The Eternal Fragments of Moonlight
Chapter 31: Strings of Melancholy

I was still in there for a long time. Until finally Laras came to me and then removed his phone from the waistband in his custom clothing.

“This.” He said while showing his phone. “Lo wants to know everything, right? About our time travel?”

Curse the phone from the ladder and start shifting one by one the pictures that are there. I see there are photos showing scrolls of ancient manuscripts written on Lontar. —Daun dried used to write manuscripts in antiquity.—

We students in Lembari Island have indeed studied the Javanese script even to the Kawi script which is a more ancient form as a compulsory curriculum in schools. But I could not understand at all what was written on the drawings of the ancient manuscripts I was looking at.

“It was a collection of ancient scrolls that Mother had inherited. You may not be able to understand what is written there.” His word. “Alright, here let me explain.”

Laras then tells me that the manuscript is thousands of years old and is always passed on to the eldest daughter in the main lineage of the Abiseka family. The manuscript uses the Sanskrit language and is written using the Brahmi Script. Broadly speaking Laras explained that there are four parts in it.

Fiber, which contains kono stories. Kakawin, which contains tembang and mantras to perform various rituals. Babat, whose contents are historical records there is also a record of his mother's records. And the last one is Primbon, which is about the future prophecy.

He explained that according to Babat in the ancient script, at the time of the lunar eclipse occurred himself —as well as his mother and all his predecessors— can always use certain supernatural powers if following the guidance contained in the ancient script. So it can be concluded that the manuscript is a kind of guide that can lead them to use its privileges as the main heir of the temple guard.

“Then, about repeating the timeline, it was my prayer request granted.” Further. “Because as you know, Nitehake will grant all requests when the lunar eclipse comes. But unfortunately I can only beg for time to be repeated until the previous lunar eclipse occurs. Where every action and destiny of man as a whole has been fulfilled.”

“So, when the lunar eclipse happens, Nitehake will grant all our requests?”

“Yes. If we do the ritual with the statue that we have been using to repeat the time.” The answer. “But if you think to ask that Mira's destiny change, or maybe your own destiny, trust me Aji, I always beg that.”.

I saw him cover his mouth and start sobbing.

“Every night of the lunar eclipse we go through. Every ritual restores our timeline. But..”

“Sorry Race, all this time I have misjudged lo.”

“Not wrong lo.” He said while rubbing his eyes.

“Hey.” I just put my hand on his shoulder. “This is our sixth time, right? Means... It's been three years? We should be 21 years old now.”

He looked at me without speaking.

“Gue curious, what will be when we are 21, what will you be... more beautiful from now on? Hmm, but I guess not. Elo langkalan tetep serem.”

“Huh!?”

“Tuh right?”

Laras threw away his face so that I could no longer see his expression.

“Sorry Laras, because of me, elo have to spend your youth with a very painful thing like this.”

He also looked back at me. Piteously.

“Sorry.” I felt my eyes warm and my lips tremble as I spoke. “For so long you've been... fought very hard, huh?”

"But Race, still after you tell everything like this... My question is still the same. Why, you doing all this?"

He looked up, making our faces look at each other so close. His puffy eyes returned to shed a tear. Frisson. This time, he smiled a little.

"Must...I answer that question?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"If so, close your eyes, Aji."

After a few seconds of closing my eyes, I felt something soft touch my lips. Together with the warm gusts of his rhythmic breath. Surprised I opened my eyes and found Laras staring at me with a meaningful smile. At that moment I thought he would be strangled and retreat after I opened my eyes. But all he did was come back to kiss me again, again and again.

***

For some time to pass we were silent, shackled with the contents of our heads. There are so many things in my mind. About the real reason for Laras, about me ever ending my own life, and also about the secret behind the ability of Laras who can repeat the flow of time.

I never once thought that all he had done was to rescue me from my broken life line. He was willing to sacrifice everything, just for a me who was a nobody. I don't understand why he's going that far for me.

However, as I remembered what I had done all this time to save Mira, I understood. Because love can indeed make someone willing to sacrifice anything for the person who loves.

Then I saw Laras standing up and tidying his clothes. Then walked towards the entrance of the temple and said that he needed to prepare the sculpture that we would use to repeat the flow of time. He left after locking the trellis fence at the entrance.

The lunar eclipse was slowly perfect and by that time Laras was ready with his ritual with a bowl-like statue that had been placed between the two of us. When Laras put my blood on the surface of the statue, I asked him.

“Ras, if I pray during the total eclipse later, will my application also be realized?”

“Iya, but about Mira's destiny, it's.”.

“Yes, I know. The problem now is my own destiny, right? I promise Race, I will make the best use of my life line.”

Seeing me smile at him, Laras also became sparkling. But then his face turned to be disappointed yet still kept smiling.

“Indeed, what kind of application will you make?”

Let me tell you that time Laras still saw my life line is still cut off and actually I'm not surprised if he still sees it like that.

“Later I'll tell you that we have arrived in the past.”

After all the preparations were done and the statue was already emitting a greenish light, we also prepared to pull the gold rope knotted on the stake in the middle of the statue. At that time I made my wish with a sigh and hoped that Nitehake would grant it. Focusing my heart and mind to a level I had never done before.

After Laras counted down, we pulled the rope at the same time and as I felt the world around me turning around I said.

“Ras, if I ask that our lifeline be exchanged, can it be granted?”

I saw Laras being wide-eyed at me. His lips were about to scream while scattering trying to reach me. But he had not touched me yet, everything had turned white.