Ancient Temple of Tanah Agra (1)

The Dragon Castle is one of the oldest building in Tanah Agra. There used to be Zweigar families living at there. That family were the oldest dragons as well as the first lord whose ever ruled over the Dragons. But since there was no descendant, then the position of Lord passed down to the Vaiskyler family. Hence the castle itself had been left vacant till this day.

On the right side of the Dragon Castle, there was a narrow path that is quite long and leads to the mountain behind the castle. The peak of the mountain is the same as the highest roof of the castle. While at the top of the mountain laid an ancient temple which is a eternal resting place for the ancestors of the Dragons.

On the side along the narrow path, there was very big natural vertical stone called the Sacred Stone Wall. Over there engraved the name of every Dragons descendent starting from the earliest generation to newborn. For the dead, the engraving name will emit a light smoke.

Every morning, Arken would spared his time to visit this Sacred Stone Wall. There are two names that he regularly visits. The first is the engraving of his grandfather's name, Evanosk Vaiskyler, and the second is his father, Orin Kyle Vaiskyler whom he has never met in his entire life. Both Arken's parents died when he was young.

But today there is one more name that he visited with. The name is quite far but still in a single bloodline with the two previous names. "Ares, you came here too…" Freya noticed Arken's arrival as she already at there one hour before.

Arken smiled gently. He approached his wife and stood right next to her. His hand moved to grip Freya's tightly. "I haven't visited his name in a very long time. When he ran away and decided to join Samsara, I thought he would never come back."

Arken's magma red irises stared at the one engraved name that looked deformed. The engraving of the other Dragons' names looks perfect and neat, only this one name was badly damaged as if it had been scratched by a sharp object roughly before.

"I even thought he was dead along with Samsara. His name not emitted smoke purely because from the start it has been banished from the Dragons." Freya looked gloomy yet stayed strong.

Freya tightened her grip to Arken's hand. Her feet took a step closer to the Sacred Stone Wall. "Remember when we tried so desperately for a whole year to get his name back? What was our prayer back then?" She asked in wonder while rubbing the engraved name on it.

Arken didn't dare to answer. "We've tried our best to fix his name, Fre. But once the name was scratched out from the Sacred Stone Wall, it means that he is no longer part of the Dragons." Arken said in low tone. Even though 20 years have passed, the sadness and the pain still can't leave the two of them.

A tear rolled down to Freya's cheek. She always cried whenever she remembered or just visited the engraved name of her son, Rihan Daniel Vaiskyler.

"All is my fault… Rihan left us because I couldn't protect him…." Freya started to blame herself.

"No, I left because I was sick of with everything in here." Rihan's voice startled Arken and Freya.

The two of them didn't even notice Rihan's presence until he sounded.

"Especially you, Dad." There is hatred when Rihan said it. Yes, the Dad's figure in front never give him a good reminiscence. Not even once!

"I can see that you are just like me, Dad. You never happy to see me." Rihan said with an increasingly cynical tone. After that he walked passed Arken and Freya to the higher ground. His goal in coming to the Tanah Agra today was only one, to enter the ancient temple and quickly finished up the test to become High Honor Dragon. There's no way he could actually earned that title. Isn't he a mere traitor?

"To enter the temple, you need a tribal tattoo symbol. As I know, you never have it." Arken remembered exactly that his oldest son did not have the symbol.

"Really? Julius did not tell me about it when he came to visit. Did he do it on purpose?" Rihan asked himself in mumble. This time his tone was not as cold as before.

"Since I already come, maybe I can try breaking into the temple. Nullified has never failed me." Rihan came up in conclusion.

Arken couldn't stay still. Together with Freya, he followed Rihan to the top of the mountain. Right in front of the ancient temple's door.

The ancient temple is just a tower-like building composed of large stones modeled after ancient buildings. From outside, people can already feel the vortex of pure energy that is so overflowing. The ancestors of the Dragons were indeed a bunch of great Dragons, no wonder this place became the most sacred place in the entire Tanah Agra.

A flash of strong wind suddenly crashed with a ferocious pure energy vortex. But the uninvited wind is easily reflected throughout every corner of Tanah Agra, just like swift blast in split second. Even if it was only for a moment, Arken could felt his power weaken significantly. Is this the true nature of nullified? He was amazed.

"Only true Dragons are allowed to enter. Breaking in by force is impolite, young boy…" The energy from the ancient temple gathered denser and formed the appearance of the head of a giant dragon at the top of the temple.

"Who are you? I never see you around." The Dragon Head tried to find the tribal tattoo symbol that became the unique identity as a Dragons.

"Show me your symbol and the door will automatically open for you, little rascal." The Dragon Head couldn't last too long. The energy pool broke again and returned to its normal state.

"It seems that I underestimated this temple." Rihan looked more excited.

"Of course. What do you think this ancient temple is?" Arken simply could not tolerate Rihan's disrespectful attitude towards ancestors' resting place.

"Forget about going in if you don't have the tribal tattoo symbol. But at least we can talk properly at home." Arken tried to entice.

"There's nothing we can talk about, Dad. Passing the test means I'm a friend, not passing means enemy. Isn't that the option you gave to me?" Rihan advanced closer to the temple door.

"Rihan, I'm sure we could figured out other way. Why do you have to insist to take the test?" Freya couldn't help but to voice her opinion. "Your dad knows you don't have the tribal tattoo symbol, yet he still agrees with Julius' about the bet. Do you still not understand what your dad meant?"

"What do you mean, Mom?" This time Rihan turned around. For the first time in 20 years he was able to meet and talk directly to his mother.

"We want you come back, Daniel." Arken answered in place of Freya.

Rihan frowned. "Even if it means you broke your promise to the Dragons? They will cursed you, Dad." He spoke with a bitter laugh.

"Let me handle them. I'm sure they will understand." Arken wasn't really sure. But for now, let him be a little optimistic in order to reassure his son.

Rihan couldn't help but laugh again. "I'm not stupid, Dad. As the Lord of the greatest being in Tanah Agra, how can you deny your own words?" He laughed ridiculously.

"Rihan, I'm sorry. It's all my fault." Freya suddenly interrupted and made Rihan look back at his mother. "I know you must have been in a lot of pain all this years. If the blood flowing in your body was the pure blood of a dragon, perhaps things would be different. Things would be better." During these past 20 years, Freya couldn't stop blaming herself.

"Fre, I've said many times that this wasn't your fault. I have decided to marry you and I am the one who has the responsible. Please don't keep blaming yourself." Arken really didn't want to see Freya go back to that guilt. His heart stung with pain.

Rihan started to realize, his decision that day had left so many wounds and pains. Not only for himself, but also for his mother, father and maybe for Raka too. Suddenly he felt like laughing at himself. For the past 20 years he has been so selfish and stupid. Now he even blamed at other people fault!

"I'm leaving because of my own free will, Mom. Indeed the biggest factor was the Dragons' attitude towards me just because I wasn't born as a pure blood. But because of that intimidation I was able to see a lot of things. I always wonder why I'm the only one different." Rihan finally speak up of his heart.

"Didn't you ever say that the thing that most distinguishes Dragons from humans is because humans have free will? Unlike the Dragons who are bound by the thousands ancient rules and orders of their Lord. Humans are free to choose any paths they wanted." Rihan repeated the words which Freya had told him when he was still a kid.

"I chose my path. I'm using my own way to protect," said Rihan without the slightest hesitation.

After that he put on a mischievous smile again. His hands were tucked into his trouser pockets and he said again. "Actually I didn't just come without knowing the rules regarding tribal tattoo symbol. I just wanted to test the toughness of this temple door. Pretty solid I guess," he commented enthusiastically.

Arken spontaneously took a step forward on the impulse of extreme curiosity.

Rihan doesn't make too many moves. He just turned to stare at the temple door and surprisingly the very heavy iron door was pushed open. The loud squeaking sound is quite disturbing hearing to be honest.

Both Arken and Freya were both wide-eyed in shock seeing the door open wider and wider. How could Rihan open the temple door without the tribal tattoo symbol?