CHAPTER 0

 The strong roamed in the light, the wicked thrived in darkness, but the weak can only hide in the folds of shadows. For them, shadow, a shade of darkness born to light, is a blessing and a refuge. The little girl curls up in one such shade, shadow of some wild bushes born for moonlight and the night. Like many others in the village she took refuge in shadows, along with her dear straw doll, as the village of 'Blue shower' is plummeting into chaos. Plugging both ear holes with her tiny indexes and clenching her pretty eyelids, she is working desperately to wade the chaos away. Yet her body trembled like a leaf in wind as something fell hard on the ground nearby. Her hands left the ears and hugged the knees as she crouched like a ball drawing her fragile legs more into the shadows, hoping she will be invisible and Billy's grandfather won't drag her too.

 Not far from the bushes, a man is slammed to the ground. "Pleaseee...don't….don't kill me please…," he cried in panic. But the woman who threw him pointed a long white staff at him, her blue eyes full of contempt and annoyance as a grown man is crying like a child. The slightly bulged round tip of the staff glowed pale green, the man knew his pleas only reach dead ears, and his heart raced, 'Am I going to die ?' His eyes caught a silhouette from a dark corner far behind the woman. The silhouette made a run for the bush. Seeing this, the man closed his eyes, peacefully accepting death. A sense of contentment filled him; his death is reuniting the chief with his daughter. Still a part of his mind felt miserable to die, without even knowing why he has to die.

 The man's name is Tom, and he is not just any ordinary villager of Blue shower; he is the neighbour of Salco Thudermen, the village chief. That's why, when the village was drowned in blood and cries, Tom run for the chief's house. Jolted from his sleep by the noises, he wasn't so clear-headed to remember that the chief had left the village early morning. He just ran on impulse. This is what the villagers used to do, every time mad beasts or greedy bandits enter the village; they ran to the Chief's house. The Thudermen's are brave and strong, Never pick up a fight but never back down from one either. That's why for the past few generations, the village chief is always a Thuderman. The great grandfather of Salco Thudermen is considered as the bravest of them all; he died defeating two wild beasts that rampaged the village in nights. The villagers didn't hesitate to give their all honouring their hero. They evacuated two families from the center of the village and erected a life-size statue of the hero. Salco is no means any less brave than his ancestors, that's why panic burst in Tom's heart after seeing the Chief's house on fire and only then it hit him; the chief wasn't in the village. 'Sly Bandit's, they chose the perfect time,' Tom thought. As he thought all hope is lost, there he is, Chief Salco, running towards him. "Tom, I need your help, distract the witches." The chief said catching his breath. 'Witches! Witches aren't real, are they? They are just myths.' Tom didn't understand what the chief is saying. "Tom, please, my daughter is in danger." Tom is too kind-hearted to walk away from the pleading father. He blindly agreed to the chief's plan. 

 Now, as their plan worked out exceedingly well, Tom is kneeling in front of one of the white silhouettes waiting for his sweet death, and chief Salco is running with his daughter. It didn't take much time; Tom felt something hit his right hand and he fell backward, his back hitting the ground with a thud. 'Death is beautiful.' Tears escaped him as he waited for everything to go dark in head. But an indifferent feminine voice woke him and "Get up coward, it's just a cut, " It's calling him a coward. Only if she knew how much courage it need to lay down his life so selflessly, an unsung hero. But tom was too delighted to complain. "I'm not dead!" His eyes opened in amusement. It took a few moments for his brain to register the slight pain sweeping through his right arm. He sat up in a hurry, his left hand twisted his right, slanted his neck only to see blood trickling from a small cut. "Get up and go to the village school." The woman said again. As the tension calmed down and the woman stood very close to him, tom could clearly see the silver white hair hidden in the hood of her white cloak, icy blue eyes, body covered in white tunic. It's exactly like what he heard in the myths. 'Chief isn't wrong; it's a witch, but...' Tom couldn't contain his curiosity. "Ms. Witch, are you not going to kill me?" Even in myths, witches are said to be indifferent maidens but very fair and just people who helps those in needs, 'if this is a real witch, why the chief was so scared of her?'

"Well, not today. Now go to the School." She replied. Her staffs tip glowed pale green, and her feet rose in air. It didn't need much brain for Tom to understand she is trying to fly off, "Then why did you cut my hand." He shouted before she gets away.

"Urker…" She swallowed what she was about to say. "Demons. Demons entered the village and are attacking the villagers. They can wear the skin of their victims, but they won't bleed. So get to the village school quickly; you will be safe there." She wasn't generous with explanations, leaving Tom with many questions she flew away.

 Chief Salco was running in the dark, with the whimpering little girl clinging to his neck, only stopping as they reached a lonely corner shrouded in darkness. "Little flower, where is mummy?" He asked, kneeling down, trying to place the girl gently on the ground. "Pappaaa…" But the scared girl only clung hard.

"Shhh...., it's okay; pappa is here, my little flower is safe. Hey…Hey….don't cry now: papa's little flower is brave, right?" He maintained a calm voice, patting her back gently, but his dark eyes are scanning the surroundings vigorously. 

It was difficult but he managed to calm down the little girl. "Now, my little flower, tell me where mommy is, and…" He opened her clenched right palm exposing a broken stick. "…why is this with you, did mommy gave this to you." It was a magical artifact he left with Mrs. Salco; if something bad happens, she just has to snap it, and he would know.

The little girl shook her head; clutching the straw doll more tightly as if afraid it would be taken away too. "Mommy…..Billy's grandfather took mommy….he….broke…." The little girl began whimpering again. 'Billy's grandfather? Mr. Delvo?' Salco stood up, his eyes following a narrow road extending into the darkness. At the end of the narrow road, somewhere in the dark is Mr. Delvo's home, Salco wanted to run there, but he didn't dare. His breathing got derailed, and a massive headache pounded his head. He can feel something staring back from the darkness. 'This was a test, I shouldn't have returned.' Realization crawled over him like an inescapable beast. 'Is there no way out…?' His thought broke into something unthinkable. He looked at the trembling girl, who is staring at her father with teary red eyes. He closed his eye mercilessly, he has to do it, and his hand gripped the sword hanging on the waist. He swallowed hard; his soul searched the coldness that once served him to do the unthinkable. But somewhere in the past three months, he lost it. His grip around the sword hilt loosened. Once again, admitting defeat, he stared into the dark. "Please, leave us alone," he muttered into the dark. He didn't expect a reply, unfortunately a painful female scream echoed from the darkness.

"Mommy…..." The little girl screamed. Salco didn't hesitate. He grabbed the little girl and hurried into the moonlit roads where others could easily see him. He could feel an angry gaze sticking on his back no matter which way he turned. Salco didn't dare to stop or to look back. His run continued, aiming the transparent dome in the distance, which somehow reflects the moonlight, like a giant, upside-down silver bowl. Three humongous beasts are circling around the dome, controlled by the witches.

"It's not mommy, dear; it's not mommy." Salco tried to calm her down, but to no avail.

Fortunately his pursuer seemed shy to leave the darkness and Salco managed to reach the dome that covered the village school. 

"Chief!" The long line of villagers waiting to enter the school got excited upon seeing their chief. Up until now, they have no idea what's hurting the villagers or who the people in white are, but now they saw hope. The Thundermen's are strong, courageous and responsible for their safety, nothing to worry anymore. But contrary to their expectation's their chief didn't give any motivational speech nor did he shouted at the women in white for forcing his people into the silver 'cage'. All he did was running to the front of the line, shouting, "Help…please... Help..." The villagers are astounded. So did the dozen or so witches surrounding the dome. 

"Stop there, right now!" The witch nearest to Salco shouted. But Salco continued his run completely ignoring her. 

"Sir that was your final warning…" Another witch closed in, her staff tip glow brown as the solid ground beneath Salco start turning into loose clay. But before the ground could swallow him, a red fog surrounded him and his run gained an inhumane speed. Like a loose arrow, he bolted to the entrance of the dome. However, just before he could enter the rectangular gap, the dome is closed, replaced by the same transparent wall like the rest of the dome. "Please...., let her in." Salco cried, banging the transparent wall. 

"Move away, it's an Urke…It's a demon," a witch shouted to the crowd, while the rest surrounded Salco. Salco felt something hit his leg, a small cut formed, releasing more of the red fog, the fog healed his wound and disappeared into his body. The crowd outside the dome gasped and hurried away. The crowd inside the dome pressed against the transparent wall for a better view. The witches surrounded him in a circle pointing white staffs that glowed in various colours.

Salco knelt on the ground, determined to save the little girl, he raised his right hand with the index pointing up, the crowd shouted seeing his long claw-like dark nails. "Please, she is a human, please let her in." He placed his claw on the cheek of the frightened girl, staring in stupor. "Little flower, please forgive me." His nail traced a blood tingling wound on her cheeks. Even the witches exchanged confused looks. Their confused exchanges finally landed on a witch holding a small, half-cut ball-like structure very similar to the dome but covered in complicated runes. The witch handed it over to another witch nearby and took two steps forward, breaking the circular formation.

"Who are you?" She asked, maintaining the indifferent-witch voice.

"Please let her…" Salco pleaded again still kneeling, but cut off by the witch.

"Not until you answer me. Who are you? You aren't the chief of the village right?" She asked a little loud, so the villagers could hear. 

Salco understood that she want to convince the villagers the witches aren't enemies but saviors. Salco shouted loud, "I am a Demon, my real name is Tenes, and I was living inside the chief body for the last three months." He looked at the little girl. She released her hold on him, but still staring at him, frozen to run away.

"Why are you in this village?" The witch asked again.

"I was tasked to observe witch Jennifer and her nephew." Salco replied, his gaze fell into a dark corner in the village, where he could feel a burning gaze on him.

"Why are you trying to save a human girl?"

"I….I…this is…." He doesn't know what to say. That little girl isn't his daughter, he killed her father and her mother died due to him. Guilt stole his words. "Please…just let her in…I will do anything in return…please protect her….." Tenes kowtowed.

 "You will do anything?" The witch asked again.

"Anything, I am an outcast now, I will betray my kind if that's what you want, but please, please keep her safe." Tenes begged.

The witch stared at the crying man. She knew he was telling the truth, even though she never thought this is something possible. "Little girl, come hear." She called, extending her hand. The little girl hesitated at first, but went into a sprint, seeing Tenes wasn't moving. She was relieved to get away from the demon. The witch took hold of the little girl and traced her long finger on the wound, blood trickled from it.

After confirming the little girl is a human, the witch signaled to the one holding the ball like object, who in turn put a finger on one of the rune. A small opening appeared on the dome again. The villagers inside scurried back, making room for the little girl. Tenes stood like a statue, as the little girl walked away from him. He didn't expect to see her again; this is a goodbye. 'She will never forgive me, I destroyed her happiness, I made her an orphan.' An overwhelming grief clenched his throat. But "Papa…" The little girl turned around just before the dome closed on them. "Little flower…" Tenes couldn't help but smile. The little girl smiled back, a smile neither Tenes nor Salco is familiar with, a smile of ridicule. Tenes thought his eyes are playing tricks on him, but as if to confirm his foreboding, the little girl opened her mouth, "Tenes, you traitor. This is the price of betrayal." A male voice came out of her. It was too late for the witches to notice a hole in the middle of the straw doll lying on the ground. The little girl was clenching a small black ball in her hand.

Panic filled the witch's face, it's too late. Still she shouted at the one holding the ball-like artifact, "Drop…." Before she could complete the warning, the little girl twisted the ball with both hands. Everything happened in a blink, but Tenes clearly saw the girl being engulfed by a red light. Before he could even scream, the light expanded with an ear-splitting explosion. It shattered the dome from inside, pulverizing the school and the people within. The bright red fire spread from the dome, engulfing the witches, Tenes and the villagers. Those who were fortunate to stay out of its range screamed for help while running to safety. The villagers engulfed in the fire have an easy death, their life ended before they could even scream. The only sound that filled in the air was a painful inhuman screech from Tenes, who took a little while to die. When the smoke settled, the remaining villagers were surprised again, seeing the small individual domes of green fire. Every witch is protected by a brilliant green fire, everyone is unharmed in the slightest, everyone except the one holding the ball like artifact. The magical artifact blasted along with the dome, shattering her into pieces before she could do anything.

Not very far from the school, in the basement of Mr. Delvo's store house, Darren opened his red eyes. "It's done." His four hands clapped together as his dark lips formed a big curve, he jumped up in excitement of what he had accomplished, almost hitting the roof of the basement. His eyes searched the room, only to find Antonio in human appearance, as he is now inside old man Delvo's skin, munching over a severed limp of Mrs .Salco. "It's over?" Antonio asked with a stuffed mouth barely lifting his head from the mutilated body of Mrs.Salco. "Where is he?" Darren asked, his eyes examining the broken furniture and the heap of bones in the basement. "Don't bother, he isn't here, He went out, wants to see the school…." Before Antonio could complete, the wooden ladder into the basement creaked. "….now he is back."

 "Bravo…Bravo…" Another towering figure, little taller than Darren, descended the ladder clapping its four hands thunderously. Even in the darkness of basement, Darren could see its big smile showcasing all of its yellow canine teeth. The one descended now is Grezer Whitebone and obviously he isn't a human just like the other two. These 'creatures' in the basement are something what the witches feared as 'Crimson ghosts' – towering figures with pale skin, dark-circled red eyes, very dark lips and claw like nails. But the most distinguishable feature is their two large hands called wing hands that originate from their shoulder blades, in addition to the normal human like hands.

"My lord." Antonio jumped up, dropping the limp, and arched his body into a bow. Darren looked at the old man, hesitated for a bit and gave a slight bow.

Grezer laughed loud, "Don't force it, kid; it doesn't suit's you."

"You saw it right?" Relieved, Darren straightened his body instantly. "You trust me now?"

"Yes, of course, I saw it all." Grezer replied, slightly embarrassed. It was Grezer who put Tenes on the quest. He was so sure of his choice; he didn't believe it when Darren said, "Tenes can't be trusted anymore." His doubt only increased when Darren boasted he can kill all the villagers right under the witches' nose. But in the end Darren got the laugh. "It was a nice slap on the witches, the king will be pleased." Grezer added.

"So will that be enough." Darren jeered.

"You know it won't be enough, right?" Grezer replied after careful consideration. "But I will agree to your demand if you could bring the boy in the stead of Tenes." 

Darren already anticipated this; nothing is free in this world. "I will bring the boy…"

"One year." Grezer interrupted. "You have to bring the boy within one year."

"But…." He swallowed the argument "Okay, before this year ends the boy will be in the Island." Darren agreed grittily. Beggars can't be choosers.

"Remember Kid." Felt left alone, Antonio butted in. "It will be difficult to separate the boy from that witch and fighting her head-on will be suicidal. Also you can't just snatch the boy from the witch even if you can…"

"You will get the boy within a year; just don't forget our deal." Darren said before rushing out. He didn't enjoy their company in the slightest.

"He is weak." Antonio waited until Darren reaches a good distance before saying that. Grezer nodded in agreement, pondering on something else.

"Why one year, my lord?" Antonio asked again, not so pleased in the previous weak response.

"I got news; Lenord failed to secure the sword. The king won't be so pleased to hear that." Grezer grinned widely. "This is my chance, if I could bring the boy before Lenord could get his hands on the crown, I will be the next red knight."

"My lord." Antonio called, more confused. "I don't understand why you trusted something this important to a kid….." 

"Don't sweat it, dear Antonio, I have faith in Darren. He isn't like that Tenes; he is desperate." Grezer said still smiling. "He will go any length to bring the boy; he will kill anyone without batting an eye."