"The Battle Plan"
That evening, Mike Bai gathered the knights and mercenary commanders to present his offensive strategy. However, when they were lured by the scent of gold, the leaders slowly began to snap out of their initial compliance. Doubt started to creep in.
"My lord, it's true we've accepted your gold, and we've agreed to fight for you, but with such a disparity in numbers, I fear our men may not follow orders when the time comes," one of the commanders tentatively expressed his concerns. Others, however, said nothing, but their uneasy silence spoke volumes.
Mike Bai looked around at these mercenaries, men who sold their loyalty for coin, and let out a cold laugh. He then calmly asked, "Do you have children?"
The room fell silent, the question unexpected, leaving everyone momentarily confused.
"I remember that you, sir," Mike Bai said, pointing to one of the commanders, "have three sons and two daughters in Jerusalem. The oldest must be a year older than me, correct?" He received a confirming nod.
"Are you trying to threaten us?" one of the leaders shouted, his voice rising in anger. Tension thickened in the air.
Mike Bai smiled, an easy grin that spread across his face. "You've all come out here to fight because you want a better life for yourselves and your families. But tell me—do you know what life is like for me?"
His eyes swept the room, his voice growing darker as he spoke.
"When your children wear rough linen and play in the dirt, I am attended by servants who coax me into silk undergarments. While your children play with mud, I am surrounded by a dozen voluptuous maids ready to serve me. When your children can only eat what little they can scrape together, I have three wet nurses who provide me with fresh milk every day."
Mike Bai's gaze lingered over the commanders. Some faces reddened with anger, others with sorrow, but most of them were filled with raw envy.
"Have you ever wondered why?" Mike Bai asked, his tone piercing. "Why is it that my children can live a life your children couldn't even dream of? Why, though we are all the same age, I live like a lord while your children live like peasants?"
"Do you really not understand why?" Mike Bai slammed his hand on the table, his voice rising, compelling attention. "It's because I am a noble! It's because I have great ancestors!"
His words rang out with conviction as he paused, letting the weight of the moment sink in.
"What you don't know is that two hundred years ago, my ancestor was just a common man, just like you. His children wore the same rough linen and played in the same dirt as yours. But with eight heads and two scars, he earned the Adler family the title of Baron. That's why I—Mike Bai Adler—stand above you."
He took a breath, his voice softer now, but still laden with persuasion. "And now, the opportunity to change your family's fate lies before you."
Mike Bai leaned forward, his voice taking on a more intimate tone, almost hypnotic. "The king is trapped in Ascalon Castle. If we can distract the enemy and allow him to escape, or even better, launch a surprise attack, he will certainly reward us handsomely."
He paused, letting the promise hang in the air, his eyes burning with determination.
"Your men will be paid well, and with that money, you could buy dozens of acres of land, become landowners, and spend the rest of your days as powerful, wealthy gentry. As for you," Mike Bai's voice deepened, each word deliberate, "you could become knights—or even nobles yourselves."
Ignoring the stunned silence of the room, Mike Bai waved his hand dismissively. "You may go."
As the commanders filed out, Mike Bai slumped back into his chair, a victorious grin curling on his lips. "Finally, I've sold them the lie."
He lay back, wiping the sweat from his brow, only to be interrupted by a warm hand holding a towel, brushing gently against his cheek.
"Sassan? Is everything alright?" Mike Bai relaxed, letting himself enjoy the moment of comfort.
"The mission went smoothly," came Sassan's icy voice, though there was an underlying edge. "But I have one question."
Mike Bai raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Sassan's voice was cool, "What's with the 'voluptuous maids'?"
Mike Bai froze, caught off guard. "Sassan, let me explain…"
By the time the morning star still flickered in the sky and the first light of dawn began to brighten the horizon, Mike Bai had already quietly gathered his forces outside Ascalon Castle, just out of view of Saladin's camp.
Fully armored, Mike Bai led his men in a solemn prayer to their respective gods, each kneeling before their weapons, seeking victory.
After a long pause, Mike Bai made the sign of the cross, stood, and barked, "Move out!"
It wasn't clear how the mercenary commanders communicated the plan to their men, but the mercenaries, like wolves, began to growl and cheer as they lifted their various weapons, eager for blood.
The mighty horns shattered the silence of the dawn, and several formations, large and small, began to move in sync. If seen from above, they barely formed a wedge-shaped formation, with Mike Bai's elite troops at the tip.
Mike Bai, positioned at the center, moved forward, outwardly calm but inwardly filled with dread. This was his first large-scale battle, and though he kept his composure, inside he was panicking.
Mike Bai knew he was gambling—betting that his small but skilled force could distract Saladin's army long enough for the knights inside the castle to charge out and strike.
He had left behind 50 of the weakest soldiers, mounted on draft horses, dragging branches to stir up clouds of dust behind them. The idea was to create a false impression of a larger force, hoping that Saladin would miscalculate their strength.
But Mike Bai knew his army was small—barely 1,700 strong. If they couldn't hold until the castle's reinforcements arrived, they would be crushed. And if that happened, his life would be forfeit.
As his men moved forward, Mike Bai wiped the sweat from his palms when no one was looking, but when he looked around and saw his elite guard surrounding him, he felt a small surge of confidence.
Unlike the ragtag mercenaries, Mike Bai's elite guard, though fewer in number, looked formidable in their uniform armor. Over the past three years, Mike Bai had spared no expense equipping them with heavy mail, helmets, two-meter-long spears, and shields.
Their discipline was evident—silent, marching in perfect formation, their spears forming an impenetrable wall that made the mercenaries around them look disorganized by comparison.
When Mike Bai looked to his sides, he saw knights William and Patrick, along with their attendants, and his confidence grew a little more.
It didn't take long for Saladin's camp to notice their movements. The sound of horns blaring filled the air, and the enemy camp stirred with activity.
It took longer than Mike Bai had expected for Saladin's forces to mobilize, but they eventually began to march out.
Mike Bai studied them carefully. Most of Saladin's infantry carried only spears and round shields, with only a few wearing armor. Their discipline and morale were clearly inferior to Mike Bai's forces, but their numbers…
From his initial estimate of 1,000, Mike Bai soon counted over 3,000, then gave up trying to keep track. The enemy camp was a sea of soldiers, and more kept pouring out, a black mass stretching to the horizon.
The atmosphere in Mike Bai's ranks began to shift. What had started as a confident, bloodthirsty advance now turned into unease. The soldiers could feel the weight of the enemy's overwhelming numbers, and their pace began to slow. The formation grew slightly disjointed, and tension filled the air.
At 400 meters from the enemy line, Mike Bai had no choice but to halt and reorganize his troops.
As Saladin's forces began to close in, the sound of their march was like the pounding of a hammer, slowly wearing down Mike Bai's troops' morale.
Mike Bai swallowed hard as he looked out at the advancing wave of enemy soldiers. Is this how it ends?