Show Me ↝ Black Panther

21

The situation wasn't looking good. N'Deke did his best not to look at the bodies littering the ground, instead focusing on the scene in front of him. There were very few Dora Milaje, Mekate included, remaining on the battlefield, along with Nakia and Shuri. They were completely surrounded by the Border Tribe. W'Kabi was seated on his rhinoceros, glaring at them as he gave them a total of three seconds to surrender.

"Now," M'Baku said.

His tribesmen began to bark in unison, destabilizing everyone. M'Baku, N'Deke, and Akina made their way forward onto a big rock. The former lifted up one of the Border tribesmen, snarling. "Witness the might of the Jabari firsthand!"

Relieved sighs and grins ran through the women. Shuri reached behind her and retrieved the vibranium flute. "N'Deke, here!" She threw it at him.

He caught it, nodding thankfully and looked at Akina. "Are you ready?"

"Are you?"

"As long as you're with me."

"Then let's do this."

They jumped down into the crowd with battle cries. N'Deke willed the flute to deploy. This was his time to show himself what he was capable of. It was a shame it had to be against a tribe they once peacefully cohabited with.

Come on, just like in Korea, he mentally encouraged himself.

With that, he slammed the baton into the legs of one of the men charging at him, swiping him off his feet. Another one came running and this time, N'Deke hit him across the head. The vibrations caught the man off guard and gave the boy an occasion to knock him out with a quick hit.

He caught sight of Akina fighting with a ferocity he'd never seen. It brought a smile to his lips, though it was brief. He had to remind himself where he was and focus once more on the opponents coming at him. 

Someone bumped into his back. He quickly turned around. "Shuri! You scared me." With the mayhem raging around him he hadn't even heard her drawing closer.

"Sorry." She pointed her weapon at one of the River tribesmen and a blast of blue energy shot out at him.

"Where's my mother?" N'Deke asked.

"We made sure that anyone who wasn't fighting made it to a safer location."

"And your brother?"

"Fighting N'Jadaka."

It felt weird to hear her call him by his Wakandan name. The man acted nothing like them, and yet there was no denying that had things gone differently, he could be the one sitting on the throne instead of T'Challa.

"Watch out!" He jumped onto the back of a Border tribesman who'd attempted to hit Shuri. N'Deke wrapped his baton around the man's throat and squeezed. The latter fell to his knees, clawing at the weapon restricting his air flow. N'Deke let him go and Shuri hit him with another blast. 

N'Deke suddenly felt uneasy. M'Bao had yet to be seen, and N'Deke doubted he was cowering away among those who were not partaking in the battle. Shuri would've told him. 

Where was the man?

"Shuri." He dodged a hit and kicked his leg out. "I have an awful gut feeling. Keep your eyes out."

Without giving her time to respond, he took off in the opposite direction, dodging bodies as he did. Mekate called out to him but he could barely hear her over the sound of his own labored breathing and pounding heart. Soon, however, he realized what she was trying to tell him.

Up ahead, geared up like a true warrior, was none other than M'Bao himself. He held a spear, poised and ready. His gaze met N'Deke's. Something sharp and tense passed in between them. M'Bao quickly diverted his gaze and threw the spear with lethal accuracy. Straight towards Akina. 

N'Deke's eyes widened. He yelled her name as he willed his legs to carry him fast, fast, faster. But he wasn't fast enough. Akina's gasp remained burned into his mind as she fell to her knees. He all but threw himself at her, catching her before the rest of her body hit the ground. His fingertips grazed the handle of spear protruding from her back. 

"No," he whispered.

The Border Tribe at last surrendered, but N'Deke did not notice or care enough to. All he could see was the crimson pool slowly staining the dry grass beneath them as he held her close to him. 

Mekate joined them but N'Deke was not letting anyone near his sister. He held on to her tightly. "Akina, no." His tongue felt as heavy as lead.

She shakily lifted one of her hands and placed it against his cheek. Her grip slid, leaving a trail of blood on his skin. "Mfowethu."

"Usisi," he replied, eyes watering. "It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay, just hang in there." He scanned his surroundings. "Shuri? Shuri! Please, help her."

"It's all right, N'Deke. It's all right." Her hand fell. He caught it and squeezed it between his own. "There's one more thing I need you to do for me," she said. Her voice was gradually growing weaker.

He tried to answer at first but no sound came out. Bast, where was Shuri at? He'd just seen her.

Akina stared up at him, unblinking. Hope swam behind her dimming eyes. He swallowed hard. "What is it?"

She reached for her spear and pushed it towards him. She gathered enough energy to utter out six more words before the darkness, at last, pulled her under. "Show him who N'Deke Motobe is."