EVERNA Ring of Fire

SRIWEDARI Part 1

What I want in my life

Only serve with all your heart

In nusa, beloved homeland

Not a specific person

But where is justice?

When I must submit to error

Nusa is repaying me with death

Is this the life I have dedicated?

In the imagination of the laity, Sriwedari is a park that bridges the afterlife, Nirvana with the mortal nature, Vanapada. In Sriwedarah where the angels and angels mingle, releasing all fatigue after banging buana.

Every man and soul who wins the contest of life, blessed to enter this divine garden is always greeted with the dance and song of the angel. Also acted with polah nettle animals and the spread of puspa mewangi.

Despite the same name, this forest is another Sriwedari.

On the one hand, as a former senopati who is famous for being very brave and honorable, it is difficult for Arumi Dyahrani to believe her current situation. Now he is a fugitive, the most wanted fugitive in his own country. Moreover, now he even became a guide for two other fugitives, in order to solve a very severe crime.

Thanks to hours of hard training every day, Arumi moves very quickly on any terrain, including the trails in the dense Sriwedari Forest. The sun that should have started rising was invisible in the sky, covered in thick, black clouds. From the laymen poured down heavy rain, but the steps of the girl remained light and deft.

Nirya who used to train in the forest and Sthira who was also a former officer moved no less quickly than Arumi, but they chose to continue behind the guide.

Every now and then, Arumi stopped stepping and turned left-right to track the situation. It is very difficult to climb trees, see far away and distinguish sounds in the midst of heavy rain, including hearing and feeling the vibrations in the wet ground. The water pooling on the road was only dyed by the spatter, Arumi heaved a sigh of relief at the sign of safety.

Taking advantage of that momentary opportunity, Arumi stole a glance towards Sthira, the girl's tense face loosening instantly. Indeed, it is undeniable that the hard muscles in the body of the Kalingga warrior make Sthira seem more manly than all the men Arumi had seen and known so far.

But the eyes of Nirya, the Swarnara girl also can not be separated staring at the “tough man” it. For Arumi who considers herself more beautiful than Nirya, the tightness in her “omuni” attitude really bothers her. On the other hand, Sthira looked indifferent, just keep running away.

So, so that this awkward situation does not drag on, Arumi slows down his run until it stops. Nirya and Sthira followed the guide's movements and approached. “What's up, Arumi? Why stop?” ask Sthira.

Arumi pointed to the path in front of him. “Because I have to tell you, we are heading to Sriwedari.”

“Sriwedari?!” Nirya's forehead is wrinkled. I think he's heard that word before. Yet where and about what, those memories were still vague to him.

“It was the forest that surrounded Mount Megaswari, the place we headed to. Be careful, almost everyone who has entered it must be lost and trapped, will not be able to get out alive.”

The description made Sthira gasp and asked full of probes, “Have you ever entered this forest, Arumi?”

Arumi shakes. “No. I only knew the Sriwed Forestfrom this was the only way to Megaswari from my teacher. Just Begarwana, my teacher, is the only person I know who ever entered this forest and came out safely. But now it must be impossible to ask my teacher for help, right?”

Nirya. “B-Begarwana the...your teacher?”

“Yes. But I now have a grudge against him. After our mission is complete, Begarwana will definitely be hunted. That's when she can hope she's never born.”

The deeply felt Nirya looked at Arumi with sympathy. Maybe the Swarnara girl also harbors a grudge against someone, but this is not the right time to exchange and share stories.

Sthira asserted her attitude by saying, “Nirya, Arumi, we don't have any further talk time. Maybe the royal army is chasing us right now. We have to keep moving forward, let us find out the rest while walking.”

Just in case, Sthira unsheathed her cleaver. A pair of Nirya kerambit had been connected by chains and tightly grasped. While Arumi chose to use his swords, ready to open the way if necessary.

So the three warriors stepped back, this time not running. There must be an oddity in Sriwedari, and they have to find out about it themselves. Their chances of survival depend on this effort.

The further he stepped, Arumi felt the atmosphere around him was much darker than before. Most of them are teak trees whose age can reach hundreds of years. Because they are rarely touched by the hands, let alone the axes of men.

The leaves of the trees are very lush as if filtering out the rain. Until about the spertiga outpouring that only reached the ground with specks.

Suddenly, on the sidelines of the shoes Arumi sayup-sayup heard the hoarse voice of a woman. “Three people in Sriwedari. What are they looking for?”

The response to Sthira came almost instantly. “Depends on your intentions. You crossed Sriwedari, but you didn't seem lost. We knew. You guys must be going to the sacred mountain.”

By plainly Nirya spoke, “We just passed by, because we thought this was the closest path from Wulantra to our destination. If indeed we are lost, please guide the elder so that we can cross out of this forest.”

The response that came was precisely the sound of hoarse laughter made up, until the listeners creeped. “The innocent young man covered up his bad intentions with innocence as well, thinking that cheap hoax could fool us.”

The same voice as if responding to the previous remark, “True, true. We are very powerful, do not want to be insulted by such innocent words.”

“What do you mean, elder?” Arumi's tone began to taper. “This friend of mine has spoken for what it is, telling you things that are none of your business! What bad intentions do we cover up?”

“Ck, tsk, tsk. Don't pretend you don't know, you girl who likes to cheat. Not you say, your bad intentions radiated very concentrated, making us crowded and fed up. Usually we get most people lost in this sacred forest, preyed upon by wild animals. That was because they intended to steal teak wood that they could sell at a high price. Usually we let people just pass by without damaging nature. Even if they are lost, it is very unfortunate. But you!? Whatever your intentions are, we won't let you live!”

The statement of the mysterious woman is enough to make Nirya, Sthira and Arumi stand by with their respective weapons. Challenged like that, the attack on them will certainly be terrible from the hordes of roses on Mount Barkajang.

“Let rukhan, our faithful servant send you to the afterlife! Goodbye!” After the voice of the strange woman-mysterious, the sounds of birds and various animals that lurk-sayup filled the forest was gone. Even the sound of the wind and the things it moved vanished, changing into a gripping silence.

“A... Arumi, who...what is rukhan?” tanya Nirya stammered, tightening the grip on her pair of kerambit.

“Now, I don't know much,” replied Arumi. “What I hear, rukhan is a kind of stealth that moves fast like a firestorm. So yes, we have to be very careful and keep turning our backs on each other.”

“Agree.” Sthira chose to turn her back on Nirya. Arumi who saw him frowned for a moment, then positioned himself back to his two colleagues.

No one had attacked yet, so Arumi tried to focus her gaze. Just now it appeared in the distance, among the trees several wolf-sized figures sprung up. Complementing the horror, dozens of animal figures also appeared around, blatantly besieging the warriors.

“Crazy... They this is... rukhan?” Sthira's voice shook. “This is not a wild animal siege, but by a well-trained army!”

Instead, Arumi looked calmer. “I never said this trip would be easy, ‘kan? Stay in your positions. When I give my cue, just follow my run.”

Almost simultaneously, the “wolves of” were advancing. At a glance to see them from a close enough distance, it turns out that Rukhan has the head and front body of the rabbit as well as the legs, back body and tail of the fox.

Amazingly, tongues of fire blazed over the body of each rukhan, like a mane extending to the base of its tail. Even the tail of the fox itself was a blaze anyway. The fire on their bodies seemed to be very strong, not extinguished by the outpouring of raindrops from above the trees. Although the rukhan's goosey face looks sweet, the row of pointed fangs they show when snarling with threat clearly shows they like to roast their prey before eating it.

“All, tahaan!” Arumi gives aba-aba.

Without command, the Rukhan stormed simultaneously. They galloped as fast as foxes and moved as agile as they could, ready to dodge when attacked back. But the warriors who were attacked did not move at all from their positions.

Rukhan's jaws gaped wide.

Fiery tails wagged.

“Now! Follow me through them!” While exclaiming, Arumi swung her keris, followed by Nirya's kerambit dance and Sthira's machete. The three ran very fast in one direction like a dart. The tip of the swordsman's third weapon mercilessly struck the three fox-kankil demons on the path of breakthrough. Instead, the other opponents continued to attack with fire tails and bites.

One flaming tail slashed at Arumi's body, but the female warrior did not burn. Because it has the same elemental prana as the opponent. Most of the fire attack power rukhan muted and absorbed Arumi. The adis only got a meaningless scratch. He slashed back and split the body of the rukhan in two.

While running, Nirya and Sthira only managed to dispel the rukhan-rukhan that hit them. In the next seconds, the stealth animals flocked to chase the three warriors. Maybe because you have to be careful, the warriors who run began to be followed by the enemies who are indeed residents of Sriwedari Forest.

Seeing that, Nirya's face paled. “How now?” yells.

“Follow my aba-abaku! Right flank!” Arumi's running direction is a little too sharp to the right. Instead, he left the path, into a grove of teak trees that left only narrow gaps, but still free enough for humans and rukhan to pass.

Instinctively, the hordes of rukhan took turns and chased, entering into the narrow crevices between the trees. Blocked by the stretch of branches, twigs and roots of trees that cross, the animals are natives of Sriwedari was getting closer to the warriors.

“How is it, Arumi? Let's fight them!” Nirya's tone seemed panicked.

“Hold! Keep running!” reply Arumi.

“Ouch! I got struck by a claw!”

“Tahaan..!” When a rukhan was near and pounced towards Arumi, Arumi exclaimed, “Turnback now!” His long keris flashed, tearing the muzzle of the rukhan up to his body.

Sthira and Nirya also counterattacked. The movement of the two warriors were very fast and sudden it made the animals difficult to avoid. Countless rukhan again who died stricken, did not have time to avoid.

Description: Reference to the Sriwedari Labyrinth Forest of the Imogiri Forest.