A lanky shadowy figure made his way towards Parker, Alindor, and Alindor's family. The lanky figure changed shape, transforming into a muscularly built silhouette with lantern light eyes, complete with his own set of horns pointed up towards the sky. This newly muscular built Shadow Man inched closer to Parker and Alindor, drawing forth his hand to grab the golden house cat.
"STOP!" Parker cried out in Alindor's defense, causing Alindor to cower next to his silver-streaked, brown pawed Oriental Cat wife in fright. The Shadow Man turned his gaze towards the light red dragonoid, letting out a small screech in anguish and fury.
Parker stepped forward, telling the Shadow Man and his shadowy people, "It's me you want to fight, not them. Let them go and I will face you." He shook his head at the Shadow Man, watching the Shadow People release Alindor and his family.
"Come on, Alindor!" Ulmayá told Alindor, darting towards the exit with the rest of their family.
"I won't forget you or your kindness you've shown towards me and my family!" Alindor cried out in joy to Parker, glancing at the Shadow Man for a moment, before darting after his family out to the castle's marketplace.
The Shadow Man laughed deeply, inching his way closer to Parker with confidence. Parker made his way back against the wall, watching the Shadow People draw closer to him, their lantern light eyes glowing in the process.
"Who are you?" Parker asked in fright, cowering on the floor, wondering if he was going to be their next meal. "Show yourselves! You've already killed some of my friends!"
"Friends? Is that what you call them?" The Shadow Man asked in delight, admitting freely with sorrow. "They deserved their fate. Sure, we didn't mean to kill the Burmese cat. His life will be missed."
"Who are you?" Parker asked, feeling his life draining away.
"We are from the shadows, but you have not seen our faces… yet," a Shadow Woman announced, calmly. "It's all right. You needn't be afraid of us."
That's just what Parker was afraid of. The Unknown. Was that where these Shadow People came from?
The Shadow Man laughed again in deep resonating tone. Parker didn't understand. Why did he feel his life draining away? He wanted to blast some light magic at these Shadow People, but as he started to reveal a bright light ball in the palm of his hand, he released it. The darkness was drawing closer to him.
Oh, what was he to do now?
"These talking animals fled because they were afraid of the Unknown. We coexist in the Unknown. The more frightened you are, the more power you lose," the Shadow Man said, kneeling beside him. "Are you frightened of the Unknown? Because I am not." He sighed, admitting freely, "This kingdom won't last long and we are not responsible for its fate, but we are responsible for the lives lost here."
"Who are you?" Parker asked, trembling and turning away from the Shadow Man. A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. It was calm, soothing, and curing him. Curing him? These Shadow People could cure people, animals, and creatures? "I thought you were harmful. I thought you were going to hurt me."
"Hurt you? We only kill when we feel threatened. You and your new friends are no threat to us unless you give us a reason to threaten you," the Shadow Man said, firmly.
"We only kill to survive, but Aslan swore we would help shed some light on the situation." The Shadow Woman explained. "We see your heart is pure, but Maranguan is no foe to us. You will come out of this fine, as will Alindor and his peoples, animals, and creatures that roam this land." She answered, finally giving Parker a reason to live. "We aren't Shadow People. We are the Guardians of the Unknown Regions, sworn to protect those who wish us ill and who will help us with our own tasks. We are not from the light or the darkness, but rather in-between both realms. We won't hurt you. We'll come from the Shadow Realm to help you out."
"Huh?" Parker looked up at them in a timid manner. The dark mist surrounding the Shadow People disappeared, revealing a nomadic group of people—men, women, and children—dressed in animal skins, furs, and carrying weapons. They seemed ready to attack anyone at will, and yet they weren't harming him, Alindor, or Alindor's family.
How could Parker not have seen this coming?
"What are you doing here? Why would you go and attack everyone, in this castle, in this kingdom?" Parker asked them, cautious and fearful.
"Because appearances and rumors can deceive you," the once-Shadow Man spoke to him. His voice was returned to its normal deep tone, instead of deep and dark as it was in the shadowy places where he and his peoples fled to. "We chose to be nomadic. We choose this life because it's the life we strive to live."
"When we heard rumors about the Land of Talking Animals, at first we dismissed them." The woman—once the Shadow Woman—declared hotly. "We didn't want to believe them, but then Aslan told us a great many troubling things. We sought to end Melisandre's reign, and it seems some of her comrades and those that attacked you suffered for their treachery. We're here to draw out the bad and dispose of the wicked while protecting the good and those in the in-between the light and the darkness." She paused, adding, "It's the way it has to be."
"We took care of Jine, but I can see she finally asked for your forgiveness if she hasn't asked you already," the nomadic man said, kindly.
"Yes, she did. I never intended to kill them," Parker said, curtly.
"Then you have our gratitude and thanks for getting rid of your enemies," the nomadic woman said, holding her spear in the air.
"No one deserves this fate. I thought they might seek redemption." Parker shrugged, disappointed in what transpired here. "Now, we'll never know."
"Well," the nomadic man said, getting the light red dragonoid's attention, "you'd best leave this castle. Follow Alindor and his family until you leave the kingdom. We'll take care of any enemies that pursue you. Now go! Go!"
Parker hesitated. He wanted to say something, to protest for the nomadic peoples' actions today. Still, he had no say in the matter and no other choice. He needed to follow Alindor and his family away from the Kingdom of Landseer, before it was consumed by the shadowy nomadic people, who he just met recently.
The second Parker joined Alindor and his family, Alindor looked up at the light red dragonoid in confusion and disbelief. He caught the entire conversation Parker had with the nomadic people before they returned to their dark misty shadows and terrorized the kingdom some more.
"They're letting us go?" Alindor asked Parker, the moment the light red dragonoid stepped out into the castle's marketplace.
"Yes, they are. Now, let's go!" Parker cried, leading Alindor and his family out of the Kingdom of Landseer, right as the Shadow People engulfed the kingdom with their wretched kills and deceitfulness towards the wicked.