FROM ANOTHER WORLD To You (A Mystery Short Story Collection ) - The Second Book
Gate of Death Episode 01 - Alas Sewu Dino (tenth round )

#10

The wind blew slowly, sweeping the body of the Thousand Flowers Mountain, flying white clouds in the twilight sky, as if to lead the king of the day to the place of his quarrel. The orange rays that burst into the edge of the cloud formed beautiful lines, the longer, the weaker they became, replaced by the golden yellow face of the full moon.

From a distance, there was the sound of footsteps approaching horses. Sembada and Jatayu have arrived in the village of Tunggak Bayu.

Even if the atmosphere of the night looked beautiful, however, the streets were deserted. Only a few patrolmen were still milling around from house to house carrying torches.

"Hey, aren't you Sembada ?" ask one of the residents. He's about 35 years old.

As soon as he knew who he was, Dullah. His comrades-in-arms during Sandekala kingdom's first attack on Tunggak Bayu.

"Dullah.." said Sembada.

"Sembada," said Dullah while greeting and hugging Sembada tightly.

"How are you, Bada ? I did not think at all. You can be a king in Adhep Earth," said Dullah.

"I only give what I think is good to everyone. Oya, this is my son. His name is Jatayu," Sembada said.

"Hi, how are you, son ?" dullah asked while stroking his head.

Jatayu laughed, "Alright, uncle... is this the village of Tunggak Bayu ?"

"Waduh .. brave boy. Your son is great, Bada. After your parents died, we were still keeping and cleaning your house. Unfortunately, no one lives there now" Dullah explained.

"Thank you for your attention. You guys can't give me a reply,"

"Don't be like that, Bada .. Your services to this village are quite large. Without you, we could not have lived until now. But...."

"Why, Dullah ?"

"Lately, many events have frightened the villagers. Especially on full nights like this,"

"Hey, Dullah, you better take Sembada to his house first. Look, the Jatayu can barely open his eyes" said Parto who had been standing next to Dullah.

"God, I forgot that Sembada already has a son. All right, let Satrio accompany you for a moment. I'll take him home" Dullah said.

***

The simple house is located in the middle of a large enough field. Roofed rumbiah and walled woven bamboo. Even if the shape is simple, however, beautiful and comfortable to live in.

While pensive for a while, while, Jatayu had run around here and there. He looks very happy. However, he was shocked when he saw a middle-aged man appear from inside the house.

"Dad.. father...the house has a person," cried Jatayu as he ran to Sembada and hid behind his body.

Sembada stared intently at the middle-aged man but still tall, sturdy and burly.

He laughed, he approached the man.

"Well.ha... He is Ki Jampang. All this time it's the youth who look after and take care of your home,"

"Ki Jampang," Sembada said as a pair of middle-aged male eyes stared intently at him. While staring back at him, the 4 pairs of eyes were like emitting a flash of white light, the flash of light met in the middle of the air, pushing each other and pressing against each other. Suddenly the air around the place seemed to stifle the chest. Dullah and Jatayu were uncomfortable with the hot air.

Suddenly the person called Ki Jampang laughed, "Ha. ha. ha. ha. ha. ha.., it seems Grandpa Jagabaya did not choose you wrong as the husband of Sasmita Sukma Candramaya. Your inner energy is great, too, young man,"

"You are too highly judging me, Ki. Thank you for the kindness you have forgiven me," Sembada said.

"You're overreacting, son. Let's go in,"

Meanwhile, Jatayu and the others stepped in.

"Thank you for keeping my father's estate, Ki" Sembada said.

"Here you go, son .. Your father, Sobo Bayu is a knight-spirited man so, it is appropriate that we keep his relics," said Ki Jampang.

***

"Red Skull Smiles. Where exactly did he come from ?" ask Sembada.

"We do not know, Den Sembada..," said Ki Jampang.

"The victim died in this village, already 8 people. All of them, are handsome young men, on average they are not married" explained Dullah.

"The young men had disappeared for 3 days and 3 nights, the fourth day reappeared. They are more manly and handsome, however, have strange habits. Whether it's chickens, goats, cows and other livestock animals. On the seventh day, they complained all over his body of pain and ... The more terrible the flesh all over him shrank, they became emaciated and turned into skulls. In other cases their flesh suddenly released a white viscous liquid and when the liquid disappeared, their bodies only remained bones," added Ki Jampang.

"Has Ki Jampang been trying to figure out where the stealth nest is ?"

"Den Sembada.. it was difficult, the demon could turn into one of the villagers whether it was a woman, whether it was a man, innocent children. Therefore, to avoid mutual suspicion, we attach this yellow bamboo bracelet to all residents. You and Jatayu wear it too,"

Ki Jampang thrust a wristband made of yellow bamboo and paired to the right hand of Sembada.

"What is the privilege of this bracelet, Ki ?"

"Did Ki Jampang ever meet that Demon ?"

"Earlier. I accidentally met a beautiful woman. His name: Tirta Sari, comes from a village located far from this place. Tirta Bening Village. She was really beautiful, no wonder many of the young men of this village were infatuated with her. Just then unintentionally, I passed her and this yellow bracelet of mine grazed her left arm. He was screaming in pain, because of that, I was accused of being indecent to him. But, that was not the problem.The small scratches were like burning his skin, and he suddenly ran while holding his arm which was slowly reduced to ashes,"

"Because I feel guilty, I'm after him. I stopped chasing as he arrived at the lips of the Sewu Dino forest. He turned around and I was surprised to see his face. The left half of the face turns into a skull and the right half turns wrinkled. After that from within the forest appeared about 3 shadowy figures who then attacked me with a wisp of foul-smelling white smoke, making me collapse unconscious. From then on, the Red Skull Demon appeared and terrorized the citizens,"

"Alas Sewu Dino ? Isn't that sacred territory for the inhabitants of the Thousand Flowers Mountain? How could the place be inhabited by a horde of demons," Sembada said.

"I don't know about it, neither did Jagabaya's grandfather ever say that to me,"

At that moment there was a noise outside. Meanwhile, Ki Jampang and Dullah hurriedly came out.

"What is this ?" ask Dullah.

"There was a young man from this village who disappeared again, Dullah .." said a short fat man.

"Alright, we seek together" said Dullah.

"I'll come with you guys," Sembada said as he turned towards Ki Jampang, "Ki, I'm leaving first, please take good care of Jatayu,"

Ki Jampang nodded his head, "Alright, den. be careful,"

***

Cemara Forest. It is one of the places or entrances to Alas Sewu Dino. The trees reached 10 meters in height and grew so thick. Illuminated by the golden yellow light of the Goddess of the night.The row of cypress trees was like a giant group from another world guarding the place.

In between the shadows of the trees, two shadowy figures moved to sneak up. But as soon as they reached the edge of the forest, they stopped their steps, seemingly hesitant to continue their journey into the forest

From a distance, it appeared that the flash points numbered quite a lot and moved increasingly closer. Making two shadow figures that were on the edge of the cypress forest was hurriedly hiding in a place that felt safe.

"Then, this is the entrance of the Sewu Dino Hall, after the appearance of that Red Skull demon, the village elders forbade us to enter it. This is a restricted area" Satrio said.

"Once you enter this forest, the possibility to come out safely, very small," continued Dullah.

"Don't worry, let me in, you guys keep watch here. Wait. There seem to be 2 people hiding around this place. You beware" said Sembada after picking up a stone and throwing it to the place where the 2 shadows were hiding.

"Sing..."

The sound came from a rock thrown by Sembada. The piece of stone immediately slid in a direction on a tree that was about 5 meters away in front of Sembada standing.

"Ouch..."

"You two come out. Otherwise we will arrest you" Sembada said.

There's no answer. Back While picking up the stones, this time the number was more than 3.

"I have warned you, if you do not go out also do not blame these stones to make you seriously injured," Sembada said as he was about to throw the stones. Yet...

"All right, we're going out,"

Simultaneously a handsome young man came out from behind a cymara tree while holding a beautiful woman.

"Hey, who are you ?" ask Dullah.

"Aging again.." said Satrio, "You don't know the Kramas, do you ?"

While signaling to Dullah and the other residents calm down. But, some men ignored the warning, their eyes looking wild and fierce.

"You are definitely not from the residents of Tunggak Bayu. Tell me who you are before we go any further,"

The young man smiled, he told the young man to stand behind him as he stood gallantly, "Sorry, uncles, we are not from this village, but we are from Tirta Bening Village,"

Just now the young man had covered his mouth, from somewhere else, precisely from a place about 15 meters away appeared some shadows without saying anything suddenly they attacked Sembada and other villagers with white smoke puffs and spread a foul aroma.

"Be careful, you better back off, let me face them" Sembada said as he crossed his hands in front of his chest. As he exclaimed loudly, both of his palms were thrust forward and....

"Cruush... "

From both palms of Sembada as if to let out air and make the white smoke back to its owner.

The figures of about 5 people were like an idolatrous person. They were clamoring while holding each other's necks, his eyes bulging and his face turning blue after which they collapsed.

The pair of young men, suddenly disappeared from the sight of Sembada and the residents of Tunggak Bayu.

"Then" cried Dullah, "To enter this fir forest, we must get permission and elders,"

"You guys, go back to the village. Let me find Brother Permadi. Give me 3 days to explore this forest, if I don't return, I leave the Jatayu to Ki Jampang," after saying so, sembada's body shot high into the air jumping from one tree branch to another after that his body was no longer visible.

Dullah and the others let out a long sigh, powerless to prevent his departure.

_________ Connect 11th Volume