Chapter 475 Taking Hama City (Part 2)

And so, some of the more rational defenders began to take action, attempting to quell the unrest. They approached the citizens and soldiers shouting "The city has fallen!" and "We’ve been sold out by traitors!", sternly rebuking them for spreading rumors and ordering them to stop inciting panic.

Mahmud—nephew of the City Lord of Hama, who for three days and three nights had stood fast on the battlements with the common soldiers—now stepped forward. With a resolute expression and a resonant, powerful voice, he walked to the edge of the wall. Facing the panicked soldiers and citizens, he began a passionate, stirring speech:

"Pay no heed to these rumors! Do not listen to these baseless lies! Our city stands unshaken! How could the enemy possibly breach our solid defenses? We have enough Power to hold this wall!

Remember, Hama is ours! Our ancestors lived and fought for this land, and today, we will fight here for them and for our faith! For the glory of Allah, we will drive out these invaders who feign piety!

You must always remember! There is no god but Allah! The infidels and the lost shall never prevail!" Mahmud roared.

Mahmud’s tone was firm and impassioned, instantly boosting the morale of the surrounding soldiers. The defenders who had just been wavering in panic began to stand tall, the fire of battle reigniting in their eyes.

Meanwhile, at another gate, Hama’s Guard Captain, Ahmed, had clearly had too much to drink that night. The alcohol had left his head in a muddle. Seeing his condition, a few loyal guards hurriedly helped him onto the wall, intending for him to give a speech filled with Courage and resolve to calm the troops’ nerves.

However, Ahmed’s mind seemed to be clouded by alcohol. He swayed as he stood and tried to declare, "Friends! The enemy... the enemy is outside! We must—" But before he could finish, his eyes suddenly darted to the side, a confused expression appearing on his face. "Ah, I have to say, that wine from the bakery this afternoon..." Ahmed clutched his stomach, his brow furrowed. "It was... sourer than rotten cherries and harder to swallow than the fodder in my horse’s stomach that Winter!"

The guards exchanged glances, trying their best to stifle their laughter. But a worry was already taking root in their minds. ’A "speech" like this will only sink the city’s morale even lower.’

Ahmed rambled on, having apparently found a brand new topic. "That wine’s taste... it truly reminded me of a blended wine I once drank that had the flavor of a stable! No, that blend at least had a bit of a winey scent..." He seemed to be offering a serious analysis, but he had completely deviated from the issue at hand.

A few of the guards tried to intervene but were afraid of interrupting their comically drunk Commander. They began to whisper among themselves, ’Should we get him down from here? If he keeps this up, his "fine wine" review is going to destroy the entire city.’

Just as they prepared to act, Ahmed suddenly lost his balance, swaying violently and nearly toppling onto the battlements.

Several guards rushed forward to steady him. "Sir, are you alright? You should get some rest!"

Ahmed shook his head, angrily shrugging off their hands. "I’m not drunk! I’m not! This wall isn’t high enough, I haven’t drunk my fill!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he stumbled and fell clean off the battlements. There was a loud THUD, followed by a sharp snapping sound, as if something had been dropped on a blacksmith’s anvil. Something had broken.

"Sir!" The guards rushed over to check on him. "Are you sure you’re not drunk?"

Ahmed scrambled up from the ground and dusted himself off. His eyes were glazed over, but he insisted, "I’m not drunk! Hey, my foot can wiggle around like a fish’s tail now. Oh, or an elephant’s trunk! This is fun!"

He then got to his feet and tried to walk, but he nearly stumbled again and was ultimately escorted back into the city by several guards.

Despite Ahmed’s farcical display, he had at least shown the guards that their commander was with them.

The third gate of Hama was not so fortunate. The defenders there had deserted their posts as soon as the unrest began. Some ran frantically in search of their families, while many more, utterly disheartened, simply abandoned their positions.

The defense of this gate had completely collapsed.

One of the guards was filled with despair.

He no longer cared about the city’s fate; his only thought was for the lover at his side.

Upon hearing the rumors that the city had fallen, the soldier decided to abandon it all and flee with the woman he loved from the very city he had once sworn to defend with his life.

As it happened, the lights of the Crusader camp were nowhere to be seen outside his gate. It was clear they had all swarmed the gate that, according to the citizens, had been breached by traitors.

He convinced a few of his colleagues to escape with him. Together, they heaved open the heavy city gate, lowered the drawbridge, and prepared to lead their loved ones across the moat and into the unknown darkness, fleeing to some distant place.

The gate creaked open slowly in his trembling hands. The clamor of the city and the distant glow of fire blurred in his eyes.

What he failed to notice, however, was that the Crusaders outside were stealthily closing in.

These Crusaders were concealed in trenches they had dug.

As the few guards rode their horses across the drawbridge, the Crusader vanguard immediately burst from the trenches and charged toward the lowered bridge to seize the gate.

They roared their battle cry: "Deus vult! (God wills it!)"

Soon, Knights on horseback stormed the gate, pouring into Hama City with astonishing Speed. They began the slaughter, relishing their victory.

The guard rushed through the gate with his lover, only to be cut off by Crusader troops just a few paces away. Before he could react, he was struck down by a powerful blow and the cold steel of a Sword. His lover was dragged away, another captive of the conquerors.

...

At dawn, the city awoke in terror.

The troops left behind in the Crusader camp were startled awake by the sounds of battle. When they saw Eric’s azure banner flying from the city walls, they rushed over in astonishment and swiftly joined the fray.

By noon, the city streets were littered with bodies. Already decomposing under the scorching Middle Eastern sun, the corpses emitted a foul stench that hung heavy in the air.

Those defenders who managed to escape either fled to the citadel or escaped the city altogether.

As for the Governor of Hama, Yajisiyan, he had spent the night in the villa he had gifted to his concubine to visit his young son. His first wife was a jealous woman, so to ensure the safety of his son and the concubine, he rarely stayed in the citadel.

Governor Yajisiyan, like any common citizen, was deceived by the chaos and rumors spread by Eric and his men. He wrongly concluded that Hama City had already fallen.

He made a snap decision. Taking his concubine and son, he and a small retinue of soldiers went to the gate Ahmed was supposed to be guarding. He ordered the guards to open it and fled south, riding until their horses were utterly exhausted.

They sought refuge in a village, but when the local Armenians and other Eastern Orthodox Christians discovered their Identity, they seized their former Lord. They beheaded him and sent his head to Eric as a gift.