Chapter 37 - Miracle

287 AC, Gates of Volantis…

The battle was raging in front of the gates and the blood was flowing like a river. In fact, two men were fighting on top of an elephant's corpse. The clashing sounds of the swords were ringing throughout the battlefield like a child's scream. Men of Volantis were raining arrows upon the battlefield despite the sellswords they hired fighting there.

The number of golden armours was decreasing rapidly while the white armours were pushing them towards the closed gates. However, the elephants were enclosing them from sides but arrows in their eyes were making it impossible to control them properly and there were only two elephants left. Hwachas were able to take down the elephants quickly as they were forming a big target for them.

Gerold was using his sword like a man born for fighting. Every slash of his was taking someone down. He rode his horse forward while leaning to his left and swinging his sword as a head flew to the air with eyes full of horror. Suddenly, a spear ran through Gerold's horse's head and made him fall to the ground.

The world blurred in Gerold's eyes as he tried to lift the horse that fell on his legs. However, suddenly the light from the sun went out and a shadow covered him. He raised his head and saw a man with a sword raised over his head standing by his side. Gerold stretched his hand towards his fallen sword but couldn't reach it. The man tried to swing his sword down but an arrow that was shot to his head killed him before he could finish his business.

Gerold lifted the horse with great difficulty and took his sword. As soon as he took it someone came upon him with a spear on his hands and shouting with all his might. However, Gerold easily parried his strike and slashed his sword. A deep wound was opened on the man's chest as the man fell to the ground.

Gerold raised his head to comb through the battlefield and saw a man with a red scarf around his neck and mild grey eyes. It was obvious the man was someone with rank in the company so Gerold decided to go for him.

...

This man was the current head of the company, Harry Strickland. He was hired by Volantis as all the other big companies but his company was given more gold than others because they were placed outside of the gates. He was expecting an easy victory as no other men in Essos were trained as much as his men. However, those thoughts shattered upon the charge he met.

As soon as the enemy charged he ordered his elephants and cavalry to charge as well as they were no use while just standing and defending. Even so, his men stood no chance as even the enemy's horses were armoured to the core. Seeing this he ordered his archers to shoot arrows to the enemy's cavalry. He took a few of them but the armours on horses made his job difficult and soon, they engaged with his pikeman and many of them fell from their horses or impaled on pikes.

However, one of those men with a different armour from others was carving his men like cheese and advancing upon him. He frowned and turned his head to order one of his commanders to send their best fighters to engage this man but even they did not stand a chance in front of this man.

Harry snorted and brandished his sword to clash with the man. As soon as he clashed with him he felt numbness on his arms but this should have been impossible as the man in front of him should not have such strength with such a normal stature. This was his last thought as he took a kick to his balls and his head separated from his body by a sword painted red with his men's blood.

Gerold slew his last man as the gates of the city had opened and the men of the company started retreating. Gerold looked around and saw his men swinging their swords to the fleeing enemy so he ordered his men to retreat to lay a real siege to the city.

When the two sides retreated, a bloody ground was shown upon the eyes of onlookers. The corpses were littered across the ground and the blood was flowing towards the old walls of the city.

It took two days for the siege equipment to be built but still, they were going to be of great help in taking down the walls of Volantis. Though no one knew how they were going to get into the Black Walls, their current goal was to reach the western side of Volantis.

For a week, fiery rocks rained upon the city. Gerold was not allowing them to sleep as even at night catapults were firing.

This continued for another week then Gerold gave an order to his army to attack the walls and the door. It was a bloody sight to be seen. Men climbing ladders were dying with rocks thrown upon them but they were still holding the ladders to not fall. It took two hours but they reached the walls and engaged the enemy.

Shields were splintering and swords were being broken with each clash. Each second was the death of dozens of enemies.

Soon the walls were overtaken by the man of faith and the gate of the city was opened. Men-at-arms were swarming the gate with swords on their hands.

It did not take long for the important places in the western Volantis to be taken by the holy guard and Fishmonger's Square was amongst these places. Tiger Guards that defended the houses of the rich merchants were being slaughtered outright.

Women and girls, men and boys, old and young were being dragged out of their house to be beheaded. This was not a simple invasion. This was a genocide…

As the sun began falling, the western side of the city was cleansed of heathens and the men of faith were standing on top of the Long Bridge. All of them were looking at the Black Wall but none of them knew how to cross it as the wall was fused black stone-built and nearly indestructible. Even crossing the bridge and going to the demon's temple would be suicide as the wall were full of men with bows and crossbows on their hands.

Meanwhile, Gerold secluded himself in the tallest tower on the western side of the city but this seclusion took nearly ten days so everyone was getting nervous and tired each hour. The man lining the Long Bridge was talking to each other with hushed voices as they waited for the Prophet to come out. And, indeed, Gerold came out of the tower on the tenth day and mounted a horse and went before the Black Wall.

He was standing atop of his horse with his staff in his hand as he did not join the fight after the first one so he was not tired and dirty too much and was standing out before the armours that were painted with blood.

Gerold turned to look at his men. Some of their eyes were already weary of the slaughter but some of them were tired of waiting.

"Men of faith!" Gerold shouted with all the strength he could gather, "God has seen the sacrifice you have made and witnessed the blood you shed in His name! Thus, he has decided to show you His greatness through me!"

Gerold turned his horse towards the Black Wall and raised his staff over his head. Suddenly, the orange sky darkened and dark clouds gathered upon Volantis. The thunder raged throughout the sky as the men on both sides grew restless.

Gerold pointed his staff towards the Black Wall and lightning bolts struck to the walls. However, the wall was not damaged too much but, suddenly, a roar was heard in the sky and all the open eyes were blinded for a few seconds. The Black Wall that is famous in all of the known world fell in an instant.