"We only wanted to visit an art museum."

That was what Adrian Noah believed, until a lunar eclipse turned one ordinary semester break into a nightmare.

After a mysterious accident, Noah and his twin sister, Adrian Nelysha, awaken in a world that should not exist: Indera Mayang Sari, the legendary kingdom they had just learned about inside a museum. A land where Sakti warriors command impossible powers, cursed princes hide behind black veils, ancient monsters roam the forests, and every legend is terrifyingly real.

Separated upon arrival, Noah is captured by the Sultan's men after being mistaken for a demon, while Nelysha is hunted by a colossal serpent before being saved by a mysterious veiled man whose identity is shrouded in centuries-old curses.

As the twins struggle to reunite, they uncover a chilling truth—the paintings in the museum were never just paintings. The stories were never myths. And someone in this ancient kingdom has been waiting for two strangers from another world.

Why were they brought here?

What connects them to the forgotten history of Indera Mayang Sari?

And why do the kingdom's most powerful figures seem to recognize them...even before learning their names?

In a realm where loyalty can kill, monsters wear human faces, and every secret has been buried for a thousand years, the twins must unravel the mystery before history repeats itself.

Because sometimes...

Legends are not meant to be remembered. They are meant to stay buried.

_____________________________________

They awaken in Indera Mayang Sari.

A kingdom that should not exist. A realm described only in fractured folklore, half-erased manuscripts, and paintings locked behind museum glass.

At first, Noah believes it is a historical reenactment.

A theme park.

A hidden society.

Anything rational.

But rationality dies quickly here.

Because Indera Mayang Sari is not a reenactment of history, it is the source of it.

Sakti is not a myth.

It is power.

Warriors bend wind, water, and unseen forces with terrifying precision. Entire battlefields are decided not by armies, but by individuals who can split stone with a glance or silence storms with a breath.

The strongest among them are not called soldiers.

They are called Hulubalang Arasy, or Pendekar Sakti—living disasters wrapped in human form.

But beneath that beauty lies something far more disturbing.

The kingdom is built on silence.

On erased names.

On forbidden histories no one dares to speak aloud.

And on beings that do not belong in any era.

_________________________________

The Cursed Princes, veiled in black, are spoken of only in whispers—figures who once stood at the heart of the royal lineage before being erased from all official records.

No one agrees on what they did.

Only on one rule:

Never look at them for too long.

Then there are the monsters. Not beasts born of nature—

But of corruption, curse, and something far older than the kingdom itself.

Creatures that roam the deep forests, rivers, and forgotten ruins.

Some resemble animals.

Some resemble gods.

Some resemble humans… just enough to be mistaken before it is too late.

In a kingdom where loyalty is weaponized, truth is dangerous, and monsters sometimes wear royal titles, Noah and Nelysha must uncover what truly connects them to this forgotten world. Before the kingdom decides what to do with them.

TBC...

The night in Kuala Lumpur was loud in its usual way, horns blaring in the distance, motorcycles weaving through traffic, the hum of city life never truly sleeping.

Adrian Noah, however, was already in his own world. He leaned back in the plastic chair of a mamak stall, one hand holding a half-finished glass of teh ais, the other lazily scrolling through his phone. The table was cluttered with leftover roti canai crumbs, sambal stains, and the familiar chaos of a late-night lepak session.

His friends were still arguing loudly across the table.

“Bro, I’m telling you lah, that striker should’ve passed!”

“No lah, he had open shot!”

“Open shot my foot—”

Noah exhaled, half listening, half not. “Can you all chill?,” he muttered. “It’s just FIFA rankings, not national crisis.”

One of his friends pointed at him.

“Eh Noah, you always act like you don’t care but you're the most toxic one when we play.”

“I play for survival,” Noah replied flatly.

Laughter erupted.

The night continued like that—warm, ordinary, familiar. The kind of night that made everything feel stable.

Just life.

Eventually, he checked his phone.

“Eh I’m going back first,” he said, stretching. “Got class tomorrow.”

“Study boy suddenly responsible,” one of them teased.

“Don’t miss us too much,” another added.

“I won’t,” Noah said immediately, standing up.

More laughter.

He waved them off and walked toward his motorbike.

The night air was humid, comforting in a way only Malaysian nights could be. Streetlights reflected off damp asphalt. The city felt alive but distant.

By the time he reached home, it was already late.

____________________________________

His room was quiet, too quiet. Noah dropped his bag on the floor, kicked off his shoes, and flopped onto his bed.

“Finally…”

He stared at the ceiling. No assignments due immediately. No plans tomorrow.

Just sleep.

He reached for his charger.

“Tomorrow I’m not waking up until—”

BZZT.

His phone lit up. Incoming video call from...

Nelysha. His annoying twin sister.

Noah groaned. “Of course.” But he answered anyway.

Her face filled the screen instantly. Too bright. Too energetic for Noah's liking.

Too awake for this hour.

“NOAHHHHHH!”

“It’s 1 AM.” Noah deadpans.

“So?”

“I have class tomorrow.” He sighed.

“So do I.”

“You don’t even attend half of yours.” Noah scoffs at his twin sister.

“That’s not the point!” She scoffs back at him.

Noah rolled onto his side. “What do you want?”

Nelysha grinned, then lifted something into frame. Two tickets.

Noah squinted. “What is that?”

“Art exhibition tickets.”

He blinked once, twice. "Why?” He raised his eyebrow.

“Because I want to go.” Nelysha smiles brightly.

“I don’t.” Noah squinted his eyes, somehow he wanted to slap his twin.

“Yes you do.”

“I literally just said I don’t want to.” Noah sighs again, almost fed up in talking. Especially talking with her.

She pouted. “You didn’t even see the theme yet!”

“I don’t care about the theme.” He rolls his eyes, not taking any interest into whatever his sister says.

“It’s about ancient Malaysian mythology and lost kingdoms and legends—”

Noah immediately sat up slightly. “…You said mythology?”

“Yes!” Nelysha exclaimed happily.

“No.” He said back, not interested.

“Yes.”

“No.” He said again, more louder.

“Yes.”

“No—”

Nelysha suddenly leaned closer to the camera and her tone shifted. Dangerously sweet.

“Or…”

Noah narrowed his eyes. “Or what.”

She sniffled dramatically. Then—fake tears.

Full performance. “Noah…you don’t love your twin sister anymore…sob sob”

Noah snorted, completely knew his twin sister's antics. “You are literally crying on command.”

“I’m emotionally fragile.” She sobs, being extra dramatic there.

He shook his head. “You were laughing two seconds ago.”

“I’m sensitive.” She sniffs, wiping her non-existent tears.

“No you’re not.”

She wiped her eyes exaggeratedly. “I guess I’ll just go alone then…in a dangerous city…full of mysterious artifacts…what if I disappear and Dad asks you where I am—”

Noah froze.

“…Don’t bring Dad into this.”

Nelysha instantly stopped fake crying, and her smile returned. Too fast. “So you’ll go?”

“No.”

She leaned back. Then casually said, “I’ll tell Dad that you skipped your responsibility as a brother.”

Noah sat up fully now. “That’s blackmail.”

“It’s motivation.”

“No it’s blackmail.” He shot back.

“It’s sibling love.” She sticks out her tongue at him.

Noah stared, unblinking. “You are insane.”

“I know.” Nelysha smiles wider.

Silence stretched as Noah rubbed his face, feeling a bit stressed. “When is it.”

“Tomorrow.” She said.

“Morning?” Noah asks.

“Afternoon.”

He sighed heavily. “I hate you.” He's definitely gonna skip classes tomorrow just to see old paintings and listening to old people's fantasy. Well, his semester break starts tomorrow after all, he sure his lecturer didn't mind he skipped two classes.

“No you don’t.” She gives a flying kiss at Noah.

A pause. “…I tolerate you.”

“Same thing.”

Noah leaned back into bed again. He stared at the ceiling for a while, decided and thinking about his future life.

“Fine.”

Instant silence from her end. Then—

“YAYYYYYYYY!”

“No screaming.” Noah covered his ears.

“Sorry not sorry.”

Noah pointed at the screen. “This better not be boring.”

“It won’t be.”

He warned her. “If it’s boring, I’m leaving.”

“You always say that.” She rolls her eyes.

“And I always do it.” He stated his words clearly.

“I know.” She grinned. Then added softly, almost teasingly. “Plus, I already bought your ticket.”

“You WHAT.”

She ended the call immediately. The screen went black.

Noah stared at it. “I’m going to regret this.”

He flopped back onto the bed. Silence returned. The room felt heavier now, somehow. Outside, a distant thunder rolled across the city.

Noah closed his eyes. “One exhibition...”

“Then I’m done.”

Noah immediately goes to sleep.

The morning after the late-night video call came too quickly for Noah’s liking. He was still half-asleep when Nelysha started honking outside his house. Repeatedly like the world was ending.

“NOAHHHH! WE’RE GOING TO BE LATE!”

Noah lazily grabbed his phone, put whatever he saw in front of him into the bag and of course he didn't forget to take his headphone too (just to wear it whenever Nelysha started yapping at him). Then, he dragged himself out with messy hair, half-zipped hoodie, and a face that clearly said 'I regret every decision leading to this moment'.

Inside the car, Nelysha was in a completely different universe. The engine purred smoothly as she drove through Kuala Lumpur’s morning traffic, sunlight spilling across the windshield in soft gold streaks. Her fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, humming a tune that sounded way too cheerful for someone operating a vehicle at 9 AM.

Noah sat in the passenger seat, slumped against the window.

“Why are you like this,” he muttered.

“Like what?,” she asked innocently.

He groans. “Alive.”

She laughed. “You should be grateful I’m taking you out during semester break.”

“I was planning to rot in my room.” Noah mumbles quietly.

Nelysha let out a dramatic sigh. “That’s unhealthy, y'know.”

“It’s peaceful.” Noah yawns, feeling a bit sleepy.

She turned slightly at a red light. “We’re going to the art museum first,” she said. “Then maybe grab lunch, then I want to check out that new café near the river.”

Noah blinked.

“…You planned the whole day?”

“Of course I did!” She said, feeling proud of herself.

“Without asking me.” He sighs, almost regretting living.

“I did asked you.” She told him.

Noah glanced at her, feeling sceptical about it. “When?”

“Last night.” Nelysha smiles.

Noah deadpans. “That was emotional blackmail.”

“That was teamwork.”

Noah sighed deeply and turned his head toward the window.

The city passed by in familiar motion, high-rise buildings, roadside stalls setting up for the day, motorbikes weaving through lanes like it was an art form of its own. Despite everything, it felt normal.

Safe. Ordinary.

Just traffic and sunlight.

“You know,” Nelysha said after a while, “this exhibition is supposed to be really rare.”

Noah didn’t respond to her.

She continued anyway.

“It’s about old kingdoms. Legends. Forgotten war heroes. Stuff like that.”

Noah hummed absentmindedly. “Sounds like history class but with extra hallucinations.”

“It’s not hallucinations,” she said, slightly offended. “It’s cultural heritage.”

Noah shrugs before leaning back into his seat. “It’s stories people made up before Netflix existed.”

She glanced at him. “You’re so boring sometimes.”

“I prefer ‘mentally stable.’” Noah corrected her.

Eventually, the city opened up into a quieter district. Modern glass buildings slowly gave way to older architecture—colonial influences mixed with contemporary design. Trees lined the streets more heavily here, casting soft shade over pedestrian walkways.

A large sign came into view:

ART EXHIBITION: LEGENDS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO

Nelysha immediately brightened.

“WE’RE HERE!”

Noah leaned forward slightly. “That looks expensive...”

“It is.”

“How did you afford this?” Noah stared suspiciously at her.

She smiled. “Student discount.”

Noah snorts.

“You didn’t even show your student ID.”

She ignored him.

_____________________________________

She parked quickly, too quickly and unbuckled her seatbelt before the car fully stopped. Noah barely had time to react.

“Wait—hey—!”

But she was already out. And then—His door opened.

“Come on!”

Before he could protest, she grabbed his wrist.

“Oi—Nelysha—!”

And dragged him, straight into the crowd.

The entrance of the museum was grand. Tall glass doors framed by stone pillars engraved with abstract motifs. Inside, soft lighting illuminated marble floors and floating banners describing the exhibition’s theme.

Visitors moved slowly, quietly, as if stepping into a sacred space.

Noah immediately felt out of place. “Why is everyone whispering?"

“Because it’s an art museum,” Nelysha said, still pulling him forward.

Noah stared at the other visitors, slightly judging everyone. “I don’t whisper in museums.”

“That’s why you’re the problem.” Nelysha almost got hit by her twin brother as she said that.

They passed the ticket counter. Then, the main hall and the first exhibit. Paintings lined the walls—massive, detailed works depicting ancient battles, mythical figures, and royal courts that looked strangely alive under the lighting.

Nelysha’s grip tightened with excitement.

“Oh my god, look at this one!”

She pointed at a painting of a crowned prince standing alone in the rain, holding a broken sword beneath a blood-red sky.

Noah glanced at it. “It looks…depressing.”

“It’s beautiful!” Nelysha said.

“It’s wet sadness on canvas.” He exclaim.

She rolled her eyes and dragged him deeper.

“Noah, appreciate culture.”

Noah only sighs.

“I am appreciating it. I appreciate how uncomfortable this chair would be if I sat there for long periods.” He said as he stared at another prince potret.

Nelysha snorts at him. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re strong for dragging me against my will.” Noah shot back at her.

They moved deeper into the exhibition.The atmosphere subtly changed as the lighting dimmed slightly.The air somehow felt quieter.

Heavier.

The paintings became older in style, less polished, more raw. Some looked almost too detailed, as if the artists had seen things they shouldn’t have been able to see.

Noah slowed slightly.

“Why does this one feel weird.”

Nelysha leaned in closer.

“It says here it’s about ‘Indera Mayang Sari.’”

Noah frowned. “…Indera what?”

She read the plaque.

“An ancient kingdom from forgotten Malay legends. Some scholars think it’s mythological.”

Noah shrugged. “So basically fake history.”

“Or lost history,” she corrected.

He scoffed.

“Same thing.”

Nelysha suddenly tightened her grip on his hand again.

“Come on, there’s a special section at the end.”

“No—wait—can I sit—” Noah tried to escape her tighten grips on him.

“Too late.” She dragged him forward again.

Noah sighed loudly as they passed the final corridor. “If this turns into a haunted museum situation, I’m leaving you here.”

“Stop being dramatic.” She rolls her eyes at her dramatic twin.

“I am being realistic.” Noah said back.

But as they stepped into the final gallery, Noah’s words faded.

The room was colder than the others. Strangely so.

In the center hung a series of paintings—older than the rest, visibly different in texture and style.

One showed a masked noble in black robes.

Another showed a vast palace surrounded by storm clouds.

Another showed a hedgehog-like creature standing beside a cloaked figure.

Noah blinked. “Why is there a hedgehog in historical art?"

Nelysha gasped.

“Wait—that’s so cute!”

Noah stared at it longer.

“…Why does it feel like it’s staring at me.”

A faint unease crawled up his spine. But before he could say anything, Nelysha squeezed his hand excitedly.

“This is exactly why I wanted to bring you!”

Noah sighed. “I regret everything.”

And as they stood there, surrounded by paintings of a world that should have been nothing more than fiction—neither of them noticed how the air in the room had begun to shift ever so slightly.

Like something in the exhibit was quietly responding to their presence...

TBC...