Bamboo Flute Swordsman

Chapters 37. Rescue Mission II

"Hey..who's there?" Jaka immediately jumped towards the running of the shadow.

Jaka uses the science of lightening his body to block the speed of the shadow but in the middle of the road Jaka lost track. The black shadow suddenly disappeared in the forest area fused with the darkness of the night.

Jaka tried to search here and there but still did not find any trace. Finally Jaka decided to return to the top of Bukit Buah Batu because it worried about the condition of the children.

Lucky for Jaka that the black shadow was not a lure to distance himself with children. Jaka still found the children standing lethargic at his arrival.

Jaka looked at them one by one, then he nodded his head like he had just gained enlightenment.

"Are you hungry?"

The children looked at each other and nodded their heads. Jaka then asked them to sit for a while under a tree while Jaka looked for something that could be used as food.

Not long ago Jaka had returned with some chickens and a forest rabbit. Jaka moved very quickly to roast the chicken and the rabbit. The remains of the burnt-out hut were enough to make the animals mature. Jaka then distributed to them one by one.

The children ate voraciously, sometimes they looked at Jaka as if they were looking at an angel. Jaka who was looked at by the children just smiled, then he invited them to finish their food.

After they finished eating, the children slept under a tree. The warmth of the burning remnants makes them sleep very soundly, some of them even sleep until snoring.

***

In the morning at the top of Bukit Buah Batu, the sun began to show its light. The birds sang cheerfully adding to the atmosphere at the top of the hill.

On the branch of a merbau tree that is quite high, Jaka sat while playing a flute on his lips. The flute groove was so melodious, it was even able to make the singing birds envious.

The flute that Jaka played was not only heard on the top of the hill, slowly the flute descended to the foot of the hill even to the nearby villages. The farmers who were about to go to the rice fields for a moment stopped their steps to enjoy the flute.

The sleeping children slowly opened their eyes, they simultaneously looked at the figure of Jaka who was on the tree. Jaka who knew about it then stopped his flute play and jumped down to approach them.

"Do I disturb your sleep?" ask Jaka.

"No sir, not at all." replied one of them. "We would like to say many thanks for the help you gave."

"No need to hesitate, every human being is obliged to help each other, right?". The boy smiled then nodded, confirming the words of the master swordsman who had helped him.

"Oh yeah.. What's your name?" ask Jaka.

"My name is Sabeni sir, if they.. "

The boy named Sabeni then told Jaka about the names of the children there. Sabeni also explained what they had experienced while locked up on the top of the hill.

Sabeni and several other children came from different villages. All of them were kidnapped by people who named themselves as the Black Cloak Group. Sabeni and the others were locked up in wooden cages until another group would pick them up.

While in brackets, the children rarely get food rations that make their bodies become thin and dry. Not infrequently also among them were hit by whips for trying to rebel.

Sabeni several times seen as unwilling as she told the story, her tears fell down her cheeks. Not only sabeni, the other children also feel the same way.

As the sun begins to rise to the surface, Jaka and the children begin to leave the top of the hill. They slowly descended the hilltop filled with steep rocks. Not infrequently Jaka took them if there were difficulties in passing the hill road.

It did not feel like the day had come to an afternoon when Jaka and the children arrived at the border of Tanjung Melur Village. Their arrival turned out to have been welcomed by some residents and royal soldiers.

Apparently after the departure of Jaka to climb the top of Bukit Buah Batu, Ki Tama as the head of Tanjung Melur Village reported this to the soldiers who were patrolling in his village. This report was welcomed by the royal soldier and willing to accompany Ki Tama following the next day.

"Master, thankfully you are safe" said Ki Tama welcoming the arrival of Jaka and the children. Jaka nodded his head and handed the children to the village chief.

After he finished explaining the situation at the top of Bukit Buah Batu, Jaka asked for permission to continue the journey. Not to forget Jaka asked to return the children back to their parents.

"And one more Ki, please take good care of my horse. I'll definitely take it back.."

Ki Tama intended to prevent Jaka's departure but all of it was undone after seeing Jaka was no longer in place.

"What a good young swordsman." muttered Ki Tama. Then he took the group back to the village.

***

Jaka, who had driven the kidnapped children to the village border, continued his journey to nearby villages.

Jaka believes that sooner or later the Black Cloak Group will move again. Therefore, Jaka intends to visit other villages to prevent the kidnapping from happening again.

Jaka continued to move his feet towards the north, he hoped to arrive at the next village soon.

Not feeling the night had arrived, Jaka accelerated his pace when he vaguely saw the village's perimeter pole.

"Finally.until also." muttered Jaka.

Jaka then entered the village which now looks lonely, some houses have closed the doors and windows of his house. All that remains is the twinkling of the lamp that illuminates the houses of the people.

Not far from Jaka, there were two village guards on patrol. The guard then approached Jaka.

"Is there anything we can do for you, sir?" asked the village guard kindly.

"Ah yes.I am looking for lodging sir. It just so happened that I just arrived in this village." replied Jaka.

"Then let me drop by, the inn is not far from here."

"Isn't it troublesome, gentlemen?

"Not at all, this is our job. Lets.. "

Jaka followed the two guards and has now arrived at a sizable inn. After thanking the guard who had escorted him, Jaka headed towards the entrance where there had been someone waiting for him.

"Please sir.. "