Alicia remained seated at the dining table even though her plate was nothing but chicken bones. She refused to leave the table until the "spirit" that haunted the kitchen had exorcised itself from the house. Only then she could clean the dishes in peace. Awkwardness overtook her, so she took a napkin and was about to clean the dining table.

"Miss, there's no need!" said Semar. "Just clean your plate later."

"It's fine." Alicia began to wipe away the splashes of water, as well as the grains of rice that Wisesa had thrown on the wooden surface.

"If it's because of Wisesa, don't let his words bother you."

The lass' fair hand stopped spinning the rag. She sighed again, focusing her rigid gaze on the bones, and gripping her left hand as tightly as a hawk's grip lest Semar saw her body trembling. How many centuries would it take for yon lad to finish washing the dishes? Was this one of his mischief again? Or did he actually not know how to wash cutlery?

Finally, the long-awaited time came. Without turning his head, Wisesa continued to walk from the kitchen all the way through the patio doors. Something suddenly clicked in Alicia's mind that ignited an urgent need to follow him.

"One moment, Ki Semar. I won't be long," Alicia assured.

"Miss... please. Don't start any more fighting," Semar pleaded, his worry evident in his tone.

"No, no. No fightings. I promise!"

Wisesa was free from the gate of the house that held him captive. At last, a breath of crisp night air and the soul-soothing chirp of crickets. Alas, this ephemeral respite was abruptly shattered by the sound accursed in Wisesa's ears—any sound of his own name. Not to mention it came from none other than the very girl he had recently bullied.

"I lost my intention to fight because of you. I'll get that ball tomorrow. Now leave me alone!" said Wisesa without even turning around.

Alicia halted her pursuit, her breaths ragged. "That's good then. Listen. I have something to tell you."

"Miss, by the gods, I told you I have no intention of fighting—neither physical nor verbal, if I need to make that clear to you."

Alicia clenched her fists, her voice rising in pitch. "I also didnae want to fight you from the start, and because of that, can you act like a normal person for once, and listen to me first?"

Finally, Wisesa turned to face Alicia, a sneer of sarcasm twisting his lips. "Act like a normal person..." A forced chuckle from him. "Fine. I'm willing to waste a minute of my age to become a 'normal person' for you. Clock’s ticking, Alicia!"

Wisesa listening to her for the first time was somehow the first and only miracle of the day, Alicia felt. A surge of gratitude washed over her, momentarily rendering her feeble. "Oh, Silent Divine, thank you," she uttered softly instead of thanking Wisesa himself. "Alright... so, you're Barong—"

"Soul of Durga, I'm out of here—"

"No, no, no! Wait! I'm not done talking yet!" she cried out.

Wisesa exhaled and looked at the sparsely dotted night sky.

"You were in my vision before... before Yawadwipa. You and... the creature inside you. You are one of the mages with the strongest power," Alicia disclosed.

"Tell me something I don't know," the lad retorted.

"Okay, okay. Uh, the doom is nigh, Wisesa."

"What doom? You mean the ultimatum ‘doom’ from Alas Purwo?"

"No, the doom of the world scale! Argh, you know, the doom!" Alicia pressed on, her frustration mounting. "Then, it's you. You are one of the six anomalous mages who have the potential to save or destroy the world. According to the prophecy, you represent the land, the Child of the Beast, which holds magical creatures within himself. You and Barong fit that description! The Tree of knowledge told me that. Nostradame's divination scripture confirms it as well—"

"Nostradame's scripture?"

"Ye ken him? Look, you think I must be playing—"

"Of course, you're messing around with me. The scripture of Nostradame..."

"Wisesa. Please. Don't interrupt."

Wisesa shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyway, it's true. I am one of them. I'm an anomaly child too, because I hold Orb, the source of pure Arcane, even though I wasnae originally a witch."

Alicia slowly approached.

The girl leaned in. "You are just like me, the Child of Prophecy. I need you to come with me, find the other four, and save the world from the clutches of Khaos. I need your help!"

Wisesa's eyes regarded her with a hint of disbelief. Silence filled the air for a brief moment.

"You’re done?" asked Wisesa.

"I am. What do you think?" Alicia asked back.

"Good..." A sentence from the lad that brought a shred of hope to the Crimsonmane's tired face. "...Your minute has long passed, but alright, let's call it a bonus."

The lad turned and strode away.

"Hey!" Alicia exclaimed, her annoyance clear on her face.

Wisesa, equally irked, shot back, "What is it now?"

"I’ve wasted a minute of your time and you're still trying to leave? I wanted to hear your thoughts on what I said!"

Now it was Wisesa's turn to approach Alicia and look at her intently. "My opinion is that you're such a crazy ass and you're annoying, Miss Alicia! You should seek a psychiatrist. Oh, too bad, there are no psychiatric doctors here. The nearest one is in Alas Purwo, where you won't get a referral from me for a discount! And this nonsense about anomalous children and Nostradame? Please. The man was a raving lunatic and you're taking his word for it!"

"It's not just Nostradame! The Tree of Knowledge says so too!"

"Then, you can ask the local magic department to revoke the Tree of Knowledge's nickname—nope, just chop the shit out of it because it’s got the wrong person!"

"It was already chopped and dead because of that prophecy, Wisesa, please have some respect!"

"Oh good! Real good! Now you're literally taking the word of a dead tree! You just make it a thousand times better! Imagine heeding a sage from a damn, dead tree." He then let out a scoff. "West has fallen, truly West has fallen."

"Ye're never serious with people, are ye?"

"Why should I? Especially with you? You're talking like that's some mad shit but there are many shamans with khodam in Lojitengara. ¹Panembahan of Girah has one. Your adoptive father, the old fart Semar also has the Knowledge of Khodam. Maybe that's the man Nostradame was looking for!"

"What’s khodam?"

"Khodam, Miss! Khodam!" Wisesa grumbled as he went back and forth. "A spirit, or manifestation, or whatever is foreign and lives in a person's body to do the person’s bidding. That, khodam!" He then pointed to Semar's house. "Like that green ugly one right there! That one's from the old fart and it's guarding his house against magical threats or any ill intentions!"

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"W-what? Where?" Alicia swiftly turned around. No matter how squinty her eyes and accurate her glasses settings were, her senses did not perceive the ugly green in question.

"Shit, of course, you can't see it. You're not a shaman! Just stop adjusting your glasses like a moron!"

"Not another jest of yours?"

Wisesa's grumble grew more primal!

"I’m sorry,” Alicia realised, looking apologetic. “I thought you made it up. I'm not familiar with terms in the mystic art of shamanism... I'll w-write it down in my book."

"What book—ah, screw it! Three minutes! Three minutes you wasted my time!" After he was content with his scathing reply to her babbling, he turned around and walked for the umpteenth time. Never again would he turn around. "What doom? Doesn’t that stupid plant know, the doom has come since my birth?"

"Please," Alicia pleaded. "Don't you care if the world is on the brink of destruction?"

Wisesa shot back over his shoulder, "You can tell that to my butt," wiggling his backside as he disappeared into the night.

Alicia stood there, wrestling with a deluge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Why can't he see me as serious? Why is he so hateful towards me when we just met for the first time? Because I'm a Westerner? A magicless? Or because I possess pure Arcane? If he needs it, why can't he just ask for it?

Of course, she could not stay still forever. She began to loiter. Her nose inhaled deeply and exhaled quickly through her mouth, but the misery within her refused to dissipate. Her mind kept replaying Wisesa's unpleasant treatments, especially how he responded last time.

Alicia remembered that she, too, had once sneered at Wisesa, for looking down upon him, dismissing his answer about Orb’s whereabouts as a sick joke. No one seemed to trust him in everything, including herself, and the guilt weighed heavily on her heart.

The more she dwelled on those memories, the stronger her urge to cry became.

But the villagers should not hear her crying in the dead of night. So she dug her nails into her arm until it stung, and when her eyes were still puffy, she repeatedly slapped her cheek.

All the pain of the grip and slaps was nothing compared to the shocking, burning sensation on her back—the Arcane shock of Orb in the satchel.

"Orb!" Alicia lunged at it with a wobbly voice, then covered her mouth.

A low shrill pierced the lass' ear. Don't!

"S-sorry... It's just..."

Just don't!

No longer willing to engage in a dispute with her beloved ball, the girl let out a groan and stormed off towards Ki Semar's house.

A full stomach could not sate a heart heavy with anger and sadness. These emotions trailed Alicia to bed, robbing her of the ability to welcome the sweet embrace of dreams.

Alicia was truly exhausted, but her damned, uncontrollable mind kept reliving her encounter with Wisesa, and sleep eluded her. She rose from her bed and sat alone on the ledge, lost in her misery as she watched the shadows of the refugees sleeping peacefully behind the curtains of the pavilion. For a moment, she contemplated: if embracing one person who was predicted to be like her was already this difficult, how would she ever manage to find and unite with the other four?

"I miss Nadine and Gilmore," Alicia whispered to Orb in her hand. "I miss Papa and Leith."

Cry on, Alicia. The glowing white circle on Orb could see the girl's whimpering face.

"Cry? I'm just tired. Dinnae fash yerself," she replied. "My eyes are... watery from being tired, but I cannae sleep yet."

Alicia...? Orb did not seem to believe her. It demanded the right reasons. You know I can see you sobbing, right?

How was it possible—let alone allowed—for Alicia to avoid the truth? Once again, her eyes were closed tightly to stem the outburst of tears. She tried her best to keep her breathing rhythmic before she spoke again. "Divine Mercy. Do I have to be with that man? I cannae even imagine how much worse off the other four children must be."

Arcane's warmth grew from the centre of the lass' chest. It was like Orb was giving her a hug. Although Alicia did not feel the embrace of hands on her shoulders, Arcane's embrace was so warm, so soothing. But one could not tell if this was the right thing to do or not because Alicia's heart felt even more chaotic. She was having more and more difficulty holding back sobs, as evidenced by the way her head was bowed. After what happened just now, she felt unworthy of such an embrace—or rather, she did not want it.

Poor child. I'm sorry for jolting you, said Orb. You can always spend an entire lifetime cuddling and talking to me until you were finally ready again. You're strong, but I no longer want you to be strong ‘that’ way.

"You think I want it, too?" said Alicia, her voice trembling with emotion. "I hope I won't lose you again."

When I'm gone, you'll be strong.

Her moaning subsided. Her hiccups were under control. Alicia just stayed silent for a moment until she had completely calmed down. The Orb's warmth was still comforting in her arms.

"You were really fine while in Wisesa's clutches?" Alicia opened her mouth again.

Orb hummed a playful tone that meant, Still asking that again? Really, Alicia, I have no problem with that. Wisesa is, shall I say, rather stupid. I continued to sting him, and he barely stopped looking for ways to just hold onto me. Every time he failed to get his hands on me, he berated me for ten minutes before trying again.

Alicia began to chuckle, "It seems to have become his trademark."

Oh, it's a side job for you to teach him to reduce his swearing slowly.

Alicia was silent again. Her eyes gave a sign of indecision. "Do you think Wisesa will mellow out if we actually go on this trip?"

This is what I can tell you, Alica: He's having a hard time too, he just has his own way of dealing with it. Just like I care about you, you have to show that there are people who really care about him, even when he's explosive.

"Ki Semar did it. I haven't seen him change."

Don't you see that despite his insolent behaviour, he is more reluctant towards Semar than others?

"You're saying that he pays respect to Ki Semar?"

Semar will not be with him when we leave. If Semar made him a little tame in a short period of time, imagine what it would be like if he was with you for the whole journey through the world of thaumaturgy?

"I can hardly believe he has some kind of character development like in a bound fairy tale. Does getting sick of me more count as character development?"

The orb made a squeaking sound.

The girl just smiled a little. "Yes, that's funny. Laugh all you want."

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the foyer. She quickly wiped away her tears so that no one would see her in such a sad state.

Semar opened the door and found Alicia with her glowing Orb resting on her palms. The old man gave her a genuine smile and said, "You and the orb seem to have a special bond. It's a pity I can't understand what you're saying to each other. Am I interrupting something?"

"K-Ki Semar!" Alicia pretended to be excited. "Not at all! But I hope we're not disturbing yer sleep and the others."

"The others have already sounded in their dream," Semar replied. “You should be too. It's very late."

Semar pushed a chair closer to the steps where Alicia was sitting, then plonked himself down on the cushion. "Ask that Kalimasada ball what it thinks of me?"

Without prompting, the orb was already chanting. Suddenly, Alicia interrupted Orb's singing. "Orb! Dinnae talk like that!" she snapped.

"What is it? I want to hear it, my lady," Semar pleaded. "Don't worry. I'm not a monster like the one you encountered before. Just tell me the truth."

Alicia hesitated. "Orb said ..., You should cut down on fatty foods, especially pork. That's b-because... you’re already fatty, and with that kind of lifestyle, your appearance already resembles that of a farm animal."

But Semar was not easily offended and chuckled at the orb's response. "That Kalimasada ball has a good sense of humor. Oh, you're great, Orb! But no thanks. Just because I'm old, I at least want to do what I want. After all, I already smell like dirt." He snickered again.

The Tumaritis village chief continued, "Miss, I hope that after this day's events, regarding how rude I was—at least if you think so—know that I didn't really want to be rude to you."

"Ki Semar, don't. I understand. There's no need to apologise. It must be hard to take care of two wayward juveniles. Especially if the other one is Wisesa."

"And I hope you don't take anything he says to heart."

"It's hard, to be honest. But I have to try. At least if I have to be with him, in the future?"

Semar's face contorted in confusion. "What do you mean by 'to be with him in the future'?"

Alicia panicked, fearing she had blurted out. But Orb convinced her to tell him all about it. Luckily her ballmate was present, now she had at least a glimmer of knowledge about who was trustworthy or not. The orb seemed to possess an innate understanding of who could be trusted, just like how it knew that a sixteen-year-old bookish girl named Alicia Crimsonmane met the criteria of a world saviour.

So, Alicia told him everything; Her origins as the chosen wielder of Kalimasada, her being a fugitive from the other magi, the Six Children prophecy, the vision at the Tree of Knowledge, and how Barong's description matched exactly what she had seen in the vision. She also asked why a monster like Barong (and a jerk like Wisesa) could be the potential saviour. If the prophecy only included destroyers, not only Barong, she even happily would include Wisesa in the list.

Semar was taken aback by the revelation. Not because of the kind of joke she had made earlier, but because he seemed to remember something that might be related to the prophecy.

"Tell you what, Alicia," he began. "I'm going to tell you a story."

"A story?"

"That's right, a story. After that, you must go back to your room and sleep. Understood?"

Alicia did not need a bedtime story. But she nodded in agreement. "What fairy tale do you want to tell?"

"Not a fairy tale. I want to tell you about the creature that resides inside the Wisesa—Barong. I hope that after hearing it, you can get a little inspiration on how to handle this sacred creature and its host."

"Ki Semar, wait a moment!" Alicia immediately jumped to her feet and ran into the house. Before long, she returned, not only holding Orb in her bag. Notebooks and pens were already in each hand. She knelt down, her tired eyes alight with excitement, looking at Semar expectantly.

"I'm ready, Ki Semar. Tell me everything!" []