"Airlangga is critical, I have failed my mission," I said during the meeting.

  The tasks were clear but the thing is they complicate things by dragging Meneer Dekker's son into the battlefield. Dekker himself opposes the Company, yet his son's loyalty is unknown, at least that is what I think after witnessing him tearing his own friend. I do know one thing or two about him during my school year but that was it. If anything Airlangga knows better yet his condition is not getting any better.

  "Aren't you injured as well?" the Lieutenant asked.

  "Just a second degree, Sir."

  "You fought for Airlangga that is true. But how often do I have to tell you that your power needs a wise mind?" Sure the Lieutenant isn't happy about self-voodooism.

  It was a fierce battle. Bram could have easily deformed my body and I couldn't land a single damage on his skin. Well, this team was based on the principle of "To fight magic you need magic", it's just that morality might be one of the concerns when it comes to drawing limitations on how much of a demon-like power you can use. Bram's power surely felt like something, illegal, even for something like us. Even self-voodoo that cost me a fraction of my 'life sentence' is a taboo thing, where did the Dutch get this immense power from? A demon contract is sure on the list, but even the demon won't push you into signing something if there's no consent. Did Bram pledge to something under Airlangga's nose? Regardless of the past, I hope the Lieutenant understood my situation and this was just merely a concern from a niece to his younger-more foolish uncle.

  "Apologies, Lieutenant..."

  "Save your sorry for yourself," He did not raise any tone yet his voice echoed through the chamber. It's alright, it's not like this is the first time he's really angry about something.

  "Tomorrow, you'll prevent another 'plantation' with Taksaka. It is supposedly to be near Prambanan and Queen Boko's complex. Find the middle point and exorcise it before it is too late. I expect more discipline from you, Banaspati"

  "The radius is getting wider," my concern flows out of my mouth

  "They're planning mass-scale attacks. Your task and Ratnaningsih's are still the same, if Airlangga cannot be ready anytime soon it's guaranteed that the world is doomed. All of you are dismissed"

  I could feel the cold stare from the audience. Taksaka or... Joseph has the most pressure in this room, not to mention he's also a perfectionist in his own way. I do not hate him but sometimes his opinions are a bit radical since he was raised in a harsh way. I guess the thing that Airlangga and I share is the privilege of manners and education. Disappointment indeed, I have to do better. In the chamber, the air feels choking (for me) yet I do not wish to loosen things up with the Lieutenant.

  "Lieutenant-"

  "This conversation ends here-"

  "HARYONO!!"

  I sense distress in your mind. What is it? Tell me... I am your right-hand after all.

  "You might be my uncle by lineage, but I'm still much older than you... keep your hands off my business.."

  "Tell me, if it's about the Kings or Princes do tell. You know where my loyalty lies... we have nothing to lose... no families, no-"

  "I have a wife and you know nothing about my family"

  "Are you going to ignore me just because I inflicted harm upon myself to save the world?"

  He IS ignoring me this time. Instead, he pulled out a quilt from his ink bottle on the table and wrote me something. He uncovers half of his sights, a bright red eyes.

  'We cannot talk our minds, the wall is listening. My anger is purely a disguise'

  A traitor inside the graveyard?

  'I do not know what they want, but there is a pattern

  Do you have any idea who that could be

  'Can't say. Don't make my judgement become a cloud in trusting your comrades. This pesky rat is someone higher than us. Not the King, Not the Princes'

  Distress...

  "Now go... I had enough of you. Be careful about what you're thinking about me"

  Without leaving his eyesight, I burned the paper he used by touching it with my fingers. The ashes are burnt into the air so that no restorative magic can extract any information from it. The Lieutenant left the chamber. I am merely just about to state my mind regarding Joseph. Rumours said he's doing something in Corporate Governance of VOC. Maybe it would be better if I send a pigeon to his place, and hear what's on his end. Good thing that he dismissed me without bullshit protocol, at least I have a reason if he throws another tantrum at me. Again, not the first time he's ever been mad at another being. But I should visit the Princess' sanctuary tonight, give a news to her son. Or maybe...

  Damn, it..

  Those last words must be a warning for me.

  My chest hurts. I should come and visit Airlangga at the Bathhouse. Is it guilt? You saved him, Herjuna better late than nothing no? Certainly on time is still preferable. Tch, these thoughts... what a pain in the ass. I should just ignore and believe what I have to believe. It is decided, I shall pay a visit to check on his condition.

  The way to the Bathhouse is rather pleasant. Short and there is nothing to worry about since it is still around the palace. The night however is slightly shining down upon my sins and making my mistakes as clear as a day. As I left the chamber, the temperature dropped but nothing too concerning. I'm just pretty good at determining heat and temperature, as a benefit of my contract. As I walk further, the night becomes quieter and peaceful. I took off my mask because my prosthetic jaw was getting tired of hiding my disfigured face. I put on a scarf to hide the horror. A couple more steps and I'll arrive at the Bathhouse.

  "Herjuna?" a lady greeted me.

  "I'm here to check on Airlangga," I said to her

  "The highest room. But you cannot be loud and your ability is strictly forbidden"

  "Understood, gratitudes for you sister"

  The Bathhouse is just an undercover. It's our own underground hospital because sometimes we use magic to accelerate healing. The front is just a huge pond where people usually take a mass bath together before fasting for a full month. Might as well get a full bath, that war drained my energy and that Dekker is literally not a normal human. Something is entwined in his soul, a dark power beyond this realm's comprehension. Certainly, he's not the type to cause chaos, judging by the friendship he had with Airlangga. We have to cross-check it with Meneer Dekker.

  The Bathhouse is empty during this hour. The blue moonlight shines brightly, creating a beautiful water reflection on the walls. I climbed through the stairs, in search of the sanctuary for soldiers. Just around the corner, a door guarded by two torches on its sides. I opened the door, surely knowing the bastard's consciousness hadn't even returned. He lost too much blood to be stable in a day or two, well at least his progression is doing alright. A nurse is by his side, maintaining his wounds, when I approach them I notice that Airlangga is cuffed to the bedside. Across the bed is a bullet hole that looks recent.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Is the cuff really necessary?" I asked

  "His soul wanders, inside him are his suicidal thoughts. Uncontrollably aiming something at his vitals," the nurse answered.

  I could see why the intravenous was on his right chest. I can definitely track his soul but maybe he's doing somewhat investigation into his best friend's betrayal. He will come up with more answers than I would. I grabbed a chair and sat down while watching the nurse clean up the bloody mess on Airlangga's stomach. After putting on the dress, she prepared to leave.

  "Could you please tell the people down there to prepare a room for me? I will stay here for the night"

  "Yes, young master..."

  "Many thanks"

  She bowed before leaving us alone.

  Maybe visiting him is the dumbest thing to do. What the fuck am I doing next, dude can't even respond and I can't even read his mind. Sure guarding him is my task but that idea is a bit too much of a dedication. I don't get paid enough to babysit a grown man like him. Handcuffed due to his aggressive self-harm behaviour huh? What an edgy teenager. I heard his ability is see the future through the veil of dreams. Does he dream on a daily basis?

  "Bullshit if they say you actually self-harm," I took off my mask again.

  "Somebody wants you dead, isn't it?" I reached for a cigarette from my pocket

  Split second I noticed his eyes were opened, but none of his iris were visible. He's possessed despite being lying down and as still as a corpse. Nothing scares me but if something bad happens to him it might as well be the end of my career in defending this world.

  "Who are you?" I asked, calmly

  I stood up, looking for a paper in between the ruckus of this room. Might be a bit rushed if I report now, probably I need to find someone who could help me with his condition. Is it reckless if I leave him alone in this room? Tch, I'll be back soon enough. I went back to the previous hallways, but now I knew that I needed a sage from Kauman no matter their religion. My hunch tells me that something bad would happen, but as long as that shit fuck demon is in a calm state he should be alright. I rushed my steps as clouds covered the moonlight.

  "Herjuna.."

  Someone called me from another hallway. A man in his early 30s, uniform, and an aura that you kinda hate when you were in my shoes in the chamber.

  "Joseph,"

  "Slacking on duty?"

  "I am done with your perfectionism crap, if Lieutenant sent you here to talk things out then follow me"

  "Right after you, Young Master"

  I have to admit that Haryono is not someone to mess with. Although his mind-reading ability is limited to the one in his sight, his ears are everywhere and it is kind of scary if you think about it. Joseph is resourceful, his ability and his knowledge of the astral world, are something to be respected. His pure energy is greater than his sins, I guess he'd be perfect to tackle the patient's problem. We walked back to the upper part of the Sanctuary when suddenly I felt some chills right before we made the last turn.

  "Dark and foreign, just like the Company," Joseph said.

  "What do you think?"

  "The one that can battle this type of curse is just himself. Depending on his will to live and win"

  "Honest as always"

  I cannot be bothered to put on my mask, my abilities are the same without it anyway. Joseph nodded his head signaling that he was ready for any kind of shit the aura gave. The knob is cold and almost feels like touching a piece of ice, fortunately, fire beats ice so it's not a huge matter for me. I burned the knob for a solid ten seconds before turning it. A slight gap formed and I could see the man having distress in his rest. Irregular breathing, as if he was in immense pain. His eyes are still lifeless white, blank, and eerie to some extent.

  "Where is the real soul?" Joseph asked.

  "Wanders, the nurse said,"

  "Tell him to come back"

  I stood closer to Airlangga. Cold sent me shivering as I put my palm on his head. "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the owner of all creations. I order you, the body's true essence of life, to come back, and those who are not to"

  A strong force set us flying back and hit the wall. I fell from a meter drop and I did lie about the pain. It hurts a little. Nothing compared to the fact that this demon fights back we probably need another hand from anyone. Airlangga's left hand moved, and he grabbed the steel guard of his bed, clenching it until the steel broke and created sharp edges.

  "Try to keep him alive, if he dies we are doomed," I said to Joseph.

  "Finish the exorcism then..."

  "I will count on you to keep us safe, Brother"

  I took out a praying bead and wrapped it around my hand. I came face to face with the demon for the second hand. This time, my palm burns the demon and it lets a loud screech. The threatening hand swings back and forth, trying to be free from Joseph's telekinesis.

  "He might stab you with it! Hurry"

  "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Lord of all beings. I order you, Son of Adam-" I tried to recite but again a stronger force knocked me into the wall.

  This is nonsense, I can't damage the flesh because it is still Airlangga after all, yet I really need something to banish this crazy demon or at least lock him up.

  "You good?" Joseph asked.

  "You have holy or blessed water?"

  "Just some third-grade relic my father got from the Vatican. Don't you think it's sacrilegious?"

  "Good point, actually"

  I light up some fire in my right hand, and can't hold it for so long because technically I'm burning myself. Since it is still burning the demon away, I don't think I need to recite it all over. Hopefully, this won't backfire on me.

  "I order you... Son of Adam, come back to your mortal body and fight the evil within you"

  The fire slowly extinguished, alongside the demon's scream. I exhaled, glad that it was finally over as the eyes returned to their normal condition. The quiet somehow smells fishy and incorrect, Joseph realizes and stands a bit further away from the two of us. My right hand no longer has any fire, I move it a little-. A split second later a burst of black flame shot upon the sky, accompanied by loud terrible shrieks.

  "Herjuna!! His power has tripled!!"

  I saw the danger hand slowly gaining dominance over Joseph's telekinesis. I can't afford to lose,

  "Airlangga! You know better than this!! Your sins will never be forgiven if you reject the life He gifted you with!! Come back to your senses!"

  "I'm at my limits, Juna!!"

  Heat began to seep into my skin, my flesh could melt by my power. Hence, why I don't do exorcism that much with fire from Banaspati. Too much thinking, and too much pressure going on at the same time. I could hear Joseph exhausted from fighting that arm. I braced myself from incoming pain when that sharp steel stabbed my right arm over and over again. But when I take a closer look... a set of strings intertwined between Airlangga's fingers and right arm. I reached for my close range with my left hand, and when the strings were cut my fire dissipated. The night went calm for the second time, the eyes normalized, and I could lift my hand from his forehead. The burn marks healed almost instantly, and Airlangga closed his eyes.

  I collapsed but Joseph caught me at the right time before I could hit the ground. "Don't attract attention... don't call for help. Just get me saline water and some dressings," I asked Joseph while he helped me to a seat.

  "Understood," the man left after making sure that I sat comfortably.

  The blood drips to the floor. It's not a new scenery, I do not feel nervous at the sight of it. This occurrence made me think, about strings and the suicidal thoughts of Airlangga. Could his dream be a curse and someone is controlling him like a puppet on a stage? What is his deal in this bigger picture?

  "Ugh..." some noises coming from the patient. Is he gaining consciousness?

  "Welcome back, Princess," I welcomed him.

  I stripped down my lapel and unbuttoned my shirt. Airlangga tried to sit on his own but I pushed him back to his pillow land with my bloody hand. The fuck is this guy thinking? Stomach butchered yet he's trying to sit on his ass, the son of a respected scholar yet he has zero judgemental skill. Why did he become a spy anyway?

  "Not so soon,"

  "What..."

  "I risked my life twice just to keep you alive, man. You'd better show me some fucking gratitude by not doing anything stupid," I sat down while finally taking half of my shirt off.

  I picked up a towel and cleaned my right arm even though the bleeding continued. Freaking shit I thought this babysitting task would be as easy as escorting someone. The Lieutenant didn't mention that Airlangga has problems with curses and possession but I guess I should've expected those things to happen.

  "Sorry..." Airlangga said, his voice was weak but audible enough across the room.

  "What for?"

  "Trying to be a hero..."

  "I've been there before. It's my task to keep you alive,

  "Bully"

  "Shut up, nepo baby"

  "You speak as if your family isn't someone of royalty"

  Family, huh? There is not much of a privilege coming down the tree. On top of that, it is quite complicated because I was born to an old couple with several kids before me and those kids already had a bunch of kids. I honestly do not know exactly how I obtained my power, everybody just loves to spread rumours. The closest story is from Haryono, the Lieutenant, he said my mother made a contract with a demon to grant me health in exchange for my lower jaw. The day I joined the squad was the day I no longer cared about family, not only because of the danger I could bring but also because my parents were murdered. Somewhat no reason to continue life, hence why I try to find a purpose. Came for a purpose, found a family you could say.

  "What does my Mother look like?" Airlangga asked

  Pretty...

  Pretty sure he still has some anaesthesia inside his systems. No wonder he kind of chatty. The last time we met, he was pretty strong in his reckless decision to become a hero. It's not like he joined the regiment a couple of days ago, that guy has been in the military for 4 years. Anyone knows that the front line is scary, but this guy decided to march with positivity. Courage is a thing but stupidity can be hidden behind any masks.

  "Just rest,"

  "About Bram... his father did not know, but I suppose he was abducted. The company tried to make him a weapon to shake my beliefs..."

  "More like to kill you,"

  "How's he?"

  "Six feet under, or whatever they do with dead bodies contaminated with dark blessings. Don't argue with me about saving him, it's either us or him. I played to lose anyway,"

  "Cliche, it's either my delusion or you are standing still, breathing, in front of me"

  "I'll go home after getting patched up, so don't worry about it"