Darkness.
Nothing else.
No sound.
No light.
Feroz felt… nothing.
No ground.
No body.
Just… floating.
Lost.
The last thing he remembered—
Yusuf.
His eyes.
His hand rising—
And then…
Black.
But this wasn't sleep.
He was awake.
Somewhere.
A voice echoed.
Deep.
Far away.
"You are not ready."
Feroz turned—
But there was no one.
His heart started racing.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Then—
The darkness moved.
Slow at first.
Then shifting.
Like water.
Shadows formed around him.
Faces.
Hands.
Reaching.
Feroz stepped back—
But there was no ground.
Nothing to stand on.
The voices came again.
Whispering.
Cold.
"They will come for you."
"They will take everything."
A pause.
"If you are weak…"
"You will fall."
The shadows rushed forward.
Fast.
Closing in—
Feroz gasped—
"Wake up!"
His eyes snapped open.
Breath heavy.
Body shaking.
He was back.
Not in the void.
Somewhere else.
A room.
Dark.
Cold.
Stone floor beneath him.
Rough.
Real.
His clothes were wet with sweat.
The air smelled old.
Wood.
Earth.
Candlelight flickered on the walls.
Mrs. Aliya was beside him.
Kneeling.
Tense.
"You're awake."
Feroz sat up slowly.
Head hurting.
"What… happened?"
"You collapsed," she said.
"The moment Yusuf opened the door."
A pause.
"You've been out for hours."
Feroz looked ahead.
And saw him.
Yusuf.
Sitting in the shadows.
Arms crossed.
Watching.
Quiet.
Careful.
He looked older than expected.
Grey in his hair.
Lines on his face.
Eyes sharp.
Always studying.
"So…" Yusuf said.
Low voice.
"The Khan boy."
Feroz met his gaze.
Still shaken.
"And you're the one who will help me?"
Yusuf smirked slightly.
"Help you?"
A pause.
"Do you even know what you are?"
Feroz's fists tightened.
"I know enough."
"The Free Masons are after me."
"They killed my father."
"My uncle betrayed us."
Yusuf leaned forward.
"And what will you do about it?"
Feroz froze.
No answer.
Yusuf sighed.
"Exactly."
"You have power you don't understand."
"Enemies you can't fight."
"And you still think running will save you."
Mrs. Aliya stepped in.
Firm.
"That's enough."
"We didn't come for this."
"He needs your help."
"He needs training."
Yusuf shook his head.
"Training?"
"He doesn't even know himself."
"If I train him now—"
"He will be more dangerous to us than to them."
Feroz snapped.
"I need this!"
"My power is growing."
"I can't control it."
A pause.
"If I don't learn…"
"It will destroy me."
Silence.
Yusuf watched him.
Long.
Careful.
Then—
He exhaled.
"Fine."
Feroz looked up.
"You'll train me?"
Yusuf stood.
Tall.
Dominating the space.
"I'll test you."
Feroz swallowed.
"Test me… how?"
Yusuf smiled slightly.
Cold.
"Survive the night."
Before Feroz could react—
Yusuf raised his hand.
And the room—
Disappeared.
Gone.
Darkness swallowed everything.
The air turned heavy.
The candles died.
And then—
They came back.
The shadows.
Closer this time.
Stronger.
Waiting.