"So? Do you like this place?" asked Great-Grandmother Nala, gazing at her grandson's enthusiastic face.
"Yes, I really like it, Uyut," replied Baskara cheerfully, his eyes sparkling as he looked around the temple chamber filled with a calm and magical aura.
"Good, then," said Uyut Nala with a relieved smile. "Soon, I'll teach you the techniques of alchemy. But before that, I want to know… will you study healing or forging first?"
Baskara frowned slightly, thinking for a moment before answering with confidence,
"I think I want to learn healing first, Uyut."
Another elder sitting cross-legged in a corner of the room nodded in agreement.
"Good, Baskara. With your extraordinary talent, I'm sure you'll become a master in healing. You know? Your mother was also very skilled in the art of healing."
He smiled faintly, as if reminiscing about her youth.
"In fact... with your abilities, our family could start a medicinal potion business! It would sell like crazy!" quipped another elder, chuckling.
"Hisss, you... always chasing profit!" retorted another elder, gently tapping the head of the one who had just spoken.
The atmosphere warmed with soft laughter. But soon, the deep and wise voice of Eyang Pradipa gently cut in,
"Alright, enough... Don't tempt the child with worldly promises. Let him follow his own path."
Baskara smiled slightly, then looked at Uyut Nala.
"Uyut… before that, I'd like to go home first. It feels like I haven't seen Mother and Father in so long."
Uyut Nala nodded with understanding.
"Of course... go home. You also need rest and some time with your family. Don't just think about meditation. Pradipa, please escort Baskara back."
"Yes, Ancestor," replied Eyang Pradipa firmly.
"Very well," he said softly. "Let's return, then."
Their bodies slowly floated up, leaving the depths of the ancestral forest, heading home… to the place where his first love—his mother—awaited him.
---
In front of the house he hadn't visited in a long time, Baskara took a deep breath, then gave a brief farewell to Eyang Pradipa.
"I'm going in, Grandfather."
"Go ahead. Send my regards to your mother," replied Eyang Pradipa with a warm smile.
Without hesitation, Baskara ran straight to the door and opened it without knocking.
"Mother! Father! I'm home!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cozy house.
From inside came hurried footsteps and a soft voice he had longed to hear.
"Well, well… so my son still remembers this house, huh?" said his mother, arms wide open.
Baskara rushed into her embrace.
"Hehe… sorry, Mother. I've been too busy," he said with a sheepish smile, resting his head on her shoulder.
"Looks like my son's gotten stronger, hasn't he?"
Baskara let go of the hug and stood tall, striking a proud pose with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out.
"Of course, Mother! I can protect and guard you now! If anyone bothers you, just tell me!" he joked.
His mother laughed at his antics. Despite growing much stronger, her child was still the same—cheerful and warm since he was seven.
"By the way... where's Father?" asked Baskara, glancing inside the house.
"He's out, as usual. But he'll be home tonight. And... once he's home, we're going out together. Want to?"
Baskara's eyes lit up.
"Yay! Outing! I've never been outside our family complex!" he exclaimed.
That very night, after his father returned, they set off.
---
The night city welcomed them with the glitter of lights and the hum of technology. Streets glowed with neon, luxury cars zipped along polished black asphalt, and above, flying cars drifted like slow-moving stars.
Baskara gazed in awe. It was his first time seeing the modern world with his own eyes—not through meditative visions or stories from the elders.
"Mother, where are we going first?" he asked eagerly, his eyes fixed on the hovering cars above.
"Let's get something to eat first before touring the city," replied Tirta, his mother, smiling.
"Yay! Food!" Baskara cheered, unable to hide his excitement.
After choosing a place, they decided on a high-end restaurant with crystal-clear glass walls overlooking the city center. Welcomed by neatly dressed waiters, they were seated near the window. Baskara quickly picked a dish from the digital menu—something strange but appetizing.
After dinner, they continued to a large shopping center.
"Now let's go to the mall. We need to get you some new clothes," said Tirta.
"But, Mom… I still have plenty of good clothes."
"It's okay. We'll also shop for kitchen supplies and medicinal ingredients," said Tirta, taking his hand.
This wasn't an ordinary mall—it was a center that also sold goods for spiritual practitioners. Inside were spiritual weapons, rare herbs, healing pills, and materials for making formations. There was even a large auction hall, though they didn't plan to join—prices there could skyrocket for high-tier spiritual items, ancient relics, or formulas from top alchemists.
They walked through glowing halls, with floating holographic ads in the air. Baskara moved among curtains of light and runic-etched glass walls, his eyes sparkling in wonder.
"Is this a mall or a palace of technology...?" he murmured in awe.
At a shop specializing in spiritual plants, Tirta began selecting various medicinal herbs for her mixtures. Teguh, Baskara's father, browsed shelves marked "Intermediate Tier"—pills that could boost strength or speed up spiritual recovery.
For context, their family had no top-tier pill makers. The highest was a third-tier elder—already considered rare and valuable in any clan. Tirta herself was a first-tier pill maker, nearly breaking into the second tier—a highly respected skill.
While they were choosing herbs, a mocking voice suddenly sounded from behind.
"Oh my… isn't this the lovely daughter of the Sukma family?"
The voice dripped with sarcasm and a high-pitched sneer.
Tirta and Baskara turned around. Standing there was a woman in a luxurious gown adorned with glowing ornaments, her hair tied high, and a venomous smirk on her face. Her gaze locked directly on Tirta.
It was true—until now, Baskara had never ventured outside his family's grounds. Since the age of seven, his time had been devoted to martial arts, meditation, and understanding his soul's path. Wandering the world had never crossed his mind… until now.
Now, even though he had set foot on a high spiritual path, his heart remained that of a child longing for simple things—walking under an open sky, holding his mother's hand.