Chapter 2: The Celestial Twins

Purnama stood tall and lean in one of the Gadang houses, his light blue hair framing a face that was a picture of tranquility. He secured his sheathed kris under his simple white cloth belt, its bronze head a subtle glint against his flowing white linen pants. His sapphire eyes held a warrior's resolve.

We must succeed, he silently vowed, his thoughts fixed on the mission.

Suria, his twin sister, was equally striking. Her light orange eyes gleamed with intensity as she prepared her gear, her short orange hair brushing her chin as she moved. Though the resemblance between the siblings was undeniable—from the structure of their faces to their features—Suria's movements were more hurried, her determination tinged with a nervous energy. She wore a gold satin waistcloth over her long-sleeved white shirt and carefully wrapped her axe-shaped kris in yellow fabric, a personal tradition.

"You think this is the one?" Suria asked, breaking the silence as she fastened her cloth bag. "The mission that finally ends the Puaka?"

That Purnama glanced at her, his expression composed but serious.

"We'll find out soon enough. Until then, we do what we've always done: fight, survive, and protect."

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Suria's mind: How many more battles will we face?

Once their belongings were packed, the twins descended the wooden stairs of their home. As they stepped onto the path, Suria glanced back at the multi-tiered roof that resembled buffalo horns, a sight she had known her entire life.

"Purnama, this mission will take a while. I'm going to miss this view," she said, a hint of sadness. "Don't worry, Suria. We'll return home safely," Purnama replied, gently patting her shoulder.

They followed the spiral pathway, passing other Gadang houses built along the base of the giant, ancient tree whose canopy was so vast the top was obscured. As they walked, a tantalizing aroma drifted from food stalls and convenience shops, mixing with the cheerful chatter of trainees socializing after their workout.

"Hey, Purnama, do you want some of this—" Suria began, holding out a sweet, deep blue-colored fruit she had just grabbed.

Purnama, however, had eyes for a different stall. He reached for a shimmering, swirling golden cake. He held the cake next to Suria's blue fruit, then glanced between the items and their outfits. He grinned mischievously.

"Hey, Suria. Look at this!" he said, holding up the cake. "My swirling golden cake and your fruit... it looks like our jackets!" He held the cake against the seam of his dark blue sleeveless jacket, moving it in a funny, swirling motion, as if the cake were dancing with his golden embroidery.

Suria stopped, staring from the deep blue fruit in her hand to her brother's ridiculous dance.

"Wha—" A burst of genuine, warm laughter erupted from her, cutting through the tension. "Haha! You're so silly, Purnama!"

"Told you I'm funny! Now, we shouldn't keep Honter waiting, Suria. Let's get going!" Purnama chuckled.

They continued walking, and the magnificent, expansive, crystal-clear white marble bridge came into view. A short distance later, they approached the bridge, where the powerful, rushing current of water beneath seemed to carry the weight of their world.

Nearby, they spotted a hut whose roof, like a giant, smoking pipe, funneled gray curls of smoke into the air. The hut was a remarkable structure of weathered timber, with vines crawling up its walls. Lanterns hung from the eaves, casting a warm, flickering glow that beckoned them inside.

"Well, well, well, now! Look what th' cat dragged in! The famous Celestial Twins, Purnama an' Suria!" Honter greeted them, his voice carrying a playful Irish lilt. "Yer the last ones to arrive! Ye should've been here an hour ago. Now, hurry up; ye don't want to make Purba wait an' feel th' wrath of a Kshatriya!" He adjusted his battered leather cap.

"Come on, Honter. We wanted to take our time and enjoy the fresh air. Don't mind Purba; he knows how to bark orders while doing nothing." Suria said, handing her kris to Honter.

"GARGARGARGAR! Aye, lass! Don't be pullin' me leg!" Honter boomed. "I know ye both too well. Deep down, ye don't want to go, do ye? Ye've seen th' dark side of humans—their knack for turning on each other. It's no wonder most Aurenian folks have distanced themselves from Earth." The leather belt on Honter's waist, heavy with pouches of tools and trinkets, jingled softly as he moved to his anvil.

CLANG! CLANG! 

The hammer struck, lighting up the twins' Kshatriya genealogy chart on the wall—a solemn, ritualistic signal that they were leaving Aurea.

"But one particular Aurenian chose to abandon their family to help humans instead," Suria replied, her expression growing solemn. She carefully re-wrapped her kris in the yellow fabric and placed it aside. Purnama let out a weary sigh, knowing exactly who Suria was referring to as he tucked his own sheathed kris onto his waist.

"Ah, I know th' one ye mean. Best not dwell on th' past, eh? Focus on yer mission now!" Honter interjected, eager to lighten the mood. "...Anyway, yer Tycart arrived a couple o' hours ago at th' station up front. Don't be keepin' him waitin' any longer. Th' handler an' Ty are wearin' blue scarves 'round their necks," Honter said, quickly shifting the topic and pointing toward the front of the bridge.

Honter retrieved their supplies from the anvil.

"Here ye go, then! Each o' ye gets a small sack o' Dykin seeds, a map fer yer mission, an' a fine small pouch filled with human currency, Sagga. Use 'em wisely, an' mind yerselves out there!"

"Thank you for everything, Honter," Purnama said, giving the map a quick look before tucking it into his shirt.

"We'd best be on our way."

"Yea, we wouldn't want to keep Tycart waiting any longer than we already have." Suria nodded.

"Safe travels, ye two," Honter replied, his bright green eyes framed by bushy eyebrows, sparkling as his gaze followed them, a thoughtful expression on his wrinkled face.

"Purnama an' Suria, th' last Kshatriyas ye chose, eh, Purba? A wise choice indeed," he mused, as a slow puff of smoke escaped his pipe, drifting languidly up and dissolving into the serene, sun-warmed sky.