"Aaarrgh!"

The howling creature was indeed Nixas. His stumpy hands, his fur-collared agency coat, and a visage that had seen better days. He bemoaned with his neck stretched forward.

The Desire had been achieved. The corpse of Nixas could not contain his longing any longer. Thus he ran and sprang upon Alicia until she was cast down.

With a hunger that transcended mere physical embrace, the former agent of Rome yearned to hold Alicia close and feel the warmth of her lips against his own chattering teeth. But alas, Alicia's left hand was firmly entrenched around Nixas' throat, preventing anything more than a dribble of saliva from passing his lips. It was a good thing Tumaritis' healers were skilled at restoring her hand in a matter of days—Wisesa deserved the credits too—even though the lingering ache remained. When Alicia found the momentum behind the corpse's writhing, she drew back her right foot and kicked Nixas square in the stomach.

Too light and hollow was Nixas, his lifeless form cast aside like a discarded twig. Just as he attempted to crawl back towards her, Gareng and Petruk preceded Alicia, each delivering a fist on either side of the corpse's chest! Nixas's ribcage was rent asunder, his shoulders torn from his body in a shower of gore.

"Oh no, no, did he bite you? Did he bite your left arm again?" said Bagong frantically as he darted towards Alicia. The lass was not injured in the slightest.

"What kind of trickery is this again?" Petruk was confused. He called out to the noon sky, "We're on holiday, Leyaks! If you want to disturb us, come again in two weeks!"

The sight of Nixas, once a saviour from flesh-devouring maggots, now an undead tattered by flesh-devouring amphipods, clenched the lass' stomach. The knowledge that the man's current form was exactly the work of a mage who holds dominion over the dead only made her shuddering breath even louder.

"N-Nixas... what has become of you?" Alicia was devastated.

With a wild growl, Nixas thrashed against the efforts of Ki Semar's two warriors. Alicia's mind raced, considering the possibilities of what could have transpired. Could this twisted, unrecognisable form before her truly be the handcraft of Girahite Leyaks? However, she knew the fear gnawing at the back of her mind implied otherwise. Dinnae tell me... Agosh Grendi has broken free from his prison!

Alicia was unwilling to endure another moment of mundane torment, especially after the ambush by the black magic shamans days before. Her hand reached instinctively for Orb in her bag to eradicate the remnants of Nixas once and for all.

But Bagong was quick to intervene, as his worried expression signalled to Alicia not to draw undue attention from the other residents with an overt display of Divine Grace. Instead, he directed his finger to the ongoing struggle between the living and the dead. Though reluctant, Alicia understood and complied. A memento that the children of Semar were not to be trifled with.

With blunt stomps, Petruk and Gareng hacked Nixas's remains into tiny pieces, while The other villagers had already stepped back lest the foul slime from the corpse splashed onto their skin. The two sons of Semar then combined their inner strength, reducing the chunks of flesh to a fine mince, almost resembling lumps of meat. Yet, Nixas' head remained intact, his jaws snapping at the air.

Petruk seized Nixas's hair in a swift motion, while Gareng raced out of the village gates. After a deep breath, Petruk then hurled the head of the former Roman agent towards his brother, to which Gareng met with a reverse kick, launching it into the heavens with the speed of Thunderkeeper's lightning! A trail of clouds marked its path as it ascended higher until the atmospheric friction set the head fiercely aflame. Nixas had earned his Eternal Peace.

A raucous chorus erupted for the might of Petruk and Gareng. The day had once more been saved. Under the guidance of Bagong, the villagers set about cleaning up the remnants of the fallen foe, casting the scraps into the fiery abyss. Alicia sat in quiet contemplation, a wave of self-reproach washing over her. She realised that her vigilance had wavered enough for her pursuers to inch ever closer. Time had elapsed by so much, and the realm of Hades was expanding because of her.

"I cannae go on like this," Alicia whispered to herself. She threaded her way through the crowd back to Ki Semar's residence without heeding the calls from her friends. Her mind was clouded with a tempest of emotions: fear and frustration.

It's not your fault, Alicia! the Orb chimed from within her backpack.

"How many more people have to die for it to be my fault, Orb?" Alicia's mutter was raw. "I must leave this place immediately and find another child!"

What about Wisesa?

"What about him? I promised him I'd pick him up at the last moment. He would've been expecting that and scoffed at me if I didnae keep it. You always hear everything, so you know that much."

So you want to play the 'Who Breaks the Promise First' game with him? At a time like this?

"Orb!" her voice rose. The surrounding people looked at her, and Alicia continued walking without paying them any attention. She reached into her bag and grabbed Orb. "You're linked to me, are you not? Tell me, am I playing around?"

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

But you need all the help you can get!

"Wisesa wants me to stay away, and I don't have much time to trouble myself for him."

Come now, Alicia! I thought you were going to persuade him as Semar directed—through affection, showing that you are there for him, care about him. not just another person looking to exploit his powers,

"I appreciate your reminder, Orb," Alicia said. "but I can't stand it anymore. And I don't want my head spinning with more arguments. I hope you understand."

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the sounds of laughter and chatter filled the air once more. Too bad that they were missing one visitor…

***

The second harvest feast had arrived, and the merriment should have not subsided. But how the Divine had cursed them, for the moment when the commoners could revel without restraint had been beset with disruption yet again. Next year's harvest might well be jeopardised by the discontent over their halcyon days.

Alicia gazed upon Ki Semar and his three children stood before their dwelling, facing the frenzied crowd. Their voices resounded with each word exchanged, rising like the morning sun. Eyebrows furrowed like people in heat although the morning dew had not yet evaporated. The force of their speech gave weight to the chests of those who listened, including Alicia herself—even if she could not comprehend their discourse.

Kanastren entered the abode, her countenance fraught with unease. She clapped her bosom, trying to still the anxieties that plagued her, to no avail.

"What happened?" Alicia approached the woman.

"Oh, Miss Alicia," Nyai Kanastren whispered, "weren't you planning to leave the village today? I didn't want to disturb your preparations."

Alicia was already disturbed by the way Kanastren spoke.

"The gathering of folks only serves to make me feel uneasy."

Kanastren's despair escaped her lips in a heavy sigh. "When morning dawned, many of the villagers' children disappeared. Kiran, Cempaka, and Cahyaningrum were among them. Similar incidents also happened in neighbouring villages."

An uncontrollable quiver struck Alicia's lips before they gave up and her jaw dropped. Her body floating, she plopped down on the chair next to Semar's wife. This was no mere childish prank in the midst of a celebration. The villagers must have understood that. The only thought that came to mind was that the opposing forces were not respecting the sacred days and were taking advantage while the supporters of Pulomas were unsuspecting.

"H-how could...?"

Kanstren did not answer again. What answer could she provide? Pretending to be hopeful, Semar's wife diverted the conversation. "You must prepare. The carriage will come to pick you up. Don't worry about the children. My husband has already made plans to search the entire forest and seek an audience with Alas Purwo."

Alicia immediately replied, "I'm not going."

"Alicia..."

"They're my friends too. How could I be so selfish and leave the village without their knowledge?"

Kanastren nodded slowly. "If that is your wish, Alicia, the villagers will be forever grateful.”

"I'll report to Ki Semar then." Alicia said her greetings and went out to the foyer. As she walked out, she muttered again, "You can praise later, Orb. The children haven't been found yet."

Alicia met Ki Semar in the crowd. To her surprise, her eyes accidentally exchanged glances with Wisesa, who also happened to be there—dragged, to be precise. The young man in the striated suit quickly looked away.

Upon hearing Alicia's request to join the search party, the wise old man Semar asked, "Are you sure? Didn't you decide to leave the village earlier—that is, today?"

Alicia shook her head. "All that can wait. The other children may not."

Wisesa, usually quick with a cutting remark, stayed uncharacteristically silent. A small grace, but a grace nonetheless.

"I am glad, Miss Alicia," Semar replied. "I have already assigned the search parties. It would be an honor if you joined me."

Alicia nodded. They straight left the village, separate groups with their separate ways.

***

Wisesa joined a group of youths and elders, travelling through the forest in the western part of the village. However, he still decided to withdraw from them and take another path without their knowledge. He was more comfortable looking for clues on his own.

"Hey there, have you by any chance seen a bunch of brainless kids playing around here during yesterday’s party?" Wisesa spoke to a grasshopper atop a wild plant leaf. “What's that? Yeah, of course, you don't know. How could you, after all? Always minding your own business."

He stood, brushing the dirt off his trousers as he climbed up a slight incline. A sneer played at his lips. "Well, it's not like I care about them. They could get lost and die. Not my business at all. But that old fart is begging me to come along. Sucks."

Shouts of names echoed through the forest. Wisesa had a preference to check the ground and plants for signs of people who might have forgotten their way home in the dim wilderness. He had interrogated frogs, conversed with cuckoos, and argued with wild boars, but none of their answers satisfied his ears.

Until Wisesa finally spoke to a wandering spoon snake. He told it everything while the snake showed off its tongue and hood. Just as the man waited for the snake to speak, a roar of laughter rose from the trees.

And at the same time, his insides churned. His teeth-grinding expression exercised the ageing wrinkles on his countenance. Black magic user's here.

"Yes, I know someone was laughing just now. Get out of here," Wisesa prompted the snake. The lad lifted his head up. A human silhouette blocking the sun appeared on a tree branch while gesticulating at the waist.

The figure descended gracefully so that he was equal to Wisesa.

"Uh..." Wisesa examined the person's appearance. "Do I know you?"

The man's thunderous laughter sounded again. "’Sugeng enjing', brother! Have you really never seen me?"

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't, I don't know," Wisesa shrugged. "I don't remember any useless people in my life."

The man's laughter only grew louder at Wisesa's words. "Then let me introduce myself. My name is Boko Rombeng!" []