Building a Viking Empire with Modern Industry

Chapter 391: Behind the Times

Down below, the 4,000 elite Frankish knights sat atop their warhorses.

At the very front of the line, Lord Odo, the Frankish commander, sat still on his beautiful white horse.

He had issued the ultimate royal demand. Now, he was just waiting for the King of Burgundy to inevitably throw open the gates and beg for mercy.

However, minutes ticked by, and nothing happened...

"My Lord Odo..." one of the elite Frankish knights whispered, riding his horse a few paces closer to the commander.

The knight squinted, trying to peer through the autumn mist. "It is strange... do you see the stone battlements?"

"What about them?" Odo scoffed.

"They are utterly pitch black." the knight pointed out, "The torches on their walls are not lit. We cannot see a single thing up there. Not even the archers. It is as if the entire fortress is abandoned."

After hearing such words, Lord Odo let out a mocking laugh, "They are not abandoned, you fool, they are simply cowering in the dark like frightened little mice. King Rudolf is probably hiding under his royal bed right now, praying to the heavens that we do not break his gates."

Up on the high stone battlements, hidden by the veil of darkness, King Rudolf heard every single arrogant word.

He was standing right at the edge of the parapet, to any normal person, he looked like a ruined man. But inside his chest, his heart was beating with a thrilling, incredibly wild rhythm.

He wasn’t terrified... he was having the absolute time of his life!

Beside him, Hakon leaned against the barrel of one of the ten cannons.

Hakon was holding a softly glowing match cord in his hand, waiting patiently for the order to turn the Frankish cavalry into minced meat.

"Patience..." Rudolf murmured, a cunning smirk pulling at his lips.

Though Rudolf was an efficient military tactician, he was also a King with a massive ego.

He had spent the entire morning genuinely believing his kingdom was about to be slaughtered. He had sprinted up a church roof to save his crying son. He had been bullied by Emperor Louis, and then threatened by Hakon.

Frankly, he was tired of being subservient... he didn’t just want to shoot the cannons and end it. No, Rudolf wanted to demonstrate his power a little first.

He wanted the Franks to thoroughly realize how utterly outmatched they were before they died.

"Bernard," Rudolf whispered to his guard captain, who was crouching in the shadows nearby with a flint and steel.

"Yes, my King?" Bernard answered quietly.

"Light the braziers," Rudolf ordered, his eyes fixed on the Frankish commander down below. "Let’s give our arrogant guests a proper view of the new Burgundy."

Bernard nodded quickly. He struck the flint.

A small spark caught the oil-soaked rags in the nearest iron brazier.

Instantly, a bright orange flame erupted into the night sky.

Then, the guards ran down the line, lighting the next torch, and the next, and the next.

Within seconds, the entire length of the southern wall was illuminated in a washing sea of bright firelight.

Down in the muddy fields, the Frankish knights entirely froze, their warhorses nervously stomping their hooves as the sudden light revealed what was waiting for them on the battlements.

"What...?" Lord Odo gasped, "What in the hell is that?"

There were no archers waiting with wooden bows... there were no men holding rocks to drop on their heads.

Instead, poking menacingly through the gaps of the parapet, were ten dark steel tubes.

They were incredibly thick, resting on iron wheels.

"Are those... battering rams?" one of the Frankish knights stammered, bewildered by the sheer size of the modern artillery.

"Lord Odo of Francia!"

King Rudolf’s booming voice shattered the tense silence of the battlefield.

"I received your King’s ultimatum!" Rudolf yelled down, gripping the stone of the parapet.

Rudolf chuckled, a dark sound that made the hairs on the back of Odo’s neck stand up.

"...you are standing in my fields, Odo!" Rudolf roared, spreading his arms wide. "And you are years behind the times!"

Even so, Odo tried to maintain his authority. He drew his broadsword, pointing it up at the King.

"You are bluffing, Rudolf!" Odo screamed,"Whatever fake iron logs you rolled onto your walls will not save you from our wrath! Men! Prepare to charge the gates!"

The 4,000 elite Frankish knights drew their swords, getting ready to spur their warhorses forward.

Up on the wall, Prince Conrad took a step back, looking at his father. "Father! They are actually going to charge!"

"Let them," Rudolf smirked, he turned to Hakon.

"You see?" Rudolf asked. "This is why I wanted to show off. They genuinely have no idea what artillery is."

"Well, your Grace..." Hakon grinned, stepping right up to the back of the largest steel cannon, which was currently packed with explosive black powder and a massive canvas bag of lethal iron grapeshot. "I think it would be impolite to let guests leave without showing proper northern hospitality."

"I agree." Rudolf nodded, taking a step back and covering his ears.

Down below, Lord Odo kicked his spurs into his white warhorse. "For Francia! Break the gates! Charge!"

The earth began to shake as four thousand heavily armored knights surged forward in a wave of steel... the roar of the charging cavalry was utterly deafening.

Hakon slowly lowered the smoking match cord toward the tiny touchhole at the back of the gun.

"Wait," Rudolf suddenly commanded, raising a single hand.

Hakon stopped. He looked at the King, highly confused. "Wait? They are charging right at us!"

"I know," Rudolf whispered, his eyes locked onto the beautiful white horse leading the charge.

The Frankish knights crossed the halfway point of the field.

"Father!" Conrad yelled, grabbing his own hair.

Rudolf smiled, "Fire!"

At that moment, Hakon’s smile vanished, replaced by a piercing stare. He dropped the glowing match, sending a spark capable of taking thousands of lives.