Chapter 24 - War in Wakanda Final Part

Reclaiming my spear was easy. The journey to reach the Panther tribe, however, proved challenging. Without relying on my transportation, I had to navigate through forests. If it weren't for the guide appointed by the temple elder, it would have taken me days to find my way.

(No surprise that Wakanda remained secret for hundreds of years. Even without defenses and camouflage, the location is perfect for hiding.)

As we neared the village, we began to hear screams of pain. I stood facing a massive wall with gaping holes — the construction the elder spoke of.

A simple idea for the people in the coming years, but I doubt Africa has seen such a structure. In my understanding of history, similar constructions have been utilized for thousands of years on other continents, but this isolated area of Africa has not.

(This must have given the enemy a massive headache.)

"You can go back now. I'll handle the rest," I tell my guide.

"Good luck, sir," he replies before disappearing into the trees.

"Well, now, how should I deal with this situation?" I ponder, considering the best approach to end this battle. I can't unleash my full power; in this close-quarter combat, both enemies and allies are too near for my attacks.

The only way I can think of is to put on a grand show, eroding the enemy's confidence by dispatching their best warriors. Once I slay the leader of the gorilla-men, the leaders of the allied tribes will have no choice but to surrender, if they are sensible.

I begin emitting a radiant golden glow, akin to a miniature sun, around me. First, I must attract attention and halt the battle.

I start walking toward the fray and pass through the broken wall. On the other side, I see numerous bodies strewn across the ground, and further ahead, all the men are looking at me.

Bashenga appears to have been injured by the leader of this army; I notice an arrow in his leg, which he removes as he rises from the ground. I doubt this minor injury will slow him down. I stop a few meters from the armies and dim the light so they can see me clearly.

They seem surprised by my appearance. I strike the ground with my spear, releasing a wave of light that covers the entire area momentarily before disappearing.

"This battle is over. Much blood has been shed on both sides, and the victor is already clear to all," I declare.

"Who the hell are you to decide what happens in our lands, outsider?" demands the leader of the Jibari Tribe.

"I am Baldur, ally of the Panther people."

"I couldn't care less about your name. You'd better turn around and leave before I feel inclined to chop off that pretty little head of yours."

"I see you don't care for my name. Very well, then, perhaps I shall introduce myself in a different manner."

A cylinder of golden light descends from the sky, enveloping me. It then begins to increase in size, covering more and more ground. As the light passes through the earth, it burns it, leaving only blackened soil. The light draws nearer to the army, and I can see fear in their faces. They know they will perish if the light reaches them.

They take several steps back, trying to distance themselves from the golden light until it stops just inches from them.

"I am Baldur, God of the Sun and Light, and I say it once more: this battle is over!"

With no more courage to continue the fight, the men drop their weapons to the ground and surrender.

"Pick up your weapons, you fools. The war ends only when I command," the gorilla-man shouts to his men.

"Enough! Too many lives have been lost. If you still wish to fight, we shall settle this the old-fashioned way," Bashenga interjects.

"Ohh, it seems you have a little courage after all. I accept your challenge," the white gorilla says, smiling at Bashenga.

The two armies separate, creating a circular space around the two.

"Bashenga?"

"This must be done, Baldur, as tradition dictates."

"Understood."

I don't know what tradition he's referring to, but from what I can see, it seems like a duel, and it's an idiotic idea to duel now that we already have the victory. On the other hand, if Bashenga wins, he might earn the respect of his enemy.

"What weapons shall we use?" the gorilla leader asks.

"None," Bashenga replies.

"You are even more foolish than I thought," the gorilla man scoffs.

The gorilla man launches a barrage of punches at Bashenga, which are easily dodged by him.

The gorilla is slow, relying solely on his strength. Bashenga appears to be analyzing his opponent, effortlessly evading his attacks, which only seems to enrage the gorilla further, causing his strikes to become more savage.

"Stop running!" the gorilla shouts.

When the gorilla speaks, Bashenga seizes the opportunity to punch him in the face. He then leaps into the air, delivering a flying kick to the gorilla's face, causing him to stagger backward.

"How is this possible?" the gorilla man seems surprised by Bashenga's strength. I doubt he's been hit with such force since gaining his powers.

"You were granted gifts by your god; I was granted mine," Bashenga replies.

The fight continues in the same manner, with Bashenga evading and striking at the gorilla's face or body whenever an opportunity arises. After some time of this back-and-forth, I begin to notice a change in the faces of the men around us. Those from the Panther tribe appear prouder and more confident, while the enemies seem increasingly disheartened.

The entire alliance was made with the belief that the Jibari tribe, with their new god, would have the power to win the war. Now, facing them, that powerful being was being humiliated. They had completely lost hope of victory.

"It's time to end this," Bashenga declares.

Taking advantage of the enemy's fatigue, Bashenga attacks with all his might. He positions himself behind the gorilla man and delivers a powerful kick to his legs, causing him to fall to his knees.

The white gorilla's face is now bloodied, with his eyes almost closed due to swelling. He is panting, lacking the energy to continue the fight.

Standing over him, Bashenga prepares to deliver the final blow.

"HAHAHAHA, do you think you've won, Bashenga? It won't be long before my brothers are here, all with the powers of my god, ready to not only crush your tribe but all others as well. In the end, all will be slaves to the Jibari tribe!"

Now, all the men here are afraid. They knew the Jibari tribe wasn't trustworthy, but they didn't expect them to take such insane actions as enslaving all the tribes.

"If you think those hiding in the mountain passes of the gorilla will come to aid you, you are mistaken. They are all dead. Just like your god."

My words instill even more fear in them, not of the gorilla men but of me. I'm not sure if they believe what I said, but it certainly has made them more frightened.

"No. That's a lie. You're lying!"

Without waiting for my response, Bashenga places one hand beneath the gorilla man's chin and the other on the back of his neck. With a quick movement of both hands, I hear a crack.

"CRACK!"

The white gorilla falls face-first to the ground.

"It's over," Bashenga says, seeming very relieved.

The war has finally ended.

TWO WEEKS LATER.

With the war over, reconstruction has begun. After tending to the wounded and burying the dead, Bashenga convened a meeting with the other leaders of the enemy tribes, even the new leader of the Jibari tribe was called.

The meeting took a different turn when Bashenga proposed a union of all the tribes, with the tribes coming together under the leadership of the Panther tribe to form Wakanda. This is the best way to end battles over resources.

I found it a grave mistake for Bashenga to propose this alliance to the Jibari tribe; it is sure to cause problems in the future. Unfortunately, he did not heed my advice. He was confident that the new generations would not inherit the thoughts of the elders.

After everyone agreed to the alliance proposal, thus making Bashenga the first king of Wakanda, it was my turn. Before the meeting, I proposed the terms of our alliance.

I will receive a share of the mined vibranium in exchange for providing technological knowledge, among other things. I am now an ally of Wakanda, sharing the same status as the other tribes without being under Wakanda's control but also without having political power.

This truly pleases me; I already have plenty of work on my small island.

The other tribes did not oppose this alliance. The leaders did not know me, but they had heard of my exploits from their armies, and they also learned of my battle against the gorilla god.

I taught the mining tribe how to safely extract vibranium, receiving my first share of the metal. Finally, I can pay the dwarves.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer, my friend?" Bashenga asks me as we walk toward my flying boat.

"This is an important moment for your people, a time for building. You should do this on your own."

"Your help would be greatly appreciated, my friend."

"I've been away from my people for too long as well."

"I understand."

As I approach the flying boat, I see Nordur loading various pieces of raw metal onto it, a small amount to pay the dwarves. Afterward, I can request better transportation methods for the transport.

"Are we ready, General?"

I get Nordur's attention.

"Everything's ready, Prince."

I see four children inside the boat. Two boys and two girls—they will be taken to my home to be educated before returning to Wakanda. Later, I'll bring some children from Genosha as well, thus fostering an exchange of knowledge in the future. I am truly excited; Wakanda was already the most advanced people on Earth, but now they have a significant advantage with me here. The future holds great promise.

I board the boat and look at Bashenga.

"This is a see you later, my friend."

"Safe travels to all," Bashenga tells me with a smile.

"Let's go, General."

The boat begins to float slowly, rising to a great height. From above, I see several people waving goodbye, most notably calling out Nordur's name. He became well-known after the battle.

"It seems you've won many hearts, General."

"Haha, they truly are good people. I'd be honored to fight alongside them again."

"Perhaps that will happen. For now, let's go, General. It's time to return home."

"Yes, sir."