The SkyOcean was as calm as a mirror.
Chinta dipped her finger into the Sky Ocean. A giant ripple spread across the surface. It was truly Heavenly.
They swooped down again into the rainforest and manoeuvred through the tall rainforest trees. Leaves fell as Garuda swept past through the trees.
Rangga guided Garuda to a giant lake with a towering waterfall. Garuda swooped down and soared steadily above the water surface.
Rangga plucked a water lily and placed it Chinta’s hair.
Chinta smiled shyly.
LEAVING LANGKASUKA
Rangga and Chinta prepared to leave.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Rangga said. “Lady Herbalist, I wish you well.”
“Yes, you too,” Lady Herbalist said. “According to rumours, Tanamera has been occupied by Shadow Kingdom forces.”
“I know,” Rangga said. “But my comrades will be in Tanamera. I have to go look for them.”
The Elders spoke in unison, “May the Naga protect you.”
“Everyone,” Chinta said. “I thank you for your hospitality.” She waved farewell.
“Chinta, let’s go,” Rangga said.
Chinta turned to Rangga. “Yes, let's go.”
But Rangga was still sad over Dinda’s sacrifice.
PIRATE, LOVER, SAVIOUR
Tanamera was a crowded, sinful city of casinos, prostitutes, cock fights and terrorists.
A crowd of punters were cheering at two cocks that were fighting themselves to death. Sharp razor blades were attached to their hind claws. As they jumped and clawed at each other, deep wounds were slashed into their bodies. The stronger cock jumped and slashed at its opponent's throat. The weaker cock fell to the ground, its neck almost sliced through.
Rangga and Chinta sneaked through the Tanamera crowd.
A prostitute walked up towards Rangga. “Hello handsome, need a twirl?”
Rangga ignored her.
Chinta looked up. She could see the silhouette of a very slender woman and a burly man. The man was lying on the bed. The woman was hanging on something like a twirled cloth hanging from the ceiling. She was spinning with her legs wide open, just a few inches over the man’s lower hip. The man was moaning in ecstasy.
They arrived at a nightclub, Soros’s Inn, a rendezvous place for terrorists, pirates and prostitutes. It was a place where secret information was traded.
“Who is Mr.Soros?” Chinta asked.
“The son of a rich Tanameran who is secretly sponsoring the Resistance,” Rangga said. “If we seek him out, we'll find where Arjana is.”
Two beautiful girls were performing a very erotic Apsara dance on stage accompanied by a very ancient Angkora song.
I pray for the Naga
The hope of a Nation
Pray for the Naga
A song for the Moon
Pray for the Naga
Sing it with tears
Pray for the Naga
To release from Darkness
I pray for the Princess
The hope of a Nation
Pray for the Princess
A song for the Sky
Pray for the Princess
Sing it with joy
Pray for the Princess
My angel, my saviour.
There was a thunderous applause from the audience.
“Such a beautiful song!” Chinta said.
“Yes, it's a song of the ancient Nagas,” Rangga said.
Chinta was surprised. “Oh, so you know this song?”
“Yes, when I was little, my mother used to sing it to me. The White Naga will protect Angkora, people’s dreams will fill the sky. The Black Naga will bring destruction. The Sky Ocean will burst and there will be a Great Flood.”
A well-dressed elderly elegant gentleman approached the table. “Hello there, fellow travellers. Did you like the song? We would like to play more Angkora songs but as you can see the city is full of rough Shadow Kingdom soldiers, so we don't have an opportunity to...”
“Do you know Soros?” Rangga asked. “We want to meet him.”
“Hmmmm, who might that be?” the gentleman asked.
“I believe he is the owner of this establishment,” Rangga said.
“You're not some spy from the Shadow Kingdom, are you?” the gentleman asked.
“No, we're not,” Rangga said. “We came here to meet Arjana of the Pandavar Resistance. We believe he is here with Soros.”
“Hey hey,” the gentleman said, waving his hands in a silencing motion. “Keep it down will you? The Resistance is a group sought by the Shadow Kingdom. Just like what Arjana told me, you must be Prince Rangga, the hot headed. And cute lady, you must be the Lady White Naga.”
Chinta was surprised someone recognised her.
The gentleman laughed. Chinta saw everyone upstairs. Arjana and the gang was laughing and waving at them from upstairs.
The elderly gentleman was Soros. Pirate, lover, saviour.
TO GET THE BLOOD
Lord Karruva sat on the throne, in counsel with the Alchemists.
“We must kidnap the Lady White Naga,” he said, softly. “We need to keep her blood for preservation.”
The Alchemists snarled gleefully.
Lord Karruva spoke again, this time louder, “With both the White Naga and the Black Naga in our hands, we will be invincible!” He laughed maniacally.
Hearing this, the Ninja Assassins prepared to move out.
To capture the Prized Blood.
THE APOCALYPTIC VISION
Soros's base was hidden inside a giant temple built onto the side of a mountain. The entrance was in a cave. Inside was a labyrinth of rooms and halls, some of them, war rooms. Deep down underground, an army was busy preparing for battle. A big battle.
Inside one of the rooms, Gajja was resting in a hammock, smoking his Spice cigar as usual. A vision appeared before him.
A group of levitating monks were building the tallest tower Angkora had ever seen. The Tower was built like a sharp vertical seashell. The Tower kept on growing until it pierced the Ocean in the Sky.
The SkyOcean started to burst. Water started pouring from the sky like a giant waterfall pouring onto a flatland. A giant water explosion erupted on the ground of Angkora. Hundreds of people ran as they watched from the horizon, not knowing what to do.
Buildings crumbled as the massive torrents of water swept through the city. The water from the sky kept pouring down, building up the water level. There was now a Great Flood in Angkora.
Millions of people were drowning.
A shrouded figure’s face, the face of the Dark Lord, appeared in the sky. “I am Death, the destroyer of worlds.” Then a maniacal laugh.
As the water reached the cliff flowing into the sea, millions of people amidst animals and buildings were pulled into the sea.
Gajja was in the water amidst millions of people. He was being pulled underwater. Under the water, he could see many people grasping for air. Screaming in silence, thousands of bubbles bursting from their mouths.
Gajja woke from his nightmare, sweating profusely.
THE BATTLE PLAN
Deep in the base inside the war room, Soros and the Resistance planned their attack on the Fortress. In serious discussion, all eyes focused on the map in front of them.
“The Shadow Kingdom has grown too powerful,” Arjana was saying.
“We’ve been planning for this day for a long time,” Soros said. “To take on that Army.”
“How big is their Army?” Arjana asked.
“A hundred thousand troops,” Soros said.
Arjana gasped. “And ours?”
Soros answered without blinking, “Ten thousand troops.”
Arjana and Rangga stared at each other, fearing the impossible task ahead of them.
“The only way left for us is White Naga,” Arjana murmured. “That was the Promise.”
He stared at Chinta, expecting some kind of response. Chinta merely grimac
ed and said, “I will help as much as I can.”
“Ooh, its exactly like in the prophecy,” the Gajja said. “The White Naga will rise again and lead Angkora into a new future.”
“Don’t worry,” Soros said. “Come, follow me. I want to show you all something.”
Deep underground, a group of levitating monks were busy assembling an armada of small airships. They were assembling the airships using their mindpowers. They could lift heavy objects and bend metals using their special gift.
“These SkyTigers are small but fast,” Soros said. “It will accommodate two monks — one Navigator and one Attacker. We’ve also identified specially talented monks that have longer range and more powerful mindpowers. They are specially trained for these SkyTigers.”
A group of young monks were using their mindpowers trying to sway huge swinging giant boulders into targeted giant bells. They were training for accuracy.
“And, they are equipped with rockets,” Soros added. “The SkyTigers are equipped with huge Chinese rockets filled with gunpowder. It will be used for jet propulsion.”
Arjana nodded, acknowledging the impressive features that he had just seen.
“Rangga,” Soros continued, “you will hide with the SkyTigers in the SkyOcean. You will attack from the sky. The plan is to penetrate the Levitation Core in the Flying Fortress. With the core destroyed, the Fortress will crash.”
As Soros was speaking, one of his spies, masquerading as a paratrooper, sneaked in and took a peek at the Levitation Core in the Sky Kingdom. A large group of very old monks but with very strong mindpowers manipulated a giant Kinetix engine at the centre. The Kinetix engine rotated very slowly.
But this was the Core, it was what kept the Fortress floating. The central engine of it all.
Back inside the war room, Soros continued briefing his key generals. “Arjana, you will lead the troops on the ground with the Giant Elephants. You will be aided by our Ally, the Banjaran Apes.”
“And who are the Banjaran Apes?” Arjana asked.
“They are giant apes from the mountains that are very good with their axes,” Soros explained with enthusiasm. “They also build very good armour from bones. They are formidable in ground battles.”
Arjana was surprised at this news. “Is that so?”
“Oh, yes,” Soros said. “You shall see when you meet them. They are great warriors.”
This was enough to boost Arjana's confidence. “Well in that case, let us prepare for war.”
“Oh yes, before I forget,” Soros said. He walked over to a table and picked up an arrowhead and gave it to Arjana. It had an explosive attached onto the arrowhead.
Arjana looked at it carefully. “Looks useful.”
Then Soros turned to Rangga. “We also have to kill Lord Karruva. Can we depend on you?”
Rangga looked doubtful.
“Rangga?” Soros asked.
Soros looked at Arjana expecting an agreement.
Rangga kept silent.
THE KIDNAPPING
Jebat sat in the courtyard, taking a break from the serious discussion and getting some fresh air. The night was dead silent. A few black crows flew by.
Crows?
Behind the building, the crows transformed into human beings who landed on the roof. They were Ninja Assassins.
Jebat saw something moved stealthily on the roof behind him, from the corner of his eyes. He turned around but there was nothing there. The shadows moved swiftly, roof to roof, looking for their target. Jebat turned again, this time in the other direction. Yet there was nothing there.
Two guards stood outside Chinta’s bedroom door, watching sharply for any possible threats. The two shadows on the roof took out their blowpipes and blew poison darts at the guards. Both darts hit the guards’ necks and they fell to the ground.
Inside, Chinta was asleep, soundly and peacefully.
Two black Ninja Assassins were running on all fours. One raced upside down across the ceiling at breakneck speed. The other one ran sideways on the walls. They dropped, somersaulting down and landing in a cat-like stance. They tiptoed quietly towards their target.
They were hooded, their mouths covered. Their skin were pale and shrivelled. Their eyes were smoky. They breathed heavily with a hissing sound.
Jebat jumped in through the rice paper window. The first Assassin who was moving slowly and quietly towards Chinta was startled. He unsheathed the blowpipe from his belt. Jebat pounced at him with his daggers. The Assassin dropped the blowpipe and cartwheeled away.
In the blink of an eye, the second Assassin launched himself at Jebat, hand-springing off the floor, and kicking him in the midsection. As Jebat fell back, the second Assassin pressed forward. Jebat rushed at the Assassin with his daggers in circular swings.
The Assassin trapped Jebat's forearm, pivoting, planting a boot in Jebat's ribcage. The two of them went at it, unleashing a flurry of kicks, blocks, and punches. Jebat unleashed elbow-punches and knee-kicks.
The Assassin got Jebat in a back-choke. Jebat twisted out of it, throwing the Assassin over his shoulder, who neatly cartwheeled, springing back off the wall at Jebat again. Jebat ducked beneath one of the Assassin's kicks, then trapped the Assassin's foot, giving it a savage twist. Jebat backhanded the intruder with a blow so strong, it knocked the Assassin to his knees.
Then the Assassin reached for his short sword. In a heartbeat, the sword was out and against Jebat's throat. Just as Jebat's dagger was against the Assassin’s. A standoff.
The first Assassin unleashed a rain of shurikens at Jebat. Jebat jumped backwards trying to avoid the shurikens. He managed to avoid some but one shuriken hit straight into his chest. Jebat stumbled and crashed onto the table. And then he lost consciousness.
Chinta woke up, shocked. The second Assassin covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming. The first Assassin released some black gas through his blowpipe. Chinta was knocked unconscious.
Gajja sensed something had happened to Chinta. “The Lady. Something has happened to the Lady White Naga!”
Rangga and Arjana rushed upstairs to Chinta’s room. Chinta was not on her bed. The curtain billowed by the window. Gajja followed them into the room, all the time murmuring, “The Assassins, the Assassins.” Gajja lifted his trunk and a sniffed the air.
“Be careful of the Assassins that smoke Spice,” Gajja said. “They are the Elites and they are mostly mad and fully violent.”
Gajja knew exactly how violent the Assassins could be. He was just a kid back then, peeping out from a corridor.
It was in the heavy rain. A few Ninja Assassins slashed their scimitars at some Resistance soldiers. It was dark and the rain was heavy. Their eyes looked dead. Limbs flew in the air. It was like small children playing violently, breaking their toys and throwing them into the air. Fingers, eyeballs, ears, pieces of flesh filled the air like confetti.
A few Resistance soldiers were speared to the wall. Blood sprayed and splattered everywhere. A Ninja Assassin slashed at a dead soldier on the ground endlessly.
Gajja also remembered that they were very good poisoners. He remembered a memory of a scene from a laboratory, where a Ninja Assassin was going through the process of manufacturing poison. He was trying to stuff a dead body into a large urn. He folded the body almost in half, probably breaking the spine in the process, and pushed the body down the urn. He then chucked some black feathers into the urn and made a small prayer. The dead body slowly decomposed inside the urn. Over a process of six full moons, the meat would rot. The body shrank, the skin sticking to the bone. The face would cave in. The eyeballs would drop inwards. The mouth would cave in.
Finally, the end product was a pool of very thick black liquid ready to be used as poison.
That was what was used on the LightKing.
Father LightKing was sleeping soundly in his room. He was snoring heavily.
A very fine thread was lowered from the roof slowly. It stopped mid-air very slightly above his mouth. Vis
cous black liquid flowed down the thread. A droplet dropped into his snoring mouth. The LightKing sensed something had dropped into his mouth, and he closed his mouth quickly. But he swallowed.
Seconds later, he coughed blood. He coughed violently and choked.
THE BIG BATTLEFIELD
The streets were empty.
Seconds later, the street started trembling. The rat on the street was carrying a bread crumb sensed something massive moving its way. The rat sniffed the air. It realised what was coming and dropped its bread crumb and scurried to safety.
A massive army of Shadow Kingdom monkey archers, buffalo tank soldiers and stone monsters were marching towards the temple.
Soros’s base was hidden under the ground, beneath the temple.
The sound of a thousand footsteps, clanking with shields and suits of armour echoed through the air. Waves and waves of soldiers were searching for the secret Resistance base.
Up in the air, inside a dungeon in the Shadow Kingdom, a group of Alchemists were tying up Chinta in chains. They prepared to inject nerve worms into her body and take control over her nervous system. Next to the table Chinta was tied to, Old Lady Leech prepared her leeches to suck Chinta's blood for storage.
“Oooooo, my babies,” she cooed to her leeched. “Are you hungry?”
Chinta lay on the table, still unconscious.
High above, the SkyOcean was calm. A ripple moved upon the surface. Suddenly, the surface of the water was ruptured and water splashed everywhere. Rangga, Uma and Jebat rode on the Garudas, diving out from the water, leading a fleet of hundreds of SkyTigers out from the water. They looked brave and ready, making a glorious entrance. As they dived out from the water, they fanned out and headed towards the Flying Fortress.
A few Guards in the Flying Fortress saw something moving fast in the sky. “Pirates! Pirates!”
The cannoneers quickly moved into position and started firing at the SkyTigers. The SkyTigers zig-zagged through the shots effortlessly. The Skytigers, manned by adept navigator monks were fast and nimble.
The Commander upon seeing this immediately gave his troops an order, “Send out the Gunships!”