Legend Of The Flame Warrior

Chapter 5: Awakened

Awakened

On this day, Charlie’s horizon has been broadened once again. Different kinds of beasts came out from all parts of the forest; it was like an annual general meeting for all forest animals. A three-headed snake was in attendance, a flaming lion was present, and a black-striped tiger wouldn’t miss out on this opportunity.

About ten strong animals, went near the carcasses while the others were waiting at a far distance, with their tails between their legs, hoping to eat some leftovers.

The ten beasts glared at each other for like two minutes before the flaming lion went near the carcass of the big ape. It touched it with its paw and the white ape caught fire immediately.

Charlie assumed that the beasts were the big ape's comrades and they were only here to send him off as the other beasts didn’t attack the flaming lion for setting fire to their food.

A few seconds later, a finely roasted ape was resting before them. All the long fur on the ape's body was long gone, remaining the blackened skin underneath the fur.

The flaming lion took the first bite, ate something from inside the ape (charlie couldn’t get a clear view of what it was), then tore off a large piece of the ape and walked away with the meat in its mouth. The black-striped tiger is the second, it tore off another limb of the big ape and went the way it came. The three-headed snake also tore off a limb and swallowed it whole. That was how they all did until the last beast left the place. When the ten overlord beasts left the place, the other beasts rushed to the leftovers that were left on the ground, and a fight broke out.

What was left was the ribs, some internal organs (the heart was taken away by the flaming lion; that was its share), a little piece of flesh, and a pool of blood on the ground. Within a few seconds, the remaining meats were snatched away. Those that could not get anything could only lick the blood on the ground, while the ones who are fortunate to get a share have long gone into hiding to slowly savor their hard-earned meal.

Despite the loud noise and the chaotic fights, Charlie stayed silent in the bush, he was crouching behind the large tree while watching the scene curiously.

As it is in the human World, so it is done in the animal kingdom. Some beasts didn’t get the memo, or they were busy when everything was happening. A group of latecomers came near the “crime scene” about five beasts in total (a pack of wolves), they smelled the little blood on the ground but there was nothing left for them to scavenge. They went near the shadow beast, smelled it a little, but turned back without even taking a second glance at it.

Charlie was patiently waiting for them to leave so that he can also leave the place and never come back.

Suddenly!!

One of the wolves that were already leaving turned back, took a whiff of the air, and started walking towards him whilst still sniffing the air.

Charlie’s heart was now racing with his brain. He was thinking of how he’ll escape the pursuit of over five beasts while praying fervently in his heart for the beast not to notice him.

The beast is now ten meters away from Charlie’s hiding spot, and his heart was now beating like a war drum.

The wolf was about to reach his side when the other crew members of the wolf pack howled to the sky, before chasing after some unknown beast that jumped out of the bush. The other wolf quickly joined them in the chase and forgot about what was hiding behind the tree.

Charlie quickly used this chance to escape, he jumped out of the forest like a frightened hare and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.

“I must quickly wash this filth away from my body, lest I invite another monster to attack me,” Charlie said as he tried to remember the route to the river.

While he was being chased by the shadow Beast, he passed by a flowing river.

After walking for half an hour, he saw the river. He didn’t approach the river immediately, he first calmed down and looked around the place for any signs of a powerful beast. With his enhanced vision, nothing could escape his sight. Except for a half-awakened alligator in the river, the rest are just small fries and they were slowly approaching him.

He walked inside the calm water, not minding the alligator that was pretending to not exist under the water. He slowly approached the alligator…

10 meters…

8 meters…

6 meters...

3 meters…

1 meter…

Then… boom!!!

The alligator flew out of the water, with its open about aiming at his head. Charlie dodged to the side and gave the alligator a powerful punch to the jaw, making the wide open mouth, and snap shut all of a sudden.

The alligator, seeing that he can’t win this battle, got back inside the water and tried his best to escape from this powerful warrior.

Charlie quickly unsheathes his dagger and chased after the fleeing alligator ( he’ll have to starve for a few more hours if the alligator should get away). He grabbed the alligator by the tail and yanked it back to his side, and starts to attack it with the dagger in his hand. After a few minutes of stabbing the water, the alligator lost its strength and Charlie finally pulled it out of the river. He killed it with a powerful blow to the head and returned to the water to wash the filth on his body.

Seeing that even the master of this territory was killed with ease, the other beasts that were planning to attack quickly went back into hiding.

Charlie took off the piece of clothing he was wearing and washed it by the river. He walked around the place and gathered some dried wood to use to cook the alligator. After gathering the wood, he put them together and tried to use the friction between two big stones to start a fire. He smashed the stone together for like one hour before he could get the fire burning. This time, Charlie had made up his mind to get a pet like the flaming lion at all costs.

He went inside the forest and used his hand to cut off a small tree branch, cut off the leaves, and sharpened both ends of the branch. He stabbed the “spear” into the meat he just cut and put it over the fire.

…

It was Dawn and Charlie had eaten his fill. He took his cloth that was spread beside the fire and wore them back. He stood up and continued looking for the rest of his team.

…

A few hours earlier at the flame warriors clan…

In a big house at the center of the village, two figures were seen in the room, talking in a language that no one could understand. One of the figures was seating on the finest chair in the room while the other stood behind him with a bowed head, acting subservient.

The one sitting on the chair is a young man who looked like he was in the book and not in the too at the same time. His figure was flickering back and forth, he looked like he would flicker out of existence at any time. While they were talking, the subservient man suddenly paused and spit out a gallon of blood. Seeing this, the other man looked at him with a questioning gaze.

“ I’m very sorry your highness, I just lost contact with the shadow slave!” the subservient man said while shivering.

“what does that mean? Don’t tell me you failed again!! This is how you did at that time that you let that bastard escape from you!! I wouldn’t accept any excuse this time, I give you two more months to finish the mission, or else your resources would be cut in half!!!” the young man shouted angrily and his flickering figure finally flickered out of existence.

Sigh!

The second man finally eased a sigh of relief when the other man “left” the room.

“I need to act fast or else I’ll lose their trust in me completely.” Said the man

If Charlie was here, he’ll recognize this man immediately. He’s the father of his bully, the only man who survived the incident that made his father go missing years ago.

He is Matafunka, Ptoka's father.

Matafunka took the Quill that was lying on the table, ground some in, and starts to scribble some words on paper. After that, he rolled up the paper and attached it to the left of a messenger pigeon he took out from the cage and released it to fly.