The Thousand Mask Warrior

Spongy Earth

It was already late at night. Temenggung Bears invited Jayaseta to the building of his private house built on the pillars that are sturdy and high towering above the ground. So high, even under it can also be used for a variety of community activities.

"I want you to take this mandau, Jayaseta. The original relic, the first weapon forged and used Man Da U himself. It has been hundreds of years this weapon changed hands to various tribes, wallowing in blood, dried up and reached my hands," said Temenggung Bears while giving a mandau that is still neatly sheathed. The hairs of the enemies that adorned the headwaters and their colors fluttered in the night breeze.

Jayaseta's eyes were wide in disbelief. "But, Temenggung, what does Temenggung mean? Is not this Mandau a valuable heirloom, the symbol of the greatness of the tribe and the village of Temenggung anyway?"

The Temenggung chuckled. "You as a swordsman must know very well that a weapon is an inanimate object. It can be old, rusty, bad, broken and broken. Kyai Ageng Plered's spear that wounded you has power because of the user, or the forces outside the weapon inserted into it. So does this mandau. He is old, only great if the owner is also powerful and good at using it."

Jayaseta still looked at the weapon, but did not dare to hold it.

"Come, take it, Jayaseta. I'll explain why you have the right to bring it. Besides, you don't need to worship that gun. It's only used to help us fight enemies, kill or defend ourselves, but it's no different than cutting grass, trees or slaughtering animals."

Jayaseta grabbed the weapon handed to her doubtfully, but the Temenggung gave it steady.

"I plan to bring the villagers to leave this region towards the northwest" said the Temenggung briefly. Of course Jayaseta was again surprised by the speech of the Temenggung.

Indeed at the beginning of these years, starting from a few years ago - 1630 AD, the Iban began to flock to the northwest of the island of Tanjung Pura. They went to a territory controlled by the Sultanate of Brunei since the 16th century AD and called the Earth of Joy and later referred to as Sarawak.

Temenggung knew very well that in Jayaseta's head there were too many questions milling about. So he immediately told me everything.

Temenggung Bears began by telling his experience when he was so young, when as a Daya person, he was also required to be able to travel, adventure, while seeking knowledge to get his honor as the son of a chieftain. At that time he even went to the Sambas kingdom which first stood around the 5th century to the 7th century AD, almost simultaneously with the establishment of the Batu Laras Kingdom in the upper reaches of the Keriau River that was before the establishment of the great Tanjungpura Kingdom and became the conquest of the Majapahit kingdom on this island.

In the 14th century AD, Sambas was a country ruled by Raden Janur with its capital city in Paloh. As is known, this kingdom is known to the island of Java at least until the arrival of Majapahit troops from 1350 to 1364 AD, where they anchored on a beach in the Sambas kingdom named Jawi.

With the arrival of Majapahit troops then the power of Raden Janur ended, so that it can be said since then stood the Hindu Kingdom of Sambas which was strongly influenced by Majapahit.

According to kakawin Nagarakretagama written in 1365 AD, Tanjung Pura island west has become a subjugation of Majapahit, even since the time of Singasari who named it Bakalapura. Meanwhile, according to the records of the Sultanate of Banjar, the land of Sambas, Sukadana and the countries along the River or Batang Lawai had become a conquest of the Kingdom of Banjar even since the Hindu era.

Then the Islamic Kingdom of Sambas or the so-called Sultanate of Sambas was established in the second half of the mid-17th century AD with Raden Sulaiman recorded as the first sultan of the Sultanate of Sambas with the title Sultan Muhammad Shafiuddin. The center of Sambas Sultanate government is in a new place near the mouth of the Teberrau River called Lubuk Madung. Sambas is known as a country that has a ruler long before the establishment of the sultanate in 1630 AD.

Walanda began to land at Tanjung Pura in 1598 AD, but only began to show its power and colonization in the 17th century AD where Walanda and Great Britain competed trying to control trade. So in 1609 AD, the Kingdom of Sambas became an area under the protection of the VOC Walanda company.

It was in the Kingdom of Sambas that Temenggung Bears met Datuk Mas Kuning, competing but also later friendly and related under the teacher of a Hui Chinese Muslim, Ma Ying.

"But, Temenggung. It is not that I reject the customs and beliefs of this village that have been implemented for some time. But there are some things that sometimes can not be used anymore, either because it is obsolete, either because it is for the sake of other higher interests. For example, let's say Punyan. I think, without having to wander out of the village like his ancestors, he would still be a great leader. Including marriage between Punyan and Kumang. Isn't there a love greater than anything?"

Temenggung chuckled again. "I don't know about that, young swordsman. What is clear is that attacks on this village are becoming more frequent and are taking more casualties, no matter how strong our resistance, deterrence and defense are. The gods don't talk much anymore either. We have to leave this land, make room for a new future. Moreover, there are more customary violations on this land," said Temenggung memelan.

"There's another custom violation? Sorry, if it is not presumptuous to ask, what is the violation, Temenggung?"

"When are you going to marry Dara Cempaka, Jayaseta?" ask back Temenggung Bears suddenly while staring at a pair of sharp Jayaseta eyes.

The Temenggung's sudden question inevitably made Jayaseta surprised. But then he tried to hide his feelings. He even tried to laugh a little. "When did Punyan tell Temenggung?" abugn.

"You know for sure that's not what I'm talking about. You and Dara Cempaka have basically committed an act that I believe will not be practiced by any custom and religion, swordsman," replied the Temenggung.

Jayaseta felt her body cold. He felt so embarrassed. He lost at all. He was a sinner, for Dara Cempaka, for Almira and worse, for this village.

"Don't be mistaken to see this, Jayaseta. I've broken too many rules. Your actions are also not an action that I have never done" said the Temenggung with a smile. "However, however, my burden has become too much and piled up, Jayaseta. You are very ... Very special. Of course in that privilege was born also things that make you can be misguided, caliph or lost. But the important thing is that you get back on track and keep going. So, I give this mandau as a symbol of leaving the old thing, for me and the villagers, and a new leaf for you and Dara Cempaka."

Jayaseta almost did not dare to look at the shade of the eyes of the Temenggung.

"If here there is a ruler in accordance with your religion and belief, it is certain that tomorrow morning I will marry you, Jayaseta," continued Temenggung Bear while laughing lightly.

"You must leave this village immediately, Jayaseta. Tomorrow you'll still let me stay and get ready, but the day after tomorrow, I want you gone. Don't get me wrong, this isn't an expulsion. No one is unhappy that you're here, even Punyan is so excited. However, my work and your needs have been completed. The curse of the inner energy has been lost forever. That's worth celebrating, isn't it? In addition, we also have to leave this place, so we have a lot to talk about and do. With the guests, I'm afraid we can't really ....,"

"I understand, Temenggung. I understand everything Temenggung says," Jayaseta cut down and lowered his head.

"I will marry Dara Cempaka as soon as possible when I get to Sukadana. We both have the same taste. I don't want Temenggung to feel that I lack responsibility and not knights. And I will return to Sukadana on time, tomorrow the day after tomorrow" Jayaseta said. All his words were spoken solemnly and Temenggung Bears could read them.

The Temenggung patted Jayaseta's shoulder slowly and chuckled for the umpteenth time. "Let's go in. Didn't you smell the fish and the burning pellets? It's time to fill up the stomach." The two walked together to enter the dining room in the long house building.

Night Eve was more piercing, but not felt at all by the two brothers, Kumang and Jipen who stood looking at Temenggung Bears and Jayaseta from behind the trees below from earlier, from there, hidden deep darkness and grass. Their faces revealed a huge, unreadable secret at all.