Khan Sahib's second life as the Storykeeper began not with a bang, but with the quiet tap of his walking stick on unfamiliar pavement.
The Eternal Watch had deposited him in the middle of Gotham City at dusk—rain-slick streets reflecting neon signs, the distant wail of sirens blending with the low thrum of traffic. He stood under a flickering streetlamp on the corner of Crime Alley and 44th, ajrak shawl damp but dignity intact, rolling pin still tucked under his arm like a talisman. The device on his wrist—sleek silver-black, etched with Saraiki calligraphy—glowed softly.
Sign-In Location: Crime Alley, Gotham City (DC Universe – Nexus Entry Point)
Reward Unlocked: First Thread – Gotham's Hidden Heart
New Ability: Story Echo – Summon a brief echo of any tale's emotion or lesson (12-hour cooldown)
Passive: Hearth Presence – Nearby allies gain minor calm + healing over time
Khan Sahib looked around—slow, unhurried.
"Beta always said this world was full of broken people trying to fix other broken people," he murmured in Saraiki. "Looks like he was right."
A shadow detached from the alley wall—cape flowing, bat-symbol stark against the rain.
Batman.
The Dark Knight's voice was low, gravel.
"You're not from here. You're not armed. You're not afraid. Explain."
Khan Sahib met the white lenses without flinching.
"I am Khan Sahib. Father of Ahmed Khan, who built the Eternal Bridge between worlds. I died four months ago under a mango tree. The One Who Watches All Worlds gave me a second chance. This—" he tapped the Eternal Watch—"lets me carry stories. And right now, this city smells like it needs one."
Batman didn't move.
"Stories don't stop bullets."
Khan Sahib smiled—the rare, full smile.
"They stop fear. And bullets are afraid of men who aren't."
A scream cut the night—three blocks away. Gunshots followed.
Batman turned.
Khan Sahib tapped his stick once.
Story Echo Activated: Pathanay Khan – "Merra ishq vi tu"
Effect: 30-second aura of calm + clarity in a 50-meter radius
He walked—unhurried—toward the sound.
Batman hesitated—then followed.
They arrived at a corner store robbery in progress: two armed men, panicked clerk, crying child.
Khan Sahib stepped forward first—stick tapping.
The robbers spun.
"Old man—back off!"
Khan Sahib raised both hands—slowly.
"Beta," he said gently, "you are holding a gun because you are afraid. Afraid of tomorrow. Afraid of empty pockets. Afraid of being nothing."
The robbers blinked—confusion cutting through adrenaline.
Khan Sahib continued—voice low, steady, carrying Pathanay Khan's cadence.
"But you are not nothing. You are someone's son. Someone's brother. Someone's story. And stories can change."
Story Echo Activated: Bulleh Shah – "Bulleh ki jaana main kaun?"
Effect: Forces target to question identity/ego (30-second stun/confusion)
The robbers froze—eyes glazing.
One whispered:
"Who… am I?"
Batman moved—silent, swift—disarming them both.
The child stopped crying.
The clerk stared.
Khan Sahib knelt beside the boy.
"Beta, you are safe. Go to your mother."
The boy ran.
Batman cuffed the robbers—then looked at Khan Sahib.
"You didn't fight."
"I didn't need to," Khan Sahib replied. "I listened. Listening is the first bridge."
Batman studied him—long, silent.
"You're not meta. Not magic. Not tech. You're… something else."
Khan Sahib smiled.
"I am a father. That is enough."
Batman's comms crackled—Oracle's voice.
"Bruce… I'm seeing energy signatures matching the bridge anomaly Ahmed reported. He's… connected."
Batman looked at Khan Sahib.
"You know Ahmed Khan."
"My son," Khan Sahib said simply.
Batman exhaled—almost a sigh.
"Then you'd better come with me."
They walked—rain falling, city lights reflecting in puddles.
Khan Sahib tapped his stick.
Sign-In Location: Gotham Rooftop (Batman's Patrol Route)
Reward Unlocked: Gotham's Hidden Heart – Passive Aura: Calm in Chaos (reduces fear effects in allies by 30%)
Story Echo Cooldown Reset
He looked at Batman.
"You carry a heavy story, beta. Let me carry a piece of it."
Batman didn't answer.
But he didn't say no.
The chapter closed on two men—father and Dark Knight—standing on a rooftop, rain falling, city breathing below.
The bridge had crossed another world.
And Amina Begum—now the Hearthkeeper—had just begun to walk.
The story continued—gentle, warm, eternal.