02 |Warrior Test -2

Everyone kept their mouths sealed and their eyes stuck on the old man in front.

Kamyla stared up at his eyes, gulping softly, "B- Baba Elawo..."

Baba Elawo's eyes remained narrowed on her little self, adding to the chills that ran down her spine.

His lips slowly stretched into a smile, raising his hand to place on the top of her head. "How are you, Kamyla dear?"

Kamyla's expression dissolved into a wide smile, "Very fine, Baba".

Baba Elawo nodded. "Nice to see you are here early". His eyes then trailed to the tiger that stood behind her with an aggressive demeanour. He slowly raised his hand.

"Down, Rhou". The tiger immediately lowered itself to the ground, placing its head on the floor with soft eyes.

Baba Elawo smiled, stretching down to rub the cat's head. It chuffled.

Baba Elawo was the only person aside Kamyla that Rhou listened to; the rest were potential food that Kamyla was yet to approve of.

Baba Elawo then looked back at Kamyla, noticing the stone in her fist. His brows furrowed, "What were you planning on doing with that?"

Kamyla frowned, turning to the boys, "He shot me with it first!"

Baba Elawo slowly gazed at the line of eleven boys. The culprit stepped back with a worried grimace, saying, "B- Baba, It wasn't my fault. I was just trying to protect her from making a stupid mistake".

"That is true, Baba", Another added, "She is trying to join the test. Isn't that crazy!?"

A chuckle escaped the old man's lips. "And hurting her was a way to protect her?"

The boy scratched the back of his head, "W- Well... I just wanted to stop— AH!"

The boy flinched at the hard impact on the top of his skull, causing him to stagger back. "Ouch..." He moaned, raising his eyes to look up at the head of the thick metal staff Baba used on his head.

He rubbed his head, "Baba..."

Baba Elawo shook his head. "You should be ashamed of yourself. All of you. Do you not know disrespecting and hurting your future fellow warrior mate is dishonourable".

"Fellow!?" Their eyes widened.

Baba Elawo nodded. "Yes. Hopefully you all will be mates after the Rlëongē".

"But, does that mean she is participating in the—"

"Yes".

"No, Baba!" All eyes snapped at Danji who stomped forward, frowning. "Baba, you can't let her participate!"

"And why is that?" He crooked a brow.

Danji pointed at her, "She is a girl! What if something happens to her? It isn't safe out there! What if she doesn't come back!?"

"Hm... Is that so? Tell me something, Danji, why are you more worried about her safety than she is?"

Danji's brows quirked. "Me!?"

"Hm-mm".

"I- I am just concerned. I... I don't want anything to happen to her. What if she loses a limb or even dies..."

"So you don't want anything that would affect the Bride-Price you plan to pay to marry her when you grow up?" Baba grinned.

Danji's brows instantly shot high, having his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. The boys next to them giggled.

Danji immediately looked away. "T- That is not true... K- Kamyla is like my little sister!"

Baba Elawo chuckled. "If you say so".

The boys laughed harder.

Baba Elawo then said, "I am sure I don't need to remind you of the conditions to participate in the Rlëongē, right?"

Danji dropped his gaze, clutching his fist. "Y- Yes..."

"Perfect".

"But, Baba!" A woman stepped out of the crowd saying, "You can't be serious about this can you? This is dangerous".

"Exactly!" A man stepped forward. "This is nothing about degradation. Even our boys barely make it out in one piece".

A young man added, "The last four girls who tried to be stubborn and participate, two were shredded into pieces. One was raped to death by a Tawongi. The other went insane!"

"Baba Elawo!" Chyma's voice suddenly echoed from the back of the crowd, seizing their attention as she pushed herself forward through the crowd.

She finally made herself seen in the front of the crowd, huffing. "Baba, we can't let this happen! Kamyla is going to die!"

Forcing through after Chyma was young Ilo; who was of a similar age as Kamyla.

Ilo shouted, "Kamyla, don't let thunder strike you! Come back here!"

Chyma grimaced in fear, holding her hands in a prayer pose. "Baba, please, this is too much. Kamyla is like a daughter, sister and friend to most of us villagers. We can't afford to lose her too. All for a lost cause—"

"My granddaughter's decision is never a lost cause!" A cranky yet stern woman's voice sounded from the side.

All eyes turned.

Standing before them was Mama Uyrè, Kamyla's grandmother, clutching onto a wooden stick with her back arched upwards and dressed in a long wrapper and scarf.

With a scorn on her face, she began padding forward, walking up to Baba Elawo. On reaching the Chief Priest, Uyrè bowed subtly, "Ihiwea", she greeted.

He nodded.

She then turned to young Mama Chyma, stating, "The conditions of the Warrior Test, Rlëongē, are known to everyone. You must be thirteen above and willing choose the path to become a Sah'Jangi Warrior, bearing all consequences that follow. I don't see where Kamyla is lacking".

Chyma grimaced, "I understand, Mama Uyrè, but—"

"I appreciate your concern, Chyma. But my granddaughter is not like those naïve girls that threw their lives years ago. She is Kamyla. My granddaughter. And the daughter of her Ancestors. Nothing will happen to her".

Ilo then said, "Mama, please don't let Kamyla. She thinks this is like the mere hunting she is good at. She doesn't know anything. Please, mama, don't let her do it..."

"Fear not, Ilo. If the Ancestors say my granddaughter will join them before I do, then so be it. But for now, nothing is stopping my grandchild from achieving her dream of being the first female warrior of our Empire".

The whole crowd grimaced in disappointment. How could a grandmother, who was supposed to be wiser, be as stubborn as the child.

Chyma and Ilo's expressions fell deeper.

Uyrè then turned to Baba Elawo. "Baba, if there are no issues left to sustain this argument. Can we proceed with the Swearing ritual and then the test?"

"But, of course, Mama Uyrè". He smiled.

He turned to the willingly participating children, "Stand in a single file".

The boys nodded, moving to stand in a line facing Baba, alongside Kamyla and Danji; Danji's face remained with a deep frown, not wanting to look at the smiling face of the girl that stood next to him.

He clutched his fists.