EVERNA Ring of Fire

HAMENTANE Part 2

Dhaka nodded in lethargy. "Yes, there is Kalingga that we must put down. After that, call for the countries in Antapada to be reconciled and united. That way, we will be strong against threats from far and large countries such as Jerian, Perlas, even Khor, Wushu, Taehon and Shima."

"Totally so." Arumi gently punched his palm. His sitting position was somewhat shaky in this moving ship. "We must as soon as possible arrive in Kalingga and weaken the country. Arya Manikrama's dear Resi disappeared indeterminate jungle while exploring the jungles of Kalingga. I don't have much leads on that country."

"In that case, go straight to Hamentane, the capital of Kalingga," Dhaka responded. "Later on we'll find a clue there, who knows there's an active volcano near the capital."

Arumi. "Yes, I think that's the only way. Actually there are other ways, but Sthira who is again unconscious makes us go awry. If he regained consciousness, not necessarily we can trust him fully as a guide. Isn't that right, Nirya?"

Nirya just nodded. Since then the girl just listened, not talking a bit.

Apparently not only in Nirya, Dapu Dapu conveyed a warning about Sthira to Arumi and Dhaka as well. The demon boy knew that love must make Nirya tend to defend her lover, deceiving his logic.

The existence of Vajra, the weapon of the spirit god Vrithra in Sthira's body makes the young man too dangerous. Nirya, Arumi, Dhaka or anyone else should have killed Sthira when Sthira had just fallen unconscious at Dantonu Peak. But Nirya blocked the act.

After all, Sthiralah was the originator, the originator of this terrible journey from the beginning. Whether the mission is complete or not, succeeding or failing, Sthira must stay alive and bear the greatest consequences of all the four disaster bearers.

Thus, Nirya reminded her comrades again. "Stheir is the originator of all this. He is the most sinful of us all. Without Sthira, we cannot continue the mission and the Antapada War will be even more crazy. Please friends, at least pretend to trust Sthira to the end. I was determined to live for sin or to die, all with Sthira. Again I say, this is my last request, Nirya Panigara. If Sthira had to die in Dantonu, here or anywhere, at any time, I would have died with her."

Arumi and Dhaka sighed. Because, they do not want to repeat the past. When landing in a safe place in the forest near the beach, the surviving warriors have taken up arms to finish off Sthira. But Nirya instead installed the body, so the shield for Sthira and expressed the same threat as now.

"Yes, inevitably have to bet," said Dhaka while leaning. "Whatever Dhaka's grudge against Vrithra as he had killed Dhaka's family, it would have been wise if Dhaka had acted after the mission was complete."

Arumi nodded. "agree. When that time comes, you two lovebirds get ready to go together to hell."

Nirya grunts. I think he just heard two hypocrites. Are not Arumi and Dhaka equally sinful, as were Nirya and Sthira?

Dhaka may seek death in various ways in order to reunite with his family in the afterlife. But Arumi? Nirya could not guess the contents of Senopati Jayandra's heart. It could be that the girl full of tactics is also unbelievable, but too good at hiding her secrets.

If Nirya, Sthira, Arumi and Dhaka were still breathing at the end of this mission, the four of them would have clashed and killed each other, none of them would have waited for their deaths. From now on, Arumi and Dhaka are enemies of Nirya and Sthira.

It was with that thought that Nirya stood up while saying, "Please try to move us. But remember, we'll invite you along." Without waiting for his two comrades to answer, Nirya walked out of the meeting room of the ship.

With gontai steps, Nirya continued walking and entered the treatment room next to the meeting room. Seemed in the room Sthira lay, still unconscious.

So Nirya sat down beside Sthira. She gently stroked the man's hair, looked at the face she loved and revealed a gentle smile.

In a soft voice Nirya said, "Calm down, my love. I'm here to keep you company. No matter what people say, whether their opinion of you is right or wrong, my sincere love is only for you. I believe you, Sthira."

Nirya then laid herself beside the man. Then he whispered in Sthira's ear. "I don't care what people say about me either. Even though I was considered crazy, even though I ended up having to accompany you to hell, I was willing. It's all because I love you, Sthira. I love you so much."

\==oOo==

From Pinissi, when Nirya cast her gaze upon Hamentane, the capital of the Kalingga Kingdom, a sense of wonder and disappointment overlapped in her heart.

Hamentane is located right on the Equator, the middle line of the world and is a port city bordering the coast. A towering fortress wall surrounded the city. This is not common, considering that the countries in Antapada generally do not fortify their cities with high walls. Maybe the builders of the fort had time to explore to the western continent such as Aurelia and learn about the city walls there.

However, there was no mountain, not even a mountain shadow as far as the eye could see. So even if Nirya and her friends manage to make the nearest volcano to Hamentane erupt, chances are that the city will not suffer severe damage.

One important equation between Hamentane and other cities in Antapada is that the average houses are built of wood. In fact, tall trees like forests stood between the houses, almost as dense as the trees in Teminobe, the capital of the United Dhuraga State.

Although cool to live in this tropical area, wooden houses are very vulnerable when burned or shaken by an earthquake. But still, in the event of a disaster, it is the earthquake or hot lava bursts that are most able to take advantage of that weakness.

Walking through this Hamentane City, Nirya now feels like she is entering a labyrinth like in the stomach of Mount Idharma. Worse, Sthira who should be a local guide in this one "labyrinth" instead leaned helplessly, unconscious in the arms of the commodore, Dhaka.

Seeing Nirya who could not be seen Sthira, Arumi rebuked, "Take it easy, we will not kill her yet. The time has not yet come."

Nirya threw a "yes, I know" look at Arumi, then returned her eyes to the streets. The atmosphere is all awkward now, after four friends in this struggle split into two camps, opponents and supporters of Sthira Tarunaga.

After resting for a while, Arumi met Nirya who was sitting with Sthira lying in the room.

"You've seen for yourself, haven't you," said Arumi. "There are no mountains near Hamentane at all. Are you still siding with Sthira?"

"Of course," Nirya replied while looking intently at Arumi. "If Sthira had told us about this from the beginning, I would have helped her anyway. There must be another way to weaken Kalingga, not necessarily with the volcano's occult script."

"Huh, I knew you'd say that" Arumi said. "But you're right. We certainly have to think further, not fixated on those ways. That's why me and Dhaka are going around the city to gather information. Who knows we'll be able to string it together and tease it into a mature plan."

Without waiting for Nirya's reply, Arumi turned around and stepped out of the room.

Without looking back, Arumi said, "Remember, our agreement is still in effect. Unless something happens beyond our expectations, be prepared to disappear or we disappear at the end of our mission."

Nirya did not answer. He just continued to observe the fellow and his enemy until the red-haired girl's figure was no longer visible behind the door. Only then did Nirya sigh in relief. His mind wandered back as the gaze of his eyes kept on Sthira.

The city of Hamentane has been razed to the ground and become a sea of fire. Then Nirya looked at Sthira who was standing straight beside her. The lifeless bodies of Arumi and Dhaka lay on the ground. Sthira smiled towards Nirya and the two embraced affectionately.

The moment Nirya let go of her embrace, the scene had turned into the interior of a house in a secluded place. Nirya was carrying her baby, while again turning to Sthira who had just returned home carrying a pacul.

Nirya then went out of the house for her husband, but the husband was surrounded by armed men. Long time no fight, it turns out that Sthira managed to subvert the bullies.

But suddenly another horde that numbered many times more than the first wave of troops had surrounded Sthira, Nirya and their babies.

How surprised Nirya when she saw the figures she had known among the front row of the siege posse. Instead, their bodies were all covered in blood, there were even some gaping wounds on those bodies.

Rahli Marus, the caretaker of Mount Barkajang.

Admiral Begarwana of Jayandra.

Ni Lara Sati, the caretaker of Mount Megaswari.

Dabongsang Zakuay, Dabongsang Hurek and Gega Napalam.

The six of them along with all the bullies exclaimed together, over and over, "Pair of sin! Disaster bearer! Mass murderer!"

Yori Mbeko, Aswa Rakwar and Wufabwe of Dhuraga.

Three Komodorai, Dibu Anam, Rambu and Thika.

"We can avoid war, but not from a disaster that comes suddenly, without warning or omens!" exclaimed the late Yori Mbeko, representing everything.

All the bullies kept cheering, "Pair of sin! Disaster bearer! Mass murderer!" Again and again.

Even at the front stood two figures most Nirya know, namely his former comrades-in-arms, Arumi Dyahrani and Dhaka Anam Commodorai. Both of them died in blood.

"They have deceived and deceived us!" Arumi yells hoarse. "What's peace? The war is not over! Nirya and Sthira are very nice, living in secluded and quiet here, while Antapada is crumbling around them!"

Nirya exclaimed in protest, "No! Have the leaders not called for peace? Isn't the war finally over? This is not true! Can't be allowed!"

"It's too late. King Kalingga considered Hamentane destroyed by the actions of other countries, not a disaster! He deployed his entire army, destroying Jayandra, Swarnara, Rainusa and Akhsar. Worse still, our neighboring country, Jerian who has long been eyeing this opportunity came with a large fleet. They intend to colonize all of Antapada which is now at its weakest point. It's over, it's all because of you!"

"You should stop the mission, kill Sthira and let Kalingga take control of all of Antapada. Now that you're wrong, feel the consequences!" Dhaka then extended his spear towards Sthira and Nirya. "All the victims of the Ring of Fire Disaster, kill the family!"

All the brakers went forward in tandem without running, just walking like the undead. With that unanimous siege, Sthira continued to swing her paculan, overwhelmed by not having time to take her flagship weapon. Moments later, Sthira's body was pierced and slashed by dozens of weapons.

The reference picture for King Kalingga, Triawarman is Mulawarman, King of Kutai, Ancient Kalimantan.

Image Source: Google.