Earlier, you read that the masked man had told Zaid about his powers and the coming danger. He wanted Zaid to face this danger, but Zaid refused. He didn't want any new trouble in his life, so he left the room, with Abrar following him, trying to convince him.
Now the story continues...
After the argument with the masked man, Zaid was walking alone on the dark, empty streets. His eyes were fixed on the ground, and those same words kept echoing in his mind:
"I have been chosen... I am the heir to infinite energy... I am the successor of that masked man..."
He kept walking, lost in these thoughts. When his mind finally grew tired of all this, he raised his eyes and looked around to distract himself.
After a while, Zaid noticed something strange—the streets were unusually quiet and empty tonight.
Normally, this place near his house would be lively even at this hour.
Zaid often passed this area. At night, the tea stalls would be crowded, and kids usually played nearby.
But tonight, none of that was happening. The silence felt eerie.
As he wondered about this odd stillness, suddenly a voice called from behind him:
"Strange, isn't it? So quiet tonight."
Zaid turned around and saw Abrar standing there with a faint smile on his face—but that smile was weak, and the sadness behind it was clear.
Zaid stopped walking as Abrar came closer and said,
"A lot has happened in the past two days... things that have changed the whole world. Nothing is the same anymore."
Hearing this, Zaid became even more troubled. Abrar then said softly,
"Come on, let's take a walk."
And so they walked together in silence for a while, until finally, Zaid broke the silence with concern in his voice:
"What exactly happened in these two days that everything feels so different? And why don't we see anyone our age around?"
Abrar looked at Zaid and replied,
"Kids our age? How will you see them? They're all in the hospitals."
Then Abrar took out his phone, played a video, and said,
"Watch this... You'll understand everything."
Zaid took the phone from Abrar with trembling hands, feeling uneasy for some unknown reason.
On the phone, a news channel was playing. A woman anchor was saying:
"In the past two days, millions of teenagers aged 16 to 18 have suddenly fallen unconscious all over the world. So far, none of them have regained consciousness. Doctors are baffled. They can neither understand the cause nor predict when or if these children will wake up again."
Then Abrar said in a heavy and emotional voice:
"They will never be able to bring them back. No matter how hard they try... they will never succeed."
The moment these words reached Zaid's ears, something inside him snapped.
His anger flared like never before, and his hand went straight to Abrar's collar. His eyes were burning with fury, his body filled with new strength—it seemed like anything in his path would be reduced to ashes.
In such moments, fights usually break out... but here, something else happened.
Abrar smiled faintly and said,
"Wow... today, for the first time, you raised your hand against someone. I've never seen such anger in your eyes before... and I think you also know why this anger has awakened."
Abrar's words shook Zaid. He had no answer to give. Slowly, he let go of Abrar's collar and leaned against a nearby wall, sitting down.
Abrar understood Zaid's state of mind perfectly. He knew Zaid blamed himself for all this.
According to the masked man, everything happening was somehow tied to Zaid's power.
Abrar sat down beside him. He didn't want Zaid to bear this burden—but today, he was helpless.
Then Zaid, without lifting his head, spoke softly,
"Because of me... so many lives are now in danger. Just think... if seeing this hurts us so much, then what about the parents of these kids? The ones who raised them from birth, cared for them, dreamed of their future... what must they be going through now? They will never forgive me. Never."
Zaid fell silent after this, hanging his head. Abrar said nothing, just sitting quietly beside him. But when Zaid stopped speaking, Abrar finally broke the silence and said,
"Do you remember... once Dev and I teased a boy so badly that we didn't realize when it stopped being funny and became hurtful? He was much younger than us, and after we hurt him, we ran away."
Zaid continued the story,
"And then you two came running to my room and hid there, scared out of your minds. That boy was much younger than you, and you didn't apologize or help him—you just ran."
Hearing this, Abrar smiled a little and said,
"That was the first time we saw anger in your eyes. Even then, you said nothing to us... you simply left. Later, I found out from Nidhi that you had gone to that boy's house yourself—even knowing what insults you'd face there—and apologized on our behalf. You convinced them to forgive the mistake as a childish act."
Zaid said,
"That lady was so angry that day... I thought she would hit me too!"
Abrar sighed deeply and explained gently,
"But that day, you taught us something very important. You taught us that if you make a mistake—whether knowingly or not—it is your duty to take responsibility and make it right."
Before Abrar could say more, Zaid's cold eyes slowly turned towards him. Abrar felt unable to speak further, but Zaid quietly said,
"I know exactly what you're trying to say. And let me make this clear—I have not strayed from my principles. I'll do whatever it takes to save those kids."
Abrar stood up and looked towards a nearby alley.
"Well... maybe you'll save them. But there are other troubles waiting too."
Just as Abrar finished speaking, a loud explosion echoed from the alley. Zaid immediately stood up. Both of them ran towards the source of the blast. But what Zaid saw there was beyond anything he could have ever imagined in his life.
TO BE CONTINUED.....