Finding the light

Cassim's Answer and Solomon's Wisdom

I scanned the crowd for any sign of Cassim and his group, now that I knew they were making their move.

' Where are they?'

Finally, Cassim and his followers emerged and the crowd made room for them. The plaza grew silent as Cassim's group approached the palace. Alibaba glared down at his former friend, who returned the look. A man walked up to Cassim, stopping him in his tracks, and explained the situation. Cassim looked at the crowd in thought before continuing towards the palace.

" I hear that Balbadd's become a republic. Meaning that all the riches of this country, which once belonged to the king, will be divided equally among us: the people of Balbadd." Cassim exclaimed in what seemed to be joy. 

Alibaba perked up at the sight of his former friend smiling.

' I wouldn't get your hopes up, Alibaba.' 

But, as I expected, Cassim's expression soon changed. 

" But isn't that actually a scam? You'll distribute it to us? All that this country owns was built by our, the people's, blood and sweat...it was ours from the beginning!" He yelled.

Cassim turned to address the crowd. " And who was it that depleted it with inept policies... and is now trying to make us pay for it?" He asked. " You remember, don't you? Those days when they plucked everything we had with heavy taxes! The parents and siblings who starved to death... The dead aren't coming back, you know!" 

The people looked down, pained by the memories of their lost loved ones. 

" If the monarchy goes away, does that mean that the sins of the royals will also disappear? No way are they gonna disappear!" Cassim pointed his fog blade at the balcony where we stood. " Those damned royals are the enemy that we should wipe out, after all!"

Alibaba was shocked at Cassim's accusation, especially when the crowd started to mumble in agreement. But I noticed a strange pink fog drift through the crowd. I looked for the members of Cassim's faction and saw that a woman had activated her fog blade. 

" Come on! Now's the time for us to make a stand!" Cassim yelled. " Let's execute the royals, the aristocrats, the National Army...the ones who ravaged our country!" 

" Yeeaahh!"

" Kill them all!" Cassim told the crowd. " Not just the people from the palace, but the city aristocrats, and the ruling clans as well!" 

The people of Balbadd ran forward, trying to force their way further into the palace.

Morgiana jumped up to our balcony and said. " This is bad! There's a terrible brawl breaking out outside the palace, too!"

" Dammit!" Sinbad exclaimed. " What the hell is going on?"

" It's one of Cassim's followers." 

Everyone on the balcony turned to look at me. 

" The fog produced by her blade alters a person's mind. She is using it to amplify the thoughts that Cassim put in their heads during his speech." I explained. " But there is also another presence that I cannot place which might be helping them."

Screams rang out from the plaza and we looked to see the guards being slaughtered by the crowd.

" Deputy king, please order the army to launch a full attack. Our opponents may be civilians, but we're at war now." Balkak said. " The plaza and the city are littered with casualties. Please decide!"

Sahbmad stuttered for a bit before asking " What should we do, Alibaba?"

Alibaba turned from the balcony edge and replied. " Could half of the army head to the main gates, and hold off the invading rebel citizens?" He asked. "The rest of you, try to suppress the people who've already invaded the palace. Big Brother and the others, as well as the injured, should evacuate to the main wing. I'll go meet the leader of the enemy. I'll be the one to stop Cassim."