After recounting everything that had happened, Fatheema sat in the living room beside her mother. The bruises covering her body throbbed with pain. Her mother gently pressed a cold compress against them, hoping to ease her discomfort.
Meanwhile, her mother's eyes remained glassy with tears. They continued to stream down her face as she thought about the terrible fate that had befallen her husband. Yet in front of her children, she tried her best to hide her sorrow.
"My dear, don't you think we should take you to a doctor or a hospital? Your injuries will heal much faster," her mother said softly as she carefully pressed the cold compress against Fatheema's bruises.
"It's really not that bad, Mom. They're only bruises. Don't worry, and If needed, I can go to the doctor myself later." Fatheema leaned against the wall, resting the back of her head against it while covering her forehead with one forearm. She slowly closed her eyes.
"Mom... I'm sorry. I couldn't bring Dad home..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, rough with emotion as tears rolled down the corners of her eyes.
"My dear, none of this is your fault," her mother replied gently. "You did everything you could. Perhaps this is simply your father's destiny. All we can do now is pray that he's safe... and that he'll find his way back to us." She tried to comfort her daughter even as tears continued flowing uncontrollably down her own cheeks.
"Mom? Sis? Where's Dad? When's he coming home?" A small voice interrupted them. It was Alice, the youngest of the family.
"Dad had to go somewhere, sweetheart. Let's pray he'll come home soon," her mother answered softly.
"Where did he go? Why did he leave? When will he come back?" The little girl kept asking impatiently.
"Be patient, sweetheart. Your father went to work. I... I don't know when he'll be back."
Unable to hold back any longer, she closed her eyes as fresh tears streamed down her face.
Fatheema rose to her feet and quietly walked into her bedroom. She collapsed onto her bed, utterly exhausted. As darkness filled her vision, her consciousness slowly drifted away from the waking world.
And then—
She found herself once again standing within an immense expanse.
The surface beneath her feet resembled perfectly still water stretching all the way to the horizon. Above her spread an endless sky, as though she stood in outer space itself, filled with countless stars.
"This place... I'm back again. What am I supposed to do? Please... someone... help me. Show me the way..." Fatheema murmured helplessly, her heart overwhelmed with confusion and unanswered questions.
A faint silhouette slowly appeared before her.
The blurry figure gradually became clearer until a girl stood directly in front of her.
She looked exactly like Fatheema herself...
Except that her entire body radiated a crimson glow.
"Fatheema, you have to act quickly. Father... must not die. You have to bring him back," the figure said urgently.
"You...? What do you know? What am I supposed to do? And why do you care so much about what happened?" Fatheema asked, still struggling to understand everything unfolding before her.
"I am you, Fatheema. Of course I care about Father."
"Didn't I already tell you before?"
"I am your First Echo... your First Sister... the embodiment of your will."
"And now, my will is to bring back our family from the evil creature that stole it."
The First Sister spoke with unwavering determination.
"Focus."
"Calm yourself."
"Direct your thoughts toward Father."
"Search for the clues needed to save him."
Fatheema lowered her head, still feeling overwhelmed.
Fatheema said nothing.
She simply obeyed.
Sitting cross-legged, she slowly closed her eyes.
From the crystal-clear surface beneath her, a sphere of light emerged.
Within it, she formed an image using the power of her thoughts.
Moments later, the glowing sphere began to distort.
It revealed a vast land filled with strange trees and mysterious creatures.
Then...
A magnificent palace appeared.
It towered into the heavens, grand beyond imagination.
Its architecture was unlike anything she had ever seen.
The vision distorted once more.
This time, a constellation appeared.
The Seven Sisters.
Then came desperate screams.
She saw countless prisoners.
And among them...
A man chained against the wall inside a dark chamber. It was Mr. Ahmada. Her father.
A swirling black portal surrounded by violent distortions of energy appeared before him.
The vision suddenly shifted into a completely white space...
Then vanished.
"What...?! What did that mean? What are we supposed to do?" Fatheema gasped as the vision ended.
"Fatheema, we have to find Father."
"We must go to the place we just saw."
"He's in danger."
"We need a gateway to that world—the world where the monster took him."
"That creature has a palace."
"It may very well be a king."
"The Monster King."
"No wonder it was so powerful."
Everything Fatheema had witnessed had also been seen by the First Echo—her metaphysical counterpart.
There was no need for explanations between them. The First Echo perceived everything she did... and often understood it more deeply.
"So... where do we begin looking for Father? Do you have any ideas?" Fatheema asked.
Unlike her counterpart, she couldn't perceive everything the First Echo did.
"Father is in another world... far from here."
"A world beneath the constellation known as the Seven Sisters."
"It is the homeland of the mysterious creature we fought."
"The realm of i don't know..."
"It looks like the world of the Ethereal beings."
"The only way to reach it is the same method the monster used."
"A portal."
"We have to find one."
"We must."
"Or do you want us to lose Father forever... and become orphans?"
The First Echo spoke impatiently, almost angrily.
"Of course not! I don't want that either. I just... don't know what I'm supposed to do yet." Fatheema replied with a hint of irritation.
She found the First Echo rather puzzling.
At first, she had assumed it was a higher aspect of herself—wiser and possessing greater knowledge. But the more she interacted with it, the more emotional... and even childish... it sometimes seemed.
What exactly is she?
Can I really trust what she's telling me?
Doubt lingered in her mind.
After thinking for a while, she finally sighed.
"Fine... I won't overthink it."
"If what she's saying is reasonable and achievable, then there's no reason not to try."
"All right."
"I'll find a way."
"But for now... leave me alone."
"I need to think."
"I need to figure this out myself."
The First Echo slowly faded away until she completely disappeared.
Now Fatheema was alone once more in that place—
Oneiric Origin.
The realm where every dream begins.
She sat in silence, reflecting on everything that had happened.
Only a short while ago, her life had been peaceful.
Now disaster had struck without warning.
The thought of losing her father was unbearable.
The days ahead would only become more difficult.
Her mother would have to endure unimaginable grief.
Her younger siblings...
Who knew what awaited them?
For as long as she could remember, they had lived together as a family.
Now...
Her father was gone.
"Will I really succeed if I travel to that world's realm?"
"What if I end up getting killed as well?"
"But if I do nothing... will I ever truly be able to live peacefully again?"
"Can I even be sure we'll be safe here?"
"What if that monster returns?"
"What if next time... Mom... or my little sisters... become its victims?"
"Dear Allah... please guide me."
Fatheema slowly closed her eyes.
Her thoughts drifted aimlessly through sorrow, fear, worry, and uncertainty.
Little by little...
Those emotions faded away.
And before long...
Her consciousness quietly dissolved into the depths of the dream once more.
***