EPISODE 17: TEMBOK PERTAMA

EPISODE 17: TEMBOK PERTAMA

Matahari baru naik setinggi tombak ketika Arka sudah duduk di tengah tanah kosong, buku tua terbuka di pangkuannya. Di sekelilingnya, seluruh rombongan berkumpul—Raka, Wulan, Ragil, Ratmi, Mulya, Surti, bahkan Kang Bijak yang biasanya menjauh, kali ini berdiri agak dekat.

Tiga hari telah berlalu sejak pemakaman Mbah Ranga. Tiga hari Arka membaca buku itu berulang kali, menghafal setiap halaman, membayangkan setiap detail. Dan hari ini, hari keempat, ia akan memulai.

“Nak, kau yakin?” Raka bertanya, suaranya campuran antara bangga dan cemas. “Kau baru saja kehilangan Mbah Ranga. Mungkin kau perlu istirahat...”

“Aku yakin, Ayah.” Arka menatap ayahnya dengan mata yang tiba-tiba terlihat lebih dewasa dari usianya. “Mbah Ranga bilang, bangun dulu rumah kita. Itu yang akan aku lakukan.”

Wulan berlutut di sampingnya, meraih tangannya. “Nak, apa pun yang terjadi, Ibu bangga padamu.”

Arka tersenyum. “Terima kasih, Ibu.”

Ragil menepuk pundaknya. “Lo bisa, Ra. Gue yakin.”

Ratmi, Mulya, Surti—semua mengangguk, memberi semangat. Hanya Kang Bijak yang diam, dengan tatapan aneh yang tidak bisa diartikan.

Arka menarik napas panjang. Ia memejamkan mata, membayangkan denah di buku. Tembok keliling setinggi tiga meter, tebal satu meter, mengelilingi area seluas tiga hektar. Gerbang utama di sisi selatan. Menara di empat sudut.

Semua terbayang jelas.

Ia membuka mata. Tangannya terulur ke depan, telapak tangan menghadap ke tanah.

“Penciptaan Instan,” bisiknya. “Fondasi tembok, sepuluh meter pertama.”

Dan dunia berhenti.

***

Cahaya biru menyambar dari telapak tangan Arka, menerangi seluruh area. Tanah di depannya bergetar, retak, lalu—dalam hitungan detik—sebuah fondasi beton menjulang. Tinggi setengah meter, lebar satu meter, panjang sepuluh meter. Sempurna. Rapi. Seperti sudah ada sejak ratusan tahun lalu.

Ratmi menjerit. Bukan ketakutan—tapi tak percaya. Ia jatuh berlutut, menangis. “Dewa... dewa benar-benar bersama kita...”

Mulya terpaku, mulutnya terbuka. “Gila... cuma sekali... langsung jadi...”

Surti memeluk anak-anak Mulya yang ikut ternganga. “Kalian lihat? Arka... dia benar-benar...”

Raka dan Wulan hanya bisa saling berpandangan, air mata haru mengalir di pipi mereka.

Ragil berjingkrak. “GILA! LO BENERAN BISA! ARKA LO BENERAN BISA!”

Tapi Arka tidak mendengar mereka. Ia masih fokus pada aliran mana di tubuhnya. 50 mana terpakai—tapi karena tak terbatas, langsung terisi lagi dari hutan. Ia bisa merasakan ikatannya dengan hutan menguat sedikit. 5%... 6%... lalu berhenti.

Naik satu persen. Untuk sepuluh meter tembok.

“Ayah,” panggilnya. “Tandai titik berikutnya. Sepuluh meter ke timur.”

Raka tersentak dari lamunannya, lalu segera berlari dengan tongkat panjang, menandai tanah.

Arka mengulurkan tangan lagi.

Cahaya biru menyambar lagi. Fondasi kedua muncul.

Dan lagi.

Dan lagi.

***

Satu jam berlalu. Lima fondasi telah berdiri—lima puluh meter tembok setengah jadi.

Arka terengah-engah. Bukan kehabisan mana—mana terus mengalir. Tapi konsentrasinya terkuras. Menciptakan benda padat dari ketiadaan butuh fokus luar biasa. Kepalanya pusing, matanya perih.

“Nak, istirahat dulu,” Wulan memegang pundaknya. “Kau pucat.”

“Tapi, Bu, ini baru setengah...”

“Istirahat.” Suara Raka tegas. “Ayah tidak mau kau pingsan seperti dulu.”

Arka menurut. Ia duduk bersandar di fondasi pertama yang ia buat, memejam. Mana mengalir, memulihkan tenaganya—tapi ikatan dengan hutan terasa semakin nyata. Seperti ada benang halus yang menarik dari dadanya ke arah pepohonan.

Ia membuka Jendela Status diam-diam:

------------------------------------
IKATAN DENGAN HUTAN: 8% (NAIK 3% DARI 5%)
PRODUCTION MAGIC: LEVEL 1 - 8% TERKUASAI
------------------------------------

Tiga persen untuk lima puluh meter fondasi. Jika tembok jadi 50 meter, mungkin butuh 5-6%? Ia menghela napas. Masih jauh dari batas, tapi tetap...

“Pusing?” suara Kang Bijak di sampingnya.

Arka membuka mata. Kang Bijak duduk di sampingnya, memandangi fondasi-fondasi itu dengan ekspresi tak terbaca.

“Bukan pusing fisik, Kang. Tapi... kayak ada yang narik. Dari hutan.”

Kang Bijak mengangguk. “Itu ikatan. Setiap kali kau gunakan kekuatan, ikatan itu menguat. Seperti akar yang tumbuh di dadamu.”

“Aku bisa merasakannya. Tapi... ini tidak sakit, Kang. Hanya... aneh.”

“Belum sakit.” Kang Bijak menatapnya tajam. “Tapi suatu saat, jika kau terlalu dalam, ia akan menarikmu. Dan kau tidak akan bisa melawan.”

Arka diam. Ia ingin bertanya lebih banyak, tapi Kang Bijak sudah berdiri.

“Istirahatlah. Besok kau lanjutkan.”

***

Hari kedua.

Arka bangun dengan semangat baru. Setelah sarapan bubur dari sisa beras (yang semakin menipis), ia langsung menuju lokasi. Raka dan Mulya sudah menyiapkan tanda-tanda untuk sisa tembok.

Kali ini, ia mencoba sesuatu yang berbeda. Bukan hanya fondasi, tapi tembok utuh. Ia membaca di buku: untuk tembok setinggi 3 meter, butuh struktur berlapis. Batu di dalam, semen alami di luar. Tapi dengan Penciptaan Instan, ia bisa membuat semuanya sekaligus.

“Penciptaan Instan,” bisiknya. “Tembok utuh, sepuluh meter.”

Cahaya biru menyambar—lebih terang dari kemarin. Tanah bergetar lebih keras. Dan di depan mata mereka, sebuah tembok beton menjulang. Tinggi tiga meter, tebal satu meter, kokoh, dengan tekstur batu alami.

Ratmi menangis lagi. Mulya bersorak. Surti tersenyum lebar.

Arka tersenyum, meski kepalanya berdenyut. Ia lihat Jendela Status: IKATAN 9%. Naik satu persen lagi.

Tidak apa-apa. Masih aman.

Ia melanjutkan. Sepuluh meter lagi. Sepuluh meter lagi. Lima meter lagi.

Menjelang sore, tembok keliling 50 meter telah berdiri. Belum sempurna—masih ada celah di beberapa bagian, gerbang utama belum dibuat. Tapi tembok itu sudah menjulang, melindungi area dalam dari dunia luar.

Ratmi berlari, memeluk tembok itu, menciumnya. “Ini... ini nyata... kita punya tembok...”

Mulya menggendong anaknya, menunjuk ke tembok. “Lihat, Nak. Ayah dan teman-teman membangun ini.”

Anaknya bertanya, “Ayah, kok bisa cepat sekali?”

Mulya tertawa. “Itu karena Arka. Dia ajaib.”

Raka mendekati Arka, memeluknya. “Nak, Ayah bangga padamu. Sungguh.”

Arka memeluk balik, merasakan kehangatan ayahnya. Tapi di dadanya, ikatan itu berdenyut—mengingatkan bahwa ada harga.

***

Malam harinya, Arka duduk di atas tembok yang baru selesai. Dari ketinggian tiga meter, ia bisa melihat perkemahan di dalam, dan di luar, hutan yang gelap dan misterius.

Mana masih mengalir. Ikatan sudah 10%. Sepuluh persen dalam dua hari. Jika terus begini, dalam sepuluh hari ia bisa mencapai 50%—batas aman? Ia tidak tahu.

“Masih belum tidur?”

Kang Bijak duduk di sampingnya, tanpa suara.

“Kang, aku mau tanya sesuatu.”

“Apa?”

“Kang... siapa sebenarnya Kang? Kenapa Kang tahu banyak tentang hutan ini? Tentang ikatan?”

Kang Bijak diam. Lama. Matanya menatap hutan, dan untuk sesaat, Arka melihat kilatan biru di matanya—biru yang sama seperti cahaya di tangannya.

“Aku... adalah seseorang yang dulu terlalu dalam,” bisiknya akhirnya. “Aku juga punya ikatan, Nak. Lebih dalam dari yang kau miliki sekarang. Jauh lebih dalam.”

“Maksud Kang?”

“Dulu, ribuan tahun lalu... aku adalah bagian dari Klan Karang. Aku menggunakan kekuatan ini tanpa kendali. Dan akhirnya... aku terikat. Tidak bisa lepas. Tubuhku... jiwaku... menjadi bagian dari hutan. Yang kau lihat sekarang ini hanya bayangan.”

Arka terkesiap. “Jadi Kang... Kang bukan manusia?”

Kang Bijak tersenyum sedih. “Aku dulu manusia. Sekarang... aku hanya sisa. Aku bisa keluar dari hutan, tapi tidak bisa lepas sepenuhnya. Setiap malam, aku harus kembali, atau ikatan itu akan menarikku paksa.”

“Itu sebabnya Kang sering pergi ke hutan?”

Kang Bijak mengangguk. “Aku sudah 500 tahun hidup seperti ini. Menonton dunia berubah, sementara aku tetap di sini, terikat.”

Arka tidak tahu harus berkata apa. Ia hanya menatap Kang Bijak dengan perasaan campur aduk—iba, takut, juga penasaran.

“Kang... apa aku juga akan seperti itu?”

Kang Bijak menatapnya lama. “Tidak, jika kau lebih bijak dariku. Gunakan kekuatan ini secukupnya. Jangan serakah. Dan ingat—keluargamu, cinta mereka, itu akan menjadi jangkar yang menahanmu.”

Ia berdiri, bersiap pergi.

“Kang, tunggu...”

Tapi Kang Bijak sudah melompat turun dari tembok, berjalan ke arah hutan. Sebelum masuk ke kegelapan, ia menoleh sekali.

“Besok, buat gerbang. Aku akan bantu. Mungkin ini pertama kalinya aku membantu seseorang membangun, bukan menghancurkan.”

Ia tersenyum—bukan senyum misterius, tapi senyum tulus—lalu menghilang dalam kegelapan.

Arka menatap kepergiannya. Lalu matanya beralih ke hutan.

Di sana, di antara pepohonan, dua titik merah menyala. Makhluk itu masih di sana. Tersenyum. Menunggu.

“Apa maksud Kang Bijak dengan harga?” bisik Arka.

Tapi tidak ada jawaban. Hanya angin malam yang berbisik, dan dua titik merah yang masih mengawasi.

Di dalam hutan, Makhluk Mata Merah menatap ke arah tembok yang baru berdiri.

“Dia semakin kuat,” bisiknya. “Ikatan sudah 10%. Tinggal 90% lagi... dan dia akan menjadi milik kita.”

Wira di sampingnya mengangguk. “Dan Kang Bijak mulai membantunya. Itu berbahaya.”

Makhluk itu tertawa. “Kang Bijak? Dia hanya menunda yang tak terelakkan. Biarkan dia membantu. Biarkan anak itu semakin percaya padanya. Pada akhirnya, ikatan akan tetap menariknya.”

Mereka berdua menghilang, meninggalkan malam yang sunyi.

Di atas tembok, Arka masih duduk sendiri, merasakan ikatan di dadanya berdenyut pelan. 10%. Masih rendah. Tapi ia tahu angka itu akan naik.

Ia menatap ke arah tenda orang tuanya. Raka dan Wulan tidur di sana, tenang, percaya padanya.

“Aku tidak akan seperti Kang Bijak,” bisiknya. “Aku akan kembali. Untuk Ayah. Untuk Ibu. Untuk keluarga.”

Tapi di hatinya, ada keraguan kecil yang tidak bisa ia abaikan.

Besok, ia akan membuat gerbang. Dan ikatannya akan naik lagi.

Sampai kapan ia bisa bertahan?

Bersambung...

Karakter yang muncul: Arka (pembangun utama), Raka (ayah, koordinator), Wulan (ibu, logistik), Ragil (sahabat, asisten), Ratmi (saksi, pengurus), Mulya (pembantu), Surti (pembantu), Kang Bijak (pembantu misterius, membuka diri), Makhluk Mata Merah (mengamati), Wira (mengamati).

EPISODE 17: THE FIRST WALL

The sun had just risen to the height of a spear when Arka sat in the middle of the empty land, the old book open on his lap. Around him, the entire group gathered—Raka, Wulan, Ragil, Ratmi, Mulya, Surti, even Kang Bijak who usually kept his distance, this time stood close by.

Three days had passed since Mbah Ranga's funeral. Three days Arka had read that book over and over, memorizing every page, envisioning every detail. And today, the fourth day, he would begin.

"Son, are you sure?" Raka asked, his voice a mix of pride and concern. "You just lost Mbah Ranga. Maybe you need rest..."

"I'm sure, Father." Arka looked at his father with eyes that suddenly seemed older than his years. "Mbah Ranga said, build our home first. That's what I'll do."

Wulan knelt beside him, taking his hand. "Son, whatever happens, Mother is proud of you."

Arka smiled. "Thank you, Mother."

Ragil patted his shoulder. "You can do it, Ra. I believe in you."

Ratmi, Mulya, Surti—all nodded, encouraging him. Only Kang Bijak remained silent, with that strange expression no one could interpret.

Arka took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, imagining the blueprint from the book. A perimeter wall three meters high, one meter thick, surrounding a three-hectare area. The main gate on the south side. Towers at four corners.

Everything was clear in his mind.

He opened his eyes. His hand reached forward, palm facing the ground.

"Instant Creation," he whispered. "Wall foundation, first ten meters."

And the world stopped.

***

Blue light flashed from Arka's palm, illuminating the entire area. The ground before him trembled, cracked, then—in seconds—a concrete foundation rose. Half a meter high, one meter wide, ten meters long. Perfect. Neat. As if it had been there for hundreds of years.

Ratmi screamed. Not in fear—but in disbelief. She fell to her knees, crying. "Gods... the gods are truly with us..."

Mulya stood frozen, mouth agape. "Crazy... just once... and it's done..."

Surti hugged Mulya's children who were also gaping. "Did you see? Arka... he really is..."

Raka and Wulan could only look at each other, tears of joy streaming down their cheeks.

Ragil jumped with joy. "CRAZY! YOU REALLY CAN DO IT! ARKA YOU REALLY CAN DO IT!"

But Arka didn't hear them. He was still focused on the mana flowing through his body. 50 mana used—but because it was unlimited, it immediately refilled from the forest. He could feel his bond with the forest strengthen slightly. 5%... 6%... then stopped.

Up one percent. For ten meters of foundation.

"Father," he called. "Mark the next spot. Ten meters east."

Raka snapped out of his daze and immediately ran with a long stick, marking the ground.

Arka extended his hand again.

Blue light flashed again. The second foundation appeared.

And again.

And again.

***

An hour passed. Five foundations stood—fifty meters of half-finished wall.

Arka panted. Not from lack of mana—mana kept flowing. But his concentration was drained. Creating solid matter from nothing required immense focus. His head spun, his eyes stung.

"Son, rest first," Wulan held his shoulder. "You're pale."

"But Mother, this is only half..."

"Rest." Raka's voice was firm. "I don't want you fainting like before."

Arka obeyed. He sat leaning against the first foundation he'd made, closing his eyes. Mana flowed, restoring his energy—but the bond with the forest felt increasingly real. Like thin threads pulling from his chest toward the trees.

He opened his Status Window secretly:

------------------------------------
BOND WITH FOREST: 8% (UP 3% FROM 5%)
PRODUCTION MAGIC: LEVEL 1 - 8% MASTERED
------------------------------------

Three percent for fifty meters of foundation. If the wall became 50 meters, maybe it would take 5-6%? He sighed. Still far from the limit, but still...

"Dizzy?" Kang Bijak's voice beside him.

Arka opened his eyes. Kang Bijak sat beside him, staring at those foundations with an unreadable expression.

"Not physically dizzy, Kang. But... like something's pulling. From the forest."

Kang Bijak nodded. "That's the bond. Every time you use your power, that bond strengthens. Like roots growing in your chest."

"I can feel it. But... it doesn't hurt, Kang. Just... strange."

"Not yet." Kang Bijak looked at him sharply. "But someday, if you go too deep, it will pull you. And you won't be able to fight it."

Arka was silent. He wanted to ask more, but Kang Bijak had already stood.

"Rest. Tomorrow you continue."

***

Second day.

Arka woke with renewed spirit. After breakfast—porridge from the remaining rice (which was running low)—he immediately went to the site. Raka and Mulya had already prepared markers for the remaining wall.

This time, he tried something different. Not just foundations, but the complete wall. He read in the book: for a 3-meter high wall, a layered structure was needed. Stone inside, natural cement outside. But with Instant Creation, he could make it all at once.

"Instant Creation," he whispered. "Complete wall, ten meters."

Blue light flashed—brighter than yesterday. The ground trembled harder. And before their eyes, a concrete wall rose. Three meters high, one meter thick, sturdy, with natural stone texture.

Ratmi cried again. Mulya cheered. Surti smiled broadly.

Arka smiled, though his head throbbed. He checked his Status Window: BOND 9%. Up another percent.

It's okay. Still safe.

He continued. Another ten meters. Another ten meters. Five more meters.

By late afternoon, the 50-meter perimeter wall stood. Not perfect—there were still gaps in some places, the main gate not yet built. But the wall already towered, protecting the inner area from the outside world.

Ratmi ran, hugging the wall, kissing it. "This... this is real... we have a wall..."

Mulya carried his child, pointing at the wall. "Look, child. Father and friends built this."

His child asked, "Father, how could it be so fast?"

Mulya laughed. "That's because of Arka. He's miraculous."

Raka approached Arka, hugging him. "Son, I'm proud of you. Truly."

Arka hugged back, feeling his father's warmth. But in his chest, that bond pulsed—reminding him there was a price.

***

That night, Arka sat atop the newly finished wall. From three meters high, he could see the camp inside, and outside, the dark and mysterious forest.

Mana still flowed. The bond was already 10%. Ten percent in two days. If this continued, in ten days he could reach 50%—the safe limit? He didn't know.

"Still awake?"

Kang Bijak sat beside him, silently.

"Kang, I want to ask something."

"What?"

"Kang... who are you really? How do you know so much about this forest? About the bond?"

Kang Bijak was silent. Long. His eyes stared at the forest, and for a moment, Arka saw a blue flash in his eyes—the same blue as the light in his own hands.

"I... am someone who once went too deep," he finally whispered. "I also have a bond, child. Deeper than yours now. Much deeper."

"What do you mean?"

"Long ago, thousands of years ago... I was part of the Karang Clan. I used this power without control. And eventually... I became bound. Unable to break free. My body... my soul... became part of the forest. What you see now is only a shadow."

Arka gasped. "So Kang... you're not human?"

Kang Bijak smiled sadly. "I was human once. Now... I'm just a remnant. I can leave the forest, but I can't fully break free. Every night, I must return, or the bond will forcibly pull me."

"Is that why Kang often goes into the forest?"

Kang Bijak nodded. "I've lived like this for 500 years. Watching the world change, while I remain here, bound."

Arka didn't know what to say. He just stared at Kang Bijak with mixed feelings—pity, fear, and curiosity.

"Kang... will I become like that too?"

Kang Bijak looked at him for a long time. "No, if you're wiser than me. Use this power sparingly. Don't be greedy. And remember—your family, their love, that will be your anchor."

He stood, preparing to leave.

"Kang, wait..."

But Kang Bijak had already jumped down from the wall, walking toward the forest. Before entering the darkness, he glanced back once.

"Tomorrow, build the gate. I'll help. Perhaps this is the first time I'll help someone build, not destroy."

He smiled—not his mysterious smile, but a sincere one—then vanished into the darkness.

Arka watched him go. Then his eyes shifted to the forest.

There, among the trees, two red dots glowed. That creature was still there. Smiling. Waiting.

"What did Kang Bijak mean by price?" Arka whispered.

But no answer came. Only the night wind whispering, and two red dots still watching.

Inside the forest, the Red-Eyed Creature stared at the newly built wall.

"He's getting stronger," it whispered. "The bond is already 10%. Only 90% more... and he'll be ours."

Wira beside him nodded. "And Kang Bijak is starting to help him. That's dangerous."

The creature laughed. "Kang Bijak? He's only delaying the inevitable. Let him help. Let the child trust him more. In the end, the bond will still pull him."

They both vanished, leaving the silent night.

On the wall, Arka still sat alone, feeling the bond in his chest pulse softly. 10%. Still low. But he knew that number would rise.

He looked toward his parents' tent. Raka and Wulan slept there, peacefully, trusting him.

"I won't become like Kang Bijak," he whispered. "I'll come back. For Father. For Mother. For family."

But in his heart, there was a small doubt he couldn't ignore.

Tomorrow, he would build the gate. And his bond would rise again.

How long could he hold on?

To be continued...

Characters featured: Arka (main builder), Raka (father, coordinator), Wulan (mother, logistics), Ragil (friend, assistant), Ratmi (witness, caretaker), Mulya (helper), Surti (helper), Kang Bijak (mysterious helper, reveals himself), Red-Eyed Creature (observing), Wira (observing).

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