True Martial Arts
View in the Middle of the River
Note: For those who do not want to read the story of Akhza and Satrya and go straight into the main plot, then please skip the next two episodes until you meet with Kala Piningit. The episode that tells Akhza and Satrya is only an introduction to the world that exists in the novel True Martial Arts.
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In the shadow of his mind, the short memories of the past were twisted back.
In a rural village, the Kingdom of Pandataran. Nusantara Year 7750.
Akhza came out of the house when the sun was still not welcome, he wore a caping on his head while opposing the hoe. Satrya, her neighbor, greeted her with a greeting as usual.
"A very unpleasant good morning" Satrya said with a smile, "as usual."
"Yes, you're always as usual. Never get excited even a little." Akhza. "Earlier isn't going to be a problem, is it?"
"It should be so." Satrya walked forward, following the other peasants towards the pesawahan. "If you want to be a swordsman, we have to get up early."
"I know, but we have to practice silat as well." Akhza. "So, when are we going to ask our parents for their blessing?"
"No need to rush. I'm sure my parents wouldn't care even if I disappeared being eaten by a crocodile. You're the one who asked your mother for her blessing."
"If only it were easy to do." Akhza took a deep breath, the rice field was already spread wide before him. "We must become warriors, because no one wants to free this little village from the entanglement of those greedy bastards. Why do we work every day in the fields if the results are for them to drink wine and hire girls, while we starve here?"
"You want to hire a girl and drink wine after becoming a swordsman?" Satrya laughs. "Don't you, once you get the power, you're the one who robbed. Then you'll drink a hundred pots of wine and hire a thousand girls in one night."
"That's not funny." Akhza snorted, before stepping his light foot into the rice field, followed by Satrya who chuckled at the back.
The work they do from morning until noon is actually done just that. There is no intention for a good harvest, because they will get bad rations no matter what the harvest.
After finishing all the work, the sun was already in the central horizon slightly to the west. The two lifted the hoe to the shoulder and went to the river to clean themselves.
"What if we get permission tonight, and leave tomorrow?" Akhza opened a long conversation.
"We leave tomorrow, I'm not ready yet." Satrya.
"I think so too, actually. But our parents' lives aren't very long from now on. I don't want my mom to suffer for too long, she has to be happy."
"We are twelve years old, there is no need to think too far" he said. "Fifteen years old, it seems like it's age enough to go wandering."
"Eitherway. When I was silent, it flashed a spirit to wander into the dangerous forests of the central region. But when I was ready to set foot and go wandering, my heart said, 'Don't do it or die.'" Akhza took a long breath.
"Yes, I know what that feels like." Satrya laughed lazily. "Because I feel it too."
"Then, we should not think of anything!"
"You mean?"
"Don't think of any danger ahead, and keep going even if the heart doesn't have the guts." Akhza said while puffing his chest.
"I think it's worth pointing out for you" Akhza said. "But now I'm serious."
"If you want to be serious, we'll talk four-eyed in that hut after the shower. Don't walk." Satrya said flatly, pointing at a hut near the river.
"There must be something different about this river." Akhza scratched his head.
"none. The water is always clear, fresh, and delicious. If you want to know, in the middle of the river there are a lot of fish as sweet as sugar cane."
Akhza and Satrya took off all their clothes, as usual after returning from work from the rice fields the two boys always cleaned themselves on the river bank near the rice field.
They immerse themselves in unusually cold water while cleaning farm equipment. This river water seems to always be cool for them, although both almost every day soak here, but there is no word bored.
"Let's get the sun, shine. That's all right! Because you won't be able to beat the fresh water of this river!" Satrya laughed loudly, followed by Akhza's laughter.
"YAHHH...!!!"
Akhza and Satrya turned around in panic after hearing screams near them. It was from behind, and it was a female voice!
Both predicted the worst. For example, there are robbers who attack to complete lustful desires. However, all they found was a young woman standing in the river safe.
"What's up!" Akhza yelling.
The girl did not reply immediately, but pointed at Akhza and Satrya with trembling hands. It managed to make them panic, thinking that danger was nearby, they ran to the riverbank while shouting in fear. The girl who had been sculpting actually ran to the back while shouting more loudly.
"What's going on?!" Satrya did not get an answer, because Akhza also asked like that.
"There's nothing in the river except the cane-sweet fish you said." Akhza chimed in, "what's wrong ...." Akhza's words stopped when he saw Satrya smiling widely, then asked, "You why?"
"You know what's wrong?" Satrya. "We're not dressed."
Akhza pensively slightly before laughing softly. "Yes, we're not wearing any clothes. And if you also knew what else was wrong? This river looks like another, doesn't it? I don't think we've ever had a bath here, the water's cooler, too."
"Yes, I just realized." Satrya laughs. "This is a special place for women. Our place is right over there." Satrya pointed to a sharp river bend. "Just after that bend."
"Oh, yes it's worth it." Akhza laughed even harder. "And if you knew, that was the prettiest girl in the village. I'm sure you like it, and I like it too. And now, we're messing things up!"
"And you also know that soon the women of the whole village will come to bathe and wash here."
Other screams were heard from behind the large rocks on the river bank.
"We're too late." Akhza smiled wryly.
The two no longer waited long, immediately took clothes and pacul and threw themselves into the river. Just raises the head.