"Remembrance endows a person with love which is the very spirit of Islâm, the pivotal point of religion and the axis of eternal happiness and deliverance.

Allah has opened a way of access to everything, and the way to love is constancy in remembrance..."

- Ibn al-Qayyim

____________________________________

Lady Frieda stared into blank space. Her wide opened eyes and dilated pupils, reflected the shock she had within. One could easily see the plethora of emotions dancing in the intense gaze of her emerald irises.

"Lady Frieda? Lady Frieda..!"

She heard a sound coming from afar, only to realize it was Fatima beside her, with whom she had just been speaking to. Worry was clearly written on the young girl's face.

The statement that came next, made her realize just how deeply she had been affected.

"You're crying.."

Lady Frieda smiled at her in assurance. The Khutbah had begun and it was against the Sunnah to speak or do anything irrelevant.

But even the words she was supposed to have paid close attention to, drowned in her ears as the Khutbah progressed. Within her mind and heart, Lady Frieda had the adhaan playing, over and over again, as though she had stored that very voice, the wording, and every tonation into memory.

Each line had seemed to fade into the silence quietly. The silent soft pauses in-between, gave her heart a feeling as though the essence of Clarity were poured into its every crevice, to relish an oasis of serenity.

A voice like Light.

A balm to the scorched soul..

That voice.. Even if she had heard it only once, there could be no mistake. It was him. The boy who had saved them on that day.

That night, his adhaan had caused the malicious spirits to leave the bodies of the possessed.

It came in time. For had it taken a moment longer in coming, the masjid would have been attacked.

It was obvious the targets were the students of the Halaqah, - Inabah. As well the scholar Al Iskandarî.

Perhaps, in retaliation for stalling their malevolence on the South.

As to why they attacked the South, no one knew.

The strangest thing after that happened.. Right after he called the adhaan, the boy disappeared. And was never seen again. No one knew who he truly was, -except the scholar, who somehow knew.

That night, her son never returned home.

He was gone from her life, ..gone from the South. No where on Tâ Hâ could traces of him be found. She searched everywhere.

Eventually, she left to the mainland in search of him. Days passed to weeks, and weeks to months. When a year had flown by in the passing of time, she realized the futility of looking for him with no clue of where he might have gone. So she returned to the island to meet with the scholar, who happened to be the last to see him.

To beseech with him.. to return her son. But she got to understand from his words that, even he didn't know where he left to. However he was sure of one thing - Arkaan was gone, ..and his going was to his own good.

But Arkaan was okay, and would one day return. Tears wouldn't bring him back. He gave her advice that gave her hope. He said:

"As long as you continue hoping in Him.. One day your son might return to you ..in a beautiful reunion.. In shaa Allah."His smile was full of kindness.. full of assurance.

She only later learned that he had a daughter, who had been lost for two years by then. Why was he smiling then? It seemed after all that time, he had not given up hopes of ever finding her. He still hoped in Him.

So she followed the path, even as he had directed with his example. If he could smile and live, and trust in his Rabb with even all that sorrow, why couldn't she also?

That night's Adhaan had freed her from possession, and that scholar's courage, and his words ..had helped her regain clarity ..to move on. She had never stopped hoping for the day of reunion though, and she had never stopped searching.

Years ago, in her silent hope, she had believed the boy was her very own son. But there was no way to know. For by the time her clarity had returned, the voice was already a fading memory. There was no way to tell, no way to be sure.

Like a picture which had lost its colours, if a person wanted to recover the lost flamboyance, one needed the same artist to return, and redefine the paint..

By some sheer stroke of serendipity, the artist had returned.. the Caller of the adhaan which cured her of possession ..was back here again, in Tâ Hâ.

...

As soon as the prayer was completed, Lady Frieda turned to Fatima.

"You said the group Âyatullah was talking to, was Ukashah and Zakariyya's.

Can I meet with one amongst them..?"

Fatima immediately nodded. She saw how Lady Frieda was affected by the adhaan. She most probably wanted to see the one who called it.

For Fatima, it was quite easy to guess. She had heard all her brothers' adhaan before. Don't ask her how she had -- It wasn't any of them.

Zak particularly had a nice voice for adhaan as his Qur'an. But it wasn't him.

The voice also had some peculiar foreign accent to it to be Ukashah's own. Abdullah's voice wasn't as deep.

Knowing the members who always walked in that group these past days, there was only one person left - Arkaan.

It made sense, since he had been in a foreign land for so long, even with his hometown being Tâ Hâ as he had informed them previously. He'd surely have acquired it from the long stay.

She led the Lady through to the floors of the southern archway of the masjid.

Politely excusing her at a place where the men wouldn't pass, Fatima wandered closer, moving into the courtyard so she didn't entangle with any men. She was jovial and easy-going, but she had her limits with non-mahrams.

Knowing the boys had halaqah meetings, they wouldn't be leaving the masjid anytime soon. She needed a way to get Zak out. He was the easiest she could target, considering his peculiar hair trait. Once she got him, she could get Arkaan.

A small boy was running into the courtyard from the mass of men exiting.

"Heya!"She caught him. Carrying him up into the air, she brought him close to her chest."What's your name?"

"Ab-dal Wa-dud"The boy recited.

"Where's your mummy and daddy?"She smiled, making pretty-funny faces at him.

"My daddy is there."The child pointed at a young man standing with others his age. He had a cheerful aura around him as he joked with his friends. His beard seemed to be just growing.

Isn't he too young to be a father?

-But what was it of concern to her? It wasn't her matter. She came here for a purpose.

"Abdul, Can you do me a favour? I want you to find a big boy with yellow hair in the masjid.

Tell him BIG Sister is looking for him, and he has ten seconds to make it here, or I'll WHOOP him BIG time."She smiled cheerily at the small boy, who made an 'Ohh' sound.

Seems he understands. She smiled innocently, then whispered,"If you run away, guess who'll get a whooping.."

The boy's face turned sour.

"Don't worry, I was just joking. Go get him, little paddy."She laughed as she put him down.

He scurried away into the masjid like a little kitten, perhaps frightened he'd actually earn that whooping the girl whispered to him about.

The easiest way she could always identify Zak with people who didn't know him, was by his hair colour. Apart from she and him, neither Khadijah nor Abdullah inherited the foreign trait from their mother.

Fatima folded her arms across her chest, nervously waiting to catch a glimpse of her younger brother's queer hair colour among the throngs of black and brown coming through the western prayer hall gate.

Zak finally did.

"Zak!"She waved at him, a smile on her face.

•••

Highest Minaret Of Masjidur Rahmân

A boy in a black hood stood upon the minaret. His amber eyes flickered to gray as he stood, watching the Musallis exit the Masjid, crowding like ants over the entire Mt. Shirah valley below.

Whilst some were quickly headed in the direction of the market and their homes, to engage in their transactions or some other mundane frivolities, others stood in and around the Masjid's vicinity, greeting friends and engaging in their human banter.

But Shad was thinking about something different..

"This is the highest point.. where Arkaan had before, called the adhaan at Junnah's behest.."

It was like he could see an event that took place here some several years ago. Even though he wasn't one of the jinn of the Dark Meadows, he knew of the events. Every jinn around these areas knew.

Among the jinn, no one's story was as interesting even as much as it was complicated as the Sayyidah of the island - Junnah.

He even, ..was confused by her.

Being a Muslimah among the jinn, did she never once feel any remorse..? Had she ever hesitated, and thought of the consequences of her actions.. how it'd affect the humans around her; one whose identity she had stolen, and then the one with whom she had befriended?

Shad knew that he probably would never know.. But it raised his interest, thinking about the female jinn from the Dark Meadows tribe.

"Junnah, you were always quite a selfish jinni.. ambitious and scheming.

You were loyal to no one but yourself.

You cared for no one, but your own selfish desires. As long as you thought it was good, you went ahead, without caring the means through which you attained it.

To you, it was always the end that justifies the means..

At Dark Meadows, you betrayed your kind to win the trust of Insan. When you came here, you betrayed Insan to win back the trust of your people.

All this you did, by your own interpretation of the righteous course.

In the end, you paid an ultimate price to save both races.

..Was it due to the influence he had on you..? Or were you just curious to know what being selfless was..? Knowing you, I wouldn't doubt the latter.

But perhaps too, it was also the former..
Perhaps, you changed.

Today, your island is peaceful because of the sacrifice you made.. Never stopping at anything ..to achieve your goals.

Even till the end ..that was the conclusion you wanted, wasn't it?

But what was it worth..?"

Shad had only met Junnah once. She was the self-proclaimed Sayyidah of the island. No one dared challenge her, except one group of Ifrits from the Country of King Sulaymân, whom she wouldn't allow to trespass her island. Of course, that wasn't her place before. She was just being overbearing. Junnah had saved him that day from that very group when he coincidentally got caught up in their affairs. But for a price.

The Jinnah, who was always in black veils, had never once shown her face. She seemed to have a preference for corporeal forms, -a butterfly or her veiled form.

Hearing her story from others, it seemed she'd also taken a third form, to appear to the people of the island and live as a human.

Junnah led a life of illusion, all the jinn would say..

When Shad thought about it, he realized that, among jinn and man, Arkaan was her only real friend. But even he, she had betrayed.

How would the boy feel, once he remembered.. that the person he was friends with in his past.. the very first person to move his heart, was a jinn in another's image. One who stole another's life, without remorse. And created an illusion, where she and him could always be friends..

Shad's lips curved in curious amusement. When Arkaan's memories returned in full, he wondered.. if he'd forgive her again.

As for him, he didn't know whether to call her selfish or selfless. After all, she was selfish enough ..to want to save everybody. To the point where she was ready to give her life for that wish.

"It took only those few months of being with that one human, to change you from a self-seeking obsessive Jinn to just a simple girl wishing to sacrifice everything..even her own life for the peace of all.

Sayyidah Junnah, if you weren't so desirous of your Qawm's salvation, perhaps things might have turned out differently..

Even he, whom you probably cared most about, had decided to erase memories of you. He does not wish to remember..

In the end, you had no real friend.

Even after all your sacrifice, no one ..will have fond memories of you.."

Looking up to the sky, he lamented,"Yaa Maula.."

Thinking this, he realized a part of him felt unhappy about how she ended.

Perhaps, of all people, I should understand her the most..

"Hilya.."He murmured.

Why were the sons and daughters of Aadam so fickle, fragile and weak?

..Is that why they were called Insãn.. - Nasiya(He forgot)..

A feeling of melancholia enwrapped him as he remembered the saint girl, who entered the Hidden Valley years ago.

Even Hilya was like that.. She chose to forget ..everything.

To her, ..only memories of her Rabb..wouldn't hurt to be remembered.

Our memories weren't of significance to her. Only her Rabb..

Hilya and Arkaan were alike in more ways than one, Shad thought. They seemed to tread a similar path. It was only that, Hilya was miles ahead of Arkaan on that path.

But if he continued along that way, he'd surely catch up to where she had reached.

That was why.. he showed Arkaan where the diary was. He knew he'd be drawn to it at once. People with a similar fate, would travel the same road, or have their roads cross paths in their lifetime.

And that was why, he knew only Arkaan could solve Hilya's mystery. But he'd have to reach Hidden Valley first, where the Muslimûn minal Jinn resided. That mystery was why he was here after all..

Junnah- was just a secondary matter to him, as much as he enjoyed seeing Arkaan relive her tale piece by piece, in fragments of memories.

Soon enough, Shad was sure others would come searching for the Stone. Junnah was no more here, on the island. It belonged to no one jinn or tribe, who would jealously guard it.

Mages and thieves, and so many other vile characters, were after the Stones.

By the time they arrived, even if Arkaan didn't want, he'd be already deeply involved without knowing.
Because, he already had one piece of the Stone.

Shad's mischievous smile returned, this time, fully reaching his eyes.

"Shad.."An airy voice called, right behind the black-hooded boy.

He turned back, his eyes lost in a puzzled expression."Little green..?"

"That's me~"The voice laughed, carrying a childish jibe to it.

A boy appeared from where he was not before. As he did, he twirled around in his overgrown gaudy hoodie dress that fell just a little past his knees and completely covered his arms and hands.

"What're you doing here..?!"Shad blurted.

"How do you like my human form?"The boy's childish giggles were accentuated by the mirthful glee in his eyes. Shad could see he chose his outfit to resemble his own. Although, - he did a poor job of it.

"White Patriarch would never allow you to leave Hidden Valley, unless for a good reason.

Tell me why you are here, or I'll send you back right now for your punishment."

"What else, I came to keep you company."The boy pouted, his hands behind his back as he looked down, his feet idly swirling on the floor of the minaret.

Shad tried to sound stern, but the pouting look made the little jinn so adorable, he couldn't keep being angry. Little liar..
There was only one way to handle this jinni.

"Okay, play's over, spill. Then you can stay."

"Yayy!"The joy in the boy's expression made Shad to wonder whether he had just made a decision he'd regret later.
Generally, Jinns were of a volatile temperament due to the nature of their creation, but little jinns were more - pestilent..

The two were soon seated on the tiled edges of the minaret's balcony, overlooking the masjid and its environs. If not because they were in their concealment, had someone seen them, they'd be scolded at to get down before they fell to their deaths. But the boys here, didn't give a care.

"White Patriarch sent me to inform you on the news of the Stones.."The boy smiled, seeing Shad become more drawn in by the news. It related to Hilya, after all..

"Two Stones from the thieves now lie in the hands of a mage.."

"I can't believe Irshad let this happen!"Shad said, seething. His eyes were filled with rage. For the jinns of Hidden Valley, they'd rather have a thief get his hands on their Stone, than a mage. Hearing a mage got his hand on their precious Saint stone thus sent him over the edge.

"Cool down~ Flamey head, Don't blame Chief of Thieves. He's my favourite human.."Little green said, with a roguish admiration in his eyes.
"White Patriarch said to warn you on the mage's arrival.."

"How long?"Shad frowned knowing that he couldn't be as passive as he had wanted to again.

Little green made a pouting expression as he busily counted something on his now exposed fingers.

"What the-"

"Twilight! By the last light of dusk! You don't have to worry, Shad. That's why I'm here."Little green said cheerily.

Was he being underestimated..? Shad frowned."Don't tell me White Patriarch thinks I alone am not enough to petrify that mage."

Humans were too frightened of the unknown, -and this did not exclude mages. And Shad knew this.

Those among them that dealt with the jinn kind thought they were using the jinn. But in reality, the jinn were rather misleading them, whilst using them to boost their ego. It was an inferiority complex deep in their spirit, coming right from the creation of the first man.

But what was the use if humans didn't understand their level of honour from Allah, and still decided to approach them. They did see jinns as having the power.

In the end, he'll just have to scare the mage into submitting.

"You don't even know who it is"Little green chuckled.

"Who..?"

"Yahûza Bin Shaul"

"So?"

"He's not alone."

"We all know that they move in teams.

It'd be foolish if you didn't have an extra hand in this dangerous affair, where we jinns are even involved.

Last I heard, the Zindiq(Heretic) had a young human accomplice."Shad laughed,"Perhaps the dotard needed a more vibrant body to carry out things his aging bones couldn't!"

"He killed him."Little green said gravely.

"Tell me something more surprising."Shad voiced, ridicule coating his voice.

"White Patriarch said to tell you to be careful..

Yahûza has a female jinn with him. Only, -she was unwilling to help him before.

Now though, White Patriarch believes the Jinnah would acquiesce."

"And why is that?"Shad didn't feel too comfortable hearing the new revelation. Who was the new Jinni?

If male jinns were unpredictable, female jinn were more ..capricious.

"Because it's Tâ Hâ.."Little green's words sounded into Shad's ears like a foreboding echo.

A word he had heard before, from the rebellious jinn some years ago, resurfaced in his mind.

..Peace lasts Till Twilight the day he remembers.

In the silence that followed, he heard Little green's murmurs in his ears, like faint whispers.

"It's a pity, isn't it?.. When elder sister proclaimed herself as Sayyidah of this island, no jinn would stand up to her.

She even defeated Judar and his tribe of Ifrits when they came here on a hunt for the Prince of the Country of Sulaymân.

Now that she's not here, the jinns are suddenly on the move.

..White Patriarch said we should nip this first arrival in the bud, ..before others arrive.. -Especially, from that Country.."

Shad stood up in a haste.

"Ahn -where are you going?"Little green looked up.

But Shad did not talk. Instead, he looked out towards the ocean. Perhaps, where the first two sources of trouble would be coming from.

His face turned all the more serious. This wasn't a child's play anymore. Did he do right by giving Arkaan the diary and the Stone?

When he realized what he was thinking, he laughed at himself. When did I start thinking about a human's safety..
Hilya, how much haven't you influenced me.

"Are you regretting it now, elder brother?"Little green spoke with humour in his eyes as he looked at Shad, his every word laced with satire.

"You can't turn back now. The jinns of the Hidden Valley are waiting.."

The boy kept silent for a while before slurping sounds started coming from his direction, making Shad suspicious as he turned to face him.

The boy was now reclining leisurely upon the balcony edge, with a lollipop in hand. One that he was licking busily.

Where did he get that..?! Shad looked at him with guardedness. He had hoped to keep his influence on human lives to the bare minimum, as a jinn. But he suddenly realized that, he had to be more careful of the others.

"Besides, even if you wanted to, that boy is already in deeep~ - If you get what I mean.

Neither he, nor those humans with him, in that Qur'an Circle or whaleva they call it, can escape what's coming."He laughed, then frowned,"Gross! Humans eat these?"

He looked at the lollipop with distaste,
"Well, whaleva"He threw it away, and- disapparated.

"Hey, - Wait!"But the little jinn didn't bother to listen.
He was gone, but not from the island, Shad was sure.

Down below, where some musallis had gathered after the prayer, a little girl was sobbing quite pitifully as her parents tried unsuccessfully to placate her.

The man who was probably her father, waved many other types of lollipops in front of her. But she seemed to only like the one she was sucking from before.

While they were at a loss on what to do next, an object fell with speed, - to bump strongly on the girl's head.

The people looked up, but didn't see anything to understand where it had returned from, or how she had lost it in the first place. However it was the same lollipop the girl had previously been crying over.

It lay on the floor now, soiled with the dirt of the footpath from the Mt. Shirah masjid.

The girl held her head with a scowl. Realizing what had happened, she opened her mouth,- and wailed.

Yaa Maula.. Shad held his face in his palm. Come to help him..? -More like -Come to cause trouble..!

Now, he didn't only have to deal with the probably malevolent female jinni arriving, ..but the little one too.

Even as he thought this, he saw a red-haired sturdy man walking down the path with another, - a young boy with black hair.

His eyes narrowed.

"Arkaan, I'm here to make you solve Hilya's mystery for us.. But while I'm at it, I'd like to have you remember everything about the Sayyidah of Tâ Hâ.

After all, I'm not a fan of forgetfulness..

So.., I'll not allow you to repress everything forever.."Shad whispered, as he faded with the wind.

•••