Memories of a Thousand Years
Memories of

Pradhika Wiriya opened the room immediately. There's no one there. He observed every corner and every place that could possibly be used as a hiding place. There's no one. "Where are you going?"

Dhika walked around the inn area looking for a figure who always lost somewhere. Turning his eyes and head. Look at every angle. He's not anywhere. That's common. Rinaya has always been like that. But this time Dhika looks very worried. He was sitting in a small shop selling Tuak. Cold air accompanies a drizzle that slowly descends. The day is getting darker too. He poured a cup of wine into a glass and drank it. Take a long breath. Then drink it back. Just keep it that way. A little thought does not go away. No one knows what he's thinking. I don't know how many glasses he's been drinking.

Rinaya saw it from the end of the road. It was amazing to see Dhika in that place. Looks very messed up. He's approaching "Dhik...The balapati? What are you doing here?" Rinaya had to get used to calling him that. He was in the uniform of a disciple of Wiriya's cabin. It would seem disrespectful if a disciple called his senior by his small name.

He didn't answer. He continued to pour the drink into his cup. "When have you been drinking like this? Let's go home." Rinaya pulled his hand.

"Jangs. This drink please pay first" said the shop owner.

Rinaya doesn't have any money. Inevitably he had to take Dhika's money. "Rapathy. I'm using your money." He took the bag of money in his shirt and gave the price of the drink to the merchant. "This sir. Thanks though. Balapati. Come on."

Dhika is not like a drunk person who staggers when standing. He can still stand up straight. It's just that his mind is stirred up so he doesn't respond to anything Rinaya says. It was not easy to lead the big man with his tiny body but it was also not too difficult like most drunk people. Rinaya took him back to the inn. They're sitting there. Rinaya begins to worry about Dhika who keeps on being silent.

"Dhika's... You hear me? Balapati??... Young master Wiriya?" Rinaya snapped her finger. There is no response at all.

"What's wrong with you. Why are you drunk like this. I've never seen you like this. Oi!! Pradhika Wiriyya!! You hear me??"

Rinaya breathed.

"I'm sorry!" One word from Dhika finally said. He also shed tears. "I'm sorry" he kept repeating the word.

"Dhika??" Rinaya looked at him tightly.

"I've been looking for you where."

"I never found you"

"You always get in trouble"

"I can never help you"

"I can't protect the people you love."

"I've never been on your side."

Rinaya asks "Dhika?? You keep looking for her all this time??"

Dhika looked at Rinaya and touched her cheek. "Well, whatever I'm looking for you.  I'll never find you. I wish I could find him too. But that's not what I can." Rinaya understands very well. However, he knew that his death was not an ordinary person. He's back to his origin. Disappeared from this world. But Bayu might be able to find him. He hoped it was.

"I'm here. I'm back for you. Never give up. We'll look for him together. Don't let yourself drown in this feeling. Yep!"

"Don't go again."

A bright morning shone. The sunlight peeked in between the windows. Rinaya opened the window and stood there. Looking at the situation outside while feeling the warmth of the sun caressing his body.

Dhika awakens from her dream. Still lying on the bed. He rolled his eyes observing the surroundings. The tiny figure was seen in front of the window. Behind him. "Rinaya?"

Rinaya also looked. Her hair is still neat. The sunlight makes it look very beautiful. She smiles. "Good morning"

Dhika got up from her bed. "Where were you sleeping last night?" Stupid question from a Balapati. But it's natural. He's drunk definitely doesn't remember everything he's been through that night. He only ordered one room with one bed. He plans to book another room. But because of drunkenness. He doesn't even remember that at all.

"here. With you." He answered so lightly and then smiled amusedly as if he was fooling this person.

"What?"

"You don't remember?"

"Did I do something?"

"You better not get drunk next time. Maybe you'll cause trouble with someone else."

"Did something happen last night?"

Rinaya nodded. "You're calling me. Asking me not to go. And do...."

"Huhuh?"

Rinaya could not help but laugh. "Haha. No need to worry. You were okay last night. Quickly shower. I want to go out and eat."

Rinaya and Dhika walk out of the inn. Rinaya pouted and whined along the way. "We just eat that? Won't eat anymore? My stomach is still empty. You're so stingy."

"That's your fault. You paid too much ford yesterday."

"Where do I know it's so expensive. The merchant did not say anything."

Rinaya at that time mistakenly gave money to the owner of the old shop. Rinaya does not know the currency there. He just gave it to her. The store owner must have thought his excess money was a tip for him. He felt overwhelmed by it.

"Oh Balapati's. While we're here. There's something I want to make sure of. I want to visit one place."

"Where?"

"Hm. Do you remember a tree near Mada village? Tree in the middle of the meadow."

"Tree?" Dhika stopped suddenly. Rinaya behind him suddenly hit him.

"Why did it stop?"

Dhika turned around and frowned. "Why go there?"

"There is no specific reason. I had a weird dream, I hope it's a clue."

"...."

"There's no harm in tracing what I'm going through."

"I guess you just miss that village."

"That's true too."

Rinaya and Dhika arrive at a green meadow. There was a tree standing tall between them. But this time it was very different. The tree is now just a stump without branches. Pitch black to charcoal. The rocks below are scattered. "What's going on?"

"Since then I have not been to this city very often. I don't know what's really going on.... I did hear rumors that the Citizens burned this Tree."

"Why burn?"

"When I was a kid I met a kid my age. He has a dog. Pretty big puppy. I don't know why he died. It was only recently that I realized that the boy was Bayu. His dog said it was a stealth incarnation. People worry. They killed the dog. Storytelling. The dog was buried under this tree by Bayu."

Rinaya muttered "So what I saw back then was a flashback." Rinaya turned her eyes around to look at Dhika "Then who was the man I met at the time?"

"Man?"

Rinaya nodded and pointed her index finger at a point where the man was standing. "He's standing there. Tell me something's gonna happen. He also knows who I am. He also knows I'm not from here. He even told me to come back."

Dhika rolled her eyes as if remembering something "Far before the Demon Dog Rumor appeared I heard another rumor. I'm sure you've heard it from Bayu he's always telling that to the new guy he meets."

"About those two lovers who died there?"

"really. But it's just a rumor."

"When did that happen?"

"I was a kid then so I don't know for sure. As far as I can remember they said about over twenty years ago."

His brows furrowed, his lips muttered, his fingers moving as if they were counting something. "Could it have happened when the creature first appeared?"

"But what does this have to do with it?"

"You're right!"

Rinaya retreated to hear someone answer her statement. Dhika was also amazed by that. But there wasn't much reaction he made. Someone emerged from the blackened trunk of the tree. The pale face of a thin smile was engraved on his lips.

"Welcome back. Rinaya."

Whether to be happy or not with greetings from a spirit. The previous meeting he even asked me to go back home. But now he even saved me.

"Ahaha. You're surprising me."

She stared fixedly at Dhika "I Know who you are"

Dhika "What is it? Something big happened to you?"

"I'll show you"

The sight changed momentarily. Like changing walls. They were no longer in a meadow. I don't know how many years they've been back. Slowly everything seems clear. They are in a village. I don't know where that is. A house surrounded by people. Gather around to watch something strange there. Someone shouted. Roll over crying and yell back. Dhika and Rinaya observe as the memory progresses. It's like watching a four-dimensional movie. They can only see.

The man was still lying on the wooden floor. Still rolling. Something made him sick.

A woman came through the crowd. Face panicked. Soon he checked the man's situation. Her tears are flowing. The panic made him unable to think clearly.

He went back to inspect it carefully. A lump grew on the nape of his neck. Some cuts were also visible. Some of it has dried up. Some are still bleeding. Someone tried to get that thing out. Something stuck under the man's skin.

Rinaya recalls this incident similar to the one Jaka experienced. He kept watching them. The woman did something to him. The same is true when Bayu does something to jaka. Draining his energy into the palm of the hand. Kill the creature in its place. The man stopped screaming. The longer it stays calm. Then someone came through the crowd. Someone Rinaya knows. The man took his sword out of the scabbard. Stabbing that guy lightning fast. Everyone was sad to see that happen. "Nobody can cure him. Leave him."

One word said. And then he left. The woman he was with was crying. He put his heart on the man. Wish I could help him. But destiny says something else.

"Dhika!! That one...!"

The scenery changed again. This time they were in a meadow. A large tree stood between them. A woman was standing there. A stone bearing the name of the man. Her tears have dried up. His heart is empty. His only soul mate is gone. In the end, he ended his life in the old tree. More than twenty years passed. The tree was one of the memories he had. "Poor spirit"

The view is back to how it was. Where he had stood before. Not even moving one bit. The spirit is still there.

"Do you hold a grudge against that man?" Tanya Rinaya.

"No. I warned you. I exist. Because you're coming."

"Why are you staying here?"

"Because he needs you" He's gone. Penetrate the tree trunk.

Dhika fell silent trying to digest everything. "I don't understand"

"Our problem is not simple. It started thirty-six years ago. To this day. All still need red thread as a link."

"..?"

"Can we eat now? I'm really starving."

***

A tavern close to their Sae Herbal Shop sat down and discussed the thing they had just experienced.

"Aaahhh I can finally eat a lot. Heheh. Thanks though. By the way we passed the Sae Herbal Shop. Nothing seems to change."

"really. But the owner has changed."

"really? Then where did Uncle Arif go?"

"Eitherway. No one knows. Maybe he's meeting his other relatives."

"Hoo. I hope he's okay."

"So did you get any leads?"

"Another clue might be. But there's no clue where Bayu is."

"What did you get?"

"Hmmm... That's... The one who killed the man.... You knew her?"

Dhika shook her head. Maybe he's never met her.

"That's Chairman. Halimun Group Leader. The head of the Mountain Bandit."

"Huh??"

"At that time the chairman left. And then disappeared somewhere. He never came back. I know he had something to do with the case. I don't think he's acting that determined. Wait if we count. Meaning that time was about fifty years ago. Isn't that a long time?"

Dhika nodded.

"The man's condition is the same as Jaka's. Bayu acts just like that woman. Jaka is recovering. But poor still covers. Jaka died protecting me."

"....."

"There are still things I don't understand. What say?"

"That spirit's word. Who for? From whom?"

"really. Maybe there's a connection Bayu? Isn't Bayu's dog believed to be a demon?" Rinaya took a long breath. "My mind is very dull. Then who needs me? It's really confusing."

Sayup sounds like a group of people exchanging information. Rinaya and Dhika instantly listened to that by not changing any expression. Dhika calmly drank from her cup.Rinaya with a smile ate her food. Their ears were opened wide listening to all the talk. A shop is a great place to find information.

Across his desk a group of people were busy with his talk. This made Rinaya even more curious. They talk about him. And that happened fifteen years ago.

"The world is so fucked up. Young Master Wilis really called Princess Nirmala."

"That worked?"

"Something happens in Bintuni. A few days later the whole city was in a stir with it. Mr. Boris looked for him where. He's running away."

"Why did he call that guy?"

"You know the Jade of Light? I'm sure I wanted to take that from him. This family is known as the dreaded family. Everything they want they have to get."

"I heard that too. Reportedly the family's been looking for the Jade since the bandit's daughter was alive."

"Truly he has the Jade?"

"It was later reported that the Princess gave Mr. Boris a fake jade. Until Mr. Wilis died, it was finally discovered."

"Speaking about the Bandit Princess. I heard that someone saw Bayu in a town."

Rinaya and Dhika immediately stared at hearing that.

"Wood? Who leads the Wolf army?"

"really. In a town close to a deserted village. You know they've been there. And find that jade there."

"I don't think they should call back the dead. Youknow. If death is disturbed it's usually a scary thing."

Rinaya swallowed her food quickly "Dhika!! Come on!!"

Dhika nodded and they left the tavern.