Leaving the Serpent of the Earth
It was over. Smoking Star left the burning village behind him. Following him closely behind were the Rainwarriors of Lightning and Thunder. The prisoners were tied together and dragged along by a group of the Tlaxcalan warriors. Not one living person remained in the village. They were either dead or amongst those that had surrendered. The sun had settled behind the treetops, but the burning village gave them some light as it lit the sky with a pulsating glow. Smoking Star felt heat caressing his army from the cold night around them.
Even the fierce Smoking Star was loosing his warrior’s zeal, fighting in these lands, so obviously forsaken by the gods. This village was populated by yet another one of those unfortunate peoples that against better judgement resisted Tlaxcala. It saddened his mind to think of them, being overwhelmed by the might of his homeland. But alas, such was the destiny of Tlaxcala, now that his people could conquer these lands, why shouldn’t they?
Smoking Star was brought out of his thoughts by a familiar sight. There, blocking the path a stone’s throw ahead were four pairs of gleaming sapphire blue eyes. He immediately recognised the four Tlateloques and ordered his force to a halt. Smoking Star sat down from his horse and walked up to them. He could hear his warriors whispering amongst themselves and the prisoners gasping in awe by the shimmering eyes of the small men.
“Huh?” Smoking Star demanded from the Tlateloques.
He got no spoken response; instead one of the men held out his hand and revealed a small frog in his hand. The wet skin of the frog shone with a sickly sapphire glow which coloured the faces of Smoking Star and the Tlateloques with an eerie light. He felt every hair on his body rising by the electrostatic presence of Lord Commandantl, like being inside a storm cloud before thunder breaks out.
"Quack." The frog spoke with a voice as loud as the screams of ten thousand men, yet it was quiet as the blowing wind. It was as old as history itself, yet it brought tidings of the future. Smoking Star didn't know what do make of this peculiar statement. “I’m sorry my dear plaything, spending an eternity-lasting-for-but-a-second in the place-that-is-not-a-place has made my sense of humour… rather odd.” Smoking Star could make out a sound suspiciously similar to a frog chuckling, although he was wiser than to remark on this.
“You have done well, Smoking Star. The Rainwarriors have been an excellent help in your work, have they not?” Smoking Star stood silently, gently nodding his head to the frog. “Yes, they have indeed. My dear plaything, the tables have turned; Tlaxcala have brought the war to the Outsiders’ lands. Even as I speak, Switching Eye is conquering their lands and leading assaults on their fortresses. However, The Outsiders have mighty weapons and wise tactics, more so than can be handled by Switching Eye’s somewhat lacking strategic mind. You will leave the Serpent of the Earth and depart for the Outsiders’ lands. You will bring the Rainwarriors with you and leave your second in command to train new ones for homeland defence. The Rainwarriors will bring fear and death to the Outsiders. Up and at it!”
Smoking Star could feel a slight ripple through the air, before the four Tlateloques and the frog erupted in an explosion of water, soaking him from top to toe. There were screams and terrified sobbing from the prisoners and the Rainwarriors were kneeling and humming prayers. Now this was an interesting turn of events, Smoking Star thought, as he licked some water from his lips. Salt. Sea water.
