Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 888 - 506: The Siege of Feathered Serpent City, The Ongoing Siege Warfare

Chapter 888: Chapter 506: The Siege of Feathered Serpent City, The Ongoing Siege Warfare

"Buzz... Bang! Bang!"

Rows of catapults outside the eastern and northern walls trembled, emitting a thunderous roar, hurling burning fireballs! Over twenty fireballs, like whistling meteors, flew a distance of two hundred steps and crashed fiercely within the western walls of Feathered Serpent City. As the fireballs landed, burning charcoal and sulfur scattered instantly, large flames rose, releasing billowing thick smoke.

Thousands of Tlaxcalan warriors shouted fiercely, holding their positions atop the walls, suffering through the drifting smoke. Thousands of city-state militia ran around busily, using baskets of dirt to extinguish the fireballs and put out the raging flames. The acrid toxic smoke came rushing towards them, carrying the terrifying scent of a volcano. Many were smoked black, their hair singed and disheveled, coughing uncontrollably as if trying to spit out their lungs.

Quiahuitz, the lord of Feathered Serpent City, stood atop a high place in the city, watching the battle before him, silently gripping the serpentine divine staff in his right hand.

Feathered Serpent City, Quiahuiztlan, is one of the four core cities of Tlaxcala. It is the newest, built roughly a hundred years ago, located the farthest north of the cities, controlling the northern entrance of the Valley Mountain Range. To guard against the Mexica, the walls of this strong city have been repeatedly fortified, standing seven to eight meters high. The outer layer of the wall is built with nearby volcanic stone, while the inner layer is thickened with dirt, both layers bonded with mortar, making it hard to dig through or destroy.

The entire Feathered Serpent City covers an area of only about three square kilometers; it is more of a fortress than a city. To the south and east of Feathered Serpent City lies the confluence of the Atenco River (Rio Atenco) and the Apizaquito River (Rio Apizaquito). The two rivers meet at an angle, protecting half of the city walls within. In later years, this place would be known as Apizaco, where the rivers converge into a shallow area. The banks on both sides of the river are extremely muddy, making it difficult to deploy troops. The Mexica can only attack Feathered Serpent City from the north and west sides.

Overall, Feathered Serpent City’s defenses are quite robust, taking full advantage of the terrain. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack. In fact, this is a common characteristic of the four core serpent cities of Tlaxcala: they are purely built as strongholds for war, established in strategically vital locations!

"Within the city, we still have three thousand warriors, seven thousand militia, and two years’ worth of provisions. The other three serpent cities are just thirty li to the southwest and will keep sending reinforcements... the God of the Hunt will protect us! I will surely defend this place!"

Quiahuitz silently prayed, unable to dispel the anxiety swelling in his heart, though his face remained calm. After all, he was the chief of the divine descendants in the city, one of the four most honored kings of Tlaxcala, and must always maintain his dignity.

Hundreds of Feathered Serpent trusted aides clad in leather armor and wielding obsidian clubs surrounded the city lord. They were ever ready to support the warriors and militia at the city walls, willing to sacrifice their lives for the most esteemed divine descendant!

"Order the moth people in the city to dig more dirt! Dismantle the wooden walls of the nobles’ mansions to make wooden shields for the city walls!... Start with my palace!"

Quiahuitz watched for a moment until the fireballs had been extinguished by the moth people, then he sternly commanded.

"Also, summon the priests of the God of the Hunt to perform a prayer ceremony behind the walls to protect the warriors defending the city-state! Remember, the God of the Hunt will bless Feathered Serpent City!"

"Yes! The God of the Hunt will bless Feathered Serpent City!"

A dozen trusted aides shouted in unison, bowed, and then dispersed. Soon, the small city was filled with voices and became busier.

Thousands of moth people prepared supplies for the city’s defense, using stone tools to make crude large shields, arrows, and rolling stones. Over a thousand warriors waited behind the city walls, ready to support at any moment. Dozens of temple priests lit the sacred fire, cutting their cheeks and praying frenetically day and night. The city’s military nobility also mobilized, maintaining order everywhere and standing guard on all sides of the walls, facing the Mexica at the front line of the battle.

At this moment, to resist the enemy’s attack, divine descendants, nobility, priests, warriors, and moth people all stood united! For they all understood, the consequence of defeat was death and sacrifice, with no possibility of retreat!

After two quarters, the thick smoke on the city walls had gradually dispersed, no longer obstructing the view. The Mexica army outside the city also began to move. Outside the western and northern walls, a thousand elite royal warriors assembled. They wore copper helmets and copper armor, wielding longbows, all well-equipped. The royal bow samurai lowered their heads, forming a loose formation, advancing swiftly to within sixty steps, braving the feathered arrows from the wall.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

As soon as the bow samurai took their positions, a volley of sharp copper arrows shot forth, suppressing the Tlaxcalan archers atop the wall! Dozens of screams echoed from the walls, and scores of bodies immediately fell from the walls. The Tlaxcalan archers, crouching low, also desperately fired arrows downwards.

Waves of bone arrows struck the royal warriors, occasionally clashing against their copper armor with a "ding". A few warriors grunted, hit in the face and neck by precise divine archers, and collapsed dead on the spot.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!... Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!..."

Relentless rains of arrows crisscrossed over the walls, incessantly claiming lives and exhausting the archers’ strength. After several rounds, the arrow volleys from both sides clearly thinned out. Then, the sound of drums for the charge arose from the Mexica formations behind.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Outside the walls on both sides, a thousand city-state militia, wearing simple cloth garments and carrying dozens of seven- to eight-meter-long scaling ladders, quickly advanced toward the walls. As soon as they approached, a large number of javelins were hurled down from the walls, followed by thrown wooden blocks, stones, and a few jars of lime.

"Ah!"

The attacking city-state militia cried out in agony, hundreds instantly falling dead or injured. Some with arrows in their bodies howled as they fell; some with heads struck by stones collapsed dead instantly; others, covering their eyes filled with lime, bled tears of agony. However, the drumbeat grew more intense, spurring the militia forward with no retreat, only continuing the assault!

"Bang, bang, bang!"

The city-state militia strained to set up the long ladders, hooking them onto the walls with copper hooks and desperately climbed, only to be shot, crushed by falling stones, or killed by warriors’ war clubs.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

The copper-armored bow samurai below released arrows rapidly, disregarding the risk of injuring their own militia, continuously shooting at the exposed Tlaxcalan warriors.

Following a volley, dozens of warriors screamed in agony, falling from the crowded walls. Their fate was sealed; even if they survived the fall, they would be killed by the militia below.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

The defending army atop the walls hurled down projectiles, causing heavy casualties among the unarmored militia. After another quarter hour, the remaining few hundred militia could no longer hold on and collapsed backwards in despair. Meanwhile, many of the defending siege weapons atop the walls were depleted and couldn’t be replenished quickly.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The second wave of war drums sounded immediately. The royal overseer drew their war clubs, preparing to execute the first two hundred retreating militiamen as per the king’s order. At the same time, two thousand long-prepared city-state warriors let out a shout and rushed to the ladders hooked onto the walls.

"Praise the Chief Divine, fight for the gods!"

The city-state warriors raised their shields, tightened their grip on war clubs, and in a moment, charged to the wall. They were the true assault force, whereas the previous militia served merely as expendables to clear the way.

"Kill!..."

The warriors shouted, swiftly climbing up the walls. With reddened eyes, they desperately swung their war clubs, fighting the equally intense Tlaxcalan defenders to the death!

"Hmm. The Tlaxcalans’ morale hasn’t diminished. Today’s siege is still about depletion,"

King Aweit stood on a high hill, behind him the royal banner of the "Evil Spirit Commander," surrounded by hundreds of divine eagle nobility battle groups. His face remained expressionless, watching the crowds surging and shouting atop the walls, the ever-blooming bursts of blood resembling ants fighting.

The king was clad in brand new skull armor, lined with cloth and bronze, covered externally with leather, bone decorations, and feathers, adorned with bright gemstones and gold grains. In the sunlight, he sparkled, akin to a heroic spirit from Mexica mythology!

"The stamina of the first group of royal bow samurai is nearly exhausted,"

King Aweit narrowed his eyes, observing the warriors exchanging fire. He then waved the command flag, ordering his trusted aides.

"Sound the battle drums! Let the second group of royal bow samurai form up and prepare for action!"

"At your command, exalted Mexica King!"

The trusted aides shouted with their chests out, then ran to the front. Soon, the war drums beat more urgently.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The war drums pounded, city-state warriors fought fiercely atop the walls, royal warriors shot arrows from below. Constant screams resounded as warriors fell from the high walls, becoming part of the pile of corpses. In less than a quarter hour, a messenger rushed from the other side of the formation.

"Your Majesty, Legion Commander Vite of the Valley Mountains Legion, an honorable noble Izel sincerely requests! He says, today’s assault on the North City by the Valley Mountains Legion has already resulted in the loss of two hundred warrior squads, one thousand militia company... Please, exalted king, have the loyal Valley Mountains Legion withdraw slightly to regroup!"

"Ha-ha! Izel, that little trickster..."

King Aweit laughed heartily, cursing lightly. Then, with a wave of his hand, he commanded solemnly.

"Make the Valley Mountains Legion of Telokan State continue the assault for another quarter, then replace them with the Golden Gorge Legion of Weyoplhethlan State!"

"At your command, exalted Mexica King!"

The messenger stood tall and shouted once more, then immediately turned and conveyed the order.