The laughter did not fade.
It lingered.
Thin.
Sharp.
Unnatural.
Feroz's breathing slowed—but not out of calm.
Out of awareness.
His eyes moved past Zarqaan.
Toward the edge of the valley.
"Did you hear that?" Feroz asked, his voice lower now.
Haroon's stance tightened instantly.
"I did."
Younus did not speak.
But his gaze had already shifted—
Searching.
Measuring.
Zarqaan, however—
Did not turn.
He didn't even react.
Instead, his eyes remained locked on Feroz.
"…so it finally reached you," Zarqaan said quietly.
Feroz's attention snapped back.
"What do you mean finally?"
Zarqaan's expression didn't change.
"That voice," he said calmly, "doesn't come for everyone."
The wind shifted again—
Colder.
Heavier.
Closer.
Feroz clenched his jaw.
"I've heard it before."
Zarqaan nodded once.
"I know."
A pause.
"Because it's not just a voice."
Feroz's heart pounded.
"Then what is it?"
For the first time—
Zarqaan's eyes flickered… not with fear—
But recognition.
"It's a claim."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Before Feroz could respond—
The shadow at the edge of the valley moved again.
Not like before.
Not subtle.
It stretched—
Like something pulling itself into shape.
Haroon stepped forward instantly.
"Stay behind me."
Feroz didn't move.
"I'm not stepping back anymore."
Haroon didn't argue.
But he didn't move aside either.
Younus raised his hand slowly.
The golden markings beneath them flared—
Brighter.
Protective.
For the first time—
The valley itself reacted to something that wasn't Zarqaan.
Zarqaan finally turned.
Slowly.
His eyes settled on the shifting darkness.
"…you're early," he said.
Feroz looked at him sharply.
"You know what that is?"
Zarqaan didn't answer directly.
Instead—
He asked,
"Can you feel it?"
Feroz didn't need to think.
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
Because he could.
It wasn't like Zarqaan's power.
It wasn't heavy.
It wasn't overwhelming.
It was—
Familiar.
That's what made it worse.
The shadow shifted again.
And this time—
It took form.
Not fully.
Not clearly.
But enough.
A figure.
Standing.
Watching.
Still distant—
But present.
Feroz's chest tightened.
"…that's him."
The man from the dream.
He didn't know how—
But he knew.
Zarqaan's voice came low.
"Now you see it."
Haroon's voice was sharper.
"What is that?"
Zarqaan didn't look at him.
"Not what."
A pause.
"Who."
Younus stepped forward slightly.
His voice steady—
But serious.
"Speak clearly, Zarqaan."
Zarqaan exhaled slowly.
"…he's not here for you."
His eyes returned to Feroz.
"He's here for him."
The figure at the edge took one step forward.
The valley dimmed.
Not violently—
But willingly.
As if it recognized something older than itself.
Feroz's hand trembled slightly—
But he didn't lower it.
"Why does it feel like…" he paused,
"…like it knows me?"
Zarqaan's answer came without hesitation.
"Because it does."
Feroz's breathing grew heavier.
"That's not possible."
Zarqaan's eyes sharpened.
"You keep saying that."
The figure stopped moving.
Still far.
Still unclear.
But the presence—
Stronger now.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then—
It laughed again.
Not loud.
Not wild.
Controlled.
And this time—
Everyone heard it clearly.
Haroon's jaw tightened.
"…this isn't normal."
Younus spoke quietly.
"No… it isn't."
Feroz stepped forward.
One step.
Closer to the figure.
Haroon immediately reached out.
"Feroz—don't."
But Feroz didn't stop.
Because something inside him—
Pulled.
Not forced.
Not pushed.
Pulled.
Zarqaan didn't interfere.
He watched.
Carefully.
"…this is the moment," he said under his breath.
Feroz stopped a few steps ahead now.
Closer to the edge of the valley.
Closer to that presence.
"What do you want?" Feroz called out.
His voice didn't echo.
It was absorbed.
The figure tilted its head slightly.
Then—
For the first time—
It spoke.
"…you already know."
Feroz froze.
That voice—
It wasn't just familiar.
It was—
His.
Not identical.
But close enough to break something inside him.
"No…" he whispered.
Haroon stepped forward now.
"This ends here."
He raised his hand—
Energy forming.
But before he could release it—
Zarqaan's voice cut through sharply.
"Don't."
Haroon turned.
"Move aside."
Zarqaan didn't.
"If you attack that—"
His gaze shifted toward the figure.
"…you won't be able to control what comes next."
Younus added quietly,
"He's right."
Haroon's expression hardened.
"So we just stand here?"
Zarqaan looked at Feroz.
"No."
A pause.
"We let him face it."
Feroz didn't hear them anymore.
His focus was locked.
The figure took another step forward.
Closer now.
Still blurred—
But clearer.
Its face—
Not visible.
But its presence—
Unavoidable.
"…you've been running," it said.
Feroz's chest tightened.
"That's not true."
The figure tilted its head.
"…Multan."
A pause.
"…Abbottabad."
Feroz's eyes widened.
"How do you—"
"…hungry… bleeding… afraid…"
Feroz stepped back slightly.
"Stop."
The figure didn't stop.
"…and still running."
Feroz's fists clenched.
"I said stop!"
The valley trembled.
His energy surged—
Unstable.
The golden markings flickered violently.
Haroon shouted,
"Feroz—control it!"
But this time—
The control slipped.
Not completely—
But enough.
The energy around him twisted.
Dark and gold mixing—
Clashing—
Reacting to the presence ahead.
Zarqaan watched closely.
"…there it is."
The figure raised its hand slowly.
Mirroring Feroz.
"…you can't run from me."
Feroz's breathing broke.
"Why are you here?!"
The answer came softly—
"…because you are."
Silence.
Absolute.
The wind stopped.
The valley held its breath.
Feroz stood frozen.
Because deep down—
For a moment—
Just a moment—
He understood what that meant.
And that understanding—
Terrified him more than anything else.
Behind him—
Haroon took a step forward.
Younus raised his hand again.
Zarqaan didn't move.
Because he knew—
This was no longer a fight of strength.
This was something else.
Something deeper.
Something that could not be stopped—
Only faced.
And as the figure took one final step closer—
The distance between them shrinking—
The truth began to take shape.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Inevitably.