Timan

Three days later, Night had fallen as Rangga walked towards the cabin, his cabin on the edge of the mine. The path he followed hugged the perimeter of the dome, seeming to press against its towering walls. The air was heavy with an eerie silence, broken only by the distant hum of the dome's energy field.

Each day, Rangga would go to the office without being able to do anything, as the mine was closed off by the dome, and ordinary humans could not enter it. He spent his days waiting for the decision on when the company would issue termination letters, as the mine could no longer be operated due to the dome's presence, which could not be removed.

As Rangga ventured further, his footsteps echoed softly against the cold metal of the dome. The darkness seemed to swallow him whole, the only source of light coming from the dim glow of the dome's surface. He quickened his pace, eager to reach the safety of his cabin.

Suddenly, a figure loomed before him, tall and imposing against the night. Its body resembled that of an android, but its black, armored skin and glowing purple eyes gave it a menacing appearance. A large purple gem pulsated in the center of its chest, casting an otherworldly glow.

Rangga froze in terror as the creature lifted the lifeless body of a mine worker, its purple eyes fixating on him. With a swift movement, it placed the body on the ground before turning its attention to Rangga.

Panic surged through Rangga as he stumbled backward, his heart pounding in his chest. In his haste to escape, he tripped and fell, tumbling down the uneven terrain. His body rolled for what felt like an eternity until he finally came to a stop, battered and bruised but miraculously alive.

Gasping for air, Rangga struggled to his feet, his head spinning from the sudden fall. But as he stood, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and the world seemed to blur around him. The air grew thin, suffocating him as if all the oxygen had suddenly vanished.

He's realized that now he is inside the dome. With a final gasp, Rangga succumbed to darkness, his consciousness slipping away as he tumbled further into the depths of the mine within the dome.

As Rangga lay sprawled on the ground not far from where he fell, he found himself propped up against a mining vehicle, its massive form looming over him. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and the sight that greeted him was nothing short of surreal.

Standing just five meters away was the towering alien creature he had encountered earlier. But this time, there was someone else in the picture. Facing off against the alien was Timan, wielding a dagger in his left hand. It was evident that a fierce battle had taken place between them, though not for long. Timan appeared weary and wounded, his right shoulder bloodied, while the alien sported wounds of its own, its purple blood oozing from several cuts on its body.

With a sudden burst of energy, Timan launched himself at the alien, engaging in fierce one-on-one combat. The scene was intense, each strike and parry a testament to their skill and determination. In a climactic moment, Timan managed to drive the dagger into the alien's right chest, but not without receiving a deep slash across his abdomen from the alien's sharp claws.

Timan was thrown back and collapsed in front of Rangga, who was now fully conscious but frozen in fear, his body trembling at the sight of the brutal battle unfolding before him. The expression on his face is a mix of horror and disbelief.

The scene took a decisive turn when the alien, though wounded and staggering, managed to rise to its feet and slowly approach the now incapacitated Timan. Rangga's instinct jolted to tell his body that he should do something. In a swift motion, he jumped forward then grabbed the dagger that fell on the ground and plunged it into the purple gem in the alien's chest with a single decisive strike. The alien instantly burst into flames, its body consumed by fire and reduced to a charred, humanoid figure.

"Sir!! What just happened?!" his voice trembled.

Timan, lying motionless on the ground, uttered his final words to Rangga, his voice weak but filled with urgency, "I guess you will never be a regular guy, Son!" he is trying to laugh but is held by a blood spurt from the injuries.

But, he managed to continue, "Be kind and be strong. They are coming, more ruthless than the monsters. You must become the strongest if you want to save Earth. Gather the three golds and head south to save us."

Timan's voice, strained with pain but still smiling, guided Rangga's trembling fingers to the device that he took from his pocket. "This device called Luminar, place this behind your ear, it will become your guide" he instructed, his words urgent yet cryptic. "And you can carry my dagger until you find a new weapon."

As he glanced down at Timan's dagger clutched in his other hand, Rangga felt a surge of determination coursing through him. With a solemn nod to Timan, Rangga carefully stowed the device in the pocket of his trousers.

With a dim flicker of light from a pocket flashlight, memories took him back to not too long ago, to the aroma of coffee and the lively chatter of customers enveloping the small diner where he often found solace.

During light-hearted conversations over sips of tea and plates of food, Rangga expressed his desire for a simple life, free from burdens or ambitions weighing on his mind. Yet, Timan's wide smile faltered with words surprising yet meaningful. "Sometimes, lad, life cannot be planned. Sometimes, we must be ready to shoulder great responsibilities, even if they go against our wishes."

The flicker of light from the flashlight faded away, bringing Rangga back to the bitter reality within the gloomy dome. His eyes fixed on the frail figure of Timan lying helpless, while Timan's wise words continued to echo in his mind, reshaping his perspective on the situation he faced now.

--end chapter--