ADILAGES
REOG 4'S

But that opportunity did not come.

After rushing out of Bondan's burned-out grandfather's house, the two hitch a ride in a rural transport car to get to where they're headed. They only eat and drink potluck, while asking directions to the driver and kentek.

After all, it was impossible to talk about secrets when there were more than four eyes in one place.

Towards dusk, Bondan's new steps climb the hillsides in the southwestern city of Ponorogo. Sometimes his steps stop. Bondan floated his gaze to the expanse of trees and settlements around, breathing in the fresh air that replenished his spirit. His sweat was pouring out, soaking his whole body, face and hair.

It's been a very long day for Bondan.

“Come on search, Bondan! Don't stop now! We must find the cave before it gets dark!” rania Tegur. The woman wearing the boots cast aside the side of the hill with a still agile, vigorous movement.

Bondan's face bent by a thousand. “Iya mbak, yes!” abugn. “Hmm, it feels like this is the right hill, but is the cave invisible?”

“Search more carefully!”

“Duuh... mbak is trained, lha me? Let alone pencak silat, just jogging me ja....aah!”

Suddenly Bondan was plunged into a hole. His body continued to slide down like a slide. Then he slammed, fell on his stomach on flat ground.

“Awwww..”.

While grimacing Bondan reprimanded, seeing a cave that was wide enough to display a row of torches on the sides of the wall. Piles of rocks in the corridor-like path showed that its main entrance had been torn down. It is impossible for anyone, including Bondan's great-grandfather to know “ glideway earlier, unless he accidentally finds it or he is a…

… warok.

Before Bondan could think further, suddenly something very heavy hit his back. Bondan groans. Si “beban” was silent for a moment, then got up and knelt in front of the gimbal. Rania.

“Wah, sorry. I was also mired earlier. You're fine, ‘kan?”

Bondan's voice. “It feels... earlier there was... bone... shifted...”.

“Sini!” Deftly Rania pulls and sits her “patis”. Then he spied Bondan's body like a reflexologist. The man was screaming in pain again. Moments later, the “massage torment” session was completed.

“How, is it better?” ask Rania.

“Ehhh... l-humayan..”.

“Good! Let's go!” The woman got up and started walking. Bondan hurriedly woke up and followed, the pain in his body was still very pronounced. Remember, he thought. If Rania opens a reflexology practice, don't ever come there.

Not until five minutes down the cave, suddenly Rania exclaimed, “Awas!” He “pairs” in front of this partner and alerted both his pistols.

Realizing the intent of Rania's actions, Bondan looked forward. Four men appeared in the distance, blocking the passageway of the cave. Their faces were red-black and parched. Bondan recognizes one of them as the punk thug who attacked him not long ago.

The punk warok called for his orders, “Set them!”

Like wild animals, the waroks stormed simultaneously.

The gunshot sounds echoed. One hot lead lodged in the forehead of one of the waroks, killing him instantly. The other three then go after Rania.

At that time also Rania exclaimed, “Bondan, breakthrough them!”

“But, mbak..!” said the panic gimbal.

“Quick! I can handle them alone!”

For a moment Bondan doubted whether a woman could really cope with the three magic waroks, plus his curiosity about Rania's true power.

But the next moment, one black claw that nearly tore through Bondan's chest forced him to act. He pushed forward, passing through the three waroks.

“Be careful, Rania!” No matter whether Rania listened to him or not, Bondan kept running. The sounds of gunshots, screaming and fighting behind him are getting more and more faint…

Bondan down the cave passages that branch like a labyrinth. Unceasingly he looked to the left, lest there be another warok ambush.

Shortly thereafter, Bondan's feet stepped in a fairly spacious room. At a glance, according to the estimate and calculation of the gimbal, the capacity of this room is three hundred people.

Bondan's eyes were then centered on a stone inscription right in the middle of the room. There was a green thing lying on it. Reog Mask. Apparently the heirloom has been returned to its original place.

When Bondan approached the inscription, suddenly a man with a sturdy body like a bodybuilder confronted him.

“Eit, don't try to touch this mask!” hardik the man.

Reflexes, Bondan stepped back. As the flame of the torch made him see the figure of the man more clearly, his eyes widened. “Gosh! Y-you... Johnny!”.

I Made Johnny Wardhana was no less surprised. “Bond! So you're the Reog Mask thief? It's so easy to guess!”

“Wow, wow, wait a minute, sir. Don't pretend you don't know. According to the results of the investigation, the perpetrator was so strong that he was able to break the glass without leaving a trace, even the slightest trace of blood. Your posture is the one that fits that best!”

“Must be! Powerful humans do not have to be brawny wire!” Johnny shook his hand. “Nearly after the case was aired on television news, an unidentified grandfather came to my house in Jakarta. In order not to get caught by the police, I followed him to Ponorogo to frame the real culprit. There's been a lot of warok that I've subverted until I reach this place. I then hid, waiting for the leader to appear, which is you! So give up only you, Bondan, or I'll be forced to resort to violence!”

Bondan. Johnny seemed to be clearly stronger than him. Even if it's true that Johnny did it, fighting him is the same as hitting an egg on a rock. How's this supposed to be?

Suddenly a voice entered Bondan's mind. Mask, Bondan. Wear masks.

Bondan gasped, his facial expression turning blank as if possessed by a subtle creature. Realizing the reel, Johnny exclaimed, “You okay, Bondan?”

Just two steps Johnny approached Bonan, a voice stopped him. Forward one more step, my hot lead will penetrate your heart, like the warok-warok earlier.”

Johnny turned his head and saw Rania Giselda standing firm, ready to fire both guns. “Oh, apparently you came too, Detective Rania. Look carefully, the Reog Mask thief is now standing near his stolen goods. Let's help me subdue it, and the rest of your service money will be paid off soon.” Although Bondan can take the conclusion that the person who hired Rania services is Johnny. Gawat, what if they even snatch Bondan?

But Rania was flirting. The barrel of the gun stays pointed at Johnny. “It is precisely you who have to turn yourself in, Johnny. I can't believe that a rich young conglomerate like you, the client who hired my services to handle this case is the brains behind the warok action!”

“What do you mean, Rania!? You also accuse me of being a thief?”

“Definitely. It was Bondan who had been helping with my investigation. I'm sure he's not the culprit, so the main suspect left is one, you.”

Johnny's turn paled. Rania's shot distance was too close to her. No matter what he was, he could not escape.

Except…

Johnny roared loudly, shaking his inner energy. As a result, a shimmering golden aura surrounded his body. Back then, only Rania could see that aura. So the woman reacted, her pair of guns barking.

With great agility, Johnny jumped here and there avoiding the pounding of bullets. As the sound of the gunfire subsided, he advanced as fast as lightning and smashed a fierce fist at Rania's body. As a result the woman ejected, hit the cave wall and fell unconscious on the rocky floor.

Seeing Johnny's might, Bondan trembled. He subconsciously moved back until he leaned against the inscription of the mask. The mysterious whisper was heard again. I have chosen you as my heir, don't ask why. Wait what else? Come on, put on the mask.

At the same time, Johnny had already turned around quickly to subdue Bondan. But too late, Bondan's hand lifted the mask from his inscription.

Forced Johnny to stop and say, “Be aware, Bondan! Okay, put the mask back in place and leave this cave. I'm not going after you.”

He's lying, Bondan. Put on the mask and you'll be able to defeat the magician.

Bondan nodded at Johnny. “You lied! I-I'll wear it!” His eyes remained empty.

“Conscious!” shouting Johnny.

Wear it!

It was as if some force moved Bondan's hand, putting the mask on his face.

Suddenly Bondan felt excruciating pain. It was as if there were root tendrils running all over his body and neck, except for his hair. The nails of his ten fingers elongated and blackened. He turned into a green tree man.

The tree-man tilted his dreadlocked head to the side, staring intently at Johnny as he spoke, “Finally.. After waiting for centuries I, Reog returned intact as before, with a new body that was in harmony with me, heir of choice who has been prepared for several generations.”

Johnny then asked, “Oh, so apparently your spirit has inhabited the mask, Reog. Surely you know who your ‘steal’ is, right?”

“Yes, the culprits are the waroks. Their leader is Old Warok, who has always failed to destroy me.”

When the name “Warok Tua” called, suddenly Johnny roared, holding his head. He tore off the front of his shirt, revealing a necklace with a white lion head on his chest.

Instantly, the pendant shimmered brightly, enlarged and formed a golden armour and very tight white clothes. The strange costume wrapped Johnny's body completely.

A golden mask covered Johnny's face, his long black hair turning white, unraveling and expanding like a lion's mane. Then Johnny's new form speaks in a flat but loud tone, “Barong. Barong... kill all.”.

Reog flinched for a moment. Barong.This impossible King Singabarong he had fought in Kediri first. Is Johnny the new heir to Singabarong, who transformed into a white lion?

Barong's fist pummeled like a mountain collapsing towards the opponent. Utilizing his agility as his natural capital, Reog twitched to the side, sparing him completely from attack.

In response, Reog's black blood claws managed to incise wounds on Barong's body. But the demon did not appear to be weakening. Three Barong fists hit the opponent until they slammed and fell down.

Seeing the opportunity, Barong launched a ground-elemental fist again. Again, it hit only empty air. Reflexes, Barong reprimanded, Reog had already jumped high on it. Reog's ultimate claw plunged like a black whirlwind, whipping the opponent's back with doubled strength. That's one of Reog's signature moves, the Black Storm Whirl.

This time Barong bent his knees.

“Singabarong or not, this time I will not let go of your life!” reog exclaimed as he lunged forward, his hooves glowing greenish.

Unexpectedly, Barong suddenly rose very quickly, again standing firmly. Both of his fists hit the ground, causing an earthquake that made Reog's footing falter. Barong's barrage of fists strapped his opponent's body like the impact of thousands of sledgehammers.

Only when the noise subsided did Reog fall, helplessly sprawled on the cave floor. Ordinary humans like Bondan must have been killed by the ultimate skill Barong, Earth Shakes, Sky Throw earlier. In between the pain that was almost as severe as the stab that killed him, Reog realized that Barong was not Singabarong, the master of animal and stealth forces.

“Kill him, unplug his mask? Fine.” Barong seems to carry out the orders of someone who is influencing and controlling it. But Reog is now too weak to rise, let alone prevent Barong's actions.