EVERNA Ring of Fire

APUKONDAO Part 5

Wufabwe's attitude even made Nirya's face more tense. Nirya beware, lest sooner or later the driver will act.

The good news is that this quiet and awkward atmosphere only lasts less than an hour. Because the voice of Wufabwe this time like a squeak is heard again. "Well, we've arrived. Guests, welcome to Teminobe, the future capital of the United Dhuraga Country!"

Nirya looked in the direction she was heading and her forehead wrinkled. Because, as far as the eye can see that looks just a stretch of giant trees with thick trunks. Where does "city" mean? Rather than protesting for things that were unfamiliar to her, the girl chose to keep her mouth shut and just open her eyes, watching things closely as well as her traveling companions.

After walking further, different things appeared in the forest. The first is certainly people who are passing between the trees that are now quite far from each other.

One more thing that is very obvious difference is the wooden houses that look like giant mushrooms attached to the tree trunks. The houses stood on platforms all connected by wooden bridges.

In order to reach the platforms, people climbed up the rope ladder from the ground. Those who were not strong climbed the stairs, as the elderly and pregnant women entered in a kind of large basket made of roots, which were, connected with strong ropes and pulled by an officer by moving ballast stones one after another. The way these baskets work is similar to the pulley principle which is much more advanced and sophisticated than today.

Nirya watched all the scientific equipment in astonishment. Could this be what Dhaka says, a technology acquired and learned through coercion and looting? If one day the United Dhuraga State stands tall and becomes strong, it is not impossible that Dhuraga will become a country of war and colonize other countries in Antapada. Especially after they knew that the countries had been weakened by the Ring of Fire Disaster.

One unanimous determination formed in Nirya's mind. Even if it must make Mount Yamkora active again, even erupted, Yori Mbeko the unifying Dhuraga must die.

Just then, Nirya saw some residents, old and young staring at her while frowning. Their faces stiffened, as if Nirya was a wild animal grinning, showing its fangs.

Suddenly Arumi patted Nirya on the shoulder while whispering, "So your face is tense, implying killing intent. A lot of people here, don't do that again."

Nirya did not answer the reprimand. The tense expression on his face slackened back.

Upon the arrival of the "country guest" under a large tree, Wufabwe exclaimed, "Wait a moment here, guests. I'll call the City Chief first." He then climbed the rope ladder with agility like a monkey climbing a tree.

Sthira exclaimed, "Wait a minute, Wufabwe! We...!" Too late, the driver had climbed too far to disappear from sight. Sthira sighed, and she and her entourage stood looking in all directions cautiously.

Sure enough, soon a group of local people came and gathered around the group of foreigners. Their appearance is on average in line with Wufabwe, who is black and wears minimal clothing from very simple processed materials, directly from the local flora and fauna.

Like Wufabwe, the Dhuraga people, especially the children, displayed a plain look and attitude, but were very curious. A little boy even approached Dhaka sniffing and reached out, about to touch his scales. But a woman immediately pulled the child away and rebuked him like a mother. "Be careful! Lizard man is dangerous!" whispered.

However, the most tense is precisely the "suffering" of the men who on average brandished unsheathed weapons towards the Nirya entourage. One of the men was tall, with a hand longer than a normal human hand. Acting like a warlord, he exclaimed, "Foreign men, what business do you have to go to Teminobe? Fully armed anyway? Say it!"

As the leader of the group, Sthira replied, "We are the emissaries of the merchants from Swarnara, Kalingga, Jayandra and Rainusa. We're here on a peaceful mission to establish trade relations with Dhuraga."

"Oh, is that really so?" said a dark-skinned, burly woman descending from the bridge, swinging with a rope. "From what I've seen and heard, I think you're a swordsman assigned as a spy."

Just as her words were finished, the woman landed gracefully on the grassy ground. It was then clear that her hair was very curly and fluffy like a ball. In the following days this new hairstyle was called kribo.

Arumi then appeared to diplomacy with the woman. "If we were spies, we would have killed the thief outside the city. Then we infiltrated secretly and tried not to be in the siege of soldiers like this. We are official envoys, so it's appropriate that we are welcomed properly."

Hearing that, the kribo woman laughed rhythmically, but seemed natural. "Haha! Forgive those of us who are not familiar with the conduct of diplomacy with other countries in Antapada. My name is Aswa Rakwar, Deputy Leader of Dhuraga and Head of Teminobe City. Pangima Hongke Jombe, order the soldiers to drop their weapons. They're guests of the country."

"Ready!" hongke Jombe. "All soldiers, put down the guns!" The soldiers carried out the order almost in unison.

This show of high discipline made the blood of Nirya, Dhaka, even Sthira and Arumi rush in the head. That's because the four of them initially thought the science and discipline of the army had not been known in this primitive land like Dhuraga. This science cannot be "blooded", could there be Dhuraga people or people from other Antapada countries who teach various sciences to these primitive people?

"Alright, we'll talk further and be more comfortable in my residence. Follow me!" Aswa then began to climb the trunk of a giant tree that is very thick, the tallest tree in these cities. His movements were very agile like apes, without using any aids.

Nirya gasped and ran straight away, trying to keep Aswa from being out of sight. He then chose to climb with a rope ladder, which he thought was the easiest way.

While crawling one by one the footing of the rope ladder, Nirya was again aghast. Dhaka clamored to climb the tree. Quickly, the fingers on a pair of hands and feet of the Komodorai equipped with skin that can stick to all surfaces. So Dhaka can climb up strong, fast and agile like a lizard.

Rather than lagging behind because Aswa was getting farther away, Nirya chose to focus her attention on the rope ladder she climbed faster. But he was not careful so one of his legs slipped. He yelled. Worse, Nirya's handrails on the stairs were also released until she fell to the ground, to her death.

It turned out that the helper was Sthira.

Not only that, with all her strength Sthira pulled Nirya's body up, until hanging side by side on the stairs earlier. What made Nirya's face meet red was the position of Sthira's hands coiled around her waist and back, as if hugging the girl tightly.

With a smile Nirya looked towards Sthira's face. But Sthira instead reprimanded him, "Quick up! The stairs are too narrow for both of us! We will be left behind and be ashamed!"

Nirya's face grew red. "Oh yes," he said as he ascended again cautiously.

Arriving at the end of the stairs, Nirya went down and retraced on a wooden platform. The first thing he saw was a large, circular wooden building, as if gripping a giant tree trunk. Not as beautiful as the rumah gadang in Swarnara, not as wide as the palace of Prabu Narendra in Jayandra, but this is the largest building in Teminobe, the most feasible for the residence of the state leader.

In front of the entrance of the building was Commander Hongke Jombe standing in an ordinary manner, Dhaka standing beside him. Hongke said, "At least Rainusa's representative has shown her might and toughness. Please enter the guests, The Aronawa has been waiting for you for a long time."

"The Aronawa? Who's that?" Nirya whispered to Arumi who had just appeared next to her with a breath of breath.

With a face cobbled by being forced to climb the stairs while wearing heavy armor, plus the "friendly scenes" of Nirya and Sthira earlier, Arumi explained, "That's a title for the wife of the unifying tribes, queen or queen consort."

"Oh, so." Innocently Nirya nodded while entering the building.

In the hall that doubles the living room, Sang Aronawa, Aswa Rakwar sat on a high chair carved, made of a type of very hard wood called iron wood. Surprisingly, the shape of the chair was almost similar to the prabu throne in Jayandra. The difference, Jayandra throne is made of various metals. Recognizing the resemblance, Nirya captures the implied intention that Dhuraga is ambitious to become more prosperous than Jayandra, the most prosperous country in Antapada one day.

"Her ears are true to the rumors I've been hearing all along. The great countries of Antapada are indeed very strong and nodding" Aswa said to open talks.

"I'm sorry for our stupidity, the Aronawa," Arumi said. "But aren't we very slow to arrive at this hall?"

"It's too late" replied Aswa. "But it happened because your chief saved one of his fallen members, Commander Hongke told me. This proves that even if your countries are at war with each other, you can still unite very well as a group."

Nirya was aghast, it turned out that the chase was a kind of test to measure the strength of Antapada warriors, and the size was not based on physical strength alone.

"Well, now say your names" said Aswa.

Sthira introduces the group. "The name of the servant of Sthira, from Kalinga. And these fellow servants were Nirya of Swarnara, Arumi of Jayandra and Dhaka of Rainusa."

"Well, we'll go straight, what items do you offer to trade? What are the interesting things about the land of Dhuraga and have trade value?"

Arumi who was the most knowledgeable in her group spoke up, "Aronawa the Great, we offer spices, raw materials of metals such as iron, copper, copper, brass and special foods such as rice from rice and various other crops. From Dhuraga, we are mainly interested in the produce and mines, among them sago and ironwood."

"Is that all?" reply Aswa. "There are actually many kinds of Dhuraga products and handicrafts that can be traded with neighboring countries. Look at this." He showed objects neatly stocked on a special table in the hall, which was actually at once for display.

The first is a kind of fruit. "These fruits can be made into delicious and sweet food, we call it kaka'o. Try the processed foods at the banquet later, you'll definitely like."

The second is a kind of grass that is deliberately soaked in a vessel filled with water. "This is seaweed, a very healthy and refreshing food and can be processed into various types of food, which you will enjoy at the banquet anyway."

The third looks like an ordinary sweet potato, no different from the yam plants in other countries in Antapada. Looking at the frowns of the guests who were wrinkled, Aswa spoke while chuckling, "Haha, if seen it is indeed at a glance no different from ordinary yam. But this is betatas, forest sweet potatoes. Betatas can be eaten directly and sweet in taste, and it tastes even more delicious after boiling or burning, combined with seaweed or other ingredients."

The fourth is a kind of blackish-brown grain. The seeds spread a unique aroma that Nirya had never been before, combined with the scent of fruits. "Well, this is the product of Dhuraga's flagship earth. We call it ka'fay, but for easy spelling please call it coffee beans. In the form of beans it seems very hard, but after grinding and dissolving with hot water, coffee will be a very-very refreshing drink, arousing and passion. Please try it at the banquet."

Closing his explanation, Aswa Rakwar smiled and said, "If only seen, of course, the typical earth of Dhuraga that we are proud of will not be more than the decoration of the hall. So your guests, before you make your decision, take part in the welcoming banquet later tonight so that you can taste it yourself and get a complete picture of coffee, kaka'o, seaweed and betatas."

The Aronawa then stood up and walked away from the hall.  Without looking, he said, "You should all be here tonight. Otherwise, we will assume all of you have insulted and demeaned the land of Dhuraga. And the only reward for that humiliation is the death penalty."

Nirya turned her head to her three comrades, who were also unmoved on the spot.

Reference Picture for Teminobe Village: Dominican Treehouse Village.