Chapter 23: Seven Elders of Bunian

Knock! Knock!

"That's rather early, Purna..."

Anticipating Purnama's return, Belang opened the door, only to be startled by four raven guards clad in full plate standing before him.

The guards seized Belang, while another approached the chest, opened it, and extracted the particle. Chained and filled with a chilling uncertainty, Belang could only ponder his impending fate.

Before escorting Belang to the Prison of Needed, the guards made a detour into the city. They released the particle, which soared back to the monument atop the tree. It was drawn into the roots with a swift, vacuum-like pull, restoring the monument's radiant aura.

Then, they continued their journey to the prison via the Dessert Cave.

Deep beneath the prison floor, Belang was released from his chains in a mysterious chamber. He stood upon a small, spherical platform suspended in a ring of nothingness to face his trial.

Seven colossal chairs materialized in the void, each occupied by a towering elder. They had appeared as if from thin air, their presence heavy with ancient power, to question him and determine his punishment for possessing the particle.

The names of these elders—Zeus, Shiva, Osiris, Amaterasu, Baldr, Caishen, and Dalnim—were not unknown to humanity, resonating with primal familiarity as echoes of old stories told across the Earth.

"To the underworld with him!" Osiris's voice boomed, shattering the chamber's oppressive silence.

"Come now, Osiris," Caishen chuckled, his voice a jovial rumble. "Let us first hear this diminutive creature's plea. Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Perhaps he shall bring fortune to the realm, much like my blessed feline here."

He stroked the head of a snow-white cat the size of a rhinoceros, which purred contentedly in his lap. The cat's fur was as soft as freshly fallen snow, and its eyes gleamed like polished emeralds. It was a creature of breathtaking majesty, and even Belang found himself captivated by its otherworldly beauty.

"I concur with Osiris," Shiva declared, her voice resonating with unwavering authority. "This creature pilfered the particle. A grievous offense in Rona, for which he must pay the price."

"Hmm… hold," Zeus interjected, and with a blinding flash of lightning, he stood before Belang, assuming a human-sized form. "Now, reveal your true form," Zeus commanded, snapping his fingers.

Belang, who had been transformed into a cyclops dwarf, reverted to his original appearance. He stood as a burly, mature blacksmith boasting a springy mustache, a stark white-and-black striped beard, and flowing, windswept hair. He was clad in leather apparel accented by a silver armlet, orange goggles perched upon his brow, a flat cap upon his head, and sturdy red boots.

"Ah! A most unexpected revelation! A Celestion…" exclaimed Dalnim, her voice laced with surprise. "What purpose drives you to seek the particle?"

"That is of no concern to you," Belang retorted, pushing his orange goggles onto his forehead, his expression defiant.

"That was brave but foolish," Zeus remarked, a hint of amusement dancing in his voice. "You remind me of my sons, most of whom share that trait."

With a crackling surge of lightning, Zeus unleashed a playful barrage of mini-bolts, forcing Belang to spin, leap, and duck with desperate agility.

"I, too, wish to observe this creature more closely," Baldr declared, his voice gentle yet firm.

A cascade of luminous blossoms rained down from above Baldr's chair, transporting him to the judgment sphere.

"My aging eyes are not what they once were." He conjured a single, perfect flower and offered it to Belang. "Try and hold this, my friend," Baldr said with a gentle smile.

"What is this? A poisoned bloom to poison me?" Belang scoffed, puffing out his chest. "You giants know I'm a Celestion, yes? I fear none of you!"

"GAHAHAHA! This one is truly amusing!" Osiris roared with thunderous laughter, his voice shaking the chamber.

"It is quite safe; simply take it," Baldr repeated softly.

With a hesitant sniff, Belang accepted the flower from Baldr. It instantly blossomed into a vibrant bouquet before vanishing into thin air.

"Ah, so that is the nature of your being," Baldr said with a knowing smile and reappearing upon his towering chair.

"You know, young one, we all possess our unique gifts," Amaterasu stated, her voice resonating with quiet authority.

With a flash of light, she transformed into a magnificent silver fox, leaping from her chair and circling the void.

"I do not particularly care what the others think of you, but possessing something that should never have been moved is forbidden for a reason."

"My feline companion assures me this fellow brings luck," Caishen declared, showering Belang with a torrent of gold coins. "I say we spare him! Ho ho ho!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouchy!" Belang yelped, hopping and dodging the stinging deluge.

"Hahaha! Dance, you strange, bearded man!" Zeus bellowed with amusement.

"Enough!" Amaterasu exclaimed, her voice sharp with annoyance. "It is my turn to speak, and this is the first time we have convened in ages. It is utterly rude to interrupt!"

"Oh, we have a turn now?" Shiva quipped, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Where might one acquire a ticket?"

"What is this, a farce?" Belang exclaimed, exasperated. "If you intend to punish me, then be done with it!"

Amaterasu swooped down from the void, hovering before Belang.

"Protecting another and shouldering the blame? Do you believe that to be noble?" she challenged.

"Well, the responsibility is mine," Belang admitted. "I required assistance with my task, and I accept the consequences. Now, will you pronounce judgment, or shall we continue this charade?"

Osiris tapped his wand, and a scale materialized within the sphere. A single feather rested on one side, while Belang stood on the other. The scale wobbled, then settled, the feather side dipping lower than Belang's.

"Scaling my sins, are we? How quaintly old-fashioned," Belang scoffed, bouncing on the platform in a futile attempt to tip the scales. "You should probably calibrate this ancient contraption. Something seems amiss."

"My, my," Zeus chuckled, "you possess a certain audacity. I am impressed. Proceed, Dalnim, I believe we have our answers."

Dalnim materialized before Belang in human form.

"Elders, your judgments, if you please," Dalnim requested, raising her right hand.

Each elder delivered their judgment uniquely.

Osiris flicked his wand, sending a feather spiraling toward Dalnim. A delicate flower petal drifted on a gentle breeze from Baldr. Shiva conjured a swirling flurry of snow. Caishen's cat coughed up a gleaming gold coin. Zeus unleashed a crackling bolt of lightning. And Amaterasu released a small, contained orb of fire from her temple.

All the pronouncements were absorbed into Dalnim's outstretched palm, glowing with an inner light. She then pressed her hand against Belang's chest.

"THIS IS OUR JUDGMENT!"

Belang's soul was ripped from his body, floating helplessly as he looked down at his own hollow shell standing still on the sphere.

Dalnim, with a dismissive gesture, cast the lifeless form into the swirling void. Then, with a flick of her fingers, she molded a new form from the nothingness—a humanoid grasshopper, its exoskeleton gleaming ominously in the dim light. With another flick, she infused this vessel with Belang's bewildered soul, sealing his fate.

"You have lost your original form for good," Dalnim proclaimed. "Inside or outside of Rona, this is the new you. This will be your permanent form, with no further changes. You are now an Invytor, tasked with bringing unfortunate souls into Rona for four years."

"...Four years in Rona is more than a hundred years on Earth," Baldr said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, my friend."

"But I think there's a bit of luck in you," Caishen interjected, his jolly voice booming through the chamber.

"Fortune must be on your side! Most who did the same are reborn without any memory of their past, lost in complete oblivion. Let me bless you with more fortune! Ho ho ho!" He shook his bell, and a shower of holographic gold rained down upon his chair. With a final chuckle, Caishen and his cat vanished along with the shimmering coins.

"I'm sorry, son, but you should learn your lesson," Zeus boomed, his voice laced with authority. "We won't be so lenient if we meet again." A powerful bolt of lightning enveloped him, and he vanished with a thunderous crack.

Osiris materialized on the judgment sphere beside Belang. He held out his hand, revealing a fleeting, distorted vision of Belang attempting to steal the particle again in the future. With a solemn expression, Osiris closed his fist, the vision dissipating into nothingness.

"Why am I supposed to steal it again?" Belang exclaimed, bewildered. "This is already bad enough!"

"Well, it's your story," Osiris replied calmly. "I only show a glimpse of what might happen. The difference is that the second time, it will truly be you, not the friend you're trying to protect." He tapped Belang's head with his staff, and an ornate Egyptian headdress materialized atop his head. "That looks rather dashing on you!" Osiris chuckled.

"If you elders already know it wasn't me who stole it this time," Belang questioned, his confusion growing, "why am I receiving this judgment at all?"

"Because you're going to protect your Celestion friend at any cost," Shiva explained, her voice like the whispering wind. "And as I said, we're simply making things easier for you, saving everyone's time. We have a land to look after, you see." She paused, her gaze piercing. "As Osiris has shown you, I sincerely hope we do not meet again."

"Hopper boy, let's not meet again either," Osiris warned, his voice laced with amusement. "Or else, you'll be my slave in who-knows-where! Gahahaha! I would thoroughly enjoy torturing you every single second." With that, he disappeared in a plume of thick, black smoke.

"Belang, don't be a fool!" Amaterasu's voice thundered from her chair. "Bad actions lead to devastating consequences in Rona. Remember that! Rona should be a peaceful land, and we intend to keep it that way for eternity!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it..." Belang mumbled, glancing at Amaterasu, who seemed utterly displeased with him.

Amaterasu transformed into a fox, slicing through the void and disappearing from the judgment area.

"Belang," Dalnim began, her voice firm and unwavering, "you should know that all the votes from the elders were to let you remain yourself. If even one of us had judged you worthy of rebirth, then that would have been your fate. It is foolish of you to take the blame for another's wrongdoing and face such unpleasant consequences."

"Enough, Dalnim," Baldr interjected, walking across the void toward the sphere. "He has learned his lesson."

"Why are you still here, Baldr?" Dalnim inquired.

"Dalnim, Celestion are wonderful beings," Baldr replied with a warm smile, "and Belang has a good heart. It would be my honor to escort him out of this place." He placed a comforting hand on Belang's shoulder.

"If you say so," Dalnim conceded. "Belang, like the others, I'd prefer not to meet with you again. Be like the moon, shining in the darkness." A blinding light erupted from Dalnim, leaving behind the faint scent of ozone as she vanished.

"So," Belang asked, "how do we get out of here? Someone must be waiting for me by now."

Baldr rubbed his hands together, emitting a soft light. He then placed his hand on Belang's shoulder, and with a gentle whoosh, they materialized behind Belang's house.

"Whoa! That's unexpected!" Belang exclaimed, surprised to find himself back in his backyard. "Thanks for the lift!"

"I have a question," Belang continued, his curiosity piqued. "What exactly are you elders? A faction of Darkseed and Celestion? Deities? Gods? And why do you stay in your own dimension, instead of helping with the war outside?"

"We are neither of what you said," Baldr replied calmly, "yet to some, we are all that you mentioned. Regarding the war outside, which side should we truly help? The Celestion? The Darkseed? Or the Atman? Darkseed needs Atman to grow. Celestion needs orbs from Darkseed to grow. And Atman only sides with its own interests to grow. If the Bunian mingle with even one of them, the entire balance is thrown off."

"...That is quite insightful," Belang said, grasping the deeper meaning behind Baldr's words.

"Your Invytor supplies will arrive tomorrow," Baldr announced with a gentle smile. "Let's not keep your friend waiting any longer. Farewell, have a pleasant day, my friend." He gestured warmly toward Belang's house.

"Huh?" Belang murmured, glancing between his house and the spot where Baldr had just stood.

The elder had disappeared.

Taking a deep breath, Belang entered his house. Inside, he found Purnama, now transformed into a tree-man with a vibrant white afro, moving with a swaying, rooted grace, waiting for him. Purnama had even prepared a table laden with deliciously aromatic food.

Purnama recounted his journey—how the gateway had transported him to an island on Earth. With Zirko's help and the woman's guidance, they crossed the sea and brought her back to her homeland. Then, he hurried back to the island to re-enter Rona, unaware of the time that had passed.

Belang explained he'd gone out to return the particle, carefully omitting any mention of his capture and trial. 

After sharing the meal with Belang, Purnama announced it was time for him to return to Aurea and rejoin the Kshatriyas.

Still oblivious to the ordeal his friend had endured, Purnama bid farewell as he left Rona and journeyed back to Aurea.

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Time passed by quickly...

One fine day, on an investigative mission on Earth, Purnama stumbled upon a fox in the forest as he foraged for food for Suria. This fox was none other than Amaterasu in disguise.

Amaterasu revealed her true form and recounted Belang's capture and trial. She urged Purnama to make a wise choice when the time came to save Belang's life, her form shimmering before vanishing into thin air.