The Musafir

Sky Stakeholder as Guard of the martial world

Although the meeting with the two women was never regretted, especially against his meeting with the North River Angel, Mantingan still tried to avoid all meetings that could lead to pledge, because of how his promise with Kenanga is still not paid off until now.

“Eat with us.”

While immersed in his memory while still with the North River Angel, Mantingan heard the voice of Chitra Anggini behind him. Then he turned around even though his hand was still holding a scrub brush that was attached to the back of Munding Caraka.

***

“Thank you for the offer, but look what I'm doing right now.”

MANTINGAN did deliberately show that he was doing another job, namely rubbing the back of a buffalo that is dirty and smelly. So who would be happy to invite people who are rubbing buffalo backs like himself to join and eat together?

“Chairmen who invite you to eat together there. If you do not want, then I am asked to accompany you to eat here,” said Chitra Anggini. “Whatever, you have to eat. The Chairman always tries to serve his guests as best as possible, and you have been considered his guest here.”

“Daku ...” Mantingan was silent for a while before seeing Chitra Anggini blink one eye once, so he quickly found out what to do. “I feel disrespectful if I have to join and eat with you. Because after all, the only man here is me. If you want to accompany me to eat here then it is quite good, but it would be even better if I eat alone here.”

Mantingan knows how his conversation with Chitra Anggini is currently being listened to by Kartika who seems to dissolve in chatter with his men. So he also knew, how the offer of food that had been provided by the woman should not be rejected.

“The decision cannot be contested so easily. I will bring a little food here, and we will eat together,” said Chitra Anggini in a tone that is actually flat-flat, “this is not my will, this is the will of the chairman.”

Mantingan presents itself as if resigned. No more and no less he just nodded. Although he was actually happy, because he felt that he would get a lot of information from Chitra Anggini while eating together. Isn't that precious?

So with that, Chitra Anggini turned around and walked away. The mantan does not further rub his shoulders, but rather takes a reed roof filled with clean water to wash his hands.

***

“If I'm not wrong, your name is Chitrapala, right?”

MANTINGAN opened the conversation while he and Chitra Anggini had been sitting face to face on a mat woven by pandan leaves. Right in the middle of them was a fruitless boiled chicken covered in banana leaves. Enough to provide an awkward atmosphere for Mantingan, because he really had to eat the whole chicken together with Chitra Anggini. In his mind he wondered, is there no plate or such that the chicken can be divided in two in separate containers?

“Ya, right.” Chitra Anggini's hand unhesitatingly pecked at one of the chicken thighs. But before devouring it, he first said, “no need to be shy like that, O young-looking man named Mantingan. Our way of eating is like this, in order to create a strong sense of togetherness. Look at the others.”

Mantingan had actually seen that the other puppet women put their food on the banana leaves that form long rows, long rows, it was there that they then ate together with laughter as if they had no problems that had gone before or which were about to come.

In contrast to the lively dining atmosphere of other puppet players, the atmosphere of eating Mantingan and Chitra Anggini is actually quiet and awkward. Of course this is caused by Mantingan who is so not accustomed to eating alone with a woman in a way that he thinks is quite barbaric.

“What would you do in Balian Valley?” Mantingan asked after and before he went back to chewing.

“Dancing.” Chitra Anggini replied briefly. “Do you not see the clothes we wear and the sound tools we have? Or how?”

“I know. However, I was still wondering why the Balian Valley which was usually so quiet and seemingly worthless was now guarded by so many warriors, now, so many to have to hire a large group of puppet players like this.”

Chitra Anggini glanced at the Mantingan item for a moment before finally answering, “That place became so valuable after the bird news came out about the Sky Stakeholder. Tapa Balian, as the most reliable heirloom forger in the eastern Suvarnabhumi region, became a prey for warriors who desire to gain the authority of the Sky Stake. So it is natural that the place is guarded by a thousand soldiers.”

The mantle frowned. Previously he had suspected that there were only about five dozen warriors guarding the Balian Valley, that alone was the most approximate. However, now he heard from the mouth of Chitra Anggini that the place was guarded by a thousand soldiers. Doesn't it indicate how important and urgent the problem is? Mantingan also highlighted “My Sky” that Chitra Anggini was talking about. Could that be the problem? But is it the Sky Stake?

“About Sky Stakeholder .. what is it?”

“If I tell you, it will be in vain. This is related to the martial world which will certainly be difficult to believe by ordinary people like yourself.”

The mantan trembled in admiration in his mind. Chitra Anggini has played his part very well. It was as if the conversation between the two of them was actually a conversation between two people who did not know each other before.

“I deserve to be said as a layman, but even like this I still believe in the existence of the martial world. I have seen for myself how warriors are fighting and fighting each other in the air, which is so fast that my eyes cannot see so clearly.”

Chitra Anggini raised next to his eyebrows. “So you have learned that the events that occurred in Tarumanagara five months ago were accompanied by the intervention of the warriors in the martial world?”

The mantang nodded his head. “I know and I believe in it. Now say what is a Sky Stake.”

Chitra Anggini was silent for a moment. Staring Mantingan with long-goals. Like finding something, he wore a meaningful smile. The young woman explained.

Sky Stake is a term used to refer to the strongest warriors who are able to rule the martial world. The martial world in question is not limited to Dwipantara only, but also to the Land of the Roof of Heaven and Jambhudvipa. That means, Champa, Funan, and the small kingdoms around him also entered.

The formation of the Heavenly Stakeholder was triggered after a secret meeting between the kings of these lands was held. The meeting was held secretly and never officially announced, although the martial world has proven that the news is true.

The formation of the Sky Stakeholder was also in response to the chaos that occurred in Javadvipa, which almost involved Champa in bloody warfare. But in fact, small disturbances often occur in the outer countries, which always have the intervention of martial world warriors.

Sky Stakeholders are a group of people whose job is to maintain the balance of the martial world, although it does not mean order forever. Sometimes balance requires disorder. Sky Stakeholders will only be filled by warriors who have indeed mastered the martial world or who if able to take power in the martial world.

“The Sky Stakeout Amount has been predetermined. Dwipantara was given a two-seater ration for his warriors to occupy the Sky Stakeholder. And that is what caused the martial world of Dwipantara once again turbulent, because there was competition between the top warriors in the martial wells, martial forests, and even the underground martial world, he said,” clear Chitra Anggini. “They fought over the one seat left, because one seat was definitely occupied by Hero Man of Tarumanagara.”