At night, Mira sat on the ground, staring into the campfire. Bintang arrived with more wood, throwing it into the flames before running back to the forest. The horses slept under a tree nearby. Mira gazed into the fire, memories flickering in her mind like the flames in front of her. The eye on her forehead sparkled with a brilliance that mirrored the dancing firelight.

As she continued to stare, her eyelids grew heavy. She fought the drowsiness, but it slowly overtook her. Her head drooped, and she fell asleep sitting up, managing to maintain her balance even in slumber.

Bintang returned, this time noticing Mira sleeping. He froze, tempted to throw the wood into the fire but hesitated. He knew if he tossed the logs carelessly, embers might jump out and disturb her sleep. Silently, he began placing the wood one piece at a time, careful not to stir the flames too much.

Hours passed, and Bintang, still awake, stared at the fire. He had no plans of sleeping, his single visible eye reflecting the burning embers. He heard movement in the bushes and stood up, his instincts kicking in. He scanned the area, alert. Another rustle drew his attention, and he summoned his swords, preparing for an attack.

A baby goblin emerged from the bushes, its innocent eyes staring up at Bintang. Shocked and confused, he lowered his guard slightly. The goblin seemed harmless, just a lost creature wandering the night.

Without warning, multiple arrows pierced Bintang's back, sending a sharp wave of pain through him. He staggered forward, blood staining his bandages. He turned, seeing goblins armed with bows behind him. As the world blurred and his body weakened, he collapsed, watching in horror as the goblins approached Mira. His vision faded as one goblin grinned menacingly, inching closer to her.

A goblin reached out to touch Mira’s hair but recoiled with a scream as its hand was burned by an invisible barrier. A hulking hobgoblin then emerged from the forest. It inspected the barrier surrounding her, noting the burns on its hand healed almost instantly. It raised a massive club and brought it down with full force. The barrier held firm, retaliating by releasing ethereal dragon-like spirits that bit into the hobgoblin’s flesh, burning it as the creature howled in pain.

The hobgoblin's eyes glowed with murderous rage. But before it could react, a sword pierced through its side. It bellowed in agony, swinging wildly to grab whatever struck it, but the assailant was already gone. The hobgoblin turned to see Bintang, blood dripping from his bandages, standing with a sword in hand.

Bintang charged, but the hobgoblin moved faster. With a devastating blow, the creature's club smashed into Bintang, sending him crashing to the ground, blood splattering from his body.

The hobgoblin turned back to Mira, ready to try again. But suddenly, goblins around it dropped dead, their bodies lifeless on the ground. Confused, the hobgoblin spotted Bintang again, moving at incredible speed, his eyes burning with fury. With a roar, it swung its club, but Bintang dodged and grabbed a burning log from the fire, ignoring the searing pain in his hand. With all his strength, he plunged the flaming log into the hobgoblin’s stomach, causing the creature to scream in agony.

Without waiting, Bintang quickly scooped up the still-sleeping Mira and ran, pushing his body to its limit. He glanced back at her, ready to shake her awake, but something stopped him. He remembered her exhaustion, the way she had fought sleep earlier. Gritting his teeth, he decided to let her rest and kept running, deeper into the woods.

As he ran, arrows whizzed past him. One came dangerously close, nearly grazing his eye. He looked back to see goblins riding wolves, arrows ready to strike again. Driven by desperation, Bintang prepared his sword in one hand while carrying Mira with the other. He cut down goblin after goblin, slashing at the wolves, his body moving on instinct despite the pain. Once the last goblin fell, he paused, panting heavily, before resuming his flight into the forest, Mira still asleep on his back.

After a few moments of heavy breathing, the hobgoblin's wounds began to heal, vanishing as if nothing had happened. With a furious scream, he sent a flock of birds flying from the trees in terror. Bintang heard the rage-filled cry and quickened his pace, hoping to avoid the danger closing in. The hobgoblin’s eyes gleamed blue, an ominous sign that he was using a skill. He spotted Bintang and Mira in the distance, rage bubbling within him. In a fit of anger, he uprooted a tree, preparing to throw it. With a roar, he hurled it like a spear, sending it hurtling toward them.

Bintang heard the sharp whoosh of a tree hurtling toward him, thrown by the Hobgoblin. Without hesitation, he stopped just in time, letting the massive tree crash into the ground in front of him. The impact sent a shudder through the earth, and Bintang realized with a sinking feeling that he stood no chance against such a powerful monster. But the sound of heavy footsteps snapped him back to reality.

Turning, he saw the Hobgoblin charging closer. Panic flared in his chest, and he glanced at Mira, desperately trying to think of a plan. He quickly bowed his head and looked at the dust beneath his feet. Without a second thought, he began moving his legs at incredible speed, circling around and kicking up a whirlwind of sand. The swirling sand formed a small tornado, clouding the Hobgoblin's vision.

Mira, carried by Bintang in the rush, sneezed as the sand filled the air, the gritty particles tickling her nose. The entire area was soon blanketed by the sandstorm, reducing visibility to nearly nothing. Seizing the opportunity, Bintang bolted, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

The Hobgoblin roared in frustration, swinging its massive club wildly in an attempt to clear the sand-filled air. But with each swing, more sand seemed to float around him, obscuring his view even further.

Meanwhile, Bintang scaled one of the large trees in the forest, carefully balancing Mira on a sturdy branch. As he placed her down, she began to slide, and with a quick motion, Bintang caught her, ensuring she wouldn’t fall. He looked down at the fading cloud of sand below, seeing the shadowy figure of the Hobgoblin emerging from it.

With one last glance at Mira to make sure she was safe, Bintang took a deep breath and sprinted back toward the sandstorm, diving into it without hesitation. He knew he had to face the Hobgoblin, no matter the risk.

The hobgoblin swung its club in anger, sending a wave of air that scattered the sand everywhere, slowly causing the dust to fade. As it cleared, the monster spotted Bintang rushing toward him. Enraged, the hobgoblin rose and struck, aiming to bring him down like before. This time, Bintang managed to dodge before the full force of the blow could land. But the hobgoblin, sensing his movements, swiftly swung the club in the direction Bintang dodged. Shocked, Bintang was hit, crashing hard into a nearby tree. The impact was brutal, leaving him breathless and weakened. He collapsed, motionless.

The hobgoblin sensed something unusual and moved toward Bintang’s body. What it saw shocked it—a shadowy figure began to emerge from Bintang’s fallen form, as if he was coming back from within his own remains. Half of Bintang's form appeared, standing over his lifeless body, his eyes fixed on the hobgoblin in disbelief. Without hesitation, Bintang grabbed his weapon, which had been knocked to the ground, and charged again.

The hobgoblin’s initial shock quickly turned to anger. It swung its club with full force, but this time Bintang blocked the attack with his sword. The sheer power behind the swing sent Bintang crashing into the woods once more. Though battered, his body trembling from the strain, Bintang did not give in. He could barely see, his vision blurred, as the hobgoblin closed in, intent on finishing him.

Unable to move, Bintang braced himself as the hobgoblin struck again, each blow more ferocious than the last. It seemed relentless, pounding the ground where Bintang lay. Silence followed, only broken by the hobgoblin's heavy breathing as it stood over what remained of the battle.

But then, from the bloodied scene, a hand emerged, reaching for Bintang’s fallen sword. As the hobgoblin prepared to smash again, Bintang swiftly pulled the sword back into his grasp, avoiding another hit. Desperate, Bintang threw the blade at the hobgoblin, aiming for its eye. The sword missed, clattering onto the ground nearby. The hobgoblin’s laugh echoed, mocking Bintang’s failed attempt.

Suddenly, Bintang leapt onto the hobgoblin’s back, plunging a hidden knife into its eye. The creature howled in pain, stumbling as Bintang quickly jumped away. While the hobgoblin struggled to remove the knife, Bintang sprinted toward his sword, which lay nearby. As he watched, the hobgoblin grew more frantic, clawing at the weapon in its eye. Its screams grew louder, and then something strange happened—roots, like spikes, burst from within the monster, piercing through its body. The hobgoblin’s movements ceased, its massive form collapsing with a heavy thud.

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Bintang could only stare in shock, his body trembling uncontrollably. His stomach churned, and he vomited violently, unable to hold back the nausea. Gasping for breath, he tried to calm himself, his wide eyes still locked on the lifeless body of the hobgoblin sprawled before him. The sight of the monstrous corpse, riddled with spikes and unmoving, sent waves of disbelief through him. His heart raced as he forced himself to breathe, trying to steady his shaking hands while the reality of what had just happened began to sink in.

Bintang, stunned by the unexpected turn, approached the fallen creature. He carefully pulled the knife from its eye, finding it surprisingly easy to remove. He stared at the blade, confusion written on his face, unsure of its origin or power

Bintang tried to calm himself, his gaze shifting down to his own burning arms. The searing pain hadn't faded, and the burn marks remained, even though he had revived. He stared at his bandage-covered body, soaked in blood, his mind going blank for a moment before panic set in. Mira's reaction flashed through his mind—her shock, her anger. He could almost see her furious expression, wondering how he'd managed to get himself into this mess.

Then, an idea sparked in his mind as he remembered the carriage. Inside, there was a red cloth hanging by the window. Determined, Bintang darted off, searching for the carriage. Panic began to rise again as he looked around, circling aimlessly with no idea where it was. After running for what felt like an eternity, his legs grew heavy, and he stopped, gasping for breath. That’s when he heard it—the sound of horses. His heart raced, and he bolted toward the noise.

He found the horses, leashed and dragged by goblins. Bintang crouched behind a bush, watching closely. A baby goblin sat on the driver's seat, fast asleep. Anger surged through him, his hand gripping the sword tightly. The memory of the goblins using the baby as a distraction filled him with fury, but he hesitated. If he killed the goblins and left the baby behind, it might die. He wasn’t heartless.

Instead, Bintang considered another idea. Sneaking around them wouldn’t be easy; stealth had never been his strong suit. Glancing down at his blood-soaked bandages, inspiration struck.

The goblins, still tugging at the horses, were caught off guard by a sudden gust of wind. Blinded by sand, they reached for their weapons, only to find them gone. Panic set in as one by one, they were taken down by an unseen force, until only the horses and the sleeping baby goblin remained.

Bintang approached the baby goblin, his bandages gone, revealing his terrifying, burned body. The few remaining wraps still clung to his head, hiding his face. Gently, he picked up the baby goblin and carried it a short distance, placing it beside the unconscious goblins he had tied to a tree using his bandages.

After ensuring the goblins were secure, Bintang returned to the carriage. The red cloth caught his eye, and he ripped it from the window, wrapping it around his body to cover his wounds. He grinned in satisfaction, the soft fabric offering comfort. Spying another piece of cloth, he tore it free and fashioned a makeshift robe. Spinning in circles, Bintang admired his reflection in his mind, imagining how cool he must look. He even wished for a mirror to confirm it.

But his joy quickly faded, replaced by a pang of sadness. Then, in an instant, his mood shifted again to excitement. He had the carriage, but something was missing—Mira. He imagined her waking up in a tree, falling to the ground, and scolded himself for not thinking things through. Determined to fix it, Bintang began gathering branches, piling them up a safe distance from the horses.

He searched for rocks, clumsily smashing them together in a desperate attempt to make a fire. Sparks flew, but nothing caught. Frustration built inside him, tears welling up as he tried again and again. Just when he was about to give up, a small flame ignited.

Bintang’s face lit up with pure joy. He danced around the fire, celebrating his success with an infectious energy that filled the night air.

Now he mark his place so he know where to find the horses his mind set a mission to find Mira, He looked around as he wonder where to start ?

Just as Bintang was deciding which way to start searching, a sudden explosion in the distance caught his attention. A towering pillar of fire rose from the ground, shooting into the sky. His eyes widened in shock, his mind racing to figure out what could’ve caused such a scene. Who could have done that? He didn’t have time to think further as the ground shifted beneath him. The trees, still rooted in the earth, began to move, forming a path.

Bintang's breath caught in his throat, but the real shock came when he saw Mira awake, a majestic, white snake-like creature coiled around her neck. Its gleaming scales shimmered in the light as Mira’s third eye locked onto Bintang. He could tell she wasn’t happy. Frozen in place, he could only watch as she slowly approached.

As Mira walked, the snake around her began to fade, leaving behind a trail of golden dust that glimmered in the air. She stopped right in front of him, her expression stern. Embarrassed, Bintang averted his gaze, unable to face her. But before he could think of an excuse, Mira suddenly punched him in the stomach, catching him completely off guard. He doubled over, clutching his stomach in pain, as Mira gave him a small smile.

"Just a test to make sure I’m not still asleep," she said, her tone light. But her smile quickly vanished, replaced by a displeased frown as she looked him up and down. "So, care to explain? First, why didn’t you wake me up? And second, why on earth was I sleeping in a tree branch? Can you even imagine how much it hurt when I fell and landed on my head?"

Bintang’s face flushed with regret, his expression filled with disappointment in himself. Before he could offer a reply, Mira punched him again in the stomach, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Another test I just invented," she said, her tone casual. "Just making sure I’m not dreaming."

Bintang looked up at her, pointing his finger in her direction, his face showing frustration. Mira raised an eyebrow, confused by his actions. Then Bintang mimed pinching himself, trying to indicate something.

As Bintang signaled about pinching, Mira quickly understood. Without hesitation, she pinched his hand, causing him to wince in pain again. Bintang groaned, clutching his hand, but stubbornly pointed at her once more, signaling for another pinch. Mira raised an eyebrow, amused by his persistence, but obliged, pinching him multiple times.

Each time she did, Bintang’s expression grew more pained, yet he kept pointing back at her, as if testing whether this was all still real. Mira finally stopped, crossing her arms with an exasperated smile.

Realizing that Bintang was actually asking her to pinch herself, Mira quickly caught on and said, "Wait, Ohhhhh . . . . Yeah no thanks, I already confirmed myself that I am not sleeping."

Bintang, disappointed, sighed and lowered his hand, realizing his plan wasn't going to work. He gave a small, defeated nod, accepting Mira's response without protest.

"I guess I don't need an explanation why," Mira said, her tone shifting to concern. "The real question I should ask is—are you hurt?" She glanced at Bintang’s head, noticing the bandages soaked with blood.

Despite her still-unhappy expression, there was genuine concern in her eyes as she looked at him. "Take the bandage off," she instructed softly. Bintang was silent, visibly uncomfortable with the idea. Mira asked again, this time more gently, "Come on, take it off. I won’t judge your look, okay?"

Bintang hesitated, his hands shaking as he attempted to reach for the bandages. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Sensing his reluctance, Mira took hold of his trembling hand, lowering it back down. Slowly, she reached up to his head, unwrapping the bandages as Bintang closed his eye, allowing it to happen. As the cloth fell away, it revealed severe burn wounds all over his head, one missing eye, and no lips, exposing sharp teeth underneath.

Mira didn’t flinch. She kept going, tearing a piece of her robe and wrapping it carefully around his head. Noticing that the top of his head was still exposed, Mira paused. Then, without a word, she took off the bandages from her own eyes and used them to cover the remaining part of Bintang’s head. Bintang opened his eye, shocked to see her face—her two eyes were marked with a crimson "X," leaving only the eye on her forehead unscathed. The two eyes had no pupils, one white and the other dark. She quickly closed them again.

Before he could ask, Mira said calmly, "Don’t ask about my eyes." Bintang, still confused, kept silent, but it was clear he wanted to know more. Mira continued, anticipating his thoughts, "To make it fair, alright? I unwrap your bandages, and I unwrap mine. I get to see your head without those bandages, and you get to see my eyes without me hiding them anymore " She smiled slightly as she wrapped the last part of his head. "Fair, right?" she asked, her third eye staring at him. Bintang remained silent, unsure how to respond.

Once she was done, Mira stepped back with a smile. "There, all done." Bintang, still uncertain about his appearance, reached up to touch his head, as if needing to confirm it for himself. Mira sighed and pulled a small mirror from her bag, holding it up for him to see. Bintang examined his reflection, feeling unsatisfied by the mix of dark and white bandages that wrapped around his head. He opened his mouth, baring his sharp teeth, and then closed it again, this time seeming more content with the look.

Mira raised an eyebrow, confused. "Weird," she muttered, watching Bintang intently as he continued to inspect himself. She eventually stowed the mirror away, but Bintang’s disappointed expression made her sigh and roll her eyes. She handed the mirror back to him. He quickly took it, adjusting the bandages where some of the burn wounds were still exposed.

Meanwhile, Mira climbed into the driver's seat of the carriage, lying back and gazing up at the stars. "I wonder when this will end," she mused quietly to herself. A moment later, the carriage shook as the sound of a door opening and closing echoed in the stillness.

"Bintang, was that you?" she called out, a bit loudly.

Three knocks followed, signaling that it was indeed him. Satisfied, Mira relaxed, lying back down to stare at the stars, waiting patiently for the sun to rise.