NOVPUBOlosh first responded aloud, then frowned slightly and suggested in a low voice,
"Your Highness, simply releasing the prisoners may not achieve the effect you envisage. The sun burns with blood for its orbit, where light and slaughter go hand in hand. We always need to select among the captives, to reward and punish accordingly."
After pondering for a while, Xiulote’s expression became solemn as he commanded aloud,
"Then summon the accompanying priests, sacrifice the wounded of the enemy army, and hold a grand religious conversion ceremony for the prisoners! I will preside over the ceremony personally, with Etalik and Natali as my assistants, and let the Religious Knights join in as well. Tell the Militia via Ezpan that as long as they believe in the Chief Divine, they are children blessed by the god and can be released mercifully! If they refuse to convert... then they shall be dealt with as usual."
Upon hearing this, Olosh respectfully saluted, bowed his head to receive the order, and strode away.
Soon, the priests erected a high platform, lit a blazing Sacred Fire, and sang ancient chants. The Religious Knights donned their Armor and wielded sharp weapons, their faces alight with fervor, forming a vast circle. This marked the beginning of the divine sacrifice ceremony.
The Chapala captives, filled with fear, wept and wailed as they were escorted by thousands of Mexica warriors, gathering in the camp where the ceremony was to be held. Next, the already surrendered Tarasco people approached them. They reassured the Chapala captives in the Lake Region dialect, relaying the Highness’s will: as long as they sincerely converted, they would be forgiven!
The captives gradually quieted down. The sacred chants floated on the wind, reaching far into the Lake Region. As the sun climbed to its zenith, Xiulote donned his Ceremonial Dress and ascended the highest temple platform, chanting the ancient liturgy.
Then, the pale blue Sacred Fire was lit, the priests prayed loudly to the Chief Divine, and began their frenzied dance. Warriors swung their weapons, struck their shields, releasing fervent cries. Finally, the gunners ignited the fuses of the wooden cannons, allowing the weapons gifted by the gods to thunder once more, resonating through the heavens and earth! Amidst the thunderous noise, the countless captives prostrated themselves in terror. They bowed to the flames of the Chief Divine, to the roaring wooden beasts, to the High Priest on the temple stage.
Following that, the Temple Guards sounded the whistle of death, announcing the sacrifices to be made. The god-blessed warriors then solemnly brought forth thousands of injured enemy soldiers and hundreds of captured Chapala Nobility. They showed no mercy as they brandished the sacrificial Daggers before the Sacred Fire, allowing the vigorous flow of life to return to the earth. The priests prepared the blood wine for conversion using the blood of the Silver Family, placed it around the Sacred Fire, and then summoned the frontline Sky Warriors.
In the midst of the massive and stirring ceremony, Oorta, trembling with fear, was the first to step forward. He looked up fearfully at the Highness on the platform, resplendent and august, then lowered his head to drink the Blood Wine to the dregs. The rich taste of blood unfolded in his mouth, the flavor of a noble’s honor, and the end of the Silver Family. Thinking this, he couldn’t stop shaking, fell to his knees before the Sacred Fire, and presented his hair to the priest before him.
The aged priest, wielding an Obsidian Dagger, cut off the hair of the Family Head of the Sky and cast it into the pale blue flames. The acrid smoke rose, also carrying away a part of the young lord’s spirit. The old Priest smiled kindly and recited a brief prayer. Oorta, with words that seemed to be imbued with Magic Power, then sang to the sun in the sky, praising the supreme Chief Divine.
"Praise the Chief Divine Huitzilopochtli! He is almighty, omnipotent. Those who believe in the god shall be saved... regardless of their place of birth, the nature of their bloodline..."
In the stimulating smoke, Oorta’s tears streamed down as he murmured the last sentence. Two thousand Surrendered Army members of the Sky then followed in succession, drinking the wine, cutting their hair, and performing the ritual of conversion. They followed their new Family Head, henceforth loyal to the Alliance, and embraced by the Chief Divine.
Only a few dozen warriors refused to convert and were promptly dragged away by the Temple Guards to be sacrificed. The warriors who would not surrender met the same fate. Their low, mournful cries drowned in the rising prayers, fading without a trace.
After the Chapala warriors, it was the turn of the captured Militia. While witnessing the fate of those who refused, and filled with a longing to return home, the majority of them obediently converted to the Chief Divine, bowed reverently to the ground, chanting the divine name inaccurately, and praying to the fierce flames.
The conversion ceremony was grandiose and prolonged, accompanied by increasingly loud recitations. Until the sun declined in the west, the divine name of the Chief Divine "Huitzilopochtli" had already echoed across the fields, deeply engrained in everyone’s hearts!
Xiulote stood for half a day, and by now had sat down cross-legged. His expression was solemn, like a sacred statue, without superfluous words. Olosh took his place, loudly proclaiming, "The captured Chapala Militia have all converted, turned to the glory of the Chief Divine. All but the Archers, the remaining six thousand captives shall be released on the spot, as promised!"
Afterwards, the surrounding Mexica Samurai parted to the left and right, creating a passage leading west. Seeing the release as agreed upon arrive, the Chapala Militia were afraid to believe it, and for a moment, no one dared to move. They looked at each other, complex emotions shifting on their faces, urging one another with their eyes.
Ezpan repeated the instructions in the Tarasco dialect, ordering the Militia not to flee south but to head west to their homeland.
Then, a brave captive stood up. He loudly chanted the name of the Chief Divine, looking anxiously left and right, stepping out of the crowd, until he was more than a dozen steps away from the Mexica Samurai, then suddenly he sprinted westward at high speed.
Seeing this, the captives in the camp fell silent. They were uneasy, watching the Samurai on the perimeter to make sure no one moved to capture them or draw a bow to shoot, before suddenly becoming restless. The Chapala Militia bowed their heads as they walked, chanting the newly learned name of the Chief Divine as if it were a protective talisman. They were like a panicked herd of deer, clustering together then scattering in all directions, then sprinting westward swiftly until they became tiny dots on the horizon.
Oorta knelt on the ground, eyes fixed on the Militia heading west, showing deep envy. Then, he glanced at His Highness on the platform who was smiling and suddenly felt a sense of closeness, along with a bit of inexplicable trust.
"Perhaps, pledging loyalty to the Alliance, following His Highness, would be a correct choice..."
The young scion of the Sky family bowed his head, clutching the Sun Amulet around his neck, whispering a prayer, a gift from His Highness.
Xiulote smiled, watching as the six thousand Militia chanted the Divine’s name and were successively released and departed.
He knew that most of the Chapala people revered him only for a moment, and as long as they could escape back home, they would return to the worship of the Trinity Gods. However, this experience would be like a seed planted in their hearts, waiting for the times to change, to germinate one day in the future. It was also like a brand etched deep into the souls of the Militia, forever distinguishing them from the people around them.
"With the threat to our rear resolved, and current affairs dealt with, it’s time to head south to the Capital City!"
Xiulote rose to his full height, his eyes bright as he gazed towards the southeast skyline.
From the battlefield in the southeast and only several days’ journey from the battlefield lay the Capital City of Tarasco, Qinchongcan City. Many soldiers from the scattered Chapala Legion would spread the outcome of the great battle quickly to the Capital City, throughout the south, and then towards the frontline to the southeast. The tide of the battle would change once again, and new opportunities for combat would arise.
Afterward, Xiulote turned and glanced at the northeast route they had come from before calmly stepping down from the high platform amidst the cheering of the Samurai. With a powerful punch, he broke the enemy’s arm and quickly withdrew, conserving energy for the next surge of attack. And the next strike would aim for the enemy’s vital point!
The next day, twenty thousand Mexica main forces broke camp and headed north, under the watchful eyes of Tarasco Scouts, taking with them five thousand Surrendered Army, returning to the Huayamo Fortress to the northeast. Over the next ten or more days, the army was constantly in training and deployment, maintaining minimal contact with Qinchongcan City a hundred miles to the south.
Meanwhile, to the southeast of Qinchongcan City and outside the small town of Patzcuari, traces of the Mexica army became increasingly active. Longbow Hunters continuously ambushed supply carriers, but the capital of Tarasco lacked Samurai, with no soldiers to deploy. When the warm March weather arrived with the spring breeze, the supply routes to the southeast would become difficult to sustain!
