Outside the village leader's house.
A chilly wind covered my face, but that chill brought me back from my reverie. I was quite surprised by the people walking through the village, staring at my mother and me, though they seemed to take longer to notice me. However, what truly amazed me was the scenery; it's beautiful; it's the first time in my two lives that I've seen something so incredible.
The white, snow-capped mountain ranges, the clouds adorning their contours, seemed like the rulers of this world. They stood high above, watching us humans appreciate their grandeur from below. The place where the village was located seemed to be on the side of a mountain overlooking a valley.
"This is a nice walk", I thought as I enjoyed the scenery and the attention, I received from the people who came to greet us.
"So, my name is SuaChie Chuta", I thought as I heard my name being called by many of the people who came to see us. "I prefer to just Chuta the truth", I thought, remembering my mother's love every time she said my name. I didn't know why she loved me so much, but it was a very nice feeling to be loved that way.
6 months later.
"Fuuu… It's so hard to walk", I said softly as I leaned against a nearby wall. I was in my father's house, walking through the main living room, with my mother following me every step of the way, making sure I didn't have any accidents.
Many would think I should have been walking much earlier than normal, but there was something working against me in this body. My mind was so developed, and I had such control over my senses that walking was an exercise I couldn't complete easily. My brain overreacted to the different changes in position my body underwent while walking. Furthermore, since my reaction time is that of a baby, it couldn't adapt quickly, so I kept falling. The only good thing about this was that my mother found it funny, and seeing her smile was something I enjoyed.
"Mother, I'm hungry", I said, a little embarrassed. I knew this moment was embarrassing for an adult, but I knew I had to do it anyway because it was necessary for my health.
My mother took me in her arms and carried me to the bedroom to breastfeed me. Although it was embarrassing to ask, I had grown accustomed to this discomfort over the months.
"Will you continue walking on your own, Chuta?", she asked after she finished feeding me.
"Can we go outside?", I responded with a question.
"Sure, whatever you want, my dear son", she said as she took me in her arms again, and we left the house.
We spent the entire afternoon walking around the town, visiting some houses, checking out workshops, and talking to people. Everyone was amazed at how well I spoke, as I understood and understood everything, they said to me, and I could answer their questions clearly and wisely. And best of all, everyone took it for granted.
The head priest had spent the last few months visiting different villages, calling a meeting of city, town, and village leaders. According to what my father explained to me, when I turned one year old, I would demonstrate my wisdom to them, so that the gathering of my people, something larger than a settlement of a few thousand people, would transform into an organized nation.
"I'm looking forward to this opportunity", I thought with some anxiety.
One of the things I had noticed was that I was on Earth; the moon was a clear indication of that. The other thing I had noticed was that I lived somewhere in the Andes Mountains. The alpacas gave away my location; my now unexpectedly perfect memory allows me to recall things I saw in this life or in the previous one. Then I began to recall the shape of this animal, and suddenly a vivid memory came to mind, containing the information from the letter of introduction this animal had at the zoo I visited in my previous life.
The bad thing I noticed about this discovery is that, if I'm on Earth, then it's bad news. It seemed like I'd traveled back in time, although I don't know how far back, I traveled. I could have serious problems depending on the era I was in. If I belong to an indigenous people who lived in the Andes and it was a time close to the arrival of Europeans to the continent, it could mean that disasters were approaching everywhere.
"When the priest returns, I'll try to ask him about the nearby villages or the great kingdoms", I thought as I continued greeting the people I passed by.
Three months later.
"The meeting date is approaching. Tomorrow everyone will come to see you", Simte told me seriously. He was the head priest, who had accompanied my birth with his prayers.
If someone from the time I lived in my previous life witnessed this situation: a priest adorned with feathers and gold on his body, speaking to a one-year-old child as if conversing with an adult, they would surely laugh and look for the hidden camera. However, this was a recent reality that had only taken place in recent months.
"I understand, Simte. I will be under your guidance for this meeting between the leaders", I replied, with a seriousness that was surprising for a child of my age.
"Great Priest, there are only three more leaders to arrive. We have been notified that they are on their way and will not fail to arrive for tomorrow's meeting", my father chimed in as he entered the room where we were conversing.
"That is excellent, Leader Hyba", the priest nodded before leaving. Although most addressed him as priest or great priest, he had requested that I call him simply by his first name, as it made him feel closer to the gods.
"Hello, Father. Did the preparations go well?", I asked, adopting a tone more befitting my true age.
"Yes, Chuta, although it's actually your mother who does most of the work. I just carry the heavy things", he replied affectionately.
"I understand. Do you need me to help you with anything?", I offered kindly.
"No, just rest. Tomorrow will be a long day; remember the priests will come get you early for the preparations", he warned me with concern. I knew that, deep down, he found it a little strange to speak to me as if I were an adult, but he tried to accept me and adapt to the many unusual things I might bring into his life.
The next day.
I was woken early, just as my father had anticipated. However, I was determined to face the challenge before me.
This meeting would be crucial, both for my future and for that of my people. The leaders had convened at the behest of the priests, fulfilling an ancient prophecy that foretold that the "Son of the Sun and the Moon" would be the first leader of a people who would reign for countless moons. His wisdom would bring splendor, and the battles he fought would be recounted by the elderly in the future.
When I first heard the prophecy, I felt strange. In my previous life, I was a fairly rational person, and I found it difficult to reconcile myself with belonging to a polytheistic people who seemed incompatible with my former beliefs. "But I have been through a reincarnation; I am not one to judge the beliefs of others", I thought as I prepared for what was to come.
One of the things that drove me to make this meeting a success was the feeling that, in a previous life, I had participated in one of the greatest encounters between civilizations in history. Although at the time I had no evidence to support my intuition, I knew that Simte would soon provide me with the answers I so craved.
"I won't give you answers for now, as that knowledge will be part of the tests you will face at the meeting. The leaders will ask you many questions, and you must be as precise as possible in your answers", he had warned me a few months earlier when I consulted him about the large villages south and north of ours.
"These people and their strange beliefs", I reflected, recalling the tests the leaders would have prepared for me. "I'm a baby, for heaven's sake… or in this case, for the gods' sake", I thought, feeling exasperated, though with a touch of humor.
The priests led me to a field on the outskirts of the village, all of them ceremonially dressed. It was a crucial event, and they were to preside over the meeting. Outsiders were not allowed at the designated location; not even my mother, the wife of our village leader, could be present. The floor was covered with blankets around a stage, next to which stood several structures where incense was burned, and some sacrifices that would be offered later.
In one corner of the stage, there was a stone chair, meticulously carved with sacred inscriptions made by the priests themselves, decorated with numerous gold ornaments. I was asked to sit on it and cover myself with a black and white blanket. I also wear some light ornaments and a crown, although this was very different from what I had seen in TV shows or movies from my previous life.
After a while of waiting, the leaders and priests arrived. The leaders settled themselves on the blankets, while the priests stood around them. The head priest approached me and stood beside me.
"The prophecy meeting begins", the priest announced. "SuaChie Chuta… We are in front of you", they all said in unison, leaving me stunned with their reverence for a mere baby.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello to all readers.
I hope you're enjoying the progress of the story.
In this chapter, we see the power that some religions had over the people in these types of societies. They were able to summon leaders without any problems.
Read my other novel, The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future.
You can find it on my profile]