Episode 165
After briefing the Crusaders on the events to come, I returned to Damascus, only to be taken aback by the city’s changed atmosphere.
The fall of Baghdad was indeed a shock, but I hadn’t expected the mood to be this grim.
The air was so tense that I wondered if Saladin had broken his promise and revealed my prophecy prematurely.
It felt as if the people were seething with anger.
The faith of the Ayyubid Muslims was evidently stronger than I had anticipated.
“You’re back. The Sultan is waiting for you.”
Al-Adil, who had come to meet me on the main road, looked even more intense than before.
His eyes were filled with such fury that even I flinched a little when I first saw him.
To say he was angry would be an understatement; he seemed ready to explode at any moment.
Clearly, something more was going on.
This reaction couldn’t be solely due to the fall of Baghdad.
“Did the Sultan hear about the events to come?”
“If by ‘events to come’ you mean tearing those bastards to pieces, then yes.”
“That’s a bit blunt, but not entirely wrong.”
“Apologies. I’m not in a state to choose my words carefully. The Sultan feels the same, though he may not show it, so please don’t mind.”
I nodded in response and followed Al-Adil.
As we walked, other amirs summoned by Saladin joined us, but strangely, none of them spoke to me.
They all kept their heads down, casting furtive glances at Al-Adil, and then fell back.
Unless someone was of high status, no one dared to offer even a word of comfort.
Anyone with half a brain could guess the scale of the tragedy that had befallen Al-Adil.
And if Saladin felt the same, it was even more telling.
Still, I decided to probe a little, just in case.
“I had written to the Sultan about the prophecy concerning Baghdad.”
As we approached the palace where Saladin awaited, Al-Adil’s eyes darted toward me with alarming speed.
“Did you tell His Majesty about that as well?”
“That… so it was true?”
“Yes. You knew my son would die at the hands of those wretched scoundrels?”
Of course.
It made sense that Al-Adil, a man of his stature, would be unable to maintain his composure if he had lost a child.
They must have sent troops to Baghdad, partly to test the enemy, and placed Saladin and Al-Adil’s sons in command.
The Ayyubid army, primarily cavalry, wouldn’t have engaged in direct combat, so they likely thought they could escape if things got dangerous.
Normally, that would have been true, but the ones in Baghdad were none other than Genghis Khan and his generals.
Escaping unscathed from any of them would have been nearly impossible, so their fate was likely sealed the moment they left Damascus.
I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.
I sighed deeply and shook my head.
“If the Sultan had known everything, he wouldn’t have sent his beloved nephew to the battlefield.”
“True. My brother lost his son as well. If he had known, he wouldn’t have done it.”
“It’s unfortunate. If he had truly believed my prophecy, he would have known they were merciless.”
Even if they had turned Baghdad into a wasteland and slaughtered its nobles and caliph, it wouldn’t have proven the superiority of the Mongol tactics.
Who would have guessed that these seemingly savage barbarians were also brilliant strategists?
Personally, it’s regrettable, but perhaps they needed this kind of shock.
The overall flow wouldn’t turn against us, and Al-Adil’s reaction confirmed that.
“Sigh… I understand, but I can’t help but resent my brother. If he had fully trusted what you wrote, my son might still be alive.”
“Even I was skeptical when I received the prophecy. Imagine how others felt. It sounds irresponsible, but it was a tragedy that would have been hard to avoid for anyone. If Baghdad and Rome had switched places, this disaster might have occurred in Christendom instead of the Islamic world.”
The Islamic world suffered more from the Mongols simply because they were closer to the east.
As evidence, Eastern Europe, which bordered the Mongols, was utterly devastated in history.
Al-Adil, his eyes bloodshot, quickened the pace of the procession.
After a few minutes of silent travel, the vast ceremonial grounds came into view.
It was meticulously prepared, filled with high-ranking amirs, imams, and influential merchants.
The thorough preparation indicated the immense impact of the Mongol shock therapy.
“Prophet, does this mean Saladin has decided to follow your will?”
It was clear what would happen here, even without seeing it.
Fatima, who had accompanied me for protection, seemed to realize the future as well, her expression slightly flushed as she surveyed the surroundings.
“Those fools are finally ready to accept you, Prophet… The day has finally come. By the way, what about the Crusaders? Have you already spoken with them?”
“Yes. They agreed that if Islam cooperates with me, they have no choice but to accept it. It was inevitable.”
“Then you will finally ascend, Prophet.”
“Well, that depends on what the Sultan does here.”
Just as our conversation ended, Saladin appeared to the sound of grand music.
If this were a simple ceremony, cheers and praises would have filled the grounds, but given the circumstances, the atmosphere remained solemn.
The music, too, carried a somber tone.
I followed Al-Adil up to the platform and took my place behind Saladin.
As I moved forward without hesitation, all eyes in the assembly turned toward me.
In such a sensitive situation, having a representative of the Christian side, who also claimed to be a prophet, present was bound to draw mixed reactions.
-Doesn’t that guy have any sense? Does he know where he is?
-Why did the Sultan invite someone like him?
-There’s a rumor he made some prophecy to the Sultan… Could it be?
Even without hearing the words, the emotions were palpable.
Good, good. This will make the upcoming performance all the more dramatic.
Now, let’s see how Saladin handles this stage.
“As you all know, we recently received tragic news.”
It had only been a few months since our last meeting, yet Saladin looked as if he had aged several years.
But that didn’t mean he appeared weak.
On the contrary, his eyes burned with fierce emotion, like a flame flaring up before it extinguishes.
Anyone would be enraged upon learning that their son’s body was not only lost but also desecrated by the enemy.
No one would dare provoke an old lion whose claws and teeth were still sharp.
Even the imams, who had been eyeing me with disapproval, straightened up and listened intently to Saladin’s words.
“The Mongols, who have invaded our lands, have committed atrocities in Baghdad that everyone here is aware of. To put it bluntly, all the rumors you’ve heard are true.”
”…!”
“The city of Baghdad no longer exists. While the skeleton remains, all its facilities have been burned or destroyed, and its inhabitants massacred, rendering it incapable of functioning as a city. A city that stood for 500 years as a beacon of peace has been trampled under the hooves of those barbaric madmen.”
Baghdad may not be a holy city like Mecca, Medina, or Jerusalem, but it was a city of immense stature during the Islamic Empire’s golden age.
It was revered as a repository of all the history and wisdom Islam had accumulated.
When Saladin confirmed its complete destruction, the faces of the audience, who had been in disbelief, turned grim.
“If anyone has questions, feel free to ask them now. This gathering is also to prevent the spread of false rumors.”
“Y-Your Majesty, does that mean the rumors are true?”
An amir in the front row stood up, his voice trembling.
“Is it true that the House of Wisdom was burned and all the books in Baghdad were destroyed?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Gasp!”
“How could such a thing happen!”
The room was filled with gasps of shock, as the intellectuals who understood the true value of Baghdad gathered together. This was not merely about destroying a library or burning books. The loss of the books stored in over thirty libraries in Baghdad was not just a problem for the Islamic world. It was a loss for all of human civilization, comparable to the destruction of the Library of Alexandria. An immense repository of knowledge, invaluable and beyond any monetary compensation, had been wiped from existence.
I, too, wished I could have preserved those books beforehand, but my influence did not extend to Baghdad, which was a regret I had to live with. If it had been Damascus, perhaps I could have used the Syrian Assassins to smuggle out important documents.
As this unthinkable atrocity became official, the initial confusion and dismay began to transform into anger and hatred. Saladin, in a calm yet restrained tone, continued to speak, further stoking the flames of the people’s fury.
“To save Baghdad, I also dispatched reinforcements. As everyone here knows, my second son, Usman, and my nephew, Ahwad, were in command. As Sultan, I felt it was necessary to set an example, which is why I carefully chose them for the task. However, having heard a foreboding prophecy, I warned them to avoid a full-scale battle, fearing the enemy might be too strong. Despite this, fate conspired against us, and I received news that I will regret for the rest of my life.”
Saladin naturally mentioned the prophecy, then sighed deeply and slowly turned to look at me. Following his gaze, everyone in the room turned their eyes toward me.
“How could I have believed it? If the prophecy had come from one of the renowned imams, the outcome might have been different. But it was a Christian who delivered it, and at first, I did not believe it. In fact, I desperately hoped it wasn’t true. I think anyone in my position would have felt the same.”
The word had already spread through Al-Adil that Saladin had heard something from me. Everyone was straining to hear what kind of prophecy could have elicited such a reaction from Saladin.
Finally, Saladin slowly and deliberately pulled out a parchment, sealed in several layers, from his robes for all to see.
“This is the prophecy I received from Edward Marshall long before Baghdad fell. I accepted it in the presence of my attendants and my brother Al-Adil, ensuring it was never out of my possession to prevent any forgery. Now, the time has come to reveal it to everyone. I assure you, this is the original document as I received it, and those present that day can attest to its authenticity.
I will read it as it is, without adding any personal opinion, so you may hear it with your own ears and judge for yourselves.”
With careful hands, Saladin broke the wax seal and unfolded the parchment. Taking a deep breath, he raised his voice in the most solemn tone he could muster.
“Behold. The armies of destruction that will set this world ablaze have arrived, yet Christianity and Islam continue their meaningless conflicts, unaware. They will pay the price for their ignorance.”
The greatest event to awaken the slumbering Islamic and Christian worlds had just begun.