Chapter 8 THE VILLAGE SHAMAN ARRIVES

It's been 3 days.

3 days and Rawabengek feels like a graveyard.

It used to be loud at this hour. People selling stuff. Kids running. Now? Nothing. Just dogs barking somewhere far.

Everyone's hiding. They say it's because the goats keep dying. The fields are burnt.

Everyone blames Alina. But no one says it out loud.

"RAKA! OPEN UP!"

Darman has been banging on the door since dawn. His knuckles hurt.

From inside, a shaky voice. "Dad... don't... she's on the roof... the woman in red..."

Darman just slid down to the floor.

"Surya's kid..." he whispered. "You're really back..."

That night he forced everyone to the village hall. Said it was important.

They lit torches. Even though the lights worked. "Just in case," he said, nervous.

"So what now, Pak?" The village chief looked like he was gonna cry. "My fields..."

"SHUT UP!" Darman slammed the table. "This is all because of that devil's spawn!"

Mak Temi spoke up. "But Pak Surya helped me before..."

"YOU SHUT UP!" he yelled. But his voice cracked.

12 AM.

The wind suddenly picked up. The door _BAM_ opened on its own.

Everyone screamed.

Fog rolled in. Then 3 figures appeared. The one in the middle was old. Bent. Holding a bone staff.

"Mbah Joyo..."

Mbah Joyo sniffed the air. "Stinks. Smells like 10 years of revenge."

Darman dropped to his knees. "Mbah please help..."

"Get up," said Mbah Joyo. "I know. The Tiger King. And his girl."

"Alina, Mbah. Just kill her."

Mbah Joyo laughed. "Stupid humans. Acting like devils' dogs."

"So what do we do, Mbah?"

"One of them has to die," said Mbah Joyo. "Kill the girl first. The guy will be weak after."

Darman nodded fast. "Yes Mbah."

Mbah Joyo looked at him. "You're the one who burned Surya's house, right?"

Darman started sweating. "For... for the village..."

"Whatever. Just pay me," Mbah Joyo took out powder. "Tonight. Get 50 people. Bring torches. Burn their cave."

---

In the cave, Alina suddenly gagged.

"Ugh..."

Draven looked up right away. "What?"

"I smell incense," said Alina. "And chicken blood. A lot of it."

Draven went still. His jaw tightened. "Mbah Joyo."

"Who?"

"The guy who made the fire bigger 10 years ago," Draven's voice was low. Real low. "He was laughing when my dad died."

Alina grabbed Draven's hand. "Let's go meet them."

"You're not ready," said Draven.

"I'm coming," said Alina. "Not for 10 years. For 3 months. For your parents too."

Draven looked at her. His eyes were red. "Yeah. We're going. Together."

---

1 AM. The fog was thick as hell.

50 people walking. Holding torches. All shaking. In front were Darman and Mbah Joyo.

At the end of the path, 2 people were waiting.

Draven. All black. Yellow eyes glowing.

Alina. Red dress. Holding a bone dagger.

"GIVE HER BACK!" Darman yelled.

Draven smirked. But it wasn't funny. "Burn us? Like you burned my dad?"

"DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Darman shouted.

Mbah Joyo stepped forward. "Come out! Village spirits!"

The ground smoked. Ghosts came out.

Alina stepped forward.

"You," she pointed at Darman. "You're the one who spit on me at the market."

Darman stepped back.

"And you," she looked at Mbah Joyo. "You're the one who laughed when their house burned."

"Humans should be scared!" said Mbah Joyo.

"Used to be," Alina said. "Not anymore."

Then she ran. Panting. She attacked the guy at the back. Her dagger slipped and hit his shoulder instead.

"AAAH!"

Everyone panicked. Started running.

Mbah Joyo threw powder. Smoke everywhere.

3 guys came at Alina.

Alina blocked with her hands. It hurt. She kicked one in the balls. She bit another guy's hand. It was messy. Ugly.

"Let go!" she yelled.

"This is just the start," she said, out of breath.

Mbah Joyo got mad. He raised his staff. The sky went dark.

Draven stepped in. He caught the lightning with his bare hand. His hand got burnt. It smelled like burnt skin. "Fuck..."

Then he walked toward Mbah Joyo. Slow.

Mbah Joyo backed away. "We can... we can talk..."

"10 years," Draven said quietly. "I've been waiting 10 years for this."

_Screech_

His claws went into Mbah Joyo's chest. It was hard. There was a _crack_ sound.

Mbah Joyo fell. Blood splattered on Draven's face.

When Darman saw that, he ran. Didn't even look back.

Draven spat. "Coward."

He looked at Alina. "You hurt?"

Alina wiped blood on her dress. "No. Just tired."

Then she walked to the middle. Her voice was hoarse.

"Listen! I'm Alina. The one you threw away 3 months ago."

"I begged for help. You all stayed quiet."

"Now you choose. Leave. Or die."

_Pshhh_ The torches went out. People ran.

---

Back at the cave, Alina threw up.

Draven patted her back. "Breathe."

"I... I killed someone," Alina said, crying.

"Yeah," Draven said. Honest. "And tomorrow we go after his dad. For my dad too."

Alina wiped her face. "I'm scared."

"Me too," said Draven. "But we're doing this together."

He wiped Alina's tears with his thumb. Rough.

Outside, the roosters were crowing.

In the village, every door was still locked.

---

*TO BE CONTINUED*