kingdom of nations

Chapter 121 First Battle (2) Bonus Chapter!
Being suddenly attacked by the enemy was certainly not something Grand Master Philip of the Knights Templar wanted to see, but it was not beyond his expectations.

After all, Makab Castle was located at the forefront of the Arrasa Road, facing Saracen tribes and armies, and was attacked more or less every month. He calmly directed his subordinates to quickly gather the few residents outside the city and the knights who were hunting outside. Fortunately, there were not many residents around the castle, and the knights who patrolled and hunted would not go too far.

As the dust swirled, the residents, some on foot, some on donkeys, and some on mules, raced over. A lone caravan followed, their wagons piled high with earthenware jars, the contents of which were unclear—whether oil or wine. The knights outside, seeing this, did not rush into the castle but instead patrolled the area on guard. Fortunately, the invading enemy did not follow closely behind; they too watched from a distance.

Philip watched as the iron gate fell and the drawbridge rose before turning back into the city.

The valiant knight had been drinking and treated by the priests. His most serious injury was a penetrating wound, clearly from the Saracens's most common short spear. Fortunately, no vital blood vessels or internal organs were damaged. He was a blessed knight, which is why he was able to struggle back.

“That’s because they don’t care about my relationship,” the knight said honestly. “They’re not the small groups of tribespeople and thieves that usually attack us.” This sounded like good news, but his next words made everyone’s faces turn pale. “It’s a huge army.” He said with a wry smile, “At least tens of thousands of people, a vast and boundless army.”

No one present was foolish enough to question the knight's words. The knight took another deep breath: "I was riding my horse to the top of a hill and looking down, I saw a cloud of dust. They were passing right under my feet. I was stunned and it took me a while to remember to leave. Then a wandering Bedouin cavalryman saw me."

I think he should report this to their commander immediately. Soon, a small squad broke off from that army and came toward me. I fled all the way..." He paused slightly here, looking somewhat timidly at the Grand Commander of the Knights Templar. He was a young man who had not been in the Knights Templar for long, but he knew that fleeing in battle would be condemned and punished within the Knights.

Fortunately, Philip simply waved his hand and said, "You didn't stay behind to fight, but came back to report. This doesn't prove that you weren't brave enough or that you were stingy with your life. The information you brought is far more important than the heads of a hundred enemies."

The knight showed a hint of gratitude and relief before continuing, "But when I saw the castle, their pursuit slowed down. Before entering the castle, I caught a glimpse of them looking around anxiously."

------

“He is a knight of Makab Castle,” Nurdin said. “I know that castle.”

When the commander sent men to pursue the knight, he didn't just want to kill him. After all, when a Christian knight suddenly appeared on their march, they had to know whether it was a coincidence, an accident, or premeditated—whether he came alone, led an army, or came from a castle.

The Bedouin cavalry they had sent out quickly returned to report that the knight had entered Macab Castle.

Fort Macab was a familiar place to them; it was a small castle, but a firmly planted obstacle. After listening to their report, Nurdin casually waved his hand and decided to dispatch a thousand-man force to take it down.

This was not his oversight. After all, no one knew that the King of Arrasar was in this castle. Merchants might know the king's whereabouts, but the transmission of information was not as fast as it is now. It would usually be delayed by three to five days, or even a week or a month.

Before deciding on the expedition, Nurdin had thoroughly researched every castle along the defensive line, knowing exactly how high the castle walls were, how many gates there were, how many knights and soldiers were stationed there, and how many of the knights had been blessed.

There were about fifty Templar Knights in Macab Castle, and their squires and armed attendants numbered about three times that number. There might have been some servants and residents, but only two of them were blessed knights. Nurdin did not take this small obstacle seriously at all. With a thousand men and five Fatahs (officers, usually tribal chiefs) who had received prophetic guidance, everyone thought it would be an easy victory.

These thousand people were quickly dispersed, like a stream branching off from a great river, winding their way towards Makabu Castle, while the vast army remained unaffected, continuing its relentless advance.

If Baldwin III, who once fought against Nur ad-Din, were still here, he would surely sigh that his arch-enemy had grown old.

Twenty years ago, no, ten years ago, Nurdin would not have so easily let go of this suspicion, but old age and illness had exhausted him. Yes, he did something beyond people's expectations, dragging his frail body, which could die at any moment, and recklessly launched this long and arduous expedition. The price was that he was burning fiercely like the last candle, the bright flame representing not vigorous vitality, but final unwillingness.

Unlike kings or caliphs centuries later, as a commander, Sultan Nur ad-Din had to remain on horseback whenever he stepped outside the palace. Whether under the scorching sun or in the biting night wind, he had to stand before everyone like a banner.

If he showed signs of fatigue, or even had to sit in a sedan chair or carriage, not only his emirs and fatahs, but even the Nubians who were half slaves and half soldiers would secretly laugh at him, develop contempt and slackness, and his authority in the army would be greatly shaken.

If he were to attack just an ordinary, peaceful town, or even a village, that would be one thing. But he was attacking the sacred and fortified city of Arazari. No siege is ever quick and easy; they would encounter all sorts of obstacles—armies pouring out of the city gates, towering walls, and a populace prepared to die…

After all, Nur ad-Din had sworn to the Saracens that if he ever conquered Arathi Road, he would slaughter its inhabitants to repay the blood debt the Crusaders owed to the Saracens.

He was a pillar, a banner, and a "light of faith." He would leave a will, and even if he fell, even if he died, they would carry him into the road to Alaska. Amalric I once used his own death to ensure the safe retreat of the main Crusader force from the burning city of Fustat. He could also use his own death to inspire his army to reclaim the holy city from the Crusaders.

But if he falls before seeing hope, his death is worthless.

So no matter how tired or weak he was, he insisted on riding his horse and traveling long distances with the soldiers. Even when discussing matters with the Emirs in the tent, he would stand straight, his white hair and beard as fluffy as a lion's mane, as majestic and solemn as ever, making them dare not meet his eyes.

But such persistence comes at a price; human energy is finite. When one uses most of it to maintain their posture, less is available for mental work.

He narrowly missed his victory.

------

Macab Castle only had fifty Templar Knights and a little over a hundred soldiers, but since the Grand Master of the Templars served the King on his travels, they couldn't have only a handful of men with them. Therefore, the castle now has one hundred and thirty Templar Knights, not just fifty.

The Knights of the Holy Grail who accompanied the king—who was their Grand Master—numbered 150. Most importantly, at least a third of these knights had been blessed and were favored by saints. Not to mention, there were Baldwin and Cesar among them, who could hardly be called favored, but rather saints incarnate.

When it was confirmed that the enemy attacking the castle numbered only a little over a thousand, Grand Master Philip of the Knights Templar immediately softened his expression. It seemed the enemy was unaware that the King of Arrassal was in the castle. He stopped Baldwin and Cesar: "It's not that I'm stopping you from fighting," he said.

Cesare might be able to, after all, there were knights among them who could share the saint's favor with their companions, but the King's Spear of St. George was too special. Once it appeared on the battlefield—especially when the two appeared at the same time—people would immediately associate it with the two knights who had shone brightly on the battlefield in Egypt, and the King's secret here would certainly be revealed immediately.

The outcome of the battle was unquestionable. When the gates of Macabu swung open and the knights poured out, even Fatah, the commander of a thousand men, felt a moment of confusion. They had assumed the knights in Macabu Castle would hold out for the fortress, meaning they would have to spend a considerable amount of time there—but perhaps that wasn't so bad, as it would allow him to catch up with the siege of Arazari.

Nurdin swore to kill everyone in Arrasa Road, which meant they could plunder everything in sight without restraint. Nearly a century of accumulation had transformed the once desolate Arrasa Road into a city forged in gold once more, while their tribe was so impoverished that everything they possessed was considered good, precious, and rare.

It can be said that everyone in the Sultan's army, from the Emir to the lowest-ranking slave soldier, was looking forward to the benefits that the war could bring, and these thousand men certainly had no interest in the desolate little castle of Makab.

But when Fatah snapped out of his reverie, he discovered that far more than fifty knights had rushed out of the city gates, and even with their squires included, the number was far too many.

He glanced at his deputy, and the two immediately placed their hands on each other's shoulders in prayer, awaiting the prophet's revelation. Meanwhile, the larger-than-expected group suddenly quickened its pace, and beneath their billowing cloaks and capes, deadly glimmers began to flash. Fatah's eyes widened; he could hardly believe it!
The knights charged in lines of twelve, their weapons and armor gleaming with a despairing light. Compared to this, the light emanating from him and his second-in-command was like fireflies before a full moon—utterly insignificant.

"You despicable liar!" He roared, only to be sent flying by a powerful force. The leader landed on the ground, and guided by the prophet's revelation, he leaped up and drew his scimitar.

But at that moment, a knight who had arrived shortly after lowered his spear, which pierced through his shoulder in a single blow, the point of impact overlapping with that of the knight who had delivered the message.

But he wasn't as lucky as the knight. The immense kinetic energy of the spear itself, along with the power bestowed upon the weapon by the saint, cleaved him in two. His head, along with half a shoulder, flew high into the air, and he could even see the lower half of his body as he blindly and futilely hacked away. By the time he fell to the ground and was trampled by horses' hooves, his thousand-man army was in complete disarray.

They had been deceived; that was his last thought.

Philip kept a close eye on the developments on the battlefield. He not only wanted to defeat these Saracens—which was inevitable—but also couldn't let any enemy escape, lest they flee back to inform the Sultan. Although Nur ad-Din was old and senile, upon hearing that there were dozens of blessed knights in such a small castle as Makab, he immediately thought of the new king of Arazarus.

He would certainly turn around immediately and kill or capture Baldwin IV.

Even without a king, the people of Arazarus would still resolutely resist to the last moment, for no one wanted to die at the hands of the Saracens. But the capture or killing of the king before the final battle was undoubtedly a major blow to the Christians.

Fortunately, while the knights were engaged in direct combat with the Saracens, another force had already quietly circled around from the rear of the castle to the outside of the position, forming a loose but complete encirclement. Every Saracen who wanted to escape from their spears and crossbows was doomed. Once they had captured the pieces scattered outside the chessboard, they joined forces with the force that had attacked earlier to completely annihilate them.

Moreover, a small group of blessed Crusader knights with exceptionally keen hearing and eyesight rode out for a distance to ensure that no one escaped. They were very careful and did not alert Nur ad-Din's army like the previous knight had.

“Next, we need to get back to Arrassa Road as soon as possible,” Philip said. “I will write to Raymond and Bohemond immediately, hoping they can turn back right away.”

Even so, he thought it was unlikely—Nurdin must have been certain that the main Crusader force had left Arrassa before daring to launch a surprise attack on Arrassa. In addition, considering the time they had spent traveling... even if Raymond and Bohemond immediately led their army back, it would be too late. Moreover, there was a high probability that Nurdin would join forces with Murray—if the Crusaders dared to leave their backs to Murray, Murray would most likely not give up this opportunity.

He left in a hurry after saying that; he still had many things to take care of.

Baldwin remained silent. Philip's suggestion was certainly correct. Even his father, Amalric I, would have rushed back to Arrassa before preparing for the defense of the city.

"Do you have a map with you?" he asked.

“I brought it,” César said. Since they were going out on a tour to inspect the defenses, it was impossible for them not to bring a map. Moreover, César had made preparations in advance. Along the way, he took advantage of this rare opportunity to draw a more accurate and detailed map based on the original data at hand.

Before arriving at Macab Castle, he had already copied and organized the map to a great extent. When he opened it, it was not only much larger than the original parchment, but also much more accurate. It was a modern map of the same scale, with contour lines and water sources. There were no superfluous decorations, and at first glance, some people might even think that they were two different maps.

Baldwin easily located their current position, Maccab Castle, and then looked down from there; below them lay the Sea of ​​Galilee.

The Sea of ​​Galilee is not a sea, but a huge freshwater lake. The Jordan River flows through it from north to south, and it is also replenished by underground springs, so it has never dried up. To its west is Nazareth, the city where Jesus spent his childhood and adolescence, and it is also a famous holy site.

Below Nanalazar are two mountain ranges, Manasseh and Ephraim, and further down is the road to Arazar. They came by the same route, but now, to avoid Nur ad-Din's army, they may have to go west and then return to the road to Arazar along the coastline.

"Of course we can go back, but... is going back the only option?"

If anyone else had asked him that question, Baldwin would have assumed he was afraid to return to that inevitably dangerous city. But if Cesar had asked it, he would have simply thought his dear friend was thinking the same thing.

If they were to hastily return to Arrasa Road, they would be completely in a passive position, left with no choice but to wait—wait for Nurdin's army, wait for Raymond and Bohemond's uncertain rescue, and wait for the worst possible outcome.

They wouldn't imagine that Nur ad-Din would willingly give up this long-awaited prize. Amalric I's second attack on Egypt was a desperate gamble, and Nur ad-Din's attack on Arazari in his last breath was also a high-stakes gamble.

Amalric I was willing to retreat back then because he had already squeezed Bilesbais and Fustat dry. Can Nur ad-Din afford to pay the salaries of tens of thousands of people now? Even the Nubians, who are half slaves and half soldiers, are only fighting for money.

"So, we first need to persuade the Grand Master of the Knights Templar."

"He might think we're crazy."

“But we should give it a try,” Baldwin said.

The news sent back by the merchants should be accurate—Nur ad-Din launched his expedition at this time, taking advantage of the gap in the transition between the old and new kings of Arazarus.

Intriguingly, even Baldwin and Cesar, who had seen little of the city, could sense his haste and anxiety—Arrasa Road was a more imposing and fortified city than Folstadt, and Amalric I had been preparing for three years to attack Folstadt.

How long has Nour al-Din been preparing? Just a few months ago, he was still fighting against another force in Syria.

He couldn't wait any longer.

Is the army led by such a weak monarch truly as invincible as people believe?

not necessarily.

Baldwin made up his mind. He nodded slightly to Cesar, who strode to the door, summoned a knight, and asked Philip, the Grand Master of the Holy Knights, to come here as soon as possible.

This "as soon as possible" is not just directed at the Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

(End of this chapter)