Central City, Southern Central Region. Year 10 of the SuaChie Calendar, twelfth month.
Central City shone beneath the midday sun, its polished stone streets reflecting the light like a silver mirror. The air was imbued with the scent of wild flowers, roasted corn, and the faint, smoky hint of the fires the vendors used for cooking. I had only just set foot in the city after a long journey from the Federal Region of the Islands of the Rising Sun (FRIRS), and the people's fervor engulfed me like a wave.
I had considered celebrating my eleventh birthday in Dawn City, but here, in the heart of the Suaza Realm, where I was born and where I shaped the first seeds of our future, the people awaited me. Among them was Simte, the High Priest, whose presence always reminded me of the faith my people placed in me as the Son of Heaven.
The journey from the FRIRS had been a whirlwind. I passed through several regional capitals, but the most vivid memory was Lake Mountain City, where Nyia's father, the governor, received us with a pomp that rivaled the realm's greatest festivals. The people had showered us with flowers and songs, their faces illuminated by an affection that still surprised me.
But nothing compared to the welcome in Central City.
As we entered, the bustle erupted: drums resounded, flutes filled the air with cheerful melodies, and fireworks exploded in the sky, painting clouds of color that seemed to compete with the sun. The crowd shouted my name—"Son of Heaven! Young Chuta!"—with a devotion that filled me with both pride and shame.
By my side, Nyia, in her embroidered blue tunic, walked with a flushed face, clearly overwhelmed by the attention. Umza, meanwhile, relished every second, returning greetings in Muisca, Tairona, and even in the Spanish he had learned from the Europeans. Turey advanced with his gaze lost on the birds fluttering above us, his owl Shadow perched on his shoulder, drawing looks of astonishment.
The city regiment's soldiers and the Explorer Division formed a cordon around us, their ceremonial bronze armor gleaming beneath the sun, securing our passage.
Though I was grateful for their affection, the fervor made me uneasy. I had only been away for half a year, working on Link Island and confronting the first European fevers.
What would this reception have been like if I had spent two years away, as I initially planned?
The idea made me smile, but it also reminded me of the responsibility I carried. This city, where the realm's first technologies—windmills, irrigation canals, improved looms—had been born under my guidance, was the heart of a dream that was still being built.
After an hour of slowly advancing through the crowd, we reached the Central Manor, a structure much larger than the Stone Manor of Dawn City. Its white stone walls, carved with symbols of the moon and the sun, seemed to glow with a life of their own.
The house staff greeted us with everything prepared: immaculate rooms for my family, baskets of fresh fruit and jugs of juice for the young ones, and chicha or liquor for the adults on every table. Nyia, Umza, and Turey dispersed to their quarters, while I headed to my personal office, a refuge of tranquility.
The walls were lined with shelves holding scrolls written in languages of the future—Spanish, Latin, even fragments of English—to guard my secrets. Maps of the realm and the routes to Europe hung beside leather-bound books, fruits of the printing press I had introduced years ago.
The scent of ink and polished wood enveloped me, and for a moment, I felt the weight of the world lift. This city, with its cheerful bustle and homely air, was my home in a way no other could equal.
A knock on the door broke my calm.
"Enter," I said, and Fiba, my former assistant and now the governor of Central City, entered in her black tunic and serious demeanor. Fiba, future wife of my brother Upqua, possessed a dedication to work that always made me smile.
"Young Chuta," she said, bowing slightly, "welcome back."
"Fiba," I replied, standing to embrace her, but she held back. "I'm glad to see you. How are the preparations for your wedding to Upqua coming along?"
She frowned, dodging the question as always. "Do you need a city report? Everything is in order, but I can detail—"
I laughed, interrupting her. "Fiba, always so formal… No, no reports for now. We will rest, celebrate my birthday in three days, and then we will catch up. You deserve it."
She blinked, surprised, but a faint smile touched her lips. "As you wish, Chuta… But the city is ready for your celebration. The people speak of nothing else."
"I noticed," I said, recalling the fireworks and the songs. "Thank you for keeping everything in order."
Fiba nodded and withdrew, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I approached a map on the wall, tracing with my finger the routes from the island Sogeking had purchased for the realm, all the way to Europe.
The acquisition of the island in Cape Verde, the trade with the Portuguese, the fevers contained in Dawn City… everything was moving forward, but the challenges were growing.
Nezahualpilli's warning about the Aztec war resonated in my mind, and the death of the child from the European fever still stung like a thorn. I had ordered support for his sister, but I knew that a single loss could be the presage of more if we were not careful.
Sitting at my desk, I took a scroll and began to write. Not just strategies, but reflections. Central City was the soul of the Suaza Realm, a place where people lived better, where happiness seemed imbued in the streets. But that happiness depended on my ability to anticipate what was coming: disease, wars, fragile alliances with the Europeans.
Simte, the High Priest, would call me 'Son of Heaven' on my birthday, and the people would shout my name. But I was not a god, merely a child with knowledge of a future I was attempting to change.
As the light of sunset dyed the room in orange hues, I knew that every decision, from the shipyards to the healers' cures, was a step toward a world where my people would not just survive, but would shine like the sun that gave us our name.
A week later, Year 11 of the SuaChie Calendar, first month.
The meeting hall of the Central Manor in Central City was a hive of solemnity and expectancy. Sunlight filtered through the high windows, illuminating the Muisca tapestries that covered the walls with symbols of the moon and the sun.
I sat at the head of a large wooden table, surrounded by the most important figures of the Suaza Realm: the eleven regional governors, the ministers, the office directors, the religious council led by Simte, the High Priest, and the generals of the navy, the army, and the Explorer Division.
Their cotton tunics and bronze uniforms gleamed in the light, and their faces reflected a mixture of respect and curiosity. This meeting, convened after my return from the FRIRS, was crucial to align our realm before the revelation of Europe, a territory that had shaken our expectations.
"Thank you for being here," I began, my voice echoing in the silent hall. "You have all received the news about Europe, the new territory across the sea… I want to share what we know, from the words of Christopher Columbus and his crew, the reports of the Trans-Saharan traders in Guanza Quyca, and… certain visions the spirits have granted me."
I paused, observing their faces. Some, like the navy general, leaned forward; others, like Fiba, the Governor of Central City, maintained their usual composure.
"Europe is divided into kingdoms, some as powerful as our neighbors," I continued. "Centuries ago, a great empire united them, but it is now fragmented, and another empire grows to the east. Their history is one of millennia of conflict, wars for land and beliefs. Their kings, similar to those of neighboring realms, rule with nobility and use currency for trade, as we do. Their technology, in certain areas, is superior. But thanks to the gods' knowledge and the strength of our realm, we stand at their level."
A murmur ran through the hall. Fiba's face softened, relieved that the gap was not insurmountable. A young minister, scrolls under his arm, looked lost, while the Explorer General frowned, assessing the military challenge. Simte, in his white tunic and jade scepter, requested leave with a gesture. I nodded.
"Son of Heaven," he said, his grave voice resonating like a drum, "I have studied the reports of the Europeans. They believe in a single almighty god, a faith that guides their kingdoms."
The silence broke with murmurs of surprise. The governor of the Northern Region raised his voice. "A single god? Like the Tairona gods of creation?" Others nodded, seeking connections to our own beliefs.
Simte raised a hand. "It is not identical, but their faith is strong, as is ours in the Gods and the spirits of the heaven and the earth. We must understand it to negotiate with them."
I felt the weight of his words. Europe was not just a technological or commercial challenge; their beliefs could clash with ours. But I also saw an opportunity: if we managed to weave bridges between our worldviews, the Suaza Realm could lead a new order.
"Thank you, Simte," I said. "Let us study their beliefs, but hold fast to our own. Europe is an opportunity, but also a risk."
A month later, Year 11 of the SuaChie Calendar, second month.
I was back in Dawn City. The rhythm of the city, with the waves breaking on the coast and the scent of sea salt and roasted corn, was a contrast to the solemnity of Central City.
I had spent only one more week there, occupied with envoys from Central Quyca who sought to join the realm, extending our influence into the southern Mayan territory.
I also received Aztec, Tarascan, and Mayan emissaries, whose proposals for unification concealed opportunism and veiled threats. Their words, though ineffective, reminded me of the tensions Nezahualpilli had warned about.
The governors, for their part, surprised me with their initiatives: new shipyards, irrigation canals, more specialized schools, flourishing markets. The realm was growing, but every advance brought new challenges.
In my office in the Stone Manor, surrounded by maps and scrolls in languages of the future, I felt a calm that only this place offered. The sound of the sea enveloped me, and the breeze entered through the window, moving the linen curtains. Suddenly, a knock on the door broke my concentration.
"Enter," I said.
Zasaba entered, his black tunic impeccable, but with a slight smile that betrayed his excitement. "Young Chuta, congratulations on your birthday. I regret not being there; the responses from Europe kept me busy."
I smiled, grateful. "Thank you, Zasaba. Don't worry. What news do you bring?"
He became serious, though the smile persisted. "Everything went as you expected."
I frowned, confused. "The Shadows?"
Zasaba laughed, surprised. "I thought that would interest you more. They have managed to infiltrate the Spanish circles. They are gathering valuable intelligence."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "I meant the official response from the Europeans, Zasaba."
His face became more sober, yet still relaxed. "It is within expectations. In a few months, European envoys will arrive here, at Dawn City."
I nodded, my mind racing. The arrival of the Europeans was a milestone, but the Shadows, operating in the obscurity of their courts, were an advantage I hadn't expected so soon. I approached a map on the wall, tracing with my finger the routes from Link Island.
"Well done, Zasaba," I said, turning back to him. "Prepare the city for the envoys. And keep the Shadows vigilant. Europe must not underestimate us."
Zasaba bowed his head. "As you wish, Young Chuta."
As he left, I looked out the window, where the sun was setting over the sea, dyeing the sky in orange hues. Dawn City, with its vibrant rhythm and promise of the future, was my temporary home, but also the stage where the Suaza Realm would face its greatest test.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
I was going to add many more details about the kingdom's internal regions, but I think I promised not to do so again. I only briefly mentioned some improvements made by the Governors.
By the way, we'll now return with new insights, which will sanction the first agreement with Spain and Portugal, but it will only be superficial.
Unnecessary Fact of the Day: The balance of power in the Aztec Alliance, or Triple Alliance, was between two great powers: Tenochtitlan and Texcoco. But by the beginning of the 16th century, the Aztec tlatoanis, such as Moctezuma II, already exerted a strong influence on the succession in Texcoco, ensuring that rulers more aligned with their interests would occupy the throne.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future. (Chapter 83)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis. (Chapter 30) (INTERMITTENT)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 9) (INTERMITTENT)
You can find them on my profile.]