PLEASE review, whether if it's on your account or as a guest, it doesn't have to be complex, but I need to know that people are reading this. This chapter is just background knowledge. I know that a lot of people are not familiar with Nahua culture, so I will be leaving links throughout the course of the story for you guys to get a visual. Tlazocamati! Thank you!

Anyways, new people:

Xiuhtixochitl / "Turqoise Flower" - girl

Coyotlantli / "Coyote Tooth" - Teoitotia's best friend (boy)

Teoitotia's POV:

I am called "Teoitotia" or "Dancing Spirit." I belong to the great Tliltekalli or "House of Black Stone," the descendant of the great Tliltetlapianitzin and Tlilteollintzin, the child of Omeuitzilitzin and Yeicuetzpalintzin, the current tlatoque, or "speakers," of Tliltetepetl. Our village is in a part of land in what is called the province of Olinala." I am also part of Xilokalli or "House of Immature Maize. To the outside world, we would be called "Nahuas," but before the white men, when we said, "I am a Tliltetepah," our neighbors would understand where we settled. Now, it was like we never existed...at least to everyone besides some of our neighbors who are purely indigenous and settled in towns almost purely isolated. They know we are still here...guarding them.

We have been isolated ever since a little time after the fall of the Mexica/Aztecs, so it's been a while. After their fall, the then-tlatoani (speaker) declared new laws claiming that no Tliltetepah would go outside our village unless allowed to and to make it safer for the people, his spouse and him said "Oh great ancestors of Tliltetepetl! Our neighbors are being destroyed and we can do nothing! Allow your descendants to be safe! Allow the creation of a protection barrier!" So our ancestors created a magical dome that made non-Tliltetepah see nothing but nature where our village is. It also only allows people who mean no harm through, that is, if the current tlatoani lets them. We have been safe inside the barrier, but we still had work to do.

Spirits exist; there are one that mean no harm and there are malevolent spirits. Spirits have been present in all worlds for as our ancestors can remember, but those malevolent spirits started to attack humans ever since humans formed tribes and became more aware of the world. Not all were attacked. They usually settled outside of what is known as Europe, but they wanted to eat human spirits.

After my ancestors reached what is known as Russia, they started to train their spirits. They tried to gain the ability to manipulate their spirits and fight against those that sought to harm. They made very little progress, but by the time they reached what is known as Beringia, they knew how to force their ethereal spirits outside their bodies and fight the "no good ones." Just before they reached what is known as Alaska, they made progress, but a great warrior was born. His name in Nahuatl was Tliltetlapiani or "Black Stone Guardian." After walking a few miles into what is known as Canada, a strong and no-good spirit stopped the people from making their way inward. He attacked them and killed many, Tliltetlapiani's father was one of them. Tliltetlapiani, only 19 years old, was angry and said to his tribe, "We should not let it stand! We must move on! The great spirits are not stopping us, so it must mean that we are doing nothing wrong! I will fight that no-good one and come back victorious!" His people did not know that he liked to go outside their camp and train his spirit. He was a natural, and became very strong, even by our standards today.

So his mother, a shaman, and his tribe blessed him and he went to battle. He went further inland and ran into the same spirit. He fought with all his spirit. Obviously because I exist, it can be said that he won. When he went back to his people he was relieved, but came back with information. That spirit that he casted out was only a general of all the malevolent spirits. The main one, was in some other world, or realm. But he was tired and rested. His people begged him to teach the warriors what he knew. So he did. By the time Tliltetlapiani was 26 years old, he decided that the ultimate no-good spirit would show up in their world and bring chaos. As the main warrior of his people, he decided that it would be best to attack and lock him in some prison. He could not eradicate him forever, for even chaos was needed in the world, so he gathered his most experienced and strongest warriors, and approached the leader and persuaded him that his plan was best for the sake of their people and their descendants. Like I said before, we are here, so he obviously won, but at the cost of some lives.

After resting a few days, the 4 Great Lords approached him when he was away from his people and said "We are impressed. We have seen your path and came to guide you only once...Head south to the land of great mountains looked down upon the scorching sun, you will know what to do after that." Tliltetlapiani stood on his feet and told his leader that they needed to head south. The leader said that there was no need to do that now; they could live on the land they were currently in and should their descendants want to move on, then they will do so, but right now, they would stay where they were. Tliltetlapiani was passionate and did not give up the advice. He approached his mother and told her what happened. She said "My son, if the great nature spirits advised you to do that, then you must." Tliltetlapiani took his mother's advice and told a few people at a time that he was going to head south for a different life. After the word spread, he packed what few belongings he had and approached his leader again and told him, "You may not want to go south, but I must for my sake as well as my descendants. I will leave immediately. I do not mean to cause you trouble. You were a great leader. Thank you for everything." So he left with his mother and families that followed him. After traveling a few miles, his mother passed on to the next world and Tliltetlapiani was broken, but he kept on going.

He reached arido-america and stopped there. He was about 45 years old. As he lay tired and dying, he told his son, "You must continue where I left off, but remember to follow your own path. Protect your mother and remember that I will be there for you and your children. Even if it seems like I am not there." His descendants continued the trip. Generations later and after moving from place to place as they sought the land their ancestors sought, they reached the land of great mountains looked down upon the scorching sun. They settled there and separated themselves into what we call houses. My ancestor, remembering the stories of his ancestors, declared that his house was called the House of Black Stone.

Generations later, another strong spirit was born. His parents sensed it and decided to call him Tlilteollin or "Black Stone that Moves." He trained his spirit like the Black Stone Guardian, but by that time, they had learned how to shapeshift into specific animals, not many, but it was worth a lot.

One day a foreign king sent soldiers to take our people's supplies and wipe us out. Tlilteollin sensed the soldiers and sent very few of his own soldiers to gather information and kill them. His soldiers reported back to him and informed him that a king sought to destroy them. But another worrisome problem emerged; the foreign soldiers' spirits were no-good. Tlilteollin grew concerned and forced his spirit out of his body. He tried to sense what was going on with those people. He felt a large mass of no-good spirits and was shocked. He never expected the no-good spirits to possess humans. So he gathered warriors who knew how to fight physically as well as with their spirits and told them that the no-good spirits fed on the people's temptations, but the people were not to be killed. They planned for a few days and when Tlilteollin sensed his surroundings he shocked that the king was already leading his army to destroy them. He told his attendant to sound the conch and marched to meet the invader. By the time he was able to see the king and his army, he shouted, "Do not march any further malevolent spirits! I am the descendant of Tliltetlapiani and order you to leave the people and go back to your ruler!" The invaders did not stop so Tlilteollin grew angry and his anger shoot the earth. The foreigners were shocked and ran towards their enemies. Those spirits that could, exited their host and tried to attack our people. Tlilteollin immediately killed the ones who were close to our people and had enough after he lost a soldier, as his soldiers were fighting by manipulating their spirits only. His anger grew. The earth shook harder and he let out a loud roar of a jaguar. He shouted, "I. Said. Leave!" and gave a louder roar at the end. The opposing king grew scared, the no-good spirits fled to their ruler and the invaders retreated. The earthquakes he caused were felt by our neighbors and one Nahua group renamed their village to "Olinalan" or "The place of movement."

Tlilteollin and his chosen ones returned to the village with only one man dead, but it still made Tlilteollin sad and apologized to his family. When he met with the council of elders and important military officers, his officers asked him how he shook the earth. Tlilteollin answered that he did not know, but he would try a few things. One day, he went outside the village and tried to shake the earth with control. He struggled but after a few weeks he was able to control it. One thing led to another and he discovered that he was able to control the land and it's elements both above and under it. He reported it to his council and told them that he figured out that if he tied his spirit with the earth, he was able to control it. Before he taught his people his newfound knowledge, he growled, "Do not use this power for your own agenda. Be careful and control it. Should I find out if you were greedy, be prepared to go to the next world."

As everybody know, the white men arrived and brought chaos with them. Some of our closest neighbors begged the then-tlatoani to protect them and she did.

So now we're here...

I was born as the second in line to speak for my people. My father told me when I was still a child that he saw in his sleep an ethereal being moving around. It looked like it was dancing, so he told my mother of what he saw and agreed to call me "Teoitotia." Indeed, I was constantly dancing. I had a life like any other filled with joy and sadness. I gained companionship with a group of boys who loved to use their brain as much as their muscles. When I was about 7 years old, I met a girl called "Xiuhtixochitl," or "Turquoise Flower," of the House of Blue Deer. She was my first female friend and by the time I was 12, I realized that I loved her. There was not shame of my sexuality amongst my people, but I was still shy especially since I was so young. I followed her everywhere, and my best friend, Coyotlantli, grew suspicious and approached me on this. I confirmed his suspicions and he was happy for me. I never realized at that time, but I was courting her and boy did she bring out the absolute masculine side of me. I scared off those who sought to court her. I also became the first in line to become tlatoani.

Years Ago, in the morning:

"What do you say we go to the Mountain of Gold Paint?" I asked Xiuhtixochitl, with a smile on my face.

"To do what?" she responded in a gentle manner. She already knew that plan involved my other companions.

"We can simply walk if you wish. Perhaps we could go hunting? My meal did not suffice."

"Eh, I don't hunt."

"I know. That's why we said I could go hunting. Not 'we could all.'" If that was the case, then I could hunt something big enough for the both of us.

"I don't see why not then."

My smile grew. "Then allow me to inform my parents."

"I will wait for you in the public plaza by my father's business." she informed and I bowed my head in agreement.

I went to my parents in the House of Laws and informed them of my plan. They told me to be careful. I bowed in acknowledgement and ran to the public plaza. I found her sitting by her father and told him, "Great artist, I will watch over your daughter." He responded, "Teoitotiatzin, it is a pleasure and I am sure you will. Be careful Xiuhtixochitl." He kissed her head and we left to meet up with my group of companions.

We met up with them and we went towards the Mountain of Gold Paint. After a few minutes we started playing around but were attentive for game. I was taught to constantly feel my surroundings with my spirit. I reached out the farthest I could and felt something that made me shiver; a no-good spirit and it felt strong compared to my group.

"Wait!" They stopped.

"What is it?" one of them asked.

"We need to go! A no-good one is here! Stronger than all of you and can affect the physical world!" I responded as calmly as I could, but I was worried inside. I said "all of you" because my spirit was far stronger than any of them, but I was not sure if I could take on the malevolent spirit one-on-one.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, another voice spoke, "Oh, look what I found; Tliltetepahs."

"Run!" I ordered them.

"Careful now." the dark green spirit said that made my group and I shiver.

The boys immediately ran, but Xiuhtixochitl stood paralyzed with fear. I grabbed her hand to snap her out of her fear.

"Xiuhtixochitl!" She looked at me and started to run with her hand in mine.

But the spirit was faster than I anticipated and took down a tree near us, chuckling. Xiuhtixochitl jumped but I easily pulled her along that allowed us to keep on moving along. I thought we were doing well and then the spirit reached out and tripped her.

"Xiuhtixochitl!" I yelled with panic in my voice.

"She's mine to eat little one." The spirit said.

"No!" I yelled, with a fear for her life.

I became angry and let a part of my spirit out as my body stayed still, but continued to keep the spirit in sight, and colliding against the no-good one in the process. It made a sound of anger and growled in a non-animalistic manner and it was scary, but I didn't care. I would protect Xiuhtixochitl even if it meant that I would go to the next world today. Xiuhtixochitl began to get up and ordered her: "Go find warriors!" Before she got the chance to run a few meters, the spirit struck itself into her body. I whimpered like a coyote.

"Xiuhtixochitl!" I yelled with sorrow in my voice.

Her body fell and I saw her spirit starting to detach itself from her body. I knew there was nothing I could do, but I knew the spirit would try to grab her spirit and absorb it; never to be whole again. I felt my body beginning to shake with fury. My vision became black for a few milliseconds.

"Noo!" I said with a jaguar-like growl at the end and sent my spirit to protect hers until it went to join her ancestors. My spirit blocked the no-good spirit and he backed up, turned, and looked at me as he growled again; "OBEY LITTLE ONE. Or you will end up like her!" I growled as I made my spirit condense into a jaguar. Once it was ready, I roared (like a jaguar) and attacked with both my body and spirit. It tried to block both of me, but I physically grabbed onto it as my spirit deformed, went around its attack, and reformed into a jaguar to bite and scratch the enemy. "You're a strong one, aren't you?" it said trying to shake my attacks off. I kept on attacking and growling as I sensed Xiuhtixochitl's spirit starting to depart the world we live in. I felt a tear escape my eyes and was shaken off and thrown into a tree. I grunted in pain as my spirit returned into my body. I looked towards her body and saw that her spirit was still there. I ran towards her body, grabbed her. I looked back at the malevolent spirit as I also saw at the corner of my right eye a spear with a piece of someone's spirit at the arrowhead. It struck its target and the target moved back as it growled in pain. I turned my had to look back at her spirit as it left. Goodbye. More tears fell. I turned my head to the right and saw my father as he reached out to summon his spear back to him again. He looked towards me.

"Go back!" He turned to the man closest to me and shouted, "Take the girl's body and go!"

I was hesitant to retreat because I didn't want to leave my father as he battled the no-good spirit. Just as the man grabbed my arm and pulled, I responded, "I will not leave you! Let me fight! I can help!"

"Teoitotia, GO!" He said as his companions attacked the spirit simultaneously. I pulled out of the man's grasp and told him, "Take her body and leave."

"Teoitotiatzin, we must go. It was an order." He said with respect.

I growled and ordered, "Take her body and leave." as my eyes turned gold and then faded. I was to never use my authority over anyone unless it was life or death, but I wasn't leaving my father. The man's eyes went to the ground and started to leave, but he was still fighting against my order. I turned my body ready to fight but the malevolent spirit seemed to mutate and enlarge. That's no lower-rank no-good spirit. It's a rank below general. It was hiding its power! My father noticed this and ordered his party, "Go back! Summon Iztakoatl and Chichiltikoatl!" I took a few steps back and was broke into a jog. I can't leave! Not until my uncles arrive. I looked back and saw my father fighting with all his might. He tried to fight in a rhythm but was struggling to keep it up. I decided to go run towards him and just I arrive there, the spirit struck my father in a more complex manner and held him up suspended in the air. "Ta!" I yelled in horror and ran towards him. The spirit caught me off guard and struck me. I went flying down the mountain until I couldn't see them and crashed into another tree, which caused my vision to go dark for a few seconds. I tried to stand up but my back hurt. I forced myself to stand up and ran back up as fast as my legs could run. To my horror, I saw my father on the floor and his spirit was starting to detach itself from his body. I knew he was leaving this world and my vision went dark.

3rd POV:

Teoitotia's eyes turned gold and stayed as such. She growled, roared, and lunged towards her father's body to protect his spirit as it was leaving the physical world, and collided with the evil spirit's arm-like appendage, and turned into a jaguar. The spirit pulled back and growled, "You're still here? More for me then." But he noticed Teoitotia's eyes. "What-it cannot be. You're too young!" Teoitotia lunged at the spirit. She caught it with her jaws as her paws touched the floor. The spirit made a noise of surprise. "Ho-ahh!" Teoitotia pulled her jaws down and the spirit followed. The evil spirit noticed that she made no more sounds. Did you truly achieve it? The spirit howled in pain as Teoitotia repeatedly let it go, grabbed onto another part of it, and ripped it off. The spirit sensed another presence and saw that it was two men. Chichiltikoatl yelled a war cry and sent his spirit out to harm the evil one. Iztakoatl did the same and the evil spirit tried to absorb the part of its spirit separated from it to retreat.

"Teoitotia?" questioned Iztakoatl as he stared at her, who was fighting in a furry. As soon as the evil spirit was whole, it retreated so fast that Teoitotia stood still to absorb what was happening. Iztakoatl and Chichiltikoatl looked towards her as she threw her head back, roared in sorrow, grew limp, and fell to the ground.

... ... ... ... ...

Teoitotia's POV:

"-are you sure that was what you saw?" a tearful voice said.

"Omeuitzili, I swear. You can even look into our spirits."

"No need. I believe you."

... ... ... ... ...

"Ta!" I woke up in with tear starting to form in my eyes. I turned to my left and found my mother on a backless bench with tears in her eyes and breathing a little bit heavier than usual.

"Teoitotia, rest." said my mother urgent, but gentle voice.

"Na, ta-" my tears were flowing freely now.

"I know. Rest. You must be really tired." she said with pain.

"Na-"

"Sleep." she ordered putting her palm on my forehead, pushing me down on the bed.

I squeezed my lips together from crying out in grief and turned to look away from my mother. After a few minutes, she stood up and left. I could sense my grandmothers and grandfather embracing her as she broke into tears and fell to the floor. Then, more tears fell, and I whimpered, trying to prevent myself from crying. But it was no use and cried to my heart's content.

... ... ... ...

At night, Xiuhtixochitl's body was burned near her home. I apologized to her parents until the point her mother pulled me into a hug and we cried together as her father joined us. They said I was forgiven, but I did not forgive myself. My relatives by blood and marriage burned my father's body as we have done to our dead for thousands of years. I knew that I would carry my father's jewelry around and my mother would wear his cloak as was tradition for a few centuries now. I stared into the fire, with no emotion after crying for hours. My spirit gave out a jaguar-like cry, but only I could hear it. I am Teoitotia, child of Yeicuetzpalin from Tliltekalli and Xilokalli. I will cast out all the no-good spirits and they shall stay imprisoned for centuries!

I wrote a lot more than I anticipated. Funny thing, is that I did this all in like 9 hours (with breaks in between of course). By the way "Na" is short for nantli/mother and "Ta" is short for tatli/father. I plan on writing 1 or 2 more chapters for this story and going into the Underworld one. Review! Thanks!