"I'm just an ordinary history professor who happens to be conducting research on Majapahit in East Java."
Yada answered Kamaniya's question in a single breath, which immediately furrowed her brow.
"I mean, where are you from?" she asked.
"From Earth. It's quite obvious. Now, where is this Valley of Virgin?"
"Yada, I'm asking you. Why are you turning the question back to me?"
Yada chuckled softly. "You were the one who asked first, right? Me. So, answer my question first."
Kamaniya pouted in frustration. She stepped back and stood beside the room's window.
The atmosphere in Yada's rented house was pleasant. It was located on the outskirts of the city, yet the rural ambiance felt stronger than the urban setting.
The air was still fresh with minimal pollution. Although there were plenty of motor vehicles, they didn't disturb the tranquility. Trees still flourished abundantly, and Kamaniya loved the greenery that was everywhere.
The sight of the trees always reminded her of the Valley of Virgin. Being cursed to live eternally there, Kamaniya harnessed the natural energy to enhance her physical abilities. At a certain point, this natural power even manifested as magical abilities with destructive magical powers.
"The Valley of Virgin exists in another world that coexists with Earth," Kamaniya began her explanation.
"You mean another planet," muttered Yada.
Kamaniya was determined to learn as much as possible about the modern world she now inhabited. She was unfamiliar with the terms Yada used, like "planet," but she didn't want to ask and appear ignorant. So, she continued her explanation.
"The Valley of Virgin itself is a place that cannot be accessed by just anyone from my world. While I was there, only two people managed to enter and survive with us. The first person is already deceased, while the second person caused chaos in the Valley of Virgin with his dark powers."
"What do you mean by dark powers?"
Kamaniya's gaze drifted away. The sky looked blue, just like the sky's carpet in her former home. Unfortunately, the peace that used to accompany the presence of the blue sky hadn't been seen by Kamaniya for hundreds of years.
"My disciple's name is Sora. He was the only man who successfully entered the Valley of Virgin and survived there. He became my disciple and the younger brother of my four sisters. Unfortunately, Sora learned dark arts, which gave him an alter ego."
"Who is this alter ego, Kamaniya?"
"I can't tell you right now. All I can say is that Sora's alter ego caused severe damage in the Valley of Virgin. He opened a time gate and kidnapped my youngest sister, Nayaka."
Yada fell silent, processing the extraordinary information he had just heard. Meanwhile, Kamaniya kept talking without interruption, as if afraid of missing the chance to explain.
"The time gate only opens during certain periods. I can enter it, but I don't know where I'll come out. But one thing's for sure, the time gate connects my world and yours, Yada."
"So... all this time, you've been going through the time gate to search for your sister?"
Kamaniya nodded. "In the past, the time gate had longer openings. The closer we get to this era, the more frequently the time gate opens. I don't know the reason for this."
"And you still haven't been able to find your sister."
Once again, Kamaniya nodded. The wood grain pattern on the window frame suddenly caught her attention. The circular markings there represented the time vortex she had traversed all this time.
"If I may ask, Kam. Where have you appeared on Earth?"
The woman's face lit up. Amidst the turmoil in her heart, Yada's question brought a bit of joy to Kamaniya.
Her time picnics had brought her a wealth of knowledge. With excitement, she recounted her journeys to various Indonesian kingdoms.
"W-wait a minute. Where did you say you first appeared?" Yada was utterly shocked.
"The first time I arrived on Earth, I was in the Kalingga period. Their queen was very kind. I had a long chat with Queen Shima about the concept of justice. She was a true warrior who feared no enemies, even if those enemies were men."
Yada blinked rapidly. Suddenly, the cupboard behind him felt incredibly soft. He slumped to the floor with a vacant stare.
"Hey, Yada. What's wrong? Why are you sitting there?"
"It's nothing. Go on, Kama. Which other kingdoms have you visited?"
"Not too many. I once appeared during the Srivijaya kingdom period. I also came during the time Mpu Sindok was transferring the kingdom's capital from Central Java to East Java—"
"Wait a minute! Mpu Sindok, you said?"
Kamaniya nodded. "Yes, that's right. The man's name was beautiful, but it's hard to remember. What's the matter?"
"Are we talking about Mpu Sindok, who was the ruler of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom?"
Kamaniya shrugged. "I don't know how many Mataram kingdoms you have, but it felt very ancient back then. Many women were not wearing chest coverings. But when they did, I thought their fabrics were incredibly beautiful and expensive."
Yada snapped his fingers. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
"Exactly! That's Mpu Sindok from the Ancient Mataram Kingdom. You actually entered the 10th century in Indonesia."
Kamaniya nodded enthusiastically.
"Then? Besides Kalingga and Ancient Mataram, have you visited any other eras?"
"Singasari!" Kamaniya replied with excitement. "I met the incredibly charming Ken Arok. He was so handsome, every woman's dream. Ah, Ken Arok truly deserved the title of a heartthrob."
Yada let out a loud scoff. "He was just a disrespectful man who pursued other people's wives."
"Oh, yes, I've heard that story. Ken Arok fell in love with Ken Dedes, the wife of a regional leader in Tumapel. Ken Dedes was indeed very beautiful. Earth's women are known to be incredibly beautiful. No wonder Ken Arok went to great lengths to pursue her."
"Have you seen Ken Dedes' face up close?" Yada was utterly shocked.
"Of course, I have. Not directly because during that time, I didn't appear in the palace area. I came out in one of the caves in the remote rural area of Kadiri, and I was almost mistaken for a spy because I was admiring Ken Arok's handsomeness."
Yada burst into laughter, "Ken Arok was known as a rogue of Kadiri, which was the name of the Kingdom of Kediri in the past. I guess he was naturally talented at being a playboy if he could capture your heart."
"Oh, really? What's so special about my heart?"
"Because it seems your heart is just as blind as your eyes. Ken Dedes clearly pales in comparison to you, Kamaniya."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "Do you have her portrait?"
"Oh, yes." Yada hurriedly left the guest room. After three minutes, he returned with a thick book with beautiful glossy pages.
He opened a page displaying a photo of a stone statue. The caption beneath the photo explained that it was a depiction of Ken Dedes, the wife of Singasari's founder, Ken Arok.
"There's a technology called artificial intelligence that can map someone's face from traces of artifacts in the past. This technology managed to display Ken Dedes' face quite accurately."
Yada took out his phone and showed Kamaniya an app. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"This is Ken Dedes?" she asked skeptically.
"That's right."
"She doesn't look like this. Who is this woman? I don't know her."
"Isn't this Ken Dedes?"
Kamaniya nodded firmly. "The sculpture of Ken Dedes is somewhat exaggerated. She wasn't that voluptuous in real life. Besides, Ken Dedes had a very local look. Not like the faces of Mongolian women."
Yada's eyes widened.
"Ken Dedes had a unique beauty shared by many Javanese women. Her skin was indeed fairer than most Javanese women, but her facial features and beauty are similar to the women of today around us."
Yada massaged his forehead. "Go on, Kama."
"You look surprised."
Yada immediately slouched. "How can I not be surprised? I've been diligently researching historical artifacts, and then you come and shatter my perception."
"It seems like it's a bad thing. You don't look happy."
"Actually, I am happy. I can freely ask you. My goodness, you're truly a blessing."
Kamaniya blushed. She quickly averted her gaze to another direction. She couldn't bear facing Yada, who was so expressive in the modern world.
"Wait... what you said is valid, right?"
Kamaniya nodded. "There's no authentic proof, but what I said is indeed true. Ken Dedes was genuinely beautiful. Ken Arok was also incredibly handsome. I was delighted to meet them both, although my favorite time was during the Majapahit era."
"Oh, you also appeared during that era?"
Kamaniya nodded. "I even became close friends with some people there. They played significant roles during Prabu Wijaya's reign."
Yada couldn't hide his interest. He quickly stood up and approached Kamaniya in two long strides. He firmly grabbed her arms.
"Come on, tell me about them, Kama."
"Hold on. Are you more interested in them or in me?"
"Both," Yada chuckled, "but I'm more intrigued by the Majapahit story. For now."
Yada's enthusiasm didn't escape Kamaniya's observation. A rare smile spread across her face. She had no objections to fulfilling Yada's request. Most importantly, he wasn't questioning her past anymore.
They interlocked their fingers. Kamaniya happily reciprocated the gesture. There was no awkwardness. Their hearts united with the same passion for history, making them feel no boundaries.
Then something happened.
It started with Kamaniya feeling a gentle electric shock. Yada's eyes widened as he lowered his head.
"Kama, what's this?"
"I don't know." The woman honestly admitted.
A blue light emerged from their entwined fingers. At first, it glowed softly, but gradually, the light grew brighter and enveloped their hands.
Strands of light quickly crawled up Yada and Kamaniya's arms. Both were astonished, too captivated to feel scared as the bright beams moved toward their shoulders and necks.
"Kama!" Yada shouted as something forcefully struck his head.
Kamaniya shut her eyes tightly. She also felt the impact. Intense pain surged through her head, making her suppress a scream.
And the shroud of light began to wrap around their bodies. This time, Kamaniya couldn't bear the intense pain. Her mouth screamed loudly.
The light slowly swallowed Kamaniya and Yada. The couple's screams gradually subsided. When the bright blue light finally vanished, Kamaniya and Yada disappeared from sight as well.