The valley had become too quiet.
Not peaceful.
Wrong.
Even the wind no longer moved normally.
Everything around Feroz felt slow—
like the world itself was holding its breath.
He stood near the center of the broken Circle markings while the strange figure remained beside him.
Still.
Watching.
The shape was clearer now.
Not fully human.
But close enough.
Too close.
Feroz tried not to look at it directly.
Because every time he did—
something inside him reacted.
Like his own energy recognized it.
Haroon slowly pushed himself up from the ground after the impact.
Blood remained near his mouth, but he ignored it completely.
His eyes stayed locked on Feroz.
"...Feroz."
Feroz looked toward him immediately.
But again—
the distance between them felt unnatural.
Like they were standing in different worlds while still seeing each other.
Haroon took one careful step forward.
The air distorted instantly.
He stopped.
Not because he wanted to.
Because he understood now.
Trying to force his way through was only making things worse.
Younus noticed it too.
"The boundary is stronger now," he said quietly.
Ibn Younus looked at the fading Circle markings beneath them.
Several symbols had already disappeared completely.
That had never happened before.
"...the valley is losing him," he said softly.
Those words hit Haroon hard.
"No."
His voice was sharp now.
"We're not losing him."
But even he sounded less certain this time.
Feroz suddenly grabbed his arm tightly.
The mark burned again.
This time stronger.
Pain spread through his body—
not physical pain—
pressure.
Like something was trying to pull him in two different directions.
The figure beside him tilted its head slowly.
Watching him carefully.
Studying him.
Feroz stepped away from it immediately.
"I don't want this," he said.
For the first time—
the figure reacted instantly.
The air around it shifted hard.
The pressure around Feroz increased sharply.
His knees almost gave out.
Younus realized it immediately.
"...don't reject it emotionally."
Feroz looked at him angrily.
"Then what am I supposed to do?!"
No one answered right away.
Because the truth was becoming harder to ignore.
This was no longer something simple.
Feroz wasn't fighting an enemy anymore.
He was connected to something.
And that connection kept growing.
The figure slowly raised one hand.
At the exact same moment—
Feroz's hand moved too.
His eyes widened instantly.
He stopped himself.
But the movement had already happened.
Haroon saw it clearly.
And the fear in his face deepened.
"...it's syncing with him."
Zarqaan shook his head slightly.
"No."
A pause.
"It's becoming easier for him to sync back."
That sounded even worse.
Feroz stepped backward again.
Breathing harder now.
"I said I don't want this!"
The mark on his arm flared brightly.
The valley shook violently.
Cracks spread across the ground.
Several remaining Circle symbols shattered completely.
And suddenly—
the boundary expanded.
Fast.
Haroon felt it first.
A powerful pressure pushed him backward several steps.
Younus immediately activated golden energy around himself and Ibn Younus.
Even Zarqaan narrowed his eyes slightly.
The space around Feroz distorted heavily now.
Like reality couldn't stay stable near him anymore.
The figure remained completely calm.
Almost patient.
Then—
something happened.
Feroz looked toward Haroon again.
And for one second—
Haroon disappeared.
Not physically.
But visually.
The valley changed around him.
Dark skies.
Black stone.
The giant tree again.
Then—
everything returned.
Feroz froze.
His breathing slowed.
"...I saw it again."
Younus looked at him carefully.
"The same place?"
Feroz nodded slowly.
But this time—
his expression had changed.
Because the place no longer felt distant.
It felt familiar.
That scared him more than the visions themselves.
The figure beside him took another step closer.
No aggression.
No attack.
Just closeness.
And strangely—
the pressure around Feroz became calmer again.
Haroon noticed immediately.
"...it stabilizes him."
Nobody wanted to admit it.
But it was true.
When the figure came closer—
the distortions became less violent.
Feroz realized it too.
And that terrified him.
Because it meant the thing helping him—
might also be the thing changing him.
The silence returned again.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then Ibn Younus suddenly looked toward the far edge of the valley.
His expression changed immediately.
"...someone's coming."
Everyone turned.
At first—
nothing was there.
Then slowly—
footsteps.
Soft.
Calm.
Approaching from the fog beyond the valley.
Not rushed.
Not afraid.
And somehow—
the distortions around Feroz reacted before anyone else did.
The air shifted.
Like it recognized whoever was approaching.
Haroon frowned.
"...who is that?"
But Zarqaan—
for the first time since arriving—
looked genuinely surprised.
And that alone made the situation worse.