Serena groaned as she sat up, and I dash over to her side supporting her to stand.
Her turquoise eyes gaze at me inquiringly. "So what did Goddess Magwayen say? Did she tell you the truth of your identity?"
My brows furrowed. I think Serena did this, hoping that Magwayen would tell me that I'm her daughter.
And I feel upset for the previous soul, but I pity Serena for not having the chance to bond with her real daughter. So I don't know whether to be angry or what.
A sigh came out of my mouth, then with a solemn face, I started to explain the general details to Serena, leaving out the important parts. "Magwayen only said that I need to help the lightbringer; that I need to go to the Majapahit Empire and seek the other specific details."
Serena opens her mouth and closes it again, knitting her brows together looking disappointed.
"Are you hoping that Magwayen would say that I'm still your daughter?" I asked in a heavy tone.
Taken aback, Serena turned to me with widened eyes. "But you really are my child, Nasrin."
My brows creased even more; just like what I thought, Serena is hoping that I'm really the original soul. With a deep sigh, I gaze at her steadily.
"Serena…" I started in a serious approach, squeezing her shoulder lightly. "I'm grateful for every help you have given to me, and that's exactly why I don't want to deceive you then play the role of the fake daughter…"
With a pulled up brow, Serena interrupted me. "My child, you are from my flesh and bone, so you are no doubt my kin."
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Serena stop please…" I muttered gently in a frustrated tone. "That is not only unfair to you but also to your real daughter. I hope you could accept this as the truth, because it would be pretty sad for the original Nasrin if this is how it is going to be," I stated, staring at Serena in a helpless way.
Serena looked startled as she gasped. "That's not the truth…!"
My mouth hangs open, staring at Serena in disbelief, and she looks back stubbornly.
Another sigh escaped my mouth as I pinched the bridge of my nose. At this point, I would really end up becoming Serena's fake daughter, and that's the last thing I want.
"My child, listen to me, I am indeed your mother," Serena said, grabbing my arms as her turquoise eyes stared at me desperately. "You have to believe me."
"Serena…" I sighed, feeling tired. "Why are you doing this?"
Serena sighed, smiling at me in a regretful gaze. "I have a feeling that you'll disappear otherwise," she mumbled.
My brows wrinkled together. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with Serena. Well, Serena is not wrong, because my new goal is for me and Kendra to return back home. And I'm gonna do that no matter what.
But still, I feel pressured and burdened with Serena's expectations. What's more, I feel guilty for the sake of the original soul and for my real mother who is on earth.
The reason why I stated the truth to Serena is for us not to enter a fake mother and daughter relationship. It's unfair for our real family.
With another deep sigh, I opened my mouth to explain things to Serena once again, but before I could reply to Serena, the metallic door suddenly opened aggressively, showing two familiar figures.
"Nasrin!" Ynez called out, running to me.
Meanwhile, Bakunawa heaved a sigh of relief as she stared at me. [Thank heavens, we finally found you after a day and a night of searching.]
My rigid face softens seeing those two.
Bakunawa and Ynez both came to me, and I walked towards them with a warm smile.
"How did you guys find me?" I asked, feeling a sense of comfort around them.
Ynez's eyes burst into tears, explaining how hard it was for them to find my whereabouts. She said that when they came back to the market place in the harbor town; I was nowhere in sight. Later on, they found out that the ship of the White Elves had already departed.
So Bakunawa uses her connections with other sea creatures to ask for the whereabouts of the ship. And when Bakunawa and Ynez finally did catch up to the ship, they found out that I was taken by the Sirena Clan.
And that's how they got here.
"It's good seeing you two again," I mumbled, feeling relief for some reason.
Bakunawa and Ynez grin back at me, looking relieved as I was.
"Ahem."
The three of us turn to Serena, standing a little distance away from us. I almost forgot that she was still there; I was too happy seeing these two that I forgot about Serena.
I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Guys, this is Serena, the Queen of the Sirena Clan. She is also the mother of the original soul of this body," I stated.
Ynez greeted Serena respectfully. "It's my pleasure to meet Queen Serena; my name is Ynez."
Serena only smiled at Ynez as she nodded, then she turned to Bakunawa. Bakunawa then communicated through telepathy with Serena. So I don't know what they were talking about, but based on their solemn expression, I think that it's something important.
After some time, Serena glared at Bakunawa, but Bakunawa remained calm as she turned to me.
[What do you plan to do? Do you want to stay here?] Bakunawa questioned.
I swallowed as I glanced at Serena, and she stared back with expectation.
"I want to go to the Majapahit Empire," I said, averting my eyes from Serena. "Magwayen told me to seek the specific details I wanted to know there."
Bakunawa nodded. [I understand.]
Bakunawa then turned to Serena again, who stared at me in disappointment. I sighed as I gave Serena a helpless smile, and Serena soon softened her face as she sighed, smiling regretfully at me.
"You can come back to this place anytime," Serena stated.
I nodded but didn't promise anything.
Serena then handed a necklace with a small shell-flute as a pendant. "Blow this shell-flute anytime you need help."
I didn't accept it at first as I felt guilty.
"Please, my child…" Serena uttered softly. "You'll need it soon."
I sighed in resignation as I accepted, wearing the necklace over my head, and the shell-flute pendant dangled in the middle of my chest.
Afterwards, Serena also packed a lot of stuff for me on the journey, and I stored everything in the Shadow Circlet.
Before we left, Serena gave me a huge black egg. It's as tall as my legs, and twice as heavy as my weight. She said that I should raise it as a familiar, and for me, it was the same as taming, so I refused. But Serena said that it was different, as long as I raise it like a family and treat it with care.
I felt conflicted about it since I have a psychological shadow about these things with Pula. But Bakunawa and Ynez also agreed with Serena, they said I would also need a familiar for my destiny as the second lightbringer.
So I reluctantly and nervously accepted despite not understanding why they insist for me to get a familiar. But Bakunawa only vaguely explained that the black egg is destined to become my familiar originally.
After that, we finally left the Sirena Clan, going back to the Majapahit Empire.
As we travelled to the surface of the sea; because apparently the Sirena Clan is located deep into the ocean; I can't help but feel like I'm being manipulated by this destiny.
And I don't like these changes.
I just hope that it won't stop me and Kendra from returning home. Because if it does, then I would go against this world and destroy everything that is an obstacle to my goal.
I smiled to myself, feeling bitter and sweet. I don't mind playing the villain if it means achieving my goal.
And that thought made me snort to myself. 'I guess I'm just selfish.'
***
The night sky and the sea is peaceful when we arrive again on Nusantara Island, and in the harbor town of the Majapahit Empire, 7 feet tall figures with dark skin and pointed ears crowded the shore. They sauntered to us as they greeted me, Bakunawa, and Ynez with warm welcome. They gave us a flower necklace and a bouquet of flowers.
Beating loud drums, dancing beautiful slender women and men, and a long table of food; that's what welcomes us on the shore, and it was quite a sight to look at; it was cheerful and lively. There are also humanoid animal figures dancing and singing along.
Bakunawa, me, and Ynez glance at each other with a surprise expression. Neither of us seems to have expected any of this.
"At last, we finally met, Lady Moonlight! My name is Hayam Wuruk, the 13th King of the Great Dark Elves."
I smiled politely at the man. His 7 feet tall body is embroidered with gold, silver, and gems jewellery; his dark skin and slender figure wore a silk purple fabric wrapped in his waist and chest, and on top of his head is a golden crown with a crescent moon shape symbol engraved on it.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, King Hayam Wuruk." I offered my hand to shake his, and King Hayam Wuruk shook it back with both of his dark hands.
Afterwards, I retracted my hand, taking the letter scroll inside the Shadow Circlet. "By the way, Chief Roy of the Dwarven Race wanted to give this letter to you," I said, handing the scroll-letter to King Hayam.
King Hayam accepted it with gratefulness, then he glanced at Bakunawa and Ynez with a charming grin, displaying his pearly white teeth; it gave a contrasting colour to his dark skin. King Hayam appeared friendly and approachable.
"It's nice seeing the two of you again, and we have been waiting for your return with the Lady Moonlight," said King Hayam.
Both Bakunawa and Ynez greeted King Hayam with respect. It seems that they have already met King Hayam when I was kidnapped by the White Elves.
After the greeting, King Hayam and his people serve us with hospitable nature. Everyone is friendly.
We ate and enjoyed the banquet, and it ended for me shortly as King Hayam led me to his castle, so we can finally discuss the important matter of why I'm here. Bakunawa and Ynez are left dealing with the welcoming party.
Arriving at the city, the entire area is built on flat terrain and at the foot of the three mountains. It has shallow groundwater, making it very suitable for settlement.
As we reached the castle, King Hayam sat on his throne. "I suppose that you have a lot of questions, Lady Moonlight. So let me briefly explain it for you. Goddess Mayari gave us an oracle that the Lady Moonlight would be a great help to fight back the Diabolic Race and bring peace to this world," he started.
"Why does it have to be me?" I questioned, puzzled.
"That's a good question, but unfortunately, I and my people also do not know the answer to that question. The oracle only states that Goddess Mayari chose you as the Moonlight Champion," King Hayam replied.
My brows creased. "How do you know that it is indeed me? What if you guys were wrong about it?"
King Hayam grinned at me. "It is you indeed, Lady Moonlight. There is no doubt about it."
"How do you know?" I asked, doubtful.
"Bakunawa must have explained it to you already, right? You have half of your soul as transparent as a clear water, and half of it as dark as a shadow of the night," King Hayam answered.
"But what if there is another individual with the same soul?" I stated inquiringly.
King Hayam shook his head as he cackled. "Lady Moonlight, there is no grey area when it comes to soul aura; no one else has a soul like this except for the Lady Moonlight. The same goes with the Sunlight Champion; there is no one else with a soul aura that has a brightest light of soul in this world other than the lightbringer of the sun, but the brighter it is, the more blind the individual will become, which is why you are there for the Sunlight Champion to become the shadow and the transparency the first lightbringer would need. Together, the two of you will become balanced."
My brows knitted hearing King Hayam's explanation. "But why? Why are we brought into this world?"
"Well, to answer your inquiries, this world has already ended in chaos once in another reality and dimension, you and the first lightbringer are the chosen ones that will save this world from that catastrophe," King Hayam stated in a serious tone.
My eyes widened in shock. "Then…how is that…what happened?" I stuttered, flabbergasted.
"When Bathala died from the Holy War against Sitan. The throne in the Celestial Heavens was emptied, and so, the two powerful sons and daughters of Bathala, which were Goddess Mayari and God Apolaki; they fought against each other, and whoever wins will become the new ruler of the Celestial Heavens," King Hayam explained.
Then he glanced at me with a solemn expression. "But because of this, the Divine Beings forgot the middle realm, our world, Nucleus. While the Divine Beings are battling over the throne; Sitan is raising havoc in our world through the Diabolic race. You and the first lightbringer, died through the manipulative hands of this Diabolic Race and the forces under the house of Sitan."
I gasped, covering my mouth. "Me and…?"
My brows furrowed. King Hayam probably meant the original soul of this body and not me. I swallowed hard. I always thought that the original soul was the villain of this world, but I was wrong.
Still, to think that the original Kendra died as well because of that. This is probably why those heavenly beings pulled our souls here. And Pula probably wanted me and the new Kendra to return to our home planet, so we wouldn't be implicated with these things.
I took a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. Everything here seems complicated. "What happened next?" I asked, glancing at King Hayam.
"In the end, the Nucleus was filled with chaos and war, destroying this realm, and the cosmos balance became unstable, which also destroyed both the Celestial Heaven and the Infernal Abyss. Before this cosmos ended, Magwayen and the other Heavenly Beings used their divine powers together to travel back in time," King Hayam explained.
"I see…" I mumbled deep in thought.
"So…does Lady Moonlight have more questions?"
"Yes, what does all of this have to do with me and the other lightbringer? We are just ordinary humans, how do you expect us to bring peace into this world?" I questioned, more like a frustrated complaint.
King Hayam shook his head. "That I do not know as well. But the Heavenly Beings will not choose the two of you for no reason," he answered confidently, staring at me with expectant gaze. "For now, the Lady Moonlight needs to unseal the other two attributes in your body, and the next step is to control your dark attribute."
My brows wrinkled. "Why are the two attributes sealed?"
"That's because, the Heavenly Being feared that you would be unable to control it, considering that you have the dark attribute," King Hayam answered.
I nodded understandably. After all, there are many times that I acted recklessly based on impulse.
King Hayam stood up, walking in front of me as he stated, "for tonight, Lady Moonlight shall rest and enjoy the banquet, and we will continue the discussion about unsealing your attributes for tomorrow."
"Mm." I hum.
Afterwards, I was escorted back to the party, but throughout the night, I can't help but feel anxious.
I sat on top of the rock near the shore, staring at the partying Dark Elves and Humanoid Animals.
I smoked the lavender herbs in the wooden pipe that Capriana gifted to me. Because I feel very anxious after hearing everything from King Hayam. It was like a project was thrown to me to handle, and I only have a limited amount of time and resources to manage it.
Furthermore, I feel worried about the new Kendra. I wonder how she will receive this, learning that we were brought here to bring peace in this collapsing world. To be honest, I feel pressure about all of it. They seem to have a solid belief in me.
I released a puff of smoke as my eyes narrowed, mumbling to myself. "Troublesome…"