She was walking in the woods. She didn't know where her feet was taking her, but she followed anyway. The night air was crisp and cold against her skin. She sniffed and a tear fell down on her cheek, she wiped it away. Why was she crying?

Her boots were covered in dirt, as she walked below another thick branch, and the uneasiness started to seep through her bones.

She must've walked far now, because when she finally stopped, the tall wall made with thick roots greet her. She looked up and placed a palm on the wet plant.

"Witch plant." She whispered.

Suddenly the roots shook, sending small tremors to her palm, a rumbling sound was heard simultaneously. She leaned forward and placed an ear to the wall. A moment later, she heard an explosion, and felt her body hit the ground. She passed out.

The smell of dirt and wet grass welcomed her as she peeled her eyes open. The left side of her head was throbbing, and as if remembering why she was there at the first place, her head snapped to the root wall. Her eyes widened with realisation and without wasting any time, she ran back.

She heard the scream before she arrive at the fortress. When she escaped the darkness of the woods, a bright light blinded her for a second, and when she opened her eyes back, another blood curling scream shocked her again.

She ran to where the scream came from but she was stopped by a black hooded creature with sharp talons protruding from its sleeves. It was busy killing someone she was very familiar with. Its victim's eyes let out a light and shot the creature on the chest before the creature turned to ash.

She stand rooted on her ground while she witnessed the victim that happened to be a guy fell to the ground not far from her. He gave out a gurgling sound and blood spluttered out from his mouth. His body shook harshly before he became completely still.

She cupped her mouth and turned to the other way.

She watched as another one die, a tall light haired girl. She was very stunned that she didn't even move when a sudden surge of light burned her to her bones.

***

Farra was roaming in and about in the woods. She had been doing that for the past few days, after Sheronica escapade from the Number's. Doing nothing made her itchy, and she wanted to be the one who was doing the patrol. That way, she was even more clear about the safety of their surroundings.

She stopped her steps and took a breath.

"You can come out now, Hisham."
She waited, and raised her eyebrows when the guy stood before her awkwardly.

He cleared his throat. "I was just passing by."

"Right." She trailed off and walked away, Hisham trotted beside her.

"Okay, I followed you. But since when did you realised that."

Farra smirked. "Long enough to know that you actually followed me in circle."

Hisham slapped his forehead. "You were doing it on purpose? I thought you lost your way."

The girl laughed, a melodic sound that literally flipped the guy's gut.

"Lost? I was born here, dude. My whole childhood life was chasing deer and playing hide and seek in this huge forest with Aieyn, Izz and Sheron."

Hisham huffed. "Then how did you know it was me?"

She snickered at him and quickened her pace. He rushed after her.

"What's with that face?" He asked, scrunching his nose with Farra's expression.

"I can feel you, Hisham. Your existence, your powers. Sometimes I can read your mind too. Not that I want to." She crossed her arms on her chest and stared at Hisham with an eyebrow raised.

Hisham's heart stopped beating. If she can read his mind, she would as well aware of his feelings towards her too. As far as he noticed, the feeling wasn't mutual.

He could feel the blood rushing on his face, and was taken aback when Farra tiptoed and leaned towards him. Her wide eyes searched his face and he even stopped breathing. A moment later, her smile widened, deepening her dimples.

"Oh my god, you're blushing." She laughed loudly. Hisham blushed even hard.

"Don't worry, I won't tell Miezza that you think she's hot with her hair tied up." Farra teased in a singsongly voice.

"I did not think she's hot." Hisham grumbled.

"Right." Farra chuckled, and they continued walking in silence.

"How come I never share your piece of mind?" He asked after awhile.

Farra smiled. "You don't want to know what's on my mind, Hisham. It is really complicated up there."

"But it's not fair."

Farra stopped on her track and faced him. His white skin still held a tinge of pink from her teasing just now. If he wanted to see what she's thinking, she'll give him that.

"Okay, you have to focus. Close your eyes and expand your powers around you. When you reach me, use your power to tap my mind."

Hisham closed his eyes, and did what she said. Sure enough, he could hear the waterfall, and the flapping of bird wings. The sound of the forest was even louder and clearer, and he heard mouse scurrying somewhere.

But no Farra.

He opened his eyes and stared directly to Farra's eyes. She was holding a laugh so hard that she bit her lower lip, dimples popping up.

"Well?" She asked.

"Oh my god, I feel like an idiot." He grunted, looking to another way in order to hide his red face.

She patted his shoulder and laughed. "Try again next time, Hisham."

They now arrived infront of the wall that Noorizan built using the witch plant. They walked along the wall, occasionally stopping to fix a little hole here and there, probably by the woodpecker who thought it would be a good place to build a nest.

"Far,"

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

Farra stopped her track and faced the guy, looking at him weirdly.

"Why'd you ask me that?"

"Because I want to."

Farra chuckled and shook her head.
"You are one weird guy, Hisham."

He smiled briefly, before turning back to serious.

"I mean what I ask, Farra." He pulled on her wrist gently and she turned to him. "Everyone are asking Sheron if she's okay. But no one ever ask you if you're okay. Right?"

Farra simply shrugged. "Maybe because I am the Leader, so everyone thinks I'm fine, which I am, most of the time."

Hisham took a breath. "Leader or not, you're only human, Far. You are not immune to hurting."

She grinned, and held her index finger up.
"Correction, a superhuman. I have powers." She joked, but her smile faltered a bit when Hisham only watched her with a sharp gaze.

"Hisham, can I ask a favour?" She asked, and smiled when he nodded.

"If something happens, something that we couldn't avoid.."

"What do you mean?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"If the four of us didn't survive this, I want you to take my necklace..."

"Wait," Hisham interrupted, "are you saying that you're going to die?"

Farra looked at him sharply. "The key point is 'if' Hisham," she said and he fell quiet.

She took a deep breath. "I want you to take my necklace." She pulled out the chain that was clasped around her neck. It was the same as his, only the pendant was of the letter F, while Hisham's was H. All Alphabets wore their letter as a necklace."

"I want you to keep this." She said, showing him the necklace. It glowed slightly under her touch. "A Leader's necklace will not perish even if the owner face death. Because it will be the key for you to move forward."

"I don't.." Hisham sighed. "I don't think I get what you mean."

"Do you remember what we told you, the first night we brought you here?" Farra asked, and Hisham nodded, remembering the details they told him and the new members about Alphabets and their powers.

"This necklace will emit light when the enemy starts their hunt. When it happens, I need you to take this necklace back to the fort and start finding the Alphabets. You will have to put my necklace on the carving where we placed the Crystal Balls before that, in order to get the other necklace in the Box."

"I need to find the Alphabets?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes, like we did with you." Farra smiled softly. "You have to find them all, and bring them back here."

"I.."

"Do I have your promise?" She cut in.

They shared look for a while. She was still smiling, but nothing like she did before, her dimples didn't show up. Deep inside, she felt like she was giving her goodbye.

The wind rustled the leaves, bringing the smell of earth into their nostrils.

Hisham nodded slowly.

"I promise."

***

Avid Huruf reader would recognise this chapter.

Yes, I took this from the real Huruf book and alter it so that it would suit my plot. There's no major difference though.. and I did say the story will be quite the same right ;)