The Swordsman

CH2.3 Blood Axe Troops

It didn't take long for Sanjaya's raden to arrive at a house not far from the river. Without hesitation Raden Sanjaya knocked on the door of the house.

GECK.. GECK.. GECK...

"Who's out there..?" the waiter's voice returned the ketokan raden Sanjaya.

"It's me, Jaka of Retaliation. Didn't my uncle ask me to come to your house..?" ask raden Sanjaya.

"Oohhhhh... Let's you please come in.." The waiter sent out Raden Sanjaya.

Although it looks very simple, but in the house all the items are neatly arranged and clean.

"Thank you uncle. Immediately uncle, I want uncle to tell me about the Blood Axe troops.." said Raden Sanjaya.

"Well, Raden, let's introduce my name is Timin. This situation began a few years ago, after Prince Danayaksa ascended the throne in place of his father, king Dananjaya. A few months after his accession to the throne, Prince Danayaksa married a daughter Mai of Champa. Whether related or not, after Prince Danayaksa married, then appeared a group of people who named themselves blood axe troops, they dressed like royal soldiers and claimed to be emissaries from the palace. But what they did was rob, and they also brought young men and girls to sell as slaves" Timin said

"How did you know that the young man and the girls were sold as slaves..? Is the kingdom still in the system of slavery..?" ask raden Sanjaya.

"No sir.. Banon Sewu did not know about slavery. As a shopkeeper, I heard a lot from the people who came to the tavern that the girls and young men were sold as slaves to the nobles in the other country." replied the tavern maid.

"Then did you not report this incident to the Palace..? Are there no royal special forces patrolling the countryside..?" ask raden Sanjaya.

"We have often reported this incident to the Palace. We sent people to report to the palace a dozen times, but none of them returned. So that we felt it was useless to also report this incident to the Palace. And ever since the king of Dananjaya died and was succeeded by his son Prince Danayaksa, there has never been a patrol of soldiers into the countryside." said the waiter.

"Uncle... does uncle tau sanggar worship at the end of this village..? Why is the sanggar abandoned..?" ask raden Sanjaya.

"Hhhmmmm. The issue of the cult hangar, after marriage to the princess of Champa, the Palace forbids the worship of the Creator, but the worship is addressed to the Bathari Durga. So that many worship hangars abandoned and even partially converted into a place of worship to the Durga. From the rumors circulating, Mai's daughter has high magic and likes to drink human blood" said the shopkeeper.

"Do you know why the villagers looked so scared when my wife and I entered this village..?"

"Residents will be frightened when a stranger enters the village. Not only in this village, but the villagers around will be like that. They were traumatized by the arrival of the Blood Axe troops. Perhaps they thought that lord Jaka was a spy for the Blood Axe army.

After hearing the explanation from the tavern waiter, Raden Sanjaya did not return to the inn directly, but went around the village of Polosan to study the situation of the village and look for some necessary evidence.

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GECK... GECK... GECK....

"Jaka.... have you slept..? It's me Pandu Bergolo, if you haven't slept, accompany me to drink in the dining room of the inn." said Pandu Bergolo.

"Sorry sir, my husband is very tired, he has fallen asleep. I did not wake him up.." replied Sekar Wulan from the room.

"Oohhh. alright then. But does the madam have time..? Can we talk while enjoying a drink..? Later if your husband wakes up, he can come to the dining room." asked Pandu Bergolo.

"Sorry sir, it is inappropriate for a wife to talk to another man when her husband does not know. So I'm sorry, I can't meet Mr. Pandu's invitation." replied Sekar Wulan.

"Oohh.. alright lady. Forgive me. I'm going first. Oh. yes, tomorrow morning I wait for you in front of the inn. If your husband agrees, we go together to the royal city." Pandu Bergolo said as he walked away.

"Hmmmmm.. It doesn't matter now that you reject me, but tomorrow, you will definitely beg me.." - Pandu Bergolo.

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Raden Sanjaya has arrived above the house of the village chief of Polosan. Carefully raden Sanjaya peeked inside the village chief's house through the hollow roof of the house. The village chief was talking to someone.

"The situation is getting worse. Blood Axe forces are increasingly rampant, they always use the identity of royal soldiers and commit many crimes." said the village chief guest.

"Right.no one is capable of fighting the Blood Axe army. It seems like the palace did not respond to the report we sent. The few people I ordered to report to the palace, none of them returned. I'm afraid there's a palace man behind the Blood Axe army." said the village chief.

"The news I heard, Prince Danayaksa is currently in a very strange illness. He was like a dazed person, his eyes were blank and his entire skin was wrinkled and paled like someone who had no blood. And Prince Tarunayaksa also left the royal palace with his mother, Empress Gayatri." said the chief guest.

"Do you know where Prince Tarunayaksa went..? He is our only hope. In addition to being highly knowledgeable, he also cares deeply about the people." asked the village chief.

"The news that I heard, prince Tarunayaksa and Empress Gayatri headed to the land of Kawi to ask for help to the kingdom of Kawi facing the situation in the Kingdom of Banon Sewu. There are many rumors that in the kingdom of Kawi many people are very powerful." said the village chief guest.

"The Kawi State is a long way from here. I think it's taking a long time, we can't wait for Jarwo anymore." said the village chief.

"True village chief we can't just sit back and wait. We have to fight the blood axe army even if it is less likely to win. Other village heads have been determined to fight the blood axe." said Jarwo.

"Alright. arrange a meeting with the other village chief. Mid-month, we're meeting here. We have to fight the Blood Axe forces no matter what happens." said the village chief.

Raden Sanjaya felt he had very important information. After feeling enough with his information, Raden Sanjaya immediately returned to the inn.

"It seems clear, behind all this is the daughter of Mai the wife of prince Danayaksa and hhmmmm.. Durga, the mother of the lord of darkness is definitely involved in this situation. I must immediately meet Sekar Wulan and make a plan. Even if this isn't my country, I can't let any of this happen. Angkara wrath must be exterminated wherever he is and this is my main task and taught Sekar Wulan.." inner raden Sanjaya while darting away.