Ummatul Iman: Nation of Faith

Sha'ban 4th, 1663

I stood holding a torch for my slave master in the small room. He and his associates were busy in planning their attack of retaliation on the nearby Muslims after the devastating night raid they'd committed a few nights ago. The failure of the Cross Defense Force delegates to show up by sunset the previous day gave my slave master, Juan Gutierrez all the freedom he wanted to plan and carry out his own crusade in the nearby lands. And plan he did.

It was just before the break of dawn, and he was busy in plotting along with a small band of his close trustees. Holding the highest rank among the city officials, Juan faced no opposition in his planning. We had been in this dark room for hours, as he and his men schemed away. A few of the other slaves and myself were called in to hold torches for better lighting while some were holding up the large map of the nearest nations the men used for their planning.

Juan seemed to have an insatiable thirst for blood, sometimes even worrying his comrades. He was proposing attacks which seemed to have no purpose other than the bloody slaughter of our Muslim neighbors. Neither vengeance nor tactical grounds would be gained by the attacks on one of the small villages he suggested sending troops to. Still, it was his crusade, and everyone else was just playing along with it.

As I watched in distaste, I could hear the winds outside the dark hut pick up. It was a chilly night, and I was longing for the rising of the sun. Even being so close to the fire of the torch, I felt like my arms would freeze off and drop to the ground. Distracted in my thoughts, I did not hear the constant callings of my slave master until he was just about ready to hit me.

"Jacque, if you daze off again I will have you hanged and whipped, in that order," I heard him say. I snapped out of my daze and turned towards him.

"My apologies sir, the cold has been messing with my mind," I offered up, hoping to avoid another beating for my excuses. "Please sir, what was it you commanded me?"

"Get the damn door idiota!"

Nearly shaking, I walked over towards the door. I checked through the sliding lock to see standing there three men dressed in white. With silver armor covering their shins, chests, and forearms, the men appeared to be soldiers. Even in the darkness of night, I could see the blonde hair on their heads and the red capes draping down their backs, as well as the straight swords at their sides. "They appear to be soldiers," I said to my slave master.

"Soldiers? Hm, must be from the Cross. Let them in."

I opened the door and the three men breezed right past me with stern looks on their pale faces. The large golden crosses on the backs of their capes affirmed it; they were soldiers from The Cross Defense Force. Based off their white skin and blond hair, I knew for sure their ancestry was from the scattered Christian groups in the eastern lands. No doubt about it, these were the three delegates we'd been waiting on. They immediately walked over to Juan and began discussing the events of the previous week with him.

As I moved to shut the door, I noticed two more figures in the distance heading my way. "Excuse me good sirs, are these two men with you?" I asked.

"We know of no one else joining our party," one of the men quickly offered before turning back to his discussion with Juan. I shut the door but before I could slide the lock back, there was a knock at the door. With a sigh, Juan motioned for me to open the door. I opened the door and my heart nearly skipped a beat.

A burly man of tall stature, broad shoulders, and tanned brown skin stood before me. Dressed in a tattered, chestnut colored shirt over light brown pants, the man gave the appearance of a simple peasant. His long black hair, reaching to his shoulders, coupled with his thick brown beard gave the appearance of a majestic mane. When I spotted a mighty ax hung in a sling from the man's belt I knew who he was. I couldn't believe it, but had to be him.

El Leon de España, I thought to myself, gazing up and down the amazing man. I'd heard legends of him, indeed, I knew all about him. But this was the first time I had ever seen him in person. At least, since he became Spain's guardian Lion. Before becoming the fierce warrior now standing before me, Gabriel Guerrero was a simple slave like me. His slave master was a vicious man, even more bloodthirsty than Juan. He acquired Gabriel as a small child after slaying his mother and father in a tribal war. Gabriel grew up knowing only slavery and servitude, never seeking honor or glory, or any goal for that matter. Gabriel was as hopeless and destitute as any man could be.

That is, until one night he came to learn that his master would be surrendering the entire town to invading Kwaadi forces for a small price. Seeing his master for the cowardly snake he was Gabriel confronted him. A fight ensued and Gabriel gained the upper hand, eventually slaying his master and avenging his parents in the process. When the authorities came after him, Gabriel hid out in a nearby church. Even though he hadn't been a religious man before, Gabriel called out to God to save and protect him, promising that he would then devote himself to the worship of God alone and to a life of righteousness.

Within the church, Gabriel spotted a discarded ax from some drunken soldiers. He believed the ax to be a sign from God, a sign that his destiny was to fight, to be a defender of the weak and thus earn God's Grace. He accepted this and took hold of the ax, going headlong into a battle with the city guards who greatly outnumbered him and held the advantage of experience. Miraculously, he not only survived the fiasco, but emerged victorious.

This strengthened his faith in God, his faith in his purpose. He sought to gather up a small army to face the oncoming Kwaadi force, but tribal disputes left him unassisted in his mission. Still, Gabriel was determined to honor his promise to God, even if it meant marching to his death. So armed with only an ax and strong will Gabriel set out to meet the oncoming army. Amazingly, he was able to ward off the small force single-handedly. This caught the attention of the nearby towns, which quickly rallied behind this miracle slave.

Now with a rag tag band of villagers and a few armed guards from other villages, Gabriel met with the Kwaadi army again and pushed them further back into the lands. Growing braver, he led assaults on several Kwaadi army camps throughout the land of Spain. Instead of fighting for his own village as was the norm, Gabriel fought to defend the entire nation from the evils of Kwaade. His morals would not allow him to leave the lands to the godless laws of Kwaade. His courage, fierceness in battle, and outstanding morals made him a hero to all of Spain; thus he became known as The Lion of Spain, a man whom many believed was a guardian sent from God.

Now he stood before me, the same passion for righteousness burning in his eyes. Whatever he was here for, I was not about to stand in his way. I moved aside, allowing him to step inside. Right behind him stood a younger man, wielding a bo-staff taller than himself. He was covered in clothing unfamiliar to this land. He wore black pants and a long brown robe with slits at the side. Tied around his waist was a dark brown sash whose two loose ends hung down on his right side. He wore a large dark brown turban on his head, with a part of it wrapped down around the bottom half of his face, and parts of it draped around his neck and shoulders. I could see his hazel eyes through the opening, but his intentions and emotions were a mystery to me.

As the two men passed me by, I closed the door and walked back over to the group, where the conversation had now turned to argument. "You dare to bring one of them in here?" Juan questioned Gabriel. "We are at war with these unholy heathens and you bring one to our war meeting? I will cut him down this moment!" Juan signaled for one of his other slaves to bring him a weapon but Gabriel quickly stepped forward with his arms crossed.

"You will not harm a peacemaker," he spoke in a stern voice. "Should anyone move to harm him, I will personally see to it they are never able to move again."

Juan stood indecisively. He knew he didn't stand a chance against Gabriel. Still, he didn't want to look like a coward in his own war room. He gritted his teeth and signed for the weapon to be put down. "Leon o no Leon, you had better have a good reason for such treachery."

"As I said, he is not an enemy. This man is one with similar goals as myself, wishing only to see that good be done in the lands. This is Ishaq-"

"The Wandering Fox," one of the C.D.F men cut in. The entire room gasped in astonishment. Juan's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment I could have sworn I'd seen a flicker of fear flash in his eyes. There would be good reason for him to be fearful. I'd heard legends of this Wandering Fox. I had thought he was merely a myth created by the Muslims to give them something to believe similar to our Lion.

I knew very little of his tale, as was the case with many others. From what I was told, he was an orphan, his mother having died giving birth to him and his father and siblings were casualties in a war. Where and how he lived was a mystery. But according to all the stories, he's been travelling throughout the many scattered nations ever since he was a young boy. Dressed in his trademark brown clothing, he was a target in all Non-Muslim lands. But he was sneaky and elusive, always gaining the upper hand no matter the circumstances. His cleverness and small frame had some people calling him the little Fox. As tales of his travels reached numerous lands, he became known as the Wandering Fox. It is unknown where, or if for that matter, he received training, but they say his skill and wit in combat parallels some of the great generals of the past. I didn't know if that much was true, but I could see Juan didn't want to risk it.

"I've heard about you," the man continued. "Tell me, what are you doing here?"

"He's here to spy for his people," Juan spoke, still seeking to antagonize Ishaq.

"Don't be a fool," the C.D.F man reprimanded Juan. "He doesn't belong to any one people. He's called the Wandering Fox for a reason."

Juan gave no reply.

"I am here because I see the godless Kwaadi people prevailing against the believers of God," Ishaq finally spoke. "And now it appears as though the only remaining believers in God are going to fight each other instead of fighting their greater enemy, Kwaade."

"So I've heard," the man replied. "And yet I see the Wandering Fox and the Lion of Spain associating with one another, so all cannot be as it seems."

"No senor it is not," Gabriel humbly spoke. "As you know I would lay my life down for The Cross and my fellow believers. I would not take an action unless I felt it beneficial to the people. So if you wonder about my association with this man after the attacks upon our people, it is because I have come to know the attack was a deceit. It was a devious ploy by the Ikeqi peoples who have now allied themselves with Kwaade."

The Ikeqi, I knew of them. They resided in a region near the Nile. They were composed of two tribes as far as I knew. The higher class were of a fairer skin shade, having come from the north. They lived in lofty castles surrounded by fertile gardens nearest to the river. The lower class were more similar to their Muslim neighbors in that they lived in small villages and spent their days working beneath the hot desert sun. The lower class Ikeqis were once their own separate tribe, called the Nefarians. They were once Kwaade-loyalists, even though they appeared more similar in clothing and culture to the Muslims. Still, they were Kwaade-loyalists until the true Ikeqis from the North came in and subdued them in order to take advantage of one of the few sources of water in the region. After subduing the once-Kwaadi tribes, the Ikeqi assimilated them to their own small nation, hoping to build a stake of their own in the land. They signed a peace pact with the local Muslim villages to ensure their safety and agreed to combat any Kwaadi aggression that threatened themselves or the Muslims. The relation between the Ikeqi and the Muslims was fairly well for the time it lasted, so it truly is a surprise to hear that the Ikeqi are now allied with Kwaade.

"The Ikeqi?" the C.D.F man pondered, stroking is curled mustache.

"Indeed," Gabriel continued. "It struck me as odd as well, but a closer examination of the men we captured proved it; the atrocities of the night raid were purported by the Ikeqi. We have concluded it is a simple tactic of divide and conquer. If the Christians and Muslims return to fighting one another like the wars of the past, we will most certainly be easier targets for Kwaade and his men."

"You are correct. And having myself travelled through the nearest Muslim lands on my journey here, I detected no enmity from the people, nor any sign of hostilities towards the people here."

"Yes, I believe as Ishaq has said, they wish only to see Kwaade's grip in the region loosened, whether it is by them or by us."

"Understandable, this is our wish as well. So what then do you suggest?"

"You are a senior official and you ask me of my opinion in the matter?"

"Yes, the great Lion of Spain deserves to be heard and honored by the Cross and the people he fights so hard to defend. So tell me Senor Guerrero, what is your proposal here?"

"I say, por que no las dos? Why not the both? Were we to form an alliance between the people, it would be of mutual benefit. And there would be none to oppress the other as both would have a hand in freeing the region of the evils off Kwaade."

"Indeed."

"And what say you of this matter O Wandering Fox?"

Ishaq turned towards the C.D.F man, and the look in his eyes made his thoughts a mystery. His eyes then shifted to Juan. "So long as the hateful hearts of men like this are kept in charge, there will be bloodshed between the two. But if honor and leadership are given to those deserving of it, there most certainly is a chance for peace and unity. If we are able to remove Kwaade through a combined effort, then I would be the first to raise arms. You have my support."

"Excellent. And what of you Captain Croiser?" The man spoke to one of his companions. "And you Captain Ylittää?"

"In the past the people of my land lived side by side with the Muslims," Captain Croiser, a thin, pale man spoke in a French accent. "I see no harm in allying ourselves with them now for the sake of victory over Kwaade."

"I agree," Captain Ylittaa spoke in a nasally tone.

"There we have it then, God Wills it," the first man spoke.

"What of my say," Juan spoke, clearly irritated at the blatant lack of respect for his opinion. "I am Juan Gutiérrez, head of the Madrid city council. We are the foremost of the cities in Spain, and the largest Christian territory. If we agree to a thing, the others will eventually follow suit. Likewise if we reject a thing, so too will they. You would do wise to hear my voice."

"We know who you are," the man replied. "And we know what you do."

"Then why have you given precedence to this desert dweller above me? Am I not your Christian brother?"

"Yes, you share the same faith as us, but this man shares the same morals and that is something you have been known to be lacking in."

"How dare yo-"

"Let me ask you," the man said, cutting Juan off. "Do you know who I am?"

"N-no," Juan said, shamefully lowering his head.

"What a pathetic city head you are then. I am General John White III of the Cross Defense Force. I am infinitely your superior in rank, and by my judgment all the other men of this room are as well. I know of your extreme bloodlust and greed. Were it not that it would cause dissent among our Christian brethren, I would have you slain at sunrise. You speak highly of yourself and this city as if all others are beneath you and follow in your lead. You show no humility and are undeserving of leadership. You are a cruel bully among the people and behave very unChrist-like. In fact, it is for that reason that I am assigning you the task of rebuilding the alliance with the nearest cities. You will go to them and submit yourself to whatever request they make, in order that they might align themselves with the people of Madrid. With a complete unified Christian force from Spain and the aide of the Muslim nations east and south, we might finally be able to expel Kwaade from the lands for good."

"And just what guarantees the help of the Muslims?" I asked, not even thinking. Juan shot me a deadly glare and I immediately caught what I had just done. "M-My apologies sir, I spoke out of term, please forgive me."

"Nonsense," General White replied. "That is an excellent question. The Cross is willing to fight alongside the Muslims, but are they willing to unite with us for this? We must send envoys to the nearest lands and seek their support. I would send my two captains, but I have brought them here so that we can give professional training to the ragtag army of this town. With backup coming from the other towns, I will definitely need my two captains to assist in training and preparing these men for full-scale war."

"Then send me," Gabriel suggested. "Allow me to go and meet with them. You said it would be the will of God for us to unite with them. It is my earnest desire to please God, and so if I can strike an agreement between us and them, it will be an honor."

"This is not the task for one man, it would take too much time go to the east and to the south. You would travel by land and by sea, to do both for both places will take nearly 3 months."

"I will go," Ishaq volunteered. "I will travel to the eastern islands. I've recently travelled from one of them anyways and can easily find my way back."

"I can't send you alon-" the General began.

"I'm not asking you to send me. I am going." Ishaq's eyes held a sharp stare in them as he eyed the General down.

"Very well then," the General sighed. "You are not under my command anyways. If you are travelling east, your journey will take just under a month to arrive."

"I can make it there in under 3 weeks."

"Ok, I will not question you on that, but we need to make an estimate of the time both journeys can be completed. I assume your journey will also be a matter of weeks," General White said to Gabriel. Gabriel nodded in agreement. "Very well then, if you are both successful in your meetings, and Juan also gains the support of the neighbors, we should have things set within 1 month. 2 months should be your return and by the half of that we should be on course for war. I am going to pen a letter for the leaders you are going to. Deliver them to the rulers with the utmost respect and express to them the urgency of the situation. Hopefully we can win them all over and have a plan soon. I will send you tonight under the veil of night so that you may go unnoticed by any travelling enemies. You should go and ready yourselves for departure."

"I will depart within an hour," Ishaq spoke determinedly. "I have no preparations to make, I merely need to pray my morning prayers and I am ready to set out."

"Why so hasty?" General White asked. "I've yet to even write the letters you need to deliver."

"Mankind is in Loss, and we do not dictate time rather time dictates our lives. We must make haste to do good while we are still able to, lest we be of the Losers before God."

"Very well then, I agree. Are you in agreement Gabriel?"

"I certainly see the value of time and the wisdom with which you speak. I however have a family whom I must prepare for my absence. If it is alright with you General White, I will leave after sunset."

"I am pleased with the decision of you both. I will get to work on the letters immediately and you are free to depart as you wish. Return here to pick up the letters shortly. For now, you are dismissed."

"Yes," Juan said pointing to the exit. "Get out of my presence and take the desert dweller with you,"

Gabriel and Ishaq turned and exited the room. I stood in my place, not sure if I should have opened the door as a courtesy or remained in place so as not to further upset Juan. I turned to him and I could see his cold stare piercing through the walls. I knew not what he thought of, but I felt uneasy about it all together. His hatred was worrisome, and I knew harsh words was not the end of his aggressions...