Hazim’s phone buzzed on the table. He picked it up, recognizing the number immediately. It was Jamil. “Brother,” Hazim answered. “How are you holding up?” Jameel’s voice was steady, but there was a quiet tension beneath it. “We’re managing. I spoke to the association—they’re handling the legal side. Lawyers are being hired, and they assured me they’ll fight this in court.” Hazim exhaled. “That’s good. What about your men?” A pause. Then a faint sigh. “Frustrated. Angry, even. Some of them wanted to retaliate right then and there. But I convinced them to stand down. Told them to take breaks, even go on vacations if they can. The last thing we need right now is a clash with the police.” Hazim nodded, though Jameel couldn’t see it. “Smart. You’re keeping them disciplined.” “I have to,” Jameel said simply. “If we lose control now, we lose everything.” They exchanged a few more words before ending the call. Hazim set the phone down, his expression pensive. Hadi, who had bee

Malik, Ali, and Marwan combed through every inch of the rugged mountain, their advanced armor scanners sweeping methodically across the rocky slopes and dense pine forests. But despite their thorough search, they found no trace of the little girl or her parents."Where is she?" Malik muttered, his voice tight with frustration as he kicked a loose stone. "She was supposed to be right here in this car!"Marwan ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "Maybe the ghoul took her further into the mountains. Or..." He trailed off, unwilling to voice the grim alternative.Ali suddenly froze, his eyes widening behind his visor. "The helicopter," he said quietly."What did you say?" Malik snapped."When we first arrived," Ali continued, pulling up his wrist display, "I saw a military chopper in the distance. I thought it was just routine patrol..."He quickly pulled out his phone and typed a few words, the search results showed : "ARMY HEROES RESCUE CHILD FROM GHOUL ATTACK!"The trio watche

Hazim and Jamil came to their senses and realized the magnitude of the trouble they had gotten themselves into. The roar of the unnatural crowd made it hard to think. Hazim gripped Jamil's arm, pulling him close so he could be heard over the din."We can't fight our way out of this," Hazim said, his voice low and urgent. "Look at them. There are hundreds. Recklessness will get us killed."Jamil's eyes darted across the sea of strange, cheering faces. "So what do we do? Surrender?""No," Hazim countered, his gaze fixed on Labeeb, who was basking in the adoration of the crowd. "We use diplomacy. We talk. The only way we walk out of here is if we keep our cool and try to reason with that sinister being who lured us here."Before Jamil could protest further, Hazim took the first step. He moved to the top of the stone stairs leading down into the arena sand and, forcing a calm he didn't feel, raised his hands in a tentative greeting to the roaring crowds.Jamil watched, his heart hammering

Hazim and Jamil stood their ground. Before they could even form a new plan, the bull charged at them. But this time, Hazim left his sword sheathed, shocking Jamil. Jamil's legs moved involuntarily as he tried to block the blow for Hazim, but he was stunned to see Hazim step forward instead, running toward the ghoul and grabbing its horns with his bare hands.Everyone watching was shocked—even the ghoul was stunned that Hazim had managed to stop it with his hands alone. The ghoul tried to push Hazim back, straining with all its might, and began forcing him backward. The crowd watched and cheered with excitement. Jamil decided to help Hazim and stepped forward, but Hazim told him to stay back.Hazim was pushed closer and closer to the wall, and everyone expected him to be crushed. But instead, Hazim used the wall to launch himself upward, landing on the bull's back. The bull bucked and thrashed, trying to throw Hazim off. Then came the decisive blow: Hazim stabbed the ghoul in the back

The front door creaked open well past midnight, revealing a disheveled Hazim leaning against the frame. He moved inside with a pronounced limp, one hand clamped tightly over his shoulder in a futile attempt to contain a throbbing pain.A lamp flicked on in the living room, illuminating his younger brother, Laith, who was stretched out on the couch. A smirk played on Laith's lips as he took in Hazim's battered state."Look who finally came back," Laith said, his voice dripping with sarcastic concern. "Why are you home so early, oh mighty one? Do you have any idea what time it is?"Hazim shot him a withering glare, his patience wore thinner than his luck that night. "Enough of your nonsense, Laith," he grunted, shuffling further into the room. "I'm your older brother, not the other way around. And for the thousandth time, don't ask me about the missions."He tried to walk past, but a sharp wince forced him to stop, his grip on his shoulder tightening. Laith's smirk instantly vanished. H