In the darkness that lurks at the bottom of the Chasm, two voices held a discussion.
"My lord, it seems that a new Cahaya has emerged. How do you want to proceed?"
"I am aware of that. What about the Ngepet?"
"It has failed to retrieve the spear. It has been purified."
"I see. At the moment, I am too preoccupied to meet our new hero. Tell Kegelapan to send a basilisk after him, Rangda. I wish to assess whether he's worth worrying about."
"As you wish, my lord."
Karna opened his eyes. He looked around, seeing that he was in a room larger than his at Allesium. Where am I, he thought. There were stuffed animals, multiple bookshelves and tables, and drawers filled with makeup. Just then, Sora opened the door.
"Hey, sleepyhead. You've been out for two days. How've you been?"
"My whole body aches, but the pain's bearable. More importantly, where are we?" Sora sidestepped to may way for Lucia, who came in with a tray of cookies and tea. "You're in my house. I can't have the Cahaya going out on me, can I? Once you're done eating, meet me at the balcony."
Sora sat down in a chair. "Who would have thought you were next in line to be Cahaya? It all seems like some dream." Karna smiled. "Sure you're not mad you didn't get picked?" Sora smirked. "I have been blessed by Niyai, a water kami. I can splash you out if you annoy me, fireboy." Karna chuckled. "Whatever you say." An image of Visavi Shakti appeared. "I'm glad to see you're doing well, Master."
"So am I. Mind telling me why I went unconscious for two days?"
" As the Cahaya, you're extremely powerful, but you are no different from a barong since your soul has fused with mine. You fainted because you were not able to handle that much power. As time goes on, you will get accustomed to being able to control more of your power." He went on to further explain, but Sora interjected. "In short, Karna is a weakling, and he needs long hours of training time. I think that captures the gist of Visavi's explanation." Karna frowned. "I think you're a jerk. I think that captures the gist of your gist. Anyways, we're doing eating now, so let's go to Lucia."
Lucia's balcony was as big as her room. There was a round table in the center with six chairs around it. Karna stared downwards and realized he was in a palace. Oh yeah, she's a princess, he thought. I forgot that. He sat in a chair across from Lucia, and Sora joined them later.
"Lord Cahaya, you've never been to Sobloeze, correct?" Karna nodded. "You can just call me Karna, Lucia. You don't have to give me special treatment." Sora nodded. "It'd be wasted on him."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing at all. Anyways, Lord Cahaya, what shall we do?" Karna scratched his head. "Good question. Visavi said I need to explore the whole world, not just the Chasm if I want to eliminate all the darkness in the world. So I think we'll start in Sobloeze." Sora nodded. "Makes sense. There's a ruin near here, in the first layer of the Chasm. Should we head there after Lucia shows us around?" Karna nodded.
"I have a meeting later, so I can't take you everywhere," Lucia said. "Before we go, I would like to request something, if that's alright." Karna and Sora both nodded. "What is it?"
"You both are barongs, right?" The two nodded. "May you please show me the Kami you've infused your souls with?"
"Sure, but why do you want to see them?" Karna asked. "I've always dreamed of being a barong, but no Kami would assist me in doing so. I just wanted to ask them how to do it." Karna and Sora called their respective Kami, and they appeared. Then the two introduced them.
"His name's Visavi Shakti."
"And hers is Niyai Loro Kidul."
The two Kami waved with a smile. "Lord Kami, please, tell me how I can become a barong," Lucia pleaded. Visavi Shakti spoke first. "Becoming a barong is not easy, Girl. Some people die in the attempt. However, if you wish to become one, then you must find a Kami who has the same desire. If you can withstand their power, you will become a barong."
"Withstand their power?" Niyai nodded. "Yes. He's referring to the process in which a Kami fuses their soul with you. You recently saw Karna do it with Visavi. If you can do the same with another Kami and survive, your wish will become a reality." Lucia nodded. " I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing that valuable information with me. But I can't find a Kami that wants to be a barong with me."
"You will find one someday," Niyai assured her. She and Visavi dissolved into light and disappeared. "Well, that was eventful," Sora said as he got up. "I'm guessing there's not much time before your meeting begins, so you mind giving us a quick tour around your kingdom?"
Lucia pointed to various buildings around the kingdom. "That tower over there is a bureau where diplomats meet. There are little stores and huts everywhere, all filled with merchants selling their goods. We have an outdoor theater over there and restaurants to our left, as well as taverns and inns." Would you two like to eat something?" Karna and Sora nodded in unison.
Kelly's Sea was a popular diner in the kingdom, and one could see that from the long lines that stretched beyond its doors. The diner itself was three stories tall, with hundreds of people in each. Karna curiously looked around. "Woah, there are so many people here. The place itself is so big, too. Is this really a restaurant?" Lucia nodded. "It's one of the most famous places to eat. Everyone, from your ordinary citizen to celebrities, gives Kelly's a great review." Lucia looked around for a table, and her eyes lit up when she saw a petite black-haired girl eating a shrimp cocktail. "Velvet!"
Velvet perked up when she saw who called her name. "Lucy!" The two hugged. "I missed you. We haven't hung out in ages!" Lucia smiled. "It's only been two weeks, you know."
"That's a really long time, you know." Velvet pointed to Karna and Sora. "Who are they?" She frowned. "Oh, so you couldn't hang out with me, but you had the time to seduce two boys?" Lucia blushed. "No, I only met them recently. This is Karna and Sora. Brown hair is Karna, black hair is Sora."
"Wait, you're the Cahaya?" Velvet scrutinized Karna. "Um, is there something wrong?" She nodded. "I just thought our glorious savior would be intimidating, not a skinny, cute boy." Lucia nodded. "Yeah, if I didn't spend a week at his house, I wouldn't believe it either." Velvet's mouth dropped. "You spent a week at his house? Does this mean what I think it does? You've finally found a guy and got your cherry popped, didn't you?" Lucia's face turned crimson. "It's not like that at all! Could you please stop joking around now?" Velvet grinned. "Of course. But it's just so much fun teasing you, it's irresistible. By the way, don't you have a meeting today?"
"Mm-hmm. We should get going now." Velvet nodded. "Sorry to leave like this, but we can talk again if you like. I'm dying to know what she did in your house for a whole week." Sora nodded. "Oh, as the brother of our glorious savior, I can tell you all the juicy tidbits." Velvet giggled. "I'll take you up on that." She waved as she followed Lucia out of the diner. Karna got up. "We should go too. We have a ruin to explore."
Cornelius addressed a group of people who sat at his table. "Thank you all for coming. Today, I would like to discuss something very recent. As you all know, a new Cahaya has emerged. Even though he is but a boy, he wields tremendous power. As nobles, we must ensure the safety of our country." Lucia interjected. "Are you implying the Cahaya is a threat to us?" Cornelius nodded. " As I said, he is formidable. It would be best now when he doesn't know how to control his powers that we should detain him." Velvet pursed her lips. "I don't mean any offense, but it sounds to me like all of you are scared of him."
"Obviously!" Cornelius shouted. "If the legends are true, he could destroy this entire country!"
"And do you have any evidence that he'll do that?" Cornelius flinched. " I thought so. Unless you and the other nobles can give irrefutable evidence that he's a threat to us, the Cahaya will not be captured. Do I make myself clear?" Cornelius clenched his fist. "You realize that only you and the princess are in favor of that. Do you wish to go against the judgment of everyone else?" Velvet nodded. "Yes, I do." She stormed out of the room, with Lucia at her heels.
Sora led Karna to the entrance of the ruin. "When'd you find this thing?" Karna asked. "I borrowed some maps from Lucia. One of them showed an overview of the six layers of the Chasm, and I found a couple more for the first three layers. The people in Sobloeze live in the first layer as well as aboveground, so I just asked around for information."
"Mind if I see those maps?" Sora pulled two out from his pocket. "I only brought the two that showed the first layer since that's where we are." Karna studied the two maps. One showed an overview of the layer, detailing places that were unexplored or where people lived. It highlighted locations of lakes, cities, ruins, and mountains. The second depicted Hylium, the town they were in. "Wow, you planned this thoroughly," Karna said. "I have to admit, you did your homework on this one." Sora nodded. " We're going into the Chasm, where the darkness lives. As the Cahaya, you need to be prepared. Anyways, let's see what's inside."
The ruin's corridors led underground to a single door. The path ahead was a dead end. "Well, that's disappointing." Sora looked around the walls. "I was hoping to find something interesting here." He began touching the door and traced his fingers across it. "Doesn't seem to be any hidden buttons here." Karna pointed to a circular glass lens on the roof. "Hey, Sora, check it out."
"It's just a piece of glass."
"Yeah, but it's on the walls and the door too." Sora realized that he was right. "You think it could help us open the door." Karna nodded. "I'm guessing that we need to hit the glass with light." Visavi appeared. "I will assist you in that. I do advise you to close your eyes, Master." His body began to glow until it shone a bright light. The light reflected off all the glass on the walls and hit the one on the door, which toppled down. "Woah," Karna said. "I'm always taken aback by the technology is in these ruins. It's so advanced compared to what humans have." Sora nodded. "Yeah, but remember that the Kami were probably the ones who made them. Anyways, let's keep going."
The room ahead was dark. Visavi gave some light, and Karna saw unlit torches on the walls. He asked Visavi to light them up, which he did. A statue rose from a hole in the ground. The animal it portrayed was a massive winged serpent with the head of a rooster and the claws of a bird. Sora's eyes widened. "Isn't that a basilisk?" Visavi nodded. "Yes. They are one of the most fearsome Kegare to encounter, which is why they're the symbol of destruction." Karna touched the statue, then jumped back when he saw a black mist forming around it.
Bats the size of men appeared out of the mist. Karna called Visavi's name, then lunged at the bats with his spear, cutting them to pieces. Sora shot trapped some of them in a bubble of water and whammed them against the wall, breaking it and revealing another door.
The room was a large chamber. Only one torch on the wall lit the room, but it was enough. Enough to see the shocking number of skulls littered about the floor. Karna looked around in horror. "What happened here?" Sora's eyes narrowed. "Visavi, do you know anything about this?"
The two heard his voice in their heads. "Yes. A long time ago, this used to be the palace of a king. He became a wicked tyrant after being corrupted by darkness. These are people who rebelled against him. As punishment, he locked them up here and left them to die. The rage of these rebels manifested into the bats you fought before."
"So, the darkness can control people and create Kegare based on their emotions?" Karna asked.
"It's more complicated than that, but yes. That is how the Kegare are born: from the negative emotions of humans given form by darkness." Karna clenched his chest. "What is this?"
"What's wrong?" Sora asked. "I don't know. I can sense something dangerous approach." Visavi spoke again. "Master, what you are sensing now is the darkness itself. A Kegare may be coming near us. Get back to the surface before it can do any harm. Hurry!"
The two stood in trepidation as they saw it in the sky. The Kegare had the head of a rooster and the body of a serpent with wings. It was big enough to cover part of the sun. It roared, and acid rained down from its mouth into the ground, eroding everything it touched.
Sora's eyes widened. "A basilisk!" Damm it, Karna thought. Could I take that thing head-on as I am now? "You must take it on," Visavi told him. "Master, look around you. The people here and in Sobloeze may perish." The acid turned people into Kegare the moment it touched them. "Master, if you wish to save them, you must defeat the basilisk."
Karna flew up to the basilisk and poked its right eye with his spear. It screamed, spewing more acid into the sky. Karna's wings emitted a radiant light that blinded the basilisk. He created a second spear out of flames and threw it into the basilisk's other eye. "Good," Visavi said in his head. "Basilisks can kill living things by looking at them. The basilisk can still sense your presence, however. It will regain its sight soon, so kill it before then." Karna swung his spear, slashing, and hacking every part of the basilisk's body. The basilisk staggered back, but not before it managed to knock Karna several meters into the ground by smacking its tail at him.
Karna spat out blood. Pain seared through his body, especially his ribs. He grabbed them, realizing they were broken. Damm it, he thought. The basilisk's tail had the face of a lion, which snarled at him. Jet-black flames flew out of his mouth. Karna braced himself, but Sora covered him in a bubble of water that protected him from the fire. He ran over to Karna. "You ok?" Karna gave him a sarcastic smile. "Of course! Don't you see how fine I look?" Sora sighed. "I'll take that as a no. More importantly, how are we going to beat that monster?" Karna's tried to get up, but his legs would not move. Sora began a chant and surrounded Karna with water. Karna could feel his strength returning as the water went into him. Sora panted, exhausted from healing. " Niyai is a water Kami. She can't fix all your injuries, but she does a decent job." Karna got up. "It takes up a lot of your energy, too. Cover my back then. I'll try to end this as quickly as I can." Sora grabbed his wrist. "Wait! If you get hit again, you'll die!" Karna smiled. "I know. But look around you." He nodded toward what remained of Hylium. "People are turning into Kegare. If we don't defeat that thing, everyone here and in Sobloeze will die. We have to stop it for their sake too." Karna flew up into the sky again. Sora clenched his fist. "You better come back alive, little bro."
Karna circled the basilisk. Every time it would try to open its eyes, Karna flung a spear into it. Karna cut off the lion head on its tail, then thrust his spear into the basilisk's belly, which bounced off. He flew back as the basilisk spit acid at him. Visavi spoke to him in his head. "Master, call my name. My real name. Your strength will increase tenfold if you do." I have no choice, Karna thought. "Matahari!"
Karna's wings grew to twice their size. His spear turned into a bow. Its string was made out of pure flames. The bow's limbs were black, and its grip was red. "Now concentrate," Visavi said. "Focus all your energy into making an arrow, and pierce the basilisk's neck." Karna closed his eyes. A massive spear appeared on the bow, ready to be launched. Karna observed the basilisk, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Now, he thought. He concentrated all of his power into the spear and shot it at the basilisk. The spear cut into its neck and exploded as the basilisk dissolved. "I did it," Karna croaked. He fainted and fell from the sky, and Sora caught him in a bubble of water.