The azure sky bathed the land in warm sunlight. The breeze across the Mexican Plateau remained refreshing, and the moist air carried the crisp fragrance of Lake Xaltocan. At its southern end, Lake Xaltocan connects with Lake Texcoco; a little over ten kilomeTetlsi to the east stands the ancient holy city of Teotihuacan—Xiulote's birthplace.
Once they caught sight of Lake Xaltocan, the entire group became lively, as though invigorated by some newfound vitality.
The warriors rushed to the lakeshore and drew water, relishing the taste of home. Small boats traversed the lake, and villagers passing by enthusiastically greeted the warriors, inquiring about their latest captures. Some young women rowed their skiffs closer, clad only in half-length cloth skirts that boldly revealed their youthful figures as they sang love songs in praise of brave warriors.
Xiulote blushed a little and turned away, gazing instead at the villages near the lake. Simple canals branched off from the lake, carrying water into expanses of cornfields intercropped with black beans and squash. Agriculture here was visibly more advanced, and the population seemed significantly denser.
Between the villages and the lake lay numerous small ponds, each containing rectangular chinampas of varying sizes. These floating fields could yield six or seven harvests a year, making full use of the fertile river mud. Adequate moisture reduced pests, and their output was nearly ten times that of ordinary farmland. The chinampas were controlled by city-state nobles to maintain their affluent lifestyles. Great nobles often owned chinampa gardens adorned with blossoms, herbs, and even cacao plants.
Xiulote's gaze lingered for a long while on one of the ponds near a village. Only when Tetlsi called him did he snap out of it; the group set off once again. Before long, an ancient, majestic city came into view.
Teotihuacan had no city walls—its ramparts had long since vanished beneath the dust of history, taking much of the old city with them. In ages past, it was known as the "City of the Gods," the place where the gods had departed.
Entering from the west, Xiulote crossed an indistinct city boundary and beheld a grand spectacle spanning a thousand years. Beneath the sunlight stretched a paved stone avenue some forty to fifty meTetlsi wide, running north-south as though extending to the very end of time. This famous causeway was called the "Avenue of the Dead."
At its northern terminus lay a sprawling stone plaza roughly two hundred meTetlsi in length and width, with a square sacrificial platform at its center. This was the Moon Plaza, a sacred site for worship and appeasing the gods. Xiulote had once witnessed blood pooled like a crimson lake in this very place—a shocking moment that first made him realize he had left behind the bloodless modern world forever and stepped into a savage, brutal era of jungles.
With their terrified captives in tow, the warriors advanced along the Avenue of the Dead. Farther north of the sacrificial platform stood an imposing pyramid, its base three times the width of the avenue and rising some forty or fifty meTetlsi high. Gazing upward, Xiulote saw five tiers of massive stone blocks forming the pyramid, with a finely wrought temple perched at its summit. Painted in red and blue dyes, the ancient patterns were carved with depictions of the moon, stars, jaguars, and snakes.
Flanking the temple entrance stood four temple guards in wolf-head helmets, their black leather gear marked by blue and yellow stripes. They remained as motionless as statues. Each "statue" clutched a half-meter-long wooden shield covered with animal hide in the left hand, while the right hand gripped a roughly meter-long club edged with razor-sharp obsidian shards that gleamed coldly.
Xiulote had on several occasions tried to climb this pyramid's summit, hoping to find a way back to the world he had left behind, but each time the motionless sentinels barred his path. This was the Moon Pyramid—the bridge linking heaven and earth.
Directly to the east of the group, another colossal pyramid rose toward the sun, its base spanning two or three hundred meTetlsi on each side. It also had five tiers, though even more lofty and magnificent. The apex was spacious, centered on a half-person-high sacrificial stone, with a partially open Sun Temple to the eastern side.
Inside the Sun Temple stood a towering statue of the Sun God, facing east. It wore a golden headdress, with jeweled eyes and silver ornaments hanging from its arms and waist. Behind it rose a sun disk of pure gold, several meTetlsi in diameter.
Sunlight shone directly on the summit of the Sun Pyramid, the dazzling radiance forcing Xiulote to squint. Only grand sacrificial ceremonies were held there; it was strictly off-limits at other times.
Aoloxi led the warriors to halt and, together, they knelt toward the Sun Temple in the east.
With solemnity Xiulote had never witnessed in him, Aoloxi prayed in a booming voice, "Great Guardian God Huitzilopochtli, under Your sunlight that illuminates all creation, we have completed this capture! As Your eternally faithful warriors, we will offer You our enemies' hearts and blood, until the day we ourselves return to the earth and offer up our own lives. May You bless our bodies and weapons so that we may triumph in the next glorious battle!"
Following their example, Xiulote also went through the motions of prayer. As soon as he stood, he noticed Aoloxi ordering the captives to kneel before the Sun God and present their devotion. Believing death was imminent, the captives trembled in terror, moaning and wailing in panic. Their fear robbed them of strength, leaving them prostrate on the ground in a heap.
Not far west of the group stretched an opulent residential complex. Painted murals adorned its walls, and brightly colored cotton drapes billowed in the breeze. Heaven and earth, gods, sacrificial farmlands, forests, lakes, jaguars, serpents, and deer—all were rendered in vivid detail. The images portrayed the Aztecs' past and present, their faith and daily life.
This magnificent cluster of buildings served as the home of priests and nobles, as well as a place where the servants of the gods carried out their daily work.
Upon seeing the returning warriors, a young acolyte came hurrying from the palatial dwellings. He appeared to be about twenty, with a gentle, jade-like face. No feathered headdress adorned him. Instead, he wore a white mantle draped over his torso and a white skirt around his waist, leaving his chest exposed. Around his neck hung a simple obsidian necklace, signifying his status as an acolyte.
"Esteemed Warrior Aoloxi—oh, and young Xiulote." The acolyte, whose name was Akapu, smiled and winked at Xiulote. "Did the capturing mission go smoothly?"
"Not too bad, Akapu. This time we went to Huastec territory, found some wild tribe," Aoloxi replied with a nod, his expression still stern from the lingering solemnity of prayer. Gesturing at the kneeling group of prisoners, he added, "All the captives are here."
"Good." Akapu quickly counted them, then glanced at the battered leather armor of a few warriors at the back. Smiling once more, he said, "Compared to the other returning groups, your haul looks quite decent. Hand over the male captives to me; you can take care of the women yourselves. Twenty-five sacrifices—that means every new recruit can get promoted."
Aoloxi grinned, turning to the warriors he had derisively called "turkeys" and roared, "Listen up, you turkeys—I've got good news. After this capture, each of you will be promoted to Tier One Warrior, 'Captors.'"
"Tetlsi, Matlli," Aoloxi continued, roaring, "the two of you will advance to Tier Two Warrior, 'Huastec Hunter.'"
Xiulote saw the same eagerness to fight reflected on both men's faces—though one was hardened and merciless, while the other was guileless and straightforward.
"After I report to the elders, tomorrow you can go collect your new battle attire and cloaks." The warriors erupted in joyous howls. "But remember, our opponents were weak this time—you lot are still a bunch of turkeys! Only when one of you takes down a Tlaxcala or Tarasco warrior on your own can you call yourself a real warrior."
"Tetlsi, Matlli, take these four women over to the south side of the city and sell them to commoners who don't have wives. Use the cacao beans you get in exchange to split among the brothers and have your weapons and leather armor repaired!"
The warriors cheered again at this.
"Oh, and if they're our own folks, give them a small discount," Aoloxi added, then patted Xiulote on the shoulder and laughed loudly. "Xiulote, it's a shame there's no share for you this time. Then again, you probably don't need it anyway."
Xiulote showed little enthusiasm, lowering his head as he watched the captives carted off and traded like merchandise.
At that, Akapu picked up the thread of conversation, smiling. "All right, Aoloxi. Now that you've sorted things out, you and Xiulote should come with me. Commander Xiusok gave strict orders that the moment you returned, you must go see him." With that, he led the pair toward the splendid palace complex.