Chapter 5 – Attack of the Masked Men
The pillar of blue light rising from Aruna Mist Forest was still clearly visible even after the sun climbed higher. Every villager stood frozen, staring at a phenomenon they had never seen in their entire lives.
Some were amazed.
Some were afraid.
And others chose to hurry home and lock their doors tight.
To the people of Aruna Village, a strange event like this was never a good sign.
But to Raka and his friends, the light was the answer to many questions.
Or perhaps the beginning of even more mysteries.
"I'm sure it came from the First Gate," Bima said, staring at the forest.
Alya nodded in agreement.
"Every clue points there."
Dimas crossed his arms.
"Then when are we leaving?"
Nara gave him a faint smile.
"I like your enthusiasm."
"Of course. I'm tired of just standing around and staring at the light."
Though they sounded casual, everyone knew the journey wouldn't be easy.
The village chief then stepped toward them.
The old man's face looked more serious than usual.
"You have to be careful."
"We know," Raka replied.
"No. You don't."
His tone left them silent.
The village chief let out a long sigh before continuing.
"If the First Gate has truly awakened, then the Eternal Shadow will definitely make its move."
His words made the atmosphere even tenser.
Raka remembered the masked men who had attacked his house.
If even a small group like that was already dangerous, what about a much larger organization?
"They've been searching for a Sky Gate for decades," the village chief continued.
"Are they really that strong?" Nara asked.
"Very."
That brief answer sounded even more alarming.
The old man then handed Raka a small pouch.
"What's this?"
"Supplies for the journey."
Inside the pouch were several silver coins and an old sun pendant.
"This belonged to your grandfather."
Raka's eyes widened.
"Grandfather?"
The village chief nodded.
"He entrusted it to me before he left all those years ago."
Raka accepted the pendant carefully.
For some reason, the object felt warm to the touch.
As if it held something inside.
But before he could think about it any further, sudden shouting came from the direction of the village gate.
"ATTACK!"
Everyone immediately turned around.
Several villagers ran in panic.
Children began to cry.
Meanwhile, the village guards tried to fend off something coming from the main road.
"What's happening?" Alya asked.
The answer soon became clear.
A group of black-masked men entered the village.
There were far more of them than before.
Ten.
Twenty.
Thirty men.
They moved quickly like a trained army.
On their chests was an emblem of a black eye surrounded by dark flames.
The Eternal Shadow.
Raka immediately tightened his grip on the bag containing the map.
"They came for the map."
Bima nodded.
"And this time, they came prepared."
Panic spread throughout the village.
The residents immediately searched for shelter.
Meanwhile, the village guards tried to hold back the intruders.
But they were hopelessly outnumbered.
One masked man leaped onto the roof of a house.
Then he shouted,
"Find the boy named Raka Pratama!"
Raka felt his blood run cold.
They were really hunting him.
Dimas stepped forward.
"If they want you, they'll have to get through me first."
Nara quickly nocked an arrow.
"Me too."
Alya glanced around.
"We need to find a way out."
But before they could move, a deafening explosion rang out.
BOOM!
One of the buildings near the village square was destroyed.
Smoke filled the air.
The villagers screamed in terror.
The Eternal Shadow's members began moving in every direction.
They searched the houses.
Looking for something.
Or someone.
Their leader finally appeared.
A tall man wearing a long black robe.
His face was hidden behind a silver mask.
The aura surrounding him felt different.
More terrifying.
More oppressive.
He walked slowly toward the center of the village.
Then he said in a cold voice,
"Hand over the map."
Silence immediately fell over the surrounding area.
Everyone could feel the threat in his voice.
Raka stared at the man.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled behind his mask.
"I'm merely someone who doesn't want history to repeat itself."
"What do you mean?"
"Mahesa Pratama stood in our way once."
Raka's heart began to pound.
"My grandfather?"
"And now his grandson is trying to do the same thing."
His words awakened a growing fury inside Raka.
"You attacked my family."
"We're only taking back what belongs to us."
"The map doesn't belong to you!"
The silver-masked man gave a quiet laugh.
"That doesn't matter."
Then he raised his hand.
Dozens of Eternal Shadow members immediately surged forward.
"Take the map."
The battle began.
Dimas charged ahead.
With his massive body, he slammed a masked man to the ground.
CRASH!
"This one's for Raka's house!"
A second man tried to attack him from behind.
But Nara released an arrow that struck the ground right in front of his feet.
THUNK!
The man immediately backed away.
"Focus!" Nara shouted.
On the other side, Alya helped the villagers find an evacuation route.
Though she wasn't a fighter, her intelligence was invaluable in a chaotic situation like this.
Meanwhile, Bima drew a greatsword from his back.
CLANG!
The sword flashed in the sunlight.
An Eternal Shadow member attacked.
But Bima easily deflected the blow.
Then he brought his opponent down with a single swing.
Raka was startled by the young man's skill.
"You're pretty good."
Bima gave him a faint smile.
"My father trained me from an early age."
But there were simply too many enemies.
Though they managed to fight off several men, more and more members of the Eternal Shadow kept arriving.
The situation began to deteriorate.
The village chief, standing near the square, raised his wooden staff.
Suddenly, the sun pendant around his neck began to shine.
Golden light appeared all around him.
Everyone was shocked.
Raka included.
"Chief...?"
The old man looked at them.
"Run to Aruna Mist Forest."
"What?"
"NOW!"
A rumbling sound shook the air.
The golden light from his staff formed a massive wall that blocked the Eternal Shadow's forces.
The intruders were forced to stop.
Raka's eyes widened.
The village chief had been hiding his power all along.
"Go!" the old man shouted.
"The First Gate is waiting for you!"
Dimas gritted his teeth.
"We can't leave him behind!"
"You have to!"
Bima immediately understood the situation.
He grabbed Raka by the shoulder.
"Come on!"
Alya and Nara ran after them.
Reluctantly, Raka finally moved.
They ran out of the village toward Aruna Mist Forest.
Behind them, the sounds of explosions and collisions continued to echo.
The battle was still raging.
But they couldn't stop.
Because now they understood one thing.
The journey to the First Gate had truly begun.
And behind the dark trees of Aruna Mist Forest, a far greater danger was waiting for their arrival.
To be continued in Chapter 6 – The Decision to Leave the Village