5 months later.
5th month of the 10th Year of the SuaChie Calendar.
I was in the meeting hall, the thick, quiet afternoon air settling on my shoulders. I was skimming through some documents, the ink of the newly elected governors' reports still fresh, but my mind was a world away.
Seated across from me, with the patience of a master awaiting a distracted pupil, were Upqua and Zasaba.
Upqua, my loyal brother, with his strong posture and serious face, and Zasaba, the director of the Simte Academy, a man who seemed to bear the weight of all the realm's knowledge on his shoulders.
I observed Zasaba, his hair already streaked with gray, and a smile formed on my lips. Few people in the kingdom know his true identity.
To most, he is simply the director of the first school, the man behind our growing educational network. But I knew him in another way, nine years ago, when my world was still as small as my cradle.
My memory, as flawless as a mirror, carried me back to that moment.
I was a baby, only six months old, lying on a blanket, my movements clumsy and my body so small that I could barely support myself. My father's voice, Hyba, resonated in the room, warm and calm.
He was speaking with a man who was not from our village, a Muisca like us, but from the southern lands. His eyes were filled with a desperation that hung in the air. It was Zasaba, and his son was gravely ill, with a sickness that none of the local healers could cure.
"My son, he is the Son of the Sky," my father had said, his voice filled with faith.
Zasaba had looked at me with a mix of desperation and skepticism.
A baby. How could a baby possess the knowledge of the gods and the ability to heal his son?
But his eyes settled on mine. The man's face transformed; his skepticism vanished, and an expression of astonishment washed over him. My eyes, one light and one dark, had always been my mark, but in that moment, they were more than a mere trait. They were the window to my true nature.
I remembered the feeling of the man's astonishment, and how my gaze, though clumsy and weak, held the wisdom he sought. I was not a simple infant. In that instant, he knew the rumor was true.
My inner laughter almost overflowed at the thought of all that has passed since then.
Zasaba, who came in search of a cure, became the architect of our educational system, and I, that six-month-old baby, am now the guide of a realm that spans vast lands and seas, even the ocean.
However, this man who directed the kingdom's education, despite his secondary role in the grand scheme of things, was one of the kingdom's key players without anyone knowing. Zasaba was not only the educational guide of the realm but also the leader of the Shadows.
I broke free from my reverie, the weight of the documents in my hands pulling me back to reality. Upqua and Zasaba were waiting for me, their faces serious and attentive. The conversation about the new governors and the kingdom's plans had to continue.
"My apologies," I said to them with a smile. "I was distracted. Let us continue."
Upqua and Zasaba remained seated across from me, the afternoon light filtering through the cracks in the wall, illuminating the dust that floated in the air. The silence had extended for a bit, and I felt it was the moment to break it. I set the documents aside and focused on the man who had helped my realm build a pillar of knowledge.
"And your son, Zasaba?" I asked, with a sincere smile. "How is he? He must be an adult now."
Zasaba's face softened. His eyes, which always held a glimmer of wisdom, filled with a paternal warmth.
"My son is well, Young Chuta. Since the day your eminence helped him, nine years ago, he has never fallen ill again."
I listened to his words, and my mind returned to that moment, my own smile growing wider. I remember the disbelief on his face.
"Of course, at that moment you thought I was mocking you," I thought. "Although if someone had told me that my son only needed meat, eggs, and milk to be cured of a disease that seemed like a curse from the gods, I would have doubted it too."
I remembered his son's appearance, his skin dry and scaly, the apathy and sadness in his eyes.
I had immediately recognized the symptoms of Pellagra, a disease caused by a vitamin B3 deficiency. A disease that did not exist in our village due to our diet, but which was common in the villages that depended on corn as their main source of food.
To think that his son, whom they considered sick from the gods' wrath, only had Pellagra, seemed to me like a historical irony.
After the pleasantries, I decided to get straight to the point. Upqua looked at me with quiet anticipation, and Zasaba, with his usual respect.
"Upqua," I said, my tone turning more formal. "I have heard that you are engaged to Fiba."
My brother's face turned red, and his eyes widened. He looked at Zasaba, uncomfortable, as if he did not want anyone to know about his personal life. However, he did not say a word; he simply nodded, accepting the reality of my statement.
"Congratulations, brother," I told him, my voice full of pride. "I am very happy for you and Fiba."
Upqua smiled at me, a shy but sincere smile.
"Thank you, Chuta."
"And as for your responsibilities…" I said, my voice turning serious again. "Soon you must take Michuá's place as general of the army of the southeastern zone. He will travel with me to the FRIRS to take charge of the army in the special zone that will encompass the islands, the Northern Quyca, and what the Explorers and Sogeking discovered as Europe."
Surprise was reflected on Upqua's face, but his expression quickly changed to one of determination.
"I accept the responsibility, Chuta," he said, his voice a pillar of strength. "I promise I will fulfill my duty and protect the Suaza Kingdom."
I rose from my seat and approached him. Upqua also stood, looking at me with a mix of confusion and astonishment. I hugged him, a strong embrace that took him by surprise.
We both felt a bit awkward, with Zasaba still in the room. But I thought this would be the time for a hug that I might not be able to give in a few years. If everything went well, I would hug him again soon, but if everything went wrong, he would be away from the Central City for several years.
"I hope that leaving you in charge of this zone keeps you away from the coming chaos," I thought, my mind filled with memories of the past and the future.
I knew that it was only a few months until a man named Columbus would arrive on our shores. And I could not allow Upqua, with his unwavering courage and loyalty, to face that threat without the necessary preparation.
The embrace broke, and Upqua retreated from the room, his face still a little red from the moment.
When it was just Zasaba and me, the man stood and knelt before me, with one knee on the floor.
"Son of the Sky, what are your orders?" he said, his tone of voice filled with respect.
I felt uncomfortable with the display of respect, a feeling that has always haunted me. I did not want Zasaba, a man of great wisdom and knowledge, to kneel before me.
"Please, Zasaba, sit down," I said, my voice soft yet firm. "Avoid these displays of respect. If you are seen, your identity as the leader of the Shadows could be exposed."
He immediately stood and sat in his chair, his face a mask of seriousness. He appeared to be simply the director of the Simte Academy, a man meeting with his leader to discuss matters of state.
I sat at my desk, with Zasaba across from me, his expression serene and attentive.
He looked at me, awaiting my orders, with that silent patience that only men of his position possess. I did not need to speak the words; he already knew what would come next.
"Zasaba," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "Unofficially, we will both depart in a few days with the excuse of establishing the first academies on the FRIRS islands. We will also build schools in the Northern Quyca."
Zasaba nodded, his face unchangeable.
This was our language. The facade, the plan everyone must know. The truth, however, was something else. The real reason for my journey was much greater, and Zasaba knew it.
He had seen the blueprints of the warships that now sailed the seas under our flags, the weapons that would change the course of history, the medicines that would cure diseases considered a death sentence in these times.
He had even heard the murmur of my own voice in a language no one in this kingdom knew. He knew that Zasaba, through the 'Shadows,' had been working tirelessly to decipher that knowledge, and he knew that, although he did not fully understand it, he trusted me.
"The true purpose of our trip is to establish a formal settlement," I continued, lowering my voice even further. "A place where we will receive the Europeans."
Zasaba showed no surprise, only the confirmation in his eyes that this was the mission for which he had been preparing his entire life.
He had been aware of my 'predictions' through my conversations with Simte, and he had been my most faithful follower in the shadows. He had seen how my 'divine' knowledge had transformed our people, and he, more than anyone, knew that what was to come was something we could not face with our own forces alone.
"You must prepare the field agents," I ordered, my voice becoming stronger and more precise. "We will need specialists in all areas. Infiltration, espionage, languages, and also... torture. If it becomes necessary."
Zasaba's face remained blank, but I knew he had understood the message. The Shadows would be the spear and shield that would protect our realm from any threat.
"Also," I continued. "You must increase the frequency of the fruit transport company's trips."
Zasaba nodded again.
He knew that this company not only transported fruit but was our secret communication network among the islands, the Southern Quyca, and the Northern Quyca. It was the flow of information that kept me aware of everything.
Our meeting continued this way for a while, with precise instructions and concise answers.
Two months later. 7th month of the 10th Year of the SuaChie Calendar.
I was on the largest island of the FRIRS, what would be called Cuba in the future.
The sun shone with a force I had never felt in my life, and the air was filled with the sound of hammers and chisels. Behind me, a great stone temple rose, and high up on the grounds, a stone mansion. But that was not all.
Thousands of people worked tirelessly on the construction of a city that was rising from the depths of the earth. Unlike what many might think, most seemed happy, with smiles on their faces, filled with the hope of a better future.
We were building Dawn City, and it was the most ambitious project the kingdom had undertaken to date.
I remember that, in my first weeks on the island, I had met with the leaders of the two local Chieftaincies. Both had ceded 25 percent of their territory to me to form Dawn City. They did not know why, but I did.
This city was the starting point of my plans for what would be the change in history. Here we would receive the Europeans on their first voyages.
If all went well, this would be one of the largest cities in the kingdom in a couple of years. If everything went wrong, this city would be the spear that would attack the enemies and the shield that would protect our kingdom.
I climbed to the top of a promontory and looked out at the sea, the setting sun illuminating the waters. It was only a couple of weeks until the supposed discoverer of America would arrive on our shores.
On the beach and near the sea, about 20 ships could be seen. Eight of them were of a large size, of a design and shape that I had only seen in my mind, the Tequendama II, and the other twelve were the Tequendama, the first generation of the kingdom's large ships.
"The first generation of the Tequendama should be like the European Naos," I thought, admiring the view. "This looks like a scene from the game Battleships."
My mind was filled with a feeling of confidence. My plan had worked.
The city was almost built, the fleet was ready, and my agents were in place.
Everything was in place.
It was only a couple of weeks until the man, who in my world was known as the great discoverer, would arrive on our shores and find a people who were ready to receive him.
I looked at the fleet, my gaze moving from one ship to another. I smiled.
"I think we'll be ready," I murmured, my voice lost to the sea breeze.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
First, I'm really sorry for the delay, but I ended up incredibly tired today after work and couldn't even move my fingers.
Back with Chuta's perspective. Yay!
However, I don't know if you noticed, but before the perspective was something special; it seemed like first-person but at the same time it was third-person, a strange but functional mix. However, now the first-person perspective is more solid, because we'll see everything that comes from Chuta's eyes.
On the other hand, Zasaba is a new character whose name we just learned, but who was actually always present: when he mentioned the first schools and the priests led by someone, when he had constant meetings with the teachers at Simte Academy, or even attended important meetings as an assistant to the Minister of Education.
At first, I wanted to create a cruel character, battle-hardened and with a far superior natural instinct, but I thought it would be too forced.
Unnecessary Fact of the Day: The Santa Maria, Columbus's main ship, was a Nao, and the other two, the Pinta and the Niña, were caravels with triangular sails, although as I mentioned in the previous chapter, one of these caravels replaced the usual triangular sails of caravels with square sails.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future. (Chapter 77)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis. (Chapter 24)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 9) (PAUSED)
You can find them on my profile.]