The lantern light grew brighter.
Slowly cutting through the fog.
Everyone stood still.
Watching.
Waiting.
The figure carrying the lantern continued walking calmly toward them.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Like this place belonged to him.
The old man's eyes never left the approaching figure.
"...that's impossible."
Feroz looked at him.
"You really know him?"
The old man nodded slowly.
But his expression remained tense.
Very tense.
The figure finally stopped a few steps away.
The lantern illuminated his face clearly now.
A man in his forties.
Dark hair mixed with grey.
Tired eyes.
A calm expression.
He looked completely ordinary.
Yet the old man looked as if he had seen a ghost.
The newcomer studied everyone quietly.
Then his eyes settled on the old man.
A small smile appeared.
"...it's been a long time."
The old man's breathing became heavier.
"No."
The newcomer sighed softly.
"I expected that reaction."
Feroz looked between them.
Neither was attacking.
Neither seemed afraid.
Yet the tension was obvious.
Finally—
the old man spoke.
"I buried you."
The newcomer nodded.
"Yes."
Silence.
Feroz blinked.
The man had just agreed.
Like that was normal.
Haya looked just as confused.
"What does that mean?"
The newcomer turned toward her.
"It means he buried my body."
That answer only made things worse.
The old man stepped forward.
"I saw you die."
The newcomer nodded again.
"I did."
Nobody understood what was happening anymore.
Not even Salman.
The stranger placed the lantern on a nearby stone.
Then looked at Feroz.
For a brief moment—
his expression changed.
Almost like recognition.
"...so you're the one."
Feroz frowned.
"The one what?"
The man smiled faintly.
"The one causing all the noise."
That wasn't the answer Feroz wanted.
The strange figure beside him suddenly shifted.
Watching the newcomer carefully.
The newcomer noticed immediately.
His smile disappeared.
"...it's closer than I expected."
The atmosphere instantly became heavier.
The old man crossed his arms.
"You didn't come here to talk about him."
The newcomer nodded.
"Correct."
Silence.
Then:
"I came because the roads are changing."
Salman's expression darkened.
"You saw them too?"
The newcomer looked at him.
"More than that."
A pause.
"They've started opening."
The old man became serious.
"Already?"
The newcomer nodded.
"Earlier today."
Feroz looked between them.
"Can someone explain what that means?"
This time the newcomer answered directly.
"The crossroads are no longer far away."
That got everyone's attention.
The old man looked worried now.
"How long?"
The newcomer thought briefly.
Then:
"Two days."
The words hit hard.
Even Haya looked shocked.
"That's impossible."
The newcomer shook his head.
"No."
"The threshold is moving faster because of him."
His eyes shifted toward Feroz.
The noise inside Feroz's head immediately returned.
Not painful.
Just present.
Listening.
The newcomer noticed.
Then slowly walked closer.
Feroz stayed alert.
The man stopped in front of him.
Close enough to study him carefully.
For several seconds—
he simply looked.
Then quietly said:
"...you look exactly like him."
Feroz frowned.
"Like who?"
The newcomer didn't answer.
Instead—
he stared toward the strange figure.
And for the first time—
the figure actually moved backward.
Just slightly.
But enough for everyone to notice.
The newcomer narrowed his eyes.
Then softly spoke a name.
A name nobody there had heard before.
"Vaheen."
The moment the name left his mouth—
everything froze.
The strange figure stopped moving completely.
The fog became still.
The noise inside Feroz's head vanished.
Gone.
For the first time in days.
Complete silence.
Feroz's eyes widened.
The newcomer slowly looked back at him.
And quietly said:
"...so that's what they're calling you now."