Grizzled
Episodes 10
“My name is Sekti!” said.
I was flabbergasted, trying to accept the fact that this person in front of me was not the Sakti at all even though it was actually like the Sakti. Truly, not a single part of the Sect is different from the Sakti, all are the same. The silk white hair was the same, his purple black eyes as well, his pale skin, his posture, eyebrows, nose, and everything.
Oh, wait, there's definitely something different. His expression and nature were clearly different from the warm and friendly Sakti.
“Make yourself useful! Rather than just dumbass, quickly help me!” ketus. I was surprised, hurriedly obeyed his orders. It's okay, I'm used to being treated like this by the Eagle. Uh, Eagle? Ah, why are people like Eagles everywhere even in this gray world?
“Bring it over to those woods!” his orders. Again I just follow. Instantly the wood looked much better in Sekti's hands. Originally porous again looks solid, then Sakti just directs his palm, the wood moves itself rearrange the walls of the destroyed room. One by one, it's like playing a puzzle. I'm not surprised at all. If Sakti has power, then Sekti must have it too.
Although it seemed easy, Sekti's expression really looked solemn, exerting all his strength. I'm just observing. A drop of sweat flowed from his forehead. The walls of the room that is almost intact again decay, fall into dust that is not small. We coughed.
“What's up?” my many. He was still coughing, looking very tired.
“There are unsuitable pieces. This wall does not want to be solid as before,” he answered wiping sweat on the neck. I just kept quiet not understanding.
“You should rest first,” I said.
“Unfortunately I don't have much time until sunset,” he answered back up, exerting his strength again. What Sakti said was right. Sekti did destroy everything in monster mode, but when it returned to human form, he fixed everything. Wh-wh-what for? Thought.
No more than half a minute, the wall he tried to stack intact again collapsed. This time it was accompanied by an explosion that made his pieces flung everywhere. I lowered my head, some pieces hit me. He growled in annoyance.
“Are you hurt?” tanyakanya. I'm shaking. He let out an annoyed breath, then sat down not far next to me.
“You must have met my twin,” he said in a cold tone.
“Yes, you two are so similar!” I replied trying to melt the atmosphere, “she said she misses you so much! He's dying to see you!”
Sekti just throw away face, look absolutely not interested in information about his brother.
“What's your name?”
“Shira.”
“How long have you been lost here?” he asked in an interrogating tone.
“Hm ... I don't know, maybe it's the fourth or fifth time. Actually I'm not completely stuck ...”
“Iya, I know!” answer ketus cut my words, “I know creatures that still have a physical body like you just sucked here in certain times.”
“You already know?”
“Of course! You're not the only one lost here. After all, this event happens every six decades, it's a normal thing for me!”
“Six decades?”
“Yes, there is at least a pair of souls stuck here every six decades,” he replied.
“Pair? Me and the Eagle?”
“You know a soul named Eagle?” ask Sekti. I'm nodding.
“What is your friend?” ask again. I was a little confused to answer. Uh, am I actually friends with him?
“Um, actually not, but let's just say yes,” I replied carelessly. Sekti.
“Buzzling!” his comment. I just grin. He got up from his seat, again exerting the power of repairing this dilapidated wall.
“Every six decades, at least a pair of souls get lost here without a known cause,” he said is still busy working. The intonation is more calm and organized, “destiny that determines, who will meet me first or who will meet my brother first, Sakti.”
I'm still listening. What would it do if it met which one it used to be?
“You are the lucky one, because you met my brother first. You will surely be spared from all the deceit of this world. Even if you are lucky, you can escape this place, only if you are lucky.”
I swallowed spit. What if I'm not lucky?
“But the Eagle is obviously very unlucky, he met me first. Just a matter of time, he would end up in my hands, becoming the same monstrous monster as me. Sakti must have told me that.”
I was stunned to hear it. Sakti had indeed told a lot, but he had never discussed about this kind of provision! The hawk? Will it end here?
“If he is your friend and you love him very much, you must be prepared to lose him, or you are a loyal friend to accompany him here under any circumstances,” Sekti said lowering his palm. The walls of the cubicle he had successfully repaired, looked like a new building in contrast to the dilapidated building on his left-right.
I shook my head at the Sekti statement earlier.
“No, Sect! Although me and the Eagle are not so familiar let alone love each other, I will not let any human being stuck in this place forever, it is terrible!” I replied, “and sorry too, staying here just to accompany the Eagle is also not a good choice, it is much more terrible!”
“Then what do you want?”
“I want both of us to be able to leave this place,” I replied firmly. I looked at me for a long time, then looked away.
“If that could happen, it should be that me and Sakti would not remain here.”
“You mean?”
“Since this place exists, that provision is what applies,” said Sekti, “actually this place is a test for people like you. Do you want to hear an old story?” tanyakanya. I'm nodding. Sekti stared at the gray misty sky for a moment.
“Alright, it seems like the remaining time is enough to tell it to you,” Sekti said.
“Me and my twin sister, Sakti, were just ordinary human children when they were born into the world. However, at one time, my brother grew up like a deity that was worshipped.”
“It was a figure of speech, Shira! What actually happened was that my brother had advantages and intelligence beyond children his age. He can do adult work from childhood, grow into a smart teenager, and become a tough adult. Everyone adores him, he becomes the pride of a large family, but not with me.”
“I am just an ordinary human child, from birth to adulthood. Truly, I am only a mere human being, who is neither stupid nor too great like my brother, but the existence of Sakti is dazzling. All the attention was on her, all eyes were looking at her full of charm, but what happened to me was the opposite.”
“I am not like my brother. I never deserved all that flattery and respect, but at least I still deserve respect as a human being. However, the presence of Sakti like light only makes me look like a meaningless dark dot,” said Sekti did not lose his arrogant tone despite telling the saddest part.
“Do you think it is wrong if there is a seed of envy and hatred springing up in me? To be honest, this is not my fault, because even so he is still my loving brother, the only one who treats me like a human. However, he was also the only one who made others not treat me like a human being. That sucks, Shira!”
“Then from that, I who had dark eyes at that time asked for help black power to throw Sakti in misery. At first I was happy to see how Sakti got sick and lost her glory. That's relieving! But the help of black power is not free, Shira! There must be a soul sacrificed. As time went on, my crimes were exposed. There is nothing more appropriate to sacrifice than my own soul. My rot has been peeled off, I have the heart to hurt my brother with the help of black power, people will hate me even more. So I better die and disappear from the face of the earth.”
“However, do you know? The business is not finished after I die. That black power demands a lot of things that I can no longer fulfill. My soul is cursed and trapped in this gray world forever. I thought I could come to terms with that reality and forget what had happened, but somehow, Sakti also caught up to this place, promising to take me back. Look how silly my brother is! He's been hurt and then he risked his own life, picked me up here? What kind of a fool is he?”
“When there were many opportunities for him to leave here, but he didn't care because I couldn't get out. So stubborn she believed that she must have found a way to get me back! I've warned you a thousand times, I can't escape this place. Up to the deadline, he chose to remain here, while continuing to figure out a way out, even if it was completely useless. We've been here hundreds of years. Even if we can get out, we won't be able to live like we used to. Game is over.”
“It is an old history that underlies the story of every lost soul in this place. Something in my position, the epitome of hatred and envy, will forever be stuck here. There is also the one in the position of Sakti, the symbol of kindness and love without limits —which I call stupidity— may be out as long as it has not exceeded the time limit. Every pair of trapped souls would definitely have a story similar to my and Sakti's. A good man like you always sacrifices his own soul to stay with his partner. If you want a different story, quickly find out the way out without caring for the Eagle again.”
“Sekti, I want to get out with the Eagle from this place! I'll be as hard as I can as I can to find a way out!” I'm stubborn.
“Then you will just repeat the same story, Shira. You knew about this secret earlier than anyone who ever got lost here. I hope you listen to my advice and can get out of this place,” replied Sekti.
I shook weakly. Is the story true? Is he trustworthy? Why didn't Sakti tell me?A mystery about the way out of this world I have known, but the situation is getting more complicated.
The gray fog is getting thinner. A reddish light began to converge in the sky. The time change is not long.
“I can't read minds like Sakti, but with your determination to save the Eagle, you have reneged on your words, that you actually love that soul called Eagle,” Sekti said.
His words sounded like a tangled thread. I didn't get to straighten it out because the stinging scent first spread in the atmosphere.
“Ahead of the turn of time, the poisonous gas released by the Sakti monster is increasing. The smell can extend to any room in the world. Soon I will also turn into a monster. You can take refuge in this sturdy room as long as you hold the door. Hurry up!”
I only got to nod. Really, this scent makes me nauseous. I don't know, did I make it into the cubicle before I finally fell unconscious?
****
“He's not yet human?”
“Not yet, Yas, I've tried everything I could to make him aware. I'm afraid nothing happens.”
“Calm down, nothing will happen. If something like this happens, it means he didn't sleep all night.”
“Insomnia?”
“Taste so.”
The conversation was getting clearer. My eyes are open. I woke up in a cool, comfortable room, lying in a more comfortable bed. Had this been at home, I would have raised the blanket and continued to sleep. Unfortunately, this is still in UKS schools.
“It's home, do we need to call his parents?”
“Um ... Hey, he's sober!” the voice I recognized Yasinta's. The UKS officer who was chatting with him looked relieved.
“Thank God!”
“So, how does the princess sleep? Sleep well? Sweet dreams?” ledek Yasinta's.
“Ah, is that a proper greeting for a friend who just regained consciousness from fainting?” askaku.
“Finally you are so hard to say! If the night rests enough! Write a story or read a novel! But don't bablas till morning, dong!”
I turned around and closed my ears. Just yummy! Halu story said?!
“Sorry, Dik Shira, this is home. You should rest at home, if tomorrow still not fit do not need to go to school first, it's okay, kok!” said the UKS officer who from earlier just silently looked at my checks and Yasinta.
“Already, let's go home! I'll drop you off,” Yasinta said.
“No need, thank you! I can go home by myself,” I answered getting out of bed.
“Oh, refute again huh?” said Yasinta who somehow did not dare to fight again. Eh? Yasinta is not my mother!
We are out of the UKS. The school grounds are still crowded because there will be extracurricular activities there. Some children were seen driving the motorbike out of the parking area.
“This is your bag, I want to take the motor first,” Yasinta said.
“Good, mom!” I answered half-literate. He just chuckles softly. Puh, I'm still yawning. It feels like you just slept for a while, know you've come home.
I checked the contents of my bag, making sure no one was left in the classroom. It shouldn't exist, but there's something I need to take, that ancient book. I haven't finished researching it. If no one cared about it, the book might still be in the reading corner.
In the end I disavowed Yasinta's message. I go to class first. On the stairs I passed by an eagle. My steps suddenly came to a halt, remembering the words Sekti in my dream, about the Eagle and its relation to the old story.
He just glanced at me, still with that unfriendly look, then kept going, not caring. Do the Eagles need me to tell you about it? Or did he already know from Sekti first? I sighed, back to class.
It turned out that the class was empty and the book I was looking for was not in the reading corner, not in my drawer or Yasinta's drawer, not in anyone's drawer.
The book is gone.
.Seriate.
