I am Quetzalcoatl "feathered serpent", That is my Nahuatl name, I am one of the most powerful deities of Ancient Mesoamerica. I was born into human form as a punishment from Huitzilopochtli for creating Humans. He claimed I must suffer as they do to understand the consequences of creation.
I was born as Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl "Our Prince One-Reed Feathered Serpent" in the 10th Century.(923-947) My real name is Topiltzin, I was a warrior leader and priest of the great city called Tollan. I was tricked into drinking a potion made by Tezcatlipoca. I was disgraced before the people and forced into exile. One day I will return to claim my empire as the divine ruler of the Toltecs. After my exile I traveled south or east to found many new cities and kingdoms. Maya, K'iche, Pipil, Zapotec also know me as their God, I founded each of those tribes.
After I was disgraced I sealed myself up in a stone coffin in an act of atonement. After many days, I arose and left my people to return to the Gods. As walked through my kingdom, I began to witness the sadness and despair of my people. I witnessed an old man waiting to die. A young child unable to move from rest, her suffering from that illness even I could not entirely relieve. I saw a young man bleeding and scarred, he could barely walk. His mother was accusing me for causing the suffering of her son, who was wounded in battle. So many lives and so much suffering, with my shame I could not bear to stay. Before I left, my true followers asked when I would return, I said I would return once again when the people no longer sacrificed to the gods, when mankind will make slaves of each other, when their arrogance will lead to their own destruction. I revealed the signs of my return and some continued to follow, others returned. I traveled through many towns, leaving my sacred legacy, a trail to the east till I reached the great water coast: Atlacoya. There I became as the sea and the sky, on a raft made of snakes I transformed into a quetzal bird after 4 days. I flew up into the sky to join with the other Gods. I became as a red star in the evening sky, a promise of vengeance against Tezcatlipoca. I taught the Mexica and many other tribes the importance of culture, knowledge and morality, to allow humanity to rise above the animal that dwells within. Rebirth will come at the inferior conjunction. I was born in the first year of the reed, which is why Cortez was able to fool my brothern into thinking I have returned. Huitzilopochtli switfly ended the time for the Mexica (Aztecs) with mercy to make room for a new people, a new age, an age of rebirth, the age of my return.
"You have graciously come on earth, you have graciously approached your water, your high place of Mexico, you have come down to your mat, your throne, which I have briefly kept for you, I who used to keep it for you," and, "You have graciously arrived, you have known pain, you have known weariness, now come on earth, take your rest, enter into your palace, rest your limbs; may our lords come on earth." - Moctezuma to Cortés (One day, I shall)
