SHAHEEN: THE SHADOW WALKER
Episode 12 – The First Shadow Walker
"ALI!"
Zayan rushed toward the place where Ali had disappeared.
He hit the floor with his fist.
"There has to be a way to open it!"
Ayesha searched the walls.
Hamza checked the strange symbols around the chamber.
Bilal looked around nervously.
"Please tell me there is an emergency exit."
No one answered.
Noor stood completely still.
Her eyes remained fixed on the floor.
Zayan turned toward her.
"You know where he is."
Noor didn't respond.
"NOOR!"
She finally looked at him.
"The lowest level."
Ayesha frowned.
"What is there?"
Noor swallowed.
"The place where the first Shadow Walker disappeared."
---
Ali opened his eyes slowly.
Everything was dark.
His head hurt.
He tried to move.
His hands weren't tied.
He was lying on the cold floor.
Ali stood up.
"Hello?"
His voice echoed through the darkness.
No answer.
Then—
Click.
One light turned on.
Ali froze.
He was standing in a huge underground hall.
Ancient symbols covered the walls.
But one symbol appeared everywhere.
The black circle.
Ali walked forward.
At the center of the hall stood an old chair.
Someone was sitting in it.
A man.
His back was facing Ali.
Ali stopped.
"Who are you?"
The man didn't move.
"You already know."
Ali clenched his fists.
"I don't."
The man slowly stood.
He turned around.
Ali's breath stopped.
The man looked familiar.
Not because Ali had seen his face before.
But because something inside him recognized him.
The man looked directly into Ali's eyes.
"My name is Faris."
Ali remained silent.
Faris continued.
"And I am your father."
Ali took a step backward.
"No."
Faris gave a faint smile.
"I knew you would say that."
Ali shook his head.
"My father died."
"No."
Faris looked around the underground hall.
"That's what they wanted you to believe."
Ali stared at him.
"You're the first Shadow Walker."
Faris nodded.
"Yes."
Ali remembered Noor's words.
Your father was the first Shadow Walker.
Ali looked at him with anger.
"Where have you been?"
Faris's expression changed.
"Waiting."
"For what?"
"For you."
Ali laughed bitterly.
"You disappeared for years."
"You let everyone believe you were dead."
Faris looked down.
"I didn't have a choice."
Ali stepped closer.
"Everyone always says that."
Faris looked at him.
"Because sometimes the truth is worse."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed behind Ali.
Ali turned.
The previous Shadow Walker was standing in the darkness.
Ali's eyes widened.
"You."
The man stepped into the light.
He looked older and tired.
But he was alive.
Ali whispered,
"You're alive."
The previous Shadow Walker gave a small smile.
"Sorry to disappoint the Council."
Ali stared at him.
"You knew my father was alive."
The man nodded.
"I did."
"Who are you?"
The man looked at Faris.
Faris answered,
"His name is Adam."
Ali's eyes narrowed.
"Adam was the previous Shadow Walker."
Adam nodded.
"I was."
Ali looked between the two men.
"So everyone has been hiding here?"
Adam shook his head.
"No."
"We were prisoners."
Faris's expression became dark.
"The Council couldn't control us."
"So they buried us beneath the mansion."
Ali looked around.
"For eight years?"
Faris nodded.
"Eight years."
Ali's anger slowly faded.
Then he remembered.
"My mother."
Faris immediately looked at him.
Ali stepped closer.
"Where is she?"
Faris didn't answer.
Ali's voice became louder.
"Where is she?"
Adam stepped forward.
"Ali..."
Ali turned toward him.
"What?"
Adam looked down.
"Your mother is alive."
Ali froze.
Faris looked at Adam.
"Enough."
Ali stared at his father.
"She's alive?"
Faris nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Then where is she?"
A deep silence filled the room.
Finally, Faris whispered,
"With the Shadow Council."
Ali's expression hardened.
"What?"
"They have her."
Ali clenched his fists.
"Then we're getting her out."
Faris looked directly at him.
"That's what they want."
Ali stopped.
Faris continued.
"Everything that has happened since you entered this mansion..."
He pointed toward the walls.
"...was planned."
Ali remembered the files.
The photographs.
The strange doors.
His memories returning.
The Council knew.
They had known all along.
Ali whispered,
"They wanted me to remember."
Adam nodded.
"Yes."
A voice suddenly echoed through the underground hall.
"Very good."
Everyone froze.
The mysterious man appeared on a large screen.
Ali stared at him.
"You."
The man smiled.
"You're finally beginning to understand."
Ali stepped toward the screen.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"Someone your mother trusted."
Ali froze.
Faris's expression immediately changed.
"No..."
The man laughed.
"Yes."
Adam looked at Ali.
"Get away from the screen."
The man continued,
"My name is Dr. Kareem."
Ali remembered the laboratory.
His mother.
The old Project Shadow files.
Faris whispered,
"He betrayed us."
Dr. Kareem smiled.
"Your mother was brilliant."
"Your father was powerful."
"And you, Ali..."
His smile disappeared.
"...are the final piece."
Ali's voice became cold.
"For what?"
The screen showed a symbol.
A black circle.
Then the symbol began changing.
A larger shape appeared around it.
Dr. Kareem spoke.
"The Shadow isn't a weapon."
"It's a gateway."
Ali stared.
"A gateway to what?"
Dr. Kareem smiled.
"Something that should never be released."
The screen went black.
Suddenly, the entire underground hall began shaking.
BOOM!
Adam looked toward Faris.
"He's opening it."
Faris immediately grabbed Ali.
"We have to leave."
Ali pulled away.
"Where is my mother?"
Faris looked at him.
"That's where we're going."
Ali stared at him.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
The three men started running toward the exit.
But suddenly—
A black shadow appeared in front of them.
Ali stopped.
The shadow slowly took the shape of a person.
Then another.
And another.
Dozens of dark figures filled the hallway.
Adam raised his weapon.
"They're here."
Ali looked at Faris.
"Who are they?"
Faris's face became serious.
"Shadows."
Ali's eyes narrowed.
"Controlled by the Council?"
Faris shook his head.
"No."
The first Shadow Walker looked directly at his son.
"They're controlled by the person who opens the gateway."
Ali remembered Dr. Kareem's words.
Something that should never be released.
A dark voice echoed through the hall.
"Ali..."
The shadows slowly moved toward him.
Faris shouted,
"Don't let them touch you!"
Ali stepped backward.
The darkness surrounded him.
Then a familiar voice whispered through the shadows.
"Come home, my son."
Ali froze.
He recognized the voice.
It was his mother.
Ali whispered,
"Mom?"
The shadows suddenly stopped.
And at the end of the dark hallway—
A woman appeared.
Ali stared at her.
For the first time, he saw her clearly.
His mother.
But something was wrong.
Her eyes were completely black.
She smiled.
"Hello, Ali."
Ali couldn't move.
Faris whispered behind him:
"Run."
To Be Continued...
