Somewhile after Arkaan led his companions to check out some few more stalls, he allowed Redbeard to lead Abdullah to safety as promised.

The lush red-dyed bearded man led both boys near Al Maghribi, where Abdullah literally escaped, sighing in relief.

He didn't even bother to look back, and think of my own safety! Arkaan felt wronged by the boy. So much for his big words on the more numbers, the better.

After this, Redbeard led Arkaan to a place where few people usually pass. It was within the Mt. Shirah landmass.

"Good, they've followed. They really are keen on having this revenge. Arkaan, what did you really do?"

"We might have incensed them a little." Arkaan said, scratching his chin in shame, a slight laugh escaped him.

"Okay, then I'm leaving you here. You remember the challenge right?"

"Uh-huh" Arkaan nodded.

Redbeard walked away, a smile on his face. Only he knew his true motives.

Arkaan continued walking on to a more desolate place, behind the Mt. Shirah. Over there, the forest began, climbing over the small mountain range and extending westwards. At the moment, he was north of the landmass.

Beyond the forest was the west tributary of river Kawthar. And after it was West district, a forest continuing from there. The worst case about these areas was - the honeybees!

This was their territory.

Arkaan sighed. He couldn't turn back now after all. Because, behind him was civilization, but the boys had blocked his way back to the more crowded areas. It was all mountains, forest, and river from here on. Plus the long-gowned fellas.

"You can come out now."Arkaan coolly said, like he had attained the highest level of tranquillity in all the worlds and couldn't be perturbed by those who were deemed sullied in any way. By now, he himself was surprised by his own achievement in maintaining calm. His heart was fiercely beating against his ribcage though. Apparently, the adrenaline had started to boot. It was a case of fight-or-flight literally. This time, Arkaan knew he had only one answer.

The cyan thobe guys from Eastern Waterfall Halaqah came out from their hiding, looking at Arkaan like he was the biggest fool in the world.

"Is he a fool, or is he a fool?" One of the new guys who hadn't been there previously read his own thoughts aloud.

"I've already checked. The man is long gone. Nobody is also around. It's just we and - the quarry."Saddiq came to join them from behind.

It seemed to Arkaan they had really gone as far as to check and make sure all was in the right place for their attack.

Well whatever, in the case of fight-or-flight there was only one choice for him after all. Just wait till he completed the challenge successfully, that two-faced Redbeard would pay him more than a name. He'd agreed to that after all. Why would Arkaan sell his safety just for a name, then he'd truly be a fool, as the guy had thought. And that Abdullah"..." So much for calling him Yaa Akhii--

Oh brother.

Time for flight!!

...

Even as Arkaan continued running through the forest trees on Mt. Shirah mountain range, he looked ahead at the trees that gave way to a clear flowing stream, he smiled.

"Green eyes! It's futile for you to try to run away from divine retribution, so give up and let us enact punishment!"

Like in another life would that happen!

Arkaan looked back as he continued running. Which retard just said that. Who gave them the authority to go round enacting divine punishment? Wasn't it something - Divine, as in meant for God only.

"Hey Green eyes, wait up! You can't possibly run away from divine retribution, can you?!!"

"Hogwash! Since when did you become the divine taskforce?"

He scoffed, seeing the baby-faced boy in his group of pursuers. The last time, he was referred to as Layyin by their leader. He was glaring so viciously at him like he'd vomit blood just by the sight of him. Have their dislike for me really reached this extent? He sighed. These people really didn't understand the meaning of 'let bygones be bygones'.

"Green eyes, Why run from fate? Today, if we do not solve our grudge with you, then we might as well not live under the same sky!"Layyin continued. He just didn't see why the green-eyed boy wouldn't submit to divine decree and accept retribution. After all, it were the heavens which had delivered their nemesis to their door. To him, it was a case of an already cooked beef trying to escape from the diner when already presented at the table. No matter how you looked at it, it was pointless.

He also actually felt ashamed of Arkaan's shamelessness. Right after calling them out like he was ready for a direct confrontation, and fight to the death, the guy actually took to his heels.

"Damn it Green eyes! It's your fate to fall to us today no matter where you run. Just submit!"Layyin gritted his teeth.

"Nonsense! Who made you guys the arbitrators of fate."He didn't even know why he was minding this guy, he was completely unreasonable.

Arkaan laughed coldly at him. Wait till we cross the river, then we'll see what was actually written in the divine decree.

"Don't let us waste our energy on you, or you'll pay tenfold for whatever is spent in catching you!" Mahâsin gritted his teeth, following his companions as they chased their prey. None of them seemed to let up, cold smiles on their faces. For them, Arkaan was a goner, once he had mindlessly let himself land into their hands.

By this time, Arkaan was only a few miles from the river Kawthar tributary. It was there he was going to execute his plan and get rid of these pests. Then he'd rush back for his premium.

He smiled, and looked back,"And here I was, thinking you guys really wanted to make things fair and square. Seems I overestimated a thoughtless bunch like you, you can't even catch me. Haha"

Arkaan continued to laugh, infuriating them all the more.

"Foreigner! Today, if we do not teach you a lifelong lesson, then you can as well change my name to whatever you like!"Abdul Majid gave a cold harrumph,"You even have the go-ahead to make me do whatever you like, even be a slave!"

Wait, isn't that too much. You might actually end up regretting your own words. But Arkaan didn't voice out what he was thinking,"Aiyaa! Elder brother, you don't have to go that far. Look I'm willing to let you go unscathed if you're willing to let me go too."

"Like hell would that happen! Deliver yourself up now! You uncouth and contemptuous villain!"Kifâyat bellowed in rage as he suddenly zoomed past the others, closing the gap with Arkaan in a single sprint. He couldn't forget the insult he had endured from Arkaan and the little Al Maghribi.

Though the little brat had escaped, that was also good. They couldn't do much to him anyway, because of his father's position. But this foreign boy - was a different case. He had no connection whatsoever with any high personality, neither did he have background. After all he didn't belong to any of the four native tribes and five affiliated clans of Tâ Hâ, so of course they'd not give up a chance to get back at him. Just one more burst of his energy, and he can zoom enough, to lay hands on the rogue.

"Language language, my brother."

Arkaan laughed freely as he suddenly reached the bank. For a moment, they thought he would stop, they've had him after all. He had nowhere to go.

Their faces fell as they watched the carefree boy, start wading through the shallow waters of the slightly swift waters. He turned back to laugh at them, Kifâyat stopping at the edge, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"My name is Arkaan by the way, and I'm no foreigner!"His eyes contained glee and - triumph. He knew after this, it'll be a case of 'Pursuer being punished by the pursued'. In the end, he really couldn't be blamed. He had warned them beforehand.

He was soon enough at the west bank.

They couldn't hold back now, seeing the victorious gleam on his face. With just one look at each other, Kifâyat and Abdul Majid led the others across the stream, closing in on Arkaan.

"You Vile Scoundrel! You'll pay dearly for making us chase you all the way here, and even getting wet!"Saddiq seethed. As to whether it was from the cold, or due to rage, only he would know; maybe even, - both. He really hated Arkaan now, to his bones.

"Hey, I didn't tell you guys to chase after me, neither did I say cross the river. Gosh I even asked for a truce but you denied. So don't blame me for what happens after."Arkaan imitated Abdullah's wronged facial expression.

If they thought that was all, then they were in for a whole lot more!

Even as the boys came on the west bank, they noticed Arkaan just standing a few miles ahead, his back towards them. He had stopped running. They raised their heads to look at what caught his attention in the trees, but they couldn't see anything. Something seemed strange about the whole situation but they could not quite put their hand on it.

...

At a location not too faroff from where the boys were gathered, right at the southern lower reaches of the west bank, was a graveyard.

This graveyard just begins after the forest line end. It was the largest in the city, and the only one. It stretched as far southwest, to the very shores of that part of the West district.

At the moment, a young girl of about seventeen years, stood by one particular grave. The ornate designs on the grave marker, made it stand out from the others around it. It held only one line on it:

Kohinûr Al Qamari

After looking at it longingly for a while, the girl sighed,"Mother, this unfilial and disobedient daughter of yours is here to visit you.

You know.. Dad forbade me from coming over to see you.

But you and I were inseparable in life, so how should death separate us.."

She wiped the inscription on the grave, a tear fell down.

•••