Sidratul Muntaha

Chapter 5 🌊

Bismillahi Rrahmaani Rraheem•

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu•

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Muntaha faced his group of men. They were loyal and they were brave. They were also his friends, with whom he grew up and with whom he hoped to face that inevitable battle one day. He watched them as they crowded him. Each man staring at him with love and respect in their eyes. Muntaha smiled at them.

"My warriors. Till now we stayed in the darkness. We fought under the veil. We hid our identity. But the way ahead is difficult. We will soon fight in the open. The way ahead has obstacles and you can't even dream what you might face against. King Muhammad, was a brave man, yet he couldn't face Mansoor. Can you even imagine why. The power this man have, we do not know anything about it. We may be heading towards our possible deaths and that's why I have decided to give you the chance to leave. Anyone of you can leave now and I promise I won't judge you. I wouldn't ask you to stay. You may leave this very second and never turn back or be guilty. And I promise that I will understand. But after today, your loyalty is mine and so is your life. So go now if you wish so!" Muntaha said to the group of about fifty men.

The men stared at him and then at each other. They understood what he was saying exactly and they accepted it. Two men, who were really boys still, stepped out and walked away towards the village, after shaking their leader's hands. Nobody scoffed. They had their leader's vow to keep. He had promised them no judgement and they were going to fulfil it. They both had families to look after and no other men were present in their family. The men understood why they were not fighting in the light.

Muntaha turned back towards his men. They all formed rows and turned whatever weapon they had towards the ground and watched Muntaha sincerely.

"If anyone wants to leave, then leave now!" Muntaha repeated. His men took a step ahead. He watched them intently. They watched him sincerely and banged the tips of their weapon on the ground lightly, causing a loud sound to rattle the forest around them. It was a promise by the men, a pledge of their loyalty and Muntaha had accepted it. No words were spoken. Neither were they needed.

Muntaha sat them down and begun explaining to them about the new findings and each of their role. He divided his men in smaller groups and appointed the most able men within the groups as leaders. He gave them their own set of duties.

His uncle had already called forth, his own group of men. The men so loyal that they had stayed waiting for his command since King Muhammad had fallen. They had followed him into his hiding and stayed around him in hopes of being led again. They were fierce and they were experienced. Zuhayr had sent them to contact their former allies in secret and also to call forth those men who had gone into hiding after Mansoor started his reign.

Muntaha wanted more than one group of his warriors to spy on Mansoor and the other important men in Mansoor's court, so that he could get at least a faint idea about what was going on and what Mansoor was planning. He appointed other groups to stealthily transport the people out of Jazeeb and into remote areas so that they could stay out of the area of danger. The coming months were going to bring bloodshed with them and he wanted the innocent people to stay out of it. The people who he was sure weren't supportive of Mansoor. He was sure that the other kind of people, would surely contact the king if such a step was taken and he warned his men to stay alert and contact only those who weren't Mansoor's supporters. They were also supposed to accumulate weapons and food sources in the safe houses, either by raiding Mansoor's caravans or by contacting people who could give them these things. The last group he kept with himself. This last group that he was going to lead was supposed to recruit from different places and be on the move by hiding from Mansoor's eyes.