"Ting!"

 

Arash received a notification as he neared the Bateq's village. Once he read the text message he received, his eyes shone; he felt his whole body full of vigor. He took a deep breath in bliss. 

 

Suddenly, the forest he dreaded seemed beautiful, pleasing to the eye, even. 

 

Truly, God had not forsaken him and his family.

 

When the door is closed, the window might be opened.

 

Tok Silihan walked a few paces in front of Arash while grumbling under his breath; as always, he wasn't pleased with Arash's slowpoke-ness. The elder was oblivious to the significance of the message received. They agreed to part ways once they reached each other's haya. Arash will ready himself to return to town, while Tok Silihan will do whatever he desires. 

 

"Mr. Arash! Good Lord, you're fine. How wonderful! Mr. Alan had been waiting for you with worry." 

 

Uncle Miles appeared out of nowhere at the edge of his vision, making Arash's heart jump in fright. He placed his right palm over his left chest and inclined his head slightly to greet the duo. Although the elder was in camping garb, he still looked poised and dignified. Arash had to rub his chest to calm his pounding heart. After the short greeting, the butler moved forward to shorten the distance between them. Tok Silihan sniggered while narrowing his eyes in disdain, ready to attack at any moment.

 

"Tell the pompous kid to back away! I don't want to be infected by his filth! Huh!"

 

Tok Silihan maliciously spat his words in a deeply accented Bahasa Malaysia. 

 

Arash was speechless, pompous kid.. <_____<;;; 

 

To Arash's eyes, both elderlies looked somewhat the same age. While one aged gracefully, most probably with ample supplementation, the other one aged through hardship. At least, that's what it looked like on the surface to Arash.

 

Thank goodness the butler didn't understand BM! (1)

 

Tok Silihan was very agitated when the old butler neared them progressively without stopping, even after he warned the guy to stay away. It didn't cross his mind that the foreigner might not understand what he was saying. It seemed like he was confronting a dangerous potential enemy, but he bravely persisted. Arash wasn't sure whether Tok Silihan was retaliating because he was trying to protect them both from a possible assault or he was just posturing. But he knew if he didn't do anything, the Spiritual Healer would definitely attack Boss Alan's butler head-on. It's gonna be really messy! Either way, he was going to be in deep sh|t. 

 

He needed to stop it no matter what!

 

 

Arash quickly left Tok Silihan's side and approached Uncle Miles to stop him from advancing. There was no way he could be so rude as to order an elder to stop approaching. Especially one who was showing concern for his well-being.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

"Uncle Miles, so glad to see you. I would like to discuss something important with you and Boss Alan afterward. Give me a moment to walk Tok Silihan to his haya, yes?"

 

Arash smiled and daringly gave the old butler a good-natured brief hug. He was trying to stop Tok Silihan from attacking by using his own body to shield Uncle Miles'. At the same time, Arash observed Uncle Miles' body language. He took the risk, hoping the butler would not directly attack him.

 

He vividly remembered Tok Silihan's stern warning, saying that this mild, gentle-natured elder was an Expert too. It was hard to believe, but Tok Silihan didn't have a reason to lie. 

 

If this elder harbored ill intentions towards Arash and tried to hide it, he believed he would notice, at least through the elder's body language. He was good at feeling people's vibe and would then adjust accordingly to maintain a good relationship with them. The only anomaly was Mr. Ram, his ex-boss.

 

The close body contact made Uncle Miles' body tense slightly!

 

Arash, O____O||||

 

The little pulses lingering passively around him began to enter the butler's body of their own accord!

 

Thank goodness Uncle Miles couldn't see his changing expression!

 

Yes, since the time he noticed the presence of the 'pulses', which he theorized as the Soul Energy particles, he couldn't unsee them again. In fact, there were two different pulses at present; ones that were generated from his Soul core and the other artificial ones, generated by the Soul Chant recorded in his smartphone. If Arash could summarize their characteristical difference simply, the ones purely his were tamer and easier to control. In contrast, the artificial ones were more 'willful'.

 

Since he understood the origin of the pulses, he rarely closed Hana's song. He listened through his Bluetooth wireless earphone at low volume as white noise. He was planning to reaccumulate the artificial pulses since he had used up all of them during the last Reawakening Ceremony.

 

Without being buried alive, he noticed that he couldn't reach out to his wife the way he had before. The connection was truly severed. Thus, the only way for him to improve his Soul and the 'bridge' structure was to rely on this electronic Chant.

 

Both types of pulses had been circulating around him all the time as if they had their own random orbit where Arash was the center. The pulses could 'swim' as far as two meters from his body but would always return. This was the first instance where the pulses left their orbit and actively entered someone else's body!

 

Arash pushed the bile rising up in his throat and acted as if he didn't notice.

 

Uncle Miles' tensed body relaxed. He suddenly felt refreshed and quite touched by Arash's warm reception. Truly a good person! 

 

"Sure!"

 

This time, Uncle Miles' was the one who initiated contact. He held Arash's shoulders with both hands. His gentle smile reached into his eyes, as if he genuinely felt relief with Arash's arrival. 

 

"Really glad to see you safe and sound, Mr. Arash. We will wait for you at our campgrounds."

 

The few pulses which entered the butler never returned. 

 

Arash controlled his heartbeat and tried his best to stay calm. He gave a slight nod and walked away. He picked up the pace as he tried to catch up to the old Spiritual Healer, who had taken large strides ahead. Although he was already far away, it wasn't until he was out of sight. 

 

This kind of distance was just a spark of amber away to Experts. Tok Silihan was still lurking to protect Arash.

 

This fact didn't go unnoticed by Uncle Miles.

 

The tribe leader has become more vigilant. Is it due to our insistence on approaching the Young Master's employee? How strange.

 

An Expert of similar caliber as Tok Silihan, or might be better, didn't notice the presence of the Soul Energy particles. He only found it strange that the antagonism from the Village Head heightened when he hadn't taken any actions. Besides that, he also didn't find how unusually concerned he was towards someone he barely knew for a few days. The concern genuinely came from the bottom of his heart, as if the new boy was related by blood.

 

...

 

"What?! You want to see them alone?! No! Bring that kid, Tanahan, along with you. I will tell him to bring a group to surround the foreigners' campgrounds, just in case."

 

"Alaaa, Tok. That's not necessary la. We'll be discussing something private. It's offensive to bring a plus one like this unannounced. A group surrounding the area is too much! I'm not in danger over here. Come on, please?"

 

"No, no. You bring that kid. They won't dare harm either of you. Too much at stake. I will also be ready."

 

"Come on, Tok. I've met them many times. I even traveled with them to this village. If they wanted to harm me, they had many opportunities. Afterward, I will still go with them when I return to town. Boss Alan is the leader of the place I work. If he sacked me for good, I wouldn't have any income. How can I visit you again with good rice?" 

 

"Don't bring so much rice next time! One bag is enough for me alone! Humph!"

 

Tok Silihan and Arash were arguing. 

 

The elder won't let Arash meet the foreigners unless he brings a plus one for safety reasons. But it would be awkward for Arash to do this to his own boss, especially when he had been interacting with his boss frequently prior to this. It just didn't make sense.

 

Arash could see veins appearing on the elder's temple, signifying his emerging temper due to his insolence. The capricious elder took three deep breaths to calm himself. He was extraordinarily patient this time! Only Arash could blatantly reject Tok Silihan's exhortations and still survive in one piece afterward!

 

Truthfully, Boss Alan could do many things to him if he wanted to. Arash's career was in Boss Alan's grasp; he had been very vocal about this and had pushed Arash incessantly to become his subordinate. Arash had even agreed, though his vigilance towards Boss Alan had not reduced since he still couldn't understand what his boss truly wanted from him.

 

In this case, Tok Silihan was the real outsider he barely knew. He trusted Tok Silihan more because the elder had saved his life before, and he could just let Arash die if he wanted to. But he didn't. Just from this alone, he believed Tok Silihan was a very kind person deep down inside, as opposed to what the other younger generation Bateqs was telling him. 

 

Hence, he didn't have the heart to say unkind words to the elder and hurt his feelings. He knew Tok Silihan had his reasons for the extreme precautionary steps. It all stemmed from the elder's concern for his well-being.

 

However, what made him alert was different altogether. Arash put a lot of effort into controlling his expression from betraying his true emotions. 

 

The same thing that happened to Uncle Miles was happening again.

 

The energy particle hovering around Arash willingly left their personal orbit around him to enter Tok Silihan's body in every direction. All of this happened while they were arguing. During their interaction, the pulses kept on going in of their own accord. Again, the elder didn't seem to notice anything out of place as he blabbered nonsensical excuses to ensure Arash followed through with his urging. 

 

Especially when the elder nearly blew his top off just now from Arash's stubborn refusal, a lot of pulses entered his nostrils when he breathed in three times. Tok Silihan immediately calmed down afterward, as if he had been given a sedative. Even his throbbing veins reduced and gradually subsided. Although Tok Silihan was very hot-tempered and capricious in nature, he was very mild and accommodating to Arash, and only Arash. Even in this state.

 

Arash suddenly had an epiphany.

 

After he divulged Hana's real-time situation to Tok Silihan, Tok Silihan praised Hana's courage and actions. Immediately afterward, he asked Arash to shut down the phone during trekking. His reasons were simple, to prevent any mishaps by focusing more. 

 

At that time, it made sense. Arash acquiesced readily since he wasn't someone who liked taking pictures all the time like his wife. Moreover, there's no connectivity, making it redundant to keep holding it.

 

But now, Arash pondered, why was that? Tok Silihan never commented about whatever electronic gadgets he owned; he was indifferent before.

 

Another occasion was when he equipped the Bluetooth earpiece to listen to the Soul Cultivation Chant on a loop. Tok Silihan refrained from standing too close to him as if he was on guard from him. But now, once he disconnected the earpiece and kept it, Tok Silihan finally closed the distance. This minor detail wasn't so obvious, but when Arash focused a little more, he found bits and pieces of incongruity with how Tok Silihan behaved around him.

 

It was definitely weird! 

 

Arash had a conjecture! 

 

Tok Silihan knew of the Soul Cultivation Chant presence in Arash's smartphone. And he had taken conscious action to avoid it! It meant that he might know of its effect in some way. However, he didn't do anything when the little pulses entered him. It shows that he didn't have the means to detect them and might have been influenced by them unknowingly from the first time they met!

 

In conclusion, the little pulses, or Soul Energy Particles, might passively affect others' emotions towards him in a positive way. 

 

Finally, the biggest enigma was resolved. 

 

However, it was still too early to conclude. Being an engineer, it would be unacceptable not to make proper observations about this newfound 'buff effect' or ability.

 

Could it affect more than one person or a group of people?

 

What was the limit?

 

Was there a limit range or rules involved?

 

Could it be controlled?

 

Was there some sort of hidden adverse effect for this?

 

Nodding a few times to Tok Silihan's saliva-splattering mumblings, he could only give the elder an apologetic smile. His mind was already working on something else altogether. He will have to slowly figure everything out.

 

"I'm sorry Tok. Can't let you do that. Trust me for once, please?" Arash purposely showed a firm attitude. He really couldn't destroy his relationship with his current boss just because the elder suspected them of harboring some evil agendas.

 

Pausing for a second to Arash's response, Tok Silihan let off a deep sigh defeatedly. "Boy, you're just too stubborn. It could be your undoing; remember that. Just go."

 

Tok Silihan shoo-ed Arash once he reached his haya, deep in the settlements of the aborigine tribe. Countless eyes were watching their 'cute' banter, not daring to make a sound. They could only pray that the Spiritual Healer won't lash out his rage on them afterwards.

 

Mr. Arash was truly courageous!

 

...

 

Tok Silihan walked towards a protruding large stone inside his haya and sat cross-legged over it. In fact, all hayas were elevated slightly and were fully made from bamboo poles. Tok Silihan asked for minor modifications to be done by the villagers before occupying this particular haya. He closed his eyes as he spread his gnarly hands over the surface of the stone.

 

"One with the land, merged with the Deity."

 

Spiritual Healers were deeply connected to the land where they lived. Tok Silihan had once said, as long as one planted their feet over the Deity's land, he would know. 

 

Authors' Note:

1) BM = bahasa Malaysia = Malay language