kingdom of nations

Chapter 187: War (4)

After Baldwin deployed his reserve troops to the battlefield, some unusual activity occurred in front of the Turkic camp.

They saw the double-headed eagle flags being pulled up, but they remained standing high and began to move.

“It is Sultan Arslan II of the Turks,” a general beside Baldwin whispered.

At this time, it was common for sultans, caliphs, kings, and emperors to personally lead their armies into battle.

While they certainly have the responsibility of command on the battlefield, when the battle is at a stalemate, they must also throw themselves into this torrent of steel and flesh.

A group of richly dressed Turkic nobles rushed out, but did not directly join the battle. They moved forward in a staggered pattern, as if clearing a path for their monarch. More light cavalry galloped around the massive phalanx, driving away the numerous and lowly soldiers—whether Christian or Turkic.

The Sultan moved slowly. He wore a helmet with a pointed top, beneath which was a fur hat with a large, round gold brooch. A large diamond, like a miniature star, shone on the Sultan's forehead. His armor and helmet were gilded, and he wore a fur cloak with a deep red velvet exterior.

His mount was a crimson Turkic horse. Although it was not as handsome as the Arabi horse or as tall as the Frankish horse, it possessed a dignity and strength that the latter two could not match. The horse was also covered with layers of armor plates and a gorgeous silk riding coat.

Arslan II raised his long whip high into the air, then lashed it down with all his might. The sharp crack of the whip seemed to pierce through the entire battlefield and reach Baldwin.

Baldwin smiled. This was an invitation from a king, and invitations from kings are never to be refused, whether for negotiations, banquets, or battles.

This time, no one would stop him. Baldwin rode through the central formation, facing the Sultan from afar. He took the spear handed to him by a scout, and then, as if in an instant, the spear was covered with a light that was hotter and more dazzling than the sun, as if it were a signal, or a summons.

As the knights surrounded their king and slowly charged forward, Cesar had already sped up to his side. They did not speak or look at each other, but through hundreds of battles, they had developed a tacit understanding that no one else could match.

Baldwin could feel the favor Cesar had sought pouring generously upon him, and his body suddenly felt lighter, as if a fresh energy had been injected into him. Even his numb left hand seemed to become more sensitive and agile.
"In the name of God!"

He shouted and charged forward with all his might. Arslan II, leading his Turkic nobles and cavalry, clashed with Baldwin's army with the same fearless and determined spirit. At the moment of impact, the Christian knights immediately felt the pressure emanating from the opposite side—it was so surging and vast. No wonder Arslan II agreed to a showdown with Baldwin on the battlefield; perhaps the Sultan himself had been looking forward to such a moment.

Arslan II had certainly received prophetic revelations, far more powerful and extensive than those of others, and like Cesare, he was able to extend his power to those around him. However, what he bestowed upon them was not protection, but blessing.

Those knights who received Cesar's protection were fortunate. Although they were thrown to the ground by the Turks and trampled by horses, they were at least able to save their lives. Some knights were even able to leap up, draw their swords, and continue fighting the enemy. But those who were perhaps out of various concerns or who suddenly became afraid were not so lucky.

They thought their hesitation and retreat would guarantee their safety, but things didn't go as planned. These ferocious enemies, emitting terrifying roars, rolled down on them like rocks.

Although they possessed the blessings bestowed by the saint, they were utterly powerless against him. Upon first contact, their blood splattered, and they cried out in agony.

Seeing this, Geoffrey, who had been keeping a close eye on the king, quickly sent his attendant to call back Walter, who was engrossed in the game. Walter, alerted, glanced at the battlefield beside him and spat on the ground, "Pah!" He spat a mouthful of bloody saliva. "What a bunch of useless bastards!"

No matter how useless they were, they couldn't stand idly by. He had no choice but to lead a dozen or so Templar Knights toward the fools who were about to be defeated, and with the power given to him by Saint Paul, he stopped the Turks' offensive.

Meanwhile, the noble legions on the left flank had no choice but to move. After all, the king was already fighting the Turkic sultan, and if they continued to maintain this unhurried pace, it would be seen as perfunctory and cowardly.

Regardless of how others viewed them after the war, even the king could hold them accountable for it.

With Cesar by his side, Baldwin, wielding the Spear of St. George, could be considered unfair in any fight.

Arslan II also had monks who offered him protection. But as is currently unknown, Cesare was also able to share some of the harm and suffering of those under his protection. Baldwin had experienced this feeling before, but never so well; not only did illness seem weak, but even the slashes, stabs, and hammer blows of his enemies appeared powerless.

He felt no pain, was sluggish, and his movements were not hindered in the slightest. He could barely hear anything and could only see Arslan II in front of him.

Arslan II was much older than him, a middle-aged man as imposing as a mountain. He wielded a warhammer most commonly used by the Turks. The hammerhead was neither round nor square, but rather resembled an unopened flower bud, also gilded and inlaid with gems. Facing the valiant Baldwin, his eyes showed no fear, but rather were filled with fighting spirit.

They fought to the death, and even if those around them wanted to intervene, they couldn't find an opening.

Except for Cesar.

Cesar even deflected the challenges of several Turkic nobles, pretending not to see their gazes as long as they didn't shout his name like the previous nobleman. At this moment, he dared not look away from Baldwin. Before Arslan II clashed with Baldwin, he had already felled several Christian knights, and his warhammer was as terrifying as Walter's two-handed sword, possessing far more power than he could bestow upon others. Each strike didn't just knock a man off his horse, but simply left him speechless. It was as if some explosive had been buried there, exploding with a bang, turning skin, muscle, bone, and internal organs into countless tiny specks of blood, spraying into the air like a vibrant cloud.

Baldwin's light flickered on and off, and several times Cesar couldn't contain his worry and wanted to rush into the battle, but Walter, who arrived just in time, grabbed him and said, "Your king is about to win."

Walter's judgment was correct. The favor Cesar received compensated for Baldwin's greatest weakness: his frail body. When he became strong and agile, the aging Arslan II would not be able to gain the upper hand in a prolonged battle.

As Walter spoke, Arslan indeed revealed a slight flaw—Arslan II's mount was not as responsive as Baldwin's steed, Pollax. After another rapid impact, the horse's hooves trembled slightly, causing Arslan II on the saddle to involuntarily tilt his body. Baldwin seized this opportunity.

He suddenly leaped off Pollax and slashed down with his sword.

Arslan II had already realized that he was losing his balance and was about to fall off his horse. He only had time to throw his warhammer and knock the longsword away, but he could not stop Baldwin from grabbing the belt around his chest and pulling him and himself off the mount. They fell into the dust.

The Sultan wanted to jump up and fight again, and his cavalry were rushing towards him, but before he could stand up, another short sword was pointed at his throat.

This short sword has a strong Saracen style, with strange, deep black patterns covering its blade. It was a gift from Cesare to Baldwin from Damascus, which Baldwin drew when he pulled Arslan II off his horse.

Upon seeing this, Arslan II's attendants instinctively reined in their horses, daring not to make any move for fear of causing a misunderstanding and resulting in their master being beheaded on the spot.

A flicker of regret crossed Arslan II's eyes, a regret that his hoped-for victory had ultimately vanished. However, he quickly resigned himself to it; no matter how much he lost in this gamble, it certainly wouldn't be as much as Manuel I of the Byzantine Empire had lost.

César dismounted and placed his hand under Arslan II's arm to help him to his feet.

As an ambitious monarch, the Sultan certainly wouldn't make a contemptible display. He remained composed, and although the battle raged around him and lives were constantly being lost, he nodded slightly. "I have lost, King of the Christians." He turned and gestured to his attendants, which the Turkic nobles also saw—though somewhat unwilling, they obeyed Arslan's orders. The double-headed eagle banner was slowly lowered, and a long horn sounded from the Turkic tents.

The Christians could not understand the meaning of the horn sound, but their adversaries, upon hearing it, suddenly changed their expressions. They stopped engaging the enemy and instead casually swung their horns twice in the air to halt their attack before retreating slowly and orderly.

Arslan II was still standing on the battlefield, his attendants and some nobles gathered around him.

“Come to me, Cesar.”

Baldwin said that Cesar glanced at him and then quietly walked back to his king.

Arslan II showed a slight look of surprise. "Young king, aren't you afraid that I will break my promise when I return?"

“I believe you are not that kind of person, and besides, you will surely get what you want.” In fact, Arslan II had previously agreed to Manuel I of the Byzantine Empire’s terms, willing to hand over the territories he had conquered, but—partly out of his own anger and partly out of his own greed—Manuel I rejected his offer of peace.

The Crusaders who have come to Manuel I's aid do not wish to continue wasting their strength here. Even if the Crusaders win this battle, Baldwin and his men will gain nothing of value—they cannot extend their reach so far, nor can they continue to entangle themselves with these Turks for the sake of Manuel I's territory. They still have infidels in Syria and Egypt to deal with.

Baldwin's previous plans were carefully concealed... Arslan II was not as easy to deal with as he had imagined.

A monk nearby came over and gave the Sultan a brief examination. Apart from some bleeding and swelling from accidentally hitting the back of his head on a stone when he fell off his horse, Arslan II had no serious wounds, only some abrasions and bruises.

He and Baldwin exchanged one last glance before retreating to their respective tents.

Cesar looked up at the sky. They had started the battle at sunrise, and now the sun was directly overhead. The dust that had been swirling around them was gradually subsiding, covering the corpses of the fallen men and horses. Priests rushed out, some kneeling, some prostrating themselves, chanting scriptures in the ears of the knights, squires, or mercenaries, and rubbing oil on their foreheads.

Although they died in the war against the pagans, and their souls should be able to ascend to heaven, doing the sacraments is better than not doing them at all.

Then there are the priests who have received the "blessing," and they work even harder than ordinary priests. Although they cannot heal the wounded immediately, they can prevent their injuries from worsening—then comes further treatment and a long period of recuperation.

Baldwin couldn't wait for the priests to bring up the list of the wounded. He hastily instructed the chief priest and a few trusted priests to leave behind a portion of the army to prevent the wounded from being harassed by the nearby Turks or Saracens, and then led the army toward the castle where Manuel I was besieged.

(End of this chapter)