Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 207: Fall of Baloch Part-5

Baloch region, Macch town outside of Bolan pass , night of 15th April 1557.

The full moon bathed the mountain ranges in a radiant glow, the fierce wind howling through the night.

On a high ridge, a wooden barricaded outpost was under construction, aimed at watching the Bolan Pass and the Machh Town, which had fallen into Mughal hands just days before. This newly built post was equipped with two cannons, designed to provide artillery cover against any attacks.

Inside the camp, ten soldiers lounged, their attention fixed on a card game while only two were stationed on guard duty, keeping a watchful eye on the pass.

One Mughal soldier stood, stretching. "I’m stepping out for a moment. Don’t you dare cheat while I’m gone."

"Don’t worry; it won’t make a difference," one replied.

"You can still play. No need to make excuses for your loss."

"Better just forfeit, brother. We know you’re not going to win."

His friends laughed, their jibes lighthearted but pointed, sensing his anxiety as he prepared to leave. He sighed, feeling the pressure, and stepped away.

"Make sure you’re not spotted by the officials," one friend called after him with a teasing tone.

Ignoring the warning, the soldier moved to relieve himself. But upon returning, he was struck by horror: his comrades lay lifeless, arrows piercing their bodies, blood mingling with the dust. Hooded figures scavenged their armor, armed with bows and swords.

Paralyzed with shock, the soldier turned to flee, but two arrows struck him in the back, and he collapsed, dead before he could cry out.

The leader of the hooded attackers frowned at the fallen soldier. "How did he slip through? Are there more?" He was in charge of this small Balochi group on a mission to eliminate the Mughal presence, having approached from an unexpected angle rather than the Bolan Pass. Their familiarity with the terrain made it easy to outsmart the Mughal soldiers, although mistakes could happen.

His companions searched the area, returning with news. "It’s all clear."

The leader sighed. "This marks the last outpost we’ve taken. Signal the others."

They lit an arrow from the campfire and shot it into the air, signaling their complete control over the outpost.

As he surveyed the cannons, the leader shook his head. "It’s a shame we’re not trained to use these yet."

Back on the ground, many soldiers stationed outside noticed the fire arrow as a flare from their sixth outpost, which only meant one thing: danger. Soon, the leadership was informed.

Subedar Zahid, panicking at the news, rushed to the walls. The defenses stood only six meters high, too thin to hold back a determined assault. Fortunately, he had prepared a two-meter-deep moat around the camp, serving as a deterrent against charges, but it would not be enough. His heart sank as he observed the mass of Balochis emerging from the pass, their numbers swelling as they spread out for a frontal assault. The open fields allowed visibility for kilometers, and they could see from the Mughal camp clearly.

Panic surged among the Mughal soldiers, but Zahid’s commanding presence steadied them. "Everyone, remember, we are Mughals! Bring forth the faujdars and prepare for battle!"

The faujdar rushed to the scene, their faces reflecting their anxiety, waiting for commands. Turning to them, Zahid issued his orders. "I want all infantry positioned as the first line of defense. We’ll provide ranged support from within the walls, and the cavalry will be our trump card."

Faujdar Naseem raised a concern. "Hazur, are we taking the cannons out?"

Zahid shook his head firmly. "No, the cannons are vital for future engagements. By the time we prepare to deploy them, the enemy will be too close."

Faujdar Tausif spoke up, worry evident in his voice. "But Hazur, our soldiers will be caught in crossfire!"

Zahid’s tone grew urgent. "Do as I say! We don’t have much time."

The faujdars bowed and hurried to execute the orders, while Subedar Zahid scanned the enemy’s formation slowly taking shape before him from the wooden platform of the wall.

Malik Shahbaz POV

Near the Bolan Pass, as the Baloch forces sprang into action across the field in large numbers, Quetta chief Malik Shahbaz stood at an elevated height, scanning his soldiers as they passed through. The formation was a mix of infantry armed with swords, spears, and bows, followed by cavalry at the rear.

Soon, a young, handsome man in his mid-twenties, clad in leather armor, approached him. "I must say, I am surprised by your insight, Chief. Indeed, the Mughals were too confident and complacent in their victories. It seems it won’t take much to win over these fools."

Chief Malik turned to give him a stoic look, frowning internally. This young man was Usman Ali, the prince of the Jamot tribe, who had sent 2,000 soldiers to aid them in retaking this post in exchange for a future partnership in control. However, Malik had hoped for the chief of the Jacot tribe, known for his leadership, to join the battle. Instead, he had sent his inexperienced son to lead such a significant cause.

He advised, "Prince, we are facing the Mughals. Just because we have disabled their cannons at the pass and their fortifications are weak does not mean they are defenseless. We must remain vigilant and give this our all."

Prince Usman waved it off as he brimmed with arrogance. "Chief, you are worrying too much. Since you came to us for help, I assure you this battle will be a piece of cake."

Just then, General Sarfaraz approached. "Chief, all units are assembled. What are your commands?"

Malik replied, "I need to know how many have gathered first. Give me a detailed report."

General Sarfaraz reported, "We have a total of 2,000 soldiers from six tribes of the central plains. Besides the prince’s reinforcements, we have our own 4,000 soldiers at the forefront. In total, we have 8,000 soldiers, of which 3,000 are riders and the rest are infantry."

Prince Usman interjected, "I would like to lead my own forces. Please do not include them in the plan." Saying this, he rudely departed to take command of his troops.

Malik frowned, realizing this would mean a loss of 1,000 riders and 1,000 soldiers from his joint command. Still, it was better to have the numbers divided than risk losing them entirely. He addressed General Sarfaraz, "Prepare the riders at the front with infantry behind. We will wait to assess their position, and if they decide to play hide and seek, we will stomp them out."

The general bowed and set off to carry out the orders, while Malik anxiously eyed the Mughal camp. He had indeed put everything on the line for this battle; should they fail, it would all be over.

Commander Zahid’s POV

Ahead of the western walls facing the Bolan Pass, neat columns and rows of soldiers stood in formation, totaling 2,700 men. They were arranged in an outward square formation, comprising nine groups of 300 soldiers in front of the wall.

The three central groups were clustered together in neat row, led by their faujdar, creating a formidable first line of defense capable of handling any attack from the Baloch, no matter the angle.

Tausif controlled the right flank, Farhan led the central group, and Amin commanded the left group in front of the wall.

Mughal archers and musketeers stationed atop the walls provided ranged support, effectively covering a distance of up to 100 meters.

Subedar Zahid had devised this formation, knowing that stretching too thin to counter the vast force of the Baloch would be impractical.

Rather, he believed that a spearhead defense would be the best strategy, allowing him to command their actions effectively within the camp. All he needed to do was wait for the night to pass, as he had received word that reinforcements would arrive by dawn.

As he scanned the horizon, Zahid’s unease grew. The Baloch forces were advancing, but what troubled him more was the noticeable difference in their formation styles. To the right, a major force had rearranged itself with infantry in front and cavalry at the rear.

On the left, a relatively smaller contingent, but similar to their numbers had cavalry leading the way, with infantry marching alongside, matching their pace.

A bead of sweat trickled down Zahid’s face as he struggled to gauge the outcome of the impending conflict amidst the uncertainty of the enemy’s military presence. Little did he know that the difference in their formation was merely a reflection of the contrasting chain of command among the Baloch forces, led by Chief Malik and Prince Usman.

Soon, the horn bellowed, signaling the start of a rain of arrows from the Baloch main army. The Mughal soldiers shielded themselves like tortoises, but despite their training, a few arrows managed to penetrate their defenses, drawing the first blood.

As the rain of arrows ceased, surprisingly, it was not Malik’s army that charged but Prince Usman’s forces. The Mughal soldiers braced for impact, positioning their shields and spears at the forefront. The cavalry charged and crashed into the third group, led by Tausif.

They were abruptly halted by the shields and pierced by the spears in front. A clash ensued as they encircled the entire group to fight back. Prince Usman hoped they would break formation; if not from the charge, then at least to protect their comrades. He kept his infantry at bay to cover the cavalry , which was busy hacking at mughal soldiers’ shields.

However, the Mughals were no fools and were well-trained to handle such chaos. Despite being outnumbered, they confronted the riders with patience and discipline. The backliners provided strength to push and hold the line while the frontliners halted the pressure, occasionally launching counterattacks against the caught-off-guard riders to inflict casualties. The marksmen among them targeted the enemies with ease, while the soldiers stood in neat columns, focused on the approaching Malik’s army, paying little heed to the comrades embroiled in battle.

Prince Usman, standing at the rear, slammed his fist hard against his thighs in frustration as his plan unraveled. He could not blame Malik for staying at rear while he sent his army ahead without consulting him.

As his soldiers died and his cavalry thinned due to the smaller number of Mughal troops who were doing well with both melee and ranged attacks, a feeling of dread passed through his spine. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

He recalled the warning of Chief Malik about the Mughals being a deadly threat to their survival and decided to retreat his forces. Despite being at a loss with many hundreds of riders in brief moment of loss, there was plenty of time to fix his error since the battle had just begun and the night was long.