Read Obsidian hearts :: A true leader follows the people

Once the tlatoani left the room a sound similar to an orchestra of drums began, all from the feet of warriors stomping on the ground. All to prepare for me to present this idea to the whole village. Most of them scattered to alert each faction and every individual. Some stayed to prepare the stage and artifacts needed for this event. I remained in that same room, working on a speech that can convince everyone. Most importantly, the two people right infront of me. Coyotl calmly but in a dissapointing tone why I had even came up with this. "You've seen what it can do and how dangerous this beast is. It took the lives of your enemies, yes, but not in war. They were merely building their homes, townhalls, and such. You even plan to turn down a potential alliance with that village. A village skilled in builders and architects. Something this village and especially you need for that crumbling ancient monument nearby." As I tried to tell my reasonings, I began to mumble. Despite my clear thoughts why recruiting the giant would be better, I could not even get a word out. Citlalli intervened saying "The firepower equal to a large army with even less resources." Coyotl grumbled under his breath and stormed out. I thank Citlalli and she begins to explain to me that it takes a calm mind on top of an effecient one when public speaking, even on the spot. She even joked about how you need to be narcissistic, so full of yourself, to become the best one. Although, I don't think she was, I still laughed it off. She smiles and mentions "Its such a large gamble though. The cons are way too big to ignore. You need to still take into what they thought into account." "You mean to keep the giant on our side while keeping the village an ally?" I replied tiredly as another problem has fallen into my lap. "No, just the first one, adding that village part is way too big of a task right now, especially with your plan to befriend their enemy." she said surprised by my reply. I asked her why she would so suddenly agree with me despite her reservations on the giant. She looks surprised by my answer but then says that the tlatoani and Coyotl's idea was ideal but far-fetched. The village may not be in need of help, the giant may seem a worser foe, and well, it may ally with the other villages. She then mentions that monsters make the best warriors. I discuss with her about that for hours. I argued that humans have slew millions of monsters for centuries while she laughed and said the same thing but for monsters. The discussion came to which monster was the best. We laugh, we discussed other things, we shared memories. She then leans in and gives me a big hug and says solemnly, "You owe me one." As she was leaving the room, with her hand pushing aside the feathered curtains she said, "I'll go help with your speech and what to say but you need to do your work." in a laughing tone. Then she was gone, here I am alone in the red clayed room. Here, you can see the stage where the leader must speak at its front and beneath it, are stairs serving as the seats. However, they form a circle so those who would seat will not look at the stage but focus on the center, a center with a fireplace. I take a deep breath and leave. I have other things I need to do with the empty village nearby where I will prepare my speech.

Within one whole night, the stage is prepared for the morning. Magical artifacts capable of amplifying my voice across every house in this village are given to me at my disposal. It is called "callan tzatzatzia" a blue stone tablet with two glass domes at its top that will glow once activated. It is covered in silver stones and gold in strips, highly sensitive and can be easily broken. My voice can be especially heard to those below the stage. There are chairs as far as the eye could see, a chair for every warrior. 10 thrones rest in front of them, for the high generals, all of which have the same artifact I hold. The stage itself is tall with four pillars holding a vast plane. Here the house of the tlatoani is located. One must simply walk to the north edge of the plane to reach the audience. Before I reached it, Coyotl came and stop me. He gives me a hug and apologises for his outburst yesterday. He remarks that I may have good intentions but he cannot allow this to happen. He will represent the tlatoani and argue against me. An unheard of thing in history, of an enemy speaking against the council, let alone for the tlatoani, but so was my decision of making him my general. He walks away but mentions wholeheartedly that he will make it up to me. He will give me gifts, present, and a date soon. I scoff him for the mention. An announcer spoke before me and introduced the two sides. One was me, the other was one of the high generals, Chimalli, represented by Coyotl. Our leader hides his decision but it is still a big decision nonetheless. He then states that this matter will require the whole village to decide but what he does not mention was that the high generals' votes would matter, especially with the tlatoani. A fact that bothered me but something I have to ignore for him. He then mentions the rules, debate with all your heart, no physical violence or insults, and the loser will be struck with the macuahuitl. A part of the rules of such debates is that the loser would lose his head. He then points at it as it rests in the middle of the room. This was to ensure people would not argue against their tecuhtli, at least in our village. With my speech in my heart, my mind focused, and the concern of losing my head, I begin to speak to the whole village, the high generals, and the tlatoani. "Last night, me and my generals sabotaged and destroyed the enemy that came and conquered our land. We -". Thousands of cheers and roars came, cutting me off. The high generals chimming in as well, all except for Coyotl and the tlatoani. The latter is making a disgusted look. I continue my speech in my best intimadating voice "However" cutting off the celebration and laughter. "We heard a loud strong roar coming from the cave where we store our alcohol. As me and my team entered the cave, we came across a ferocious beast. A humongous human, largere than any 20 men standing over the other." I hear my audience murmur and gasp "Though not any bigger than the size of our building." I added. I continued, "With strength that can carry boulders that our best contraptions cannot. With coordination that cannot miss. As it was captured it took on a village's worth of armies and took down all their defenses. I tell you all this, not to cause fear but to ask you to let me ally with this beast." . A deafening silence. I cut the silence and said "You all have heard what it can do, imagine it as an ally. We would not need to sacrifice so much of our people." Murmurs began but only for the people, the high generals gaze felt stronger.

Coyotl came in the front and spoke his end. "The giant he speaks of, the one to take on a whole village by itself, cannot be trusted. The beast does not belong to any of the villages that we know off. Its loyalty, can be to its own. It was shere luck that it chose to save me and my comrades. Though it is powerful, it can still be defeated as we would get help from the very enemy that stole our land, The Tolteca. They know the dangers this beast will cause, the lives it will destroy. With our greatest speakers and resources, we can convince the chiefs of those villages to join us and form an alliance. A new trading partner as well. There, we will fight in glorious battle, one that will be remembered, the day we slay the giant." The crowd begins to cheer and the fellow high generals nod in agreenment with one another.

I had to hatch a plan, a way to convince these people. I could not come up with anything, as both his reasonings are sound and close to what the people want. Then it hit me, all of these were my reasonings before. The battle, the alliances, but all of that changed because of this, so I say it with an exasperated but stern breath, "Are you all not tired of battle? Are you all not tired of losing your loved ones? Or the fear that our enemy will come to our door at any moment?" The crowds were silent and so were the high generals. I continued "We are always at war, never even a days rest. Sure, we gain more numbers and an economic boost with our allies but it still won't be enough. We would still be at war with other tribes. They may even changed their minds when a better ally comes about. With this beast, I promise you, we can finally put an end to this. With this weapon, we will conquer the whole of Aztlan. No more battles, no more wars." The crowds did not mutter, the high generals were stiff, my fellow comrades were stunned silent, but the tlatoani rose from his throne and descended. He stood next to me and spoken. Wear your armour, carry your weapons, bring sacrifices, and go. Everyone errupted. The warriors gathered their weapons and armour, the villagers gathered sacrifices, and the builders brought camps. After the tlatoani left, Coyotl came close to me. Before he could mutter a single word, Chimalli struck him at the back of the head with his sword. I shielded my eyes but immidiately look to Coyotl.

He is fine. Chmalli dissapointed, mutters "Soon, you will fall." then he leaves. He apologized to me in an annoyed tone, that he had to hold his stance. It was in his blood to fight, to battle but if his friend choses not to battle then so be it but he asks, not to be a part of that choice. He looks around, at my sides, behind me. He wonders, what would've been my cheat for this. What was my plan to avoid such a fate. I smile, then in the blink of an eye, I vanished. Coyotl looks around and sees a pile of Quetzal's clothes on the ground. I grabbed his attention and told him that Quetzal was waiting back at the house.