A series of flyers and leaflets have begun to circulate in the Xiomeran capital Tlālacuetztla, condemning the XCP and Empress Calhualyana and urging people to topple the Imperial regime.
A previously unknown group calling itself the Alliance to Restore Xiomera, or the ARX, claims that the current Imperial government “is leading our country to disaster.”
“The Empress and the XCP promised us a ‘New Empire’. Their dreams turned to dust a thousand times on the lands of Huenya. Their promises blew away in the wind of resistance in Auria. Even in Taragai, thousands of Imperial troops and mercenaries can’t push aside the feeble new government of a poor, underpopulated land of animal-herders,” one flyer read, accusing the Xiomeran regime of “lying to the people of the Empire.”
Another flyer accused the Empress and the XCP of leading “a mindless cult that is ruining Xiomera more surely and deeply than even mad Emperor Xochiuhue imagined in his worst fever dreams.” The flyer accused the government of “isolating Xiomera on the world stage, making us a pariah and sabotaging our economy and our childrens’ futures.”
“We were once known as the ‘store to the world’. We were known as the land of technological miracles, of inventive and industrious people. We were seen as a nation first among equals, and everyone wanted to trade with us and learn from us. Where are we now? Half the world shuns us, and we make deals with devils to keep the few ties we have left. We snatch bits of meaningless land here and there, while everything that made Xiomera what it was slips between those same grabbing fingers. How long will you, Xiomeran citizen, stand for this?”
The flyers outline an “ARX Manifesto” that calls for the end of the XCP government, the normalization of relations between Xiomera and other nations, and “a return to sane policies in trade, international relations, and domestic politics.” It also calls for the return of the Great Selection and the “willing or unwilling abdication of the Empress”.
While this previously unheard-of group is unlikely to have a wide following, its emergence signals that discontent within Xiomera with the current regime could be growing, Matyaxi with the Institute for Studies of the Huenyan Subcontinent told DTNS.
“The Empress and the XCP regime had promised Xiomerans that they would not just restore the Empire they had before their civil war. They promised to make it even greater and more powerful. That clearly hasn’t happened. And the hostile and aggressive policies being pursued by Xiomera on the international stage are leaving Xiomera increasingly isolated. The Imperial government has been able to paper over the economic cracks for now, but sooner or later that will become untenable. Clearly, at least some Xiomerans are starting to worry about that,” Matyaxi said.
The Xiomeran government dismissed the flyers as “a propaganda scheme undoubtedly instigated by Huenyan intelligence”.
“Clearly, Huenya’s intelligence service is planting these fake flyers to make it seem like there is some kind of significant opposition to the great mission of our Empress and the XCP to lead the Empire in revival,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Information said. “These absurd and obvious propaganda attempts will fail. Xiomerans remain steadfast in their support of the leadership of the Empire and in our eventual success.”
Xiomera to relaunch combat tradition
At a joint press conference today, two Xiomeran ministries announced today that an ancient Xiomeran tradition of mutual combat will be re-introduced.
The xochiyáōyōtl (Flower Wars) were a traditional form of staged combat once held in the Caxcanan country. They involved one-on-one fights, as well as larger ones between teams of equal numbers. The staged combats were meant to demonstrate Xiomeran prowess and capacity for warfare to potential rivals. They were also meant to keep Xiomeran fighters honed and practiced in combat skills. The xochiyáōyōtl were outlawed in 1853 by Empress Camaxtica as part of her modernization of Xiomera.
The Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ministry for the Preservation of Xiomeran Values will be relaunching the xochiyáōyōtl in order to support the martial traditions of the Empire, officials said. “We will be consulting with the Ministry of Education and the Teotzin to ensure that both the historical and religious aspects of the xochiyáōyōtl are honored,” Minister Maxtla of the MPXV said. “We will also work closely with the Ministry of Defense to ensure that this new generation of the Flower Wars helps serve the needs of our national defense. In addition, the Ministry of Loyalty will help us ensure that these events help inspire our people to support the Empire and its brave warriors.”
The events will be staged on an ongoing basis in all Xiomeran major cities beginning on August 1st, and will be open to anyone desiring to compete. “Our brave soldiers will certainly participate, but there will be chances for anyone to elevate themselves through the honor of victory in combat,” Minister Huicatoa of the MCS said.
The new xochiyáōyōtl, like their historic predecessors, will not be intended to result in the death of any competitors. Instead, the events will have ground rules specifying how far combat can go. Competitors will be required to sign waivers, however, acknowledging that their survival cannot be guaranteed. Unlike the xochiyáōyōtl of the past, losing combatants will not be destined for sacrifice.
