First Blood on a Lonely Street

Night of Shadows

Rain fell like invisible needles of ice, piercing the dense canopy of Jatiwangi Forest and falling to the damp forest floor. The night was starless, pitch-black, as if created by the gods to hide predators. The wind rustled through the tree branches, carrying the scent of wet earth, decaying leaves, and a faint scent of fear.

Amidst the eerie silence, nine figures moved.

They were no ordinary humans. They were shadows born from the womb of night itself. Their footsteps were barely audible on the damp humus, their dark-clad bodies blending into the tree trunks. They moved in orderly formation, every movement a signal, every silence a conversation. They were a pack of wolves hunting in silence, led by an alpha wolf who was both the quietest and the deadliest.

At the forefront, a young man stopped behind a large kapok tree. He raised his hand, a simple gesture, and the eight shadows behind him froze, blending into their surroundings. The young man was Arok. His face, as sharp as temple stone, was partially covered by a cloth, revealing only a pair of eyes that burned with terrifying intensity in the darkness. They were neither wild nor vicious. They were cold, calculating, like the eyes of an eagle that has locked onto its prey from the sky.

His breathing was steady, deep, and barely audible. He didn't feel the cold rain dripping on his shoulder. All his senses were focused on a single point ahead: a dimly lit wooden hut, the only source of light amidst a sea of darkness. Smoke curled thinly from the roof, mingling with the rain vapor. Hoarse laughter and the occasional woman's screams could be heard from within, sounds that shattered the silence of the forest.

There their prey lay. Ki Glondong Wisesa, chief tribute collector of Akuwu Tunggul Ametung. A man whose hands had brought more tears to the people than the joyous smiles of the Tumapel people. Tonight, he and his guards were celebrating their success in plundering the granaries of several surrounding villages.

A muscular, fiery-faced young man crept toward Arok. His name was Mahesa. His muscles, as hard as teak twigs, tensed with impatience.

"Why wait any longer, Brother?" he whispered, his voice low but filled with anger. "Over there, they're partying with alcohol, while in the village, the children are crying with hunger. Let me in first. I'll rip that fat man's throat out before he can swallow his last mouthful!"

Before Arok could answer, another, older, calmer figure appeared beside them. It was Tanca. His experienced face looked serene under the moonlight that occasionally peeked out from behind the clouds.

"Patience is the twin sister of victory, Mahesa," Tanca hissed. "A tiger that pounces because it's hungry often fails. But a tiger that pounces at the right moment never misses."

Arok simply glared at Mahesa. A glare enough to extinguish the young man's recklessness.

"Uncle Tanca is right," Arok said, his voice calm but authoritative. "We do not come as bloodthirsty killers. We come as ghosts seeking justice. Our goals tonight are threefold. First, to reclaim all the loot. Second, to incapacitate all his guards without killing them unless absolutely necessary. Third, and this is the most important…" he paused, his eyes glinting coldly, "save Ki Glondong, but destroy his honor. We will send a message to his master in Tumapel. A message written with fear."

Mahesa lowered his head, understanding. He might be as strong as a bull, but Arok had the mind of a dragon.

Arok surveyed the rest house again. He counted the number of guards outside. Six. Two at the door, four more on guard at each corner. They were unguarded, most sheltering from the rain under the eaves, chatting. They felt safe in the wilderness, protected by their master's ruthless reputation.

"Tanca, you take two people to the left corner," Arok ordered. "Mahesa, you and Kertu, to the right corner. The rest of you, follow me. We'll move when the next thunder sounds. Be quiet, be quick, and don't leave anyone standing."

They returned to their positions and waited. The atmosphere grew tense. The rain fell harder. Then, as Arok had predicted, lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the forest for a moment, followed by a thunderous clap.

DUAAARRRRRR!

Along with the arrival of thunder, the shadows came out from their hiding places.

Mahesa was the first to reach his target. He moved like a panther, and before the two soldiers in the right corner realized what was happening, two powerful blows from the side of his palm struck the nape of their necks. Both of them collapsed without a sound, their bodies limp like rag dolls.

Tanca, on the other hand, worked with the efficiency of a veteran. He didn't use brute force, but rather speed and precision. Two swift stabs under the jaw and behind the knee instantly paralyzed both of his guards, who immediately fell to their knees before finally passing out.

Meanwhile, Arok and two others were guarding the two guards at the door. They were the most vigilant. Seeing the approaching shadow, one of them tried to scream. However, his scream was caught in his throat when Arok, who had already gotten behind him, clamped his left hand over his mouth and swiftly struck him in the heart with his right hand. The guard coughed violently and immediately fainted. His other companion was no better, having been subdued by two of Arok's followers.

The entire operation outside was completed in less than fifteen breaths. Perfect. Silent. Deadly.

Arok signaled. They now focused on the main door. From inside, Ki Glondong's laughter could still be heard, completely unaware that his small fortress had collapsed from the outside.

With one slow but precise kick, Arok pushed the wooden door open.

The atmosphere inside was revolting. Ki Glondong Wisesa, his chubby body and face flushed from alcohol, sat in the center of the room, surrounded by piles of rice sacks and small chests filled with stolen jewelry. Two terrified village girls were forced to serve him, pouring him alcohol and massaging his feet.

Seeing the door open and a dark figure standing there, Ki Glondong's laughter stopped. His narrow eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?! How dare you interrupt my fun!" he snapped, his hand reaching for the large machete that lay beside him.

Arok didn't answer. He simply stepped inside quietly, followed by Tanca and Mahesa. Their cold, menacing presence instantly turned the previously heated air in the room icy.

"Girls, go," said Arok in a calm voice.

The two girls, seeing their chance to run, immediately got up and ran as fast as they could out of the guest house.

Ki Glondong's anger exploded. "Bastards! You're courting death!"

With a growl, he rose to his feet, his stocky body surprisingly agile. He swung his machete with all his might, a horizontal slash aimed at slicing Arok in half.

Arok didn't even blink. He didn't retreat or block. Instead, he stepped forward. Just as the machete's blade was an inch from his neck, he lowered his body, letting the weapon pass over his head. Then, with a fluid, seamless movement, he spun and his right elbow slammed into Ki Glondong's wrist, which held the machete.

CRACK!

There was the sound of bones cracking. Ki Glondong let out a shrill scream like a pig being slaughtered. His machete slipped from his grip and clattered to the floor.

Before he could react, Arok's foot lunged at him, knocking him off balance and crashing onto a pile of rice sacks. In the blink of an eye, the cold tip of a dagger was pressed against his thick neck.

All resistance within Ki Glondong vanished, replaced by pure fear. He stared into the eyes behind the black cloth, and what he saw there was not anger, but something more terrifying: a cold emptiness.

"Who-who are you?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Take all this treasure! Take it all! But don't kill me!"

Arok smiled coldly behind his hood. "We will take all of this. Because this is not your property. This is the sweat and tears of the people you have exploited." He thrust his dagger a little deeper. "And we will not kill you. Death is too good for someone like you."

He signaled to Mahesa and the others, who immediately set off, lifting all the sacks and crates of rice.

"What… what are you going to do to me?" asked Ki Glondong, his body drenched in cold sweat.

"We will reward you," Arok replied. He took a rope, and with Tanca's help, they tied Ki Glondong to the main pillar of the rest house. They didn't gag him. Instead, they ripped off his expensive silk clothing, leaving him nearly naked.

"This is a message for your master in Tumapel," Arok said, his voice now sounding like a snake's hiss. "Tell him that in this forest, justice still has fangs. Tell him that whenever his greedy hand reaches out to rob the people of their rights, we, the shadows of the night, will come to cut him down. You are our first message."

After that, Arok and his followers turned around. They took all the loot and disappeared back into the night as quickly as they had come.

Ki Glondong Wisesa was left alone. Bound, humiliated, and cold. He began to scream for help, but his voice was drowned out by the dense forest and pouring rain. He knew that even if he survived, his honor as an Akuwu official would be forever ruined.

Far away, as dawn broke, Arok and his entourage arrived at a poor village. They remained silent. They simply placed sacks of rice and crates in front of the village hall and then left.

Arok stood atop a small hill, looking east, where the lights of the capital, Tumapel, were beginning to fade. Their mission tonight had been successful. The people had regained what was rightfully theirs, and the message had been conveyed.

However, Arok knew this was just a small ripple on the surface of a vast lake. The real battle had yet to begin. The real enemy still sat comfortably on his majestic throne, surrounded by seemingly impregnable fortresses of power.

He stared at the Duchy/Pakuwon Tumapel Palace, and the fire in his eyes grew even hotter. Tonight, they were mere shadows. But one day, he swore, he would be the storm that would raze the fortress to its foundations. This was only the beginning.

***

***continued from chapter 02