Despite his bold words, Norn was well aware of the true capabilities of his motley crew. His 1,500 mercenaries, bought with his gold, were still obedient for now. But Norn suspected that they would only show their fighting prowess in a favorable battle. Once the going got tough, there was a good chance they would be the first to turn their coats.
As for his own direct retinue, it was a mere 150 men. The majority were the 120 elite infantry guards of the HanMo Knights. Next came the 20 cavalrymen, consisting of William and Patrick, the two knights, and their squires. Finally, there were a few spies trained by Sasan.
"Alas," Norn sighed inwardly, despite his confident exterior. If he had 10,000 elite guards, he would dare to face Saladin in open battle. With 3,000, he could at least make Saladin's assault on the city walls end in bloody failure. Unfortunately, he only had 150 men, and even if they fought ten to one, it wouldn't be enough.
Fortunately, war was never just a numbers game; otherwise, countless heroes would have been mere stepping stones for others. Norn recalled numerous battle examples and stories from his previous life. In this moment, he felt as if the spirits of great minds were channeling through him. He was not fighting alone!
A flash of inspiration raced through Norn's mind, and he settled on this saying:
Sun Tzu said, "Engage with the orthodox, win with the unorthodox."
"Saladin's forces are now strong, and he has successfully besieged King Baldwin. He will surely grow arrogant. In his eagerness to capture the king quickly and take Jerusalem without a fight, he will launch a fierce assault on Ascalon Fortress."
"Saladin will never expect an army to appear so swiftly from behind him. That is our opportunity."
"We will strike at the rear of Saladin's army and make a direct assault on his royal tent. His forces will be thrown into disarray and chaos."
"Then, the knights within the castle will charge out together, piercing through the enemy lines. With this coordinated effort, victory will be within our grasp."
Norn spoke eloquently, pointing at the map as he outlined his plan. However, he soon realized that his audience looked bewildered. Seeing that his carefully crafted strategy was lost on them, Norn felt a pang of disappointment. How was he supposed to lead such a team?
What Norn didn't know was that these knights were accustomed to private feuds, where they would bring along a dozen men at most. When following a baron into battle against another baron, the combined forces rarely exceeded 800 men. Only when campaigning with a duke would they see armies of several thousand.
They could talk at length about how to wield a sword or lead a small squad, but strategic planning for armies of tens of thousands was beyond their scope.
After exchanging glances, Patrick finally spoke up: "Norn, just tell us what we need to do."
"It's simple. Step one: speed."
Norn leveraged his early access to information to procure a large quantity of supplies before the city was gripped by war panic. This included numerous mules and carts. Combined with what he already had at his manor, Norn successfully transformed his army into a "mule-mounted" force.
He also insisted on lightening the load, carrying only essential equipment and provisions. This ensured that every soldier had a mule to ride or could take turns in the carts. Although Norn found the carts unbearably uncomfortable after a while, these vehicles allowed his troops to achieve an unprecedented speed for this era—30 kilometers per day.
Despite taking a longer route, this pace enabled Norn to reach a valley outside Ascalon Fortress by the morning of the fourth day after setting out from Jerusalem.
"Step two: hide."
Upon arrival, Norn did not launch an immediate attack. Looking at his exhausted troops, he ordered them to rest for the night. However, he still dispatched Sasan's spies and 200 Turkoman light cavalry to patrol the area in shifts, hunting down anyone who came close.
Fortunately, blessed by Lady Luck, Norn's forces did not encounter any of Saladin's troops.
"The final step is to join forces."
In the afternoon, Norn approached Sasan. The three days of intense marching had left the Hashashin travel-worn, but her eyes remained bright.
"Sasan, I know you're exhausted, but I have a mission that only you can handle."
"Is it to take Saladin's head?" Sasan asked calmly, her face expressionless.
The suggestion was tempting, but Norn swallowed hard and declined, "In my homeland, we don't have the custom of sending young girls to kill."
"You're still just a child yourself," Sasan muttered inwardly, but she reasoned, "We are but hidden blades in the hands of our masters; our identities should not concern us."
"Your task is to deliver this letter to King Baldwin," Norn shook his head again, rejecting Sasan's proposal.
"Inform him of our situation here. If Saladin's army is in chaos tomorrow, ask him to send reinforcements no matter what."
Seeing the determination in Norn's eyes, Sasan solemnly took the letter: "If anything goes wrong, I will bring his head to you as an offering."
"No, it won't," Norn waved his hand and turned to leave.
Halfway there, he stopped and said without turning around, "If something happens to me, take your people and hide somewhere. Wait until the war is over before you come out."
"You fool!" Sasan watched his retreating figure, a mix of frustration and worry in her eyes.
As night fell, darkness enveloped the land like a tide. Sasan, like a drop of water merging into the ocean, blended into the vast night.
Hiding her mount behind a rock, Sasan gazed at Saladin's camp in the distance. Despite the numerous sentries and hidden guards, she easily found a way to infiltrate.
Lurking at the edge of the firelight, Sasan waited for her chance, moving like a black wraith, observing the changing of the guard. No one noticed the extra person in the ranks, nor when that person vanished.
However, when Sasan saw a magnificent golden tent, she hesitated for a long while before finally lowering her dagger.
Crossing the camp, Sasan arrived at the equally well-defended city wall. The towering wall was no barrier to her. As soon as the patrolling sentry moved on, a dark grappling hook flew up and landed on the wall. In a few swift leaps, Sasan reached the top.
With a quick scan of the entire castle, its layout became clear in her mind. She then leaped from rooftop to rooftop, until she stood before the central tower of the castle.
From within the tower's hall, faint noises of commotion could be heard. Sasan sprang from the wall, spreading her arms like a soaring hawk, and instantly took down the two guards at the entrance.
Thud! The sound of the guards hitting the ground seemed to alert those inside, and the noise within paused abruptly.
No longer hiding, Sasan pushed open the door and walked in slowly.
Inside the hall, dim candlelight glinted off the blades of countless weapons, with dozens of nobles standing armed. But Sasan's gaze was fixed on the man in a silver mask seated on the throne.
A guard tried to sneak an attack from behind the door, but Sasan easily deflected his weapon and kicked him to the ground. With fluid grace, she dispatched him and then swept the room with her cold eyes, her voice like ice echoing through the hall.
"Baron Norn Adler has arrived with reinforcements. I ask His Majesty to be ready by dawn tomorrow and to strike when the enemy is in chaos."
The nobles in the hall expressed astonishment and even skepticism at Sasan's message.
"Impossible! It takes at least eight days to get here from Jerusalem. How did you manage it?"
Some of the more perceptive nobles recognized Sasan and shouted, "Assassin! She's an Assassin!"
All the nobles now glared menacingly and slowly formed a circle around her, swords at the ready.
"Believe it or not, the choice is yours," Sasan tossed Norn's letter onto the ground and, with a few quick flashes, she was outside the hall. "Miss this chance, and you'll be left to die."