Chapter 19: Path To Immortality pt.1

Fall’s freshest flowers, the scent of the market’s spices and the sunlight of the sky blinded my senses, when they adjusted, the dances of men in costumes of planets, of women in the most expensive dresses and cosmetics they could afford. The wood with jade-patterns was sensed by my eyes. The music of flutes and drums, the chants of prayers once-a century and religious songs that are so nostalgic inside me that even while I'm tired I could chant with no problem.

While my entire academy had its schedule played out as usual, I was drinking pulque while high on weed, so the fruits and chocolate that were piled on the carriage they made for me quickly disappeared in my mouth as I watched and laughed at all the silly dancing and chanting ancient songs

They threw ribbons of butterflies around me, gave me gifts of flowers and exotic food, and by half the parade I didn't have enough space to place jade-necklaces around my neck anymore. Everyone was this excited for me, a simple farm-girl that can barely read, that just a few days ago thought she might be nothing.

I continued sitting on the marching throne, smoking the empire’s best weed, getting the high of my life, thinking nothing could be better, until I heard her voice.

“Val! It’s me!” Holy shit, that's my older sister.

“Abigaillllll come up hereeeee” I said and poured some more pulque down my throat to balance the smoke. “Servants! Bring her up to me!” I said while flailing bottle around and hiccuping.

“I can’t believe you’re doing so well” My sister hugged me again and sat next to me. “They all gave that to you?” She said looking at the trinkets, pottery and jade necklaces.

“Yup, no idea how i’m gonna use it as a star but it’s really cool”

“Wow” Abigail said, going through my expensive gifts, my tyrant side wanted to tell her not to touch a thing but i then realised that that’s just because i’ve been drinking too much. As she sat with me we both got high and drank to our hearts desire, dancing on the throne(to the groans of the servants trying to keep it balanced) and just had fun until the sun rose beyond noon.

At the second highest floor of Central City’s biggest temple me and my sister both sat at down smoking and drinking as the big leaders discussed their plans, a lot of infamous royals which names I didn’t care all too much were present, because war or not they all desperately didn’t want to miss out on a once a century event. They were all sitting on matts around a wide low table, discussing politics while two girls in a giant throne were being drunk and laughing.

Stolen novel; please report.

“So, any reports from the north, Savedeo?” The head of the city said, smoking tobacco out of a pipe, he was wearing a beautiful robe displaying a quetzal.

“They locked up one of our villages, I'm afraid…” He said between eating bites of special northern sweets he brought, some of them were offered to me by his soldiers, they tasted like syruppy popcorn. Part of me wondered why the Northerns locked up a village, most protests I saw were about treating them more kindly.

“And yet you decide to turn a blind eye to visit a celebration, are you a fool?” The Southern general said in disgust. He gave me expensive blankets made from alpacas.

“Yeah, my second in command is in charge of the tactical supervision, I'm just the overseer, you got quite the throat to declare me a fool, Scorpion. your warriors have not seen an opposing army for almost two centuries.” Savedeo said, making the room more tense and anxious. “And yet… they still die, how laughable.”

“Fighting with reason is harder than with a spear, Savedeo. You’re proof of it.” Scorpion said, Savedeo’s face turned grim as he was reminded of past mistakes that I did not concentrate enough on geography classes to remember. I think we had a girl in our village from there.

Suddenly he rose from his mat “Oh, for a man priding themselves as a diplomat you sure are a piece of-”

“RRUUUHP” Savedeo words were swallowed up by my accidental burp. Abigail was laughing hysterically as she was the type to get laughing high instead of the tired high I have.

“Ah, shit, my bad..” I said, with the pulque bottle almost slipping out of my hand. Savedeo slowly sat down.

“Right, what are we doing, we shouldn’t be fighting in such a special event, let’s all raise a glass of pulque.” Athena said and all the important figures poured themselves some pulque, some adding their special flavour mix before they gave a cup with some pulque for me to ask me for a speech. “Please bring us a good speech, future star” Athena, head of Cetlxu pleaded, so with the cup raised high above my head i started.

“Hiiiii~! So… everyone! We… We are gathere here to celebrate!”

“For Zond!” Everyone called out.

“And! And! For me!” I exclaimed spinning around, some of the pulque spilling on my head, some of the heads seemed a little confused by my statement. “Becau-Because as a star I will protect all of you! And make sure you’re safe!” I said swinging my pulque like a weapon. “I WILL SHINE BRIGHTER THAN LIGHT! BRIGHTER THAN ANYTHINGGGGGG! FOR ZOND!!!!!”

“For Zond!” Everyone shouted back again, I stared at them long and hard before chugging the drink right down my gullet and everyone followed suit.

“Ahhhh, much better” The head of Niuxol said as she laid back “Now everyone can actually get laid back a little instead of all of this political mumbo jumbo.” And nonsense it was indeed since I comprehended precisely zero of it. We had an expensive dinner with various male and female dancers the heads rented ending on one last drink.

Later the head priest returned and walked towards me. “Hey, Val the Star”

“Yes, head priest?”

“Because this is your last night being mortal, is there any last thing you want to do before we prepare you for the ritual tomorrow?” The head priest asked, heartfully wanting to know of any needs I may still want to complete.

“Hmmm. I can think of one thing…”