006 Why did you do it!? (2)

"Why did you do it!?" Marana glared as she looked at her son. Her heart felt like it was on fire just thinking about her son fighting in the sacred duel.

Raka was silent; his golden eyes wavered as he touched his cheek.

His three stepmothers, too, were silent, waiting to listen to his answer.

"Did you not think about us? Your siblings? About me?" she asked, her body trembling with each word she spoke.

"What would all of us do if something happened to you?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she asked; she didn't want her son to get hurt; he was the only one who could look after them now.

Raka was silent, trying to calm his raging heart. He had never been hit in his two lives and was quite angry at his mother.

'Calm down…' he mumbled to himself. He turned to his mother, his golden eyes flickering with determination as he answered, "You asked me why, Mother."

He turned toward his three stepmothers and continued, "Tell me, are you ready to serve another man? Someone who will definitely separate you from your children?"

The three women were silent; they knew that they had to leave their infant children if the new chief asked.

The kids were too little to fend for themselves, and if the new chief was cruel, which always was, it wasn't difficult for him to make them die by accident.

"But we thought you would take care of your siblings, Raka," Zina, the red-haired stepmother of Raka, said. Her piercing red eyes glared at her stepson as she continued, "We knew the moment you awakened the light element, our future was decided. We thought we could leave the kids to you under your protection."

Raka met his stepmother's piercing gaze; his eyes glinted as he asked, "Then does that mean you are ready to leave your children? Serve a man who only lusts for you?"

"That is our duty, Raka." His mother, Marana, said, making him turn toward her.

"It is our duty to serve the chief!" she added, her voice firm and determined.

"That's what I am saying!" Raka shouted, his face contorted with anger as he imagined his mother serving another man.

"I will become the new chief and you don't have to sacrifice yourself!" Turning toward his stepmother, he added, "You don't have to leave your children! Why can't you understand!?"

Raka is now frustrated; his eyes were now glaring at his mothers while his chest heaved up and down, anger raged in his heart as it thumped against his chest. 'Yes, I can understand their point! But their stubbornness is annoying!' he thought to himself.

Marana looked at her son as if he were stupid! Him becoming the chief!? With what? His Light element!?

Her anger flared even more; she gnashed her teeth in anger as she clenched her fists. She was about to berate her son, but one of her sisters, Amara, stepped in.

"Sister, calm down." She said as she placed her hand on Marana's shoulder, trying to ground her anger.

Amara had black hair and brown eyes; she was known to be the patient one among the sisters.

"Raka doesn't do something that will harm us." She said, her voice smooth as a lake. She turned to him, her brown eyes softening as she continued, "Raka, I want to ask you something."

Raka nodded as he eyed Amara; he knew she was the level-headed one in the group. "What is it, Mother?"

"How sure are you of winning?" she asked; she could feel Marana's body tremble at her question, but she didn't let her sister speak as she squeezed her shoulder.

Marana bit her lip; she wanted to say something but stopped when she felt her sister's squeeze.

Raka stared at Amara, his eyes shining intently with determination. "I will win!" he said, his voice resolute.

Amara eyed Raka's face, looking for any changes in his expression. She nodded her head after looking at his determined face and replied, "Then, okay."

She sensed her sisters' distress and continued without giving them a chance to voice their thoughts; she continued, "Sisters, the sacred duel has been decided. The ancestors have accepted the duel, and none can change it now!"

She looked at their faces; disappointment, anger, and grief were etched on them, but still, "The sacred duel will happen whether we like it or not. Since Raka said he will win. He will!"

Raka's eyes widened at her words; he couldn't believe that one of his stepmothers was supporting him.

Amara then turned to Raka and said, "Raka, since what's done is done, we're putting all our hopes on you. I hope you don't disappoint us!"

Raka's golden eyes went wide; he was a little surprised that Amara was supporting him. He clenched his jaw while his heart banged against his chest with resolve as he muttered, "I will win, Mother! I will become the next chief!"

Amara nodded her head, recognizing his determination. She then turned toward Marana and said, "Sister, I know you are sad, but all that we can do now is pray to the spirits that Raka wins!"

Marana bit her inner cheeks while her nails dug into her palms; she knew what Amara said was true; they couldn't do anything now.

She glared at her son one last time and turned, walking outside the hut alongside Amara and her sisters.

Raka watched intently as his mothers walked outside, most likely back to the ancestral chambers to pray for his victory.

He clenched his fist, feeling the turmoil seeping in his heart, "Now's not the time," he muttered to himself.

"I have to train!"