Bewteen Two Souls, Chapter 26
Night had fallen over the swamp. The darkness wrapped around everything, and the moon took ovrr the sun's duty, casting a pale glow across the still waters. Night insects sang and echoed through the bog, replacing the birdsong of the day. A cold night breeze swept across the marshland, forcing anyone who felt it to huddle close to warmth.
So did Rose and Timun Mas, warming themselves beside a campfire burning inside an old metal barrel.
Cold, yet curious — that was Rose. The more she learned about Timun Mas, the more she wanted to know. She stepped closer, her eyes fixed on the girl beside her.
"So," Rose began, "what's your story? You weren't... born from a mother?"
"Yes," Timun Mas answered softly, holding her hands toward the fire. "I was just a baby growing inside a capsule... a tube. My mother... she used to be nothing more than a lonely old woman."
"And then that buto attacked..." Rose murmured.
"Buto Ijo," Timun corrected. "A type of buto — one of the larger ones. My mother was lucky that this monster could still think. One night, it came to her home, the old one... not this ruined shack. She panicked and ran to the second floor. But the monster noticed and tore the roof apart."
"Ohh... so this isn't the first house to get wrecked," Rose said. "Then what happened?"
"My mother begged for her life. She told him she was alone... that she had no one. Long story short, the giant gave her a golden capsule containing a baby, that's me."
Rose checked her ammunition while listening. "And the giant left your mother to raise you, right?"
"Yes. At first, she fully intended to keep her promise to Buto Ijo. But over time she began to love me. She moved from place to place, running, hiding... until we ended up here. She even went back to work just so she could buy weapons and teach me how to use them. When today came, I thought our guns would be enough... but they weren't. It wasn't until I ran earlier that I finally started thinking about building traps."
"Wow," Rose said, sitting down beside her. "You worked pretty fast if you managed to set up all those traps."
"The traps aren't finished," Timun Mas muttered. "I still don't know what kinds of things can weaken a Buto."
"Well," Rose shrugged, "I just hope Zero brings back something useful for those traps. Earlier, we were paid in gold for the contract."
Timun Mas froze, her eyes widening.
"Wait, you were paid in gold?"
"Yes, Zero requested it. He probably thinks paper money is unstable, so he asked to be paid in gold. I think he's planning ahead — if we ever move or expand, we won't have problems. Gold keeps its value," Rose explained.
"Hmmm... your theory makes sense. I actually read something about that before."
"Wait— you can read? I thought you couldn't. Where did you even get books?" Rose blinked in surprise, genuinely taken aback.
"When we moved from place to place, I often visited free libraries or mobile ones. Sometimes my mother bought books for me," Timun Mas replied quietly.
She had been talking about her mother for a while, and slowly sadness washed over her again. But she pushed it down — she had to move forward, and she had revenge to fulfill.
"You know, Timun," Rose said, her voice softening, "I actually don't know who my real parents are. I grew up with my uncle... but he's gone now too. Hahaha... he would scold me non-stop if he saw me becoming a mercenary. He'd rant for hours without breathing."
Rose chuckled, giving a thin smile.
Timun Mas smiled as well. For the first time in her life, she had someone to share her stories with. Someone who listened. Someone who cared.
She lifted her gaze toward the star-filled sky, silently hoping her mother was watching — hoping she would see Timun walk the path she believed in.
.................
Elsewhere, the calm river water split beneath the speeding motorboat. After hours of searching, bargaining, and buying equipment, Zero was finally returning with his haul: a heavy rocket launcher fitted with four tubes, capable of piercing 1,200 mm of single-layer steel armor. He also secured a couple of old recoilless rifles — relics, cheap but still powerful enough to kill a giant. Plus, several crates of ammunition.
A: "Thanks for showing me how those weapons were made. Even though I still can't build them myself... maybe once I get those production machines working, I'll be able to."
Zero stayed silent, concentrating on steering the boat through the river toward the swamp. He was irritated — Adrien kept rambling, telling him to read any interesting information he could find. Zero only wanted to focus on tonight's mission. He needed time — time to regain control, time to set things right.
"You really should be more careful trusting strangers. Being that trusting is dangerous. Are you sure that old man didn't scam you?" Zero suddenly snapped.
It was Adrien, after all, who pushed him to buy a weapon blueprint from some old man earlier.
A:"Oh come on, Zero. That old man couldn't fool me. Besides, I learned a few things about myself there. Turns out not everyone knows who I am — only a group of people from a place called the internet. Though... some indecent drawings of me came from there too. So we're in the clear."
"Maybe he didn't trick you," Zero replied, "but you still need to stay skeptical, especially in times like this. Anyone can take advantage of you. Even someone close to you could deceive you. Remember — betrayal never comes from your enemies. And don't forget, you're not exactly close with your subordinates back in the kingdom."
Adrien surprised. Zero rarely talked this much, and the sudden wisdom caught him off guard.
Seconds turned into minutes as Zero continued steering the motorboat. Eventually, he reached the swamp where Timun Mas lived. The area was still dimly lit by the smoldering remains of the burned hut, casting an orange glow across the water. Zero turned toward the shore and spotted Timun Mas and Rose warming themselves near the fire barrel.
They both looked up as Zero arrived. Without wasting any time, Zero asked Timun Mas to show him where the traps would be set. The new cannons and launchers he brought would add the firepower needed to weaken the giant. Rose stayed behind to stand guard in case Buto Ijo returned. Timun Mas and Zero left together, upgraded the traps, and returned to the ruined hut to rest for the night.
.......................
Night faded away. The sun slowly rose from the east, its light stretching across the land. But the dense trees towering over the swamp delayed its warmth from reaching Timun Mas' home.
Timun Mas, already awake before dawn, stood ready for his second confrontation with Buto Ijo.
She stood silently among the ruins of her home, trying to sense the giant's presence. She lowered her gaze to the swamp water — and the ripples began.
Then came the ground-shaking thuds.
BOOM! ... BOOM! ... BOOM!
The shadow of the giant grew larger and larger as it approached. Its eyes gleamed between the trees. But something was different — the monster looked bigger. The wounds from yesterday had fully healed, layers of regenerated muscle bulging beneath its skin. Scars still marked its body, but the creature had grown stronger.
The giant emerged from the forest shadows, glaring at Timun Mas.
"TIMUUUUNNNN!!! YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD! FULFILL THE PROMISE YOUR MOTHER MADE TO ME!!"
Timun Mas didn't hesitate. Seeing Buto Ijo charging forward, she yanked the throttle of the motorboat and sped off into the swamp, escaping the massive hand reaching for her.
Buto Ijo roared in fury.
"TIMUN!!! YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD!!!"
Buto Ijo began to sprint, shaking the ground and sending water splashing everywhere. Timun sped away, steering the motorboat through a narrow exit beside his ruined home. The giant chased after him relentlessly—Timun hadn't expected the monster to be fast enough to keep up with a motorboat.
Just a few meters from his house, as he entered a forested section of the river, Timun maneuvered through a stream flanked by two steep cliffs. He let the boat glide forward on its own, turned around, and raised the assault rifle he had brought.
RATATTATAT!
"ARGH!! CURSE YOU! MY EYE!!"
A burst from Timun's assault rifle struck Buto Ijo right in the eye, slowing him for a brief moment. But it wasn't over yet. Just as the giant prepared to resume his pursuit, suddenly—
BOOOOM!!!
"AAARGGHHHH!!"
A cannon trap fired an armor-piercing round that slammed into Buto Ijo's left shoulder, tearing a massive hole through his flesh. The projectile drilled deep into his body and became lodged there. Hidden in the forest, Rose smiled—her trap had hit perfectly. She stepped back, quietly thankful that the setup had made hitting her target so much easier.
Still writhing in pain, Buto Ijo swung blindly and smashed the cliff where the cannon shot had come from. But then—
SRAKKKK!!!
"ROAARRRRRR!!!"
Another trap activated—this time a barrage of giant ballista bolts drove themselves deep into the monster's body.
"Hey, you green demon! You'll never eat me! Just give up and rest forever!" Timun taunted him.
"SILENCE, YOU WRETCH!!"
Even with the fresh wounds, Buto Ijo forced himself upright, pushing his body to regenerate at an unnaturally rapid pace. Timun's eyes widened—he hadn't expected the monster to heal that quickly. He shoved the throttle forward and sped away again.
The giant resumed the chase. Trap after trap triggered, slowing him down but failing to stop him completely—his fury was overflowing now, unstoppable.
BAMM!! BAMM!! BAMM!!
Buto Ijo charged faster, closing the distance while Timun fired repeatedly at his face, aiming for the remaining eye. The pursuit continued until they burst out into a wide lake. Far ahead of Timun, on the opposite shore, a towering cliff loomed.
Panic surged through him—Buto Ijo was getting closer, and he was running out of space to escape.
Timun pushed the motorboat's throttle as far forward as it could go, widening the distance. Then he turned around again and kept firing at the monster. Bullet after bullet streaked toward Buto Ijo, who shielded his face—especially his eyes—with his massive hands. Even so, the giant kept forcing his way forward, getting closer... and closer... and closer.
He had reached the center of the lake when suddenly—
BOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!
"AAAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!"
Buto Ijo howled in agony.
A massive underwater explosion erupted beneath the lake, blowing out the ground below and turning the lake bed into a sinkhole of mud. It was the final trap—one meant to finish him for good. The giant plunged downward, swallowed by the collapsing earth beneath the water. Half his body sank and became trapped, leaving only his upper torso exposed above the muddy lake surface.
The monster struggled, thrashing and clawing at the ground, trying desperately to drag himself free. He reached out for Timun Mas—but it was already too late. Timun had reached the opposite shore.
He parked the motorboat at the edge of the lake, stepped onto solid ground, and circled around to climb the not-so-tall cliff overlooking the area. Zero was already waiting there, sitting casually as if he'd been relaxing the whole time, a rocket launcher resting beside him.
Timun approached him calmly.
"Thanks for diving into the lake and planting that explosive, Zero..." Timun said as he picked up the rocket launcher.
"You're not worried about nuclear contamination after I swam in that?" Zero asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I've lived traveling from place to place and ended up in this swamp. My tolerance is pretty high. Rose just misunderstood." Timun lifted the launcher onto her shoulder and aimed it at the trapped giant.
"TIMUNNN!!! I WILL COME BA—"
"Quiet."
The rocket fired.
BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!
............To Be Continued..............