0 Followers (bookmarked)

Hutannya gelap. Sangat gelap.

 

Hutan itu tidak hanya gelap—hutan itu tampak memiliki kehidupannya sendiri, seperti entitas hidup yang mengawasi setiap langkah yang diambil oleh siapa pun yang cukup berani untuk memasuki wilayahnya.

 

Di tengah kegelapan itu, seorang anak laki-laki berusia sepuluh tahun berjalan sendirian. Langkahnya tenang tetapi tidak lambat. Matanya, tersembunyi di balik rambutnya yang panjang, mengisyaratkan sesuatu yang lebih dalam—sesuatu yang seharusnya tidak dimiliki anak seusianya. Dia tidak berlari, dia tidak terburu-buru, seolah-olah dunia di sekitarnya tidak dapat memengaruhi ketenangannya.

 

"Kenapa kamu tidak pergi dengan teman-temanmu, hahaha!"

 

Suara mengejek itu masih terngiang di telinganya, bagai lagu yang tak henti-hentinya dikumandangkan. Ia teringat wajah-wajah mereka—wajah anak-anak yang seharusnya ceria, tetapi justru dihiasi senyum sinis dan sorot mata penuh kesombongan.

 

Mereka, teman-temannya—atau lebih tepatnya, mereka yang seharusnya menjadi teman-temannya—telah meninggalkannya.

Sekali lagi. Anak laki-laki itu mendesah dalam-dalam. Ia sudah terbiasa dengan ini. Sudah terbiasa dikucilkan, sudah terbiasa dianggap aneh, sudah terbiasa sendirian.

 

"Hmph!!!"

 

Ia berhenti sejenak, melihat sekelilingnya. Hutan ini tidak asing baginya. Ia mengenali setiap pohon, setiap batu kecil, setiap sudut gelap yang mungkin menyembunyikan makhluk tak diundang.

 

Di hutan ini, ada banyak hal yang tidak diketahui orang di kota itu.

 

Rumahnya terletak di tengah hutan, jauh dari keramaian desa. Di sanalah satu-satunya tempat yang membuatnya merasa aman, meskipun suasananya sunyi dan terisolasi. Namun malam ini, hutan terasa lebih menakutkan dari biasanya. Angin bertiup kencang, membawa aroma tanah basah dan daun-daun yang membusuk. Bocah itu merasakan sesuatu—sesuatu yang mencoba mendekatinya.

 

"Kau bisa keluar sekarang," bisiknya, seolah berbicara pada udara kosong.

 

Tiba-tiba, angin bertiup lebih kencang dari sebelumnya. Rambutnya yang panjang tersapu angin, memperlihatkan matanya yang putih berkilau. Dia tidak perlu menoleh untuk mengetahui apa yang ada di belakangnya. Apa yang ada di belakangnya sudah ada di sana, siap menyerangnya.

 

"Kau mengikutiku selama ini, bukan?"

 

"Sekarang aku akan membuatmu menyesal karena berani menggangguku."

 

Suaranya meledak, penuh amarah. Ini bukan pertama kalinya ia bertemu makhluk seperti mereka. Mereka adalah makhluk yang selalu berusaha mengganggunya, yang selalu muncul saat ia merasa paling sendirian.

 

Makhluk itu menerjangnya, cakarnya yang tajam mengincar leher anak laki-laki itu. Namun dengan gerakan yang sangat cepat, anak laki-laki itu menghindar. Makhluk itu jatuh ke tanah sambil menggeram pelan.

 

"Makhluk sialan,"

 

Anak laki-laki itu tidak memberinya kesempatan untuk bangkit. Ia mencengkeram rambut makhluk itu, menariknya dengan kekuatan yang seharusnya tidak dimiliki anak seusianya.

 

*Mengapa aku seperti ini?* bisik hatinya.

Mengapa aku berbeda dari anak-anak lain, mengapa…

 

Matanya bersinar lebih terang, cahaya putih memancar seperti pedang yang siap menghancurkan apa pun yang ada di jalurnya.

 

"Aku akan membunuh apa pun yang berani menggangguku,"

 

Makhluk itu mulai menggigil, ketakutan pada mata anak laki-laki itu, yang dilihatnya bukanlah mata biasa.

 

"I'm tired of you all," he said coldly.

 

And in an instant, the creature's body vanished, as if absorbed by the light emanating from the boy's eyes.

 

He stood in the dark forest, alone. But the calm didn't last long. Sounds began to echo again. Footsteps, hissing, growling. The creatures were coming again. More than before.

 

The boy sighed.

"Looks like I'll be late getting home again," he whispered. But this time, he didn't feel afraid. Instead, he felt angry—angry that he couldn't live like other kids, angry that he always had to face these creatures, angry that he had no choice.

 

"Oh well," he continued, his eyes shining brighter than before.

"I'll kill you all."

 

"Don't ever think you can run from me,"

 

The creatures emerged from the darkness, one by one. There was a giant snake, its eyes glowing like embers. A tiger, but with a larger body and sharper claws. And a giant, towering high, with skin as hard as stone. And many more. They all surrounded the boy, ready to pounce.

 

But the boy was not daunted. His shining white eyes looked at them one by one, as if challenging them to come closer. And they did.

 

"What are you waiting for, attack me!"

 

The giant snake struck first. Its long body darted towards the boy, its mouth wide open, ready to bite.

 

But the boy moved faster. With an unexpected leap, he dodged and landed on the snake's head. Without hesitation, he grabbed one of the snake's eyes and ripped it out.

 

The snake screamed in pain, its body thrashing uncontrollably.

 

But the boy didn't stop. He leaped from the snake's head and, with a swift motion, tore its throat. The snake collapsed, its body slowly dissipating into black smoke.

 

The tiger attacked next, its sharp claws aimed at the boy's chest.

But once again, the boy easily dodged. He grabbed the tiger's claw and, with extraordinary strength, broke it.

 

"Too weak,"

 

The tiger screamed, but its voice was cut short as the boy punched its head with a force that sent the creature flying several meters away.

 

The giant came last. Its large, hard body seemed impossible to defeat.

 

But the boy didn't care. He ran towards the giant, leaped high, and punched the creature's stomach with a force that made the giant topple over. Before the giant could rise, the boy was already on top of it, his small hand piercing the creature's chest. The white light from his eyes shone brighter, and in an instant, the giant's body shattered into pieces.

 

The forest became silent again. The boy stood amidst the ruins of the battle, his breath slightly heavy. But his eyes still shone, still full of power he couldn't fully control.

 

"How long do I have to be like this?" he whispered, his voice full of despair.

 

He looked towards his home, still far within the forest.

 

"I have to go home," he said to himself.

 

But before he could step, he felt something again. Something bigger, stronger than the creatures he had just faced.

 

The boy turned around, his shining white eyes scanning the darkness.

 

"Still more, huh?" he said, his voice cold.

 

The wind blew again, harder than before. And from the darkness, a large silhouette emerged—a creature much larger than he had ever faced before. Its body towered high, almost touching the treetops around it. Its skin was jet black, as if absorbing all the light. Its eyes glowed red, like two burning embers filled with hatred and a desire to destroy.

 

"What kind of creature is this?..."

 

The boy swallowed hard. He knew this was no ordinary enemy. This was something more dangerous, more threatening. But he couldn't run. He never ran.

 

"Who are you?" the boy asked, his voice firm despite his racing heart.

 

The creature didn't answer. Instead, it growled deeply, like thunder echoing throughout the forest. Then, with a movement quick for its size, it jumped toward the boy, its large hands slashing the air with force capable of shattering stone.

 

The boy jumped to the side, dodging the attack by mere inches. He knew he couldn't let the creature touch him. One blow might be enough to end his life.

 

"You can't run from me, little boy," the creature finally spoke, its voice deep and terrifying, like an echo from hell.

 

"Seems like this is a creature that can talk, this isn't the first time I've fought creatures that can talk," he thought to himself.

 

"I have no intention of running," the boy replied, his eyes still shining white.

 

He ran towards the creature, jumped high, and punched its stomach with all his might. But this time, the creature didn't topple over. Instead, it laughed—a laugh that made the boy's hair stand on end.

 

"You're too weak," said the creature, before swatting the boy away like a fly.

 

The boy was thrown to the ground, his body feeling like it was breaking. He tried to get up, but the pain was too intense.

 

"Why don't you just give up?" asked the creature, approaching the boy with heavy steps.

 

"Give up? You think you can kill me?..."

 

The boy looked at the creature, his eyes still shining. He knew he couldn't give up. He wouldn't give up.

 

"Unfortunately, my mother told me never to give up no matter what."

 

He took a deep breath, and suddenly, the light from his eyes grew brighter, illuminating the entire forest. The creature roared, trying to shield its eyes from the blinding light.

 

"Now I'll get a bit more serious…"

 

The boy rose, the pain in his body seemingly gone. "Actually, I didn't want to use this power," he thought to himself.

 

"Now let's end this," he said, before leaping towards the creature once more.

 

This time, his attacks were stronger, faster. He punched the creature repeatedly, each blow making the creature roar in pain.

 

The creature tried to fight back, but the boy was too quick. He dodged every attack and retaliated with even stronger strikes.

 

Finally, with one last punch, the boy struck the creature's chest with a force that sent the creature tumbling backward, crashing to the ground with a thunderous sound.

 

The boy stood over the creature, his breath heavy.

 

"You lost," he said coldly.

 

The creature looked at him, its eyes still red, but now filled with fear.

 

"Who are you really?" the creature asked, its voice weak. "That's not human power, what kind of creature is inside you?..."

 

The boy didn't answer. Instead, he raised his hand, and the light from his eyes shone once more, absorbing the creature until nothing was left but black smoke that slowly disappeared.

 

"You ask who I am? I'm just an ordinary human, who can kill creatures like you."

 

The forest returned to silence. The boy stood in the darkness, his body full of wounds and exhaustion. But he was still alive.

 

He looked towards his home, still far within the forest.

 

"I have to go home," he whispered, before slowly walking toward his home, leaving the darkness of the forest behind.

 

---

 

As he walked, the boy's thoughts wandered. He thought about his life. Other children in the village avoided him, calling him strange, cursed. Even adults looked at him with suspicion and fear.

 

"There's a reason they're afraid of me, it's because my family suddenly disappeared from home, they must think I made my family disappear.

 

They didn't understand him, and he didn't understand them. All he knew was that he was different—cursed with a power he didn't ask for, a power that set him apart from others.

 

"Why me?" he muttered quietly, his shining eyes dimming slightly as he walked slowly.

 

The forest felt endless, the path home stretching far into the shadows. But he didn't mind. Walking through the forest, even in the middle of the night, felt more comfortable for him. Here, in the darkness, he didn't have to pretend to be something he wasn't. He didn't have to hide who he really was.

 

But as he walked, he felt it again—a presence, something watching him. He stopped, his shining eyes scanning the trees around him.

 

"What is this?" he whispered, his voice sounding frustrated.

 

From the shadows, a figure emerged. But this time, it wasn't a monster or creature. It was a man—tall, clad in a black cloak, with a hood covering his face. The boy couldn't see his face, but he could feel the man's gaze, heavy and piercing.

 

"Who are you?" the boy asked, his voice firm though there was unease creeping in his chest.

 

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, his movements smooth and measured. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, almost gentle.

 

"Kaulah yang mereka bicarakan," kata lelaki itu. "Anak laki-laki yang berjalan sendirian di hutan. Anak laki-laki yang membunuh monster dengan kekuatan yang tak seorang pun mengerti."

 

"Apakah dia tahu kalau aku membunuh makhluk-makhluk itu?" pikirnya dalam hati.

 

Mata anak laki-laki itu menyipit. "Apa yang kamu inginkan?"

 

Pria itu memiringkan kepalanya sedikit, seolah sedang mengamatinya. "Aku sudah memperhatikanmu selama beberapa waktu. Kamu... berbeda. Unik. Dan kurasa aku bisa membantumu."

 

Anak laki-laki itu mengejek. "Aku tidak butuh bantuanmu. Aku baik-baik saja sendiri."

 

"Benarkah?" tanya lelaki itu. "Hidup seperti ini, diburu makhluk-makhluk, ditakuti orang-orang di sekitarmu? Apakah ini benar-benar kehidupan yang kau inginkan?"

 

Anak laki-laki itu ragu-ragu. Sesaat, kata-kata pria itu menyentuh sesuatu dalam dirinya. Namun kemudian dia menggelengkan kepalanya, tekadnya kembali kuat.

 

"Saya tidak butuh siapa pun," katanya. "Saya bisa mengurus diri sendiri."

 

Pria itu terkekeh pelan, hampir terdengar geli. "Kata-kata yang berani untuk seseorang yang masih sangat muda. Namun, keberanian saja tidak akan melindungi Anda dari apa yang akan terjadi."

 

Mata anak laki-laki itu berkedip karena penasaran. "Apa maksudmu?"

 

Pria itu melangkah mendekat, suaranya merendah. "Ada kekuatan di dunia ini—kuno dan kuat—yang sedang bangkit. Dan juga akan ada makhluk yang begitu kuat yang akan muncul di bumi ini.

 

Anak lelaki itu terdiam, mencerna perkataan lelaki itu.

 

"Mengapa aku harus percaya padamu?" tanya anak laki-laki itu.

 

Pria itu meraih jubahnya dan mengeluarkan sebuah batu kecil yang berkilau. Batu itu memancarkan cahaya lembut dan misterius, menghasilkan bayangan aneh di sekeliling mereka.

 

"Ini adalah pecahan dari Sumber," kata lelaki itu. "Esensi yang menggerakkan kekuatanmu. Aku bisa mengajarimu cara menggunakannya, cara mengendalikannya. Namun hanya jika kau bersedia belajar."

 

"Kau ingin membantuku? Kau pikir kau siapa?" Anak laki-laki itu menatap pria itu,

 

Pria itu tiba-tiba merasakan kekuatan luar biasa dan ketakutan yang luar biasa saat dia menatap mata anak laki-laki itu.

 

"Hanya dengan melihat mataku saja kau sudah takut, dan kau masih ingin membantuku mengendalikan kekuatanku?"

 

Pada saat itu, tubuh pria itu terbakar,

 

“Apa yang terjadi, mengapa tubuhku terbakar?” Pria itu mulai panik, suara kesakitan keluar dari bibirnya,

 

"Panas, panas, panas,"

 

Namun anak laki-laki itu hanya melihat tubuh pria itu terbakar dan berubah menjadi abu,

 

"Jika apa yang kau katakan itu benar dan akan terjadi, aku harus membunuhnya saja, kan?..."

 

Anak laki-laki itu berdiri sendirian sekali lagi, hutan di sekelilingnya sunyi.

 

Mengambil napas dalam-dalam, dia melanjutkan perjalanan pulang,

 

---

 

"Aku pulang," setelah beberapa menit berjalan melewati hutan, dia akhirnya sampai di rumahnya.

 

Tak ada jawaban, hanya dia di rumah ini, rumah di tengah hutan, hanya dia sendiri di tengah hutan.