Chapter Seven: Basra II
Everyone wakes up except for Elias, and they head to the hall of the governor of Basra, the chief of the Banu Malik tribe, Ali. They enter the hall and find him seated on his chair, with his son Kareem by his side.
Ali: Good morning. Shall we begin?
Riyad: Let's start. We have many problems to solve.
Absi: Do you really have to talk before breakfast?
The tribe chief's wife, Asma, comes forward to greet Nazek, warmly welcoming her and taking her to a special guest room for women, while the rest begin their discussion.
Ali: Tell them, Kareem. Tell them what happened.
Kareem: Ahhh, how foolish I was. I fell in love with the daughter of the Banu Rashid tribe chief—Maryam. I was on a trade mission with our tribe's delegation when I met her. I swear I didn't do anything! You have to believe me. Suddenly, three strange men were watching us, and then armed men from their tribe surrounded us.
They accused me of dishonoring her, but I denied it. They drew their swords, and I ran away.
I think it was all a setup!
Riyad: You left the woman behind?!
Kareem: Her brother was with them. She's safe.
Samir: Do we have any chance of resolving this peacefully, Ali?
Ali: I don't think so. They killed three members of our delegation, and we killed five in retaliation.
There are conflicting reports that they raided one of our villages in eastern Hijaz.
Samir: Then we are in a very bad position. What about Yazid (the Umayyad Caliph)?
Ali: So far, he hasn't made any official decision. But he sides with Banu Rashid, and has dispatched the Dark Warriors toward us in particular, leaving many of the other tribe's sorcerers alone.
Imran: Where did the rest of our sorcerer allies go?
A man enters the hall and answers Imran's question:
Stranger: The Dark Warriors made deals with them—either leave our side and survive, or be hunted.
Ali: Let me introduce Rami, my deputy and political advisor.
Kareem: By the way, where is your "friend" Elias?
Samir: He's not our friend. Imran, Absi—go check on him.
Imran and Absi head to the room where Elias is sleeping. They enter to find him sweating and appearing as though trapped in a nightmare.
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[Dream Scene]
Elias holds his sword and stares at the sky. Arrows rain down heavily.
A sorcerer charges at him—Elias slashes him down and rushes toward the next opponent. Suddenly, the ground collapses beneath him.
He leaps out, only to be attacked by a mysterious woman—her face obscured.
Who is she?!
She knocks him back with incredible strength—far beyond his own.
The battlefield turns crimson and begins to burn violently.
Elias panics as flames surround him.
He screams—
---
Elias suddenly wakes up, screaming!
Imran and Absi both scream in shock.
Absi & Imran: WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!
Elias breathes heavily: "It's in Damascus… It's in Damascus!"
Imran: What do you mean? Who?
Elias: My sword… It's in Damascus!
[End of Chapter Seven]