Chapter 1
In the heart of Cairo, which never rests, the alleys buzz with life, suffocating in constant movement. Yet, Saji lived a deeper solitude, trapped between four walls that seemed to close in on him like invisible chains. His modest apartment, which once served as a haven for his creativity, had become a prison from which there was no escape. Piles of neglected papers accumulated on his wooden desk, a silent testament to his futile attempts to summon the inspiration for writing that had now eluded him, like an unattainable ghost. As the night fell upon the city, Saji was submerged in his isolation, overwhelmed by his scattered thoughts that refused to take shape on paper. The burdens of life pressed upon him like a crumbling wall. Debts loomed over him like heavy shadows, and bills multiplied like endless links in a painful chain. The calls from creditors were relentless, and visits from debt collectors had become daily rituals with no way out. It felt as though the city had shut its doors in his face, and escape was his only hope. In a moment of overwhelming despair, Saji made an impulsive decision to flee to nature, to the Red Sea mountains, where he hoped to find the spark of creativity that had been extinguished by his mounting worries. He packed his bag and embarked on a journey, not knowing where it would take him, but far away from the noise of the city, toward a pure solitude. The road to the mountains was desolate and difficult, with his car battling the rough paths winding through the jagged terrain. He finally reached a remote area, where the rocks glistened under the starlight, and deep caves beckoned those daring enough to uncover their secrets. He set up his tent beneath a vast sky adorned with twinkling stars, spending two consecutive nights trying to connect with himself in the silence of nature. Yet even in this eternal stillness, he could not escape the haunting thoughts of debts and pressures that pursued him. On the third day, Saji decided to explore the caves that seemed to promise hidden mysteries. He trudged wearily toward a secluded cave deep in the mountains. With a mixture of curiosity and fear, he lit his phone's flashlight to light the way. His footsteps echoed within the cave, as if the walls whispered ancient secrets. In the heart of the cave, he came upon a crossroads, two paths diverging in front of him, with no sign or clue to guide him. He chose the left path, driven by a hidden challenge. He navigated the twisting rocks, avoiding hidden gaps that could be traps. At the end of the path, he found a glimmering stone, shining like a mirror in the darkness of the cave. This was no ordinary stone; it seemed like a window to another world. Saji placed his hand upon it, and in that moment, he felt an invisible force pulling him, as if time itself spiraled around him in an endless whirlpool. Saji was lifted off the ground, his eyes catching fleeting, rapidly changing scenes before suddenly landing in a completely different cave. He awoke to find himself in a strange place, the details around him suggesting another world. The rocks were smooth and soft, and the sounds from the depths seemed like mysterious whispers. He exited the cave to find an endless desert before him, its sand stretching to the horizon, and the sun casting its scorching light over everything. Saji wandered in that desert, his feet sinking into the thick sand, the sun draining his strength bit by bit. But he was not alone. As the hours passed, he spotted a caravan slowly making its way across the distant horizon. He approached them hesitantly, and when they saw him, they surrounded him with curious gazes, his strange clothing and unfamiliar presence arousing their interest. The leader of the caravan, a dignified man, asked him with a mixture of curiosity and astonishment, "From which womb do you come, Saji? I have never seen anyone like you, nor have I seen a garment like yours." Saji replied with a mysterious smile, "I come from a distant land, unknown to this earth." He did not say more. Yet inside, he had already decided to astonish them with secrets of a world yet to be created. When the caravan reached the Quraysh tribe, Saji gifted their leader a pen from his world. A pen that required no ink and never ran dry. He told him, "This pen holds magic; you will not need ink to write with it, and when the magic fades, it will stop writing." The leader took the pen, staring at it in awe. Its texture was strange, like a piece of expertly woven magic. He held it as if it were treasure and said, "Thank you, Saji. I will keep it as my most precious possession." The tribe was bustling with activity and trade, the clay buildings and tents packed close together, and the markets alive with merchants and buyers. As they entered the tribe, Saji felt as though he had entered another world, one steeped in history and the essence of the past. Although he still wore his strange garments, carrying his phone, lighter, watch, and brown leather bag, his appearance intrigued the locals. They gathered around him with puzzled and scrutinizing looks, trying to understand the mysterious stranger from a different world. While walking through the town, he was stopped by a prominent merchant who was fascinated by his odd clothes and gadgets. The merchant invited Saji to his home to learn more about him. At the merchant's house, Saji sat quietly, observing and reflecting. When the merchant asked him about the tools he carried, Saji calmly replied, "These tools are magical, inherited from my ancestors, and they hold a magic like none before." Saji did not reveal his true nature, aware that no one would believe him if he said he was from the future. The merchant, astonished, grew even more curious about these tools and wanted to know more about them. "Can I see some of this magic?" the merchant asked. Saji smiled cautiously and replied, "I won't reveal them easily. But tonight, I will show you something to satisfy your curiosity." That moonlit night, the merchant gathered his family and close friends in his house, eagerly awaiting to witness the magic Saji had promised to unveil. The atmosphere was charged with tension and anticipation, with all eyes fixed on Saji, the mysterious man who had appeared out of nowhere. Saji stood calmly in the middle of the room, pulling his phone from his pocket, his hands radiating confidence. He turned on the flashlight, and when the onlookers saw the glowing light fill the room, devouring the darkness, their eyes nearly fell in astonishment and their minds were struck with awe. How could light exist in the dark without a moon or a fire? It was a pure, cold light that carried no smoke and had no equal. Whispers rose among the crowd, growing louder: "That Saji, he must be a sorcerer or an omen." The onlookers were confused, trying to comprehend what they had seen, realizing they had witnessed something extraordinary, something beyond their knowledge. Saji was not yet ready to reveal all his secrets. He knew that every tool he possessed might hold the key to unlocking the mystery of his return, but he could not use them recklessly. He had to proceed with caution, like walking on a tightrope between two towering peaks, balancing between pretending to possess supernatural powers and earnestly searching for a way back. Saji decided to organize an expedition to the place where he had found himself—the mysterious cave near Quraysh. The desert stretched before him like an endless sea, its sands dancing under the scorching sun like an unrelenting fire. He knew deep within that this place held a secret yet undiscovered, a secret that might be the key to returning to his original time. Thoughts bounced in his mind like flocks of birds searching for shelter, as he tried to piece together the fragmented information he had gathered during his time in this world. He realized that every step he took could either bring him closer to the solution or push him further into the unknown. His journey was fraught with dangers, yet he was determined to face them, believing that persistence and resolve were the keys to success, like a ship that defies the raging waves to reach the safety of port.
