In the main village of the Penascolas.
The air was thick with anticipation, heavy and silent. Standing Bear's son, whom I now knew as Son of the Bear, looked at me with a mixture of respect and defiance in his dark eyes. We stood in a circle of packed earth, the soft sand under our feet.
The afternoon sun warmed our skin, and a crowd had gathered around us, creating a circle of anxious faces. I heard murmurs and cheers, a chorus that grew louder as we took our positions.
The combat began with a shout from Standing Bear. Son of the Bear attacked me first, with a fast and powerful spear thrust. The air felt cut by the hum of the wood. My reaction was instinctive: I moved, letting the tip of his spear pass inches from my side.
His style was pure instinct, every movement that of a predator ambushing its prey, his attacks a constant flow of aggression. But in that ferocity, I saw his flaw: his movements, though agile, lacked technique. They were erratic, predictable to a trained eye.
In that moment, I decided to remain in a defensive stance, deflecting and receiving every blow with my spear. The crowd began to roar. An old man shouted Son of the Bear's name, and a child, by my side, cheered for me, not knowing my name.
Emotions began to boil, and the support of his people seemed to fill Son of the Bear with new energy. His attacks became more assertive, but the ferocity consumed his control. His blows became wider; his guard dropped with every cheer he received from the people.
It was like watching a tide, powerful but without direction.
I waited patiently for my moment. I observed his posture, his leading foot, his momentum. I took advantage of a careless movement, a misstep that exposed his ankle. I bent down in a fluid motion, and with the tip of my spear, I struck his ankle.
He didn't expect the blow. His body's control vanished in an instant. It was all I needed. I didn't wait for him to fall; I used my momentum, thrusting with my body and pushing him away, separating him from me and taking his spear in the process.
The silence that followed was absolute. All that could be heard was my breathing and Son of the Bear's. It seemed that time had stopped.
A murmur of awe spread through the crowd. At first, it seemed that Son of the Bear had the advantage. His height and physique, and his momentum from fighting for the people's support, gave me a certain degree of disadvantage.
But in an instant, everything had changed. The silence was broken by the sound of everyone's applause. I stood with composure, holding the two spears in my hands, as the people gave me a standing ovation. I walked toward Son of the Bear and, with a smile, extended a hand to help him up.
"You are a great warrior," I told him in his language. "You have great talent."
Son of the Bear looked at me. In his eyes, there was no longer defiance, but a mix of genuine respect and gratitude. He took my hand, stood up, and looked around. He saw his people looking at him, not with disappointment, but with pride.
He had fought well, he had given his best, and in their culture, that was all that mattered.
We sat down, and while my men spoke with Standing Bear, I took a moment to enjoy the emotion of the moment. I had won, not by strength, but by wisdom. And I had earned the respect of a people, until recently unknown to me.
Just then, Standing Bear approached us, his face filled with a wide smile.
"Young Chuta!" he exclaimed in a tone of voice that resonated with emotion over the combat between his son and me. "I have never seen a young man your age defeats my son in combat! You are a great warrior."
I accepted his words with a smile and a slight bow.
"It is only because of the techniques that our warriors learn. If Son of the Bear were to learn them, he would surely defeat me," I said, putting my hand on his son's shoulder. "His bravery and his heart in combat are stronger than any technique. I congratulate you for raising him so well."
Standing Bear, visibly moved, looked at his son. Son of the Bear stood beside him, seeming unaffected by the defeat. The praise he had received from me had filled him with a pride that was greater than any victory in combat. In the arena, he hadn't lost; he had earned recognition.
"How many winters have you lived, Son of the Bear?" I asked him.
"I have lived for 12 winters," he replied in a strong tone of voice.
"They will surely be surprised by my age," I thought, a small smile drawing on my lips as I took a moment to savor the anticipation.
"You are incredible, Son of the Bear. In my 9 winters, I didn't think I'd fight someone as agile as you," I said with an innocent smile, but my face showed that I was just playing with them.
The reaction was immediate. A murmur of astonishment ran through the crowd. Standing Bear's eyes widened, and his son looked at me with a mix of surprise and admiration.
The reaction was immediate. A murmur of astonishment ran through the crowd. Standing Bear's eyes widened, and his son looked at me with a mix of surprise and admiration.
I had noticed that I had a very different bearing from children my age, the result of a life without hunger and the training I had received from a very young age. Little by little, in the kingdom, children were also appearing taller than their peers from previous years.
Suddenly, the joy I felt vanished. A sense of alarm coursed through my body. I looked around. The crowd was dense, but something was missing. Turey. I couldn't see her anywhere. My heart stopped for a second, and worry washed over me. I had allowed her to be alone, without any protection.
With a subtle gesture, I signaled to an aide who was by my side. He was not a simple aide; he was a covert member of the Shadows. My signal was an encrypted message: "Where is Turey?"
My aide turned discreetly and nodded toward a spot behind us. I turned, and relief instantly washed over me. There was Turey, sitting in the grass, her brown hair like a halo of light around her face. She was playing with a small rabbit, stroking its head with her fingers, and the rabbit, for some reason, felt comfortable by her side.
Turey felt my gaze. She stood up and approached me with a radiant smile.
"Congratulations, Chuta. I saw your combat; it was impressive," she said with her characteristic dreamy tone of voice, which now had a hint of joy.
"Thank you, Turey," I replied, my voice filled with a relief I couldn't hide. "But why did you go away? I was worried about you."
She, however, didn't seem concerned in the least.
"I didn't go away; I just found a new friend. He told me he wants to travel back with us," she replied.
I looked at her, my concern giving way to confusion.
"The rabbit?" I asked.
She, with an even bigger smile, laughed softly.
"No. The rabbit is my friend. The one who wants to travel with us is up there."
Turey raised her hand and pointed to the sky. My gaze followed her finger, but I saw nothing. The confusion in my mind was total.
"Who was her new friend? And why was he in the sky?" I wondered, my mind racing with a thousand possibilities.
At that moment, a large owl swooped down from the sky. Its wings were silent, its flight, graceful and eerie. My eyes followed it, my heart stopped for a second, and surprise was etched on every face around me.
The owl landed with incredible softness on Turey's shoulder, nestling against her neck, and looked at her with its big eyes. Turey, without fear, stroked its head with a finger.
The owl turned and looked directly at me for a moment, with an intensity that made me feel as if I were being examined by a forest spirit. Then, its gaze returned to Turey, and a sense of calm returned to my heart.
The crowd's astonishment was total. Standing Bear approached Turey, his face a mixture of awe and respect. A nearby man, one of the religious leaders of their people, approached her and whispered in his ear. Standing Bear nodded, his gaze grew more serious, and then he addressed everyone in a loud voice.
"Wise Rabbit has noted that the owl, an animal of wisdom, has chosen to show our people the wisdom of Young Chuta, and the natural connection of his promised."
The crowd's murmur was one of astonishment. But for the warriors, aides, and priests who accompanied me, it was no surprise. All of them had been witnesses to Turey's connection with animals since she came back with me from the FRIRS.
The owl's appearance was a recognition of my 'wisdom of the gods,' and at the same time, it was a recognition that my kingdom, though new, was in harmony with nature.
Eight months later, Year 10 of the SuaChie Calendar.
The atmosphere was one of celebration. I was in the Central City, the heart of the kingdom, celebrating my tenth birthday.
All eleven governors of the kingdom were there. The ministers, bishops, and the High Priest Simte were also there. My family and my acquaintances, all of them accompanied me on this special occasion. Even Nezahualpilli, the Aztec noble, had accepted my invitation.
I looked around, a wide smile on my face. The atmosphere was one of pure joy. There was music, dancing, and the food was a feast for the gods. The people of my kingdom, from all cultures and backgrounds, united in a single voice, celebrating the tenth year of peace and prosperity.
"Happy birthday, Chuta. The kingdom honors you on this day," said the governor of the North Central Region.
"Thank you, Governor. But it's not just my day. It's the day of everyone who has worked for the future of our kingdom," I replied with a smile.
In the background, the sound of a carnival could be heard, which the Central City was celebrating in my honor. It was not just a birthday; it was a celebration of my kingdom, its growth, its unity, and the promises of a brilliant future.
I felt proud of what I had built, but more than that, I was grateful to have the people by my side who made all of this possible.
.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
Chuta has his fight with Son of the Bear, in which we see the difference between fighting by instinct and fighting with technique. However, I want to clarify that this is only a test fight; the weapons were only for training.
As for the owl, I actually wanted something like an eagle at first, but an owl seemed more appropriate given the context.
Finally, the time jump is because I was actually writing several chapters about his specific journey, but I thought it would be too tedious to read that, in addition to the upcoming section on historical figures' perspectives.
Unnecessary Fact of the Day: In 1481, the Ashikaga Shogunate in Japan continued its decline, with real power increasingly residing in the hands of the feudal lords (daimyos).
Unnecessary Fact of the Day (yesterday): At the end of the 15th century, the overland Silk Road, although no longer as prominent as in previous centuries, remained a vital artery for trade between China, Central Asia, and the West.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 74)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 21)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 7)
You can find them on my profile.]