Angkalati | Melayu Melaka

Genre: Fantasy-romance, magical realism, Kesultanan Melayu Melaka's settings.

Start: December 10th 2021 

Finish: —

Chapter 1 

ANGKASA'S POV

I close my eyes and give all my focus on my surrounding. Here, I can feel the waterfall hitting my back, hear the birds chirping and the leaves from the trees fall to the ground. 

This situation reminds me of what my tok guru (master) has said to me before. "Hear and feel the nature around us, thus both you and nature will understand each other." 

I don't understand what my master wants to say. So here I am, sitting on one of the rocks under the waterfall, hoping I can understand the meaning of my master's words. 

For a long time, I only sit there without doing anything until my ears catch a swift movement lunging towards me. Without opening my eyes, I tilt my head to the right. I can hear and feel something passing my left side. 

I inhale my breath before slowly exhaling it. I open my eyes and there, a man standing not really far from my whereabouts. He wears an all-black outfit and a face mask, leaving only his eyes being seen. 

We stare at each other for a while, before he decides to launch himself towards me. I don't make any move, just letting him come to me. When the distance between us is getting closer, he takes out a blade from his back and starts thrusting the blade into my face. 

I can feel the tip of his blade touching my face, and without waiting another second, I catch his hand that holding the blade and pull him closer to me, before nudging him hard. He lets out a hiss in pain and his body falls on the river's surface. 

A grin lifts on my face and I stand up from my sit on the rock. I turn my gaze to him, who is trying to get up after my counter-attack. He must be in great pain. Well, serve him right! 

"Is it hurt?" I ask him with a mocking tone. 

His eyes glare sharply at me. When his stand is already stable, he again launches himself towards me and attacks me repeatedly with this blade. I only dodge it for a while until I take out my keris from its sheath quickly and our weapons meet with each other. 

"Tell me who sent you here and why are you attacking me?" Ask me to him. I feel irritated when suddenly I'm being interrupted by being attacked. Well, of course! Everyone hates it when someone interrupts you, right? 

Instead of answering my question, he kicks my stomach off-guard and sends me flying to the back. Damn it! Doesn't he have any manners? I need to ask him the name of the person who teaches him to kick people as an answer to the question asked! 

"Seriously? I ask you nicely but you kick me as the answer? Uncivilized of you!" Ridicules me, making him grunt. 

I let out a sigh and scooped my white silver hair to the back, to let it not messy before my gaze become cold. "Well, seems like you choose violence, huh? If that is so... I'll make sure you go back home becoming a 'civilized person' hence you can answer someone's question properly." 

My patience is already gone. I run to his back as fast as lightning and kick him twice harder as he kicks me before, making him let out a small scream. His body goes to the front without his own will. I'm not giving him any chance to attack me so I give him another kick from his front body and to his right hand, where he holds the blade. 

The blade detached from his grasp. I take both hands and turn them backwards and slam his head to the ground with my right hand, making him scream. Then, I put my keris's blade to his throat using my other free hand. He gasps for the air. 

"You better tell me who sent you here or else you can say goodbye to this world." Whispers me to his right ear threatening him. 

He bites his bottom lips and doesn't want to tell me. I grunt and press the blade of my keris deeper into his throat. Blood starts dripping from his throat until finally he opens his mouth. 

"Angkasa, this is me! Johan!" Exclaims him. My eyebrow lift when hearing the name of my best friend. I shift my keris's blade from his throat and open his face mask. Johan's full handsome face appears in my eyes, making me groan. 

"For God's sake, Johan! Do you already want to die, huh? What if I cut your throat?" Johan grins when hearing that. 

His grin makes me want to slap him to make him realize how stupid his actions are! I can't bear losing him. If I lost him, I'll sleep in the middle night, hating myself for killing him. 

"Well... I know you won't, Kasa." Replies Johan spontaneously, making me roll my eyes to the sky. The keris in my hand, I sheath it back and pat my hand thrice. 

"It's your wrongdoings, Johan." 

"Sorry, my friend. It's not like I'm doing it for my entertainment. Tok guru's the one who sent me to 'test' you whether you understand or not with his words." Explains him to me, at the same time rubbing his pointed left ear. I fall silent with his explanation. Seems like Master wants me to know the meaning of his words. I shake my head and pat Johan's shoulder. 

"That's fine. I already find the meaning of his words after you did ambush me. Thank you, my brother." I give him a small smile and he nods his head. 

"No problem, Angkasa. Okay, let's go to tok guru's home. I guarantee he's waiting for us right now." 

*****

"I see that you already understand the meaning of my words, Angkasa. Am I right?" States Tok Guru Gemala. I nod my head. 

He smiles making his wrinkled face more wrinkled. "So, tell me the meaning, Angkasa. I'm all ears for you." He allows me to answer him. His hand stroked his long white beard, and his old black eyes shone when staring at me, to know what's my answer. 

"If we give all of our attention to nature, we can know the things that will reach us by their whispers," I tell him my answer, confidently. 

Master's smile become brighter on his wrinkled face when hearing my answer. He nods his head which is my answer is correct and I already pass this test. 

That's how our master gives us the tests. For every test he gave us, he will always include the double meaning of words which his students need to find the hidden meaning of it. If the answer you give is correct, you'll face another test the next time. 

Master doesn't have a lot of students. There are only six students of his including me and Johan. The reason why he doesn't have many students; his teaching method is at another level and can't cooperate well. To master his teaching method, you need to have a strong fighting spirit. 

"You already pass this test, Angkasa. Only left another two tests until you can become the new warrior needed for our kingdom." Says Tok Guru Gemala to me. I nod my head. 

"Yes, master. I'll try my best to be one of the best warriors in our kingdom." 

Master smiles and pats my shoulder twice. "You may go rest now, Angkasa. Our next test will be held next week and it would be much harder than before. Be prepared." 

"Thank you, master." I take his hand and shake it before standing up and leaving Tok Guru Gemala's house. 

I yawn. Oh, seems like I need to have a nice and good rest, everybody!