You thank them for the dromedary and leave them behind. But your heart is heavy with contrition. While still within earshot, you shout to the kneeling man: – Will you be okay?!
He doesn’t respond. Worried, you stop and ride back to where he remains, rooted in the scorching sand.
What’s wrong? – you ask
Crying, he tells you:
– You seem to have such a pure soul, while ours… are burning in hell.
– Bodies burn, not souls. – you answer.
– Good point. So how does a soul suffer, then?
– Only if you allow it to. Mine is kept pristinely inside me. I never let it out to play judge or defendant.
– But we did something wrong, and I’m not sure your soul will understand.
– Try me.
– We took part in a war that isn’t ours. We revealed Theodore’s location to the emperor. Were it not for us, the insurrection might still be alive. We’re just traders, and we did what comes naturally to us: we traded his life for money. Nothing personal—just the impersonal game of survival we call life. We didn’t see a better option than sacrificing the other competitors, as long as we’re not held accountable. But justice always comes, sooner or later, and this time it has come sooner than we thought.
You realize he’s talking about the insurgent Theodore—the one who led the rebellion against Emperor Claudius. You have no part in this war either, but you know these are grim tidings for all who hoped to see the emperor’s tyranny end.
– Is Theodore dead? – you ask
– Yes, he is.
– And was it worth it?
– What?
– To sell a whole nation’s hope.
– From where I stand now, no, it wasn’t. But a few minutes ago, it was. We were rich—finally free of the shackles of endless toil. What is the judgment of your pristine soul upon us ?
– I’m a nobody, but I do have a sense of justice. And unfortunately for you, I’m the one holding the sword right now. This lawless land will deliver justice, but whether it’s by my hand or its own cruelty, I haven’t decided yet.
– It seems that, in this occasion, Allah has granted you the divine right to judge, so let His will be done through you. We are at your mercy.
Given the news you’ve received, you reconsider your previous decision and make up your mind anew. This time, you’re certain of what you must do.
***
You ride off, leaving the wounded man and his companion to fend for themselves. – go to this page
***
You get off your dromedary and mount the one guiding three others laden with gold and silver—thus abandoning the men to their well-deserved fate.– go to this page
***
You get off your animal and slay that puny man, and then put the wounded one out of his misery. Mounting the lead dromedary, you let it carry you toward safety. – go to this page
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