But until then, Traveler, our duty to the Teteo is to keep them strong enough to maintain Ollin, movement. To do this, they need Power. Power exists in all things, Traveler; in men and women, in animals, in plants, in stone, in the earth and the mountains and the seas. To keep the Teteo strong, we offer the Power that is in our blood, our hearts, and our lives. Over and over, the Teteo have given their lives in sacrifice to maintain Ollin, to keep the world moving. We can do no less.

We make and we keep images of the Teteo, and we call them Ixiptlas. To them we offer blood, hearts, human lives. We know, Traveler, that the Ixiptla is not itself Teotl; it is in a way a reservoir for Power, a reservoir that can at any time be tapped. The Power that is released when someone offers their service on the Techcatl - the sacrificial stone - is then stored in the stone Ixiptla, where it can remain until needed.