Book 1: LIFE

CHAPTER 10:

THE KIWAJOU TRIBE

Zhong was sitting easy under the canopy of green leaves above him. The grass was soft and the faint sounds of the forest didn't seem so close to him where he lay. Zhong closed his eyes and took another deep breath. He exhaled and grew a small grin on his rugged face. It felt good to be out for him.

He lay spread eagle facing upwards where a large, winged Spirit passed above, gently moving its flippers in tandem with the large wings. It gave a low moan and flew off towards the sky. "I guess I better be going." Zhong said aloud as he got to his feet and stretched out the kinks in his back. He lifted his sack onto his shoulder and set off through the thin trees. He walked for a while with a bit of a skip in his step. The forest became a bit denser as he shifted down a small cliff, but he took no notice. Finally, he emerged into a brown and dusty clearing.

"Where am I now?" Zhong asked as he looked around at the barren, sun baked land. He withdrew a map and gave it a look over as the sound of low, beating drums wafted through the air. Zhong looked up and surveyed the area, just making out a small tribe situated in the middle of the barren land. A line of tall, withered black trees edged a pathway that led to the main gate of the tribe. Zhong moved closer, keeping his pack slung over one shoulder with a shaking hand.

The walls of the compound were made of what looked to be bone and leather, horridly stitched together and giving it an almost barbaric sort of appearance.

Zhong moved inside.

There were large huts made of bamboo, mud, and what looked to be bone again. Zhong moved through the silent village and could not help noticing the much larger proportions of everything. The doorways could have fit two of Zhong sideways and had about three feet more to the height. Plates and bowls were big and deep and he had a hard time telling in the cups were actually cups or not just large vases. Zhong poked back out of a hut and looked around, "I didn't think there were any giants in this world." Zhong said to himself as he wandered towards the beating drums.

Now came the most impressive sight. A large stadium, easily the highest building in the compound was made of caked mud, moss, bone, and earth. Zhong almost broke his back just trying to peer at the top of it. There were no doors as far as he could see but the archways seemed to be inviting any and all giants with open, grim arms. Zhong took a step forward and moved up a small flight of stairs and passed through the next archway to the arena.

In the center of the arena was a mad Hippo-Gator. It was prowling around, its large mouth opened in a snarl as its reptile tail swished back and forth. At another end of the arena stood a woman about Zhong's height and just about as muscled as him too (and that was saying something).

Zhong ran to the rail, looking desperately at the event unfolding before him. The woman didn't seem to be afraid, but she wasn't armed either. "Run!" Zhong shouted out. Instantly, he felt every eye in the arena close in on him. The woman didn't react.

Zhong leapt over the rail with a single bound and rushed forward towards the Hippo-Gator, sword drawn. The beast turned its attention to its new prey, snapping at Zhong as he jumped over a rock in the enclosure. Zhong swung but the Hippo-Gator gnawed the sword in its mouth. Zhong struggled to get it free but it was no use. Finally he began to kick the thing. The Hippo-Gator loosened its grip to bite off Zhong's foot but Zhong skillfully lunged backwards and swung. The Hippo-Gator went down and Zhong sheathed his sword again. "Now, what were you…" Zhong began as he turned to the woman.

A fist punched him square in the face, sending him hurtling to the ground and skidding more than two feet away. He gripped his nose and looked up to see a very angry woman standing there. She was fuming. "What was that for?" Zhong asked her as he checked to make sure he wasn't bleeding. He turned towards a bow situated a few feet off the arena floor.

The box had bone columns and was roofed by a thin flap of leather. Marble and wooden seats were lined up inside of it and rich carpets were draped over the otherwise dusty floor. In it were many small, scrawny though fearsome looking men. A larger man sat on one of the marble thrones with tanned skin, blistered hands, and a head of black dreadlocks that fell down his back. This is the man that stood up and addressed Zhong personally.

"Who are you?" the man boomed over what Zhong now realized was a rowdy and bad tempered crowd. "Why have you disrupted the ritual? What business have you here?"

"Ritual?" Zhong asked as he got to his feet and skirted nervously around the still angry woman. "I was trying to save this woman from the beast. What sort of barbaric people are you?"

"Barbaric?" This caused quite an uproar from the crowd and Zhong could hear weapons clanging against the hard clay. "It is custom that a virgin warrior be sacrificed in battle on the day of our prince's birth."

"This is…a birthday party?" Zhong summed up as he gave a wary look around the grim arena. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned in time to se spears rise to meet his neck. The woman was being escorted out of the ring as the guards surrounded Zhong. They were easily two feet taller than Zhong himself and he raised his hands, ready for whatever grim fate was waiting on the other end of those spears.

"Guards, hold him there." The leader boomed as the guards tightened their circle around Zhong.

"Wait. Is it possible for you to tell me more about this ritual?" Zhong pleaded as sweat began to form on his brow. "You see, I am a stranger to these parts, I merely lost my way. Maybe if I understand what it is I disrupted I can make it right." The leader gave a large humph as some shouts went out from the crowd.

"It is tradition that the Kiwajou Tribe always have a day of arena matches in honor of our prince's 16th birthday. The ceremonies begin with the sacrifice of a virgin warrior to a beast and then we send out best warriors to fight to the death in the arena. The winner then faces our prince in one final duel, the prince's rite of passage into his seat of power."

"And who is this prince?"

There was some movement in the box as the advisors bowed down to the figure sitting in the only other marble seat. Zhong had to hold his laughter as he looked at the young man sitting in it. He looked so out of place amongst the tanned and dark skin of all the other Kiwajous. He was pale white with curly, black hair. He had a strong chin and seemed lean yet muscular for his young age. "The Kiwajou prince, Shishou."

The boy straightened up in his chair, a nice little glare aimed straight at Zhong. "Well, I must say that I am sorry." Zhong called out as he made a feeble attempt to bow. The moment he had even twitched, the guards were on him, his arms pinned to his side and spears locked on his throat.

"You will be sorrier still." The leader boomed out as the crowd got loud again. "To pay for the disruption of the ritual, you will also take a seat in the games."

"What?" Zhong shouted as he struggled through the guard's grips.

"Quartermaster! Equip him with armor and weapons." The leader boomed as he sunk to his seat as a squat and pudgy man with two large gold earrings ran out of the arena and into a storage room. "If he is so keen to fight, we will see him bleed."

This got a nice roar from the crowd as the guards backed off and Zhong found himself weighted down by heavy armor that was clearly not made for him. He gripped the scimitar that he was given and watched as five other warriors entered the arena from different archways. He began to feel the sweat pool on his brow and he gulped.

This match would mean taking a life; and that was something he did not intend to do again.

The warriors began to circle the arena like vicious animals. Some growled or grunted and rolled their shoulders through their thin armor. Zhong sensed no fear in them or intimidation. Suddenly, one lunged. They attacked the warrior beside him and the two took off into a heated and quick brawl. Their swords flashed through the air and one finally caught the other's leg.

Zhong was brought to his senses when he saw two of the warriors make a dash for him. He threw up his sword in time to block the attack and quickly spun to the side as the men fell forward from the weight on their swords. The only other warrior leapt over a rock and spun with a quick strike at the other two fighting warriors. He struck one of them in the back, taking one competitor out of the competition.

Zhong gulped as he saw the two that he was fighting split up, going in opposite directions towards him. Zhong backed up into the wall. He flashed his swords to the sides, keeping the warriors at a far enough range that Zhong was safe for a moment.

The other fight had now gone primal. The two warriors had knocked the swords out of each other's hands and were now rolling around in the dirt, throwing punches at each other. They rolled into a rock, one of the fighters bashing the other's skull into it. Surprisingly, the fighter lived and clamped down hard on the other warrior's neck. The warrior let out a howl as he threw punch after punch into the man's side.

Zhong swung left and one warrior lunged. Zhong blocked the swipe and threw the man backwards. Zhong turned his attention to the warrior on the left and took a great lunge at him and quickly swiped below the knee, slicing the man's shins. The warrior went down as Zhong quickly deflected the other warrior's sword. But the warrior just moved past him. He leapt onto the fallen fighter and ended him in one swift attack.

There were now only four fighters left.

Zhong sprinted away towards a large pillar in the arena. He hid behind it, knowing full well that the warrior would be looking for him. He glanced to his side and saw the other two fighters beaten and bloody on the ground. Their strength was gone and even Zhong knew that now would be a good time to strike.

He stumbled over to them and jumped over a feeble swing of one of the fighters. Instantly, Zhong ducked as the only other capable fighter reached him. Zhong blocked the blow and looked down just in time to miss the knife that almost cut his heel. He turned and drove his sword down.

There were three fighters left.

Zhong couldn't believe it. He had done it this time, for real.

-and it felt good.

Zhong turned in his blood lust, let out a great shout and swung with all his might at the other warrior. He glanced off of his sword, sparks flying when they struck metal. Zhong sidestepped towards the fighter who was getting to his feet. He gave him a kick and then plunged his sword in.

Now it was only Zhong and the warrior.

Zhong gave a growl as the warrior began to back off. Zhong gave a shot, launching forward again into a strong swing and quick attacks. The warrior tripped over a rock, falling to the ground as Zhong stood over him and kept swinging. He didn't notice the disagreeable shouts from the crowd as he dealt the final blow.

Zhong was victorious.

He backed up as medics arrived to carry off the bodies of those who had failed. Zhong turned to the box, the leader was clearly upset but Zhong noticed that Shishou had disappeared. "I believe that I won!" Zhong shouted a power and rage filling him like never before. Something had clicked in him, something wicked that he loved so much. Even the small nagging feeling of guilt inside of him seemed to be quenched.

"Yes, you have." The leader announced. There was a great grinding sound as Zhong turned and saw the young prince enter the arena, a fierce look on his face and a heavy load of leather armor across him. He had two long scimitars in his hand which he raised up, aiming straight for Zhong's heart.

Zhong readied himself again, willing himself to finish this brat and leave. But something was awake inside of him. Some animal had been uncaged that needed this violence to live. And inside, Zhong felt something restraining it, something was pulling him back.

He ignored it as he ran towards Shishou. Shishou raised the swords and deflected Zhong easily enough. Zhong was shocked. Shishou readied himself again.

For someone who looked like no threat by account of the people who surrounded him, this kid was actually quite ferocious. Zhong began again but this time he stopped in mid swing, hoping to trick the youth.

Shishou unleashed a flurry of attacks on Zhong, leaving him out of breath and with badly fractured armor. Shishou gave him another glare as he rushed Zhong. Zhong sidestepped most of his attacks. There was a large shouting in the stands as Zhong and Shishu sparred. Eventually Zhong was able to knock one of the swords out of Shishou's hand and tried to knock him down. Instead, Shishou flicked his arm and a knife flashed into his hand. He threw it straight at Zhong, having it just graze his hair.

Zhong stumbled backwards a bit before he locked blades with Shishou, each barring down on the hilt of the sword. Shishou was grunting as he struggled to overtake Zhong. Zhong took a step to the side and heaved upwards. Shishou flew backwards, losing grip on his sword. Zhong flew forward, his sword held at Shihsou's throat as the monster inside of him started to rear up.

Then a loud, hissing, vile cheer went up from the crowd. Zhong looked upwards, seeing the many Kiwajous barring down on him from the stands. "Of course" Zhong thought to himself.

A stranger has already beaten their best warriors and about to kill their prince. THAT they would not take.

Zhong spun around, marking each of the tall, muscular men and women that were advancing upon him. "I won fair and square!" Zhong shouted. The leader was shouting something to him but Zhong could not hear him. Strangely, he heard the clanging of metal coming from outside the arena.

Suddenly, the Global Army swooped in with full gear on. The Kiwajous backed up as the men ran in with spears and crossbows. Zhong knew an opening when he saw one. He sprinted towards one of the doors into the floor of the arena. He ducked under some hooks hanging from the ceiling and descended into the basement of the stadium.

He ducked through the tight, dark passageways and finally kicked out through a plank of wood into broad daylight. He took a few seconds to adjust to the light before trying to take off.

Someone grabbed him and flung him backwards and into an archway of the stadium.

"Are you okay? Nothing's broken is it?"

"I'm fine, Aitoku." Zhong replied as Aitoku checked around to make sure no one was there.

"What were you even doing here?" Aitoku asked in a concerned hiss.

"I should be asking you that, not you asking me." Zhong stated. "I left the army, I can be wherever I want to be."

"Not when it gets you into trouble." Aitoku snapped. "Don't forget, I'm still in charge of protecting people. By that fact alone, your business is still mine."

"I don't need your protection." Zhong shrugged past him. Aitoku sat there for a moment before he turned to Zhong.

"Did something happen?" Atoku asked out loud.

Zhong stopped in his tracks, his shoulders becoming rigid. He heaved a deep sigh and hung his head. "I killed, for real this time." Zhong admitted as Aitoku's eyes popped open.

"Are you okay?" Aitoku moved forward to Zhong's elbow.

"No." Zhong admitted. "I killed, and it felt good." Zhong turned to Aitoku with sad eyes as Aitoku looked frantically around he moved in closer and hugged Zhong around the neck. "I'm sorry, Aioku."

"Just…tell me you still will not harm anyone innocent." Aitoku pleaded. Zhong merely squeezed harder. He broke free and took the pack that Aitoku offered him. "Don't go down hat road, Zhong. Please."

"I won't." Zhong said as he took the pack and walked away, wishing beyond wishes that Aitoku would stop him. That Aitoku could put the clamp on the animal inside of him as he had in that arena. That Aitoku would be his rock forever. He marched onwards though as General Aitoku returned to his troops inside of the arena.

The Master was almost there.