"You have served us well within the ranks of an authoritative warrior leader for the past nineteen years, our baskets have never run dry."
The crowd agreed.
"Danger has never weakened our defenses because of your strategies and as the chief of this tribe which has served my people for one hundred years the God in the heavens can attest to the fact that your service is commendable, the riches that we have cannot do much to pay you of your hard work but we as a people see if fit for you to lead us and I am proud to say that the tribe is with me in agreement, yeah?"
The crowd shouted and this brought on a smile on the man's face.
"Stand, son." He said and I nibble on the inner flesh of my bottom lip as Aureliano stand. I took in his immense frame that was larger than the men of the tribe, his height hovering above them as he stood before Mato.
"From this night forth, I lawfully declare you Chief Aurelo Cpachie, leader of the Cpachie tribe."
A woman dressed in the same dressed as me came up to Mato, holding a bowl in her hands. She was dark skin, with the same curly hair as Mato, her left ear held earrings as tribal tattoos went up from her right wrist up to her arm.
"Thank you Issi."
She bowed her head.
He took some of the water in his palm and allowed Issi to lit the water with fire, the water reflected a soft blue glow which he dip his finger in.
Mato motion for Aureliano to bend his frame so that he could rub it on his forehead.
"As a servant of the God of the heavens and of the earth, you will abide by the laws of our ancestors and lead this tribe to the best of your abilities..."
I blocked out Mato's voice as a door snap open behind me. I looked over my shoulder at a man who stood there, the soft glow from inside his house flooded me and I watched as his facial expression shifted from a smile to one of fear.
"Intruder!" He shouted and the night air shifted as everyone turn towards us.
The crowd gasp as I stand up from behind the garbage bin, I made sure that I hid myself from Aureliano because I didn't wanted him to know that I was here.
"Men, be prepared to fight, no matter who this person is, he might be dangerous. Do not let your guard down." The black haired man said as he walked through the crowd towards me, a group of his men strolled behind him as they came up towards where I was standing.
They were blocking Aureliano and Mato in defense so I couldn't see him anymore, the men motion for the women to go behind them as they stood before me in alertness.
I clenched both hands by my side, my eyes mapping out the thirty or so men who cautiously scan my frame.
The need to survive pumps my blood in adrenaline.
From the side of my eye, I used the soft glow coming from the light of the hut to spot out the shadow of the man who was taking his time to come up behind me.
I sense his body heat and before he attempt to attack, I evade his move by pivoting my waist around quickly to face him. I took control of his strong forearm, push his elbows upward while rotating my body away from him.
This created a series of screams into the atmosphere from the rest of crowd as they ran for shelter.
The black hair man shouted for his men to attack and I prepared my shelf as my braids curtain around my face, my eyes narrowing in anger through my flowing strands as they ran towards me.
I avoided the pain in my knee, relaying on the need to survive as a man came up towards me and throw a fist towards my face, I bend a hand up and grip his fist, used my other hand to wrap around his neck.
I bend my right knee and snap it up into his abdomen, avoiding my left knee as much as possible as to not apply pressure because it was taking it's time to heal.
He grunted as I twisted my body around his and shoved him to the ground.
Another man came running towards me, I eased my breathing and tap into the rushes to defend my self as I drop on my knees, wrap a hand around his waist and use my knee to snap his legs apart to which I used all my strength and throw him over my shoulder.
He landed with a thud as dust particles flowed into the night air from our fight.
I didn't want to hurt them so I resist the need to use my knife to kill them and end this.
I knew they were only relying on instinct for the sake of defense and I couldn't blame them, after all, Aureliano did warn me and told me that they hated outsiders.
Gripping the forearm of another man, I snap the side of my hand into his neck, twist his forearm behind his back and spin our body around to which I kick another upcoming man into his chest.
He fell on his back, groaning out in pain. The man I was holding onto, wrap his fingers around my hand, he tightly gripped it towards my back and proceeded to pull me towards him but I bend my other hand and use my elbow to swing it around to snap it into his face.
This weakens his hold on my hand a bit as I anticipated another attacker who came up to me from the front, I loose my self from the man behind me and spread the attacker arms apart with force.
He kick me right into my left knee which spilled instant blood from my healing bruise. I suck up the need to scream as I bit my lower lip to concealed it and deranged his balance, I shove my hands into his chest to push him away as I breathed heavily, licking my lips as another set of men surrounded me.
My head pounded as black spots formed around my eyes, I knew I was not in the right state to finish off these men and I needed to find a way to leave.
Using the back of my hand to wipe away the dust on my face, a man came to me and produce a strike towards my face, I block the fist by shifting my head to the side, held his arm and send a fist to his upper body. I ignored the tightness on his chest as my knuckles burn from the immense muscular flesh these men possess.
Driven by determination, I fought willingly as men came up to me left and right, I tasted the very meaning of dread on my tongue as I smirk from the groans coming from each falling warrior.
From the corner of my eyes, I notice another man who came up to my side swiftly, his move was so quick that I couldn't defend myself on time when a sharp pain shot up to my abdomen from the kick he gave me.
It slowed me down a bit as I crouch over, holding my stomach as my eyes blurred from tears, I screamed as another shot of pain landed on my left knee, I willed my self not to fall before these men.
This would show weakness, submission.
I learnt one thing from Achille, he teaches me not to show weakness because it satisfies the attacker to break you further.
No matter how I felt, I will never show them how much they hurt me.
I will never kneel.
My left leg shook as the pain ticks through out my frame, I willed myself to stand in spite of.
"Who sent you?" I gritted my teeth as black combat boots came up in my line of view, I thought it was Aureliano at first but when I lift my head from the ground, my eyes connected to the dark green and gray eyed man who narrowed them into slits.
An emotion passes through his face as he scan me from head to toe.
"A woman..?" He muttered underneath his breath.
I refrained from answering to his question and I notice the shift in his expression which slid towards intrigued.
I swallowed down the gasp of pain as my spine straighten in circumspection towards his frame which came up right into my personal space.
His neck tilted down as strands from his bun fell over his eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line as he watches me.
The remainder of his men drew closer in protection but he throw a hand up to halt there move and I narrowed my eyes wondering what the heck this brute was thinking.
"Commander Amerio, what seems to be the problem." Mato shouted from behind him and I wondered if Aureliano saw me during my fight.
I concealed all emotions towards Amerio, locking eyes with him as he took a step to me. I clench both of my hands by my side to prepare myself to attack as the brute shove a thick knee between my legs, his next move was so unpredictable that I missed him gripping my shoulders, he spin us around until we descended to the ground.
I landed on my back with his huge frame laying above me, his hair fell over my face and with our eyes locked he said underneath his breath.
"Go.."
Confuse to his sudden words, he repeated it again and as I wrap both legs around his waist to flip us over so that I could settle above him, he stretched his hands into the air and shot out fire from some strange metallic instrument that was unfamiliar to me, it flew into the skies and produces multiple sparks of flames which then distracted the tribal people as they began to ran up and down through the smoke.
"Go."
I slid away from Amerio's body, running towards the huts to make an escape. I looked behind me and lock eyes with the commander who then shift his focus to the large dreaded crowd.
My mind taking a turn as to why this strange ass man would help me...