Adibahari, was on a journey to the distant land of Apokarpa. After a week of non-stop walking, he finally took a break. Pulling out some bread given by his master Lala, who had looked after him for six years. He paused to rest. As he reached for the bread, a small card slipped out of his bag, catching his attention.
On the card, it read, "Don't forget to eat, unless you want to audition for the role of a skeleton!" Adibahari chuckled, amused by his teacher's quirky humor. With a grin, he took a bite of the bread, savoring each mouthful while gazing at the serene river flowing peacefully by.
Suddenly, a small stone flew from behind him which make him puzzled. He frowned then placed the bread on his bag, and turned to see what was happening. However, when he turned back to grab his bread, he was shocked to see a rabbit devouring it.
"Hey! That's my bread!" Adibahari shouted, leaping towards the rabbit with eyes wide open.
The rabbit dashed away swiftly, but Adibahari was quicker. With a nimble movement, he managed to catch the rabbit. Holding it tightly, his eyes sparkled with excitement, and a wide smile spread across his face.
"Gotcha! Now, what should I do with you?" he muttered, contemplating the fate of his new catch. His face scrunched slightly as he examined the rabbit.
Suddenly, the rabbit pleaded with wide, hopeful eyes, "Please, let me go! I'm no ordinary rabbit. I am Manubu, a fairy human!" The rabbit squirmed and struggled, its tiny paws pushing and clawing at the air. "You must believe me!" Manubu cried, its voice trembling.
Adibahari was stunned, his eyes widening, and his mouth agape. "You can talk? If you are truly fairy human, prove it!" he demanded incredulously.
In the blink of an eye, the rabbit began to glow, its fur shimmering with a radiant light. The glow intensified, and the rabbit's form started to shift and expand. Its ears shortened, its limbs elongated, and the soft fur receded to reveal smooth, pale skin.
The light faded, revealing a small girl with white hair cascading down her back and vivid red eyes that sparkled like rubys. Adibahari's jaw dropped even further, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"How is this possible?" Adibahari asked, still in awe, his eyes shifting between the little girl's face and the spot where the rabbit had been.
Manubu, now in human form, responded calmly, "Before that, could you put me down?"
Adibahari, still shocked, slowly set Manubu down. The little girl stood before him, dusting off her dirty clothes.
"Thank you," Manubu said, her smile mixed with relief. "I trusted a merchant to help me deliver goods, but he sold me instead. I managed to escape, but I've been lost for two years, trying to find my way home. If I ever find him, he'll regret betraying me. He's a worthless traitor."
Adibahari frowned, feeling sympathy for Manubu's plight. "That's awful. Haven't you tried to find a way back home?"
Manubu shook her head. "I've tried. Like I told you, I've been wandering here for nearly two years. There's no way out."
"In that case, do you want my help?" Adibahari asked, his voice filled with determination.
He approached his bag and rummaged through its contents until he found a map. Carefully, he spread the map out on the ground before Manubu.
"Alright. I'm Adibahari, but you can call me Adi. What's your name? Where are you from?"
"I'm Lantana," she introduced herself, her voice tinged with a mixture of relief and uncertainty.
Lantana studied the map intently. Her expression grew increasingly anxious as her eyes scanned the parchment, searching desperately for familiar landmarks, but found none. Her fingers traced over the unfamiliar terrain, trembling slightly.
Seeing her distress, Adibahari asked again, more gently this time, "Where are you from? Do you remember?"
Suddenly, tears welled up in Lantana's eyes, and she began to cry. "I don't remember!"
Adibahari sighed, sounding both sympathetic and defeated. "Don't tell me you have amnesia too."
"Yes, I have amnesia. I don't remember how I got here." Lantana sobbed, her shoulders shaking with each tearful gasp. Her once bright eyes were now clouded with despair.
Adibahari knelt beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. We'll figure this out together. You're not alone anymore. How about you come with me? I'm heading to Apokarpa for some urgent matters there. Perhaps the people there can provide some answers." he said softly, his voice filled with warmth and resolve.
As he attempted to rise, Adibahari's stomach let out a loud growl, its unexpected interruption breaking the silence of the moment.
Lantana couldn't help but chuckle softly at the timing of Adibahari's rumbling stomach. "Hehe. Sorry about that. I was really hungry earlier."
Adibahari grinned in response, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, it's a good thing you turned back into your original form. Otherwise, you might have ended up as a roasted rabbit for my dinner."
Lantana's eyes widened in mock horror at the playful threat. "Hey, no way! I definitely don't want to be on the menu," she exclaimed, a hint of worry mixed with humor in her voice.
....
They entered a gloomy, dingy village where the air was thick with pollution. Even in the early morning, a dense fog of smoke filled the sky. Adibahari and Lantana had to cover their noses and mouths with cloth as they ventured deeper into the village.
The buildings were old and crumbling, with walls stained by soot. The distant sound of mining machinery echoed through the narrow, winding streets.
Suddenly, a villager approached them.
"Why have you two come here? This is not a tourist spot but a mining area. Come with me," said a man in his fifties to them.
They were directed to the man's house, where they were warmly welcomed. The interior was modest, with worn furniture and the faint smell of coal lingering in the air.
"Where are you two going, and why? You've entered the wrong place. Outsiders are not allowed here, especially if you two are Astakona bearers. Your energy will be absorbed by the rocks here," the man explained seriously.
Adibahari turned to Lantana, and Lantana looked back at him.
"I am Adibahari, and this is Lantana. We are both Tias. We don't feel anything unusual, just the bothersome smoke and soot. Could you tell me the name of this village? I was actually sent by my master, Lala, to solve a problem in the village of Lombongan. A week ago, someone sent a letter about the problem here via a pigeon," Adibahari explained, trying to clarify the situation further.
"Oh, really? Thank goodness you're Lala's representative. You're now in the village of Lombongan, the largest mining site in the country of Apokarpa. I am the one who sent the pigeon. But why couldn't Lala come herself?" asked the man, his face showing a hint of disappointment that Teacher Lala had not come.
"My apologies for my master" Adibahari began, a concerned furrow in his brow. "She has been unwell for the past few weeks. Moreover, she couldn't come because her Astakona is very weak. To honor your invitation, she sent me in her stead. I will do my utmost to help."
The man stern expression softened, and he nodded understandingly. "Come, let me introduce you to the others. Oh, by the way, my name is Anang. Just call me Anang."
As they followed Anang, Adibahari and Lantana exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern. They walked through the village, noting the tired and wary faces of the villagers.
Anang led them to an open area where a group of villagers had gathered. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and the crowd fell silent as they approached.
"This is Adibahari and Lantana," Anang announced. "They are representatives of Lala, and they are both Tias."
The villagers' shoulders slumped, and murmurs of disappointment rippled through the crowd.
One villager, a man with a deeply lined face, stepped forward, shaking his head. "Tias as well? In that case, we have no hope of fixing this situation."
Adibahari stepped forward. "What's happening Anang?" he asked.
Anang sighed heavily, his eyes reflecting years of frustration. "We need your teacher's help to solve the smoke and soot problem here. It's caused by the deforestation of the pine forest at the edge of the village. The deforestation has also made several villagers fall ill. At night, this village turns pitch black because we have to extinguish all the lights to avoid attracting the swarms of beetles that seek out the light. It all stems from that forest."
Lantana, her eyes wide with realization, turned to Adibahari. "So, the solution is simply to stop the deforestation there, right?"
Adibahari nodded, but his expression was grim. "Yes, but it's not that simple. Destroying nature's creation is quick, but restoring it takes time. We need to stop the logging, halt the forest fires, and relocate the fauna habitats."