Shadow Whisper

Satria sat at the edge of his bed in a small, modest apartment on the outskirts of the city. The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the ceiling light that cast long shadows on the walls. The apartment was very simple, with minimal furnishings: a bed, a wooden chair, and a small table cluttered with training equipment. An old wooden sword lay in a corner of the room.

The air in the apartment felt heavy, as if filled with something invisible. The sound of his breathing was the only noise in the room, punctuated by the occasional creak of the old wooden floor.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. Since his last mission, his mind had been haunted by resurfacing memories of the past. Shadows of his childhood incident had come back to haunt him, making it hard to sleep.

Suddenly, a soft knock came at the door. Satria immediately stood up, placing his sword beside the bed. He walked slowly to the door, feeling a sense of alertness with each step.

Knock, knock...

The sound came again, more insistent this time. Carefully, Satria opened the door and found Arya standing in the doorway. It was late at night, and Arya's arrival was quite surprising.

"Arya?" Satria was surprised to see her here, especially at this hour. "What's up?"

Arya, with a faint smile on her face, stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. "I thought you might need someone to talk to," she said, closing the door behind her.

Satria nodded slightly, motioning for Arya to sit in the chair near the table. "You're right, a lot has been happening lately."

Arya looked at him with an understanding gaze. "I know, Satria. You can't keep all this to yourself. How is your mission? Did you find anything?"

Satria sighed heavily and sat in the chair opposite her. "Not much. Just fragments of information leading to various places, but everything seems to hit a dead end. I feel like I'm chasing shadows."

Arya was silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice, almost like a whisper. "Sometimes, shadows are more real than we think. And sometimes, they can lead us to places we didn't expect."

Arya's words made Satria ponder for a moment. He knew Arya had a deep understanding of things that were not visible. Over the years, they had undergone very different training. Satria focused on physical strength and agility, while Arya was more interested in spiritual and mental aspects.

"I know you're searching for answers, Satria," Arya continued. "But remember, not all answers are clearly visible on the surface. Sometimes, we have to look within ourselves."

Satria fell silent, contemplating Arya's words. He had always valued his friend's unique perspective, even though it was sometimes hard to understand. That night, their conversation flowed from one topic to another, with Arya providing deep insights into various matters, including Satria's ongoing mission.

However, in the midst of their conversation, Arya suddenly stood up and walked toward the window. The apartment overlooked a narrow, quiet, dimly lit alley. The view outside was a stark contrast to the chaotic scene that was about to unfold.

She stared into the pitch-black darkness of the night.

"Do you feel it?" she asked, her voice turning serious.

Satria was puzzled for a moment, then followed Arya's gaze. "Feel what?"

Arya turned around, looking at Satria with an intensity she rarely showed. "Something is coming. Something big. I can feel it, like a whisper from the shadows."

Satria felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Arya was not easily disturbed. If Arya sensed something amiss, it meant there was a real threat.

"What do you mean...?" Satria didn't get a chance to finish his sentence when a distant small explosion was heard. BOOM! The sound shook the quiet night, followed by the wail of sirens starting to blare.

They both immediately sprang into action. Satria grabbed his sword, while Arya pulled out a small knife from her jacket. "We need to go now," Arya said firmly.

They rushed out of the apartment, navigating the narrow corridor that was starting to fill with panicked people. Outside, the once calm night sky was now lit up with red light from a fire burning in the distance. The explosion had originated from a nearby industrial area, where a warehouse had been completely destroyed.

Satria and Arya ran toward the source of the explosion, pushing through the frantic crowd. The warehouse was partially destroyed, with flames blazing from within. Thick black smoke billowed high into the sky, and among the debris, several motionless figures could be seen.

Satria felt anger burning inside him. Whoever was responsible for this had gone too far. And Satria vowed he would find them.

Arya took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "We need to be cautious. This could be a trap."

Satria nodded, but he knew there was no turning back now. They had come too far. Together, they stepped into the darkness, ready to face whatever awaited them.

Yet, in his heart, Satria knew this was just the beginning. Something bigger was happening, something that involved his past, and he would not stop until he uncovered the truth.

And beneath it all, the shadows of the past continued to haunt him, like whispers that never went away.