Mukhalis: Hero of Bentala
32. Hidden

The blowing silir-siliran makes the bushes and leaves dance, Suluh is not at all afraid to continue to step foot even though he knows he is being spied from various directions. They are not just one, but many. Like a secret society that decides to live in the forest. Could it be that the victim survived the catastrophe two years ago, Suluh could only second-guess with both eyes watching in all directions.

The situation is getting quieter and feeling gripping. Suluh unexpectedly fell silent on the spot, sensing their increasingly powerful presence. The sound of something behind the shrubbery caused Suluh to prepare the horses with both hands outstretched forward, being cautious of a sudden attack. Because it is too focused in one direction, Suluh should change its concentration as soon as possible to the surrounding. That proved to be true, as he looked up, someone landed with already darting feet.

Reflexes, Suluh retreated and managed to dodge. But the attack did not stop, the man continued to give an attack with a small dagger that was very fast and agile. Expert in doing acrobatics until Suluh made no wrench studying the action as what he wanted to do afterwards. The movement is flexible and smooth, there is no interval from one action to another. He did nothing but protect himself.

Until he was about to stab Suluh, the man deftly caught his right hand, halting his mobility while holding him back from escaping. The woman knitted her eyebrows, a little astonished that the young man could withstand the skills that had been perfected. Even the two hands holding the dagger were locked, unable to counterattack. Their two eyes met, the irises that both emitted hazel colors as if to communicate.

"You who?" exclaim Suluh who is still overwhelmed with his appearance.

"I should have asked that!" Roughly, he tried to pull his hand and then give a twisting kick to Suluh.

The man easily dodged, stretching the distance between them and said, "I am only a traveler and do not want to cause you any trouble."

The woman was silent, looking at the clothing of Suluh carefully. There is nothing wrong with the look of the young man, he looks like one of the wandering people. The distinctive features of the traveler are in the caping and some bundles that Suluh carries. He did not let go, still firmly did not believe the bad tactics that the man might do. With one aim at the dagger, the black-haired man straight as a boat was again about to make an attack.

"Why don't you choose the main route?" the woman squinted her eyes seriously.

"You may already know that after the last two years Ganendra has been here, everything has turned chaotic" exclaimed Suluh trying to melt the atmosphere. "Many things have happened in Niskala. This kind of existence of mine would raise unwanted suspicions."

"People like you already understand, don't they?" subuh Suluh is still petrified. "Therefore we meet in this forest."

The woman's eyes then changed, exhaling and then reinserting the dagger into the container located on the left hip. With just a whistle, several humans appeared from the top of the tree with arrows that had been prepared to shoot. One of them with brownish messy hair railed, "What I said, Savira, he's not a threat."

"I can't let my guard down, Alan," said Savira, a woman who is adept at acrobatics still does not turn her glance towards Sulah. "Who knew he was going to do something to harm us?"

"Last time I remember people passing by who just wanted to fish" said a man named Alan stuck something in the trunk of the tree. He casually went down while holding out the rope mechanically that was on his left wrist. "Are you still worried about someone from the kingdom passing by?"

"Do you live here?" Suluh stepped forward, trying to be friendly.

"We had little choice after they had burned Asarania" said Savira, looking down, both eyes soft. "In the meantime, we've been trying to make ends meet here and started to feel our home coming back."

"So so," whispered Suluh as she turned to the right, thinking of something. "Do you know that the village of Baturia has been rebuilt?"

"Certainly that?" Suddenly another woman descended as fast as lightning with the same rope mechanism as Alan, hurriedly approaching. "Are you from there? How's he doing?"

"There are several houses that have been established, residents began to close their hands to help each other," said the man, confirming his bamboo hat. "Like you, I'm hiding out in the Southern forest and trying to check on the state of my devastated village."

"Wait, you say your house is in Baturia and ... this metal thing," the woman's cerocos was too excited as she pulled Sulah's hand. "Don't your name be Suluh? Right, you're the Suluh son of Mr. Bara, aren't you?"

The young man looked clumsy as his hands were swung by him. He chimed, "Yes, I am Suluh and who are you?"

The boy opened the corner of his lips and responded, "I feel relieved to be given the opportunity to recognize the citizens themselves like this."

"ten? It seems like I'm no stranger to hearing your name," exclaimed Alan stepping closer to the two of them. "If it's not wrong, you're the one they call the 'special child?"

"Ah, you're right! I wonder how you move these artificial hands?" Intan began to bombard various questions at once, so did Alan. Making a torment and losing the sentence to be thrown.

"You guys stop tasting him," Savira's look suddenly caused Intan and Alan to fall into a state of astonishment. "You're making him depressed."

"If you don't mind," added the shoulder-haired woman turned around. "Are you interested in looking around?"

The forest was getting deeper and deeper. The dead leaves splattered onto the footpath, the sound of chirping sounds earthy. As Suluh followed them, the young man began to meet passers-by, their gazes focused on him. Watch out for unfamiliar faces. Their condition is mostly a little sloppy but can still be said to be sufficient, building houses of wood and rocks.

Soon, they arrived at a large open space. This place feels like a village with a simple residence that is regular. There are a lot of people pacing around, busy with their own business. Meanwhile, in the middle of them were flowing a rushing river with pure, fresh water, the sound of the swirl could be heard by Suluh very well.

"Hey, Suluh," cried Intan suddenly resuscitated Suluh from the amazed reverie. "You're not coming?"

"Ah, sorry," exclaimed the young man hurriedly following a lag. "This place is absolutely amazing!"

"We are trying to establish life here" Savira said. "Effort to forget the past and restart what has been lost."

"If you may know, how do you get all these primary and secondary needs?" said Suluh who had refrained from asking.

"Most of us were hunting in the forest," she suddenly stopped. "And 'hunting' in a certain place."

Suluh knit an eyebrow when she heard that sentence. Reviewing the intentions conveyed before the fat man appeared out of nowhere approaching. She looks well dressed, it's weird to see that around here. "I finally found you," she sighed with an irregular breath.

"What's up, Mr Ravi?" Alan changed his misgivings instantly when there was something terribly emergency.

"Our ingredients are getting thin," the funny man named Ravi. "According to my calculations, we'll be completely out of basic necessities after the next two days."

"It's a coincidence then." Savira turned around, watching Suluh who knew nothing. "With your ability, do you want to help us?"

On the edge there was an open horse-drawn carriage, like a vehicle commonly used by merchants peddling fruits. Alan is seen giving food in the form of vegetables to the animal, Intan is busy preparing the necessary tools, and Savira focuses on writing something on paper. Meanwhile, the distraught Suluh approached Savira as the head of the operation.

"So, you're 'hunting' this need somewhere unnoticed?" the word Suluh stood next to Savira. "And where is that place?"

Savira smiled then exclaimed, "Sinambu Village."

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