Episode 166

Unlike Saladin’s monotonous reading, the atmosphere in the room was electric, almost chaotic.

Even with the Sultan himself speaking right in front of them, the crowd couldn’t suppress their agitation. The situation was simply too outrageous.

No matter how powerful a king might be, or how severe the threats, there are always those who will speak their minds. These were the devout, the true believers, and among them were the esteemed imams of Islam gathered here.

“Stop this madness at once!”

“How can a Sultan, no matter how dire the circumstances, defend an infidel?”

“This is blasphemy! Cease this nonsense and repent immediately!”

As expected, a group seated in the front row sprang to their feet, shouting at the top of their lungs.

I had heard beforehand that these were influential imams, recognized not only in Ayyubid but also in the Maghreb.

If my memory serves me right, some of them had even attended the previous Council of Jerusalem.

In other words, they were deeply committed to Islam, and to them, I was nothing more than a despicable fraud.

The intensity of their glares could have burned holes through me.

If looks could kill, I would have needed hundreds of lives to survive this.

Interrupting the Sultan’s speech is a grave offense, one that could easily cost them their heads, regardless of their religious standing.

As the guards rushed to restrain the imams, Saladin raised his hand to halt them.

“Enough. I understand the confusion and distress you feel. Silencing you by force would only backfire. Let’s address this directly. What exactly do you want me to stop?”

“Stop this ridiculous charade! We came here in haste, hearing that Baghdad was burning and the Caliph was in peril. We never expected to hear such absurdities.”

“Of course not. If I had disclosed the details beforehand, you would have stayed outside, merely voicing your objections. That’s why I gathered everyone here, so we could discuss this openly.”

Even when presented with irrefutable evidence, some people will cover their eyes and ears, refusing to see or hear. That’s why I needed to set the stage where they couldn’t escape before delivering the final blow.

The reason for gathering these imams, who would surely foam at the mouth in outrage, was precisely this.

“So, the Sultan believes in this charlatan’s words? Is that why you’re revealing this so-called prophecy?”

“I’ve said before, I have no personal opinion to add here. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Feel free to debate it, but don’t jump to conclusions. Listen to the end first.”

“But… but…”

“If you think it’s false, you’re welcome to refute it. I promise, once this is read, you’ll have the first opportunity to speak your mind.”

If they continue to act out after this, they’ll have no choice but to face the consequences.

Moreover, ignoring the Sultan’s words would only damage their own reputations.

Understanding this simple fact, the imams gritted their teeth and sat back down.

They likely think of me as a fraud, and naturally, they assume the prophecy is a cleverly fabricated lie.

It’s not unreasonable for them to believe they can easily debunk it.

I can hardly wait to see how their expressions change once they’ve heard it all.

If only telescopes existed in this era.

“Then, with no further objections, I’ll continue reading. Let me remind you, this is the last time I’ll be lenient. Once the prophecy is read, you’ll have ample time to voice your opinions, so please listen quietly for now.”

The room was filled with a mix of curiosity, doubt, and suspicion, all eyes focused intently on Saladin.

Perhaps Saladin anticipated such a reaction and deliberately paused to emphasize his neutrality as a mediator, not an ally.

The imams, having agreed to this confrontation, now found themselves in the ring.

But the real surprise was yet to come.

Even I couldn’t imagine a prophecy with such impact before or after this moment.

I leaned back in my chair, eyes closed, as Saladin plunged the room into a profound silence.

“Behold, your arrogance shall bring divine retribution. The Caliph will call upon all Muslims from the Maghreb to Mesopotamia for aid, yet none shall arrive.

Behold, Baghdad, the most splendid repository of knowledge. The House of Wisdom, the Mustansiriya University, the Caliph’s palace, and all hospitals will be utterly destroyed, leaving not a single stone.

The accumulated knowledge will be torn asunder, and the blood of philosophers and mathematicians will stain the Tigris red. The Caliph will meet his end, wrapped in a carpet, trampled under hooves.

The cries of violated women and the blood of men, larger than cartwheels, will cover all of Baghdad.

Without distinction between noble and lowly, the cries and blood of the world will engulf the city and spread across the earth.

The nobler the bloodline, the more horrific the death, as the wolves of the steppes dance and sing over the corpses.

The leather that once encased noble knowledge will be used as invaders’ footwear, trampling their kin, as the unprecedented disaster’s power extends from the steppes to the world.

Behold the blue wolf king surveying the world from atop his steed, with his noble horse and loyal hounds.”

As Saladin’s words continued, the faces of those listening grew increasingly rigid.

Those who initially scoffed turned pale, their mouths agape in shock.

After finishing the reading, Saladin paused, surveying the room in silence.

When no one responded, he shook his head and continued.

“Let me clarify, Edward Marshall received this prophecy during his previous visit to Damascus, before the Mongol ruler even suggested surrender to Baghdad.”

“That’s preposterous!”

“All who witnessed Marshall’s meeting at the palace can attest to this. My brother Al-Adil and several amirs present here saw it firsthand.

To prove there was no tampering with this document, I had additional seals from other amirs placed on the back of the wax seal. Anyone who wishes to verify is welcome to do so.”

As the amirs nodded in confirmation, the confusion among the people intensified.

How could such a thing be possible?

Though silent, it was clear everyone shared the same disbelief.

“Since no one else will speak, let’s ask the man himself. Marshall, when you made this prophecy, you knew precisely what calamity would befall the Caliph. How was that possible?”

“As I said before, it was because God revealed all these truths to me.”

As I calmly replied, the imams snapped back to attention, pointing fingers at me in outrage.

“Don’t be ridiculous! You fraud! Why would God reveal such things to an infidel like you? You must have just pieced together some plausible guesses.”

“Is that so? Then let me ask you directly. Is there any part of my prophecy that seems like a mere guess?”

“Well, that is…”

“The Caliph’s confidence that Muslims from the Maghreb to Mesopotamia would come to his aid was well-known. The contents of his letter to the Mongol king were already widely known. Let’s say that was just a lucky guess. And the prophecy that no reinforcements would reach Baghdad could also be dismissed as speculation.”

In truth, it was a near-certain prediction.

Saladin was poised to send reinforcements to the Caliph, and with Genghis Khan’s forces fully assembled, it was obvious those reinforcements would be crushed.

“But how do you explain the rest? I specifically mentioned the destruction of libraries and universities, even naming them. How could anyone predict that?”

“That’s barbaric…”

“Ah, you might argue that it’s typical of barbarians to destroy everything in their path. But what about the next part? The Caliph and all of Baghdad’s nobility wrapped in carpets, meeting a gruesome end under hooves… I’m sorry, it’s too tragic to continue. Who could have predicted such a specific fate? Even if the barbarians intended to harm them, who could have foreseen such a precise method?”

In fact, executing the ruling class without spilling their blood was a Mongol custom, a form of respect in their own way.

However, the Soyo forces were quickly overwhelmed, and with the Khwarazmian royalty perishing on the battlefield, this method remained unknown to both the Islamic world and Europe.

Even if they insisted it was a gesture of respect, to the Christian and Islamic worlds, it was nothing more than the victor’s mockery.

When I first presented this prophecy to Saladin, what shocked him the most was this absurd method of execution.

“Ah, no… I mean…”

“Moreover, can we, as civilized people, even imagine such barbaric acts as tearing up all the books in a library to make shoes from their leather? I must apologize in advance for what I’m about to say, Your Majesty.

Though it may be unpleasant to recall, I must mention it just once. I’ve heard that those despicable creatures wrapped the captured Ayyubid nobles in cloth and danced on them. Could anyone here have foreseen such an atrocity?”

At the mention of his son, Saladin’s hand, which had maintained a facade of calm, began to tremble.

Al-Adil, who had been quietly listening, had eyes that were now red with anger.

This part was based on the brutal punishments Subutai carried out after the Battle of Kalka River, included just in case it might happen again. To my surprise, it did.

Inadvertently, I ended up predicting the death of Saladin’s second son, leaving no room for anyone to argue.

Even the imams, who vehemently refused to accept it, were left speechless, their mouths opening and closing without a word.

The one who finally spoke was Saladin, who had promised to remain neutral.

”…But according to this prophecy, you foresaw that my son and my brother’s son would be killed so cruelly by the Mongols. Could you not have warned us?”

“I’m truly sorry, Your Majesty, but I didn’t know the person I saw in the vision was your son. I’ve never seen your son in person.”

“Perhaps God foresaw even that and entrusted you with such a prophecy. If so, it means the boy was destined for such a fate… If that’s truly the case, I can only hope God will embrace him more warmly after such a cruel destiny.”

As the Sultan’s eyes welled with tears, even the amirs and the imams, who had been fiercely opposed, were at a loss, bowing their heads.

At this point, it seemed the atmosphere had shifted in our favor.

Upon my prearranged signal, a group seated at the back stood up and shouted in unison.

“The fact that the great Apostle Marshall is God’s representative is undeniable! We will now testify to this truth!”

“Who are those people?”

“Aren’t they the ones? The apostates who almost got excommunicated for siding with the heretics at the council.”

“Indeed! We are the ones who recognized Marshall as an apostle during the council and faced threats to our lives. Why we had no choice but to do so! We will now reveal the whole truth.”

Even Saladin, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, couldn’t hide his surprise as he turned to look at me.

How could I possibly subdue those steeped in deep-seated hatred for Christianity with mere prophecy?

Waiting for someone to get back up after being knocked down is something reserved for sports with rules.

If they’ve fallen due to a lack of logic, you must ensure they can’t rise again with a decisive blow.

Mere wonder won’t make people follow blindly.

Now, it’s time to instill fear instead of awe.