King of Time A Novel by Shak W Yaqen In the year 594 AD, two young men meet by chance in the fog-shrouded city of Safed. Benjamin Al-As, from the tribe of Joseph, carries a quiet fire and an unshakable sense of destiny. Nehemiah ben Hosheil, son of a powerful rabbi from Iraq and descendant of the tribe of Judah, arrives with ancient books and an even older prophecy. What begins as a simple friendship between two students quickly becomes a dangerous conversation about fate, power, and the end of days. As they debate sacred texts beneath ancient olive trees, they slowly realize they may not be ordinary boys at all — but the two Messiahs foretold in Jewish prophecy: one who prepares the way, and one who will rule. Years later, with the Byzantine Empire weakening and the Persian King Khosrow II rising, the two friends find themselves at the center of a high-stakes political game. Should the Jews risk everything by forming a secret alliance with Persia to reclaim Jerusalem? Or will they become pawns in a war between empires? Torn between friendship and fate, wisdom and ambition, Benjamin and Nehemiah must decide whether they will merely watch history — or step into it and shape it. King of Time is a sweeping historical novel that weaves real events of the early seventh century with a gripping tale of prophecy, loyalty, betrayal, and the eternal question: Can men truly choose their destiny — or does destiny choose them?