Years before she stumbled upon the baby in the ruined valley... before the name Gugum ever meant anything to her... there was another. A boy not given by fate, but by the cruel hands of pain and survival. This is the story of Mahesa.
The sun was slanting westward, bathing the treetops in golden light. It shimmered through the dense canopy as Andini stepped lightly between the undergrowth, eyes scanning the forest floor. She was searching for a rare type of moss said to grow only beneath certain ancient trees, an essential ingredient for an inner energy restoration elixir she had been experimenting with. The formulas etched on the ancient scrolls spoke of balance between body and spirit, and she was slowly unraveling their secrets.
Solitude had become her ally. Caution was now second nature after all she had endured. Every sound, every breeze was a language she had learned to read.
Then she heard it.
A commotion in the distance, near the edge of a village not far beyond the forest's border. It wasn't ordinary noise, it was the angry shouts of adults, mixed with the unmistakable cries of a child in pain.
Andini's brow furrowed. She preferred to avoid the affairs of the outside world, but a child's suffering was something she could not ignore.
Swift as a whisper on the wind, aided by her mastery over the Air element, she moved silently toward the source.
At the muddy edge of the village road, the scene that unfolded made her blood boil. Three burly men were ganging up on a thin boy, no older than ten. The child was curled on the ground, arms over his head, trying to shield himself from the rain of fists and boots. His clothes were ragged, his face dirt-streaked and bruised.
"You dare steal again, you little rat?!" one of the men yelled, slamming a kick into the boy's side. "How many times have we warned you?!"
"Sorry... Ssorry, Uncle... please, I'm sorry..." the boy sobbed, his voice hoarse with terror.
That was enough.
"Stop," Andini commanded, stepping out from behind a tree, her voice calm but cold.
The men turned, scowling at her presence. "Who the hell are you? Stay out of this!"
"Is this your idea of justice?" Andini replied, eyes sharp. "Beating a child into the ground? Whatever he did, this isn't the way."
"This little brat, Mahesa's his name, has been stealing from us for weeks!" another man snapped. "Today we finally caught him red-handed!"
Andini turned her gaze to the boy. He was trembling, head bowed low, not daring to meet her eyes. "Is that true, child?" she asked softly.
Mahesa gave the faintest nod, his small shoulders quivering.
"See? He admits it!" barked the largest of the three. "Now step aside, woman, or you'll join him!"
"No," Andini said, her tone like stone. "He's had enough of your 'lesson.' Let him go. I'll pay for the losses."
She reached into her pouch and pulled out a handful of silver coins. The men eyed the money, hesitated, then snatched it from her hand with little grace.
"Tch. Fine! But listen here, Mahesa, you show your face again and we'll finish what we started!"
They stormed off, leaving the boy lying in the mud.
Andini knelt beside him. "Are you alright?" she asked, gently inspecting his bruises.
But Mahesa flinched away, eyes darting with fear, and something else. Suspicion? He said nothing, simply rose shakily to his feet and limped away into the forest without a word of gratitude.
Andini watched him go, her heart unsettled. There was something... off about the boy. His silence, the look in his eyes, it wasn't just fear. There was a shadow behind those eyes. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that this child didn't deserve the hand life had dealt him.
She followed him, silently.
Mahesa walked deep into the forest, farther than most dared go, until he slipped behind a thicket of bamboo and into a nearly invisible hut made of rotting wood. Andini approached without sound, hiding behind a thick tree, ears sharp.
"You failed again?!" roared an angry voice from within. The crack of a slap echoed, followed by Mahesa's muffled cry. "I told you not to come back empty-handed, you useless little leech! Just eating my food and giving nothing in return!"
Blows followed. More curses. Rage.
Andini's chest clenched.
So this was the truth. The boy hadn't stolen for greed, but because he had no choice. He was a tool, an abused pawn.
Her fists clenched.
She had tried to live quietly, away from the world's filth, but could she truly turn away from this?
She stepped forward and, with a forceful kick, slammed the rickety door open.
Inside, a cruel-faced man was raising his fist again, but froze at the sight of her.
"Who are you?!"
"Someone who doesn't tolerate monsters beating children," she replied coolly.
"He's mine! A stray I feed! Back off!" he snarled and lunged at her.
She didn't hesitate.
Channeling the Wind through her limbs and drawing strength from the Earth beneath her feet, she dodged and flipped him effortlessly, slamming his body into the wall with a sickening thud. The man collapsed in a heap, groaning in pain.
She ignored him.
Mahesa stared at her, wide-eyed, breathing fast. Fear, confusion, disbelief... and a flicker of something else.
Hope?
Andini knelt before him.
"Your name is Mahesa, right?"
He nodded stiffly.
"Would you come with me? I can teach you something better than stealing."
The boy glanced at the moaning man, then back at Andini. Uncertainty warred within him. But slowly, with trembling fingers, he reached for her outstretched hand.
Andini helped him up with a quiet smile.
She had no idea if this was the right decision. But something deep inside told her she had to try.
"From this day forward," he whispered, "you are no longer a tool. You are a disciple. And if you are willing... a son."