered and blooded as if he was struck by a hammer. Soon after, more flashes came. We did not bring our weapons then as we thought of them as allies. After the encounter, only a handful of us had escaped. I and those who survived began to tell the whole village of what had happened. Many if not all of them doubted us. We were shunned and shouted at for trying to lie about our friends. We were imprisoned for this notion and told to wait as they came up with a just punishment. To confirm to us and everyone else in the village, a party was sent out, consisting of both men and women to communicate with them and offer many luxurious items as well as important artifacts as a way to make amends. They told me that they'll be back in three days. Despite our warnings, they left. Three weeks had passed and they have not returned. A week more and a single one returned. One of the women at the party. She had been badly bruised, her clothes torn. She told us what had happened. There were twenty of them, our strongest task force of upholding peace. All of them are gone. She said that when they merely approached the village where our friends lay, they were ambushed and shot down. She saw as they burned their offerings for peace. Stole our important artifact. Killed all of the warriors. And those who were left. Unspeakable. If we had not backed down on that day, we would have never had to see this dreaded event. If I and my allies had fought them even without anything on us, we would have changed the very course of history.

And their horrendous acts of aggression.

All of us understood what this meant. The village set me and the other survivors free. I was then appointed as the chief as I am the descendant of our greatest warrior. One of the victims was when that party left to make peace with the enemy. We gathered our weapons. Put on our armor. And faced the truth. We attacked the houses that hid them. Within only a few meters, we were swarmed by their thundersticks. By the gods, we believed the invaders to be a separate entity from our friends. Alas, it was all part of their devious plan. Slowly but surely, our men began to fall. Each with the concern to survive. A terrible feeling. They barraged us with weaponry more advanced than ours. We held our ground nonetheless and surround the whole house. This was done to buy time to fornicate defenses effective enough to protect us and the rest of the houses. Effectively walling them tightly into a corner. We began to use our extensive resources and built walls as high as our homes and as intricate as we could in such a small amount of time. Thereafter, the war began. One after the other we won and we lost. With each of that losses, we lost a part of our home. In a way, with each victory, we got back some of those lands. To gain a better advantage, we took their weapons and had some "traded" in. We learned how to utilize them and assigned them to people accordingly. We began to win. We were driving them off. So close were we to finally rid the enemy at the first houses they took. Until a large group inside our walls began to notice something particular. Opportunity. Eliciting other cities of their own. They walled themselves off from us as we were fending off these invaders. Perhaps as a defense from the enemies, we were not sure. At the least, they chose not to ally themselves with these invaders and choose to fend them off as well. But they too had begun to capture so much of our land for themselves. With other groups joining along with them and making their factions. Before there was only one proud faction. But now, there are 6 covering the whole land. 6 factions surrounds us. Cutting down on the land we used to cultivate our crops. Houses that carried all of us along with our weaponry. One of those villages began to seal of the cave. The very cave where our river begins. The river where we use the mud to create our houses, walls, and temples in this great city. The cave that gave fertilized soil for the bountiful of crops. Before, we had so much food it spoiled but now we starve. Our weaponry close to little. And our people, close to ruin. Do you see what has happened to us? Do you feel the urgency? Do you understand how grave the situation has become? The forest where we grew our fruits along with the river that gave us bricks for the walls were captured. Make haste!!" The tlatoani of the clan spoke with great haste with worry all across his face. "Name of hero" had a stern face of anger. At least that's what he believed. The people around him believed he was arguing with his food. A single platter of washed-down "food for fasting". With his arms covering it like the walls of the city with a slight opening. He had a thin build. Scrawny arms and feet. Broad shoulders. With a strong jawline though. His eyes were filled with worry. Perhaps from the speech?

His mind spoke. "The tlatoani had brought us to one of many banquets in our village to discuss the plans we need to quickly deal with the situation. He stands on his podium overlooking us. He explained with such sincerity of our history to inspire us. His table is filled with a feast as we sit on the banquet below with enough to eat. Though he doesn't look like he has eaten in days. The hall itself was covered with designs from the many battles with the other factions that we won along with others traded from beyond the great ocean. Ribbons and tapestry were all over the mural-covered walls. Both tables are covered with a silk blanket from them. All of it was placed to bestow a strong feeling. We are not at the point where the gods bring famine. We are covered head to toe with armor, some from our enemies, some from generations before. Ten rows of tables across the building were filled with an assortment of colors of armor from the different villages we had conquered from. Yet all of them currently wearing ichcahuipilli, quilted armor, as the under shirt. The chatter had begun as soon as the tloatani finished giving his speech. All over the banquet were arguments and agreements. People discussing their strategies and what supply they required or could muster. I was born long after the war begun so I have not seen much of the land outside our borders or the enemies from those borders. I wore the armor my great-grandfather had won from those that came from the sea. It is made entirely of metal with a pronounced arch in the middle of the breastplate. A hat with a pointy top with a rim that goes around itself. Adorned on it were colorful plumes of feathers. Which I chose to keep on the table. Next to it is mask with a face of a snarling jaguar, ready to pounce. With my face within the mouth. Each is ordained with our design that makes up my clan's name and each of my ancestor's accomplishments. I had earned it earlier than any. I can remember vividly the way my mother had told me about the way my father was dragged by the enemy. It was because of her that I worked day in and day out, sharpening my sword and skills for battle, for the day we finally defeat all of our enemies. I had made my sword from the stones of the volcano nearby. The rocks glisten in their pitch-blackness. With strength that breaks even their very armors. Placed as the symbol of my family along its center. I will make them pay for their ... a slap had hit Quetzal out of his thoughts. The man that slapped says with such enthusiasm "Have you heard? The next battle will be near the cave. The one we lost a while back." This particular man was different from everyone in the hall, however. His skin had a whiter tone than the usual sepia. Unlike the other soldiers who wore heavy armor, he wore nothing but a leather tunic with his chest completely exposed, thankfully instead of a beer belly that burned the world, it was a burly chest, decent to look at. He wore a crown on his head that prevented it from being obscured by his long lavish red hair, yet another strange thing about him. On his hand, a large pork's leg cooked all the way through. Big enough to clover someone to death. Is ... Is he gonna eat all that? He was once a prisoner when he came here. He was called Coyotl like the rest of the enemies. He first arrived with the usual cargo ships that traded with us before as they said. Strange ships, however, were smaller than the others. They had shields on each side. A dragon's head was on its front and a tail on its back like it was a dragon in its past life. Within this country, no one from the ships was ever allowed to stay or leave the holding cells. Though he could not remember why he was a prisoner to begin with. He somehow proved his worth and was released. Yet he does not recall if any of his other clan mates had escaped or not. Quetzal begins to contemplate. Perhaps for Coyotl's friends. Or his and his mother's striking resemblance. She too was in the same manner, jolly in the face of war, eager to fight. Most if not all his skills in fighting came from her. The way she danced with the blade confuses the enemies as the protag confuses his. Though unlike his friend her hair was like the woven silk as yellow as corn from different lands. The protag notices that his friend began to laugh all of a sudden and smile at him. A clan had made a wonderful joke that made the whole room sing with laughter. I didn't hear. I made my joke to join in. Only a few had laughed. One of them was Coyotl, the loudest to laugh at my jokes. Though I don't know if he read the room. And right after, chatter began once again. Right after, I began to discuss tactics with them. All of the ideas, and thoughts as best I could wiggle in to their conversations. Everything known must be given if the plan is to be executed by the whole group. Even if it's from a disliked person.

We had been losing land during each of our battles as of late. The land we used to cultivate our crops and collect water with the wells we built for Tlaloc to fill. Paths we used to take to get to the river to make our bricks, our water supply, and our way of watering our crops. They block these precious resources as they use them to thrive. Building houses larger with stones from the mud in the river, feeding each other as if tomorrow is their last, drinking pulque from the juice of the maguey plant we had fermented and hidden in those lands. So much sacrifice we had to endure to feed our village, our wi... "Hey come on now, we can still eat before the day of fasting! Come on man, you look so close to bones." the same man said. I laughed. We discussed our plans with the other generals, joining in on the discussion as best I could. I gave the last report of mine, input, and as much information I gathered. Right after, I told him I was done with my dinner and said my goodbyes. With the kindest grin I've ever seen, he said "Get some rest." I busted open the doors and walked past the training area, walked behind the barracks, then to the corners of the wooden terrace for the lift was placed there. And took it down to the ground floor. The new lifts could carry the whole weight of all of the generals back at the mess hall. As I thanked the man who gave no reply. Though he was looking up? I began to weave through a large group of people that was at the ground floor. Dancing before the day of fasting with beers in hand and happiness all over their faces. I closed my eyes with an angry look and faced downwards. How can we allow such merriment to take place while the enemy is -- My thoughts were interrupted by another close friend of mine, though we've known each other for a while longer. Cītlalli. Despite the many naysayers, she was able to become a great general. She got in much the same way as my friend once, a lot of battling I believe. She was dining with us at the table a few rows out. Yet I didn't hear her leave with me nor saw her in the lift now that I think about it. Along those lines of thoughts though, She spoke trying to sound as calm as possible as if to hide something "Hey, great joke actually, made me laugh. WANNA" ... She immediately stops talking and coughs. She tries to say again. "Sorry wanna ditch this place and ge-" I chose to continue my thoughts, to focus on the upcoming battles, -- with a solemn look of discontentment. I nod to myself as if to convey that very feeling. I thought to myself that I should hurry back to my project to prove this so I will take my leave and ... "Wait, you're coming with me? I mean ... Yeah, that's great, let's come to my place then we could grab some snacks and ... Wait, our house is over at the" ... Such ferociousness I had displayed for the love of battle. The gods will surely thank me for my dedication. I headed home right away. A little quickly even if I do say so. Right through the crowds. As I do, however, I can hear some shouts directed at me. So much festivities.

To get to my home, I had to get up 12 terraces of the building. Each of those terraces are connected via 13 metal pillars with a wooden beam that laid on top. Attached to those pillars were towers that had lifts to help the people go up the terraces. With each on them were a bustling district on its own. Merchants, hotels, bars remained on them. People perform next to the street for coins. In order to make it to my destination before nightfall, I had to focus on the trip and ignore the stores and delicious foods. At the top of those terraces was two rooms. I took a walk to the left that lead to the village over that stayed in that room. I had to pass buy the many houses and toward the opening in the wall. I climbed up a large wooden box with three compartments. Behind them were staircases to move up the wooden box. Tailors within all three of them to work on the many cloths found within. Another gift? I made my way to the top of the closet towards the large opening. Up close you can see the whole thing has glass in the middle. I go through a small slit and head to the rope on top. I left a Zipline contraption that leads me to the village over. However, I do not have a platform and must rely on grip strength alone to make it. If not, I fall to the ground below. Nothing but brown mud to break my fall.

ZZZIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP

Made it.

When I arrived, I quickly locked the opening by sliding the large glass door and locking the hatchet and went to work. I laid my armor on the display in one of the houses I built. I wore only my ichcahuipilli, the one I have been wearing under that armor. My loincloth and cape as well. If an enemy were to start a war or an ambush. I would surely be dead. But we won this house, a couple of months back. We'd only used this house for storage of the many crops, weapons, and such. I planned to redecorate and make extra homes for the masses. I began toiling on the construction within the village. With much of the homes being occupied back at the original house, I believed a few extra would not be so bad. To prepare for overpopulation or worse. A few more storage, barracks, stores, and more. What felt like a few hours I laid my tools at my side and rested in the house that had my armor. I laid on the bed. I slept facing directly at it so I may be ready once we begin or for any attacks. As I lay, I can hear the quiet night. The breeze rustled against the trees. I can hear a great whistling within the village. An annoyance. As I rest, I can feel how my body itself aches so much. I had not realized how heavy my armor was. Or how tough the work was or was it the battle. I lay on my back and look up at the ceiling of the house. It's ordained with stone carvings of my country's great history. One of which was a special statue. People clutching each other with great force, as if to constrict them like snakes. Both, however, had the biggest smile on their faces. Strange. I can feel a twitch in my heart. For a while now, my only friends were Cītlalli and the Coyotl. The whole army looks to them like one of the many great warriors despite their backgrounds. How my friend Cītlalli appears right behind the enemy lines like a real ghost. How my friend, Coyotl, takes on huge rows of enemies by himself with his great sword. And even with their discontentment, I have contributed to great victories from impossible odds. I had led the charge to reclaim the forest of the river by sending flaming wheelbarrows into it. Effectively removing the hidden enemies from the forest and into open land. I had a lot of lectures from that day. We'd capture so much of them yet I have never seen a prison for them in this village. We had made wonderful plays right after. With effects that can trick the most skeptical amongst us to believe. The story however is a battle between two people, one is restrained with some ways to hinder movement. The other one is allowed to move freely. One was held right before the feast and speech of our tlatoani. Each time the ending is shown with the fake blood seeping into the dirt. The ground begins to shine, flickering wildly. Then it stops. I believed the story to be about two different people, fighting, and the one winning is the hero. It could be based on the story of the moon and the fifth sun god. The story goes that the moon is the enemy of the sun and that it is a decapitated head of his own sister. She waged war on her own mother for something she found incomprehensible. Along with her siblings, they attacked her and decapitated her. Ironic what happened to her.

Yet again, I was interrupted from my thoughts by pebbles being thrown right at the window. I stare out and it's Cītlalli. Strangely, I moved quickly as to not be followed. Right next to her was the big guy, Coyotl. I went down the stairs grabbing a shirt and pants on the way down. I opened the door and the first to come in was the Cītlalli. Right after, Coyotl comes toddling after. Patting my shoulder as he came in. With a large platter of food on the other hand..... Well, after we all had settled the table with movements some would think we were dancing. Throwing up spoons and forks onto the table. The plates were thrown high by the girl general and quickly caught by the Coyotl. I threw the fruits up as well and the Citlalli sliced them up. Landing on the plates. Evenly distributed. Coyotl then placed all of the food on the table. Then proceeded to get large portions once again. Me and Cītlalli hid a laugh. We both sit down and begin to talk about the day. We brought up the problems with the other general's plans as well as our own. Defending well-sounded plans. I brought up the problems with the defenses and we tried to adjust the limited resources we have. Coyotl discussed the insights from the generals about the resources they were able to collect. However, as we discussed the many plans and budgets we began to shift toward the fun times. We brought up how Coyotl had placed enough soldiers on the wrong side, leaving a big opening from the "front" of all places. I brought up how I accidentally bought the wrong resource in bulk. I got out of it though when it turns out a storage that had all of the similar resources we kept got destroyed, like all of it. So I essentially saved the colony. All three began to laugh so hard, you can assume they were mad. Out of all of this day, Quetzal began to smile as wide as he could.

The moon was beginning to set and all three of them were hard slumped on the floor. Each of them was so asleep that a full-on blast could not wake them. Well, at least for Coyotl from the food coma he placed himself in. As Quetzal fights to stay awake. Cītlalli slowly crawls toward him. Her arm touches his chest but stopped as that was as far as her strength could lead her. He on the other hand reluctantly lofts her head places his arm under it. And places his other on his own chest. He notices her amazing scent and realizes she was wearing it the whole day. He looks at her forehead. Then at the ceiling, no carvings. His eyes began to grew heavy. Blackness.