ALKISAH: Prayer for the World [1001 Indonesian Fantasy Stories]
TALE/Worldly Secrets II: Towards the Other Side of the World

Ran felt almost had a heart attack when he heard that. What Mr. Driver said should be impossible, but Ran knows that the driver also has no reason to lie to him. Traveling through time is a great sin for the Otherworldly People, and it is tantamount to fighting against the Creator.

Strange, thought Ran who also started sweating coldly. Really disturbing news. Though he had just felt very grateful for being able to meet this merchant, Rizky. But he couldn't ignore the news either.

Even so, there was one other thing running amok in Ran's mind at the moment. One thought that scared him half to death.

“War..“ Just one word and it was able to explain all the fear that was clumping within him. In fact, not only was he surprised when he heard the word come out of his own mouth, even the Driver also looked dumbfounded when he heard it.

It was a tough night.

It was only a few minutes ago that Ran tried to forget all the battles he had been through in the past, but now in this human world, at the beginning of a new chapter in his life, he said, Ran has to face the fact that a big war may be coming soon.

“This is impossible..“ Cold sweat dripped from Ran's chin and fell to the ground. “In World Law, it is clearly written that we, the Otherworldly People, the Crystalians, are strictly forbidden to take any action related to travel across time. But... why?”

“I-it's all unimportant now! The world hates us! The world hates God! That's been an open secret.” Although Mr. Driver screamed like a man of loyalty, but the man also still tried to look calm. “The bottom line is that almost everyone already knows about this news, so there is no reason to deny the truth.”

“Job...“ For the umpteenth time, Ran was at a loss for words. His feelings were again turbulent and mixed.

However, when Ran raised his right hand and touched his head, suddenly, the driver accidentally caught something extraordinary attached to Ran's right hand. A red tattoo, with a very complicated shape. But when viewed at a glance, Ran's tattoo looks like a meteor that is falling on land.

The driver suddenly grabbed Ran's right hand very quickly.

“What the heck... You... a Hoarder?” The driver asked again. His eyes opened wider. I don't know why the man started to look like a stressed person for so long.

When the driver held Ran's right hand, Rizky also accidentally saw the tattoo, and it was clear that he was surprised.

However, Ran felt somewhat irritated by the treatment of the driver sir. With all her heart, she said something she shouldn't have said in a place like this.

“What's wrong with that?” Ran pulled his hand violently from the grip of the Driver sir, then stared intently at the man. Ran's orange eyes were somewhat fluorescent, as he used a bit of his strength. After all, Mr. Driver who started first, just look at his eyes that also emit a bluish light.

It's natural that Ran is angry because the Driver is alluding to the tattoo on Ran's hand, because that power is a disgrace to those who have it.

Ran actually did not think that the man who was friendly, it turned out to be able to show this manner in just a blink of an eye. Maybe he had removed the bad qualities in the past, but unfortunately the news about the past potion must have managed to lure the driver's identity back to the surface.

“Wah! How many people have you killed to get that tattoo?”

Asked someone who suddenly appeared beside Ran.

The presence of an uninvited guest was successful in making Ran and the Driver shocked. The man was a bit fat, and his height was standard. Maybe he was nineteen or twenty years old, but his face made him look like a teenager. However, of course that was not the reason why Ran and the Driver were shocked to death.

Although vague, Ran could feel a terrifying aura emanating from this young man. A very intimidating and oppressive force. If likened, maybe the presence of this young man is the same as a storm or earthquake.

“World Supervisor..?” The driver looked at the young man with a look of disbelief. He immediately lowered his head as a sign of respect.

“What!?” Ran flinched again. He looked at the astonished driver, but, he finally forced his neck to move and glanced at the young man's face. “Sang Kyne?” That young man who looked so ordinary, was none other than, and no not, one of the twelve grandchildren of the Creator. A being with a power unacceptable to any intellect, who is said to be capable of destroying a planet with just one finger.

One finger.

“Mas, I order green tea warm one, yes.” The young man told Rizky.

“Oh, ready, Vin.” The young man replied friendly. But he still looks astonished.

“A-what brought you here?” Ask the driver politely.

“Yes, this tattoo caught my attention. The people who have it are called Hoarders right?” Said the young man. “My friend also has such a tattoo. He is also a Hoarder.” The young man smiled and looked at the Driver and Ran alternately. “So, how many people have you killed? A thousand? Tens of thousands? Hundreds thousands? Millions? Or billions?”

“A-ah.. I also don't know for sure. hell.” Answered Ran nervously. “Ah! I just remembered. Three days ago, I finally found out something of the time in Kristal Agung.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Ju-number of people I have killed.” Reveal Ran while gulping. Actually he was very angry because of this young man's question, but he couldn't do anything. Really can't. “The number of lives I have taken, approximately three hundred thousand.”.

Ran's eyes opened wide upon hearing that unexpected question. But he still has to answer. Though the answer may sound outrageous. “Then with this... Maybe I can even obliterate the whole of Indonesia from the map right now.”

Ran could hear the sound of Mr. Driver's breath being restrained.

Suddenly, at the same time, there was a terrible accident right on the highway behind them.

A yellow truck car hit a public transport car, causing debris to scatter everywhere. But strangely, no one was thrown into Ran's place. Even the driver's taxi car was not affected by any impact, even though the car was parked right on the side of the road, and only a few meters away from the place where the two vehicles collided.

However, Ran and the Driver realized something. The young man did something right before the accident happened. He snapped his finger, and created a magical barrier and a physical barrier back then, which is why they were still safe there.

“He used the infinite strengthening spell, Omnia, just to perfect Protago and Magia. Gee whiz... This is too much..” Obviously the driver was astonished.

Ran looked up at something on the ceiling. There was a blue and green light that appeared every few seconds, then the line of light moved down slowly, like a ripple in water, and then expanded to form a kind of dome and then disappeared when it touched the ground.

Indeed, the protector looks like an ordinary protector in general, but Ran is sure, if even a nuclear attack will not be able to scratch it.

At that time, everyone around there immediately left all their busyness. They rushed to the scene of the accident, and tried to help the victims.

“Eh... Why are you quiet?” Tanya Rizky who is still preparing Ran's order.

Yes, of course the young man was astonished, because in front of him right now there are three people who have done absolutely nothing, when obviously there is an accident right before their eyes. Ran, the driver, or the fat young man just stayed there and looked mediocre, as if he did not care.

“Hmm... What do you want us to do? This accident is your own thing, so we have no right to do anything.” The fat young man whispered very quietly, but Ran could hear it clearly. “By the way, you're Ran Akrapael right?” Suddenly asked.

“Ah... I-iya?” Answered Ran who at that time accidentally exchanged glances with Rizky. The young man raised next to his eyebrows, then smiled slightly. But Ran turned his eyes away, and somehow he felt guilty.

“Close with me. Because I want to prevent war.” The young man suddenly. “I know this is hard for you, and I also know that you just arrived today, but this is the only way if you really want to live a normal life in this world.”

“H-Huh!? Me?” Pekik Ran panicked.

“And I told you earlier, if I was interested in your tattoo.” The fat young man smiled a thin smile.

“But this is a forbidden force! I don't want to use it!” Ran tried to emphasize.

“Means you want to fight again dong?”

The statement of the fat youth instantly made Ran speechless. Right now he was actually faced with two equally bad choices. Or maybe not? It's just that Ran doesn't know how to weigh it up, because those two options are equally unfair to him. But of course, war is the worst. Even worse than disaster.

“No bad power. That bad one is your goal in using that power. And at this time, I invite you to bring back calm. Remember, yes, calmness, not peace, because peace is not real. So, come with me. I will take you to a place where you can gather souls to infinity. I'll take you to the Sea of Memories.”

Ran got to the point where he didn't know what else to answer. His brain was agitated because he was too tired. Yes, Ran really should rest now, considering he had been awake for three days in a row.

“Eh... Ocean Memories? That terrific. Very good even. But... Can I just take a break today? I'm so sorry about.”

***

Sarah was sweating coldly, and the head of the white-hijab girl felt full and seemed to want to explode. The reason is, he had just listened to a very creepy conversation between a taxi driver, a fat young man, and an orange-eyed young man who looked like an artist, which they discussed about, another world.

They talk about another world. Not a ghost world or something like that, but really about another world. A world full of magic, power, and monsters or something.

Sarah was sitting right behind the orange-eyed young man, their backs were even a few inches away. But the situation is really stressful because these people have the power and they may realize that Sarah is eavesdropping. The girl sat there in silence drinking the drink she ordered. His ears are well set.

Perhaps this was some kind of fate, because a few minutes ago, Sarah felt very thirsty for no apparent reason, and strangely she too suddenly wanted to drink this drink, so she ended up leaving her hostel, she said, and brought his complete equipment that he always wears every time he travels, then came here on a motorcycle, and ended up in this situation.

“Yes, this is clearly destiny, lah.” The girl whispered softly, until her own ears did not catch her. Sarah put on a very anxious face, but even so, she was still as beautiful as she should be.

However, to be honest, the panic and anxiety had flooded the minds of sarah to the tip of the horn, because in reality, the conversation, and the whereabouts of the three people, were, this is proof that Sarah's eyes were never broken.

Yes, from a long time ago, he could indeed see that other world.