The chill of the interrogation room seeped into Elena's bones as she fidgeted in the hard metal chair. Her Crabucks apron, still tied around her waist, offered little comfort against the cold. She wrapped her arms around herself, seeking warmth.
She did not even have time to stash her apron away.
The last hour of her life felt surreal, like a fever dream filled with nonsensical events and terrifying creatures. In the span of mere minutes, she had gone from cleaning tables to saving lives, from slaying monsters to being trapped in this frigid room.
The door opened with a soft click, jolting Elena from her thoughts. A woman entered, her presence commanding attention. She moved with purpose, her steps precise and measured, her posture impeccable. Sleek, black hair framed her sharp features, pulled into a tight bun. Her almond-shaped eyes seemed to take in every detail of the room in a single, sweeping glance.
"Miss Elena Hong Mei Ling?" the woman asked, a slight British accent coloring her crisp, professional tone.
Elena nodded, her throat suddenly dry. "Yes, I'm Elena."
The woman sat across the table, seemingly unbothered by the chill, and placed a slim folder before her. "I am Priya, and I am part of the Public Affairs Department in Bayangan. Thank you for waiting." She opened the folder, her eyes scanning the contents briefly before meeting Elena's gaze.
"First, the Lembaga Bayangan would like to express our gratitude for your actions tonight. You saved innocent lives and dealt with a dangerous threat. That is no small feat, especially for someone without any prior exposure." A hint of surprise escaped her otherwise professional demeanor as she flipped through the papers within the light brown folder.
"Second, while your actions were noble, the Bayangan would also like to remind you that in an unlikely scenario, you faced this situation again and were outnumbered, please do prioritize your life and seek assistance from Bayangan as much as possible."
"Third, unauthorized display of Mambang powers in open public is against the law and may face serious punishment."
Elena felt a flicker of pride at the praise, but it was quickly overshadowed by the confusion and apprehension. Her mind whirred at the alien terms being thrown at her. Had she broken the law?
Priya seemed to sense her confusion. "I apologize. I'm sure you have questions. As part of the procedure, I had to state those points upfront." Her expression softened, understanding flashing in her eyes. "Do you have any questions?"
An awkward silence hung in the air. Elena fumbled through her brain, trying to organize her thoughts.
"What is... everything?" she managed, inwardly cringing at the vagueness of her question.
Priya leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk and linking her hands together. "Elena, how much do you know about the Unseen?"
"What is the Unseen?"
Priya raised an eyebrow.
"Have you heard about the Bayangan before?" Elena shook her head.
"Unseen Beings?"
Another shake.
"Mambang?"
Again, Elena shook her head.
Priya leaned back in her chair, a hint of surprise flickering across her face. "I see. It seems you do not know much about all of this." Elena kept quiet, her earlier attempts at explaining her confusion to the other agents echoing in her mind. Priya rubbed her temple. "So they didn't provide you with the necessary information before bringing you in," she muttered, her formal tone slipping. She turned her attention back to Elena.
"Do you believe in ghosts? Monsters? Demons?"
Elena nod. "Even before all of this, I do believe in them."
"As you can see, they are all real. We group them all as 'Unseen Beings', mainly because they come from the Unseen World." Priya noticed Elena's confused expression but continued.
"The Unseen World is a realm parallel to ours, hidden from sight. But sometimes, the barrier between worlds weakens, and Beings leak into our reality. That's where the trouble starts." Priya pulled a laminated card from her breast pocket and placed it on the desk. "This is where Bayangan comes in." Elena craned her neck to get a better view.
The black card bore the words "Lembaga Bayangan" in bold white letters at the top. A proud silhouette of a keris pointing upwards served as the organization's crest, flanked by two tiger heads facing opposite directions. The right-facing tiger appeared normal, while the left had a more demonic design. Arabic letters encircled the elements, their meaning lost on Elena. She can see Priya's picture on the card albeit a few years younger and her designation underneath: Mambang.
"Bayangan is Malaysia's government body tasked with handling all matters related to the Unseen," Priya explained. "We supervise supernatural events, protect the public from Beings, and maintain the balance between worlds."
Elena's brow furrowed as she processed the information. "And what about Mambangs? What are they?"
Priya pointed at herself. "Mambangs are people who can wield Dark Energy natively. Like myself." She paused and pointed at Elena. "And like you."
"Me? I'm a... Mambang?" The term felt foreign on her tongue, yet somehow, it made sense. The strange powers, the aura, the dagger - it all clicked into place. But with understanding came a flood of new questions.
Elena leaned forward, her mind racing. "So, those creatures I fought... they were Unseen Beings? From the Unseen World?"
Priya nodded, her tone somber. "Yes, although we don't have much information on why those Beings in Bangsar crossed over without detection and started attacking humans immediately."
"Oh."
"But you should not worry about that. We appreciate your heroic actions to deal with those Beings by yourself. I am quiet impressed."
"T-thanks." Elena awkwardly reacted to the compliment and paused. "And my powers... they're Dark Energy?"
Priya crossed her arms and rested one hand on her chin. "You can say that Mambang's powers are Dark Energy but the technicalities of that is a complex topic. Let's leave it at that."
Elena didn't ask further questions as she pondered on this revelation. Unseen Beings, Mambangs, a hidden world of magic and danger... it was like something out of the fantasy novels she'd escaped into as a child. And now, incredibly, she was a part of it.
Priya leaned forward, her eyes intense. "I know it's a lot to process," she said, her voice softening. "Believe me, I've been where you are. When I first learned about the Unseen, I was terrified."
Gathering her identification card, Priya continued, "Take your time to process it all. However," she pulled a paper from the folder and placed it in front of Elena, "Bayangan requires all Mambangs in the country to be registered. We need to keep a record on hand."
The form's title stood out in bold letters: New Mambang Registration Form. Elena slowly pulled it closer, an ominous quality hanging over the document.
"Whether or not you decide to actually work as a Mambang, you still need to register with the Bayangan." Priya emphasized.
A realization struck Elena. "Wait, you can work as a Mambang?" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she cringed inwardly at how naive she must have sounded.
Priya raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering across her face. "Of course, I just told you I am a Mambang for Bayangan. It is a valid career pat-"
"How do I become one?" The words tumbled out of Elena's mouth before she could stop them. Was she really considering this? Becoming a Mambang, fighting Unseen Beings... it was a far cry from serving coffee and wiping down tables. But the more she thought about it, the more the idea took hold. This could be her chance to make a real difference, to find the purpose and excitement she'd been craving.
"Miss Elena," Priya said, her voice firm but not unkind, "being a Mambang is not just about the thrill of fighting Unseen Beings. It's a serious responsibility. You'll be protecting innocent lives, upholding the law, and maintaining the balance between worlds. It's not a decision to be made lightly."
The gravity of Priya's words settled over Elena, tempering her enthusiasm. She hadn't considered the full scope of what being a Mambang entailed. The excitement that had bubbled up inside her began to dissipate, replaced by a growing sense of uncertainty.
Priya uncrossed her arms, her posture relaxing. "But if you are serious about it, you should register first and then consider finding some openings."
"What about in Bayangan?"
Sympathy crossed Priya's face as she shook her head. "You missed the last recruitment drive, so you're out of luck until next year." Disappointment settled in Elena's chest like a heavy weight.
Priya's voice softened, understanding in her tone. "But you can check agencies around town. Many Mambangs had their start there." She closed the folder with a sense of finality.
"That's all for tonight. You should get some rest. You've had a long night." A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, the first genuine expression Elena had seen from her.
As Priya left the room, Elena's gaze fell back to the registration form in her hand. The cold of the room faded away, replaced by a growing warmth in her chest. This could be the opportunity she'd been searching for since arriving in the city - a chance to break free from the monotony of dead-end jobs and forge a new path.
Becoming a Mambang wouldn't be easy. It would mean risking her life, facing terrifying Beings, and going into a world she barely understood. But the alternative - returning to the soul-crushing grind of long shifts and meager paychecks - felt unbearable.
She thought back to the thrill that had coursed through her veins as she faced the Beings, the sense of purpose and power that had awakened within her. For the first time in the past year, she had felt truly alive.
With trembling fingers, Elena untied her Crabucks apron. The fabric felt constricting, like a weight holding her down. She slipped it over her head and let it fall to the floor, a symbolic shedding of her old life.
"No more," she whispered, her voice shaky but resolute.