The Musafir

Out of the Thousand Drops of Water

THE MANTAN kept going. Puddles of water have been passed, now the road began to decline so that Mantingan really need to put up caution if you do not want to slip and sharp rocks that will surely tear his body into many parts.

The White who was perched on his shoulders was silent. Although the darkness had been completely pitch-black, the bird did not appear to be afraid at all. As if there was and the absence of light was the same thing for him.

However, that is how Mantingan in his mind is grateful because the White's inertia makes his conscience can work better to lead the way. The presence of the White also gives a little more calm because it feels like having friends.

After a long time Mantingan continued to step with his conscience, he saw a light not far in front of him. That's goa's mouth!

Mantingan does not accelerate his pace, because of how desire and lust often plunge man oak in disaster. Although the mouth of the cave was only a few spears away from him, Mantingan still stepped calmly.

Only after stepping out of the mouth of the cave until his entire body was doused in the morning sun, Mantingan breathed a sigh of relief. The tail of his eyes went around, looking at the blue sky and the trees full of water. If the scenery that should feel simple like this actually feels very amazing for Mantingan.

Having lived for so long in the Thousand Drops of desolate Water, without any trees or weeds, without such scorching sunshine, without a sky that is sometimes blue and sometimes gray, without the whirring of the wind, how could such a scene and atmosphere not be so precious to Mantingan?

Before starting the journey to find wood, Mantingan first check all the preparations.

He saw the Kiai Kedai Sword still neatly adorned in his waist belt. While Savrinadeya's sword wrapped in a seedy cloth tied tight on his back—reems a bundle. A large reed basket was strung on both shoulders, needed to hold fresh vegetables that might be found on the trip.

Mantingan again set foot leaving the mouth of the cave, which was immediately greeted by a dense green forest. Birds milling. Straw squirrels. Wind blowing. The warm sun is shining.

The young man wore a big smile, because it felt like he had not seen such a scene for so long, even though the real thing was only for two weeks.

The mantan chooses not to flutter, considering how the swordsman in the middle of the wilderness is as lush as the wilderness itself. They will remain together in hiding until another swordsman flashed nearby, when they will just come out of hiding and pursue the warrior to be challenged to fight.

The current state of Mantingan is not being pressed, so there is no need to rush. Remembering also that fighting without the right hand is not something that is easy if the face is a high-powered swordsman.

If he flashed, it was likely that he would face a fight against Svarnabhumi warriors whom he did not really know to what extent their strength was. Because of course for a swordsman who still wants to be a swordsman, every challenge to fight must be accepted and faced.

So Mantingan chose to walk without flashing, like a public swordsman who does not know the science of martial energy in. His stump hand would also believe that he was a sword-wielding person, who had lost his right hand in the fight.

The sun shone quite hot until it blatantly hit Mantingan's face. The young man only lowered his face to protect his eyes from the glare of the sun, for however he did not wear caping. His caping was left at Kelewang Samodra. He hoped the Angel of the North River could find the caping and bring it to Champa.

Mantingan saw several deer looking at him from afar with a wary look. He tried to make the deer calm with a warm smile, but that smile actually made them run away.

Mantingan had actually realized that the air attached to his body had been completely different since the battle against the rebels about three weeks ago. For a lesser-known cause, little air of the killer leaked out even though it was not desired at all.

Perhaps that is what has caused the deer so alarmed him. The mantan can only smile bitterly and understand animals that always live by relying on instinct.

***

MANTINGAN actually wants to avoid human civilization no matter how small it is. But when faced with a tavern on the outskirts of the forest, Mantingan can not lie to himself that his stomach is really hungry.

Although he had actually eaten quite a lot before leaving the Thousand Drops of Water, but all he had eaten was the jerky boiled with salt. It doesn't seem so bad, but it would have been really bad if all he had eaten for two weeks was the same food.

Mantingan covets fresh vegetables watered with goat broth. Or at least grilled fish covered with sweet honey, because at least it will remind him how great the delicacy of North River Angel cuisine.

So that was after entering the store and greeted with a friendly, Mantingan chose a bench in the corner of the room. Indeed, the selection of a bench in the corner of the room is the habit of warriors who have ingrained, because only in the corner of the room can one monitor the surroundings without moving the head much and without being the center of attention.

The owner of the shop came to him saying something that Mantingan could not understand his language. Initially Mantingan thought that his ears had been misheard or the owner of the shop was not fluent in speaking, then again he asked the person to speak.

But just after Mantingan spoke, it was the owner of the shop who looked confused. He said again in a different word than before, but could not be understood by Mantingan.

“Ah, this one of our friends is definitely from Javadvipa.”

The mantel turned his head and found a man with a wide caping covering part of his face. A great sword and a reed basket were tied to his back. Looking from top to bottom, the man was wearing a full outfit: a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a patterned cloth tied to the waist, as well as a footwear weaved from dry straw.

The man then told the shopkeeper in a language that Mantingan could not understand. The shopkeeper nodded his head and let the man talk to Mantingan first.

“Friends, if it is true that you are from Javadvipa and can understand this saying of mine, then please be prepared to reply.” The man in conversation said while yelling.

____

note:

My health has been declining for the past two days. Sorry yesterday did not update. And sorry because this chapter was forced to be released without editing.