Free The Ophir by Irene Patino Page B

on the far side of the island,
traipse across inhospitable terrain, march through the Cilician
Gates and bring news and goods from a greater world than
suspected.
    Word would also be taken back to foreign
lands of the riches sequestered on the island. Those riches would
change hands many times during the exchange of services between the
Ophir and original inhabitants of Cilicia, although few in number.
The exchange was lucrative, and recognized by all rulers, until
John of Lusignan, titular Prince of Antioch, was crowned king.
    Internal strife within the walls of Cilicia
created dissension. Its political structure collapsed leaving it
prey for the Egyptian Mamelukes. The relationship was at an end.
Captain Antonio pulled anchor and laid a course to northern
waters.
    Where was I, one might ask? I’ll tell you. I
stayed sequestered in my cabin during these heated times. As a
joke, Captain Antonio had the pickle barrel delivered to my
quarters. Humorous as he might have believed it to be, it saved me
more than once and would again before my life would take an
inevitable turn.
     

 
    Chapter
Nine
     
    From the time that the Ophir left the waters
of the Greek island of Cilicia Trachea, the world picked up pace.
Politics changed direction as often as a tornado meandered. Warrior
countries battled warrior countries. The seas increased in traffic.
News came through the blood coursing the veins of strong and weak
sailors alike.
    The One travelled the world in search of
Kadar Nazim to deliver his promised revenge. He avoided the long
arm of The Old Man of the Mountain by accomplishing a feat that
Nazim didn’t foresee in time to block the escape to foreign lands.
Even if given a chance by Jehovah himself, The One would never
consider truce.
    Nazim, called to God’s side to answer for his
transgressions, followed the bloody trail my master left behind but
kept his distance. In his heart, Nazim wanted to follow God’s
edict, but he struggled with the shards of man’s ego that festered
within.
    * * * *
    Circa 632 A.D., Nazim ascended. His most
devoted followers would be at his side to witness the ascension. He
repeated his vow to return to the Islamic faithful, just as he’d
vowed to exact final retribution from The One two short years
before.
    In our determination to escape assassination,
The One never lingered in any one spot long enough for the news of
Nazim’s death to reach us. Had it done so, it might have afforded
us some small reprieve and changed the course of history.
    Nazim’s detractors whispered rumors that he
had died at the hands of his “most favored wife.”
    “I heard she was a Hashasheen.”
    “Ironic. A trained Hashasheen no less.”
    “Why is that ironic?”
    “Any fool would know that if she had been
Hashasheen, Nazim would have known. Was it not his cousin that gave
birth to their existence in Alamut? Was he not one of the original
trainers in the art of assassination?” The controversial discussion
continued around campfires late into the night.
    Some laughed when it was said that he died of
natural causes, for they knew that there was nothing natural about
Nazim, last prophet of God. In that year the Sunnis and Shi’ites
split loyalties but continued rebellion.
    Reborn into a Christian family, which
provided support and honest morals, he became a man of importance
and earned respect among the members of his community. Following in
the steps of Mohammed, his prophetic teachings brought change
through politics. They taught religious principles and would have a
lasting effect on the history of the world. He corrected his many
failings from his time on earth as the prophet Nazim. Even so, he
was less than innocent, and he would pay for his transgressions
    There would be a last judgment for both Nazim
and the Lamia Master.
     

 
    Chapter
Ten
     
    In the beginning was The Word, and The
Word was with God. And The Word was God . And The Word resonated
within the heart of Nazim the Prophet. The Word