Chapter 5: The Prophet’s Doom
The day Abdel ibn Zaid and his rimahniya followers left the oasis at Sarafiq, the prophet Muhmad gathered his most senior acolytes together in his private audience chamber. All the men wore face cloths over their noses and mouths so their breath would not accidentally pollute the Adaran fire that burned steadily behind the prophet. The frail old man who was Muhmad looked out upon a sea of white: white marble walls and floor, and white robed priests with white turbans and white face cloths. He looked into the eyes of these five men who had served him so faithfully over the years—and even though he knew that what he did was according to Oromasd’s great plan, still he regretted having to tell them what they must now hear.
“The time has come,” he said aloud, “fo
