"The dawn is too bright,
And Dusk awaits the light,
For the fire that burns the lies,
But, the ashes of wind,
Doesn't know how she thinks,
And turn everything in lies."

♤

He danced with death, more than life had made him dance ever.

He chased death like how innocence chase the fire.

Resting on the abandoned well he threw the flat rocks into hit. The sound of splashing water hitting the deep water well. He was still in Layla's city. He could have easily went back to his own place but he chose to stay here. Something deep churning in his guts. He never felt so exposed to feel. The raw feeling crawling all its way to his heart. Gasping for breath he turned, how could he feel so much at the same time? Her one sentence destroyed him, shook his walls, messed with his brain.

Groaning he stood up and exhaled heavily. Fingers twitching with anticipation as he tried to teleport himself. But when drew open his eyelids. All he could see was the same place around him, nothing change. He couldn't teleport himself back to his place.

Eyes widened with stupefaction. Blood rushed into his ears. The sudden warm consumed over his body and he felt hot. Drops of precipitation forming on his temple.

Eyes turned hard as he loosened his keffiyeh and breathed into zephyr. His chest heaving up and down with heavy deeps. All he could see around was Layla, all he could hear was Layla's voice. Layla appeared in his every memory as if she has consumed his body and mind.

Eyes turned icy cold as he stared at the sky kneeling on the ground. Zephyr made his robe swish with panic. Even Zephyr couldn't calm him. His breath grew frantic and heavy. Gasps came out even louder that he attempted and fury burned in his veins. It danced on the tips of his finger. The hunger of destruction grew sturdy with each passing second.

Shaky fingers jerked away keffiyeh, wet with his sweat. The long scar of on his left eye glared away the innocent wind around him. Beast, all what nature called him.

Raging beast, hunger for destruction.

Gazing up at the sky turning dark, he pointed it accusingly. His tongue spewed venom as he spat his words along his heavy breath,

"I will destroy her. I will destroy Layla." His voice grew thunderous with her name. Gulping down hard lump, he laid on the ground.

Brain dizzy and heavy. His keffiyeh tightly held in his fist and his heavy breaths slowing down. He doesn't know what was happening but he knew all that was happening was because of Layla. Layla did it all. He chanted it under his breath until he lost himself in the world of unconsciousness.

Tired from ineffable, he laid on the ground with dizziness overpowering his senses.

In the amidst of growing darkness what he didn't notice was the shadow looming over the well. It was opaque and had red blazing eyes, just like Jinn in the stories of ancient time.

♤

Nazreena held the glass near her lips. Eyes never leaving the sight as she drank down the remaining jallab. Fingers tightening around the neck of the glass as she sat awaited for her friend to arrive.

She was merely a friend to Nazreena, more like her servant. She did whatever Nazreena told her to. Never lay her opinion between Nazreena's decision.

Her ears perked up as she heard her gasping and running around the corridors of the ancient palace, stood proudly in the desert of Arabia.

No one knew how and from where the palace came from. The only thing they knew was it didn't existed before.

"Reena, the Sahib hasn't returned." The loud gasp of her friend filled Nazreena's room. Neither it annoyed her nor was she surprised.

"Hafsa have some jallab." It wasn't an order.

Gladly, Hafsa with drew the glass from her hand and filled it till brim. The sweet red liquid moistened her dried throat and she felt as if she was in heaven.

Emptying the glass, she kept it aside on small oak table and sighed heavily. Showering gratitude upon the Merciful Lord.

"Reena, what happens when the Sahib comes?" It was the first time Hafsa has ever question her.

Curiously, she glanced at Nazreena then drawing back her eyes to her fingers.

"Don't worry much about the future, Hafsa. Enjoy the present." The sweet resting smile turned into malicious one.

The thought of evil Nazreena made Hafsa'a stomach churned into fear.

Nazreena was skilled in hiding her malicious-ness. But, she forgot that Hafsa was her living shadow.

Her eyes reflected the penumbra and she whispered a name,

"Al-Ghasaq"

The sudden heavy wind blew around the palace.

And Hafsa stared at Nazreena and the weather with stupefy. She knew who has that name. But, she never saw the creature with her own eyes. She always heard its story from her mother and grandmother.

Earlier she lived in the town filled with story not knowing she will soon be the part of the story where the future collapses with past.

Nazreena's smile grew taut. Seeing that Hafsa couldn't control her shallow breath, her shoulders tightening with anticipation of the coming future.

"The night has been called,
Among the friends and foe,

Best for the dawn,
As it doesn't belong (to me),

But the sky in the east,
And the ocean in the west,

Screams of the ruination,
The time awaits for destruction."

The soft but evil whisper ran out of Nazreena's mouth. She couldn't help but sing the poetry she has saw written in the ancient books of the palace.

Hafsa's muscle grew taut under the fabric of her robes. She couldn't breath for a while. The shallow breath stuck in her throat and she awaited the presence of Al-Ghasaq.

It didn't come. It never came. She knew. But, the anticipation to see it grew like the crackling fire under her breath.

Nazreena's eyes focused on the crescent moon rising among the stars of the dark. The skin of her palm tightened and the sudden heavy wind froze. She smiled under the black veil.

And Hafsa couldn't breath anymore when the dark shadow loomed over the walls of the moving palace.

A/N: I am sorry for delaying the update.

But, I am kinda satisfied with the story I am going with!! Hehe