Novels by Alfonzo Perez

"I have heard of Prince Dananjaya’s Twelve Guardians from Lodra, my Lord," Yoga said, his eyes closing for a moment as he searched his memory. "But I have never met them in person. And according to Lodra, it was he himself who trained those twelve warriors over the past several years," he added, his voice carrying a note of solemnity. Aji’s brow furrowed deeply, a look of realization crossing his face. "Then it is certain—the old man I fought last night was Lodra. For those Twelve Guardians feared him above all else." "May it be so, my Lord. Then we can crush their movements as soon as possible," Yoga replied, a spark of hope in his eyes. "Wait a moment... You said Lodra trained them over the past several years. But the Duke once told me that Lodra resigned from his post as Grand Advisor nearly eight months ago. That means Lodra had already formed an alliance with Prince Dananjaya while he was still serving the Duchy—and the plot to overthrow

"Why are you smiling like that?" Ratih asked, her eyes wide with bewilderment, her voice soft as the morning breeze that now crept through the hall’s tall windows."Do you not remember the figure I fought last night?" Aji replied, his signature smile curving across his lips like a crescent moon, holding a secret that seemed to dance in his dark eyes."Yes, of course I do. But what does that have to do with—?""It means the one I faced in battle last night was almost certainly Lodra!" Aji cut in, his voice ringing with a certainty that sent a shiver down Ratih’s spine. He turned his gaze to Yoga, his expression growing serious. "Go and find out if he is still at the warehouse. If he is not there... then we will know for certain that the old man from last night was him."Yoga scratched his head slowly, a look of doubt clouding his features. He found it hard to believe that Aji’s opponent could have been Lodra—for he knew the old man’s skills were legendary, said to be unmatched in all t

"Did she not have the chance to speak with you earlier?" asked Aji, his voice carrying the quiet weight of curiosity that seemed to cling to the misty air around them."Speak? Why, even the mere sight of her smile was enough to send a cold dread coursing through my veins—so sharp, so profound, I thought my heart might cease to beat altogether," Ratih replied, her shoulders trembling slightly as she recalled the encounter, her eyes wide with the ghost of that terror."What did she look like? Tell me every detail," Aji pressed, leaning forward, his gaze intense with a hunger for understanding that burned brighter than any flame."Her entire form was shrouded in an aura of deep, crimson light—like the glow of embers in the heart of a forgotten forge. I caught but a fleeting glimpse of her face, and yet... and yet there was something uncannily familiar about it. It was as if I were looking upon a reflection of you," Ratih whispered, her words hanging in the air like a secret woven from sh

Ratih stood transfixed, frozen in place as the figure smiled at her. She could not even bring herself to blink—her breath, once soft and steady in her throat, seemed to catch and stop entirely. Only her mind raced, flooded with a thousand questions that demanded answers she did not have.The man wreathed in red aura turned his gaze back to Aji’s face, then vanished in a swirl of crimson light, dissolving into the blade of the Shadow Sword as if he had never been there at all.When he was gone, the beautiful girl let out a ragged, shuddering breath—then another, and another, as if trying to cast off the heavy weight that had pressed down on her chest. Slowly, cautiously, she stepped toward Aji’s body, still lying on the pandan mat.What she saw made her eyes widen in disbelief. The pale, ashen face that had haunted her moments before was now fresh and vibrant, as if he had merely been sleeping peacefully. The deep sword cuts that had marred his skin were gone—no scars, no traces of pai

When the sounds of battle fell silent at last, Yoga and Ratih emerged from their hiding place. A wave of dread washed over the beautiful daughter of Ki Mangkubumi, her heart racing as she scanned the desolate landscape. She ran as fast as her feet would carry her, her eyes sharp and desperate, searching for the handsome man who had become her beloved just days before.As far as the eye could see, there was no sign of Aji’s body. Tears began to trickle down her smooth, pale cheeks, and she stood frozen against a wooden post, her arms hanging limp at her sides. The grief she had been holding back burst forth, and she could no longer contain the sorrow that threatened to consume her.“We should split up,” Yoga said, his voice steady despite the worry in his eyes. “It will make the search more effective.”Ratih nodded, unable to speak through her tears. They parted ways: she headed toward the few remaining tents that still stood upright, while Yoga ventured further into the devastated are