The Stranger Who Knew My Way

Sakti remained frozen, his mind stuck on an event he couldn’t quite comprehend just moments ago. The campfire in front of him slowly dimmed, leaving only faintly glowing embers. Footsteps approached, accompanied by faint murmurs too soft to catch.

The figure finally appeared, backlit by the light of dawn. His long, messy turquoise hair covered most of his face, leaving only his nose and mouth visible. His posture was relaxed, hands busy playing with a few pebbles before flicking one straight at Sakti’s temple.

"Ouch!" Sakti snapped, jolted out of his thoughts.

The man let out a short sigh. "Stop ignoring me, kid."

Sakti squinted, rising cautiously to his feet. "Who are you?" he asked, still trying to figure out if this person was a threat or just an annoying distraction.

The man gave a faint smile, his tone utterly laid-back. "I come with noble intentions."

Sakti scoffed. "Speak clearly, old man."

"Alright, kid. That kinda hurts," the man replied, his voice unchanged. "But not as much as your future will."

Sakti studied the figure more carefully. There was something oddly familiar, but his thoughts were still a mess. "I can only guess one thing — you’re after something from me."

The man leaned slightly forward. "Well... what if I told you, you might as well just die here?"

Sakti didn’t overreact. Without saying a word, he immediately assumed a fighting stance, ready to strike at any moment.

The man remained standing casually, his tone unshaken. "So, are you just gonna stand there, trying to out-handsome me? Or are you actually gonna attack?"

Sakti ignored his words. In his mind, he had already crafted a strategy. I just need to pretend to attack, then slip past him.

With determination gleaming in his eyes, he lunged forward. But what happened next was completely unexpected.

The man suddenly spread his arms wide, legs stretched apart, tilting his head back to face the cave ceiling — as if he was waiting for something dramatic to happen.

"This guy’s joking," Sakti thought to himself.

Without wasting a second, Sakti dashed past him, escaping the cave. But before he could get far, the man's voice echoed from behind.

"Hey, that’s not how the game works."

The man then made a hand gesture, like an Akatara about to use their ability. In an instant, Sakti, still running without looking back, felt something strange — his legs kept moving, but his body stayed in place. He was walking, yet neither moving forward nor backward, as if trapped in a space that held him still.

"What... what’s happening?" he muttered, confused.

The man chuckled softly and strolled toward Sakti, his pace unhurried. As he got closer, he let out a long, relaxed breath, savoring the moment.

"Fuuuh..."

Sakti glared at him, and this time, the man's turquoise hair color was crystal clear. Instantly, Sakti knew — only someone with turquoise hair could do this.

"So, you’re a Turquoise," he growled.

The man stepped even closer, effortlessly lifting Sakti and turning him around to face the cave entrance.

"Hey, what do you want? Can you stop joking around?" shouted Sakti, struggling, but his body could only march in place.

The man ignored him.

With a faint smile, he sang a little rhyme, his tone as light as a melody:

"Step by step, you march so tight,
Stop right now, or walk all night."

Then, with a graceful hand motion, he added:

"Little feet, now halt your flight."

The moment he finished the incantation, Sakti’s legs, which had been moving like he was on a casual jog, suddenly broke free from the strange effect. But he had no time to regain control — his body shot back into the cave at high speed.

"Ouch!"

For the second time in a short span, Sakti tripped over the scattered rocks inside the cave, crashing to the ground. Groaning in frustration, he quickly picked himself up, brushing the dust off his clothes.

"You gotta be kidding me." he muttered, slapping the dirt off his shirt.

From outside the cave, the man's voice echoed back, slightly amplified by the stone walls.

"Hey, come on! Where’s the little red one?" he shouted.

Sakti scoffed. "He must be talking about my Akatara power. That much is obvious."

"There’s no point in hiding it now. This guy already knows who I am."

"My power is force manipulation... If I remember correctly, it's like creating an intense push or pull. But if I use it here, I might get buried under the rubble."

Outside, the man stood calmly as the wind picked up, blowing his turquoise hair wildly in every direction. He held his hair back with one hand and shouted,

"Hey, kid! Get out here! The wind's going crazy!"

Sakti stared at him, and after a few moments, the gusts of wind finally revealed the man’s face.

Sakti froze for a moment, then whispered, "You... you look just like that girl."

As the wind fully uncovered the man's face, something inside Sakti snapped.

His eyes began to glow.

His vision shifted.

In Sakti’s eyes, the man’s body emitted invisible waves of energy — pulsating slowly, flowing like a river through every inch of him. A faint glow radiated from his core, branching out like streams filling every limb.

Only an Akatara could see this.

A red aura started to flicker around Sakti’s body, trembling softly as his awareness of the power within him surged.

"I feel... different," he whispered.

Without hesitation, Sakti burst out of the cave, his body moving with lightning speed.

He drew his right hand back, fingers clenched tightly, ready to strike the man with his Akatara strength. His muscles tensed, and the red aura around him flared, burning like a flame on the verge of exploding.

But there was one thing he didn’t realize — he still didn’t fully understand what he was doing.

"Yes! Just like that, kid!!" the man shouted, excitement in his voice.

But his thrill faded in an instant. He suddenly felt something strange.

"Wait—"

Before he could finish, his body was yanked toward Sakti by an unseen force.

"Wait... what?"

Sakti didn’t understand what was happening. He felt an invisible pull dragging the man toward him. Instinctively, he raised both hands, trying to stop the man from getting closer.

His palms pressed against the man's chest, but it was useless. The momentum of the pull was too strong.

The final push shattered Sakti’s resistance.

With the man’s heavier build, Sakti lost his balance. In an instant, they both toppled over — and fell.

Thud!

Dust kicked up as the man landed on top of Sakti. Now, Sakti lay on the ground, the man’s body pressed against his, their bodies stuck together by the lingering force.

They were now in an awkward position — their faces mere inches apart, their bodies so close it was almost impossible to move.

Then, an odd silence settled over them.

"Say something, kid," the man said flatly after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Hey, get off me!" Sakti snapped, trying to push the man's body away.

"How can I? You made this scene." the man replied without a hint of guilt.

Sakti clicked his tongue. "You’re an Akatara, right? Shouldn't you be ashamed at your age?"

"I’m not that old!" the man retorted, sounding offended.

"No wonder you die so easily in every reality," the man was being sarcastic. "You’re reckless with your powers."

The man chuckled. "I bet there's some ridiculous reality where you're starving, see a ripe durian, and try to pull it with your Akatara powers. But instead of floating gently, the durian shoots straight into your head."

Sakti growled. "Shut up."

They both kept struggling to break free, but it was pointless. The force kept them locked in that painfully awkward position.

"Okay, kid. We need to end this," the man sighed. "If someone sees us like this, we’ll die socially."

"Stop rambling! Just tell me what to do!" Sakti squirmed.

"Alright, promise me you’ll be a good kid and stop attacking me."

Sakti glared at him. "What? You’re the one who asked me to attack!"

The man shrugged. "True, but that was just your first training. Now, close your eyes and think of me as your brother... or your adoptive dad."

"What kind of logic is that?"

"Hey, just do it."

Sakti let out a heavy sigh and shut his eyes. He tried to picture Sukma and Yeon-Jin’s faces, hoping that would help calm him down and loosen his power’s grip.

But instead of releasing them, the pull got even stronger. In an instant, their faces nearly collided — they almost kissed!

Luckily, their position shifted just enough... and the man's face ended up kissing the dirt instead.

"Oh my god bro! Why is it getting worse?!" the man yelled, spitting out dirt and sand.

"How should I know?! I just followed your instructions!" Sakti shouted back, exasperated.

The man sighed again. "Look, the key is not feeling threatened. Your power will deactivate on its own if you stop feeling like you need it."

"Was she... my mother?" he wondered silently.

"How long are you planning to lie there like someone who died of poisoning?" that familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Sakti jolted. He just realized they had already broken free. With just a small fragment of memory, the force pulling them together vanished completely.

The man let out a deep sigh, pulled a cloth from his pocket, and wiped the dirt still clinging to his mouth. "You sure drift off easily, kid."

"I’m willing to die in any way... as long as it’s not from curiosity. That... that’s far more terrifying." Sakti’s voice dropped to almost a whisper.

The man in front of him raised an eyebrow. "Can you stop talking about death? Do you have some kind of obsession with it?"

Sakti chuckled quietly. "Maybe that’s just how people see me around here. I’ve already become a symbol of death to them."

He took a deep breath. "So, sir, I don’t want to make more enemies. Let me leave this place. It feels like being in a crocodile pit."

The man chuckled. "Yeah, and you’re the crocodile."

Sakti glared at him. "What? That’s not what I meant. You should know the point."

The man shrugged. "I don’t get it. You’re the fierce one here, so you’re the crocodile. The weak people in that city? They’re just little anchovies."

Sakti snorted. "Whatever you say. I just want to leave."

The man stepped a little closer, looking at him seriously. "This is what’s wrong with you, kid. You belittle yourself. You’re not the prey here — you’re the predator. If you think they can just devour you, you’re dead wrong."

Sakti fell silent for a moment before finally sighing. "Yeah... maybe they’re too weak for me. But can I casually walk through the city, greet people, and say 'Good morning' without scaring anyone?"

"Not really," the man replied nonchalantly.

Sakti rolled his eyes. "See? That’s my point! I don’t care who’s the predator or the prey. The fact is, in this place, I already have too many enemies."

The man crossed his arms. "And what makes you think there’s anywhere else that guarantees you’ll have no enemies?"

Sakti grinned. "Easy. I can beat up some random guy on the way, steal his mask and clothes, then go undercover."

"That’s exactly it, kid. You have absolutely no idea how to live in a society," the man shook his head. "No matter where you go, there comes a time when the mask has to come off. Just like... well, you don’t wear the same underwear for a week, do you?"

Sakti stared at him with a blank expression. "Seriously? That’s your analogy?"

"Sorry if it sounds harsh, but you really don’t understand civilization. The point is, you’re still primitive."

Sakti clicked his tongue in frustration. "To hell with your civilization! In that case, I just need to find a dense enough forest and live there in peace, like I’ve always done."

The man chuckled. "Such a primitive mindset. Always finding an excuse to run away."

"Leave me alone, sir. I just don’t want to get involved in all this mess."

"I already know Yeon-Jin’s group wants me for their plans. But if I disappear, this world will be safe from their threat."

The man raised an eyebrow, then smiled lazily. "Wow, what a noble goal, my friend. Alright, I can accept that. Farewell."

Sakti took a deep breath, then nodded. "Yeah, it was nice meeting you."

The man gave a faint smile. "Okay!"

Sakti started walking, waving his hand without looking back. "Alright, I’m off."

"Take care, buddy," the man said casually.

"Okay!" Sakti replied.

The man chuckled. "Okay!"

Sakti stopped for a moment, glancing back slightly. The man was still standing there, smiling with his eyes closed, as if he really was letting him go.

Sakti frowned. "Hey... are you seriously letting me go?"

The man opened one eye. "Why not?"

"You’re not going to force your goals on me like the others?"

"Of course not. I’m not your owner, Friend."

Sakti eyed him suspiciously. "This is absurd... now you’re acting ridiculous."

He started walking again, but just before he could truly leave, the man spoke in a light tone:

"Oh, don’t worry about that. I may not be able to stay with you, but Ajina Dala surely can."

Sakti froze. He turned back, confusion written all over his face. "What?"

The man grinned. "Well... I mean, they can take care of you as repayment for your actions yesterday."

Sakti swallowed hard, a sinking feeling growing in his chest.

"They won’t kill you, I promise. First, they’ll ask you to help them pick soft-textured leaves — not too big, but notoriously hard to find. After that, they’ll serve them as an appetizer, seasoned with their signature spices, alongside pork as a side dish. You’ll watch as they savor every bite."

"To liven up the party, they’ll ask you to create some entertainment. They’ll pluck ten seeds, and with each one picked, you’ll start singing. Of course, they’ll burst into laughter, thoroughly amused."

"Then, to make sure you stay at the feast without thinking of leaving, they’ll invite you to pry the meat from its shell. The sensation will be so shocking, it’ll knock you unconscious."

"Hey, that sounds suspicious," said Sakti, his voice trembling.

The man kept talking, unfazed, until Sakti covered his ears.

"And that’s how they welcome you — as their dinner menu," the man continued.

"Stop it!" Sakti shouted, his voice echoing through the air.

The man just shrugged. "You’re the one who needs to stop, buddy. Stop running away."

"Why can’t I just be an ordinary person?" Sakti muttered, his voice fading.

"You can, man," the man replied casually. "It’s just that you'll think twice every time you try to be one."

Sakti clenched his jaw, struggling to hold back the storm inside him. "What do you really want?"

The man gave a faint smile. "What I want? For example, stopping you from doing something stupid like hiding in the forest." He stepped closer, staring straight into Sakti's eyes. "Listen carefully, kid. There’s no forest in this world that’s beyond Ajina Dala’s reach. Not even the border between the Outer and Inner World. Just like there’s no city in this world that can escape the presence of humans."

Sakti collapsed to the ground, his breathing shaky. "In an instant, you destroyed my entire purpose in life..." he whispered, frustrated.

The man sat cross-legged in front of him, as relaxed as ever. "Then find a more dignified purpose than running away."

Sakti lifted his head, his eyes burning with rage and despair. "In that case, just rewind my time!" he roared. "Take me back to three days ago, help me escape the canyon, and stop me from becoming a Ruler of My Blood!"

His voice echoed into the empty void. The man didn’t respond right away, only staring back with that enigmatic smile.

"Wow, that’s really interesting. Coincidentally, I also want to undo the death of a asshoke I considered a best friend," the man said casually.

"I’m sorry for your loss, but I won’t apologize for your friend’s death. The deaths of those people last night were beyond my control!" Sakti replied without hesitation.

The man chuckled softly. "Wow, you’re an even bigger ass*ole than he was."

Sakti just frowned, feeling no need to argue.

"He was a ass*ole because he was too naive and kind — always thinking about his race and his country. But you’re different. You’re a ass*ole because you only care about your own affairs," the man continued.

"That’s why I doubt myself. You shouldn’t be surprised. If I stay here any longer, I’m not sure if anyone will still be alive," Sakti’s voice rose. "Look, I feel nothing when strangers die in front of me. Even when someone I know dies — if they disappoint me for too long — I won’t feel anything either!"

The man fell silent for a moment before finally saying, "That’s true. You have that entire potential within you. And in every reality where you die, it’s always because you know yourself too well. You always die because you don’t want to hurt anyone else."

Sakti let out a deep breath. "I’m grateful that when I lost control, it didn’t happen in the heart of the city."

"That’s right," the man nodded. "Because if it did, you would’ve turned that city into a graveyard."

"That girl told me not to die. And even though she’s a stranger, she felt familiar. She only asked me to stay alive. If my breathing alone could change the world, then take me out of that canyon and let me wander until the power of a Ruler naturally falls into my hands," Sakti said.

The man gazed at him with deep understanding. "So that’s who you are, Sakti, Sukma’s brother? You’re not running from responsibility — you just want to make sure the path is a little easier first."

Sakti took a step closer, then sat down in front of him. "I just ran out of options, you know. I lived in that canyon and gained more than enough life experience."

“The state of this world… the hatred towards me… it’s because I stand on the other side,” he continued.

“Deer and wolves living in the canyon — one with blunt teeth, the other with sharp fangs. One grazes on grass and leaves, the other hunts for flesh. One is chased, the other pursues,” he said softly.

“They are creatures with completely different ways of life. Just by observing what they eat, we can decide which one seems more cruel. But is the wolf truly a cruel animal?”

Sakti took a deep breath, his eyes drifting back to the past. “That’s what I thought when I first learned about the wild.”

“One time, I built a tall enclosure, high enough that neither wolves nor any wild beast could jump over it. I made that enclosure with a single goal — to save those poor deer from the cruelty of predators.”

“I spent all day caring for them, cutting grass and leaves for food. I even carried water from a distant source, because the water I usually used was barely enough for myself. It was exhausting work, but seeing the deer safe made all my efforts feel worthwhile.”

“But I was too naive. I thought I was wise, without realizing that nature has its own laws.”

“I wasn’t just hiding the wolves' food source — I was indirectly killing them because of my resolve to rid the world of predators. I starved them. Until one day, I saw a tiger chasing a limping wolf, badly wounded...”

“I could see the gashes on the wolf’s back, legs, and neck. I accidentally witnessed a sight that shattered everything I believed. The wolf collapsed, unable to endure the pain anymore, as the tiger crept closer. Worse, the wolf’s pups, likely its offspring, came running towards it, as if seeking protection. And right before my eyes, the slaughter began,” Sakti said.

“I can still vividly remember the scent of blood from that massacre. After that, doubt haunted me for a long time,” he continued.

“What was the right choice? I let the deer thrive in abundance, while the wolves turned on each other just to survive.”

“I nearly went insane. My appetite disappeared. I began losing strength as I gathered food for the deer. I could no longer collect enough grass and leaves every day. Eventually, the deer started fighting over food, and some of them starved to death. I knew I had to overcome my doubt, and to do that, I needed to fill my own stomach first.”

“I gave all the plants I found to the deer, until eventually, I had no food left for myself. One day, driven by hunger, I hunted a rabbit. I didn’t even realize what I was doing.”

“When I lifted a spoonful of rabbit soup to my mouth, dazed and exhausted, I suddenly came to my senses... The rabbit was no different from the deer I had protected all this time, and I — I was no different from the wolves I hated.”

“My spoon fell. Tears dripped into the soup, mourning my foolishness. What was the point of everything I had done?”

“With a heavy heart, I finally released all the deer. I had even named a few of the unique ones, those who had lived with me long enough. But just a few days later, I saw a very familiar deer — lying lifeless, devoured by a pack of wolves. I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry that day.”

Sakti took a long breath, then exhaled slowly. “The current situation is exactly like my days in the past. The conflict between races, the hatred people in this world have towards me... In the end, deciding who is right and who is wrong is only a matter of which side you stand on.”

“And sir, I’m terrified of choosing a side. I don’t want to become like those radicals who crave absolute power for their own race.”

The man looked at him intently. “Believe me, your presence in the canyon since you were a baby wasn’t just to imprison you there. There’s a reason for it all.”

“You’re lost because you can’t decide where to stand — and that’s what’s binding you,” the man said. “So here, I’ll take on the duty that was entrusted to me by that beautiful girl.”

The man grabbed a strip of cloth and tied his long hair back. His turquoise eyes began to glow brighter as he looked at Sakti with unwavering determination.

“I wouldn't have been able to save single life in the past three years,” he said. “I was cast away from the world back then, separated from the reality I could once walk upon. But Sakti, what if I take you to a time when Sukma still smiled sincerely? To a time when this capital still loved us? To a time when you would witness your own family’s destruction?”

Sakti’s eyes sparkled — despite the man’s admission of being unable to save anyone in the yesterday, his next words held something far more captivating.

“I will take you to the moments that shaped you into who you are now,” the man continued. “Witness them with your own eyes, and after that, swear that you will interfere in this world’s affairs.”

“I will support whatever decision you make,” he added. “Because I believe you won’t disappoint me — not like the disappointment I felt from a di*khead I once called a friend.”

“I received a command from the future through that girl. She freed me, brought closure to Sukma and Kamala, and fought relentlessly for you.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Maragüay, the nicest man who will be your guide for life. And now, let me show you the path you were meant to walk. and ponder on it!”

A dense turquoise aura enveloped Maragüay’s body. He extended his hand, and without hesitation, Sakti took it.

“Let’s do this, Sakti Aria!”

The name shocked Sakti, but before he could say anything, the two had already vanished into a vortex of time. They traveled through the currents of history, back to an era that would unveil the path to the monumental decision Sakti had to make.

For better or worse, the outcome of this action would reveal itself in time.