Ever wondered what it takes to prove your worth in a magical forest? Well, Lilith’s about to find out, and trust me, it’s not going to be a walk in the park.
(Pernah penasaran apa yang dibutuhkan untuk membuktikan dirimu di hutan magis? Yah, Lilith akan segera tahu, dan percayalah, ini bukan hal yang mudah.)

 

The Heart of the Forest

The Whispering Forest
(Hutan yang Berbisik)

The sun was low in the sky, casting golden rays over the small village of Elverwood. The air smelled fresh, like pine and earth, a scent that always reminded Lilith of the secrets hidden in the forest beyond. She stood at the edge of the village, her gaze fixed on the dark woods that stretched out before her. A strange pull tugged at her chest. The stories her grandmother had told her echoed in her mind, urging her to explore, to seek the truth.

(Sinar matahari rendah di langit, memancarkan cahaya keemasan ke atas desa kecil Elverwood. Udara berbau segar, seperti pinus dan tanah, aroma yang selalu mengingatkan Lilith pada rahasia yang tersembunyi di hutan di luar sana. Dia berdiri di tepi desa, pandangannya tertuju pada hutan gelap yang terbentang di hadapannya. Tarikan aneh menyentuh dadanya. Cerita-cerita yang diceritakan neneknya terngiang di benaknya, mendorongnya untuk menjelajah, untuk mencari kebenaran.)

Lilith’s feet itched to move, and before she knew it, she was walking. She passed the narrow cobblestone streets of the village, her footsteps muffled by the thick layer of moss that covered the ground. She wasn’t sure where she was headed, but she knew that she had to follow the path. There was something in the air today, something that felt different.

(Kaki Lilith gatal untuk bergerak, dan sebelum dia menyadarinya, dia sudah mulai berjalan. Dia melewati jalan-jalan berbatu sempit di desa, langkahnya teredam oleh lapisan tebal lumut yang menutupi tanah. Dia tidak yakin ke mana arahnya, tetapi dia tahu bahwa dia harus mengikuti jalur itu. Ada sesuatu di udara hari ini, sesuatu yang terasa berbeda.)

“Are you really going in there, Lilith?” a voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see her friend, Rowan, leaning against the village’s stone wall with an amused look on his face. His eyes sparkled with curiosity but there was a hint of worry in his voice.

(“Kamu benar-benar mau masuk ke sana, Lilith?” suara itu menginterupsi pikirannya. Dia berbalik dan melihat temannya, Rowan, bersandar di dinding batu desa dengan ekspresi terhibur di wajahnya. Matanya berkilau penuh rasa ingin tahu, namun ada sedikit kekhawatiran di suaranya.)

Lilith smiled, her green eyes gleaming with excitement. “Of course I am. It’s time to see if the stories are true,” she said, her voice full of determination.

(Lilith tersenyum, mata hijaunya berkilau penuh kegembiraan. “Tentu saja aku akan masuk. Saatnya melihat apakah cerita-cerita itu benar,” katanya, suaranya penuh tekad.)

Rowan raised an eyebrow, pushing himself off the wall. “You’re insane,” he said, but there was no real anger in his voice, just a teasing tone. “You know what they say about that forest, right? It’s cursed, Lilith.”

(Rowan mengangkat alis, mendorong dirinya dari dinding. “Kamu gila,” katanya, namun tidak ada kemarahan dalam suaranya, hanya nada menggoda. “Kamu tahu kan apa yang mereka katakan tentang hutan itu? Itu terkutuk, Lilith.”)

Lilith rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t hide her smile. “Cursed? Or maybe it’s just waiting for someone brave enough to discover its secrets,” she replied with a wink.

(Lilith menggulung matanya, meski dia tidak bisa menyembunyikan senyumannya. “Terikutuk? Atau mungkin itu hanya menunggu seseorang yang cukup berani untuk menemukan rahasianya,” jawabnya sambil mengedipkan mata.)

Rowan sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I won’t stop you, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when something happens. And if you get lost, I’m not coming to find you.”

(Rowan menghela napas, menyilangkan tangan di dadanya. “Aku tidak akan menghentikanmu, tapi jangan bilang kalau aku tidak memperingatkanmu kalau sesuatu terjadi. Dan kalau kamu tersesat, aku tidak akan mencarimu.”)

Lilith chuckled, feeling the thrill of the adventure ahead. “Don’t worry, Rowan. I’ve got this,” she said confidently before turning back to the forest. “See you later!”

(Lilith tertawa kecil, merasakan kegembiraan petualangan yang ada di depannya. “Jangan khawatir, Rowan. Aku bisa kok,” jawabnya dengan percaya diri sebelum berbalik lagi menuju hutan. “Sampai nanti!”)

The forest loomed ahead, its trees thick and dense. A few birds chirped from the branches above, but other than that, the air was eerily quiet. Lilith stepped onto the dirt path that led into the forest, her senses sharpening as she ventured deeper. The trees seemed to close in around her, and the whispers of the wind carried the faintest echoes of something ancient.

(Hutan menjulang di depan, pohon-pohonnya tebal dan rapat. Beberapa burung berkicau di dahan-dahan di atas, namun selain itu, udara terasa sangat sunyi. Lilith melangkah ke jalur tanah yang menuju ke dalam hutan, panca inderanya semakin tajam saat dia menjelajah lebih dalam. Pohon-pohon seolah menutup di sekelilingnya, dan bisikan angin membawa gema samar dari sesuatu yang kuno.)

She didn’t look back.

(Dia tidak menoleh ke belakang.)

 

The Enchanted Door
(Pintu yang Ajaib)

Lilith’s heart raced as she moved deeper into the forest. The air grew thicker, the trees pressing in on all sides like silent sentinels. There was no turning back now. She had passed the point of no return, and all she could do was push forward. The further she went, the more she could feel a strange energy in the air, like the very earth beneath her feet was alive. It pulsed, almost as if it was calling to her.

(Jantung Lilith berdebar semakin kencang saat dia semakin dalam masuk ke dalam hutan. Udara semakin berat, pohon-pohon menekan dari segala arah seperti penjaga yang diam. Tidak ada lagi jalan untuk kembali. Dia sudah melewati titik tanpa balik, dan yang bisa dia lakukan sekarang hanya terus maju. Semakin jauh dia berjalan, semakin dia bisa merasakan energi aneh di udara, seperti tanah di bawah kakinya hidup. Itu berdenyut, hampir seolah-olah memanggilnya.)

Her footsteps were muffled by the thick carpet of moss, but the quiet seemed unsettling. Even the birds had stopped singing. The forest was holding its breath. She continued walking, the path winding like a serpent, leading her deeper into the unknown. As she rounded a bend in the path, she saw something that made her stop in her tracks.

(Langkahnya teredam oleh karpet lumut tebal, namun kesunyian itu terasa mengganggu. Bahkan burung-burung pun berhenti bernyanyi. Hutan itu seperti menahan napas. Dia terus berjalan, jalannya berliku-liku seperti ular, membawanya semakin dalam ke ketidakpastian. Saat dia berbelok di sebuah tikungan, dia melihat sesuatu yang membuatnya berhenti sejenak.)

A door. It stood alone in the middle of a clearing, as if it had grown there from the very earth itself. It was old, made of dark wood, its surface carved with intricate designs that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. There was no frame, no wall—just the door, standing in the heart of the forest like a forgotten relic.

(Sebuah pintu. Itu berdiri sendiri di tengah sebuah lapangan, seolah tumbuh dari tanah itu sendiri. Pintu itu tua, terbuat dari kayu gelap, permukaannya terukir dengan desain rumit yang tampak berkilau di cahaya redup. Tidak ada bingkai, tidak ada dinding—hanya pintu itu, berdiri di tengah hutan seperti peninggalan yang terlupakan.)

Lilith felt a chill run down her spine as she approached it. The closer she got, the stronger the pull she felt. Her hand reached out instinctively, her fingers brushing against the cool wood. The moment her skin made contact, the door shuddered, as if it had been awakened after years of slumber.

(Lilith merasakan menggigil merambat di tulang punggungnya saat dia mendekatinya. Semakin dekat dia, semakin kuat tarikan yang dirasakannya. Tangannya meraih secara instingtif, jarinya menyentuh kayu yang dingin. Begitu kulitnya bersentuhan, pintu itu bergetar, seolah-olah baru terbangun setelah bertahun-tahun tidur.)

“Is someone there?” a voice whispered from the other side of the door. It was soft, melodic, almost like a song, yet it carried a weight that made Lilith’s heart skip a beat.

(“Ada seseorang di sana?” sebuah suara berbisik dari sisi lain pintu. Suaranya lembut, melodi, hampir seperti lagu, namun membawa beban yang membuat jantung Lilith berdetak lebih cepat.)

Lilith hesitated, but the door was calling to her, its whisper wrapping around her like a thread. “Hello?” she called out, her voice trembling slightly. “Who are you?”

(Lilith ragu sejenak, tetapi pintu itu seolah memanggilnya, bisikannya melilit di sekelilingnya seperti benang. “Halo?” dia memanggil, suaranya sedikit gemetar. “Siapa kamu?”)

There was a long pause before the voice responded, “I am the Keeper of the Forest, and you have opened the gateway. You must be the one they have been waiting for.”

(Ada jeda panjang sebelum suara itu menjawab, “Aku adalah Penjaga Hutan, dan kamu telah membuka gerbang. Kamu pasti orang yang telah mereka tunggu-tunggu.”)

Lilith felt her breath catch in her throat. “The one they’ve been waiting for?” she asked, confusion creeping into her voice. “Who? What is this place?”

(Lilith merasakan napasnya tertahan di tenggorokannya. “Orang yang mereka tunggu-tunggu?” dia bertanya, kebingungannya mulai terdengar dalam suaranya. “Siapa? Tempat apa ini?”)

The door creaked, and a soft glow began to emanate from the cracks in the wood. “This is the gateway to the Heart of the Forest. Few have entered, and even fewer have returned. But it seems you have come with a purpose.”

(Pintu itu berderak, dan cahaya lembut mulai memancar dari celah-celah kayu. “Ini adalah gerbang menuju Hati Hutan. Hanya sedikit yang pernah masuk, dan lebih sedikit lagi yang kembali. Namun tampaknya kamu datang dengan tujuan.”)

Lilith swallowed hard, trying to steady her nerves. She had no idea what she had just stepped into, but something deep inside her told her that this was no ordinary place. “And what’s my purpose?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

(Lilith menelan ludah berat, berusaha menenangkan sarafnya. Dia tidak tahu apa yang baru saja dimasuki, tetapi sesuatu yang dalam di dalam dirinya memberitahunya bahwa ini bukanlah tempat biasa. “Dan apa tujuanku?” dia bertanya, suaranya hampir tidak terdengar.)

“You are here to find what was lost,” the voice replied cryptically, “but only if you are willing to pay the price.”

(“Kamu di sini untuk menemukan apa yang hilang,” jawab suara itu dengan teka-teki, “tapi hanya jika kamu bersedia membayar harganya.”)

Lilith’s mind raced. “What price? What are you talking about?” she demanded, stepping closer to the door, her hand tightening around the cold handle.

(Pikiran Lilith berpacu cepat. “Harga apa? Apa maksudmu?” dia mendesak, melangkah lebih dekat ke pintu, tangannya semakin kuat menggenggam pegangan pintu yang dingin.)

The door creaked open slowly, revealing a world beyond that Lilith could hardly comprehend. It was a place of light and shadows, where the trees seemed to move with a life of their own. But before she could take a step forward, the voice echoed again, now more urgent.

(Pintu itu terbuka perlahan, memperlihatkan dunia di baliknya yang hampir tak bisa dipahami oleh Lilith. Itu adalah tempat yang penuh cahaya dan bayangan, tempat di mana pohon-pohon seolah bergerak dengan kehidupannya sendiri. Namun sebelum dia bisa melangkah maju, suara itu bergema lagi, kali ini lebih mendesak.)

“Beware, Lilith. Once you step through this door, there’s no turning back.”

(“Hati-hati, Lilith. Begitu kamu melangkah melalui pintu ini, tidak ada jalan untuk kembali.”)

 

The Heart of the Forest
(Hati Hutan)

Lilith stood frozen, staring at the open door. The voice, now distant, seemed to linger in the air like a warning. No turning back, it had said. But the pull was too strong. She couldn’t resist. The door was calling her, and she had to answer.

(Lilith berdiri kaku, menatap pintu yang terbuka. Suara itu, kini terdengar jauh, seolah tetap mengiang di udara seperti sebuah peringatan. Tidak ada jalan kembali, katanya. Tapi tarikan itu terlalu kuat. Dia tidak bisa menahan diri. Pintu itu memanggilnya, dan dia harus menjawab.)

Taking a deep breath, Lilith stepped forward. The moment her foot crossed the threshold, a surge of energy rushed through her. It was as if the very air around her had shifted, the atmosphere thickening, enveloping her in a powerful embrace. She felt alive—more alive than she had ever felt before.

(Mengambil napas dalam-dalam, Lilith melangkah maju. Begitu kakinya melangkah melewati ambang pintu, aliran energi melesat melalui tubuhnya. Seolah-olah udara di sekelilingnya telah berubah, atmosfernya mengental, menyelubunginya dalam pelukan yang penuh kekuatan. Dia merasa hidup—lebih hidup dari sebelumnya.)

The world beyond the door was nothing like what she had imagined. The trees, tall and ancient, stretched toward the sky, their branches twisting and turning in a dance that seemed to span centuries. The ground beneath her feet was soft, covered with a blanket of glowing flowers, their petals flickering with a soft, pulsing light.

(Dunia di balik pintu itu tidak seperti yang dibayangkannya. Pohon-pohon yang tinggi dan kuno menjulang ke langit, cabang-cabangnya berputar dan berkelok dalam tarian yang seolah berlangsung selama berabad-abad. Tanah di bawah kakinya lembut, tertutup selimut bunga yang bercahaya, kelopaknya berkelip dengan cahaya lembut yang berdenyut.)

Lilith took a tentative step forward, her senses tingling with the strange beauty of this place. The air smelled of earth and something sweet, like honey and flowers, and it seemed to hum with life. But despite the beauty, there was a palpable sense of danger in the air, a tension that seemed to hang over the entire forest.

(Lilith melangkah hati-hati, inderanya terasa hidup dengan keindahan aneh tempat ini. Udara berbau tanah dan sesuatu yang manis, seperti madu dan bunga, dan seolah berdengung dengan kehidupan. Namun meskipun indah, ada perasaan bahaya yang nyata di udara, ketegangan yang seolah menggantung di seluruh hutan.)

Suddenly, a rustling sound broke through the stillness, and a shadow moved among the trees. Lilith’s heart skipped a beat, her hand instinctively reaching for the small knife she had tucked in her belt. She had been warned—this place was not to be trusted. But before she could react, the figure stepped out of the shadows.

(Tiba-tiba, suara gemerisik memecah kesunyian, dan sebuah bayangan bergerak di antara pohon-pohon. Jantung Lilith berdegup kencang, tangannya secara naluriah meraih pisau kecil yang diselipkan di ikat pinggangnya. Dia telah diperingatkan—tempat ini tidak bisa dipercaya. Namun sebelum dia bisa bereaksi, sosok itu melangkah keluar dari bayangan.)

It was a man, or at least, it looked like a man. His features were sharp, his eyes glowing with an eerie light that made Lilith’s skin crawl. His skin was pale, almost translucent, and his hair flowed like silver threads in the breeze. He looked like something out of a dream—or a nightmare.

(Itu seorang pria, atau setidaknya, terlihat seperti pria. Fitur wajahnya tajam, matanya bersinar dengan cahaya aneh yang membuat kulit Lilith meremang. Kulitnya pucat, hampir tembus pandang, dan rambutnya mengalir seperti benang perak tertiup angin. Dia terlihat seperti sesuatu yang keluar dari mimpi—atau mimpi buruk.)

“You’re brave, to enter the Heart of the Forest,” he said, his voice smooth and haunting, carrying an ancient weight. “Not many would dare to do so. Most turn back the moment they sense the dangers within.”

(“Kamu berani, masuk ke Hati Hutan,” katanya, suaranya halus dan menghantui, membawa beban kuno. “Tidak banyak yang berani melakukannya. Kebanyakan orang mundur begitu mereka merasakan bahaya yang ada di dalam.”)

Lilith didn’t lower her guard. “Who are you?” she asked, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. She couldn’t help but feel that this man—if he could even be called that—was not someone she could trust.

(Lilith tidak menurunkan kewaspadaannya. “Siapa kamu?” dia bertanya, berusaha menahan gemetar di suaranya. Dia tak bisa menahan perasaan bahwa pria ini—jika bisa disebut begitu—bukanlah orang yang bisa dia percayai.)

He chuckled softly, the sound sending shivers down her spine. “I am a guardian of sorts,” he said, his smile widening. “I protect the Heart, the source of all the power that flows through this forest.”

(Dia tertawa pelan, suara itu membuat tubuh Lilith merinding. “Aku seorang penjaga, semacamnya,” katanya, senyumnya melebar. “Aku melindungi Hati, sumber dari semua kekuatan yang mengalir melalui hutan ini.”)

“Why are you telling me this?” Lilith asked, confused but intrigued. She couldn’t help the sense of curiosity that was growing inside her. There was something about this man that felt both dangerous and fascinating.

(“Kenapa kamu memberitahuku ini?” Lilith bertanya, bingung namun tertarik. Dia tidak bisa menahan rasa penasaran yang semakin tumbuh di dalam dirinya. Ada sesuatu tentang pria ini yang terasa sekaligus berbahaya dan mempesona.)

The man’s eyes gleamed, and he took a step closer to her. “Because you are the one who has opened the door,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “And now, you must prove yourself worthy. Only those who are worthy can access the Heart.”

(Mata pria itu berkilau, dan dia melangkah lebih dekat ke Lilith. “Karena kamu adalah orang yang telah membuka pintu,” katanya, suaranya menjadi bisikan. “Dan sekarang, kamu harus membuktikan bahwa kamu layak. Hanya mereka yang layak yang bisa mengakses Hati.”)

Lilith felt a chill creep up her spine as the words sank in. Prove yourself worthy? What did that even mean? She had no idea, but one thing was clear: she wasn’t leaving this place until she found out.

(Lilith merasakan dingin merayap di tulang punggungnya saat kata-kata itu masuk ke dalam pikirannya. Membuktikan bahwa kamu layak? Apa maksudnya? Dia tidak tahu, tapi satu hal yang jelas: dia tidak akan meninggalkan tempat ini sampai dia menemukan jawabannya.)

 

The Heart Unveiled
(Hati yang Terungkap)

Lilith’s heart raced as the words hung in the air, the gravity of the situation slowly sinking in. Prove yourself worthy? What did that even mean? She wanted to ask, but the strange man was already moving, his silver hair swaying like a ghostly apparition. Without a word, he turned and began walking deeper into the forest.

(Jantung Lilith berdegup kencang saat kata-kata itu menggantung di udara, beratnya situasi perlahan-lahan meresap ke dalam dirinya. Membuktikan bahwa kamu layak? Apa maksudnya? Dia ingin bertanya, tapi pria aneh itu sudah bergerak, rambut peraknya bergoyang seperti wujud hantu. Tanpa sepatah kata pun, dia berbalik dan mulai berjalan lebih dalam ke dalam hutan.)

Lilith hesitated for a moment, still unsure of what was happening, but curiosity pulled her forward. She had to follow. She had to know what lay ahead. And if this man was a guardian of the Heart, perhaps he held the answers to the questions that had been plaguing her since she arrived.

(Lilith ragu sejenak, masih tidak yakin dengan apa yang sedang terjadi, tapi rasa penasaran mendorongnya maju. Dia harus mengikuti. Dia harus tahu apa yang ada di depan. Dan jika pria ini adalah penjaga Hati, mungkin dia memiliki jawaban atas pertanyaan yang sudah mengganggunya sejak dia tiba.)

The deeper they went into the forest, the more surreal everything became. The trees towered above them like sentinels, their trunks twisting in intricate patterns, as if the forest itself was alive, watching her every step. The glowing flowers that had once been gentle were now pulsating with an intense, almost blinding light, as though they were reacting to her presence.

(Semakin dalam mereka memasuki hutan, semakin aneh semuanya. Pohon-pohon menjulang di atas mereka seperti penjaga, batangnya berputar dalam pola rumit, seolah-olah hutan itu sendiri hidup, mengawasi setiap langkahnya. Bunga-bunga bercahaya yang dulu lembut kini berdenyut dengan cahaya yang intens, hampir menyilaukan, seolah-olah bereaksi terhadap kehadirannya.)

Finally, they reached a clearing, and there, in the center of the glade, stood a massive stone structure. It looked ancient, as if it had been there for millennia, covered in ivy and moss. But the most striking feature was the glowing orb at the very top of the structure, radiating a soft, golden light that bathed the entire clearing in its warmth.

(Akhirnya, mereka tiba di sebuah lapangan terbuka, dan di sana, di tengah padang rumput, berdiri sebuah bangunan batu besar. Bangunan itu terlihat kuno, seolah sudah ada selama ribuan tahun, tertutup oleh ivy dan lumut. Tapi yang paling mencolok adalah bola bercahaya di puncak bangunan itu, memancarkan cahaya emas lembut yang menyinari seluruh lapangan dengan kehangatannya.)

“This is the Heart of the Forest,” the man said, his voice reverberating with a deep, resonant power. “It is the source of all life here. But only those who prove themselves worthy can access its power.”

(“Inilah Hati Hutan,” kata pria itu, suaranya bergema dengan kekuatan dalam yang memantul. “Ini adalah sumber dari semua kehidupan di sini. Tapi hanya mereka yang membuktikan bahwa mereka layak yang bisa mengakses kekuatannya.”)

Lilith took a deep breath, her mind swirling with questions. She could feel the power radiating from the structure, a magnetic force that seemed to pull her in. But she still didn’t understand. What did she have to do to prove herself worthy?

(Lilith menarik napas dalam-dalam, pikirannya berputar dengan pertanyaan. Dia bisa merasakan kekuatan yang memancar dari bangunan itu, sebuah daya tarik magnetis yang seolah menariknya masuk. Tapi dia masih tidak mengerti. Apa yang harus dia lakukan untuk membuktikan bahwa dia layak?)

The man turned to her, his expression unreadable. “You must face the trial,” he said. “A trial that will test your heart, your courage, and your will. Only those who pass can truly access the Heart.”

(Pria itu berbalik kepadanya, ekspresinya tak terbaca. “Kamu harus menghadapi ujian,” katanya. “Sebuah ujian yang akan menguji hati, keberanian, dan kehendakmu. Hanya mereka yang lulus yang bisa benar-benar mengakses Hati.”)

Lilith’s chest tightened. A trial? She wasn’t sure what that meant, but she knew one thing—whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be easy. She stepped forward, determination hardening in her chest.

(Dada Lilith terasa sesak. Sebuah ujian? Dia tidak yakin apa maksudnya, tapi dia tahu satu hal—apapun itu, pasti tidak akan mudah. Dia melangkah maju, tekad menguat di dadanya.)

The man stepped aside, his eyes glimmering with something that might have been amusement—or perhaps something darker. “Good luck, child. You will need it.”

(Pria itu melangkah ke samping, matanya berkilau dengan sesuatu yang bisa jadi kekehitungan—atau mungkin sesuatu yang lebih gelap. “Semoga berhasil, anak. Kamu akan membutuhkannya.”)

Lilith stood at the threshold of the trial, the glowing orb above her casting an eerie light over her face. She wasn’t sure if she was ready. She didn’t know what awaited her, but she couldn’t turn back now.

(Lilith berdiri di ambang ujian, bola bercahaya di atasnya memancarkan cahaya aneh di wajahnya. Dia tidak yakin apakah dia siap. Dia tidak tahu apa yang menunggunya, tapi dia tidak bisa mundur sekarang.)

With one final, steadying breath, she stepped into the glowing light, and the world around her disappeared.

(Dengan satu napas terakhir yang menenangkan, dia melangkah ke dalam cahaya yang bersinar itu, dan dunia di sekelilingnya menghilang.)

 

So, imagine walking into a magical forest where you gotta prove you’re worthy. Lilith’s about to do just that, and yeah, it’s gonna be wild.
(Bayangin aja masuk ke hutan magis di mana kamu harus membuktikan diri. Lilith bakal ngalamin itu, dan iya, bakal gila banget.)