1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 244: Memory

Julian now only has thirty two men by his side exempting those fellows he called out just now, and now they are going to challenge the seemingly mission impossible: Climb over this eleven meters tall walls, with little assistance of tools and machineries, no protective gears in case they fall, and definitely no backup forces behind them in support. 

Under the walls Julian led the team climbing the first step clenching the hook in his hands on to the gaps between two bricks, then made a jump thrusting himself further upwards. The usual experience of him climbing up and down the ships really did help as he agilely hopped on further on to the next few bricks to a two meter height, then he even realised one hand turning back waving towards the rest of the men asking them to follow his steps. 

The rest soon followed struggling themselves on to the walls with only one hook and rope in hand. However, as Julian climbed further on to the third meter distance things immediately changed abruptly. Whoever designed these chain of wall defense must be a master mind of siege defenses, after around two to three meters the wall began to have a slight angle of elevation paved with marble bricks which makes the climbers have a tough time finding a suitable place for a grip. 

A tiny rubble rock falls off beneath the boots of Julian as he stopped and gasped for air. If it not for the hook in his hand and the gap he is holding he would have fell pretty badly. Julian looked at the sceneries beside him, if he turns his head away he can also be unbalanced and dropped. With a surge of the adrenaline level and the feeling of either accomplishment or death, Julian felt like his limbs have became nimble and muscles became more athletic than his normal days, He continued springing upwards like a swift monkey. 

However just after he reached at the nine meter mark almost seeing the finishing line of the arrow slit, a tragedy happened as two men are no longer able to hold their grip on the stones and just with one mistake made, they fell off the walls landing right on to the ground in the back of their head, with out even have a chance to let off a scream before they die and lose consciousness. Though for Julian he has no time and no energy to look back, because he knows that if he loses balance, he would soon become just like them. Soon another man gave up on the climb and made a free fall downwards right towards his very end breaking the spinal cord on his neck dying in an inhumane shape, the only thing is that at least he managed to make one final word before his death. "No" 

Julian bit his lips so hard that some blood started to emerge. He took a look upwards and with an increased esteem and determination, threw the iron hook attached with the rope upwards clinging it with the arrow slit, pulled it twice making sure it has attached it self tight, and made a sudden jump upwards trying to reach for the top. However just as he clanged his other hand on to the edge of the arrow slit, he did not realise that the bricks have became a little wet due to the night moist and by accident, he lost the grip on the rope making him plunge downwards with a force of gravity he almost could not withstand. 

With every muscle used to its maximum and every strain of nerve straightened, Julian grabbed the handle of the rope attached to the iron hook just seconds in time and clutching his boots on to the bricks kicking off a few scrambled rubbles falling down the walls accompanied with dust. Julian held still of the rope supporting himself gasping heavily for air soothing his over stretched mind down, his eyes almost got blurred by the sweat and dust, but he cannot afford to wipe it away. Being extra precautious this time he made no more jumps and made it up the walls step by step, brick by brick, and when he finally made it over the arrow slit, he slumped himself on the ground with wide grasps of air never has he felt that the air in high places is so god damn fresh before. 

"Captain! Captain!" Halfdan tried to keep his voice low in the darkness. "Captain! Help us! Help me!" 

Julian heard the voice, but no matter how hard he try he simply cannot support himself up from the ground with his chest bouncing up and down and muscle twitching like they have came alive. He told himself repeatedly in his mind that all of the excitement and dangers have gone to the past and he needs to be awake by now, in the end he gave himself a tight slap on his face almost beating an incisor tooth out of his mouth, feeling that is ineffective he gave himself another tight slap and then he could entirely regain his consciousness standing up with the support of the arrow slit, and helped his men up the walls pulling their hands one by one. 

"We have made it, captain!" The young varangian panted relentlessly leaning against the wall puking down all the content in his twitching abdomen out down the walls. 

"Indeed, we have made it Get moving guys, we need to start acting fast before any Ottoman bugger finds us over here." 

"No, captain." Another man refused massaging his stomach. "No Ottoman shall be able to find us around here, you see this is an isolated corner that only has one way in, no way out, and these walls are tall enough to keep other's sight off us as long as we seat down."

"Aye, captain, so just let us relax for a while."

"Captain, please, look at your legs, even you yourself cannot move by an inch now." 

Hearing these words Julian had no other choice but to approve their request. "Fine, we can afford to rest for a few minutes, but I need every one of you to remain completely silent." 

This is perhaps the most daring piece of order that Julian has given in his entire military career; In a distance less than one hundred meters away the citizen rebels of Thessaloniki are still engaged in vigorous combat with the hundred plus Ottomans guarding this tower, with arrows, spears and gun powder flying all over the place creating a never ending increase in the amount of casualties and death as the situation of the battle intensifies. While on this side, the thirty plus of them are lying cozily on the ground regaining their strength from that hike enjoying the mellow night breeze of the Aegean sea. 

Leaning against the arrow slit Julian passed Halfdan a half full water canteen of wine and asked softly. "So, what do you think of your brother?"

"Captain!" Halfdan enlarged his gigantic pair of eyes and stared at Julian with a surprised face. "I thought that you just gave the order that all of us are supposed to be completely quiet?" 

"Ehmm" Julian don't know what to say. 

"I listens to my mother, she said that I must follow orders, and so I must follow orders I will not talk, captain, unless you give me orders to talk." 

"But you have already spoken." 

""

"Fine, I shall now grant you the permission to speak." Julian giggled at this mama's boy's words and gave him the order he wanted. "Tell me about your brother." 

"My brother Harald He never returned." Halfdan is caught in his deep past reminiscence of his brother. "But his items and belonging are sent home in Smland  one day, by another Varangian together with the last bit of wealth he has earned. That uncle told me a lot about my brother's heroic deeds and battles he fought all over Rom, and how he saved the city of konstantinopel with himself alone holding the family battle axe my father has granted him before his departure." 

"So, did your uncle tell him how did your brother.die?" 

"Yes, he did." The young Varangian nodded with stars appearing in his eyes. "He said that my brother is fighting a close quarter combat with the Sultan of the Ottomans himself with the admiral Antonius just behind his back giving him support. The uncle even said that he almost killed that Sultan of the Ottomans, but sadly there are two Turkish horse men charging at him, so he had to face them, and died after enduring twenty slashes and five pierces." 

"I see, I see." 

"My uncle also said that, his pals and the admiral Antonius did not abandon my brother till the very end, making him a legend in the Varangians and a monument has been erected back in Smland in remembrance of him, which has always inspired me to come here in pursuing his career, and that is why I am here, as a new Varangian." 

The more Halfdan talks the more ashamed Julian feels inside his heart as he remembers the details of the battle on that day.