Chapter Twelve: The Wedding
Date: The 27th of Muharram, 61 AH
Ilyas and Imran are monitoring the palace grounds, the locations of the guards and the Dark Warriors, and all the exits.
Absi is watching how the food is brought in and what dishes are being prepared, hoping to learn and claim he's mastered the art of cooking.
Sameer and Riyadh are watching from high points on Mount Qasioun and other vantage points to map the movement of soldiers and supplies.
Riyadh: Sameer, what if we fail?
Sameer: We won't be the first to fail. But Absi and Imran's lives are under my protection. I have to keep them safe.
Riyadh: What a situation to be in...
Imran and Ilyas walk around the palace area. Decorations and colorful flags fill the streets, and traditional Sham music plays everywhere. Along the way, they run into Absi.
Imran: Absi! What have you mastered so far?
Absi: Well, I've learned some dishes, but I don't think I'll ever match the skills of the Caliph's chefs.
Ilyas: It doesn't matter. You're just a tool.
Absi and Imran are both irritated by Ilyas's comment and head back home. There, they find Riyadh and Sameer preparing their weapons and gathering all the tools they need.
Riyadh: Where's Ilyas, guys?
Ilyas is standing alone, wearing his hood, gazing at the palace. His eyes show he's sensing an enemy inside. A strange, dangerous feeling lingers. He mutters to himself:
Ilyas (thinking): What's going to happen? Who are you in there?
He slips into the back alleys, murders a young man and his wife with an ordinary knife, hides their bodies, and drinks their blood to stay alive—and to strengthen and store energy for the coming enemy.
The Umayyad soldiers find the bodies. No one can identify them. They're horribly mutilated. One of the Dark Warriors sees the corpses and says:
Dark Warrior: There's a sorcerer nearby! Guard the palace well!
---
The next day, at sunset, during the wedding:
Sameer, Riyadh, Imran, Absi, and Ilyas enter the Caliph's hall dressed elegantly. The hall is filled with guests, women, servants, and the Caliph's son Khalid, who looks regal in his formal clothes.
Sameer: Your Majesty, peace be upon you. I've come from Basra at the head of a distinguished delegation from Sheikh Ali Banu Malik, bearing a gift for you.
(gestures to Absi to present it)
Caliph Yazid: Open the gift, slaves!
The gift is a golden-plated dagger. Everyone is astonished by how beautiful it is.
Yazid: Hahahaha! You haven't disappointed me, Ali. You truly are honored guests and will be treated accordingly.
Sameer: Your Majesty, the young man who presented the gift is a skilled cook, and the others beside him are his assistants. Allow them to learn in your kitchen and prepare something for you during the wedding feast.
Yazid: That's fine. Send them to the kitchen.
Imran, Absi, and Ilyas walk with the chefs toward the kitchen amidst music and celebration.
After they leave, a stunningly beautiful woman enters the hall—it's the bride, the wife-to-be of Khalid, the Caliph's son.
Yazid: Here comes our bride!
Yazid chats briefly with Riyadh and Sameer about everyday matters before sending them off with two female servants for some "hospitality."
Bride: My lord, my beloved husband, I forgot something in my room. I'll be right back.
Khalid: Go quickly. The ceremony will start soon.
Riyadh enters the room he was led to and finds four beautiful women along with the servant who brought him.
Meanwhile, Absi enters the kitchen. Imran tries to follow him, but Ilyas grabs his hand firmly.
Ilyas: Come with me. The sword is near—I can feel it.
Imran winks at Absi to signal they're leaving, and they head down another hallway.
One of the Dark Warriors watches them from afar, growing suspicious, and begins following them cautiously. Ilyas and Imran move just as cautiously.
They reach a door, fear and tension all over their faces.
Ilyas: It's here... my sword!
They open the door and enter. The Dark Warrior changes direction and heads down another corridor. Absi watches from the end of the hallway, having left the kitchen on a made-up excuse. The bride walks down the hall behind Ilyas and Imran and says:
Bride: Who are you?!
Ilyas and Imran see a window ahead and jump through it—it's not far to the ground. They escape quickly.
Absi uses his magic ability to call out telepathically to Sameer and Riyadh.
Meanwhile, Riyadh starts to get suspicious.
Riyadh (thinking): Why are there five women around me? And why does the servant who brought me seem uneasy?
He quickly draws his sword and kills the four women in the room.
Riyadh: Did you really think you'd trick me? Illusion magic, huh?!
He holds his sword to the neck of the servant, checking her reaction to see if the illusion affected her too.
Riyadh: Stay in this room—and don't make a sound.
Riyadh runs out to find Sameer, only to discover Sameer had already handled his own situation.
Absi finds them, panting:
Absi: Riyadh! Uncle Sameer! They've been discovered!!!
Sameer and Riyadh are shocked and immediately rush toward Ilyas and Imran.
---
After jumping through the window, Ilyas suddenly freezes—he can't move.
Ilyas: Wait… boy! Don't move! Stay still!
He leaps back and punches the wall they had just jumped through. It's fake. The beautiful woman—the bride—had used illusion magic!
Ilyas regains control of himself, breaks the illusion, and charges at the bride.
Ilyas (yelling): It's YOU! ISHTAR!!!!!!
He punches her in the face. The illusion breaks. Imran realizes they never jumped from the window. They're still in the same room. Ishtar had made them believe otherwise.
Imran stands frozen in disbelief.
Ilyas (shouting): IMRAN! My sword is in the chest! Hurry!
Imran rushes nervously, opens the chest—and finds the sword!
Ishtar delivers a powerful magical punch, slamming Ilyas into Imran. The sword lies next to them. Ilyas grabs it.
Ilyas: Foolish woman... Now my sword is in my hand!
He raises his sword toward Ishtar. She prepares more illusions.
To be continued...