CHAPTER XXIV Lily

Kwaaak ...! Kwaaak ...!

Two seagulls can be seen flying above the sky.

The wind was blowing salty when the boat docked. Carrying her brown suitcase, Lily walked down the deck of the ship.

Her tufted dress swayed in a gentle breeze, and her hand immediately caught a black hat that was about to fly from her straight hair. Raising her chin, her red lips parted slightly as she breathed new air at the port she had first visited.

"Where is this?"

Her eyes began to observe her surroundings.

It's a small port, but why is the trade here so busy? Those who were only opened with cloth were also various people who had gathered at this port. Chinese, English, Arabic, Indian, Portuguese as well as ... natives from other regions? How could they all gather in such a small place?

This was not her destination, but the night was coming so she decided to look for lodging.

The place is apparently not too far from the pier, then there are also restaurants that are more familiarly called 'warung' by local people around the area. The warung is not too noisy by the busy pier even though it has quite a lot of visitors, and also they provide a variety of local menus and menus influenced by foreign traders. One of them was tea that Lily was enjoying, the shop owner said that the red drink, which tasted a little bitter but soothing, was introduced by a Chinese merchant.

What an interesting place Lily thought, even though the real goal wasn't there. However, it might not hurt to stay a few more days there to immortalize it in writing.

§

Sunda Kelapa, 1619 at the end of April.

Really busy in any month, a simple port which happens to be very strategic in this part of the world, Lily starts moving her fingers with a distinctive pen she brought from her hometown.

It's been more than a month since Lily started living here and wrote down the uniqueness of the place. Many things are different from Amsterdam, really unique and interesting to write about. Even up to almost a month, her fingers did not get tired of capturing everything she encountered.

The culture, the inhabitants, the food and drink, even the immigrants who exchange merchandise here. Indeed, Lily has never been found in another part of the world that she has ever visited.

Then the period when political life began to emerge. It was completely different from the politics she had read and encountered, even in ancient Greece where the policy was run by the entire people in Athens or the military city of Sparta whose decisions were still deliberated by the citizens of the Spartiates, even though it was carried out by one command of the king Leonidas.

His name is Pangeran Jaya Karta, the monarchist who wants to go down directly even to the lowest caste to dive in and really understand the problems of his people. Could it be that there are still many leaders like this? wondered Lily in her mind.

Several weeks passed, she was still there admiring and immortalizing the small port town in her handwriting. How interesting this city is, even trade justice is given to immigrants from foreign lands. Likewise with her country. Although initially, she heard that it was only as wide as a piece of land beside the Ciliwung river.

But now, surely her mother will be happy there because of the many kinds of spices that they can send there. They, who are now acting on behalf of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC. Finally, with the wisdom and intelligence of the leader, Mr. Pieterzcoon, can get more land and can carry all kinds of things to her hometown.

She also heard from her mother's letter that there, Mr. Pieter was considered a hero. Lily also met him several times and was so fascinated by his wisdom and his outlook on the future. What an extraordinary person, at least until the end of that month.

Then Lily began to feel that something was wrong, she, who often went around and admired the city, began to notice. Aren't there too many VOC security officers? In fact, they were all armed with guns!

Is the flow of trade so dangerous lately? various questions keep bothering Lily. But all she can do is write, and she believes in the journalism she is engaged in.

Until then she decided to keep writing exactly what she felt and saw. And just as she thought, many doubted her handwriting. Boasting their words, not only from their hometown, even their relatives and acquaintances in other countries. She herself also wanted to believe that all she saw was just extravagant thoughts. Until that night, the night on which the VOC moved.

May 30, 1619, Jayakarta.

Shouts were heard everywhere, flames dancing warmed the night. Lily, who came out of her inn, saw on the right and left the explosion after the explosion continued, together like a choir that was not guided by the conductor.

Her heart was crying, crying very hard. But what she can do, she is just a young journalist who accidentally stopped by in that city. Her skin was the same as the soldiers who sang the slaughter song. Even she seemed saved and became a part of them because of her nationality.

Lily was stunned, this is not the way the hometown people she knew thought. Why did it turn out like this? Is it true that this is the policy of the high-ranking officials in their country, or is this just the act of a handful of people acting on behalf of their country?

However, she did not have time to think that the local protectors would soon arrive. Lily had tears in her eyes, even though she stood on the opposite side as if she were protected by VOC soldiers, but at least if she died there, she was hit by Jayakarta's protective swords, the port city she had been admiring for so far could still recover.

It was painful to see that the soldiers who had skin and eyes like her were cut one by one. But it's okay, this way the smiles and laughter will return, the typical peaceful and serene atmosphere will be maintained.

Lily closed her eyes while lying on the ground with her legs folded. But it turned out that the local soldiers were just passing through, they intended to encourage the VOC soldiers to drive her home on their ship without destroying them.

But all that did not last long, that night the moon was reddening, and dripping like gore in the night sky.

Buzzing, the roar of the red wolf pressed against her ears. Then one by one the human-sized bats picked up the local soldiers to be torn apart in the air.

Lily, who was still stuck in the folds of her legs, could only stunned and stared. Her heart was crying and screaming, but there was nothing she could do. Everything she wrote, everything she feared was true.

In the freeze she whispered in her heart, at least one man listen, understand, catch it. Don't let it all end like this, don't let it all turn out like this. Her conscience screamed in pain.

Then just then, when one of the monsters in the night sky was about to swoop down to silence her forever. The girl's figure with a soft glow appeared.

As if to bring time to a complete standstill, the figure floated in the air while her hair was wavy.

Then she offered an agreement, an agreement that would give her the strength to take action. An agreement that can fulfill her desire to restore the place she loves. An agreement that will give a miraculous grace, in exchange.

Hovering the figure spoke softly in front of Lily.

"How is it? ... I will give you the strength to fight back. You can save them with your thin hands but in exchange. "

The figure paused for a moment as he approached and took Lily's hand with both hands.

"Will you fight?"

Really biased isn't this request? thought Lily for a moment. Fight for what? What order? And for whom? Then the figure continued his words.

"Will you fight for your screaming heart, for the future you dream of, for something precious to you ...."

It was paused for a moment before then warm tears began to trickle down Lily's cheeks. Those eyes that were wide open now have turned teary. The chill that had just terrorized her immediately replaced with soothing warmth.

Then Lily made up her mind, she closed her eyes to wipe the tears, then opened them again to look at the figure and say it.

"Yes I do"

Immediately a bright light enveloped her, spread around her, and formed hundreds of fiery butterflies flying around her.

§

Three months have passed since that incident.

Lily failed to stop it, she was only able to save herself without being able to care about the others. It made Lily mentally hit by her own weakness.

After that night the VOC decided to scorch the old city, its entire infrastructure was completely leveled and replaced with new European-style buildings, and its name was changed to Batavia.

But Lily was still waiting while hiding her identity and observing from a distance. Hoping, her heart kept telling her that this was not over, she still had something to do.

Then that afternoon arrived when she realized that the indigenous people were still alive. Not everything is burned. On the outskirts of Batavia, she heard two drunken soldiers in one of the bars. They talk about a girl who shines, a girl who can erase the curse of transforming monsters.

Pause. Lily saw hope, she then thought about what she could do. Should she immediately save her alone, what was the most appropriate thing she could do?

Then following her heart, she moved her fingers on the pen again. Slowly but surely, she implicitly shouted for help. Then that's when she met Pitung who had the same feelings as her. Colleagues who understand her, colleagues who want to fight with her.

Over time she continued to fight with them. Joy and sorrow they pass together. Meet new facts while understanding them and explore them further. Make various clandestine efforts to save indigenous people and the oppressed. Thwarted the VOC's bad efforts. Then, find love.

It bloomed and ran without stopping, sincerely like a purple sky in the dark night.