EVERNA Ring of Fire

DANURAH Part 1

Once again, Sthira runs as fast as possible with Nirya and Arumi, trying to save each of them from a volcanic eruption. The night sky was lit up by the eruption and the rain of fire pouring in all directions.

Nirya who ran the fastest in front of Sthira exclaimed, “Quick, guys! Hot lava flows are starting to catch up towards us!”

“What!? How could? Didn't we already run far enough from the epicenter?” sergeant Arumi who has managed to catch up with his two colleagues and is now in the rear position. The hot air that was increasingly felt on his back skin made the girl reflexively turn around.

“Ah!” exciting Arumi. Nirya was right, the smoldering red stream continued to hit.

Given that now they are in the labyrinth of the Sriwedari Forest and just circling, no wonder the lava flow that moves quite slowly is getting closer.

The thick grass of the Sriwedari Forest protects Nirya-Sthira-Arumi from volcanic ash plumes. However, sooner or later this area will turn into a sea of embers, besieging the three men in a trap that is more deadly than the waves of the crushing fleet of Sabailuha.

“Aduh, how should this be?” nirya said with a panicked tone.

“Listen Nirya, Arumi!” Sthira's idea came out instantly. “That's flowing from the north, ‘right? Let's keep running away from the lava, sooner or later we will definitely come out of the south side of this forest!”

The two Sthira comrades immediately nodded and ran in the direction in question. Rows of trees, hot smoke and hail of volcanic rocks are still to be passed and avoided. But now, lava flows, though still dangerous, are turning from enemies to guides.

Now Sthira slipped through the trees, jumped over the thickets, and no doubt turned a moment and turned again to the south. While the protective prana of his body is more functional to ward off the attack of fire stones and hot dust.

Soon, a hot smog filled the air, blocking the sight of Sthira and friends. The man from Kalingga often hit a tree as a result of running away without looking far, but his high self-esteem prevented him from asking for help to the two girls who accompanied him.

“My turn! Let me open the way, Sthira!” Suddenly Nirya burst forward, placing herself in front of Sthira. The Swarnara girl then twisted the chain of flakes like a windmill in front of her body. Of course, by exerting wind energy through the style of the Semilir Wind Shadow, constantly blowing smog to scatter.

Now, at least the Sthira troupe can see to a greater distance. When Sthira's feet tracked the ground outside the southern edge of the Sriwedari Forest, then he could breathe a little relieved. A tad. Because the next moment, the smog again made Sthira breath tight.

Because Sriwedari Forest is busier than the footpath in the forest slopes of Mount Barkajang, the impact of smog from the eruption of Mount Megaswari and the fires of Sriwedarilah Forest are much more pronounced.

“Now we have to go as far away from the disaster area and leave for Rainusa,”, said Sthira as she coughed. “How do you propose, Arumi?”

“Because we are heading south, inevitably we have to return across Wulantra to the port city on the south coast, Damarwangi,” replied Arumi.

Nirya. “A-what? Back to Wulantra? Doesn't that mean suicide?”

Arumi shakes. “Depends. We have to replenish supplies in the nearest town or village. If we are lucky, this smog will cover our movement. So, if there are still desperate residents living in areas that are too busy saving themselves, they will not care about us at all.”

“What if someone recognizes us?” ask Nirya.

“Just hope this haze sides with us,” replied Sthira. “When until that happens, there are many ways to silence people, including..” He demonstrated his point by moving his index finger in a straight line in front of his neck. Nirya and Arumi did not comment again, a sign they had understood the meaning of Sthira.

For the success of “misi mulia”, they must be ready to be the cruelest humans who have ever tracked the world whenever necessary.

On the other hand, Sthira wasted no more time and continued running. Suddenly, a lump of fiery rock the size of a fist struck the man's back. Sthira was hit hard to fall.

“Sthira!” nirya and Arumi cried together. Quickly the two girls approached the handsome-mighty man, helped him get up and swept him while walking as quickly as possible.

However, in areas that are still covered by this disaster, which place is safe enough to do mediocrity or all measures of wound recovery?

In this all-pinched situation, it is only natural that a speck of regret arises in a person, even the trigger of a disaster.

But not for Sthira. Matipun still no regrets.

\==oOo==

Arriving at Wulantra, Sthira turned around with an anxious face. He and his friends should have been able to breathe.

As expected, the very swift actions of Mpu Galahasin, Mahapatih Jayandra have deprived Prabu Narendra and most of the people, nobles, officials and soldiers of an even destruction throughout the capital. Only those who are too old and those who are less fortunate, less responsive and do not believe in the warnings of the leaders of the country are the victims of natural disasters whose causes are not natural.

Just look, almost all the buildings in Wulantra are no longer intact. Partly broken and burned due to hail of fire stones. Then, the hot fog continued the embers to burn other houses that were average made of wood.

Only a handful of buildings made of stone were still standing upright. Even with the wooden roofs that have been charred, it is not clear the shape anymore. Furthermore, volcanic ash and lava will bury the entire region of this city. Just centuries later, the ruins of Wulantra were discovered and bear witness to history as the old capital of Jayandra and “victim” one of the most devastating volcanic eruptions in Vanapada's history, Everna.

Rather than witness the disaster, the rest of the population chose to believe in the wisdom of Galahasin and the charism of Prabu Narendra. Despite escaping death for a while, they still had to suffer greatly. Tens of thousands of people are on a long, perilous and resource-poor exodus journey. Eventually they arrived at the promised land of Mpu Galahasin and built a new city that would later become Mahesapura, Jayandra's new capital.

But during the trip, about a third of the group either died or left the group to live in the forest, village or city scattered along the Wulantra-Mahesapura route.

Staring at the charred bodies, crumpled and separated the victims, inevitably the heart of Sthira felt tight. Maybe this is the first time he felt because when Barkajang erupted, he did not cross the Ringidatu. However, Sthira's grief was more profound than when she witnessed Jayandra's entire Fleet being swept away by Sabailuha's rampage.

Unable to withstand the shock of the heart, Sthira collapsed to her knees on the dusty ground. The remaining lava, ash and hot stones that were still burning made the two palms of the young man blister red.

Seeing the behavior of Sthira, Nirya and Arumi quickly approached the people who had started and continued the series of disasters to the third mountain.

“What's wrong with you, Sthira?” ask Nirya.

Arumi assumed, “Don't you..”

But Sthira even replied with a clash, “Don't-ever! I'm still human, you know! Don't think I'm okay after everything I've done!”

“But have we not brought destruction to Wulantra? Isn't what happened the same as the war? Aren't we waging war on Jayandra? Stabbing directly in the heart of its capital anyway!” Arumi's words were like pouring oil on a fire. What does that “labil” girl mean?

Geligi Sthira was lying, in anger he wanted to hit the sharp-tongued girl.

However, before anything untoward happened that could ruin the entire mission, Nirya quickly spoke up, “Hold yourself! Remember the message of Mpu Galahasin. The embers of the Ring of Fire have been ignited, so the only way that the fire does not burn all of Antapada is to complete the whole round! All countries in Antapada must be weakened, so that they realize they have no choice but to unite and seek peace!”

Returned the truth from Galahasin's words. If they stop here, one of the countries in Antapada, say Kalinga will conquer the weak countries due to disaster. Furthermore, Kalingga was also weak as his army was scattered to guard his colonies. At that time, other countries such as Jerian, Taehon, Wushu, Shima or others will compete to invade Antapada. And its destruction will be greater, more terrible than a city in every country destroyed by disaster.

The thought returned to nourish Sthira's mind, the young man's tense face loosened so impressed calm. Especially when he saw Nirya smiling sincerely towards him, only then did he realize how the beauty of this Swarnara girl had again eased the turmoil of his heart.

Is this what he called falling in love?

Source Image Reference: Magnificent buildings in the city of Danurah as in Singaraja City, Bali (Google).