"Let go of them or I'll let Barong have your head."

Ki Semar's voice was a solemn threat, yet it carried a weight that could make even the bravest quiver. There existed no necessity for the old folk like him to unleash his full wrath, when the mere hint of his aura thereof was succinct to send shivers down Boko Rombeng's spine, the same way when confronted by the armoured, giant tiger. Even his horse neighed at him and pawed the ground as if asking him to do Ki Semar's bidding.

This Tumaritis Headman was not just anyone—he was not even a man, such was Boko Rombeng's suspicion. If fighting Petruk in the absence of his fellow bandits was a close call, let alone against the sacred man who was the champion of Pulomas and at the same time, the scourge of Alas Purwo.

Growling, Boko Rombeng forcefully loosened his hands. Alicia, now prostrate on all fours, swiftly crawled towards Cahyaningrum and dragged her away. Cempaka and Kiran came to their aid, and together they carried their injured friend.

Meanwhile, the rumbling growl of Barong crescendoed. A pair of the tiger's front paws scavenged the air, either aimed at the soaring Semar or the imperilled Boko Rombeng.

Semar forcefully compelled Barong to submit to the earth. He then propelled Boko Rombeng back within the village walls, where dozens of rifle muzzles were levelled squarely at his face!

As Barong clambered to his feet, its mandibles dropped open. Something came out of its mouth. Words.

“Despicable humans! The eternal unrest!" Barong bellowed in Yawa tongue. "The scourge of the Earth! I shall never tire of hunting you down until you all but cease to exist! The morrow is bleak for Earth soon will war against you, oh men!"

"You are lost, Barong! Men are not your enemies. Men are the ones you're supposed to protect!" Ki Semar replied in the same tongue.

"It is the nature that I must protect! And depraved mortals like you are a menace to Sang Hyang Sukra's masterpiece!"

A man would find his spirit sorely vexed if denied the rewarded dessert after enjoying a full-course meal with patience. This applied to Barong as well. It felt Ki Semar had deprived it of the chocolate-skinned Boko Rombeng dish. How would it ever crave the leathery fare of the old man's aged meat as the replacement?

However, it was not like Ki Semar wanted to be eaten by the tiger either. So he flew at Barong and clapped his hand on its head once more, sending it tumbling into the forest, uprooting several trees!

Alicia still made time to witness the event and her mind could not stop marvelling at Ki Semar's prowess. He floated in the air without a broomstick, and his power was too potent for a clap, like that of a cannon explosion! The fascination burned within the lass, while at the spine a shiver ran down her spine.

Barong was still breathing, rising from its slumber like a phoenix from the ashes. But the armoured tiger began to behave strangely soon after. It shook and banged its head against a tree trunk! It then growled the slammed its body hard on the ground. Something was possessing him. Something wanted to gain control over its body. Either it was a delusional projection in the beast's mind, brain cancer, or an insect stuck between its brains that had caused the damage. Barong could not continue the fight, it was forced to flee into the shadows of the wilderness.

Ki Semar's feet finally touched the ground. Tumaritis Village survived for another day. He then ran to Alicia, who was holding her wrist.

"Are you alright?" Ki Semar asked.

After witnessing everything that had just occurred, Alicia simply replied, "I dinnae ken."

"You're fine," he concluded. Ki Semar turned to the other villagers and instructed the survivors to take Cahyaningrum and the injured to the clinic. He looked at the ruined house. it would be long days to repair all the houses. But it was already evening, and here, the darkness was impatient to rule the sky. Liked it or not, the residents who had just earned the title homeless would have to evacuate. Gratitude must ever be their constant companion, directed toward the benevolent stewardship of the magnanimous Ki Semar, their village's protector. His spacious pandhapa was immediately turned into a refugee centre for those in need.

***

The sun had just dipped below the horizon. Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong lay in a row in the clinic room. As warriors who had gone to great lengths to protect their beloved village, the three of them were entitled to be served by the women throughout the night. Certainly not the most outlandish of services, given that some of them were completely paralysed.

Alicia and Kiran insisted on being the caregivers for the wounded soldiers. It was a good sign that the ladies' injuries were not grave. This was considered an opportunity for Alicia to learn the art of healing under the guidance of Kiran and Kanastren. Such a skill would prove invaluable in a world rife with conflict.

As for Cempaka, she contributed her effort in other sections, especially since she could not stay away from her best friend, Cahyaningrum, who was lying in another chamber.

On one occasion, Kanastren asked Alicia and Kiran to send food to her three foster children.

"How marvellous! We're being spoonfed by Alicia and Kiran!" said Gareng to his other siblings.

"No. You’re eating on your own!" retorted Kiran.

"But, Kiran, we're hurt! I've broken my bone!"

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Which one?"

"The legs."

"Do you want to have me break the hands too?"

Gareng's countenance shifted to a sullen disposition. "Ah, you’re mean, Kiran!"

Kiran looked away. Fortunately, the room’s view was then replaced by Alicia's countenance and her tender smile.

"I apologise, Gareng. But there are still numerous patients requiring care," Alicia said as she prepared the food upon the small table above the bed that Kiran had arranged. "But I heard that ye three fought a great battle this afternoon. Everyone owes you a lot."

"Heard? Ah, didn't you watch?" Petruk inquired.

"It cannae be helped. We were late from the fields."

Gareng had already devoured all the food on the table. He still expressed his gratitude that at least a sweet bespectacled lassie like Alicia brought him sustenance—though a spoonfed still would have been preferable.

"It was the ladies who prevented Tumaritis village from being looted. I am eternally thankful. The gods are pleased with you," Nala Gareng praised as he finished all his side dishes.

"Yes, shooting the bandits with those fatigue smoke bombs was genius!" Bagong chimed in with admiration. "Tell me, what and how did you make it?"

Kiran playfully nudged Alicia's shoulder. "Oh, this one is the genius. Share your wisdom, Alicia."

An uneasy feeling swelled in Alicia's chest. A subtle flush graced her cheeks. "Ah, it's nothing, truly. Just a blend of xixin flower, and poretal nectar, infused within a bundle of belatangor pepper leaves, then connected with paper containing gravel and phosphorus. I believe you can create something more belter."

"Poretal and belatangor pepper?" Petruk's eyes widened. "Alicia, those are rare plants! You didn't take them from Father's garden, did you? He cherished those plants like his own sons! Woe! You're woe, young lady."

"Once Petruk and Gareng got their butts smacked with wooden planks for attempting to feed the rare plants to the pigs!" said Bagong. "Can you imagine how stupid that was?"

The mere contemplation of a hunchbacked elder meting out discipline to her butt caused Alicia's discomfort to swell. "Oh... t-that! Uh... H-he... no way! Sure he’ll understand this s-situation... a-aye? It's nae like I fed them to the pigs, ken!"

Semar's three children giggled. How cute and adorable it was to see the bookworm lass stumbling over her words. Nadine, Gilmore, anyone, anywhere. There had to be anyone with a penchant for jest to delight in her vulnerability.

"We jest!" exclaimed Petruk. "The account of the rare plant matter is, indeed, the truth. But fear not, there’s no way he will hit you carelessly."

"Look at Alicia's red face!" Gareng pointed at Alicia with a guffaw. Kiran at the back too could not suppress the mirth, covering her mouth as her last resort.

"Oh, come now! Quit teasing me like that!" Alicia snapped.

Bagong then reacted with a serious context. "But no lie. That was genius, Alicia! Making the mixture of xixin and poretal vaporise in a pepper leaf, then breaking it through the friction of a pebble and the tip of a match! Hmm, pebbles and match tips. Those are the firecrackers that the kids here used to play with! Drop by my workshop sometime. We can design magical items together!"

"Magical items?" A gleam of curiosity alighted in Alicia's eyes. "I want to come!"

"No, no... Bagong wants to take you on a date in the workshop, not just do crafts. You clever bastard," said Petruk. "How about practicing martial arts with me? If you return to Camelot one day, the entire Camelot palace shall never be able to lay a finger upon you!"

"That's too much!" Alicia replied.

"Never mind, Miss. Don't listen to those clowns. Just go out with me." Nala Gareng was even more blatant. Unaccustomed to such expressions, Alicia's blush grew all the more pronounced.

"Bah, what would do with her, Gareng?" asked Bagong.

"Where do you want to take her anyway? To meditate? To sit on a rock? Waiting for her to reach enlightenment?" Petruk continued chuckling.

"I can take her wherever she wants, okay?" Gareng snapped, annoyed.

Alicia shook her head. "Even if I covet one of you, please remember, eh? I'm not here to find a mate."

"Oh yeah. Searching for your magic ball, are you not?" said Petruk again. "By the way, how progresses your quest? Have you made any headway?"

It was only when Petruk mentioned Orb that Alicia's mouth dropped open.

"Divine Mercy! How could I have forgotten? I just remembered at the wrong time again!" Alicia muttered. She then asked the three of them, "Have you seen Wisesa? I need to ask him about this."

At Alicia's inquiry about Wisesa, the countenances of Semar's three sons contorted in bewilderment.

Gareng furrowed his brow. The three patients exchanged puzzled glances. "Of course! Where has that child gone since this morning? I even fed the pigs back home!"

"Well, don't let him run away!" Alicia sighed heavily. "I have to report to Nyai Kanastren immediately at this rate!"

"What's wrong with him?" asked Petruk. "Don't tell me he stole the ball?"

"Even if he did, why am I not surprised. He must have taken it to Alas Purwo!" said Bagong.

"Don’t think too far! How could you make Miss Alicia more nervous?"

"Well, we can't help it. Who here really believes in him? Don't put Father on the list. As wise as he is, he's bound to fall."

"I was imagining Father as a squirrel when you said that," Gareng said.

Cempaka came banging on the door, interrupting the lively conversation among the five youngsters. "All of you! Guess who's getting into a fight with the villagers for the umpteenth time!"

Kiran promptly seized Alicia's hand. "Come along!"

"Wait! Where are you going? Who's fighting?" Alicia was in a daze.

"Who else but the dashing boy you've been trailing?" Kiran replied.

"Nae funny!"

"We want to see it too," said Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong simultaneously.

"All of you... sleep here!" Cempaka's yell pushed the trio's bodies onto the mattress.

"At least you can record it," Petruk proposed with a sigh.

"Record with what, stupid?" responded Bagong.

"Well, then hurry up and make a visual recorder, 'Hesphaistos of the Land of Yawa'."

"Here, how about you kiss my ass?"

"Bah! Screw it!" []