Chapter 73 : The Night of Shadows: The Silent Siege

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The sky was weighed down by heavy dark clouds, casting a shadow over the city walls, which were disappearing into the mist. The city's walls, battered by the harsh blows of war, had still managed to stand tall. Behind the walls, workers were busy, clearing debris, stone masons repairing cracks, and adding new supports. However, the massive walls trembled with every explosion, getting closer to collapsing like an ancient monument slowly decaying with each strike.

Halil Han stood tall on his horse, facing the cannons stationed in front of the walls. He scanned the enemy lines with his eyes, then turned to the artillery commander beside him.

"Fire the cannons! We won't stop until the walls fall!"

As soon as the order was given, there was a flurry of activity in front of the cannons. Gunpowder bags were placed, cannonballs loaded, and fuses lit. The first cannon shot ripped through the air with a loud roar, followed by a series of explosions that shook the city. Every cannonball that struck the walls dislodged stones and began to break apart the structure.

Inside the city, on top of the walls, soldiers with shovels and stones immediately sprang into action. The breaches created by the cannon fire were quickly filled with rubble and beams, the gaps being sealed. Those defending the walls worked tirelessly, at times blocking a hole with their own bodies.

However, the defense of the walls was facing a major problem: there weren't enough men. Shah Abbas knew he had to take action to address this shortage.

In the grand divan hall of the palace, Shah Abbas had gathered with his commanders and viziers. An intense silence filled the room. Finally, Shah Abbas, standing tall on his throne, spoke in a deep voice:

"We are not lacking in weapons, and we have plenty of supplies. But our manpower is insufficient. Therefore, I declare a general mobilization! All men will be armed! Whoever they are, they will either defend the walls or fight in the battlefield!"

The commanders nodded in agreement. One of the viziers cautiously stepped forward.

"My lord, the people may be afraid. They may not resist."

Shah Abbas narrowed his eyes and stared at the vizier. Then, with a voice that echoed throughout the room, he responded:

"Those who are afraid and want to live will fight! If we cannot defend the city, they will either be prisoners or dead. Now go, tell the criers to spread the word! The people will be armed immediately. Everyone in the city must contribute to the defense! A people who cannot defend their city have neither a home nor honor!"

The vizier bowed and withdrew. The room fell silent for a moment, but soon, news spread throughout the city. The criers shouted through the streets, announcing the mobilization. People, unsure of what was to come, began arming themselves. Some were farmers just out of the fields, some young merchants, others were blacksmiths… But now, they all shared the same fate: they were warriors.

The city was preparing for the coming storm.

Days of cannon fire continued to shake the walls, pushing the stone structure's old glory to its limits. The once flawless stone walls now seemed like a crumbling ruin, patched up with hasty repairs. Stone fragments were supported by wooden beams, and fresh mortar was applied over the crumbling areas, but the defense could not maintain its former strength.

Halil Han marveled at how the walls had withstood the bombardment for so many days. The quick repairs of the breaches especially kept him cautious. He turned to his officers and pointed to the patches on the walls.

"I don't think we'll be able to launch a full assault on the walls anytime soon. Does anyone have an idea on how we might breach these walls?"

The officers fell into a brief silence, some bowing their heads, others deep in thought. Then, Ali Bey stepped forward and raised his voice:

"Han, it might take too long to breach these walls in daylight, but if we send a unit under the cover of night, while the enemy is asleep, we might get a different result. The defenses on the walls may be weaker at night. If our unit sneaks inside, we could open the main gate."

Halil Han smiled slightly. The plan was a clever one.

"Not a bad idea. We can try that. Ali Bey, I leave the gathering and command of this unit to you. If you succeed, you will be rewarded."

Ali Bey bowed and responded with respect:

"Thank you, Han. If it pleases you, I would like to begin gathering the men immediately."

Halil Han nodded in approval. "You have my permission."

As Ali Bey hurried to his tent, Halil Han fixed his gaze once more on the walls. Clenching his fist, he muttered:

"You will be mine soon."

When Ali Bey arrived at his headquarters, he gathered his most trusted soldiers. Looking at the elite unit before him, he explained the plan:

"Tonight, we will cross the walls. We'll conduct a stealth operation. For this, we need the best men. We need the most agile, the quietest, and those who can see in the dark. We must get past the enemy without being detected. We need to choose the right men to open the gates."

The soldiers exchanged glances, and then one of them stepped forward and spoke:

"Commander, we can do this, but our shining armor and weapons will betray us in the dark. We need to darken them."

Ali Bey nodded approvingly. "You're right. We will paint our armor black, and we will dull our swords and daggers so they don't reflect light. We'll wrap our steel sheaths in black cloth. We will become one with the night."

The soldiers quickly got to work. A group began preparing the armor and helmets, coating them in black, while others brought oily cloths to darken the swords and daggers. A unit was being prepared to disappear into the darkness.

Ali Bey inspected each man carefully. He chose the most silent, the sharpest-eyed warriors for the mission. Another group was assigned ropes and hooks, which would be used to scale the walls.

"Let me know when everyone is ready. Tonight, we will make history," Ali Bey said, his eyes shining with determination.

As night approached, the clouds covering the sky would be their greatest ally. Moving in silence, the warriors made their final preparations to change the course of one of history's greatest sieges.