ALKISAH: Prayer for the World [1001 Indonesian Fantasy Stories]
STORY: Ashes

“Nothing is replaceable in this world! Everything means!”

Helen's screams spread wildly throughout the church that was about to collapse. I don't know what would happen if he expended all his strength here at the moment, because the impact would be very bad for him, as well as Milo standing behind him.

Or I don't know, Helen's not sure.

The church is too large and almost resembles a labyrinth. But he has to survive. Just a few minutes until sunrise, Helen must hold the damn doll, or her lover's life at stake.

“You and I know that people often take futile actions just because they want to do it. And this situation is proof of that. They play the game of seance, due to unclear curiosity.” Said the living lady doll while grinning sinisterly. “You better leave him to me. There's no point in fighting back. Even if you can hold me until sunrise, I still won't die. The sun just drove me to my home world, and on returning there, I could relax as usual again.”

“Heh! He's my boyfriend, you idiot! There's no way I let him die while I can still protect him!”

“But.. You are a girl... “ Said the doll. From seeming to disagree with Helen's argument. “You should be the guy who protects you. Not the other way around.”

“And you're the evil devil!”

“And you are truly a very stupid human being.” The reply. “Using the power of the Fire, even though you are just a human being.”

“Kan, who has that power is me, not him, so it doesn't matter right?” Helen said as she raised her right hand back to the front of her chest, and the lines all over her body also shimmered emitting an orange color like a flame. “Ugh!” Suddenly Helen felt her whole body like it was being electrocuted, but she kept holding it back, and kept smiling.

“Hmm? What... do you want to do?” Ask the doll while looking at Helen. “Don't say... “

“Well, you must know kok.” Flames suddenly appeared above Helen's palm and formed a ball. And over time, the fire continued to grow to the point that the heat made sweat pouring profusely flooded the bodies of Helen and Milo. “I realize, I will not last until morning.so, creating the sun is my best choice at this time.”.

“Hnggghhh!”

Helen looked back after hearing that voice.

His girlfriend, Milo, tried to say something. Seen from his face, that man was clearly devoured with despair and fear. But his voice did not come out. He even strangled his own neck out of annoyance with the situation he was in.

Milo's face turned deathly pale upon hearing Helen's words.

“Hngh! Hngh!”

“Sorry, Milo, because all this time I've been making you bait to lure this fucker. But I love you the same. And when this is over, don't forget to take the pay, okay? If not wrong, the price of the sin of this one demon can be up to three billion loh. So, you can use the money to pay for your school too.”

Milo immediately fell to his knees, and he started crying.

“Good. Please take care of my mother, Milo.” Helen turns her gaze back to the doll that killed all of Milo's classmates, and prepares to end it all. “My heart comes from you, O Fire. And now, I've won the battle against reality, the future you've shown, and also the past I've left.”

The fireball, which was once only as big as a volleyball, slowly began to change to become bigger and bigger to match the size of a car, and along with that, it, the lines of the veins engraved on the surface of Helen's skin also became brighter.

“Wait!” the doll quickly rushed towards Helen.

But it's too late.

“So, I apologize to you, because I will return everything to you double, along with my soul and body!” Helen turned back to look at her lover. “I'm sorry too, Milo, and goodbye.”

The dazzling light emanating from the fireball forced everyone to turn a blind eye, a sign that the gigantic flame had exploded and scattered the waves of fire in all directions, as well as burning everything.

“Don't... please..don't take him from me... “

When the fire goes out, the only creature still standing there is Milo. There were no burns or scratches on his body. But, his gaze full of destitute eyes was fixated on a lump of ash on the floor that had been risking his life to protect him.

That ash is what's left of her lover, Helen.