The journey to the Kingdom of Arkapura continued in silence. Raka walked several steps behind Laras, while the six guards surrounded them. Every now and then, they glanced backward to make sure no other creatures were following. As for Raka, his mind was still filled with everything that had happened.
"Goblins. Dragons. Magic. Another world."
And the thing that confused him the most...
THE HEIR OF NUSANTARA.
He looked down at the old notebook still in his hand. The strange symbol on its page was no longer glowing. Everything had returned to normal, as if the events earlier had never happened. But Raka knew it had not been a dream. He could still feel the faint warmth left behind by the golden light that had protected him.
"Laras."
"What?"
"I want to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"What is this world actually called?"
Laras was silent for a moment.
"Ardhana."
"Ardhana?"
Raka repeated the name in his mind.
"And the place we're heading to is the Kingdom of Arkapura?"
"That is correct."
"Is this kingdom big?"
"Quite big."
"Who rules it?"
"The king."
Raka sighed.
"Your answers are really short."
"Because you ask too many questions."
"Well... I do have a lot of questions."
"That is understandable."
Laras glanced at him.
"You have just left your world and entered a place you know nothing about."
Raka gave a faint smile.
"Now that I think about it, I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye."
His steps slowed. Then Laras suddenly stopped.
Raka stopped as well.
"What's wrong?"
Laras turned toward him.
"Are you still thinking about your family?"
"Yeah."
Raka lowered his head.
"They must be looking for me."
He paused for a moment.
"There are still so many things I haven't finished back in my world."
Then he raised his head again.
"But I'm going home."
Laras looked at him.
"Are you sure?"
"If there was a way for me to come here, then there must be a way for me to return."
"Not necessarily."
"At least I'm going to look for one."
Laras smiled faintly.
"You are stubborn."
"Maybe."
Raka looked toward the distant city.
"But I don't have any other choice."
Laras only shook her head. Still, a small smile remained on her face. They continued walking.
Several minutes later, the enormous walls of Arkapura finally came into view. Raka stopped in his tracks.
"Wow..."
The Kingdom of Arkapura was much larger than he had imagined. Extremely tall stone walls surrounded the entire city. Several watchtowers stood above them, with guards observing the surrounding area. At the center of the wall stood a massive gate. Above it was a large emblem, a bird with its wings spread wide, standing on top of a mountain. But that was not what made Raka freeze. At the center of the emblem was the exact same symbol found in his grandfather's notebook.
Raka immediately walked faster.
"Laras."
"What?"
"Look at that emblem."
Laras followed his gaze.
"You know that symbol, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Why is the symbol from my grandfather's notebook here in this kingdom?"
"Because that symbol originated here."
"From here?"
"Yes."
Raka looked down at the notebook again.
"So my grandfather..."
"Do not jump to conclusions."
"But—"
"Not yet."
Raka sighed.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
Laras did not answer. They continued toward the gate. When they arrived, two guards immediately raised their spears.
"Stop!"
One of the guards looked at them carefully.
"Who are you?"
Laras stepped forward.
"I am Laras, guardian of the Eastern Gate."
The guard seemed to recognize her name.
"Guardian of the Eastern Gate?"
He then looked at the six guards behind her.
"Why have you come to Arkapura?"
Laras did not answer immediately.
Instead, she glanced at Raka. The guard followed her gaze. The moment he saw Raka, his expression changed.
"What...?"
The guard beside him also looked at Raka. Then their eyes shifted toward the notebook in Raka's hand. One of them immediately stepped backward.
"Call the captain."
"Now!"
Raka began to feel uncomfortable.
"Laras..."
"Stay calm."
"Why are they looking at me like I'm a ghost?"
"Because they may have never seen someone like you before."
"That answer makes me even more nervous."
Not long afterward, a man wearing black armor emerged from inside the gate. He walked calmly, with a long sword hanging from his waist. When he reached them, he looked at Laras.
"Laras."
"Captain."
The man then turned his attention toward Raka. His expression immediately became serious.
"Who is he?"
Laras answered.
"His name is Muhammad Raka."
The captain fell silent. It was as if the name carried a great deal of meaning.
"Repeat that."
"Muhammad Raka."
The man stared at Raka for a long moment. Then he slowly knelt. The guards behind him were shocked.
"Captain?"
The man ignored them. His eyes remained fixed on Raka.
"The heir..."
Raka froze.
Laras immediately stepped forward.
"Do not."
The captain raised his head.
"Why?"
"He does not know anything yet."
The captain fell silent. Then he stood up.
"In that case, he must be brought before the king."
Raka immediately took several steps backward.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at him.
"I just arrived here. I don't even know anything about this kingdom."
"That is precisely why."
"What does that mean?"
"The king has been waiting for you."
"Waiting for me?"
The captain nodded. Raka felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"How is that possible?"
The captain did not answer. He simply gave an order to the guards.
"Open the gate."
The enormous gate slowly began to open.
GRAAAAK...
Raka looked inside.
The city beyond the walls was crowded and lively. Merchants filled the streets. People walked around carrying goods. Children ran between the buildings. There were humans, long-eared beings, and several other races Raka had never seen before. But something else made him stop again. The buildings.
Some of them had curved roofs and ornaments that reminded him of traditional houses from Indonesia. At one shop, fabrics with batik patterns hung in front of the entrance. Not far away, Raka saw a large statue of a bird that reminded him of Garuda.
"This is..."
Laras turned toward him.
"What?"
"Why is the culture here so similar to Nusantara?"
Laras did not answer.
Raka looked around. The farther he walked, the more familiar everything seemed. The fabric patterns. The wooden carvings. The architecture.
Even some of the musical instruments played by street performers sounded similar to gamelan.
Raka felt as if he were walking through a place he had known before.
Even though he was certain...
He had never been here.
"Laras."
"Yes?"
"Who are my ancestors, really? You know the answer, don't you?"
"I know a little."
"Then explain it."
"Not now."
"Why?"
Laras stopped walking.
Then she looked at Raka with a serious expression.
"Because there are people who will kill you if they discover what is truly inside your blood."
"What?!"
Laras continued walking.
Raka immediately followed her.
"Laras!"
But before he could get an answer, the sound of a bell echoed throughout the city.
DONG!
Everyone stopped.
DONG!
The bell rang again.
Guards in the streets began running toward several locations. People started whispering among themselves.
"What happened?"
"Why is the royal bell ringing?"
"Is there an attack?"
Raka looked toward the palace.
In the distance, a purple light appeared from the top of one of the royal towers. Laras looked toward the same light. Her expression immediately became serious.
"What is it?" Raka asked.
Laras gripped the hilt of her sword.
"The royal gate has reacted."
"The gate?"
"Yes."
Raka looked at her in confusion.
"Didn't we just pass through the city gate?"
"Not that gate."
Laras stared toward the palace.
"The real gate."
Raka felt his heart begin to beat faster.
"And what does that have to do with me?"
Laras did not answer.
Suddenly, the notebook in Raka's hand began to feel warm.
Raka looked down.
The symbol on its front page slowly began to glow. The same golden light as before.
"Laras..."
Laras immediately turned toward him. Her eyes widened.
"Impossible."
"What?"
"That notebook should not be able to react from this distance."
"What does that mean?"
Laras stepped closer to Raka. But before she could touch the notebook, another voice echoed through his mind. It was very soft. Only Raka could hear it. The same female voice as before.
"Raka..."
"Who are you?"
"Do not go to the palace."
Raka looked toward the distant royal building. The voice continued.
"Because they are waiting for you."
The light on the notebook suddenly disappeared.
Raka stood still.
Laras watched him carefully.
"What happened?"
Raka did not answer immediately.
He stared at the palace of Arkapura.For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt something different.
Not curiosity. Not fear. A premonition.
As if the next step he took would determine something far greater than his own fate. Raka gripped his grandfather's notebook more tightly.
"Laras."
"What?"
"I'm still going to the palace."
Laras looked surprised.
"If they really are waiting for me..."
He stared at the palace.
"...then I want to know why."
Laras was silent for a moment. Then she slowly drew her sword.
"Then prepare yourself."
"For what?"
Laras looked toward the palace.
"Because once you enter that place..."
She turned to Raka.
"No one can guarantee that you will leave as the same person."
Above the Kingdom of Arkapura, the purple light grew brighter. And deep inside an unknown chamber, an ancient stone door slowly began to open. Behind it was a dark room. At its center stood an altar. And above that altar...
Rested an ancient keris that had been asleep for thousands of years. Slowly, a golden light appeared along its blade. Then the same female voice echoed through the darkness.
"He has finally returned."
The keris trembled.
"After a thousand years..."