Chapter 3 – The Meeting of the Five Friends
Night still blanketed Aruna Village when Raka, Dimas, Alya, and Nara stood atop a hill overlooking Hutan Kabut Aruna. The mysterious blue light rising from within the forest was still faintly visible in the distance, like a star that had fallen to earth.
The four friends fell silent for a moment.
Each of them was thinking the same thing.
They were about to leave behind the ordinary lives they had led until now.
No one knew what they would face after entering the forest.
Maybe it would be a short journey.
Or maybe it would be the beginning of something far greater.
Raka stared at the blue light with fierce determination.
“I have to find out what’s really going on.”
Dimas patted him on the shoulder.
“If you go alone, you’ll probably get lost.”
“Thanks for the support.”
“I’m serious.”
Alya held back a small laugh.
Nara simply shook her head at the antics of her two friends.
Although the mood had grown lighter, they still understood that the situation they were facing was anything but ordinary.
The masked men who had attacked Raka’s house were still on the loose.
They also still didn’t know what had happened to Raka’s mother.
That kept Raka on edge.
“I need to go back for a moment,” Raka said.
“Huh?” Dimas asked.
“I want to make sure Mom is all right.”
His three friends exchanged glances.
They understood how Raka felt.
“All right,” Alya replied. “We’ll go together.”
A few minutes later, they arrived near Raka’s house.
Things were much calmer than before.
Villagers had gathered around the house, whose door had been damaged in the intruders’ attack.
When she saw Raka arrive, his mother immediately ran toward him.
“Raka!”
“Mom!”
They embraced.
Relief immediately flooded Raka’s heart.
Thank goodness she wasn’t hurt.
“Are you all right, Mom?” Raka asked.
His mother nodded.
“Thank goodness those intruders left after they failed to find you.”
Raka let out a long breath.
The heavy burden in his chest eased a little.
But before they could say anything more, an old man approached them.
He was the Village Chief of Aruna.
His hair had turned completely white, but his eyes were still sharp.
“I want to speak with you, Raka.”
His voice was serious.
Raka nodded.
They walked over to a wooden bench near the house.
The village chief studied Raka’s face for a moment before finally speaking.
“Did you find something in your attic?”
Raka was startled.
How could the old man know?
Seeing his expression, the village chief gave a faint smile.
“So it’s true.”
Raka didn’t answer right away.
He tried to remain cautious.
But the village chief spoke again.
“I knew your grandfather better than you might think.”
Raka’s eyes widened.
“Grandfather?”
The old man nodded.
“Mahesa Pratama was no ordinary traveler.”
Raka’s heart began to pound faster.
“He left the village for years to search for something.”
“The Hundred Sky Gates?” Raka asked.
The village chief immediately fell silent.
His expression changed.
For the first time, it was clear that the old man recognized the name.
“You’ve found his notes.”
Raka slowly nodded.
The village chief looked up at the night sky.
“So the day has finally come.”
“What day?”
“The day Mahesa Pratama’s successor found the map.”
Raka was even more confused.
But before he could ask anything else, the village chief stood.
“There’s something you need to see.”
The old man led them to an old building in the middle of the village.
It was the old library, which was rarely used anymore.
Most of the villagers had never even been inside.
When its wooden door opened, the scent of old books immediately filled the air.
Tall shelves lined the corners of the room.
Some of the books looked incredibly ancient.
Alya immediately grew excited.
Her eyes sparkled like a child who had just found buried treasure.
“Wow...”
Dimas chuckled.
“If I had to stay here for a week, I’d die of boredom.”
Alya shot him a glare.
“If I had to stay here for a year, I’d be thrilled.”
“Creepy.”
The village chief led them to the very back of the library.
There stood a large locked cabinet.
The old man pulled a silver key from his pocket.
Click.
The cabinet door slowly swung open.
Inside was a massive, ancient book.
Its cover was made of black leather.
At its center was the same symbol that appeared on Raka’s map.
A circle with one hundred small lines.
Alya froze.
“That’s the symbol I saw!”
The village chief nodded.
“That’s right.”
He opened the book.
Its pages were filled with illustrations, maps, and ancient writing.
Raka saw an illustration of a gigantic structure resembling a gate.
Beneath the image were the words:
THE FIRST SKY GATE
His heart pounded.
This wasn’t a coincidence.
Everything written in his grandfather’s notes truly existed.
“Legend says,” the village chief began, “that long ago, the world was guarded by the Hundred Sky Guardians.”
“Who were they?” Nara asked.
“They were protectors of the world’s balance.”
The village chief continued,
“When the age changed, the guardians vanished. But they left behind a legacy known as the Hundred Sky Gates.”
Raka listened intently.
“And those gates hold immense power?”
“Yes.”
The room fell silent.
Then the village chief turned several pages.
Another image appeared.
This time, it was an emblem shaped like a black eye surrounded by dark flames.
Raka recognized it immediately.
It was the same symbol worn by the masked men.
“That’s them!”
The village chief nodded slowly.
“The Eternal Shadow.”
The name made the room feel colder.
“They’ve been searching for the Sky Gates for decades.”
“For what?” Dimas asked.
“Power.”
That brief answer was enough for everyone to understand.
If power that great fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be horrifying.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the library.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Everyone fell silent.
The sound was strange.
Too heavy.
Too slow.
The village chief immediately turned toward the door.
His expression grew grave.
“That’s not good.”
“What do you mean?” Raka asked.
Before the old man could answer, the library’s front door suddenly flew open.
CRASH!
The night wind burst inside.
A young man they had never seen before stood in the darkness.
He looked about eighteen years old.
He wore a long brown coat covered in travel dust.
A large sword hung across his back.
His gaze was sharp.
Yet he didn’t look like an enemy.
The young man stared straight at Raka.
Then he said,
“I’ve finally found you.”
Everyone was stunned.
“Who are you?” Dimas asked.
The young man stepped into the library.
Then he gave a faint smile.
“My name is Bima Raksa.”
Raka’s eyes widened.
Bima?
The name felt strangely familiar.
Then the young man pulled an object from his bag.
A silver compass.
It was exactly like Raka’s grandfather’s.
And when the two compasses drew near one another, they began to radiate a brilliant blue light.
The room was suddenly filled with a mysterious glow.
Everyone stood silent.
Because they had just realized one thing.
Destiny was bringing together five people who would embark on the greatest adventure in the history of the world.
To be continued in Chapter 4 – The Symbol of the First Gate