A sudden chill swept the room. Lady Cara and King Stefan didn’t move an inch, nor did Lord Flip who was still standing in the doorway.

  “The Hunter has arrived.” Flip announced.

  “Where is he then?” Cara asked, voice shaky. Her fear was evident.

  A loud shriek suddenly tore through the room.

  Lady Cara crouched over in pain, as if the shriek was tearing through her chest.

  A second later, Lord Flip did the same.

  “What is that?” Cara screamed, as loud as she could.

  Stefan just stood and watched, clearly unaffected.

  The shriek lasted for nearly twenty seconds.

  Once it was over, she turned her attention towards Stefan.

  “What was that?” She croaked, eyes watery. “Was that him? Did he do something?”

  Stefan shrugged his shoulders.

  “How could it be?” A deep masculine voice suddenly spoke behind her, causing her to jump. “I’ve been behind you this entire time.”

  Cara slowly turned around until she was faced with a large muscular man.

  There was no mistaking who he was with his olive skin, high cheekbones, and the Amulet of Bones peeking from behind his loose fitted shirt.

  “I’m….” He began.

  “Milkako.” Cara gasped.

  The lady took a step back.

  Milkako nodded. “Of Shadows, I am. Guardian of the Red Door. Child of he, himself, the Darkness Hunu.”

  “King of Balosa.” Lord Flip murmured after, eyes locked onto the man.

  Balosa, the realm of Darkness.

  ***

  Eons ago, Balosa was created by the God Hunu. It is a vast realm of near total darkness. At the mid hour, the sun rises for one hour before vanishing. And at night, there are no stars, just pure blackness in the night sky.

  Hunu, the God of Darkness, created this realm to be a haven for his creations: the shadow shifters. There, they could be their true selves and show their true faces.

  Just like ordinary Arlans, shifters wake up, pray, hunt, eat, spend time with their loved ones, and sleep. In the War of Kings, though, their numbers dwindled. The very war also saw their God’s Incarnate severely wounded. Dorso, he was called. In the living realm, no one had seen him nor his family since. Most assumed he succumbed to his wounds but no body was ever found.

  As the Incarnate of Hunu, he could command the silent Creatures of the Night and invoke fear into the hearts of everyone he came across.

  ***

  Lord Flip, who was still standing at the door, cleared his throat. “Milkako, we weren’t expecting you exactly.”

  Milkako waved him over. “Come closer, child. I’m not going to bite. I’m not hungry.”

  The elder lord looked to his king for permission.

  Stefan nodded.

  Lord Flip closed the door behind him and marched over.

  “We weren’t expecting you, Milkako.” Stefan began, speaking for the first time. “We only need a hunter who—-”

  Milkako raised his right hand, revealing red claws.

  Cara's breath hitched. The lady had never seen a shadow shifter’s claws before.

  The claws were thick and curved, capable of carving through the thickest flesh man has seen.

  “The King of Death leaves an offering at the red door. Of course, I’m going to come. What do you need?”

  Milkako spoke with a big smile on his face.

  Stefan didn’t like it. His eyes bounced between the others in the room before settling back on Milkako. “The princess is missing.”

  Milkako raised his eyebrows

  “Princess Ely.” Stefan continued. “She has run off.”

  A loud shriek suddenly tore through the room again, causing Lady Cara to crouch over in pain again. Flip did the same, only seconds later.

  Stefan’s jaw ticked. “What is that?”

  This time, the shriek lasted for nearly a minute.

  Once it was over, Stefan turned his attention back to Milkako whose eyes were lasered on Lord Flip.

  Stefan cleared his throat. “Like I was saying, Milkako.”

  Then it happened again. This time, it was more of a wailing. A wailing that resembled a dying animal.

  “Are there any animals here?” Milkako asked, a bewildered look on his face.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Stefan shook his head.

  Milkako’s eyes narrowed.

  “Maybe Cara should have a look.” Lord Flip suggested.

  Cara folded her arms across her chest. “And why should I?”

  It was clear she didn’t like the suggestion, especially since it came from Flip.

  Their relationship was rather strained, which had already led to rumors at court.

  “It’s about who can control the king.” One lord had suggested. “The mistress or the friend.”

  “Is that not what you do?” Flip responded cheekily. “Look around?”

  Cara rolled her eyes.

  “Or is sleeping with the king your only skill now?” Lord Flip mumbled, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  Stefan’s eyes flickered towards Milkako before coming back to Cara. “Enough! Cara, go downstairs.”

  “Stef…” Cara began.

  “Now, Cara.” Stefan interrupted, dismissing her.

  Cara stormed out, the three men watched her leave in silence.

  Once the door was closed again, Milkako spoke.

  “Why do you need to find Princess Ely? Where is her mother?”

  “She’s dead.” Stefan said coldly. “Rosar is dead.”

  Milkako lowered his head. “I’m sorry for your loss. May her essence enter Gardenia.”

  Stefan nodded, a silent thank you.

  “But why do you want me to find Ely?” Milkako asked, as he began pacing the rather large room.

  “She’s stolen from me. Something very valuable.”

  Milkako came to a stop in front of a painting. It was the Birth of Virgin Mages painting. Seven ladies, wearing long white robes, were painted hovering around a pool of black water under the moonlight.

  “And what will I get in return?”

  As natural hunters, it wasn’t unusual for Arlans to hire shifters to find things or people.

  “What do you want?” Stefan asked.

  At that exact moment, a large crow appeared at a windowsill. It was Crowine.

  Spotting him, Milkako quickly trotted to the window and placed his clawed hand on the wide window.

  Crowine immediately flew away.

  Milkako’s shoulders tensed.

  “I'll take him.” He said coldly, back turned away from Stefan and Flip.

  Stefan and Lord Flip both frowned.

  “The bird?” They asked at the same time.

  “That is the offer.” He answered, still staring out of the window.

  Stefan’s eyes darted to Lord Flip, who shrugged his shoulders.

  “Why?”

  “That is the offer.” Milkako repeated. “Take it, Stefan. Or I leave.”

  “It’s just a talking bird.” Stefan laughed. It wasn’t just a talking bird.

  Crowine had been a part of Death for millennia. He couldn’t let him go that easy.

  Suddenly, Milkako’s head slowly morphed into black goo before transforming into a shadowy silhouette, still attached to a body of skin and bones.

  Stefan and Flip both took a step back.

  As they did, Stefan’s right hand was slowly covered by ice.

  Then suddenly, the King of Balosa’s head turned completely around, revealing red, glowing eyes.

  “If it’s just a talking bird, your answer must be yes.”

  The tension in the room thickened.

  Stefan closed his eyes.

  He thought about Brielle, who he knew could also find Ely. Yet, she still hadn’t arrived.

  Deep down, he also knew shadow shifters were better. Excellent hunters with extraordinary senses.

  For a split second, he also thought of killing Milkako. It wouldn’t be the first time he took out the heart of a shifter.

  Stefan released a shaky exhale. “Fine.”

  Milkako turned his head back around, before it morphed back to flesh. “Excellent.”

  Stefan pressed his lips together.

  Milkako still had his back turned away from Lord Flip and Stefan.

  “You do know she is not Balosa.” Milkako said slowly. “The war changed ev—”

  “I’m aware of what the war did.” Stefan interrupted. “I’m also aware you have access to other realms if she’s not in ours.”

  Milkako slowly turned around. “Galassia, you mean.”

  Stefan cocked his head. “From my own understanding, Walkers and Shifters are great allies.”

  Milkako began walking towards the two men.

  As he did, Stefan’s mind flashed to the Hallow War when Prince Merlo, the younger brother of Milkako, came to the aid of the Isle. Merlo was responsible for the destruction of Quana, a former port ruled by Stefan.

  “If you must know, my brother is in Balosa.” Milkako admitted, once he reached them.

  “It still shouldn’t be hard.” Stefan countered, a hint of anger in his voice. “Your brother still sleeps with the Walker Queen.”

  Lord Flip grimaced.

  Milkako’s jaw ticked. “If you must know, Ravyna hasn’t been in Galassia for weeks.”

  Stefan froze. “What do you mean?”

  As the Queen of Galassia, Ravyna rarely left the frigid realm. Everyone knew that.

  Milkako shrugged his shoulders. “All I know is that Ravyna is not in her realm.”

  “Is she in the Isle?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Her daughter guards the gate, I assume.” Lord Flip spoke up.

  Milkako nodded.

  “And are you acquainted with the Princess?”

  Before Milkako could answer, the door swung open.

  It was Cara. She had a worried look across her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Stefan asked.

  Cara quickled marched over towards the trio. “No one heard anything.”

  Lord Flip shifted in his stance.

  “Sorry?” Stefan asked.

  “I checked everywhere and no one heard a shriek.” She explained frantically, arms waving in the air.

  Stefan waved her off.

  “Cara, they are clearly lying. The only one who could do some sort of trick like that is far away in the mountains.”

  “And she’s currently near water.” Milkako added.

  Everyone whipped their gazes towards Milkako.

  “I can hear her singing and the sound of splashing water.” He clarified. “When you’re over 9,000 years old, your hearing is even clearer.”

  Cara threw up her hands in frustration. “Stefan, we were the only ones. No one heard anything. I even threatened them with the king’s hand. It could be the en—”

  “Enough.” Stefan yelled loudly.

  The room fell silent.

  “I should go.” Milkako said slowly, then began walking towards the door.

  “The moon is out, so I’ll take the door.”

  Before he was completely gone, Stefan screamed,

  “Wait!”

  He ran over towards the tall shifter, clutching his pocket. “I have something.”

  Stefan removed a scarf from his pocket, the scarf that once belonged to Ely and Rosar.

  “Here’s her scent.” He said, before handing it over.

  Milkako carefully took it, then exited the room.

  Once he was out of sight, Stefan marched over towards Lord Flip and Cara, and took both of their hands into his.

  Before they could protest, they were in the Hall of Dreams in the Dreamworld.

  “Ouch.” Cara cried, as she attempted to remove his tight grip around her wrist.

  “We don’t know if what we know is true.” Stefan said sternly, eyes locked onto Cara. “We cannot talk about such things around others.”

  Cara rolled her eyes, while Lord Flip’s eyes frantically roamed the realm he was now standing in.

  “He’s Milkako. If anyone knows, it is a child of a Desert God. The tale says the shrieks return.” Cara countered.

  “The tale?” Lord Flip asked, visibly confused. “What are we talking about?”

  Cara and Stefan looked at Flip as if he grew another head.

  “The Entity, friend.” Stefan said, frowning. “The Tale of the Unseen.”

  ***

  Entering Balosa wasn’t easy for non shadow shifters. It required an exchange between the blood of the visitor and the blood of a shadow shifter guarding the door in the Desert city of Aridisa. But for Milkako, he could just cross over.

  Immediately upon crossing over, the shifter king was immediately greeted by his wife: Queen Saré. One side of her face was of brown flesh and the other side was of a shadowy silhouette. The elder queen, wearing a long red gown, embraced her husband into a tight hug.

  As a 9,000 year old Queen, Saré’s strength was beyond anyone could imagine. Her hugs could kill the average Arlan.

  “How did it go?” She asked, still holding onto Milkako.

  “Have you been hunting?”

  The elder Queen nodded.

  The king glanced down toward his wife’s stomach.

  “The baby—”

  “She’s fine.” Saré rushed out.

  The queen had been pregnant for a year and a half. She was due in eight months. “What did he want?”

  Milkako removed himself from her grasp. “Where is the child?”

  Saré looked over her shoulder where a towering forest stood behind her. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the tall limbs standing behind her.

  The soft, haunting whistle that emerged from her mouth rippled and shook the limbs.

  After a long moment, a beast was suddenly flying towards them. Extremely fast and low. His wings were black, eyes red, and beak white.

  In Balosa, they call him Nox.

  Sitting on top of Nox was a young girl with red eyes and red hair.

  Dorsa.