Chapter 28 - Rage

Both of his hands are holding the dead bodies of old couple Barja and Ratih, both of whom have been lifelessly covered in blood. The kid's eyes are wide open, but it's unclear whether he's still conscious or not.

 

Meanwhile, a few malevolent spirits are floating above him, inhaling the corrupted spirit which is leaking out from Adanu Raksa's mouth and nose.

 

"Aaah! It's so good!"

 

"I wonder what the kid's soul feels like! I'd like to dive into the depths of his vessel!"

 

One of the malevolent spirits holds Adanu Raksa's head without directly touching it. Soon, the tips of her fingers are growing until they seep into the kid's forehead.

 

"There's no way I'm going to let you do that!"

 

Without wasting time, Cakara draws out the mystical dagger from his waist, and then butchers that one malevolent spirit.

 

"Kyaaa!"

 

She wails in high pitch, releasing a deafening scream unlike spirit creatures Cakara encountered last night. It seems like she has gotten stronger after consuming Adanu Raksa's spirit energy.

 

Both Cakara and Hasya cover their ears while kneeling on the ground, looking tormented by the loud noise. But soon, that one evil spirit disintegrates into the thin air.

 

"Who is this human?"

 

"What did he do?"

 

"No! He is the young man from yesterday!"

 

"And that Kris? That's the cursed Carrion Flower Kris!"

 

"How did he find it?"

 

"He is even able to wield that cursed Kris!"

 

Meanwhile, at the edge of the woods, Cakara's men have just appeared following the signal released by Hasya. But they don't have the courage to approach Barja's yard.

 

Even after years of living so deep in the jungle, they have only heard horror stories without ever experiencing it. Now they are presented with a terrifying sight, a horde of zombies marching slowly to one direction as if following someone's orders.

 

"What are these ugly demons doing in this place?"

 

"Not even in my dream have I seen something like this!"

 

"Woaaa! Behind you!" One man pulls his friend away from one zombie which is suddenly coming out of the bush.

 

They are so shocked by its sudden appearance that they hit their hips on the ground. Another man follows it up by instinct, and swings his machete.

 

The machete is then stuck quite deep in the zombie's shoulder. Due to the eerie sensation in his spine, he simply abandons the weapon and gets away from it.

 

"Hiiiiee! Get it away from me!"

 

But then, another man, who still can retain his composure, confronts the zombie and easily cuts its neck.

 

"Go for it, Bima!"

 

"Kill that ugly shit off!"

 

That brave man, by the name Bima, accidentally loses his balance due to his own momentum and slips off. The zombie's head falls right before his face, while the zombie's headless body is still walking aimlessly.

 

Bima immediately gets back up, and takes out his trademark twin daggers before using them to dismember the zombie's body into pieces.

 

Even after that, the zombie body parts are still moving.

 

"What kind of sorcery is this?"

 

"How is it still moving?"

 

Those men are still looking so scared. But Bima composedly walks toward Barja's yard like he doesn't give a damn with the zombies' nasty faces.

 

"Hey, Bima! Wait!"

 

"We better wait for Cakara's command first!"

 

Those wimpy dudes try to prevent him from going, but Bima keeps walking away by playing with his twin daggers between his fingers on both hands.

 

Another two brave men follow Bima from behind. These two by the name Aryan and Lingga, along with Bima, are actually Cakara's closest and longest-serving friends.

 

"What are you afraid of? Look! They are so slow like half-dead men starving for weeks!"

 

"What do you mean by half-dead men? There's no way they are humans!"

 

Suddenly, a short man, but having a round fat belly, comes out of the woods while releasing his war cry. He runs wildly toward Barja's yard by holding his axe up high.

 

Like a mad man crazy for battle, he charges forward passing Aryan and Lingga, making those two dudes gawk at his boldness.

 

"Hey, Bashran! Hold on!" Aryan calls.

 

The short man named Bashran replies in half shouting. "The boss has given us the signal! He is expecting our help!"

 

"Let's go, Aryan!" Lingga invites. "Don't let a man having small legs beat you!"

 

Soon, severed limbs and nasty soft fleshes are scattered in the air, while the other members of the Band of the Enchanted Dagger can only watch with their stupid faces.

 

They are still gulping by the nightmare. But soon, the courage of the four brave men begins to affect them. But suddenly…

 

"Waaaaaa!"

 

"It's the cursed Kris!"

 

"Get away from this place!"

 

All the evil spirits that haunt Barja's hut fly out screaming in fear. There are so many of them that the hut is now looking like it is covered by thick clouds.

 

"Kuntilanak*?"

 

"What are so many kuntilanak doing in that one small hut?"

 

"No! Those are all just wandering spirits! I bet they gather here because of that kid from yesterday!"

 

Even so, the zombies are still roaming around Barja's yard. Unlike the wandering spirits, these bizarre living corpses really behave like mindless creatures, only moved by their instincts and urges for Adanu Raksa's corrupted soul.

 

Meanwhile, Adanu Raksa has regained his consciousness after being freed from the evil spirits' influence. Sobbing in sorrow while ignoring the pieces of corpses around him, his voice is hoarse crying over the tragic fate of Barja and his wife.

 

"Sir! Ma'am!"

 

"Why are you both quiet?"

 

"Please, wake up!"

 

Unable to contain his sympathy, Hasya squats next to him and rubs his back. He likes to comfort him, but he finds it hard to say a word.

 

Cakara feels the same sympathy. However, he coldly grabs Adanu Raksa's left arm and forces him to get up.

 

"We need to leave this place before the people from Rejo village come to this place!"

 

Adanu Raksa denies him harshly and shoves Cakara's hand away. He looks so mad. Cakara can even see the rage through his eyes.

 

The kid then turns to the dismembered living corpses, and then shifts his attention to Barja's machete. Wanting to avenge the old couple's death, he picks up the machete and rushes to the front door.

 

"Hey, Kid! Wait!" Cakara holds Adanu Raksa's right shoulder from behind.

 

Unable to hold his anger, Adanu Raksa swings the machete behind. The man is startled, finding the machete quite fast aiming his chest.

 

"Shiiit!"

 

Quickly, Cakara pulls his chest away. But the tip of the machete still manages to cut his scrappy robe. He is even stunned by what he sees next. The kid is now engulfed by a thick and suffocating dark aura, so intimidating that Cakara unconsciously pulls his leg back instinctively.