Chapter 12
Ruby Goddess walked to the front door. When the door was opened, she saw Silver God's figure stand outside with his typical silver cloak, and smile to her. Ruby Goddess replied that with her similar smile and gave a bit distance so that Silver God could enter her residence.
"I was about to go to the silver palace searching for you, Silver God… Why do you come to my place early in the morning, Silver God?" asked Ruby Goddess smiling sweetly.
"It's been several days the Black Stone Demon doesn't attack with his rebellion. Perhaps he's recovering himself from his injuries. I'm fed up being alone constantly. There's nothing I can do this morning. I plan to stroll in the human world with you. There are a lot of chances doing good deeds in the human world, Ruby Goddess. How is it?"
Ruby Goddess smiled a little bit wryly and she was seen being blushful, "It's not usual you ask me to go to the human world together with you, Silver God. Going there, we can't go from here, Silver God. We have to enter the human world from a small path at the back of the silver palace."
"Oh, really?" Silver God was seen frowning his forehead. "Evidently, going to the human world for some good deeds is also very complicated, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it indeed is…" uttered Ruby Goddess with her snapping smile.
"Okay then… Rather than being bored and doing nothing here, it's better I take you to the silver palace and from the small path at the back of the palace, we'll be strolling in the human world," said Silver God clutching Ruby Goddess' hand without waiting any longer.
Ruby Goddess brushed off the fake god's hand. Smiling cynically, she popped out the three lucky stars. Three lights were glowing in the air and touching the fake god's body. Consequently, shortly afterwards, his real appearance in Black Stone Demon began to come out. He was screaming painfully under the three lights from the three lucky stars.
"You…! You…! You've figured out that I'm not the real Silver God, haven't you? How is that possible? How can that be possible?" Black Stone Demon's screaming was heard again and again.
"It's obvious Silver God knows that the way to the human world isn't the little path at the back of the silver palace. I've deceived you by telling you that there's a small path at the back of the palace connecting our world to the human world. That's proven that you're not the real Silver God!" said Ruby Goddess with her pair of sharp eyes.
The demon's shape kept screaming and screaming under the power of the three lucky stars. Out of a sudden, from behind Ruby Goddess, which she had never thought before, there came a venomous powerful stony palm-print to her back. The three lights got dimmer and dimmer instantly. The fresh red blood squirted from Ruby Goddess' mouth. Her body was flung to the front.
"Hahaha…" now, the real Black Stone Demon's voice was heard. "I'm not that stupid either, letting my real existence disguise become Silver God, Ruby Goddess. That was my second form. My first form came to this room together with that second form just now. I've been waiting for you here. I've been waiting for you to be incautious and then I attacked you."
"You're so cunning! You're such a coward! You only dare to play from behind!" shouted Ruby Goddess.
Ruby Goddess saw the three lucky stars still lying on the floor. Meanwhile, Black Stone Demon had approached the three lucky stars with his certain steps and frightening smile.
"These three lucky stars will be mine. Thus, all this nature of gods will be under my control. I can gain anything I want, including you, Ruby Goddess… You think that I'll just stay quiet seeing you fall into that Silver God's embrace, don't you!"
"I've told you many and many times that I don't have the same feeling to you, Black Stone. Although there was no Silver God right now, I still can't love you, Black Stone. Please understand… Why are you so selfish and obstinate!"
Ruby Goddess opened up her hands and gave one sweep. With one sweep from her hand, the three lucky stars vanished again and got back into her clutching. With one more sweep again from her hand, Ruby Goddess' figure turned into a pink light and disappeared from that place.
Black Stone Demon stomped his foot to the floor together with his anger for several times. He also turned into a black light and vanished from that place.
The pink light was chased after by the black light, until the mountains at the western part of Country Silver. The two lights with two different colors fought against each other in the air. But, Ruby Goddess was helpless… She was merely an ordinary goddess with her medium strength. She could not defeat Black Stone Demon. Finally, the pink light lost the fight in the air. It fell down back to the ground and turned back to Ruby Goddess' figure.
"Give those three lucky stars to me!" shouted Black Stone Demon after the black light turned back to his real figure.
"Kill me, Black Stone! Just kill me and thus, you can obtain those three lucky stars!' screamed Ruby Goddess.
One long and black rope started to fly towards Ruby Goddess in its high speed. Ruby Goddess was strangled and she began to be overwhelmed.
Oh, Silver God…! Silver God…! Silver God…! Help me, Silver God…! Help me…! I don't think I can continue this fight anymore…!
"Don't think that I can't kill you, Ruby Goddess! Since you decided to fall into that shit Silver God's hug, I've vowed to myself… If I myself can't have you, any other gods can't either, including that shit Silver God…!"
The stranglehold at Ruby Goddess' neck became stronger and stronger. She was sure she could not stand it any longer.
With one sweep of her hand, the pink light popped out from her two hands and formed a whirlpool of energy in the air. A labyrinth began to be formed and seen behind the whirlpool of energy.
I can't protect those three lucky stars here anymore. Sooner or later, those three lucky stars will fall into this Black Stone Demon's hands! I'll send the three lucky stars to the past and put them into three different humans' bodies, so that it'll be very difficult for Black Stone Demon to search for them. Yeah… Yeah… That's the only possible finishing step at this moment…
When the whirlpool began to show the time labyrinth, with her long shawl, Ruby Goddess immediately put the three lucky stars inside the time labyrinth. Black Stone Demon who saw what was being done by Ruby Goddess, lengthened his long rope into the time labyrinth as well.
"Give those three lucky stars to me, Ruby Goddess!" shouted Black Stone Demon with his rustling teeth. "Why are you so difficult to cooperate?"
"I won't give the three lucky stars to you! That's my promise to Super God, and to… to… to Silver God… This is the only thing I can do to redeem my past fault to Silver God…"
"Only for that shit god, you're willing to sacrifice your own life like this?" asked Black Stone Demon with his angry and sad facial expressions simultaneously.
"You're a demon who doesn't understand love. How can you understand my feeling and my position at the moment?" uttered Ruby Goddess.
They pulled here and there inside the time labyrinth. Ruby Goddess took out all her strength to maintain the three lucky stars inside the time labyrinth. Black Stone Demon took out all his hatred and greed to gain what had been on his fingertips.
Oh no…! The dimension quake will occur soon… If the boundary between two spaces and dimensions are forced so intensely, the dimension turbulence will happen… Oh no…!
What Ruby Goddess thought became real. Shortly afterwards, the ripples of the dimension turbulence began to appear. Both Black Stone Demon and Ruby Goddess felt the intense pain around their bodies when the ripples became stronger and stronger. When the ripples had reached their climax, it could be guessed, the dimension quake occurred. Both Black Stone Demon and Ruby Goddess were flung far with the severe injuries on their bodies. Unfortunately, Black Stone Demon was flung into the time labyrinth. With the rest of his screaming, he vanished into the time labyrinth.
Silver God was late arriving at the site. When he arrived, Ruby Goddess had already been lying feebly on the ground and the time labyrinth had already closed down.
"Ruby Goddess! Ruby Goddess! Do you hear me, Ruby Goddess?" shouted Silver God hysterically. He seized his beloved goddess into his embrace. "Wake up, Ruby Goddess… Wake up, please… Please… Don't leave me alone like this…"
A drop of tears was seen rolling down from Silver God's edge of eye. It fell down exactly onto Ruby Goddess' edge of eye. Despite being weak, Ruby Goddess was still able to open her eyes. She smiled feebly seeing her beloved god already in front of her.
"Don't worry… I've sent the three lucky stars to the past in the human world. I've put three of them into three different humans' bodies. I'm dead certain Black Stone Demon will be in difficulties searching for those three humans. Even though he succeeds in finding those three humans, he won't be able to take out the three lucky stars easily. Therefore, you must find out those three humans before Black Stone Demon…. Please… Please…" sentence by sentence from Ruby Goddess became more and more feeble.
"Why…? Why must you do this all, Ruby Goddess? Why…?" shouted Silver God at the top of his misery with his tears formed in a little stream.
"I… I… I was ever guilty to you, Silver God… But, in this life I can't deny either, that I don't love you. I… I'm so… I'm so afraid that you'll be hurt for the second time. Forgive me… I'm sorry, Silver God… In this love, I've ever done three mistakes to you… Suppose… Suppose there is a next life, I'll redeem these three mistakes of mine…"
Slowly, Ruby Goddess' hand rose up and caressed her beloved prince's face. Silver God seized that hand into his clutching. Nevertheless, no matter how tightly he clutched that hand, he still could not prevent his sweetheart goddess' leaving.
Ruby Goddess slowly closed her eyes. Her hands had been very weak and went down step by step.
Silver God's tears were swifter and swifter. He shook his head quickly. Ruby Goddess' figure began to change into a pink light. The pink light vanished away from Silver God's embrace.
Silver God's screaming spread throughout the whole Country Silver – without boundaries, without edges…
***
It had been several days that Silver God did not attend the five-district-god meeting together with Super God. The other four district gods had been wondering what actually had happened. Nevertheless, only by counting with his fingers, Super God instantly knew everything. Super God decided to pay Silver God in Country Silver a visit this afternoon.
It could be guessed, this afternoon a white light came down from the horizon above. The white light turned into Super God with his white cloak from his hair until his toes. Super God could solely smile wryly seeing Silver God who was still in the middle of his misery.
"Silver God pays his respect to Your Highness…" said Silver God kneeling in front of His Highness.
"Stand up please…" said Super God. Silver God raised up his head and stood up.
"It's been several days you don't attend the five-district-god meeting, Silver God…." Super God's sentence was heard very polite and courteous. "Everyone is wondering what actually has happened to you. I know that there must be something occurring to you. Thus, this afternoon, I've got a time to pay you a visit."
Silver God nodded his head. He could not say much anymore. He knew that Super God had already known clearly what had happened. Therefore, he chose to just keep quiet.
"Just for you to know, Silver God…" said Super God after sighing his long breath. "There's still a way to reform Ruby Goddess' figure to what she used to be."
"Hah? What's that, Your Highness?" Silver God's eyesight was mixed between his astonishment and his new hope.
"Ruby Goddess' karma in this nature hasn't ended, Silver God. That means she's actually still alive. It's only the power from the three lucky stars which can reform her figure. You must find back the three lucky stars before Black Stone Demon does."
"If… If I may know…" Silver God did not know how to finish his question.
As though Super God could read his mind, Super God said, "At the moment, those three lucky stars have been inserted to three humans' bodies – three humans deriving from three different eras."
Silver God gaped his eyes widely for a while, "Three humans from three different eras? Your Highness mean that I must go to three different eras to collect the three lucky stars, mustn't I?"
Super God shook his head gently while smiling gently as well. With one flick of his fingers, he showed a view in front of Silver God. Silver God saw three mothers from three different eras giving birth to their babies.
The dimension shown by Super God was divided into three.
Boundary between Siantar and Tiga Balata, beginning of November 1792
"Okay… C'mon, Madame…" the doctor and the nurses' shouting who helped the first mother's childbirth was heard. But, in their medieval uniforms, they looked more like midwives rather than a doctor and nurses.
After yelling in pain for several minutes, eventually the baby's crying was heard.
"Wow, congratulations, Madame…" shouted the nurse happily. "A boy, Madame… Congratulations…"
The nurse was about to carry the baby boy to his mother when out of a sudden the lightning and the thunder were striking here and there. A flash of green light struck to the childbirth room and broke all the glass windows in the room. A little bit quake was felt. All were astonished and screamed for a while. Yet, it was more astonishing for them when everything went calm again, the baby boy was not there anymore.
"Where's my son…? Where's my baby…? No…!" the mother's screaming reached its climax and later on, she got drowned into the endless darkness.
Lubuk Pakam, the end of November 1892
The same scene also happened here. One doctor and two nurses were seen helping a mother's childbirth. After shouting in pain for several minutes, at last a baby boy's crying was also heard.
"A boy, Madame… Congratulations…" shouted the nurse happily.
"I want to see him, Nurse… Could you please carry him here?" his mother's voice was heard.
It was the same with the previous scene. When the nurse was about to carry the baby boy, the lightning and the thunder were striking here and there. A very blinding flash of yellow light struck to the room and broke all the glass windows there. A bit quake and shaking were felt. All were startled and shouted fearfully. However, when everything turned calm again, the baby boy was not there anymore.
The panic started to surround the childbirth room. The mother instantly fainted when she realized her baby boy was no longer there.
Medan, the middle of September 1992
"C'mon, Mrs. Florencia… A little bit again… C'mon, Mrs. Florencia…" the nurse's shouting helping Mrs. Florencia Quincy Makmur's childbirth was heard on that day.
Mrs. Florencia was seen being in great difficulties giving birth to his first son. Yet, after she had been shouting in pain for several minutes, her baby boy's crying was heard. She looked very limp on her bed.
Out of the blue, the lightning and the thunder were striking here and there. A flash of red light struck into the room and broke all the glass windows. A bit quake was felt. All were shocked and they all screamed hysterically. When everything went normal again, how astonished they were as now they saw three babies lying under Mrs. Florencia's groin.
"Hah…? What's happening?" shouted the nurse and the doctor in their confusion. "It was obvious… Why now…?"
It was obvious the nurses and the doctor were run out of words how to explain this odd phenomena. Mrs. Florencia was also very perplexed. Yet, her body was still limp. She still could not think much. The ripples of happiness began to pop out. Buddha had gifted her three baby boys. Now, she had got three cute babies – and they were all boys. So, why not…?
"Carry my sons here, Nurse… Carry three of them here…"
The nurse who had recovered from her shock carried the three baby boys immediately to Mrs. Florencia's chest. A happy and delightful smile was seen perching on Mrs. Florencia's pair of lips.
"But, Mrs. Florencia… These two other babies… they…" said the doctor not knowing how to finish his statement.
"Just reckon that I've given birth to triplets, Doctor… That's what you must tell others when you step out of this room…" said Mrs. Florencia ogling her eye to the doctor and the nurses.
The three dimensions united again and vanished back into Super God's clutching.
Silver God kept nodding his head, "Because of the space and time dimensions turbulence, the three humans have been gathered in one same era, haven't they?"
"Yeah, they have, Silver God… Thus, you don't need to go to the three different eras anymore to collect the three lucky stars. But, due to your leaving to the human world, if it's not very necessary, you must keep your real identity as Silver God in secret. You must use another identity there. I think that won't be a problem for you right?" said Super God still with his gentle smile.
Silver God nodded his head steadily.
"And the three lucky stars which have been inserted to the human's bodies can't be removed anymore, except those humans themselves have died. So, in this case, you can only borrow their powers to defeat Black Stone Demon and reform Ruby Goddess' figure. Understand, don't you?" asked Super God again.
Again Silver God nodded his head steadily.
"If the three lucky stars have indeed got the power to reform back Ruby Goddess' figure, that means the three lucky stars really possess such a high and strong power in the universe. Is that right, Your Highness?" asked Silver God still with a bit frowning on his forehead.
"Yeah, it seems so… Three lucky stars with three powers to neutralize the hatred, the greed and the stupidity energies in the universe. Are there any other powers which are more important than those?" uttered Super God.
"If that's the case, may I know, Your Highness…? Where actually do these three lucky stars come from?" asked Silver God still not understanding.
Super God burst into his small laughter, "From one self the karma is committed, for one self the fruit of the karma will be plucked. Nobody can question the cause-and-effect cycle of the karma. Just for you to know, Silver God… If the chain of the causes and effects is in a circular form, can you know which one the first chain is and which one the last chain is?"
"Of course I've got no idea, Your Highness…" said Silver God shaking his head gently.
"From one self the karma is committed, for one self the fruit of the karma will be plucked. One day in the future when your karma has come into fruition, you'll automatically understand all of these."
Super God opened his pair of palms. Behind Silver God, there opened a kind of space and time dimensions labyrinth, which was in white color. Silver God paid again a respect to His Highness before jumping to the white labyrinth.
"From one self the karma is committed, for one self the fruit of the karma will be plucked…" said Super God a little bit wryly before he turned into a white light and vanished away from that place.
Medan, the beginning of October 2018
The labyrinth was opened again and finally Silver God landed on a yard in front of a modern building. The scorching and hot sunlight was shining upon him. He looked at the modern building. There was humans' writing "Eternal Solidarity" printed in big size on it.
So, those three lucky stars are in this era, in this country, and in this town. I must compete with Black Demon Stone in finding those three lucky stars… I must find those three lucky stars first. But, among the sea of humans, which three of them whom Ruby Goddess inserted the three lucky stars?
Confusion began to flow along Silver God's mind.
***
Singapore, 5th January 2019
Confusion began to flow along Erdie Vio's mind.
Erdie Vio strolled around the music entertainment company in which he had been joining for the past several years. He saw his junior brothers and sisters training their voices in singing, their dance movements, and their dance formations. The choreographer was seen giving his protégés some instructions and directions. Actually, Erdie Vio was still enjoying his living in Singapore, but there was no any permanent enjoyment, was it?
Erdie Vio sighed his long breath. He was about to leave all of these. He would return to his hometown and settle everything which had been buried and delayed for the past five recent years.
"Are you sure about going back to Medan?" asked Mr. Qenny Winston Lee from behind. Mr. Qenny Winston Lee offered a canned drink to Erdie Vio.
Erdie Vio nodded his head surely. Erdie Vio gulped his canned drink and finished it in one gulp.
"You drank it so quickly…" uttered Mr. Qenny Winston.
"Because of my thirst…" said Erdie Vio a little bit joking.
"When will you fly?" asked Mr. Qenny Winston again.
"Next Saturday, Mr. Qenny Winston…" muttered Erdie Vio sighing his long breath again. "It feels as if it was yesterday I arrived here and became your protégé, Mr. Qenny Winston. Now, the contract has reached the end and I'll return to my hometown soon."
"Yeah… I'll support every of your decisions, Die…" said Mr. Qenny Winston Lee. "You're the best protégé whom I've ever met in this company. Should you have some free time, just take a leisure stroll over here. Those junior brothers and sisters of yours need your guidance and suggestions."
Erdie Vio laughed crisply, "I'm not that great, Mr. Qenny Winston. Not really… Sometimes, I also make mistakes in my songs and dances on the stage."
"Good luck, Die…" said Mr. Qenny Winston finally. Both of them were having a toast and the eyesight was still heading to the junior brothers and sisters who were training inside the practice room.
An entire discomfort was flowing through Erdie Vio's mind.
***
Los Angeles, 6th January 2019
An entire discomfort was flowing through Erwie Vincent's mind.
Erwie Vincent was inside his apartment. On this Sunday morning, he did not go anywhere and decided to phone his mom in Medan. There was a holding tone in the phone, and finally Mrs. Florencia's voice who answered the phone was heard.
"Hello, Wie… Yeah, since last November I want to ask you about a crucial matter. Finally, today you remember Mom and Dad and phone back here to Medan, don't you?" Mrs. Florencia sounded a little bit grumbling.
"I'm always remembering Dad and Mom back in Medan there," said Erwie Vincent gently while snapping his smile. "What's the matter, Mom?"
"Be honest to me… Is that right that in Los Angeles there you've got your sweetheart?" asked Mrs. Florencia directly to the point of her curiosity.
Erwie Vincent was a little bit surprised, "Hah? How can you know this, Mom?"
"I've got many informants here, Wie… Now, answer me frankly… Yes or no…?"
Erwie Vincent was seen snapping his smile again, "Yes, Mom…"
"Quickly you come back here and introduce that girl to Dad and Mom," Mrs. Florencia instantly urged many requests and demands from her second son.
Mr. Faiz who was beside sniffed for a while seeing his wife's impatience. Yet, he only kept quiet inasmuch as he knew when being curious, his wife could not be hindered by anyone.
"Okay, Mom… Okay, Mom… That's indeed my plan, Mom… Last Friday has become my final day at work. Don't worry. I'll bring her to Medan and introduce her to Dad and Mom and… and… and to Erick and Erdie as well…" said Erwie Vincent after he paused for several moments.
"It's been five years, Wie… This time, I won't be satisfied if you haven't made up, okay…? Understand, don't you?" Mrs. Florencia's voice sounded slightly serious.
"Okay, Mom… Okay… Sure…" said Erwie Vincent with his relaxed smile.
"Okay… Come back quickly, Wie… Mom has been missing you so much… Okay…?"
"Okay, Mom…" said Erwie Vincent bursting into his relaxing laughter.
The communication was disconnected. Again Erwie Vincent was gazing out through his apartment window to the roads which began to be active. Thick snow was seen everywhere all over the town.
Erwie Vincent would soon return to Medan. However, he felt his relationship with Julia Dewi needed an approval from his parents. Thus, he decided to return to Medan and introduce Julia Dewi to his parents and to his two siblings.
Rick… Die… Where on earth are you right now…? Will you guys come back to Medan as well on next Saturday? Will you guys still accept me like you used to do after our great quarrel five years ago?
A bit of restlessness clung to Erwie Vincent's edges of mind.
***
Sydney, 8th January 2019
A bit of restlessness clung to Erick Vildy's edges of mind.
Erick Vildy came out of the headmaster's room after receiving his severance pay. It had indeed become his and Melisa's agreement to take today as their last working day. Erick Vildy thanked goodness in his heart. The headmaster was also kind, still giving him his severance pay although he had not been teaching in the school for a year.
Tightening his winter outfits, Erick Vildy arrived at the front gate of the school. Again, Melisa Rayadi had been waiting for him there, sitting on a chair lined before the school gate.
"Hah??? Why are you so quick? This is merely several minutes past twelve, isn't it? You don't have classes until this late afternoon, do you?" asked Erick Vildy a little bit frowning his forehead.
"Coincidently, they've found a new lecturer substituting me. This is his first day entering the classes. So, when I've told him everything about the classes, and when I've said goodbye to Quiddie Smith and the others, I returned first to my apartment to change my clothes. Afterwards, I came here waiting for you…" said Melisa Rayadi with her sparkling smile.
"Oh, it was different with me who had to finish all my meetings until twelve o'clock just now…" said Erick Vildy shrugging his pair of shoulders. "But, this headmaster can be said kind."
They had come out from the school gate and now were seen walking to the nearest MRT station.
"Why is it?" asked Melisa Rayadi looking at her sweetheart.
"Although I haven't been teaching in the school for a year, he's already given me my severance pay. It's not much, but that's enough to make me respect and appreciate him, Mel."
They were seen going down the stairs to the underground MRT station. Shortly afterwards, they had been seen waiting for the train on the platform provided.
"Yeah, just reckon you're lucky, Rick…" uttered Melisa while smiling gently. "So, tonight you'll be having a farewell party with Ana, Iwan, Paul and the others, won't you?"
"Yeah, it seems so… You'll be joining, won't you? You've been a part of them too. Last week when I told them about our plan to return to Medan and my plan to hold a kind of farewell party with them, they asked whether you'd join or not. Just join then…" said Erick Vildy with his playful grinning smile.
"You know I can't stand farewell parties the most. I can't stand the atmosphere, Rick…" said Melisa Rayadi a bit grumbling.
"But, it's still to be passed by, Mel…" said Erick Vildy with his slightly gazing look.
"And so is meeting, Rick… Is that right?" uttered Melisa Rayadi with her pair of sparkling eyes.
Erick Vildy laughed slightly crisply, "It seems that you've been impatient waiting for 3E's reunion, Mel… You can't be… You can't be planning something hidden and illogical about this 3E's reunion, can you, Mel? Serious… I started to think illogically since I saw your sparkling eyes recently…"
Melisa Rayadi snapped her smile. Unexpectedly, the train which they were waiting for arrived earlier that afternoon.
Melisa Rayadi pulled her prince's hand to go into the MRT, "C'mon… Let's look for a suitable place for our lunch, Rick… I've been terribly hungry…"
"Again and again you're diverting our conversation, Mel…" Erick Vildy was seen snapping his pair of lips.
Erick Vildy followed his princess into the MRT. The MRT was leaving the station in its high speed.
Confusion began to flow along Erick Vildy's mind.