In one of the Gadang houses at the warriors' settlement, Purnama stood tall and lean, his face framed by light blue hair, a picture of tranquility. He secured his sheathed kris under his simple white cloth belt, its bronze head a subtle glint against his flowing white linen pants. His sapphire eyes, usually serene, held a warrior's resolve as his thoughts turned to the mission ahead. Wemustsucceed, he silently vowed.
Suria, his twin sister, was equally striking. With her light orange eyes gleaming with intensity, she prepared her gear, her short orange hair brushing her chin as she moved. The resemblance between the siblings was undeniable, from their noses to the graceful structure of their faces, yet Suria's movements were more hurried, her determination tinged with a nervous energy. She wore a gold satin waistcloth over her long-sleeved white shirt and carefully wrapped her axe-shaped kris in yellow fabric, a personal tradition.
"You think this is the one?" Suria asked, breaking the silence as she fastened her cloth bag. "The mission that finally ends the Puaka?"
Purnama glanced at her, his expression composed but serious.
"We'll find out soon enough. Until then, we do what we've always done—fight, survive, and protect."
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Suria's mind. Howmanymorebattleswillweface?
Once their belongings were packed, the twins descended the wooden stairs of their home. As they stepped onto the path, Suria glanced back at the multi-tiered roof that resembled buffalo horns, a sight she had seen her entire life.
"Purnama, this mission will take a while. I'm gonna miss this view," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Don't worry, Suria. We'll return home safely," Purnama replied, gently patting her shoulder.
They followed the spiral pathway, passing other Gadang houses built along the base of the giant, ancient tree whose canopy was so vast they couldn't see the top. As they walked, they passed food stalls and convenience shops filled with trainees. A tantalizing aroma drifted through the air, which hummed with the cheerful chatter of those socializing and relaxing after their training.
"Hey, Purnama, do you want some of this—" Suria began, holding out a sweet, deep blue-colored fruit she had just grabbed.
Purnama, however, had his eyes on a different stall. He reached for a shimmering, swirling golden cake. He looked from his cake to Suria's blue fruit and then back to their outfits. He grinned mischievously.
"Hey, Suria. Look at this!" he said, holding up the cake. "My swirling golden cake and your deep blue food. It looks like... what? It looks like our jackets!"
He then held the cake to the seam of his dark blue sleeveless jacket and moved it in a funny, swirling motion, as if the cake were dancing with his golden embroidery.
Suria stopped in her tracks, looking from the deep blue fruit in her hand to her brother's ridiculous dance with the cake. "Wha—" A moment of confusion later, a burst of laughter erupted from her, a genuine, warm sound that cut through the tension. "You're so silly, Purnama!" she said, still laughing.
"Haha! We shouldn't make Honter wait any longer, Suria. Let's get going!" Purnama chuckled.
They continued walking, and soon the magnificent, expansive, crystal-clear white marble bridge came into view. They could hear the powerful, rushing current of water beneath them, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of their world. As they approached the bridge, they saw warriors coming and going, some heading to the training grounds, others returning, their faces flushed with exertion.
A short distance later, they spotted a hut with a roof resembling a wooden tobacco pipe from which smoke billowed. The hut was a remarkable structure built from weathered timber, with vines crawling up its walls. Lanterns hung from the eaves, casting a warm, flickering glow that beckoned them inside.
As they approached, they were greeted by Honter, the old dwarf caretaker.
"Well, well, well, now! Look what th' cat dragged in! The famous Celestial Twins, Purnama an' Suria!" Honter greeted them, his voice carrying a playful Irish lilt. "Yer the last ones to arrive! Ye should've been here an hour ago. Now, hurry up; ye don't want to make Purba wait an' feel th' wrath of a Kshatriya!" Adjusting his battered leather cap.
"Come on, Honter. We wanted to take our time and enjoy the fresh air. Don't mind Purba; he knows how to bark orders while doing nothing." Suria handed her kris to Honter.
Honter's thick white beard, woven with tiny beads that told tales of his many adventures, bobbed with laughter.
"GARGARGARGAR! Aye, lass! Don't be pullin' me leg!" Honter boomed. "I know ye both too well. Deep down, ye don't want to go, do ye? Ye've seen th' dark side of humans—their knack for turning on each other. It's no wonder most Aurenian folks have distanced themselves from Earth."
The leather belt on Honter's waist, heavy with pouches of tools and trinkets, jingled softly as he moved to his anvil.
CLANG!CLANG!
The sound of the hammer strikes lit up the twins' Kshatriya genealogy chart on the wall, a signal that they were leaving Aurea.
"Yeah, many Aurenians have parted ways with humans, but one particular Celestion chose to abandon their family to help humans instead," Suria replied, her expression growing solemn as she carefully wrapped her kris in the yellow fabric and placed it aside.
Purnama let out a weary sigh, knowing exactly who Suria was referring to as he tucked his sheathed kris back on his waist.
"Ah, I know th' one ye mean. Best not dwell on th' past, eh? Focus on yer mission now!" Honter interjected, eager to lighten the mood.
"...Anyway, yer Tycart arrived a couple o' hours ago at th' station up front. Don't be keepin' him waitin' any longer. Th'' handler an' Ty are wearin' blue scarves 'round their necks," Honter said, quickly shifting the topic and pointing toward the front of the bridge.
After finishing with the anvil, Honter retrieved their supplies.
"Here ye go, then! Each o' ye gets a small sack o' Dykin seeds, a map fer yer mission, an' a fine small pouch filled with human currency, Sagga. Use 'em wisely, an' mind yerselves out there!"
"Thank you for everything, Honter," Purnama said, giving the map a quick look before tucking it into his shirt. "We'd best be on our way."
"Yea, we wouldn't want to keep Tycart waiting any longer than we already have." Suria nodded.
"Safe travels, ye two," Honter replied, his bright green eyes framed by bushy eyebrows, sparkling as his gaze followed them, a thoughtful expression on his wrinkled face.
"So, Purnama an' Suria, th' last Kshatriyas ye chose, eh, Purba? A wise choice indeed," he mused, as a slow puff of smoke escaped his pipe, drifting away.