Srinayu On the Hill of Randu
Chapter 29 | The Fate of Four Swords

MR. LINGGIH stopped his steps, and soon followed the others. There are Menon, Kori, Ziliian and Rei. Observing the state of the forest, up there is no sign of rain. The wind blew naturally, and there was also no fog at all. The birds then sounded. Mutual. It was so sweet, as if to say that everything was fine.

Again Mr. Linggih recalls this path he had chosen. The soft sound of crickets helps the circulation of blood in the head, infiltrate into the ear cools the mind, quickly Mr. Linggih can convince himself.

Mr. Linggih turned back, staring one by one the four young people he had already considered like his own child. Bouncing a look of sadness from his face, this old man felt a sense of loss. He even felt he could not bear to let go of them without his guidance, to find the outer border. An area that could be considered completely safe, to no longer make these extraordinary young men stray.

"All right, boys, here's the limit of our togetherness. I can't take you any further" said Mr. Linggih.

Menon moved forward to greet Mr. Linggih and hugged the parents tightly. Then followed by Zillian, Kori, and Rei who could no longer hold back the teardrops, his cheeks had been wet from now on. Her small nose was sobbing. Looks childish. It's worth it if people look at it as babygirl, babyface, or even baby oh baby.

"I'm sorry if there's any mistake, sir..," said Rei Lirih as he tried to wipe his face from the tears. The cry of her sedu was getting more and more unbearable, provoking Kori's tears to come out from behind her eyelids. Zillian continued to pay attention while trying her hardest to maintain emotional stability, her face looked sad. Only Menon looked a little stern and calm.

The four companions steadied their steps, although they still could not prevent Rei and Kori from looking back once in a while.

"HAD, Rei." Entertain Menon while gently rubbing Rei's shoulders and hugging the girl's small body from the side. At least it's quite calming.

"Rey, please don't be sad anymore." Zillian saw Rei's eyes begin to get wet again, but it had subsided. "Sometimes we will visit them again."

"True Rei, if no one is willing to accompany you, I will deliver you. Both of us are enough" Menon added.

Kori did not want to miss, she wanted to show her solidarity. "Call my friends will always be there. Aren't we four solid friends...?"

Zillian reaffirmed everything, and brandished the 'samurai' in her hands high up. "That's our promise!" zillian was excited, making Rei become more trusting and began to become calmer. "Allow friends?"

"Well...!"

Just as Kori looked back to make up Zillian's words, something from below pulled Zillian down, then dragged her body, rushing through the thickets of the bush, smashed through the branches and trunks of trees mercilessly.

Kori was silent, her body suddenly stiff. His chest trembled violently, as if it was capable of knocking out his own heart. He is unable to speak. His eyes continued to grow sharp. He still could not believe what he had seen. It happened so fast.

Rei and Menon heard Zillian's screams, but did not get to see it happen right away. As soon as he turned his head, Zillian was already nowhere.

Instinct immediately worked quickly, something frightening must have been happening to a friend of theirs.

"Kori, what's wrong!? Where's Zillian?" ask Rei to panic.

Kori forced herself to speak, her tongue feeling very moody, "A. a. I don't know..." His chest moved up and down, his breathing was wheezing.

"How could you not know? What attacked him...? A tiger?!" Rei started to second-guess, accusing the beast as the culprit. "Or wolf!?"

Kori could not answer, Rei's questions only confused him more.

"Koriiii...!?" hentak Rei long. Her voice screeching.

Kori could only raise her hand, and point in a direction; zillian's position was dragged so quickly in an instant.

A quieter manon approached. Trying to calm Kori down for a moment, letting her take a deep breath first.

"Kori.. calm down, look me in the eye..." Menon rubbed Kori's shoulders and chest. After Kori began to control herself, Menon continued, "Tell me how you can... What can you see?"

"Zill's... Zillian ti suddenly fell down, and immediately. ter. drag it in that direction," Kori explained stammering.

Everyone looks at each other.

"Tali...?" Rei was getting more and more clueless. And it turns out his face is pale.

"I don't see it. But, it seems because of that... It can also be root, it's hut__"

"Yyyyyyh...!"

Kori had not been able to continue her words, while her shock had not disappeared completely either, suddenly a hysterical cry rang out from a distance, heart-wrenching, echoing all the way here. It is inconceivable what kind of sadistic suffering is befalling that person.

The tension grows stronger, the heart is overwhelmed with gripping fear, making the guts shrink cone. Everything became panicked, not least Menon, he also began to tremble. As hard as he tried to calm down, the look on his frightened face could not be hidden. Rei was increasingly affected, he started crying sobbing sedan. He wanted to go home soon, quickly get out of this wilderness.

Not wanting to waste any time, Menon immediately ordered Rei and Kori to take a thousand steps, "Leave this place! Come on, that way!" Menon pushed hard on Kori's still silent body. "Purple...! Rei, run! Stay alert! And also don't let us be apart!" They no longer thought about Zillian's fate.

BOTH of his friends continued to accelerate, while Menon did the opposite, he was getting behind. He wants to do heroic actions, making himself as bait, as well as a shield that he hopes can withstand or just slow down the next attack. He knew that, his instincts whispered to him like that, something that had taken Zillian out would not just stop the action before taking them all out. As long as there are people alive, they will all be prey.

In front of them seemed to be a meadow, thought Menon feeling his two friends had been safe once in the distance looked a field.

"Menooon...!" Suddenly someone called him. It sounds very painful, and far away. "Menooon....!"

"Zillians!" Reply Menon. He was silent for a few seconds, immediately then immediately changed direction, he turned to look for the origin of Zillian's voice.

"Menooon...! Menoon...!" The voice sounded again, and continued to echo.

"WHERE'S Menon...!?" rei asked as soon as he realized Menon was not behind them.

Kori turned her body, looking at the rows of trees they had managed to pass through, watching every gap left. The shadow of Menon is not even visible in the eye.

Feeling as the only man now, forced Kori to sue herself to be more rigid and strong. His obligation was now to protect Rei alone. Then he quickly made a decision. "We went out of the forest first, into the meadow which is now a few steps ahead of us!" The vast grasslands are considered to be safer Kori. It will be easier to observe everything that tries to approach them.

In the meadow, the two of them took advantage of this opportunity to gather manpower. Kori then took out a drink bottle from her backpack. "Rey, drink first."

Rei directly grabbed it, chugging the water breathlessly. He even realized that his throat was feeling a great thirst. Not yet fully the bottle was lowered from the mouth, Rei hurriedly spoke, "Ooh, God! I can't believe it, someone's dead today... Zillians! I don't believe any of this. Zillian.., Cor... Zillians! He. he.. die, Kori!" Rei came back crying, and this time seemed more hysterical. This girl covered her face with both palms.

There was nothing Kori could do, she could only stare at her best friend resignedly. In his heart he continued to pray, pleading for protection to the powerful. Only now did he realize that they were in desperate need of the Creator's help, regretting their neglect in faith and piety, when it might have been too late.

Gradually Rei began to be able to control his emotions, he began to think tactically. "You sure you're safe here...?" Observing meadows and weeds that swayed gracefully in the wind. There are fallen leaves that float looking for a place to land. Dust that flies in an uncertain direction looking for a destination. "Kori, you observe the left... I'm on the right side."

"I think the one who attacked Zillian made use of the wilderness. They are lurking us from a hidden place" explained Kori who has been able to control himself. His brain is starting to work better.

Any suspicious movement, provoking a heartbeat produces more adrenaline. Wind vortex—-centered— at one point on the crowd of weeds managed to make them fooled. Kori suddenly put up the horses. And Rei accidentally spilled water in a bottle, he pointed the bottle as it was about to throw a stone at the target of the shoot.

"Stupid! You spilled it," Kori jolted at the almost unstoppable splattering of water. "Right back up!" his order again immediately saw Rei was still unconscious.

"Just a cup is left," Sighed Rei regretfully. "Stupid! Stupid...!? You're the stupid one!" Regarding this matter, Rei did not want to be entirely blamed. "If you don't put up your yellow-belt silat horses, I won't do this unnecessary carelessness!" tukas Rei jerking the heart.

"I'm not asking you to panic, coward!" reply Kori very unwilling to lose, "and do not connect with my pencak silat yellow belt! It's got nothing to do, it's a natural move!" Kori secretly realized, the horses were very ugly and easily broken. "You shed__aakh...!"

Kori was silent for a moment. He seemed to have shortness of breath, his eyes seemed to rest on a point, pointing to his chest. Rei approached to confirm Kori's condition, thinking her best friend had a heart attack, but her steps stopped as Kori looked at her.

"Run.., Rei..." Kori smiled. Very sweet. Fresh concentrated red liquid color that flows through the gap of his mouth. Moreover, when Kori showed her white teeth, she looked charming. The white color gets a matching pair of colors, so contrasting. Red white.

"Aakhs!" Kori groaned in pain again. His right leg was bent, almost collapsing. After the back, now the joint behind the knee that pierced the arrow along one and a half feet. Today he wants to be a knight, a very strong knight, he wants to look strong, therefore he stays, imposing his standing upright. He was so proud today.

The threat doesn't stop there. Something very frightening came surging closer. Dozens of coyotes lurking forward full of lust storming accompanied by joyful barking, excited cowboy dance on a wild horse mount. The predatory animals will soon enjoy a festive party celebration compared to when celebrating the mating season.

Rei slowly retreated. Her tears fell. His hand kept trying to reach Kori, while the other hand clutched his chest shirt tightly. Blankly grunting his heart. Unimaginable how heavy the shock of the bathin that befell this cute and beautiful girl. A very heart-wrenching performance occurred right in front of him, recorded clearly in the head, emblazoned with nothing in the way.

For the last time, with the energy still remaining, Kori shouted out loud, her voice booming like a prickling gelled, "Reiii...!!! ...!!!"

That shout managed to whip Rei. He ran as hard as he could, going as fast as he could.

Kori pulled out an arrow from behind the back of her knee. And make it a weapon. He felt he had to take action immediately. "Hey! Come here!" challenge those animals. He twirled the arrows that had been covered in blood. Kori tries to distract, preventing the dogs from chasing Rei. A few more steps, the horde of starving-looking coyotes would approach him. The wild animals are getting worse. An even though unbalanced battle between two different species seems unavoidable.

Allegedly Kori missed, when he passed him, the forest dogs that were racing around were not interested in him. They just passed Kori. The target that was aimed now was Rei who was running on the buttocks, crying blue, frightened, with a gasp of breath.

Kori's vision grew blurry, her eyes twitched, her body swaying gently. Before finally collapsing to the ground he still had time to see the forest dogs chasing Rei at full speed. Kori was helpless, he was unable to do anything, only able to leave the last hope in time and fate.

TENS of bat prowess surprised Menon. The black shadows rushed towards him. Holding it in a crossroads. He bowed, protecting his face and head with both hands, while enduring the pain of the deafening squeals.

Blood drops that were thought to have come from Zillian's body, led her into a dark cave. Armed with a small flashlight he ventured to explore the depths of the cave.

The situation is calm again. Silent Silence. The atmosphere inside here impresses the former mining site. On one side lay a container in the form of a wooden tray. How this place was built, seems to be the work of human hands. Along the way, the surface of the floor there are large enough holes, which contain puddles of blackish brown water. Although it is gloomy and humid, strangely here no mosquitoes are found. The new cave dwellers appeared, just the bat horde earlier. And they're not blood-sucking animals, they eat these kinds of fruits.

After gathering the courage that had been scattered, Menon continued the investigation. Faintly heard the sound of water droplets rustling. Menon wants to find him. As he stepped, his palm touched the wall of the cave. The surface feels slippery and mossy, but accompanied by fine grains such as beach sand. Unlike the texture at the beginning of the mouth of the cave, which is rough and there are cracks irregular fragments.

Menon felt that he had walked far enough, if in a few more steps he also did not find anything, he decided to return to the mouth of the cave.

The hallway narrowed and entered the cornering terrain, making Menon forced to stop his steps, even with the intention to stop the search until here alone. However, just as he turned off his flashlight, a dim light was caught by the sight of his eyes. The light is golden orange. Looks swayed causing a bias shadow wave ripples on the wall surface. It seems that the illumination came from a flame, on a torch or something like that.

His heart and strength had been prepared in such a way, to deal with all the worst possibilities. Putting your eyes and ears well, not to be missed, it means giving a chance to death.

For a moment he hesitated, imagining what kind of evil figure in there might be deliberately waiting for his presence.

The closer the light got, the brighter it became, and finally it was clear that a torch fire was hanging on the cave wall. It seemed like not only one, there were still many others, were deliberately installed along the passageway as a guide in the darkness.

Guided light-light torch Menon continued to trace the belly of the cave. His curiosity overcame the raging fear. Plus, this might be an opportunity to find Zillian, who could be alive and in need of help as soon as possible.

The air felt very stuffy, and there was a very pungent unpleasant smell. Rancid, musty. Is this a place of worship. But there was no smell of blood. Imagined by him; primitive man, living in this day and age, is safely hidden in the wilderness, away from the urban hustle and bustle. Untouched by culture, let alone law. Surviving in their own way, which may have been cannibals. For a moment he shuddered to imagine Zillian's fate. Now he feels that finding Zillian alive and well is unlikely.

A moment later, Menon found a room. As far as the eye can see, only a dim darkness. Passing through a door, he stepped in even deeper while turning on his flashlight again, and was immediately greeted by the entanglement of the rodents. They squeaked furiously, feeling disturbed by the presence of light. Now it looks clear, there's nothing in here. Empty and empty. Menon's in a trap!

Feeling uneasy, Menon hurriedly stepped out. However, right in the doorway, his body was almost charred in flames by an extremely ferocious burst of flames like the explosion of a gas cylinder.

Thanks to his swiftness, Menon managed to dodge and immediately took a few steps back.

The exit had been covered by a blazing red flame full of anger.

Menon was played with a great deal of fear. The fire soon spread rapidly, spreading all over the cave. From above the ceiling, there were fire droplets that were like plastic melts. Only then did he understand, this cave building turned out to contain petroleum deposits that were flammable when exposed to sparks. It is fitting that the texture that is black feels slippery when touched by the hand earlier. Meanwhile, the powder that feels a bit rough is nothing but a kind of elemental sulfur.

Black smoke began to fill the room, making breathing difficult, causing symptoms of coughing accompanied by headaches.

Menon held his chest, he felt pain once in the heart area. His body slowly felt limp and his lips turned blue.