ALKISAH: Prayer for the World [1001 Indonesian Fantasy Stories]
STORY: The Cry of Burning Persistence

Story By: Sun & Kevin E.S.P

Gendis gulped, strengthening her resolve to just be able to walk upright under dozens of judgmental eyes. Everyone in this market—dan in this village—knows his family pedigree—which makes them afraid of him. The girl is the last descendant of the Wisanggeni family known to be allied with demons.

Religious leaders always talk about it when preaching, and neighbors like to gossip about it, but no one dares to express it openly. A glance of his gaze was enough to make those people shudder in horror, and his existence made people move away at least ten steps away.

“I've never seen him work, but how can he have money shopping?”

“Care tuyul times.”

“Ssst, don't be loud, it'll be heard!”

Gendis heard. He immediately turned his back on a group of mothers who were crouching in the vegetable merchant's stand. They panicked and quickly left, while the vegetable merchant pretended not to be involved in the conversation just now. The girl snorted. Were it not for running out of rice, he would not have gone out of his house either.

He approached a rice shop, and the people who were originally shopping there immediately distanced themselves. Only the rice-seller can't go anywhere. All humans avoid Gendis except a wild cat that comes tasty from nowhere, wriggling spoiled at her feet.

“Hush! Hush!” He tried to get rid of the cat, but the cat did not want to leave. So he just sighed. “Mas, buy rice.”

“I—Iya,” said the nervous youth. “Ah—how litre?”

“One sack,” replied Gendis. He wants to have enough supplies so that there is no need to leave the house again in the near future.

However, the young man remained silent with a confused face. “But it's heavy... Can you lift it?”

“Don't be chatty!” hardik Gendis ketus's. “I want a sack!”

“Good, good, ready.”

The young man rushed to the back of the shop to pick up the stock of sack rice.

Gendis always hates people who ask questions about her, about her life. Because in the end they are just curious and then make it a gossip material. Not more.

“Allying with the devil is the deed God accuses the most!”

The girl heard a familiar voice. He glanced back and found Ustadz Sodir and his wife. They spoke to some of the people who were swarming around him.

“The punishment for such people is Hell,” continued the Ustadz. “May we be kept away from such things.”

Gendis rolled her eyeballs. Hearing such things has become his daily food.

“The lecture was violated, not in the market!” without turning around.

“Spread though one verse!” ustadz Sodir replied, but it was still as if speaking to his audience. “Threading kindness can be anywhere, no matter the place.”

“But why be here?” reply Gendis. “Pak Ustadz want to offend who?”

“No offending anyone. If anyone is offended, sorry. Means..”

The man hung up his sentence, making people laugh amusedly.

Gendis clucked, then said ketus, “Have not rice yet?!”

“Iya, yes, this!” the young man lifted a sack of rice.

However, Ustadz Sodir was not satisfied. He continued his talk.

“Not only Hell waits, doom can also come in the world for those who ally themselves with the devil! For example, like the disaster a few years ago that killed a family of devil worshipers. That's proof of God's anger.”

The family referred to by the man, none other than and not is the Wisanggeni Family.

Gendis was used to being insulted, but she could not stay silent if her family was harassed.

“Ustadz, watch your mouth!” He turned around, both his eyes glaring with wrath.

“Why? Did I misspoke?” jawas Ustadz Sodir in a sinless tone.

Gendis clenched her hands, then walked steadily towards the man. The people who had originally surrounded Ustadz Sodir began to move backwards. But the man kept his position as if to protect his worshippers.

“Only Mr. Ustadz call others to doom. What if the disaster affected his family Mr Ustadz?!”

“It... only God knows. But because I always take refuge in Him, so—”

“Can he protect Mr Ustadz from this?!”

Gendis raised her fist into the air, then opened it. From his palm appeared tongues of fire that danced, then wriggled into the air like a magic show. The fire spins to be as big as a ping pong ball, then a round ball, then a volleyball.

Ustadz Sodir was horrified to see it. He could hardly believe his own eyes. He used to talk about Gendis being allied with demons, but had never seen the girl show her magic in front of a crowd.

Although tense, he immediately commited to read a prayer. He has faith, and he believes his prayers can defeat the supernatural. However, as the fire in Gendis's hand grew even bigger, doubt was evident in his expression.

The girl swung her hand suddenly. The fireball burned the ground, creating a wall of fire between him and Ustadz Sodir. Instantly everyone scream—including the ustadz—then running in disarray. Even some merchants left the field just like that.

“Fire! Fire!”

“There's a demon!”

The girl sighed. He swung his hand, then the fire that burned the ground gradually extinguished. It's out of control. But at least now he can go home quietly. He turned around to get the rice.

However, his feet tripped a small lump on the road. He looked down, then his whole body was goosebumps. The fire he created just now accidentally burned the stray cat that had been stuck nearby.

The girl's chest became tight. He tightened his molars, then grabbed the cat with trembling hands. He caught the poor animal.

“Sorry..."

The girl immediately ran carrying the stray cat in her arms. Guilt gnawed at his soul. But this does not need to happen if only he can control his emotions.

He arrived at an empty land next to the public funeral—because he no longer knew where to take him. He scavenged the ground with his finger, and buried the cat. A drop of her tears fell, and she wiped it. But the other spots were pouring out, so he could no longer stop it.

He was crying in silence.

Then there were footsteps approaching. The girl immediately stared warily. It was Ustadz Sodir, still wearing a T-shirt, peci, and sarong like in the market.

“Gendis,” call it.

Suddenly a figure of a fireball appeared near the girl. Then he exclaimed familiarly, “Good show, Mr. Ustadz. Your fear face is authentic.”

The man smiled wryly. “I was forced,” said, “forgive me, Gendis. I heard tonight the door will open very wide?”

“Yes, it's okay, kok,” replied Gendis, but her face did not say that. His eyes are still puffy. “Toh is how it works... “

“While it has been twenty-one years that I have been doing this role with your family, but still my position still feels very confusing,” Ustadz Sodir whispered, “on the other hand I also have to keep the villagers from falling into the valley of polytheism—ah, I do not mean to insult you.”

“I told you it's okay. Any minute of the night, I'd better get Mr. Ustadz out of here. This you know that this is my responsibility from the beginning.”

“Yah, okay. I leave this village to you.” Mr. Ustadz glanced into the burial area from behind the fence. “What an unpleasant coincidence.The gate this time turned out to be the twenty-first big gate that has appeared in our village... “

“Hey, hey, take it easy, Mr. Ustadz, my energy is fully charged!” the devil is in the form of a fireball. “At the moment I feel very hot. So hot I can make the bodies in this cemetery scream in the grave!”

Mr. Ustadz smiled slightly. “Do as you please, the important thing is not to destroy the houses of citizens again, that's it.”

The fiery figure laughed out loud. “Take it easy! I guarantee I won't do such a shameful thing again!” However, suddenly the figure seemed to have just been hit by an electric shock. He remembered something. “Oh yes, Mr Ustadz look no strange child in the market earlier?”

“Weird kid? Which one?”

“Ah... I don't know exactly, but she is definitely not a citizen here.”

“Hmm? What's so weird about that kid?”

“Looks...he carried a mountain inside his pants pocket... Mount Merapi.”

“Hah?!”

While Banaspati and Mr. Ustadz were chatting about something so absurd, Gendis instead drowned in her own daydream. His empty eyes were fixed on the fire creature.

That creature is Banaspati. It was the devil who made an alliance with the Wisanggeni family. Their connection has been going on for generations. However, what people do not know, the alliance was made not to enrich the Wisanggeni family. Banaspati did not give them money, but power. To fight the dark creatures—the manifestation of the sins of man who crawls from the supernatural. Rawaireng Village is the door between two worlds, and it is the duty of the Wisanggeni family to prevent the dark creatures from crossing.

“Then I go first, may Allah protect you,” said Ustadz Sodir ironically. The man immediately lifted his foot from there.

“Yes, Mr. Ustadz also be careful.”

Then soon, a dark smoke appeared that slowly enveloped the burial ground, more concentrated than night. Foreign voices that came from this world did not begin to be unpretentious. The roars and screams of those who are tormented in hell.

All over the body Gendis goosebumps made. The romantics' feathers vibrate. However, he ventured. The girl stood up straight with Banaspati, staring at the increasingly clinging darkness.

“Banaspati, get ready,” he said.

“I'm always ready,” said the devil. “In fact you are, have you finished crying?”

Gendis wiped the last tear on her petals, then steadied herself. He stared at the darkness that turned back at him.

Then a black creature ran out of the darkness. His whole body was like covered in charcoal. Long fangs sticking out of his pig-like face.

“Forward!”

Gendis swung his hand forward as cue for Banaspati darted towards the creature. A huge explosion enveloped the black pig. The creature roared in pain. He shook his hand to put out the fire, and caught Banaspati. He threw the demon of fire far away. Then he came back to Gendis.

“One more time!”

Gendis turned both hands so that Banaspati shot back. But this time Banaspati spins fast, then the number doubles to seven. And the seven fireballs struck the black pig mercilessly, creating an incredible pillar of fire. The smell of charred meat filled the air. The dark creature stopped running, then fell. His body hit the ground, then decomposed back into the darkness.

Gendis sighed, then walked steadily, “Next?”

“Iya dong!” Banaspati. “That just now was just a warm-up.”

From the darkness that has spread widely, incarnate hundreds of dark creatures in various ways. Some are like humans, half animals, animals, to creatures that absolutely cannot be categorized anywhere. Every time a man sins, a creature like that is born. Therefore, as long as humans are still around, their numbers will continue to grow.

One of them roared, becoming a premonition for the other to attack. The dark army invaded like a flood.

When the final fire disappeared, not a single dark creature was seen. The atmosphere became silent. It was as if the girl had won. But not yet, because the night is still long.

The black fog that had once dissipated suddenly reappeared at an incredible speed, devouring the entire burial complex. Were it not for the flame of Banaspati, Gendis would not have been able to see anything. Then the ground shook. A pair of legs as big as a tree trunk stepped in front of the girl, then intended to step on her to a flatten.

Gendis immediately jumped rolling to the side, right before the giant's legs flattened her body. He looked up at his fifteen meter tall opponent.

“Banaspati, cover it with fire!”

“Ready!”

The fireball spun at the giant's feet, leaving a trail of fire that spread so quickly. The giant tried to get rid of Banaspati, but he continued to move agile like a mosquito. Slowly but surely engulf the body of the giant with a burning heat.

Woefully a dark creature with a giant scissor-shaped hand suddenly attacked Gendis. The girl immediately dodged backwards so that her body was not cut in half.

“Banaspati!”

However, the fire demon was still busy facing the raging giant. The giant was stronger than he expected, and could have stepped on Gendis if not faced well.

It means that the girl has to face the scissor hand alone. But he had already trained himself countless times for times like this. He immediately put up the horses, while paying attention to each inch of the opponent's movement in front of him.

The creature attacked again with its ferocious scissor clasp. Gendis managed to avoid it. Then the next attack came, making the girl stop moving. His gaze remained focused looking for a gap. And when the gap opened, he slipped between the two hands of the creature's scissors, then placed himself behind it. He climbed up the body of the creature, then clamped his head using the thighs. Before the scissor hand had time to fight, he dropped his body backwards until the creature slammed.

Gendis immediately got up before the hand of scissors. He dragged the creature's feet, then threw it hard. The creature rolled around, and a giant foot covered in fire stepped on it to pieces... The girl had calculated the existence of the giant and used it to defeat the hand of scissors.

Then it was the turn of the other creatures that invaded Gendis. It was as if the girl's head was a trophy up for grabs. But at the same time finally Banaspati managed to conquer the giant. The massive monster roared then collapsed, afflicting dozens of other creatures beneath it.

“You seem to have been overwhelmed,” comments Banaspati while flying near Gendis.

“Perspiration only a little.”

Suddenly a cold tinge struck, as if there was a dimensional hole connected to the south pole. Gendis shivered, while Banaspati slightly shrunk. The creatures that had originally circled them immediately moved back regularly, as if to make room for whoever would appear next. And from the darkness appeared a black creature in a tattered Dutch uniform. Each breath breathes cold air.

Gendis immediately ordered Banaspati to spin and split into seven, then split again into forty-nine, then hurled each fireball towards the soldier. But the creature casually pointed his rifle at him, then pulled the trigger. A ruthless cold shot immediately obliterated the forty-nine fireballs just like that, completely useless. Even the ground and the particles in the air froze. The dark creatures around him were not separated from his almighty power. They froze like statues.

“I didn't expect..” Banaspati embodied again beside Gendis, but the size is so small, only as big as a round ball. “She is too strong for me.”

Gendis tightens her molars, “Anything is all you can do?”

“Not so... You know that I don't like cold... Except..”

“Yes, yes, I understand,” Gendis clucked. “Ayo blend.”

Banaspati smiling sumringah, “This is what I've been waiting for.”

Gendis opened her right palm. Banaspati approached there, then the girl squeezed him. Banaspati fire broke out, devouring the entire body of Gendis. The girl let out a heated scream at first, but slowly became calmer as the souls of the two fused together. This is a very dangerous technique, where a human who contracts with demons allows a part of himself to be consumed in order to gain immeasurable power.

The flames that enveloped Gendis formed a pair of giant kerambits in both of his hands. His hair turned as red as blood, fluttering like flames. The fire also smoldering in both of his eyes, making his steps as light as cotton.

With one push he lunged at the soldier. The creature pulled the gun and pulled the trigger. The cold shot shot back, but Gendis slashed at him easily. This time the fire was much hotter, so the soldier's attack evaporated instantly.

Once their distance was close enough, Gendis snatched his kerambit. That VOC soldier wired a rifle to fend off. Gendis gave a follow-up attack using a kerambit in the other hand. But the soldier can move so fast that it is able to fend off the attack. Then the creature turned its rifle, then stuck the end of the bayonet towards the heart of Gendis.

The girl jumped the salto backwards while kicking the end of the bayonet upwards.

The soldier turned his bayonet again, this time firing several consecutive shots towards the earth. The bullet immediately created a creeping iceberg, trapping both of Gendis' legs. Then the creature attacked with its bayonet once again.

Gendis slightly bent his knees in a swish. Suddenly the fire in both of his eyes gushed out, melting the icebergs that were trapping him. He sped up while knocking both kerambit together.

Their weapons hit each other. Fire and ice devoured each other in the deadly spark. There was an equal power struggle.

But the soldier pulled the trigger. A fierce cold explosion instantly drove the Gendis tens of meters back.

The fight nearly flattened the entire cemetery. Tomorrow morning the villagers will be confused, that if Gendis manages to drive away the dark creatures so that there is still tomorrow for the villagers. But he's not sure. His whole body felt pain and shivering. Even his hands were not strong enough to support his body to get up.

“Completed?” banaspati whisper.

Gendis took pains to keep her petals open. This coldness slowly sucked his consciousness. Her lips trembled, then said, “ I think yes.”

Finally, tonight it's all over. Gendis's suffering will be over.

“I can't afford.. rather than living hated, it's better to die.”.

“So yes..”

There is a big secret that the Wisanggeni family has kept for dozens of generations. They were always feared and considered idolatrous by the villagers, but it was a risk they chose themselves. In order to deal with these dark creatures, they must make an alliance with Banaspati. The demon gave them power, and they gave the demon fear.

The more fear Banaspati devours, the stronger the demon becomes. That was why the villagers had to fear Gendis, or he would not be able to protect the villagers. However, to the girl it was a curse that separated her from the outside world. Since his family members are gone, then no one can be a place for him even if only to pour the burden he bears.

If anyone knows about this, it is Ustadz Sodir. However, the man had the duty to keep the villagers afraid of Gendis, through performances like he did at the market this afternoon. They should not look familiar in front of others.

But at least he did everything he could. If he falls here, he still has the face to face the ancestors there.

The girl noticed the Dutch soldier who was walking closer. He hopes his death will not hurt.

But someone suddenly stood behind him, then spread out both hands. As if to hinder the soldier. The girl could see the two legs of the man trembling in fear, but she held on there.

“You... the rice merchant?”

“Iya! You—you haven't brought home the rice!” Fear was felt in every word he said, but he remained unmoved.

“Why... are you here?”

“I want to know where you brought that wild Moli—cat,” he said. “I did not expect... You have to face this mo-monster-monster..”.

“Go... go from here..”.

“No!” the young man replied firmly. “I don't want to leave you! Where can I go while you fight here alone?! It... hurts..”.

The Dutch soldier turned his back, then lunged. The young rice seller closed his eyes while still stretching out both hands. He could feel the cold running down his neck. Suddenly he felt an overwhelming fear. A dark shadow was pouring through his mind. Lonely, alone, in the cold.

However, a speck of warmth suddenly flared in his heart, distancing the fear. The sound of metal clanging loudly, and he was still alive. Slowly the young man opened his eyes.

Gendis, the fire is back on fire, resisting the attack of the soldier.

“Your fear, Banaspati has devoured everything,” said the girl. Right, somehow the young man was no longer frightened. And Gendis had never expected the power of Banaspati to work in this way.

“Now, go back to hell!”

Gendis mustered all his burning energy to attack. Each sabetan his kerambit let out a terrible tongue of fire. The Dutch soldier continued to fend off, but his rifle slowly melted.

Realizing he was losing strongly, the soldier jumped back and pointed at the tip of the rifle. He pulled the trigger. A cold explosion gushed out.

But this time the fire in both eyes of Gendis's feet lit up violently, warding off the cold. Then Gendis took both his kerambit. The creature's body was slashed from end to end, forming a cross wound on its chest. He screamed, and his body fell back into darkness.

Gendis stood up straight, then exclaimed, “Who else?!”

The remaining creatures were completely out of place. They only looked at the girl. Finally they chose to let his body sucked by the darkness back to its origin. The battle tonight is over.

The power of Banaspati soon disappeared, then Gendis collapsed. The young man immediately wiped it, then helped him sit down.

Actually, the young man was still confused about what happened.

“Do you do this every night?” tanyakanya.

“Not every night,” replied Gendis quietly. “Only when second door nature open.”

“And you've always been judged badly by the villagers, whereas—"

“That's a risk. I don't have a choice. Because I need their fear. I didn't expect to get through tonight. Though... it might be better if I just died—”.

“Do not talk so!” exclaim the steady youth. “You deserve to stay alive!”

Gendis was a bit surprised to hear that. He asked, “For what? Why live in a world that hates me?”

The young man never knew that the grim girl who always bought rice in his shop had to bear this burden alone. That's too depressing. He can't take it. That's why he decided, he decided,

“I'll be the only person who doesn't hate you!”

Gendis jerks. He looked at the young man's face. His gaze was full of confidence. What he said just now wasn't pleasantries. For the first time in her life, there was someone outside her family who treated her as a human.

“But... you.. You should also be afraid of me..”.

“Where can?” continued the young man. “Moli, is the stray cat I always feed. The one who cried for her, must have a soft heart. Therefore I know, what the villagers said about you must not be true.”

For some reason at that time Gendis suddenly recalled with a phrase often said by his mother. A word that will not vanish from the memory of Gendis. Before her mother went to close the gate, she must have always said that to Gendis, right in front of her face while stroking her hair.

“If choosing death is the wrong choice, then make it the right decision.”

Gendis did not understand the meaning of his words, but now he understood. He really understood.

Gendis. “Sorry,” said, starting to sob. “I was not accidentally.”

“It's okay, I understand. From now on you will not be alone anymore.”

The young man hugged Gendis, giving the girl a feeling of security that she had not felt for a long time. He finally couldn't take it anymore. All the tears that had been held were spilled instantly. Emotions bubbling.

Unlike her figure while fighting, she currently looked like a fragile girl. And the young man did not think how could the girl have such a heavy burden. He wanted to protect the girl.

At least, he vowed not to leave Gendis alone.