The city smelled of flint and smoke. Most of the fires were localized to haystacks, tents and the colorful canopies that littered the residential districts, the stone houses and buildings defending their inhabitants from the worst of the soldier's attacks. Hafa saw a horse ride by as its rider kicked out a window across the street, tossing a torch inside the home. Scattered screams and galloping filled the streets. Everything had changed so suddenly it was surreal.

"They're herding people." Rim said, returning to the back alley after getting a quick glimpse at the chaos. Hafa, Rim, Sa'akah and Reem were grouped together in the twisting alleys of the city, trying to get a better look at the situation. Shortly after discovering the ambush, Miss Maha had appeared with the twins, anxious to know what was happening. Rim had opted to go out into the city to investigate, leaving Aini, Ghazi and Maha to protect Rani and Ru'a and the unconscious Makarim. It was risky, but Najiya was confident they could evade detection by navigating the back streets.

"Herding people?" Reem frowned, rubbing his chin with his knuckle. He suddenly paled. "Don't tell me… Are they going to group everyone together for some sort of execution?"

"That wouldn't benefit Same Al-Kah." Sa'akah reasoned, leaning against the wall. "I expect the Sultan will have demands of some kind. A city without a ruler will do anything to be spared."

"Reem!" Najiya's voice chimed from above them; he was carefully climbing down the side of the nearest shop. Reem helped him down the last several feet. Najiya hopped to the ground, taking a deep gulp of air. "Ah… The air is so thick up there, everything's burning…"

"What did you see?" Hafa asked softly, his voice beginning to return to him.

"Things are calming down, but it's all moving to the heart of the city. The soldiers are blocking the East and West exits. They're pulling people out of their homes, people who are resisting are getting hurt… It's horrible!" He rubbed his arm nervously. "Do you think everyone else is going to be okay at Makarim's shop…?"

"Miss Maha is with them. I'm sure they'll be fine," Hafa said. "The better question is what we should do. Trying to fight would be suicide."

"I agree. I recommend keeping the Seal close-by." Sa'akah said, glancing at the silver band that Hafa still wore on his finger. Hafa clenched his fist, running the pad of his thumb over the cool metal. "All of this is rather strangely timed, don't you think?"

"How do you mean?" Najiya asked worriedly.

Sa'akah crossed his arms, shaking his head. "It isn't important."

Rim clicked his tongue. "Is there more you're not telling us?" he asked in a low growl.

In an effort to avoid unnecessary quarrels, Hafa gently touched Rim's shoulder, a gesture that used to work no matter how upset he was; Rim brushed him off, looking away. "Don't. I'm fine. There's more important stuff to be worrying about, anyway."

A silence fell over the company as everyone pondered how to proceed. The sounds were farther off now, the citizens being successfully corralled to the heart of the city like cattle. It was dark in the back streets, though dim, orange light peeked over the tops of the buildings and houses, proof of the fires still raging.

Rim broke the silence by groaning in frustration and scratching a hand through his hair. "Fuck. Well, we don't have a choice, do we? We should join everyone else and see what the Sultan is planning. There's no use in waiting around for them to leave, is there?"

"Should we ask Miss Maha along? You know… Just in case?" Najiya asked nervously.

"We can't keep depending on Miss Maha for everything," Reem put in. "Besides, I think she'd be better off watching over Makarim and the twins for now."

"I wasn't thinking of that. You're right." Najiya replied. "There's just something about Sultan Akram that makes me nervous."

"If we're going, we had better go now," Sa'akah suggested, tapping his staff against the ground. "Whatever is happening, it's likely happening soon."

.

.

.

Following Najiya, the group weaved through the back streets and emerged just outside of the fabric shop. As both Rim and Najiya had predicted, nearly every person who lived in the city had been herded into a massive, terrified circle that was patrolled on all sides by Same Al-Kah soldiers, right where the courtyard of Rim's palace used to stand. Nervous whispers and hushed crying hung over the crowd, disturbing the otherwise tense silence. Everyone appeared to be waiting for something. As the five of them stealthily worked their way into the crowd, a small train of men on horseback brought up the head of the grim congregation. Sultan Akram Ibn-Zafir was in the center of the train, flanked on both sides by important looking soldiers brandishing golden swords. Reem and Najiya recognized one of them as Gohar, the general who had questioned them days ago.

A silence fell over the crowd. As the train fanned out, the Sultan remained at the center, slowing his horse to a halt. He observed the terrified masses with a placid smile that demanded attention; the sight of it made Hafa's blood run cold.

Bringing up the rear of the train, nearly unnoticed came a man without a steed, stopping just to the right of the Sultan. Hafa's blood went from freezing to boiling in less time than it took to take a breath. It was Khuzama. As he silently stood next to the Sultan viewing the citizens with strangely emotionless violet eyes, Hafa couldn't help but recall the prophecy Khuzama had given him three days ago… Had it been a warning, or a threat? It didn't matter either way. Khuzama was working with Sultan Akram, and so Hafa had no reason to think of him any further.

The Sultan cleared his throat and raised his hand, commanding the right to speak. All eyes moved to him, anxious about what he had to say.

"I am Sultan Akram Ibn-Zafir of the kingdom of Same Al-Kah. I apologize for the brash nature of our visit, but seeing as how you have no proper leader to speak with, it was a necessary evil."

Hushed murmuring erupted from the crowd. It was dispelled quickly as some of the soldiers drew their blades.

"I will not waste any more of your time than is needed. I am here for a particular object, and shall not leave until it is delivered to me. I know that it is here, and will wait patiently until it is mine." The Sultan's charming smile widened. "The legendary Seal of Solomon, King Solomon's magick ring."

A warmth spread from Hafa's middle finger to his chest, as though the ring knew it was being sought after. Rim flashed Hafa a knowing look, his jaw clenched tight.

"A descendant of Solomon resides in this city, and with him, the Seal. I ask that the son of Solomon bring me the Seal before the hour is done." Sultan Akram flourished his arm toward the crowd. "The rules are very simple..."

One of the Sultan's generals moved forward; a yelp broke the silence, followed by terrified sobbing. A young woman had been yanked from the crowd, hoisted onto the general's horse. The man held his sword to her throat, rendering her mute with fear. Several outraged yells and objections moved through the ranks, silenced again by the Sultan's hand.

"Every hour that I do not have the Seal of Solomon in my possession, I will have someone killed, starting with the women. The amount of people killed per hour will double every time. Anyone who resists will be killed. Anyone who tries to escape will be killed. If we all understand each other, then it must be clear to you all what needs to be done. I will wait here until the hour is done, and then the first of you will perish."

.

.

.

"He what?" Ghazi slammed her hands on the kitchen table, her face alight with fury. "He's going to kill citizens if we don't give him the ring?!"

"He made his demands quite clear," Reem said crossly, pacing in front of the water basin. "Dammit. I knew there was something off about that Sultan."

"This explains the runes guarding his camp," Miss Maha offered uneasily. "He knew someone in the city had the ring, so he was prepared for a possible djinn attack."

"And he just let you all come back here?" Aini asked curiously.

Sa'akah crossed his arms, sighing deeply. "He let everyone go. There's no way out of the city, and he has a hostage. He wants the son of Solomon to retrieve the ring and return to him, I expect."

"What do we do?" Najiya asked, glancing worriedly out the window. "We can't really give it to him, can we?"

Reem ceased pacing, popping his fist into his palm with a sudden 'aha!' of inspiration. "What if we present him with a fake ring! Najiya and I have more than a few impressive rings in our inventory-"

"If the Sultan knows the ring is here and has planned this ambush so meticulously, I doubt he'll be fooled by a false ring." Sa'akah reasoned. "Besides, it's not worth the risk."

"That presents another question, doesn't it?" Ghazi asked, putting a finger to her chin. "How could he possibly know where to find the ring? We're the only ones who know about it."

Hafa absently rolled the ring between his fingers, staring at it as if he could will it - and its legacy - away. He couldn't explain how he felt. He barely knew Khuzama and had no reason to trust him, but Khuzama had known Nanasuh. After all he'd learned about him he felt strangely bitter about the turn of events. He wished Makarim were awake. His earlier shame from Sharik outing him had all but faded away, leaving him simply wishing to hear Makarim's voice. It was strange how quickly a situation could change one's view on things that had once seemed so important.

"There was a man standing next to the Sultan, without a horse. Makarim and I met him a few days ago. His name is Khuzama." Hafa slipped the ring back onto his finger. "He claims to be a mystic. I bet he's the one that told the Sultan."

Rani silently entered the room, stopping next to Reem and clinging onto the sash around his waist. "Reem...? When is Makarim going to wake up?" he asked quietly as the others talked. Reem placed a hand gently on his head.

"Soon. It shouldn't be much longer now."

"Is that Sultan gone yet?" he continued worriedly. Reem smoothed his hand down the back of his head.

"Not yet. Don't worry, though, all of us are here to make sure nothing bad happens. Miss Maha, too."

Rani turned his gaze onto Hafa, his eyes wide with hope. "The Sultan won't hurt anyone, will he?"

The need to reassure the boy was a strong one, though Hafa wasn't sure they could guarantee anyone's safety at this point. The adults fell silent and regarded each other with solemn reluctance.

"We're going to try and make sure he doesn't," Hafa said to the boy. He nodded, biting his lip. "Go join your sister upstairs, keep watch over Makarim. Make sure to tell us when he wakes up, okay?"

With another stiff nod, the boy released Reem and returned to the ladder, gingerly climbing up.

Everyone collectively sighed. Aini sat down at the kitchen table and pressed his face into his hands. "This is all really bad. Why did this have to happen at a time like this...?"

"'A time like this'?" Rim repeated, crossing his arms over his chest. "There is something else you're not fucking telling us, isn't there?"

Hafa felt suddenly guilty just for knowing more than Rim did. "Rim, I don't know if right now is t-"

"Dammit, Hafa, not you too… !" Rim growled, advancing on him. "I know this isn't the time for it! But shouldn't we at least try to clear the air before all hell breaks loose?"

The room fell silent with neither objections nor agreement. Those who knew were stewing with guilt, and those who didn't were too curious to oppose. Sa'akah sighed shallowly. "I don't think this is the proper time. It's all rather complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it. Give me the short version." Rim demanded in a low voice.

Both Hafa and Aini looked to Sa'akah, an omission of their shared knowledge. Sa'akah matched Rim's stare for some time, in hopes the man would back down; when it was apparent Rim had no intentions of doing so, Sa'akah relented with a grunt of displeasure.

"To sum it up, then, the world is ending." Sa'akah stated flattly. Reem, Najiya, Rim, Ghazi and Maha all stared at Sa'akah blankly as though they were waiting for a punchline; when none came, Najiya let out a cry of disbelief that Reem quickly covered with his hand.

Miss Maha floated forward, her face entirely pink. "What do you mean, 'the world is ending?!' That sounds plenty complicated!"

Sa'akah turned his cool gaze on the frazzled jann. "Have you heard of the Unholy Events?" he asked her. Maha's expression became subdued; floating over the kitchen table, she looked deep in thought.

"I suppose I've heard of them…" she said. "Only in passing, really. I think some old magician popularized the idea, right?"

"Shaddad. Son of Ad, the original owner of the palace where we met. He theorized that time and reality could be broken by three events."

"What events?" Rim asked, his tone less biting than before.

"Oh, gods," Miss Maha suddenly murmured in dismay, covering her fair mouth with her fingers. "I never once… I didn't think…!"

Najiya stepped forward, clutching his hands at his chest. "Miss Maha? What's wrong?"

The jann turned to Najiya with a fearful expression. "The three events… I remember them. 'The two realms converge.' 'A djinn soul becomes mortal.' 'A mortal soul defies death.' When Sharik summoned all of those djinn with the Pentacle of Solomon, the two worlds converged on one another. That was the first. The second was Hafa becoming mortal, and the third…" she trailed off uncomfortably as all eyes swiveled to Rim.

"That's the idea." Sa'akah said softly, regretfully.

Everyone fell into an uneasy silence. Nothing seemed real. The city was being stormed and citizens were being held hostage, and still this was not the greatest concern; it all seemed utterly ridiculous. Hafa felt overcome with hopelessness. What could any of them do against the Sultan, let alone the apocalypse?

"How much time do we have left?" Ghazi asked, barely above a whisper. Sa'akah did not look at her.

"A few days, at best. Maybe a week. That's my guess based on how things have been progressing."

"How do we fix it? How can we make things go back to normal?" Rim demanded. Sa'akah shook his head.

"I only have ideas. If there is a way to resolve everything, I don't know it."

"Shit…" Rim hissed through gritted teeth.

Reem distractedly adjusted his eyeglasses. "Miss Maha, you don't happen to have any ideas…?"

Playing with a strand of her chestnut brown hair, Maha shook her head. "I haven't given it any thought for centuries. I never expected something like this could actually happen. Though… This does explain some things. The Other World falling to shambles, and..." Her eyes narrowed knowingly in Sa'akah's direction, "...the jewels suddenly appearing. I can sense all three missing jewels in the area. If the world is really at an end, then it would make sense for the jewels to come together to make the Seal complete."

"All three of them?" Reem asked in surprise. "You mean Mumyi is somewhere nearby?"

"Possibly," she said with a sigh. "Or someone else has picked up his pendant."

Rim brought a hand down on the kitchen table. Aini involuntarily jumped.

"Okay. The world is ending, and the jewels are all coming together. That's some kind of really strange coincidence, right?"

"Oh!" Najiya brightened up, his eyes sparkling in realization. "I bet the ring can do something to reverse what's happening!"

"That's what I'm thinking," Rim said seriously.

The hopelessness Hafa felt slowly consuming him ceased its progression. Could something like that be possible? There were still so many questions, but Rim was right. It had more than likely taken Sharik hundreds of years to find only one of the jewels, and suddenly all of them were in one place, brought together. It couldn't be merely chalked up to coincidence.

"One problem," Aini said uncomfortably. "We have to hand over the ring to Sultan Akram, or he'll start killing people."

Rim peeked out the window to view the street; Same Al-kah soldiers continued to patrol the streets on horseback, hassling nervous citizens. He pulled the shutter, crossing his arms.

"I'll take the ring."

Aini stood up. "Rim-"

"It's a no-brainer. I'm the only one here who can't die. I think we can all agree that the Sultan is planning on offing the 'son of Solomon' once he gets the ring. Even if Makarim were awake, there's no way any of us would let him go to his death."

The ring felt hot and uncomfortable against Hafa's skin. Rim stepped toward Hafa and held out his hand.

"You know I'm right, Hafa. I'm the best - no, the only choice."

"How will we get the ring back after you hand it over?" Hafa asked.

Sa'akah tapped the curved top of his staff against the wall as if for an answer. "I agree that this seems like the best plan of action. If we can make the Sultan think he's won, we can easily get the ring back later and avoid unnecessary deaths."

Hafa carefully slipped the ring off of his finger, placing it in Rim's palm. He watched Rim slide the ring over his own finger, remembering a different time when Rim wore the ring for very different reasons.

"I'm not gonna waste anymore time, then. I'm gonna go give that creepy tyrant what he wants." Rim glanced at Sa'akah, staring into his eyes with purpose. "When I come back, or… wake up, we still need to talk, you know. You're gonna tell me everything, got it?"

Sa'akah matched his gaze, offering him a rueful smile. "I suppose that's only fair."

.

.

.

At great protest, Ghazi stayed behind with Miss Maha, Makarim and the twins as the remaining men made their way into the city, concealing whatever weapons Reem could scrounge up under their clothes.

They were almost immediately accosted by Same Al-Kah soldiers for grouping together; to appease their captors, they all decided to split up into unassuming pairs and rejoin at the city's heart.

Rim and Aini walked the streets in relative silence for some time before Rim spoke.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you before." he said, nearly causing Aini to trip over his own feet. "A lot of stuff is happening, and I just wanted you to know I was sorry for getting so angry."

"It's fine!" Aini answered, relieved. "I can understand completely… I'm sorry for keeping things from you. I should have just been honest with you-"

"I don't want to talk about it just yet. I just wanted to apologize. In case something goes wrong."

Aini grabbed Rim's arm. "Nothing is going to go wrong. I'll make sure you're safe!"

Rim laughed fondly. "That's not really what I meant," he answered. He grabbed Aini's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thanks, though. But I forbid you to do anything reckless. Pretend that I'm still a Prince for a minute and remember that."

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.

.

A lovely tent had been set up for Akram's comfort, his generals and soldiers flanking every side. The chosen hostage sat stock-still at the Sultan's side, a soldier's sword resting threateningly on her shoulder, inches from her neck. As the group reconvened, decidedly steering clear of the appalling scene, Rim wasted no time in approaching the Sultan's tent, leaving his companions to watch on in nervous apprehension.

He didn't get far before being stopped by a footsoldier, a curved sword brandished in his direction. Irritably, he put his hands up.

"Halt!" the soldier ordered needlessly, attracting the attention of the nearby guards and the Sultan. Rim rolled his eyes.

"Relax, would you? The Sultan asked for the Seal of Solomon, and I'm here to deliver it." Rim peeked around the guard to eye the Sultan directly, flashing him an impish smile. "Unless the Sultan has changed his mind?"

Akram matched Rim's smile, beckoning him closer. The soldier lowered his blade to allow Rim to pass, though the soldiers on either side of the Sultan remained wary of the stranger's approach.

"You share Solomon's blood?" the Sultan asked Rim as he drew closer. From behind him, a blonde soldier with a cross-shaped scar on the side of his scalp grabbed Rim behind the neck and forced him roughly to his knees in front of the Sultan; Rim grunted in discomfort but did not resist. At his new and somewhat demeaning height, Rim could clearly see the chair the Sultan was seated in and felt a wave of discomfort overtake him.

"Wait… This chair…?"

The Sultan leaned forward to regard Rim with a condescending smile. "The abandoned throne, yes. Modest, don't you think? I understand it once belonged to King Solomon."

Rim was stunned. He'd never known his throne was Solomon's, but he knew it couldn't be a coincidence. Sharik and his inflated ego must have found the throne and brought it to the palace. It made an odd sort of sense.

"I was told by my mystic that wherever Solomon's throne was found, the ring would follow. I suppose now is the time to see if he is as good as he claims to be."

A horrified yelp came from the left; the hostage had been grabbed and pulled to her feet, the sword pressing against her throat.

"Hey, what the fuck?" Rim growled, the hand on the back of his neck squeezing him warningly. He ignored it. "Let her go, I brought you the damn ring!"

"You still haven't answered my question, and I still haven't confirmed that you have the Seal." the Sultan answered coolly.

"Yes, I'm the descendant of Solomon. Why else would I have come up here?" Rim snarled. "As for the ring, just take it. See for yourself that it's the real deal, then pack up and get the hell out of our city."

As Rim spoke, the Sultan gestured for someone behind his entourage to come forward. A man wearing cream-colored clothes and tousled, peach hair appeared at the Sultan's side, bowing his head.

"Your highness."

"Khuzama," the Sultan flourished his hand in Rim's direction without looking at him, "confirm that he brings the Seal." He directed his next order at his general. "If he lies, kill him."

The man called Khuzama nodded and knelt next to Rim, offering him an oddly hollow smile. He extended a hand. "Please hand over the ring so that I may confirm it."

Rim frowned, pulling the ring off of his finger and dropping it in Khuzama's hand. The man stood up, closely inspecting the ring, his free hand tugging absently on one of his earrings. A flicker of something unidentifiable crossed Khuzama's face so briefly Rim doubted it was ever there; he smiled and turned to the Sultan, kneeling before him and extending the ring to him.

"The Seal of Solomon, your Highness. I can confirm that it is real, and that this man is indeed the kin of Solomon that I've seen in my visions."

Sultan's Akram's false smile slipped for the first time since Rim was brought before him. With a steady hand, he took the ring from Khuzama, marveling at it. "You spoke the truth?" he said softly, moving his gaze to Rim. "You really are a son of Solomon?"

Rim unfalteringly glared at the Sultan with disdain. "I said I was. I just found out myself not too long ago. Now you have what you came for, right? Get out of our city."

The Sultan smiled, slipping the ring onto his finger. "In time. First, let us round up the citizens again, shall we? I have an announcement to make."

.

.

.

"Why does he need everyone gathered together like this?" Aini asked uneasily, his shoulder pressed to Najiya's side. Within the hour, the square was once again filled with people, all of them packed uncomfortably together between the buildings and shops. Rim had not yet been released nor had the Sultan or his men showed any signs of letting him free; the hostage had been freed, however, which seemed like only a small victory when the entire city was rounded up before the Sultan like sheep to the slaughter.

"I'm not sure," Reem answered, trying to keep his voice low despite the hundreds of whispers and murmurs surrounding them. "A show of power, perhaps? He does have the ring now, after all."

"Does he even know how to use it?" Najiya wondered aloud.

Sa'akah lowered his head to address the regrettably shorter men. "What makes the Seal so terrible is its ability to transfer will into form. There's no knowledge necessary. If he wills it, he could summon djinn by just thinking about it."

"Isn't that really bad?" Najiya asked, alarmed.

"It could be." Sa'akah said. "I don't see any reason for him to go overboard, though. He wants to scare us into submission and dazzle us with his power, not destroy us."

Najiya sighed anxiously. "You're sure?"

"It seems obvious. Don't panic until there's a reason to," Sa'akah reminded.

Several minutes passed before the Sultan emerged from his tent, his men pulling Rim out with them. Rim's arms were bound behind him, but he looked otherwise unharmed. Aini tensed; Sa'akah placed a hand firmly on his shoulder.

A horn blew. The voices in the square shushed, the people fretful. Sultan Akram stepped up onto a small collection of crates that had been placed together to form a sort of stage, raising both hands in the air commandingly; Hafa's stomach twisted when he saw Makarim's ring gleaming on his finger.

"You're probably all wondering why this is happening, why you deserve such treatment when you've lived a relatively undisturbed life out here, so disconnected from the other Kingdoms. I'm here to shed some light on your collective naivety." As the citizens watched and listened, the Sultan began leisurely pacing on his makeshift stage, his hands folded at his stomach. "No city can survive without a leader. Even before the Empire was founded, clans chose leaders based on an individual's strength and wisdom, because they understood the need for guidance. Your society is no different. Therefore-"

"Bullshit!" a man from the crowd called out abrasively, causing a nervous stir in the people around him. "This is a show of tyranny, nothing more! You're not a leader, you're a coward!"

In almost less time than it took for the man to speak, four soldiers weaved through the masses and grabbed the offender by the shoulders, forcing him to the ground. As one soldier covered the man's mouth, another ran a sword through his gut. Several people screamed; the crowd parted, fanning away from the execution in terror. As the excitement grew, the soldiers surrounding the congregation drew their blades and readied their shields.

Sultan Akram shook his head. "Such a shame. Please, everyone remain calm, for your own safety." The Sultan nodded to his general, who pulled Rim roughly by the arm and kicked him down to his hands and knees in front of the Sultan. Rim tried to rise, but he was kicked again, this time in the stomach.

"Rim…!" Aini sprang forward, stopped by Sa'akah's hand. He grabbed Aini's arm tightly, wrenching him back.

"You'll get yourself killed," he hissed.

"He's hurting Rim!" Aini replied tearfully. "I can't just watch!"

"Rim knew what to expect," Sa'akah countered. He pulled Aini to him, gently pressing Aini's face into his chest. "If you can't stand it, don't look. I won't have you going off doing something stupid. Rim would never forgive himself."

Aini fought against Sa'akah for only a moment before relenting, grabbing up fistfuls of the man's robes and stifling a frustrated sob.

Every bone in Hafa's body was buzzing with fury. He hated to see Rim being treated like this, and he hated to see Makarim's ring on this tyrant's finger. He couldn't help but wonder if they'd made the right decision; it almost seemed as if the Sultan planned to terrorize them regardless of whether or not he procured the ring.

The Sultan grabbed Rim by the hair and pulled him up on his knees. "Thanks to the son of Solomon, this night became much shorter than I had expected. He has delivered the Seal into my hands without delay. As the new successor to King Solomon's legacy, I intend to rule this land unmatched, just as Jedidiah did several thousand years ago." He produced a dagger, pressing it to Rim's throat. Hafa tensed, sickness flooding his stomach. Rim merely glared at the Sultan fiercely, teeth clenched in anticipation, his chest swelling with deep breaths.

"Thank you for your cooperation, son of Solomon." Sultan Akram dragged the blade across Rim's tanned throat, blood spraying his robes and arms. Rim choked and gurgled, his eyes rolling up into his skull. Hafa looked away. Najiya grabbed Reem's arm and pressed his face into his bicep, trembling. Sa'akah increased his hold on Aini to prevent him from looking, though the boy could tell from the cries and gasps of the audience that Rim had fallen.

Angry shouts and panicked screams began emanating from the crowd, too many for the soldiers to pinpoint. Akram let Rim's body fall to his feet, the life gone from him. Standing behind the Sultan with the generals, Khuzama's head was bowed.

The Sultan raised his ring-adorned hand, ignoring the furious protests of the people. "It's time to see what this Seal is capable of. Djinn, come forth!"

In seconds, eight strange forms appeared, surrounding the stage. Most of them wore monstrous forms, just like the djinn Sharik had summoned in Rim's palace. Only one djinn wore a human guise - a pretty, fair-skinned female with shoulder-length chestnut hair. Her large brown eyes looked around in confusion at the shocked, frightened crowd.

"M-miss Maha!" Reem gasped. "There's no way….! How did he...?"

"He didn't specify what djinn to command, so any wandering djinn in the area must have been dragged in," Hafa speculated uneasily. All of the djinn looked as though they hadn't the slightest idea what was going on; regardless, their forms were terrifying and unexpected, sending the crowd into hysterics. The Sultan seemed to be reveling in their fear.

"My demons, I command you to follow me and do as I say. Your first order is to show these fine people your true power - my power - so that they may know respect."

Compelled by the ring, the djinn immediately changed their forms into large, much more frightening creatures; giant lions, massive poisonous insects and fire-breathing lizards rose up, sending the citizens running and screaming in every direction. Maha became a large tawny wildcat, the same form she had donned when rescuing Makarim, Reem, Najiya and Rim from the dark room under the palace.

Reem grabbed Najiya and held him close as panicked people stampeded by. Sa'akah slung an arm around Aini and seized the back of Reem's vest, yanking both him and Najiya through the masses to the safety of a nearby alcove next to the community garden.

"Rim! We have to go get Rim!" Aini yelled, his voice almost lost amid the roars of the crowd and rampaging djinn.

"We'll pick him up later!" Sa'akah yelled back firmly. "He isn't going anywhere, alright?"

"Where's Haru?" Najiya yelled, looking around frantically. "We have to get Haru! Unlike Rim, he can die!"

"Shit," Sa'akah spat, scanning the crowd. It was impossible to find any one person among the sea of faces. Hafa was completely lost in the chaos.

.

.

.

Just like that, he'd lost sight of them.

Hafa wasn't aware things could go wrong so quickly. He'd only barely turned around to see the djinn change form when he'd been separated from the others, finding himself alone. With no other goal in mind, Hafa tried to push his way through the frantic crowd to get to the relative safety of a back street, hoping he could get back to Makarim's shop. He'd only felt comfortable leaving Makarim, Rani, Ru'a and Ghazi alone because they'd have Maha to protect them; without her, they were more susceptible than ever.

Trying to move in any direction was like walking through thick sludge. The screams and roars surrounding him were deafening. As soon as he found his opportunity, he pushed himself out of the current, falling against someone's splintered front door. For several moments he stood flush against the door, waiting for the street to clear out enough to move mostly unmolested; once the screams and shouts became more scattered and widespread, Hafa attempted braving the street a second time, breaking into a run.

When finally Hafa returned to the shop, his worries were confirmed. The front door was open, hanging on by a single hinge. His heart stuck firmly in his throat, Hafa pulled a short sword from his clothes and ran inside, not giving a second thought to the danger.

The place looked ransacked. Hafa heard a shriek from the kitchen. Upon entering, Hafa saw a man struggling with Ghazi; Rani and Ru'a were nowhere to be seen.

Without thinking, Hafa flew forward and slammed his shoulder into the man's side, knocking him off of her. To his surprise, the man wasn't a soldier like Hafa had expected; he was a townsman, someone Hafa had seen trading goods in the market days previous. Was this known as 'looting'?

"Hafa!" Ghazi choked out, her eyes red. Hafa felt a fresh wave of fury as he saw her hastily adjust her jilbaab, which upon closer inspection looked as though it had been manhandled. Hafa turned his furious gaze on the looter, who was standing up and brandishing a dagger.

"He- he burst in a few minutes after Miss Maha left!" Ghazi explained tearfully. "He's looking for money, and- and he wouldn't leave…!"

"Don't you get it?!" the man shouted, his expression crazed. "This is the end! Djinn are loose, Solomon's blood has been spilled… we're all going to fucking die… we're going to die…"

"Is everyone okay?" Hafa asked Ghazi worriedly as the man ranted. She nodded, wiping at her eyes.

"Get out of here now," Hafa commanded the man crisply.

"No. I'm taking whatever money you have and I'm getting the hell out of here!" the man rebutted, lunging at Hafa swinging his blade wildly. Though he lacked skill, his swipes were completely unpredictable and furious; Hafa knocked Ghazi out of the way and attempted a dodge, falling roughly on the kitchen floor. The man advanced on him, aiming for his face. Hafa rolled out of the way, the man's dagger grazing his side. Hafa struggled to stand just as the man lunged a third time, gaining confidence at the sight of blood.

From behind him, Ghazi struck the man over the head with an iron kettle, knocking him into the cabinets. Hafa sprang forward in an attempt to disarm the looter, but Ghazi's surprise attack hadn't been enough to stun him; the man reared back and punched Hafa in the face, attempting another swipe with his dagger. Holding his face and losing his balance, Hafa stumbled back, lowering his guard.

Ghazi attempted a second attack but the looter was wise to it now, grabbing the kettle from her and kicking her violently to the floor. Once he confirmed she was motionless, the man turned back to Hafa and raised his dagger.

A small form appeared in front of Hafa, blocking the man's blade with her own. Hafa blinked several times before he could believe what he was seeing.

"Ru'a? What are you…!"

Ru'a grunted under the man's strength, his arm bearing down on hers, blades struggling with one another in a rapidly losing battle. The man laughed sharply.

"A little girl? You think I care about killing a child when we're all faced with horrible deaths? Move aside, girl, or I'll end you where you stand!"

"I won't… let you… hurt… my family…" Ru'a squeaked, her arms trembling.

"Ru'a! Don't-"

The looter easily countered the little girl's blade, flinging her to the side. Ru'a nearly stumbled but found her footing, lunging her sword toward the man's chest; it was so fast and unexpected, the man wasn't able to dodge her assault completely, her blade catching him in the side. Stunned, the man yelped and covered his side, raising a hand to his face to observe his own blood. Letting out a furious yell, the man reared back his arm to backhand the surprised girl. Hafa threw himself into the looter a second time, both of them tumbling to the floor.

Ru'a screamed; Hafa assumed she was upset about the struggle, but soon realized this was not the source of her fright. A huge, impossibly long snake had slithered into the kitchen, rearing up menacingly at the men on the floor. It's jaw fell open to expose massive fangs dripping with venom.

The looter scrambled to his feet, a panicked cry in his throat. The snake dove for him, snapping its terrifying jaws; the man stumbled and fell, picking himself up just as quickly and fleeing the house in an absolute panic.

The snake turned its unblinking eyes on Hafa, peering at him with an oddly penetrating gaze. It extended its body toward him, flicking its tongue over Hafa's neck, smelling him deeply.

"It is you. You smell different somehow, much more... mortal… But I can tell it's you, all the same. What happened to reclaiming your djinn soul?" the snake hissed.

Hafa found himself at a loss for words. The snake's voice sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't match it to a memory.

"Excuse me?" Hafa asked, his voice stuck in a hoarse whisper.

The snake drew itself up and changed form, growing backward, hooved legs, a furry humanoid body and curved horns atop its head. Hafa's eyes widened.

"I believe I wore this guise when first we met. I'm embarrassed that both times we've run into each other I was snared by Solomon's ring… I'm getting a little tired of this song and dance, to be honest with you."

Hafa carefully stood up, Ru'a peeking out from behind him in both awe and fear. "I remember you… When we were trying to stop Sharik, you gave us a head start even when your orders were to kill us."

"I'm old, I've done the master thing more times than I can count. I'm good at postponing orders. Finding loopholes, too. For example… 'Showing our power' is so vague, isn't it? I'm just running around spooking people. Some of the other djinn are taking out their frustrations on the denizens, though." The beast sighed deeply. "What happened to you, anyhow? You smell entirely mortal. I wouldn't have thought that to be possible."

Hafa looked away awkwardly. "It's a long story."

"Too bad, I don't have the time to spare for a long story. Tough break, though. Unless, you know, you're fond of this whole mortal idea." The monster snorted. "Still, this 'Solomon's ring' thing is getting out of hand, isn't it? It faded into legend for thousands of years, and all of a sudden I've been called with it twice in less than a mortal year. Seriously bad timing, too. I assume you've noticed there's a bigger problem going on."

"I've noticed, yes." Hafa answered uncomfortably.

"Do you have another risky, half-baked plan to get the ring back?" the creature asked hopefully.

Hafa scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not sure. I'm not even sure we'll survive the Sultan's ridiculous power display at this point." Ru'a clung to Hafa tightly, causing him to regret his choice of words.

"Well, you'd better come up with something. I'll help if I can, you know. I don't appreciate being enslaved at a time like this."

"Yeah. Thanks."

The djinn morphed back into the giant snake, flicking its tongue out. "No problem. The Sultan is calling us back, so hopefully that means he's moving on. If we meet again, be careful. No telling what he'll order me to do next." He paused, his eyes darting away in thought. "Word of advice, too, while I'm at it. The word's gotten around about this 'bigger problem' in the Other World. Rumor has it there's some way to move the pieces in our favor, if you know what I mean. I can't say I'm against the idea, but, well… You're mortal now, so I expect you might want to side with humanity. Food for thought, you know." The djinn vanished between the blinking of Hafa's eyes, leaving the kitchen much emptier and quieter than before, save for the churning of Hafa's brain as he tried and failed to decipher the djinn's parting words.

Ru'a let out a small whimper; Hafa snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at her worriedly. "Ru'a? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

The little girl shook her head, sniffling. She rushed forward and hugged Hafa tightly around his middle, sobbing into his stomach. Hafa held the girl gently, stroking her hair.

"Ru'a… I can't believe what you did… I appreciate you trying to help, but you could have been killed-"

"I couldn't let you die!" the girl cried crossly. "Ghazi told us to hide in the basement when that man started breaking down the door… We listened to her, but when I heard her scream, I couldn't stand just hiding and not doing anything! That's what happened when father…" She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "I took Reem's sword and… and…"

"Everything's fine now, Ru'a, no one was seriously hurt. Thank you for coming to help. You saved me."

Ru'a looked up at Hafa with round, glossy eyes. "R-really?"

"Really," Hafa told her, smiling.

"H-hey… Are they all gone?" Rani's voice suddenly called from the doorway. He was holding a sword in his trembling hands. "I… came to help… I guess I came too late?"

Ru'a wiped her face on her arm, sniffling. "Rani, I told you to stay downstairs!"

"I know, but… You're my sister! If I didn't try and help…" Rani lowered his head, looking to be stubbornly fighting off tears. Ru'a went to her brother and hugged him. He dropped his sword and clung to her, his shoulders trembling. "Sorry I'm such a coward…"

"You're not a coward. I was so scared I could barely hold my sword! You're brave for coming after me. Thank you."

As the twins comforted each other, Hafa checked on Ghazi, who was beginning to gain her senses back. He helped her to sit up; she winced and held her stomach. "D-dammit… Is he gone? Are the twins okay?"

"Everyone's fine. We should get upstairs, though, until it calms down outside."

.

.

.

"Why the hell are they following us?!" Aini huffed, taking refuge behind a large wooden cart. Sa'akah stole a glance down the street as his companions regained their breath. Several soldiers on horseback were scouring the area behind them, seemingly ignoring all other panicked passersby.

"I'm not sure, but they are definitely hot on our trail. We need to be careful. Until we throw them off, I don't think heading back to Makarim's is a good idea."

"Agreed," Reem said, squeezing Najiya's shoulder. "Still, why are they bothering with us? Can they possibly know we conspired with Rim in some way?"

Sa'akah shook his head. "Not sure. Let's move now, though, while they're distracted looking for us."

"I have a bad feeling about all this," Najiya groaned.

They took to the back streets, hopeful that the visitors from Same Al-Kah would stick to the main thoroughfare of the city, where most of the people were still gathered. Their hopes were short-lived; the sound of hooves echoed off of the buildings behind them, followed by unintelligible shouting.

"Shit, are you kidding me?" Sa'akah spat as they ran.

"This isn't working!" Reem growled, drawing his sword. "We're going to have to fight them. Najiya, Aini, get somewhere safe, we'll-"

"I'm not leaving you, Reem!" Najiya shouted adamantly.

"I'm not, either!" Aini added.

Sa'akah groaned. "I have an idea. Everyone get ready."

At his words, everyone stopped running and faced their pursuers, Sa'akah standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Reem. The soldiers slowed their steeds, forming an oppressive half-circle around the company, weapons drawn. Sa'akah pressed the palm of his hand against the slope of his staff.

"Why are you chasing us?" Reem demanded fiercely. "We've done nothing to wrong you, have we? Haven't you all caused enough chaos tonight?"

"We have no qualms with you, stranger." the lead soldier said coldly. His horse stomped the ground and snorted. "We've been ordered to pick up the blonde one. Move aside and no harm will come to any of you."

Reem's mouth fell open, his brain unable to form words. Behind him, Najiya froze, his complexion becoming ashen with fear.

"M-me?" Najiya exclaimed uneasily. "What do you want with me?"

"Preposterous!" Reem snarled furiously, asserting himself more prominently in front of Najiya. "You're insane! You think I'll let you lay a finger on him?"

Najiya clutched Reem's vest, his hands trembling. "Reem…"

"None of us here are eager to let you take our friend," Sa'akah said calmly. "Go back to your Sultan and tell him you failed."

Four of the soldiers hopped off of their horses, approaching the group. "Last chance. Hand him over."

Sa'akah pulled his hand away from the top of his staff, the familiar blue orb of swirling energy blooming under the arch. He struck his staff against the ground sharply; countless orbs of light blinked into thin air, all of them floating toward the armed men in a tight line formation. The soldiers withdrew in caution and surprise, backing up to assess the new danger; all at once the orbs flew to the ground, striking the stone and exploding into thick, white mist that completely blocked the soldiers from view. Sa'akah elbowed Reem in the side, gaining his attention.

"Take Najiya and go," he hissed. "This stuff can only distract them. It might be enough to give you a head-start."

Normally Reem might have argued or felt compelled to stay and help fight; today, his only concern was Najiya's safety. He didn't know exactly what was happening, but he had a clear enough idea; the Sultan wanted Najiya. Their meeting days ago had been preying on his mind ever since, filling him with unease. He should have listened more closely to his intuition.

Reem turned and grabbed tightly to Najiya's hand, pulling him in the opposite direction. Najiya struggled to keep up, turning to see Sa'akah and Aini far behind them, the white mist overtaking them.

"R-Reem… Will they be okay on their own?" Najiya cried, squeezing Reem's hand. "If something happens to them…!"

"Sa'akah can take care of himself," Reem answered, hoping he was right. "Let's just focus on getting you somewhere safe!"

As they turned a corner, Najiya withheld a sob. "Why is all of this happening?" he cried, his strength threatening to abandon him. "First Makarim, then the Sultan, then the entire world… And now this! What could that creepy Sultan want from me?"

"I'd rather not find out," Reem muttered.

The two of them stopped behind a shop, catching their breath as Reem tried to evaluate the situation beyond the back streets.

"We can't stay here… Now that they know we're using these routes, they'll start trying to block us in. We have to find a way out of the city."

"Out of the city?!" Najiya panted, resting his hands on his knees. "We can't just leave everyone like that! What if they need our help?"

"Najiya, I won't allow you to get captured! Gods only know what the Sultan wants with you… I'm worried about everyone as well, but they would be just as worried about you!"

Najiya stood up and shook his head, tears squeezing from the corners of his eyes. "No! I won't abandon our friends! And you… Reem, I can't have you putting yourself in danger like this for me! What if Sa'akah and Aini are… what if...!"

Reem grabbed Najiya's upper arms and pulled the boy into a firm embrace, burying his face in the boy's neck. Surprised, Najiya slowly reciprocated, fighting the urge to cry out of both frustration and fear.

"I absolutely can't lose you…" Reem said weakly, his resolve trembling along with his voice. "I can't. I'm worried about our friends, but you… I can't. It's selfish, but I'll risk it all to keep you safe." He held him a little more tightly. "Do you understand?"

In lieu of a reply, Najiya burst into quiet tears, pressing his face into Reem's shoulder. The two held each other for several moments, allowing their emotions to return to a state of necessary quietude - both of them were unpleasantly aware that time was not on their side. Reem pulled away, gently tilting Najiya's chin upwards to kiss him. As they parted, Najiya smiled, his long eyelashes peppered with shimmering tears.

"I love you, Reem."

"I love you too." Reem kissed the boy's forehead. "Let's go before someone comes along."

When Reem had deemed it safe enough, the two emptied onto a decimated side street, hand in hand. Normally this narrow street was used for vendors to sell fresh produce, but come morning the men knew no one would be selling anything. Half of the street was on fire, the small shops and homes cracked, one of them completely reduced to rubble. It was truly a sorry scene. The djinn were following their orders well enough, it seemed.

"We'll take the alley up ahead and use the market streets to get to the East exit," Reem proposed as they ran.

"What do we do once we're out?" Najiya asked worriedly.

"I haven't thought that far ahead," Reem admitted guiltily. "I doubt they'll check the river… We might be able to hide out there for-"

A strike of lightning hit the ground, blocking Reem and Najiya's path. Reem lurched back, pulling Najiya behind him.

From the sky, a large, roaring creature with massive wings, a lion head and a serpent's tail swooped down upon them, summoning three more lightning strikes just as Reem attempted to pull Najiya in the opposite direction.

In moments, they found themselves surrounded on both sides by men on horseback; the winged djinn landed neatly on the ground just next to Sultan Akram, who was flanked by his generals and a second djinn who wore the guise of a giant fawn wildcat. The feline watched on in apprehension, her tail swishing anxiously behind her.

"There you are, my little sow-thistle," the Sultan purred fondly, spurring his horse forward. Reem drew his sword, causing a similar response in all of the soldiers surrounding them. The Sultan raised a calming hand, keeping his men at bay.

"There's no need for any more bloodshed, don't you agree?" Akram asked, extending a hand to Najiya. The boy felt his blood run cold. "We are taking our leave now, and I was so hoping you would come with me. Come and live in my palace, and I promise to lavish you with every possible luxury."

Najiya's heart was beating so frantically he felt like his chest might burst. "Wh- No! I-I don't want to, I want to stay here!"

Akram tutted. "It wasn't really a request, sow-thistle." The Sultan gestured to his men; two of his generals dismounted and approached with their weapons drawn. "Please collect him for me, if you would. I am eager to leave this place."

Reem lunged at the first man to approach, their swords clashing. With a yell, Reem managed to knock the man's blade away, causing the man to stumble.

"I will not let you take him," Reem growled. "I'll die before I let that happen."

The Sultan smiled peaceably. "I admire your dedication to your companion." He turned his gaze on Maha. "You there. Please remove this man. Teach him what it means to go against me."

"Miss Maha…!" Najiya whispered in a panic. "Please…"

The wildcat looked almost petrified at the request, but was compelled to obey. She bounded forward, turning on her heel and whipping her tail into Reem's chest, sending him flying forcefully into a pile of frail crates some fifteen feet away. Najiya screamed his name and went to run after him, but he was grabbed by several pairs of hands and roughly pulled onto a horse, firmly held in place by the rider.

"REEM!" Najiya fought against his captor, trying to break free as the entourage turned away from the pile of broken crates and started off toward the East city exit. The two djinn followed on either side of the group. "REEM! Are you okay?! Answer me, please! REEEEEM!"

"Put him into a nice sleep for me, will you?" the Sultan asked the wildcat. "Just to give him some time to settle down."

Maha met Najiya's large, tear-filled eyes, her own swimming with regret. Najiya shook his head, tears spilling from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. "No… please…!"

A deep, pulsing sound echoed in Najiya's mind. Maha's eyes were drilling into his with hypnotizing purpose. Before he felt all of the strength leave his body, he thought he could hear a muffled apology deep in his sleeping mind.

As Najiya slumped forward, unconscious, the company left the city with djinn in tow. Behind them, the city continued to burn.