SuperSoldier (SI-OC/MCU) ENG

45: Jailbreak

45: Jailbreak

"If this information is real, do you truly believe it is wise to continue maintaining our neutrality in this conflict, my King?"

The Great Hall of the Royal Council fell into a tense silence after Zuwena Amahle, Leader of the River Tribe, spoke.

Almost tentatively, the gazes of all the tribal leaders turned toward the imposing and magnificent dark throne at the center of the room.

Seated upon it in a relaxed posture, T'Chanda, King of Wakanda, softly drummed his fingers on the armrest of his seat, caressing the intricate golden engravings that adorned the dark metal.

As if he had not heard what Zuwena had said, his gaze slowly drifted toward the enormous windows of the hall, whose glass panes reflected the vast expanse of his kingdom. Through them, he beheld the hills covered in vibrant green, the fertile fields stretching to the horizon, and the tranquil streams winding through the land.

But above all, what his eyes captured was his people: the homes built with dedication and effort, the roads connecting every corner of his domain, the lands worked by loyal hands, and the crops flourishing under his watch. Everything his kingdom represented, everything his ancestors had built and protected with their lives, lay before him, reminding him of the weight resting upon his shoulders—everything he had to protect.

His sharp eyes then settled on Zuwena with an intensity that made the man shudder.

"It seems you question my decision, Zuwena. I thought I had made it clear: Wakanda will not intervene in the conflicts of the white man."

"B-but my lord! They are playing with forces they cannot comprehend—if this continues, the world could face an unprecedented crisis!" Zuwena spoke again despite his inner fears.

"The outside world has always faced great crises, and none have ever affected Wakanda. Even if some of them have begun working with dark forces, while our people remain under the protection of the great goddess Bast, those vile demons will never be able to breach our borders," another tribal leader replied, looking at Zuwena as if he were a fool, slight disdain forming in his eyes.

"But!—"

"Enough!" T'Chanda exclaimed, plunging the hall into silence once more. Then, he spoke again, more softly.

"I have already discussed this with the Grand Shaman. As long as the great goddess Bast does not command otherwise, Wakanda will not intervene. That is final."

Zuwena Amahle could do nothing but sink into his seat, shoulders slumped, feeling the weight of the gazes of all the other tribal leaders upon him.

"I understand, my King..."

Letting out a long sigh, he could only resign himself.

'I hope... this is the right decision.'

.

.

.

"Well? What's the verdict?" John asked, arms crossed as he watched Clea finish examining Charles and Cassandra.

The white-haired woman remained silent for a moment before responding, a slight uncertainty in her voice.

"Well, whatever they did to defeat the demon caused their minds to lock themselves away, in what I assume was an attempt to protect themselves. Maybe I can do something, but I've never dealt with anything like this before, so I can't guarantee it will work."

For the most part, mental sorcery focused more on protecting oneself from dark influences rather than treating others, so even her master would have difficulty handling this kind of "affliction" without some special means.