Morning dawned, and a thick, low-lying fog completely blanked the airspace of Tambora.
In his private chambers, Elder Yureth was quietly flipping through the pages of an old, worn book.
A soft smile touched his lips before he finally closed the cover and set it aside.
"Azareth, please come inside."
The garrison leader—the very same man who had ordered the capture of Suria and Riang the night before—entered the room, followed closely by his two most trusted warriors.
"Go and visit our guests," Elder Yureth instructed warmly. "I wish to share a meal with them. Embrace our guests as if they were our own, Azareth."
"Your command is an honor to me, and the pride of the Sawakin," the well-mannered garrison leader replied, bowing deeply. "I shall take my leave now."
"...Who would have thought the day of the prophecy would actually arrive during my time as the elder..."
Tak! Tak!
The soft, rhythmic sound of a knock on the wooden door startled Perang. He stood up, shaking off his grogginess, and pulled the door open.
Waiting out in the misty courtyard was a horse-drawn carriage, with Azareth standing patiently beside it. He stepped forward, presenting Perang with a bundle of traditional local attire.
"You and your companions are Sawakin now," Azareth said respectfully. "Please change into these. The Elder wishes to share a meal with all of you."
Once changed, the three Keshatriyas looked virtually indistinguishable from the citizens of Tambora.
They were dressed in knee-length, long-sleeved crimson robes over loose white trousers that stopped just above the ankles, fitted leather shoes, and rounded hats made of thick, insulating fur.
The only detail separating commoners from guards or high-ranking nobles was the intricate complexity of the patterns embroidered across the chest and the distinct design of their headwear.
"Hey, Perang," Riang piped up, nudging him playfully. "You should wear their headwear. Why are you still wearing your tanjak? It looks really weird, even compared to before."
"This is a part of me, not a headgear," Perang replied flatly. "Now, let us get going."
The horse-drawn carriage carried them through the dense fog toward a bustling nearby eatery, where a vast spread of rich, aromatic breakfast dishes waited at various local food stalls.
"Wow, Suria, just look at that!" Riang gasped, her eyes bright as she looked around. "Does this remind you of home? There are so many different kinds of food stalls!"
Suria, who was still processing the heavy revelations of the night before, simply stared out at the bustling scene without giving much of a response.
Shortly after, they arrived at a grand hall. The outer stone walls were beautifully engraved, sharing the exact architectural style of the Alexandrite structures found back in Aurea.
"Please, go on inside," Azareth gestured politely. "The Elder is waiting for you."
Stepping into the hall, they spotted a small, intricately carved table near the far wall, perfectly set for four. It was piled high with various local Sawakin recipes. Elder Yureth stood proudly before it, waiting to welcome them.
"There you are," the elder said warmly. "Please, take a seat. We have plenty to talk about, but first, please enjoy the local cuisine of Sawa."
As they ate, the elderly man broke the silence, his tone turning serious.
"Perang has informed me of the true nature of your voyage here, Lady Suria," Yureth began. "However, there is a profound prophecy etched directly into the stone of the midpoint arch. It states: The eruption will return when they arrive to take something that does not belong."
Riang paused mid-bite, looking up with a frown.
"That sounds terrible. Does it mean what we are trying to do here is inherently evil, Elder?"
"That depends entirely on what your true intentions are, my lady," Yureth replied gently. "As elders, we are reminded of this prophecy from one generation to the next, passed down directly from our predecessors."
"It was never yours to begin with," Suria muttered. Her emotions were swirling as she tried to compose herself, feeling a deep, rising annoyance at what her father had done—leaving her and Purnama behind while sacrificing his life force for strangers.
"Indeed, daughter of our God," Yureth said softly.
"Stop calling me that!" Suria snapped, slamming her fist onto the table with a loud crack.
Startled by the sudden noise, Azareth and his guards burst into the hall, weapons instantly drawn. But Yureth immediately raised his hand, giving them a calm signal to stand down.
At the same moment, one of the eyes on Perang's tanjak snapped wide open. His hand instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword, his defensive reflexes kicking in to protect his fellow Keshatriyas at a moment's notice, even though he meant no harm.
Once Azareth recognized the elder's signal, he and his men lowered their weapons, bowing slightly before retreating back outside. The magical eye on Perang's headwear slowly fluttered shut as the immediate tension cleared.
"Forgive my rudeness, Lady Suria," Yureth said softly. "I did not mean to cause you pain."
"Can you calm down a bit, Suria...?" Riang whispered, attempting to diffuse the situation as Suria stood up abruptly.
"Listen," Perang suddenly spoke.
Uncharacteristically vocal for someone who despised speaking with Atman, he looked at his comrades, silently commanding them to hear the elder out.
Yureth nodded gratefully.
"My most trusted commander, Azareth, along with two of his elite guards, will accompany you through the other three quadrants to meet with the remaining tribal elders. Over the next four days, the populace of Tambora will celebrate our grand Exchange Festival. To secure the relic, you must convince each of the elders to grant their official seal of approval. The ultimate verdict will be revealed at the climax of the festival."
"Huh? Another three...? Not two?" Riang blinked, her thoughts a bit blurry. "How did I miss them before?"
"You will see them as you travel across the serene lands of Tambora later," Yureth smiled.
"Idiot," Perang muttered, glancing sideways at his partner.
"So, we essentially need to win a majority vote just to claim a relic that belongs to us?" Suria asked, her voice dry and skeptical.
"We can only pray that you will respect the final outcome of our laws, whatever it may be. In the end, it is up to all of you," Yureth said solemnly.
He turned toward the entrance.
"Azareth, bring me the official scroll and my crest!"
Azareth marched back in, carefully presenting a blank parchment scroll and a heavy, carved seal to the elder.
Without hesitation, Elder Yureth pressed his mark firmly onto the bottom of the parchment, rolling it tight and securing it with a leather cord before handing it back to his aide.
"It is only right to return what was fundamentally borrowed, is it not?" Yureth asked, looking directly into Suria's eyes. "Befriend the other elders and their people. Convince them of the righteousness of your mission, and return here when the trade festival begins. You will have your answer then."
Yureth stood up, offering his guests a warm, reassuring smile.
"Please, enjoy the rest of your meal. I will make sure the preparations for your departure run smoothly."
With that, the elder bowed and walked out of the hall.
"Hey, Suria, you don't need to throw a tantrum like that," Perang murmured gently once they were alone.
"They are nice people, sis. They didn't choose to be born here, but they were, and they've lived in peace and calm for who knows how long. The elder is just doing this to protect his people."
"I know that, Riang... But this correlation with my father... It kinda bugs me."
"I think it's fair if we visit the other settlements," Riang added. "Let's try and learn what we can. We still have plenty of time before Skyrea's arrival."
"Hmm... yeah, sure," Suria sighed, relenting slightly. "But I will be the one who decides what to do with the relic in the end. Not the elders."
"Sure, that's entirely up to you. It's not my mission anyway," Riang replied with a quick shrug.
"Regarding this tour, I will not be joining you two," Perang interjected, "I have to head elsewhere to complete my investigation mission." Pointing a finger directly at Riang, "besides, I don't need you slowing down my pace."
Outraged, Riang snatched up a piece of food and flung it at Perang's head, but he easily leaned to the side, letting it sail past.
Watching her two closest friends bicker, a small, genuine smile finally returned to Suria's face.
"I will be waiting here in Sawa on the third day," Perang said, dusting off his robes. "Enjoy your visit. I need to get out of these clothes and get moving. Once you're finished eating, head outside; they will be waiting for you."
With that, Perang took his leave, leaving Suria and Riang alone at the table.
"Hey, Suria, at least we get some downtime away from the Puaka, right?" Riang pointed out cheerfully. "So why not enjoy it before we have to go back to Aurea?"
"I guess you're right," Suria admitted softly. "I just hope Purnama has found Belang by now. He is far better than me at handling these kinds of situations."
"Who knows? Since we're out of the cirque, it's probably only been a couple of hours for him over there," Riang has a bit doubt. "But remember, he trusted you with the Tambora mission. Keep that in mind."
Finishing their branch, the duo stepped out of the grand hall, only to be greeted by the loud, echoing cheers of the Sawa citizens who had gathered to send them off with warm, supportive farewells.
Azareth stood by the transport, gesturing politely.
"Please, step inside the carriage. We are heading to the town of Batik now."
Boarding the horse-drawn carriage, they departed the beautiful, glowing lake of Sawa, charting a course toward the massive woodcarving district of Batik Town—a journey that would carry them hours deeper into the heart of the ancient volcano.