CW: This is a story about Aztecs, as such there is instances of human sacrifices, slavery, and bigotry against many kinds of minorities. This story will be dark. If you are not comfortable with any of this do not read this. You have been warned.

 

Authors note: this story is in English, a lot of words are just English approximations of Nahuatl words, I cannot do much to change this, don't sue me. There are also probably historical inaccuracies, I am too tired to care, please don't tell me because I probably already know.

 

For my 11th birthday, my father had taken me to the ocean. We didn't get to travel outside of the city often, but he made an exception for me. I hadn't liked it, I was forced to undress to go wading and I felt miserable. My father chalked this up to needing to learn to socialize more and promised to get me a better gift next year. For my 12th birthday, he hired slaves to play a game of Patoli with me (threatening to have their families all killed if they so much as sneezed on me.) I had again not liked being forced to wear the revealing clothes and had ended up shutting down and not participating. My father chalked this up to the slaves not trying and would have killed it had it not been for my begging. He later changed his mind and said I just needed to man up. For my 13th birthday, my father took me up the central pyramid, showed me a slave tied down onto a slab of stone and told me to cut his heart out with a dagger. When I refused to do it, he called me a disgrace and pushed me off the side. I wasn't going to end up a worthy successor to the throne, so he didn't see it fit to bother with me anymore, he would just make another child. Unfortunately, the gods had different plans. I was saved from my death and told that I was destined to either save or bring ruin to the world.

Lets start back on that morning, I had woken up to a servant prodding me awake muttering about lazy children. As soon as I was awake her expression changed immediately and she began to congratulate me on my big achievement, after all, today was my 13th birthday, the day I participated in my first sacrifice and became a man. 

"Wake up prince b̵̸̶̶̸̴̶̷̸̴̶̷̸̷̸̴̶̶̷̵̴̶̵̷̴̶̶̵̵̶̷̵̵̶̸̶̸̵̶̷̵̸̷̷̴̴̶̶̸̸̷̴̸̷̵̸̶̶̴̵̶̶̷ɘ̶̵̵̷̸̸̵̵̶̵̶̸̶̸̸̷̴̵̵̸̶̶̵̶̶̷̷̶̵̴̸̷̷̶̷̸̷̵̶̸̴̵̸̴̷̸̸̴̴̶̸̷̷̵̵̸̴̸̴̴̶̷̶ɒ̴̸̶̷̴̴̴̷̶̶̵̷̶̶̶̵̴̴̷̵̸̷̷̶̶̸̷̶̶̶̵̶̶̶̴̷̷̵̴̵̶̴̸̸̶̵̸̷̵̴̸̵̷̴̸̵̸̸̴̸̷̴̶b̵̵̵̴̴̴̸̶̸̴̵̷̵̶̵̶̷̴̶̸̷̷̷̷̵̷̸̵̸̶̸̷̶̸̸̵̸̶̶̵̵̴̴̴̸̸̴̸̸̶̶̵̵̷̴̷̵̶̸̷̴̵̶n̶̸̶̷̵̶̴̵̴̵̵̶̵̸̷̵̸̶̴̵̴̶̴̵̷̸̶̶̵̷̷̸̸̷̸̶̸̶̴̶̴̵̴̶̴̵̴̸̴̵̷̷̴̷̷̴̵̴̶̸̶̴̵ɒ̸̷̵̷̵̶̶̸̴̵̶̷̸̴̴̴̷̴̴̷̴̴̷̶̵̵̶̷̶̴̷̴̶̸̶̴̸̸̶̵̴̷̵̵̸̷̷̶̵̴̴̷̶̷̷̶̵̴̸̷̴̵̵m̵̴̸̵̸̴̸̵̵̴̷̵̶̷̶̸̷̷̷̷̷̵̸̷̴̵̸̶̷̶̷̴̶̴̸̴̴̶̶̷̷̴̷̶̴̵̴̸̶̷̵̴̷̵̵̵̵̶̶̴̶̷̸ɘ̶̸̴̵̵̵̴̶̷̸̴̶̸̷̵̶̴̴̷̴̵̶̶̶̷̸̶̷̷̷̸̷̷̷̵̵̵̶̶̷̶̴̴̶̴̷̷̴̴̵̶̸̴̵̵̶̷̸̸̵̴̸̷, your father has a very special day planned for you today. It's about time you showed everyone you're fit to be his successor." She chimed in a voice that was uncomfortably cheerful.

I shook my head still recuperating from last nights events, I had been lying in my bed thinking about the moment when I would finally stop being a boy, and I would become a man. It terrified me. I didn't have an explanation as to why this was, and I sure as hell didn't have it last night because I immediately broke down crying as the realization of what was about to come set in for me. My mother had rushed in to comfort me and assured me that it was normal to feel scared about becoming an adult, and that being stuck in that limbo between child and adult is scary for everyone. She then told me it would be over soon and I would be a strong man and these fears would go away. I was still scared but I was hopeful this was just passing anxiety that would eventually go away.

Coming of age crisis' aside, I had a birthday I needed to attend, my birthday, and yet I didn't feel happy. I prayed this would all be over soon as I got dressed and walked through the large open hallways of the palace as I went to my father's throne room to see what he wanted from me.

"Ah, son, so nice of you to come, today is a very important day for you, today is the day you shrug off your childhood... immaturity, and finally become a man." He boomed in his terrifying voice.

"Thank you father." I replied

"I know you look forward to practicing magic, any son of mine would feel excited to use the power of the great Huitzilopochtli." He said in a laughing tone

I bit my tongue at that remark, I had been excited to study magic, but I never wanted to study the path of Huitzilopochtli, the war god, but what choice did I have? I was supposed to be the next king, I didn't get to pick.

As all the nobles, priests and other associates of my dad began to roll in, he clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone, today is the day where we will celebrate my son shedding his skin and turning from a boy into a man!" Roars erupted from everyone who wanted to please him.

"I cannot be more proud as a father to watch my son do this, I hope you will all wish him a good journey!" He yelled to more cheers, at this point the noise was starting to get to me, I had a ringing noise in my ear and started to space out. All the noise seemed to blend in together and I couldn't tell what was going on anymore. I knew better than to make a scene however, lest I face my dad's anger at how useless I was at being his son.

"Let us go outside for the sacrifice, then we shall feast!" He said as he stood up and everyone began to slowly walk out of the doors.

I had known what was going to happen next, obviously, it was the one thing everyone wouldn't shut up about. The big sacrifice where I would rip a slaves heart out to appease the gods, and to prove I was a man. The sacrifice where I would prove that I wasn't a failure. The sacrifice where I proved all those times when I had burst out in tears had just been me being a dumb kid and nothing else. The sacrifice where I proved I was fit to be a king. The sacrifice where I proved I didn't hate being a ma-. I shook my head at that intrusive thought that wasn't even that important anyway and was probably just me being nervous and nothing else.

I tried to walk outside the doors next to my father standing as tall as I could, but the second I felt everyone's eyes on me, I felt hideous. I felt like a brute who was too big, who was too bare, oh god I needed more clothing on. My mind began to race into a downwards spiral I didn't want to deal with, until I walked straight into a slave panting like his breath had been stolen from him.

"You!" My father roared, "You dare interrupt this ritual? Do you not know your place boy?" He yelled as everyone watched in horror.

"Sir, I apologize but," the boy stammered as he tried to catch his breath. "A meteor has been spotted, clear as daylight, I was told to tell you at once."

Instantly everyone's faces went pale including my father, the slave was forgotten as the realization dawned on everyone. Everyone knew what comets meant.

They meant death.

The entire room was silent. No one knew what to do, today was supposed to be the day where everything went perfect, having an omen of death directly from the gods was not perfect. A priest ran up to my father and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and sent him away, then grabbed my arm and walked me out the entryway. With a look behind him he yelled at everyone.

"Well? Meteor or not we have a sacrifice we must complete, hurry up." He ordered everyone.

Instantly the silence everyone seemed to have fallen under was dispelled and everyone began whispering amongst themselves rushing out the front doors. My father turned to me and gave me a stare that communicated everything I needed to know. Don't fuck this up.

We followed the pathway to the pyramid as people came up to my father to congratulate him on having a successor. Occasionally someone would come and congratulate me and let me know how important of an occasion this was as if I didn't already know. As the talking got louder and louder the buzzing in my head got worse and worse as I found it harder to stay focused on anything. My stomach was churning and I was about to collapse from stress but I know if I let that happen I would be in serious trouble so I forced myself to power through on sheer adrenaline alone. As we got to the base of the pyramid I was stopped by a priest.

"b̵̸̶̶̸̴̶̷̸̴̶̷̸̷̸̴̶̶̷̵̴̶̵̷̴̶̶̵̵̶̷̵̵̶̸̶̸̵̶̷̵̸̷̷̴̴̶̶̸̸̷̴̸̷̵̸̶̶̴̵̶̶̷ɘ̶̵̵̷̸̸̵̵̶̵̶̸̶̸̸̷̴̵̵̸̶̶̵̶̶̷̷̶̵̴̸̷̷̶̷̸̷̵̶̸̴̵̸̴̷̸̸̴̴̶̸̷̷̵̵̸̴̸̴̴̶̷̶ɒ̴̸̶̷̴̴̴̷̶̶̵̷̶̶̶̵̴̴̷̵̸̷̷̶̶̸̷̶̶̶̵̶̶̶̴̷̷̵̴̵̶̴̸̸̶̵̸̷̵̴̸̵̷̴̸̵̸̸̴̸̷̴̶b̵̵̵̴̴̴̸̶̸̴̵̷̵̶̵̶̷̴̶̸̷̷̷̷̵̷̸̵̸̶̸̷̶̸̸̵̸̶̶̵̵̴̴̴̸̸̴̸̸̶̶̵̵̷̴̷̵̶̸̷̴̵̶n̶̸̶̷̵̶̴̵̴̵̵̶̵̸̷̵̸̶̴̵̴̶̴̵̷̸̶̶̵̷̷̸̸̷̸̶̸̶̴̶̴̵̴̶̴̵̴̸̴̵̷̷̴̷̷̴̵̴̶̸̶̴̵ɒ̸̷̵̷̵̶̶̸̴̵̶̷̸̴̴̴̷̴̴̷̴̴̷̶̵̵̶̷̶̴̷̴̶̸̶̴̸̸̶̵̴̷̵̵̸̷̷̶̵̴̴̷̶̷̷̶̵̴̸̷̴̵̵m̵̴̸̵̸̴̸̵̵̴̷̵̶̷̶̸̷̷̷̷̷̵̸̷̴̵̸̶̷̶̷̴̶̴̸̴̴̶̶̷̷̴̷̶̴̵̴̸̶̷̵̴̷̵̵̵̵̶̶̴̶̷̸ɘ̶̸̴̵̵̵̴̶̷̸̴̶̸̷̵̶̴̴̷̴̵̶̶̶̷̸̶̷̷̷̸̷̷̷̵̵̵̶̶̷̶̴̴̶̴̷̷̴̴̵̶̸̴̵̵̶̷̸̸̵̴̸̷," he said stopping me and handing me a knife. "Don't trip." He said with a chuckle.

I gripped it and swallowed, I could do this, I just had to ignore all my fears and all the buzzing in my ears which was getting worse by the second. I started walking up the steps as the priests followed me, with my father close behind them. Walking up the pyramids steps was the most stressful thing I had ever experienced in my life at that point, it was long and I was shaking as I took each step. A few seconds later a new thing had taken it's place as the most stressful thing in my life. My head was spinning and my vision was failing me as I made it to the top and saw a screaming child my age tied to the rock. I stumbled and shakily picked up the knife as everyone began whispering around me clearly doubting my ability to do it. I couldn't blame them, I was too. I looked at the child in front of me cursing the guards who had tied them down with language so sharp it would cut. Cut, as I had that thought I remembered the knife in my hands and I remembered what I had to do. My knees were shaking and my eyes were flowing with tears, any form of self control I had before this was gone as the noise was drowning everything else and I got tunnel vision only able to see the person in front of me terrified for their life. Everything was spinning, there were black spots and the noise was loud it was in my left ear and it was loud and there was a spot of blue and my knees were weak and I had a knife in my hand and I had to kill someone oh god I had to kill someone and my father was going to be mad and he would yell and he would slap me and he would call me useless and he wouldn't need me and no one would want me and the was so much noise why was there so much noise and my head hurt and everything was sideways and I heard screaming but it was my voice why was I screaming and I-.

My panicked train of thought was interrupted by a sharp pain in my side. My breath was knocked out and I realized I was lying on the floor screaming with my father towering over me. He started kicking me over and over until I could barely gasp for air.

"USELESS!" He roared. "ALL I WANTED WAS A SON TO TAKE THE THRONE!" More sharp kicks. "YOU USELESS DISGRACE, I SPENT 13 YEARS ONLY TO BE LET DOWN LIKE THIS." He roared as he grabbed me and walked to the steps where I had climbed up to the pyramid. I knew what was coming, they were going to do me what they did to anyone they had sacrificed. He was going to throw me off a pyramid and I was gonna die and he would just have another child because I was so useless and I had failed him. No wonder there was a comet, it was me who was going to die all along today. I was gonna die because I couldn't do the simple task I had been asked to do. With one final knee to my ribs, my dad flung me off and I was flying. I braced for the hit I would never feel, waiting as I shut my eyes. It was taking so long, I had heard that your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but nothing was happening. Why was it taking so long? I opened my eyes to see everyone behind me with their life drained out of their eyes. Why wasn't I dead? I looked down and found I was floating in the air. There was a boom that caused my entire body to shake and then a flashing light. I stared in front of me as I saw a tall woman with snakes slithering over her body. My mouth dropped as I realized who this was.

"Sorry it took so long to get here, you're safe now honey." She said with a grin in her face as she turned to me and my face turned pale

"Y-you're Coatlicue, goddess of life and rebirth." I stammered

"Guilty as charged!" She said as she roared in laughter.

"B-but you're a goddess, you never come down to earth." I stammered while my mind raced.

"Usually yes, but there's an exception." She said picking me up from my floating position and setting me down, My legs had been left unscathed, but that didn't stop me from nearly doubling down from the pain in my ribs.

"KNEEL!" She said as she turned around to everyone in a commanding voice.

Everyone dropped to the floor including my father. No matter how much of a disgraced son you had, you never ignored god.

"You." She said in a snarl at my father.

"Y-yes?" He said in a voice I had never heard him use, he was scared, terrified.

"You have failed your child, I shall be taking them in. You better hope they decide to save you when the time comes." She said in a cold voice.

"Save him? From what?" I asked her.

"Ah, I should have told you first, shouldn't I?" She mused. "You're destined to either save this kingdom, or let it crumble." She said.

I stared at her in shock, trying to figure out if gods were capable of joking. My brain was clearly having none of it, because I stared at her for only a few more seconds before my eyes rolled back and I crumbled to the floor.

Definitions:

Patoli: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patolli