Episode 66. Move

In someplace.

Like a round arena made of stone.

The floor had an abstract pattern.

Moreover, the arena seemed to be floating above the clouds.

Around the arena were 6 tall pillars made of stone.

Each pillar had carvings representing a facial expression of human emotions.

The first pillar, full of anger.

The second pillar, full of disgust.

The third pillar, full of fear.

The fourth pillar, full of happiness.

The fifth pillar, full of sadness.

The sixth pillar, full of surprises.

Of the six pillars, only the fourth pillar was burning fiercely with fire.

In the middle of the round arena, there was an adult man being shackled. His hands were spread wide open because of the chains on his wrists. His legs were chained onto the arena floor.

The man looked like a prisoner of a high-class criminal.

BRAK BRAK BRAK BRAK BRAK!

Footsteps approached the man angrily.

Until finally, the source of the sound bowed his head to look at the pitiful face of the man.

"It seems you still have a long way to go before you see your judgment day!" A cold voice was unleashed on the man's restrained face.

"There are still 5 pillars left to reach this point, you better prepare yourself... aha ha ha ha ha!" His laugh was full of sadness mixed with madness.

"It's all because of you! Because of you!" A shout erupted as he continued. "It's because of you..." 

The person approaching the prisoner stopped his words and closed his head to the prisoner.

His eyes did not reflect what was in front of him. The muscles on the area above the eye resonated as if recalling something terrible.

"Do not worry, he's progressing very slowly... And furthermore, I'm still the same as before."

"I can talk to other people like a friend or partner... But, when talking to someone related by blood, I just mess it up."

"Why does that happen?"

"Why can't I?"

"Even though that person has been with us since birth!"

"Hey... Why does that happen?"

"I thought... if I stepped forward and tried to reach out to him, then he could become better."

"But the reality is, even without my help, he can still move forward."

"He's really different from both of us... He seems to already understand what needs to be done in every situation and condition."

"He can change his emotions like changing his songs in the playlist!"

"But, his true emotions are all gathered into one."

"And this pillar is the proof!"

The visitor stood up and stretched his hands towards the pillars.

"That... is not... true..." The prisoner finally opened his voice although it sounded weak.

"He... can... move... and change... because... of your support..." He forced his head weakly to face the visitor who had his back turned.

"Without your initial support... maybe he wouldn't have moved an inch.... uhuk uhuk uhuk!"

The man coughed several times, he seemed to be in pain.

How long has he been here?

To the point where his entire skin was dusty and dirty. His white robe was torn and tattered.

His long hair has grown till touches the floor of the arena, even already coming out from it and touching the cloud.

Hearing the prisoner's praise, the visitor turned his body and looked darkly at the prisoner.

"Wow wow wow... Look who's praising here?"

"You, who turned him into a demon with a nihilistic conscience, suddenly talking about such topics?!"

The visitor approached the prisoner.

Now, their distance was just inches apart.

GRAK!

The sound of bones breaking and even shattering.

The visitor kicked the prisoner's chin until it through to the starting point of his digestive system.

Blood flowed from the hole, but there was an oddity in the prisoner's reaction.

He seemed not to feel any pain at all even though his digestive system was heavily wounded.

As if, this has happened many times before.

"TCH! He's like this because of his 'old' friend! Not because of me!" The visitor looked at the blood flowing to the ground with intense emotions.

Shortly after, Anitya's power regenerated the man's mouth and chin which were crushed by the previous kick.

"Look... He-... No!... But... My last little brother and you... Rasyid Londerik... If he knows this place... And when he knows the truth... You will also be his victim...!" The prisoner's voice suddenly looked fit and hardened, blowing the visitor's long hair. "... My little brother... Our last little brother is in another league you know...?" 

BRAK!

The visitor did not respond except to kick the prisoner's chin again.

Without hesitation, the visitor turned around and left the prisoner alone there.

After a while, the wounds on the prisoner's chin regenerated.

His mouth slowly opened in the silence of the cloud world.

"You just don't like to accept reality, Rizki..."

He slowly raised his head and looked at the burning pillar.

"Rasyid can regain his emotions because of the people around him."

"And because of that, soon he will burn another pillar..."

"A great drama stage will be ready for him..."

"Which pillar will light up for the second?"

"The first pillar, full of anger?" While looking at the first pillar in front of him on the right.

"The second pillar, full of disgust?" While looking at the second pillar to his right.

"The third pillar, full of fear?" While looking at the third pillar behind him on the right.

"The fifth pillar, full of sadness?" While looking at the fifth pillar to his left.

"Or... The sixth pillar, full of surprise?" While looking at the last pillar behind him on the left.

"It all depends on how you make decisions, Rasyid! My little brother."

It was a rather strange speech he delivered.

But those speeches would lead the main character to his destination.

Perhaps very soon.

.......

Tu Tu TUU TU TU TUU TUTUTUTU

The sound of the bell for the exam was heard differently than usual.

I, who had just returned from wandering around the school, was now back at my post.

And for the kidnappers, they had already begun to prepare and wait for the right time to launch their actions.

"Mr. Rasyid?" A woman's voice called out to me.

"What's up, Linda?"

"Where have you been?"

"Just taking a walk." I was honest.

I am not gonna say anything about eavesdropping on the political couple's conversation, it's better to keep quiet about it.

"Isn't it a bit refreshing, walking around the classrooms?" Ryan asked beside me.

"Not... But better than waiting in this high post."

"High?"

Suddenly Linda's mouth curved into a crescent moon.

"Are you afraid of heights?" She mocked.

"Why?"

"Didn't your words earlier often used as an excuse by those afraid of heights?" She continued to mock me.

"Is that so?!" (Ryan)

"Not... Not at all." (Me)

Linda's mouth immediately turned sideways and pouted.

"Well then..." Her mouth returned to normal and her eyes widened with curiosity.

"Look!" My head was forcibly pushed to look down.

At this height, without Anitya, normal people might have died if they jumped or fell.

But now, even if someone falls from this height, they only experience trauma.

I stared blankly at the bottom of the ground.

"Oh, so you're really not afraid, huh?" Linda finally admitted but felt disappointed about it.

Is she really trying to mock me?! Or it's just teasing?

"I'm sorry, sir..." She put on a sweaty smile and clapped her hands together.

I didn't feel any guilty feeling when she said it.

"It's okay..." My mind says differently. 'Go to hell!'

"Impressive... Mr. Rasyid, you're really changed!" Ryan praised me too much. A bit of tears fall from his eyes.

Why?!

His words made me wonder a bit. But for now, I better ignore it.

"Changed?" Linda touched her cheek with her index finger.

"Oh... It's nothing... Mr. Rasyid and I are from the same village. That's why I know how he is, ahahahaha!" Ryan seemed to have slipped earlier.

"Oh, from the same village?! Heh..." Linda sighed, feeling hated that someone had secret their secrets.

I don't remember him, or did I forget something?

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

The sound of my phone suddenly rang.

I answered the call, and a call from an unknown number appeared on my phone screen.

Beep!

I answered the call.

"....."

"...."

"You... Are the one who will pay for all of this..."

"All your happiness... I will destroy it!"

"So... Come here, and face me..."

"I have a reward for you!"

This must be a trap, his whisper-like voice was used to disguise his voice.

He is someone who understands how Anitya works.

Umm... I think disguising the sound was not what Anitya did. I am too overanalyzing.

BEEP!

I hung up forcefully.

There's no point in going there. I'm not the one who will come even if they bring any hostages.

"Who?"

Ryan and Linda both asked me about the call at the same time.

"Nobody... Just mom asking for phone credit."

I lied to them to ease the tension.

RING RING!

Once again, my phone rang, this time not a phone call but a chat message.

Saiful Baharuddin's name appeared on the screen.

"Mr. Bahar?"

"Heh, Mr. Saiful?!" They were both surprised by the name.

[Rasyid, your student is kidnapped!]

"Heh?!" I tilted my head.

This is a strange message.

Why only my student?

Judging from the reactions of the two people beside me, it seems they didn't receive the message.

So, the kidnappers really try to challenge me.

"Yo-your student is ki-(I covered Ryan's mouth)"

"It seems the kidnappers are really challenging me!"

"Mr. Rasyid, do you need our help?" Linda worriedly asked me.

"It's okay, I'm actually better off fighting alone." I looked at the woman with a melancholic expression.

With this incident, I walked away from this post.

"If you need help! Call us! Remember, you're not alone!" Ryan suddenly shouted a phrase that made me nostalgic.

Hearing those words, I looked at the young man with my head bowed once.

"Yes, I will remember!" I said to him with a smile before jumping from the tower.

BAM BAM BAM BAM!

I ran towards the place.

Even without being told, I could know where they were.

What kind of trap awaits me?