The days flew by and August two arrived. Malak and Yahya took the train to Rimor in the early morning, when the sun was just rising above the clear horizon. The two sat alongside each other, staying quiet. It wasn't awkward-it was just their nature. Malak was sitting right next to the rounded square window. The view was breathtaking, especially when the train started moving. The land and the sky matched with a perfect combination of warm colors: orange, brown, and yellow.

"How many hours?" Malak asked Yahya, who was just staring at the people on the train with a book in his hand.

"Three," he replied. Malak turned her attention back to the sunrise. Only a few people were sitting on the train, much to her amusement. Yahya was silently reading the thick book in his hand.

An hour passed before Malak finally mustered up her courage to ask Yahya what she wanted to learn for the longest time.

"So..." she faced the boy beside her. "I want to ask you a question."

"Mm..."

"I've been thinking about it for a while now."

"Mm..."

"So, what actually happened between you and the popular group?" she finally queried.

"What? What do you mean...?"

"Like...you fought, right? Why? And how?"

"It's...you don't want to know."

"Why? Sorry, am I being too nosy?"

"No, you're not," Yahya disclosed. "So...basically, there are seven people in that group, including me at that time. I was closest to one of them, Awad. He even accepted to be my roommate since I didn't want anything to do with Badr and Yousef."

"Okay," Malak listened.

"So, basically...I wasn't pleased with how they cheated all the time in the exams. So I wanted to look out for them, as an honest friend. So tried to tell them it's wrong but they weren't convinced. So I told Mr. Elias that they cheated in the science final exam."

Malak nodded continuously and Yahya continued: "Also apparently, one of the guys overheard my conversation with Alie. Basically, I told her that hanging out with them made my grades lower."

"I see..." Malak felt bad for Yahya. "It's okay now though, Badr and Yousef are your real friends, and they will never misunderstand you in that way. Real friends are friends who let you act like yourself without feeling troubled."

Yahya managed a slight smile. Malak wanted to chuckle since she thought Yahya looked like a dork.

"Hahahaha!" Malak burst out laughing, which only brought Yahya to confusion. "You're so dorky when you smile!"

"What the hell?" Yahya browsed around to see if anyone was watching her. "Stop laughing!"

"I like the dorky you better than the 'popular' you!" Malak confessed. "I wanted to say that for so long, now I can finally say it!"

Yahya shook his head and sighed heavily. "Okay, I'll take that as a compliment."

"It is! Hihi," Malak giggled.

Malak exhaled. "Anyway...I just want you to realize that Badr and Yousef are really amazing...They changed my life in a way. I'm not saying my life is perfect now but they made a big difference! Without them, I would be...very depressed and lonely. I'm sure you feel the same? Or do you?"

"Of course I do," Yahya clasped his fingers together. "I'm really grateful that they both forgave me, even after I left them. It's my first time having...friends."

"That's great," Malak said as she and Yahya beamed happily at each other.

A few minutes later, Yahya closed his book. "Aren't you gonna spend the summer with your family?"

"N...no, I don't have a family," Malak admitted.

"Really?"

"Yes, I lost my parents when I was young..." Malak sighed nostalgically. "I miss them. I remember so many fun memories with them."

Yahya further listened to Malak. "I went to live with my grandparents, who also...died later on. I...I was really lonely when they passed away. Then I lived with my uncle and aunt. It...it wasn't nice at all."

Yahya closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"N-no! It's fine!" Malak wiped her damp tears.

"I...I miss my family too. My parents died before I came to Evenlane."

"That's...really bad. Who do you live with when you're not in Evenlane?"

"My stepmom. I don't like her."

"Why?"

"Because...she's very lazy."

Malak chuckled and relaxed in her seat. Yahya went back to reading his book. The rest of the train ride was quiet, but Malak and Yahya felt like they understood each other more after having that conversation.

Badr stared at the orange sky from the window in his room. The window was blurry and dusty, so he decided to go outside to get a better view. He got up and took one last glance at Yousef, who was fast asleep, before closing the door.

Once he was outside, the sky was cloudless unlike the view he witnessed inside. He sat down on the stairs in front of his house. He couldn't tell anyone in his family about what happened with Murad. And the meeting time in Nerton Training Center was coming closer. It was just an hour away and that made Badr feel very stressed.

Why was he so scared? Badr felt very tense because he was being distant to his parents for the first time. Was it because of the boarding school? Or was it because his mother did not approve of his dream?

If she knew he had been on a trip like that or let alone even touched a weapon, she would freak out.

"Badr?"

Badr ears traveled to recognize a familiar figure in front of him. His mother's eyes were gentle and loving, as always.

"Hi mom..." Badr sighed and fixed his gaze down at the steps. Safa sat down next to her son.

"Are you okay Badr? Has something been bothering you today?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Mom...yes, actually," Badr replied. "It's...It's just that...okay, it's a long story."

"It's okay Badr, you know you can tell me anything," his mother smiled kindly. Badr knew that his mother was not as harsh as he thought. She was warm and understanding, and just by the gaze in her secure chocolatey eyes, it made Badr feel at ease to convey to her his feelings.

Badr started to reveal all his secrets to his mother. He spilled about the club, the journey to Estermage, the training he did with weapons and what Murad did to him. His mother was silent. He kind of expected her to yell at him, but surprisingly, she didn't.

"How is your shoulder now?" she caressed his shoulder lightly.

"It's fine, thankfully it healed," Badr assured his mother. The two admired the beautiful sun that was slowly disappearing below the horizon.

"Mom tell me...Am I not Ahmad's son?" Badr asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Answer me mom! What happened to my real dad?"

His mom closed her eyes. "I was going to tell you the truth when you grow a little older."

"Please tell me!" Badr was fed up of all the secrets that were being kept away from him. "There is a meeting in half an hour. In Nerton Training Center. I'm going to meet the man who told Murad to...you know...and it's about my real father."

"Badr," Safa brought her son closer to her and hugged him tightly. "It was when you were two years old...I was married to Sulaiman at that time. He was an adventurer, I'm sure you know that. He went on another journey to Moonland. That...that was his fourth time, if I remember correctly. He took his group of friends with him. And he...he never returned."

"What happened?" Badr gasped. "Did he die there?"

"They returned without him. They say he turned into a creature," his mom shook her head. "He was a reckless man. And he was too confident for his own good."

Badr was stunned. "So my real dad is still alive, but as a creature?"

"You never know," his mother answered. "He might have died as a creature too. There's just no hope for him as a human anymore. That's why I married Ahmad. I didn't want you to be an orphan-I wanted you to have a caring father. I wanted you to be happy. I didn't want you to live with that arrogant irresponsible father. He was even thinking of taking you with him to Moonland, when you were just two years old!"

Badr's eyes welled up with tears. He hugged his mother once more and breathed heavily. The birds were chirping nearby on the trees, signaling the beginning of sunset.

"We better get going," Safa said finally. "You said you have a meeting to attend."

Badr followed her inside. Yousef was leaning against the wall, all packed up and ready to leave. Once he saw Badr, his mouth twisted into a small smile.

"Yo," he greeted.

"Hey," Badr grinned back at Yousef. "Just wait, I need to get ready."

Badr ran off to his room to get changed. Safa wore a scarf over her casual outfit and picked up her purse from a nearby chair. Ahmad was not at home because he was at work in the firefighting station. Grandpa Nasser was asleep on the couch and Reemy was watching cartoons on TV.

"Reemy, don't open the door to anyone. When your father comes back he will open the door. I am going with Badr and Yousef somewhere so you just stay here and when it's 7:30 you go to sleep. Understand?" Safa instructed her daughter. Reemy nodded her head as Safa stepped outside and locked the door. She, along with Badr and Yousef, left the house to search for the training center.

The three of them navigated the city, checking every building to see if it was the right one. The streets were not very crowded, but they were narrow and dirty. The buildings were a little cracked at the ends which indicated that they were old.

"Where is this training center?" Safa was checking the store names.

"I think it's there!" Badr ran to a small building. He gawked at the sign on the door, reading it silently. Yousef and Safa watched him from afar. Badr came back with a disappointed face.

"It was a hair salon," he told them. Yousef laughed a little while Safa shook her head and motioned for the two boys to follow her. It was about a few minutes or so until they neared a building made of high-quality wood that read: 'Nerton Training Center'. Badr nodded confidently then immediately used the push bar to open the door. Yousef and Safa followed him inside.

The walls were white and the ceiling was lit with inexpensive lights. The three walked over to the counter and were greeted by a tall man who advised them to sit down and wait for their turn. Badr, Yousef, and Safa entered the waiting room and saw three people: Malak, who was drawing in her sketchbook, Yahya, who was reading a fiction book, and another man, who was seated one seat away from Yahya.

"Hey guys!" Badr waved.

"Hi!" Malak greeted them.

"Oh, that's my mom by the way," Badr pointed at Safa, who smiled warmly at Malak and Yahya. She took the seat between Yahya and the man. The stranger slowly moved to the furthest seat from them.

"Awkward..." Yousef whispered to Badr, who chuckled. They sat next to Badr's mom and rested their heads on the chairs, which resembled the chairs they had seen at the airport.

"So you are Malak and Yahya, am I right?" Safa guessed. Malak and Yahya were surprised that she knew their name.

"Yeah they are," Badr confirmed.

"Let them speak!" Safa warned quickly.

"Sorry!" apologized Badr. "They're really quiet anyway."

Malak closed her sketchbook and shuffled in her seat. Yousef chuckled inwardly at how nervous she acted. Behind that timid and reserved cover, only her friends knew how hyper and talkative she actually was.

A few minutes later, the tall man from the counter entered the room and called out: "Badr?"

Badr, along with Yousef, Malak, Yahya and Safa, left the waiting room and headed to the boss's personal room, which the tall man had directed them to. Upon entrance, the room appeared relatively small, but it was just because of the objects placed on the shelves. Three men were seated on the high-quality cushion chairs. One of them was Mohamad, who greeted them with a smile and motioned them to sit down next to him. Murad was sitting down next to an unfamiliar man, who had a freshly cut beard and mustache. He had piercing blue eyes that seemed cold and unfriendly.

Mohamad got up and shook hands with Safa. "I'm Mohamad. It's an honor to meet you."

"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm Safa, Badr's mom," she replied as she sat down. Badr and Yousef took the last seats while Malak and Yahya just stood in the corner. The window blinds were horizontal and closed since it was nighttime.

"Um..." Safa called to the man behind the table. "How have you been, Layth?"

The man nodded in response and Safa began. "This is Badr, and these are his best friends. So what did you tell Murad? Was it a mission?"

After a few moments, the man heaved a breath and started to explain: "Mohamad and I were just talking about the training we do here. We give missions to our trainees who mostly come from Alin. The last mission is usually the hardest. Once they pass the last mission, they officially become a professional fighter. Murad just happened to have his last mission at the time Mohamad came here looking for trained fighters."

Badr swallowed hard since the man came off as frightening. It wasn't because of his size, but rather, his facial expression.

"His last mission was to kill your son," Layth finished. Safa's expression became one of worry and confusion.

"But why? Why would you target my innocent son?" she questioned. "Is it because of...Sulaiman?"

"It's exactly why. Because of him!" Layth raised his voice. Yousef sank into his seat and stared back at Malak and Yahya with an uneasy face.

"Because of Sulaiman...he just never got enough of adventures in Moonland. And who did he bring with him? Me, of course! Only because I was his closest friend before he did those reckless actions. And that time..." Layth banged the table with his fist. "My son died when he was ten years old, because of that man. It was all him! My son didn't deserve any of this. He was my only son. I was hoping to make him into a warrior, a brave fighter. And Sulaiman ruined all that by taking him with us to Moonland."

Safa looked at the ground and pursed her lips. Layth stood up and continued: "My son died in Moonland. I wanted revenge. It wasn't fair at all...my only son dies because of his plans while his own son is still healthy." He addressed Badr. "So when Mohamad told me he needed some trained men to help train a thirteen-year-old kid from Rimor named Badr Quloub...Mohamad told me that your dream was to go to Moonland. I knew it was you. You were Sulaiman's son of course, you have the same mindset as your father. No one thinks of going there except for people like you and your father.

"I changed my plan-I told Murad that his last mission was to kill you if you wouldn't change your mind about going to Moonland. Let me tell you, Moonland is a dangerous place where you'll endanger yourself and your friends. Tragic events will eventually happen like losing your friends and loved ones. I'm warning you: don't follow your father's footsteps. You might end up transforming into a creature like him."

"Layth," Safa stood up to face him. "Sulaiman is no longer part of our family. If Badr wants to go to Moonland and become a hero, it's his own choice. It has nothing to do with his father. Badr shouldn't-and he would never-look up to his real father. His real father who left him for his own selfish needs. Anyway, we are in huge debt because of the school loans and all Badr wanted to do was collect these treasures and sell them because he wants to help his family. He isn't going there because he is selfish. Badr is independent and he likes to take on challenges without relying on others."

That was the end of the conversation. Safa turned around and opened the door. She walked out of the room with her son and his friends.

"Wait," Layth stopped them. "Badr, I need to speak to you. Alone."

Badr received validation from his mother, who nodded. He waited for Mohamad and Murad to leave then he closed the door.

"I'm sorry," Layth spoke. "You are not really like your father. I just wanted to let you know that going to Moonland might be a threat to your whole life. I'm not trying to discourage you or anything."

"It's okay," Badr twinkled brightly.

"Take this," Layth reached in his pocket and took out a medium-sized crystalline gemstone. It was oval-shaped and its color was white.

"This is...a moonstone from Moonland," he explained. Badr gaped at the moonstone. "It gives you the power of telepathy. Do you know what it means?"

Badr shook his head. "No."

"It means that you can communicate with another person without even having to speak. It resembles mind-reading. Take it."

"No," Badr moved away from the moonstone. "I don't deserve it."

"Take it, it's an apology from me. I don't want to remember what happened to your father."

"It's okay, I'm sure my father would like it if you kept it. Just keep it with you, don't you want to remember the memories you had with your best friend?" Badr insisted.

Layth stared at Badr. His lips trembled so he pressed them together. Layth felt his heart ache at the words Badr just said. Badr gave him a small smile then closed the door behind him.

Once he was outside, he noticed that Mohamad was talking to Safa. "I'm sorry about everything," he was saying.

"No, it's not your fault," Safa assured him.

"But it is! I recruited Murad from here!" Mohamad stated.

"But you didn't know, you just wanted to help the kids achieve their goals," Safa emphasized. "Anyways, Badr's okay now, thank God he wasn't severely injured."

She then glared at Murad, who was leaning against the wall silently. Yahya approached Mohamad: "Where is Wael? I thought he would be here."

"He couldn't make it," Mohamad replied. "But he had nothing to do with what we were discussing. He was just a professional who already finished his training here."

"What did he tell you?" Malak asked Badr.

"Shut up, stop being nosy," Yousef commented before Badr could open his mouth.

Malak pouted. The office door opened and Layth paced over to Murad.

"You pass," he guaranteed him. Murad looked relieved and Layth confirmed: "I will give you the rewards tomorrow."

Safa turned to Badr and his friends. "We should get going, don't you think? Would you guys like to have tea at my house?"

"N-no, that's fine," Malak whispered nervously.

The group traversed through the halls and soon left the building. The sky was dark, and to accompany that, the weather was humid.

"Well...bye," Yousef thanked Badr. "Thank you for letting me stay in your house..."

"Yeah, no problem. Bye!" Badr waved at Yousef, who was about to leave. Safa also waved, while shouting: "Do you need money for a taxi?"

Yousef waved his hand dismissively. Malak and Yahya smiled politely at Badr's mother.

"Bye Badr! Hope to see you soon!" Malak bid Badr goodbye.

"Seeya in school next year," Yahya said.

"Bye guys!" Badr waved both of his hands. Mohamad smiled at Badr and his mother then left after the kids to go back to Nuport. Badr kept waving until they were all out of sight. He walked alongside his mom through the dark. Badr thought about his father, unsure of what to do. He didn't know if going to Moonland was his dream anymore, but he didn't want to give up.

They reached their house soon enough and Safa told Badr to go sleep. Badr didn't really feel like sleeping so he decided to go to the roof. He climbed up the stairs and opened the door to the rooftop. He breathed heavily and moved over to the edge of the sandy balcony.

Badr gazed at the moon above him. It was round and clear, opposing the darkness around it. Badr stared more carefully at the sky and saw what he was aiming for, the floating land of adventure. Moonland.

It was far away. Still far away.

Author's note: Finally! This is the last chapter in this book! Thank you to all our loyal readers who have reached here. Thank you, everyone who was patient enough to read this book till the end. We love you all!! If you have any questions, please ask us in the comments.

But we want to ask you a question now. Who was your favorite character?

The second book in this series will be posted not too soon, because we need to do so much planning and our school and university are opening soon, ew! So we won't have time to post anything. We will hopefully post it in December or so. Please understand our situation! However, we will still try to stay active and we will post teasers and edit this book.

This chapter is dedicated to the one and only honeyinthehouse ♥♥ We dedicated the last chapter of this book to you because your are super sweet and nice. Hope you can see this since you moved. Thank you for everything! ❤❤

Thank you all once again! Look out for our updates! <3 <3