Arrows flew, and the commander fell. In that instant, beneath the great banner, a shocked deathly silence spread. Several breaths later, the Sour Wood personal guards around him rushed over in panic, their faces filled with despair and terror as they cried out in disbelief.
"Family head!"
"Legion commander!"
Seeing Jotico fall, Turquoise Tesiwite's expression changed drastically. He abandoned the Cloud Snake Hunter at once, turned back, and sprinted wildly toward the great banner.
Surprise lit Telavito's face. His eyes widened as he tried to find the warrior who had loosed the arrow and slain the enemy. But the firelight flickered in shifting shadows, figures swaying in chaos, and he could not make out anything clearly.
"Who was it? To actually shoot down the Mexica Legion commander and accomplish such a great feat!"
"With archery that divine, it must be one of the famous hunters of our Tree Snake City!"
Itz watched for a while too, but found nothing. Still, with such a feat of battle from this night raid, it was enough to report back to the city lord.
"Telavito, stop looking! While the Mexica People have lost their leader, we need to go! Once we withdraw back into the city, we can question the warriors who joined the assault and richly reward the hunter who achieved this great merit!"
"Mm, Itz..."
Telavito tightened his grip on the Copper Axe in his hand and looked at Itz beside him, killing intent flickering in his eyes.
"The Mexica leader is dead, and the warriors have lost their commander. If we charge again..."
"...There's no time! If their leader had been shot two quarters earlier, perhaps there might still have been a chance."
Itz thought briefly, then shook his head. He reached out and pointed beyond the Sour Wood great banner,