Sultan Malik stood watch over the land. Off in the distance, the last of the Turkish resistance was battling for independence.

Malik pondered the mistakes of the past... and the successes. How great were the triumphs, how disastrous the losses. But for certain, Malik knew all along that the only people worth trust were one's countrymen, one's family. In spite of Kaikosru's teachings, Malik could never bring himself to accept the idea of trusting men who covet your land, your wives, your resources, all behind the fake smile of diplomacy.

Kaikosru believed in an ideal... perhaps, a foolish ideal. The idea that if you show someone mercy instead of cruelty, the idea that you fight for the lives of your friends, instead of abandon them, if you should offer the hand of friendship to strangers, and trust those who return your kindnesses, the world would be a better place.

Malik never once believed such nonsense. But he stood quiet, and obeyed his commander. Loyalty, duty, and respect for his commander... Malik could take no more. When trust and kindness had failed to bring about peace and brotherhood between nations... between Muslims and the infidel... when empires were burning, and alliances were broken... when those we trusted turned against us... Malik had enough.

Kaikosru would follow in his father's footsteps, as a failure who could have been great. And now there was no more time. The enemy were at the gates, the people were being butchered, the army was gone, and our security was bought for the price of being the slaves of Roman infidels...

There was no time for Malik to achieve greatness. The war was lost, just as he ascended to the throne. He acted too late. Such hesitation, with so much at stake... cost everyone dearly.

"Coalition of Freedom... HAH!"

Coalition of Fools. Coalition of Cowards. Coalition of Weaklings. Those not brave enough to shout from the mountains their true allegiances. Those rats who hide in fear of brave and honest men.

Well, the snakes had won today. And from now on, the snakes would rule the world. Malik could not turn to the Catholics, for they were sworn enemies and traitors. Malik could not turn to his fellow Muslims, for they have allowed greed to pervert the ways of Islam. The tribes of the north were nothing, and there was no one left to challenge this rising power of darkness and treachery.

Kaikosru had his time. His ideals had a chance. The world had a chance for peace and brotherhood. There would be no more of that. Malik looked East... and saw the rise of the old ideals. The old hatreds. The old prejudices. The old ways.

In war, there are no friends. Only those who have not yet mustered the strength to assault you from the front. And invariably, they will be found wielding daggers behind you. That was the way of things... the world is cruel, after all. Only the cruelest survive.

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But Malik smiled. If one subscribes to that ideal... then one must destroy everything that is not under one's control. One can never trust anyone. This new... "Muslim Brotherhood"... founded on the very antithesis of trust and honor.

It was only a matter of time before the greediest, and most cowardly of them all, would step forward first and plant the first knife in the back of his Muslim "brother".

Perhaps they would wait until all their enemies were gone before they turned on one another. Malik sincerely doubted that they would be able to turn thier backs on one another without wondering... who would strike first.

Peace and defense... no longer exist. The once fertile crescent is now broken.

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Let the bloodbath begin.