Chapter 18: The Prince

Prince Bharagaven looked just as Q'Wasim remembered him. At over two meters tall, Gaven was the only person in Takanda who could look Q'Wasim in the eye. However, unlike Q'Wasim who was frequently described as big and awkward, the extra height only made the gallant prince seem even more self-assured and powerful. Even the characteristic dark red eyes and sharp-toothed smile of the Crimson Tiger looked friendly on the prince's face.

And right now, Gaven was grinning ear to ear. He quickly pulled Q'Wasim up and into a huge hug, exclaiming, "Wasi! You made it! I wondered when you would show up."

Q'Wasim did not respond. He could not believe it.

Gaven was here.

Gaven was alive.

Gaven was hugging Q'Wasim and saying, "It is good to see you too, you big oaf."

Q'Wasim shook his head. "This isn't possible. You're…"

"Dead?" Gaven said, pulling away a bit.

Q'Wasim could not look his old friend in the eye.

"I am," the prince confirmed, sobering. "I'm not here as Gaven. I am here as the Crimson Tiger. This is your last test."

Suddenly things made a bit more sense. "So…" Q'Wasim began.

"Think of me as a ghost," Gaven supplied, "If you become the Crimson Tiger, I will move on."

Q'Wasim nodded, trying to process Gaven's words. This was probably why the Crimson Tiger ceremony had been so soon. Gaven's official farewell ritual to help his spirit rest was supposed to be ten days after his funeral.

Gaven clapped Q'Wasim on the shoulder. "Now that the introductions are out of the way. You should prepare yourself for battle."

"Battle?" Q'Wasim repeated, still disoriented.

"Yes." The Crimson Tiger stepped back and gestured to somewhere behind Q'Wasim.

The Champion of the Kamal Tribe turned and saw ten tigers with black and golden orange fur sitting patiently before him.

"I see you have not miraculously found your celestial weapon," the Crimson Tiger said, walking over to the tenth tiger, "but things were going to be a bit unbalanced anyway."

Gaven knelt down and touched his head to the tiger's. The animal chuffed softly before turning into red mist and surrounding the best warrior in Takanda.

When the mist solidified into red armor, Q'Wasim felt his heart thud hard. He knew that Priyansi would be awed if she had been there to witness the true armor of the Crimson Tiger. It was a masterpiece with sanguine scales that were as small as those found on fish skin.

Q'Wasim struggled to swallow his own awe as Gaven knelt down to commune with the sixth tiger. "As for me," Gaven said, "the weapon I choose for us is what else, but swords." The sixth tiger became mist like the tenth. The vapor hovered around Gaven's hands and soon the prince was holding two mosan talwars.

He tossed one at Q'Wasim.

Q'Wasim dodged the weapon. It fell with a splash into the red liquid that surrounded them.

Gaven threw his head back and started to guffaw. "Wasi!" he managed after a few moments, "you were supposed to catch that. I know you could have."

"Perhaps," Q'Wasim replied, already bent over and searching the opaque liquid for the weapon. The Champion of the Kamal Tribe had not been interested in losing a hand before he had even begun their duel. He thought he was perfectly fine with picking the weapon up from out of the blood pool.

While Gaven chuckled in the background, Q'Wasim fruitlessly splashed around. The talwar seemed lost. However, when Q'Wasim stood up to ask for help, he found that the weapon had appeared in his dominant hand.

"This place is very strange," Q'Wasim observed, swinging the sword experimentally, "but I like this talwar." It was perfectly balanced and fit in his hand like it had been designed for him.

Gaven barked out another laugh. "Some things do not change," he declared, "but I hope that I will not say the same for your swordsmanship. I would like some semblance of a challenge today."

Q'Wasim smiled up at the prince and his familiar banter. There was nothing strange about Gaven being full of confidence.

"I will do my best," Q'Wasim promised.

"Let us hope it is enough," the Crimson Tiger replied, "Now." He lowered himself into his stance and the tigers around him dissolved into mist. As it fell back into the blood pool, he asked, "Are you ready to begin, Champion of the Kamal Tribe?"

Begin?

"Wait," Q'Wasim said. This could not be it. He had so many questions. "Do you not want to talk more? About Priyansi? Or about your…death?"

Gaven swung his sword in a slow showy arc so that the red mosan blade lay centimeters between them. "Wasi, if you live through this, I do have some final words, but for now…" The Crimson Tiger's eyes flashed bright red and his face went stern. "We must fight."

A/N:

I have returned. I had to with Black Panther 2 coming out today. I plan to see it tomorrow. I'm scared of what this sequel will bring. A man is dead and Disney still thought they needed this movie. If it does not show me its worth, I will have some hard decisions to make. Regardless of what happens there, I am hoping to get you another chapter of this next month. I hope you all are excited. Thank you for sticking with me. The rework of the climax is going slow and steady and I cannot wait for you all to see how this ends.

As my final words in this note, I'll say this: Happy Birthday to my writing buddy, BarrissOffee99. I hope that good news visits you soon. And good luck to my fellow Black Panther fans. Whatever this sequel brings, the legacy of Black Panther 1 will not be denied.

Wakana Forever

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