Karno slowed his pace. His feelings started to stir with unease. Something was off. But he tried to stay calm, hiding the panic that began to creep inside him. "Greetings, Eyang," Karno said as he bowed, trying to conceal the tension in his face. His eyes darted around the empty hall, "Where is everyone, Eyang? Are they running late?" he added nonchalantly, then continued, "Typical, being lazy at a time like this..."
Karno appeared to be the most composed person in the room, but beneath his words, a deep hypocrisy was lurking.
Eyang Pradipa remained silent. His expression didn't change in the slightest, as if penetrating Karno's very soul. The silence filled the room until it was broken by a deep and forceful voice.
"Enough, Karno," Eyang Pradipa's voice echoed. "Stop with your rotten words. Now answer me—where did you take the map?"
Karno's face turned pale. Sweat began to pour from his temples. The pressure of Eyang Pradipa's aura seemed to choke his throat. Stammering, Karno answered, "I-I sold it, Eyang... to the Surya family."
"Why did you sell it?"
Karno lowered his gaze, his voice growing quieter, "I... I wanted to buy a red sempur stone ring, Eyang."
Hearing that, anger was clearly visible on Eyang Pradipa's face. With a single wave of his hand, Karno was thrown backward. The chairs behind him were hurled and shattered. His body slammed against the ancient stone wall, and he coughed up blood instantly.
He couldn't lie anymore.
"All for a stone, you sold the family heirloom map? I can't believe it! You've carried out many missions—you should've been able to buy it yourself," Eyang yelled. "Tell me! What exactly did the Surya family offer you?"
With trembling voice, Karno answered, "They... they offered a fragment of the soul of a hermit... from the Resi Loka realm, Eyang..."
Eyang Pradipa's fury intensified. His face tightened. "Fool! Do you believe such nonsense? How could a fragment of a Resi Loka soul from someone dead be given just like that?! They deceived you, and you're too foolish to realize it!"
Karno remained silent, unable to defend himself. His body grew weak.
"Then, what punishment is fitting for your betrayal, huh Karno?"
"Eyang... I... I beg for forgiveness... I—"
"Silence!! This concerns the future of our family's generations. If I don't punish you appropriately, then I am unfit to be the head of this family!"
Eyang Pradipa glanced toward the chair on the side of the room. "Roni, come here."
"Yes, Eyang," Roni replied, rising from his seat. Karno was startled. He hadn't even noticed that Roni had been in the room all along.
"Take him to the dungeon. We'll discuss his punishment later," Eyang ordered firmly.
"Understood, Eyang."
Roni then led Karno, who staggered and surrendered, out of the grand hall. Karno knew it was over for him—all because of his own greed.
The next morning, news of Karno's betrayal spread quickly throughout the family. Although Eyang Pradipa had asked for it to be kept secret for the time being, Karno's name had already become a whisper among the elders and senior guards.
In a pavilion where the elders often gathered, the atmosphere that morning was different. There were no light jokes or casual conversation as usual. Everyone appeared tense.
Elder Wira Dharma sat at the front, staring blankly ahead. "So it's true... he sold the ancestral map for personal gain?" he asked quietly but sharply.
"And not only that," chimed in Elder Kirandi, who sat beside him. "He allowed himself to be deceived by the Surya family just for a fake soul fragment. His stupidity is beyond belief."
"Elder Aswina is also disappointed," came the soft voice of Elder Aswina. "It's not just about the map... but about trust. He's one of us."
Elders Cakra Dara and Phasta couldn't hide their anger. They were the most vocal in demanding Karno be punished severely. "If we don't set an example, this could be the beginning of the family's downfall," Phasta said sharply.
But Eyang Pradipa remained calm. He entered the pavilion slowly, but with an aura of authority. All the elders immediately stood to show respect.
"Sit," Eyang Pradipa said briefly.
Once they were seated, Eyang Pradipa began speaking.
"Karno has not only betrayed our lineage, but he has also violated the trust of our ancestors. However, I do not want us to be divided by emotions. We will hold an official family trial. Let the entire family witness this and learn from it."
Elder Subhaga nodded in agreement. "That is a wise decision, Eyang. But we must also accelerate preparations for the ancestral land. Our time is running out."
Eyang Pradipa nodded. "Roni will strengthen the guard at the archives and other important areas. And all of you... make sure there are no more gaps in our ranks."
All the elders nodded in unison. The serious aura still hung in the room, but the decision had been made. The Baskara family could no longer afford to be careless.
On the morning of the trial in the Great Hall of the Baskara Family, the sky was slightly overcast, as if it too could feel the heaviness of the decision that was about to be made that day.
Inside the hall, all the important figures of the family were seated in their places. The seven elders sat in the front row, while the main descendants were lined up neatly on both sides of the hall. In the center of the room, a sturdy wooden chair was placed, empty... waiting for Karno.
Not long after, footsteps could be heard approaching. Roni entered with firm steps, followed by Karno, walking slowly with a pale face. He looked completely different from usual—no more sly smiles or teasing words. Today, he carried nothing but regret.
Eyang Pradipa, with a cold yet calm face, spoke, "Today… we gather not for celebration, but for a wound. A wound from within. Karno, my nephew, the grandson of this family... has sold the ancestral map for personal ambition."
The room fell silent. All eyes were on Karno, who now sat in the middle chair, head bowed.
"Do you admit your actions?" Elder Wira Dharma asked, his voice heavy.
Karno nodded slowly. "I... I admit it. I was wrong. I was tempted..."
"Not just tempted," interrupted Elder Cakra Dara angrily. "You broke our trust. The land doesn't just belong to us, but also to the ancestors!"
Murmurs of discontent began to rise from the younger family members, who felt disappointed and angry.
Eyang Pradipa raised his hand, silencing the room.
"We will not make a decision in anger," he said. "But Karno's actions cannot be forgiven just like that. This is not about revenge. This is about maintaining the honor of the family. So, I leave it to the elders... to deliver the verdict."
The elders exchanged looks, then held a brief discussion. Soon, Elder Kirandi stood and announced the verdict.
"Karno will serve a spiritual prison sentence for seven full moons. He will be taken to the deep stone meditation room, where he will live in silence and confront the shadows of his own soul. If he survives and truly repents, then we will consider forgiveness."
Karno lowered his head. He knew... there was no escape anymore.
"Thank you," he muttered softly, almost inaudible.
Eyang Pradipa closed the trial with a firm statement, "Let this be a lesson for all. This family is great not because of its strength, but because of its unity."
Karno was taken out of the hall, and the trial ended. But the echo of that decision... still lingered in the hearts of every family member.