Rizki Wijaya was nobody. Not smart. Not strong. Not special.
But somehow, everything in his life always worked out. Smoothly. Strangely. Too perfectly.
And today, that luck brought him to the towering gates of Dusaraya's most prestigious—and most mysterious—school: Institut Maha Jaya.
The morning air was crisp. Dew clung to the cracked walls of the alley where he had lived all his life. Now he stood before an iron gate carved with symbols he couldn't read. The school loomed beyond like a palace of forgotten knowledge.
He clutched his backpack tightly—not from the weight of books, but the pounding in his chest.
The bell rang three times. Students in sharp blue uniforms marched into the main hall. Rizki took a slow breath and stepped forward, until a soft voice stopped him.
"First day?" asked a girl with a calm, curious gaze.
"Uh… yeah. I'm Rizki," he said, voice unsteady.
"Ranti," she replied, offering a small smile. "Let's go in together."
Before he could answer, another voice chimed in. "I'm Rizal. Also new. Let's survive this place together."
Rizki laughed—awkwardly, but honestly. Within three minutes, he had two friends. But the more he smiled, the deeper a strange unease tugged at his thoughts.
Why did everything fall into place so easily?
The opening assembly took place in a courtyard overlooking the silent, wide River Raya. While teachers explained rules and schedules, Rizki's eyes wandered to the river's glimmering surface—just like in a dream he barely remembered. A river that whispered. A red thread tied around his wrist.
Later, while others struggled with a misplaced room list, a gust of wind knocked over the board. Rizki alone saw the correct room number. He stepped forward, avoiding confusion like it was never meant for him.
All day, little things kept happening.
When he was lost, a smiling teacher just happened to pass by. When he missed lunch, the bell rang early, giving him time to rest. When he dropped his pen, it landed upright on the bench beside him.
Coincidence?Or choreography?
By late afternoon, his feet carried him to the school's old library—not intentionally. He'd followed a black cat through the back corridor. The place was quiet, filled with tall wooden shelves and the scent of aged paper.
A slim book fell from a high shelf without warning. He picked it up.
"Legends of the River Raya: The Thread of Fortune."
The first page held a handwritten note:"True luck is not a gift. It is a test in its quietest form."
A chill passed through him. As he turned to put the book back, a red card slipped out between the pages. One word printed neatly in black ink:
Come.
He stared. No name. No date. No address.
He tucked it into his shirt pocket, heart pounding harder than before.
On his way out, he slowed near the back corridor. The setting sun cast long shadows through tall windows, painting the floor like stained glass. There, Ranti stood alone, reading a dusty announcement board.
"What're you looking at?" he asked.
She turned. "List of scholarship students. From years ago. None of them ever showed up at graduation."
His brow furrowed. "You mean they disappeared?"
She nodded slowly. "No photos. No records. Just names. Then… silence."
Rizki hesitated. "You're a scholar too?"
"No. My father teaches here. But I know that scholarship isn't listed anywhere official."
Her voice was gentle—but there was something sharp beneath the surface.
"Just... be careful," she said. "At this school, some things are better watched than questioned."
Night fell early.
The dormitory for new students sat on the western edge of campus. Old colonial design. Tall windows. Wooden floors that creaked too easily.
Rizki's room was on the second floor, overlooking a courtyard where a single cotton tree stood, unmoving in the still air. He sat on his bed, the red card now resting on the desk.
Still no sender. No clue.
But something—someone—was waiting.
At midnight, a soft knock tapped against his window. He turned sharply. No one.
But hanging from the handle was a thin red thread, swaying gently in the air, stretching out into the corridor like it had been laid for him.
His feet moved before his mind caught up.The first step into Dusaraya's secrets… had just been taken.