"O supreme Main God, with the flesh and blood of the Cloud God-descendants, I offer you a divine sacrifice! Please grant us victory in war, please send down an omen of victory..."
"The Main God has sent down revelation! Divination, slaughter, Shili, Xiaoji!..."
"We will surely take this city! It is only that Xiaoji needs time, and the Main God also needs time, to devour the Rain God in the clouds..."
"Boom! Boom boom boom!"
On the sacrificial platform, flames rose, smoke curled and drifted up, and fresh red blood flowed down in a gurgling stream. Wild prayers and hymns floated far upward from the high platform. The warriors' cheering war dances made the Earth Mother tremble and shudder. This was the most sacred and exalted rite, using the most mysterious and bloody ceremony, using the thunder of cannon-fire terror, to stir the morale of tens of thousands of the Mexica Legion.
"Kill! Kill the God-descendants in the clouds!... Offer them! Offer vitality to the Main God!... Guide them! Lead the souls of the war-dead up to the heavens!... Blessings! Let those who win merit be richly rewarded with Divine Protection!..."
"Kill them!..."
"Kill!..."
The frenzied battle cries of over ten thousand warriors shook the valley and mountains, and pierced straight into the towering clouds. Hearing such a declaration of slaughter, hearing the rolling thunder, from Yodzocahi to Cloud Altar, fear rose on the faces of thousands of Mixtec warriors. Although beneath their feet were dangerous fortresses and terrain, although Yodzocahi was as solid as if cast by the Sky God, and was guarded by a full three thousand elite warriors and several thousand militia men in their prime... from the revered God-descendant city lord Cloud God Mountain down to countless lowly Ant People strongmen, all feared the thunderous Divine