ADJOINING REALM
YOUNGSTER

After sleeping soundly all night, Darto and Jaka again ate the remaining provisions. Then return to travel to find the main residence of the enemy who has become their initial destination.

Hours passed, they continued to step while installing a standby position. In the hearts of the four of them felt one thing exactly the same, they all felt that there was a pair of eyes that kept watching even without showing its form. A pair of eyes that never blinked and continued to pay attention to the four creatures that were entering deeper and deeper into the center of the pedestal so wide.

After quite a long walk, one strange sight was again caught by the four pairs of eyes of the man. They were shocked when they saw one village, which stood in the middle of a perfect black forest.

Building after building made of bamboo-roofed rooms, lined up neatly in front of Darto, Jaka, Maung and Komang. They blinked at the sight of the absurd strangeness in front of his face, until one day a man came out of his house and looked straight at them.

Darto, Jaka, Maung and Komang again put up the ready position, they put up the horses in anticipation of the attack that might come from the young man in front of him for quite a long time. But even though they look alert, the young man actually put on a confused face while approaching four foreigners who are standing in front of his village substation.

He kept walking forward with a look of wonder emblazoned on his head, and when he got in front of Darto and Jaka he said, "You guys?"

Darto and Jaka were silent in astonishment, they did not answer at all using words, but Darto and Jaka chose to nod to give an answer to the question of the man in front of him.

"Why did you get here?" asked the young man again, he asked while looking at the astonished faces of Darto and Jaka alternately.

"We ... ," said Jaka to a halt. Darto patted Jaka on the shoulder before Jaka outlined their goal.

"We are lost" Darto said after Jaka stopped saying.

"Let's go in first, I'll drive you out of this forest if you're tired" said the man as he turned around. He stepped towards the house closest to the substation and opened the door wide, "Please enter" he said.

Darto, Jaka, Maung and Komang were staring at each other in turn. They hesitated to enter, yet they had no choice but to follow him.

Finally they went in and met the two people who lived with the young man, a couple who already had an old age, who was introduced by the young man as his parents.

Darto, Jaka, Maung and Komang returned to greet the two parents in turn, then explained if they were lost until the two parents immediately believed without asking again.

"You're not human, are you?" ask Darto immediately after everyone gets acquainted. The atmosphere of silence was immediately attached, and there was not a single word at all after that one sentence was spoken.

The young man in front of Darto and his parents looked down, with a lethargic and bitter face plastered. They were silent for quite a while, before the young man finally opened his voice, "You're right, we're not human."

"You are also not beings born as inhabitants of this world. Why are you here?" ask Darto back. This time he got a confused face response from three of his travel companions.

"What do you mean, Kang?" timpal Jaka was amazed.

Getting a question from Jaka, Darto just kept quiet and looked at the young man in front of him. Darto really did not discuss Jaka's question, so Jaka did not continue his curiosity.

"You probably won't believe what I'm telling you" the man said as he returned Darto's gaze.

"No .. We believe everything you say. Please tell me, who knows we can help" replied Darto as he looked straight at the young man in front of him.

The man was shocked, his eyes perfectly rounded, with a astonished face that seemed so obvious. In his curiosity he asked, "Where do you know that name from?"

"The story is long, it will take a whole day if I tell you in detail. But you don't have to worry, I'm not the one who's going to hurt anyone who doesn't mean anything to us" Darto said, "I'm sorry, I lied before, we didn't actually get lost, we are looking for the leader of this forest" continued Darto back.

"You're looking for the owner of the forest? What are you going to do?!" said the man with a changed face. He no longer showed a friendly face, but an angry and emotionally filled face.

"There is something we want to straighten out" said Darto without changing his face, since he was staring at the face of his interlocutor with an unshakable confident look.

Seeing the expression on Darto's face that put on a face of conviction, the young man again put on a grim face while saying, "Is the end of the day also the time? If you can help our leader, I beg .. save us too."

"Definitely! I'll free you all!" darto replied very confidently, "Now tell me everything, about what is happening to you," continued Darto again.

Hearing the conversation, Maung, Komang and Jaka really did not understand anything the two men were talking about. They could only hear while looking at the fickle expressions of the two people talking in front of him.

"Do you know the king of Sendang Langit?" ask the young man

"Satria?" sahut Darto brief.

The man opened his eyes wide again. He was really surprised by the knowledge that Darto had, until he unconsciously inched back with a frightened face while saying, "Actually who are you!"

"I told you, I'm the one who will straighten out something that has become a tragedy in your life. Do you guys believe it? Me and my family still bear what Satria and Ki Gandar did in the past life" said Darto with a probing gaze.

"Do you guys know about Ki Axle too?" asked the man with a completely sweaty face. He gradually paled after hearing the name Ki Gandar out of Darto's lips.

"Yes! I'm here to meet with him" Darto replied briefly.

"You better undo your intentions. I'm sorry, for not telling you about anything. You can die if you meet him" said the young man.

"I know, but we've already lost a lot of family just to get here. I would rather die trying, than go home before I meet him" replied Darto. His words made everyone shudder, and made Jaka gradually put on a lethargic face after remembering his loved ones had already left.

Hearing Darto's words, the man again let out a long sigh. He tried to calm himself down for a moment, before he was finally willing to cooperate.

When he was able to suppress his fear and curiosity, he came back and sat cross-legged in front of Darto and Jaka. For a moment he looked at Darto with eyes so straight, then said, "I will tell you the truth after we die, and I will take you to where he locked himself ... Please, save us from this long affliction."

Connect ....

...monday weh?! don't forget the vote 😤...