011. A Secret Cave (1)

"There is a hidden cave under the warming river. Please, keep this a secret!"

________

Dawn has passed. Looking at the eastern horizon, the sun slowly began to rise. Light penetrated through the thick leaves.

Taja climbed steeply, descended the steep path, enjoying the dewy morning. The warming water evaporated from the surface of the warming river. He had almost forgotten about last night's incident at the Heritage Palace.

A few moments ago, he remembered Putri Alingga who gave a suggestion about caves under the river.

'Could it be that the cave really exists? Did anyone else discover the place before me?' thought Taja.

Curiosity raged in mind. That was not just about caves under the river. However, mysterious someone who known as Tajura. That was really strong connected with him.

'If not him, so then ... who is someone that has been haunting me in dreams?'

Taja started to walk along the pebbly river bank. The water was warm up to the knees. But he was surprised by someone who was already on the bank of the river first. Taja saw him. A praja. He saw back Taja, immediately looked away.

"I don't want to make a fuss!" told Taja to praja who was none other than Raojhin. He turned head fiercely. Imagine their feud yesterday when they met in the medical ward.

Taja maintained an indifferent attitude, worried that Raojhin might again become aggressive and attack him. But his prediction was wrong, this time Raojhin just stood frozen while standing on the edge of the river bank, occasionally glancing at Taja on the river bank not far from him.

Taja also look at Raojhin soaked feet up to knees, full scars caused incident yesterday.

"Are you alright?" apparently Taja noticed how many wounds Raojhin had on body.

"Don't be empathetic. I'm used to this!" Raojhin replied rather curtly. Hearing that, Taja was silent again. While removing his clothes and bare-chested.

"If you want to know who I really am, I'll show you!" replied Taja without preamble.

"I heard ... you are the brave one and the only praja who raised the Gendewa!" Taja said as if satirizing Raojhin.

"That is nonsense if you don't accept challenge of me?" a smile on the edge of Taja's lips, igniting the fire of rivalry.

Taja manages to reignite the feud between them. Fishing challenge with Raojhin. There is something that Taja wants to achieve with Raojhin.

"What's wrong with you?!" Raojhin made a cold face of annoyance. It was too obvious that he really didn't like Taja from the first meeting.

"I'm being calm, you're challenging instead?" the way Raojhin behaved and spoke, it seemed he had a hard time making friends with anyone.

"Not fighting. But racing with me," Taja made his point clear.

"Wanna race with me?!" continued Raojhin who started to be challenged.

"Whoever swims across first, he's the winner!" Raojhin continued.

"That is not!" Taja refused.

"Whoever is the longest in the deep of water, so he will be the winner!" said Taja firmly.

"Huh!" Raojhin replied slightly irritated.

"Let's see, what's under the river?" asked Taja without warning first, immediately threw himself into the river. Raojhin felt challenged, without thinking twice, also jumped in.

The river's undercurrent dragged Raojhin's body. Without difficulty, following Taja appeared dimly lit under the river's currents. The river water was getting hotter as they felt to move approaching the source of water.

Suddenly, Taja's shadow disappeared, flashed quickly, swept away by the river's undercurrent. Raojhin also felt his body being sucked in by a stream that was getting stronger. Too late to turn back and go against the grain.

When it reached the surface, Raojhin felt a slightly darkened room and echoed sounds of rushing water from different directions. He found himself in a cave.

With a strange feeling mixed with shock, Raojhin tried to get out of the water surface. Looking around for Taja's figure. Worried that he was the only one who got there.

The sound of footsteps ahead, made Raojhin aware that Taja had arrived first at that place.

"Where are we?!" Raojhin shrieked in surprise.

"Cave under the river! Turns out it really exists!" said Taja.

"You dragged me to this place on purpose?!" Raojhin felt in trapped.

"There's something I want to make sure of you," replied Taja, in response Raojhin frowned.

"Look!" Taja looked around.

"The hot spring comes from here," replied Raojhin, looking around.

"That's not what I meant, but look ... it looks like there are traces of people coming to this place!" said Taja aloud. His voice echoed all around. While Raojhin pays more attention to hot springs emitting water flowing from the rocks in the cave. In almost every crevice of the cave rocks, water flows swiftly accompanied by steam. There is a slightly pungent sulfur smell around.

Surprisingly, the cave room doesn't look too dark. There is light emitting from the ceiling of the cave. The light was flickering, covering the roofs of the cave as far as the eye could see.

* * *