Zeyn should still be in the forest considering he just arrived. After the empress touched him, he found himself in a very wide, dark corridor. Torches were fixed in a row on both sides of a one-way corridor with large pillars adorned with snake head ornaments. At the end of it, there was a giant door.
It was quite scary because no one was there, an endless silence. No sign of life...
'Come to me...'
A female voice greeted him from inside. The large door finally opened on its own, revealing an extremely spacious room. Once again he looked at the snake empress. She now combs her hair in bed. Her appearance is now more relaxed, wearing only a kemben (Javanese traditional clothing) without any jewelry.
'Come here...'
The woman patted her bed as if signaling for Zeyn to approach. This, however, sent a chill of sweat down the young man's spine, making him slightly apprehensive and alert. It was only natural, for what lay before him was no longer human, despite her remarkably beautiful appearance. Zeyn promptly took a seat beside her, remaining silent and bowed, not yet daring to speak further.
She wrapped her body but not to harm. This time, she did it for a cuddle. She hugged him from behind and stroked his hair.
"Oh my brother, I miss you so much. How's your school?" The empress asked softly.
"College to be precise. College is different from school, sis Bella" Zeyn replied.
"Ah, I see. So then... How's your college?" she asked.
"Nothing interesting, really. It's still the same."
"Don't forget that you can't lie to your sister," the empress said with a grin.
"Um..."
"You have trouble with your father..."
"Wha...no! why do you think so?" Zeyn replied.
"How? Come on, tell me" the empress said while grinning.
Because he was being questioned, Zeyn was enraged. In fact, he didn't come to discuss his problem here. It was much more problematic that he just figured out that there were two people who had recently entered the forest.
"Actually, what is the need for sister to look for me?" he asked.
The question was answered with a hug and a kiss on his forehead. Since earlier, the empress had been continuously indulging him with affection. She seemed quite happy since she met her brother. Maybe we should call her by the name he mentioned earlier... Bella? A nickname he created because Zeyn was afraid to call her by her real name, which was actually sacred.
'Nothing, I just want to see my brother. It's natural for me to miss you, especially since we haven't met in a long time. Even though I'm not human, I still have feelings of missing you'
"Didn't you just meet me a month ago?"
'Shh... don't equate time in your world with the astral realm. You know that, don't you?'
The response made Zeyn let out a bored sigh. Apparently, there was nothing so important to talk about. It was actually quite common for his sister to visit him, but it was rare for her to come into this room. It was an astral place that could not be reached even by the most powerful magicians, let alone anyone else.
'Sshh... There's actually no specific reason why I had to call you into my room,' Bella said with a wicked grin. She tightened her embrace and her gaze remained sharp as she looked at the young man.
"I don't mind if you wanted to see me," he replied.
'A normal person would be terrified at this point. Are you sure you're not intimidated by someone like me?'
Bella's words suddenly made Zeyn sigh. This question shouldn't have needed to be asked, especially since they were siblings. Why would he be afraid of his own sister?
"Maybe there's a slight discomfort. But because I know that you won't do anything strange, I still feel okay."
Hearing her brother's response, Bella smiled cynically and leaned closer to his ear. She licked his earlobe as she whispered, 'Are you sure? After all, you're human, unlike the rest of us. I could consume you and drain all your energy until you're gone.'
"That's enough!! If there's nothing important to discuss, I request that the two people be released!"
A horrified gaze greeted his request. This time, it was Bella who glared at him with her forehead almost touching his. Her hissing voice echoed in the room. She examined her brother's face without blinking because she was serious.
"They entered my forest with their own desires, without informing you or my other servants. They disregarded the customs and manners taught by our ancestors and forced their way in. They did not have my permission! I must say, I am eager to play with them. It has been a long time since I tasted human blood."
"Isn't that too cruel, sister!?"
'Is a lion considered cruel if a deer that it's targeting comes to it willingly? Is a spider considered cruel if a fly that lands on its web is caught?'
Zeyn was silenced by his own sister. He also couldn't just defend those people. As agreed upon with Mr. Hendri, the village chief, and even Bella as the queen of the unseen kingdom that resided in this forest, not everyone was allowed to enter the forest at will. Moreover, the forest was not an ordinary forest because there was a magnificent hidden kingdom, and only certain people could see it.
'Do you want to know what happened to them now?'
Bella patted her brother's head gently. In Zeyn's mind, he saw a man running around in the forest. His face was full of cold sweat because he was afraid of something chasing him. He screamed for help several times until his voice was completely gone. Several terrifying creatures in various abstract forms were after him. To make matters worse, several snakes of different sizes were chasing him without stopping.
* * *
We entered the forest once again. As Zeyn had seen, the man whom we had met earlier, known as Master Pirsa, was still running and running. He felt like the forest had no end. Although he thought he had been moving away from the forest, he hadn't seen a village or anything that indicated he was getting out. Meanwhile, he was overwhelmed by a great fear as he felt like he was being chased by something he didn't even know what it was.
"Haah... haah... hah!"
He hid behind a tree when he felt safe enough. His heart was beating fast and he was still in a panic. As he was about to rest, suddenly a snake jumped and bit his hand.
"Aakkhh...Ah!"
Just a few steps away from him, there was someone else who suddenly appeared behind him. It was a strange person who was quite tall and big. Pirsa was shocked beyond words because this creature had been chasing him.
The creature was quite terrifying in appearance, with flawless white skin like an albino creature and long, messy white hair that covered its face. Its eyes were pitch black and constantly oozing blood. Not to mention its fangs that slightly protruded behind its wide mouth. The creature just stood there... silent... and watching.
"If you are indeed after me, then bring it on!"
Master Pirsa stood firm and concentrated to create a protective aura around him. But... the creature just stood there and suddenly smiled widely until it tore a part of its own cheek. Its teeth were full of blood and maggots.
It still had a terrifying smile, but Pirsa felt a strong aura coming out of its mouth. Although he felt like he had released his protection, suddenly he was thrown and crashed into a tree with great force. The snake that was only a little while ago had become numerous and bit every part of Pirsa's body brutally.
"Aaaakkkhhhh....."
And that was the punishment for daring to enter this forest. A forest that was even named after the snake coiled around Lord Shiva's neck as a sign of respect. Of course they must be prepared to face forest supernatural creatures who don't want to be disturbed.
* * *
"So, you wanted to tell me... it was fate that brought him here?" Zeyn, who witnessed the terrifying incident earlier through Bella's vision, tried to confirm.
'A touch of death, I couldn't stop my hungry children. Especially when that person looked so delicious,' Bella responded with a terrifying expression.
"No... it's not their time to die yet," Zeyn responded to his sister's doubt with a soft, gentle shake of his head. His face reflected deep uncertainty and disbelief. He seemed to doubt his sister's words, as if he had understood the true meaning hidden behind her statement.
'Hmm? Do you want to defy fate?' Bella inquired.
"If it's not their time to die, then they won't die. Unless, of course, Sister Bella only wants to use them," Zeyn replied.
Bella chuckled softly as her intentions were revealed. This time, it was Zeyn who grinned. He hugged his sister tightly as if he wouldn't let go easily.
"I've been living with you all for a long time, so I understand why you need human blood. Just say it if Sister Bella is looking for an opportunity while there are humans here."
'Hmm... It seems like you deliberately used something I gave you to challenge me on your own,' Bella said as she kissed her brother's forehead. 'But you'll have to compensate for their return!'
"Compensate?" Zeyn replied, puzzled.
* * * *