Echoes of Majapahit

Chapter 2: Unveiling the Destiny

Johan held his breath as his fingers tightened around the hilt of the Majapahit Kris. The memories of his father's cryptic words echoed in his mind, like whispers from the past, urging him to unlock the secrets concealed within the ancient blade.

Johan's thoughts drifted back to his childhood, a time when curiosity flowed as naturally as the rivers crisscrossing the Indonesian landscape. In the dim glow of lantern light, upon the night of sacred day in the Javanese ancient tradition, Johan had once questioned his father about the meticulous care bestowed upon the Kris, a question met with a vague yet determined response.

"It is the duty as the head of our Family," his father had said, eyes locking onto Johan's with unwavering resolve. 

"The Kris will tell you when the time is right, and until then, it is my sacred duty to ensure it receives proper treatment and our worship."

Now, as Johan stood at the precipice of revelation, his father's words resonated with newfound significance. His expertise in history and folklore did little to dispel the mystique surrounding the Kris. While Johan had never been one to believe in the supernatural subjects, an undeniable mystic aura enveloped him as he gripped the hilt.

A surge of nostalgia washed over him, as if the Kris had been a constant companion throughout the ages. Johan's apprehension gave way to a strange calmness, emboldening him to confront the mysteries that lay dormant within the sheath.

With a resolute pull, Johan unveiled the Kris, revealing a blade weathered by the passage of centuries. Disappointment flickered across his face, expectations of a majestic reveal dampened by the sight of rusted steel. 

Johan sighed, "So much for the the anticipation.."

But as Johan reach for the sheath, moon light from the room window caught the blade's wavering surface. Suddenly Johan's disappointment transformed into fascination. Intricate engravings, delicate and yet profound, adorned the Kris in the ancient language of Sanskrit. 

Expertise in ancient history also mean a mastery of the historical tongues, Johan traced the lines with his eyes and muttered the curious words engraved beautifully.

"वयं स्वस्य दैवस्य आकारं दद्मः" 

or translated into his own language, "We shape our own destiny."

Within Johan mind blows a whirlwind of contemplation, he stared at the Kris as if the blade itself held the key to a destiny waiting to be forged.