Chapter XII: The History
100 years ago, a mysterious giant tree suddenly appeared on the top of one Hill. A 50m high tree with dense leaves, spread it large branches widely to all the over directions. It created a sensation the tree is protecting the grounds where it stood from rain and sun.
From the tree, a very fresh water came out, flowing down the hill. The clarity and freshness of water nobody ever felt it before. The word 'delicious', 'amazing', even 'miracle' can't describe it. Not only human felt the pleasure, the other tree, the grass, and the animal taste the same. From one giant tree, created a large ecosystem, where lots of animal and plants species lived. By humans, the giant tree named Holy Tree and Hill called Paradise Hill and a Treaty of Paradise Hill been made. The Treaty mentioned to not shedding any blood on it and let the people and other creature use water from Holy Tree freely.
However, there were one man, a greedy man wanted to claim it all, by all means. He manipulated one King from one kingdom. The man said, "My King, the Holy Tree as we known it's rich with every plants and animal ever lived in this world. Could you image how if you, the King have all of it. Image if you claim the Paradise Hill. Your kingdom would be most prosperous kingdom ever and You would be most powerful man on Earth!"
The King, who were incited by the man's whisper, sent his army. The army led by the King and the man wanted to claim the right of hill. He orders them to secure the Hill, everyone forced to pay taxes for used the water and the people who refused, killed. The King broke the treaty to prohibit any bloodshed and the greedy man that provoked the King was given the title of Adipati of Paradise Hill by the King.
One after another, the other kingdom mad at the King and Adipati action to claiming the Paradise Hill. So, the other king began to attacks the Paradise Hill. However, no weapon, tactics, or strategies could make the King and Adipati lost their claims on Paradise Hill and Giant Tree. Their power even bigger when the King moved his capital to Paradise Hill. Day by day, month by month, year by year all the siege has failed.
However, no need a long time until the moment the Barkat Water, the name of Water came out from the Giant Tree, no longer clear and fresh. Now, the water colour became red blood. The colour of red blood represented the blood from the soldiers who died in war and blood from the animal that killed for soldier food. It doesn't prevent the King and Adipati to keep control of Paradise Hill. Until the Thing happens.
In one of siege, one kingdom manages to build more advance Trebuchet technology. One throw from that engine of war, with a 50kg rocks, could made up to 1000 meters. On the very long and exhausting siege, a rock attack hit the Giant Tree. It's true that just one rock throw not enough to knock down the Tree. But one after one rock coming, the continuous 50kg rock hit more than enough to cut down the Tree.
Just right after the Tree were down, the sky turned black. Lightnings and thunders came one by another, striking the Paradise Hill with the creatures on it. The King, his army, the people, animal, and trees were its target. Any creature that can run, dashed to find a safe place to hide; protect themselves from the mass of energy from the sky.
You might familiar with the expression, "Lightning never strikes twice". The expression with means you must take a chance if it appears before you, don't let it slip away. Pretty cool right? This is why motivators talked about it a lot. However, if you faced same situation like the King does, you may curse the paraphrase because it means you have to keep running to find a shelter, you may die because of lightning.
If you thought, the only party torn apart by the lightning, you were wrong. The siege party, having same problem with people in the Hill. Their horses neigh in fear; tries to escape from that places, left behind their master. The soldiers do nothing except cover their ears, keeping the thunders away from their ears.
But, its not the end yet. The worst things not occurred yet. They haven't the hell yet, but before long they were forced to accept the future that awaits them. One giant creature, from head to waist has human female body and from waist to feet were long snake tails.
From HER, came out a big green creature together with the moving human bones, the head that on fire, and the flying dress in the sky. The creature that human called as monster. Those monsters hunted all human on the earth soil; man, woman, children, infant; whoever they were, landlord, soldiers, farmer, merchants, workers, housewife or househusband, nor the unemployed.
From people in the Paradise Hill massacred, HER and the monsters keep spreading the terror to one village, then to one city, then to one kingdom as whole, then to all the world. All human weapon, from sword, spear, hummer, to the trebuchet was wasted. The mankind on the verge of extinction.
"When on the verge of extinction, suddenly mankind got a power of Hunters?"
***
"Woah woah woah, calm down. Not long we get there, so be patient ok?" a displeased face appeared on the Woman because her story interrupted by Felix.
"Sorry. But it is ok for me to sit here, listen to story while on the outside the fight still occurred?"
"What? It is your sense of responsible as lieutenant or as Hunter who led the army speaking?"
"Both. Both of them is me," Felix glared at the Woman but could hold himself from act to far.
…
A long silent between two of them is getting awkward. And the green haired woman gave up.
"Ok ok. But I'll answer your one question only," the Woman seems wanted to end this conversation quickly.
…
Felix drowned in his mind; tried to consider how he will use the only chance after messed up earlier.
"Fine. I just want to know one thing," he settled his mind, "As descendant of the Holy Tree, how you teach the first Hunter to used his power?" this question was a betting. If his conclusion was wrong, the question became invalid.
…
…
…
"Wahahahahahahahahaha," she laughed really hard.
Felix looked at her very closely.
"as expected from you, Lieutenant plus Hunter, Lieuter. Do you want to be called Lieuter Sudirman or Lieuter Felix?" she still laughing.
"Do you want to answer my question or not?" tired of it, he insisted.
"Ok, I`ll answer it as I promised," she stopped laughing, hold herself from laughing more longer "Have a desire. The source of power of Hunter is not only their Energy, but their desire. Power of Hunter became stronger as their desire became stronger too,"
…
"Just like that?!"
"Yes. Just like that. It`s very simple, as simple as breathing,"
***
"Ah," Felix opened his eyes, looking at his surroundings. Then, his eyes met one old man in his sixty with white hair, wearing a round glasses and red-cross armband.
"Ah, you awake!" the old man walked faster to Felix, "no don't move, your body still need some rest," he said as he saw Felix tried to get up.
"It's ok, I can…" Felix holding his stomach, it still in pain like hell.
"I told you," that man helped Felix to sleep on bed again, "Here, take this it will ease your pain," he handed a pill and some water to Felix.
As Felix take that pill and drank it, Felix asks, "How is the battle?"
"I saw a reinforcement brought by vice-Commander Katob earlier," he answered while take the glass from Felix and put it away.
"So, vice-Commander is here,"
"Yes. I also felt the earth trembled and sensed the air changed more than one not long after the arrival,"
"It may from the Power. The Lady may already defeated by them,"
"It seems be true. So, you might want to rest a bit longer," the man started to walked away, "Don't worry, I promised to Hunter Karine to take care of you,"
'Karin?'
"Oh yes, is she here by now? Is she fine?"
"Yes, you wife was fine. There was no serious injury to her. She immediately going back to battlefield after I told her, I'll take care of you," he stopped then he came closer again, "oh yes, congratulation on your wedding. I just want to tell you that, my life has been saved by her before," the old man smiled and shaking his hand to Felix.
"Thank you," Felix replied with a smile and returned the old man's handshake, "but if she in battlefield, I need to go out,"