BEGIN

Time passed quickly, thousands of years slipped away. Hundreds of generations had replaced those before them. Along with millions of faces, a few remarkable figures emerged, leaving their mark on history in every era of life.

Kingdoms rose and fell, competing and even conquering one another. However, the era of kingdoms gradually shifted with the emergence of a new Prophet in the midst of the barren desert. In a short time, the Prophet's teachings transformed several kingdoms into a unified Caliphate. The Caliphate united the Arab nations, overthrew the Persian Empire, and seized parts of the Roman Empire, bringing peace to every inch of conquered land—even reaching Papua, in the land now known as Indonesia.

Time continued to move forward, yet the Caliphate had not been able to fully conquer the Roman Empire. Gradually, with the assassination of Ali ibn Abi Talib by the Khawarij, the Caliphate transitioned into a dynastic system—starting with the Umayyads, followed by the Abbasids, and later the Ottomans. Although dynastic rule was plagued by numerous heartbreaking conflicts, the Caliphate remained strong, expanding its reach across Europe, Africa, and Asia. However, in 1924, the Caliphate ultimately collapsed, giving way to the emergence of numerous small nation-states scattered across the world.

The dictatorship of world leaders became more evident after the fall of the Caliphate, culminating in World War II. Many countries eventually transitioned to democracy, a modern system believed to bring widespread peace. However, democracy could not be fully implemented effectively, leading to widespread conflicts across the globe.

The Middle East was in turmoil, giving rise to new movements longing for the Caliphate due to frustration with democracy, which failed to bring peace, justice, and authority. Democracy was seen as a system that only led to corruption, as it provided too many opportunities for the wrong people to rise to power. Meanwhile, if a good leader was elected, they would soon be overthrown.

War eventually spread across the world, leading to the outbreak of World War III. The United States, Russia, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Korea, Pakistan, Myanmar, China, and other nations began to bare their fangs, resulting in countless lives lost in vain. Yet, even before the war could end, the rain seemed to cease, adding to the misery. The land began to dry up, water sources became scarce, and animals perished one by one from thirst.

A prolonged famine seemed to force the war to a halt, as every person became preoccupied with their own survival. Neighbors even turned against one another, killing for a mere piece of bread. Year after year passed, until in the third year, a savior emerged—one called Al-Masih. He helped anyone in need, but with a condition: they had to abandon all their beliefs and become his devoted servants.

He traveled from nation to nation, bringing prosperity and happiness to any land willing to follow him. Until one day, Al-Masih proclaimed himself a prophet, then declared himself a god, demanding all his followers to worship him. Those who refused could do nothing but hide in their homes, enduring hunger and thirst. For those who were aware, this Al-Masih was none other than Al-Masih ad-Dajjal.

Until one day, chaos escalated in Sham. The followers of Dajjal and those who rejected him began to wage war.

In the midst of such great turmoil, one Indonesian TV channel sent its reporters—Herman, Arya, Amar, and Fadli—to the Egypt-Palestine border to cover the war at the Dome of the Rock in Palestine. At that time, Indonesia remained neutral and did not take part in the war.

"Disini saya melaporkan langsung dari tempat kejadian." Arya shouted into the camera, his voice raised to compete with the deafening sounds of explosions around Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.

"Sekarang saya berada di tempat tedekat di perbatasan Palestina. Pihak Zionis memimpin pasukan dari kalangan Israel dan Negara pendukungnya, mengembargo pasukan Hamas yang saat ini dipimpin oleh seseorang bernama Isa."

The sounds of bombardment and screams were clearly heard from a distance. But suddenly, the echoes of takbir silenced all the noises of war. A wave of joy was unmistakably evident, even though Arya was far from the conflict zone.

"Tunggu sebentar pemirsa, suara teriakan tiba-tiba berubah jadi kegembiraan. Takbir berkumandang dimana-mana, suara adzan terdengar diberbagai sudut Yerusallam. Sepertinya ada hal besar telah terjadi." Arya continued, wondering as he observed the sudden silence following the adhan.

"Seluruh suara tiba-tiba lenyap, kini hanya terdengar suara adzan dimana-mana. Padahal belum tiba waktu Sholat. Diperkirakan ada lima orang yang mengumandangkan adzan secara estafet, setelah lama berperang, baru kali ini Yerusallam mengalami masa yang terlalu sunyi. Kesunyian yang mencurigakan." As Arya was engrossed in reporting the situation through the media, one by one, the adhan came to an end.

"Dari sini tidak terlihat jelas, apa yang sebenarnya terjadi di sana ….. " While Arya was busy speaking, suddenly, the sound of a massive explosion thundered, causing Herman and Fadli to duck reflexively to protect themselves.

"Masya Allah, masya Allah. Ledakan apa ini?" Suddenly, in the distance, Arya saw the Israeli wall collapsing. The locals around Herman immediately screamed in shock.

"Laqad inharat judranu Isra'il!" shouted the locals.

"Khasirat 'iisraiil, Falestin huratan, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar...!" Shouted the locals again in their distinctive language.

As he crouched down, Herman slowly began to rise along with Fadli. With a shocked and confused expression, Herman could only stand still in front of the camera, holding the microphone in his right hand, before immediately turning his gaze toward the source of the explosion.

"Masya Allah, Masya Allah..." Arya whispered, followed by a hysterical shout as he pointed his finger toward Israel's barrier wall. "Tembok Israel runtuh, Allahhu akbar."

"Pemirsa, kita telah menjadi saksi sejarah runtuhnya tembok Israel yang selama ini telah membuat penduduk Gaza kelaparan. Andapun mungkin dengar, orang-orang sekitar berteriak Israel kalah, nampaknya hari ini, detik ini menjadi penanda merdekanya Palestina. Luar biasa, Allahhu akbar." Arya expressed his feelings.

"Kita tau, sebelum ini seluruh Negara timur tengah beserta sebagian Afrika bersatu menjadi satu Negara. Dan ternyata persatuan itu mampu memberi kemerdekaan penuh terhadap Palestina.… Saya Arya Wasesa Adipura melaporkan langsung dari perbatasan Mesir Palestina." Arya concluded his report as Fadli, Herman's colleague, turned off the camera.

"Ayo cepat. Disini mungkin masih belum aman buat kita. Kita harus segera pergi." shouted Amar, waiting inside the car.

Arya and Fadli quickly responded to Amar's call, sprinting toward the car to head back to their hotel in Alexandria. However, Herman didn't join them, as there wasn't enough space in the car for him.

"Kalian pergi dulu, nanti saya menyusul. Kebetulan saya ada perlu." said Herman, to which his colleagues responded with a nod of agreement.

Arya sat alone in the back seat, while Fadli sat next to Amar, who was driving. During the journey, the three of them expressed their excitement about being the first to report such a historic moment live. Their joy grew even more when Amar mentioned the sweet possibilities that awaited them for unexpectedly capturing a major story in Egypt.

"Bayangkan, tiap chanel TV yang memberitakan ini, kita pasti akan terkenal." Amar exclaimed.

"Yap, kita juga akan mendapat bayaran besar." Fadli chimed in with a genuine smile.

"Ya, tapi tetep kita gak akan seterkenal artis. hehehehe." Arya added jokingly.

"Yang penting kita pulang gak dengan tangan kosong." Fadli replied. "Dan setibanya di Indonesia nanti, saya ingin menikmati kulinernya yang muantap."

"Huuuuu, dasar otak makanan." said Amar, followed by cheerful laughter from everyone.

Their chatter didn't stop, their joy overpowering any trace of fatigue. In the midst of their isolation in Egypt, their bond felt even warmer—only deepening their longing for home as they headed toward their hotel.

***

Fadli gazed out the window, watching the neatly lined date palm trees. The gentle breeze brought a sense of comfort, washing away the worries in his heart. Today was their last day in Egypt.

"Woy, sedang apa? Jangan kebanyakan ngelamun. Pasti lagi ngelamunin Nissa ya? Hahahaha" Amar teased Fadli, trying to snap him out of his thoughts.

"Idih, siapa yang ngelamun?" Fadli replied, annoyed.

"Atciiieeeee…. Hehehehe…. "

"Saya Cuma kagum ama keindahan Alexandria, panoramanya sangat menawan. Jadi berasa sayang buat pergi."

"Kenapa mendadak jadi mendramatisir gitu?" Amar replied, confused. Fadli just shot him a sharp side-eye.

"Dah, jangan berisik. Taksi udah siap?" Fadli asked while grabbing the suitcase from the bed.

"Ia mungkin, Arya yang nyari. Kayanya sekarang udah ada." Amar replied, then asked back, "Eh, ngomong-ngomong si Herman kemana ya?"

"Tadi dia kirim email, katanya dia masih ada keperluan. Jadi kita duluan aja. Mungkin dia belum puas jalan-jalan."

"Bilangnyamah masih ada keperluan penting, modus. Hahahaha"

"Ia, tau sendirilah Herman gimana."

"Masya allah, naha kita jadi ngegosip?"

"Subhanallah. Dah, jangan dilanjutin. Setan emang pinter mancing dosa. Pelan-pelan ahirnya jadi ngegosip"

"Kamu kapan ngelamar Laesiyah?"

As they walked toward the elevator, Fadli and Amar shared stories, breaking the boredom with jokes and laughter. Their conversation filled the silence until they reached the elevator. When the doors opened, Amar stepped in, followed by Fadli.

The elevator doors closed again shortly after Amar and Fadli entered. Amar quickly pressed the button for the first floor, signaling that they were heading down. The elevator immediately began its descent, leaving behind the third floor they had just come from. Once they reached the first floor, Amar spotted Arya standing at the hotel entrance, waiting by the taxi he had prepared. Since the elevator faced directly toward the exit, anyone inside could easily see outside the hotel from in front of the lift.

"Woy, cepat kesini. Taksi udah nunggu." Arya shouted, calling Amar and Fadli.

"Cek outnya dah beres?" Fadli asked Arya.

"Udah, yuk cabut." Arya replied while pulling his suitcase toward the taxi. Behind him, Amar followed, then Fadli. They quickly arranged their luggage on top of the taxi with the help of the driver.

"Ya basha, zay ma itfaqna. El flos ba'd ma nawsel el mataar." Before Arya could finish, the taxi driver interrupted his words.

"Mat'lesh ya basha." The taxi driver said firmly to Arya, who was tying the suitcase on top of the car.

Fadli and Amar got into the taxi first, but the back door that Arya opened turned out to be a bit difficult. Since the car they were riding wasn't a new model, the back hinges were rusty, and its paint seemed faded. After everything was settled, Arya quickly got into the taxi, along with the driver. Since taxis in Egypt aren't as spacious as those in Indonesia, the back seat was only enough for Amar and Fadli. So, Arya had no choice but to sit in the front, next to the driver.

"Fadli, napa sih kamu gak naro kamera di atas aja? Sempit tau!" Amar complained to Fadli.

"Kameramen sejati gak kan pernah jauh dari kameranya…. Hehehe…" Fadli replied, but was quickly interrupted by Amar.

"Ya oke, tapi ga usah sama tripodnya juga kali."

"Udah-udah, kalian ini. Kerjanya berantem terus. Kitakan mau pulang." Arya said, trying to break up the argument.

The car drove at a steady pace, passing rows of palm trees neatly arranged along the empty road. They crossed the captivating barren Sahara landscape, with dark shadows lurking at the corners of the road. Then, the noise started—sounds of a collision, screams, and even an explosion.

The dark shadow became clearer and clearer, and the commotion caused the taxi driver to stop abruptly, followed by other cars. The passengers, curious, one by one stepped out of the vehicle. They watched intently the chaos unfolding before them. People began running, crossing the hot asphalt of Alexandria toward Herman and his friends.

People screamed in fear, and the taxi driver stopped several runners in front of them to ask questions. However, out of fear, they kept swatting away the driver's hand as he tried to stop them. After several failed attempts, the taxi driver finally managed to stop one person to ask.

"Fi eh dah?" Asked the taxi driver.

"FI... FI... FI WAHSH!!!" The terrified stranger shouted before quickly running off again.

Arya, Fadli, and Amar stood frozen, speechless. In their hearts, they all wondered what was happening. Reflexively, Amar spoke to his two friends.

"Fadli, cepat ambil kamera. Rekam ini! Arya, cepat siap-siap liputan!" Amar shouted. Fadli still looked confused, but he quickly grabbed his camera from the car. With shaky hands, he turned it on and immediately focused on Arya, with the chaos unfolding in the background.

"Di… Disini saya melaporkan langsung dari tempat kejadian. Keributan mulai jelas terlihat, kami sendiri masih belum tau penyebabnya." A massive explosion erupted, cutting off Arya mid-sentence.

"Pemirsa, sepertinya…" Amar's phone suddenly rang, interrupting Arya's report. Arya immediately turned to look at Amar, while Fadli kept recording. The name "BRAMANTIO" flashed on the phone screen.

"Siapa?" Arya asked Amar.

"Dari Indonesia, dari Pak Bram." Amar replied as he answered the call.

"Halo Pak Bram?" Amar Said.

"Kalian sedang ada dimana?" Bram asked.

"Sedang ada di perjalanan pulang Pak, tapi perjalanan kita terputus karena kerusuhan. Kita juga belum tau apa dan kenapa. Keliatannya ini bukan kerusuhan biasa."

"Cari jalan lain, cepat pulang. Jangan fikirkan biaya, dan hindari keramaian. Cepat! Tuuuuut…. Tuuuut…. Tuuuuut…" The boss shouted in panic before hanging up the phone.

"Ada apa?" Fadli asked while lowering his camera slightly.

"Ada yang gak beres. Kita harus memutar, hindari kerumunan." Amar replied, staring blankly at his phone.

The chaos intensified—more explosions erupted, flames raged everywhere, visible even from Arya's relatively distant position. Amar stood frozen, gripping his phone tightly. 

Fadli, equally stunned, watched Amar in silence, waiting for his decision. His camera slowly lowered as panicked people brushed past his shoulder. Arya, just like Fadli, could only stand still, his gaze fixed on Amar.

People kept running away from the area they deemed unsafe, flooding the streets amidst the barren landscape of Alexandria.[]