Mukhalis: Hero of Bentala
29. The end of Cenderawasih

In the middle of nowhere forest decorated with hills, there is a wooden house in front of which parked a golden carriage. The dove that had stopped by a respectable human in Niskala seemed to land on one of the right hands of someone there, wearing a black Asarania hero uniform and a grayish pattern. He gently stroked the bird while giving the brown rice, going inside later.

"Excuse me for interrupting, Your Majesty the Empress," exclaimed the man as he bowed deeply. "Son has a letter for you."

Empress Advisor Indraswari approached, the brown hair braided to the back waving as she stepped. The worried eyes had been imprinted from the golden-haired woman, fumbling the pendant trying to calm down. The situation in the palace is equally devastating, sooner or later the enemy will slide there. Therefore, the royal family has now taken refuge in a remote place free from the city's frenzy.

"You may return to duty" said the woman, who was named after His Majesty's favorite Saras. "Thank you."

He then turned to look at Empress Indraswari who was sitting down, accompanied by her handsome and beautiful children. They look tired because they have to wake up from sleep that is not appropriate, traveling with a horse carriage makes them more difficult to rest. However, amid concern for the safety of the baby, Indraswari is looking forward to the good news from the husband who is there, in the front line of chaos.

"Do you want to read it now, Your Majesty?" said Saras lirih who did not immediately respond Indraswari. "This is from King Reswara."

The woman took a deep breath, preparing herself when she came across any unwanted information. "If my time is infinite, I do not want to read or see the contents of the letter, Saras."

"My heart from the palace was not good, my gut feeling was not sweet at times" the empress moaned as she stroked the hair of her youngest child named Arunika. "I know that one day there will be a time when this will really come."

"Your Majesty, you do not have to force yourself" cried Saras kneeling while in front of Indraswari. "Hamba and Hendrik always accompany you."

Their two eyes were connected, the brown iris exuding fidelity to Indraswari's blue bead. The empress closed her eyes, opened with readiness and said, "Give it Saras."

"But, Your Majesty, are you--"

"Whatever the news is about to be delivered to me, I will accept it" Indraswari said, cutting off his adviser's sentence. "Although it's good news or bad."

There was concern in Saras's countenance, giving the letter. The empress was in no hurry, carefully opened and began to look at those words. When reading, he was very familiar with the writing, bad writing that was difficult to read but well conveyed to him. Once in a while Indraswari slightly coughed, his breathing began to irregular, and both eyes were filled with fluid. It was known to Saras as quickly as possible he approached.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" The woman's intonation sounded restless and agitated as Indraswari began sobbing with a heartbreaking voice.

Empress Niskala was helpless, weak, and surrendered. He tried hard to resist the flow of tears that kept dripping, had scared his descendants. She simultaneously hugged Renan and Arunika, kissing their equally golden hair. The boy tried to hug his mother back while Arunika moaned. Anyone who notices Indraswari's condition can only be silent with a wounded heart.

"If I had not doubted you at that time, Kakanda," Indraswari regretted as he continued to cry. "You may have a chance to survive this catastrophe."

The crumpled body can still move, even want to stand even though he was too weak. The shabby clothes stuck to the dirt and burn marks, even behind the tear was printed blood on several parts of his body. Unsuffering defeat. He will not bow down to error, not give up until he has fulfilled what he owes. Because because of himself, he created a monster that returned to revenge.

"I'm impressed, Old Man," licked Candra who started to step forward. "You took good care of Cenderawasih."

He stopped right in front of the troubled Elder Mustari standing up, crouching down while exclaiming, "Your disciples aren't too bad at the competition, even though you still don't want to educate them into the realm of nature."

"Look at what constitutes the Natural Level to you," said the elder occasionally coughing up blood. "Especially that fire element."

Candra laughed, turning her head. "What did you say, Old Man? Don't you want your students to surpass you?"

"Elemental strength is the best, almost no one can master this element" added Candra and then moved on. "But you're limiting the children's potential, not giving them a chance to explore their abilities."

"You're really the worst mentor" raved the gray-haired boy who turned white in the night light. "I feel sorry for those with strong ambitions like me."

With a single blow, he hit Mustari's grandfather until he broke through the front door of the house, hit the furniture there and broke a thick-skinned antique vase. He stopped after breaking through four rooms, ending up in a cracked wall spattered with a thick red liquid seeping down his forehead. However, this time he was already able to stand up after swallowing a pill, trying to make the horses want to fight back. Even though he knows there's not much to do.

"Tell me where the boy is!" The silhouette that was there continued to step closer, seen the face of Candra who rose blood shone on the moon from the sidelines of the ventilation of the spacious room. "Then I won't kill you, Master."

However, Elder Mustari still had a chance to chuckle regardless of his condition was already very concerning. "There's nothing left of me right now, my student."

"You won't find any information" the grandfather said, making a gesture by turning the two opposite hands. "The boy will stop you."

"What happened to your head, Old Man?" Candra found a dagger neatly arranged there and took one. "I am Mukhalis, I will make Bentala return to its golden era."

"You only made Bentala suffocate and perish!" The voice of Elder Mustari sounded angry, emphasizing his sentence.

"Oh?" The man instead smiled knots, getting closer to the grandfather who looked willing. "But you don't know the truth behind why I'm doing this, do you?"

"You know, Old Man, that Prana is getting eroded because that stupid kid named Reswara is starting to make a pile of junk," Candra lamented at the dagger. "And you know what's sad? Empire support him!"

"When I came back and knew that my world had changed .. I was really disappointed with all this!" Candra started attacking with agility. Not only was he proficient in the bare-handed martial realm, the sword techniques he mastered were also extremely capable.

Yet Elder Mustari this time was completely different from before. He came back refreshed fit at a pace capable of withstanding all Candra incursions. The man was astonished, even the grandfather had given a backlash several times, messing with Candra's actions. Therefore he began to resent, uncontrollable emotions messing with the direction of the dagger. As a result the elder managed to throw the object from Candra's hand and pounded his body with both palms.

Candra bounced off and hit the wall made of wood, rising up instantly as she exclaimed, "Damn you, Old Man! I thought you wanted to die!"

"I won't let you roam Bentala despite my love as a bet." Now that grandfather started the attack, the consecutive attack technique was completely inevitable by Candra.

"What the fuck with her?" Candra had to use the shadow technique to break free from the impact of the elder who destroyed the wall, taking a few steps back. "Did you trick me earlier and get serious now?"

"No," Mustari's grandfather said in response. "But you're the one holding back."

Candra was wide-eyed and silent for a moment, the elder knew that she was still procrastinating. Candra's facial complexion briefly changed emotionlessly, both eyes returning cold as if there was no mercy. He then opened both legs, preparing the horses while close the handbooks. "Well, Master Mustari, if that's what you want."

"I'll make sure that this is your last place" said the man, a little hesitant. "The place is like home."

"You are my best student, Candra," Mustari's grandfather said, the water was blotted out. "This is a punishment worthy of me."

With an incredible speed just a blink of an eye, Candra darted in front of the elder. Mustari can read the steps and then give raw bogeman that Candra can avoid. The palm of the right hand just landed on the chest of the snicker, making his body crash instantly. However, before he hit something that was passed, Candra with light-like speed greeted him. Striking Elder Mustari upwards through several floors until out of the house.

As he was in the air, the grandfather realized that Candra was already on top, about to give a final strike. He closed his eyes gently after taking a close look at the disciple who was already considered to be his own son. Before he launched the bogeman, Candra said softly almost whispering, "Goodbye, Master."

The moment the hand touched the elder, a mighty force blazed brought him down. Penetrating the house until it makes a thump rumble that causes the ground to tremble frighteningly and then tear down Padepokan Cenderawasih. Destroying the school is hoarding everything beneath it. Not only that, the buildings and trees around it collapsed creating dust smoke that scattered, blinding the eyes to see something behind it.

While Candra appears to land on one of the big rocks on the hill, paying attention to the school is now just a memory that wants to be forgotten for good.

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