Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 220: Battle of Kashmir Part -3

Kashmir border, captured fort in Kohala Valley, afternoon of April 22, 1557

In the cool breeze, standing atop the fort walls, a team of Bhargavian artillerymen prepared their cannons for the oncoming Ladakhi soldiers.

The air buzzed with tension as the soldiers moved with well-practiced precision, readying for the first real test of grapeshot in battle.

The gunners gathered around the imposing cannon which was mounted sturdily on wooden wheels.

Beside it lay an open ammunition crate which held the new shells to be first fired upon this battlefield. It consisted of dozens of small iron balls packed tightly together, held by a thin canvas casing shell.

These iron balls were slightly larger than a marble gleamed in the sunlight. Their surfaces were rough and unpolished.

"Load the grapeshot," Sardar Pratyush ordered with a firm voice. He observed the loading crew from a few steps back as he measured the enemies coming in range of 350 meters from their position.

The gunners worked swiftly.

One soldier lifted the heavy grapeshot shell and carefully slid it into the muzzle of the cannon with precise care. Then other one used a long ramrod to push it securely into place to ensure that it sat snug against the gunpowder charge at the bottom of the barrel.

Once the grapeshot was set, another soldier added a small priming charge to the touchhole as he carefully poured in fine gunpowder.

As they finished the loading process, the team fell back into position, ready for Pratyush’s command.

From the lookout, Bhola called out urgently, "The Ladakhi soldiers are advancing! Fire when ready!"

Sardar Pratyush raised his arm with steady focus.

"Hold," he ordered as he waited for the soldiers below to close in further.

He could see the Ladakhi troops closing in fast. Their faces set with relentless fury and weapons drawn out as if they aimed to wipe out his forces in a single sweep.

When they reached within 300 meters,

"Fire!" Pratyush bellowed, bringing his hand down in a swift motion.

The gunner on standby ignited the priming charge, and the cannon erupted with a deafening roar. Smoke and flame spewed from the muzzle as the grapeshot blasted forth, scattering tightly packed iron balls in a wide, deadly arc.

In an instant, the grapeshot burst apart, releasing a hailstorm of metallic bullets that screamed toward the oncoming Ladakhi soldiers.

The iron balls tore through the air with frightening speed and ripped through shields, flesh, and bone alike.

Each cannon roar erupted out a fresh volley of bullets. The projectiles sliced through the flesh with merciless speed. The Ladakhi soldiers who were once charging with vigor, suddenly found themselves in a storm of tearing bullets.

The soldiers barely had time to process the horror as their comrades running alongside them were flung back lifeless and riddled with wounds. In shock, they turned only to see another blast shattering their ranks, and with it, their resolve.

Their bodies got twisted mid air as iron balls punched through their torsos and limbs apart. What remained as aftermath was only gaping holes gushing out blood from lifeless corpse.

"This.. what kind of sorcery is this?"

"Move! Move!.. I don’t want to die in a place like this."

Terror swept through the remaining ranks as screams of agony filled the air.

Those who survived the initial blast turned to retreat, but another blast followed.

The cannon blasts thundered across the field, tearing through their formation wave after wave. Internal organs burst forth with the impact, painting the ground in a grim display that struck fear into the hearts of those still standing alive

"What was that?"

"Was that just from our side?"

Watching from the hilltop, the Bhargavian soldiers stood in tense silence at first. They were frozen by the grim carnage that unfolded before them.

But as they saw the Ladakhi troops falter and stagger, a wave of fierce excitement surged through the ranks.

"Yes! the enemy is retreating."

"We are winning this war! Our God is with us!"

Cheers broke out as their enemy stumbled in disarray, every blast drove the Ladakhis further back. They were badly beaten by the relentless barrage.

"Do not falter. We can still win."

"In the name of kin.."

One the Ladakhi side, the low rank commanders tried to take charge by rallying the forces to not fear the limited ammunitions. Some tried to took charge with bravery but soon that turned out to be foolish and futile as none can cross over 200 meters.

Finally, the Ladakhi forces broke completely, retreating toward their base line.

But the Bhargavians’ barrage was unstopabble. The dead only served as example to shudder the morale of those still surviving.

The hillside was littered with fallen bodies, and the once-bold advance of the Ladakhi soldiers was completely shattered, replaced by a desperate scramble for cover.

A faint smile appeared on Commander Phula Singh’s face. He didn’t expect this outcome, but now was not the time to marvel as he got the perfect opportunity he was waiting for.

It was this moment when the soldiers gathered at the base in clusters, exhausted and thinking they were now safe. Turning to Bhola, he issued the command, "Unleash the rockets."

The order spread, and the Bhargavian rocketeers quickly set to work.

Down below, Commander Ranchit Bagga was seething with anger. He was furious at how quickly the tide had turned. Nearly eight hundred of his soldiers lay dead in just attempt to reach the enemy lines.

Desperately, he tried to rally his forces for a orderly retreat, hoping to strike another time. But before he could act, he noticed something streaking through the air toward their position.

His eyes widened in horror as the rockets closed in, whizzing with an ominous sight. In that moment, he could almost feel death itself hovering toward him with unrelenting speed.

The Ladakhi soldiers braced themselves as the Bhargavian rockets streaked across the sky, trailing thick plumes of smoke before crashing down into their ranks.

The first rocket burst randomly in air with a deafening blast, sending a fiery shockwave in front of their eyes. The second landed just right beside Commander Ranchit Bagga, who managed to laugh in his final moment knowing they were doomed to fail from the very start when facing enemy with such weapons.

The metal exploded upon impact as the sharpnel exploded in all directions. In an instant, the explosion tore him apart, leaving nothing but a meat paste of flesh and blood.

More rockets descended upon the Ladakhi position, each blast shattering bodies with merciless precision.

Those closest to the explosions were torn to pieces by the shrapnel, their limbs ripped away as blades affixed to the rocket casings whirred through the air in a zigzag pattern. It was a naked dance of the Grim Reaper, moving with its scythe and claiming dozens of lives with each sweep. The deadly fragments of iron caused a sheer scale of horror and turmoil among the cluster of soldiers who had gathered.

The devastating force sent soldiers sprawling backward, some left unrecognizable amid the mangled remains of their comrades.

Fear overtook the Ladakhi forces as they realized they faced an enemy far beyond their expectations.

"Retreat! Retreat! We cannot win this."

"Run for your lives! The enemy got divine weapons."

Cries of pain and horror echoed as soldiers scrambled in a desperate attempt to retreat. Their previous courage was now overwhelmed by sheer terror they haven’t imagined. The once organised lines of Ladakhi position was now turned into a scene of total chaos where men tripped over fallen bodies. They frantically pushed one another aside in pursuit to flee from the barrage of explosions .

Even though it ended, none dared to stay and reorganize, as first the grapeshot, then the rocket fire, was too scary to face again.

On the hillside, the Bhargavian soldiers watched the scene with exhilaration, their cheers growing louder with each explosion. They had achieved what many thought would have been impossible for standing against three thousand with only seven hundred.

Pratyush couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. It was all because of the weapons given by the prince. It was thanks to their tactics and firepower, which overwhelmed the Ladakhi forces. He credited this victory in honor of the prince.

"This is all thanks to the prince. These weapons have saved our lives." His words slipped out in a low whisper, yet somehow reached the others, spreading as a shared acknowledgment. It soon spread among the ranks, and gratitude filled the soldiers.

Even though the person responsible was not there with them, it increased their loyalty towards him. After all, they had just made the history.

In the evening , at fort

The reinforcements from Bhargav samrajya arrived into the fort. The sunlight glinted off their blades and armors. Their bodies exhausted but spirits full. The fort was not large enough to hold the full size of army so most of them worked to make camp outside.

The gates swung open, and the men of high rank entered, receiving salutes. The injured were taken down on stretchers while the supplies were poured in, and the soldiers who were already present were allowed to stay and even received pats on the back for the brilliant show of valour.

General Rudra stood atop the fort wall, surveyed the scene of carnage below. His piercing gaze swept across the battlefield as he collected the report from Sardar Ajit.

He returned to the wooden chamber where Phula Singh waited, his eyes heavy with fatigue yet shining with pride. Phula stood from his bed, his only arm quivered from exhaustion, but he clenched his fist in a salute with honor.

"At ease, Faujdar. Sit down," Rudra said, patting his shoulder. Though a faint sympathy lingered for the loss of Phula’s arm. "Must have been a tough fight, wasn’t it?"

Phula Singh nodded. "One of the toughest, General. But we held them back, just as we promised we would."

Rudra’s approving gaze lingered on the older commander’s bandaged body before he signaled him to rest. "Your duty here is done. Return to base and get some rest.. You’ve earned it."

Phula Singh, though reluctant, knew his time had come to step back. With a respectful nod, he gave his final salute and walked away, his footsteps slower than they once were, but his pride intact.

As the troops settled, Pratyush approached Rudra. He looked at the general, with a question pressing on his mind. "Sir, did you know we’d win even if reinforcements arrived late? Was that why...?"

Rudra turned, with flicker of amusement crossing his eyes. "Yes Soldier, Without a doubt."