ADJOINING REALM
ENTERING THE OLDEST FOREST

"Sorry ... Darto, Jaka. I can only take you here. I don't dare to go forward anymore" Komang said as he stopped his steps. He is currently standing on the river bank, which is the boundary of Semar's territory and free territory.

"Where should we go?" ask Darto while getting off the back of Komang.

"You have to get to this river first, Dar. Later after you cross, the place you will see is completely different, the place can be a creepy place, a creepy place, or it could also be a place that will make you drunk and not want to go home because of a gasp," replied Komang.

"meaning? Isn't that just a regular forest?" ask Jaka.

"True, we call it the oldest forest, every creature there can move, they can attack you at any time, without you knowing it before. Be careful with thorny trees, sharp grass or wild animals there, they can all harm you" Komang continued while staring at Darto and Jaka with a serious face.

"Then? Which way should we go?" ask Darto again.

"Just yell as loud as you can, call his name when you've crossed. If he allows it, then the path will form by itself. You just have to follow that path. Sorry, Dar, that's all I know, that's all I've heard, because since duku I never entered the forest owned by Prabu Semar," said Komang while sitting down, as he was, he turned his body into a human, then leaned against a huge tree.

"Alright, then I leave first," said Darto then looked at Jaka.

"Hopefully, Dar. I wait for you here" said Komang.

Upon hearing that, Darto and Jaka rushed from rock to rock to cross the river wide enough. They jumped nimbly, until it only took a few seconds they had reached the other side of the riverbank where Komang was waiting.

Darto and Jaka looked back, and when they looked for Komang, he was gone. Even the large tree that Komang used for leaning was as if gone, all that seemed across the river was a tall weed, different from what they saw before crossing.

Seeing that, Darto and Jaka looked at each other, they nodded at each other because they began to understand Komang's words. The river they passed by earlier was no ordinary river, it was really a barrier created by a great figure, so as to give a different picture to what was actually opposite it.

After a long time flinching, Darto finally set foot into the forest. Jaka who saw Darto stepped, immediately followed his steps without thinking long. The two of them finally stepped together to enter the forest, which was even more lush than the dead forest.

The scorching sun was completely blocked out by the leaves on top of their heads. Although it was still daytime, they seemed to be walking in the middle of the forest at dawn. All looked almost dark, with a predominant pitch-gray color. There are no other colors, everything seems to be gray and black because it does not get lighting.

"My legs are screaming, huh?" jaka said he wanted to try Komang's proposal.

"Greetings, Jak," pinta Darto.

Jaka's voice was really thunderous, an echo was immediately created. Jaka's shout bounced back many times, until it sounded like there were ten Jaka yelling at the same time.

After Jaka shouted, the entire shady tree before their eyes suddenly moved. Hundreds of trees, bushes and even grass that stretched before their eyes, instantly moved simultaneously, like a powerful typhoon, although Jaka and Darto did not feel the slightest wind in their bodies.

Jaka who was afraid immediately put up a sprightly position, while Darto still continued to circulate his views to sweep the surrounding situation in silence. For a long time, all the trees and plants continued to wave until a moment later from their front like someone was approaching. His body was nowhere to be seen, but Darto and Jaka could tell after seeing rows of grass and shrubs that continuously collapsed approaching from a distance.

When the grass collapsed, it had crept up in front of Darto, whatever was going seemed to stop. There was not even a movement of trees and plants that seemed to be struggling, only the sound of silence, and the trail of crumbling grass that still confused the two young men.

Seeing no movement, Darto looked at Jaka for a moment and then opened his voice, "I am from Darma, I want to meet the owner of this place, with Surya's descendants."

After Darto said the word, all the trees and plants moved again, the trail on the grass was approaching again and a moment later like someone wrapped around Darto's feet while saying the sentence in a whispering tone, "You don't deserve to meet our Father yet."

Darto who heard it immediately sent a white light all over his body, he stomped his feet to the ground in a silent position, and as soon as the silence broke, it became a boisterous shriek that filled the forest.

The sound of screams came from the grass that Darto stepped on. True said Komang, even every plant can move as they please. Darto realized when the grass was bent alternately, so that it was like a collapse after being stepped on by an invisible creature.

Hearing the screams from the grass, immediately many pairs of eyes that directly lead to the source of the sound. Hundreds of pairs of eyes are currently paying attention to Darto and Jaka. Either from behind a bush, on a tree, or from the river where Darto crossed.

They were all staring with threatening gazes in the same direction, yet there was no further movement. Realizing that, Jaka spontaneously pulled out his spear, while Darto directly held the chandrabha arrow. The two of them put up a vigilant position, for an attack that they might receive.

The atmosphere was so gripping, Jaka really continued to try to swallow even though he continued to choke, while Darto could only continue to stare in one direction that always caught his attention. The direction in which the darkness completely ruled, behind the two trees that stood parallel before his eyes.

The place was completely dark, in contrast to all the places that were pseudo-gray in color. Darto felt a bad feeling even when he just entered the forest. Darto felt that someone was watching him from the dark place, with an intimidating look.

For hesitating to attack or defend. Darto tried to brave himself to pull his arrow bow, he pulled as hard as he could and held a position ready to shoot, while directing it to the dark place.

Seeing Darto pointing a weapon at him, a figure who was sitting bored in the dark immediately grinned, he instead smiled with excitement, when he felt the air so thick from the weapon that was being directed by Darto towards him.

Connect ....