"Eagle Warriors! It’s the xica Eagle Warriors!"
On the ramparts of Tree Snake City, Cloud Serpent Hunter Telavito had just recovered from dizziness when he heard his personal guard’s anxious cries. He hurriedly looked over and saw thousands of elite warriors, steady in posture, agile in step, feathers of various colors shaking, rushing forward swiftly.
The lower sides of these warriors’ shields hung with yellow and green bird feathers, while gray eagle feathers stood atop their helts. Although their luxurious war clothes had been replaced with platinum heavy armor, Telavito recognized them at a glance. Then, his heart suddenly tightened, and he let out a painful groan.
"Ah! It’s the shield-bearing Eagle Warriors!"
At this mont, despite being brave, the face of Cloud Serpent Hunter showed a trace of despair.
The Telascallans and xicas have battled for decades, and they are most familiar with the combat prowess of the Eagle Warriors. These elite noble battle groups do not engage in labor, instead they practice martial arts every day, their battle techniques extrely skilled. They are professional warriors exempt from labor, and the most battle-ready groups in Central Arica. Each Eagle Warrior is a seasoned veteran with the experience of capturing over ten prisoners!
"The situation on the rampart..."
Telavito looked again at the rampart; most warriors and militia were still in panicked chaos. Two rounds of terrifying explosions had almost completely destroyed the morale of the defending army. At this mont, people were jumping down from the ramparts, screaming chaotically, fleeing into the city...
"Praise the Chief Divine! Fight for the King!"
In just a mont, the Eagle Warriors reached the base of the city wall. They shouted in unison and then, holding their shields, scaled the ladders, climbing onto the rampart.
Those climbing the wall were steady, not rushing to attack. They charged into the gaps opened by the vanguard and securely took root. The swing of their hand axes scattered warm blood in all directions and left nurous defending soldiers’ bodies collapsing.
"Cloud Serpent protect us!"
Telavito gritted his teeth, facing a group of Eagle Warriors with a dozen remaining personal guards. He abandoned the cumberso stone hamr for a sharp war club, striking rapidly and accurately, but still couldn’t kill anyone.
The Eagle Warriors he faced were not only clad in solid heavy armor but also wielded feather shields skillfully, always protecting vulnerable neck areas. Coupled with their seasoned and succinct battle techniques, and their cooperative coordination, they were as resilient as rocks!
"Damn it, damn it! Huff!..."
Cloud Serpent Hunter cursed under his breath, gasping. The Eagle Warriors opposite him also breathed heavily. This close combat was the most exhausting, and Eagle Warriors clad in heavy armor definitely could not fight for long. If there were sufficient forces, occupying the wall’s advantage to delay ti, it might be possible to hold out a bit longer. But now...
"Ah! Ah!..."
Several able-bodied defenders showed despair, letting out aningless screams, turning to flee. They jumped off the wall in their escape attempts, but "crack" broke their legs, their cries becoming more heartrending.
"Damn it! We can’t hold!..."
Telavito surveyed the ramparts; more Eagle Warriors were gaining their footing, while resistance on the ramparts weakened. Even so of the overseeing Tree Snake Warriors began to flee.
"Boss..."
One personal guard leaned forward, lifting a shield, barely resisting the opposing attack, while hesitantly speaking in a low voice.
"Boss, we can’t hold..."
"Sky’s Cloud Serpent...!"
Telavito lifted his head, looking at the sky where heavy rain was falling, a sad sigh emanating from his heart. Monts later, he made a decision, looked at the last few personal guards following him, and ordered resolutely.
"Leave! We’re leaving!"
"Where to?"
"To the Pyramid Temple, et with the City Lord, and take my newlywed wife!"
"...Yes!"
Telavito pressed his lips tight, cautiously withdrawing from the battle line, retreating from the ramparts into the city. Beside him, warriors and militia continually fled downwards, hiding in various places throughout the city. However, Telavito knew in his heart that such hiding was aningless. Once Tree Snake City fell, facing their decades-long enemy, the xicas would inevitably cleanse the entire city.
If they remained within the city, won, children, and the lowly moth people might beco slaves to preserve their lives. The noble warriors and nobilities were certain to end as sacrifices!
"Howling, the city is breached!..."
"Praise the Chief Divine!"
"War God protects the Alliance! Roar!..."
Telavito rushed all the way, just arriving at the Pyramid Temple in the city center when fervent shouts resounded from the eastern city wall, mixed with the beast roars and cheers of xica Warriors, echoing through the clouds and the city. He paused his steps, his face heavy, and then accelerated again, racing up the towering pyramid.
Tree Snake City Lord Okote stood inside the temple, with his back facing the fervent sounds of killing in the outer city, facing the statue of the God of the Hunt. He gazed sorrowfully at the deified spirit revered for a hundred years, tears streaking down his face, desperately questioning aloud.
"God of the Hunt!... Why have you forsaken us? Was our offering not bountiful enough? Or is the War God’s divine power too mighty?..."
"Respected Divine Descendant City Lord. The God of the Hunt will never abandon his people. Soon, in the flas of the dead, we shall et the ancestors and all gods!"
The aged Cloud Serpent High Priest Tezcatlipoca, his voice hoarse and low, calmly instructed the Priest Apprentices who hadn’t fled, piling up the divine’s cloth banners, stacking the hereditary wooden picture boards, and scattering the pungent Stone of the Dead. Then, tremblingly, he donned the dark ceremonial dress, fixed the nearly ter-long feather crown, preparing for the final journey.
Dozens of Tree Snake personal guards, clad in leather armor, stood by, neither obstructing the priests’ busy work nor participating. They rely bore an expression of martyrdom, standing idly in the temple, awaiting the apocalypse.
"Family Head! The east wall has fallen, the south wall is about to!..."
Head Warrior Itz, blood-covered, rushed into the temple, kneeling at Okote’s feet.
"I just ca from the south wall, bringing back a hundred warriors. Quick! Let escort you out of the city!"
"Escape? Haha!..."
Tree Snake City Lord Okote smiled miserably and shook his head.
"xicas have surrounded us from all sides, where can we escape to? Trascal Land has been completely occupied by the enemy, and the bones and ashes of our ancestors are buried here..."
Similar to the Telascallans, the xicas practiced both cremation and burial. The glorious Divine Descendants and the noble High Priests left behind cremated remains, enshrined at the bottom of the temple pyramid, accompanied by large quantities of sacrificial jade, gold, silver, and sacrifices.
"Family Head, let escort you through the siege! It’s only a few dozen miles to the northwest to reach the continuous mountain range. Seeing the heavy rain approaching, the xicas unfamiliar with the roads will find it hard to capture small groups. As long as we escape into the mountains and hide patiently, there will certainly co a day when the xicas’ army departs!..."
"Haha! Breaking through the siege, escaping into the mountains? Waiting for the xicas’ departure?"
Okote remained stationary, shook his head again. He laughed, face filled with determination.
"Itz, the Divine has forsaken us!... The alliance of the Four States, in little more than half a year, has completely fallen. Millions of tribespeople, three hundred thousand able-bodied n, have beco sacrifices to the War God. And the strong Tree Snake City didn’t even hold for a month!..."
At this, tears welled in Okote’s eyes, his voice gradually rising, transforming into a sorrowful chant, like a death poem.
"...I then realized, the radiant Cloud Serpent has departed! And the blood-red War God has co from the Western Snake Mountain, engulfed the eastern basin, swallowing all the light!..."
Witnessing this scene, Itz pressed his lips tightly and bowed his head, tears also streaming from his eyes. He too could not comprehend: Why had the xicas, after decades of struggle, suddenly grown so strong and insurmountable? Why was their eastward conquest so swift and fierce?... To all these, he could only attribute to the Divine.
"City Lord! Father-in-law!"
After a mont’s silence, until two shouts were heard from afar. Telavito, gasping for breath, rushed up the Pyramid Temple. Taking a glance at the busy priests and the dumbfounded personal guards, he overlooked polite gestures and greetings, urgently inquiring.
"The xicas have entered the city! Eagle Warriors are killing their way to the temple!... Where is Chichipate? I need to take her and escape from the city!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers