The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (143)

Sumantri was by no means overawed when Rahwana shook his body, its feathers flashing lightning and flames. The flames looked as though they were trying to catch Sumantri, the warring troops thought, and burn him to ashes. However, Sumantri deftly reached out and released the powerful Bayu Bajra, conjuring up a storm and a flood. In a moment, the storming flood hit Rahwana, knocking him to the ground.

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The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (142)

The flood kept pounding at Rahwana, who was left gasping in the depths of the sweeping water. He could have become a drowned dead giant if Sumantri had not called back the raging Bayu Bajra. The floodwaters receded instantly, and the enormous giant was drenched in water.

Humiliated beyond measure, Rahwana got up and grinned on his 10 faces. The 10 faces of 10 wraths attacked Sumantri simultaneously.

Five of Rahwana's heads fell at once and rolled to the ground. Detached from Rahwana's body, the heads grimaced viciously in sheer vengeance.

Sumantri let loose his Candrasa arrow. With the power of the moon, the arrow slashed at one of Rahwana’s heads. Rahwana fell down, now with his nine heads. And no sooner had he kissed the ground than he got up, thanks to the Pancasona magic he possessed. The Pancasona made Rahwana immortal, even though his head had been cut off many times. Sumantri immediately pulled out the Nagapawaka, and a blazing dragon flew fast and tore off another head. As it fell, the giant rolled on the ground. But he was soon back on his feet, with his eight heads. Sumantri did not relent in his attack, unleashing the Sarutama spear followed by the Sangkukala arrow. Although they cut off Rahwana's heads, Sumantri was once overpowered, which forced him to release the Pancawela arrows. Five of Rahwana's heads fell at once and rolled to the ground. Detached from Rahwana's body, the heads grimaced viciously in sheer vengeance.

Was this the true power of death? Couldn't the power of death be conquered? Sumantri wondered as he looked at Rahwana, who had only one head left. Rahwana growled at Sumantri, who retreated a few steps back, feeling that death was truly before his eyes. Would death overtake him with a vengeance, or would death embrace him with affection? He could not order death, only allow death to choose as it willed. Death must decide whether it was hatred or love.

His longing to return to Jatisrana suddenly came back to haunt him so vividly, Sumantri was resolved to release his last weapon, Cakrabaskara. He had almost cast away Cakrabaskara after he had fallen into the lust-filled lovemaking with Dewi Citrawati in the bushes of Sriwedari Park. That arrow had only left him with guilt, because with it, he had caused his father to perish when he left Jatisrana. And it was with that arrow that he had accidentally killed his beloved brother, Sukrosono.

He was thankful now that he had not thrown away Cakrabaskara, even though he had not known at the time what other use he might have for the arrow that had killed those he loved. Now, he was aware that he only had Cakrabaskara to face death, the death he must embrace with love.

He was not sure whether the magic arrow would be able to kill his enemy, or whether the arrow that had killed his father and brother would send him back to Jatisrana. He had not realized that the tiger was his father, and he had killed the tiger with this arrow. In Sriwedari Park, he had hesitated and only meant to frighten his brother, but this had arrow killed him, too.

Now he knew and had no doubt that the arrow would surely take him where he wanted to be. So he released Cakrabaskara, conscious of submitting to death. The arrow flew fast.

The head groaned, not because of pain, but because it had lost all hope that it would be reunited with its body.

Rahwana gasped, but no matter how many arrows Sumantri had released, he had not been taken aback at all. The arrows had cut off his heads but had not killed him, because the Pancasona magic revived him every time he touched the earth. But on seeing the Cakrabaskara arrow coming towards him, he was gripped by fear. He sensed that this arrow would kill him this time, and that Pancasona would no longer be able to protect him when only one head remained. If it were cut off, he would not know how to come back to life. He was about to flee, but the Cakrabaskara arrow gave chase. And finally, the arrow reached him and slashed at his neck. His head flew far from his body. The head groaned, not because of pain, but because it had lost all hope that it would be reunited with its body.

The Pancasona magic would fade if there was no possibility for recovering the head. Rahwana felt he was just waiting to die. His body could no longer move, his breath was deserting him, and the eyes in his severed head were beginning to dim.

The moon shined brightly as Rahwana approached the verge of death. The Maespati troops cheered and shouted, "Rahwana is destroyed! " The Alengka army were set to flee the battlefield. Everyone knew Sumantri had won!

Peace reigned. And all greeted the peace with a deep silence that brought all on the battlefield to look up at the moon. The moon was smiling, the throngs of the clouds in the sky reaching down. Sumantri looked up, and the clouds were actually that familiar, blooming twilight he had seen. And it was only he who heard when a voice called out to him from behind the clouds, "Now is the time for me to collect you, my brother."

Sumantri was sure it was his brother's voice. For a moment, the voice brought him back to Sriwedari Park when he and Dewi Citrawati were at the peak of their burning lust. “Brother, I cannot part from you. The time will come when I will come and get you.” And the voice echoed in Sumantri's ears now. Sumantri recognized that voice as Sukrosono’s, his beloved brother.

(This article was translated by Musthofid).