I surrendered as I closed my eyes. A picture of my countless sins flashed through my mind. I begged God to forgive all my mistakes. Then, I tried telepathy to say goodbye to my family and those closest to me. I hope they can accept my last greetings. I also…
Brukkk!!!
Gosh, before I finished contemplating the final seconds of my life, suddenly the sword that was touching my neck came loose. At once the owner collapsed! What happened?? Oh God, did You take pity on me and make him have a sudden heart attack...
Anyway, I am very grateful that I am still given a chance to live even though I don't know where I am. But on the other hand, I have a strange feeling. I don't know what this feeling is. I looked at those who were injured and dead. They were criminals, but this was a murder case. I felt sorry for them, but strangely I wasn't sad. I don't know for sure how I feel right now...
Bara approached, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's okay. The criminal died suddenly before his sword could cut my neck. But, why did he die suddenly?" I frowned in thought.
"I use the thousand steps technique," he said softly. Before my imagination could describe what technique it was, he hurriedly invited me back to the tent.
We packed up and continued our journey. On the way, we didn't stop for a single break. Bara repeatedly patted Jagoan's head gently. His gesture implied an apology for making Jagoan work extra hard. Moreover, the load on his back was twice as heavy. However, Jagoan didn't seem to mind. He kept his running speed steady. He didn't want to disappoint his master. Now I understand why Bara treated him specially.
***
A ray of orange light greeted me. In the midst of the greeting of dawn, there was a tall gate with beautiful carvings. My eyes were quite amazed by the sight that greeted me.
Slowly the gate opened. I never imagined before that I would set foot in a kingdom. A kingdom that was very famous in its time.
Some time after passing through the gate, Jagoan stopped in front of the joglo room. Of the many rooms passed, this room was located at the very end and looked the quietest. There were no guards standing by in front of it like the other rooms. We entered it. Inside there were guest chairs and a room that looked like a bedroom.
"Come in and rest in that room," Bara ordered, pointing to a room.
I followed suit. My tired body was really looking for a bed. Once I found the target, I immediately lay down. I felt like I was no longer interested in looking around the palace. Even though my initial plan yesterday when I left for this palace, I really wanted to see what the royal environment was like, whether its manifestation was in accordance with my imagination.
In an instant I was asleep. As for him, I doubted whether Bara was human. Because, he had no sense of tiredness. He immediately left, saying he was going to attend an important meeting.
He met Gajah Mada to put forward his arguments regarding the battle that Majapahit would soon face.
The results of the intimate negotiations between Bara and Gajah Mada agreed that Majapahit would speed up the war schedule. The acceleration was carried out because there were indications that two kingdoms that had previously made peace agreements with Majapahit had turned rebellious. The two kingdoms would join the Manunggal Kingdom in the war against Majapahit. The great war between Majapahit and Manunggal had been scheduled to be held next month. Therefore, before entering the new month, Majapahit had to respond to the betrayal of the two kingdoms. Gajah Mada then ordered to attack them. The day after tomorrow, his war troops would first attack the Jalasutra Kingdom. After that, Majapahit would attack the Satya Manggala Kingdom. Jalasutra and Satya Manggala were two kingdoms that were indicated to have defected from Majapahit. In the Majapahit dictionary, there is no tolerance for traitors!
***
I've been asleep for almost a whole day. I feel satisfied enough with my rest. However, now I'm still lying on the bed, rolling here and there wasting time. Hearing the sound of my stomach rumbling, then I intend to get out of this room.
It turned out that food had been provided on the guest table. I devoured it. I just realized that I hadn't seen Bara all day. Well, maybe he was very busy.
After my stomach was full, I thought about looking for ideas for activities, " Hmm, what should I do after this?" But since it was already midnight, I decided to go back to my room, "Okay, sleeping is the most appropriate activity right now. It's not right for a girl to go out at night."
I walked towards the room. As I was about to close the door, I saw Bara taking something in the corner of the living room. Even though I didn't hear his footsteps coming in. "Like a ghost," I muttered. It turned out he was packing his weapons; a sword and the Keris Galaksi. After that, he seemed to be rushing to leave. But we accidentally met face to face. And what surprised me even more, he was walking towards here. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say. For that, I widened the door.
"I hope you can be patient living here. I will return your keris soon so you can return to your place of origin.
If there's anything you need, just ask the person who brought the food here." It seemed like this was the first time he had said this much to me. I was a little confused about how to respond. He turned around, about to leave.
"Wait, you're going to be gone for long?" I asked after understanding that he had just said goodbye to go on a trip. Was the war going to start so soon? I hadn't seen him rest since arriving at this palace.
"No," he answered without looking back. He left with Jagoan.
***
It turned out that none other than Bara went to start a war. Indeed, Majapahit's open invasion of Jalasutra would take place the day after tomorrow, Bara's task so far was not to fight openly. He was Gajah Mada's shadow or Majapahit's hidden hero. Bara had to eradicate all the mercenary warriors hired by the enemy kingdom. He had to start the hidden mission before Gajah Mada and his troops entered the battlefield.
In terms of strength, 1 mercenary warrior is almost equal to 10 ordinary soldiers. Small kingdoms usually hire around 50 mercenaries. Thus, at least Bara protects the lives of 500 Majapahit soldiers who will actually be fought by the mercenaries.
Bara came to the place that was usually used as a gathering place for the mercenary warriors of the Jalasutra Kingdom. He obtained information about who the mercenary warriors hired by the enemy kingdom were and where they were, through Majapahit intelligence spread throughout the archipelago.
There was no time to stop and rest. Bara hunted from one location to another. Some of the warriors were gathered together and some were alone. No matter what the enemy's strength was, Bara tried to always be ready to face it. For him, there was only one principle of war 'win or die'!
Thankfully, he now has the Keris Galaksi so that the battle process can be completed faster. This faster battle reminds him of the conditions 5 years ago and the years before that. At that time, he had a partner in carrying out the hidden mission. But unfortunately, now that partner is no longer with him.
Morning had come. At least Bara had managed to eradicate half of the total mercenaries of the Jalasutra Kingdom. He had 24 hours left to fight the Jalasutra mercenaries who were still on the loose.
He continued to drive with Jagoan. And Bara arrived at a martial arts school. Someone was seen standing straight at the door. It was as if he had been waiting for Bara. As he got off Jagoan's back, Bara said without further ado, "Come out..!"
His guess was right, he was already awaited by a large group. The group came out one by one. There were quite a lot of them, more than 30 people. It turned out that they were not only from that school, but also a group of martial arts schools around Jalasutra.
The atmosphere was quite tense, each individual radiated their own energy. They didn't talk much like the gang of criminals who attacked on their way to the palace yesterday.
"I never thought you would do something this despicable," Bara said before starting the battle. Bara had known the warriors, because Jalasutra was one of the kingdoms that had joined since Gajah Mada began the unification of the archipelago.
"There's no need for you to compromise with us who have become your enemies. Hasn't your sword always acted first without compromise?!" said the leader of the group of warriors.
"I use my sword without compromise because I consider my opponent as an enemy of Majapahit, unlike you who I consider to be an ally of Majapahit."
"Let's start this battle! We are sick of always following Majapahit's orders to fight!!!" shouted one of the warriors as he ran swinging his sword. Immediately the battle began. Dozens of warriors versus one.
Some time passed, Bara still fought them with his usual moves. Only after feeling that hours had been wasted did he take out the Keris Galaksi.
For a moment, the surviving warriors were silent, observing the appearance of the sacred keris that had been sought by warriors throughout the universe. When Bara took the keris out of its sheath, he focused his inner strength on the keris. He raised the keris upright facing the sky. Then, just like when I first took the Keris Galaksi out of its container, the universe responded to the immense power of the Keris Galaksi. The light of day turned dark, and stars appeared. After that, the energy of other weapons that tried to fight the Keris Galaksi was sucked up by it. At the same time, the energy of the warriors who continued to fight began to be sucked up. "Run if you don't want to suffocate here!" shouted Bara in the midst of the vortex of energy that continued to be sucked into the Keris Galaksi. However, most of the warriors did not leave. The ego of valor defeated the value of life. And finally, they lost consciousness.
Bara's first task is finished. He boarded the Jagoan to return to the palace.
***
Arriving at the Jalasutra-Majapahit border, Bara turned towards a place. He headed towards a mountain spring. The spring was located between hills so not many people knew about its existence. Bara almost always visited the place every time he crossed the Jalasutra-Majapahit border. The water was very fresh and was still there even during the dry season.
After quenching their thirst with fresh water, Bara and Jagoan prepared to continue their journey. Just getting on the Jagoan, someone greeted Bara.
"Amazing, in less than 2x24 hours you have already completed your task," said the person while smiling and clapping his hands.
Bara did not respond to his greeting and congratulations. Instead, he looked unhappy and just kept quiet. The person then said again, "Of course you can defeat the Jalasutra people quickly because the Keris Galaksi is already with you. You must also be impatient to finish me off with it, right? That is how high your devotion to him is, you do anything for him. Even your life is no longer your own."
"Not for him, but for the peace of humanity," Bara replied flatly.
"Huh, for peace?" he replied with a sarcastic smile. Then he said again, "You don't want to open your eyes, how many enemy soldiers he has fought. All of them are lives, not puppets. Wake up, Bara! Don't let yourself be used as a killing machine anymore! If you did all that because you felt indebted to him, your devotion for the past 10 years has been enough. Stop."
"You should open your eyes, we only want to unite the archipelago. Such a great goal certainly requires great sacrifice. It is I who do not understand what you mean by switching to the Manunggal Kingdom."
"Of course I have to use Manunggal to stop you." They were silent for a moment with sharp gazes clashing. Then the man added, "This time I came to see you to see the Keris Galaksi. If I didn't take it by force, you wouldn't want to give it to me, right? Hurry up and don't hesitate to show off its power."
Both of them took out their respective weapons.
It turns out that the person is Arya. He is also Gajah Mada's adopted son. Yes, Bara and Arya are brothers. In the past, they were saved by Gajah Mada when Majapahit was not as glorious as it is now, when many residents became victims of war and children became orphans.
Initially, Arya and Bara partnered as shadow knights of Majapahit. When they were still carrying out their duties together, the enemy always felt afraid to face them. However, 5 years ago, Arya decided to leave Majapahit. He reasoned that he no longer wanted to be a human being used as a killing machine in war. He wanted to live freely.
And it is very unfortunate, at this time Arya sided with the Manunggal Kingdom. His actions were certainly calculated as an effort to stop Majapahit. Especially he wanted to stop Gajah Mada's intention to dominate the archipelago.
Not long ago, Arya and Bara competed. Each stubbornly defends his personal truth. The battle at that time took place in a similar place, at the 'Telaga Thirst' spring. This spring is their favorite place to quench their thirst after carrying out missions. In that battle, Bara lost and was seriously injured. That's why Grandpa Surip tried hard to find the Galactic Keris.
***
The atmosphere had changed to a starry night. Keris Galaksi had been trying to suck all of his opponent's energy for quite some time. However, Bara's enemy this time was no ordinary one. In terms of inner strength, Arya was stronger than him. Apparently, Arya's energy and his sword could not be sucked easily by Keris Galaksi.
Then, the Galactic Keris changed color. Usually when sucking an opponent's power, the keris emits blue light. This time, the light turned red. And the energy of the Galactic Keris forced Bara to move and wield the dagger at Arya! The Galactic Keris quickly moved towards Arya, about to stab her. Bara was also shocked. His body moved on its own, carried by the dagger's tremendous power. It was like he was riding a strong wind and wanted to stab his opponent, who was none other than his older brother...!
When the Keris Galaksi almost stabbed his stomach, Arya tried to use all his strength to avoid it. But the energy of the Keris Galaksi was so strong that it was uncontrollable. Even though Arya was finally able to avoid it, he was thrown away!
Indeed, the Keris Galaksi had not yet absorbed all of Arya's energy, but the two forces collided with each other. And the energy of the Keris Galaksi that was enlarging by pouring out red light hit Arya's energy, like sunlight crushing a dim candle. If he had not tried hard to avoid it, Arya would have been stabbed by the Keris Galaksi. Now he is still lying there, continuing to cough up blood.
Bara immediately put the Keris Galaksi into its container. He dampened the fire from the keris. Then, he went to Jagoan and invited him back to the Majapahit Kingdom palace.
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