AMBUSH
AMBUSH
"You don't know what the consequences will be if you dare to fight Wusasena?"
"By the way, Master… I don't know anything."
"Get out of here before your life is in danger."
This time, skipper Wijaya did not scold Mahesa but warned the man to immediately leave the hill.
The face of anger did not radiate from the skipper Wijaya like when he first met Mahesa.
Mahesa went to the hut and told his father Wijaya's words.
"All of that is true, Hesa. What he said will happen.
"You are also helpless. It's best if you get off the hill and wonder now."
Not!
Mahesa shouted because his stance was very firm.
"I want to protect father. I don't want to lose my parents a second time."
"But, Hesa... death is fate and everyone will meet him."
Dad grabbed Mahesa's hand, holding it tightly until tears fell.
"Son, remember, when you meet a spiritual master, don't ever ask, let alone refute all his orders.
"Just do it as long as your teacher gives an order of kindness. Asking only makes it easy for you to complain, whereas arguing is not the mark of a devoted disciple.
"Also remember that you can't hold your anger on anyone. If the enemy doesn't fight back, you can't attack either.
"I know you will become a great warrior someday. But don't flaunt that greatness in front of people and stay humble.
"Just as rice that is fuller the more it blows down, you must also become more polite and virtuous as the strength and energy within you increases."
Whoops!
My father vomited blood again and immediately passed out.
Almost a week Mahesa waited for the father who had not yet opened his eyes.
Alone he shoveled -bathed by wiping without taking off his clothes if in Javanese tradition -father and changed his clothes.
In the silence of the night, sometimes Mahesa trains his breathing as well as strengthens his focus whenever there is a movement that is heard around the hut.
The money in the drawer was almost gone and only two bronze pieces remained.
During this week, Mahesa did not replace my father's job because he forbade him to meet the skipper Wijaya.
By fasting and holding back hunger and thirst, Mahesa saves on expenses and chooses to look for edible plants.
Bulbs from the forest, papaya leaves, and bamboo fibers that can be cooked are his daily food this time.
Moments later, there were hundreds of mysterious people in black clothes and black headbands moving around the hills around Buncitan village.
Before entering the village, one of them walked in first to observe the situation and steal information from an emissary of theirs who was a village spy.
"Master Sudra, the village is safe and all its citizens are fast asleep."
From afar, the village of Buncitan looks deserted and there is no activity going on.
The light of the torches hung on the edges of the house, gave a little light and the black-tie warriors immediately descended the hill.
"Where is the house of someone who knows the spell to open this magical fence?"
"There it is, sir, by the harbor."
Five black headband warriors headed straight for the house with accelerated footsteps.
They seem to be using lightning skills so that their footsteps are not heard even when they are running fast.
Arriving at that person's house, the five warriors who were ordered by Sudra earlier entered and immediately covered the mouth of the owner of the house.
They took the man near the magical fence and forced him to cast a spell.
When the gate was opened, Mahesa was near the banyan tree where he practiced.
He wanted to strengthen his physique by fighting the cold temperature of the hills and trying to penetrate the darkness of the night.
"Master Sudra, conditions are very safe. The magical fence has also been opened. Now is the time for us to attack."
"Fine, split into troops, but focus the attack on the hills because we don't know what's coming."
The order from Sudra Wusasena was greeted with approval by hundreds of swordsmen carrying their respective weapons.
"Everyone move right away! Don't leave a single person left, take their possessions as loot as well!"
The hundreds of swordsmen immediately moved quietly and split into two pieces. Sudra himself immediately led the group that left for the hills because of revenge on Mahesa.
From behind the hill, dozens of fire arrows were fired and targeted the houses of residents.
Screams mixed with cries sounded depressing. Not infrequently, all of that was followed by laughs that answered each other.
Mahesa still didn't realize that hundreds of people were heading up the hill to eradicate all the residents because the sound of footsteps was so soft.
In the night, hundreds of warriors broke through the weeds and thorns, without even looking at Mahesa who was on the east side of the hill.
After hearing the screams of women from the village, Mahesa immediately realized that the village was under attack.
He suddenly remembered his father who was sick and sleeping in the hut alone. Mahesa immediately ran through the path that had been prepared by the hill residents.
Once in front of the house, how surprised Mahesa saw five people with black headbands gathered around her father.
His tears broke as his eyes widened at his father who was kneeling with a very sharp sword affixed to his neck.
The five members of the Black Eagle school were not aware of Mahesa's presence and continued to laugh with satisfaction because they had succeeded in capturing their mortal enemy, Suwito.
"Master Wusasena will be happy if we behead you," said one of the five warriors who would kill Mahesa's father.
"That's right... the prize is two hundred gold pieces and we are really lucky to find this hut," replied another warrior.
Feeling something strange under his feet, Mahesa found a red mustika that turned out to be moving on its own and emitting a fiery red light.
The light made the five swordsmen turn their heads and look at Mahesa with a sharp gaze.
"You two, go after him! Catch him and don't let him escape!"
Suwito suddenly realized and immediately rebelled as soon as his son was being hunted. But unfortunately, he who was already weak, could not move fast.
Sring!
The blade of the sword had swung and slit his throat. Suwito died with bulging eyes and blood spurting down his neck.
Mahesa felt an aura of energy overflowing from within his body. His hands moved on their own and instantly paralyzed the two people chasing him.
"Stupid...! You can't even go after that innocent young man!"
Mahesa continued to run towards the top and did not realize that in the residential area headed by Wijaya's boss, he had already been slaughtered.
Forced, he must run towards the forbidden line at the top of the hill and hope that the temple where he found the ancient book was the safest place to hide.
Because of the darkness of the night, Mahesa could not distinguish between a ravine and a path.
"Help...!"
He fell into an abyss so deep that even a torch thrown in could not be heard when it hit the ground.
For the hill dwellers, the abyss is the abyss of death from which every time someone falls, they cannot return.