1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 114: A Horse! A Horse! My Kingdom For a Horse!

".Start! Now! Shout!"

The sailors beside him looked at each other and shouted back to Antonius. "Sir! None of us knows that language!"

""

Antonius almost tripped and fell on the ground hearing this response. "Then just cheer!" He yelled back. "Just hooray! Shout in whatever language you know that the Ottoman commander is dead!"

A wild range of cheering and hoorays erupted among the fifty sailors spreading to the surrounding counterparts, together with the cheers came fists and blades high poking into the air. The depressed, frustrated and tired soldiers of the Romans are awakened cheering for the moment of theirs soaring to a new climax of morale and happiness.

The Ottomans, on the other hand, sunk into a sense of self suspicion and demoralisation as they saw the central command flag falling down and hearing the cheers of the Romans. Also suspecting that their commander is now already turned into a slice of dead meat under the hands of the Romans, they stopped engaging in combat with the Roman frontiers and began squeezing behind, falling back towards the central to try to turn into defensive circle formations.

The pressure being constantly grinded on Julian and Mauro is now gone.

Although the Ottoman commander, Kudret Suvari immediately grabbed hold of the flag waving it up and screaming at the soldiers in a distance away, making him the most prominent figure and target in the area, especially in the eyes of Harald, just like the prize of chicken dinner for the winners tonight.

Without further thoughts, Harald landed his final step on the slope before the gate of Kerkaporta and leapt into the air lifting his axe right upon the Ottoman commander. Kudret Suvari managed to dodge the blade that almost maimed his nose by an inch. Kudret Suvari swiftly jumped backwards and pried Harald's blood grasping axe from Harald's already numb hands, turned the sledge hammer tilting it in a perfect stance slashing the hammer towards the shoulder of Harald while the later lifted the axe up to his chest level and tried to block the hammer with the handle of his axe.

Both sides afford no time to waste. Kudret Suvari fears that his warriors might really take it as he is dead and have a morale break down, while Harald knows that he has no support from the sides and he has to face two blades and one hammer striking from three directions for a brief short while before his men reach the position.

Because of Harald's efforts, all orders and stability in Ottoman formation has gone totally into the drain, while the Ottoman commander Kudret Suvari is too busy fending for himself against a bloody giant wielding a bloody axe that gave him a bloody surprise. Janissaries squeezing with each other to get inside and resurrect the situation or Yaya levy infantries trying to sneak out of the postern thinking that their commander is dead and their life is much more important than the so called glory and honour of the Sultan.

Seeing the time is right, the final snow flake that finally crumbled the entire building came.

Antonius too noticed the chaotic situation in the Ottoman army and he immediately took the next action to secure the situation.

"Send the signals! Unleash the horses!" Antonius exclaimed while continued walking forward and accelerated his pace. "Wave the flags higher! Show me your spirit! Send the flares!"

A flare is sent into the dark skies through a wooden tube erected on the floor, creating a unique vibrant colour in the battlefield that no one has ever seen before attracting the attentions of many, some superstitious soldiers from both sides, seeing this kind of black powder fire works for the very first time of their lives, even kneeled down thinking it is the wraith of god sent down to punish them for their deeds.

This just proves the necessity of encouraging basic elementary education.

Nevertheless, the riders will not stop there to wait for them to finish praying. A hundred calvaries, although does not sound that much, created a impact instantly on the ground since their appearance. The horses, carrying their riders on the mounts, filled with the bravery and valor of knights. The deafening splitting sounds of hooves knocking against the rocky ground changed the melody of infantries and swords men to the choir of the mounts.

Abraham leads the riders acting as the spear head of the riders as they form a triangle position targeting the Ottomans, wishing to penetrate through the Ottoman defenses, break their backbone and become the final hammering strike that will end all the fuss caused by the unknown reckless or careless or bribed soldier guarding the postern of Kerkaporta.

The wink early morning bleak winds wisps blasts through Abraham's rugged sea man face and his dried eyes as he stares gravely towards the front at the Ottomans who are desperately trying to either hold their shaking blade towards the riders, although they know that their efforts and blade like twig are futile against the impact of a charging horse. And there are also those 'smart' ones who started running backwards, but seriously where can they run to among the crowd, the only thing they get is whether die gloriously with a slash on the front, or a slash at the back.

The Ottomans reacts fast, but the calvary came even faster. Crashing the brave one's ribs sending them flying away from the coalition impact. The calvaries faced little to no resistance achieving a full penetration from the right flank in Blacknarea to the left flank under the walls of Theodosian, causing the Ottomans to lose their formations and orders in the process which indirectly sparked a stampede. The Romans took the chance to fight back, and within minutes all Ottoman progresses for the past day are lose as they are separated into various smaller segments, encircled, and finally eaten up piece by piece.

In the meantime, the Ottoman commander realised that he is being encircled soon, started falling back bit by bit while blocking the attacks from Harald and other Romans taking minimum damage back to the gate. Now there is only one problem, how to close the gate of Kerkaporta.