Chapter 3: Master of Whiteland
Singa Lodra! Hearing that name make some villager trembled in fears. Everyone in northern shore already knows notorious Singa Lodra. He uses Trident spear with his ultimate skill "Tiger Roars" make him ascend as Lord of all robbers group in Roban forest. Some martial artist already become Singa Lodra's victim. Most of them die before they can get close to him. Because Singa Lodra has the ability to snarl his enemy from distance powered with his skill Tiger Roar. Once he snarls at his enemy, they will fall because their chest will like hit with a big hammer.
"Gentlemen, all of you, please don't scared," said Mahesa Wulung breaking the silence. "We're not alone against these villains from Roban forest. With solid unity, we can face them. I will also help you all".
"Yeah…Yeah! We must unite and destroy them all!" shout the people full of beliefs.
"So, let's end the training for now and return to our respective places"
After that people start to disperse and return to their own home.
Now the yard becomes quiet. What left there only Mr. Sorengrana, Mahesa Wulung and Pandan Arum. Mr. Sorengrana still examining the arrow in his hand.
"Wulung, I really glad and proud to have you as my nephew. All your father bravery and skill has inherited in yours perfectly" said Mr. Sorengrana
"But are you ever told by your father about his teacher who teaches him the skill and knowledge?"
"Never uncle," said Wulung "Maybe he had but I've forgotten. When my father teaches me in Asemarang shore, he told me many stories, but I'm just too young and maybe not fully pay attention to his stories. Are you know about my father's teacher uncle?"
"Right. Your father once a disciple of famous warrior Bayu Sekti, according to your father story, Bayu Sekti still have a bloodline from Majapahit Kingdom. His ancestor is the warrior from Bhayangkara, the elite squad for Royal Guards. When he still young, Bayu Sekti can be regarded as a high-rank warrior at that time, that make him respected, moreover, he likes to do good deeds. No wonder he often involved in the battle against the dark side that makes chaos along the northern shore".
"But he's no longer young and exiled himself in southern Asemarang. He resides in Whiteland mountain range. He giving teaching about goods and virtue. Because there's no longer person who blocking their ways, the dark side becomes eager to create chaos again, after long time suppression by warrior Bayu Sekti. If you meet him Wulung, that will be better, you could get pointer and guidance from him. Your skill Wind Insight also one of his creation. People also called him Master of Whiteland because he lived in Whiteland martial school". Sorengrana paused his story and take a deep breath
"If you want to go, then go early in the morning tomorrow. My advice is to be careful, Wulung, because it seems villains from Roban forest have spread their hands everywhere. Two attack from them here is the evidence. Maybe they will keep eye on you and try to ambush you again if they know our intention"
"Alright Uncle, I will leave first thing in the morning. Isn't Whiteland mountain located in southward from Borang Village?"
"Yes, you right. But you better not take the way through that village, how knows those villains from Roban forest already put their spies in there. Take a detour through the nearby forest and you'll be arriving in Whiteland faster and unnoticed".
Time flies fast when they talking. The sun already reaches the horizon, the weather no longer hot like a flame. Some flock of birds fly in the skies, try to find their way back to their nest after looking for food all the day. After saying goodbye, Mahesa Wulung goes to take Pandan Arum back to her home.
Although the sun still half-rise in the horizon, Mahesa Wulung already wakes up from his sleep. Also his uncle and aunt. They busy preparing things for Wulung journey to Whiteland. After taking breakfast, Wulung put the saddle in his horseback.
"Wulung, be careful at your journey, take my bows and arrow, who knows can be useful later," said Sorengrana while handed his bows and quiver. After receiving the bows, Wulung shakes his uncle's hands and bow for respect.
"Thank you, Uncle, I will pay attention to your advice" Wulung also give his aunt respect bow before jump into his horseback.
"Goodbye Wulung and Godspeed," said both of them.
Wulung rides his horse through the forest using trails that only a few people use. Actually, he can use a normal road that people used to transport goods and carriage. But he feels safer using the forest trial because he will see nobody in the forest. His horse trotted in moderate speed, giving Wulung chance to enjoy the forest scenery. Morning air brings the fresh breeze into Wulung chest. When suddenly Wulung's ears hear another horse step from the south heading north. Accustomed to sudden change, Wulung pulls his horse to thick bushes and shrubs to hide. His instinct told that rider use this way because they don't want people to see them, just like Wulung.
From behind the bushes, Wulung can see clearly those riders. They all five-person, carrying the bow in their back and short sword in their waist. All of them wearing black clothes. Not only their dress, but their conversation also can be heard from where Wulung hiding.
"Just leave that old geezer to brother Sima Gereng with four of his men. That old geezer will be finished in a blink" Said one rider with the thick mustache to his four friends. His horse saddle using panther skin, different from the other four.
"It seems the one with panther saddle is the leader of this group" think Wulung "And who is that old geezer that they talk about?"
In a moment those riders have already gone to the north, Wulung takes his horse back from the bushes to the trail and rushes it to the south. After riding a while, the road starts to go upward and twisting. Wulung already arrived in the mountain area in southern Asemarang.
In here the ground is like karst, has the white color. Wulung drives his horse toward a hill. When he arrived at the hill, his ears which empowered with 'Wind Insight' caught the sound of the clashing weapon in the nearby valley. Even though his eyes didn't see it, but he can feel it through the wind blows. Wulung whipped his horse to go to the valley faster.
"If they said old geezer that Sima Gereng fight, he must be Whiteland master because no one else is as strong as him in this area. Although he was fierce, he already old, and must be facing 5 enemies"
Wulung getting impatient, he hurriedly rushes his horse toward the clash sound. After go downhill and entering the valley, he saw a spectacular scene. An old man with white beard, wearing a grey robe and using a forked stick as a weapon, in the middle of an intense battle against five peoples. Three people using the short sword, one using a pair of the long blade and the last one using a club with the spiked iron ball on top of the club.
"My prediction is right, that must be master of Whiteland. His movement using 'Wind Insight' like mine, but this is more awesome, maybe already been perfected by him. His strike cause swirling wind" Wulung watch them with awe.
Wulung gets down from his horse and hiding behind the bushes while watching the battle. He's very interested in the movement that used by the old man. At first he just watches, but slowly he try to copy the movement with his hand and later with his hand and leg, and finally, all his body was mimicking the old man movement.
Although his Wind Insight is not in high level, because the foundation is the same, it's not hard for Wulung to copy the old man movement. New and unknown moves can be easily executed by him. Master of Whiteland moving very fast. Sometimes he bent down so low while attacking opponent legs, sometimes he jumps high to the air and strikes like an eagle with its talon at the enemy head. But because of his old age, after a long time, he gets troubled against five men and can't fully catch the enemy movement. One of the five men sneakily withdraw from the battle with a long jump backward and put an arrow on his bow.
But he hadn't had a chance to aim, Wulung already take action. He put a stone from the ground and throw it. Suddenly a stone flying fast toward the archer which hit the archer's head, making him fall. The archer who gets hit by stone tries to stand with his wobbly legs. His eyes were bloodshed and in his forehead, there's a bump as big as a baby fist leaking some blood.
After throwing the stone, Wulung entering the battle, his arrival make master Bayu Sekti surprised, moreover for his enemies and the battle getting more intense. The movement between Wulung and Bayu Sekti is harmonious, when one attack the other one defend, when one attack from above, the other one attack from below, just like twin sparrow.
After sometimes they fighting suddenly a scream is broken. Bayu Sekti manages to block the blood vessel of one of his enemy, rendering him paralyzed and lied on the ground. So each of Wulung and Bayu Sekti now only facing two enemies. During their fight, Bayu Sekti still able to take a glance toward the young man who helps him. He never knows the young man.
"This young man is good, and what makes me surprised is he mastering Wind Insight quite good. There's must be a relation between him with my late disciples, Sorengyuda because that skill I only teach to him"
The four enemies now must work hard to face this two people with same skill. Sima Gereng who fight against Bayu Sekti feels troubled even though his club with the iron-spiked ball makes a horrible whistling sounds. His partner also fights hard. He swings his short sword very fast like a shining propeller, which make his friend give him nickname Kitiran.
In another circle, Wulung face two enemies which one of them move nimbly right and left using twin long blade that moves like a pair of scorpion's pincher. That why his friend called him Sapit Ireng. Wulung other enemy is the one which he hit with a stone before. His face looks furious because, in his life, he never falls because of a stone. This is a big humiliation for him. He wants to slash this young man into meat paste. Because of his short stature, his friend called him Bugelan.
But Wulung also not an ordinary young man, although he still young in age, he already fighting everywhere with Demak Fleet including against Portuguese which using iron armor and firearms.
After fighting a while longer, Sima Gereng makes a loud whistling, that's a sign for his men to withdraw from battle and escape. In his heart, he cursing the young man who helps Bayu Sekti. If he not coming, Sima Gereng must be succeeded in his mission.
Sima Gereng and his friend start to escape from battle arena, they jump back and turn back to run from there. But Bayu Sekti did not let them escape easily. He manages to land a strike with his stick in Sima Gereng back, make him scream in pain and coughing blood. Although injured, Sima Gereng can be considered a top fighter from Roban forest. He still able to run fast and leaving the place with his friends. Meanwhile, one of them that has his blood vessel blocked still lying there unable to move or escape. Sima Gereng still able to throw a threat for them while escaping.
"Both of you! I will back and kill you. Make your body into thousand slices!"
Hearing that Bayu Sekti only laughing loud and long.
After four of them disappear in the bushes, Bayu Sekti approaching Wulung.
"Young man, thank you for help me fighting them. They suddenly attack me when I returned from healing a sick person"
"It's my please grandpa, I apologize because meddling in your fight. My justice sense did not allow me to stay still watching that fight, one old man against five people, that's unfair". Said Wulung.
"Let's continue our talking in my place young man, we can talk a lot there. Meanwhile, we should question that man there, about their whereabouts and their intention"
They both approaching the man that lies on the ground. His face was pale and his mouth sometimes releasing a painful moan.
"Who you are and why you attacking me?" ask the Whiteland master
"We must kill you old geezer! Because you stand in our way! You disturbing us, the villain from Roban forest from doing our works. And we will take our revenge on our chief Singa Lodra. Because you wounded him in battle in Tegal shore"
"Hmmm…. I remember now. So who's your teacher?"
"Our teacher nothing then the fierce master Macan Kuping" said that man.
Hearing the name of Macan Kuping, Mahesa Wulung shocked because that name when he still a kid ever mentioned as a powerful figure that can morph himself into a tiger.
"It's clear now. This is old grudges from my younger time. We ever fight before and I always win against him" said Bayu Sekti while gnashing his teeth.
Suddenly a whistling sound followed by the man scream. An arrow had pierced his chest.
"This is crazy! They don't hesitate to kill their own men"
"They afraid he telling us more about his group"
"Son, let's leave this place. My house is up there"
Then they both walk in a row, the old man walks in front, Wulung walks behind him while leading his horse. Wulung almost can't believe his eyes because the old man still able to walk fast on the steep road, and the place they heading still up there.
After they passing two big stone that acts as the gate, they entering a small school. Some men greeting their arrival.
"Master, why so much dust staining your robe?"
"I play a little with Macan Kuping men from Roban forest," said the old man
"And I want to introduce my guest, his name is ….. eh, young man, you haven't mentioned your name"
"My name Mahesa Wulung, master"
"Alright let's clean up first then we speak inside," said Master of Whiteland to Wulung.
After they clean up, Bayu Sekti receives Wulung in the school hall. He sits cross-legged in the middle of the hall and Wulung also sit cross-legged in front of him. The other student sits not far from them.
"Wulung, where you heading before you met me in the valley?"
"Actually my aim is to meet elder here. I came from Demak and live in my uncle house in Asemarang.
"So you are Sorengrana nephew from Asemarang?"
"That right elder, I also the son of Mr. Sorengyuda"
"Oh God, you actually a son of my disciple Sorengyuda," said the old man with joy. His guessing is right when he saw Wulung using 'Wind Insight' element during the fight. A skill that he only teaches to his beloved disciples Sorengyuda.
"If that so Wulung, you should stay here for a while. I will train you like I used to train your father before"
"Thank you elder"
Since that, Wulung stays in Whiteland martial school and study under guidance from Master of Whiteland and gain a great progress in his skill.
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