A thousand years ago, the island that would later be called Borneo was nothing but an endless expanse of green, shrouded in eternal mist and the density of ancient trees.
In those times, the line between the human world and the supernatural realm was but a withered leaf easily blown by the wind. Giant trees soared high enough to pierce the clouds, their roots gripping the secrets of the earth, and the rivers flowed with water purer than diamonds.
Humans lived side-by-side with the guardians of the forest. The Hornbills were not merely birds, but messengers of the gods. Behind the thickets, Penyang and ancient powers still pulsed. Yet, behind that beauty, darkness began to creep from the deepest holes of the earth. The Giant King, Atiu, had awakened, bringing an insatiable hunger for blood and power.
The world was waiting for a balancer...
A...
EARTH WARRIOR (PENDEKAR BUMI)
125 BC - Borneo, Central Kalimantan.
The sun had just peeked from behind the Schwaner Mountains, letting its light penetrate the gaps of the long Betang houses.
In the center of the village (Lewu), the atmosphere was already bustling. However, the commotion this time was not due to an enemy attack, but because of the antics of the King's eldest son.
"Tama! Don't run, ikau, you naughty boy!" shouted a village elder while watching a young man nimbly leap over a wooden fence with a mocking smile.
Tama, with his slightly messy black hair and a wide grin that never faded, stopped for a moment in front of an old woman (Itah) who was struggling to shoulder a bamboo basket filled with very heavy forest yams.
"Tabe, Itah! Narai kabar? En gite bahat tutu ie, itah nampa aku manggatang e."
(Greetings, Grandma! How are you? That looks very heavy, let me lift it for you.)
Without waiting for an answer, Tama touched the basket. With one light movement, he shouldered it as if the basket contained only chicken feathers.
"Iye, Tama. Tarima kasih tutu, Ela laya laya melai jalan, karinah tulas inumu."
(Yes, Tama. Thank you very much. Don't keep playing around on the road, or your younger sister will be angry.)
Tama only chuckled, "Tenang bewei Itah, Keriya jetuh lagi sibuk mendaftar prajurit. Ie dia tatau aku melai hete."
(Take it easy, Grandma. Keriya is busy registering soldiers right now. She doesn't know I'm here.)
After delivering the yams in a matter of seconds (because he ran as fast as the wind without dropping a single piece), Tama saw a group of village youths struggling to split a giant ulin (ironwood) log for the construction of the village hall. They were sweating; their axes were even starting to go blunt.
"Aduh, gawin keton tuh lambat tutu! Amun kalote, andau kiamat hake mangat balai tuh jadi."
(Gosh, your work is so slow! If you keep going like that, this hall won't be finished even by doomsday.)
Tama approached while twirling the mandau in his hand. The blade looked ordinary, but there was a thin glow of light surrounding his eyes.
"Look at this, pay close attention!" Tama exclaimed with full confidence.
He did not swing the mandau roughly. Instead, he looked as if he were dancing. With one Seliwa movement so fast it was almost invisible to the eye, he slashed the air in front of the log.
Wush!
It wasn't the sound of iron hitting wood that was heard, but the sound of a sharp wind. A moment later, the ironwood log , which was as hard as iron, split into two perfectly precise parts, as if cut by a divine ruler.
The youths gasped.
"Hajau! Kilau kilat amun Tama mampatue kayu tuh!"
(Amazing! Like lightning, the way Tama splits this wood!)
Tama sheathed his mandau again, then struck a boastful pose with hands on his hips.
"Tuh iye guna e bue bue latihan. Tapi inget, ela madu aku intu Keriya, iye?"
(That is the use of serious training. But remember, don't tell Keriya, okay?)
Just as that sentence finished, a Magpie-robin flew low and perched on Tama's shoulder. The bird chirped in a panicked tone. Tama fell silent, his ears twitching. He was the only human who understood their language.
"Huh? Ikau yakin?"
(Are you sure?)
Tama asked the bird.
His playful face suddenly turned slightly serious.
"Keriya is looking for me using her White Tiger? Oh naa .. I know where's this going !"
Tama turned toward the villagers with his signature grin.
"Itah, dongan dongan, aku parlu lari! Inuku ndai datang membawa 'badai'! Pambelum tuh keras amun Keriya ndai sarik!"
(Grandma, friends, I have to run! My sister has come bringing a 'storm'! Life feels hard when Keriya is angry!)
With one great leap, Tama disappeared behind the trees, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the laughter of the villagers who were accustomed to the unique behavior of their future king.
The village youths remained frozen, their fingers tracing the surface of the ironwood that was cut so smoothly, as smooth as the surface of a lake. However, that admiration suddenly vanished as the hair on their necks stood up. The forest, which was previously noisy with birdsong, suddenly went dead silent.
From behind the dense bushes emerged a majestic creature with snow-white fur and jet-black stripes. A giant white tiger, Bayu, stepped gracefully yet lethally. On its back sat a woman with a gaze as sharp as an eagle. Keriya Buring Benaya.
Keriya wore traditional white clothes with gold patterns adorned with signature Dayak beads; her mandau was slung at her waist. Behind her, a dozen elite warriors followed in unison.
Keriya pulled the reins of her tiger, her cold eyes immediately fixing on the perfectly split ironwood log. She let out a long sigh, a sign that her patience was being tested.
"Tabe, dongan dongan kerajaaan. En keton tau intu kueh kakaku, Tama?"
(Greetings, friends of the kingdom. Do you know where my brother, Tama, is?)
Keriya's voice sounded calm, but the youths swallowed hard in unison. They knew that Keriya's calmness was a sign that a storm was coming.
One of the youths answered nervously,
"Iye... iye baru hete, Keriya. Ie mampatue kayu tuh, limbah te ie bue bue buhau..."
(Yes... he was just here, Keriya. He split this wood, and after that, he immediately ran away...)
Keriya dismounted from her tiger. She approached the wood, touching the trace of her brother's light-slash. She closed her eyes, trying to feel the lingering natural energy.
"Jelas tutu tuh ulih e. Manusia je dia ulih dia batiroh, malah main main melai lewu!"
(It's very clear this is his doing. A human who cannot stay still, playing around in the village instead!)
Keriya turned toward the forest. She tried to sniff the air, but found nothing. Tama had the ability to move so fast he seemed to merge with light, making his scent trail vanish instantly if he wished.
"Tama! Ikau mangat dia tatau! The diplomacy task at the Melayu kingdom is only a week away, and yet you act like a lazy child!"
Keriya shouted toward the dense forest. Her voice thundered, causing several birds to fly from the branches. The warriors behind her could only look at each other, not daring to interfere in the affairs of these "miraculous" siblings.
"Ammmun aku mampandapat ikau, aku mannnnjjiret ikau intu penda batang kayu tuh! Balua keton, Tama!"
(If I catch you, I will tie you up under this log! Come out, Tama!)
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Tama was jumping from branch to branch with a mischievous smirk on his face. He was not alone; several long-tailed macaques and forest birds flew alongside him, as if they were celebrating the prince's escape.
Tama heard his sister's shout from a distance. He stopped for a moment on the branch of a giant banyan tree, then laughed heartily.
"Gosh, Keriya... sarik tutu ie. She has her white tiger, but even its scent hasn't reached my nose!"
Tama turned to a Hornbill perched near him.
"En ikau dengat ie, kawan? Keriya is like a bahutai (ghost) when she's angry, only scaring the people!"
The bird chirped as if agreeing with Tama's words. Tama sped off again, moving as fast as lightning until only a white shadow remained among the green trees. He felt free, unaware that in another corner of the forest, the eyes of Atiu were watching his every move from behind deep, dark shadows.
Tama shot like an arrow of light through the lush forest canopy. The mountain wind brushed his face, bringing various information from nature. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly on a high ironwood branch. His nostrils flared, inhaling a scent he knew very well not the smell of wet earth or tree sap, but the soft and elegant fragrance of jasmine.
He turned to the Hornbill that had been following him.
"En bue bue bau Putri Agattha jetuh, kawan?"
(Is this really the scent of Princess Agattha, friend?)
The Hornbill flapped its wings and chirped loudly, as if confirming that the Melayu Kingdom's entourage was passing through the trade route not far from there. Tama's smile widened, brighter than the sunlight piercing through the leaves.
"Hajau! Aku musti manalih ie!"
(Great! I must go to her!)
On a wider path, a luxurious horse carriage with distinctive Melayu carvings moved slowly, guarded by several mounted warriors. Inside, Princess Agattha Saflinda sat pensive. She stared out the window, observing the seemingly endless green expanse of Borneo. Her mind drifted far away, trapped between palace obligations and her complicated feelings for a "wild" youth from the Dayak tribe.
Agattha sighed deeply.
"If only the world weren't so rigid," she murmured softly.
"The world is indeed rigid, Princess, but luckily my bones are very flexible enough to enter through this window."
Agattha jumped in surprise. She immediately turned and found Tama already sitting casually on the front seat, right inside the moving carriage. Even though the carriage door was tightly closed and the guards outside hadn't heard a sound. Tama sat with his legs crossed, leaning his mandau against the carriage wall as if it were his own home.
"Tama! How could you... the guards outside could chop off your head if they knew you sneaked in!" Agattha whispered, though her lips couldn't hide the curve of a happy smile.
"Calm down, Agattha," Tama said, leaning forward, looking into the princess's eyes with a playful yet deep gaze.
"The wind brought me in. Besides, there's no way those guards could see me, while the entire universe is busy admiring your beauty today."
Agattha's cheeks turned crimson. She lightly tapped Tama's shoulder with her fan.
"You are still such a boaster. You traveled thousands of miles just to talk nonsense?"
Tama chuckled, his laughter low and melodic.
"My boasts are truths that are just delayed, Princess. Did you know? Earlier I was talking to a Hornbill. It said the flowers in the forest all withered today. I was confused why, but... it turns out they were ashamed to bloom after seeing you pass by."
Agattha laughed, this time more freely.
"And did the Hornbill also tell you that you look like a thief who hasn't bathed?"
"I am not a thief," Tama countered while styling his messy hair.
"I am only a 'borrower' of your attention for a while. And about bathing... the Mahakam river water already kissed me first before I had the chance to kiss your hand."
Tama gently took Agattha's fingers, giving a light kiss on the back of her hand. The atmosphere inside the carriage became warm, contrasting with the political tension that always haunted their two kingdoms. However, Agattha's laughter suddenly subsided as she remembered something.
"Tama!!!," she called seriously.
"Is Keriya looking for you again?"
Tama immediately put on a mock-weary face, leaning his head against the carriage wall.
"Don't mention that name, Agattha. That is a name—a mantra—that can make the hair on my neck stand up faster than a giant's attack. Earlier she almost made me a display at the village hall because I split the ironwood too aesthetically."
Agattha smiled thinly, but her eyes showed concern.
"Keriya is very disciplined because she cares about you, Tama. She carries the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders because you always 'disappear' like this. I fear that one day her patience will run out, or worse... the elders of my kingdom will use your mischief as a reason to cut ties with the Dayak people."
Tama fell silent for a moment. He looked out the window, toward the forest that began to look dark as the sun shifted.
"I know, Agattha. But that throne feels like a prison to me. I would rather be a free 'Earth Warrior,' guarding you from behind the shadows of the trees, than be a king locked in a grand palace yet blind to the cries of nature."
The romantic atmosphere inside the horse carriage suddenly froze. Not because of Agattha's words, but because of a subtle vibration on the carriage floor, rhythmic like the footsteps of a large predator intentionally slowing its move.
GRRRRR...
A low growl that vibrated the wood of the carriage made the pulling horses neigh in fear. The coachman shouted in panic, trying to calm the animals. Tama closed his eyes for a moment, his shoulders slumping in resignation.
"By the ancestors who rule the sky... it seems that tiger's nose is sharper than I thought," Tama muttered helplessly.
Suddenly, a large white shadow shot out and landed right in front of the carriage procession, forcing the entire group to a sudden halt. Agattha stumbled forward, but Tama quickly caught her arm.
Outside, a firm and very familiar voice thundered, piercing the carriage walls.
"HENTI! Jari cukup keton mamboas pambelum toh! Tama, balua ikau jetuh mita!"
(STOP! Enough of you messing up this life! Tama, come out right now!)
Tama winced. He looked at Agattha with an "I'm in big trouble" look, then slowly opened the carriage door.
There, atop the white tiger whose eyes glowed blue, Keriya sat with her arms crossed. Behind her, a dozen fully armed Dayak warriors glared at the Melayu Kingdom guards who had already drawn their keris.
"Princess Agattha, I apologize for this rudeness," Keriya said in a cold yet formal tone in Indonesian to the Princess.
"But my stubborn brother here has state affairs more important than merely being a stowaway in your carriage."
Tama jumped down from the carriage with a style he tried to keep cool, even though his knees trembled slightly at Keriya's gaze.
"Keriya, donganku je gantau tutu... can't you see under this sun I am doing 'soft diplomacy'?"
Keriya jumped down from Bayu, her tiger. Her footsteps felt heavy as she approached Tama.
"Diplomacy? Ikau mentai kulas, Tama! Father is already sick of hearing the Melayu kingdom's complaints that a Dayak prince is always sneaking around like a thief!"
Tama tried to defend himself, "I'm not a thief, Keriya. I'm just visiting an old friend!"
"An old friend or a new source of trouble?!" Keriya cut him off quickly.
"You are a prince! If you don't need the position of King, at least you need to defend your people! Atiu has started gathering power, but you're busy flirting!"
Tama fell silent when Atiu's name was mentioned. The atmosphere became very tense. Agattha stepped down from the carriage, accompanied by her loyal aide, a middle-aged woman who looked very displeased with the presence of these "inland people."
"Princess Keriya," Agattha greeted softly, trying to mediate.
"Lord Tama meant no harm. He was just..."
"He is our burden, Princess Agattha," Keriya greeted firmly yet politely. Then she turned back to her brother with a gaze that could freeze river water.
"Tama, lets back home ! If not, I will use the Flying Mandau so that you return in a tied-up state!"
Tama raised both hands in a sign of surrender. He turned to Agattha, winking one eye.
"It seems my personal 'storm' has arrived, Princess. I must go home before my sister truly turns me into firewood for a ritual."
However, before Tama could step away, his nose suddenly caught something. The foul smell he had felt earlier grew stronger. The sound of birds in the forest suddenly stopped. The ground beneath Keriya's White Tiger shook violently.
"Keriya, hold on!" Tama shouted, his playful face totally gone.
Tama's eyes began to emit a thin glow of light.
"Sesuatu je jahat ndai datang. Jauh lebih jahat amun sarikmu!"
(Keriya, wait! Something evil has come. Far more evil than your anger!)
From behind the trees on the side of the road, a tall, large figure with pale skin and the long claws of a Langsuir a subordinate of Atiu leaped out with a horrific roar, aiming for the Princess's carriage.