September marked the end of the rainy season, with sporadic raindrops and overcast skies. Under the sky lay the solid wooden fort and, within and without, tens of thousands of Mexica samurai.
Last September, the young man had followed King Tizoc's army and departed from here. This September, he returned with the army of Prince Aweit. Time had hurried by, life like a cycle of reincarnation, with only the hearts of the samurai changing.
Standing outside the main camp, Xiulote carefully observed the fort's defenses. The layouts of the Mexica camps were always similar.
The outermost perimeter was a dense palisade. Within the range of stones and arrows, it was the first defensive line to obstruct enemies.