Nagini was losing her patience. Watching Dio being pushed back again and again by the buto's brutal assault, she finally stepped in. With a graceful yet powerful motion, she flicked her long purple sash. In an instant, it coiled around the buto's massive cleaver, stopping its deadly swing.
"Hurry up and chant the spell!" she snapped at Dio.
Dio, who had been struggling to find an opening, pressed his palms together to form a seal. His lips began to murmur the dissolution mantra, his voice mixing with the hiss of focused breath. Slowly, white flames began to consume the buto's body, spreading from its feet up to its head.
Its screams tore through the air, a sound so sharp it rattled their bones. Rika and Arya, still trapped in the suffocating aura of darkness, clamped their hands over their ears.
Nagini kept her eyes fixed on the temple gate. Something far more terrifying was stirring beyond, clawing at the veil that separated dimensions.
Suddenly, from the shadows behind Rika and Arya, a massive black wolf emerged, shrouded in thick smoke. Its six crimson eyes glowed with murderous intent as it lunged forward.
"Damn it!" Nagini cursed, gritting her teeth as she let go of the burning buto. She darted toward Rika and Arya with lightning speed, but the distance was too great."Not in time!" she cried out in frustration.
At that moment, Dio's kris trembled violently at his side, as if it had a will of its own. Before he could react, the blade shot out of its sheath like lightning. It streaked toward Rika and Arya, exploding in a burst of radiant white light. The brilliance engulfed the entire hill, tearing away every trace of darkness.
The force threw Nagini back, slamming her against the temple courtyard. The blinding light burned through the night, erasing every shadow.
When it finally faded, silence returned. Both the buto and the black wolf had vanished without a trace.
Still catching his breath, Dio rushed toward Rika and Arya. "Are you two okay?" he asked, panting hard.
"We're fine. I can breathe again," Arya replied, though his voice was weak. Rika held him up, worry etched on her face.
Dio scanned the courtyard, searching for Nagini. What he saw froze him in place.
Nagini, usually dignified, strong, and graceful, now looked fragile. She was kneeling, her head bowed, tears spilling down onto her lap.
"Master… why? Even now…" Nagini whispered, her voice trembling. "Are you still cursing me?" She clutched her sash tightly, her quiet sobs almost swallowed by the night.
Dio said nothing. Countless questions swirled in his mind, but he kept them locked away for now.
Arya, still pale, leaned on Rika and spoke softly, "We should go home. We can come back tomorrow when it's daylight."
Rika nodded. "Agreed. I've had enough of monsters for tonight."
But before leaving, she glanced at Arya with a mischievous grin. "Two to one. You still owe me one."
Arya let out a weak chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, annoying ghost."
Dio retrieved his kris, now lying on a stone slab, and slid it back into its sheath. He then called Nagini back into it, though something about her felt… different. Weaker, but not just in body—something deeper.
As they walked home, Dio cast sidelong glances at Rika and Arya. Despite having nearly lost their lives, they were already bickering and joking, as if nothing had happened.
A small smile tugged at Dio's lips, though it was tinged with envy. How can they still laugh after all that?
He lifted his eyes to the faint moon overhead. Questions circled endlessly in his mind: What was that thing inside the temple? Why had Nagini seemed so shaken? And what secret lay within the kris itself?
One thing was clear—the ordeal at the temple was just the beginning.
By the time they reached the house, the night was calm again, though exhaustion weighed heavily on them. Dio set the kris carefully on the table, staring at it as if searching for answers.
Arya slumped against the wall, still out of breath. "So… when do we go back?" he asked, trying to sound casual despite his fatigue.
Rika, sitting beside him, pinched his arm. "You still want to go back? That place is deadly!"
"If we don't, we'll never know the truth," Arya shot back with a crooked smile.
"There will be a time to return," Dio finally said. "But not now. Tonight has been more than enough."
Rika nodded, though the image of the black wolf lingered in her mind. She tucked the blanket tighter around Arya, making sure he was comfortable.
Dio, however, couldn't shake the unease in his chest. More than the monsters, it was the image of Nagini—broken, tearful—that haunted him.
He glanced at the kris and muttered under his breath, "What really happened back there?"
In the corner of the room, Nagini stood silently, her eyes distant as they fixed on the window. The weight of old memories pressed down on her, the reminder of a promise she had made long ago—one that now felt more like a curse than a vow.
Outside, the night wind carried the scent of damp earth. From far away, a wolf's long, mournful howl drifted through the darkness. A warning of something greater—something darker—that lay ahead.
That night, all of them understood one thing: the temple held the key to the truth, and the darkness they had faced was only the beginning.
The sun was already high, but the small house still seemed half-asleep. Arya and Dio were buried under their blankets like two larvae refusing to turn into butterflies. Only one voice broke the stillness: Rika's impatient nagging.
She floated restlessly around the living room, grumbling loudly. "Hey! How long are you two going to sleep? The sun's already up!" She swatted at the air in exaggerated frustration.
"Five more minutes…" Arya mumbled from behind the door, his voice raspy like someone who'd just come back from a rock concert.
"Just a little longer…" Dio added, sounding like he was begging for mercy.
Rika groaned. "Ugh, you lazy lumps! Do you know how boring it is for me to float around here all by myself?!"
Her patience snapped. With a burst of speed, she zoomed into their room and plopped herself down squarely on top of their blankets.
"WAKE UP!" she shouted, her voice shattering the peace.
Both Arya and Dio shot upright, startled, groaning from the soreness in their battered bodies.
"Rika! What's your problem?!" Arya rubbed his face, glaring.
"My problem is that you two are lazy!" Rika leaned closer, her grin full of smug triumph. "If I can't sleep, then neither can you!"
"That's not fair!" Dio groaned, rolling his stiff shoulders. "You're a ghost. You don't need sleep. But we—"
"But you two only know how to sleep and whine!" Rika cut him off, hands on her hips.
Arya raised his hand in defeat. "Fine, fine. We're up. But can we at least get five more minutes?"
"Five more minutes to be even lazier?" Rika scoffed, then dramatically turned toward the door. "If it weren't for Mommy Nagini, I'd have left already!"
From her seat in the corner, Nagini watched quietly, a small smile tugging at her lips. Quite an amusing morning drama, she thought.
When Arya and Dio finally dragged themselves to the table, Rika was already sitting cross-legged in the air, waiting like a queen. "Eat! Now!" she ordered.
Arya blinked at the empty table. "Rika… there's no food."
Her brow furrowed. "Oh, right. I forgot—I'm a ghost. Well, you guys cook then!" She snickered mischievously.
Dio sighed, hauling his aching body toward the kitchen. "Arya, if you don't help, I'm only making instant noodles for myself."
Arya flinched. "Wait—fine, fine! I'll help!"
Nagini stayed in her corner, watching the chaos unfold. The corner of her mouth softened into a faint smile. Maybe… this is more enjoyable than I thought.
Amid the racket, there was a warmth that filled the air—a strange, mismatched family, but a family all the same.
______________________________________________________________________________________
That day was beautiful—filled with laughter and a warmth they hadn't felt in a long while. After all the tension they'd been through, Arya, Dio, and Rika decided to spend some time outdoors. They walked to a clear spring not far from Arya's uncle's house, where fresh water sparkled and thick trees formed a natural canopy above.
As always, Rika was the source of chaos. While Arya and Dio tried to relax in the spring, Rika deliberately dropped leaves from the trees onto them."Look! You two look like lazy little frogs!" she laughed mischievously.
"Rika! Seriously, can't you just stay still for once?" Dio glared at her, splashing water in her direction—which, of course, went right through her since she was a ghost.
Arya just chuckled, enjoying the moment. "Let her be, Dio. If she ever goes quiet, that means she's sick."
By afternoon, they tried their luck fishing in a small nearby river. Dio carefully prepared his rod and bait, while Arya made faces as he struggled to put a worm on the hook. Rika, on the other hand, stirred up trouble again, pretending to push Arya into the river.
"Hey! Stop shoving me!" Arya snapped, looking tense."I'm just kidding!" Rika grinned wickedly.
But just as Dio was about to catch a fish, Rika suddenly screamed, "DIO! THERE'S A SNAKE BEHIND YOU!"
Startled, Dio lost the catch, and the fish slipped away. He glared at Rika with burning frustration. "You… are seriously—"
"ART!" Rika interrupted gleefully. "I'm art! Lady Nagini said life always needs a little art in it!"
Dio rubbed his temples with a groan. "I'll show you real art," he muttered, chasing after her—only to slip and fall into the river with a splash.
The Evening Train and the Wrong Souvenirs
The next day, after a warm farewell with Arya's mother and uncle, they boarded an evening train bound for Jogja. Arya's mother had packed them local treats as gifts. But when Dio checked the bag, he frowned.
"Brem? Tempe chips? Wingko? …None of these are actually from Kediri," he thought, sighing quietly. Still, he said nothing, not wanting to spoil her heartfelt gesture.
For once, Rika was unusually quiet during the trip. She drifted to the seat by the window next to Arya, closed her eyes, and seemed to sleep. Arya glanced at her with a surprised smile."What's with her? She usually stirs up trouble," Dio whispered."Maybe she's just tired," Arya shrugged.
The journey felt calmer without Rika's antics. Only the steady rhythm of the train and occasional small talk between Arya and Dio filled the silence.
Long-Awaited Rest
It was late at night when they finally arrived in Jogja. Arya's small boarding room felt like paradise after such a long trip. The moment Arya opened the door, Rika shot inside, floated over to the bed, and dropped herself onto it.
"Home sweet home!" she shouted with glee, her face glowing like the world belonged to her.
Arya smiled softly as he set down his bag in the corner. "Yeah, nothing beats your own room," he said, stretching."We'll tidy up tomorrow. For now, let's just rest," he added, closing the door.
That night, they all slept peacefully. Even with the strange encounters, spirits, and little squabbles that filled their days, there was always one thing that kept them going: the warmth of togetherness and laughter that never left.
In the days that followed, Arya's boarding house settled back into routine. Although they both tried to avoid bringing up the "hand-holding incident," something had shifted between Arya and Rika. Arya, who was usually a tease, now spoke a little more gently to her. Rika, who was usually stubborn, started caring more about Arya's needs—though she still scolded him often.
Meanwhile, in his own room, Dio let out a long sigh as he sipped a cup of hot tea. Nagini leaned against the window, watching him with a sly smile. "It seems you're starting to care about them," she teased.
Dio shook his head, his face cold. "I just don't want those two idiots creating more problems I'll have to clean up," he replied flatly.
But deep down, he felt relieved seeing Arya recovering and Rika smiling again. Nagini chuckled softly, as if she could see through him. "Sometimes, all a stubborn person needs is a little push to show they actually care," she whispered with a faint smile.
Back in Arya's room, Rika sat by the window, gazing at the night sky scattered with stars. "Are you sure you're okay now?" she asked, glancing at Arya, who was sitting on the bed fiddling with his phone.
Arya nodded, giving her a mischievous grin. "If I get sick again, you'll panic just like last time, won't you?" he teased.
"Ugh, you're insufferable!" Rika huffed, turning her head away.
Outside the window, a gentle night breeze carried a quiet warmth. That night, though neither of them said it aloud, both knew something had changed. A feeling they weren't ready to name, but couldn't ignore either.
In the distance, the stars shone brightly—almost as if they were blessing the new story slowly being woven between them.
That day was beautiful, filled with laughter and warmth they hadn't felt in a long time. After all the tension they'd been through, Arya, Dio, and Rika decided to spend some time outdoors. They walked to a clear spring not far from Arya's uncle's house, where the water was fresh and the trees formed a natural canopy.
As usual, Rika became the center of chaos. While Arya and Dio were trying to enjoy a dip in the spring, Rika deliberately shook leaves from a tree above them. "Look at you two! All lazy little frogs!" she giggled.
"Rika! Seriously, can't you stay still for five seconds?" Dio scolded, splashing water toward her. Of course, it passed right through her since she was a ghost.
Arya could only chuckle, enjoying the scene. "Let it be, Dio. If she's not causing trouble, it means she's sick."
In the afternoon, they tried fishing in a small river nearby. Dio prepared his hook and bait with utmost seriousness, while Arya grimaced as he struggled to thread a worm. Rika, on the other hand, stirred up trouble again, pretending to push Arya into the river.
"Hey! Don't push me!" Arya protested, his face tense.
"I'm just joking!" Rika replied with a mischievous smile.
But just as Dio was about to catch a fish, Rika suddenly shouted, "DIO! THERE'S A SNAKE BEHIND YOU!"
The fish escaped, and Dio could only glare at her, full of frustration. "You… really—"
"ART!!!" Rika cut in cheerfully. "I'm art! Didn't Nagini say life needs art?"
Dio sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I'll show you what real art is," he muttered, chasing after her—but ended up slipping and falling into the river instead.