In the jungle clearing, under the filtered light
Clara narrowed her eyes at Tia, her body coiled in readiness. The girl's strength, speed, and ability to remain undetected until the moment of attack—at such a young age—was no ordinary thing.
Could she be the Crimson Star Tribe's champion? The thought stirred a rare sense of admiration in Clara's heart.
She smirked. "You've got skill, I'll give you that. But you're still no match for me. Why fight? Come with me instead. If you join the Chagga Tribe, I'll make sure you get your own unit. Your own warriors. A high-ranking position."
The Chagga Tribe was powerful. With over five hundred members, they ranked as a mid-sized tribe. Unlike the Crimson Star Tribe, where resources were managed centrally by the priest, the Chagga divided their people into combat teams—each self-reliant, each with their own resources and followers. It bred a brutal kind of strength… and competition.
Tia didn't hesitate. "Not interested. You came uninvited into our lands. My duty is to take you back."
Clara laughed. "Is that so? Try it then."
Tia struck, fast and fierce, but her combat technique still lacked polish. Clara dodged with ease, seizing Tia's wrist and twisting it behind her.
"You're brave," Clara said. "But if you keep this up, I'll break that arm."
Tia's lips curled into a smile. "You sure about that?"
A silvery-white aura surged around her. With a flash of strength, she tore herself free and drove her fist into Clara's abdomen.
Clara's eyes went wide. Her legs buckled. She fell to her knees in silence, unable to cry out—her organs crushed from within.
Death was inevitable.
Without another word, Tia hoisted Clara and the injured man over her shoulders and returned to the Crimson Star Tribe. She dropped both captives in the middle of the camp.
The noise drew a crowd.
Sovita stepped forward, studied the unconscious woman, and then looked at Enzo. "They're from the Chagga Tribe. They're based around twenty kilometers away. We've had minor clashes before."
Enzo nodded and turned to the groaning man on the ground, who still had enough breath to snarl.
"You pigs!" the man spat. "Let us go, or when our warriors come, you'll all be wiped out!"
The insult wasn't lost on Enzo. "Swines" was a word used in many tribes to describe cowardice—a filthy creature that froze when danger came.
Enzo said nothing. Instead, he extended a hand. Amy, quick to understand, handed him a spear.
He didn't waste words. With one clean thrust, he drove the spear through the man's chest, killing him instantly.
He turned next to Clara. Her injuries were severe, but Enzo used Stimulate All Things just enough to stabilize her—to let her speak.
"If you want to live," he said coldly, "tell me your purpose."
Clara, now very aware of her precarious state, hissed, "Heal me fully, and I'll tell you everything."
Enzo raised the bloodied spear again.
"I don't ask twice."
Her eyes widened, but she didn't risk defiance. "We found traces of your vanguard team," she said quickly. "Your people were carrying strange weapons—long branches with feathers. We wanted to investigate."
Sovita stepped forward. "You saw the vanguard team?"
Clara shook her head. "Only remnants. Tracks, a few discarded items."
Enzo said nothing at first. Then he gave the signal.
"Dispose of the body," he told several tribesmen, pointing to the dead man. "And lock this one in a cave. Tia, you handle it."
Clara was dragged away, and the crowd dispersed. Only Sovita and Ward remained.
"What are our chances if we go to war with the Chagga Tribe?" Enzo asked.
Sovita took a breath. "Not good. They outnumber us two to one. In a direct confrontation, we'd be overwhelmed."
Ward frowned. "But we have warriors. Tia, Heru, Rhode—"
"Tia," Enzo said, "has become something more."
Ward blinked in confusion.
Sovita clarified, "She's a totem warrior now. The first of the Crimson Star Tribe."
Ward's eyes widened. "A totem warrior?!"
A fierce pride glowed behind his awe. The concept of a totem tribe was sacred. It was the next stage of evolution for any primitive community.
But Sovita wasn't finished. "Even so, we're still outmatched. The Chagga warriors are seasoned. Our people are recovering or untrained."
Enzo nodded, thoughtful.
Sovita hesitated, then added, "We could relocate. They won't know we've captured their scouts—at least not right away. There's time."
"Move?" Enzo scoffed. "Why should we?"
They had just started laying the foundations of their tribe—furnaces, fields, structure. Abandoning it all now would be throwing their future away.
And besides… war wasn't just a matter of numbers.
Sovita's view was primitive: a battlefield of brute force. But Enzo had other ideas.
Traps. Ambushes. Deception.
The Chagga might have more people—but Enzo had the advantage of strategy. A few well-placed volleys from the trees could turn the tide. A single ambush could break their morale. Perhaps they wouldn't need to face them at all—just break them apart piece by piece.
No, Enzo thought. This isn't just about survival. It's about opportunity.
The Chagga Tribe was a resource—five hundred trained people. If they could be subdued, they could be absorbed. And if they were absorbed, the Crimson Star Tribe would rise like no other.
But for now, that dream would have to wait.
He needed to prepare.
Later that day, in the central clearing
Enzo summoned the tribe once again.
"A new combat team will be formed," he declared. "Thirty members total. Tia will lead it."
Gasps echoed across the gathering.
"This team will be chosen by competition—strength and ability only. Hunting teams are excluded. Sovita, you'll handle the trials."
Sovita nodded immediately and began organizing the matches.
It was the perfect distraction—productive, unifying, and confidence-boosting. With the fields planted and the pottery firing underway, this contest gave the people a purpose amidst their anxiety.
Back in the cave
Tia and Amy followed Enzo inside. Tia, glowing with excitement, turned to him.
"Enzo… I've changed. I feel stronger than Heru, stronger than anyone."
As she spoke, silver-white light flickered across her body once again.
Amy's eyes widened. She stared, stunned. "That light… It's the power of the totem!"