Say Walah

20: Reckoning

As I approached the main gates of Uka, the Onowu's estate, the walls of strong baobab wood loomed before me. Two hefty guards, bare-chested and easily twice my size, stood watch. Despite my own considerable height, they still managed to tower over me.

"Halt," the one on the left growled, his hand resting on the hilt of a curved blade. "State your business."

I met his gaze steadily. "I need to speak with the Onowu. It's urgent."

The guard on the right let out a bark of laughter. "The Onowu doesn't take unexpected visitors. Turn back now, if you know what's good for you."

I took another step forward. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

Their postures shifted, muscles tensing as they moved to block my path. "This is your last warning," the first guard snarled.

I sighed, almost regretfully. "So be it."

As the guard on the left reached for his weapon, I exploded into action. My right hand shot out, striking him precisely in the throat. He stumbled back, choking and gasping.

The second guard, caught by surprise, swung a meaty fist at my head. I ducked under it, feeling the wind of its passage above my head. As his momentum carried him forward, I drove my elbow hard into his belly. The air left his lungs in a beat.

Before either could recover, I spun, delivering a roundhouse kick to the first guard's jaw. His head snapped back, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

The second guard, still struggling for breath, lunged at me with a roar. I side-stepped, using his own momentum to guide him past me. As he stumbled by, I brought my knee up sharply into his belly. He bent forward sharply, a strangled groan escaping him before a precise strike dropped him to the ground, out cold beside his companion.

The entire exchange had taken less than few moments.

I looked down at the two unconscious forms, a brief pang of regret settling in my chest. They were only following orders, but I had my own duty to fulfill.

For a moment, the air seemed still, the world holding its breath. Then, with a deep exhale, I stepped over their prone bodies and pushed open the heavy wooden gate. The silence shattered as a horn blared, echoing across the compound, summoning a storm I was all too ready to face. I knew what was coming, and I welcomed it. My blood sang with a familiar rhythm, one I hadn't felt in years.

The first wave came at me like a flood - five men, all muscle and aggression. I could smell their sweat, see the hunger for violence in their eyes. But where they had brute force, I had experience and a lifetime of honed instinct.

The leader, a brute with a nasty scar across his cheek, swung a heavy club at my head. I ducked under it, feeling the whoosh of air as it passed. In the same motion, I drove my fist into his belly. He folded like a piece of wet cloth, gasping for air.

Two more rushed me from either side. I waited until the last second, then stepped back. They collided with a satisfying crunch. As they stumbled, dazed, I grabbed their heads and knocked them together. They dropped like stones.

The fourth man came at me with a spear. I side-stepped his thrust, grabbed the shaft, and used his own momentum to fling him over my shoulder. He crashed into a nearby fruit stand, disappearing under a cascade of mangoes and papayas.

The fifth, seeing his comrades fall, hesitated. Smart man. But not smart enough. He drew a machete, circling me warily. I stood still, hands relaxed at my sides, waiting. He lunged, blade flashing in the sun. I caught his wrist, twisted, and the machete clattered to the ground. A quick knee to the gut and an elbow to the back of his head, and he joined his friends in unconsciousness.