At first glance, when viewed from the top of the cliff, the skull pool is the same as the pools in other large rivers.
The surface of the water is also calm and the deeper it is of course difficult to see the bottom. Moreover, the river is currently murky due to heavy rain upstream which has made the river bigger.
On the surface of the pool, occasionally there are also whirlpools and bubbles of water coming from the bottom.
So far, no one has dared to pass through the pool using a raft or boat because besides the whirlpools that suddenly appear and can suck up anything above it, the pool also looks haunted.
Moreover, all residents of Serayu Village know that in the skull pool there is a White Crocodile Demon Queen who often terrorizes them.
The residents who also make a living looking for fish in the river, then choose a fishing location far from the pool, about one kilometer above or downstream of the skull pool.
Miraculously, even though the depths of the skull looked murky on the surface when the river water was bigger during heavy rain upstream, but about two meters deep, the water was very clear.
It is not known how many meters deep the skull pit is from the surface to the bottom, what is clear is that at the bottom of the skull pit there are things that are unusual compared to the depths of other large rivers.
In fact, there is a building in the form of a very magnificent palace standing at the bottom of the hole.
At first glance, the inhabitants look like humans living on land. Just like a royal palace, from the front entrance of the building, several people could be seen standing guard wearing uniforms like soldiers armed with spears.
Likewise, inside the building, there were soldiers on guard from the front of the door when it opened to the room where there was a throne, the guard was very tight and in layers.
The throne chair in the shape of a gaping crocodile's mouth is white to silvery, there is a beautiful woman dressed in white wearing a crown. Right in the middle of the crown there is also a jewel in the shape of a crocodile's eye.
Although she was beautiful, the woman looked cruel from the look in her eyes, she was the one who was called the White Crocodile Demon Queen, the ruler of the skull pit.
That afternoon, two men who were also dressed as soldiers came to face the throne where the White Crocodile Demon Queen sat.
On her right and left sides, there were also two women who were always fanning themselves towards her.
"We have come to meet Her Majesty the Queen," said one of the two men after they bowed in respect with both hands as if worshiping.
"Have you trained and taught the man you just brought the way of life in this White Crocodile Palace, Gento?"
"Yes, Your Majesty the Queen, I have taught him everything including the basics of martial arts movements as when raising soldiers in this palace," replied the man called Gento.
The Demon Queen turned her gaze to the man standing next to Gento, although her eyes seemed cruel, the White Crocodile Demon Queen also had a sweet smile and that was one of the charms she used to make people submit to her.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Wiryo, Your Highness," replied the man standing next to Gento.
"How is it? Do you like living and serving in this palace?" he asked arrogantly.
"Yes, Your Highness. I am happy and willing to serve in this White Crocodile Palace."
"Hmmm, good. I will now appoint you as a soldier, if your abilities are above average, I can also make them my guards later," said the White Crocodile Demon Queen whose real name is Dewi Purbalara.
The man who introduced himself as Wiryo bowed in greeting, just like he did earlier with Gento when he came to see her earlier.
"I will be loyal to Her Majesty the Queen wherever Her Majesty places me."
"Okay, now you may join the other soldiers, while you Gento stay here because there is still something I want to talk to you about," ordered Dewi Purbalara.
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Gento and Wiryo together.
Wiryo bowed again in greeting.
After that, he turned his body out of the throne room, while Gento was still standing there.
Not long after Wiryo left the throne room, Dewi Purbalara gave a signal with her hand for Gento to come closer and sit on the chair in front of her three spears away.
"There is something you have to do..."
********
Meanwhile, in the pendapa, Arya who had just been treated to lunch by the Head of Serayu Village was seen sitting with his legs stretched out on the pendapa.
It only took a few minutes for the Warrior nicknamed the Eagle of Andalas to stretch out. As soon as he saw Ki Darmo approaching him, Arya immediately pulled his legs up into a cross-legged position.
"How is it, Arya, after spending the night here? Do you feel at home?"
"This Serayu Village is very comfortable, Ki, at midday like this the air here still feels cool," Arya answered with a smile.
"Yes, but the night is very cold, especially when it rains or after rain in the afternoon."
Ki Darmo's old face wrinkled, as if in deep thought.
Arya felt that the village elder had a heavy burden.
Slowly, he said. "It's only natural that Serayu Village is cold, Ki, because to the west, east and north it is surrounded by hills. While to the south there is a large river," said Arya.
Ki Darmo nodded. "Like the name of this village, the large river to the south is also called Serayu, there are various types of freshwater fish there so that some of the villagers catch fish in the river as their livelihood."
Arya fell silent after hearing Ki Darmo's story.
The river was a place for some of the residents to live. No wonder the White Crocodile Demon Queen and her followers were so disruptive to the continuity of the community here.
After a few moments of silence as if thinking about something, Arya spoke again. "Were some of the residents who were kidnapped by Gento Ireng and then taken to the skull pit the residents who fished every day, Ki?"
Ki Darmo fell silent. Suddenly, he felt something strange. "In fact, none of them were victims, son. Even though the residents caught fish in the river, they kept a fairly large distance from the skull pit."
Arya fell silent again. He tried to find out why the kidnapping victims were residents in the settlement.
Why not those who fished on the banks of the Sedayu River every day?
But, there was one more thing that Arya needed to make sure of.
"That's strange, isn't it, Ki. Excuse me, are only men kidnapped, Ki?"