Fortunately, Abeni hit her target, the farmer’s hand, perfectly.

Despite not being able to see well, she managed to throw past Yousef’s shoulders who fell back, thinking she was aiming for him. And pierced the farmer’s hand, ripping through his flesh as he screamed out. The village chief, Caterina and Uncle Ibrahim refused to get involved yet, but looked more and more anxious the longer this went on. As did she.

Who knew eniyan screams were so distressing to hear? No matter how much the farmer deserved it, Abeni couldn’t help but cringe at the sound.

Again, quiet enveloped the space. Well, apart from the constant groaning from the farmer, blood dropping from his hand onto her floor and a low gasp of surprise as Abeni realised she was winning. Even without her knife, things were looking good.

These hunters and fighters had good coordination, but they were not used to fighting someone like her. Someone who was always thinking and had many tricks up her sleeves. They were used to fighting incomprehensible beasts who fell for their moves. Maybe she really was a senior. At this point, Abeni might actually be able to win this battle without anyone else having to die over the chief’s irrationality.

Without even having to verbalise it, Caterina stepped forward, cracking her knuckles, and lifted up her right sleeve. Abeni frowned at her. What was she up to?

“Focus, merchant.”

Yousef returned Caterina’s glare but did as she said, baring his short sword Abeni’s way and likely feeling restricted by the chief’s order to capture her alive. Which was something that the white-haired girl was banking on right now.

Once the tanned merchant began running her way and Abeni’s mind raced on what command she should use and how to dodge him, Caterina’s arm started pulsing. Abeni was quick at dodging the merchant’s slow slashes. Slash! That just then was the slowest of his slashes and it wouldn’t have packed much of a punch against her disgarded weapon anway. Slash! But his unpredictable Yousef movements were hard to read.

So, Abeni was not able to see much of what the woman did next. Slash! Only knowing that when she felt a tiny bo-shuriken pass right by her leg after being knocked off by Yousef’s leg in front of her cover, that her options were quickly dwindling too.

She’d get hit at this rate. As Abeni had been avoiding his swings, the shuriken nicked her legs, her torso, her shoulder but didn’t pierce her flesh as she quickly grabbed one. No, they just pushed her back, back, and back until she was stuck by the wall the fireplace was on, Yousef’s short sword finally pointed towards her neck and the shuriken she grabbed was very small and fragile in her right hand.

Oh no. She was trapped.

The village chief, who was so incredibly proud and smug when he first arrived here was now...gritting his teeth, angry. The hesitant farmer was still trying to get over the harsh pain in his hand from her kitchen knife. Martin’s mum was standing by the fireplace on the floor, with no will to fight. And the...bloody body in the centre of Abeni’s front room-kitchen was eerily still.

“Don’t kill her, you merchant,” Caterina said. But her swollen arms look ready to do just that.

He didn’t take nicely to that. “Don’t talk to me that way, attendant.”

“That’s first attendant to you,” she snarled from behind him. Despite their difference in status, it was clear that neither of them cared enough to uphold any respect for one another. Hopefully, their bickering would let her find a way to escape from this.

This wasn’t a trap Abeni could safely exit without commands. She wasn’t strong enough to overpower Yousef’s adult body, plus, she wasn’t well-armed! No, she’d have to use her commands again. And with any luck, this time they would be the easy opening that Abeni, Oware and her children needed to escape this village unharmed and content. As long as the chief and her uncle were too occupied with the others.

But what should she command—? That light...no! It looked like the farmer was about to use his spell again and she was still pressed up on this wall. Abeni had to defend herself, but if she so much as raised the shuriken, Yousef might attack her…In that case, there was only one thing she could do. Gain her bearings and scream her favourite command to all three of them. Expose herself once and for all to avoid going blind or without her neck.

“Be at peace! Be at peace! Be at peace!” 

Command three, four and five of nine.

Abeni made sure to hold eye contact with Yousef, the farmer and then Caterina as she shouted and swiftly managed to move out of the tanned merchant’s space. Brushing herself off. Who cares if she just exposed herself? She knew more than enough about them now.

“What are you doing? What trick did she just pull? Stop her! I order you to stop her!” But his vassels didn’t move one bit. And Abeni felt energy burst into her as her grey eyes alight with a realisation that she had been waiting for ever since they barged in for this. 

This. This was it. This was it! The easy opening she wanted! “Looks like it’s time to surrender, chief.” Abeni smiled, unable to revel fully in her win due to the corpse that lay on the ground, but still felt happy enough.

“Shut up!” He screeched at her and then continued yelling at them.

Amongst the yelling, amongst her relief that with only Uncle Ibrahim left, and should he be like the rest of them, she practically won this battle. That the light hurting her eyes had completely faded and she still had a female ẹda to back her up. Amongst all of that, she heard the sound of something dropping in her corridor. Near where Oware was hiding.

And her heart propelled itself into her throat.

Abeni choked, smile dropping from her features so fast it was almost comical, rashly snapping her head that way in alarm. What was that? Ignorantly forgetting about the one person who was neither under her command or yelling at the others to fight. Forgetting that her frantic glance was all someone as cruel and awful as Uncle Ibrahim would need to rush down that corridor with a short sword in hand.

Without a second of hesitation, she dashed his way. Grabbing his legs as she spotted the horrifying sight of the open bag on the floor. One of Oware’s eggs rolling down the corridor with the rest visible in the bag.

He didn’t hesitate.

Please! Abeni grabbed his ankles and he jammed his shoe into her face, shuriken falling away in the ruffling. No! She opened her mouth to command him. Stop! He shot out steam from his hand, dark green in colour straight into her face which weakened her facial muscles. In fact, they weakened every muscle in her body. If just for a short time. But that moment was all he needed.

She couldn’t stop him!

Oware entered the corridor from Abeni’s room a beat later but was soon put in the same position as her. In her normal form, on the floor, unable to move properly, forced to the ground by his ability.

“I should’ve never leaned on the stupid door…!” Abeni belatedly heard Oware cry. Just looking at her uncle. At the egg now by his feet and about how they messed up. She messed up! Abeni was overconfident. She thought no one else she cared about would have to die, so she put herself on the front line first. She didn’t want to be responsible for anyone’s death ever again so she swore she would protect them.

“Give up!”

No! No! No! Abeni couldn’t focus! Couldn’t speak! Her hesitation to command the villagers from the very beginning was the problem. She hadn’t understood what a real battle was like. How the tables could be turned as easily as she could blink, catch her breath or squeeze her eyes shut. Much unlike the village chief or experienced hunter did.

“The fight doesn’t end when someone gives up,” At her failed command, this man – not her uncle anymore, she wouldn’t call him that ever again – scorned, raising his blade.

“No!” Abeni thought she heard Oware scream.

She had underestimated him. Them.

“The fight ends when someone dies.”

Ibrahim slammed his sword straight through the egg. Breaking that warm, vulnerable ball of life, hope and liquid – whom Abeni had learned to care for, protect and love a life that was laid on that very same spot – into pieces all over the floor. Right in front of their helpless faces.

[Current Total Beings In ‘Abeni’s Army’ – 2]