As Eric and his men advanced on the south tower, they spotted Arab forces returning as reinforcements.
"I see firelight ahead, Eric," Belem said.
"Those are the reinforcements."
The force was mostly Infantry. Though four or five hundred cavalry were at the front, they had slowed their pace to match the Infantry behind them, preventing the two from becoming separated.
Their Commander was clearly a seasoned veteran.
"Should we pursue them?"
"I don’t see Sharafi’s banner, and they’re mostly Infantry. Ignore them. We don’t have the energy to deal with them. We’re going to the tower," Eric said, decisively abandoning the idea.
The six hundred-plus Knights continued their rapid charge toward the south tower.
...
Hama City, the South Tower.
The South Gate had not yet opened.
"It’s already been two and a half hours!"
"What’s going on? Why hasn’t anything happened yet?"
"Maybe we’ve been tricked?"
"Could those Christians have discovered our men?"
"We can’t wait any longer, my lord. Let’s storm the tower now."
Sharafi’s commanders were murmuring amongst themselves, but Sharafi continued to stare at the tower. "Just a little longer. Just a little longer."
Suddenly, the scent of something burning drifted over, followed by the glow of fire. Thick smoke billowed up from the other side of the wall, accompanied by the sound of battle cries and screams in Arabic.
For a moment, Sharafi thought their advance party had been discovered.
However, in the next instant, the drawbridge of the nearby South Gate fell with a crash.
"They did it! They did it!"
"Charge! Charge! Charge!"
"Kill them all! Kill them all!"
"Allah is the greatest! Allah is the greatest!"
Before Sharafi could even give the order, the Turkic Cavalry had already broken ranks and were charging toward the South Gate.
Upon reaching the South Gate, they eagerly crossed the drawbridge and rushed through the opened, iron-plated doors into the gatehouse passage. The passage was unlit by Torches, with only a glimmer of light at the far end. They pressed forward, only to find that the passage was a dead end. A thick, heavy iron portcullis remained shut fast.
To facilitate his ’Traitor Plan,’ Eric had specifically modified the gate. He’d had the gatehouse passage lengthened to hold more of the Turkic Cavalry and installed an even heavier iron portcullis.
The first of the Turkic Cavalry to arrive shouted in Arabic to their advance party, telling them to open the gate.
But there was no response. Soon, the Turkic Cavalry, all scrambling to get inside, had packed the passage wall to wall. In the next instant, a deadly volley of arrows and Crossbow Arrows erupted from slits in the passage walls.
The projectiles tore through men and horses with incredible Speed. They fell from their saddles, dead before they could even scream.
The Turkic Cavalry at the rear managed to escape the deadly passage, but as they fled wounded, they were struck by Arrows from the tower above. Unseen until now, Crusaders swarmed the battlements. Archers and Crossbowmen rained down fire on the Turkic Cavalry.
The Turkic Cavalry who had luckily dodged the Arrows looked back in despair at their main force, which now resembled not an army, but a disturbed anthill.
They had been ambushed by the Crusader Knights without any warning.
They were completely unprepared, their attention fixed on the South Gate. Before the Turkic Cavalry at the rear could even react, their formation was shattered by the Crusader Knights’ charge. Survivors were then picked off by the Archers and Crossbowmen who had appeared on the battlements.
The Turkic Cavalry drew their bows and returned fire. Their Arrows slammed into the Crusader Knights’ Shields with unnerving Power. Yet, the Crusader Knights held their tight formation, relentlessly charging the Turkic Cavalry Archers. The archers were attempting to group together, hoping to improve their accuracy in the darkness.
Until their Lances shattered, the Knights drew their Swords or axes and charged the enemy.
"Charge! Charge!" Eric roared. Mounted on his Warhorse with his Sword drawn, he spurred the beast forward. "No pursuit! No pursuit! Stay on the field! Stay on the field! Take no prisoners! Take no prisoners!"
"Saint George!"
"Saint Michael!"
"Monjoy Saint Denis!"
On the battlements, Brother John led the Priests in raising a white Cross Flag, the Holy Spear tied to its top. "By this cross, you shall conquer!"
The Crusader Crossbowmen on the battlements adjusted their aim, targeting the Turkic Cavalry Archers and Arab Archers who were forced to shoot in the dark.
A Crossbow Arrow pierced an iron Helmet, hitting a Turkic Cavalry Archer in the head. He fell to the side, blood pouring down his face.
Then, a volley of Arrows flew from the top of the tower. Answering arrows clattered against the stone walls. The Arab Infantry, seeing their own volleys had failed to halt the enemy, drew their Swords and prepared to meet the charge.
The Arab Infantry in the vanguard were doomed. They tried desperately to defend themselves, but the Swords, axes, and Long Spears of the Crusader Knights fell upon them relentlessly.
Some tried to surrender, but the Crusader flags flew high, signaling that no quarter would be given. The South Gate swung open, and a hundred Crusader Knights led a tide of Crusaders pouring out. They now attacked Sharafi’s army from both front and rear. The blood of the Turkic People and the Arabs stained the earth red.
By this time, the Turkic Cavalry at the rear had all fled.
Warhorses tumbled and sword blades flashed.
An Archer’s head was severed by the riverbank, blood spraying like a fountain.
A Kurdish infantryman screamed as he was trampled by a Warhorse, only to be run through with a Long Spear.