“The Legend of Kaiko - The Prologue” by Aun Haider (A Fantasy Novel)

Celestial moonlight spilled over the ancient sands of Light-Realm, casting it in an enchanting glow. Illuminated prominently was a great slab of gold that shimmered like an eternal treasure speaking the language of desire, awaiting to be stolen. 
But it was an immovable shrine of a legend who had long perished. The real treasure awaiting to be stolen was the star-shaped amulet that hovered mid-air above a broken pillar, the remnants of the pillar standing upright like the stump of a tree.
Regardless of which golden object was worth more, both were being eyed by the human equivalent of a hawk that was perched on nearby rocky ruins. 

Eastern winds whispered secrets into the ears of Tanya as her eyes shone with the strange dim light of ill-intent. Even the whites of her eyes hid the shadows of dusk. 
She leapt elegantly from the shade of one boulder to another until she was close enough to truly examine the beautiful intricacies of the amulet's fascinating, unique design. 
It shone like bronze under the orange glow of sunrise and called out her name even when it was only in her peripheral vision.
Tanya approached the Shrine of Hikara, running her fingers through the carvings of archaic glyphs that were etched with great prowess onto the walls. 
Even Tanya couldn't help but gasp at the sheer sense of sacrifice that hung in the air that surrounded the Shrine of Hikara for centuries. 
Every step she took was in the silence and stealth of a soft cat, but every thought that crossed her mind was in the fierceness and audacity of a lion.

Finally, she reached out to touch the Amulet of Hikara's old yet gleaming surface, with the shallow allure of greed, the subtle hum of magic buzzing in the air as though there were a living force protecting the amulet itself, breathing audibly, speaking quietly. It was almost as if the amulet itself was talking, asking for it to be left alone in its solitary peace. 
It was no use however, because fate had other plans. And nothing and no-one could defy the pull of destiny. 
Luckily the power of spirituality wasn't the only force that was protecting the amulet. It was also shielded by a thick layer of glass. A small emerald was perched onto the middle of the amulet, one that seemed to glow with great iridescence against the gloomy darkness of the night. 
Its beauty was beheld by all who looked upon it, that included Tanya.
She steadied her breath as she drew nearer to it. She dipped her hand into the contents of her satchel and pulled out a key given to her and designed by Shinko himself. Shinko was the influence that guided her actions. 
With a swift pulse of light the power that was keeping the pillar's grip on the amulet alive, died just as Tanya had slipped the key into the pillar's keyhole. 
Her heart pounded against her chest sounding like the nearby footsteps of a rival as a cheeky smirk flickered across her face.
Before a single thought could even cross her mind, she snatched the amulet from the tight clutches of the pillar as though having it in her possession was her very birth-right. 

The weight of the amulet dragged her hands towards the ground, her eyes widening with surprise and sheer shock at the true feel of it. The legend of Hikara could be felt through it, the amulet itself seemed to whisper his name over and over again. 

Outside the broken temple of ruins that was the home of the Shrine of Hikara, a crow cawed, alerting her to a darkness that lied beyond the shrine. It was the Dark-Realm pressing against its boundaries. She could feel the energy shift in her bones, and for a few seconds she wondered if what she was doing was right. 
But her sense of morality wavered like the leaves of a willow against the wind. 
In the distance, a figure waited. It was Shinko. 
His silohuette merged with the night, his presence as quiet and eerie as the shade that loomed past the rocks of Light-Realm. She could feel the power of his command and the control it had over her. It was terrifying. 

"Good work," came his soft voice like silk over steel. "You will be rewarded as promised," he said as Tanya glanced at the amulet one last time. The tiny emerald studded in its centre shone with the prosperity of greenery, in a kind of glow that seemed to call out to her, as if in warning. 
Ignoring it, she forced herself to step forward, handing the amulet over to the true thief of the night. The energy on her heart was heavy as the two of them could both feel the barrier falter. 

The two of them stepped into the night, allowing its darkness to swallow them whole as the Shrine of Hikara was left in solitude once again. But this time with the legacy of Hikara left in a state of disrespect. Its guardian long gone.
The Shrine of Hikara needed a new guardian. 
It wasn't long before an unlikely hero trekked the rocky surface of the temple of Hikara. 
He wore a cloak that draped over his shoulders and hung low to his waist and had a mask pulled over his mouth as though sheathing the sharpness of his teeth.

His eyes glimmered with the shine of justice, as deep within the depths of his heart stood a scale that tipped from side-to-side like a turbulent boat at sea, and his conscious always begged for him to keep the scales balanced. And for the longest time he tried to uphold that balance, but now that the energy in Light-Realm had shifted, it was more uneven that it had ever been before.
Beyond him, sat the Shrine of Hikara. 
He was stunned to find a tear prick the iris of his eye once he had taken in the sight of a soulless pillar that once held the glow of an amulet.
The Amulet of Hikara had been stolen. His eyes frantically darted the premesis but all they could find was the night which was as dark as ebony. 
A singular tear fell from the corner of his eye as he knew exactly what this meant. 

The barrier between Light-Realm and Dark-Realm was now at its thinnest, and the Oath of Kairoth had been broken. 
A heavy weight held the left side of the scales in his heart down. But he was determined to restore the balance, the amulet and most importantly; the barrier.
For if the barrier breaks, the curse of Dark-Realm shall spill into the currently utopian Light-Realm and all hope may be lost forever.

"I must balance the scales," whispered Kaiko as his eyes lay upon the sight of the untouched shrine, the weight of Hikara's sacrifice on his heart and the thirst for vengeance leaving his tongue drier than the sandy hills of Light-Realm. 

-29th March 2026.
Chapter One Coming Soon!

(Image of Kaiko the Ninja by Aisha Haider)