章 5: Living in Daya (Flashback)

Gana felt the crowd here are denser compared to Sandak. The capital town of the Daya Great Tribe, Munawar Town. The chief and his women lived in their fancy, private quarters. The wooden huts were built higher than the rest of the residential area to show off the status. There are no castle or palaces for those who led their tribes. It is simply called grand residence instead for the ancestors believed in living with humility.

Gana spent the next four years of his childhood living inside Leha's private quarters. From there he learnt the art of unarmed combat that the southerners were famous for. He always spared with either Durman or Darman and always lost. He was a scrawny kid, blind and small compared to the rest of the Daya tribesmen. The Dayas never favourably looked at him.

Due to this he was always picked on and bullied. Zarr was notorious for this. As someone who was declared the heir through the elective succession law, he was arrogant and act mighty befitting of his very large frame. He and his gang frequently targeted Gana. Fortunately, both Durman and Darman are always there to back him up. Gana would always come back towards Leha's quarters with bruises and bumps.

Leha who saw all this always raged and vented against Chieftess Shala. Her twins weren't surprised for Leha had promised Ziri to treat Gana with utmost care. All the bullying and belittlement did not tear Gana down. Rather, he cursed himself for being weak, he cursed himself for needing protection from the twins and Leha. He wished badly to possess power. Power to sweep every enemy and protect anyone he cared.

"Hey, Gana let's watch mother do a sword dance," Durman invited. Darman who was beside him elbowed him while staring at him fiercely. "Oh shit, sorry, sorry, I mean you wanna join us?" Durman's voice turned awkward.

Gana just smiled at their interaction, "Sure."

At night, the trio squeezed into the crowd that gathers at the heart of Munawar Town. The centre circle was encompassed withstanding fire torches. The Daya tribesmen began beating their drums, signalling Leha's entrance. Her dress, fashioned like a sari, filled with glittering beads shone under the bask of the full moon. Both her hands were found clutching a pair of sabres.

Alongside the fierce beating of drums, the soft touch of gamelan let the music flowed like a rapid river. Leha began rhythmically thrusting her sabres. The traditional dance told the crowd a story a sheltered young girl that struggled to break her cage which was her family. The girl refused the arranged marriage and her fate by learning sword fighting as an expression and sign of independence.

His eyes under the headband, Gana found his tears flowing out of it. "Beautiful...," he stammered. Durman and Darman looked at him with confusion.

Durman raised his eyebrow, "What's beautiful?"

Gana just answered in awe," The music, the emotions, everything about it, about her is beautiful."

Darman stroked his chin before stating, " It seems that our brother here is not so blind after all."

Durman nodded," Hehe, he's just that interesting Darman."

Gana's passion for learning the sword was getting firmer. The dance triggered a fiery passion inside Gana's heart. "Durman, Darman, I need a favour."

The twins looked at each other. "What?" They blurted together.

"The Sword Path of Daya. Let me learn it."

"WHAT!?" "WHAT!?"

After the crowd dispersed, the trio returned to their quarters. They waited patiently for Leha to change inside the living room. Two maids opened the double door, Leha appeared from it, her hair showed signs of wetness from bathing. She sat on her cushioned chair gracefully as the two maids took their positions in either left and right of her.

The boys bowed their heads as Durman spoke up first.

"M-Mother," he shivered, " G-g-g-Gana has a request."

"Oho? What is that?" She piqued.

Darman then spoke, "He wants to learn the Sword Path of Daya."

The whole room went quiet. The three boys were sweating profusely as their heads were staring at the ground. After a few more moments, then Leha replied.

"Unfortunately, Gana, the art is exclusively meant for Daya tribesmen only. Even if I were to teach it to you, if we were to be found out, our heads will fly. Do you understand, Gana dearest?"

Gana swallowed his saliva in fear. "I apologize for my impudence my lady, I won't bring up this matter again."

"Its good that you do, Now run along and go to bed, my boys."

Gana blinked his eyes as he lied down on the bed. 'I want to learn the sword but I have no idea how, I thought I could come here and do it but it seems the Dayas are too secretive, it is the same with other great tribes as well.'

He resolved himself to commit to the unarmed arts for he realized as a smaller man he will need to have an excellent physical foundation and core. He attended all the southern mixed martial arts classes. It didn't matter to him that others mocked and scoffed, it didn't matter to him whether it's rainy or sunny, he honed his body more than anyone in the tribe. Leha who always send her maids to sneakily followed her sons and Gana was even more astonished by his unrelenting behaviour.

By the time Gana reached thirteen years old, he and the twins were preparing themselves for the Pencak festival. There were two weeks left, everything was going well until Leha's maid notified him of a message. Sandak village was under attack.

Gana rushed home as fast as he could. His nose smelled fire. His ears heard screams and shouting.

"Fuck, I'm late."

He bolted towards the outskirts of the village. Manhad and a group of Sandak hunters were beaten badly trying to repel the bandits. Gana unsheathed his short sword as he stabbed the bandit from behind before rejoining the ranks of the hunters.

Manhad shouted " Gana boy! Go inside and help your mother! Leave these things for us."

Gana nodded, thus he searched for his mother amidst the flames and destruction around. His sharp ears caught a familiar scream. "MOTHER!" He dashed towards the hut he had so many memories about. A group of five scruffy robbers were encircling her. Her face was bleeding from a sickle slash.

The group fell to the upcoming ambush from the stealthy Gana that was running through the broken huts. One fell, clutching his bleeding neck. Gana jumped and rammed his sword through the arm that was holding his mother. He kicked the man at the gut as he pulled his sword out. Unfortunately, Gana's naivete was apparent for he got caught from behind.

'Shit. I'm about to die...'

Gana closed his eyes as a nearby bandit were about to pierce him with a dagger but suddenly -

Plop!

All of the bandits' heads were detached from their bodies. A man wearing a black kimono and straw hat sheathed his blade while strolling towards Ziri and Gana. Ziri's body laid near Gana still unconscious.

"Who are you?"

The saviour just smiled.

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The rest of the bandits were either dead or bleeding to death. The outskirts of the village were a far cry from the greenery scene that many were accustomed too. It was no different from a slaughter ground. A few metres away from the battle, a group of five women covered with black bandana masks were conversing among themselves under the cover of the thick trees.

"Leader, we fail to save the hunters and Manhad. We were too late."

"Reporting, the mother and child are safe. An unknown man saved them. He doesn't seem to be hostile."

The leader of the group sighed, " If that's the case we just have to report this to madam. Let's hope the child stay strong. Madam is very fond of him after all."