That man just killed one of Oware’s precious children.

“They’re going to be the best babies of the entire underworld!”

With his own hand he— he drove his sword through the thick shell with no remorse. In fact, he’s smiling right now. Smiling. Like he was satisfied with what he just did. At the wet egg shells sticking to his sword like a brandish of what he had just done. Holding him accountable. But Abeni didn’t need the reminder.

He was still smiling at them.

“I knew you were lying to me about something, you brat!”

Fighting when not prepared to fight is rash, she recalled telling herself. Fighting when angry is unwise. Fighting when not to defend herself or the lives of those she cared about is unnecessary.

But this man. This man couldn’t just let it go. He, like his chief, wanted power more than for survival's sake. For the sake of his own pride. Thought of her as a tool, harassed her and revealed his true self as soon as her parents passed on as if he was too much of a coward to do it when they were here. This man who just killed Oware’s child in front of her fac—!

Abeni began crawling, gripping the floor with her nails to drag herself back into the front room-kitchen as he raised his short sword up once more shifting the blade from the second visible egg, Oware’s trembling body all the way back to Abeni. This wasn’t a strategy game, she didn’t have endless time. No more looking for easy openings. No more waiting. No more loss.

“Hey, where the hell are you going?” He jested, swinging his sword so that some of the egg’s remains slapped her in the face. Abeni kept crawling. “Leaving this ẹda all alone?”

“Ẹ-Ẹda?” The others spluttered, the village chief sounding especially in denial.

Abeni was by the door frame as he kicked her side. Fwop! But it was fine. She could take a kick better than this pain. Abeni checked the corner of her eye. At least...at least the other two were tucked back away in the open bag. At least the female ẹda was still alive in her eniyan-form. Clearly, in shock, but alive.

“You know you’re done, right? I’ve got you now.”

“Gah!” Abeni cried out as she felt his foot lift...and slam down on her, holding her there at the edge of the room. And she felt her muscles and bones wail at the weight of his big, self-righteous heel crushing her back. Lifting up...and slamming down again! Likely creating a bruise.

“Heh! You’re not doing whatever you just did.”

But Abeni bit her lip and closed her eyes, desperately attempting to steady her breathing. To calm her frightening urge to use every command she could think of to rip him apart. She could still command them. But now, things were different. She was no longer watching for anything like she had before. No more mercy, no more holding herself back. Every fight was an opportunity for death and if she had the power to stop it at any point, without getting anyone else killed, she would take it.

This was how Abeni should’ve been from the beginning. How could she have not seen that? This was how her parents managed to save her. Because they didn’t hesitate to protect her.

Abeni slowly raised her gaze to the three strongest fighters of the four, Yousef, Martin’s mum and Caterina...and hoping they knew that whatever she said was targeted towards all three of them. Because she was angry, she couldn’t...she was too naive. Just as Oware feared.

“I undo the previous...commands...” Abeni took a deep breath as she watched them all react. Eyes widening as they look like a fire had returned to them. Good. Good! Now!

Just tonight, she had the idea of a n-in-one command and have multiple people to stop each other. Rather than asking one person to ‘stop her!’ or ‘stop him’, Abeni had thought that if she looked them all in the eyes she could get a whole team to stand up against each other and get them out of the way all at once.

But now...now that more blood had been spilled. That Oware’s child’s blood had been spilt, she couldn’t hold back. Abeni had to cross that line, otherwise, it’d be too late.

This was true self-defence.

“You three...kill him!” Then she glared up to the eniyan above her with crazed eyes. With eyes no longer as innocent and forgiving as they once had been. Hoping those three understand her command and rid this piece of filth from the underworld once and for all. It’s what he deserved.

Six and seven out of nine.

This was battle.

At her words, Yousef lifted up his short sword, Martin’s mum formed another water jet and Caterina pulled out more shurikens. All attacking at once. Unstoppable, aiming to kill as she commanded. Abeni let out a gasp of relief when Ibrahim moved off of her to avoid them but all she could think about was that she wouldn’t let this chance go like she did the other ones. They had to leave.

“I thought it was a myth!” Ibrahim sounded incredulous as he dodged them and prepared his own attack, “She’s done something to your minds, hasn’t she? What are you three doing? This evil brat had an ẹda with her, you can’t just leave me here!”

“You useless, slimy...!” Was the last thing the village chief snarled out to them all before dashing out of her stone hut. Revealing his true colours. As a pathetic pile of mole faeces.

Abeni struggled to get up on her knees and go back to the corridor. If the effects of the paralysis were finally fading from her body, Oware should have already recovered. If that was the case, this had to be it. This had to be the moment they left and ended anyone who got in their way before they ended them. As much as she wanted to chase after the chief, he still had four hunters at bay. She couldn’t risk their lives again by waiting too long!

“Get off of me!” Ibrahim finally used the short sword with a gold-white handle to shove Yousef away from himself. Sprayed his gas into Caterina’s face who almost fell to the ground, but before more damage was done, Martin’s mum’s water jet pushed him back with so much force it broke his skin and stained it red. Before he could recover, Yosef’s sword was shoved into his leg, making him cry out in pain.

Abeni felt satisfied at the sight of him getting what he deserved, but couldn’t sit and watch on. No, she opened her mouth as she wobbled to her feet. Shouting what she should’ve done minutes ago before this mess happened. “Now! Plan W, plan W! We need to find the chief!” Because Who knew who he’d bring back with him?

At that, a slithering Oware in her normal form left the corridor with a bag on her back with the swords and the paper maps inside, grabbed Abeni’s tired body and rushed out of the stone hut. Expression as grave and absolutely furious as hers as they watched Ibrahim fight.

But unlike Abeni could ever do, once Oware carefully handed the bag to her comrade, she transformed in the blink of an eye. Body suddenly taut and massive, searching the nearby area for the village chief who must have travelled at a speed so fast Abeni wouldn’t be able to find him anymore. But Oware could.

And again, unlike Abeni, Oware didn’t hesitate.

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