Red Bahutai Swordsman
Tiwahs

The crowd of people from the morning was crowded like a pile of grass. All eyes were on the funeral service of the old man who had breathed for the last time last night.

Everyone was so solemn in the funeral ceremony, not a few who shed tears over the departure of the father from Dara.

The figure they knew was firm and always protected every inch from the ground they were on. Rela sacrifice to risk his life for the honor of their tribe.

"This ritual we call Tiwah, when a man dies, his spirit will not die but switch places to the spirit world, and will remain there until the second death arrives", Dara sighed for a moment, "For this reason, those who have died need to be ushered into the afterlife through the Tiwah tradition, in order to be with the Creator" Dara explained to Cakra who was next to him.

Cakra is now standing next to Dara accompanying the beautiful girl in an ongoing funeral ritual. The atmosphere became more solemn and after that there were some people who came to approach the two.

"Wait here", Pinta Dara.

After saying so Dara immediately approached the people who had approached her just now. Dara stepped over to the place where her father's body was placed in the middle of the ritual.

Not far from there was a big black buffalo tied up in a round wood. Cakra closely observes what will happen next.

"Nganjangggggg!!!!", exclaimed the customary chief who presided over the funeral ritual.

After the exclamation was heard not long later Dara began dancing with two girls her age while surrounding where her father was. The sacred dance is accompanied by chants that come out of the mouth of the traditional leader.

Cakra did not understand the words he was hearing now, but he believed it was like a wish for a spirit to be accepted where it should be.

Dara surrounded his father's place 3 times, when it was finished the customary leader immediately approached Dara with a spear in his hand. The chief customarily handed the spear to Dara and in a gentle manner Dara took the spear from the chief customary.

Now with the spear in his hand Dara stepped towards the place where the big black buffalo was. With one breath Dara pierced the body of the buffalo with a spear in her hand.

SRRUKKKK!!!!!

The spear eyes pierced through the buffalo's heart and made the buffalo growl in pain. Dara did not pay attention to what he heard, the spear eyes he kept pressing so that the buffalo would die immediately.

It did not take long for the big black buffalo to die and fall to the ground.

CRAAATT!!!!!

Dara drew the spear that he had planted on the buffalo's body, fresh blood flowing through the ground around the big black buffalo.

"What Dara has done is the second ritual after she danced just now" Sima explained.

Cakra turned his head towards Sima who was now standing beside him, "What is the buffalo being killed for?", Cakra stared back at the buffalo.

"The head of the dead buffalo will be gathered and used as food for the spirits. While the meat will be eaten together", Sima explained again.

Cakra just nodded his head in a sign of understanding what he witnessed, after the buffalo died some people immediately moved the body of the buffalo to another place.

The flames rapidly enlarged and burned the body of the old man, everyone watched him with sad gazes and none of them let out a sound.

Cakra stared at the blazing fire in the middle of the ritual, still imagining the figure he met overnight was no longer there.

How surprised Cakra was after looking at Dara who was standing not far from the burning place. The girl was constantly shedding tears while looking at the fire that burned her father's body.

Cakra bit his lips, seeing the sadness of the girl made him angry with her. The feeling of anger and confusion mixed up making his mind become sick.

Unable to leave the ritual, Sima swiftly confronted him, "Getting out of here is an insult to the spirits of the masters", Sima holding Cakra's hand.

Cakra lowered his head and said, "It's all my fault, if only I didn't obey my heart then...."

"No one can go against the fate of the master, remember the master's purpose and remember also what Dara's father had given to the master" Sima said.

Cakra stared intently at Sima, the gazes of the two now meeting each other. Sima's eyes were so tensely staring towards Cakra that he made himself again shrouded in a burning rage.

He now steadied his heart to keep going and keep going. He believes that obstacles will always come but all will be able to face.

***

The sun was at the top, and the ritual was finished. Some people have started to leave the place where the ritual took place. While the traditional leader and Dara are now approaching where the body of an old man is burned which leaves ashes and bones.

With an urn in his hand Dara began to insert ashes and the bones of his father into the urn. His activities were witnessed by the traditional chairman who continuously cast incessant spells from his mouth.

After everything is put in the jar it is closed tightly. Dara stood up and walked into the cave accompanied by the chief adat beside him.

Cakra and Sima did not stay still, they both accompanied by walking behind. They continued walking until they finally arrived at the place where the ruins of the cave were located.

Right there is a small house-shaped building made of wood. As soon as he saw it Sima immediately informed Cakra that the small house was commonly called Sangkaraya Sandung Jawah, "The house serves as a storage area for bones. That way the spirit will not disturb the family or others" explained Sima.

Dara placed the urn she carried in the small house and before she left the beautiful girl paid her last respects to the father.

His tears began to dry up, he steadied his heart to accept everything that had happened. It still hurts but he has to face it.

Now he still has the task to help Cakra in dealing with his opponent. He then left the place leaving behind Cakra and Sima and the traditional chief who is now cleaning the ritual tools used.

Before he left the place Dara advised that the two were not going anywhere. He will be back soon with something.

Soon after, Dara came with a long box made of red Meranti wood.