The setting sun goes far to the west, returning to the end of the Kingdom of God. The red clouds in the sky also disappear, just like the dissipating life.
Then darkness came, engulfing the red earth, burying all the cruelty, and the capture ended here.
Bonfires were lit under the hills. The warriors counted their trophies, while Avitt and Cassar discussed the casualties of the previous battle.
In total, more than 300 Mexica warriors were killed and more than 700 were injured in this battle. Most of the casualties occurred during the siege stage on the top of the mountain, especially on the flanks of the semi-surrounded warriors. Barda's assault force suffered very few casualties.
And none of the Jaguar warriors led by Casal was killed.
The more elite the troops, the more cautious they are in their use. They are often only used for the decisive blow and try to avoid fierce battles.
The Otomi people suffered heavy losses. Before the rout, there were about three to four hundred samurai casualties. After the rout, the samurai were annihilated in groups. Within half an hour, there were 1,560 casualties on the mountain, and the subsequent capture of prisoners increased
Seven to eight hundred were captured.
The warriors on the top of the mountain only managed to escape by a little over a thousand years, their organization was completely broken, and their bones were completely broken. Even if the escaped warriors were lucky enough to return to Otopan City, they would not be able to regain their fighting strength without a few months of rest.
Giowa escaped anyway, taking the last warrior camp with him. The mountain forest here is the hometown of the Otomi people. Once they escape into the forest, they are like mice escaping back to their burrows, disappearing without a trace.
The statistics on the militiamen are much more rough. On the top of the mountain, the Otomi militiamen who were flanked with the warriors suffered the worst, with nearly half of the casualties. The militiamen who fought in Barda also suffered heavy losses. The four thousand militiamen who were surrounded and restrained fled.
The fastest, and the losses were very small. As for the last two stone-throwing battalions, these experienced hunters just fired two inaccurate stone bullets in a hurry, and then turned into the forest before the Jaguar soldiers pounced.
All in all, the militiamen only lost more than 2,000 lives and took more than 2,000 prisoners. However, the militiamen who escaped were likely to flee directly back to their hometowns and no longer participate in the subsequent war.
"The militia with the weakest combat effectiveness always suffers the smallest losses in every battle, never even more than 30%. Shulot, do you know why?" Avitt was in a good mood and asked with a wink.
"Because every time, they suffered two casualties and collapsed?" Shulot also guessed with a smile.
"Correct answer. But there is another reason." Avni smiled, "They have the least equipment, and no one can catch up when they run."
"Haha." Shulot laughed. In the American continent where there is no cavalry, militiamen have this advantage. They can escape easily, just like Japan's Ashigaru.
Hulot soon stopped laughing. The corpses of more than 300 Mexica warriors were neatly placed in a newly dug pit. He looked at these frozen faces, many of which he had just met yesterday. Today,
Just being with the loess. Life is impermanent, and my heart becomes more touched.
The emotions of the remaining warriors were even more volatile. They accompanied each other day and night, and once they were separated. Since the battle was won, a funeral was needed to comfort the living.
In the theocratic era, priests enjoyed the highest power and had to serve as a bridge between humans and gods. Offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, praying for a good harvest, and guiding the dead were the priests' unavoidable responsibilities.
The warriors looked at Shulot expectantly, Avitt even smiled and winked at him. Shulot sighed.
The young man recalled the ritual taught by his grandfather, put on a long feather crown, put on a black Tengu suit, raised the sacred staff, set up a altar on the hill, and lit a blazing bonfire.
The name Shulotel symbolizes death and rebirth, which is very suitable for this time.
The warriors stood still under the altar. Then, the desolate drums sounded, the missing ocarina played, and the night's elegy floated.
"The earth shook, and the Mexicans began to sing." A young man's figure danced on the altar. He shouted with a clear voice, praying for God's response and to attract the souls of the deceased.
Under the altar, thousands of warriors took off their shirts and danced wildly like warriors. Then, the bonfire flickered and the earth shook.
This is dancing.
"He made the jaguar dance with him,
Come and see the return and return of this life.
He stood on the eagle's wings and shouted,
Cry, Mexica!
Such is the battlefield,
This is where we worship God with holy blood!
"
The steps of the warriors became more rapid, the drums beat like rain, accompanied by the cries of jaguars and eagles, as if they came from the ancient wilderness.
In the footsteps, the Jaguar warriors left quietly. When they came back, there were many wailings from the injured. Those were a thousand prisoners with limited mobility, who were placed around the pit.
This is preparation.
"The condor is dyed with blood,
Jaguar roars in death.
The armor is broken,
The long crown was destroyed.
Magnificent gems fall like rain,
Bright feathers are burning.
The bodies of the warriors were broken,
submerged in blood,
Return to dust.
"
The warriors danced obliviously, and the earth-shattering drumbeats and footsteps covered up the wails before the death of life. Warm liquid flowed out, submerging the corpses in the pit to fulfill the sacrificial words in the prayer.
This is a sacrifice.
"There is nothing in the world,
Holy as death on the battlefield,
As gorgeous as a flower blooming!
We use our lost vitality,
Return to the Lord God who gives life:
Huitzilopochtli,
Huitzilopochtli!
Huitzilopochtli!!!
"
The warriors stopped, prostrated themselves on the warm earth, and shouted the name of the patron saint three times in unison.
This is a call to God.
"The City of the Gods,
Teotihuacan,
It is also the tomb of the gods,
The bridge between life and death.
My heart longs for it,
But it's out of reach.
Here the dead wake up,
Here the dead rise,
The dead live here,
The deceased rest in peace here.
This is the promise of the Lord God,
We pray for the deceased.
God has arrived!
"
The warriors under the altar suddenly made a noise. They prayed loudly, shouted the names of the deceased, said their last words of farewell, and then fell silent.
This is farewell.
"God has arrived!
To bring in the souls of the deceased,
Go to the red country.
Then God said:
you're awake.
Look at this red sky,
Look at this red dawn,
Look at this red crested pheasant,
Look at this red swift.
The butterfly has flown.
"
There was silence on and off the stage. The warriors buried all traces. Only the distant sound of drums and the blessing ocarina remained.
This is new life.
Shulot extinguished the bonfire, and the first glimmer of light gradually appeared in the eastern sky.
The warriors looked at the distant morning star, which was their spiritual sustenance. In this era, people's hearts were above the nine heavens, under the nine netherworlds, not in the world.
Afterwards, warriors climbed up the hill one after another, cut off a bunch of their own hair, and placed it next to Shulot.
Shulot looked at these warriors in surprise. He knew that this was a very high courtesy and represented that the warriors followed and were willing to fight for them.
