KEEP BUANA (Rise of Darkness)

The Remaining

Four days later, the three of them traveled. They no longer enter the villages and small towns that passed except just buy food as supplies continue the journey and then back into the forest path. They deliberately avoided meeting with residents for fear that their existence would be sniffed by spies or members of other black groups. Throughout the trip, both Gentayu and Senopati Benduriang told each other about their experiences over the past four years.

That dawn, they had to stop at a big river bank. It was clearly impossible for them to use the science of lightening the body to cross a river whose edges were barely visible from where they were standing now. Finally they just wait for a fishing boat or a passing merchant to hitch a ride. Fortunately, not long after, a medium-sized fishing boat with four men passed by. The boat owner is willing to give a ride to Gentayu and Benduriang because seeing there are small children with them indicates that the two people are not bad people.

“Sorry sir, if we may know where the three of you are going?” The old man of the ship owner asked about Gentayu and Benduriang's destination when the three had boarded the boat.

“We want to go to the mouth of the sabak, uncle. Sorry, how much should we pay for this service?” Benduriang replied politely.

“oh, sabak estuary yes. Then you will come down two more villages from here. If we still have to go upstream, sir. Payment matters, it's not necessary, sir.. If you may know, are these two warriors who want to participate in the martial tournament there?” the words of the old boat owner are enough to make Gentayu's forehead wrinkled.

How could there be a tournament in the king's hideout? Wouldn't that be so flashy? A martial arts tournament that would surely invite many warriors, he thought.

“No, uncle. We are just ordinary people traveling. We went to the village to meet the village head only.” Benduriang replied.

The old man who owned the ship did not seem to care much about Benduriang's answer, because suddenly in front of the boat they are now facing a large ship with three ripples of water with crossed twin swords and pictures of rice-cotton on the right left side. It was clearly the flag of the Lamahtang kingdom. Under normal conditions, they should not have to worry because in this boat there is a senopati palace. Unfortunately, the current palace had been taken over by the Exorbitant prince with the support of the black flow group.

Both Gentayu and Benduriang do not want to be rash. They will not react to anything that will happen as long as their presence is not disturbed.

“Stop!!” Shouted a soldier dressed Lamahtang loudly from on the deck of the ship the front is addressed to the boat that was boarded Gentayu and Benduriang. Apparently, the man was the leader of the fleet.

The old ship owner signaled to stop the speed of the boat. The boat became swaying due to the meeting of the waves from the royal ship and the flow of water around the boat.

“Sorry, sir warrior. What the hell is this? Why we stopped?” asking the old man to the soldier who had moved his hand signaled to his comrades to take a ride to the old man's boat.

“We only have to check the contents of your boat, old man. We want to make sure on your boat there's no escape from the palace! Get all your crew out and stand on the edge of your deck. ” The voice of the fleet leader's man loudly answered the objections of the old ship's owner.

The entire crew following Gentayu and Prince Lokajaya came out from inside the crew room. Benduriang himself chose to hide in the water under the boat, right in front of the muzzle of the boat. Gentayu and Benduriang had agreed, had they been recognized or captured even if they would have complied to be taken to the royal ship. Don't want to harm the old shipowner.

Three soldiers jumped from his ship into the old man's boat. The full face of arrogance was visible from these three people. Then began to check on the people in the old man's boat who were now standing in line. Some stood trembling as they heard that the soldiers now roaming were none other than the black warriors and former robbers who were chasing the king of Prabu Win and his followers.

The three soldiers stopped for quite a while while in front of Gentayu. They seemed to match Gentayu's face with the image of the face of a real person in their hands. The frightened Prince Lokajaya was hugging his right thigh tightly.

“Sorry sir, my son and I are not part of these fishermen. We just hitchhiked on this boat to attend the wedding of my late wife's family in Muara Sabak village.” Obviously Gentayu was playing the part, when the three soldiers looked suspicious of him who looked different from the other fishermen.

It turned out that the show worked. The three unsuspecting soldiers immediately rushed back to his ship without turning their heads again because there were other boats that had to be checked in addition to the Gentayu boat.

Gentayu heaved a sigh of relief at not having to fight in the middle of these waters. At the very least, their presence would not have been stifled so far had things gone according to plan. Benduriang who had originally hidden himself into the water was now back on the deck of the ship.

He intended to give a little explanation to the old man who owned the ship, but apparently the old man had already met him in the crew room.

“Master doesn't have to worry. We are on the side of the two masters should it be true that the two of them are part of the resistance group against the power of the black stream in the kingdom. Sorry we didn't introduce ourselves before. We are the remnants of the Golden Sun College that remain. We were on a mission when the attack happened.” The old man who owned the ship told Benduriang his true identity, but to his surprise Gentayu heard it from the seat behind the old man.

Gentayu was eager to open up his identity as a wandering disciple as well as the heir to the Golden Sun's moves, but he abandoned his intentions because it seemed that it did not need to be done for now. There is still time, he thought.

“No. Not exactly. We see the leadership of King Prabu Win too weak. Although one day Prabu Win managed to reclaim the throne of the kingdom, we are not sure that things will improve. After all, during his leadership, the state of the people is also very difficult.Today for us it is better to fight directly against the black flow that makes trouble in the community... No need to be too involved in power politics. Unless, if a strong figure emerges who can appear nurturing, maybe we will desperately fight with him. For now, the lower society needs us more.” The words of this old man were sharp and piercing. Benduriang even thought the same thing all this time, but nevertheless he was part of the power of the king called the old man.

A bitter smile adorned the lips of Benduriang. I don't know what to say because everything is exactly what it is. King Prabu Win is indeed a weak, slow and less assertive leader and tends to be emotional. Even this king did not take any action when one by one the power of the white stream was destroyed by the alliance of the black stream. It is only natural that the attitude of the remaining white warriors is also not as expected of the king and his followers. And today Benduriang saw for himself one of them.

Gentayu who realized the awkwardness of the situation in the narrow room immediately stood up and approached the old ship owner. Giving his respect that the old man did not understand at all.

“Uncle, may I know what uncle's name is?” Gentayu ventured into the awkward situation.

“Oh young man. I'm sorry I ignored you. My name is Ki Geringsing. Elders. I'm sorry I meant one of the former elders in the Golden Matahri temple. The three of them were my students that I brought along while on a mission. The Yang Jangkung, Pontoh. The Fat One is Baung, and the youngest is Ompak..”.The old man named Ki Geringsing introduced his crew who turned out to be his students.

“Are you the only ones left, Ki?” Gentayu was quite happy in his heart to be able to meet the students of his teacher and wished there were more survivors.

“So far, only we I know are safe.” Ki Geringsing replied briefly with teary eyes.

Gentayu's heart suddenly felt a very piercing pain. The body of Danang, the son of Bandu Aji who failed to be saved. Guilt re-emerged and was not felt, there was water in the corner of his eyes when he remembered the terrible day.

“Why are you crying, young man? Do you have any comrades who were also killed by the black stream? Come to think of it, it all makes me hungry! Uh, but that, you guys have reached” Ki Geringsing hastily came out to meet the Ompak who was driving the boat and ordered him to pull over.

Benduriang thanked him before stepping out of the boat with the sleeping prince Lokajaya. The thought of senopati is still ringing in Gentayu and Ki Geringsing speech about the weak king who is currently being defended and fought for his return to the throne. Wrong action?

While Gentayu took the time to give some gold coins to ki Geringsing. Of course Ki Geringsing refused because he was worried it was an attempt to make him sympathetic and willing to fight to help the king Prabu Win.

“Receive Ki. I am also not part of the king's support resistance group, although I used to be a soldier. But due to different principles four years ago I came out of the palace and wandered. Accept this, this is from your younger brother. And my name is Gentayu” Gentayu keeps trying to persuade ki Geringsing to accept the meas coin from him. But his last sentence made Ki Geringsing's face change.

“What? Are you really my teacher's student?” ki Geringsing said in disbelief.

“The story is long. But I was on the plank during the attack.. “ Gentayu not much to tell. The timing is not right according to him. He only shows a pendant given by Bandu Aji as proof that he is the heir of his teacher.

“You should have cried... Gentayu, then, come sometime to our hamlet. Edge Miang, and ask my name there.we will visit you.” Ki Geringsing understood enough of the situation to finally tell a place where they could meet again one day.

“Ejung Miang, yes... Okay uncle. I will definitely stop by there after meeting my foster father..! Gentayu bowed as a sign of respect to the old man who had been the elder of his teacher's college before turning around and following Benduriang's steps.

Ki Geringsing stared fixedly at the back of Gentayu from the boat that returned to sail until the figure disappeared in the lush forest trees bordering Muara Sabak village.

“Ah, guru... it turns out that you are hiding your more talented students not in the padepokan.” Ki Geringsing muttered with a smile.

At a glance he could see that the figure of Gentayu was not a random person. His strength seemed to radiate more strongly towards the breakup, perhaps to prove himself that he was indeed a disciple of Ki Brajawana. What is clear, now a new hope appears, at least for Ki geringsing and his three students.

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Oh yes, thank you for those of you who have supported and become readers even if you just stop by. Srmoga I can continue to give the best as I can and we are all as far as to be kept away from the plague, reinforcements and disasters**.