The Musafir

The Thieves in a Valley

SO FOR now, Mantingan will only continue to monitor it. Although the Northern River Angel was lost though, it would not have had too bad an effect since the eastern monsoon was still far away at the time of its arrival, even the girl would have learned a lot from her wandering.

The two moved after the Northern River Angel finished his morning breakfast. The girl looked very excited, there was still a lot of hope left that adorned her bright eyes. But the Angel of the North River did not know that he was not moving north but west, if only he knew it then Mantingan could not guess what kind of despair the girl would be.

***

THE ROAD THAT Mantingan and Bidadari Sungai Utara passed had begun to dry up that day, after last night was all out of the rain. The sun feels very stinging to the skin. Down there, the North River Angel looks very agitated due to the unusually hot temperatures.

Indeed the girl did not wear or carry the magic robe of the Mantingan. Though with the robe, the hot sun will feel cool like a mountain cucumber. The Northern River Angel left the robe in the inn room with his sword, the two items were now in Mantingan's hands.

While Mantingan, looks not too disturbed by the hot sun. He was used to it, even without Kenanga's cloak he could still enjoy the ride. Moreover, the position of Mantingan currently on top of the tree makes him enjoy the breeze even though it means exposure to sunlight without any obstructions.

During the trip, the Northern River Angel stopped several times to rest. He did not carry a bag of water containers, so could only rely on dew water to drink. Although it can be seen, the dew water cannot quench the girl's thirst.

The water in the Mantingan container bag is still a lot, but Mantingan did not have the heart to drink it while the North River Angel drank dew water. So the young man followed the way of the North River Angel; also the way of other expert warriors. Eat air, drink dew water.

After all, Mantingan had done something like this when he had not been assigned to look for Kembangmas. If not dew water, Mantingan will drink rainwater that is accommodated in coconut shells. If there is no water in the coconut shell, then Mantingan will find a type of plant that can give it water. That's how to survive in the jungle, Mantingan really hope the North River Angel has understood about this before.

However, it seems not. Mantingan clearly saw the Angel of the North River standing beside the banyan— tree which the big tree always had a reserve of water underneath, but the North River Angel still drinks dew water on the leaves of the banyan tree without trying to dig into the ground.

Mantingan wanted to come down and explain well to the girl about the banyan tree, but again it was impossible to do. It could be that the girl even ran, who would then either step on the grass or step on empty air—rubbed into the abyss. That's a bad estimate that the Mantin absolutely can't shake.

***

BIDADARI RIVER Utara tried to get himself to the edge of the road quickly, but he was too late. A swarm full of rogues descended as the Northern River Angel crossed a valley between two hills. The long-armed bandits ambushed the Northern River Angel from all directions with long laughs.

The thin smiling mantel saw what happened. None of the rogues was a swordsman. The Northern River Angel should have been able to use his profound strength and defeat them all as easily as mowing the lawn.

But from what Mantingan saw, the North River Angel actually felt afraid when the thieves came. Unlike the attitude of most warriors who are confident when ordinary human rogues come.

Mantingan had sensed for himself just how powerful the Northern River Angel was. The girl almost compensated for the Mantingan, was one of a handful of talented swordsmen. But at this time, the Northern River Angel did not gain any confidence at all.

For warriors, distrust before or during a fight is tantamount to negligence.

“Aha! Look friends, there are stray angels until this forest. It seemed like he had left his talisman in the well so that he could not go home. Pity, come with us, we will give you a comfortable home!”

North River Angel swiftly put up the horses and silat attitude. Showing rejection. “Away or don't regret later.”

“Heh, veiled girl!” Other thieves pinch the kelewang. “In this place you don't have much choice. Let me alone mention it. First choice, you obey us and we promise not to play rough with you. Second choice, you refuse and we'll be a little rough on you. Third choice, you fight and we kill!”

The Northern River Angel smiled behind her veil. “I chose the latter option.”

The robbers looked at each other. Tacit. Then laugh hard. Meanwhile, the Mantingan was calculating the strength of both the visible and the hiding enemies.

“Aduhai, ouchai. It seems you still don't understand. Look at all of us who carry sharp kelewang here, while you are alone without carrying any weaponry!”

“I don't care!” The Northern River Angel snapped coldly. “If I have to die here, then at least some of you will have to die with me. And I, will die honorably."

“To whether I should die with you while I can spend the night with you!”

The Angel of the North River ignited the flames of anger. His face was red. Breathing excited. There was something inside him that prompted him to take an act of resistance.

“MATTHEW YOU!”

Coinciding with that, Mantingan finished counting all the enemies in the valley. All three dozen people. Two dozen armed rams took to the streets, while a dozen others were arrow-armed bandits hiding on two sides of a hill.

As the Northern River Angel advanced to attack with his bare hands, the Mantingan immediately alerted the poisonous needles and Magic Throw to incapacitate the enemy. The mantan would wait until the North River Angel was completely in danger before launching a silent attack.

But this time the North River Angel no longer disappointed Mantingan. The girl quickly attacked the nearby rogues with a palm strike, then dodged all sorts of attacks nimble and measured.

Not only got there, the North River Angel began to pick up a long piece of wood which was then used to beat up his opponent. Not infrequently the wooden rod he held was clashing with the enemy, but not split or broken. Because in fact, a piece of wood has been made a weapon as strong as a sword by the Angel of the North River by utilizing a martial science that is rarely mastered by other warriors.

The coat that had intended to help now began to be dazzled.