Moonlight fell from the dark clouds, and the trees lay deep and shadowed on the mountain slopes. A full squad—twenty Totonac warriors—held burning torches high as they escorted the Maya merchant Tikalo, this self-proclaimed "Kingdom messenger," toward the great camp in Lake Sacrifice City.
Tikalo glanced sideways. The morale and equipment of these Totonac patrol warriors seemed quite good.
They all held their chests slightly out, carrying sharp Copper Axes, wearing dark-green Leather Armor, and with Short Spears for throwing and close combat slung across their backs. Looking more closely, the warriors in this squad all had a blood-red Sun Hummingbird tattooed neatly on their foreheads. That lifelike Main God emblem seemed like the brand of a deity, and carried a somewhat mysterious air. And whenever these warriors prayed, they would devoutly stretch out a finger and touch their foreheads, as if hoping to gain an extra measure of the god's blessing and shelter!
"Main God protect us! Divine Protection upon the Coastal Alliance! And upon us too!"
"Main God protect us! It's only the first half of the night, not time for the shift change yet. Which patrol squad are you? Why are you heading back?"
A hidden sentry of the Red-hair Tribe's Dog-kin appeared from who knew where. The red-haired captain at their head had a wary look in his eyes, watching these friendly Totonac allies, his palm already silently pressing down on his Copper Axe.
"The Main God bears witness—we're from the Vanguard Battalion, a squad patrolling the coast! Our battalion commander is Chief Muxiz. We ran into two Maya People by the shore! They claimed they were 'Kingdom messengers' and had brought back extremely important intelligence. They want to see the Black Wolf Legion Commander in Lake Sacrifice City!..."
"Maya People? Kingdom messengers?"
Hearing that, the