“The Legend of Kaiko - Chapter Two” By Aun Haider (A Fantasy Novel)

The heavy veil of night fell and with it, surrounding mystery. 
Udeniya was cloaked with darkness. The meeting had long been over, the guests had all left. But Kaiko couldn't recall a word that was spoken that evening. His mind was constantly daydreaming about the letter left by whoever 'M' was. 
All the royals of the different factions ever did was debate politics and it bored Kaiko to slumber. 

Above several floors, was Kaiko's chambers, in it was his open window and curtains that flapped against the wind like the wings of a dove. Kaiko was planning his escape. He couldn't leave the palace via the front doors as they were often guarded by their palace knights who slept in the day and stayed awake during the night, just like the Udeniyan owl. 

The starlight hung bright in the skies, as the only revealed secrets of the night. But soon, more mystery would come into the limelight, thought Kaiko. 
He knelt down towards the velvet floor of his chambers and tightened the straps of his boots, in preparation for the early night journey he was about to embark on. He then swung the mahogany doors to his wardrobe open and swiped out his favourite amethyst hooded cloak. He then swung it around his shoulders, fastening its golden buckle and medallion; a symbol of Udeniyan royalty. 
Finally, the last step in his preparation was to pull his ninja's mask over his face as the art of Udeniyan combat was taught to all Udeniyan royals from a young age and was a badge of honour to be worn by all of them in pride. 
After putting on his mask, he leapt through the window as though it were a hoop in one swift movement. 

He landed straight onto the slabby surface of the palace roofs and slid down its spires and domes until he reached the palace gardens painted with the complexion of midnight moonlight. 
"Right," Kaiko whispered, eyes wandering around his surroundings in thoughtful calculation. "Let's do this," and with that Kaiko carefully tracked the shadows of the rose hedges and circular rocks that were placed beautifully in a neat row leading out of the gardens and deeper into the night. He hadn't even told Chi-Shi about his decision to meet 'M' under the Udeniyan bridge, they all called 'The Silver'. 

He danced through the streets of Udeniya in the trajectory of a flying bat, the curiosity that the letter had sparked in him rising like a flaming sun on an inevitable day. 
A part of him wished he had the company of his good friend Chi-Shi but he knew that his current absence was for the best. Because along with the curiosity that lay on one scale of his heart, on the other was the coins of fear and doubt. He suspected that this 'M' person may be setting up a trap for him to perhaps capture a royal such as himself and use him as leverage to get copper coins and countless dimes from his parents. 
But his grandfather who had since fled Udeniya to escape the divided people of Light-Realm, had always told him to give everyone the benefit of the doubt as people were innocent until proven guilty in his eyes. While he wasn't sure he agreed with such a sentiment, he could respect it and try to uphold it in his memory. 

For a moment he froze in the shadows, a thought cast into the past, to the memories he held near and dear to his heart of his paternal grandfather and him and the good times they had spent during his youth. He wondered for a second what his grandfather would think of what he was doing. If he was making the right decision. 
Kaiko believed he would, which was why he stepped forth and continued his journey until finally, just before the horizon, the Silver could be seen. A lovely silvery bridge that looked just like the fallen crescent smile of the moon. 

Boats and lilypads alike sat afloat over the see-through skin of the lake, the lilypads devoid of flowers just as the boats were devoid of people. 
But as he approached stealthily in the quiet, ominous tranquillity of the night, his eyes caught sight of the same ninja who had presented herself as 'M' earlier on at the front doors of his palace. 
There she sat, on one of the birch boats that sat almost still over the lake's clear face that resembled the glass face of a mirror; reflecting the night sky and stars in a magnificent spectacle. 
Udeniya was a beautiful civilisation. Kaiko would hate to see it burn to a crisp due to the rising political tensions that constantly surrounded the palace of Udeniya. Or worse, he would lose it, and everything else to the inky taint of Dark-Realm. 
Forcing his fear to flee, Kaiko snapped out of the world of 'what could go wrong' and approached 'M'. 

The small boat docked, gently embracing the grassy earth of the ground Kaiko walked upon for a moment. 
"I'm glad you could make it," 'M' said, pulling down the mask that covered her mouth to reveal a pretty face. 
Kaiko hesitated for a second, taking a step back and thinking this through. 
"Don't worry, you can trust me," 'M' reassured. 
"Your name? You can't seriously expect me to call you 'M', can you?" Kaiko asked, still far too reluctant to sit on the boat with her. 
'M' giggled. "Milini," she said. "you must be prince Kaiko," she smiled.
"Yes, I am," Kaiko introduced, kneeling down to step into the boat, which shook against his slight weight. "Now, tell me, what could be so urgent that you brought me way out here in the dead of the night?" Kaiko tried to find Milini's eyes but they were avoiding his gaze as though in guilt, as she continued to eye the waters that lay beneath them like an ocean of tears. 
"I know what this looks like, it looks romantic, and believe me, it is supposed to," she said as she grabbed two of the oars of the boat and pushed them under the bridge. "But I assure you, this is nothing like that," Milini highlighted. "I," she then looked around to see if anyone was watching before finishing off her sentence in a hushed whisper. "I am starting an alliance," she revealed. 

Silence befell the two of them momentarily before Kaiko spoke up. "And, you want me to join this alliance of yours? But why me?"
Milini finally looked him in the eyes, her eyes wide with fear as though her very soul was crying out for help, as though she knew a great worrisome fact he didn't.
He wondered if she knew what he knew, about the absence of the Amulet of Hikara at Hikara's Temple.
"I need someone with status and sociological power," Milini admitted. "If the people learn of the new alliance that I am forging and see credible people that the Udeniyans have trusted for years, then they might actually join my cause." she said. 
"But what exactly is your cause?" Kaiko pressed on, his questions still left unanswered. 
"It's a cause of unity. You know as well as I that the people of Light-Realm are heavily divided. And it's distracting us from this great strange shift in energy that we've all felt," Milini murmured quietly under the bridge as though her words were blasphemy, but Kaiko was realising that maybe she was paranoid of the intentions of the average Udeniyan. 
Maybe because she wasn't from around here. He noticed the necklace she wore of the symbol of Nean royalty. 
That's when he realised exactly who she was.
"You're the princess of Nea, aren't you?" he asked. 
Milini nodded. "Quiet!" She whispered an embarrassed smile flickering across her face like the wavering curve of candlelight. "If my people discover that I am the one who is starting this alliance they won't forgive me. I'm sure you know this already, but my parents, your parents and many other royals have just signed a treaty. One that states that they will only unify under one rule if they sell all gold including melting and selling the gold from the Shrine of Hikara which is complete blasphemy! We have to protect the Temple of Hikara, find the amulet - which by the way has gone missing, and protect the barrier." Milini said. 
"Shh!" Kaiko said, almost placing a finger on her lips. "Someone could hear you. And also, how do you know about the missing amulet? You didn't steal it did you?" Kaiko asked.
Milini scoffed, offended. "Of course not! Who do you take me for?"
"Sorry," he said. "How do you know about it?" 
"Rumours spread. But this one, I had to see for myself. So I did." Milini explained. "Besides, I love travel." She then looked around before choosing her final words to him carefully. 
"Listen, prince Kaiko," she started, "the Temple of Hikara needs a guardian. And Light-Realm needs an alliance. I can't protect the peace on my own. What do you say?"
"Yes. Of course, I say yes. Count me in already. I won't let anyone lose Light-Realm. Whether their Nean or Udeniyan. What matters is that we're all human. I won't let the greed of our elders rob the future of the youth. It's unfair." Kaiko said. 
Milini smiled, as the two of them grabbed the oars and swayed the boat in the direction of where Milini had gotten it from. 

Kaiko stepped off the boat and turned around, offering a hand to Milini, who took his hand as she dismounted the boat with grace. 
"If anyone says they saw you and I together, just go with it, no-one can learn of the beginning of this alliance." Milini said. "Also, here," she dug into the depths of her fuchsia dress and pulled out a sack of copper coins. "This money can only go towards our alliance's base. Nowhere else. Got it?"
"Sure. Also, is this confidential or can my trusted friend Chi-Shi also join?"
"As long as this Chi-Shi remains tight-lipped about this all," Milini agreed.

"Ah," a voice boomed from the distance. Milini instantly jumped in shock and so did Kaiko, as the two of them turned around only to find Kaiko's father. "what a beautiful union," commented King Oradai. "Kaiko, my son, I didn't know that you would surprise me so pleasantly. Why don't we arrange this together. Think of how good such an arrangement would be for the kingdom!"
But Kaiko was absolutely lost for words. This was not what it looked like. But it was about to be what he didn't want it to be. 
Oh how twisted was the path of fate, thought Kaiko. 

-30th March 2026.
Chapter Two Coming Soon!

(Image of Kaiko the Ninja by Aisha Haider)

“The Legend of Kaiko - Chapter One” By Aun Haider (A Fantasy Novel)

Kaiko's eyes lay shut as he cast his mind into blissful reverie, pretending to still be in the utopian Light-Realm he once knew and loved. He pictured its pastel sunsets that exuded harmony as well as light.

If only he could hear the birds chirp once more, oh what he would give to hear their beauteous melodies. He'd often whistle back to them in the gardens of his palace.

That is where he sat currently in meditation. Wishing to hear the birds chirp just once more even if it only lasted mere milliseconds.

But instead, a wave of anxiety crossed his heart like a stormy ocean tide, causing him to snap his eyes back open.

There, in front of him, stood a red-bellied robin. Its head twitched as it swiftly looked in multiple directions in the span of seconds as most birds did. Just like an owl. But something was wrong. It wasn't chirping or flying as the robins in Light-Realm usually did.

Melancholia flooded his face like an inevitable sea, but he tried to hide it as his eyes caught sight of a figure's shadow, one that was growing increasingly larger. It loomed over the marble floorboards ahead of him until he was under its shade. Instead of flying away like the robin would usually do, its miniature feet were planted onto the marble ground like an oak tree whose roots were longer than a buttress'.

Kaiko glanced to his right where the source of the shadow was coming from and saw his fancy golden sandals on the feet of a thief.

"Really, Chi-Shi? You couldn't come to me wearing footwear of your own?" Came Kaiko's words as an eyebrow of his was raised in questioning.

"Hey, I just wanted to make you laugh, you seem so...on-edge lately, I wanted to lighten up the mood," Kaiko's best friend Chi-Shi said.

"Chi, that's not funny, it's just annoying," Kaiko admitted.

"Also, what's up with that bird? It hasn't absorbed your weird energy, has it?" Chi-Shi asked, noticing the robin that was frozen like a gargoyle atop a mansion.

Both of their gazes met briefly before they stared at the robin with concern.

"I was just about to bring your attention to that," muttered Kaiko while rising from the ground like a blossoming rose, his grey robes unfolding like origami.

Surprise tainted Chi-Shi's heart as he thought his friend Kaiko would meditate for longer and not let a singular bird stop him from doing so.

"Why must you disturb me?" Kaiko's question spilled out of his mouth like milk from a baby, without thought.

Chi-Shi crossed his arms in discontentment, his scarlet gloves matching his red attire. He sighed and tightened his red headband so that it wouldn't slip off and reveal more of his wild brown hair.

His round eyes found Kaiko's fierce ones, the softness of Chi-Shi's eyes attempting to soften the disposition of his friend's but to no avail.

"Your parents are requesting your attendance at the dining hall," Chi-Shi said simply. "They're concerned about this sudden shift in energy that we have all felt." He added as the two of them turned to walk towards the backdoors of the palace that led out into the palace gardens and balcony.

"Is that so?" Kaiko mumbled. The absence of the amulet he had witnessed at the Temple of Hikara had really put him in a foul mood, and even something as minuscule as the robin acting strange bothered him.

Already, Kaiko was missing the days of peace he used to take for granted, when the amulet had been floating above the broken pillar and everything had felt like it was all in balance. Now, he couldn't shake this sense of uneasiness off.

And in his books, when nature was acting up that was a big telltale sign of the energy of Light-Realm not being right.

The two of them flowed like rivers into the palace, and just like rivers, they began to meander their way into the sea. The sea that was the dining hall; where Kaiko's parents awaited him. But they weren't solely Kaiko's parents, no. They were the king and queen of Udeniya.

Udeniya was their faction.

Unfortunately, Kaiko's people were divided, split into factions that often fought with one another. Political tensions fluctuate the royals would say, but that was a lie. They were always high, that Kaiko knew and felt.

Now was no different.

He could sense the artificial, insincerity of this gathering as his eyes looked upon the new faces that were all gaping at him as though he were a white and mighty light and they were moths.

Kaiko forced a faint smile and bowed in formal greeting so he wouldn't have to go around shaking the hands of all of his parents' guests as was traditionally customary for a royal Udenian such as himself. Chi-Shi did the same despite it being unnecessary that he followed suit.

That almost made Kaiko snicker. He had to admit, his friend Chi-Shi usually brought a smile to his face and now he was beginning to have that effect on him once more.

Daylight poured in through the empty ivory archways that stood stall and proud to Kaiko's right as he strode his way towards a chair that looked more like a throne than a stool.

Chi-Shi almost took a seat beside him before realising he had to be invited to sit.

"Chi, wait for me outside alright?" Kaiko whispered under his breath followed by a nod from Chi-Shi as he hastily yet quietly left the room.

"Prince Kaiko," his mother introduced.

Kaiko held up a hand as though he were waving for a second and then put it back down onto his lap.

All the strangers at the table muttered their greetings which Kaiko perceived as rude. Surely he was worth at least a united hello, he thought.

Then he realised just what was happening. All around the dining table, sat the leaders of all the factions of Light-Realm. All royals. All from different provinces.

They were the royals from the province of Udeniya. Around the table were representatives of every faction Kaiko knew to exist.

"This evening we have the prince of Udeniya, Kaiko Oradai, and myself and her majesty the Queen Gwynith Oradai," Kaiko's father the king announced.

"Sat beside us on this fine evening to discuss pressing worldly matters, are King and Queen Lilini from the province of Nea," King Oradai said as he gestured an outstretched hand out towards them in introduction.

But before King Oradai could continue, a heavy, dull series of thuds echoed through the palace halls and into the dining hall where they all sat.

"I'm sorry, Kaiko my darling, could you please see to that?" Queen Oradai requested as Prince Kaiko rose to his feet like an eager sunflower reaching for sunlight.

Kaiko then left the dining hall without a single second glance at anyone.

He strode with great purpose and confidence towards the palace's front doors, grabbing their champagne-hued door handles and pulling them towards him, thus pulling the weight of the doors in his direction too.

There, stood another ninja, masked and hid under the protection of the darkening skies behind her.

"Prince Kaiko?" She asked as dread filled Kaiko's heart, not because of the ninja but because of the sound of Chi-Shi's footsteps as he eagerly raced towards the front doors of the palace to be by his side.

Kaiko nodded before Chi-Shi could even think of speaking on behalf of him.

"Ah, well, I hate to meet under such circumstances, but believe me, I had little choice in coming here. This letter is for you," she said, handing Kaiko a piece of creased parchment paper.

"Thank you," Kaiko said. But before he could question her she was gone. Like a flickering butterfly that is only sighted for few and precious moments.

"What was that all about?" Chi-Shi asked.

Instead of answering his friend, Kaiko unraveled the parchment paper and read the freshly stained ink that formed words on its page.

"Join my alliance. Meet me under the bridge on a boat. As soon as the moon rises. Yours faithfully, M." Kaiko read aloud.

"'M'?" Chi-Shi echoed.

No matter how strongly his head wished to burn the words he had just read his heart weighed more heavily on the scales this time, urging him to follow the letter's instructions.

A sweet scent lay on the tip of Kaiko's nose as he tried his best to remember what the mysterious stranger who had showed up at his door looked like but all that was brought to the forefront of his mind was a masked girl.

The sweetness, however, that stayed.

"I'll catch you butterfly," Kaiko whispered to himself as Chi-Shi headed back inside leaving Kaiko to close the palace doors himself. The sweetness made him smile as though it were a symbol of beauty still left in a world that was about to crumble before his very eyes. And he clung onto the scent with every corner of his heart.

"Perfume," he muttered, as the doors to the palace shut.

-30th March 2026.
Chapter Two Coming Soon!

(Image of Kaiko the Ninja by Aisha Haider)

“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)