After surviving the journey of nine oceans on a narrow boat, alone, the stranger finally had reached infront of the small house which he was told belonged to Norpheus Calajhan. The look of the house matched the description given by Malory Calajhan.

Size of a hut, brownish door, roof covered with slates and no windows.

The door being locked made him confident it was the house he had come this far looking for.

He adjusted his shoulder long hair, which ended up becoming bushier. Despite of his attempt to look approachable, the dress he was wearing was enough to make anyone feel uneasy.

The sun bleached cloak was torn from a hundred places. And wherever it was intact had become a home for green algae. At least his he had boots on. Otherwise, people also could see the maggots feeding off his rotten feet.

For a while, he brainstormed on what he should say. He knew the risk of uttering something wrong, so he went for the word which mattered the most, "Ikagnohorei."

He whispered the word on the doorknob.

The door clicked open. A middle-aged aged man and his son, no older than seven, stood halfway to the door.

Stranger saw the sword in Norpheus' hand.

"How do you know the word?" Norpheus tightened the grip on his sword.

"Uncle Malory sent me here." The man said.

He waited to see their reaction. When he saw Nortze lower his sword, he dared to step inside the house. He wasted no time to lock the door once he got in.

"You came here from another continent?" the stroked child asked.

The man nodded.

"Father, there is a place beyond Ouskerus!" the child gazed at his father with blissful eyes.

"Quiet, Nortze." Norpheus glared at him.

Stranger did not bother interrupting them then looked for a comfortable place to sit. "Malory Calajhan has committed suicide. I come her carrying a discovery made by him."

"What is it?" asked Norpheus.

Stranger looked at him with surprise. Perhaps Norpheus had never seen him in his entire life, so he had no interest in his relative.

"Wutke resurrects immediately if the head of Calajhan family reveals his true identity outside this house." The man threw himself in an armchair. "Great Invasion will start if two of you get killed at that time. All the life of Ouskerus will perish."

"Wutke? What is it?"

"Something you don’t want to see in your lifetime. His arrival is a death sentence to your family and all the living beings of this continent. Wutke may take millenniums to arise on its own, unless you speed it."

"We rarely leave this house. Let alone announcing people I am a Calajhan."

"Hope your son also keeps doing the same after you." The man spoke to Norpheus without keeping his eyes off the child. "What is his name?"

"Nortze." Kid answered himself.

"Norpheus, I warn you again. You revealing your identity out is inviting a genocide. For centuries, your enemies have been dormant, wondering how to start the Great Invasion. Don’t let them know about this."

Norpheus glanced at his son. "What are you listening to? Bugger off!"

Norpheus gave him a slight push. Norpheus didn’t spare his father from an angry stare and stomped his way to his room.

"Looks like he enjoys meeting new people." The man said.

"Because he never has." Norpheus said, "Let me bring you some food – "

"No please, I am not here to stay."

He got off the chair, scratching his chin, "Norpheus, you will have to kill me. I know this secret and the word which opens the door."

Norpheus gazed around while struggling to make his mind.

Calajhan joined his palms and slowly parted them, weaving a green smoke with the movement of his fingers. He rolled it until it became the size of his head.

"Not here." Norpheus stopped.

The ball of haze dissolved into air.

"Why not?" asked the man.

"Norpheus may not like it if I kill someone here. He has to live here for centuries."

The man nodded in agreement.

"Come." Norpheus put his hand on his shoulder.

Then they teleported elsewhere.

Toy swords could not hold Nortze ever since he had heard there was a continent other than Ouskerus. And the fact that someone had made it all the way to Ouskerus from there amazed him even more.

All the toys he had now seemed of no value. Anything he wanted now was to talk with the guest. Even for few minutes.

Disobeying what his father had told him, Nortze left his room and walked to the living room.

There was nobody. However, he could hear something metallic floating in the place.

"Father." He called,

No answer.

They zapped away. Nortze's face shrunk. It wasn’t everyday he was left alone in the house. He could hardly remember being left alone after the demise of his mother.

A painting of his mother on the wall didn’t ease him either.

There were fascinating places in the world, there were vibrant cities in Ouskerus Continent and there was, at least, something outside the house. Anything capable of killing his loneliness.

A secret friend.

Nortze ran to the cupboard and scrambled for the key.

After breaking some glasses, he understood it wasn’t there. He turned over bed sheets and blankets in search of the key but found disappointment.

Norpheus tapped his head in an attempt to remember the word.

"Ikagnohorei." He whispered.

The door lock sided down and creaked open. As the door opened slow, morning sunlight fell on his feet and gradually climbed to his face, bringing the smell of spring along.

Nortze couldn’t resist, since a world awaited for him outside.

And a longtime friend.

"How are you, my friend?" a man in his twenties stood outside with a smile.

"Good, Malcom."

Malcom looked around, "Don’t you feel we should play somewhere?"

"Why not here?"

"I fear your father." Malcom lightly kicked the pebble, "I don’t feel safe around your father."

"He is not here." Nortze smiled, "He has gone somewhere with a… err… guest."

"Guest?" Malcom's eyes narrowed.

"What a beautiful feather." Norpheus pointed at the big feather Malcom held.

"Oh, this." Malcom came forward, "You can have this."

Nortze caught it, running his finger over its red and green fur.

"Which bird is this?"

"A phoenix."

"Phoenixes don’t fly here."

"Yes, this is why I brought this rare thing for my friend."

"Thank you." Nortze showed his teeth, then kept admiring the feather.

"Hmm….Nortze." Malcom said, taking his time.

"Yes." Delighted Nortze looked up.

"Who was the guest in your house?"

"I don’t know. He said he came from another continent."

"Ah, another continent." Malcom laughed.

Nortze's smile vanished, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Malcom held his stomach, trying to control his laughter, "He must be a jester from Pryeg who keeps telling people he is from another continent."

"Really?" Nortze stopped playing with the feather.

Malcom could feel Nortze being alert.

"Yes." He faked a laugh, "What joke did he tell you there?"

"So what he told was a joke?" Nortze said.

Malcom couldn’t fake a single breath of laugh anymore. He somehow said, "Didn’t you find it funny?"

"I found it scary."

"What did he say?"

"You will be scared too."

"I am a brave man, friend." Malcom showed him his bicep.

The minor act made Nortze laugh once again.

"What did he say?" Malcom flexed.

"He said my father shouldn’t reveal his identity to anyone outside. He is allowed to do it only in our home."

"Why so?" Malcom became serious.

"Because it revives Wutke. Wutke is evil. It will kill many people." Nortze began shaking.

"Did he mention," Malcom paused, "Great Invasion?"

"He said Great Invasion will start if two of us get killed in that period." Nortze's face shrunk.

"Ha! How stupid." Malcom clapped.

"I still don’t understand how this is funny. My father looked scared hearing this."

"He should not be." Malcom's face dropped, and a grin appeared, which went from ear to ear.

"Why are you looking at me like this?"

"Because you are my friend." Malcom walked backwards keeping the same grin, "And I will miss you."

Malcom put his hand inside his robe and disappeared, leaving a trail of smoke.

"Malcom!" Nortze called, "Malcom!"

Nortze's heartbeat increased. The child became red in no time. Unable to stay outside for long, he jumped back in the house and tried to lock the door. But his small height wouldn’t let him do so.

Panicking, he dragged a chair and locked the door by standing on it.

As soon as he locked the door, he ran for the fireplace and glanced at the phoenix feather. The feather he once admired scared him. He took a deep breath and threw it in the fireplace.

"Nortze." A voice came.

Nortze flinched.

Norpheus Calajhan removed the chair from the door, "You tried to leave the house?"

"No."

"Then what is this chair doing here?" Norpheus walked to his son.

"Nothing."

"Stay away from the fireplace. You are sweating."

Should I tell him or not? Should I tell him or not? Nortze kept thinking.

"Father." Words slipped from his mouth.

"Yes."

Nortze opened his mouth to speak, but the words got lost in his lips.

"What?" Norpheus raised his voice.

"What kind of people have phoenix feathers?"

Norpheus' eyes widened. The anger he had kept within him disappeared, "Why are you asking?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me, why?" Norpheus caught him by his shoulders, staring him straight in his eye.

"I- I was –was just a-asking."

"Don’t ask again." Norpheus said.