Outside the ancient temple, chants echoed in rising intensity. The sixth door had just opened. The spiritual keepers, drenched in sweat, surrounded the sealed seventh gate — unaware of what they were truly unlocking.
But deep inside another realm, Mirshad's body had gone still.
Rayyan gripped his shoulders.
"Brother… wake up! What's happening to you?!"
But inside, Mirshad was no longer in his body.
He was drifting through a realm of stars and shadows — a cosmic ocean where time stood still. He saw galaxies collapsing, worlds ending, and in each image, he was the one who ended them.
Then came the pain.
He passed each of the six doors within him. Each door burst open with violent flashes of memory. Not memories of a man — memories of a god.
One showed children vanishing into dust. Another, oceans boiling. Another, Sophia on her knees, crying, her belly swollen with their child. His brothers, parents… begging for mercy. And in the center of it all — himself, not in his current form… but as a blinding, unstoppable force of destruction.
Mirshad gritted his teeth.
"What is this…? What am I seeing?"
Then — a voice.
Ancient. Echoing from within him.
You are remembering what you asked to forget.
He turned.
There stood the Guardian of Memory — the being who spoke to him once before.
Mirshad asked, "Are they unlocking these doors?"
Yes. Not to reveal history… but to awaken you.
Mirshad's voice cracked.
"If I remember everything… will what I saw become real?"
Yes. The moment your memory awakens fully… the world ends. Not by choice… but by your nature.
He fell to his knees.
"There must be another way… I don't want to hurt anyone. Not them. Not Sophia. Not my unborn children's…"
The Guardian walked forward.
There is only one way. Go back. Stop them. And if you reach in time… I will seal your memory again.
But hear this — even sealed, the door will remain. Others will see what they were not meant to. Secrets of creation. Words that reality itself cannot allow.
Mirshad looked up, breathing heavy.
"I accept. Just… let them live."
Then go. Save your world. And I will stay behind.
The Guardian vanished in starlight.
Outside, the wind roared.
The sky turned blood red. The earth cracked. The air grew heavy as if the universe itself was breaking.
People ran. The military held the perimeter, unsure what to do. But the chants didn't stop.
The spirituals, unaware of the consequence, raised their hands toward the seventh door.
Inside the temple, the space warped. The stones screamed. A swirling vortex of unknown symbols began to pulse from the door.
Rayyan stared at his brother, trembling.
"Come back, brother… please…"
Then—
Mirshad's eyes opened.
Blazing gold. The stars in his irises spinning like galaxies.
"Rayyan…" he whispered. "Call the minister. Tell them to stop. NOW."
Rayyan grabbed his phone. Dialed. The minister picked up immediately.
"Sir, we're almost done. Just another minute—"
"STOP," Rayyan thundered. "You don't know what you're opening."
The minister stuttered.
"But—what's happening?"
"You're not opening a room. You're opening a memory. The memory of a forgotten god. Stop now, or I'll deploy every force under MRD's command. And none of you will leave."
The line went silent.
Then…
"Understood… we'll stop."
The minister turned, pale as death.
"Shut it down. Now."
The Mandram holders were stunned.
"But we're only one chant away—"
"I SAID STOP!"
The chants fell silent. The winds began to calm. The sky, still dark, paused… as if waiting.
Inside the car, Rayyan turned to Mirshad, who was now sweating, exhausted, his breathing shallow.
"Brother…" he whispered.
Mirshad closed his eyes and nodded.
"It's done. He sealed it again. But the door remains…"
They both looked outside.
The spirituals stood still. The ministers, officers, and media waited. No one knew what had just been prevented.
Only Mirshad and Rayyan… knew how close the world came to ending.