ALKISAH: Prayer for the World [1001 Indonesian Fantasy Stories]
STORY: One of the Names of the Curse

Indeed, the Diva does not have any brain defects, but she can certainly feel when her memories of the friend slowly disappear from her mind. Her beautiful memories with Sella seemed to have been forcibly snatched from her, and Diva felt it. It feels very painful, sharp, and dark.

In anticipation of that, Diva finally decides to write a diary. Every second he passed with Sella will be sprinkled into the form of writing, so that he does not forget the existence of the friend.

Sometimes the Diva assumes that what she wrote yesterday, feels very difficult to accept by her wits every time she reread the writings the next day. However, on the front cover of the book it says, “All this is true. Believe..?” and strangely, it was his handwriting.

Diva began to flip through the book, and searched for strange sentences that were difficult to digest by her own logic. In fact, just by looking at it at a glance, almost every sheet turns out to have paragraphs that express a miracle or oddity.

“There are many worlds in this life. The world is both beautiful and terrible... Sella works as a bodyguard for a wealthy merchant who sells animals? Working as an agent? under the Indonesian government?” Diva's lips were pouting as if she was reciting a spell. “Sella gets great and amazing power from the job, but the pay for that power is. her own existence.”.

Diva's eyes narrowed sadly after reading that one passage.

“This is all my writing... But, what the hell is this.” murmured in disbelief as he sighed heavily, then closed the leather-bound book. “For what has such a great power, if at last, no one will remember it.?”.

In the middle of the night, Diva was sitting alone in the city park. It's a bit risky actually, because there are a lot of bad guys hanging around at times like this. Not to mention the figure of Diva that looks innocent, also pink hijab, as well as glasses that adorn her face, making her look very beautiful while making her a soft prey in the eyes of the evil people.

But, according to this book, all the criminals who often act here, apparently know Diva. Almost all the criminals here, once tried to do evil to him. However, fortunately all their actions always managed to be thwarted by Sella.

The bad guys ended up in battered condition, or the worst to be taken to the hospital. But the next day, they don't remember who hurt them. And the only picture of the face that was in their memories, was the figure of the Diva. And, yes, it should be enough to be an excuse so that they do not do anything else to the Diva.

“Hah... it's cold like this, Sella is also still not coming, again.” Muttering Diva while looking up at the night sky. Scattering stars adorn the sky with twinkling that looks colorful. Anyone will not be bored even if they have to wait long as there is this kind of scenery.

Although Diva had always waited for hours here, but strangely, she had never been angry at Sella at all. Maybe because he is a friend worth waiting for. Someone so precious to the Diva.

When the Diva looked at the sky, it suddenly appeared a line of light that appeared above and seemed to split the night sky; it was a shooting star. The Diva's brown eyes were shiny upon seeing that rather rare sight. However, right now, there was still one thing that deeply troubled his mind, thus making the sight of the shooting star seem insignificant in the eyes of the Diva.

“All those fairy tales and living legends... live... yes?” Diva muttered one of the sentences in the book, closing her eyes tightly. That sentence had really made the Diva feel that the world was full of lies.

It's weird that he wrote that. But now Diva understands what that means.

Diva opened her eyes, and at that moment, she now had a very different view of the night world than before. Where previously there were only stars, people, trees, and gloomy darkness, now the Diva can see many strange creatures flying in the air and jumping far and there without any distress.

“Wah..” Diva's eyes sparkle in amazement.

There were girls flying using brooms in the air, there were even some silhouettes that leaped lightly from one power pole to another. There were also small fairies emitting colorful bright lights from their bodies, and there was a gigantic reptile that was clearly a dragon that had just flashed right above it. And creepy ghosts who were hanging out under trees and talking. It's all real.

“This is the reality of the world..” The world that was once so ordinary and dark, now turned into a crowded and twinkling.

However, suddenly, there was a foreign man who walked over to the Diva while whistling merrily.

Diva squinted her eyes and looked at the villain-looking man fixedly. The middle-aged man's smile was very strange, but, somehow Diva put a small smile on her lips instead.

“Wah-wah.. is not good, you know, women sit alone here in the middle of the night like this.” Said the man in a seductive tone that sounded disgusting, while leaning against the tree beside the Diva's seat. The man pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and took one cigarette which he then tucked in his lips.

Diva looked around for a moment. Almost everyone who was hanging out there, suddenly left and looked frightened when he saw the man approaching with Diva.

“See them.” The man said, sounding a little unclear, as his cigarette was still tucked between his lips. “Hah... Mercifully. They seem to understand, and are willing to give time to us.” The man chuckles. He probably assumed, that the evil plan he had prepared for the Diva might have gone smoothly tonight.

“Ya, of course so.” Diva said in a joking tone. He still looked relaxed, and his smile was even wider.

Diva's eyes slightly widened when she saw the man reach into her back pocket. Had Diva thought that the man might hide a knife there, but fortunately, what the man took from his pocket turned out not to be a dangerous item.

However, just now that the man was intending to turn on his lighter, all the lights there suddenly went out. “Lho, sudden lights out like this?” the man looked around in wonder.

Diva looked up again staring at the sky. Everything became pitch black, even the moonlight was blocked by the clouds that were now clumping up there. But, strangely the eyes of the Diva no longer find the reality of the world earlier. His eyes were closed again.

This should be a bad situation for the Diva. But, still, he did not move from his place and kept smiling.

“How long ago, Sella?” Ask Diva who she knows.

“Hah? Who are you talking to, beautiful?” the man was trying to turn on his lighter. “But whatever... Things are getting better, aren't they? As if, the one up there also blesses the relationship we are about to establish...” in a moment The man chuckled again and the effect was also getting disgusting.

But then something strange suddenly happened.

When the depraved male lighters finally lit up and produced a small flame, all of a sudden, the man's eyes opened extremely wide, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

Somehow the silver-haired, long, dense girl suddenly appeared in front of him just like that. As if from earlier, the girl was indeed hiding in the darkness.

She is Sella, Diva's best friend since childhood—according to this book, of course.

“Si-who are you..?” asked the man hesitating and afraid.

“Diva does not like cigarette smoke.” Sella answered, raising her left hand. From that posture, he seemed to be intending to slap the man. “What do you know? From earlier, your voice sounded very disgusting in my ears.” Sella directly slapped the man's left cheek, which instantly sent him crashing far away to—duar! hit a tree until it fell. Soon, the electricity was back on.

Rather than being called a slap, Sella's attack just now can even be likened to firing a steel car commonly used for warfare.

Diva was somewhat astonished when she saw Sella's figure, as she was currently wearing a lacy white wedding dress with black rose-shaped shades. However, Diva knew her gaze just now was a bit strange, so she shook her head and put on a small smile.

Sella smiled slightly then sat down beside Diva. “Nothing, really, if you see me like that, as long as it's you, Div.” Said. “By the way, sorry I was late, because there was a sudden job.” Obviously while leaning his head against the shoulder of the Diva. His silver hair felt very smooth.

For some reason it felt so strange, as if this was the first time Diva met face to face with Sella. But the truth is, Sella is still his best friend. Although Diva has a hard time finding Sella in her memory, her body and heart still know Sella.

Diva also leaned her head against Sella's head. “Nothing, really, what matters, anyway, you've come.” Reply to Diva while putting on a meaningful smile. “But, is it not excessive, hit the man up to his side?”

“Yes, I'm sure he's okay.” Sella answered who looked sleepy and tired. “Hah Mumbled.

Diva laughed softly hearing the complaints of the friend. Yes, although he did not put any mimic on his face, but Diva's heart knows how Sella's attitude when there is a problem.

“Hmm... My room is narrow.” Diva tries to remember when she's rooming with Sella. But it seems impossible to get those memories.

“Narrow anyway, yes. But... Your hard bed really feels comfortable for me.” Sella chuckles. “Also your pillows that have been hit by my marks... I miss those pillows.”

“Hah? The markings? So, all the droplets on those pillows are yours!?” pekik Diva because she was so surprised by the fact. This morning—or maybe even in the morning before— when tidying up her bed, Diva was astonished because there was an iler on her pillow. But, finally, having no recollection of anything, the Diva speculates that the droolers are hers.

Sella gasps when she realizes her own stupidity. “Hmm... Ouch, I shouldn't have spoken.”

The laughter of Diva and Sella suddenly exploded breaking the silence of the night.

“So, how do you work?” I don't know why that question first came to Diva's mind.

“Hmm... Isn't it written in your book not to talk about my work while we're together?” Sella looks very comfortable leaning on the shoulder of the Diva. He almost seemed to be asleep there. “But, yes..my job today, is fine, really. And by the way, I just sent your share to your account.”

“Ah, yes! I'd like to ask.” The Diva rose as fast as lightning, causing Sella to flinch. “U-u-money on my account! What is that money for!? I can even buy a country with that kind of money!”

“Read it in your book—“ Sella stopped talking when she realized Diva was glaring at her now.

“That's no my book! Jeez!” Shouted Diva in panic.

“But, Div, usually, if people have a lot of money, should be happy, dong. Not even a trance like that.” Sella Cibir.

“Serious, dong.” Diva pleads. She knelt in front of Sella and hugged her, and buried her face in Sella's unusually large and thick skirt, then screamed hysterically as loud as possible in a muffled voice. “A-I know your salary is huge from your job! But it's not clear in my book why you gave half of your salary to me! WHY!”

Sella could not help but smile at the stupid behavior of Diva.

“Diva,” whispered soft Sella.

“Hmm?” Diva raised her face and exchanged glances with Sella's eyes.

“Eating in sea sari, yuk. I am so hungry.” Sella said with a sweet smile.

However, Diva felt a lot of pain as soon as she saw the smile that formed on Sella's lips. Her smile did seem sweet and sincere, as if she looked extremely happy. Although in reality, Sella's smile has actually been dead for a long time, and that doesn't mean anything—it's just a fake smile full of emptiness. But, Diva did not want to linger slumped in that thought. For now, the only thing he had to do was to make Sella feel happy.

“Hmm... Yes already, come on! I also happen to not have eaten!” Diva got up as fast as she could, while pulling Sella up to get out of her seat. Trying to hide the pain he felt. “So, we want to eat where—“

“Awas.” Sella Whisper.

“Eh? Why?”

In the blink of an eye, Sella was suddenly already behind the Diva. Somehow he can do it, but Diva is unwilling and inquisitive about her strange powers. However, Diva's eyes opened wider when she saw a jumbo-sized white sword held by Sella, then she slowly raised the sword up high with her right hand, it was as if he was intending to cut something with it.

“Wait... What do you want to do with it?” Ask Diva wonder.

“It seems... something is chasing me.” Sella whispered while swinging her sword forward which instantly made the wind around them rampage, to the point that the dust scattered wildly filled the air.

“Hey! oye! oye! What else is this!?” The panicked Diva instantly strengthened her footing so as not to crash. He was very surprised by the appearance of this strong wind, which turned out to be from the swing of Sella's sword. It's really amazing awesome at the same time weird.

When the wind had stopped raging and the dust had stopped flying, Diva could finally see what Sella had actually attacked.

Now there was a creature the size of a creepy-looking bus that was standing in front of them. That figure is a wolf. However, strangely the wolf had eyeballs that were emitting a glowing green color, and he also looked extremely angry, to the point that his saliva was rushing through the sidelines of his sharp teeth.

“Eh... Sella, What is—”

“Not. This creature is no longer a magical animal.” Tukas Sella's. “This wolf has been tainted by sin.” Sella's sharp eyes were fixed on the wolf, while her sword was pointed forward.

“Sin? Meaning?” The Diva immediately thought of strange things when she heard that word.

“Man sins.” Obviously Diva. “The magical animals became corrupted because they were polluted by sin.”

“But... I still don't understand too much... “ Answer Diva. From the water his face was clearly visible that he was struggling in his mind.

“Ya, as expected..” Sella replied indifferently.

“Heh!” Pekik Diva is annoyed.

“Not to think about, ah, Div.” Sella said as she smiled a small smile. “Important you should not forget, if we are friends to death. Okay?”

“Hmm... alright..” Reply to the smiling Diva.

In the blink of an eye Sella vanished again from sight, to make the floor where she stood was destroyed, and like lightning, she had now appeared again on the wolf, and immediately lunged with her sword.

However, the wolf managed to dodge by jumping quickly back. Meanwhile, the streets in the city park are almost out of shape due to the recent Sella sword attack.

However, for some reason the wolf was now beginning to groan in pain, whereas Diva saw clearly that the wolf had managed to dodge before being hit by Sella's attack. But, shortly afterwards, Diva realized when she saw the right ear of the wolf that suddenly fell to the floor, and slowly melted into light dust.

The diva was confused again. He swore to see with his own eyes that the wolf had not been attacked. But, how could the wolf's ears suddenly be dislodged?

Cold sweat begins to flow in the temple of the Diva. With such strength, Sella could probably destroy this city easily, without having to sweat a single drop.

Yes, Diva had read it on the fifty-seventh page of her book. The strength that Sella gets from her work is the power itself. It says that Sella has the right to power, and is the master of power. Based on that explanation, Diva could hardly imagine how great Sella's true power was.

“Please, Div, you remember, right? what I said earlier.” Sella asked suddenly.

The Diva's thoughts instantly stopped when she heard her words. As if, Sella hopes that Diva does not think strangely about herself.

It was like Diva slapped her own cheek as hard as she could because she had thought of those bad things. But, what power, Diva had already imagined it. So, to make amends, Diva finally decides to answer Sella's question. He gripped tightly on the rope of his sampir bag, then said with confidence, “Yes, we are friends, until death do us part.”

“Well, then, Diva just go first find a good food stall.” Sella said as she jumped out of the large hole created from her attack earlier. The silver-haired girl remained standing firmly, while her sword returned she pointed towards the wolf.

“But, you don't take long. Quickly do what you want to do to the wolf. I'm also getting hungry, you know.”

“Iya, yes, you take it easy. Not for long, kok.” Sella.

Accompanied by the loud thumping sound, Diva finally stepped away from the place. However, the smile that had formed on his lips was now slowly beginning to fade. He was indeed happy, because he met his true friend, but, Diva also felt a lot of pain because of the reality that still held him.

“I'll try..” The diva revealed the words that had arisen from the bottom of her heart. “I promise I won't forget you, Sella.”

However, even though Diva is determined not to forget Sella, but unfortunately, the next day, Diva woke up from her sleep with a feeling of emptiness.

The Diva who was still sitting on the bed was daydreaming and staring blankly at the window hanging on the wall. The radiance of sunlight was clearly visible behind that window. However, on this sunny morning, the Diva was strangely gloomy. He felt he had lost something and that upset him.

Suddenly, Diva's eyes involuntarily moved on their own looking towards a book lying beside her. Then Diva's hand slowly began to reach the book, then after getting it, Diva immediately returned to lying down while locking the book into her close embrace.

“Today I have a lecture schedule, yes?”