1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 111: Blood Moon

“This is the fourth day.”

In the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, Isaac and Giovanni stood side by side, looking at the gloomy sky.

It was already sunrise, but the sky was still extremely gray. The sun in the east was trying hard to shine, but it seemed unable to pierce the darkness before dawn.

In contrast, in the western sky, a new moon did not bid farewell to the world because of the appearance of the sun, but still hung reluctantly over the western sky of Constantinople, revealing a tiny crescent, gloomy and pale.

In the hearts of the citizens of Constantinople, the moon has always been a special existence.

On every full moon night, the moon rises from the bronze dome of Hagia Sophia, shining over the calm waters of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Strait.

Since ancient times, the moon has been the symbol of Constantinople. Every night, the moon hangs high in the sky like a gold coin dug out from the mountains of Anatolia. The waxing and waning of the moon symbolize the antiquity of the city and the endless cycle of time it has experienced.

Fluctuations, ups and downs, eternity, good and bad.

The people of Constantinople have always believed that at the end of each month, when the moon becomes full, Constantinople will be blessed by God and will never fall.

However, on May 1453, 5, the moon was no longer a complete golden disk, but a crescent moon hanging high in the sky above the Ottoman camp.

This phenomenon lasted for four days and had a huge impact.

When the new moon rose on the first day, the priests of Hagia Sophia held a grand ceremony, held up the statue of the Virgin Mary high up, and led the citizens to march and pray.

Citizens, barefoot and singing hymns, surrounded Constantinople, the city blessed by the Lord.

Mourning sobs, smoke from burning incense and prayers rose up that night, and the citizens were like drowning people, struggling desperately just to grab the last straw at hand.

In the evening of the next day, citizens took to the streets, looking at the eastern sky with pleading and hopeful eyes.

Then, another crescent moon slowly emerged from the clouds and stopped over the Ottoman military camp.

At that moment, the city of Constantinople was dead silent. Everyone was trembling and wailing, as if the end of the world was approaching.

In contrast, outside the dilapidated Theodosian Walls, in the Ottoman military camp, fanatical roars and joyful singing began to erupt, wave after wave, resounding through the sky.

On the third day, thick fog covered the earth. Everything was shadowy, silent and invisible.

There was no artillery fire or crossbows that day, and the soldiers on the city walls and the residents in the city had a precious chance to catch their breath, but they became even more panicked. It seemed that the weather was also against the defenders, wearing down their will.

God had abandoned the city and no longer used his divinity to protect the city walls. He would only appear occasionally to cast a look of pity on the people and then disappear again.

A rumor began to spread widely in the city of Constantinople. The Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic clergy were surprisingly unanimous on this matter, pessimistic and desperate.

To this end, Constantine XI and Isaac patrolled the city walls all day long, distributed all the valuable gadgets they had to everyone, ate and lived with them, and cheered their soldiers on.

However, this city was built by Constantine the Great, established as the capital after the Edict of Milan and the Council of Nicaea, and flourished when Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. These factors made Constantinople destined to be a religious city. Religion continues to influence every corner of the city, and people's lives are closely related to it.

The city's devout belief in God has enabled it to survive countless pagan sieges in the past. They firmly believe in the Lord's protection. As long as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit continue to watch over Constantinople, it will be the eternal city and will never be destroyed.

However, at this critical moment of life and death, religious fanaticism became the source of pessimism among the citizens of Constantinople. They believed that God had abandoned them and gave the city to the Turks.

The Greek people viewed the Turks as a people of doom, a symbol of the Last Judgment, and a tool used by God to punish Christians for their sins.

The religious atmosphere in the entire city was filled with fear and anxiety, and people began to continuously search for signs that might indicate the end of the empire. The abnormal weather and continuous bombardment pushed this behavior to a peak.

With everyone on edge, countless speculations and omens were put forward and then destroyed, and the citizens had already sentenced the city to death in their hearts.

"Your Majesty, do you believe in the end of the world?"

Beside Isaac, Giovanni turned his head and looked at Isaac's face.

"If there is, it will not be today, not tomorrow, not the day Constantinople falls."

“You always seem to have so much confidence.”

Giovanni crossed himself.

Just now, another blessing ceremony was held in the Church of the Holy Apostles. A team of priests and citizens was walking towards the Theodosian Walls, spreading God's blessing to the hearts of every soldier.

When the religious atmosphere in the city began to deteriorate, Isaac tried to intervene, but quickly gave up.

The citizens of Constantinople had reached a level of superstition, aggravated by the long siege and war, and now they listened to no one.

As for the behaviors such as the descent of gods or Christ appearing in dreams that are commonly used in many time-travel novels, they are simply seeking death. All churches will not tolerate an existence that tries to compete with them for the right to interpret religion, even if he is still the nominal Roman emperor.

Isaac and Constantine XI could only continue to attend blessing ceremonies held in various churches to maintain the army's last morale.

The religious pessimism spreading among the citizens began to gradually affect the soldiers on the city walls. The only ones who were not affected were the First Legion of the Purple Guard stationed northwest of Theodore and the Second Legion of the Purple Guard stationed at the iron chains of the Golden Horn. These two troops, formed by converted Turks, did not have a deep faith in Jesus Christ and were not as grief-stricken as the rest of the citizens of Constantinople.

In this environment, the only thing to be thankful for was that the Ottoman army outside the city wall was already at the end of its strength. The artillery was still roaring, but the soldiers' fighting will and combat skills were far inferior to before. Riots and fights occurred from time to time, and demanding wages became the norm.

At this point in the war, both sides are only breathing their last breath. Whoever can hold on will win in the end.

"Is the injury better?"

"Thank God, I feel better now."

"Don't try so hard next time. It's a miracle you're still alive."

In the battle a week ago, Ottoman artillery destroyed a section of the city wall. Elite Janissaries swarmed in. The exhausted Third and Fifth Corps of the Janissary Guards were unable to resist and the city wall was about to fall.

At the critical moment, Giovanni untied his robe, revealing his shiny armor, and took several personal soldiers to block the gap tightly, delaying until the arrival of reinforcements.

After the battle, Giovanni was covered in wounds and bleeding profusely, and was carried back to the barracks for treatment.

At his request, his bodyguards moved him to the Church of the Holy Apostles near the city wall to recuperate.

Perhaps Christ really couldn't bear to take such a high-spirited and devout warrior to heaven too early. The injury that the doctor said should have continued to deteriorate actually miraculously improved and he can now walk.

"This church houses the remains of Timothy, and the Lord will come here to grant miracles to His faithful followers."

Giovanni lowered his head and gently kissed the cross on his chest.

"Giovanni."

"Ok?"

"My father once promised to give you the island of Lemnos as a reward after victory in the war. Now it seems impossible. The island has been burned to ashes by the Ottomans."

"Your Majesty, I came to defend the city, not for the land."

"After this war is over, I will make you a baron. The castle east of Marj is very nice."

"Don't you like the environment of monasteries and churches? You can build a church on your own territory and use the taxes to support the monastery."

Giovanni thought about it and nodded, as if he saw a bright future, with a smile on his face.

Then, the smile suddenly froze.

"Okay, it's almost dawn, I should go take charge of the city defense, you should have a good rest..."

"His Majesty……"

"what happened?"

Isaac raised his head and looked at the sky, but was suddenly stunned.

I don't know when the moon turned blood red and hung coldly in the sky.

As dawn approached, the sky not only did not become brighter, but became darker, with a faint blood-red hue.

"Look!"

The priests who remained in the Church of the Holy Apostles ran out, pointing to the east of the city and shouting in horror.

A ball of fire rose from the spire of Hagia Sophia in the east, accompanied by a loud noise, straight into the sky, and then disappeared.

"God, are you really going to abandon your believers?"

Some of the priests had already begun to cry with their faces covered, and Giovanni also put his hands on his chest and muttered to himself.

Isaac looked at these "miracles", listened to the prayers and sobs on the side, and sighed.

In early 1453, a volcano on Kuwait Island in the South Pacific exploded, releasing energy equivalent to two million Hiroshima atomic bombs, and the island disappeared from the sea level.

The consequences of this explosion were catastrophic. Volcanic ash that covered the sky and sun entered the atmosphere and spread to all parts of the world through atmospheric circulation. From China to Norway, traditional agriculture suffered a devastating blow. In China, the warm and humid Jiangnan region had snow for more than 40 days in a row, and countless people starved.

At the end of May, a huge amount of volcanic ash in the atmosphere finally drifted over Constantinople, causing a series of abnormal phenomena.

The gloomy sky, the dim sun, the full moon turning into a crescent moon...all the miracles in the eyes of the world are nothing more than physical phenomena caused by volcanic explosions.

As a time traveler, Isaac certainly knew the causes and reasons behind these abnormal phenomena, but he had no way to explain them.

The bloody sky is nothing but the change in light intensity caused by Rayleigh scattering, and the flames on the dome of Hagia Sophia are nothing but tip discharges caused by volcanic ash, which is perfectly normal.

However, for the people of Constantinople in the 15th century, this rarely seen phenomenon was a veritable miracle, foreshadowing the tragic fate of Constantinople.

"Giovanni, you continue to recover from your injuries. I have to go to the city wall to take charge of the defense!"

Isaac threw down a few words, mounted his horse, and rode away with a few personal soldiers.

……

Sure enough, when Isaac arrived at the city wall, the Ottoman army had already begun to assemble. They seemed to be in high spirits. Phalanxes were organized, siege towers began to march, and cannons were pointed ferociously at the city walls.

On the middle section of the city wall, on the tower of St. Romanus, Constantine XI and Grand Duke Lucas stood side by side. When they saw Isaac coming, they nodded to him.

Isaac was in no mood for small talk. He hurriedly greeted a few officers and looked quickly towards Osman's army.

This time, the Ottoman army seemed ready to go all out, bringing almost all of its elite troops to the battlefield and lining them up densely on the plain west of the city wall.

With flags linked together, a column of cavalry slowly walked out of the golden and red tent. Cheers were heard wherever they went. The legions automatically separated and made way for a road leading to the city of Constantinople.

"Please invite the Emperor of Constantinople to come and have a talk!"

Mehmed II's personal guards shouted loudly.

"Quick! Give me the sharpshooter—"

Isaac was about to speak, but Constantine held out his hand and stopped him.

"The distance is too far, and he is surrounded by heavy protection. If we fail to shoot him, it will hurt our morale."

Looking at Constantine's stern gaze, Isaac sighed and waved his hand to repel the archers who were rushing over.

"You stay on the top of the city wall, and I will go down to meet the Sultan."

"Ready your horse!"

"Father, you..."

Constantine XI's eyes were firm and resolute, and Isaac hesitated to speak.

Before two armies engage in battle, the commanders of both sides come out to talk. This is the rule of war and represents the honor of both sides.

If the commander retreats at this time, he will be regarded as cowardly and incompetent, and his momentum will be weakened by three points before the battle even starts.

A small opening was made in the Theodosian Wall, and Constantine XI, riding a white horse, slowly advanced under the escort of several personal soldiers and met the gaze of Mehmed II.

The blood color of the sky had not yet dissipated, and the sun rose softly in the sky, emitting a pale and weak light.

On the desolate battlefield, Constantine Palaiologos and Mehmet Osmanoglu rode their horses and slowly approached each other, as if it was a fateful duel.

"Your Majesty, I would have liked to host you in Constantinople, but your army is too large."

Constantine spoke first.

At this time, he took off his purple robe and was covered with dazzling armor. The double-headed eagle emblem on the chest of the armor was shining brightly.

"It's okay. I'll come and get what I want."

Muhammad cracked his whip to calm the aggressive black horse.

"Obviously, you were unsuccessful, suffering heavy casualties and failing to scale the walls of Theodosius."

"As long as I am alive, I will never let you have this city."

Constantine XI sat as tall as a mountain, staring into the eyes of Mehmed II.

"Your father and great-grandfather failed here, and so did you."

Muhammad ignored Constantine and continued talking to himself.

"My fleet is in the valley north of Galata. With a single order, we can take the Golden Horn."

"My Topchu heavy artillery unit is stationed in front of you, preparing to completely destroy the middle section of the city wall."

"I have completed the construction of my giant siege tower, which can accommodate several hundred men at a time. I am preparing to attack the northern section of the city wall."

"My soldiers have dug more than a dozen tunnels leading to the base of the city wall, and are preparing to completely destroy the southern section of the city wall."

"Christ has abandoned you, but God still gives me great military power."

"Give up, you have no chance."

"You have been fighting for more than 40 days and have suffered heavy casualties. Our lives are also difficult."

"You have fought bravely and fulfilled your duty as a soldier. It is time to choose a dignified way to exit."

"I don't care if you continue to fight me, I don't care if you still call yourself Emperor of the Romans."

"I only want Constantinople."

"Leave here. I allow you to take everything you can take away. You can continue to own Moria, and your son can continue to own Cyrenaica."

"I swear by Allah, just as Saladin did to Jerusalem."

Muhammad looked at Constantine with a hint of mockery and some anticipation.

"Take them all away?"

"Take them all away."

Mehmed II held his head high, as if to show off his kindness.

"Excuse me,"

"Can the Grand Palace be taken away?"

“Can I take Hagia Sophia with me?”

“Can I take the statue of Justinian with me?”

"The tomb of the late emperor, can we take the remains of the saint away?"

"Can we take the racecourse, Lawrence Aqueduct and Cistern?"

Constantine XI asked Mehmed proudly, pointing to the ruined city behind him.

"This city buried my father, my brother, and it will bury me and my son."

"Remember, there are only emperors who died in battle, but no emperor who handed over the capital to others!"

Hearing this, Mehmed II remained silent, letting the breeze from the battlefield blow on his face.

"Then there is only a decisive battle."

He spoke slowly.

Constantine and Muhammad staggered their horses and rode back to the battle formation, raising a cloud of dust.

Artillery fire began to roar, the legions were charging, and siege towers and battering rams were slowly advancing under the cover of infantry phalanxes.

On the distant western shore of the Golden Horn, Ottoman warships flying the crescent flag began to slide down the mountaintops into the sea one after another. Not far to their east, the Eastern Roman fleet was on full alert.

The decisive battle begins.

(End of this chapter)