The fires were gone, and sun was starting to rise upon the edge of the horizon and I couldn't help but feel empty, I, once again was expecting the assassination of my brother to happen well after I concentrated the systems and military might for the east; instead I'm forced to sit here on a rug before my new city.
An army was within the horizon, and despite my reservations I couldn't help but feel a small amount of respect for the Caliphate, however that doesn't erase the crime his army has committed against my people.
As such since the fires have gone out I have debated with myself on how to punish the Caliphate, and I consistently found myself to get uncharacteristically upset and angry.
Usually I'm flippant and fickle when it comes to punishments, instead the urge to draw blood often forces me to turn my attention to something else.
"A horse is getting closer" my Advisor's voice drew me out of my thoughts as I blinked once, then again as I stared ahead.
A brown stallion, golden saddle, and an aged man came forth with an entourage of others that could only be called a failure in an attempt of intimidation.
Was it bad that I was sitting first? I don't really care, even now the culture of high society eludes me.
The entourage was a mixture of warlords and aids alike, most coming forth on horses donned in armor and jewelry alike.
"Tell me, advisor, what is the worst punishment someone can give you?" I asked as I looked up at the sky.
"Ah… My Shāh… I would assume the act of cutting the man's hands off after stealing" the Adviser nodded at his own words.
"I see…" I nodded to myself as I heard the galloping stopping nearby as sand scuffed up onto the rug.
I tore my eyes away from the brightening sky and brought it down to the Caliphate's group, the man himself; Uthman Rashidun, he was a well aged man, grey hair, and a sand beaten face.
I felt myself falter in only a moment as I thought of what to do, what to say. What can I say to those that supposedly murdered my brother?
If they murdered my brother.
I still have my doubts.
"I am-" I cut the man off.
"I know who you are, I know what you are, and I know what you did" I spoke I wanted to see if he'd confess to the crime of assassinating my brother, even if he ordered it.
"You've come in the name of your god and burned my fields, you've destroyed families, and taken prisoners, as such I will give you one chance, only one for you to have the ability to walk away alive" I stood, the rug was even rougher on my bare feet.
"Release the prisoners, the land remains the same before you initiated this little invasion, and you get to walk away alive" I spoke as I stared at the man who still refused to get off his horse.
The Caliphate seemed to be furious at my offer as his eyebrows met together and I heard the sound of teeth hitting each other, his knuckles turned white as his grip tightened on the reins on his horse.
"You, seem to be confused about the situation, child. We're at the gates of your glorious city, we were moments away from removing you from your capital city, the only reason I listened to your request is because you are the brother of the Shāh, brother to may be, yet you like the mind of one"
The man spoke slowly as he gazed down on me from - quite literally - his high horse, the animal's eyes met mine and in that moment I made my decision.
The horses head turned into a gush of blood and gore as the Caliphate went down alongside the horse. His entourage gasped in both panic and shock and the horses blood staked the rug and the sand under it.
I rounded to the side of the dead horse and saw the Chaliphate's leg trapped underneath the dead horse.
"Due to your arrogance I will make history" I spoke as I stood before the shocked man, his mouth opened and closed in surprise.
"Witchcraft" he then managed to force out a single word in Arabic and I shrugged in response.
"It is what it is, but I will make history today all thanks to you, mark it, thank it, and celebrate it, for today I will destroy your Mecca, I will tear off the cloth from your heads and women, I will turn your houses of worship into ashes upon ashes, I will send the waves so high it'll drown your grandsons on the highest floors, I will poison your crops so your people will die a slow death"
I exhaled.
Anger wasn't an emotion I was good with, even in my past life, so why was I taking it out on him? On his people?
I don't know.
I don't care.
Someone must face consequences and it's simply unfortunate that it was just… them.
"And you will thank me for it" I continued on "you will celebrate today as you celebrate the birth of your saviors, you will feast in my name, with smiles, with hope… you will thank me for destroying your culture and beliefs so thoroughly that you have no choice but to flee to somewhere with the hope I do not find you" I finished my small speech as I shook my head.
"The rest of you, seven days and seven nights, upon the eighth dawn my army will march, and as we go we will do as we please, take as we please, and kill as we please, just as you have done so to us; do not hate us, for you are the one to hit first, then escalate and escalate this. Unfortunate that I am the one to end it"
My hand extended towards the Chaliphate as he stared back at me, and for some reason he didn't show any emotion "any last words?"
"Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah" then silence, it was strange to fully understand a man especially to fully understand what his prayer means.
Fire erupted from my hand, there wasn't even time for the man to scream, only where he and the horse was a shadow was burned into the sands.
"Seven days, seven nights, I will make a small suggestion, don't look back as you run" I spoke as I saw a few of the group charge forwards.
But another waves his hand, older, balder, and yet, within his eyes a rage that will not be quelled, those charging forwards ceased as I tuned them out.
"Let us go" I commanded as my adviser picked up the now bloodied rug.
Was this an effect of my Beast nature? Any and all religious action strengthens me, as such a religious war such as the Crusades would fuel my strength in such a way that words would have a difficulty describing.
The most accurate way to describe it would be myself being wood before then suddenly became steel.
So why was I just… so empty? Why did I stop being compassionate? Was it my brother? I simply cannot tell.
Too many thoughts and too many things to do.
"Adviser, I want the council before me before high noon, they have much to explain." I spoke as I walked to the gates of the repairing city.
———————
"And - and that is how it happened my Shāh" the Steward spoke as he stared out, we weren't in the streets of the market, nor were we at the foot of the water fountain.
Instead we were in the Ctesiphon, or modern day Baghdad, the palace was grandiose as it was meticulous in its presentation to the people within and outside.
"Do you know why our empire is important?" I asked as I stared at the pillow my brother sat on before this war.
"Pardon, my Shāh?" The steward asked again.
"Do you know why the Persian Empire is important?" I asked once again.
"I- I would say because we're the strongest, we hold the most land, and- and - and you, you're, you are a genius among geniuses, able to turn this war around within a day" the Steward stumbled with his words.
"No" I shook my head "the reason why our empire is so important is right here" I gestured to the floor beneath me.
"This is the same land humanity first found its steps, where Gilgamesh ruled and learned how to be a great man, where humanity learned what war, gods, and wisdom was. This is the Birthplace of Humanity"
"That is why I care about this place so much, it's so important, this area gave birth to us, and we learned what it taught us, is everything we learned today" I finished before I turned and faced him.
"The reason why I'm explaining this to you is so I'm explaining my… my anger at seeing this cities burning, it's raiding feels… feels as if someone violated me, and I came to the surprise that my brother was assassinated within the tent with all of you in it"
My eyes roamed the now squirming council members.
Oh yeah, they did it.
"I know what you did" that made them freeze as sweat appeared on their foreheads, it was surprising to see that natural reaction of sheer fear happening before you.
"My Shāh, I have no idea what your talking about!" The Marshal shouted but I only raised my hand.
"I will not hear about it anymore, for no lies shall stand in my court, no crime shall remain shadowed in my court, and my words are above gods here in my court."
I stared before them "you will be torn apart my elephants, slowly" I spoke as guards took them by the arms, protests were loud and even the thrashing yet I ignored them all the same.
Now rebuilding, it… won't be pretty.
"Adviser, how many buildings are damaged?" I asked.
"More than fifty thousand have sustained noticeable damage, also may I suggest a new council?" The Adviser asked.
"Yes… we shall recruit based on merit and skill rather than blood" I nodded.
"Very well, what shall we work on first my… you should also hold a coronation" ah, that thing.
"No" I shook my head "I will not use funds just so I can look better in front of people below me, I am… a new title is needed for me… I'm not a king, nor an emperor… I am… Višpazana"
Boundless.
"My Višpazana then" the Advisor bowed as he walked out and I, by 21st century logic was a child, now suddenly above a Hegemony rank.
"Fuck" I couldn't help but cuss in English.
———————
Things are bad, very bad, Alaya came to this conclusion when the ancestors awoke and Gaia had a complete and utter fit when the gods came back alive.
All due to one person.
Afsaneh, or rather Višpazana Afsaneh.
Boundless.
Literally calling himself so high up that not even natural law or cosmic law can effect him.
Surprised it was when Gaia supported this as the gods latched onto the man's being like parasites and started showing up again.
So now, we have ancestors and gods coming out of the woodworks and starting the second age of gods.
All counter guardians have been deployed yet are unable to do much, most are too busy putting down gods and ancestors.
Gaia mentioned Chaldea, yet time is finicky and it is quite hard to reach that far into the future.
Mayhaps another timeline?
Present it as lost-belt?
Singularity?
It'll take a lot of energy but it's doable.
It'll have to be one done with singularities yet not lost-belts.
Negative, Solomon is needed.
Gilgamesh is needed.
Heracles is needed.
Arterial Pendragon is needed.
"All of them" Gaia spoke as he stared down at the analytical Alaya.
"Huh?" Alaya blinked.
"We shall join forces to eliminate Afaneh, due to us joining power we can sustain the complete summoning of every servant in this timeline"
"We can cut off this timeline can't we?"
"No" Gaia shook its head "it is bleeding into time and space, whatever Afsaneh is, it is rewriting timelines by the millions"
"Then it is decided, with the assistance of Guardians and Chaldea, Afsaneh will - must be eliminated"
The plan was set.
Now how to contact Chaldea.