INTO THE VOID

CHAPTER 32: THE CLAW

“Bravery is a rare commodity these days, so believe me when I say to you sire, Shambasa is as brave as they come. I have spent my life on the battlefield, I have seen heads roll and men die. This is pure chaos; where the boys are separated from the men and the men from the warriors. Shambasa is a great warrior, a valiant man and there are not a lot of men I will pick over him.”

“The Great Lion of Nubia, I have heard you. Call this Shambasa for me at once.” The King said. He was a man who commanded respect, the ruler of all Kush. There he was seated on his throne with a crown of gold resting on his head. This was a man that could command armies, a man who lived in plenty. His word was law and now with those words he sent for Shambasa.

“The Lion of Nubia roared and I answer; your majesty, I am here.” Xaviere said. It was more as though he heard himself say it.

“I have been told of your great exploits, the tales of your fame have reached my ears and so Shambasa, the claw, and I invite to join The Royal Guard.”

“It will be my greatest pleasure to serve in the courts of His Majesty.” Xaviere said. That was it, just like that by the recommendation of the general; Shambasa was now a member of the royal guard.

The Royal Guard was an elite squad of the best warriors tasked with the duty off guarding the palace and members of the Royal Court which includes The King, his wives and children within the palace. It was a great honor to serve in the Royal Guard and most warriors look forward to it.

The Royal Guard was set up as a contingency in the eventuality that the palace is attacked or the life of The King at risk. In the earlier days, the possibility of this happening was quite high as power was always shifting hands but that was years ago, when The Kingdom of Kush was still growing and her lions were still cubs.

In recent times, no sane person will even attempt to infiltrate the palace. The big empires from the south do not dare challenge The Kingdom of Kush. From far and wide, the fame of the lions is known abroad. So, now being in The Royal Guard was more or less nominal, a ceremonial position; a reason to live in the palace and eat from the table of The King, an excuse to be cloth in the finest of linen and surrounded by the shiniest gold. The Royal Guard was warrior heaven.

Now it was Shambasa’s turn to enjoy that heaven. His exploits in the battle of red sand had reached the ears of The King and now he has been inducted into The Royal Guard.

“Agu Feri will show you to your new quarters.” The King said waving his hand to dismiss the men from his presence. They both bowed and turned around walking away from the throne room.

“Did you tell the King about me? Shambasa asked after they had exited the King’s presence.

“Well, what can I say? The fame of a great warrior travels like a wild fire in a corn field.” Agu Feri said with a smirk on his face. Shambasa turn his head towards him and smiled.

“Thank you.” Shambasa said. There was a mutual respect between the two men. They hardly spoke but whenever they did there was an air of admiration in their voices. Agu Feri respected Shambasa for his strength and experience and Shambasa revered him for his experience and yes, the man was very experienced.

Agu Feri was a man who grew up around war. He was about forty-two years old and he had spent the greater part of those years fighting; fighting survival on the streets, fighting in the wars of kings, fighting to secure the dominance of the kingdom. This was a man who has seen death, looked it in the eyes and escapes its clutches time and time again.

Due to the nature of the battlefield, many warriors do not live to see their thirtieth birthdays. It is quite unfortunate but it is an unfortunate reality the warriors have to endure. So, for a man like Agu Feri who has seen so many years, he is held in high regard by warriors and assailants. The scars on his back are a testament to his feats.

“Nikita, this is Shambasa the Claw. I trust you have made the necessary arrangements for his arrival. Shambasa, this is Nikita. She will oversee your entry into the quarters. If you have any concerns or specifications, let her know. I will be on my way.” Agu Feri said. Shambasa bowed in respect as his commanding office exited the premises.

“Let me show you around.” Nikita said as she walked into the room they had been standing outside. Nubia was a kingdom of riches, the conquests of the lions made it so. The people had large farms and grew grains. The waters were blessed with fishes of all kinds. Riches flowed in the kingdom but like in every other civilization, there was strata and class. Men were separated by how much they owned. But even at that, there is a saying amongst the kingdoms, “A Nubian beggar is a king somewhere else.”

Shambasa did not come from the richest of homes. His father was but a farmer; growing grain for his household and selling the surplus. They were not of royal blood. They did not sit with scholars and go through ancient texts of wisdom. Shambasa grew up on the farm, ploughing the ground and tilling the soil. After the demise of his father, Shambasa enlisted into the army as by tradition the farmland was inherited by the eldest son; his brother.

At the time of his enlistment, the reigning king was seeking to expand the army as the kingdom was growing rapidly, stepping on many toes along the way and hence attracting more threats and enemies. The Lions of Nubia is a formidable group of warriors made up of skilled killers. No mere man can just get enlisted. The recruitment was rigorous and the trainings hectic. Shambasa new this well and still made up his mind to join in.

The ranking in the Nubian army was simple. There was the infantry known as the Cubs; it was made up of newly enlisted young men; fresh blood and there was the cavalry known as the Mane. These men rode horses and wielded swords. Amongst the Mane, there were special factions led by commanders; these men wielded weapons of personal choice. They were master killers and were masters of whatever weapons they wielded. Agu Feri was one of such commanders.

“I hope everything is too your liking?” asked Nikita after she had shown him around the room that will now serve as his living quarters. Shambasa took a quick look around the room, looking from the door to the ceiling to the bed which was covered with soft clothing; softer than anything he had slept on. Of course everything was to his liking but in order not to seem too excited as warriors were not to show emotion, he said,

“This will do for now.”

“Come, let me show you to the Commander of the Royal Guard.” Nikita said as she walked out of the room. Shambasa followed. The Commander of the Royal Guard; Enakuta, a man that needed no introduction. He was Commander at the Mane and at his time of active service had many feats to his name. The most famous of them all being his exploits at the battle of blue waters.

A major fishing ground claimed by the Kingdom was under contention by another kingdom. What started as little squabbles became quarrels and these quarrels escalated to killings and this became a full blown battle. Enakuta and his men were required to go and restore peace to the troubled area after the turmoil was beginning to linger a little too much. By restore peace, that is them basically going to murder and dismember the aliens.

In this battle, Enakuta singlehandedly decapitated fifty men and killed many more. Wielding a double-sided battle axe, he lay waste to men that day, blood dripped down his weapon and the waters that was once blue was filled with a lot of red. The name Enakuta became known everywhere. This man was a terror to kingdoms. As a reward for his many victories, the king honored him with the position of Commander of the Royal Guard.

“Commander Enakuta…” Nikita called out as she bowed her head in reverence to the man, the myth, the legend. He was a tall man, he had the build of a giant and his name Enakuta literally meant a big rock. He stood sturdy, a man that did not easy fall; this man could sleep standing if he wanted. It was literally impossible to picture him lying down.

“Nikita, what brings you to our courts?” Enakuta asked as he turned around to address her.

“Agu Feri asked me to bring you this warrior, Shambasa the Claw.” She replied with her still bowed and her arm stretched out towards Shambasa who was standing at her right side. He bowed his heads as she mentioned his name.

“So, you are the one we have been hearing about…” said Enakuta as he took slow, heavy steps towards Shambasa completely ignoring Nikita’s presence. He came closer and closer until he was just a few inches away Shambasa. Enakuta was standing tall looking down at Shambasa. He stood so close to him, he could feel the breath of the tall man on his face. The two men stood there looking into each other’s’ eyes; there was a stand-off.

“I like this one.” Enakuta said heartily to the other men who were present in the room after a few tensed seconds of trying to intimidate Shambasa but the warrior stood unscathed. He then took his hand in a shake and said to him, “Welcome to the Royal Guard. Three hearty cheers for the claw.” And the other warriors then roared “Alakume, Alakume, Alakume.”

The men were nice to Shambasa; they accepted him as a brother, a fellow warrior who has also seen the gores of the battlefield, one who had stared death in the face and cheated him many times. In his honor, a feast was thrown; a warriors’ feast. Due to the fact that warriors were forbidden to be intoxicated while on duty, the could only serve freshly tapped, unfermented palm wine with roasted beef.

The ceremony was held in the warrior’s court; a large room located in the basement of the castle. Shambasa was awarded his customary red cape as a member of the guard. Shambasa was the master of twin axes. The weapons were mounted as an X on his back. He also had a sword sheathed and place by his waist. The red cape was folded as a sash and placed diagonally on the warrior.

There he was, the son of a peasant farmer adorned in the of prestigious armor of the King’s Royal Guard. This was the most eventful night of his life and this moment will be burned into his memory for life.

But what happened? How did this man; this great warrior go from being the celebrated warrior to a fugitive hunted by the same men that celebrate him today? What changed? It all started when he met Layla or as he will grow to call her, Desertwind.