A quiet and cold morning was enveloped in thick fog, while the dew sparkled, soaking the roofs of the houses and the leaves of the trees in Gousan Village.
“Father, I’m leaving!.. Father, haa, still sleeping, huh?”
Nazzares was ready to leave, looking dashing with his hair tied back. He also wore the Abhiseka sword around his waist.
Zares walked to Kandita’s house, strolling down the streets of Gousan Village with a smile on his face.
Meanwhile, at Tukiyem’s house, Kandita’s mother...
“My daughter is truly beautiful,” said Mother Tukiyem, brushing her daughter’s hair.
“Hmmm... When you two were still babies, your father and I, along with Zarres' mother, had already planned your marriage,” Tukiyem said with a soft smile.
“And you know? When this plan was made, your little, cute fingers were holding each other tightly. That sight made us even more certain about this decision,” she continued, full of memories.
“Ha... Really?” Kandita replied in surprise, her eyes wide as she listened to the story.
“Perhaps that’s why I feel like I can never turn to another man,” she continued quietly, almost speaking to herself.
“I didn’t expect Nazzares’ mother to be a Fatalis. Why did she keep it a secret?” asked Tukiyem, confused.
“I don’t know, Mother! But, Zares told me that after the incident 15 years ago, his mother wanted to live in peace and decided to isolate herself in this village,” Kandita explained to her mother.
“Ho... When I think about it, that incident 15 years ago was terrifying. I don’t want to remember it anymore. Hi, God forbid,” said Tukiyem, a little scared to recall it.
“But what’s even more surprising is that my future son-in-law is a Fatalis. I’ve heard that he often fights Rakshas in the Blora forest...” Tukiyem said, amazed.
“Yeah... After that news spread, the villagers and his friends started treating him differently, almost like he’s more respected now,” Kandita replied.
“Many women have even openly wanted to be his concubines,” Kandita said, frustrated, with a frown on her face.
“Alright, don’t worry. Your future husband is indeed handsome. But you will have a big responsibility as the wife of a Fatalis. Especially since Zares chose you, a regular girl, as his wife,” Tukiyem said gently, hugging her daughter.
“Yeah, Mother. I will do my best to carry all of it,” Kandita smiled happily.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Knock knock knock.
“Hey, that must be Zares. Alright, I’ll go out now,” Tukiyem said as she got up from the vanity to greet Zares.
“My son-in-law, you look very handsome today,” said Tukiyem.
“Hahaha... Thank you, Auntie,” Zares replied.
Footsteps could be heard moving away.
Tap, tap, tap.
A woman, like an angel, appeared at the door, wearing a batik kebaya tied with a black cloth around her waist. Her jet-black hair and the flower tucked behind her ear made Zares stare, his mouth hanging open.
“Mmmm... aah... iii... mmmm... aah... let’s go,” Zares said, his eyes still locked on Kandita’s face.
Feeling shy, Kandita lowered her gaze and smiled.
“Enjoy your time together,” Tukiyem called out, waving her hand.
---
Zares and Kandita walked slowly toward the village gate, where they planned to wait for Sire Takur, who would give them a ride in his horse-drawn carriage.
Sire Takur was a regular merchant who came to Zares’ house every two weeks to pick up medicinal potions. These potions would then be sent to the nobles in the kingdom. His journeys were always long and tiring, so Sire Takur would usually spend the night at the village inn before continuing his travels.
Yesterday, he had just taken a supply of medicinal potions from Zares' house, as they had previously agreed upon.
Now, Zares and Kandita stood by the side of the road, waiting for the dust from the road to signal that Sire Takur's carriage was approaching.
“Kring kring kring tak ketutak ketutak,” the sound of jingling and hooves could be heard.
“Hey, have you been waiting long?” Sire Takur said, seeing the couple standing at the village entrance.
“No, Sire, we just arrived,” Zares replied.
Zares gently but firmly took Kandita's hand, helping her into the carriage carefully. After ensuring Kandita was seated comfortably, Zares climbed in and sat beside her.
The horse-drawn carriage began to move slowly, the wheels creaking over the cobbled road, carrying them on their journey toward the destination still ahead.
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Elsewhere, on the Blora forest hill...
A mysterious light appeared, growing larger and larger, until it formed a dimensional portal.
A hand with sharp claws at the fingertips slowly emerged from the portal.
A Raksha, tall and thin with horns on its head and long hair down to its knees, emerged. A high-level Raksha had appeared.
"This place is filled with mystical energy," the Raksha said after stepping out of the portal.
"Damn, breaking the portal seal took so long," it added, irritated.
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Back to Zares, Kandita, and Sire Takur’s journey as noon approached...
“We’re almost there, Zares,” Sire Takur said to Zares.
“Alright, Sire,” Zares replied, sitting next to Kandita.
___~V~___
Serabi City
The city gates of Serabi appeared in the distance. Around the gates, the bustle of people going about their daily activities was evident. Elves, orcs, goblins, and others blended in the hustle and bustle of city life.
Along the roadside, large and magnificent statues had been prepared, awaiting the festival that would be held later that evening. The atmosphere was full of enthusiasm, as if the entire city was preparing to welcome this special moment.
"Yeah, we’ve arrived. Be careful, Zares, we’ll part ways here. Take care of your beautiful wife... hahahaha," said Sire.
"Alright, Sire, I’m very grateful to you," Zares said after getting off at their destination.
They waved each other goodbye at the crossroads until Sire's carriage disappeared from view. Zares and Kandita then walked toward the gates of Serabi City.
Zares held Kandita’s hand tightly but gently, guiding her as they walked down the street in search of an inn. Since the event would last until night, they decided to stay there for the night.
"It looks like there's an inn over there," Zares said, noticing a sign for the inn.
Zares and Kandita walked toward the inn. Upon reaching the receptionist, Zares immediately ordered two rooms for one night.
"Uncle, I’d like to book two rooms," Zares said to the innkeeper.
"I’m sorry, sir, but there’s only one room left, though it’s spacious enough for two beds. Would that be acceptable, sir? I’ll have my staff prepare it for you."
"What should we do?" Zares asked Kandita.
"It’s fine. I’m already tired from walking. It's festival day, so all the inns must be full. Just accept it," Kandita replied.
"Alright then," Zares said.
They rested for a while in the room after paying two gold coins for one night's stay.
"Sleep well! I’ll wake you up in the afternoon," Zares said to Kandita.
"Alright," Kandita said, then went to the adjoining room to change clothes before resting peacefully.
"Be careful now, don’t do anything while I sleep," Kandita warned.
"Don’t worry, I won’t do anything," Zares replied, though he was clearly tempted by the beauty of his future wife.
Exhausted, Zares eventually fell asleep from the overwhelming drowsiness.
Zzzzz... Zzzzzz... Zzzzzz... Zzzzz.
Time passed, and the afternoon came. Zares, still fast asleep, slowly opened his eyes. As soon as he opened them, he saw Kandita sitting at the vanity table, carefully combing her hair and applying makeup.
"You're awake," Kandita said, looking very beautiful.
"Quick, get ready! Before the festival starts, I want to explore the city," Kandita said.
"Alright," Zares replied, smiling.
Kandita and Zares left the inn. They wandered around the city, trying various foods, shopping for clothes, watching street performances, and engaging in other fun activities.
The festival began with a stunning ketoprak performance. The actors performed scenes as the Fatalis, while others wore costumes resembling raksha.
They presented a heroic scene depicting the events of fifteen years ago — a fierce battle against rakshas, where lives were at stake for victory and peace. The atmosphere was filled with admiration and emotion from the spectators witnessing this history brought to life. With the sound of melodic gamelan music, the actors' performances became even more captivating, drawing the audience into the story.
During this moment, Kandita slowly rested her head on Zares' shoulder. This simple yet meaningful intimacy created a romantic atmosphere between them, as if the world around them had disappeared, leaving only the unforgettable memory of the event.
After wandering and finding a place to rest...
As Kandita and Zares walked side by side, holding hands along a quiet road, their steps suddenly halted when two thugs emerged from the shadows, blocking their path. Without warning, one of them pointed a sword at Zares.
"Heh... give us all your money," the thug threatened with a menacing face.
However, Zares showed a flat expression. Kandita, on the other hand, was frightened and hid behind Zares, pressing herself against his back.
"Go away," Zares said.
"What did you say, brat?" the thug replied, raising his voice.
Meanwhile, the other thug, standing behind, noticed Kandita hiding behind Zares.
"Oooiii, you're so beautiful!! I’m going to have some fun tonight," the thug said, with a filthy thought as he tried to touch Kandita.
But Zares quickly grabbed the thug's hand with a firm grip and said,
"GET LOST."
Zares' eyes glowed red as he stared at the thug, releasing a bit of his mystic aura as a warning. The thugs felt a chilling pressure that sent shivers down their spines.
"Kkk... Yo... Y... Yo... you... you’re a... a Fatalis!" the thug stammered, fear in his voice.
Meanwhile, the other thug stood frozen, his eyes wide with fear. The pants of the thug held by Zares began to dampen from fear.
"Please forgive us, sir, forgive us, forgive us..." the thug pleaded, bowing.
He then dragged his partner away, fleeing in panic.
Kandita, feeling relieved and safe, immediately embraced her fiancé, smiling with happiness.
"Heh... I want to show you something nice," Zares said to Kandita, who was hugging him.
"What is it?" Kandita replied.
"Alright, hold on tight, I’m going to carry you," Zares said.
Kandita wrapped her arms around Zares, who then flew them across the dazzling city, with beautiful lights sparkling below them. After a while, they reached the Blora Forest Waterfall.
There, various enchanting mystic creatures appeared among the flying fireflies. Beautiful plants with fragrant aromas filled the air, while the soft moonlight added to the magical beauty of the place.
"Hey, how did you find a place like this?" Kandita asked while gently petting a mystic creature, similar to a cat, that approached her.
"It's beautiful, isn’t it?" Zares knew this place because, during the festival when he was four years old, his parents had taken him here.
Zares was mesmerized, watching Kandita play with the mystic creatures, smiling happily. The moonlight and the surrounding plants reflected gently on Kandita's face, making her look enchanting. Zares couldn’t take his eyes off her, his heart racing uncontrollably. Unconsciously, Kandita turned to look at Zares, and their eyes met in a silence full of meaning.
The atmosphere became awkward, yet there was a strong pull between them that couldn’t be explained. Zares slowly stepped closer, while Kandita remained still, her eyes seemingly permitting him. At such a close distance, they gazed at each other, feeling every passing second as though it were eternal.
Finally, Zares gathered his courage to lift his hand, gently touching Kandita's face. Carefully, he leaned in, their breaths mingling. Kandita closed her eyes, allowing the moment to unite them. Their lips met in a kiss full of warmth and intimacy, giving rise to a wave of emotions that words couldn’t express. The world around them seemed to stop, leaving only two hearts now united in perfect harmony.
To be continued...