Aztec Eternals

The merciless rain of arrows roared up and down the city, like a fierce autumn wind, blowing across the battlefield of fighting. The samurai and militiamen on both sides were like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, withering beside the tall city walls. The withered leaves fell into the dust and mud, and the nutrients in the body flowed out, dyeing the bluestone and loess into a deep red. Thus, the city walls turned into maple trees, and the fallen leaves became maple leaves.

The poignant battlefield is reflected in the eyes of the young commander, as well as his face as calm as a lake. On the left side of the city wall, Ottopan warriors continued to climb up, and then were driven down by Tarasco's defenders, and it was still difficult to stabilize the gap. The surrounding militiamen also gradually gathered, rolling logs and boulders, throwing spears and bows and arrows, and at this time they threw down without money or life.

Soon, with a shrill conch horn, hundreds of Tarasco's warrior reinforcements rushed to the top of the city. They formed a dense and powerful spear array, stabbing alternately, and the Ottopan warriors could no longer gain a foothold. The lean warriors desperately held on to their shields and retreated to the city in a panic, showing faint signs of collapsing.

Shulot's eyes were fixed, and he carefully looked at the supporting Tarasco warriors. They have firm expressions, hold wooden shields and copper spears tightly, and have crocodile or turkey family patterns on their leather armor. They have high combat literacy and are extremely vigilant about longbows.

"This should be the enemy's most elite reserve team! After days of consumption, the remaining fortress defenders are no more than 10,000. If the whole army rushes forward at this time, and try to kill another 3,000 warriors, they will be able to take the fort in one fell swoop!"

Shulot hesitated. He looked around, the loyal holy city warriors, the fanatical temple guards, and the strict spear army. These are the pillars of his direct lineage, the core strength of the Holy City lineage. The young commander made up his mind and waved the command flag.

"Blow the horn and retreat!"

The fierce battle drums stopped suddenly, and the sharp conch horn finally sounded, and the several moments of fighting seemed as long as centuries. Hearing the sound of the trumpet, the Ottopan warriors who had struggled to hold on retreated quickly as if they had been pardoned. They jumped off the top of the city, raised their shields to cover them, and fled to the rear without hesitation. The seriously wounded who couldn't move were ruthlessly abandoned, along with the wooden ladder on the top of the city.

The Tarascos at the head of the city burst into cheers. Then another rain of arrows struck, crucifying the outcropping enemy defenders, and the city was quickly quiet again.

Until then, Giova emerged from the corner below the city and retreated with the siege guards. As the commander-in-chief of the legion, he led the charge, but he did not go to the city himself. He just found a deflection angle that was difficult to shoot, and under the cover of the shield, he directed the nearby battle situation.

Xiulot waved the flag again. Dozens of small trebuchets were transported to the front line, and they projected a round of burning paper fireballs at a safe distance of ninety steps. The paper fireball traced an imprecise trajectory, and most of it fell inside and outside the city wall, burning the buildings in the city. A few landed on the top of the city, bursting out a large group of flames. The deflagration flame ignited more than a dozen large shields, and turned dozens of defenders into screaming torches. Billowing thick smoke immediately rose, and the burning sulfur gas continued to spread, covering the entire city in toxic smoke.

Seeing the launch of the paper fireball, the defenders of the fortress were relieved. In these choking smoke, it is difficult for everyone to fight, and today's siege is over. The supporting Tarascos retreated back again, entering buildings behind the walls that could not be shot. The warrior supervising the battle lowered his body and covered his mouth and face with several layers of cotton cloth. Under their stern order, the militiamen coughed and cut down the wooden ladder, and then used the sand prepared at the top of the city to put out the fire and smoke.

The retreating conch sounded again. Under the cover of thick smoke, the Ottopan warriors in the rear took away the wounded who were not seriously injured. The longbow warriors shot out the last wave of feather arrows, and the hundreds of shield chariots fifty steps away from the city began to retreat slowly. Then there were more than a dozen nest carts moving slowly, and the peasants who pushed the carts suffered heavy casualties. Finally, there are kicking crossbowmen who climbed down from the high platform one after another.

After the siege army evacuated one after another, Shulot looked at the top of the city again. Many small fire groups were extinguished by the sand. The Tarasco militiamen were exhausted and collapsed behind the wooden shields and earthen platforms at the top of the city.

Tarasco people are good at building pyramids, but also good at building fortifications. Originally, there were simple parapets on the city wall, which were used to resist traditional wooden bows that were not very powerful. Over the past few months, under the threat of the Mexica crossbow, large wooden shields nearly two meters in length have been erected on the top of the city to resist bows and arrows. Many of the doors and windows can still be seen.

Where wooden shields are insufficient, mud piers more than one meter high are piled up. On the one hand, these earthen platforms can be used to guard against bows and crossbows, and on the other hand, they can be used to put out fires. After Mexica's paper fireballs ignited the wooden shields one after another, the Tarascos combined the earthen platforms and wooden shields and built them higher. In fact, these crude and practical defense facilities can also defend against matchlock guns and small-caliber artillery.

"In a war that determines survival, people will give full play to their subjective initiative to build fortifications, modify equipment, and adapt to the war situation. Especially in this world of great battles that last for hundreds of years."

The young commander stared at everything on the top of the city, thoughtful. He never underestimated the wisdom of the ancestors. The people of the era just couldn't see the direction of the future clearly, not without experience in production and war.

In the confrontation between various forces, the advantages brought by advanced weapons can only last for a short time. Warriors will always find a way to gradually adapt newborn weapons, from mythical minds and practical equipment. The real national advantage must be established on the innovation of the system and productivity, and on the basis of national strength, and the confrontation with the Europeans also lies in this.

Shulot's thoughts drifted in the smog. His gaze was as unpredictable as a god's. When he came back to his senses, Giova was covered in blood, kneeling respectfully in front of His Highness.

"Giova, the Ottopan Legion fought well! You have shown your devotion to the Lord God and your loyalty to the Alliance!"

With a friendly smile on his face, the young commander took a step forward and lifted the head of the "Coyote" army up. He is very satisfied with the performance of the Ottopan Legion, and the "Coyote" has been completely tamed.

"Willing to die for Your Highness!" Giova clenched his fists in his chest and bowed his head in greeting.

Xiuluo nodded and asked.

"How about the casualties of the Ottopan Legion?"

Giova's eyes turned red, and his voice was hoarse and trembling.

"Thousands of casualties, of which 600 were killed."

Shulot was silent for a moment, then patted "Coyote" on the shoulder vigorously.

The Ottopan Legion had only 3,000 warriors, and four or five hundred had been killed in succession before. Today, they went up to attack the city first, and under the pressure of the army supervisor, another 600 people died in battle, leaving less than 2,000 people left. Faced with such traumatic injuries, the Ottopan Army can only turn to self-cultivation, and it is unusable in the short term.

"Giova, the Ottopan Legion's siege is difficult, so let's go down and rest first. I will let the priest of the Lord God preside over a grand funeral for the legion! In today's battle, under the suppression of the bow and crossbow, the enemy's casualties should be ours. Twice as much. The day when the city is broken is not far away, and the alliance will not forget your contribution!"

Then, the commander-in-chief lowered his voice and whispered in Giova's ear.

"I will never forget your loyalty!"

Hearing His Highness's approval, Giova sighed in his heart, the Ottopan Legion finally proved itself with sacrifice. He suddenly fell to his knees and saluted solemnly again.

This time, Xiulot nodded slightly and didn't say much. He just stood solemnly and accepted the visit from the head of the "Coyote" army.

The autumn wind in November blew to its heart's content, constantly plucking fresh maple leaves from the top of the fortress. The brutal siege battle came to an end, but the expendable feint continued every day. The warriors of the western city-states became a new batch of feint attack troops.

The Mexica crossbowmen used their arrows more sparingly. They were getting closer and closer to the city, carrying out precise shooting, taking away dozens of defenders every day. Under the gradual blood loss, the defenders of the Hekou Fortress became more and more exhausted, and their morale also fell to the bottom. Persistence becomes suffering, and there is no hope in sight. The flag of Marshal "Crocodile" still fluttered on the top of the city, but many different emotions gradually rose in the hearts of the defenders at the top of the city.

In the blink of an eye, another two weeks passed, and it was halfway through November, and the sunny dry season came. On the Leman River, the Mexica fleet finally appeared again, bringing the support of the last batch of alliances.

Shulot returned to the port on the north shore, and launched a majestic guard of honor to welcome the new reinforcements.

This time the sailor's trip was quite long, taking more than a month. Anatri first went to the capital in the lake, carrying a large amount of grain and grass, and announced the news of the great victory. Then, she went up the Tampen River to the edge of Xilotepec, where she laid down some food and received the promised reinforcements. Finally, she led the reinforcements to the south again, turned from the western city-state to the Leman River, and traveled all the way west to come here.

Anatri, holding a spear in his hand, jumped off the magnificent boat again. Her face was much lighter, but her eyes were full of spirits.

"Your Highness, 2,000 western city-state warriors, 3,000 Hirotepec warriors, 4,000 chichimek descendants, and 20,000 people's food for two months, all arrived on time!"

Shulot was slightly taken aback, with a look of joy on his face. After waiting for more than half a year, the reinforcements from Xilotepec finally arrived! Contrary to his expectations, there were two thousand warriors from the western city-states. The young commander thought in his heart, and then understood.

"After the news of the victory in the water battle came out, the Northern Route Army is in good shape, and the city-states in various places have finally begun to add icing on the cake and invest more!"

Thinking of this, Xiuluo Trang laughed out loud. He glanced at the newly made flag on the big boat, and laughed loudly.

"Very well, the Lord God blesses you, 'the source of the Leman River', my admiral! Anatri, you have worked hard all the way, go and rest!"

The female samurai saluted respectfully, and then walked away without flinching. She was going to the wooden castle in the north to check the warrior commander's injuries and martial arts.

Reinforcements landed one after another. Under the leadership of the great nobles, two thousand western city-state warriors made a lot of noise and disembarked first. These city-state warriors are all private armies of great nobles, and their equipment and morale are maintained at a good level, but their command is not satisfactory, and they cannot be used in battlefields with huge casualties.

Xiulot has long positioned these city-state legions. At this time, with a sincere and polite smile on his face, he chatted with the leading nobles for a while, greeted each other's glorious ancestors, and mentioned the friendship between the ancestors who had been friends for generations. Then, the nobles went north to the wooden castle to participate in the welcome dinner hosted by the deputy marshal.

Then, the three thousand Hirotepec warriors walked off the boat in a neat formation in silence. Seeing this legion, Shulot was taken aback. He observed carefully that these Otomi warriors who were familiar with him now acted concisely and orderly, with solemn and calm faces, with awe-inspiring murderous aura, and they actually had the demeanor of a strong army.

Soon, on the beach on the river bank, the small captain of the legion and the priest accompanying the army began to form a team. The chief and deputy army commanders came together to salute His Highness.

"Poet" Commander Baramo looked at His Highness whom he hadn't seen for a long time with a melancholy smile on his face. He bowed and saluted, sincerely admiring.

"Your Royal Highness, you are like the sun at noon, bringing me the scorching warmth. Your more majestic demeanor, like a proudly raised condor, soaks my soul with your dark eyes. I will prostrate under you Under your wings, I praise you for your victory in spreading your wings!"

Xiulot thought for a while, and confirmed that the "poet" was sincerely praising himself. He just took a step forward and patted Balamo on the shoulder affectionately.

"The new nobleman Paramo, long time no see! You are like a sacred cocoa, stretching out your beautiful branches and becoming wider and wider, which makes people happy."

The "poet" froze on his chubby face. He spent several months idle in the northern town, drinking and beautifying people every day, dealing with local nobles, and accepting the service of the Otomi people. Unknowingly, his once handsome sharp lines became more rounded, and his figure became much wider.

Balamo looked at His Highness's half-smile expression, thought for a moment, and suddenly realized. He immediately knelt down respectfully and paid homage to His Highness.

"Your Highness, your loyal commander, Baramo, has returned to his command and is willing to die for you!"

Shulot watched calmly for a while. Palamo looked solemn and knelt on the ground motionless. After a while, the young commander laughed, shook the "poet"'s hair, and then raised his hands.

"Very good, Paramo, my 'Desolate Plateau', welcome back! Who is the commander of the Otomi Legion in Xilotepec?"

Balamo glanced carefully at His Highness's expression, and said with a smile.

"The Blessed Legion has Natalie as the commander and I as the deputy commander! Natalie is the first Otomi warrior who surrendered, and he was also the Xilotepek prisoner you exchanged during the first negotiation. He was the first The warrior who surrendered to the Lord God is also the most devout leader of the warriors, and he made great contributions in the Northern Conquest of the Chichimeks!"

Hearing this, Xiuluo nodded. He looked at the young Legion Commander Natalie with a smile on his face.

"The Lord God is supreme and omnipotent! He protects us and also pays attention to the sacred Western Expedition. Captain Natali, with the blessing of the Lord God, the Western Expedition will surely win! As long as you fight for God, you will obtain a new Honor, will also build a glorious family!"

Natalie looked solemn, like a hard sculpture. Hearing His Highness's words, a sincere smile appeared on his face. Then, he held the sun amulet in front of his neck with his hand, and replied reverently.

"Praise the Lord God Vitzilopochtli! He saved us, we will fight for Him and spread His glory! The God Blessed Legion will devote themselves to the great battle of Gods, dedicate their lives to the Lord God, until death Hugh. His faith will be spread throughout the world!"

After almost reciting, Natalie knelt down on one knee and solemnly saluted His Highness.

"Holy 'God-inspired', Chief Priest of Teotihuacan, His Highness Priest Shulot, Natalie, on behalf of the Blessed Legion, salute you respectfully! We are enjoying the light of God's blessing, and we will be there for you war!"

Seeing Natalie's pious demeanor that does not seem to be fake, and listening to the other party's praise from the heart, the young priest was stunned for a moment, his heart was racing, and he immediately reacted.

"Praise the Lord God Vitzilopochtli! I pray to the Supreme One, and praise the souls of the converts, this is the loyalty under the watchful eye of the Lord God!"