(Tiga abad kemudian.)Dingin, gelap, sunyi, nyeri bagai penyiksaan menjalar ke sekujur tubuh, dan otot-otot seakan terkunci kaku.Zevana tidak mengerti apa yang dirasakannya sekarang. Telinganya berdengung kuat mendapatkan tekanan dari kedua sisi. Tak ada bagian dari tubuhnya yang bisa digerakkan.Hanya sakit. Sakit sekali—dan tak bisa dilawan meski otak Zevana sudah mengirim sinyal ke tubuhnya agar bergerak.Tubuh Zevana bergerak melayang perlahan semakin ke atas. Tidak, bukan melayang, lebih tepatnya mengapung. Rasa nyeri dari tekanan pada sekujur tubuh membuatnya kebas, dingin menusuk kulit—bahkan rasanya berkali lipat menusuk ketimbang rasa panas luka bakar melepuhkan kulit.Kedua matanya tidak bisa dibuka. Entah apa yang menggerakkan tubuhnya sekarang. Semakin mengapung naik, semakin dirinya merasakan tekanan. Dalam hening Zevana ingin menangis, tetapi otot wajahnya pun tidak bereaksi untuk membentuk ekspresi.Tak ada suara yang didengar olehnya kecuali dengung menyakitkan.Apaka
Kegelapan yang mencekam menyambut kedua mata Zevana begitu kelopak mata itu terbuka. Entah bagaimana bisa Zevana secara tiba-tiba terbangun di tengah hutan. Udara dingin jatuh menusuk pori-pori seiring Zevana bangkit posisi menjadi duduk.Butuh waktu beberapa detik bagi Zevana untuk memperhatikan sekeliling. Siluet pepohonan menjulang tinggi, siluet dedaunan yang tumbuh lebat menutup akses cahaya bulan, dan suara-suara hewan hutan sahut-bersahutan.Tunggu, ini pasti masih mimpi, elaknya dalam hati ketika agak kesulitan berdiri dari duduk. Tubuhnya bergerak sempoyongan sambil menjulurkan tangan, meraba-raba sekitar.Ini mengerikan. Tidak ada cahaya membuat pergerakan Zevana sungguh kesulitan. Zevana merasakan seluruu bulu kuduknya seketika meremang mendengar nada-nada siul burung hantu.Masalahnya, Zevana tidak bisa melihat wujud burung hantu itu. Netra Zevana hanya menangkap siluet-siluet sekitar."Cahaya, di mana ca—" kalimat Zevana seketika terhenti setelah sepasang matanya menemuka
Sial. Zevana sama sekali tidak bisa memejamkan mata dengan tenang. Mimpi buruk yang mendatanginya saat beberapa waktu lalu masih terngiang-ngiang. Katakanlah Zevana terlalu berlebihan karena, alih-alih menganggap angin lalu mimpi itu, justru memikirkannya amat keras. Persetan. Bayang-bayang wanita di antara kabut yang menyelimuti sekujur tubuh membuat Zevana tidak nyaman. Entah kenapa Zevana merasa seperti familiar dengan wanita itu. Ini semacam perasaan ketika dirinya bertemu seseorang, lalu bertemu lagi kesekian kalinya. Namun Zevana tidak bisa mengingat. Sejak kapan dirinya mengenal atau bertemu wanita menyeramkan itu?"Argggh!" Zevana mengusap kepala bagian kanannya, frustasi. "Kenapa aku tidak bisa mengingat apa pun? Dan ... siapa nama yang disebut wanita itu?"Benar. Ada nama yang disebut sosok wanita berkabut dalam mimpinya: Zevana.Apakah itu nama dirinya?Sebenarnya Zevana sendiri tidak yakin. Meskipun di sisi lain, jika diingat-ingat ulang, Zevana tidak menemukan siapa pu
"AISH…."The sky is getting darker. There was only the sound of a disembodied owl mixed with the gasping for breath. No more chasing after the damn troops who don't know where to come from.This is where Zevanna and Arres get stuck. Focusing only on running away from the damn troops, the two of them had not realized that they had entered a deeper part of the forest.They did manage to escape. Too bad they don't know where they are now."You asked me to run without thinking we'd get stuck!" Arres rebuked Zevanna.Of course Zevanna didn't accept it.Zevanna's body immediately straightened—after bending down holding both knees. Zevanna looked at Arres with disapproval."Hey. I saved you from their pursuit," said Zevanna, who defended herself. "Why are you acting so annoying?"Who is to be blamed?This Arres sucks anyway. It was lucky that Zevanna had grabbed his hand so they could run away together. Zevanna was also the one who took the initiative to use Agyss's ball which Arres was unem
"So you think I can't be a good royal wizard because you think I'm stupid?"Zevana asked, replying to what Arres said a while ago.In fact, Zevana could have immediately replied when Arres said he was stupid, unable to do anything, and careless. But Zevana prefers to try to calm down, following Arres until they have entered the forest deeper.Zevana's irritation would risk making him want to punch Arres.If it weren't for Arres who treated him earlier, Zevana wouldn't hesitate to throw a fist. The problem was, aside from Arres having treated him earlier, he didn't have that much strength to punch."Indeed," answered Arres who was two steps ahead of Zevana. "Are you not aware?"Zevna chuckled. Then laughed crookedly sarcastically. "How could you say I'm like that. Even though I was the one who saved you from being chased by the damn troops.""It was just luck. If we weren't lucky, we wouldn't have survived.""Your luck is due to my ingenuity," replied Zevana not wanting to be outdone.
[BAB 7]"Jadi, kau pikir aku tidak mungkin menjadi penyihir kerajaan yang pandai karena menurutmu aku bodoh?"Zevana bertanya, membalas perkataan Arres beberapa saat lalu.Sebenarnya bisa saja Zevana langsung membalas pada saat Arres mengatakan dirinya bodoh, tidak bisa apa-apa, dan ceroboh. Namun Zevana lebih memilih mencoba menenangkan diri, mengikuti Arres sampai mereka sudah memasuki hutan lebih dalam.Kejengkelan Zevana akan berisiko membuatnya ingin meninju Arres.Kalau saja bukan karena Arres yang mengobatinya tadi, Zevana tidak akan segan melayangkan tinju. Masalahnya, selain karena Arres sudah mengobatinya tadi, tenaganya tidak sekuat itu untuk meninju."Memang," jawab Arres yang berada dua langkah di depan Zevana. "Apa kau tidak sadar?"Zevana mendecak. Lantas tertawa miring bernada sinis. "Bisa-bisanya kau mengatakan aku seperti itu. Padahal aku yang menyelamatkanmu dari kejaran para pasukan sialan.""Itu hanya keberuntungan. Kalau tidak beruntung, kita tidak akan selamat."
How could Zevana leave Arres in peace?Zevana slowed down his running pace when he arrived at the incline towards the Zelf cliff hill. He was out of breath after he had been running in fear that a wolf would follow him from behind to haunt him.Throughout running towards Zelf's cliff, Zevana couldn't get rid of the thought of how Arres was. He remembered the shape of the two wolves that had attacked the two of them earlier: big, stout, nearly two meters tall, with thick hair that covered the whole body.Zevana got goosebumps remembering the shape of the bodies of the two wolves that had blocked the distance between him and Arres.Why was Arres so stupid as to give himself up to distract the two great wolves? Is there any guarantee that Arres will win and survive?'Unlucky! Now I'm just not calm because I think about Arres situation!'Zevana put her hands on her waist. In silence, he caught his breath as he looked around.Silent atmosphere. Looks like Zevana has entered the forest area
Bagaimana bisa Zevana meninggalkan Arres dalam keadaan tenang?Zevana melambankan laju larinya ketika tiba di tanjakan menuju bukit tebing Zelf. Nafasnya terengah-engah setelah sejak tadi berlari dengan rasa ketakutan kalau akan ada serigala yang mengikutinya dari belakang menghantui.Sepanjang berlari menuju tebing Zelf, Zevana tidak bisa menyingkirkan pikiran tentang bagaimana kondisi Arres. Ia mengingat bentuk dua serigala yang menyerang mereka berdua tadi: bertubuh besar, gagah, tinggi hampir mencapai dua meter, berbulu lebat sampai menutupi seluruh tubuh.Zevana merinding mengingat bentuk tubuh dua serigala yang sempat memblokade jarak dirinya dan Arres.Kenapa Arres sangat bodoh untuk menyerahkan diri mengalihkan perhatian dua serigala besar itu? Memangnya ada jaminan Arres akan menang dan selamat?'Sial! Sekarang aku justru tidak tenang karena memikirkan keadaan Arres!'Zevana meletakkan kedua tangannya pada pinggang. Dalam keheningan, ia mengatur napas sembari memperhatikan se
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if
Luck is on Narukha's side.The truck he was driving was the only car that arrived at the parking lot behind the Dimensional Portal building. With the car engine and turn signals on the front not yet turned off, Narukha checked his surroundings.Unfortunately the dark atmosphere limited Narukha's line of sight. It can only see straight ahead in the direction of the turn signals on the front of the car. Also, three meters on the right and left are affected by the reflection of the light rays.Narukha should have seen the silhouettes of two standing guard soldiers. But now there's no one. The situation is completely empty.Meanwhile in this parking lot, after repeated confirmation, Narukha did not see any other trucks. Or, had another truck arrived earlier and already left?"No one yet?" Cloe made a sound while checking who was around.Narukha shook his head. "Only we came," he replied. "There are two guard soldiers. Have you seen the others?""No," said Cloe. "I suddenly thought what if