SHAHEEN: THE SHADOW WALKER
Episode 11 – The Truth Below
The stairs seemed endless.
Ali walked ahead.
Zayan, Ayesha, Hamza, Bilal, and Noor followed closely behind.
Nobody spoke.
Only their footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Finally, Ali stopped.
A huge iron door stood in front of them.
There was no handle.
Only a black circle.
Ali placed his hand against it.
The door opened.
CREAK...
A cold wind rushed past them.
Beyond the door was a massive underground room.
The walls were covered with old photographs, documents, and strange symbols.
In the center stood a large glass chamber.
Ali stared at it.
"This place..."
Noor whispered,
"It was the original Shadow Project."
Zayan looked around.
"Then this is where it all started."
Ali walked toward a large screen.
It suddenly turned on.
A date appeared.
EIGHT YEARS AGO.
Then a file opened.
PROJECT SHADOW — SUBJECT S-01
Ali's photograph appeared.
Below it:
NAME: ALI SHAHEEN
AGE: 15
STATUS: STABLE
Ali froze.
He stared at the screen.
"Fifteen..."
Ayesha looked at him.
"You were only fifteen?"
Ali didn't answer.
Another page appeared.
SUBJECT S-01 POSSESSES UNIQUE SHADOW RESPONSE.
NO OTHER SUBJECT HAS SHOWN THE SAME RESULT.
Zayan looked at Noor.
"What does that mean?"
Noor quietly replied,
"It means the Shadow didn't control Ali."
She looked at Ali.
"Ali controlled it."
Suddenly, another file opened.
A photograph appeared.
A woman.
Ali stared at her.
His breathing stopped.
"I know her."
Noor closed her eyes.
Ali turned toward her.
"Who is she?"
Noor didn't answer.
Ali's voice became firmer.
"Who is she, Noor?"
Noor finally whispered,
"Your mother."
The room went completely silent.
Ali stared at the photograph.
"My mother..."
Noor nodded.
"She was one of the scientists working on Project Shadow."
Ali shook his head.
"No."
"She never told me."
"Because she was trying to protect you."
Ali looked at the screen.
Another document appeared.
PROJECT SHADOW WAS CREATED TO STUDY THE HUMAN RESPONSE TO DARK ENERGY.
SUBJECT S-01 WAS NOT CREATED BY THE PROJECT.
Ali frowned.
"Then what was I?"
Noor answered,
"You were born with it."
Ali looked at her.
"The Shadow?"
Noor nodded.
"Your mother discovered it when you were a child."
Ayesha asked,
"Then why did the Shadow Council take him?"
Noor's expression hardened.
"Because they wanted to use Ali."
"They believed he could become the strongest Shadow Walker."
Ali looked at the screen.
"Did my mother agree?"
Noor shook her head.
"No."
"She tried to shut the project down."
A new video appeared.
Ali's mother was standing inside the laboratory.
She looked frightened.
"If you're watching this..."
She paused.
"...then they have already found my son."
Ali stepped closer to the screen.
His mother's voice continued.
"Ali was never their weapon."
"He is my son."
"And if they ever try to control him..."
The video suddenly glitched.
Then her voice returned.
"...tell him one thing."
The screen went black.
A single sentence appeared:
THE SHADOW CHOOSES ITS MASTER.
Ali stared at it.
Then another video started.
The previous Shadow Walker appeared.
He was standing beside Ali's mother.
She handed him a small black key.
"Take Ali away."
The man nodded.
"I will."
"Keep him safe."
"I promise."
She looked toward the camera.
"And never let the Council know where he is."
The video ended.
Ali's eyes filled with emotion.
"So he saved me."
Noor nodded.
"Yes."
"Then why did my memory get erased?"
Noor looked down.
"Because the Council found you."
Ali's expression hardened.
"What happened?"
Noor took a breath.
"The night of the fire..."
She paused.
"Your mother came back to the mansion."
Ali froze.
"She was alive?"
Noor nodded.
"Yes."
Ayesha looked shocked.
"But everyone thought she was dead."
Noor whispered,
"That was the story the Council created."
Ali stepped closer.
"Where is she now?"
Noor looked at him.
"We don't know."
Ali's eyes widened.
"You don't know?"
"No."
"She disappeared after the fire."
Ali clenched his fists.
"And the previous Shadow Walker?"
Noor's voice became quiet.
"He went looking for her."
Suddenly—
BANG!
The underground door slammed shut.
Everyone turned.
The lights switched on.
A man stood on the other side of the room.
The same mysterious man from the previous episodes.
He slowly removed his hood.
Ali stared at him.
"You."
The man smiled.
"Finally."
Ali stepped forward.
"Where is my mother?"
The man laughed.
"Still asking the wrong question."
Ali's expression darkened.
"Then what should I ask?"
The man looked at the glass chamber.
"Ask why your mother never told you the truth."
Ali stared at him.
"What truth?"
The man pointed toward the chamber.
"She wasn't trying to destroy Project Shadow."
"She was trying to complete it."
Everyone froze.
Noor immediately shouted,
"He's lying!"
The man smiled.
"Am I?"
He pressed a button.
The glass chamber opened.
Inside was an old chair.
And on the chair was a photograph.
Ali picked it up.
His mother was standing beside the previous Shadow Walker.
But between them stood a little boy.
Ali.
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten sentence:
THE SHADOW WAS NEVER INSIDE ALI.
Ali turned the photograph over.
Another sentence was written beneath it.
IT WAS INSIDE HIS BLOODLINE.
The man stepped closer.
"Now you understand."
Ali looked at him.
"What are you?"
The man smiled.
"I was the first person who discovered your family secret."
Noor whispered,
"Don't listen to him."
The man looked at Noor.
"You already know the rest."
Ali turned toward Noor.
"What rest?"
Noor's eyes filled with tears.
She finally said:
"Your mother wasn't the only one in your family who could control the Shadow."
Ali froze.
"Who else?"
Noor looked directly at him.
"Your father."
Silence.
Ali's face changed.
"My father?"
Noor nodded.
"He was the first Shadow Walker."
The mysterious man smiled.
"And now..."
He looked at Ali.
"...you're the last."
Suddenly, every light in the underground room turned black.
A deep voice echoed through the chamber.
Not the mysterious man's voice.
Not Noor's.
A voice Ali had never heard before.
"Bring my son to me."
Ali looked around.
"Who said that?"
The mysterious man smiled.
"You'll find out soon."
The underground floor suddenly opened beneath Ali.
"No!"
Zayan rushed forward.
But Ali disappeared into the darkness.
His last words echoed through the room:
"Find my mother."
The opening closed.
Noor stared at the floor.
Her face was pale.
Because she knew exactly where Ali had been taken.
To Be Continued...
