Adventures Of The Bushika

Chapter Two

“My search has finally come to an end! Thank the spirits!” The old man in prison with Alves celebrated with a genuine smile. 

“What is going on Mr? I don't really understand anything you just said.”

“Listen to me, young one. My name is Trent Auriel, I came from the Eastlands in search of Bushika. I made contact with a powerful Wizard in the Oak village and he told me that I would find the Bushika here in the Westlands. I've been searching for that one person all these years. When I got arrested, I thought my search was over. But now look at you, right in front of me. Destiny is at work here.”

“I don't even know you.”

“Young one, you don't need to know me to believe this. Here, touch this.” Trent stretched the Medallion to him, and it glowed again as it got closer to Alves. 

“I don't think I want this.” Alves shifted backwards. 

“What is your name?’ Trent took a step forward. 

“Alves.”

“Alves, your birth was for a reason. In every generation, there is evil and there's a hero born to fight that evil. We live in a world infected by the tyranny of Arman Butshaf and his followers, bullying villagers in the name of taxes, raping our women and forcing our sons into battle. I know you have a family.”

“I have a sister.” Alves whispered. 

“Now tell me, now that you are here? What do you think will happen to your sister? These heartless creatures will gladly take her clothes off when she can no longer afford to pay their heavy taxes. And you hold the power to turn everything around. If you take the powers of the Bushika, you will not only save your village from the Doshikans, you will go as far as saving the world from Arman Butshaf.”

Trent looked deep into Alves’s eyes, he could see the good in that young handsome man and from that, he could tell that Alves was the man for the job. 

“But, how can one man save the world from all these? Arman Butshaf has armies everywhere, how can I stop them when their numbers grow everyday, spreading all over like a plague?”

“The wizard in Oak village, he knows much about Arman Butshaf and he will help you on your quest to defeat him. If you can eliminate Arman, then his armies will definitely fall and go divided because they will no longer have a leader.” 

“What is the name of this wizard?”

“Arithayal.”

Bang! The cells opened and a Doshikan soldier walked in. “Hey old man, the time for your execution has finally come.” He walked straight to Trent and held the chains attached to his neck like a dog. Alves held in the tears in his watery eyes as he saw them leading him out to where he would take his last breath. 

Just before the doors could be locked back, Trent made a final request. “Can I say a proper goodbye to the young man Alves?”

“One minute, go on. Quickly!” The soldier said. 

Trent walked slowly back to his new friend, “Listen Alves, today is my final day on this earth, we've only known each other since yesterday. But I want you to know that this is how people you don't really know will keep dying until it gets to the people you love, or even you yourself. Take his medallion. I'm leaving it in your hands, anytime you look at it, just remember you have the power to end all this suffering.” He handed the Medallion over to Alves, then followed the soldier outside. 

Alves didn't know what to do, he kept looking at the old man being led away in the dark passage, “Me? Save the world? Me, a bread thief?” He asked himself. 

*****

The villagers were all gathered for the execution. Women and children with fear in their eyes and fear in their heart. They had lived with that in the past years and always wondered when it would all end.

“People of Westlands, I am Zhain, Commander of the Doshikan forces, and this man right here, Trent Auriel has been found guilty of treason.”

“Oh….” The crowd exclaimed as Alves watched the whole scenario through the small window on his prison walls. 

“This man was found walking around the village, telling people that our Lord Arman Butshaf is a tyrant and not a good leader.”

“Woo…!” The crowd sounded again. 

“He kept telling the people that he is in search of the Bushika, a person he believes to have the power to stop our one true leader, Arman.” He paused to look at the innocent faces around, the scared women and the once fearless men who had now been baptised in fear, and it made him smile. 

“Today, we will execute this man and it should serve as a lesson to all of you who will want to speak against our Lord Butshaf and to those who will ever want to speak about the Bushika. No one is allowed to speak of the Bushika in the Westlands. Speak of him and you shall lose your tongues to the Doshikan sword.”

It was already unbearable. Everyday seemed to come with a new rule, making it harder to avoid trouble. 

All eyes fell on Trent Auriel as his hands were chained behind him, his head placed on a wood and a man stood beside him with a sharp blade. 

“Oh no! These wicked people.” Alves cried in the dusty prison, squinting his eyes to see the blade which reflected the brilliance of the sun. “May the spirits be with you, Trent my new friend.” He finally said as he saw the blade go down to the old man's neck, as it rose up again, Trent’s body was left with no head!

*****

Khira was in the bush getting dry wood to make dinner for her brother in prison. Her hair was tied back beautifully revealing her perfect eyes which had caused a lot of men to fight. It was always safe when her brother was around but it suddenly felt like it was just her alone in the world. 

“Hey! You!” A scary voice came behind her and she immediately turned to see a Doshikan soldier. 

“Greetings Soldier.” She sounded nice. 

“You are young and beautiful.” His compliment came powerfully like an order. 

“Thank you soldier.”

“Has a man ever been inside you?”

“I'm sorry, no!”

“Good, cos I'd like to be the first. Come here.” He grabbed her by her arm and dragged her towards him. 

“Please no, you're hurting me.”

“You're still very fresh, succulent. I want to be inside you.” He pushed her to the wet grass and took out his belt to tie her hands up above her head. “I don't want to hurt you pretty girl, but if you resist, I'll be forced to hit you.”

“You're already hurting me, don't do this to me please, I'm a virgin.”

“That makes you sweeter!” 

The soldier took off his pants and just when he was about to go down on her, his consciousness gave out to a strong plank of wood that was hit to his head by a boy who was nearby observing the whole scene. 

“Thank you for saving me Henry.” There was relief mixed in Khira’s voice as she was being untied. She quickly pushed the unconscious man off her body, then stood to her feet. 

“Hurry, let's leave before the rest of them discover their man is hurt. Let's go quickly.”

Henry took her hand, leading her out of the bush at a fast pace. “Wait Henry, I need to take a breath.” Khira sweated profusely as she stood panting. 

“There is no time Khira, these monsters will kill us if they discover what happened. We can only hope the soldier wakes up and doesn't remember what happened. Come on, let's go.” He took her hand again and they continued. 

“Hey you two, Get over here!” A Doshikan soldier saw them running, he'd just discovered that his man was hit by a wood and left unconscious. “They're the ones who did it, they hit him with the wood. Get them now!” He ordered and his men ran after the two. 

“Khira, come on faster!” Henry tried to motivate her as she kept running behind, she was too tired and became slower. 

“Run away Henry, I can't keep up.”

“I can't leave you here.”

“Just go or they'll get both of us. Run away! Save yourself.” Khira hit her foot on a stone and staggered her way to the ground. 

“Shoot her!” a voice came from the group of soldiers and an arrow was shot immediately. “Ah…!” she screamed in pain, falling back to the ground after just getting up. Henry turned back, saw her white dress now stained with her own blood, an arrow right through the soft skin of her back. He knew it was the end, he would never see her again. He resumed the run for his life, resisting the temptation of turning back. He'd just saved Khira from rape and it resulted to her death, “What would I tell Alves now? How would he hear me out?”

The Doshikan soldiers rushed to the spot where Khira had fallen, blood on the floor, clothes stained and her beauty covered with dirt, the soldiers gave each other a concluding look. 

“She's dead!” They declared.