Mukhalis: Hero of Bentala
31. New Adventure

In Bentala, there were five kingdoms that stood with the Indrayana Kingdom as an empire for over a hundred years. The formation of the empire created a new date year that is now printed SK-After the Empire-then it was concluded that this time was the year 112 C. E. Right at the moment Indrayana itself collapsed by the power of Ganendra. The following days were a frightening specter in the history of the kingdom in Bentala because they had distrusted each other, invading for the throne of the Imperial Sovereign.

Niskala was perhaps the most ill-fated kingdom to receive a series of attacks. The metropolitan city of Asarania even flat to the ground, known Padepokan Cenderawasih so shapeless destroyed. Countless victims scattered, charred, even buried in ruins. The heroes of Niskala are forced to bend their knees if they do not want to meet death, obey all their wishes. The surviving inhabitants had no choice but to accept the new leadership that had been prepared, turning Niskala from a future land into a backward country.

It was all because of a vision that the industrial revolution was poisoning the Pranic ecosystem, destroying nature little by little. Purifying Bentala by means of violence, burning everything that goes through, they are no different from such innovations. In fact, the machines provide a relatively beneficial impact for humans to run a better life and easy. Even these findings have been exported to the four kingdoms in Bentala, letting them shape and manage creativity.

Although Niskala was the only place that could manage those things, they still had to need another kingdom to roam the natural resources. Moreover, Indrayana and Darsana areas are famous for kerosene and abundant coal. The symbiosis, which had been bound by trust for many years, disappeared when Ganendra greedily broke the cord, bringing Bentala back to the dark times. The time when bloodshed is commonplace in order to defend the right to dignity.

But after the last two years, the Niskala controlled by Ganendra's minions began to be rebuilt. The villages were established as before. Including the village of Baturia which was mostly eaten by fire until it was not left. Neither the dwelling, nor the creatures that are there. All of that was due to one extremely dangerous uncontrollable rage. The child who had lost both of his parents in plain sight, exuded a sense of vengeance that had currently been muffled by the purity of heart. The young man now returned home, just making sure and saying goodbye.

The steps of young people with black robed clothes and chocolate combinations had stopped meeting a group of people there. They are busy rebuilding houses that have collapsed, there are even many that are already worth resettling. From the face they look alert as Suluh gets closer, some even to the point of drawing a dagger is beset with suspicion. Because it is felt all this is just a misunderstanding, Suluh opened a wide hat in the form of a circle made of brown rattan, making the attitude of the body reconciled.

"Who are you?" exclaimed the thin-bodied man with a dislike look, his thick mustache twitched as he said. "Are you from Ganendra?"

"I am the son of Mr. Bara and Ms. Arumi" Suluh said, bowing. "Here is my home."

"What?" the man turned to the woman next door and to the other residents. "Are you Suluh?"

The young man lowered his head in response. "Really, Sir. Me, Suluh."

They were still carefully approaching, paying close attention to the young man's face that looked different. One of the women said, "Siruh, is this you? You look different!"

Suluh only smiled while occasionally touching the hand of the woman who was caressing her face, not realizing that she had shown the hand made in black. The woman continued, "This hand, you're really Arumi's son."

"Thank God you're safe!" He hugged the young man and then looked back. "Have you forgotten about your own neighbor, son? I'm Ratna's mother."

A dozen flabbergasted, he mutely. The woman was the same woman who had insulted her family many times. Repeatedly defaming. However, Suluh unexpectedly smiled as often as she said, "Yes, Mom. I still remember. Thank goodness I'm okay."

"Where have you been all this time? Are you hiding with your parents somewhere?" Suddenly the thick mustachioed person who had just unsheathed the dagger was put back in.

"No, sir, I'm hiding alone in the forest" Suluh said. "Because my parents are gone."

"Son, I'm sorry, mother" she groaned even more. "Mom was wrong with your parents. I always give them trouble, hurt you, and even hurt you. Forgive me, Son Suluh, I am sorry for this behavior. Please, forgive me."

Suluh hurriedly gathered, clutching tightly with Ratna's hands that did not occasionally subside. With a soft face, Suluh whispered softly, "I have no grudge or hold hatred for Mother. My parents did, because they were the ones who taught me that way. Me and on behalf of their deceased, have forgiven all of Mother's faults."

The woman immediately hugged Suluh tightly still did not stop crying. "Thank you ... Thank you very much, son."

The man who saw the touching incident smiled, replied by Suluh by opening the corners of his lips. True what Guru Madiarta said, the tribe will feel more calm when choosing to make peace and let go. Easily tapped into the chest. Giving harmony to others, bulldozing bad feelings that continue to pollute the heart.

Sometimes people can't forgive because they can't. Therefore, those who continue to do good despite being hurt are the strongest.

Before starting to wander, Suluh had stopped by his house which was still standing intact, not hit by the fire. For two years no one lived, the house was occupied by spiders and dust stuck. That wooden sofa, a tablecloth with a beautiful complexion, and the red curtain in the middle of the room, had not changed at all from the last time Suluh was there.

The child got inside, opening the door with a deafening squeak. The room looks awful even unfit for habitation. He knew the room well, including knowing something to hide. When he pulled a box from under the bed, the dust flew so fiercely that it made Suluh cough irresistibly. He had to smother his nose and mouth when he tried to open it.

Then the torch is stuck, the eyelids open wide while taking something in the box. A tree-carved pendant along with its creeping roots, filled the circle frame. This was the same necklace as he had given Sekar, another one for himself. He cleaned the dust with handbooks, occasionally blowing out loud.

"Strong," said Suluh in a small tone, almost whispering while tightly grasping the pendant. "Wait for me."

The destination that Suluh will come to is Sinambu village located in North Asarania. The village is not as remote as Baturia, more precisely Sinambu village is access to all immigrants from outside. Apart from looking for as much information as he could find there, Suluh was curious about the condition of the village after a long time.

Before actually leaving them, Suluh was given a small bundle of Mother Ratna. He bowed deeply as gratitude then passed, stepping further and further away then invisible. Something behind the cloth turned out to contain herbal ingredients, pouring out a radiant torch. Because, the reason Suluh to Sinambu village quickly is an appeal from Guru Madiarta to buy potions. But apparently, the drugs were even approaching him.

Before long stepping foot, Suluh crossed the path that led to a direction through the forest, not wanting his figure to be seen in public. Observed heroes are always patrolling around there, wary of suspicious things especially the mysterious look of Sulah. The young man got longer and longer to the core of the forest, penetrated into it until there was no longer visible rice fields or hills overgrown with grass.

He did not know that his presence had been staked out by those in hiding.

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