The long pikes were raised once more, and the oncoming cavalry charged without hesitation, crashing directly into the line. These knights, clad in fine armor, came at full force, expecting the infantry to scatter like the peasants or cowardly mercenaries they had encountered before. But Mike Bai's elite guard stood firm, the soldiers lowering their stances to brace against the impact.
A tidal wave slammed into rocks, breaking into pieces. The sharp points of the pikes skewered the attacking cavalry, and even the strongest warhorses cried out in agony. Yet, the massive inertia still drove the horses forward, breaking through the pike line, and along with them, several soldiers were crushed beneath hooves, their fates unknown. The knight on the fallen horse struggled to rise but was quickly subdued by Mike Bai's soldiers, who dispatched him with a dagger through the gaps in his armor.
A small group of more skilled riders attempted to brake sharply before reaching the pike line, desperately circling outside, unsure how to rescue their commander.
"Charge!" A row of pikemen surged forward, their weapons leveled, moving at a quick pace to pierce or encircle the disoriented cavalry, leaving them with only death or capture.
Mike Bai observed the still-unconscious officer with a grim thought: Seems like this officer's rank is not low after all, or his guards wouldn't be fighting so desperately to save him.
From the direction of Ascalon Castle, the deep, resounding sound of a horn echoed through the air, accompanied by the thick smoke and cries of battle from the distance. In front of Mike Bai, the organized enemy resistance had completely crumbled, leaving only a scattering of soldiers fleeing for their lives.
"It's finally over!" Mike Bai let out a deep sigh, but as the adrenaline faded, a sharp pain surged through his body, intensifying.
"My lord, you're injured!" Sassan, ever attentive, noticed the change and quickly began bandaging Mike Bai's wound with linen cloth.
Mike Bai looked at Sassan, her face smeared with dirt, and smiled—partly in pity, partly in jest. "Promise me you won't do this again."
Sassan's green eyes lingered on him for a moment, and after what felt like an eternity of silence, she whispered, barely audible, "Mm."
As Mike Bai surveyed the battlefield, he saw the remnants of the enemy army had been split into two wings by his forces. With the kingdom's cavalry pushing in from behind, the enemy was either collapsing or being scattered into smaller groups. It was only a matter of time before they were completely destroyed.
However, Mike Bai's own forces had not come out unscathed. After the enemy's rain of arrows and the cost of pushing a small force against a much larger one, his elite guard of 120 men was now down to fewer than 80, with many wounded. William and Patrick were both covered in blood, and even the mercenary formations in the distance had thinned by at least a third. They were in no condition to pursue or expand their victory.
"It's enough," Mike Bai muttered, giving the order to regroup and start clearing the battlefield.
As his forces began to reorganize, a group of knights draped in white cloaks marked with the red cross and the blue kingdom emblem approached. At the head of them was King Baldwin himself, along with a number of nobles.
"Baron Windmill, Mike Bai Adler," announced King Baldwin as he drew near.
Mike Bai, still seated on his horse, gave a brief salute, signaling his men to disperse and allow the king through.
King Baldwin rode around Mike Bai twice in a somewhat peculiar manner. Mike Bai started to wonder if the king had some unusual tastes, but then Baldwin spoke.
"It seems that all the kingdom's vassals claim to be warriors of great renown," Baldwin said with a wry smile. "Yet, in the end, it was a child of no more than fourteen who first came to the aid of our kingdom in its hour of need."
Mike Bai, feeling uncomfortably exposed, quickly responded with humility, "I only delayed Saladin's main force. It was still thanks to the bravery and skill of you and your noble warriors that we were able to win this battle."
To Mike Bai's surprise, Baldwin chuckled. "Humility is a virtue, but excessive humility is false modesty. Your contribution is undeniable. Without your efforts, defeating this army of ten thousand would have only been a matter of time, but it would have taken much longer."
"Ten thousand?" Mike Bai asked, surprised. "Wasn't it rumored that Saladin commanded fifty thousand troops? Seems the rumors were quite far from the truth."
"Indeed," Baldwin sighed, "It seems that there were only about ten thousand here. Saladin led part of his army towards the Holy City three days ago, and it appears he still has at least twenty thousand men remaining."
Mike Bai didn't know whether to feel fortunate or unfortunate. On one hand, he had used what was meant to be his ultimate trump card, and all he had gained was this small victory. On the other hand, if Saladin had not pulled his forces back, the outcome today might have been very different.
"By the way, may I ask, Grandmaster, is my uncle Otto Adler still well?" Mike Bai inquired, turning to the Grandmaster of the Knights.
"Don't worry," replied Grandmaster Odo, "Otto suffered only a minor injury and is recovering in the castle."
Odo's eyes shifted to Sassan, still wearing her Saracen armor, and he said with a hint of amusement, "Seems like you, young Mike Bai, have many secrets of your own."
Before Mike Bai could respond, there was a commotion behind them. The officer they had captured earlier had regained consciousness and was shouting in a language Mike Bai couldn't understand.
"Ah, Baron Mike Bai," said Duke Reynard with a cruel grin, "I was worried he might escape, but it seems you've caught him after all. I wonder if you'd be willing to hand him over to me? In return, I promise you my family's friendship."
Mike Bai raised an eyebrow. "Who is he?"
"The commander of the army you defeated today," Reynard said, listing a string of names. "Saladin's nephew—Tajuddin."
"Rather than killing him to ease your anger," Grandmaster Odo interjected, stepping in front of Reynard, "It would be more beneficial to the kingdom if we interrogate him for intelligence."
"Let me take him," Odo added, glancing at Reynard. "The Knights Templar will offer you a generous price—a price that someone like you could never afford."
The emphasis on you was unmistakable.
Mike Bai thought for a moment. Between a vague promise and the cold, hard gold of a knightly order, the latter seemed far more reliable. Moreover, his relationship with Odo felt much more genuine than with the scheming Duke Reynard.
"Take him," Mike Bai ordered, signaling for Tajuddin to be handed over to Odo.
Grandmaster Odo laughed heartily, completely ignoring Duke Reynard, and praised Mike Bai in front of the gathered nobles.
Mike Bai, feeling as though he had just crawled out of one pit only to fall straight into another, began to regret his decision. As the nobles continued their bartering and politicking, Baldwin rode up to Mike Bai once more.
"Unless I'm mistaken, there will be a victory feast tonight. Baron Mike Bai, you are the guest of honor. Please, be sure to attend."
"I'll be there," Mike Bai replied.
With a final nod, King Baldwin turned away, his mind already focused on the many decisions still to be made. After all, Saladin was still out there, and his army of twenty thousand remained a looming threat.