"My body is so far from here. My body does not age, neither does my soul. My body does not eat and drink, but my soul eats and drinks."
________
Time of The Boar*.
The sound of gong was beaten ten times. Breaking the silence of the night. It's late at night, Taja can't sleep either. Several times he stirred and changed sleeping positions. But in mind, he was on something else. Then he sat down on bed.
The shadow of a figure appeared again. More and more often it haunts him in dreams. Even though it was only for an instant, it became clearer that the figure was calling his name.
Countless dreams. Since he knows the world. Now, more and more clearly the dream was coming from another self. Somewhere somewhere.
Taja got up from the bed. Silent atmosphere. The night was getting late, everyone must be fast asleep. The general medical ward was not heavily guarded. Taja silently left the room.
The sky looks clear. The full moon was almost full that night. Tanapura building looks quiet. Taja thought of visiting the Palace of the Books. He walked quickly while looking around in case there were guards patrolling. But the situation supports him to fulfill a wish. An open doorway was guarded only by a single Palace of Scripture guard.
Taja shows a special badge for 'Unlimited visitors'. Luckily he has this privilege.
"Be disciplined and don't do anything but study," the guard reminded briefly. He just nodded. A moment later, he just froze in one corner of the reading room. Quiet and no one to see. Only he. Just realized, he did not know what his purpose to that place.
But a voice startled Taja, "Can't sleep?"
Someone says hello. Appeared suddenly beside Taja. Had gasped, but Taja breathed a sigh of relief after knowing who it was.
"You were the one who was training this afternoon in the Palace of Heritage room. I see you. Why did you appear and disappear all of a sudden?" Taja asked following the young man to a seat.
In front of a small table, the young man sat cross-legged. While opening a palm-leaf scroll in hand. Taja sat down, facing the young man.
Silent atmosphere. Even the young man's breath could not be heard at all.
"Why?" the young man asked in a flat voice.
Taja just noticed a badge attached to the young man's necklace. A badge with the letter 'Ra' engraved symbol. It was quite clear under the candle light of the room.
"Could it be that you …?"
Taja did not continue his sentence. At a glance, I remembered the story about Chairman Sujinsha who found a municipal badge with the 'Ra' symbol.
"You ... are ... Praja Ghost?" Taja gasped again, "Invisible ...?" he dissolved in shock.
Without looking anywhere, the young man stared seriously at the book on the table. The young man's face was clearly expressionless.
"Correct. It's not a rumour. I am the one they see as Invisible," continued the young man, smiling slightly as he stared flatly at Taja.
He, a young man about Taja's age, opened a toolbox containing dice with script symbols, then arranged a name so that it contained one sentence Ra-dhit-ta-ma.
"This is my name," said the young man showing the letters arranged on the dice. Taja was wide-eyed, reading a name written on it.
"So you were all this time?!" Taja leaned closer and saw clearly the face of a young man who same age.
"I don't steal food. I'm a resident here. It's true I'm a praja. At least that's the rule for Tanapura residents our age," the young man who identified himself as Radhittama, only responded lightly.
Taj is still amazed. I don't really understand this young man at all.
"But … why can't you be seen by others? Why can I see you?" Taja was confused astonished. Occasionally wiping both eyes wide open though, the young man still appeared in front of him.
"I'm not a ghost. But I'm just a soul, "the young man saw Taja's expression was getting more astonished.
"I also don't understand why only you can see me," said the young man.
"I'm also surprised, my inner senses see you differently from most people," he continued.
"They, ordinary humans have seven parts of the soul. But you have nine parts of the soul. Could that be the reason why you can see me freely," continued the young man as if he was analyzing his thoughts.
Actually, Taja still didn't understand what the young man was talking about about the soul.
"Another time, I will discuss about the soul," continued the young man for a moment seeing Taja's dumbfounded expression.
"Can I just call you Radhit?" Taja was still reluctant to call his name.
"Please," the young man only smiled at the corners of lips.
"This is the first time since I was here, being called by name again, someone is calling me by my name," replied Radhit.
"We've met here before. I had absolutely no idea that you were the Invisible Warrior like the rumors had been making all this time!" Taja really wonder mingling strange.
"It turns out ... it's not just a rumour," Taja muttered more and more confidently.
"You are very clever and wise. I thought the first time we met, I thought ... that you were a student of a Tanapura scholar or poet," Taja praised without realizing it.
"You've taught a lot of science in one night."
"Extraordinary!" Praise Taja again.
I remember clearly how I first learned from Radhit about scripts and vocabulary. Very fast and increased knowledge overnight. Because of that, Taja became fluent in Tanapura.
Radhit went back to reading the book in his hand. Occasionally he continues the conversation.
"What happened this afternoon, you are accused of being a stealth," a smirk on Radhit's lips, Taja smiled.
"He's not a bad person. He has great curiosity."
"Who?" Taja asks about whom Radhit was talking about.
"That Praja who is the same age as you. He is from the Gattorian Sect," Radhit continued.
"Who?" I don't understand yet.
"Raojhin," Radhit uttered a name that finally made Taja understand and sigh, "You two fought this afternoon."
"He came here to train to become a praja," said Radhit explaining a glimpse of Raojhin's figure, "But he is also an intruder."
"Intruder?!" Taja was shocked. He knew now about the praja's annoying secret. His life was not calm because of that one nosy praja.
Taja moved on to another topic of conversation, "Did you always know about everything that happened here?"
"Not always. I can know many things. But I am not the Omniscient," replied Radhit.
"Do you know everyone? Know their ins and outs?" asked Taja again.
"For more than 400 years, I lived in Tanapura ... during that time many events have happened here," Radhit tried to explain but Taja was in a hurry to be surprised.
"What? 400 years ...?!" gaped, Taja was astonished.
* * *