EVERNA Ring of Fire

MEGASWARI Part 3

With determination Arumi approached Kamaja saying, “Mother, let's fight them together.!”.

“I'm not your mother!” bentak Kamaja's. His face that resembled that of a young but blood-red Lara Sati looked extremely ferocious, as well as flames as if blazing in both eyes. His voice was very different from Sati's hoarse voice and Lara's subtle voice. “Because my statue was torn down, as the spirit and key of Mount Megaswari I was forced to take over a new body as my host. Lara Sati is now dead, now I am the last caretaker here!”

Arumi's entire body trembled violently, her tears unstoppable. “K-you... You killed my mother...? Kamaja...! I-I won't spare you!” Indeed, from the beginning Arumi's actions against Nirya and Sthira were only to protect her mother, no matter whether Megaswari would erupt or not.

Kamaja instead responded to Arumi coldly. “Your own fault let that young man tear down my arc. Now, just accept the death penalty for all of you!” Although Arumi's soul was struck by a dilemma between preventing a catastrophic disaster and fulfilling Mpu Galahasin's mandate to complete the Nirya-Sthira mission, he clearly did not like the monster named Kamaja who likes it. Moreover, Kamaja killed his mother.

“Awas! Kamaja will attack!” sthira exclaimed while moving backwards, ready to dodge.

If Kamaja were left to be the caretaker of Megaswari, especially in the form of giant women like this, it would probably bring a greater disaster than a volcanic eruption. Mpu Galahasin knew that, but he chose not to reveal the mystery of the uncertain, so that Arumi, Sthira and Nirya who solve and understand the problem themselves. Mount Megaswari must first erupt. Kamaja must be destroyed first, then a new caretaker can appear.

When Arumi was just rounding his resolve, a pair of fiery machete that fused in two of the four arms of Kamaja swept with a cross motion, as if to cut Arumi's neck until it broke. The attack was very fast, Arumi did not have time to avoid it until suddenly he was pushed to fall very quickly.

Arumi then reacts, seeing his savior, namely... Nirya.

“Build!” exclaimed Nirya who immediately rose up very agile.

Arumi rolled to the side, a giant horse's foot tracing about an inch from his head. The force of the footing was like a hard slap to the girl's face.

Arumi's head was pushed up to a vertical position, accompanied by the sound of bone rustling from his nape. Arumi howled and choked, the pain was like being hit by a heavy mace. Fortunately the girl was a highly trained soldier, so she did not faint. Still, Arumi forced himself to get up and go back on standby. His eyes were on Kamaja.

On the other hand, the entire surface of Kamaja's body suddenly seemed to be covered in wild blazing fire. He stopped walking, then turned around slowly like a horse.

Kamaja came forward again. This time his arms were directed to both sides of his body. After being close to the target, only he won all four of his big goals cross-crossed. Nirya, Sthira, Arumi and Begarwana were bouncing away from the barrage of Cross-Fire Crescent that the giant fired.

Recovering from the impact of the attack, Arumi lunged forward. He slashed his keris sword, firing the same Cross Fire Crescent as Kamaja.

“Stupid! That mock move won't work for me!” Proving his words, Kamaja snatched his fire blade, repelling Arumi's fire scythe with ease.

However, the face of the Kamaja man who resembled the young Lara Sati became flabbergasted. It turns out that the attack was just bait. Arumi had already moved to the other side of the giant monster's body, launching a deadly stab.

The puncture from Arumi landed heavily on the stomach beside Kamaja. Kamaja roared in pain, but then his voice changed into laughter. “It takes more than one puncture to penetrate the Burning Magma Passion that has fused with this skin of mine.”

Arumi clucked in annoyance.

A moment later, Sthira and Nirya attacked Kamaja simultaneously from left and right.

“Two more stupid creatures!” The four Kamaja machetes stabbed to the side, the destructive prana power like the Burning Fire Arrow even made the two attackers overwhelmed.

Begarwana jumped up high and hit his Gun Pocket right on the back of Kamaja's head. But Begarwana. “A-what?!” Never mind breaking, the woman's head did not move a bit from its place.

“I don't know what Lara Sati saw in you, Begarwana. But I never should have let you get out of Sriwedari, even conceive your daughter! So, I'll fix my wrong decision now!” Without turning his head, Kamaja blasted a fire prana from his back like a porcupine.

Well, how is this supposed to be? Unintentionally, the thought that should not have stopped in the minds of Arumi who was famous for being brave. He looked left, right and far ahead, looking at Sthira, Nirya and Begarwana lying in their respective places. Especially now, Kamaja turned to him with eyes full of murder.

“You are an error that should not exist,” Kamaja told Arumi. “You were the one who forced your mother down the mountain to secretly train you with my knowledge. Then you came with the intention to seize the holy scriptures, but turned to help your mother. And now, you turned against me again, your true teacher!? Your fickle stance is just difficult! Try one day, maybe you will change your mind and betray your friends again!” Kamaja deliberately slowed down his call to be heard clearly by Sthira and Nirya. “You're the one who forced your mother to let me take over her body, Arumi! That's why you're the first one to die!”

Arumi. For a moment, the prowess of the memories reminded him of all his actions since the calamity on Mount Ratauka up until now. At first he sided with Sthira because Sthira and Nirya saved him, then changed his mind when Sthira revealed his plan. After being arrested and given “enlightenment” by Galahasin, Arumi again sided with Sthira, but changed sides again when she found out Lara Sati was her mother.

Now, Arumi turns to help Sthira again because Kamaja took over the mother's body. The establishment of Arumi who often alternated is certainly dangerous both for friends and opponents. This behavior tends to lead to betrayal, doesn't Arumi realize that? More precisely, did he just realize that in this crucial moment?

Kamaja certainly did not give his opponent a chance to reflect anymore. Again he struck his fire scythes with a cross-legged motion to poach Arumi. Instead, Arumi's facial expression was empty, as if being bewitched or stupid. Is it true that he has resigned, swallowed the truth in the words of Kamaja roundly?

The answer came from the blade of the cleaver and the prana-laden kerambit that swung, fending off the scythes of the Kamaja fire. Seeing him, Arumi gasped and went back on standby with his dagger.

“Hei Kamaja, reprimanding it should see time and place,” sergeant Sthira.

Nirya chimed, “You deliberately reprimanded to make Arumi off guard. Even if your words are true, of course we won't let you!”

Hearing that, Kamaja took a few steps back. Surprisingly, the women grinned, her mouth constantly widening to the point that her lower jaw was slipping. Then he made a shrill voice, it was unclear if it was laughter or crying. The four opponents chose standby, unencumbered by strange behavior that might also be just a tactic.

“Basic of humans, those foolish creatures that can only be troublesome!” kamaja said with a cynical tone. “Already, lazy I play around to save energy! I'll finish you off with my mainstay, Hell's Core Magma Sculpture!”

While saying so, Kamaja raised his two front legs up high, then stomped them hard on the ground. At that moment, the hot magma that should be in the stomach of Mount Megaswari burst out from the ground. The power of the blast was so great that the magma pillars that rose about three times the height of Begarwana, the tallest man in this fight.

“Awaas!” shouted Begarwana, who along with Arumi, Sthira and Nirya were jumping, rolling and running away from the magma pillars.

Do not stop there, magma aka “api cair” at the top of each pillar it gushed like a fountain, then plunge rain down on the ground and everyone who stood there. Only those who flew high enough could possibly dodge this attack.

No doubt, the cries of the warriors echoed across the slope. Most of them were hit by the magma rain, but because of that, Begarwana and Nirya were struck by pillars of fire that kept popping from the ground. Only the protective prana on their bodies prevented the four people from gnawing the ground with charred bodies.

The pressure of the up-down attack also forced Arumi to collapse to kiss the ground. His whole body was in pain, like being pierced by hot needles. Although bleeding, it was precisely the girl who first rose up among her colleagues.

His attack was completed, Kamaja again took a position facing his opponents. Looking at Arumi, he was surprised. “B-how can it be?” sergeant. “Your colleagues were still exposed to my attack earlier!”

“Entahlah. All I know is that you and I both control the fire prana,” replied Arumi, releasing her bow and arrow bag which now looked charred and almost broken. “After all, this ordinary bow and arrow bag has resisted your attack so that it does not completely hit my body. So yes, I was the one who got up first.”

Without waiting for Kamaja to talk to buy time and gather energy, Arumi stepped very fast, thrusting his swords right into the heart of Kamaja. But the horse-man galloped and managed to dodge.

What happens next is a chase between Arumi and Kamaja. Arumi leaped and grabbed his dagger fiercely, reply Kamaja who relied on the four swords in his four hands, plus a jolt attack his feet that shook the earth.

Facing his giant enemy, the wounded Arumi moved more slowly, breathing heavily.

Image Caption: The eruption of Mount Merapi, a reference to Mount Megaswari in Terra Everna. Image Source: Koil.com.