Sunlight shone through the window. I was sore from yesterday's hunt.
"Karman, wake up! Someone's looking for you!" Tono said this while splashing water on my face.
"Mmmmh... five more minutes..."
"Putri! Putri is looking for you."
I opened my eyes quickly. My soul wasn't fully in sync, so I went out to meet Putri.
Outside the dormitory, Putri stood with her arms crossed and looked colder than usual.
"Putri? What is it?"
She didn't say anything for a moment, trying to find the right words.
"About Healer Sugeng," Putri continued.
I became curious. Putri, who was usually cold, now looked serious. What exactly was...
"His condition got worse last night. The doctors said..." She took a breath. "Two weeks at most."
It felt like the world was spinning. I felt a tightness in my chest when I thought about the times we met in the village.
"Two weeks? But he was fine when I..."
"He was reminded of past hurts. The trip to the city hurt him more than expected and damaged his insides. He was hiding his pain."
My hands were shaking.
Sugeng. The person who saved me. The person who was my first home. It was dying, and it couldn't do anything to stop it.
"But there is still one hope," Putri continued. "The Jade Moon Lotus. It only grows in the depths of Kidang Alas. The doctors say it's his only hope."
"Where? Tell me where!"
"Karman, listen first..."
"I don't care! Quickly! Just tell me!"
Putri held my shoulders, trying to calm me.
"That location is in the forbidden zone. Even the Elders rarely go there. The beasts there aren't like the ones you usually face."
"I'll still go."
"I know." Her eyes looked at me intensely. "That's why I'm here. You can't do it by yourself. The rules of each sect require at least five people, with one senior member, for the inner zone."
"So?"
"I've spoken with Father. He allowed it. But..."
"Thank you, Putri." I bowed deeply. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," she said, turning away. "You should meet Elder Hartono. Now."
---
I ran to Elder Hartono's house. My heart was beating very fast. Doctor Sugeng only had two weeks.
Krieeett!
The door opened before I could knock.
"Enter." Elder Hartono's voice was cold.
Elder Hartono stood with his back to me.
"It's been two weeks since you last came."
My body became stiff.
"Elder, I..."
"Two weeks. I gave you a book. I asked you to study. And what did you do?"
"I was hunting, Elder. I needed points for..."
BAM!
A wooden training dummy hit my forehead. It's hard enough to draw blood.
"For food?!" Elder Hartono stood up and looked at me angrily. "YOU THINK POWER COMES FROM FOOD?!"
"E-Elder..."
BAM! BAM!
A lot of hits. No qi was used; it was just pure technique. But it's more painful than any beast attack.
I was thrown back until my body hit the wall.
"Do you know why I gave you that book?!" Hartono approached. "Because you're STUPID! You only rely on a body that won't die. But without proper technique, you're just a living punching bag!"
"Forgive me, Elder..."
BAM!
I felt a kick hit my stomach. I vomited blood.
"Don't just say sorry with words!" Hartono grabbed my collar. "Show me with ACTION!"
He threw me to the center of the room.
"Get up. Show me the stance from the book."
I stood up, wobbly. My body had already healed, but... I was still crying.
"Elder..." I said, my voice shaking.
Elder Hartono didn't say anything for a moment.
"I have to go to the depths of Kidang Alas. I have to..."
My hands shook as I struggled to control my emotions.
"If I fail, if I'm late, the person who saved me will die..."
Tears kept flowing. I didn't care if I looked weak.
Sugeng was the first person to treat me like a human.
Elder Hartono looked at me for a long time. His face didn't show any emotion.
Then he let out a long sigh.
"You're a foolish boy. Don't be arrogant! Do you think you..." Elder Hartono paused for a moment.
"The beasts here are at least level five. One of them could kill dozens of ordinary disciples," he continued.
"I'm not..."
"I know your body is different!" Hartono interrupted. "But you're still STUPID! Power without proper technique is just another form of suicide."
He stood up and took a stance.
"The position you've been taking... I've been watching you."
My heart was beating very fast. So, he had been watching me the whole time?
"That night. When you were surrounded by beasts. I watched you from far away." He said this while looking off into the distance. "And I saw something save you."
This is dangerous. I might be suspected because the White Tiger didn't hurt me at all, but it saved me.
"I don't know what you're hiding. And I don't care." He continued while taking a stance. "What I care about: you are my disciple. And I won't let my disciple die from stupidity."
He showed the moves.
"The stance you've been using is correct. But the application is disorganized. You trust your body too much to heal itself."
His movements changed.
"In the inner zone, regeneration isn't enough. Some beasts can consume qi. Beasts that can destroy souls. Beasts that can..." He stopped.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is learning this."
Hartono did a combination of moves. I tried to follow.
"Wrong! Your feet are too wide!"
PLAK!
A bamboo stick hit my leg.
"Again!"
We trained for hours. I lost count of how many times I was hit for making mistakes.
PLAK! PLAK! PLAK!
My body was covered in bruises. Regeneration worked. But the pain didn't go away.
"Why..." I was shocked. "Why is Elder training me so hard?"
Hartono stopped. He was facing the other way.
"Because I once failed to protect someone important."
His voice was soft.
"My teacher. First, King Supardi. He died because I wasn't strong enough."
He turned around. For the first time, I saw tears in the corners of his eyes.
The sun was starting to set. My training was over.
Elder Hartono gave me a map that he had taken from a cabinet.
"The Jade Moon Lotus is here." He pointed to a spot on the map. "But there's a problem."
"A problem?"
"That area is Viper King's territory."
My body became stiff.
"Viper King. It's a level seven beast. Even I would have a hard time facing it alone."
"Then how..."
"Don't fight him." Hartono looked at me seriously. "The Viper King is protective of its territory. As long as you don't take its eggs, it won't attack."
"Eggs?"
"Yes. Viper beasts will do anything to protect their eggs. If someone steals them..." Hartono drew a line on the map. "The whole colony will hunt the thief to death."
I felt like I was going to be sick.
"So... don't touch the eggs."
"Exactly." Hartono folded the map and gave it to me. "Take the Lotus. Leave as quickly as you can. Don't be greedy."
"I understand, Elder."
"And one more thing."
He looked at me intently.
"I've spoken with the Sect Leader. Senior Bagong will be your guide."
Senior Bagong. He saved me that time.
"He has a lot of experience. Follow his instructions.
"Yes, Elder."
I bowed, then started to leave.
"Karman."
I turned around.
Elder Hartono looked at me with a worried expression.
"Don't die."
"I promise, Elder."
It's nighttime. At the Kidang Alas gate.
Putri was already waiting with all the necessary equipment. Her sword shone brightly in the moonlight.
"You're late," she said coldly.
"Sorry, I just finished meeting with Elder Hartono."
"I know. I saw you with a bruise on your face this afternoon."
Tono ran over, carrying a big bag.
"Karman! I've prepared traps, supplies, and..." He looked at my face. "Good heavens, why does your face look like you got beaten up by debt collectors?!"
"Stop talking! Or do you want me to beat you up, too?"
"Ha ha ha... I'm just kidding."
The sound of slow, measured footsteps was heard.
"Senior Bagong!" Putri bowed.
"Sorry I'm late. I had to convince Bonar to come." Bagong patted Bonar's shoulder, who looked a bit hesitant.
"Why do I have to go with this village trash..." Bonar muttered under his breath.
"Because the Sect Leader ordered it," Bagong answered softly.
Bonar stopped talking.
"Okay." Bagong clapped his hands. Five people complete. Putri, Karman, Tono, Bonar, and me."
He took out a map. It's a different one from Elder Hartono's map.
"The route we'll take is a little different from the standard map. I know a safer shortcut." Senior Bagong said. "We're leaving at sunrise tomorrow. Make sure you get plenty of rest." He continued.
We all nodded.
As the others left, I looked towards the depths of Kidang Alas. My thoughts went everywhere. To be honest, I was scared. But Sugeng's cure was at the other end.
"Wait for me, Healer Sugeng," I whispered softly.