Ah well, he might as just go on to speak and invite them.

"I--"

"Have you forgotten the Legacy pupils of the great scholar are still around?"Someone voluntarily cut in.

"Of them, I've heard only Ukashah and Zakariyya are remaining."Another voiced out.

Abdullah chuckled,"Tsk.Tsk! Even my elder brother Zak alone, is enough to teach the whole halaqah!"

Everyone burst into laughter,"Zak is just a student too, and here I was, thinking some new scholar came to town! Haha little Abdullah, you sure are one entertaining kid."The young adult who called Abdullah first, roughly brushed his hands through Abdullah's well groomed hair, making it messy.

It seemed this time, Abdullah was really annoyed,"I'm serious lah! You just wait and see!"

"Little boy, two years ago, your brother and his group didn't even make it to the finals. How do you think that they'd even get the confidence of the masses now?"

Who at all is this old man? Now, even Abdullah was getting curious and angry. It seemed the man just wanted to provoke him. He, - Abdullah bin Ya'qûb Al. Maghribi!

"They didn't, - not because they couldn't, but because they backed out themselves! We all know the story!

You guys should consider sending your little brothers and cousins over. Even better, consider coming yourself!"Abdullah ended, his voice all the more angry.

"Don't worry, even if we have to summon our ancestors and bring our great grandmothers."The old man said, as everyone laughed. He seemed to be near the front now.

"Young lad, do the aged need to learn? What about, if we're just more learned, and have such knowledge as we don't need to learn anymore. What about that?"He continued in mockery, suddenly appearing in front of Abdullah, his willowed back bent in scorn of the little boy, his shrewd eyes glistening in laughter.

Arkaan almost gaped, his eyes flickered in shock. He could never forget this old man with the peppered beard and wizened appearance.

Old man Khidr...how did he get here, and how does all this concern him!!

"Khayrukum man ta'allama Qur'ana wa 'allamahu!١

The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it!"

Abdullah looked around. As a young boy, his eyes being this serious had brought back a solemn air to the gathering.

"If you do not know, then you might as well come to learn. Seeking knowledge is compulsory on every Muslim man and Muslim woman. If you know, then you can share what you know with those who don't.

The right of the knowledge you've learnt is that, you share whatever you've learnt to benefit others, even as much as you put it into practice!"

Arkaan was shocked by Abdullah's charisma. Where at all did he learn from, and from who? If he didn't learn from Al-Iskandarī, I wonder which great teacher trained this loudmouth..

"Hmm lemme consider. Perhaps, one day in a thousand years later, Hahaha!"Old man Khidr looked at Abdullah in abject mockery, and blatantly said.

At this, everybody began laughing heartily. Abdullah was a little boy after all, they didn't believe what he said about the South district's halaqah reviving. Especially not without their scholar, the infamous Al-Iskandarī, and not any other scholar for that matter. Just how could it be, a bunch of kids trying to achieve such a feat and even talking about entering the National Seven Cities' Grand Qur'an Ramadan competition! Even when Al-Iskandarī was around, the group never stood in the finals.

But by now, Abdullah was fuming."Lemme at him!"he cried angrily at Arkaan who held his collar tightly, preventing him from following after the old man in the sudden dispersing crowd. It seemed the old man had not recalled him after all.
He smiled.

For a moment there, he thought this discussion was going somewhere. Abdullah was a child after all. But Gosh, that disagreeable old man!

Turning back to face what had really caught his attention for him to come there, Arkaan smiled jovially.

"Old man, Juraij Silk Roads, you do remember me!" That was the name the merchant had first introduced himself as, whilst they were on the ferry. It was he, this squint-eyed merchant, and Redbeard.

"How could I forget, oh young Arkaan? A journey builds great friendship and experience. I thought I told you that already."

According to this man, his ancestors were merchants on the silk roads, and were the pioneers of the Trans-Saharan trade. Of course Arkaan believed none of it, but decided to humour the old man."I'm looking for Uncle Redbeard. Didn't know you'd reach South district's Chinese market this quickly!"

"Who's looking for me?"A man slightly taller than everyone else in the crowd, suddenly entered through, the leftover crowd parting for him.

Abdullah stared at the towering man in shock. The man had a pleasantly sinewy body, wrapped in the whitest of garments and a grand white turban around his head which partly covered his face, only his eyes to see. The turban had designs of silver clouds and winds on it.

Apart from that, his exposed neck-lengthed hair was lush red. Abdullah noticed he had sideburns adjoining to his great beard which disappeared beneath the turban. He speculated that, all the man's facial hair was of a same colour. If he wasn't mostly all brawn, he might have exuded the grace of a great King.

As soon as the man caught sight of Arkaan, he gave a loud cry"If it's not the little lad of the sea, Arkaan! Last I saw you, you were impatiently waiting by the side at the hull. What happened with you? Didn't see you again, went round asking for you with no result!"

They were later walking down the road, the three together as Redbeard narrated what went on after Arkaan went missing. Redbeard had searched till he suspected Arkaan had fallen off board.

He informed the authorities in charge, only for them to say no one could have fallen since the patrol team had been looking out for dangers.

Thinking that Arkaan was in danger, he actually caused a scene, till they sent a rescue team, though they turned up with nothing.

He later came on land, keeping his ears to the ground as he searched for any news of him. And here he was finally. Redbeard was so happy Arkaan was well and fit. He did some minor checks on the boy, finding nothing, he sighed in content.

Arkaan felt touched.

"Now, back to business." He said, suddenly serious,"I've got your things over here at South district but I'll not be able to get them till 'morrow for you. Don't ask me why."He said, brows furrowed at the stupefied Arkaan who just swallowed his unsaid words.

Abdullah laughed,"What's your real name, Old man? I think I'm beginning to like you!"

"My name is quite famous around these areas, and beyond Tâ Hâ. I've been to the courts of the Kings and Royals of the Nine Kingdoms and their many cities. Even the land west of here have heard of me."Redbeard dramatized.

"Woah! Who could you be, Old man?" Abdullah's eyes were glistening.

How gullible. Arkaan turned to look somewhere else, apparently not interested. It seemed the items on sale in the market, suddenly had a charm Redbeard's words would never dream of possessing.

Redbeard noticed, and felt some slight irritation inside,"Aiyaa! Arkaan, you still do not believe me?" He had spent the entire journey on the ferry trying to convince this boulder of a boy. Arkaan just wouldn't be moved!

Arkaan turned to look at Redbeard, a cryptic smile on his face. Even though the man looked well-to-do, he just couldn't believe something like that. Look how he walked around in the market. If he were that famous, wouldn't he have been crowded by a vast audience by now? Not to say, a well-known personality must have personal guards and officials about him!

Arkaan wanted to believe him, but his reasoning was elsewhere,"Maybe, if you can give me proof. Then~"

"Tsk."Redbeard muttered under his breath,"You can't even take care of a bunch of idiots, how do you turn into the man of reason and proofs."

"Eh, what'd you say?"

"Nothing nothing,"Redbeard laughed awkwardly.

"Say Arkaan, I'll give you proof if you're up for a challenge."

Even though Arkaan didn't really care about the challenge, he got curious. Why the sudden mention of a challenge?

"Would you believe me if I said there are a group of fifteen to twenty boys on your trail now? By Allah, if not for their colourful attention-seeking thobes, they could have well easily blended with the crowd."

Redbeard suddenly yawned, his hands behind his head as he made lazy strides, the two boys suddenly becoming apprehensive, held his sides like he was their lifeline, whilst looking around as they seemed not to dare lose his protection. Abdullah had even clutched tightly unto his thobe.

Redbeard gave a cold laugh, though inwardly. With a lazy smile, he continued,"Don't look back. You'll alert them."

"Good then. Let them be alarmed and scram!" Abdullah said, even looking back more, his little eyes bulging out.

Redbeard held both their heads under his arms and turned them to face front, as they kept on walking,"But that's part of the challenge." He smiled mischievously once again.

"How long.."

"For sometime now, let's say - about fifteen minutes before you stopped at Silk Roads.."Redbeard answered Arkaan's question before he could complete.

"It seems you know them quite well."He studied the two of the junior generation walking by him. They were really scared out of their wits, especially Abdullah. He began to wonder what they had done to enrage people to the point of reviling them so. Arkaan was calm on the surface, but Redbeard's erudite eyes could read behind his calmness, apprehension.

"Okay, so this is it. Do you accept the challenge, Arkaan?"

After a while in consideration, Arkaan replied,"Shoot. It can't be something next to impossible, right?"

After all, the closer they stuck to the older man, the safer they'd be.

By the time Redbeard had finished explaining what the challenge was about, Abdullah's eyes were shining.

"So, Are you in, Arkaan?"

After all, the closer they stuck to the older man, the safer they'd be.

How ignorant of him. He really thought he'd be safe with this man? Hahaa.. He facepalmed.

"Of course he's in."Abdullah's answer left Arkaan smiling awkwardly. He cleared his throat as he got hold of his two companions by their hands,"Come. Let's go check out those aromatherapy shops over there!"He excitedly exclaimed, pulling Abdullah and Redbeard with him, not giving them time to realize where he was leading them to.

So it begins. Redbeard laughed. For him to come up with a solution so soon, what could he be thinking?..

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