5 years ago, Central City. Year 5 of the SuaChie Calendar.
Third-person POV.
The air was a thick haze of dust, the echo of a hundred competitors' footsteps, and the breath of the crowd watching from the stands. The midday sun fell plumb on the obstacle course at the Explorer Division's regiment in the city.
Foza, with his lungs burning, pushed himself to complete each trial. Men and women of all ages and backgrounds moved around him, a mix of strength, agility, and desperation. The course was a physical hellscape.
They had to scale wooden walls so high they seemed to touch the sky, run over rocky terrain, and pass through skill tests that required more than brute force. The last test of all was the most difficult: swimming in a freezing river. The water cut like a knife, and the exhaustion was already unbearable.
But the final trial was what would separate him from the rest: hand-to-hand combat with an opponent from the Division. Hours of effort, of pain, and of sweat had led him to this moment. He stood before a young man of his same height, but who radiated a calm and serenity that surprised him.
The young man had a combat stance, and his eyes were like steel. Foza lunged at him, the rage of fatigue giving him a burst of energy. The young man moved as if he were made of shadow, dodging his blow with eerie ease. A moment later, a sharp pain flared in his side.
The young man had not struck with strength; he had struck with precision. Foza paused. He pushed on, moving with more technique, learning from every blow he received. In an instant, he had him cornered, and just as he was about to land a strike on his head, a shout stopped him.
"Enough!"
Foza stopped immediately, his body still trembling with adrenaline. His opponent relaxed instantly.
He turned and saw the commander of the Explorer Division, a boy no older than 12, with a serious face and an imposing demeanor. It was Upqua, the brother of the child who had united his peoples in a few years. He stared at him, his gaze penetrating, as if he could see directly into his soul.
The silence felt eternal. Finally, Upqua spoke, his voice firm, but with a gentle tone.
"I congratulate you, soldier," Upqua said, knowing he was a candidate who came from the army of Mountain Pass City. "What is your name?"
"I am Foza, sir," Foza replied with a firm, direct tone.
"You have the ability to be an Explorer. Your body is tired, but your spirit is intact. Now go and rest. You have earned it."
Foza nodded, his body aching, but his heart beating at a quickened pace. He knew he had faced a warrior superior to him. And for the first time in his life, he felt as if he were in the right place.
A year later, Year 6 of the SuaChie Calendar.
A year had passed since that day on the obstacle course. Foza was no longer a simple candidate, but an Explorer. His body had been strengthened, his mind had been sharpened, and his spirit had been tempered.
He found himself in one of the study halls of the Explorer Division, a place filled with scrolls, maps, and books that spoke of distant lands and unknown seas. He was reviewing books on maritime exploration and navigation, his eyes scanning the complex charts of winds and currents.
Soon, he would have to depart on one of the many exploration expeditions his division undertook. The young Chuta, with his bold vision, had sent his men to explore the world. Foza felt a mix of fear and excitement in his stomach.
He feared the unknown of the sea, the storms, the giant waves. But at the same time, the idea of sailing those waters in the ships that the young Chuta had invented, vessels so fast and resilient, filled him with an emotion he had never felt.
After an hour of study, Foza looked up. His mind, saturated with complex wind charts, felt exhausted. He saw Sogeking, a figure of authority and familiarity, standing near the door.
The naval captain was standing near the door, his face weathered by the sun and salt. His eyes, deep and serene, observed with a stillness that only a sailor with thousands of leagues under his belt could possess. He too would be on this expedition, but his path would take him much farther south.
Foza stood up and approached him.
"Captain Sogeking," Foza said, his voice mixed with respect and a hint of nervousness. "Could you give me some advice? I feel a little overwhelmed by all of this."
Sogeking smiled softly. He knew Foza from the comments of the Division trainers, and he knew that while he had no offshore experience, his coastal explorations had been perfect.
"Skill with books is important, boy," Sogeking replied, his voice a deep rumble. "But the sea is a living being. You can't control it, you can only respect it. Listen to the wind, feel the current. The sea is a friend, but if you defy it, it will punish you. The best advice I can give you is to never lose respect for the sea."
Sogeking's words resonated in Foza's mind. Then, with a sincerity that only he could express, Foza asked him a question.
"Captain, aren't you afraid of the expedition? The sea can be a terrible place."
Sogeking looked at him, and a spark of amusement gleamed in his eyes.
"The sea is like a baby, Foza. You only have to fear it when it cries and screams… Hahaha!"
There was an awkward silence between them. Foza did not understand Captain Sogeking's humor, and the captain laughed heartily at his own joke.
"Well… I'll see you later. I have to go prepare for the expedition," Sogeking said without feeling a shred of embarrassment.
Although the captain's words were strange, his confidence was contagious. Foza's heart was filled with a sense of calm. He had imagined the sea as a monster, but his words gave him a new perspective. The sea was a challenge, a living being, yes, but with respect and understanding, there was no need to fear it.
A year and a half later, Year 7 of the SuaChie Calendar.
A year and a half had passed since Foza had last seen Captain Sogeking. The sea, which was once a terrifying mystery, was now his home. He had sailed the waves, he had felt the wind on his face, and now it was his home.
He found himself in the Islands of the Inner Sea, a paradise of white sandy beaches, palm trees, and a sea of an almost unreal blue. The salty air filled his lungs and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore was like a song. He was in the Chiefdom of Jaragua, one of the largest settlements of the Taíno, a people with open hearts and a free spirit.
His mission was simple, but vital: to consolidate the union of the Taíno and the Caribes with the Suaza Kingdom, and to mediate to stop their conflicts.
Foza had spent the last few months learning the customs of both cultures, their languages, their histories. He had earned the respect of the Taíno, but the Caribes were still reluctant. The Cacique of Jaragua, a wise man with a tranquil voice, proposed a challenge to him. His eyes, full of a gentle mischief, met Foza's.
"Foza," the Cacique said, "our Caciques respect you, but the Caribes doubt your worth. The only way to earn their respect is to do what they do. You must try to tame the sea as they supposedly claim to."
"How could I prove it to them?" Foza asked.
"You could cross by sea to their territory, and then return here," the Cacique replied in a playful tone. "But the vessel for your journey must be built by you."
Foza did not hesitate. The challenge was risky, but his mind was already made up. There was no other way to earn the respect of the Caribes. And the sea, which was once a monster, was now a friend to whom he had to prove his worth. He accepted without knowing that the cacique was only joking.
For three days, Foza worked tirelessly. Sweat ran down his forehead as he cut the best trees and shaped them. With the help of some Taíno, he built a large boat with a sail. It was not as sophisticated as the ships of the Suaza Kingdom, but it was strong, resilient, and, most importantly, it was his. With a sense of pride, he set sail for Caribe territory.
The journey was difficult. The currents were strong, and the sea, capricious. But Foza had learned from his mistakes. Two weeks later, he returned. He was not alone. By his side came other boats, more rustic than his own, but with the clear markings of the Caribes.
The Cacique of Jaragua awaited him on the shore, his face a mix of surprise and admiration.
Foza got out of his boat and stood before the Cacique.
"I have returned, Cacique," he said, his voice hoarse from the journey.
The Cacique looked at the boats that came behind Foza, and then at him. A smile spread across his face. A laugh resonated, full of mischief.
"Anacaona," he said, addressing someone behind him. "I have found you a husband."
Foza felt a wave of confusion, which quickly turned to astonishment when he saw the seriousness of the woman, and finally to understanding. The laughter joined the Cacique's, filling the air. For a moment, the exhaustion of the journey vanished, replaced by the feeling of having won not only a challenge, but also a place in the hearts of those people.
Two years later, Year 9 of the SuaChie Calendar
Two years passed, full of changes and journeys. In that time, Foza was no longer just an explorer. He had become the Governor of the Federal Region of the Rising Sun Islands. And at this moment, he was on the main ship of an expedition, with the young Chuta on board.
The expedition departed from the Northeast Region, and on its journey, stopped in several regions, including the one that Foza now governed. It was during that stop that he offered to accompany Chuta. He accepted, and now they were in the middle of the sea, in a place near the capital of the FRIRS.
The calm of the ocean had been replaced by the roar of an unforeseen storm. The wind howled like a wild beast, the salty taste of the rain and seawater filling the air. The ship creaked and shuddered with every wave, as if it were a toy in the hands of a giant.
Foza, despite having spent the last few years in the islands, knew that this was not a strong and disastrous storm, but it was becoming dangerous, since the child who guided the entire Suaza Kingdom, the young Chuta, was traveling on the ship. He could not allow anything to happen to the young Chuta.
He ran from one side to the other, adjusting ropes, moving the sails so the ship would not capsize, securing the cannons so they would not fall, and fastening the sails. Adrenaline coursed through Foza's body.
In all that hustle, he had not realized that, near the helm, stood the figure of the young Chuta. He was soaked, but his face showed no fear. He seemed to be shouting in conversation with the captain of the ship, a mix of instructions and words of encouragement.
Foza looked at him with awe. The boy was barely 9 years old, but his bravery was that of an adult man. Foza knew the boy was special. His knowledge, which according to the priests and the prophecy came from the gods, and his stature that surpassed other children his age, made him different. But this was another level.
He showed no fear of the storm's consequences. Foza was worried, but his fear vanished for an instant, because he saw him point to the horizon. And as if by magic, a ray of light appeared in the place he pointed. It was as if the sea had obeyed his orders.
He saw the captain and Chuta smile confidently. In that moment, he understood. The young Chuta was not just a leader, a warrior, or a king. He was a beacon in the darkness, a light in the storm.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
Here's a new chapter, this time from the perspective of Foza, the Governor of the Caribbean Islands (FRIRS).
You might be wondering why.
Well, as you know, the chapters about the encounter with Europeans are approaching, and he will be vital in the initial encounters.
In addition, it also serves to connect some points that hadn't been addressed, such as how Foza gained the loyalty of the cultures of the Caribbean Islands, how he went from being a member of the Explorers to Governor, and also the storm Chuta mentioned to Sogeking in the previous chapter.
The next chapter will be part of the new section, which I've cleverly called The Other Side of the Coin.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future. (Chapter 74)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis. (Chapter 22)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 7)
You can find them on my profile.]