Chapter 10 : Cornered Cub

"Gezeer !!! I....am.... ...Nine....Years....Old !!!!!!

do You understand the significance ? a kid !!

I-am-still-a-kid !!!.... and then what ? You just asked me to protect this damsel in distress ?? whose age is older ? to help her escape towards that frozen hell ? nonsense !!!

I would rather help You rebuild Your private toilet instead !"

He was shocked beyond belief, Mada knew He was deeply indebted to old man Wirya. if it was not for Him, He might be forced to be labelled as a young, serial-chain killer in the age of six, or technically speaking He had become one, although old man Wirya succeeded in stopping him.

his mother, who named herself as Ria, and be called as such by the people of Se-Panjang district, was not dead by normal cause.

She was abused ,brutally tortured, before eventually, ruthlessly killed. it was the first nightmare Mada experienced.

Three years ago, while denying the reality, only a dagger coated by blood was in sight. on that incident, Mada just exacted his revenge against these demons. it was where real hell began.

****************

547 AJ.

on the same day when Rani was listening to her master's lecture about the great, glorious age of Ancient Humans inside her luxurious and comfortable classroom.

in the outer wall area of Terraria City state.

daytime in this part of the World always seemed to pass way too quickly, especially, in region where refugees, poor and homless people resided.

even if They had to live in this near unbearable frozen World, while having lacks of sufficient food supplies, befriending the hunger everyday, and shivering most of the time because they only got flimsy shelters that couldn't perfectly protect them from the chilling wind.

These unfortunate ones were always felt grateful that They could still survive just for another day, They never blamed nor They questioned fate.

They just lived on, for the reason to live, They could think of it in a better time, They just had to live. They were the real strongest ones, having the tenacity and resilience of the cockroaches and tardigrades.

Mada, was one of them. He was born from the womb of a beautiful Young, poor woman. He never knew his father but that was fine, as long as He was not alone, all was good.

He just finished his breakfast. the menu today ? it was the delicious tough-plain bread, a grilled mouse that was specially bred as livestock, some roasted big-white maggots, and baked pickles. this time, He could enjoy all there were a refugee like him could eat. He was full, a rare occasion in this neighborhood.

His mother just went to work at a maggot farm near Se-Panjang district. it was not far, just fifteen minutes walk from his house. Mada was tasked to wash the dishes, and clean up their humble shack, whatever there was to clean. even in this chaotic slum, They would still try their best to at least not to sleep beside their own rubbish.

after doing his due chores, He went out to play together with other children of the slum. these were his routine, He would run here and there, doing swordplays using sticks with his friends, playing to their heart until They were satisfied or tired.

As for Mada, He would go back to their hut, light a fire using two fire stones, and boiled some warm water for His mother to drink when She returned.

however, on that fateful day, unbeknown to him. something unusual had happened....

His mother was late to come home. the warm water He boiled, had become cold. He remembered that his mother had never been late to return, something urgent must have happened.

He was worried for her, but He still thought positively. She might have gone playing with her friends, or there were additional jobs thus She worked overtime. Yes, it was indeed unusual, but everything was gonna be alright.

He decided to go to the farm.

He run, anxiety got the better of him. He didn't know why, but on that particular day, He missed his mother so much.

upon arriving on the site, nobody was there, as expected. no one would still be working in this chilling night. He knew where to go next. the farm office, somebody might still be there, They could not possibly left the maggot farm alone, someone had to keep watch, They should be in the office.

Mada opened the door...,

what transpired afterwards, was hell.

'Oh Ancient Humans !!!'

how badly He wanted to erase this sequence of memory if He could. heck, He would gladly remove part of his brain just to achive that if it was possible. in the future, as He grew to be an adult. everytime He dreamt or recalled what He had seen in the farm office on that day, a whisper to kill Himself could be clearly heard.

His mother, was dying on the cold ground. She was bloody, bleeding profusely from ears, mouth nose, forehead, hands, stomach, and crotch. Yes, her crotch was exposed. her attire was ripped. scratches, cuts, punctures, burnt, every kind of injuries could be seen, and yet She was still breathing.

Mada, who had lived a tough life since He was still breastfed by his mother, still had a clear mind to put priority in order. the adult might see him as a snotty child, but the children from the slum knew better about themselves that They grew faster than their pampered counterparts inside the wall.

Mada thought He could cry when his mother was indeed dead. but for now, She was still alive, and with that, his current priority was set.

He grabbed His mother body, and dragged her out into their shack. no one was found on the street. it was a bit weird but Mada did not even have the time to be aware of such detail. He also did not want to further inspect his mother status, He was afraid to be faced by her impending fate.

They finally arrived in their dwelling place, and the first act He did was....., being confused.

their hut, its interior was in total chaos. like someone was intentionally tore their house apart, and then left while making sure it still stood. their belongings scattered all over the place. Mada couldn't follow what happened anymore and decide to spread out their bed inside right away.

He didn't give a single f*ck. as long as his mother was alive, He could pay back whoever did this a million folds by any means later.

He cleaned his mother Injuries, applying bandages made of left over cloth. He washed the blood stains away after boiling more warm water. He prayed to the mighty Ancient Humans to not take his mother, to not be among them in the high heaven yet. He still wanted to be together with her.

then, his mother opened her eyes, deep dark eyes, just like his. her face was pale. her left hand which was hold by his small hands was cold. tears fell, He couldn't bear it anymore.

"my baby....., don't cry..., I'm alright....., I will still be here with You (for tonight)." She couldn't say the last two words.

She knew She couldn't see Mada grew to be a handsome man like his late father. her time had run out. her usually warm and soothing voice, became husky and choked up.

"I left some of my belongings.... cough !!, in the oouuughhh !!... in my drawer..... in the farm, can You... hahhhh.... bring them back for me....., baby ?" She looked tired, as if She would fall asleep the moment She closed her eyes.

Mada run back to the farm, He just wanted to see her mother's smile, even for just one last time. He knew the location where his mother often left her stuffs. He took them all, and run around, back to their nest.

He was scared. so scared that He cried while running.

when He entered their hut....

Mada found his mother was already lying stiff. no breath detected, her blackened eyes had closed.

his mother finally succumbed to the eternal slumber.

her supine position had moved a bit to the right. on her chest with her left hand, She hold an old leaf parchment. her right hand was extended a bit far, like She was just trying to get another thing, Mada saw it was tightly gripped onto a dagger.

but the most important thing for him right now was, his mother had gone.

the World had crumbled, his world.

He shouted to the earth, and screamed to the heaven.

his lungs empty, his heart burning hot, the tears rained the soil wet. the little boy had wept all night .

Mada stayed in that condition the entire night. until He had nothing to grieved on.

he... was blank, a Void had appeared inside him.

the corpse in front of him, was still holding on to two things.

'that... what are those ?, mother, why didn't you just tell me to get them for You ?, why did you pushed me away at Your last moment ? just.... why ?'

slowly, unconsciously, He stood up, the people that were nowhere to be seen last nigth, eventhough his scream should have been heard to the edge of their entire district, finally came out of their shacks.

The people of Se-Panjang knew something terrible had happened on yesterday's evening, so horrible that They choosed to stay out of it. They dared not to help Ria, a Young mother who was kind to everyone.

Mada took the leaf parchment from his mother's

remain. He opened it.

strange forms and strokes appeared in his sight, He didn't understand how but He could read them. not long after, He was deeply immersed, almost forgetting the infinite sadness He just felt minutes ago. Mada somewhat understood the meaning contained, it was a poem, a poem glorifying a king who slaughtered his enemies, but mostly, Mada didn't know what it was talking about.

Mada decided to save it for later, and took the dagger. His eyes full of determination.

He could just immediately bury his mother, but it would be after He made the perpetrators who did this, accompanied her. until then, his mother should be able to wait.

this..... would become the last filial piety He did for his most beloved. He couldn't die before completing it, He needed help, and He just happened to know where He could get it.

....

"I heard from my friends, You told them that You were a general of Terraria City state. is that true ?"

Mada, a Child whose piss wasn't even straight yet, was talking rudely to an elderly.

it was seen as an ordinary attitude among these commoners, who didn't have time to think about such trivial thing, their stomach fill was always that important than an ethic education. the noble would do that for them.

thus, the old man let it go, He had decided to live among these people, He had to accept their values and culture.

"You are Ria's son. first of all, let me convey my condolence. Your mother was a kind and caring person. the Ancient Humans would certainly accept her among their ranks."

He bowed slightly to the kid.

"so You do know who did this. then please help me, tell me where They are, I beg You, elder, I would gladly be Your slave for the rest of my life if You do me this favor, for my mother sake."

Mada kneeled in front of Wirya. The old man took pity on him.

'He was so Young, yet also already so tough.'

the old man thought

"almost everyone in Se-Panjang knew what was going on. since two days ago there were rumours that Your mother kept some artifacts with her. it had reached the Amoksa troop ears. it seems they dispatch the Intelligence squad to do this Job, I believe They are the ones You were looking for."

"What ?!, how could I don't know ?"

Mada shocked upon hearing He was the only ignorant on this information.

"don't be discouraged. the adults didn't want the children knew about it, it had something to do with the vicious Intelligence squad after all. They just trief their best to protect their family life."

"then where ? pleae tell me where Those goddamn d*ck-heads are !!!!"

Mada couldn't held his anger.

"You would die the moment You met them. You are nothing but a snotty child to them."

The old man put on a stern expression, hoping that his warning be received.

"I do not have anything left anyway, may as well try to follow my mother while struggling, but if You can just help me a little, I'll give these two thing to You."

Mada took out the leaf parchment and the dagger. upon seeing them, Wirya knew what They were.

"may I take a look at them ?" Mada gave them to Wirya to be examined.

"heh.....hahahahah ! these are the things that made them spilled the blood of a kind mother and terrorized the innocents. hahhhh... Their greed has no bounds and yet their ability still does have bound. after all those evil deeds, They still failed to get these. Pathetic !!!. "

a wise, pious old man expression Wirya wore suddenly turned to be a senile, crazy geezer.

"You can keep these, I don't need them. but, please do make sure You keep them with you at all cost especially the leaf parchment. it can drag Terraria City state into another war if it were to be found by a hostile faction.

as for the dagger....no fire or force can melt or bend its metal. it was made using a lost art. and the metal it was made of is said to be mined in the celestial realm. You will need them more than me.

ah !!!! don't worry, I'm still going to help You. here.... " the old man gave a big chunk of Warhead core.

it looked like flakes from a big stone, legend said it was planted as the core of a disaster-level weapon called Nuclear missile.the Ancient Humans had waged the mythical World war III using them. which also took a major part in ending their own once great civilization.

"try to absorb them, it can naturally be absorbed through skin, but considering You are againts those cold blooded killer, time is of the essence. I recommend You swallow them orally, as it will be more effective and time-saving. You can find an almost collapsed military building near Brahu main gate in the northern wall section. You can go after swallowing those Warhead Cores. it will give You the chance You desperately need. "

Old man Wirya prayed for this child safe return inwardly.

the Intelligence squad might be his former subordinates, but what They did last night, looking from the Outcast people perspective, was unacceptable. He had become those same people. thus He understood where this child was coming from.

"thank You, thank You so much, I will try my very best to go back alive. I'm definitely going to repay this dept within a lifetime."

Mada kneeled once again

"You got Your ways with words at such a very Young age. just remember to grant me a favor in the future, we can make it even by then."

after swallowing the Warhead core pieces. Mada activated his newfound power.

like the extinct grasshopper. which was told in legends it disappeard right after it made a jump.

Mada after image blurred after He stomped his feet on the old man dirt tiles. his presence was nowhere to be found.

to be continue