The next night, Suria and Riang arrived at the foot of a massive mountain range to carry out their final investigation mission before heading to the Skyrea rendezvous.
With only seven days left before Skyrea's arrival, time was a luxury they did not possess.
The high, jagged ridge that formed the giant crater belonged to an ancient volcano, long since dead.
For hundreds of years, a hidden society had built their lives deep inside this volcanic basin, entirely cut off from the outside world. Under the biting cold and dewy mountain air, a suffocating blanket of thick fog frequently swallowed the terrain.
The slick, solid volcanic rock on the outer surface was treacherous enough to climb. Even if a traveler successfully scaled it, the interior ravine dropped into a sheer, steep abyss—virtually impossible to descend without proper tools.
"This is going to take so much time if I conjure stairs just to ascend, Suria," Riang noted, looking up at the daunting peak. "Let me fly you to the top."
"Are you sure?" Suria asked, eyeing her skeptically. "Is your Shakti good enough now to get us to the top? You know what will happen if you turn into your miniature versions. Who knows what would happen to both of us mid-flight."
Riang possessed a fierce, destructive mastery over the earth and could fly through the air. However, her limited energy pool came with a bizarre, volatile catch.
If she pushed past her limits without proper rest, her body would fracture, transforming her into multiple miniature versions of herself. These mini-Riangs were utterly useless in combat, capable of doing nothing but running around chaotically until they could slowly gather enough ambient Shakti to fuse back into her true form. To stay alive, she only had to ensure that a single mini-version survived; if all were wiped out, she would vanish for good.
"Don't you underestimate the mighty Riang! Here I come!"
Riang flew to Suria's back, gripped her jacket firmly, and soared fast into the air.
They shot upward, piercing through cloud after cloud until Riang stopped, hovering where the colossal crater shone brightly under the moonlight.
"Look at that, Suria. What a view!"
"Hey, hey, how about we land first and enjoy the view on a hard surface?"
Riang slowly touched down. Standing at the precipice of the volcano's mouth, Suria and Riang looked down into the deep crater.
"Oh, wow. This is surely as deep as it looks," Suria murmured. "But look over there—it looks like a settlement illuminated by hundreds of flickering torches."
"Yes, looks like three different settlements that stay far apart," Riang observed. "Let's land at the nearest one from here, Suria."
There was simply no other way in or out. The high range was the only barrier separating this world from the next.
"Riang, save your Shakti," Suria advised. "Find another way around to enter."
"Yeah, I don't think I want to fly into that dark void anyway, and your light would just alert them. Oh... hold tight, Suria!"
Riang clenched her fists. The earth beneath them rose, enclosing them completely in a solid stone sphere that slowly began to roll down the interior wall of the crater.
The heavy boulder rolled recklessly down the steep incline, its thunderous vibrations and echoing crashes alerting the entire basin below.
The ride was a dizzying, chaotic blur.
The moment the sphere hit flat ground at the base of the mountain, it violently dissolved into a cloud of fine sand.
The impact launched both of them through the air until they rolled, splashing into a shallow, nearby lake.
The two of them had formally arrived in the hidden civilization built within the belly of the massive volcano, known to its inhabitants as Tambora.
"You! How is this not alerting the people here, Riang?!" Suria tensed, squeezing her temples as the world continued to spin violently around her. "A hard stone ball? For God's sake..."
"Well, if you remembered how to fly, this would be a piece of cake, sis Suria," Riang huffed.
She hovered just inches above the water's surface as she shook herself vigorously like a wet cat.
"Besides, after all your recent battles, you're running on empty. I don't think summoning one of your guardian birds right now is a brighter idea either."
Wading out of the shallow lake, Suria tried to wring out her wet garments. Even with the lingering dizziness, the place felt strangely comforting.
The water was warm, and the cold air carried a slow breeze that swayed the cattails. Fireflies danced around them, and the water itself seemed to emit a soft, bluish glow.
"Yeah, you're right, Riang," Suria conceded softly. "Anyway, this place... somehow, it feels close to me. I—"
Suddenly, the heavy rhythm of marching footsteps echoed through the trees, growing louder by the second.
Within moments, they were completely surrounded by a garrison of armored guards wielding jagged spears and blazing torches.
"Should we fight them, Suria?" Riang asked, her eyes narrowing as she hovered low.
"You know how terrible my sense of direction is," Suria replied quietly, raising her hands in an easy gesture of surrender. "This place is massive. Let them take us in—and honestly, looking at that guarded carriage over there, I'm too tired to take another step anyway."
"HEY! STOP TALKING!" shouted the leader of the garrison, stepping forward aggressively.
He wore a red and white robe that stopped at his knees, tightly bound at his waist and forearms with thick leather straps. Stitched into the back of his shirt was an intricately carved emblem of a golden buffalo—the mark of the tribe's military elite.
"Who are you?! How did you infiltrate Tambora?! Explain yourselves!"
Riang dropped her feet to the dirt, begrudgingly mimicking Suria's raised hands.
"Are you the elder?" Suria asked, her tone steady and unimpressed. "If not, I have nothing to say to you. Take us to whoever actually commands this land."
"Refusing to comply, are we?" the leader sneered, his long black hair whipping around as he turned to his men. "Seize them right now! Throw them in the cage!"
The soldiers marched them forward, locking them securely inside a heavy wooden cart fortified with thick iron bars.
The carriage rattled along a grassy, primitive path, crossing the great lake on a sturdy bridge built from massive tree trunks before transitioning onto a grand thoroughfare lined on both sides by towering pine trees.
A massive wooden gate creaked open, granting them entry into the town. Suria and Riang observed their surroundings with quiet fascination.
The architecture was stunning, featuring sweeping walls decorated with intricate stone carvings of mythical beasts.
As the prison cart paraded through the bustling streets, a mystery person sitting at a roadside open-air eatery stall froze. Spotting the faces behind the iron bars, the stranger dropped his food in utter shock. He quickly rose and slipped away into the shadows of the alleyways.
Though the view was fleeting, Suria caught a glimpse of the man before the swelling crowd blocked her sight.
Invasions from the outside world were incredibly rare in Tambora, and any wanderers who did stumble in usually kept a low profile. The explosive, echoing crash of Riang's stone ball, however, had thrown the entire populace into a panic.
Escorted to the grand plaza at the center of the town, the guard leader instructed the convoy to stop. With chains securing both their hands and legs, Suria and Riang were escorted out of the cart carriage cell.
"This is the source that caused the tremors before," the leader announced to the gathering crowd. "We will cage them and hold them securely until the four tribal elders can convene to decree a fitting punishment."
Without delay, they were escorted into a multi-story building carved with the image of a chained monster and guarded by the tribesmen. It was there that the guards threw Suria and Riang into a stone jail cell.
"Hey sis, what's the play?" Riang asked, casually gripping the iron bars of the cell door as if they were made of soft jelly. "Should we bust out?"
"I don't have a plan," Suria admitted, staring blankly at the stone floor. "Purnama is usually the one who handles that."
Seeing the uncharacteristic confusion in Suria's eyes, Riang shrugged.
"Alright then, time to break these bars and show them exactly who they're messing with."
"Riang, wait," Suria interrupted, catching her companion's wrist. She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "I'm not entirely certain if what I saw earlier was real... but I think he's here."
To drive her point home, Suria quickly flashed a secret hand signal they frequently used to mock one of the Keshatriyas under Purba's command. She formed a sharp triangle over the top of her hair to mimic a structured headcloth, then used her fingers to circle her eyes repeatedly, mocking a pair of unmistakable, bizarre eyes.
Riang's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. She opened her mouth to scream in surprise, but Suria quickly clapped a hand over her lips to muffle the sound. Once she calmed down, Suria pulled her hand away and let Riang talk.
"When did you see him, Suria? That brat... how on earth did he manage to get himself stuck inside a hidden volcano?"
"So it is him?" Suria asked, seeking absolute confirmation.
"Yes! Nobody else wears a bright green outfit and a tanjak headcloth with freaky eyes like that outside of Aurea," Riang muttered, shaking her head.
"That actually changes everything," Suria mused, a small, calculating smile returning to her face. "Think about it, Riang. If he's walking around freely among the villagers, it means he managed to win over the trust of these people. This might make our assignment a lot easier."
While both of them were whispering to one another inside the cell, the heavy metal outer door of the prison building groaned open.
The distinct sound of marching footsteps echoed down the stone hallway of the prison sector as a small entourage approached, and walking right alongside the guards was a face incredibly familiar to them.
Leading the group was an elderly man adorned in a grand headdress woven from vibrant peacock feathers. He wore a thick, red furry jacket and a long black sarong that swept against his feet.
"Well, well," Riang grinned, pointing through the heavy cell door toward the corridor. " Looks like we're getting our get-out-of-jail-free card much sooner than expected."
"There you are, my idiot partner..." Riang muttered.
"Yep, even though I wasn't sure at first, that is indeed him," Suria murmured. "It's been a while... Perang."
Perang was a highly unique Keshatriya. He wore a distinct dragon-fold tanjak on his head, the fabric prominently featuring a pattern of three pairs of stylized eyes right at its center. His entire green tunic was adorned with crimson eye motifs running along the sleeves, pants, and cuffs.
Two sleek sword blades hung symmetrically from his waist. His hair and eyes shined with a striking, unnatural light green.
Physically, Perang possessed the frame of a young teenager.
In the lore of the Keshatriyas, a strange rumor followed him: whenever his combat skills climbed to their absolute peak, his physical form would dramatically regress in age. According to the myth, if his battle level reached its ultimate zenith, Perang's physique would shrink down to that of a mere toddler.
Because of this unstable biological trait, Suria had struggled to recognize him initially; his physical age was different from when they had last crossed paths.
Perang harbored a deep disdain for speaking with Atman. Whenever forced to converse with them, he strictly communicated using a staccato, one-word-at-a-time cadence.
Stopping before the iron cell, Perang gestured toward the two prisoners, looking directly back at the elderly man.
"Yes," Perang uttered flatly.
Nodding respectfully, the elderly man turned to his subordinates and commanded them to unlock the heavy door.
"Instructions received, Elder Yureth," the garrison leader replied.
The guard who turned the key offered a small smile and politely gestured for them to walk outside freely.
Out in the courtyard, the commoners had started to gather. They whispered among themselves as to why a revered tribal leader would personally descend into the cell to liberate two prisoners in such a haste.
"Please follow us to the plaza center," Elder Yureth said.
The convoy walked outside, where the commoners quickly gave way to the elder and his companions before the leader finally came to a halt.
Elder Yureth suddenly dropped to his knees, prostrating himself flat on the ground along with his guards toward Suria. A wave of confusion rippled through the onlookers, who quickly followed their elder's lead, bowing low in absolute reverence.
Suria and Riang watched the spectacle unfold, completely bewildered by what was happening.
Perang stepped closer to Suria.
"Hey, Suria. Ask them to stand," he whispered.
"Huh? What? Why me?" Suria stammered, entirely overwhelmed by the sea of people bowing before her.
"Hey, yo, weird-eyes!" Riang barked, also moving closer to Perang and playfully poking his chest with her index finger. "You get stuck in a volcano, get all funky living with the locals, leave me behind, and now you have the nerve to give orders to Suria?"
"You've got some nerve, ain't ya, shitty partner?!" Riang flicked her finger right at Perang's temple.
"Ouch..." Perang muttered, rubbing his temple as he focused back on Suria. "I will explain everything later. Now, Suria, or are you enjoying getting worshipped for centuries?"
Feeling incredibly awkward under the weight of a thousand eyes, Suria stepped forward. She walked toward the prostrate leader and leaned down gently, placing a reassuring hand on Elder Yureth's shoulder.
"Em, ehem... please, Elder... and everyone else... please, stand up."
At her command, the elder rose, followed smoothly by the rest of the plaza. Yureth lifted his heavy wooden staff, striking it firmly against the ground three times. The resonant knocks instantly commanded the absolute silence of the crowd.
"Behold!" Elder Yureth bellowed, his voice echoing across the courtyard. "The daughter of our great God, Bimashakti!"
Suria and Riang froze, the words striking them like a physical blow.
"What?!" Suria whispered, utterly confused by what she had just heard, her head snapping around to look at Perang.
Perang made a quick hand gesture, signaling her that he would explain it all later.
Riang shook off her lingering dizziness, stepping closer to Suria.
"Wait, but Suria's dad isn't—"
Before she could finish the sentence, Perang reached out and firmly clamped his hand over her mouth.
"Rest," Perang requested, turning back to offer a respectful nod to the elder.
"Escort the daughter of our god and her companion to the guest chamber!" Elder Yureth commanded warmly.
The three Keshatriyas were led away to a magnificent estate constructed with striking, Mayan-inspired stone architecture. The compound was strictly reserved for visiting elders from the other quadrants; never before in the history of Tambora had an outsider been permitted to step inside.
The moment the heavy wooden doors clicked shut and the guards retreated out of earshot, Perang scanned the perimeter to ensure they were truly alone.
"You seriously need to start talking, Perang," Riang opacity demanded, crossing her arms. "Why on Aurea is Suria's deadbeat dad considered a literal deity down here? No offense, Suria."
"None taken," Suria murmured quietly, her mind racing.
"Sir Bimashakti... how do I put this into words... he's a great man," Perang began, trying to find a way to explain the myth of the man.
"A great man? Hey, Perang, don't forget he is the one who bound Suria and Purnama to a lifetime of servitude!" Riang countered sharply. "He abandoned them when they were just kids, and kept lending our resources to humans!"
"A mistake that completely backfired on us Celestion, and forced us to abandon Earth entirely!" Suria added bitterly.
Perang pulled out a heavy wooden chair and placed it directly in front of them.
"We won the great war because of the Keshatriyas. He knew Suria and Purnama were capable warriors, if not for them we might be done for. Now, the reason he helped the Atman was to create hope."
"Hope? He completely failed to foresee the dark side of humanity," Suria interrupted, her fists clenching at her sides. "Their endless greed, their selfishness, their absolute ingratitude. Half the monsters we fight today were born directly from human malice."
Perang let out a slow sigh, leaning forward.
"True. But the civilization here in Tambora thrives. Peace. Harmony. Sir Bimashakti is protecting them. The good ones."
Riang, who had slumped onto one of the luxurious beds, sat up straight.
"Don't tell me... the only reason Tambora is developing so well is because he's fueling this entire crater with his own Shakti?"
Perang nodded solemnly.
"Yes. We all know that he has the ability to seal a high amount of Shakti inside a relic. In Tambora, it was buried beneath the midpoint arch."
"He sacrificed his life force to protect the good Atman and gave them hope in a new land. The Aurenians might look at him as someone who abandoned Celestion. But for the people in Tambora, he is seen as a God. And he might be one somewhere else, too."
Suria slowly bowed her head, the revelation weighing heavily on her chest.
"He gave up his own life force for a colony of mortals, yet he willingly abandoned his own flesh and blood?" Suria whispered, her voice trembling. "Poor Purnama... my brother did everything in his power, carried every brutal burden on his shoulders just to win our freedom from the King and escape the life of a warrior. While I could do nothing but sit back and weep. Was my father's sacrifice truly worth it?!"
A tear escaped Suria's eye, splashing onto the stone floor. Wiping her face quickly with her right hand, she turned away, walking out of the chamber to be alone with her grief.
Riang immediately stood up to follow her, but Perang reached out, gently blocking her path.
"Let her go, Riang. Some scars are hard to heal."
Riang sighed, sinking back into the soft mattress of the bed, her eyes tracking the intricate carvings on the ceiling.
"Listening to all of this... it honestly changes how I view things. It's been so long since I've even uttered his name. Is he still alive somewhere, Perang?"
"He might have fused his Shakti into many relics on Earth," Perang replied, his voice dropping low. "My Aurora eyes can't even track his energy. He might be dead, or alive in another realm."
Perang rose from his chair, dusting off his tunic.
"Anyway, where is Purnama? Is he supposed to be here as well?"
"Well, it's a long story, Perang," Riang sighed. "He's searching for Belang inside Rona. But he'll be back before the Skyrea arrived."
"Rona? I thought he never wanted to go to that place again..." Perang mused, shaking his head. "I will catch up with you later. I know why Suria was pointed here by Ria, and I will speak to Elder Yureth. What we do next might become the fall of Tambora. Have a good rest, partner."
"Huh? What do you mean by that...?" Riang asked, blinking in confusion.
Without explaining, offering only a faint smile, Perang quietly exited the guest house.
As he crossed the courtyard, he noticed Suria leaning silently against the stone wall, her eyes fixed on the starless night sky far above the volcanic rim.
Without uttering a word, he walked past, leaving her to her thoughts as the night slipped away in silence.