ALKISAH: Prayer for the World [1001 Indonesian Fantasy Stories]
TALE/Distant Nan World: Child In Tragedy First

“Let me tell you one story. The story of a tragedy that began with victory, but started with regret.” The hoarse voice of the hijab-wearing old woman was as if scraping the air around, making the atmosphere seem magical. “Nobody knows for sure when it all happened, but it all started when the twelve pillars of colorful light came down from the sky, and brought destruction.”

“Heh!? What do you mean, ma'am?” Rohan was shocked to death when he heard every word that came out of the mother of the herbal medicine seller. It's not that what, it's just that, what he said just now was really strange. “Lagian, why did Mom suddenly become a storyteller like this? And what kind of story is that?”

The mother of the herbal medicine seller is known as Ibu Lasminten, and Rohan is quite familiar with it because he always relaxes on the beach at dusk after going around selling herbal medicine to visitors of Kuta Beach.

Since three years ago, Rohan also began to often come to Kuta Beach to simply enjoy the view of the twilight sky and relieve the burden of thought, but, since then, he met with Miss Lasminten. The two of them usually sat together on a stretch of white sand while looking at the splendor of the world that was before their eyes.

“You're planning to kill yourself today, right?” Ms. Lasminten's question instantly made the golden-yellow-eyed teenager panic-stricken.

It's no secret that Miss Lasminten can figure out Rohan's secret somehow. In reality, Miss Lasminten may even know everyone's secret. He was a very strange person indeed, but still, he was kind and friendly. After all, Rohan has also often confided with him.

However, if you want to be honest, Rohan himself sometimes think that Miss Lasminten is not human. It was as if he was from another world.

The roar of the waves and the gusts of cool breeze that brought with it the salty aroma of the sea water made Rohan aware of his reverie. It's a lie that he's not surprised by everything that's happened in these few minutes, but really, what kind of strange feeling is this? As he looked at the sky that was emitting an orange glow, he instead felt as if he was being involved in something big.

“Ah... how about, yes?” Rohan hesitates. A sweet smile adorned his very young face. “Soalya, my parents also never care about my opinion, so they like it if they want to divorce. Anyway, I'm tired too.”

“While the date was one yesterday, you have only entered twelve years, right? You're so young, but what a pity, your thinking has gotten that far, son Rohan. But, I also can not deny, if the burden you carry is too heavy.” Said Mrs Lasminten. Although the wrinkles are clearly visible on the face, but the smile is very sincere. “But, right now, I want you to listen to this story until it's finished.”

“Eh? But for what?” Ask Rohan who still does not understand.

“Just listen first, not long. Then after, you can choose as you like.” Tell the old woman.

“Eh... Yaudah deh.” Rohan then sat calmer, and with his eyes fixed on the horizon that lay ahead, he listened to the strange short story that Ms. Lasminten told.

“Yes, this story begins with the descent of twelve pillars of colorful light at dusk, in another world. A world full of magic and magic. However, no one realized that the beautiful lights were actually bringing destruction to the entire continent. However, at the same time as the light pillars descended, there was one pillar of light that was seen moving up into space and carrying something else.”

“At the same time, deep in the eastern continent from where the pillars of light fell, a child appeared from nowhere, and realized that he was in another world. The child was the Colorless Eye, a curious person with a sense of life, but no reason to do so. And his encounter with the Bening Dagger finally brings the boy into his adventure in search of a way home to his home world, the human world.”

“The Colorless Eye that originally rejected all truth, is slowly beginning to open up to reality. On his way, he also found more friends. With his deformed eyes, he saw this magical world. He walked through a place that was foreign, beautiful, amazing, and very extraordinary. Passing through the ocean, passing through land floating in the air, passing through a country standing underground, even passing through a place never seen. What a great and magical experience.”

“However, their journey is not easy. There is always a fight wherever they are. And that seemingly endless battle, slowly began to erode the goodness that was in the child and his friends. Suffering, fatigue, and pain change them over time, and no one dares to stop them. As if, this world is indeed too greedy just to just let them have a chance to rest for a moment.”

“In the midst of a sea of blue flames that would not be extinguished even by the rain, the child of the owner of Colorless Eyes cried in despair after losing the person he had considered to be his older brother. And ahead of the final battle, the Bening Dagger was only able to surrender when he sank deep into the bottomless sea after saving his best friend.”

“Until finally, when the war was over, the boy arrived at the gate, and his house was right in sight. However, at that time, he asked himself, was his choice correct? He did not know either, but, if he did not pass through that gate, then all their sacrifices would be in vain. So, inevitably, he finally decided to go home with the victory, but left his happiness, his friends, and his true family, and also the reason for his life.”

A strong wind blew as Ms. Lasminten finished the story.

Rohan's eyes were wide open, his cold sweat was pouring out, and he was speechless. Not because of the beauty of the beach, but because the story is amazing. But the main problem, Rohan also managed to find the creepy messages hidden in it.

What the hell is that horrible story? And where did Miss Lasminten hear that? Obviously it's a fantasy story, and honestly, it's a really cool story. But what the fuck? Although only for a moment, he could also feel the suffering of the people in the story.

“Anu... Ma'am... I swear, I'm still curious. From where, the hell, did you get that story?” Rohan finally ventured to ask after gulping a few times. “I mean, this is, right, Miss Lasmi. How, can I know the story like that?”

“Humans see what they want, and think about what they will know.” Bu Lasminten. “Originally the story doesn't matter. What matters is the story itself. From that short story, you realize, right? How hard is the child's struggle to find his way home? He went through countless wars, when he was just a child. However, when he arrived at the end of the story, he also realized that what he had been looking for so far, it turned out to be completely worthless compared to his memories during that world. Horrible, isn't it?”

Unknowingly, Rohan had already squeezed the beach sand in his grasp, and he could not stop feeling tense.

It was obviously horrible, and painful.

“You can choose. No one forbids. But, still God will decide the end.” Said Bu Lasminten while closing his eyes and enjoying the gentle sepoy of the beach breeze. “Indeed, the problem you're facing right now is very hard, but, you don't realize, that everyone is fighting.” Ms. Lasmi took a deep breath, then spoke up again. “So, have you made your choice?”

Rohan was silent for a moment. Mind raging.

Yes, as Ms. Lasminten said, Rohan can choose, but it's just the beginning. Then, how's next? What will he find at the end?

The skinny teenager seemed to be immersed in his subconscious.

What's he supposed to do?

If he chose to kill himself, would everything be simple?

What if he chooses to live? Can the burden be lighter?

After all, he knew very well that it was not possible. Because if someone has chosen to end his own life, it means he has not seen another way out. All this time, he had also been extremely miraculous, yet, he had still not seen anything until now. Too many things hurt, and very few things made him comfortable in the world.

“But, I... want to live, anyway.” The little voice came out of Rohan's mouth without his will. “But, how to..?” However, Rohan is aware of something that is obstructive. “Wait a minute... Colorless Eyes..?” Rohan whispered softly, then gulped in horror. Ms. Lasminten once mentioned Rohan as such, because in reality, Rohan's eyes can indeed change color by themselves.

“Ya, just live, lah.” Said Ms. Lasminten slowly. “But not here. There.”

Something strange started to happen when Miss Lasminten got up.

Suddenly, the clouds in space began to gather and darken the sky in the blink of an eye. The atmosphere became extremely cold and gripping, and the wind blew wildly as if a violent storm was raging there.

Panicked Kuta Beach visitors flocked to take a thousand steps to leave the place. Strangely, however, Rohan could not move at all. He really can't move.

“Loh!? Wh-what happened!? How can I not move like this!? What the fuck!” Shouted Rohan who began to be devoured in fear. “What happened, Bu—Eh!? How lost!?” Rohan's panic intensified - so when he realized that Miss Lasminten had disappeared from there.

Rohan turned his head to search for the old woman, but he found her nowhere.

And then, from there, things got more and more, weird.

Far ahead there, there was a figure like a dragon snake that suddenly came out from within the sea. The sea dragon snake was very large like a tower in paris, and had several pairs of fins that were very long, making the snake look like it had wings.

“Yes God... It's a lie, right..?“ Rohan's face turned deathly pale.

The sea dragon snake then opened its mouth and let out a very creepy yelling sound, to the point of making the sea around it seem to go berserk. While Rohan still can not move from his place.

For the first time in his life—maybe also for the last time, Rohan finally saw a miracle with his own eyes. Yes, although it is undeniable that this phenomenon is too terrible and very, very, very unusual.

But this is the miracle, and Rohan is there.

“Leivathan.”

Rohan realized that the word came out of his mouth, but what did it mean? Why did he feel that the word that had just come out of his mouth, was the name of a monstrous being there?

Accompanied by a sharp humming sound, a dazzling line of light suddenly descended from the sky and fell to where the teenager was, making Rohan's gaze completely white. He could see nothing now, only white.

“Gosh! Holy hooch! Holy hooch! It's not real!” Rohan screams like a madman. He never even shouted that loud as long as he lived. “Please me! Somebody! Jeez!”

However, just a moment later, all of a sudden, all of the fear that was flooding into Rohan slowly began to vanish. He no longer felt tense or panicked. Everything just passed by and his heart even seemed to say that nothing had happened. Then, as the blinding light began to go out, it was then that Rohan realized that the world around him had changed.

The boy is already in another world.

The world around him has changed. Indeed, Rohan is still in the coastal area, but he knows clearly, the beach that lies in front of him is not Kuta Beach, because the ocean looks more blue, the atmosphere is brighter, the atmosphere is brighter, and the air was also very fresh and fragrant, and then that comfortable feeling, Rohan could not explain it in words. The world has changed, that's what happened.

“How...maybe?” Rohan muttered while looking around. “Times, anyway, I'm in another world.“.

No one else can be seen as far as the eye can see, only the ocean, white sand, palm trees, and green grass that grow a few meters from the beach. There are no other sounds such as the sound of vehicle horns or frenzied sounds, which there is only a soft whisper of wind, as well as the pounding of waves.

“Padahan was supposed to be late in the afternoon, but here, I think it's still morning, deh.” Rohan came closer to the shore, then crouched down and felt the surface of the water that felt so cold. “I... Still don't understand at all.” Rohan whispered as he raised his head staring at the horizon in the distance. What a magnificent sight. “Another world, huh? Does this mean I have to move on with my life?”