Chapter 14

Decades ago. The war that rages between west and east continues. Many lives have been lost in the cold war.

The royal officials are always hungry for power, making the small people become victims.

"No! Don't take my husband. He can't fight and fight. I beg you! If he goes who will find food for us!"

A grown woman pleads with soldiers who are forcibly looking for grown men to join the war.

The ins and outs of the village were visited. The grown men were asked to do justice in the protracted war.

"Get out of the way! This is an order from the King. All grown men must join the war, without exception!"

"The King's orders must not be violated. Get you out of our way!"

They mercilessly treat their fellow humans like trash. The women on that day also became widows.

It was useless for them to scream for mercy, because in reality they were just ordinary people who could neither resist nor defect.

The boys who were 10 years old began to be made slaves. Those who are still young have to undergo forced labor in government-owned gardens. No wages, just eat and drink.

While the little people are suffering more and more, the higher-ups are enjoying the wealth of the poor fingers and sweat of the residents.

Those who fight must die fighting for power and must be oppressed by those in power.

The east and west wars never stop even though times have started to change.

The rulers of the western kingdom are never satisfied with what they have now. Meanwhile, the east, which was only a small kingdom, was always asking for their independence.

Arsa village. The village is directly adjacent to the west and east. The village is often used as a hideout for the eastern kingdom from the pursuit of western troops.

"Arrest all the soldiers of the eastern kingdom! Don't let them escape and return to their kingdom!"

A General sat on his white horse very gallantly. His orders were very strict to all existing troops.

A chase ensues. The eastern army was surrounded. They were pushed into the village of Arsa without any resistance.

This village was destroyed and devastated by the arrest. Many of the residents went and sought self-protection. And some of the population died in vain there.

The rest of the eastern army had been captured. General Samana Janardana dismounted from his white horse.

He felt sad over what happened to the village of Arsa.

"The endless war between the two kingdoms has turned this village into a sea of ​​blood of innocent residents."

There was a feeling of remorse in him for the victims who had to die in vain just because of the war.

His footsteps led him to look at those who had lost their lives.

"Mother! Sob…."

Samana saw a boy sitting on his knees, crying over his mother's body. Possible?

The general nicknamed Balakosa came to the boy.

"Hey, kid!" He sat beside the child.

"Who is uncle? Did uncle come to kill me too?"

 The boy innocently asked General Samana. The boy's eyes were puffy and swollen when Samana looked at him.

"No. Uncle came here just to get to know you. What's your name, sweet child?" Samana said.

"My mother said, never tell anyone's name. Especially if he's a foreigner. Uncle doesn't seem like he's from this village."

The boy reversed the question. He looked brave for his age.

"Yes, I am. I am not from this village. How do you know, sweet child?"

"I can tell from uncle's clothes. There is no way that expensive clothes like the one uncle wears live in a village like this. Uncle must be from the kingdom?"

His words stunned Samana. This kid is really good at talking.

"Yes, uncle is from the kingdom. Then, what is your name, sweet child?"

"Uncle, don't call me a sweet child. My name is Ekawira! Ekawira, and not a sweet child."

He was a little annoyed that General Samana called him with a forehead. This kid looks strong. Samana could feel the aura of enormous inner energy from the child named Ekawira.

"Okay, Ekawira. Then who is he?" Samana asked about the woman lying in Ekawira's little lap.

"She was my mother, who was brave. She was a great woman who in order to protect me had to give her life. My mother always said. She would not let me get hurt. So she came forward and fought the soldiers."

"Poor about you." Samana stroked Ekawira's head.

There was compassion in him for the child. Including the people who have died around him.

"Let go of uncle's hand! I don't need attention from uncle. My mother always taught me. Never accept help from a stranger, without you knowing where he came from. Who is this uncle? Why is uncle in my village?"

"I am General Samana Janardana, from the western kingdom."

The confession of the man dressed in blue silk and very big made Ekawira clench his tiny hands.

There was a spark of anger in his childhood. He was not a child who could be easily fooled.

Ekawira realized that what was now in front of his eyes was someone who had destroyed the village and killed his parents.

Instantly the expression and gaze of the child became sharp and hard. Samana realized that Ekawira was showing his anger. However, this little fellow did not dare to resist.

Samana allowed Ekawira to fight back, but this kid seems to be holding back.

"Come with uncle. Uncle will make you a great Knight in the future."

The general instead stretched out his hand to invite Ekawira to join him.

"Thank you uncle. I don't want to trust strangers for granted. Especially uncle is a general of the kingdom of this country. I don't want to have deeper affairs with a kingdom that has made all its people suffer."

This 10 year old boy stunned Samana with his words. What a child full of strong principles.

The look in his eyes already described the very strong knight spirit in him.

"Uncle can understand that, but with you now you can fight the kingdom? Isn't it only by being united that you can defeat this kingdom?"

"I don't need to unite, nor be your follower. I can fend for myself. Because my mother always said. Otherwise I shouldn't trust strangers especially from royal servants like you."

This child vehemently refused Samana's invitation. You can guess if Ekawira is not an ordinary village boy. There was another destiny that he would create himself in the future.

Samana has now seen a new era of the kingdom and this country with the destiny that Ekawira will create later.

"It's okay if you don't want to believe uncle. But, at least think about these dead. Your mother. Look at her who had to sacrifice to protect your life. Don't you want to avenge her death?"

Ekawira lowered his emotions. There is awareness from him to all the souls that have passed away.

He looked around. The village that was once safe and peaceful has now turned into a dead sea.

The people he knew had to suffer. Giving up their precious lives just because of this protracted war.

"Okay. If this is for the sake of the peace of this country, then I will trust uncle, but I will not fully serve the kingdom. In fact, I will even try to destroy the kingdom in order to restore peace to the whole country!"

"Yes, you can certainly get it all. Come with me and uncle will make you a great General in the future."

Samana stretched out her hand again. Asking Ekawira to join him.

A little hesitant to take the hand, but Ekawira looked at his mother's body and said.

"Mother, I will become a great warrior as you wish. I will fulfill my promise to Mother and Father. I will bring world peace to this country. My promise to you, Mother."

His heart has made a promise. His eyes fixed on General Samana, then at the same time his hand grabbed the General's hand.

Samana gave Ekawira a smile, "Uncle don't be happy just yet. I trust uncle only for my mother. If uncle lies, then I will not hesitate to fight uncle. Remember that!"

Ekawira bluffed, but General Samana responded with pride. That's what he expected. A young man who would grow up to be a great General.

Samana invites Ekawira to leave the village where he was born.