The Thousand Mask Warrior

On the River Bank

Jayaseta has not slept at all for three days since fighting the pirates of Annam, fighting four Thai hunters and slaughtering the Champa pirates who followed them. He pretended to close his eyes and sleep at night during their stay in the cave under the hill, and began the journey to the Thai village. He was forced to suspect Ireng or Siam who was present when he pursued the leader of the Champa pirates. On the other hand, he also could not show this suspicion.

As per the joint decision, after a misunderstanding problem occurred, Jayaseta and his entourage were invited to stay in a Thai tribal village that required a full day trip. This plan made sense as a way for Jayaseta's party to avoid the constant pursuit of the New World group which until now was still full of things that could not be understood properly.

The group eventually returned to the Thai village. Of course, Jayaseta, Narendra and Katilapan then help the four Thai hunters to get the hunt which is indeed the task of the four people. Every night on the way home, they rest and stay in certain places first while keeping watch. Jayaseta not only took turns watching, but he himself was on guard at his own group. Three days without sleep at all is certainly not an easy matter even for a swordsman as great as Jayaseta though. Not to mention for a full day he fought against the enemies who kept coming.

Jayaseta deliberately did not give any explanation about his suspicions to anyone, including his two brothers and his shabat, and of course the wife. However, one night, as usual, when Jayaseta was channeling his energy in pureness through his wife's back to help alleviate the attack of the evil poison he suffered, Dara Cempaka asked, “What really happened, what really happened, jayaseta's brother? Sister knows something must be in the mind of brother,” he said.

Jayaseta jerking. How sad a woman feels.

“Where did you know there was something with me?” jayaseta asked short, but she smiled.

Dara Cempaka turned her body to look at her husband. “No need to pretend and cover it up, brother. Brother is brother's wife. Although we have not long been a married couple, but the sister has feelings that cannot be denied the truth,” continued Dara Cempaka smiled back.

The sweet smile of the Malay woman made Jayaseta feel faded and decayed. He now smiled widely and then touched his wife's cheeks and chin gently. “Nothing to think too much about, Dara. No one is too big. You know, my mind's always been somewhere. Think about one and two things. That's natural.”

Jayaseta chuckles.He can not fool his wife who, besides a sweet and sensitive woman, is also a swordsman.

Now they were not far from the small river, under the big lush trees where they camped. A small fire was lit to warm and bake only a small portion of the venison that they had previously hunted. The stars scattered twinkling in the beautiful sky.

Jayaseta leaned against a large tree trunk, so Dara Cempaka then placed her head on the husband's chest, listening to his gently beating heart.

“The last person to fight against me was the pirate leader who followed. I managed to defeat all of his subordinates. But when I faced him, he used a secret knife-throwing technique. The knives he threw were poisonous, but I could handle it,” Jayaseta said. Dara Cempaka touched the scar on Jayaseta's body gently. The wound had dried up quickly before.

“What I was surprised about, the pirate leader used throwing moves that were very similar to those taught by Salman's grandfather, the Flying Knife Dancer, one of my teachers and friend Datuk Mas Kuning,” said Jayaseta. Her view glazed. Dara Cempaka touched her husband's soft chest, but answered nothing. He allowed his husband to express all the things he was thinking. “The pirate leader then fled because he clearly felt that he could not possibly defeat me. I then deliberately chased after him, worried he would bring more trouble. When I found him, he was killed by someone and his body was hidden. Ireng and Siam suddenly came. They claimed they did not know who killed the pirate leader. But then I saw the tip of Ireng's fingers leaving dry blood.”

Dara Cempaka let out a long sigh, then straightened her body. “Abang, may it be my turn to tell the story?” he stared intently at the husband's eyes.