Within the throat of the entrance, thousands of Tang footmen stood shoulder-to-shoulder.
From his vantage point overlooking the defensive formation, Strategist Sun observed the shifting tides of the battlefield.
The Andalusian host, rather than breaking their mounts against the wall of iron points, had halted.
The Supreme Emir had commanded his knights to dismount.
A harsh laugh erupted from the center of the Tang lines.
The tension of the prolonged siege was fracturing the discipline of the Emperor's chosen.
"Hahaha! They're dismounting!" a veteran spearman shouted.
He pointed the iron tip of his long spear toward the dust-covered Arab warriors who were currently handing the reins of their magnificent chargers to the rear guard.
To a foot soldier of the East, a knight abandoning his horse was a symbol of capitulation to the infantry's dominance.
The laugh rippled through the front ranks, morphing rapidly into an aggressive, bloodthirsty murmur.
