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Aster with "Touche"
The doom befalling the Islamic Army is no longer in the vicinity of sights. If astronomic research can at least prove that. But all that are just words thrown out by the commander of the Islamic Army in an effort to rejoice the men from the brutal defense against the Crusaders. He is David. After saying this, he bids for forgivement by Allah.
In the countdown of three days when it is predicted that the Crusaders would set their steps at Babylon. The Muslims all prayed for safety in the Mosques. David has a hunch, he knows prayers alone won't help them from something inevitable. For a moment he thought, even Allah cannot prevent death. The only thing he is able to do is setting up palisades so the Muslims have enough momentum to shoot the Crusaders with their bows and crossbows enough to at least, deter the Crusaders.
The Crusaders, on the other hand. Are not commanded by somebody as wise as David. He is a coward, Indecisive, weak. He is Joshua. Defenseless as he is, he commands without leadership, and so have encountered massive casualties throughout the Crusade.
David, for a moment again thought of plans as good as possible to prevent the death of thousands. He sought a way where and when everyone can have a peaceful Earth. As being taught in the ways of Allah. He tried the diplomatic way. But the messenger is now nowhere to be found. At last, he realized that One cannot Earth two masters. Nor Earth people with different beliefs at once. Now he must resort to blood. It is pain that he must do this, no matter what the cost.
The Siege Day, Thunder has befallen the Earth. As all forecasts never said about rain in the last 6 months. David and his men thought this is a gift from Allah to his worshippers. Soon the morale of the Muslims increase rapidly. As if they had wanted to fight to the death. At long last Allah has granted them his holy powers. Perhaps the truly religious are the ones allowed to live long. As the thunder, accompanied with arrows struck down every Christians on the vicinity of the Muslims.
For a time he has forgot that some have potentials to be turncoats. The traitors are soon brought down the the ambushing Islamic Spearmen, who are lying in wait just in case this happens.
After the glorious battle, David whispers something that can be heard by the inhabitants of Babylon :
"Touche."
Nobody knows what this had meant to him. But who cares, as long as they are safe with David's protection they are happy to have him in this town.
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Juvenal with "Y.M.C.A"
W.M.D.
A small outpost once guarded a vital route into the heart of the County of Tripoli, last bastion of Crusader power in the Levant. The garrison were grizzled and experienced men, having seen off five attempts to force the pass this last year.
This place played well to the strengths of the Crusaders, the pass narrow and rocky and the outpost dominating it completely. Moslem mobility was of no avail in such cramped confines, and Christian crossbows on the parapets could penetrate even good armour while remaining immune to counter fire. But despite their many defeats, the Moslems, driven by the imperative of Jihad, kept on returning.
It was late afternoon with a terrible lightning storm raging when a wet bedraggled sentry spotted movement in the pass below. The garrison hastily turned out to man the walls.
A large enemy force formed just out of crossbow range. A strange horseman made his way to the front rank, man and horse both covered with banded armour and shod with shiny black boots. A line rose from the man's saddle straight into the roiling clouds overhead, its end lost to view.
The defenders marvelled briefly at this, but soon turned their attention to trying to unseat the horseman as he cantered up to the gatehouse. The armour must have been very thick because the bolts bounced off. Arriving at the gate, the horseman took out a long whip and struck at it.
Unaccountably, the gate suddenly exploded into splinters and the gatehouse collapsed around it. While the defenders reeled with shock, the enemy main force ran up the slope and poured in through the gap.
Undeterred, the Crusader commander gathered his men into line facing the oncoming mass, confident that this rabble would soon be dispatched by his veterans.
The lone horseman led the Moslem charge against the braced halberds of the Crusaders, but then he stopped short and the whip came down once more. A blinding flash of light passed from man to man, flinging burned and blackened corpses to the ground with an ear-splitting crack of thunder and the stink of ozone.
Omar ibn Jahman Fran Kahlinn pushed up his visor and surveyed the captured fort. Satisfied, he reeled in the line connecting him to heaven using a small winch, stowed its attached kite, and went to see what provisions these foreign devils might have for a hungry pious musulman.
The survivor - Tale of the Week 24
