ASTAKONA [COURSE EIGHT]
Chapter 2

Pekan Ningku is an advanced city that has an attraction that is almost equivalent to the famous port city in the area. With the advancements and facilities available, the city is becoming a favorite destination for many who want to explore its uniqueness and natural charm. Despite that, behind its glorious reputation, Pekan Ningku is still considered a regular week by some people, because it has not fully matched the greatness and reputation of the port city that has been worldwide.

This interesting and mysterious sight is what makes Ningku Week stand out among other cities. One of the striking uniqueness that characterizes this city is that almost all the shops that are here do not stand upright on the ground, but rather float gracefully above the city ceiling. None of the taverns touched the ground, creating a magnificent scene that gave the city a magical aura.

Uniquely, to be able to access the floating stores, customers must use a special rope made from tree root leaves provided in the store. This rope climbing process becomes part of an exciting experience for every visitor. However, the true uniqueness of Ningku Town comes when the powerholders of Astakona, a special group with magical powers, can use their powers to float and climb into the shops easily, add to the magical charm of this city.

No stairs are provided in Pekan Ningku, because here it is believed that all inanimate objects are not allowed to touch the ground. Everything in this city, be it floating shops, dwellings, or merchandise, is lifted up in the air without touching the surface of the earth.

While in Ningku Week, will find a variety of people, ranging from nobles, soldiers, to ordinary citizens, and the, who come from various directions to buy and sell a variety of unique items that become the attraction of this city. That said, all the goods produced at Pekan Ningku are claimed to be the best in the world, adding to the allure and attractiveness of the market for visitors.

However, the existence of this city is a mystery in itself, because only a few people know the secret of the entrance to this week. The entry routes are strictly guarded and are only given to those deemed fit to visit and honor the incredible charm of Ningku Week.

The town of Ningku, which is about 3 km from their nearest village, has to be reached through a tiring journey through the bush. His secret path was known only to those who had been within the circle of this city. Despite this, Hushion had its entrance and it was so easy to get there that he finally managed to enter this city.

Zack looked left and right, mesmerized by the unique view of the city of Ningku Week which was so different from any other places he had ever visited. Curious, he asked Hushion, "Hushion, what was so interesting that you brought me here?"

Hushion's paw suddenly came to a halt in front of a green store decorated with beautiful blue green plants. In front of the door was a beautifully carved wooden board, displaying the name of the shop, 'Floraestra'.

"Well," Hushion said with a cheerful smile.

"Here huh? Is this a magical shop? I can't go in." Zack was doubtful.

"Who said Tias can't get in? Yuk, come with me!" Hushion said excitedly, holding tightly onto Zack's hand. He wanted to make sure Zack felt safe and didn't fall down.

"But, Hushion." Zack grunts while stomping his feet, but Hushion nevertheless stubbornly takes him into the shop.

"Here we are, we have arrived. Here, hold my hand and don't move. We will fly" Hushion said with enthusiasm.

"Fly to where? We're not birds" Zack asked in surprise.

Hushion just shook his head mysteriously, gesturing that he had an interesting plan.

Suddenly, Hushion drew with his hand the shadow of a circle on the invisible ground. Then water bubbles appeared and formed a graceful floating platform. Hushion invites Zack to stand on the platform.

"Well ready. We'll fly to the tavern." said Hushion eagerly.

The two of them climbed onto the platform and suddenly the platform moved floating upwards, bringing them flying towards the 'Floraestra' tavern'.

After they reached the front of the tavern, immediately they set foot inside the tavern, all the water bubbles that carried them both flew into water vapor, disappearing rapidly. Zack could only look in amazement at how the water that carried them earlier had quickly turned into steam.

The two of them walked into the tavern, and when the door opened, their arrival attracted the attention of the people who were around the tavern.

"Hushioni! You finally came! I've been waiting for your presence after so long." cried Bima as she waved her hand.

Hushion and Zack had just arrived in front of the Floraestra tavern, and a warm smile arrived welcoming them from Bima, Hushion's close friend. Bima looks very excited and excited to meet them.

Bima is a truly charming figure. Her beautiful face was emitted by such white skin, inviting the attention of everyone who met her. Although his height was only modest, the aura of elegance enveloping him made it seem as if he was standing on a stage.

What attracted attention was the clothes Bima wore. From top to bottom, these clothes are made from beautifully woven plants, creating an unusual but truly captivating design. Every detail is carefully selected, so as to reflect the natural and fascinating beauty of nature.

Her hair glistened with a charming blonde color, flowing long until it reached her waist level. Every single strand of hair looked so healthy and well-groomed, shining on her beautiful face resplendently. Given he was a descendant of Mabu, his large and pointed ears add to his own charm, giving a mysterious and graceful impression to his appearance.

Bima is a unique and extraordinary figure, not only in appearance but also in his interesting character. He is a perfect example of beauty that lies not only in the physical, but also in a sincere and loving heart.

"Hi, Bima! Yes, I finally arrived. This is Zack, my brother," Hushion said, introducing Zack to Bima.

Zack greeted with a smile, "It's nice to meet you, Bima."

Bima laughed cheerfully, "Ouh, that's your brother. Welcome to Zack. Come in, let's sit down and talk together." said Bima while pointing to a table decorated with beautiful flowers.

"You want to drink tea or herbal drinks typical of Floraestra?" About Bima.

"What about tea, Bima?" About Hushion.

"Alright, the tea is the right choice," Bima replied with a smile. He immediately went to the kitchen to prepare a warm tea for the two of them.

The 'Floraestra' shop looked so magical and magical. Unique blue green plants decorate every corner of the store, creating a refreshing and stunning atmosphere. Without a doubt, Zack and Hushion begin to explore every corner of the tavern, impatient to discover the magic and uniqueness of whatever is stored in it.

Hushion and Zack looked around, staring at the interesting items on display in the shop. They were interested in the various magical products and rare plants that were there.

Bima came back with a teapot and three cups, and she poured warm tea into their cup. The three of them sat next to each other, sipping tea while talking about each other's lives.

Nevertheless, Bima directed her gaze with an attentive gaze towards Hushion who suddenly appeared after a long time not to his shop. "Hushion, what is your wish to come here?" ask with curiosity.

Hushion smiled gently. "I came to check my Astakona level, Bima. In the last few days, I feel my body is a bit different."

"Different huh? Maybe you've eaten something wrong?" bima asked attentively to the state of her customers.

Hushion nodded, "No. It seems like my diet remains as usual."

Bima was astonished. "Did you feel strange in your body because of the magic of Astakona?"

Hushion.

"All right, just a moment. If it's wrong you're Astakona Blue right?" Bima. He then searched for his tools to examine Hushion's condition

"Yes." Yeah."

"Give me your hand for a second. Let Bima check."

Begonia leaves fed with powder of river crystals and a few drops of dragon crying water placed on Hushion's hands suddenly produced a magical blue light, and 6 pieces of ice formed on top of that leaf. Bima examined the ice sheets attentively, concluding that the Astakona Blue Hushion stage had reached 6, which is passive Blue Astakona and also signifies that Hushion has mastered all the elements of the water phase.

Bima felt a little surprised when he saw Hushion, who was young, able to master the passive Blue Astakona, the ice element, because generally people who master this element are 20 years old and above.

Bima immediately left them and returned with a dark blue sword with a beautiful holster carved with a rose of white gold. The story relates to a sick Master Knight's son, and his father asks Bima to take care of his son.

After caring with great dedication, the Master Knight's son finally recovered completely. As a token of gratitude, his father gave the beautiful sword to Bima.

However, when Bima tried to pull out the sword blade, Hushion was very surprised because it turned out that the blade did not exist!

"Why doesn't this sword blade exist?" murmured Hushion in confusion. "Is there something wrong with this sword?"

Bima smiled and softly explained, "Calm down, Hushion. This sword is very magical, and you will not see the blade like a common sword. This sword is a sword for people who can master passive Blue Astakona. Take it and try to open it"

Hushion looked at the sword curiously. "Then how do I activate it?" tanyakanya.

"To activate this sword blade, you must find peace within yourself and completely fuse with the ice element," Bima replied as she gave her advice. "Trust in yourself and let your heart open to receive this power of ice. If you really master passive Blue Astakona, then this sword blade will present itself when you need it."

Hushion nodded, eager to test his abilities. He held the sword tightly and began to search for peace within him. His heart was filled with unanimous determination, and he believed that he could master the ice element well.

Moments later, Suddenly, a beautiful blue-white light appeared from within the sword sheath. Bima, Zack, and Hushion were shocked to see him. Without hesitation, Hushion immediately pulled out the sword from its scabbard, feeling astonished that the scabbard had previously felt so light. Hushion noticed the engraving on the long blade of the sword. On the face of the blade, beautifully engraved the thorns of the rose stem are gray.

"Well, it's beautiful" Hushion said with a smile.

"Gee. Here, the Eternal Sword Ice Blade! This type of sword will not melt or freeze. The specialty is its resistance to rust, until forever. However, there is a condition, which is never to remove the sheath of the sword," explained Bima after examining the sword.

Bima then looked towards Zack. He felt there was a certain reason why Hushion brought his sister here.

"Hushion, why did you bring your brother here? You never brought it?" ask Bima to know.

Hushion replied, "Actually, I just want to make sure if he has Astakona or not. Some time ago, I saw him being hit by an angry male goat. His face and body were severely injured, bleeding everywhere. However, the next day, he recovered like nothing had ever happened. No sign of scars."

Bima scrunched her forehead. "There is no way he ... Is this really what you're saying, Hushion? Then let me borrow your sword, Hushion."

Bima asked for Hushion's sword, and Hushion gave it.

"Isn't that normal. I'm healing fast" Zack said.

"Let me do this." Bima.

Without a second thought, Bima suddenly injured Zack's cheek with a slight scratch. Blood started to drip from the resulting wound.

Zack and Hushion were very surprised by Bima's actions.

"Hushion, this is a way to test whether your sister has Astakona or not" Bima said seriously.

Zack looked at Bima with confusion and fear, not knowing what was happening.

Bima's face approached closer to Zack's, their eyes looking at each other. Bima carefully examined the wound on Zack's cheek that looked like a normal wound.

"You know, healing in a day or a moment is impossible, son. Even the best healer from Astakona Seij himself is not necessarily able to heal wounds that quickly, except .. if you are the holder of the Emerald Astakona," said Bima mysteriously.

"Astakona Emerald?" zack asked, his face filled with confusion.

"Yes, the Emerald Astakona" Bima said in a serious tone.

Bima looked again towards the wound on Zack's cheek. It turned out that the wound did not coincide as he had previously anticipated. Without wasting time, Bima took out an herbal plaster stored in her desk drawer.

Bima continued his story with mystery, his low voice filling the room with a deep feel.

"The legend of the Emerald Astakona has been buried in history for centuries. A power so great, but it also brought disaster. The government wisely banned the blood-hunting of the Emerald Astakona holders in order to protect the stability of the country and the lives of citizens."

"In fact, there is an epic tale from ancient times about a young man named Durmaz, who was born as the holder of the rare Emerald Astakona. He fought valiantly against the darkness that wanted to rule the world. Although the wound almost brought him to death but when he came home with victory, he stood firm without a hint of scratches on his body."

"Astakona Emerald, the ruler of all the elements of Astakona, has tremendous power. He was able to absorb and fuse the various energies of the other elements, creating a tremendous harmony within him. However, his powerful strength also became the blessing that many people craved. His blood was also considered a magical potion full of wonders. People flocked to search for the trail of Darmuz the holder of the Astakona Emerald, as it was believed that drinking its blood would grant unlimited power and immortality."

"When he realized there was something wrong about his extraordinary powers, Durmaz refused to use his Astakona and forbade his blood to be used as a tool for power and immortality."

"With terror and violence resulting from a desire for power against Astakona Zamrud, Durmaz decided to flee his village. He hid his identity meticulously from the view of the common people, disappearing without a trace like an invisible legend."

"But, behind Durmaz's wisdom, the public is enamored with the allure of the mysterious Emerald Astakona. No matter social status, people are vying for the Astakona holder's blood. In the madness to gain infinite power, humans ruthlessly kill each other, even the family from Astakona Seij becomes a fugitive to obtain Durmaz."

"Astakona Seij, with a miraculous ability to heal others, becomes an easy target in people's thirst for magical powers. They became victims because it became the only option for those who wanted to be healed by the miracle of Astakona Seij."

"This chaos caused the government to be forced to take drastic action. The last attempt to overcome this chaos was to kill Durmaz. Durmaz was eventually captured and killed. The proclamation of Durmaz's death led the government to ban the taking of blood from any Astakona holders. Anyone claimed to be a descendant of the Emerald Astakona will be faced with the death penalty because their presence is considered a major threat to the security of the country."

"This decision, though heavy, was taken in an attempt to restore peace and stability. However, news of the Emerald Astakona remains circulating as a secret and mysterious story among the people. Its existence becomes a myth that continues to seduce and disturb the human mind, spreading unforgettable magical charm."

Bima took a deep breath, reminding Zack and Hushion themselves to be on alert, recalling the dark past.

"From that point on, the mastery of the Emerald Astakona became a myth, and people could only keep it in oral tales passed down from generation to generation."

Zack and Hushion listen to Bima's story attentively, pondering the meaning of the legend. They realized that such a rare, though attractive, power could bring disaster from all over the world.

Bima washed Zack's blood and then carefully placed the herbal plaster over the wound on the cheek.

"Thus, a little story about the legend of the holder of the Emerald Astakona. It seems that you are not one of them, maybe Hushion is too affected in his dream," said Bima with mystery.