The Ones Who Remain
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The Ones Who Remain was a virtual representation of one of Basim ibn Ishaq's genetic memories relived through the Animus.[1]
Description
Having just arrived in Al-Ula, Basim decides to look for his father Ishaq's name among the graves in the local cemetery.
Dialogue
The very next day, after a fair rest, asim sets off to the cementery to confirm if his father is truly dead or not. On his way, he takes a moment to sightseeing the camp and its surroundings.
- Basim: Truly, AlUla is a land of the rarest beauty.
Dervis calls out to him just as he arrives to the cementery.
- Dervis: Basim, over here! I hope you are well-rested...
- Basim: It was a fitful night. Sleep did not come easily.
- Dervis: (sighs)
Dervis shows his support by patting the arm of his friend. They both get mentally ready to find clues.
- Basim: The moment of truth. Ishaq ibn Khalid... Let us look for a grave bearing his name.
- Dervis: If he is here, our quest is done... And if he is not, there is still hope.
They both inspect every tombstone, hoping not to see the name of Basim's father carved on it.
- Basim: Jareer ibn Sulaym... this is not my father's final resting place.
As they inspect the tombs, they talk with eachother about the past.
- Basim: Do you recall the day my father was exiled?
- Dervis: Your father was a good man, but also a proud one. When he was exiled, the burden of his shame was more than he could bear.
- Basim: So ashamed that he abandoned me?
Basim inspects the next tomb.
- Basim: Rashid Al-Asadi... We must keep searching.
Basim's mind still delves about the past.
- Basim: The day my father left me with you... That moment has stayed with me ever since.
- Dervis: Of all the children who have come under my care... You were silent at first, but the pain in your eyes said enough.
- Basim: You have been a father to so many of us orphans...Yet the horror that befell Jasib and the others...
- Dervis: They are gone from this world, Basim, but not from our hearts.
Basim inspects other tomb. With no results, the decide to separate and inspect other places of the cementery.
- Basim: I will examine the graves to the north. You, in the meantime, continue scouring the other burial grounds.
Basim inspects another tomb. Again, it was not of his father.
- Basim: Mansoor Al-Kilabi... Not my father. A lifetime of hopes and fears, victories and defeats... reduced to a name etched on crumbling stone. It feels so... insubstantial.
- Dervis: Our bodies are insubstantial. The soul is what matters. You can threaten a man, plunder his goods, torture his flesh, even take his life. But his soul is his own... no one can seize that.
- Basim: There is no sign of him here.
An anxious Enkidu perches on a tombstone, scaring a woman who appeared to be mourning the person buried there.
- Hind: (gasp)
Basim, worried that his friend might be troubling the woman, abandons his quest momentarily to lend aid.
- Basim: My apologies, is Enkidu troubling you? This is not the way he usually acts.
- Hind: He startled me, but I see now he means no disrespect to my late husband.
- Basim: I am sorry for your loss. What is your name?
- Hind: I am Hind.
- Basim: And I am Basim... Tell me, Hind, how long have you been here?
- Hind: I... I do not know. Time has no meaning anymore.
- Basim: You must be exhausted. Allow me to escort you to your home.
- Hind: You are very kind.
- Dervis: I shall seek word of your father. If you need me, I'll be back at the tent.
Basim accompanies the woman back to her home.
- Basim: Forgive me if I am being too forward, but I assume your husband's passing was recent?
- Hind: He has been gone three days... though he had been ill for a long time. He often suffered chest pains this past year.
- Basim: Do you have children?
- Hind: Two boys, both still young. My husband has left enough wealth to care for us until the boys are old enough to make their own way.
- Basim: Your sons are waiting for you at home?
- Hind: They are staying with relatives... I am not the company they deserve right now.
- Basim: Your grief carries no shame, Hind... I too tasted its bitterness when I was a child and lost the people I cherished most.
- Hind: Your parents?
- Basim: My mother died young, and my father... It is complicated.
- Hind: I am sorry.
- Basim: Still, I was fortunate to find another family... in a manner of speaking.
- Hind: The heavier man at the cemetery?
- Basim: Heavier man? Do not let him hear you say that.
- Hind: My husband grew heavy later in life... You might ask your friend if he suffers from chest pains and heart flutters.
- Basim: I doubt he would appreciate the thought. In his mind, he remains in his prime, though his body says otherwise.
- Hind: Then he is a typical man.
Both reach a small rural place, settled north of the cementery.
- Hind: We are nearly there. See, that is my home. And beside it, my husband's warehouse...
Hind stops talking the moment her gaze sees a symbol of bad omens: an black x-shaped vulture.
- Hind: That... that mark. They are here.
- Basim: Who?
- Hind: They... they came for my husband's valuables.
- Basim: Robbers, then?
- Hind: In the warehouse, you will find a small wooden case. It holds my beloved husband's portrait. I beg you, retrieve it for me, but do not endanger your life for anything else.
The warehouses have been invaded by robbers, ensuring no one else enters the place. When infiltrated by the west side, he stomps upon a note written by Hind's late husband.
Soon to Return
He then gets closer to the Hind's husband's warehouse, safekeeping the wooden case. In the entrance, another note, this time written by the bandits.
To Those Who Find It
- Gold will make a fine tribute to our masters. Strike swift, take the wagons unaware, and they will see favor in us.
Just close to the warehouse, a couple of bandits were torturing a poor servant.
- Robber: Useless she-worm! Tears earn no mercy!
- Robber: Leave me in peace!
- Robber: Keep away from me!
- Robber: Quiet, you miserable fool! Cease your wailing!
- Robber: Wild brutes! Do not touch me!
- Robber: Help! Someone help me!
- Robber: Die, wench!
Basim eliminates the robbers just in time and helps the servant.
- Basim: Are you hurt?
- Servant: I am fine, thanks to you. I owe you my life. I will not forget it. Perhaps it is time I found another role in life... Something a bit safer.
The servant leaves the warehouse silently as Basim manages to enter the warehouse.
- Basim: Hind will be relieved when I return this to her.
After successfully retrieving the case, he leaves the warehouse and meets with Hind once more.
- Hind: Basim! Over here!
- Hind: Basim, I am relieved you managed to get out of there.
- Basim: I believe this is yours.
- Hind: Thank you. Though it is nothing compared to what these criminals have stolen from many others all across AlUla.
- Basim: Tell me more about them? "These criminals?"
- Hind: There has always been lawlessness here, drawn by the caravan wealth. Yet recently, that lawlessness grows more united. Now they strike wherever they please. Sometimes the Caliph's men intervene, but it never ends well for them. For that reason, few dare to act now... the rest are too faint of heart.
- Basim: You should not stay here. The robbers might come back.
- Hind: You are right, they usually do not leave witnesses alive... Please, Basim, take me somewhere safe.
- Basim: Where is safe?
- Hind: Nimlot's house. I can send word for my children to join me there. I will show you the way.
- Basim: And I will follow.
They both travel by camel towards Nimlot's estate.
- Basim: The symbol on the warehouse—the vulture—what does it mean?
- Hind: The robbers always leave that mark. To cause fear... No one opposes them and lives. Until now... Who are you, Basim?
- Basim: Sometimes I wish I knew.
They keep talking as they approach their destination.
- Basim: You said the lawlessness has been unified...
- Hind: His name is 'Abis.
- Basim: Abis. An unfortunate name. "The one who frowns." He must have been quite the delightful child to earn such a title from his parents.
- Hind: He grew up here, always a thorn in our side. But now, he becomes more savage than ever.
Hind talks about Nimlot and his backgroud.
- Hind: I am sure Nimlot will take me in...
- Basim: Nimlot, who is he exactly?
- Hind: A merchant, originally from Baghdad. Made his fortune in Misr (Egypt) and settled here in AlUla a few years back. He is a good man, steadfast and generous.
A moment of silence.
- Hind: For what it is worth, Basim, you have reignited my hope. It is time we people of AlUla fought back against the criminals.
- Basim: Yes, but be cautious. I would not have my example cost the lives of the innocent, especially yours.
They dismount the camels and reach the entrance of the estate.
- Hind: Basim, a moment please!
Hind asks Basim to bring her more stolen objects.
- Hind: Basim, you have already done so much for me, but I have one last favor to ask...
- Basim: I am listening.
- Hind: If you happen upon any more stolen items, please bring them to me. I will see that they are returned to their rightful owners.
- Basim: Of course. I will do what I can.
Then, the two cross path with Nimlot, who was just exiting the main building.
- Nimlot: Afterwards, once you are finished, I want you to -
Nimlot sees Hind.
- Nimlot: Hind?
- Hind: Nimlot...
- Nimlot: What has happened?
- Hind: The robbers... They took nearly everything.
- Nimlot: I will send some of my men to guard your home. Meanwhile, you are welcome under my roof.
Nimlot orders one of his assistants to take Hind inside the house.
- Nimlot: See that she is cared for.
Hind bids Basim goodbye.
- Hind: May God protect you.
- Basim: And may God protect you.
- Hind: And if you need me, you will find me here.
Then, Nimlot addresses Basim.
- Nimlot: You... You are one of them. I am no threat... though I am aware of your kind. My apologies, but I am in a state of abject terror being in your presence.
- Basim: I would have guessed mere nervousness. Yet, if it comforts you, know that appearances deceive. I did not come to AlUla seeking bloodshed, even if a touch of it found me. Now, tell me, how do you know of my people?
- Nimlot: In Baghdad, at the Caravanserai... A soap mill owner... Though there were rumors he was something more. Something... darker. I was in the city on that day. I did not witness the deed, but saw the aftermath... a throat slit, carcass hanging from a balcony.
- Basim: Al-Ghul...
- Nimlot: That was not the name I heard whispered.
- Basim: More of a... description. The man you speak of was Mas'ood Al-Ya'qoob... It was a righteous kill.
- Nimlot: I must take your word for it. May I ask your role in today's ordeal?
- Basim: I was present and chose to intervene.
- Nimlot: You say you were "present"...?
- Basim: My name is Basim. I came to AlUla in search of my father, Ishaq ibn Khalid. You know him?
- Nimlot: The name, it is familiar, but... no.
- Basim: It has been many years since I last saw him. I have recovered one of his possessions, likely stolen from him. If he fell prey to these same robbers, I must learn all I can about them. Swiftly.
- Nimlot: The market. It is the heartbeat of AlUla... If you intend to seek out these men, begin there.
Before Basim departs, Nimlot share a few more advices.
- Nimlot: Basim? The men you seek... are dangerous, even for you... Nevertheless, I understand you may have no choice but to tread this path. I lost a loved one recently... and I... would stop at nothing to be reunited with them.
Outcome
Basim learned his father was still alive, and received the tip to look for more information in the market. At the same time, he finds out AlUla is being threaten by a band of robbers commanded by a man called Abis.