The Sphere: The Phantom of the West Rim Read online

Copyright © 2017 by Fandy Adams

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Front Cover Copyright © 2016 by Gendewa Creative

  E-mail: [email protected]

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1First Smile

  Chapter 2Odd Finding

  Chapter 3in the Cave

  Chapter 4 A Boy of the Volk Tribe

  Chapter 5Ishtar Grove

  Chapter 6Rumble in the Water

  Chapter 7By Sweat and Magic

  Chapter 8A Place Called Peace

  Chapter 9The Legendary Sword of Tyvelon

  Chapter 10To Create a Flame

  Chapter 11 The Red Haired Woman

  Chapter 12Intro Fight

  Chapter 13Sudden Mission

  Chapter 14 Frost and Fire

  Chapter 15To the Unknown Darkness

  Chapter 16The Lost City

  Chapter 17Uncounted Years of Madness

  Chapter 18The Twin Flame

  Chapter 19Before the Darkness Come

  Chapter 20Terra Hand

  Chapter 21The Soul Stealer

  Chapter 22Into the Lair of Evil

  Chapter 23Cover Up

  Chapter 24Dragon of the Mountain

  Chapter 25 Power of the Heart

  Chapter 26The Covenant

  Chapter 27Unspoken Farewell

  Chapter 28The Last Melody

  Chapter 1

  First Smile

  It was fine morning in the Cibadut, a little and peaceful town in the southeast of Jakarta. The sun has rose in the eastern sky above the clouded mountains. Of the south the wind come in cool breeze. Everything looked fresh and green though of the trees few leaves fall in yellow. Creeps began to crawl from their burrows and little bugs drank on the morning dews. At the trees birds spiritedly leaping from one branch to another and sang in melodious chirping as if grateful for this bright morning.

  The school year has started in the first week of July. Students passed the gate, smiling and greet each other. They show face full of happiness when they meet their friend, shy and sweet smile shown when seeing someone they loved and loathsome expression appears when they met big fat and grumpy mustachioed security guard. Gossip, hubble-bubble and laughter mixed up made the school almost like a crowded market.

  Among those students there’s one who walked alone with few books hold in a hand. His face was good looking and calm, and he wore glasses with duct tape in the butt-strap. He had average height which made him rejected on basketball team just because less few inches, and his hair was black and neatly to the right like a geek who doesn’t know how to look or get himself stylish.

  Suddenly someone hit him from behind to all his books fall to the floor.

  “Watch your step, Rey!” Said the boy while hold the ball. Then he leaved away without remorse, even he laughing with his fellow as if nothing has happened.

  No one around helped or cared about him. Three girls sitting on the concrete bench not far from him only glance to him and then they continue to talk about Korean Boyband while looked at the tablet. And someone just looked at him with pity but he just passed him without a word.

  But then, like the first chapter of a love story a beautiful hand pick up his book. The scent of her fragrant had made his heart beat faster already, even before his eyes capture her. He encourage himself to look at her and there before him a beautiful girl smiled at him, a sweet smile and first he looked in this morning. Her beauty like show her lovely character – the one who make everyone’s life wonderful just by looking her beautiful face. Her sweet and delicate smiles gives a hope of love to anyone who saw it, and her brown eyes look so warm, very friendly and attentive. The girl was slim and slightly shorter than him, and she had black length-shoulder hair, smooth and shiny in the morning like a black pearl. His style was casual but very elegant and attractive.

  Melody was her name. If Rey was the lowest on the list of the date then Melody was the most popular girl on the school. She was nice and friendly person. Both character and appeal were favorable by many people even for those who just make acquaintance with her.

  For a moment he just stared at her. He didn’t know what to say or what to do. Although he knew her for a long time, he had met and saw her in more than thousand mornings and presently they’re in the same class for a week.

  “I don’t know you like racing.” said Melody raise and show the auto magazine she picked.

  “It’s for Asti.” said Rey. He looked at the girl and seems she excited with the magazine. “You seem like it too?”

  “I love sport bikes or cars, they’re hot especially when it comes red. And I think it’s cool if someone skilled and professional on their ride.”

  For a moment he just paused don’t know how to have a talk, and Melody just smiled in the moment of awkwardness.

  “Mel!” called a girl from distance.

  “Well, see you in the class.” said Melody, while she handed the magazine to him and then she leaved away to her friends.

  Later someone hit him from behind again to all his book scattered. But this time everything seemed different, Rey wasn’t upset at all instead he happily collect his book with a little hum and smile.

  ***

  Rey entered the classroom and he sat. Next to him was a tomboyish girl and she nodding like in trance – listening a song from his earphone while wrote the lyric on her scrapbook. Asti was her name. She was Rey’s best friend and neighbors since childhood. She actually pretty sweet and might be popular among 7 of 10 boys, if she doesn’t tomboyish and tried herself gross looked. Her hair was cut short and partly polished red. On her right hand she wore a bracelet, black leather bracelet and ornamented with 5.56 blanks that she got from nowhere. And she always removed two buttons of his uniform only to show her heavy-metal theme T-Shirt.

  “Here’s your request.” said Rey handed the auto-magazine to her.

  “Finally.” replied Asti.

  “What’s that for? I didn’t know if you interested in Moto GP.” asked Rey.

  “Not for me. Uncle Muto participated in bike fest, and he needs some reference to paint his ride.”

  While Asti looked at the magazine, Rey leaned his back and slightly turned his head to glance at his right. And there, behind Asti, secretly he saw four girls talking cheerfully and Melody was among them. Her way of speaking was quite elegant, very responsive and attentive to her friends and each time she spoke a sweet smile look always on her face. Suddenly the girl stared at him and quickly he turned forward while pick something out of the bag.

  “What you waiting for?”

  “What?”

  “Her!” said Asti. “Just speak to her, what you afraid of? Life’s just once you’ll die anyway.”

  “What kind of advice is that?”

  “Who said it was advice, do I look like a love coach?” said Asti.

  Rey don’t answer a word instead he set puzzled look on his face.

  “Somehow I feel that you will not make any progress. What we need now is the use of force.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Rey look wondered.

  Asti then took a phone from her pocket and for a moment she fixed at it. Wonder what she looked on the screen but her finger scrolling fast like searching for something. And suddenly she spoke loud, “Just hold your finger longer and ‘
save as’.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Whaaat? You need permission from her?” said Asti, and suddenly she turned to Melody and her friends. “Hi! My friend here want to pick your photo, you know the one gazed softly at the flower, he thinks it’s gorgeous and nice for wallpaper.”

  Soon those girls laughing at him sweetly, so was Melody. But Rey on the other side just sank his face on the bag. “Please tell me this is not real.” murmured him.

  “Well, this is real.” told Asti.

  All of sudden a crumpled paper hit his head from behind and both of them turned immediately. There, on the back row they saw a pretty-boy with Ivy League haircut and athletic body – a typical of cover model which favorable by most teenybopper. However behind his pretty sweet face everyone could see in his eyes an anger and hatred to all things. And down he regards to someone like Rey whom he considered as boy of the lowest caste. Beside him was thin man with long face. Both of them look have fun each other, but pretending seemingly, for they glanced at Rey and Asti with smirk on their face.

  “Reno.” said Asti, looked at him with clenched fist.

  “Calm yourself!” said Rey persuade her.

  For a moment everything looks normal till something hit his head once again and those boys behind laughing wickedly like satisfied. Asti pounded the desk suddenly to their surprise and at the same time she sprang up and looking to Reno with grudge.

  “What? You wanna fight?” said Reno.

  For few seconds of tense they both stared each other and everyone in the class were silent, including four girls who just laughing minute ago. Nothing could break the tension, seemingly, until the teacher entered the class.

  “Asti, teacher’s here.” said Rey pulled her hand and bring her sit down.

  Asti sat with grudge still look on her face. Looks like she will not satisfied before put that cover model into cover bag.

  Chapter 2

  Odd Finding

  The last bell have ringing, so loud, passed the corners of the school, through the walls of the classroom and pushed the desire of every student to get home immediately. The cloud on their faces gone right away and turn into bright cheerful faces just as when they wake on Sunday morning. The sound of bell was deafening, but so melodious in their ears more than their favorite music on their gadgets and welcomed with joy by many students who want to get away of routine and boredom. Without command or warning they directly packed everything to the bag, pray together and then step outside from the class, talking about what they’ll do after school end.

  However not everyone get happy by that last bell, at least for some moment. As for Rey, out of the gate was a moment which hurt him, and he always felt it every time he saw a red car parked in front of the school. He knew whose it belongs, a senior who just graduated a few months ago and now being college at one of reputable university in Jakarta. But it isn’t the car or he who sat after the wheel that made him feel so, rather it was the one he came for – with sweet smile Melody kindly say good bye to her friends while she opened the car door.

  Some strange feeling of cold ran through his skin when he sees that girl get into the car, a strange cold that made him shuddered even in blistering days like this. Then a minute later the car drove away and somehow he feels his fate with Melody also getting away as if there’s no fate between them but for sit in the same class for one forgettable year.

  “What you looking at? Let’s home!” said Asti while she elbows him.

  ***

  They’re walking home. The road was gray and long before them. On both side of the road there were paddy fields, stretching green and waving by the winds, with some scarecrow guarding it. Far across there they saw a complex of house but only few house built near the road, including mosque and church. The road look so quiet at the time, only few cars and motorcycles passing by in last five minutes, and one even offered them a ride but they choose to walk, for their home and school only 30 minutes on foot and the green field with its quietness always refresh their mind after school.

  Asti walks on the steel curb. She stretched her arms and trying to balance herself. Along the way she babbling mumbling without subject while Rey just quietly listening though occasionally he asks few things.

  “School began to open enrollment for the university, and we were told to sign up even we had just on the 2nd grade. Want me to sign you up?”

  “Nah, I don’t plan to get on the college.” answered Asti.

  “Why?”

  “You know why, no point I being there but to be wandering idiot, yet many graduates on our place were unemployed. Better If I’d follow Bang Nadjib, keep his studio and music store. Besides I can toying around there and improve my skill on music.”

  “But don’t you want something more?”

  “What could I say? Music and me, we are one soul, so was basketball.”

  “By studio keeper? Don’t you want something more? I heard there’s pretty good university on Jogjakarta, you can advance your talent there and if you’re lucky you will get scholarship and study tour around the world, striking your guitar in the corners of Europe, may not as famous band but at least it’s better than you play on café once a week with a fee that would spent out for one table at the same night.”

  “Well, I love music for what it is and I don’t care about the paid or fame. You should know the feel when your hand strung the guitar and how when your music was listened to everyone as if you’re giving something to the world.” said Asti, staring at the sky with bright face like someone who had already reaching her dream. “Same thing will do for you. If you want to attract Melo’s attention you have to give something for her. Give her a good music, give her Rrrrroooocccckkkkk!” said Asti with high excitement as she sprays spit in his face.

  “I don’t know about her favorite music but it looks clear that she didn’t like rock.”

  “Ah she must like the other girls who like K-Pop. Definitely her room filled with posters of Kim Jong Il.”

  Rey winced by her words “Do you know who Kim Jong Il is?”

  Asti just silent with eyes looked up at the sky as if searching the answer there.

  “Never mind.” said Rey.

  Asti paused, her eyes bright as if there was an idea that just popped into her head but she smiled like a Grinch.

  “What if we go to her house again and you sing a song for her. I’ll ask Bang Nadjib to bring a truck with full instrument and that mega-watt speaker. I’m sure he likely to help us.”

  “No thank you.”

  “Why? It was a good plan. She will like you in an instant with that.”

  “The plan is good but your face not. Yeah, we’re going to her home with mini stage on the truck. But instead of romantic song we’ll play, well, judging from those eyes of cunning maybe it was ‘Gives You Hell’ right?”

  “Actually I was thinking about ‘Beating Around the Bush’, but that’s okay too, more simple and hit the target easily.”

  “Are you out of your mind? What do you think when she heard it?”

  “Well, I don’t think she would cry.” replied Asti innocently.

  “Just forget about that. Let’s talk about something else, seemed you enjoy my feeling about her.”

  “Of course he’s your weakness.”

  “How’s your team anyway?” asked him.

  “Screwed, if still continue like this my team would be disbanded.” said Asti looks frustrated. “Plus, board of school not registered us in the regional championship this year. I’m sure the ‘princess’ behind all this, I can almost smells her stench everywhere in this conspiracy.”

  “Whom the princess anyway?” asked Rey.

  “Of course Ariani, that failure clone of Paris Hilton. I’m sure he was behind this.”

  “Don’t get prejudiced. Who knows, maybe you don’t participated championship this year because of other things.”

  “I’m never so sure like this. I can smell her reek in this conspiracy.”
said her. “She must be wants to get revenge on me.”

  Suddenly they halted by some house. It was an old house standing alone at quiet road – the nearby house was about more than half a mile separated by paddy field. A lurid wall surrounded it with rusty old gates. The front yard filled with grass, tall and yellow, with huge banyan tree stood dark and grim to their fear. The old house was white with yellow smudge everywhere due the seasons, and some parts even had moss grew on it. Looks like the door was shut tight and the windows were nailed with wooden bars. A feeling of shudder ran through their skin when they looked at it, especially to the gap between wooden bars as if someone watching them behind the blackness.

  “This house always makes me creeps?”

  “Well this is just a house, old and creepy but this is just a house.”

  “No. I heard there’s a little kid passed by at the night and he heard a scream, scary and dreadful, like lamented on something.”

  “You’re took it seriously.”

  “No. I also heard it but it was different. I went home after basketball, it was after Maghrib and when I passed by the door was half opened and came from it was humming sound, like singing as it contains tone but it was recited in unknown speech like it was spell.” said Asti, for a moment she paused in dread then she turned to him. “You don’t believe me do you?” asked her.

  “On most part … no.” replied him.

  “Ok if you don’t believe why we don’t go inside.” she challenged. “Don’t tell me you afraid to get inside.”

  “I don’t, but it will like trespass without permission.” said Rey. “The gate closed anyway.”

  “Not for me.” said Asti as she jumped off the gates.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  “Come on!”

  “No.”

  “If the evil resident dragged me to hell, I will haunt you forever.” said Asti. “Come here! Now!”

  Rey had no choice but to follow Asti. He jumped the fence and walked on the yard. For a moment there’s nothing happened but itch on their hand by tall yellow grass. Suddenly Asti got stumbled and she yelled with fear as she felt something caught her foot.

  “Get off from me! Get off from me!” she screamed.

  Rey get to her immediately and then he found something which caught her foot. “Hey easy, it just mailbox.” said Rey laughing.

  “You enjoy it do you.” Asti look upset.