The Base of Kala Racun

The member of Kala Racun named Gawuh took Jagat to the headquarters which turned out to be only a few hours away from the shop. But the location is quite hidden from the village crossing road.

It looks like they built this place from a small forest where some trees were cut down to make some huts. There are five in total, and if you look at the huts, they seem to have been made carelessly. Perhaps this was just a temporary base so that they could be left behind at any time.

There are two layers of guarding that go through. If the first layer Gawuh was left alone then for the second layer he was stopped while asking about the two people he was carrying.

"Looks like this Mongol got lost from his group. He's Ulagan's men."

So he said to one of the guards who was immediately greeted by Jagat in Mongolian. The effort convinced the two guards and left Marini wondering if Jagat could master Mongolian.

Marini was placed in a hut that had been deliberately emptied of detainees and Jagat was then confronted by the head of the headquarters here.

"Chi idchikhsen üü?" the leader asked in Mongolian, asking, "Have you eaten?".

"Ali khediin," Jagat replied, meaning "I have".

It seemed that the leader just wanted to test Jagat, because afterwards he said to Gawuh. "I only understand bits and pieces of Mongolian since I met Ulagan yesterday. How did he meet you. How did he get separated from his group."

"I don't know either chief. He just came out of nowhere with his clothes covered in blood."

"Give him a replacement clothes. And that woman, who is she?"

"Maybe you can ask her directly."

"What is the name of this Mongol?"

"Cuwong, chief."

The leader of Kala Racun immediately rushed to Marini's detention hut and then ordered his other men to find an interpreter for her.

"Cuwong. Let me take you to the hut."

This was not what Jagat had expected. His last experience at Sawung Bumi had taught him that the longer he stayed at the infiltration site, the more trouble it would bring, because no one knew what the future would hold.

Jagat's goal was to get the book back by tomorrow afternoon no matter what.

"Gawuh ...." Jagat called out softly as he gestured to Gawuh. Pointing towards Marini's detention hut.

"Why Cuwong?"

Jagat continued to speak in Mongolian and patted Cuwong's chest.

"Do you want that woman, Cuwong? Later, a little later. You change your clothes first. Just a minute."

"Hey Mongol!"

The leader of Kala Racun suddenly called out to Jagat after hearing him shout.

"You want this Javanese woman. Go ahead Cuwong. You can have her if you want."

Jagat shook his head and said, "Ulagan.... Ulagan."

"Ulagan? Your leader likes Javanese women? You want to bring her to your master? That's fine, as long as you can afford it."

Jagat nodded his head happily and then made another hand gesture like someone opening a book.

"Ulagan...." said Jagat repeating the same name as he made the reading gesture.

"You mean the Book?" asked the leader. "I have heard that Ulagan is obsessed with the heirloom book in every country he fights.

Jagat then pointed at Marini and the reading gesture, as if the price of a book was higher than a woman.

"Is that so?"

Jagat had given the leader a reasonable choice for gold.

"One moment. You wait here," the Kala Racun leader said even though he knew that the person in front of him would not understand his language,

"Hey, you're crazy! You want to sell me to the Mongols?" whispered Marini from a small hole in the hut's door.

"You're the crazy one. I told you not to participate in my plan. It's for the best unless you have a good choice."

Jagat's eyes kept an eye on his surroundings as he talked to Marini. One wrong word spoken would be fatal to his cover.

With his first encounter with Ulagan he was able to lure the leader with a book. In addition, Jagat could also see which members would be assigned to this plan.

Every sect has many members with different classifications and missions. If his guess was correct, the member who would be ordered to meet Ulagan about the book was the same person who had attacked Sawung Bumi and killed Sangkih, Marini's lover.

"Where did you learn Mongolian?"

"You don't need to know," Jagat replied. He didn't want to prolong the conversation with Marini.

"What thief-"

"Shhh..." Jagat immediately asked Marini to be quiet because Gawuh had come walking towards him carrying a change of clothes, drinks and a jug of arak.

"Comfort yourself, Cuwong. Here's the wine from the tavern."

Without another thought, Jagat changed his clothes in front of Marini who was peeking through the door. He stepped slowly inside and placed all his trust in the book thief.

He caught a glimpse of footsteps making their way towards his detention hut. Without sticking his face in the hole he saw a man coming with the leader of Kala Racun.

He already had a bad feeling when the leader mentioned that the person with him would come with Jagat to deliver the book and Marini to Ulagan.

The man claimed to be named Rantaw. Although he knew that the Mongols wouldn't understand his language he boasted that the book he was carrying was a valuable heirloom from a school.

Without being asked, Rantaw explained that many lives of members of Kala Racun had been lost to get this book.

Jagat gestured with his hand asking for proof of the book's existence so he could see it.

"Hey Gawuh. You make sure the translator comes right now. It's been a long time."

"Yes, chief!"

It seemed that the leader of Kala Racun, who was often called Chief by his members, was already upset by the communication between them. Moreover, this was about buying and selling. Everything must be clear.

The leader asked to postpone the conversation while waiting for the translator to come so that everything is clear. Jagat was asked to rest first in the hut that had been provided and eat his food.

At first glance, Jagat remembers the name Ki Besat, whose whereabouts are now unknown. He hoped his language teacher would find what he was looking for. Bringing his family back to life, even if it seemed absurd.

For almost an hour, Jagat had to wait for the translator to arrive and a report from Kala Racun members revealed that they got the translator from the shop owner. A translator hired by a merchant who was staying in the village.

"Calm down brother, I only borrowed you for a short time from your master. There is a fair price for your services. Don't be afraid," said the leader of Kala Racun when Jagat was invited to come.

The leader then asked the translator to ask about Jagat's origin until he was found by Gawuh in the shop.

Of course, this question had been prepared from the beginning. It was easy to answer.

Jagat claimed to have been given a mission by Ulagan to find an heirloom book belonging to the universities in Java. But in the middle of his search he met students from a sect.

"What is the name of the sect?" asked the leader with a sharp look in the eyes of Rantaw, the murderer of Sangkih. The translator passed the question back to Jagat.

"Kentabuana."

Jagat deliberately gave the name because of his hurt for the disciples who got him caught by Ulagan's troops.

"They're a sect of the white sect but I've never heard of them having an heirloom book. Didn't you hear it wrong. Cuwong?"

"I made my move based on information from other book thieves. Like Wisesa, Hanggara. Just those two names."

Jagat gave the names of his two friends to further convince the two bigwigs at Kala Racun.

"Do you know Wisesa?" asked Rantaw.

"Only heard his name. A spy from Lord Ulagan met him."

Rantaw nodded slowly. His suspicion may have been eroded after hearing a name that was quite famous among book thieves.

Jagat had long lost track of him. By calling his name in this place, Rantaw would surely contact him immediately and talk about this meeting. He didn't care about the lies behind his words. Wisesa was his close friend and fellow book thief. He would understand why Jagat would do that.

After hearing all of Jagat's explanations, it was time for Rantaw to show the Sawung Bumi book tucked under his clothes. It was the same book he had seen when he took it.

He only needed a few minutes to memorize the entire contents and study it if he needed to. With a nonchalant gesture, Jagat opened page after page of paper made from Ulin leaves.

A book is more suitable to use Ulin leaves than Lontar because the leaves are wide and can contain writing and pictures. Lontar is only used for sentences that only contain short notices or announcements.

Some of the writings and pictures depict the teachings of the Sawung Bumi sect. Most are life advice and the rest are instructions on how to learn the Sawung Bumi magic.

Sawung can be interpreted as fighting cocks or closer to the fighting roosters called Sabung Ayam.

Jagat smiled with satisfaction although he had to keep his surprise because it turned out that the name of Ki Rapala's sect was taken from an ajian name.

He had read Sawung Bumi's magic and had memorized it in his head. Yet he was only seen turning over the papers without reading them.

"Cuwong, you won't understand the contents." A burst of laughter from the leader came out after receiving the Sawung Bumi book back. "So how is it? How much can your master offer for this book?"

"Ten bags of gold!" said Jagat in a firm tone and when the answer was relayed by the translator, Rantaw and the leader were surprised to hear it.

"Ten bags of gold? Ulagan may not even know that we have copied and studied it."

The leader laughed again. Either he was laughing at his own stupidity or he didn't know that every heirloom book always had a partner to complete the magic within.

So even if Jagat had memorized it by now, he wouldn't necessarily have learned it because it would be fatal if he didn't read his book partner. Unless there was a small clue implied in the advice within.

And somehow, the advice in Sawung Bumi's book was something unnatural.

"Alright. Tomorrow morning you leave to meet Ulagan. And you Rantaw bring the gold here. We need a new base."

"Yes, chief. I will do it."

That answer was probably Rantaw's last sound in this place, for tomorrow he would receive the judgment of Marini's wrath.