Here I present myself with a new chapter!
First of all, I would like to apologize for a mistake I made in the previous chapter, since one of the dialogues that Diluc had alluded to the fact that he did not know Venti's true identity, when he did know. Except for that, I think the chapter went normally.
Once again I want to thank Surfysun, Shiro777, Srpaocomqueijo, Benio and Alciel, since thanks to them we have a really long sequence of consecutive chapters. Remember that if you want to extend this limit, you can become a member on my Patre-on for a dollar and you can request another extra chapter, you can find me as: Jyanzein.
With nothing more to add, it's time to get started.
Enjoy!
The fall from the mountain had been very long, but they were finally reaching the ground. Many of them looked very excited with the idea of being the first to touch the green grass so they wouldn't have to make lunch.
"Hey! Look over there!" Itto exclaimed towards a specific point, making everyone look.
"It's a man?" Paimon wondered as she flew over everyone's heads to see the person from a height.
The fairy did not think twice and approached the young man with a peculiar appearance, under the attentive gaze of the latter who was greeting in a very friendly manner.
"Hello! Paimon's name is Paimon!" The aforementioned stopped in front of the man, before his slightly curious look when he saw her floating. "What's your name?"
"My name is Tonalli Xiuhcoatl, it's a pleasure to meet you… hem, miss?" The young man now recognized as Tonalli asked.
"Paimon's Paimon." The floating thing answered simply. "And they are my friends from there." Paimon turned around just as the group landed one by one.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." The young man declared with a hand on his chest, receiving various nods. "From what I see, you are not from Natlan, am I right?"
"That's how it is." Ei answered. "The traveller received an invitation and all of us decided to travel with him to provide security." The Goddess's words made Tonalli cross his arms.
"I see, it really doesn't surprise me. I am sure that many things are said about our nation, and I can tell you right away that most of them are true." The slightly embarrassed young man from his region commented.
"It seems you're not very happy with your city." Aether commented, taking a step forward.
"It is a long story." Tonalli responded, turning around. "If you like, I can tell you about it while I guide you to Natlan City." They all looked at each other, and after a slight nod they collectively decided to follow the stranger, but they couldn't even make it half a step before another man appeared.
"Tonalli, you know you can't leave all those logs lying in the middle of nowhere. I understand that the Fire Lady has a preference for you, but in these complicated times, negligence could be heavily punished." The bald man commented, earning a half smile from Tonalli.
"Don't worry, Mexitli. In fact, I think you should leave work too and come with us." The young man declared, and then looked askance at the newcomers. "They are the guests that the Fire Lady has been waiting for since last month." Those words made the bald man look at the newcomers with new eyes.
"That's right? That is incredible!" Mexitli exclaimed, letting all the logs fall.
"Apparently, we are super sought-after people." Paimon commented proudly while rubbing her nose.
"Does that mean that this Fire Lady is Murata?" Ei's question made the two men look at her in confusion.
"As I said, there are many things to tell." Tonalli turned around again. "Follow me."
_ CHAPTER 17: TALES OF WAR AND FLAMES _
"Once, the Lady of Dragons ruled…"
"Once, the Lady of Fire was Born…"
"Once, the Lady of Dragons got angry…"
"And for the last time, a war broke out…"
"Enslavement, martyrdom, war, tyranny…"
"All of this, the Lady of Fire set out to destroy…"
"Freedom, heroism, peace, prosperity…"
"All of this, the Lady of the Dragons set out to silence…"
"Engaged in an infinite war that will never find an end…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"That all sounds very ambiguous." Itto commented, who had not understood anything about Natlan's history.
"To put it more simply, there are two Pyro Archons. One of them is the Lady of Fire, and the other is the Lady of Dragons." Mexitli explained. "It is said that the Lady of Fire started a war against the dragons to free all humans from slavery. At the time, the Lady of Dragons was the only Archon and she evidently didn't like what she was up to. The beginning of the war leaned more in favour of the Fire Lady, so she was able to free almost all the human captives and thus start a resistance that still persists to this day. Centuries turned into millennia, and the war between humans and dragons still rages, and it is unknown if it will ever end." The bald man finished his explanation, making things a little clearer in the progress.
"So, the whole story is an assumption?" Venti's sudden question made everyone look at him.
"Well… it's true that the whole story of Natlan is very confusing because there are two different versions." Mexitli commented, then raised his fist decisively. "But everything I've experienced so far makes it clear that the Fire Lady is the only good Archon in this region!"
"It's funny to hear that from you." Ei put a hand to her chin as she looked at him in more detail. "After all, you are a dragon." That comment made everyone look at the man in amazement.
"Now that you mention it, those scales really draw your attention." Paimon commented while rubbing her chin.
"That's why you can trust my word!" The man exclaimed seriously. "I have lived on both sides, and the only thing they did in my tribe was exploit all the minors to the point of bordering on slavery in order to turn them into strong warriors, and if you didn't want to do it you received a heavy punishment! While with the Fire Lady everything has been different, since I managed to escape, she found me and cradled me in her city without forcing me to do much of anything!" The man concluded with a strong nod, then looked at his friend. "If you don't believe me, you can ask Tonalli! He also comes from the Gruthekas! It is not like this?!" The bald man smiled widely after his words.
But Tonalli did not seem to share that same emotion.
"Yes, something like that…" The young man commented quietly as he continued walking without even turning around, that made everyone look at each other.
"Hey! What's wrong with that tone of voice?!" The bald man exclaimed, raising both arms in complaint.
"You mentioned a strange word earlier…" Paimon commented, rubbing her hair in an attempt to remember said word.
"You've told him the whole story, but you forgot a fundamental point." Tonalli said with a mocking tone as he looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Over the years, the difference between both sides has been marked, which is why they are now known by different names. Those who follow Gruthecoatl are known as Gruthekas, and those who follow Murata are known as Murayales."
"Now that we understand the fundamental point, I would like to ask a few questions." Sara spoke, gaining the two men's attention. "How is it that both groups organise themselves territorially if wars happen once every 10 years? And how come the Gruthekas can join the Murayales without problems?"
"These are interesting questions." Tonalli answered with a slight nod. "If there is a marked difference between Murata and Gruthecóatl, it is that the former does believe in coexistence between both species, while the latter completely rejects it. And regarding the other question…" Tonalli turned his head to look at the group. "You've seen those lava rivers when they came, right?"
"What does that have to do with geographic division?" Sara asked with narrowed eyes.
"Much more than you think." Tonalli turned his gaze forward. "All rivers are artificial and are maintained by certain creatures. The largest lava river is located in the middle of the territory and functions as a division." The answer did not completely satisfy Sara, so she did not take long to speak again.
"I understand about the central river, but why did the others create it? Don't you think they are a danger?" The commander asked with a frown.
"Excuse me, miss, but you don't know anything." Tonalli looked at her out of the corner of his eye, earning a somewhat annoyed look from the woman. "But I can assure you that you will understand everything when we get to Natlan."
_ LINE BREAK _
Natlan
A few hours later…
"We haven't come across many wild animals, is it always this quiet?" Ayaka asked, focusing her gaze on Tonalli and Mexitli.
"Don't be confused, miss. We know the place, which is precisely why we have travelled through safe places." Tonalli commented, turning his head to look at her. "Although there is not much fauna either. The site is almost dominated by the Hilichurls. There aren't many treasure thieves either. I think the biggest problem you can find here are adventurers who are treated quite violently. In fact, I'm sure that's why they recommend Natlan to them." The man concluded, receiving a slight nod from Ayaka.
"That also explains why the Hilichurls are somewhat different and have a larger force than usual." Aether commented, remembering the few monsters that had crossed their path.
"Speaking of which, you guys certainly proved to be a pretty strong group of people. It is easy to understand why the Fire Lady asked for your help." Mexitli commented with a smile.
"We still don't know if she really seeks your help…" Tonalli's whisper had been very low, but Aether and Ei were able to hear it thanks to their highly trained ears.
"There aren't many fish either?" Asked Kokomi, who stopped to look at a small, somewhat empty pond that was curiously emanating some steam.
"The proximity to the volcanoes causes any water that is nearby to enter at a slightly high temperature. Only species that evolved to survive that type of climate are found here." Tonalli answered his questions, something that caught everyone's attention, especially a certain Oni.
"Does that mean the hot spring myth is real?!" Itto asked very excitedly.
"Of course, we have lots of them not far from here. I recommend you go, even just once." Mexitli declared, remembering the extreme comfort of the hot springs.
"Wait, so the volcanoes are still active…" Ayato commented, looking at the top of the huge volcano that was now very close.
"Actually, only this one is active. The one we passed a few hours ago has been inactive for so long that not even the Archons know it." Tonalli responded, looking at the large volcano that was in front of them.
"Does that mean they are living so close to the only active volcano? That doesn't sound very smart." Paimon commented while rubbing her hair.
"Now that you mention it, I forgot to tell you something very important…" Tonalli moved away the last bushes that blocked the view, making everyone look at the panorama in complete surprise.
It was natural to be so amazed, since behind those trees and bushes there was nothing. It's like they've run a bulldozer over the forest.
But the reality was much more than that.
After all, it's not like there was nothing.
If there was something.
There were miles and miles of a completely charred panorama.
The only thing that could be seen was that dark cracked ground, remains of trees sunken into the ground, many small rivers of lava that spread until they entered the forest, and in front of them that imposing volcano in its maximum splendour.
But that was not all…
"We live on the volcano." Tonalli's words confirmed that last sentence, since there were a large number of houses, bridges, improvised soil and even buildings that surrounded the entire volcano. "And that reddish barrier above the city is what we use to protect ourselves from eruptions. It is the work of the Lady of Fire." He concluded, and then looked somewhat amused at the different reactions.
"Even though they are protected, don't you think it can be exhausting to live in a place like that?" Gorou wondered, even the thought of setting foot on an active volcano scared him much less living on one.
"As you can see, the eruptions are very recurrent. I would say once every 4 years." Tonalli commented, resuming the walk with the others. "And yes, it can be a hassle. But it is indisputable that this is a great strategic point, since the field of vision it provides us is unmatched."
"And what happens when it erupts? "How do the inhabitants get out of the volcano if the ground is full of lava?" Paimon asked confusedly, although now almost everyone felt the same after hearing her.
"It's thanks to those creatures you mentioned before." Ei's response made almost everyone look at her with some surprise.
"You took the words out of my mouth." Venti commented with a smile.
"Have you guys come to Natlan before? I would swear I would remember them…" Mexitli questioned out of curiosity.
"It was many, many years ago." Was Ei's simple response, making Mexitli and Tonalli look at them very carefully.
"Well… I guess they're not human." Tonalli declared, turning his gaze forward.
"Hey, what are those creatures that we talk about so much like? I'm really very curious!" Itto exclaimed, clenching his fists tightly.
"They are tameable, but if you find them in the wild it is best to stay away if you don't want to be charred." Tonalli clarified, continuing with the walk. "They are known as Burticoles. They have a rather peculiar shape, it is difficult to explain it. When you get to the city I will introduce you to one."
"Wait, they have those things in town?" Aether asked with a roll of his eyes.
"Of course! You don't know how useful they are as a means of transportation." Tonalli explained with a smile.
"You know, it's not that I mind talking about my home nation. But I would like to hear your stories, since I have never left Natlan." The bald man commented with some emotion.
"Luckily we have someone who enjoys telling stories." Aether commented with a smile as he focused his gaze on Paimon, who seemed eager to start recounting her adventures.
_ LINE BREAK _
One hour later…
The climb to the city was not complicated. The only thing they had to do was place themselves inside a large wooden elevator that was raised by ropes. It wasn't hard to guess that Natlan had focused much more on their war advancements than anything else, as the technology and structures they possessed were a bit rudimentary.
Mexitli separated from the group as soon as they arrived in the city, so Tonalli took charge of giving them a short tour of the city before going to the capital, where the Archon-Murata was located. That was probably the only building that looked somewhat modern, since the other buildings were all square with a rather peculiar style, because they looked larger than normal stairs, added to the fact that inside they were hollow so that they could function as homes. The stalls and stores were very different, since they only had some sticks that were used to lift some fabrics that served the function of shading the boxes, rudimentary kitchens, or whatever element they used to do their work. The only building that remained truly modern was the adventurers' building, where a smiling Katheryne greeted them.
Once that short tour was over, Tonalli guided them to the centre of the city to enter the capital, where the guards received them with respect. Upon his death, the young man who had been helping them until now was quite well known in Natlan.
"Is this where the most important people in the city are?" Paimon asked, looking around the site. "Well, Paimon doesn't see anyone…" The floating fairy concluded with extreme surprise.
It was true that they were only on the first of the four floors, but it was quite shocking to see the place completely empty.
"Actually, this place functions more like the Fire Lady's home. Usually this place only gets busy when it comes to important meetings." Tonalli declared, beginning to climb the stairs.
"Does that mean this place is governed by some kind of council?" Asked an interested Ei, who soon followed the young man along with the others.
"It is not like this." Tonalli shook his head. "The meetings are called by the Lady of Fire. "He always calls the most important people in the city to indicate certain changes and other aspects that he believes are relevant."
"In other words, she is the highest and only authority." Aether clarified, earning a slight nod from Tonalli.
"We've arrived." The young man commented, stopping in front of the first door on the second floor.
Tonalli soon opened the door, and a strong smell of wine invaded everyone's nostrils.
"You were too late, Tonalli." A woman's voice echoed from inside the room. "Something happened?" The tone seemed somewhat worried.
"Let me introduce you." Tonalli moved to one side of the door, and everyone could observe the woman's figure.
She possessed long straight red hair tied with a bow behind her head. Her eyes were a very strong orange-gold colour. Unlike the other inhabitants, her outfits was the most normal, since she was only wearing a small black shirt that left her entire abdomen exposed, in addition to leaving a small cleavage visible. She had white flared pants, black bracelets on her hands, and finally red heels.
"Oh, you finally arrived!" The Goddess exclaimed a little excitedly after looking at Aether, leaving her cup aside to stand up. "But… apparently, you also brought a lot of interesting people." Her excitement noticeably reduced when she fixed her gaze on Ei.
Both women looked at each other calmly, but everyone could swear that there was a somewhat dangerous aura between them.
"How long has it been?" Ei asked with her usual smile.
"I don't know, it was thousands of years ago." Murata declared, then averted her gaze once again. "Looks like you're here too." Venti just smiled at the Goddess's words.
"Eehhh, what a cold welcome." The God commented with his typical bubbliness.
"How do you expect me to react if two Archons enter my territory without warning?" Murata crossed her arms after such a statement, as Tonalli's eyes widened astronomically at the discovery.
"Don't worry. We didn't come to cause trouble. I think you already have too many." Venti responded in his own way as he crossed his arms, making Murata give a small sigh.
"Please don't remind me…" The Goddess responded, somewhat dejected.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'd better leave you alone." Tonalli commented, drawing the attention of those present.
"Thank you for bringing them, Tonalli." Murata fixed her gaze on everyone after saying those words. "Could you also take the others? Don't take this the wrong way, but I just want to talk to my old acquaintances and the traveller." Everyone nodded at those words.
"In that case, come with me, I'll show you around the place." Tonalli commented as he turned around to leave.
But no one noticed something crucial.
Before leaving, the young man took Aether's shoulder and whispered something in his ear, making him a little surprised.
"Something happened?" Murata and the other two Archons looked at him with a raised eyebrow as they saw how Aether stared at the closed door.
"Ah, it's nothing." The blonde waved his hands to emphasise his words. "What did you want to talk about?"
"First of all, I would like to thank you for accepting my invitation. I know it must not have been an easy decision." The woman commented with a smile.
"Don't worry. In fact, we all had to come here sooner or later." The blonde answered.
"Oh? Why is that?" A rather interested Murata asked.
Aether glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ei, who shook her head covertly.
"It is a long story that you'll be privy to before we leave." The traveller snapped with a smile.
"I see, it's a sneaky way of saying you don't trust me." The Goddess commented, taking the hint immediately. "Anyway, I'm not upset. Everyone has their secrets after all." She concluded with a smile.
"What we can tell you is that we need something from you, but we are not planning to receive it for free. We will listen to the reason why you invited me and discuss among ourselves whether we should help you or not." The blonde stated sincerely, making Murata place a hand on her waist.
"It seems you want to get straight to the point, I understand." Murata paused briefly as she grabbed the wine glass, shaking it carefully until she finally brought it to her lips.
The three watched in silence as the Goddess enjoyed her drink, until she left the empty glass on the table.
"And what would happen if they heard a proposal that they didn't like?" Murata dropped the bomb, making the atmosphere tense.
"In that case we will leave in peace. Of course if we face some undue restrictions then we would be forced to take measures that you would not like." Ei took a step forward, and a faint lightning aura began to surround her, making Murata's smile deepen a little.
"In that case, they make it very difficult for me, since I have no chance against you." Murata's serious smile transformed into a much more relaxed one after those words. "But I'm sure you'll like what I'm going to tell you." The sharp atmosphere disappeared after the Goddess's last words.
"We're hearing you." Aether declared with a smile.
"I need your help to end this war." Murata's statement caught the full attention of those present. "I've tried for a long time. I've always wanted to end this on the path of peace, but Gruthecoatl never listens. "She is willing to destroy everyone in order to once again reign over all of Natlan." Venti, Ei and Aether looked at each other after hearing those words.
"And what do you propose?" Aether asked, interested in the plan.
"I don't want to hurt the dragons any more than I already have. I'm already tired of this." The Goddess declared as she looked down in sadness. "But, I know that the only way to stop this war is to take down Gruthecoatl." She concluded, raising her gaze seriously.
"And how could we take care of her without risking the lives of the dragons? From what I understand, he is always with his warriors." Venti wondered, placing a hand on his chin.
"Besides, starting a conflict when the truce must be held for 10 years would only make the dragons even angrier." Aether added, agreeing with his friend.
"The Scarlet Ritual will begin in 28 days. She and I always meet on the top of this volcano. With its blue flames and my golden flames we create a huge scarlet beacon that crosses the sky for three days to start the war. The agreement is that we let our troops fight each other and let them achieve victory on their own, since we almost destroyed both armies the last time we fought before creating the ritual." The Goddess clarified, making everyone look at each other.
"And what does this have to do with the plan to end the war?" Ei asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That's the perfect time to set up an ambush." Murata answered with complete seriousness.
"But if neither of us are allowed to fight, wouldn't this be breaking the rules?" Venti commented a little strangely.
"I know, and I know that this would earn me everyone's hatred. But I've come to accept that fate, I just want to end this war." Murata's face tightened after those words, making the three of them turn to look at each other.
After seeing Ei and Venti nod, Aether made the final verdict.
"Very well, we will help you." That response made Murata look up and observe them with a big smile.
"Are they serious? Thank you so much!" She exclaimed with great emotion, breaking a little with the completely serious face that she had shown until now.
"In that case, I think we can go now. It's already night and I would like to eat something." Aether commented as he turned around, and his two companions soon joined him.
"Wait, I would like to talk to Barbatos and Beelzebul before you depart." Those mentioned turned around after hearing their names. "If you don't mind, I would like to invite the two of you to dine with me ." The Goddess concluded with a smile.
"Sure, no problem." Venti nodded simply.
"See you later." Ei greeted Aether with a tender smile, and she responded in kind.
The blonde said goodbye to Venti and Murata with a quick wave before closing the door and leaving them alone.
Silence became prevalent, and the atmosphere began to become somewhat uncomfortable for the second time.
"From what I understood, you and the traveller were at odds." Murata commented, taking a seat. "How come you travel together now? What happened to your people?" The Goddess fixed her gaze on Ei, who just looked relaxed.
"It is….. a long story." The Electro Archon answered simply, making Murata smile.
"I see… but is it a long story that you can tell?" The woman asked, filling her wine glass.
"Maybe during dinner, but I might forget certain important parts." Ei took a seat in front of the Goddess, while Venti accompanied her.
"I understand." Murata watched in amusement as the Anemo Archon brought up a cup he had gotten from who knows where. "And what can the God of Freedom tell me?" She asked while carrying the wine glass.
"Not much." Venti responded, looking at her with his usual smile. "Are you still a warmongering tyrant?" The man's sudden question made Ei look at him in slight surprise.
"Our unfortunate encounter was so long ago that I don't even remember it." Murata replied as she circled the rim of the glass with his finger. "Things have changed a lot since then. "I'm sorry I made a bad impression on you." She concluded, taking his glass and tilting it towards Venti, who smiled.
"Let us hope your words are sincere." Archon Anemo commented, clinking glasses with the woman.
_LINE BREAK_
Natlan
Outside the capital...
Aether left the capital, and the first thing he saw was all his friends standing, apparently waiting for something.
"Hey, what's going on?" The blonde asked them, a little confused at the clearly surprised look on everyone.
"You will understand when you see it with your own eyes." Ayaka declared, who still hadn't come out of her stupor.
"That…?" Aether could not say another word, as he could see how a very strange crimson-coloured, snail-shaped being emerged from behind the capital.
Aether's look said it all, as he couldn't attribute the fact that this sizable thing was skidding down the lava path towards where they were. And as if that weren't enough, Tonalli seemed to be controlling him from the inside.
The 3 meter beast continued to skid until it finally finished the curve and parked in front of everyone without splashing a single drop of lava.
"Is that the creature you were talking about so much?" Aether asked with a roll of his eyes.
"The Burticoles are an evolution of the Pyro Slime that managed to adapt to this environment. As you can guess, they are on fire." Tonalli declared, dismounting the strange being without much difficulty. "And in order to bond with him, you need this thing so you don't get charred to death." Tonalli threw a blue bracelet at him which Aether caught somewhat clumsily.
"Wait, you want me to get on that thing with you?" The blonde was very reluctant, making Tonalli lean on the Burticol and place his hands in his pockets.
"What's wrong, are you afraid?" The young man asked, flashing a mischievous smile.
"Of course not!" Aether put on the bracelet without hesitation and fell for the most basic provocation.
"Paimon would accompany you, but…" The floating thing looked quite fearful at the thought of approaching that monster, and that fear intensified when it apparently looked at her.
"Don't worry, we'll just go for a little walk." Tonalli commented, letting himself sink into the Burticol, and Aether soon accompanied him, although he looked somewhat unsure.
"What's going on?" The blonde asked when he saw that the monster was moving very slowly.
"Right now we are outside the lava circuit. Just wait." Tonalli responded with a half smile.
The Burticol returned to the lava, and just as it had said, the beast shot off at great speed to Aether's fright.
"Do not panic. "This transportation is very safe, as long as you know how to control it." declared Tonalli, who leaned his body forward and sideways for each curve he was going through, going at considerable speed.
"If you say so…" The blonde commented, observing how his feet were not far from touching the lava path.
"What do you say we go to the top of the volcano? There we could talk about what I told you without being disturbed." Tonalli's question made Aether look at him.
"I guess it wouldn't be bad." The blonde answered, showing a slight smile. "Hey, I think I'm getting used to it…"
"That's great! Do you know that Burticoles can reach 120 washes per hour?" The sudden question made Aether look at him with utmost confusion.
"Wait, what the hell are…?"
"¡AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Aether couldn't even finish his question, as the Burticol suddenly accelerated three times faster, something that took him completely by surprise.
The course accelerated at an astonishing speed and they finished it much faster than the blonde had expected. Although without a doubt the most surprising thing was seeing how the monster jumped from the edge of the volcano to stop at the other end, so it had an entire view of the interior of the volcano. It wasn't a very pleasant sight anyway.
Who would like to see litres and litres of lava concentrated in a single point and so close to your position?
The Burticol came out of the lava path. Tonalli had to make some effort to get Aether out, who looked quite dazed by the… "frantic" experience, so to speak.
"Was it too much for you? I didn't expect that something like this would surprise such a renowned traveller." The young man commented, giving a small laugh at the end.
"Now that we are safe and sound, I can safely say it was a lot of fun." Aether commented, his pale face having returned to normal.
"Heh, I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot more next time." Tonalli commented, taking a couple of steps to stand on the edge of the volcano.
Aether soon followed, and he had to admit that the views were impressive.
"I think this volcano is higher than Dargonspine, it was just not noticeable due to the great slope in the area." Aether commented, positioning himself next to Tonalli.
"Oh, that place sounds interesting. Maybe one day I will go there." The dragon commented, observing the landscape in silence.
"I do not think you like it. The climate is exactly the opposite of this."
"Then I'll pass."
They both remained silent for a minute after that talk, observing the extensive forest that was full of things that Aether had not been able to observe very well since Mondstadt. It didn't matter that it was night, the rivers of lava scattered throughout the region made everything possible to see very clearly.
"What is that thing? It's gigantic." Aether commented, pointing to a huge robot that was lying on the ground, almost completely absorbed by the vegetation.
"It's a Colossus of Ruins, or so the Fire Lady told me." Tonalli responded, and then pointed to a specific point. "See that over there? That's our training ground." Aether observed that not far inside the forest was an extensive plain where all the trees had been removed.
"I see that they take the training very seriously." The blonde commented, since the place really looked extensive, even from up there.
"On the other side are the hot springs." Tonalli pointed over his back. "And there in front you have that strange pyramid." The dragon's eyes narrowed after saying that. "That place is where the Gruthekas tribe lives." Aether couldn't help but turn serious after hearing his words.
"Is this when you are going to tell me the real reason for bringing me here to be alone?" The blonde's question made Tonalli look at him askance. "Before you left the capital, you told me not to believe anything I heard." Aether turned her gaze to him, narrowing her eyes.
"Can you tell me exactly what you're thinking?"
Tonalli turned his gaze forward and maintained a short silence. Aether turned his gaze in that direction, and they both observed the great Aztec-style pyramid in silence.
"I just think you should listen to both versions first before making a conclusion." Aether looked at him again, somewhat surprised at his statement.
"Do you want me to talk to Gruthecoatl?"
_ END OF THE CHAPTER! _
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
This update was a very important turning point for me, because if you like this, it means you will like the whole development of the story in general. That's because all the things that will come next will be created by my imagination, such as the circumstances, the plot, etc. So, I really hope you enjoyed reading it.
I still have to do one more extra chapter, so I'll say goodbye quickly to continue with this story.
See you in three days!