Grizzled

Episode 17's

The room that was suddenly bright without a single speck of light.

“Lang? Lang, where are you? Don't stay away from me!”

“Wah? Seriously you said that?”

“Lang?! This is no time for jokes! I can't see anything!” my reply annoyed at the direction the Eagle's voice came from, but all I reached was empty space.

“I'm surprised it turns out you are also afraid of the dark,” replied the voice of the Eagle is still so annoying.

“I'm serious, Lang, you can tease me as much, but not now. Please don't play me, where are you?!”

“Here, Shir.”

Still from the same direction I kept moving closer, but also empty. The Eagle's position should be in front of me. I was afraid to go anywhere.

“Where?” I just squatted in fear.

“A little more in front of you.”

“Why can you know my position while I'm not? What are you doing? Please don't let me be confused like this!”

“I'm still holding down the cubicle door, Shir. It would be dangerous to leave it open. Three more steps forward,” he said giving instructions.

Just as I was about to stand up, flickers of purplish light sprung up like the eyes of a demon lurking from all directions, popping out more and more. Unknowingly I whined, closing both my eyes. I don't know why I'm suddenly so whiny and scared like this. Those suspicious points of light gathered together, forming a solid formation that was familiar to me. Slowly the room came back bright as it had just risen at dawn.

“Okay, who is it that forced the outside energy into the?” sakti asked with a smile to stretch my hand to me.

“You mean fire earlier?”

“Yes, that is the cause of the disruption of the time system in the room,” answered Sakti. Ah, I also remember back then when a monster broke in and smashed through the cubicle walls, messing with the time system. As a result Sakti turns into a monster prematurely.

“Don't worry, it was just a small mess. The energy from the fire was nothing compared to what it used to be. You don't have to worry I will change again,” Sakti said understand my worries, thank goodness.

“Where did you come from?” I started to calm down a little.

“I am the ruler within. The opposite of Sekti, the outer ruler, who can teleport to anywhere outside the room, I also have the ability to teleport to any booth I can reach,” Sakti replied.

“Ak doesn't care if you're the master of the inside, the outside, or the middle! Where's my clothes?!” asked the Eagle who was leaning against the door of the room from earlier.

“Oh, hi, Eagle! You okay?” balas Sakti is still friendly to respond to Eagles who seem to always want to invite a storm.

“I'm cold, I'm not okay,” replied the Flat Eagle, “look for something I deserve to wear!”

“Hm, how to explain it huh? So look, actually no clothes,” answered Sakti. Silence, neither I nor Eagle could accept the words of Sakti just now. What say? No clothes? Then this white canal dress —a bit of kumal— I'm wearing and those loose trousers that Eagle wears what if not clothes?

“It's just an illusion,” Sakti replied lightly.

Eh?

“It was just an illusion, Shira,” firmly Sakti once again.

“Eeeh??! So you're saying we're not actually wearing anything?” manya panic.

“Quickly!” sakti's answer is so innocent.

How could Sakti possibly answer so as if it was a normal thing? Don't-don't ... Never mind all this time he was used to seeing ....

“No, Shira, nothing like you think,” Sakti replied immediately. The eagle snorted.

“I know enough, Sakti, you are indeed as great as that —can telepathically and read the minds of others. Just continue, I will just try to listen and guess what you are really talking about,” replied the Eagle half insinuated. Uh, no, he did quip.

“Lang, I'm sorry about your condition. This cold air must be making your brain work wrong. I understand your emotional instability. Please say whatever you want,” reply me.

“A-ooh, Shira! It's not that I'm siding with the Eagle, but you should remember how you cried so hard when you almost lost the Eagle yesterday. I thought you two would reconcile after that,” Sakti replied.

“EEh? Does this woman really have tears? For me?” replied Such a talented Eagle started a commotion. This one human!

“WHO'S CRYING OVER YOU?! You are a braggart, Sakti! I didn't cry!”

“Good then. It's not cool at all if I'm being held by someone like you!”

OH, SO?!!

I just took a pissed breath, looked away. Bodo! Whatever he says! I don't give a shit!

“Already yes, you two!” kata Sakti on the other hand just watched while smiling to himself. Cih, what does he think is funny?!

“Begini, Shira, although only an illusion, this clothing can indeed protect and cover the body, but actually does not have a physical form. I also do not know how to take off or wear it, and when it breaks I do not know how to return it,” explained Sakti back to the initial discussion.

“So I'll be left like this forever?” ask Eagle.

“Not really, Eagle. Such illusions can recover as before and do take time. Oh yes, the illusion of your clothes may have been damaged by yesterday's events. I'm sure your blood that spilled so much is the cause.”

“In addition, my healing techniques also erode a lot of energy around you. Maybe I didn't realize I was using that illusory energy, but it doesn't seem like a waste, because you can finally be helped,” Sakti said.

“Chealing techniques? Oh, so actually the Eagle survived because it was ‘ right? Not because he killed himself?” my many.

“In short, kill yourself or not, Eagle will still die. But the end may be different. The monster did require the Eagle's soul to be sacrificed. If the Eagle dies before the slaughter ritual, then the Eagle will not become a monster. The Eagle's act of suicide was indeed the best choice for that moment, but if I was to be late for a second perhaps the Eagle would not survive either. Thank goodness luck still sided with him.”

Thank goodness, I said in my heart.

“You heard that, Lang! Thank Sakti for saving you!” my word.

“I will only thank God, Sakti is only an intermediary,” replied Eagle still stubborn. Ih, basic!

“Um, by the way about the safety of the Eagle, actually I am still a little worried,” Sakti said as he rubbed his neck.

“What's wrong?” my many.

“Elang, turn around,” pinta Sakti. Still with a grumbling face the Eagle complied, turned to face the door he had been leaning against, revealing his back which made me gape in disbelief.

Maybe I didn't realize it from earlier because it was dark outside, but with the condition of this bright room I could see a dark silhouette in the shape of a sword right on the spine axis of the Eagle, it was as if it was embedded in it.

“Lang, what is pain?” my many.

“I don't even understand what you mean earlier,” replied Eagle.

“Yesterday I almost ran out of energy when trying to recover the Eagle and unexpectedly the sword that pierced the Eagle was stuck deeper and deeper, it was embedded in his body, until it finally completely disappeared, it was stuck,” tutup Sakti.

“Ah! Just right?!” myrag.

“True, Shira, at first I was worried that it would be bad, but it turns out that the condition of the Eagle actually improved after that.”

“Wah! Do you feel anything different, Lang? Some kind of great power energy?” my many.

“Which I have actually felt a great frustration at having to lose my favorite clothes and weapons! Shitty!” reply Eagle.

“I don't care! It is rare to see you in a good mood, you always look so frivolous!” lightly reply.

“But it is troublesome if the Eagle cannot use that weapon anymore. Inevitably we will have difficulty facing a bad situation,” answered Sakti. I hope there's nothing bad in the meantime. Please, I still cannot escape the trauma of yesterday's incident near the gate.

But who would have thought that the bad thing would come in the next second. The strong from the outside almost knocked down the door that the Eagle was holding. The roar of monsters sounded ferocious outside, trying to break in. Damnit damnit! Our position was discovered. Sakti and I hurriedly helped hold the door.

“Remember, do not press, Shira,” Sakti said.

“How will we not press it as hard as we can if the ones out there also break down as hard as we can?” reply Eagle.

“This is just my feeling or indeed this door is more fragile than the other room?” my many.

“Defense of this room is weakened because it is still recovering after the entry of energy from outside earlier,” replied Sakti. I clucked, again because it was my fault that brought the fire in.

“Damn it! It doesn't seem like there's only one monster out there!” said the Eagle still holding the door.

“I'm not sure this room will survive, everyone hold my hand tight! We'll teleport to the upper room!” sakti's orders I immediately obeyed. Unlike the Eagle who still did not flinch from behind the door. Little by little the wooden door collapsed, but the Eagle just kept it in check and lowered his head. Why is he silent?

“Lang! What are you doing?!” my impatient scream immediately grabbed his hand. No, something's weird! Not only did I have trouble pulling the Eagle away from where it stood, but I noticed the gray-banging pattern and unusual texture of the Eagle's skin. I'm shaking. No, it's impossible!

“Sakti, what's with the Eagle?!”

My question was answered by the destruction of the door. His pieces were bouncing everywhere. Sakti hurriedly pulled me away, although in the end I was hit by some.

“Shira, come!”

“No, Sakti! Something happened to the Eagle!” my answer still did not take my eyes off the figure of the Eagle that was far different from the one I had ever known. His gaze was blank expressionless, with his half monster form, the Eagle tried to banish the three monsters that had already entered the room. Time in the room intervened, mingling with night time from the outside. I didn't pay much attention to Sakti starting to enter its transformation phase as well. My mind was already in a mess, guessing what happened to the Eagle until he had such a form?

“Shira, I have to go first. Remember, you need to calm down! Avoid the monster as much as possible. I'll be right back!” the word Sakti then decays into a purplish light, like a firefly that then glows in all directions, disappearing. I know he avoids nighttime in this cubicle so as not to turn into a monster as well. He left without forcing me to come because he knew enough how stubborn I was, who would not leave my friend to fight alone, without the guarantee of salvation.

I just stuck to where I was standing, forgetting to hide. Without hiding, I would still be safe. The eagle with its new, more terrifying power chastised any monster that dared to approach me. Really, he was very different compared to his last fight with the monsters. His endurance increased, invulnerable to fist. More agile even though his body transformed bigger, dodging all attacks and dodging. Three-on-one match won by Eagle.

However, worry is more in control of me. I stared sadly at the figure of the Eagle. As great as he is now, if he is no longer human, then I have failed. I'm just gonna be haunted by the promise that once said from my lips that I'm gonna find my way home before anything happens to the Eagle. I made a promise like that, but the truth is I failed.

Wh why? Why did Sakti lie to me? Didn't he say he managed to save the Eagle before the slaughtering ritual? The Eagle should never have turned into a monster like now! Please, if what Sakti said is just nonsense, I hope there is still another alternative so that the Eagle can return to its normal form. Imagine what I'd have to explain if the eagle couldn't come back? What if her parents ask? Brother Garuda, also friends?

I fell down unable to bear being gnawed at by guilt. Somehow the monsters ended up falling one by one in the hands of the Eagle. One last monster was thrown by the Eagle who was still raging, about the pole in the middle of the room which was immediately destroyed. The ruins on it almost hit me successfully held by the Eagle at just the right second.

Once again seeing the figure of the Eagle like now made me stoned with guilt.

“Sorry..” I said I'd like to touch half of his face that is not a human face anymore. My hands are trembling with fear. The eagle just growled low. I don't know what else to do.

“I'm sorry .. I'm sorry, it shouldn't be like this..” I regret slowly dissolving in tears. Now what can I answer for? The question has become increasingly discouraging, ending in the fact that I can't do anything.

.Seriate.