The Sage of Einar

Ludovico, who was looking at duke Dean, smiled and approached him.

"What\'s wrong, duke Dean, you don\'t like to see your beloved city being showered with stones by onagers.

Or is it that you are afraid that we will really manage to break through the walls and enter so that we can assassinate everyone in the city, including your mother and the stupid Bishop Prisco? "

Dean who was looking with his lifeless eyes at the city through a wooden window could only breathe deeply because he could not speak because the emperor had cut off his tongue, he could not move because the only leg he had had also been cut off and his two hands no longer existed.

Ludovico, not hearing any response from Dean, walked over to where he was and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I was about to whip you, but then I remembered to cut your tongue because I hated hearing you speak, but don\'t worry how I told you, I won\'t kill you.

So stay calm here looking at the beautiful view you have towards your beloved city because today I am going to order a full attack on that place.

"When my soldiers enter the city, I will arrange for someone to bring you on a dung cart so that you can admire in all its splendor the great massacre that I am going to commit in revenge for what you did.

As I always tell you, I am only a man and I commit the sins of a man, only Almighty God will be in charge of judging you in his kingdom, but here in the earthly kingdom, you are guilty.

You do not need a trial or someone has to tell you your destiny because my words are more than enough to guarantee that you will suffer. "

After saying this, Ludovico left the wooden hut where he was and went to where Duke Gautier was.

When he arrived at the makeshift siege headquarters, he can see Duke Gautier talking to his daughter while they were going through a map.

"Duke Gautier today we are going to start the attack so order the troops to be ready and daughter I would like you to be in the front line together with your father."

Adelaide who was somewhat surprised by her father\'s sudden decision approached him and looked at him seriously "Father!

I have no problem being in the front line, but I am concerned that you may suffer an injury from your missing arm, not to mention that you would be an easy target for those damn traitors.

Let me enter first and that way you can enter the second wave of attacks where your life will not be at risk and those damn traitors will be left wanting to do something to you. "

Ludovico was delighted by the words of his daughter but ended up shaking his head "As emperor and father I cannot stop doing that so I will enter together with you and no more will be discussed on the subject, as for you Duke Gautier.

I\'ll let you choose if you want to come in with us or if you\'ll stay out here making sure those bastards don\'t escape the city.

But whatever your choice you must remember to assassinate any noble citizen, or priest who tries to leave the city, I don\'t want to have to find out that one of those bastards managed to leave because you or your troops allowed it. "

Gautier imitated the Roman greeting and looked seriously at the emperor "I swore to protect the emperor and his family and I will follow all the orders you give me, so no one will leave the city alive."

After saying this, Gautier left the command center and began to walk towards where the engineers were shooting stones at the onagers.

"Listen, well engineers, I want you to change the ammunition you are using to incendiary straw balls.

Since the emperor is going to participate during the first phase of the battle, it is important that we eliminate as many threats as possible from that cursed city.

So you must shoot all the straw that we have available and when it is finished use anything that can be set on fire because we must not stop shooting until the emperor orders us to enter the city.

You have understood! "

All the engineers quickly nodded their heads and without wasting a single second they began to run towards where the straw was because they had to prepare it before throwing it into flames.

Prisco, who was seeing the destruction that the city had, could only shake his head because he knew that at any moment the emperor would enter more. However, despite this, the silhouette of a smile could be seen on his face.

For even if the city had ended, he still had something up his sleeve which he said he was sure he would not die if the emperor succeeded in conquering the city.

\'If you could survive my son, then the emergency plans I had I will not have to use but if for some reason you failed, then I suppose your end was given by the emperor.

 

This would be a real loss for me because you were a good son, but if fate wanted it that way then I hope you can enjoy the graces that heaven has for you my son because your father here will stay and take care of having more children so they can inherit what you couldn\'t. \'

While he was still delirious in his thoughts, Prisco can see through the window how a red light began to fall from the sky, for a moment he thought that it must be a divine punishment but when the light got closer, and fell on a house setting it on fire.

He realized that it was not a divine punishment but that the emperor was about to start the assault on the ages because it made no sense that he will throw burning straw to start a fire.

"Let the troops of the Wall prepare, an attack is coming on the city, that every child, old woman, and person who does not want to die in vain, took a weapon and placed it on the walls. Well, if we allow the emperor to enter, he will kill us! Everybody!"

Prisco began to shout as loudly as he could to get the attention of the peasants and the people who were under the church window. Fortunately, the people did hear him and quickly gave the news to the city guard.

Everyone at that time prepared to face the professional army of the emperor and although they knew that perhaps he would die, at least they would do it fighting and not suffer as if the troops entered and killed them without being able to defend themselves.

While everyone was trying to prepare, the fireballs began to fall more frequently in the city, causing fires wherever they will manage to fall. Unfortunately for Prisco, one of those balls ended up falling on the church tower.

Causing it to collapse and fall on the entrance killing the two guards who were guarding the entrance, Prisco who was in his room felt the tremor so when he left to check what had happened.

He watched in horror as the front of the church had collapsed and as some wooden benches and crosses were starting to catch fire, so he quickly decided to leave the church and seek refuge in the underground tunnels.

When he saw the fire leave the city, Ludovico opened his hands and began to laugh hysterically because although he was quite far away he could hear the cries for help of those people who were dying in that bath of fire caused by his troops.

"It\'s not beautiful Gautier, to be able to see those damn traitors burning in the fire is quite gratifying, but it could be even grander than ordering the engineers to fire more often.

That they use all the ammunition that they have and when they are finished that they use the stones and when they are finished that they give us notice because at that moment we will enter the city. "

Prisco, who was in the tunnels with four guards, tried to cover his ears because he could no longer bear the screams of the people who were burning above.

"Will the emperor know that what he is doing is an accursed attack against the children of God and that he will be punished for that or is it that he simply does not care and has gone crazy.

After shouting those words Prisco closed his eyes, trying to avoid hearing those screams because he had already had too much of them.

After some time and after the ammunition of the onagers ran out, Duke Gautier gave the news to Emperor Ludovico who immediately gave the order for the siege stairs and the ram to begin to move.

The soldiers who were following the emperor\'s orders began to walk towards the walls with their shields raised as they feared the enemy\'s counterattack, but to their surprise no one attacked them.

So they were able to advance without even suffering a single loss, when the stairs were seriously about to be placed on the walls one of the soldiers accidentally touched the stone of the wall with his hand and it was then that he felt an immense heat coming from it.

After informing the Sergeant who accompanied him, he quickly gave the order to stop the laying of the stairs because due to the fire and the city the walls had become a true furnace.

That explained why no defender had attacked them, not that they didn\'t want to or that they went up surrendered, but rather that they were already dead so they couldn\'t defend the city.