Episode MMXXXII – Refuge

On the morning of the 15th day at sea, battling first devilish wind and wave and then desultory calm and a broiling sun, all the while surrounded by bloodthirsty white watery monsters swimming round and round our ship, we espied with caution and foreboding, a smoky island, a gray land with little prospect or so it first seemed. We steered for it nonetheless. Could we do otherwise? For our fate if we remained without food and water at sea would be sealed. But, as we grew closer, we saw something that filled us with joy. We knew this island, if only by legend. Its outline against the far sky was inscribed in the most holy of sand markings, even unto solid rock. It was the Isle of the Green Visier, a place of learning and civility and constant praying, where women are fully covered so that they may not be immodest or bring dishonor to their brethren and where holy warriors are greeted with respect and honor. And, so, we hoped, we would find a refuge and support in our quest to subdue the infidel that promotes sin and depravity. It was soon enough, however, that our joy was to be crushed. (Copyright mmg 2008)

Episode MMXXX – Hunger

Four days at sea after our escape, most miraculous, from the immoral women and their immodest manner of dress and we found ourselves becalmed, sails flapping softly in the still air, and watching dark and dire shapes just below the surface slowly circling our vessel. Praying as we did to the east, four times a day, it came to us that these shapes were not water beasts but rather the lost souls of those infidels we had beheaded for not accepting the word of our great philosopher and suzerain. They had been waiting for their revenge and those harlots had prepared a ship for us and let us go, knowing what was to come when we were on the high seas. And, then, on the sixth day, just when our hunger was most intense and we were on the verge of delirium, a great number of fanged fish leapt from the sea unto our decks, thrashing and biting until the deck ran red with our blood, whereupon we bashed at them with mallets and subduing them, fell upon them in our hunger and pain, eating them whole. For days afterwards, we were violently sick and their foul taste lingered in our mouths as we began to exhaust our water supply. It seemed that the unbelievers would certainly extract their revenge. (Copyright mmg 2008)