《Toward the Sun》全部章節：第 31 章 - 第 40 章

“You three can sleep out here tonight, Brother,” Ni Sanadi said. “I’ll make some fried rice, very delicious. As for you, Pramesti, you’ll sleep inside. Come on.”As obedient as ever, Pramesti followed the old woman into a room directly behind the wide bamboo platform in the front hall.“You can sleep here,” Ni Sanadi said, pointing to a bamboo cot in the corner. “There’s already a blanket.”Pramesti sat down.The bed felt wonderful after the long ride from Karang Bendan that had begun before dawn. At that moment, all she wanted was to lie down and sleep.“Where will you sleep, Grandma?” she asked.“I can stay at a neighbor’s house,” the old woman smiled. “Get some rest first. Later, if you’d like, you can help me make the fried rice. The rice is already cooked. We just need to prepare the spices and fry it.”“I’d like that. By the way, where is Ki Dewaningrat Pakulangit?”“Ki Paku is away. Important business. But he knew special guests would arrive this evening, so he instructed me to

Senopati Bantala pulled his mask back over his face the moment he heard the distant thunder of approaching hooves. He stepped closer to the massive tree behind him, blending into the darkness beneath its thick canopy, hidden from the bright moonlight flooding the night.His hand drifted to the hilt of his sword as the horse approached at a slow pace.Then he caught a familiar scent.Instantly, the tension drained from his body. He even stepped forward into view and lowered the cloth mask again.It was Rinjani.Like him, the young woman was dressed entirely in dark blue, the color swallowing her into the night.“How did it go?” Bantala asked.“Smoothly, Senopati. We left after lunch and traveled by horseback. Once we entered Larangan Lor District, Prince Candrakumala’s household welcomed us and provided palanquins for the three of us. The journey moved quickly after that. Mantri Wuragil, the steward of the prince’s residence, arranged lodging for us at Dalem Kulon, a smaller palace on t

Someone's coming," the man's voice was calm. "They'll try to kidnap you again. Stay alert."Jaladri frowned, trying to recognize the stranger sitting across from him amid the noisy morning marketplace."Who?"They were eating rice wrapped in banana leaves while sitting atop a butcher's stall, casually helping themselves to pieces of meat from the display."You'll recognize him."The man wore a long robe. His face was perfectly visible. Yet somehow, Jaladri couldn't actually see it."We've met before?""Long ago."The marketplace vanished. The stranger now sat on a beach, holding a fishing rod. Jaladri absentmindedly kicked a leather ball across the sand."When?""Doesn't matter. To awaken your Lintang, listen to the vibration inside your chest. Guide it into your hand," he smiled. "Then hit as hard as you can. We'll see what happens.""My... what?"The beach dissolved. Now they were riding horses across an endless desert."The Lintang, the Star..." the man's voice echoed through the

Ki Demung Banar bowed his head in prayer. When he finished, he wiped both hands across his face."All right," he said. "Let's move."He swung into the saddle, followed by Ki Randu Alas, Ki Gagak Panolih, Wisnumurti, and Pratiwi.Before leaving, he took a moment to say goodbye to his wife and children. His two eldest sons were already in their teens and had begun training in martial arts themselves.A gentle tug on the reins sent his horse forward.The trail descended toward a river crossing before climbing steadily through towering pine forests on the road to Mount Wijil.The morning sky was bright. Dark storm clouds, however, waited ahead. After only a few strides, Ki Demung abruptly pulled his horse to a stop.The others immediately followed."What is it?" Ki Gagak Panolih asked.Ki Demung frowned."The tailorbirds," he said quietly. "Listen to them."The others fell silent. He was right. The shrill calls of the tiny birds echoed loudly through the forest, answering one another from

“There it is!"Wisnumurti and Pratiwi hurried after Ki Randu Alas, climbing the steep hillside. The moment they reached the top, both of them froze."My God... this is incredible!"Pratiwi actually rubbed her eyes."This must be what heaven looks like..."Ki Randu Alas chuckled."Enjoy it while you can. We can't stay here very long."What stretched before them looked almost otherworldly.A crystal-clear river widened into a tranquil pool, so transparent that every stone resting on the bottom was perfectly visible. Upstream, a towering cliff released a sheet of water that plunged from nearly twenty-five meters above. Foaming white, the waterfall poured endlessly into the basin below, its thunderous roar deafening and yet, somehow, strangely soothing.From just the right angle, a rainbow shimmered across the middle of the cascading wall of water.For a long while, none of them spoke.Even Wisnumurti, who had spent half his life wandering from one place to another, had rarely seen beauty