Nusantara Throne - Senandung Kebangkitan
Satria
“You must give him a name,” said Purnapana while crossing.
The forest cat was stretched out to sleep near a small campfire. His stomach was swollen because it had drained several pieces of dried beef. The cat's ears twitched as if listening to Purnapana speak.
Satria glanced at each other towards her best friend. Satria and Harsya still enjoy the fatty grilled meat that is grilled with a campfire. For years they have not tasted the pleasure of a meal. Sham the beach boy was full enough with meat, he ate sweet mangoes.
“We have no intention of raising animals, Mr. Purnapana,” Satria finally replied. “We are slaves, we even have trouble taking care of ourselves.”
“Cats are very loyal animals, but they do not easily attach that loyalty to humans. In the north, cats are considered protectors, and watchdogs. They are used to eradicate ferrets, rats and pests in the granary. In the past, a king whom I respected in a kingdom in the West kept dozens of cats in his court as a trust in my godfather the guardian of the continent. The cat took an interest in you, then now you will be his Master.”
“But Sir, does he need a name?”
“Name has important attachments for animals. The name can be a force for animals, it can also be hope,” Purnapana asserted.
“When I was a kid. I once named a dolphin. At the beginning of the dry season, Selok Village is passed by beautiful white dolphins. My mother and I often looked at them from the port, Mother often called them by the name of a unique name,” Syam said, her eyes glazed over. “Unfortunately I don't remember that name, because mom called those names in whiskey.”
“You can think of his name later. No need to rush, let the name itself come to choose the forest cat,” Purnapa then mute. The bonfire began to flicker almost extinguished before him. “I'm sure the three of you are here to listen to a very big story like I promised Satria last night. This story will be long and long.”
Satria, Harsya and Sham began to tense up. They sit together and close. Purnapana spread his arms with squeaky hands that stretched out like claws and began to tell stories.
“Test of down time like an unstoppable raindrop. Days, months and years pass whether we want to and not face, all will become bitter and sweet memories like an ocean that stretches without borders. What you're about to hear could be a fragment of the past that I want to forget even change. But appreciate it, because now I will give you the hidden memories in the dark fog of this continent.”
Highlights of sharp eyes scanned the three young slaves before him. The bonfire limited their distance, but Purnapana's view ended with Satria in the center.
“Hundreds of years ago, the continent guards were formed, they were my love. They guard and protect the continent from the evil demonic forces of the inhabitants of the mountains, forests and deserts of the Emerald, even the evil humans. The elders of the first nation said ‘to defeat the demons required demonic power, but that does not mean our hearts are similar to demons.’ My love is a tiger-like man, if his strength is used for good, they are equivalent to twenty adult warriors. They can't die unless a human is fast enough to stab his heart. Under the guardianship of my love hundreds of years ago, cities grew prosperous, demons and demons returned to hiding and humans began to establish kingdoms with towers and statues of my love face as a form of their gratitude.”
Purnapana. Sadness infiltrated in a hoarse voice.
“That tradition is maintained until it becomes the peak of the glory and success of my love in maintaining peace in the Emerald. However, weep because the time was never eternal until fifty years ago a sky god named Ganesha fell in love with a human being, the woman he loved was the daughter of a noble in Majalaya named Patma.”
“Some inscription records and past verses tell that at that time the beauty of Patma defeated all the beauty of the noble princesses in Emerald, so Ganesha fell in love with her. Through the kahyangan in Madewa, Ganesha never stopped looking at Patma until when Patma entered adulthood, his love for Patma was increasingly unstoppable.”
Purnapana's hands seemed to tremble as he looked at the flames of the campfire which was dimming into burning charcoal. The next words were like a groan of sorrow and horror.
“Prosperous kingdoms are never satisfied. The kings began to claim each other's throne over the continent of Emerald, except for the wise king, King Dotulong of the kingdom of Temaram. Dotulong honors the hard work of my love in keeping the emerald peace for hundreds of years. However, the Dotulong conflict is meaningless, human-to-human warfare breaks out in small areas to large cities.”
“My lovers are guards and protectors, they don't want to stand on political turmoil and greed. Unfortunately the war continues to whip like a blaze, Ganesha feels increasingly worried about Patma, he then came down from the heaven incarnated as a human to save Patma and take her to the Forest Mustika King.”
“When Mahardhika was ten years old, Ganesha was required to return to Madewa. His aunt had been scattered as a dissident god for having had a human child. If Ganesha does not return to Madewa, then the god of wisdom Amertha will punish Ganesha by bringing Patma and Mahardhika to Madewa to undergo kahyangan torment for a lifetime. Ganesha begs for forgiveness. Through his policy, Amertha pardoned Ganesha on one condition that Ganesha should order Patma to kill his son as a form of regret and punishment for profaning the disgrace of the gods.”
“One night, in her tears, Patma was about to stab Mahardhika in the heart with a bone dagger. However, all like pseudo-khalayan, the knife did not injure Mahardhika at all. The mother realized that Mahardhika inherited the power and gifts of the gods. Nahas, Mahardhika was already disappointed, he was angry and instead killed the mother. Patma's death wounded Ganesha. She is filled with guilt and regret for loving Patma. In the end he ordered his sacred animal rider named Lembushawana to kill himself.”
“After the death of his parents, Mahardhika lived a long time and wandered to survive. Until she was sixteen, she fell in love with a rich daughter named Ken Dara. The handsome and bronze sheen of Mahardhika's hair was so special that Ken Dara was charmed by her. Ken Dara happily accepts Mahardhika's love as easily as flipping a palm. In the presence of Ken Dara, he explains his true identity that the father is a god.”
After the journey stopped, he felt very thirsty. After Purnapana gulped down water in a jug, he continued in a calmer tone.
“For many years Mahardhika lived in anxiety. She felt she was very special, but what her mother had done had never gone out of her mind. Gradually Mahardhika became insane, he established the Nusantara Kingdom through the riches of Ken Dara. During his reign, he considered what his father and mother did to be a despicable mistake, his pride of privilege growing increasingly wild. Until an evil ambition arises in his mind to prove himself a conqueror, who was not born of a loser parent.”
“Mahardhika then claimed himself as the king of all kings in Emerald. He became a cruel and cruel king. Kings are required to bow their knees, swear allegiance or die. Of course the confession was met with opposition from the kings, thousands of his opponents stood before him and asked him to retract those words, he said, unfortunately they have long died and his head was plugged into the gate of the Nusantara Palace as a warning.”
Satria's stomach contents were stirred. The stories became a horrible chant, his body suddenly shivered as if the embers of the campfire in front of him froze.
“The tribulation and terror awakened King Dotulong's conscience to free the Emerald from the shackles of King Mahardhika's tyrannical leadership. Dotulong pleaded with the help of my Cinderers to bring down the inner knowledge in the highest effort to equalize the power with the bloody king of the gods. My love-doers who live in the interior of the Mustika Raja Forest come out of the forest to help him and teach the inner sciences after seeing the determination and honesty of King Dotulong. The great war between Dotulong and Mahardhika finally erupted fifteen years ago. However, the damned king was too strong, he won victory and massacred King Dotulong's army along with my cindaku.”
“When Dotulong's death spread throughout the country, a shadow of fear enveloped the Emerald sky. Mahardhika made himself king of kings in Emerald.”
Setelai finished telling the story, Purnapana was reluctant to look at the three young slaves. He turned to look at the dark corners of the forest, as if hiding his sparkling tears.
“Give you god-blessed slaves tonight. Don't let any soldier know about the story you heard tonight.”
The three slaves muttered softly to each other. A sense of sadness, anger, worry, and fear emanated in their innocent minds. Quickly the feeling exploded into pieces of strength.
“Tonight, that's all I can tell you,” Purnapana staggers away. “I'll get caught, let me take care of the cat for you, come back the next nights, I'll teach you something. Don't forget, bring a name for this cat, he will be lucky for you one day.”
Satria could see water droplets coming down Purnapana's chin, he said, “thank you Mr. Purnapana. We'll go back to camp, we'll visit you the next night. Only Master where we complain, take off the burden and torture.”
Purnapana did not reply, she did not want to show her tears, “be careful young slave.”
The fog of darkness was increasingly spreading like a plague, cold and piercing. What they will face can be a gamble. In this dark world, the three little lights arrived with holy smiles, please. The shadows of his body were growing in the dark mouth of the cave.
***