HIKAYAT ZACK: PENDEKAR SELAMBA
Chapter 3 — Masuk Istana Cara Zack
The royal palace of Melaka stood proudly above the city.
Tall wooden gates guarded the entrance.
Armed soldiers stood on both sides.
Flags moved gently in the afternoon wind.
Anyone who looked at the palace would immediately understand one thing.
Getting inside was difficult.
Very difficult.
Unless your name was Zack.
“There’s no way we’re getting inside.”
Khai stared at the palace gates.
“Too many guards.”
Zara nodded.
“Which is why we need a proper plan.”
Zack looked at the palace.
Then at Zara.
Then at Khai.
“I have a plan.”
Zara narrowed her eyes.
“What plan?”
Zack pointed toward a nearby food cart.
“Eat.”
Silence.
Khai blinked.
“That’s your plan?”
“Step one.”
“And step two?”
“Eat more.”
Zara grabbed Zack’s collar.
“Focus!”
Zack laughed.
“Fine, fine.”
He looked toward the palace again.
“There are three ways in.”
Zara became interested.
“Finally. Something intelligent.”
“First, we walk through the front gate.”
Zara immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“Second, we climb the wall.”
“Too many guards.”
“Third…”
Zack smiled.
“We pretend we’re supposed to be there.”
Khai looked at him.
“Do you have a plan for that?”
“No.”
Zara sighed.
“I knew it.”
⸻
THE PLAN
Ten minutes later…
A small wooden cart approached the palace gates.
Two men sat inside.
One was wearing a large hat.
The other was hiding beneath several sacks.
A woman walked beside the cart.
The guards raised their spears.
“Halt!”
The cart stopped.
The guard looked at the woman.
“State your business.”
Zara bowed politely.
“We are delivering food for the royal kitchen.”
The guard looked at the cart.
“What food?”
“Vegetables.”
The guard opened one sack.
Potatoes.
Another sack.
Onions.
Another.
He suddenly stopped.
Something was moving inside.
The guard frowned.
“What is this?”
Zara’s face became nervous.
“That’s…”
The sack moved again.
Khai whispered from inside.
“Zara…”
She stepped on the sack.
“Nothing.”
The guard raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing?”
Zara smiled awkwardly.
“Very… lively vegetables.”
The guard opened the sack.
Khai jumped out.
“HELLO!”
The guard screamed.
Zara closed her eyes.
Zack climbed out of the cart.
“Surprise.”
The guards immediately drew their weapons.
Zara turned toward Zack.
“I hate you.”
Zack shrugged.
“It worked.”
“It absolutely did not work!”
Khai raised his hands.
“Can we discuss this peacefully?”
The guards surrounded them.
One guard shouted.
“Seize them!”
Zack sighed.
“I was hoping we could avoid this.”
He reached for his keris.
Zara drew hers.
Khai looked around.
“I don’t have a weapon.”
Zack pointed toward the cart.
“Use the potatoes.”
“What?”
“Trust me.”
Khai grabbed a potato.
An enemy charged.
Khai threw it.
THUD!
The potato hit the guard’s forehead.
He fell.
Khai stared.
“…It worked.”
Zack smiled.
“I told you.”
Zara kicked another attacker.
“Stop encouraging him!”
⸻
Within seconds, the three had knocked several guards off their feet.
But then—
A deep voice echoed across the courtyard.
“Enough.”
Everyone stopped.
A man walked toward them.
He wore royal armour.
A long sword hung at his side.
His presence alone silenced the courtyard.
Khai whispered.
“Who is that?”
Zara’s expression became serious.
“Captain of the palace guard.”
The captain looked directly at Zack.
“You.”
Zack pointed at himself.
“Me?”
“You have entered the palace illegally.”
Zack nodded.
“Technically.”
“Technically?”
“We were invited.”
The captain frowned.
“By whom?”
Zack paused.
“…Myself.”
Khai covered his face.
Zara whispered,
“Why are you like this?”
The captain drew his sword.
“Arrest them.”
Zack sighed.
“Looks like talking didn’t work.”
He stepped forward.
The captain attacked.
CLANG!
Zack blocked the sword with his rusty keris.
The force pushed him backward.
Zack’s eyes widened.
The captain was strong.
Very strong.
Zack smiled.
“Finally.”
The captain attacked again.
Zack ducked.
He spun.
His foot swept across the ground.
The captain jumped over it.
Zack’s eyes sharpened.
Silat Harimau.
His body lowered.
He moved like a tiger.
Fast.
Precise.
The captain swung his sword.
Zack stepped inside the attack.
He struck the man’s wrist.
The sword fell.
Zack kicked it away.
The captain stumbled.
Zack stopped his keris inches from the captain’s neck.
Silence.
Khai’s jaw dropped.
Zara smiled slightly.
The captain stared at Zack.
“Who taught you that?”
Zack shrugged.
“An old man.”
“Who?”
“I forgot.”
“You forgot?”
“He talked too much.”
Khai whispered.
“That’s probably where Zack got it from.”
Zack turned.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A loud explosion came from inside the palace.
Everyone turned.
Smoke rose into the sky.
The captain’s expression changed.
“The royal archives!”
Zara immediately understood.
“They’re attacking the palace!”
Zack looked at his rusty keris.
Then toward the smoke.
His expression became serious.
“Looks like someone wanted us here.”
The captain looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
Zack didn’t answer.
He ran toward the palace.
Zara followed.
Khai hesitated.
“Why am I always following these people?”
Then he ran after them.
⸻
THE ROYAL ARCHIVES
The wooden doors were burning.
Several masked men were escaping.
Zack charged after them.
One assassin turned.
He threw a dagger.
Zack moved aside.
The dagger struck the wall.
Zara attacked the assassin.
Their blades clashed.
Khai grabbed a fallen wooden shield.
“I’ll protect everyone!”
An assassin kicked him.
Khai flew backward.
“NEVER MIND!”
Zack laughed.
Then he saw something on the ground.
A piece of parchment.
He picked it up.
His smile disappeared.
It contained a symbol.
A black tiger.
Underneath it was a single word.
MEGAT.
Zara looked over his shoulder.
“Megat Iskandar.”
Zack folded the parchment.
“So he’s behind this.”
Before they could continue—
A voice echoed from the rooftop.
“You’re finally here.”
Zack looked up.
A man stood above them.
Black robes.
Long hair.
A confident smile.
Megat Iskandar.
Khai swallowed.
“Oh no.”
Zara tightened her grip.
“Megat.”
Megat smiled.
“Zara.”
Then his eyes moved to Zack.
His smile became wider.
“And finally…”
His gaze stopped at the rusty keris.
“The heir.”
Zack’s expression changed.
“What did you call me?”
Megat laughed.
“You really don’t know, do you?”
The wind blew across the courtyard.
The rusty keris suddenly vibrated.
Zack stared at it.
Megat raised his hand.
“Soon, Zack…”
“You will learn why everyone is afraid of that weapon.”
A black smoke suddenly surrounded him.
Then—
He disappeared.
Khai stared at the empty rooftop.
“Did he just disappear?”
Zara nodded.
“Yes.”
Khai looked at Zack.
“Can we go home now?”
Zack shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
Zack looked toward the royal archives.
Because inside—
Someone was waiting for them.
And the secret behind his family had finally begun to surface.
“Now…”
Zack whispered.
“I really want to know who I am.”
