Time Travel? Rebirth? I Win This Time!

The Kingdom knights relentlessly pursued the retreating soldiers, shouting war cries as they raced forward, their spirits high. But when they crested a hill, the sight that greeted them made them halt abruptly.

Saladin's army was arranged in a perfect line, nearly 2,000 cavalry waiting, poised for battle.

With a subtle wave of his hand, Saladin ordered the first volley, and thousands of arrows flew toward the Kingdom knights. The heavy armor of the knights could absorb most of the impact, but the unprotected warhorses, clad only in thick blankets, fell after taking several arrows. Many knights were dismounted, trapped, and surrounded by Saladin's forces.

"Retreat! Retreat!" Grandmaster Audod roared, realizing the battle was lost. But as the knights turned to fall back under the hail of arrows, a cavalry of Mamluks burst from their concealed positions, charging at their flanks. Exhausted from the long chase, the knights' warhorses were near exhaustion, and they could only group together, desperately holding their ground.

Meanwhile, Count Raymond, trailing behind, found himself also surrounded. Without hesitation, he ordered his men to break south, away from the encircling foot soldiers. Two hundred knights charged forward, heedless of the danger, driving southward.

Seeing the knights veer away from the foot soldiers, the Mamluks held back their pursuit, focusing instead on encircling the Templar knights. They unleashed a barrage of arrows, taking down the warhorses, and soon, the knights were falling one by one, their bodies pierced and pinned like hedgehogs.

By the time Saladin arrived, the battle was all but over. The ground was littered with the corpses of Templar knights, and over 200 Kingdom knights had been captured, with the number of dead too great to count.

"Let me go, Saladin!" Grandmaster Audod, bound tightly, shouted angrily. "I demand a duel with you!"

Saladin smiled, unfazed by the shouts of the defeated. "Grandmaster Audod," he said with a mocking tone, "it is an honor to meet you at last."

Audod spat blood onto the ground, his contempt evident. "I should have killed you on the spot, according to your treatment of infidels," he snarled.

Saladin's smile remained unchanged. "But I am Saladin. I will not treat you as you would treat me."

"After this battle ends, you may pay ransom to regain your freedom," Saladin continued, still smiling. "But for now, please, Grandmaster, bear with me for a few more days."

"To hell with you! I would rather die in captivity than pay ransom to an infidel!" Audod shouted, struggling against his bonds.

Ignoring Audod's fury, Saladin gestured to his men, who took the Grandmaster away.

"Now, it's your turn, Baldwin," Saladin muttered, his gaze shifting to the distant flag of Baldwin's army, a cruel smile curling his lips.

Meanwhile, Baldwin's forces were desperately marching, urged on by the King himself. Upon hearing the news of the Kingdom knights' encirclement, Baldwin had immediately changed course to assist them.

But as they crossed over a ridge, the sight of a burned village caught their eyes. A village that had been thriving the day before was now reduced to a smoking ruin, with the black plumes of smoke rising into the sky. Saladin's men could be seen looting the spoils of war.

"Those damned heathens!" Grand Commander Audod cursed loudly. "How dare they treat the faithful like this!" He turned to Baldwin. "Your Majesty, allow me to lead the Knights Templar to strike at those infidels."

"No," Baldwin replied tiredly, waving his hand. "Go, but be cautious of Saladin."

With Baldwin's approval, Audod and Count Raymond immediately led a contingent of 500 knights to attack the looting forces.

The Mamluks, caught off guard, scrambled to organize a defense, but before they could react, Audod's knights crashed into their ranks, cutting down the first few with ease. The Mamluks scattered, retreating in disarray.

"Die, infidels!" Audod shouted as he led his men, his great sword cleaving through the enemy.

But their victory was short-lived. A hail of arrows from the retreating Mamluks began to fall, and the knights' momentum faltered. Baldwin's army, on the other side of the battlefield, was slowly being overwhelmed.

Baldwin, weakened from the march, called out to his men to hold the line. But his exhausted foot soldiers, having endured days of relentless travel, were barely holding their own.

The Mamluks, skilled riders and deadly archers, surrounded the Kingdom's foot soldiers, unleashing arrow after arrow, creating chaos and confusion.

"Hold the line!" Baldwin cried weakly, his voice hoarse, but the situation was growing more dire by the moment. Baldwin's soldiers had nothing left to give, and without cavalry support, their fate was sealed.

Suddenly, a breach appeared in the lines as a group of foot soldiers, unable to withstand the pressure, dropped their weapons and fled. The Mamluks, ever vigilant, pounced on this weakness, charging into the gap.

With deadly precision, they struck, cutting down the Kingdom's forces with their spears. Baldwin, seeing his men crumbling, realized that there was no more time to waste.

"All remaining knights, follow me!" Baldwin shouted, drawing his sword and charging towards the Mamluks, his last act of defiance.

The remaining Royal Guard knights followed, charging forward in a desperate attempt to stop the Mamluks' advance. Baldwin's forces, though few, fought valiantly, but the battle was lost. Baldwin, exhausted and wounded, found himself dismounted as a Mamluk spear drove through his side.

The King, weakened, lay on the ground, unable to rise. His soldiers, seeing their king fall, began to lose hope. The Mamluks, sensing the shift, quickly closed in, and the Kingdom's army began to collapse entirely.

"Your Majesty!" A loyal knight rushed to Baldwin's side, lifting him from the ground. "We must retreat, sire!"

"No," Baldwin whispered weakly. "I will stay… and fight Saladin to the death."

"Your Majesty, the battle is lost. But we have not lost the war yet," the knight urged. "The Kingdom still has forces to call upon. If we can hold the fort at Yabo River for ten more days, we can rally our strength."

Reluctantly, Baldwin agreed, and the knight helped him mount a horse, urging the King to retreat.

The sight of Baldwin's retreat spread quickly, and morale shattered. Within moments, the Kingdom's army, now leaderless and demoralized, abandoned their weapons and armor, fleeing in all directions.

The Mamluks pursued with deadly efficiency, cutting down those who tried to escape. Singing their victory songs, they rode down the broken soldiers of the Kingdom as they fled.