"Sun City, Salt Lake City, High Mountain City... three Royal Legions, twenty-four thousand warriors... stationed in the Southern Three States, nominally to overawe the disloyal Mixtec tribes..."
The map of the long Talsas River was spread out across the low table. Xolotl pressed his lips together, staring at the three Royal Legions, at those key positions from which they could march south at any moment and cut off the long river. He was silent for a long time, then suddenly looked at Ekat and asked gravely.
"Ekat, where are the Alliance's Royal Legions stationed right now? I want the latest news!"
"Family Head, the Alliance has more than fifty thousand direct warriors in all. Among them are six Standing Warrior Legions of eight thousand men each; one is the Bronze Armor Battle Group, and one is the Longbow Battle Group. There is one Noble Battle Group of more than two thousand men, made up of the Glory Family's Jaguar and Eagle Warriors. There is one Shorn Guard of four thousand men, formed by drawing elites from the various city-states and surrendered soldiers; it was only newly established two years ago. The last is the Temple Legion of four thousand men, mainly composed of the most elite Elder Guard and Temple Guard, with the God of War Priests taking part in command..."
The guard captain Ekat looked grave. He took out nine Jade Talismans and used them as the nine Royal Legions, placing them one after another on the Alliance's map.
"After the New Year Grand Sacrifice, three Royal Legions marched south, including the Bronze Armor and Longbow Battle Groups, and entered the Southern Three States. One Royal Legion went west to sit in Sour Wood City, also controlling the upper passage of the Lerma River. One Royal Legion went north