In the weeks that followed, my father became an undeniable presence in our lives. It was strange at first—having him around, sharing meals, exchanging smiles—but bit by bit, I found myself thawing toward him. Even though I couldn't fully trust him yet, there was a warmth to his efforts that made it hard to keep my guard up. It was almost surreal, like watching fragments of a long-forgotten dream piece themselves together. Slowly but surely, we were becoming the family I had always longed for.We never brought up that night again, even though I could feel the weight of it lingering in the air between us. Sometimes I'd catch him looking at me, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something but didn't. He was holding back, biting down on his questions, and I could see the effort it took him. It had been two weeks since he had come into my room, two weeks of unspoken tension. And now, I decided it was time—time to tell him the truth."Hi, Dad," I said softly as I sank down onto the sofa beside him.The smile that broke across his face was radiant, almost childlike in its sincerity. "You have no idea how happy you make me every time you call me 'Dad,'" he said, his voice filled with quiet emotion.I smiled back, feeling a flicker of something I wasn't used to—comfort. It felt good to finally have a father in my life, even if everything about us was still raw and new.But the moment wasn't meant to last. "I need to tell you about the person who told me about Ashudhar," I said, my voice steady even as my heart raced.His smile faltered, his entire body tensing as he turned to face me. "Go on," he said, his tone carefully neutral, though his eyes betrayed his apprehension."My best friend's family adopted a boy sixteen years ago. He had a cat—" I paused, my chest tightening at the memory. "A cat that no one else could see. Except me."His eyes went wide, his expression a mixture of disbelief and dread. Slowly, the color drained from his face as the weight of my words sunk in."You spoke to the Raza?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.I nodded.His reaction was immediate. He let out a shaky breath, covering his face with one hand as if trying to steady himself. Then, shaking his head, he looked at me with an intensity that made my stomach churn. "Did he hurt you?" he asked, his voice laced with both fear and concern."No, he didn't," I said quickly. For reasons I couldn't explain, I found myself defending Zavi. "Maybe... maybe he's not as bad as the old Raza."That seemed to push my father over the edge. He stared at me, his jaw tightening, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Then, without warning, he shot up from the sofa and began pacing the room, muttering something under his breath."You don't understand," he finally said, his voice sharp and tinged with panic. "You can't be..." He trailed off, his eyes darting to the ceiling as though searching for an answer."Can't be what?" I asked, my anxiety spiking. The way he was acting—the fear radiating off him—it was worse than anything I'd ever seen.He stopped pacing and turned to face me, his expression grim. "We have to leave," he said firmly. "We have to go to Ashudhar. Now.""What?" I took a step back, suddenly wary of him. "Why?""Because..." He huffed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Because they might kill us if we don't."His words hit me like a slap. I blinked, trying to process what he was saying. "You mean Zavi will kill us? Why now? Why all of a sudden?"None of it made sense. Zavi had plenty of chances to hurt me in the past, but he hadn't. For the life of me, I couldn't understand why my father was so terrified.But the fear in his eyes was undeniable, and it chilled me to the bone."Look, you don't know him," my father said, his voice rising with frustration as he ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair. "You haven't seen what he's capable of." His eyes, wild and desperate, bored into mine. "I've been running like a rat for the past twenty years—twenty years of looking over my shoulder, losing everything. My friends, my family... gone, all because of him and his family." His voice cracked, and for a moment, I saw a vulnerability in him I wasn't prepared for. "I can't lose you guys too."His words landed heavily, but I couldn't wrap my head around the fear that gripped him. "But why would he hurt me?" I yelled, the frustration boiling over. My hands clenched into fists at my sides as I tried to suppress the anxiety creeping into my chest. I glanced at the clock, silently wishing Mom would come home from work soon. I wasn't ready to deal with this man's paranoia alone."They are manipulative," he continued, pacing the floor like a caged animal. "Every move they make is calculated, like a game of chess. You don't know when they'll strike, and by the time you figure it out, it's too late."I shook my head, refusing to let his words take root in my mind. My world—my life—was finally in a good place. Mom and I had worked too hard to build it, piece by piece, out of the ashes of his absence. I wasn't about to abandon everything because my long-lost, paranoid father suddenly decided to show up and declare we were in danger."If he really wants to kill us," I shot back, folding my arms over my chest, "then why should we walk right into the lion's den? He's in Ashudhar, isn't he? He's not dead, is he?"Dad froze, his body rigid as if I'd struck a nerve. "Dead?" He let out a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in it. "He took the throne back eight years ago."Eight years. The words rang in my ears. That was roughly around the time Zavi had left for his so-called higher studies. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to focus. "Then why do you want us to go to Ashudhar?""Because we need protection," Dad said, his voice heavy with a kind of exhaustion that came from years of running. "And humans—humans are too naive, too fragile to give us the protection we need.""I don't think so," I snapped, my glare unwavering. "You're overreacting. Nothing is going to happen."His jaw tightened, but I didn't care. I had had enough. "I'm going to my room," I said firmly, turning on my heel. "You need to calm down."As I climbed the stairs, his voice called after me, but I ignored him. My head was spinning, and I couldn't tell if it was from his words or my own anger. The world felt off-kilter, but I refused to let his fear dictate my life.That night, my dreams were haunted. I heard screams and whispers, felt cold hands pulling at me in the darkness. I saw Zavi standing on a pile of corpses, his laughter echoing like a twisted melody. Then, there was Ashu, gnawing on the flesh of the dead with a savage hunger. The scene was so vivid, so horrifying, that I jolted awake, gasping for air.The haze of my dream hadn't even cleared when I saw my father standing over me, his face pale and drenched in sweat."They're outside," he whispered, his voice trembling. "They're here for us.""What?" I stammered, still half-asleep. "Who?""There's no time," he said, yanking me out of bed. "We need to leave. Now."My heart pounded as I tried to focus, but the world around me felt surreal, like I was still trapped in my nightmare. I heard muffled voices downstairs, and when I glanced toward the living room, the lights were out, but shadows danced ominously against the walls."This can't be real," I murmured, shaking my head."I warned you," Dad hissed, his tone filled with anger and fear. "They've come to take us. We need to leave. Now."Panic set in as my senses sharpened. "Where's Mom?" I demanded, my voice breaking."She's in the car," he said, pulling me toward the door.Everything happened so fast. Before I knew it, I was shoved into the passenger seat, the car door slamming shut behind me. I twisted around to find Mom sitting in the back seat, her face pale and vacant, her hands trembling as she stared out the window."What's wrong with her?" I asked, turning to Dad as he slid into the driver's seat."She's in shock," he replied curtly, his focus on the road as he started the engine.The car roared to life, and as we sped away from the house, I turned back to look. My stomach churned as I saw men inside, tearing apart our living room with ruthless efficiency. The sight was surreal, like something out of a crime show."Why would Zavi send people now?" I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. The question hung in the air, unanswered."We're going to a safe place," Dad said, his voice tight with determination.The car sped through the empty streets of our tiny town, the headlights cutting through the darkness. The roads grew narrower, the scenery changing from quiet suburban streets to dense, winding dirt trails. My exhaustion battled with my fear, but I stayed awake, watching the unfamiliar terrain pass by.Hours later, as the sun began to rise over the mountains, we pulled up to an old, weathered house. The structure looked like it had been standing for decades, its wooden beams worn but sturdy.I stepped out of the car, the crisp morning air biting at my skin. Mom was still in the back seat, crying silently. The sight broke something in me. I opened the door and pulled her into a tight hug, her sobs muffled against my shoulder."It's going to be okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I was comforting her or myself.The house loomed in front of us, a symbol of both safety and uncertainty. As the sun climbed higher, its golden light casting long shadows, I realized this was only the beginning of something far bigger than I could have imagined."Everything is going to be fine," I assured Mom as we stepped into the house, though my own voice felt hollow."Shami!" An old man, frail yet exuding an odd kind of energy, emerged from the shadows and embraced my father tightly. His voice trembled with emotion as he said, "I am so sorry for what happened."Dad pulled back, nodding solemnly. "Kirti," he said, gesturing toward the man, "this is Ihalo Entaro. He's a porter.""A what?" I asked, confused and a little annoyed at yet another layer of strangeness."A porter," Dad explained, "someone who helps port people across dimensions."I stared at them, my arms instinctively tightening around Mom, who was still trembling silently against my side. "We are not leaving this place to go anywhere," I said firmly, my voice rising. "I don't care what kind of 'porter' he is!"Dad sighed, a mix of desperation and exasperation flashing across his face. "We have to leave if we don't want to die," he said quietly but firmly."Stop it!" I stepped further away from the old man, as if merely standing too close to him would somehow activate whatever dimensional portal nonsense they were talking about. "I don't want to go anywhere!"Dad took a step toward me, his hand extended. "Hold my hand, Kirti," he said, his voice softer now but no less insistent.The old man, Ihalo, gently took one of Mom's hands in his own. She didn't even flinch, as though she was too far gone to resist."No!" I cried, my voice breaking. "Stop whatever it is you're doing! Just stop it!" My pleas were ignored as Dad grabbed my hand firmly.The moment our hands touched, my world collapsed in on itself.One second, we were standing in that old, raggedy room, and the next, I was being sucked into what felt like a swirling, violent vortex. The sensation started deep in my stomach, spreading outward until it consumed every part of me. My body felt weightless and heavy all at once, and the air was filled with a deafening roar.Then, just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.I stumbled, disoriented, and gasped for air as my senses were assaulted by an overwhelming flood of new sensations. Sharp, unfamiliar noises echoed around me. Strange, earthy smells filled the air, and the bitter cold wrapped around me like icy needles. My skin prickled, my ears rang, and my breath caught in my throat.When the haze began to clear, I blinked rapidly, trying to take in the scene around me. Vibrant colors exploded before my eyes—bright greens, deep blues, and fiery reds—and I realized we were no longer in the house. The ground beneath my feet was hard and cold, the walls around us made of jagged stone that seemed to stretch endlessly upward.I glanced around frantically, looking for Mom. Her hand was still clutched in mine, but Dad was now holding her tightly, whispering something into her ear. She nodded slightly, her face pale and tear-streaked.Before I could say anything, my attention was drawn to movement. Two tall men approached us, their figures striking and alien. They were unnaturally tall, with sharp cheekbones, light-colored eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, and long, flowing black hooded robes. Their features bore an eerie resemblance to both my father and Zavi.The two men greeted Dad warmly, their smiles broad and unnerving as their eyes lingered on me with a strange fascination."Welcome back, Shami," one of them said, pulling Dad into a hug. "How have you been?""I'm good," Dad replied, his voice steady. "Where's Rikti? I want him to meet my daughter."At this, the man's gaze shifted back to me, his eyes sweeping over me in a way that made my skin crawl. "Oh, so this is the lovely human daughter of yours," he said, his tone almost teasing. He extended a hand toward me. "Welcome to Shadow Headquarters."I stared at his hand but didn't move to take it. The man hesitated, then slowly lowered it, clearly uncomfortable.Dad, seemingly unfazed by my reaction, was already deep in conversation with the men. They spoke in a language I couldn't understand, their words fluid and melodic yet sharp and guttural at the same time. I tried to catch fragments of their discussion, but it was no use.We were led to what could only be described as an elevator—though calling it that felt wrong. It was a hollowed-out tree trunk, its interior smoothed and polished, with ropes and pulleys allowing it to ascend the massive stone wall that surrounded us.Inside, the men continued talking, switching occasionally to human language. "We've been gathering more support," one of them said, his gaze flicking toward me as if seeking my approval. "Ever since the new Raza took the throne, people have been living in fear. They're terrified that the dark times are returning. We are their only hope."I didn't respond, glaring at him instead, but he seemed to take my silence as encouragement and launched into a detailed explanation of their so-called "freedom struggle." Apparently, this Rikti person—whoever he was—was the founder of their organization, Shadow.The tree-elevator creaked and groaned as it climbed higher and higher, the air growing colder and thinner with each passing moment. When it finally stopped, we stepped out onto a platform carved into the rock wall.Before me was a sight that took my breath away. The far end of the room was made entirely of glass, offering a stunning view of the world outside. Trees with colors I couldn't even name stretched endlessly into the horizon, their leaves shimmering like jewels under a sky that was impossibly blue. I blinked, trying to process the sheer beauty of it all, but my mind refused to fully accept it."Rikti," Dad said, his voice breaking the spell.I turned to see a man rising from a chair, placing a large book into a drawer. He was older than I'd expected—older than Dad, even—with a regal air about him. His robe, unlike the others, was deep crimson, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to look straight through me."Shami, my friend," Rikti greeted warmly, embracing my father.Dad smiled. "Rikti, meet the love of my life," he said, gesturing toward Mom, "and my daughter.""Kirti, come," Dad urged, nudging me forward. "Rikti is one of the few Marza left in Ashudhar."I hesitated, unsure of what was expected of me. Should I bow? Shake his hand? I did neither, instead standing stiffly and glaring at him.Rikti regarded me with a soft, knowing smile, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me. "Your daughter is filled with doubts, Shami," he said quietly, placing a hand on my cheek.A chill ran down my spine at his touch. There was something about him—something unsettling, something that felt impossibly ancient and far too powerful."She's just a little confused," Dad said quickly, as if trying to defend me."Hmm..." Rikti circled me in one smooth, deliberate motion, his movements unnervingly fluid, as if he were gliding just above the ground. His piercing blue eyes never left me, scrutinizing every inch of my being with an intensity that made my skin crawl. Suddenly, he reached out and placed his hand gently on my head, closing his eyes as though he were tuning into some unseen frequency.I stood frozen, resisting the urge to flinch under his touch. My heart pounded as the silence stretched on. Finally, he opened his eyes, now darker than before, their shade a richer, more intimidating hue."I sense worry in her," he murmured, his voice calm but sharp, like a blade cloaked in silk. "But she is innocent—not tainted like most humans." He stepped back, his gaze unwavering as he assessed me further.Dad, standing to the side, quickly lowered his head, bowing in what looked like a deep gesture of respect. "She understands," he said, his tone deferential yet firm. "She knows what we are going through and what we are fighting for."I blinked at him in disbelief. What? I didn't understand any of this. Why was he lying?"What are you, some kind of psychic?" I snapped, refusing to be dragged into whatever theatrics were happening here. My voice cut through the tension, sharp and defiant.Dad shot me a glare, his eyes narrowing in warning, but I didn't care. I was tired of the cryptic remarks, the secrets, and the manipulation.Rikti, however, was unbothered. He tilted his head slightly, a faint, amused smile playing at the corners of his lips. "It's okay, Shami," he said to my father, waving his hand dismissively. "She is just a human. She doesn't understand.""But—" Dad began, clearly wanting to argue, but Rikti raised his palm, silencing him with a quiet authority that seemed to radiate from every pore of his being."I am a Marza," Rikti said, his eyes now focused entirely on me. "What do you call them in your world?" He frowned, seemingly in thought, as though searching for the right words. "Ah, yes... a teacher. A guide of sorts. I teach others to manipulate the energy of the universe, to perform marzeek. My father was a Marza as well. During his time, we had schools to pass on our knowledge. Now, both teachers and schools are banned."I stared at him, utterly lost. Whatever he was talking about—marzeek or manipulating energy or banned schools—meant nothing to me. None of this made sense."I want to go back to my world," I said flatly, cutting through his monologue. My voice cracked slightly, but I pushed on, meeting his gaze with as much courage as I could muster. "I don't belong here."Rikti's faint smile disappeared, his expression hardening. "But we need you," he said, his tone suddenly cold and unyielding, like steel.He turned to my father, speaking rapidly in that same foreign language from before. I watched as Dad nodded solemnly, his jaw tight. A knot of dread began to form in my stomach."I don't think I agreed to—" I started to protest, but before I could finish, two muscular men appeared out of nowhere. Their massive hands grabbed my arms, their grip iron-tight."Hey! Let go of me!" I yelled, struggling violently against their hold, but it was no use. They dragged me back a few steps, and in the chaos, I felt something sharp prick my neck. A cold sensation flooded my veins, spreading rapidly from the point of contact."What are you doing?!" I gasped, my voice already weakening as my limbs grew heavy and unresponsive. My head swam, the room tilting and blurring before my eyes."Shami, no!" I heard Mom's voice, raw with panic. She screamed, trying to rush toward me, but Dad held her tightly, his arms wrapped around her in restraint."No! Stop! Don't do this!" she cried, her voice breaking with desperation. "You promised you wouldn't hurt her! You promised!"My vision darkened, the faces around me dissolving into a haze of shadows and indistinct shapes. My mouth was dry, and my body felt like it was sinking into a thick, suffocating fog.The last thing I saw was Mom, struggling in Dad's arms, tears streaming down her face as she screamed my name.Then everything faded to black, and I fell, spiraling into a deep, empty void.