Year 12 of the SuaChie Calendar, third month.
A year after receiving the direct order from Tlatoani Ahuízotl to boost the naval industry, Menasuca found himself in his office in Texcoco. In the eyes of the Mexica Empire and his new father-in-law, Tlatoani Nezahualpilli, he was Painalli, the successful merchant in charge of the company 'Sun, Moon, and Lake' and the only man capable of modernizing the Triple Alliance's aquatic transport.
His office was a testament to his double life. It was clean and orderly, the walls adorned with geometric designs and representations of the alliance's gods, including an elegant relief of Quetzalcóatl. Yet, on his desk—an item clearly imported from the Suaza Kingdom—lay a series of detailed scrolls, codices, and ledger books, which specified the progress of 'Sun, Moon, and Lake,' its commercial results, inventory, and many other data that had flowed across the isthmus over the last year.
Painalli reviewed a company general ledger, a summary of the bonanza. As he turned the pages, dense with the ink his company had imported, his mind, the mind of an Ekauili (Shadow), reviewed the key events and information sent to the Suaza Kingdom.
[Recollections]
The first months following Ahuízotl's request had been a race. With the help of his assistants, Painalli had managed to build the first large mixed-propulsion boats, utilizing both oars and sails. He had also developed a small ship employing the same system.
Both designs were based directly on detailed studies of ships purchased by the alliance through the Floating Islands Sea Trade Company (FISTC), of which Painalli was a significant member, and one of the first 'foreigners' to trade with the Suaza Kingdom.
His swift results not only energized the entire alliance but also calmed the growing paranoia of Moctezuma, Ahuízotl's nephew and the most influential military general.
Moctezuma, a perpetual hawk, maintained a tense and distant demeanor toward the Suaza Kingdom. Both he and Ahuízotl treated the Suaza Kingdom as a place to acquire specialty goods, but they kept diplomatic relations at a prudent, almost hostile distance. Only when it became imperative to boost the fledgling naval industry, with Painalli at the helm, did they allow the opening of more commerce with the Suaza Kingdom, including engineering knowledge.
Since that opening, Painalli had manipulated his internal commercial contacts (Mexica), using his secret identity as a Shadow agent, to expand his company. He maintained his previous commercial focuses: food, construction materials, tools, and various articles, but incorporated shipbuilding and logistics as his principal pillars.
With the first large boats operational, 'Sun, Moon, and Lake' had managed to optimize trade throughout Lake Texcoco, allowing large volumes of goods to enter and exit Tenochtitlan and other lake cities, like Texcoco, with efficiency never before seen.
Then, with the final construction and improvements to the East Shipyard, now a technologically advanced facility in the Tlapacoyan lordship, Painalli had succeeded in building the first functional small ships capable of open-sea navigation. This was a historical milestone for the alliance, a step that would, in theory, put it on par with the nascent naval power of the Suaza in the Gulf.
Furthermore, Painalli had initiated a new, critically important trade route.
It departed from the newly founded Quetzalcóatl Sea City on the Gulf coast, within the Tlapacoyan lordship. It traveled up the Pánuco River with the new large boats, took a tributary called the Moctezuma River, and then continued with an overland section that connected directly to Texcoco and the lake.
This formed the first direct route between the sea and the capital that did not rely on runners for goods transport. Moreover, and crucially, it could carry a much greater quantity of products, alleviating the dependence on land routes controlled by military forces.
This route crossed several lordships, but its southern flank lay dangerously close to Tlaxcalteca territory—the resistance—and its northeastern flank touched the border of the Suaza Kingdom, near the Friendly Sea City.
Initially, the nobles, merchants, and generals of the Triple Alliance had not adequately appreciated the strategic importance of this new commercial route. But after witnessing the results of 'Sun, Moon, and Lake's' trade, they realized its potential.
However, something Painalli had not taken into account transformed into a personal embarrassment and a tactical blunder.
Moctezuma, with his acute military vision, noticed that Painalli's commercial route could be crucial for projecting power and keeping the Suaza at bay. Consequently, the Triple Alliance's military attention had shifted there, much to Painalli's anguish, as he had unwittingly put the Suaza Kingdom's territories at risk.
Since then, the Mexica had begun to approach the nearby Suaza territory with increasing frequency, and exploratory incursions had not ceased. Painalli had been deeply worried about the Friendly Sea City, reflecting on the irony of that very name. Initially, that territory was intended to be the nexus between two great kingdoms; now it was a constant thorn in the alliance's side, a continuous point of friction.
Painalli felt intensely ashamed of his military miscalculation. He did not wish to report it, but his Suaza training and moral code prevented him from keeping secrets. Moreover, he knew well that he was not the only Ekauili (Shadow) in Mexica territory, and the information would reach the Kingdom regardless.
To his consternation—and relief—neither the Young Chuta nor his direct leader, Zasaba, had been bothered by the incident. In fact, Young Chuta's direct reply informed Painalli that he had already anticipated that something like this would happen.
"It is actually a blessing that you are one of the main forces behind that route, Painalli," Chuta had stated in his missive, with the strategic chill that Menasuca so respected. "It allows us to observe and react. Now, create a subdivision of the Shadows within the alliance under your command. You will constantly supervise this important route, and you shall have the authority to make tactical decisions without consulting, should time be of the essence."
The relief of not being punished mingled with the weight of the new responsibility. The error had become a promotion.
[Back to the Present]
Painalli closed the general ledger with a dry thud, the sound echoing in the office. The past was a lesson already digested. He focused on the present: the wrinkled scroll lying beside him, the latest intelligence delivered by one of the Ekauili (Mexica Shadows) from the south.
The report detailed that nobles who had recently joined the alliance—a consequence of the Cuautochco lordship joining the Tlaxcalteca resistance—had found an unusually hard stone.
The most alarming part was the second half of the report: they had managed to melt and refine it using the new furnaces imported from the Suaza Kingdom, which were originally intended for the mass production of pottery and copper tools.
The nobles, assisted by technicians who had learned from the Suaza knowledge transfer, determined it was iron, the "gray metal" from which Suaza weapons, armor, and tools were made.
Painalli felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature in Texcoco. His Suaza mind took control, analyzing the long-term implications.
Iron was not an immediate danger to the Suaza Kingdom. The kingdom's metallurgical knowledge was light-years ahead, not to mention its capacity for mass production and advanced tempering methods. The Mexica iron would, for now, be crude, brittle, and expensive to produce.
However, in the long run, this discovery could be a strategic turning point. Much of the technology—the furnaces, the methods of ore extraction, the need for fuel—seemed to be flowing, directly or indirectly, from the Suaza Kingdom.
Young Chuta had sought peaceful economic growth, and in doing so, had inadvertently sown the seeds of his enemy's military modernization. The Triple Alliance did not have to discover the smelting of hard metals; the Kingdom had given them the tools to do so.
The Mexica, upon seeing this, would use their position to boost weapon manufacturing. The kingdom had given its commercial ally and its military foe the means to improve their weaponry simultaneously.
"What irony," Painalli muttered in classic Nahuatl, his voice dry. "The kingdom's friendly posture has bolstered its enemies' military power."
He knew he must send this information immediately. The dispatch could not wait for the next runner. However, he was concerned about adding further to the kingdom's current problems, as he had already learned of the European presence in the Sea of Floating Islands.
He rose to his feet, his Mexica noble merchant robes suddenly feeling heavy and constricting. The dual loyalty was not easy; it was a constant balance between the progress of his people and the security of his kingdom.
Just as Menasuca was about to head toward the secret compartment behind the Quetzalcóatl relief to encrypt the report of the iron discovery, his office door opened gently.
It was not an assistant, but Chimalatl, his wife and daughter of Nezahualpilli, Tlatoani of Texcoco.
She entered with the grace befitting her lineage and a radiant smile, an instant contrast to the cold, tense atmosphere Painalli had forged with his thoughts. Chimalatl, at sixteen, was a luminous presence, an anchor in the turbulent sea of Mexica politics.
She approached and immediately noticed the rigidity in her husband's posture, the tension in his shoulders despite his merchant noble attire.
"Painalli," she asked with delicate tact. "What troubles you? You look as though you carry the weight of ten cargo canoes on your back. Is it the Quetzalcóatl route? Are there issues with the cacao shipments?"
Painalli, who had attempted to remain firm and inscrutable like an agent of the Shadows, melted at the simple, concerned attitude of the woman who was now his wife. His training and his will yielded to the warmth of his home.
He moved toward her and embraced her gently. The aroma of copal and flowers that always surrounded her was an ephemeral relief. Chimalatl pressed against his chest, waiting patiently for a response, knowing that the man she had chosen was not one of those superficial pochtecas, but someone tormented by great decisions.
After a slight sigh, Painalli pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. There were things he could not tell her—his Suaza identity, the espionage, the iron—but he could share the burden of politics.
"It is the war, Chimalatl," he told her with deep concern. "The war with the Tlaxcaltecas consumes lives and resources. And I fear that Tlatoani Ahuízotl of Tenochtitlan will drag us, Texcoco, into a much larger, more terrible war with the Suaza Kingdom."
Chimalatl did not flinch. Despite her youth, she possessed a keen intellect, honed through years of reading. Since childhood, she had been immersed in the poetry of her father, Nezahualpilli, and in the ancient codices.
Recently, she had devoured the books brought by the Suaza Kingdom, which spoke of philosophy, government, and commerce. She had developed a superior analytical capacity; she understood that this war against the Tlaxcaltecas could be won by the alliance, but not without catastrophic cost.
She could surmise the burden her husband, Painalli, had to bear now that he was responsible for the Triple Alliance's naval construction. Furthermore, she knew that Painalli disliked Mexica cruelty and the wars of conquest. They had met precisely due to their shared tastes in literature and rhetoric, and she knew that, at heart, her husband was a man of peace.
She lifted a hand and stroked his cheek.
"You are not alone, Painalli," she told him with a conviction that disarmed him. "My father and I are here to help you. You do not have to endure this. You can withdraw from your obligations to the alliance at any time. We can sell 'Sun, Moon, and Lake,' and live a quiet life without luxury or great riches in Cuautitlán or north of the lake."
She paused for a moment, then added with a hint of reluctance, due to the pain of leaving her homeland. "And even... we could live in the Suaza Kingdom. You have told me of the Dawn City and its promises. We would have to leave my father; he is Tlatoani, but we could visit him."
Painalli was deeply moved. He embraced his wife more tightly; the determination he had felt a moment before to protect Suaza now tripled by the desire to protect her. He thanked her for her words, and his gaze grew more resolute. Chimalatl was not just offering him an escape; she was offering him a base of support. His double life was a weight, but his life in Texcoco, with her, was his armor.
A month later.
The atmosphere in Tenochtitlan was oppressive, mingled with the festive scent of incense and the throbbing of war drums. Painalli was in Ahuízotl's main palace, summoned alongside a multitude of nobles, great merchants, and important priests. The meeting was not a simple council; it was an ostentatious display of power and a formal declaration.
He identified Nezahualpilli, his father-in-law, who remained close, wearing an expression of caution. Also, present were important merchants with direct relations to 'Sun, Moon, and Lake,' the leaders of the recently included lordships—Cihuatian and Coixtiahuacan—and the leader of the coastal Tlapacoyan lordship, with whom Painalli had developed a close relationship thanks to the new trade route.
Despite the tension, the environment was not without its pomp. There were chants and the vibrant sound of musical instruments. Painalli noted, with a flicker of irony, that some of these instruments came from FISTC trade, originating from other cultures of the Great Quyca. There were dancers and other spectacles that served to distract the less important and mollify the reluctant.
After a few minutes, the Tlatoani's assistants called everyone to their places before a large stage.
On the stage were situated three figures of power: Ahuízotl, the Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma, the general and his successor, and the chief Mexica priest, whose severe face reflected the will of Huitzilopochtli.
Ahuízotl, dressed in richly embroidered mantles that reflected his military glory, began to speak, thanking the gods for their blessings upon the harvests and their 'successful' military incursions to the south and west. With this, he earned the thunderous applause of his principal war-party supporters.
Then, the Tlatoani began detailing the greatness of the recent unions. However, Painalli noted a crucial detail: Ahuízotl had avoided mentioning the Cuautochco lordship that had joined the Tlaxcaltecas.
He had also omitted recent information—which Painalli did possess—that Teotitlán was also having secret conversations to join this new Tlaxcalteca alliance. The truth always filtered through the Shadows.
Ahuízotl continued his address, detailing his grand actions. He mentioned in passing, with pride, the new Mexica ships that now sailed the lakes, some rivers, and the eastern seas. Finally, he guided the conversation toward the true point of the meeting: their relationship with the Suaza Kingdom.
Raising his voice, Ahuízotl began by describing this distant kingdom as a "jaguar dressed as a deer."
"They offered us soft cloths and jewels," the Tlatoani proclaimed, his voice resonating with calculated disdain. "They seemed friendly, a gentle deer that brought us gifts. But behind the mask of friendship hides the ambition of the jaguar, for they began trading with peoples who are enemies of the Triple Alliance. While we thank them for their initial aid, we, as a great kingdom, can subsist without anyone's support."
His words became an order. "It is time for them to return to their place. It is time for the jaguar to return to the jungle and leave the children of Huitzilopochtli in their sacred land. Their presence here only brings discord."
The attendees began to cheer. However, Painalli observed that the noise came mainly from the war-party supporters and the Tlatoani's retinue. Some lords and merchants who knew the true Suaza military capacity, or who depended on their trade, looked reluctant, and their applause was weak.
The principal opponent of these ideas was Nezahualpilli, whom Painalli watched at all times. The Tlatoani of Texcoco, his power restored in part thanks to the direct commercial exchanges with the Suaza Kingdom, did not want to make enemies of them. This was a point he had discussed with Painalli several times, as both held similar positions: Suaza diplomacy was more valuable than any military conquest over them.
Painalli was deep in thought, analyzing the faces of every noble and merchant, when he heard the following, and his complexion paled slightly beneath the gleam of his Mexica jewels.
Ahuízotl raised his scepter, closing the debate with a de facto declaration of war.
"Therefore, in the name of the Triple Alliance, we announce that military movements will commence in the northeastern Suaza territory! Our warriors shall reclaim what belongs to us!"
The announcement did not surprise many, as the atmosphere had predicted it, but the expressions of those present revealed fear and excitement in equal measure.
At first, Painalli wondered what had led a perceptive man like Ahuízotl, or even the strategic genius of Moctezuma, to decide to open a second front against a technologically superior enemy.
Then, the recent intelligence struck his mind.
The Mexica had managed to communicate with the Chichimeca people in the north, when they were slowly moving south. They had managed to redirect them toward the Purépecha kingdom, thus freeing up a large number of warriors from the western front. This, coupled with the recent union of new lordships, had emboldened the Mexica.
They had resolved one threat to mobilize on two fronts: to the east, holding the Tlaxcaltecas at bay; and to the northeast, launching a preemptive strike against the Suaza. It was a move of audacious strategy.
Painalli knew, and Zasaba had suggested before his departure, that if the Triple Alliance launched an offensive, he must ensure he was at the forefront of that campaign, or at least had direct access to it. In this way, he could pass vital information.
It was a perilous option. Being on the front line ran the risk of exposing himself to his own. But his loyalty had not changed and would not change. The jaguar disguised as a deer was not the Suaza Kingdom; it was he. And now, he had to march.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
I'm behind again, but only a little, right?
First, I want to say that this might be the last chapter of Shadows we'll see for a long time.
Second, I've included new ways of separating memories from the present so it's not so confusing (I read one of the first 50 chapters, and it was a bit disorganized).
Third, there's a clear shift in the narration between the names Menasuca and Painalli. Both names refer to the same person, but Painalli starts to take center stage when his mind focuses directly on his Mexica identity, while still maintaining his loyalty to Suaza. This begins with the conversation with Chimalatl, Nezahualpilli's daughter.
Men are so easily convinced, haha.
Finally, we'll see Unnecessary Facts of the Day again in the chapters about the joint expedition. And in 24 hours there will be a new chapter, and another 24 hours later.
I will do my best to deliver these chapters.
The titles will be something like this: The Three Faces of Battle – Land of Blood III and IV.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 91)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 34) (INTERMITTENT)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 14) (INTERMITTENT)
You can find them on my profile.]