The Chronicle Of Jawata (Compilation Trial Edition)
4.09. Antah River Disputs
Morning dawned.
The steep and winding rocky river divides the dense forest trees that are high. Sunlight is also difficult to get into the cracks. Very quiet, only heard from the distance the screech of the forest eagle many times. On the banks of the river, two boys were tracing the path-by-step following the flow of the river.
”It's weird if we're always being chased by something we don't know who and what they want?” along the river's downstream, Taja stepped up and continued to put on alert. Lorr En in the step behind him also thought the same.
”Being human is much harder, their way of life is more complex than I've ever heard in the fairy world. Sometimes I feel .. bored and depressed,” murmured Lorr En just so, even though it was completely revealed from his mind. I looked at him and criticized him a little.
”You shouldn't be here, this is my journey, my choice, I never asked you to come with me.”
”Hey, why is it that since we set foot in this country, you have become more sensitive than I knew before? I'm just a little talkative, but you're taking things too seriously!” Lorr En grumbled because he felt Taja's words were offensive.
”Peka? Your face is angry, but not with me. And now, who better to say sensitive? I just said like that, you're the one who takes things too seriously!” Taja turned the facts upside down, in fact Lorr En could also behave like that. Taja glanced slowly at him alone already made Lorr En glare sharply. A moment later, both of them fell silent.
”What?” Taja did not lose putting on a fierce face while holding back laughter.
Finally, the laughter of the two children exploded.
”What?” ask Taja again. He wanted Lorr En to reveal something behind his receding laughter.
”I'd love to make fun of you!” lorr En.
”If I give you a chance, you'll make fun of me like what?” without looking back again, Taja responded.
”Basic man!” lorr En lantang.
Hearing that, Taja burst out loud in front of him as he continued walking. Instead, Lorr En's smile grew even more sour.
”That's a compliment to me! Thank you!” Taja instead of getting angry, he responded with a laugh so loudly even without showing a very sparkling facial expression on Lorr En.
”You're not angry?” Lorr En was astonished, at a glance looking for such a face. In the past, every time the Gunggali mocked Taja with the name Anak Jawata, the look of his face changed. But different for this time, it seemed that he was really sparkling.
”No!” Taja shook his head, ”Indeed I used to feel sad every time there was that mockery, but after being here, I felt .. that being destined to be human was a gift in itself.”
”Then, change my teasing!” Lorr En wanted Taja to turn around in ridicule.
”No, what's the point?” Taja refused.
”Why? Am I too bad to the point that no ugly words are in tune for me?” Lorr En asked.
Just turn your head and stop for a while, ”No. For now, there is no flaw of you that I can get. Maybe later ..., if someday you can be a bitch!”
”I am a frog, will forever be a frog..Even I become food for humans who like the taste? That's tragic!! Some of them look at me as nothing more than a disgusting animal! If someday I'm a bitch, maybe the only last person to stay away from me is you ..”
”Shun you? Who am I to act like I'm better than you? Humans, animals or fairies are actually both beings, only their destiny and way of life are different. For what purpose, how to live it, and how it will end, depends on each being. In fact, no creature is perfect!”
A pair of Taja's eyelids narrowed, inexhaustible why Lorr En said that about him, ”Funny once!” take it as a joke.
”More than that, I have also seen it from ...”
Taja was in a hurry to look at Lorr En seriously, there was a strange gurgle implied from the look of his friend's face.
”Seeing? Where?”
”Ng .. ng .. just accidentally, when I infiltrated the bridge of Tanapura Palace's heritage room, there is a Two-Figure Mirror that you have seen first ... and I saw him also a few days ago, he showed me my other form, not only as a friendly frog, but also the worst. And I also had time to see another shadow of you ..” Lorr En stopped his sentence.
”Enough, don't talk anymore! I don't want to know about me as what in the future!” this time Taja was really angry.
”How dare you linger in front of that mirror! Didn't I ever ban you?! Not enough to believe from my words alone, until you finally get scared after observing yourself!” Taja a little upset. He continued with a faster rhythm.
”Sorry ...,” says Lorr En. He had seen the attitude of Taja who took such a silent attitude when he first encountered the Mirror of Two Forms, and almost determined to approach him if only Taja did not forbid. Now, what he did was a deliberate mistake when he still remembered the prohibition of his friend to not do that.
”You're putting yourself at risk! Fear will bury your spirit! I told you, something bad will be shown in the mirror to anyone who comes near, but apparently you are wayward, never believe to see it for yourself. And it scares you to yourself, doesn't it?” taja's tone of voice receded as his gaze regained its calm.
Lorr En looks glassy. More surprisingly, Taja had never seen her cry.
”What ...,” has not finished talking, hugged Lorr En. He was too shocked to realize the sadness of his friend.
”Now I feel a very deep sadness as this water flows from my eyes .. like something sharp pierces my body and makes me very weak,” said Lorr En.
Taja approached him, once touched the teary cheek of Lorr En and said ”Eist ..” after that Lorr En stopped crying.
”It is sad to see my body drowning in salt water, alone, and not breathing. That's not gonna happen to me, is it?”
”Not going to happen, at least for now!”
”I will die that way!” Lorr En turned hysterical.
”The mirror is not a mirror of death, just showing something worst,” Taja still tightly hugged Lorr En's trembling body.
”As long as we are together, no one can resign our mission to find the antidote to the Cursed Heirloom!” said Taja.
”I will ask for the help of the healers there ...,” vibrate the voice of Lorr En does not also recede.
Taja looked up at the highlands of the lush trees before them, ”I saw something that threatened the darkness there," Taja worried about something else that might be unexpected at any time could threaten their safety.
Taja and Lorr En looked at each other, clasping their cold hands together in the foggy morning atmosphere.
...* * *...
