A few days after his encounter with the old woman, Raksa's life returned to its usual rhythm. He woke up early every day, helped his parents in the fields, and came back home exhausted, yet nothing felt unusual. However, the strange feeling he had when receiving the small metal object from the old woman hadn't faded. There was an impulse within him to learn more, but he also felt confused. Why had the woman given him that object? What did it mean?
Raksa tried to forget about the object for a while, keeping it in a small box under his bed. He got back to his simple life—repairing the house's walls, tending to the livestock, and struggling to survive with his family. However, this simple life began to feel increasingly inadequate. Despite his hard work, there were moments when he felt that something bigger, something more important, was waiting out there—something that would change the course of his life.
One morning, as Raksa was walking to the village market to sell some produce, he encountered the old woman again. This time, she wasn't alone. A young man stood beside her, dressed neatly, with sharp eyes that seemed to be observing every move Raksa made.
"Ah, Nak Raksa! It looks like we've met again," the old woman greeted, her tone more cheerful than before. "This is my friend, an old shaman who knows many things about the forces of nature."
The young man nodded slightly and looked at Raksa with an expression full of curiosity. "You must feel different after receiving that gift, don't you?" he asked, his voice serious.
Raksa nodded slowly, a little surprised. "Yes. I don't know what exactly is happening. There's something strange inside me since then."
The old woman smiled, a knowing smile. "I see. That's the sign of things to come. You're not just an ordinary young man, Nak Raksa. There's a great power within you that you haven't realized yet."
Raksa fell silent. He felt confused, but there was an increasing curiosity in his heart. "What kind of power, Granny? I'm just an ordinary village boy, nothing special about me."
The young man stepped closer, staring at Raksa with piercing eyes. "That's what you don't know. The power that will determine your fate. The object you received is not ordinary. It's the key to unlocking a great secret, one that could even change the destiny of the kingdom."
Raksa felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing those words. "The kingdom? What do you mean?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
The old woman gently touched Raksa's shoulder. "Your destiny is already written, Nak. You may not realize it, but your life will never be the same after this. Soon, you will be called to play a major role in a game involving the kingdom and powers far greater than you can imagine."
Raksa began to feel uncomfortable. He didn't know whether to believe what they were saying or if it was just nonsense, but something in their words felt too real. "I... I don't understand, Granny. What should I do?"
The old woman smiled, though this time her smile was full of mystery. "You don't need to do anything now. One day, someone will come looking for you. They will take you far from this village, to a place full of secrets. Only then will you know what you must do."
The young man added, with a serious tone, "Don't run from your destiny, Raksa. Whatever happens, you must be ready to accept the reality that your life will change. No one can escape destiny."
After their brief encounter, the old woman and the young man left as suddenly as they had come, leaving Raksa standing in the middle of the road, confused and with mixed emotions. What had just happened? Why did he feel like the world was starting to look at him in a different way?
Raksa continued his walk to the market, but his mind was preoccupied with the conversation he had just had. He didn't understand what "destiny" meant or why the old woman was so certain that his life would change. But one thing was clear—there was something big waiting for him, and somehow, he would be involved in a great game that involved mysterious powers.
Upon arriving at the market, Raksa decided to return home and learn more about the object the old woman had given him. He felt there was a connection between the object and the larger life waiting for him. With growing determination, Raksa opened the small wooden box where he had kept the metal object.
As the object was illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the window, Raksa noticed a symbol on it that shimmered. The symbol looked ancient, yet beneath its shine, there was something he couldn't quite comprehend. The object seemed to call him, urging him to delve deeper, to discover more.