Show Me Yours, and I'll Show You Mine
Faint figures moved like shadows across the savannah, arriving on metallic beasts that emitted a cacophony of unfamiliar sounds. The earth trembled as five sleek machines raced toward them. Captain Jata and Usian descended back to Zarda's army below, landing right beside him.
"My King, we estimate they are less than two hours from us, advancing at a rapid speed," Jata reported.
"Fair enough, that seems like more than enough time to me," replied their king.
The Makana kingdom had expected their arrival, but not this quickly. Zarda's army marched confidently toward their pale foes. The voice of Elohim resonated in Zarda's mind, prompting an immediate halt. His warriors paused as well, worry etched on their faces as they looked to their king, who seemed lost in thought, gazing blankly at the sky. Zarda focused intently on his master's words. In an instant, his wand ignited in a vibrant purple flame, just as it had done in the past. The brilliance created a radiant light that enveloped him completely.
Elohims voice cried out to his creation, "Zarda, I understand that battle has arrived at your doorstep and that of your kingdom. As I promised, I will stand by your side. You have every right to defend yourself against the humans if necessary—they sought to take your lives for their own selfish motives. I will bestow my spirit upon your company, empowering your gifts to manifest. Every king must utilize the abilities I have granted them to support you in this fight. Today, you will discover the extent of your powers. However, I must caution you, Zarda; my plans for your future may not be what you anticipate."
Immediately after the master's words were spoken, his voice faded from Zarda's mind. He broke free from the trance and lifted up his wand over his head. Turning to his army, He shouted with a great voice for all to hear, "The master commands you all to unleash your powers today! We shall bring down the pale ones. Fear not, for his spirit is with us!" Zarda proclaimed with confidence.
Many placed their complete trust in the creator, as he frequently invoked their King to instill hope and security. The army felt a surge of excitement from Zarda's words, raising their voices in a powerful cheer. Mosiya's procession of warriors, resembling an elephant parade, grabbed their African drums and began playing a traditional tribal war song. The rhythmic beat invigorated Zarda, banishing all fear from his heart. With the spirit of the master alongside him and the drums of war resonating within his very being, he felt unstoppable. Zarda's muscles strained against his gleaming armor, his skin glowing a brilliant white beneath the bright sunlight, while his wand flickered with energy. Sparks danced across his hand and traveled up his arm from time to time, each jolt sending a thrilling rush through him. He felt invigorated, as if an electric current was surging through his veins, and it began to envelop him. A vibrant sphere of purple electricity expanded around him, forming a protective bubble. Within this radiant aura, he had complete freedom of movement. It was an energy shield infused with formidable power. In that moment, he grasped the true meaning of the gifts Elohim had spoken of. He welcomed the power, merging with its energy.
In a bid to inspire his troops, he passionately declared, "Your talents carry the essence of the divine. If you focus your minds on positivity, you will soon discover the strength within you." Zarda conveyed.
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned back towards his enemy. Energy blasts surged from his hands, rolling toward the pale figures like purple fireballs. They screeched to a halt in their vehicles, but there was no time to react; the blasts struck the first steel beast, sending it flipping into the air and contorting into a twisted wreck. The force of the impact drove it halfway into the ground, resembling a crumpled soda can. Inside, four of the pale beings were trapped—none survived. The assault infuriated the onlookers, who, fueled by anger, moved their extensive arsenal of weapons to the forefront. Zarda realized they were up against powers unlike anything they had ever encountered before.
"Brace yourselves for impact! This might hurt a little", He screamed.
The warriors without gifts cast aside their metal shields for protection, though they soon realized there was no need for such defenses. Some of the kings began to radiate power, their gifts glowing vibrantly. King Mosiya's spear sparked with crimson energy, unlike Zarda's wand, which blazed with flames. The sparks intensified, coalescing into a formidable wall that was transparent yet potent. This force field created a barrier between them and the pale adversaries. Mosiya had harnessed the ability to create energy constructs, allowing him to shape objects like cages, walls, and even bridges. His powerful formation arrived just in time to intercept a missile hurtling toward them. The projectile struck his wall, detonating upon impact. Although the explosion rattled the ground, it resulted in no harm to the Makana warriors, who pressed forward for another attack. King Jata ascended into the sky to unleash his powers. His ring pulsed with a rhythmic glow, blinking on and off, its pattern intensifying as he gained altitude. At the ideal height, Jata dove toward his foes, unleashing a deafening sonic scream. The sound was overwhelming, causing all beings, including the Makana warriors, to clutch their ears. The noise was disorienting, and the humans began to collapse, some even seizing on the ground. Zarda yelled for his warriors to shield their ears until the sound subsided, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him. He could only envision the impact on the frail pale people. Yet, they were cunning and well-trained, and this time the humans outwitted their opponents; some donned black ear coverings, known as headphones, to mute the debilitating noise.
Two more kings emerged to confront the humans: King Shani and King Zawad, radiating their full power. It was their moment to demonstrate their might. The humans retaliated by brandishing guns and firing liquid arrows in their direction. Two warriors were struck and collapsed to the ground, one of them crying out in pain. Mosiya quickly raised his shield to protect against further attacks, allowing Zarda to rush to the fallen warrior's aid. As he got closer, Zarda saw that Guard Oko from the hippo herd lay motionless, a liquid arrow having pierced a gap in his armor and severing a vital artery. Although his body was still warm, he had already succumbed. The other injured warrior, Wazingu, was not dead but had been hit in the shoulder, causing him to drop his weapon and writhe in agony. Zarda shouted for his medical team to come and assist. They immediately began the removal of the liquid arrow, and Wazingu's screams echoed before gradually fading as he grew lethargic. His body lay limp in the hands of the medical team, which included Yavu from the gazelle herd and Zebo Korfa from the zebra herd. They were bewildered; his breathing was faint, yet he was still alive. His eyes were closed, and he felt heavy with the weight of impending death. They rushed to administer mother's herb to him. The sight of their comrades falling brought joy to the pale humans, who exchanged high-fives, much to King Zawad's fury. Seizing his bow, which gleamed with an extraordinary brightness, he unleashed an arrow that shattered into thousands of flaming darts upon hitting the air. Each dart multiplied into millions. Zawad possessed the power of duplication, enabling him to divide himself and manipulate objects into hundreds at will.
"It's more difficult to evade multiple attacks than to deal with just one," he shared.
The pale figures gazed back in disbelief, momentarily frozen in place. It wasn't until the final instant that they registered the flaming arrows of light hurtling toward them. Upon impact, the arrows lodged into everything in their path, bursting into brilliant explosions that tore apart whatever they penetrated. The ground, the metal monstrosity, the humans—nothing was spared. A tall man in a dark green uniform suffered a gruesome injury as his arm was blown apart, sending blood and fragments flying into the air. The viscous red matter splattered onto nearby vehicles, the ground, and other pale figures. His screams echoed in terror as he clutched at the bloody remains of his limb, only to find a gory stump where his arm had been. He lost too much blood and quickly succumbed, slipping into unconsciousness and dying soon after. Several others around him had also been struck, facing the same grim fate. The remaining people took cover behind the open doors of the metal beasts, aware that the situation was anything but safe. King Shani watched and laughed at their foolishness.
"O lo'u taimi," said Shani, which meant 'it's my turn.'
The colossal creature advanced, twirling his spear in a sweeping circle before him. The swift motion stirred the air into a fierce whirlwind. Meanwhile, Shani was summoning an enormous tsunami wave. From the tip of his spear, a torrent of powerful water surged forth, crashing ahead. The force swept away several pale figures and numerous villagers who couldn't brace themselves, their desperate cries trailing behind them as they were carried off. Where the wave was leading them was anyone's guess. Some hoped into the open mouths of the crocodiles. Shani wore an expansive smile as he raised his spear in triumph. With so many pale figures remaining, most had climbed into the steel machines. Zarda observed some pacing around the metallic behemoths while others scaled their heights. They settled onto seats secured with a large device known as a torrent. He watched as one individual moved and twisted atop the vehicle. Soon, they would learn the true potential of that contraption. A massive blast from the torrent shook the ground beneath them and slammed against Mosiya's electric field barrier. Sparks flew like fireworks, cascading against the transparent shield and outward. The wall began to weaken, cracking from the center upward. Mosiya would need to dig deeper and generate a new force field.
The people showed remarkable resilience, launching yet another wave of heavy metal shards in their assault. The blasts rapidly chipped away at the wall. Zarda signaled for Jata to initiate another aerial strike to hinder their progress. The tawny eagle took flight, soaring through the sky like a missile, unleashing his powerful sonic scream. Fortunately, he had quickly learned to better control it this time, directing the sound specifically at the attackers rather than his allies. His precision paid off as he watched the enemies flinch and collapse under the impact. Turning to the Kings, Zarda searched for any signs that their powers were manifesting the gifts they held. As soon as the energy became apparent, he urged his warriors to harness it without hesitation. Zarda maintained a vigilant gaze, turning his attention next to King Sefu. The king's trident glowed an eerie lime green, shimmering with bursts of yellow light. With his eyes shut tight, Sefu raised the trident high and thrust it into the air. Ominous clouds gathered above the crowd, and terrifying bolts of lightning crackled within the darkness. Hailstones the size of baseballs began to rain down, wreaking havoc below. They smashed into the windshields of vehicles, leaving the occupants exposed. One impact even compromised the torrents, resulting in the loss of three out of five of the lethal machines. The hail pounded relentlessly against the metal, warping it as it battered the steel beast.
Zarda needed to mount another offensive while the pale people remained vulnerable. His urgency to create a strategy quickly, or establish a steady approach and stick to it, would ultimately decide their destiny. To eradicate these adversaries, they had to gather all their resources and come together as a united force.