Osaze

18 years ago…

He stood in a defensive stance, two wooden practice swords in his hand, as he looked to his sister. She was slightly taller and more slender, she had long black hair tied back into a bun, coils peeking out of the messily tied bun. She held a lighter and shorter wooden sword tightly gripping it in one hand, as she rushed first for the offensive. She aimed for his head swiftly and precisely the sword went straight for Osaze who took a deep breath, and parried with his left-hand sword, and then countered with his right-hand sword. Pointed at her face, she sighed making this her third defeat today. He gave her a smile and a pat on the back, “it's okay Sungara, all I'm older so it's to be expected.” He said with a cocky grin, she looked very unamused but sighed. “I know I know but if I want to become a Shujaa, I need to be strong, especially as a woman and a Non-Kineticist.” She said clenching her fist, Osaze placed his swords back and motioned for Sungara to follow him back inside.

They made their way back into the small home, passing the pictures of their family and child pictures all on the wall. Osaze and Sungara’s father was a high-ranking Shujaa, he had died in a violent drug bust when both Osaze and Sungara were young. And their mother had died from childbirth shortly after Sungara was born. Osaze and his sister were supported by the Khalfan of Baragoi, and that's how they've lived since. Osaze was a local blacksmith and has been for the past years. Sungara had higher aspirations and wanted to become a Shujaa, the nation's warriors and the nation's militia. Becoming one as a non-kineticist was extremely hard since most criminals were kineticists. But Osaze was able to pull some strings and get her into the Shujaa Initiation. Sungara got out of the shower drying her hair as she held up two dresses, “Which one do you think I should wear?” She asked, he raised an eyebrow confused about where she was going, “where are you going?” He asked, confused, but looked at the two dresses. One was dark blue and more simple while the other was dark red. “Don't you remember? I got invited by the Wandere family for a dinner.” She said, deciding on the red one, “Oh shoot, I forgot. I have work so count me out, kid.” Osaze said resting on the couch, as she nodded and went into her room to change. Osaze smiled and took a nap on the couch, as Sungara left for dinner.

***

Osaze found himself kneeling in complete darkness, he couldn't see anything or anyone. And he felt his hands and legs chained. He tried moving and felt the chains holding him back. He tried screaming but it was like screaming into an endless void. He heard his voice echo and continue to echo. He screamed till he lost his voice, and then a voice whispered in his head, he couldn't hear or understand what was being whispered. Just a raspy voice that made his skin crawl. And then he felt a jolting pain ram into his chest. As two blades pierced his chest and he instantly jolted awake. Covered in sweat as he wiped his forehead off, he saw the sun shining through the gaps in the curtains. He stretched and yawned, brushing his teeth as he saw to the side of him, Sungara’s room was still open. She only leaves it open when she isn't in the room, he checks the time and looks into the room. He sees it looks the same as before, he quickly runs outside, not seeing her in the backyard, and then runs to the front. He doesn't see her there either, he noticed his neighbor watering their garden.

He walked up to them frantically but tried to stay calm to not startle his neighbor, “umm ma'am have you seen Sungara by any chance?” He asked, praying she just went for a walk, the woman was an older woman, with graying hair and was a short quiet woman. “I’m sorry but no, I haven't seen anyone leave or enter your house.” She said, words echoing in Osaze's mind as he just ran, leaving his door wide open, running through the streets and towards the Wandere estate. He ran with all his strength accidentally bumping into a woman and child. The woman had dark brown dreadlocks and a scar that ran from the top of her lip to the bottom, he apologized and kept running. He made it to the front of the estate gate, there were two guards with spears to their sides. “Good morning sir, how can we help you?” One of the guards asked, Osaze caught his breath and tried collecting himself. “Yes, my sister Sungara came here for a party. I was wondering if I could see Sir Jabari.” As Osaze said that, the two guards looked at each other and then nodded.

He was led through the gate, walking down the aisle and into the garden. As they led him into the mansion, the guards led him up the stairs, one guard knocked along the door. A deep voice ushered them in, as the guards stayed outside, Osaze walked in and saw the man seated in a study room. He was a young man, in his early twenties not much older than Osaze himself. He had short buzzed hair and a sharp and angular face. “How can I help you?” He asked looking up from his book. “Hello Sir, my sister Sungara was an initiate Shujaa. She came here for a dinner party and hasn't returned since. Is she here?” A confused look forms on the man's face, “no initiate slept over here. I assure you she left with everyone else.” Osaze froze as panic rushed through his whole body. “T-that can't be, Is there anyone I can talk to who was there?” Osaze asked desperately, the man took out a piece of paper and wrote down a couple of addresses and directions. “It's the addresses of a few of the initiates, good luck.” He said offering a sincere smile, Osaze felt his head spinning as many questions and concerns flowed through his head.

He regained his focus and took the paper thanking Sir Jabari and making his way to the first address, he knocked and explained himself. They were very hesitant to speak and sent him off. He scratched his head and sighed. He went to five other houses and had the same reaction, they didn't give him any information and all said they didn't know anything about it. He made it to the seventh and final address on the list, he knocked and found a young-looking female, she had a shaved head, and large hoop earrings, she had a startled look as she opened the door. “Can I help you?” She asked quietly, “Yes, my sister Sungara attended the dinner party. I wanted to know if you saw her after the party.” Her eyes widened as she scanned around and then let him, quickly shutting the door. “You’re her brother? I’m so sorry, I was there with her and then…” She paused as she looked to be choked up on how to finish, Osaze even more anxious just motioned for her to continue. “She and I were enjoying the party when we both got invited backstage. I was too shy to go but Sungara went. And she was taken advantage of, he -” everything said after that fell on deaf ears to Osaze. Mind racing and thinking of everything that happened, how he could have prevented this, if only he were there. If only he had just gone with her, he had failed his sister and she was now… “Where is she?” The girl pointed to a room, Osaze knocked and heard no response, he then opened and found her against the edge of the bed. She was wide awake but silent, her eyes looked blank as she stared forward. Tears flowed down his face as he sat next to her, embracing her, she gave no response and was still silent. “I'm so sorry Sungara, I didn't, I should have been there for you.” He helped her up and then exited the room, looking towards the young girl. “Who did this?” She looked startled by his demeanor as she stuttered to answer, “S-sir Jabari did.” His vision blurred as reality came crashing down on him as he knew what he now had to do. Taking his sister back home and burning with a vengeance to settle.

It was now nightfall, Sungara was taken home and it was Osaze's time to strike back, he had two longswords strapped to his side. And his long dreadlocks tied back into a knot, as he hid out near the Wandere estate. He heard a voice whispering in his head, “what are you hesitating about, they defiled your sister. He had the nerve to do all that and look you in the eye and SMILE!” The voice roared in his head, winced holding his forehead as he grew confused. This voice sounded familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it. But he agreed, he had nothing else to lose, the noble family would suffer for what they did, they created the fire that would burn this nation to the ground. He took a deep breath, knowing this could be his last. He charged straight in, two blades raised, immediately stabbing one guard through his plate opening in the leg. He screamed in pain as Osaze then rammed his other blade in their neck, blood spurting out as the next guard could hardly react. They noticed Osaze's face and looked horrified, as he tried to swing his blade at Osaze. It's as if time had slowed down, he easily sidestepped it and then kicked the man's blade out of his hands. Slicing his head off instantly. His blade was now dripping in blood and he continued forward.

He charged through the gate, several guards shouted commands, and swarmed him, he saw over ten men surrounding him. He took a deep breath and dodged and weaved each strike, redirecting one guard, ducking another attack, and then stabbing the other. Soon ten men dropped to three, he gritted his teeth and charged, stabbing two guards with both his blades. Ripping them out and then tackling the other guard, ramming his blade into the guard's chest. He ran forward into the estate, he ran up the stairs and saw an arrow pass his face swiftly. He then looked over and saw an archer about 30 feet away at the corner of the top of the stairs. They weren't wearing the heavy armor like the other guards, but that made them quicker. He winced as he ran up the stairs at his fastest, one arrow piercing clean through his thigh, he felt the pain only briefly as he kept running up two arrows then piercing his left and right shoulder. He powered through it and then threw a dagger swiftly at the archer, it landed straight in their eye. They cried in pain as Osaze then leaped up the stairs and sprinted to the fleeing archer, stabbing them in the back with his two blades.

They fell to the ground, as he saw the room ahead being Sir Jabari’s, he kicked the door open to find a draft blowing in, he saw the window wide open and cursed as he noticed five archers hiding in the corner who then proceed to all shoot Osaze in unison, he was covered in arrows. Seething in pain and rage he screamed and charged forward towards one archer ramming his blade in their neck, and lifting them. Using their body as a shield several arrows pierced through the dead archers' bodies. He then ran using the body's cover and crashed through the window. He flipped and landed on his feet, evading several arrows as one hit in the bicep. He was greeted to find a man who was not wearing any armor and standing in a defensive boxing stance. He had a large maul in one hand and a cocky smile. “Surrender, you are outmatched and face your judgment. You have made it for a Non, but this is your final line.” Osaze felt fear running through his body as he knew what this man was, he was a Kineticist. He grits his teeth, knowing he couldn't win this battle but he couldn't back down, not after all this he stand tall and confident. He charged straight in two blades raised, starting with a twirling whirlwind strike the man didn't even attempt to dodge or block.

As the blades bounced off harmlessly off the man's exposed skin, the man then spun the maul in his hand with great speed getting ready to swing at Osaze, predicting the motion Osaze ducked swiftly, seeing an opening in the man's guard, he went to slash his side in quick succession, it was like trying to cut a brick wall as his blade just kept bouncing off, the man had a cocky grin as he then winded back swinging his maul straight at Osaze. This time it was quicker and faster and Osaze could feel the wind coming off this attack, he swung at Osaze's side, he wasn't quick enough to dodge but instinctively blocked. The maul made contact with his braced arm and sent him flying back. Almost 30 feet back as he tried to keep his balance. As he regained he felt pain in his arm, as he held his now completely shattered left arm. Osaze scanned the surroundings, he knew he couldn't beat this man but he also couldn't escape. The man was faster and stronger than him, what could he even do? As he tried to think of his next plan the man rushed in kicking Osaze in the gut, he reeled back and coughed blood. He quickly stood back up with his head spinning but he could not let this be his end, as the man took a powerful and wide swing, he swiftly charged with his two blades, ducking below the strike, and propelling himself up from his knees.

Using his sword to smack the maul out of the man's hands, he is completely surprised loses his grip, and starts to drop it, Osaze immediately takes this opening to deliver a flurry of slashes, hacking and slashing at the man's bare skin as it bounces off harmlessly, the man starts to get fed up and reach for his maul, but Osaze then shoves the man jumping on top of him as he continues to keep bring his blades down, as he keeps trying to pierce the man's skin, he is kicked off by the man, Osaze quickly collects himself and then screams with all his might, his vision starting to go blurry but he knew he would keep slashing until he couldn't any more, he felt his blade was cracking something, almost like a barrier around the man's skin, as he strikes the same spot more and more he felt it getting weaker, he felt his blade no longer bouncing off but starting to go deeper. He screamed as the man started to crush Osaze's neck, he winced and took one more wind up, ramming his blades in the man's chest, he felt something shatter before finally making contact with the man's flesh, stabbing into his chest. His grip continued around Osaze’s neck as Osaze continued to ram his blade deeper, his vision went completely blurry as everything went dark. The two warriors both lay on the ground in a pool of blood and with the body of several guards scattered throughout the field.