The Eternal War Kasarewang
Harsa vs. The Big Brother (5)

“Papa not here to find Adi?” ask Harsa ciut. He wished his father had left him alone.

“Hmm, I think I'm looking for both.” Erik smiled so that Harsa would not be wry. He didn't come here to scold Harsa.

Again Harsa sighed, but still nodded.

Her father takes Harsa to the park behind their hotel. Erik sat on one of the park benches. Harsa sat down next to him, preparing for his father's talk.

Opening the conversation, Erik asked. “You're not afraid of the formskitter I told you about?”

Alis Harsa. He did not remember Erik's words at the restaurant as he was carried away with emotion. She shook her head. “I've never met formskitter before.”

“True also.” Erik nodded. “Hmm, then have you ever felt whether there is a difference between me and Adi?”

Harsa didn't need to think about answering that question. “Yes, that. Sis Adi was arrogant impression, always looked down on me and mama, but papa is not like that. Papa is also much more understanding than kak-.”

“Not, that's not what I mean.” Cut Erik. “I mean is there anything biologically different.”

Harsa watched her father from top to bottom. “Papa does not have a striking appearance like sister Adi? I mean papa hair is ordinary black, papa's eyes are also not striking.”

“Moreover?”

Harsa's forehead is wrinkled. “Papa never let out an intimidating aura like Kak Adi.”

“Huuh, why do you think?”

“Because papa jauuuhhh is friendlier than brother Adi?”

Erik could not help his laughter. “No, not that. That's because now I can no longer open Kai, the gate where the channel physis, so I can't do magic anymore.”

Harsa recalled her father's explanation when she was a child. His hand held onto his stomach which was the midpoint of his body. In there, he said there was a large gate called Kai that can issue physis. By the time Harsa was eight years old, Harsa's father had sealed her Kai because of Harsa's explosive magic. Harsa, who could not control her magic ability, could suddenly spout fire while sleeping, making her body sick because it could not withstand such a large magic power.  It happened because born from humans and Kasarewang, Harsa has magic Kasarewang from his father but has an ordinary human body.

“Not got any more? Why?”

“Because formskitter. Once upon a time, when Adi was a teenager, when we were on a family vacation. I mean, me, Adi, and his mother, we caught our guard and were attacked by powerful formskitters. Adi's mother, my previous wife, she fought with the formskitter with a little help from me. He was a strong man, as a royal guard, he had the most experience of facing formskitters. I believe in him, in his abilities, in his experiences, but I'm sorry now. He died to protect me and Adi. I was also heavily injured at the time. I lost my vassal and became disfigured - unable to do magic anymore. Adi was devastated to see how his mother died at the hands of formskitter with her own eyes. I think that changed it drastically. From then on, he just wanted to become a soldier and kill as many formskitters as possible.”

Harsa listened solemnly. It's the first time his father has told me how he lost his first wife. Either because Erik did not want to remember the painful incident, or because it was not good for Darma, he did not tell much about Adi's mother. Maybe because of both.

Erik continued. “Your brother, Adi is very sensitive about formskitter. Although he was currently arguably an invincible gifted child, he would never underestimate the formskitters. Therefore, he was very vigilant earlier. I'm telling you this so you can be more understanding with your brother.”

Harsa was speechless, still digesting the story she had just heard. Formskitter, the death of Adi's mother, and the father who could not use magic…. The more that information percolates, the more Harsa feels guilty. “So he was angry because I underestimated formskitter?”

“Yeah, you don't know formskitter either.” Erik said.

Harsa is getting bowed. She recalled how her brother was upset that he could not master the Kasarewang language, also upset that he did not understand the dangers Kasarewang, formskitter had to face. The acts of dislike and the expression on his face reoccurred in Harsa's heart and head.  Then he realized.

Her face lifted up looking at her father.“Brother is upset at me for not knowing anything about Kasarewang. Maybe because all this time I also never find out.” The knot. “Now I feel bad. All this time living quietly in the midst of humans without ever thinking that I am a descendant of Kasarewang. I don't know what physis is, don't know how Kasarewang eats, can't speak Kasarewang... I also never ask you, if this magical part of me never existed.”

Harsa. “I know that ignorance is fun. I used to think Adi sucks, but now I can see how Adi feels that I'm a bitch.” Says seriously. “Still, Pa. I think I know how to deal with Kak Adi now.”

“...” Erik can't reply. He was not prepared for Harsa's response. “Good then. Um, let's go back to room.”

In the room, Adi remained nowhere to be seen. Harsa decides to sleep alone, as she has no idea how Adi's portable apartment works. Just a few hours into Harsa's sleep, she was awakened by the sound of the door of their room on the second floor opening.

“Uahh!!” said surprised. His eyes caught the prowess of the figure of a person coming out onto the veranda and his body moved following thoughtlessly.

On the veranda, Adi is ready to plunge from the second floor.

“Kak Adi!” said surprised.

The man turned around. “Sleep there.”

“Yeah! I'm sorry, if it's bad, but this is not too much!!” Said Harsa panicking her brother was about to jump.

Adi squinted his eyes, astonished. “Already, danger. Back off there.” Then, without waiting for Harsa's answer, she jumped.

No, this is wrong. Think of Harsa in the heart. He ran to catch Adi. “Kakak!!” However, his body could not withstand Adi's weight. Harsa fell down. “Aaaahhhh!!”

At the time of the fall, it was as if there was a hood that was torn from the area around Adi's body, then they entered into a different world. Instead of falling onto the paved road that separates their hotel building from the beach, Adi and Harsa land on a white sandy beach. In the distance, Harsa could hear the sound of the waves and as far as the eye could see, they were on the shoreline. There are no hotel buildings or shophouses selling T-shirts and souvenir items. There was only the beach on the left and the forest on their right.

“Urgh.” Erang Adi held her body and Harsa at once. He landed in a crouching position. Both of his legs trembled as he was not ready to withstand Harsa's weight. “What are you doing?!” adi asked annoyedly dropping Harsa into the sand while standing up.

“Aduh. That's my question! Time due to a little quarrel want to commit suicide?!”

Eyebrow Adi. “I won't die just from getting off the second floor.” Said grumbling. His face reddened, he would not admit that he had walked out of the veranda because he did not know how to open the hotel door that was locked automatically.

Harsa's eyes twitched. Erik's words about Adi's fighting ability who was judged as a gifted child come to mind. “Where is this?”

“On the Edge-” Adi's words were cut off while she was holding Harsa while avoiding the attacks of sharp pebbles directed at the two of them. “There is no time for explanation! Can you run?”

“Can!”

Without hesitation Adi throws Harsa. “Hide there!!” Then, turn to the direction of the gravel attack that was still crashing at them.

It took Harsa a whole lot of effort to wake up. Am I hurt? Harsa asked herself to find out how limp her body was. Amidst that confusion, he finally saw their opponent.

Ten meters in front of him, a terrifying creature that Harsa could not identify floated around. The surrounding sand melted together and became pebble bullets that threw themselves at high speed towards Adi. Harsa's back trembled at the horrifying figure. Not only did his figure bring about nightmares, but he had the same aura, or even more terrifying than the mental pressure that had always followed Adi's presence. Without needing to be told by Erik or Adi, Harsa already knew.

That thing is formskitter.