The Life of Koru, Chapter 48
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Underneath the goldsmith tower, there was a secret tunnel. Only Master Eamon and Miss Amara knew about it. The tunnel had been carved out at night by koru slaves in a state of hypnosis. The passageway was narrow and winding, lit only by the faint glow of enchanted stones embedded in the walls. This clandestine route served as a lifeline during times of peril, providing an escape or a covert entry point for those who knew of its existence.
Master Eamon was ready to use this tunnel to escape Nnamani Plantations once and for all!
But Peon said:
"I'se can't go with you, suh Massa Eamon! I'se have to serve Massa Reginald!"
"You must go with me, you dumb fuck! If you stay here, Massa Reginald will skin you alive!"
Peon pondered his options. Nothing was worse than to be disloyal to the Massa who owned him. Loyalty to Sir Reginald had been ingrained in him since he was a very small pup and the thought of running away made his blood run cold.
Miss Amara had to summon a wraith of hell called Umbralith to coerce the stubborn pup to follow them. The ghostly specter materialized from the shadows, his form an eerie blend of darkness and faint luminescence. Umbralith's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and his presence filled the room with a chilling, supernatural aura.
"Join me, stupid life form!" Umbralith told Peon, his voice resonating with an ominous echo.
Suddenly, Peon's neck was enveloped in a chain of shadows which was as hard as steel, as heavy as a lead and as cold as death. In vain, did the young slave yell and plead:
"NOO! Please, nosuh! Massa Eamon, please!"
Despite being almost incorporeal, Umbralith had such force that he tugged Peon with relative ease.
Soon enough, Massa Eamon and Miss Amara were walking through the secret tunnel, holding a torch to light the path.
A few steps behind them, Umbralith was dragging Peon along, clutching the chain and hitting him hard with a spectral bone whenever Peon resisted.
"Fuck you, you son-of-a-bitch mortal! Never in hell have I seen such stubbornness!" Umbralith complained.
"What are we going to do with the koru?" Amara said.
"I can't release him!" Master Eamon explained. "He knows too much about us already and hypnosis wouldn't help, as he may remember some things under torture!"
After what felt like an eternity, the tunnel travelers emerged at the banks of the Amazon River, which were shrouded in tropical fog and nocturnal darkness. Here they saw the boat of another spectral entity who was waiting for them. His name was Duskwraith. The eerie creature, with shadowy form and glowing eyes, steered a boat that glided silently through the mist.
"Board my vessel, travelers of the night!" Duskwraith intoned. "I shall ferry you across these haunted waters!"
The commanding center at Base 23 was the place where all strategic decisions were made, a hub of ceaseless activity sheltered from the desert heat through reinforced concrete and advanced climate control systems. It received countless images from drones and satellites. Here, Captain Toure analyzed the incoming data, scanning the screens for any signs of enemy movement or strategic opportunities.
Captain Toure had been disappointed by the recent setbacks his forces had encountered. Despite their victory in the now called Oasis Warrior's Rest, more than three quarters of the battalion had been lost in the fierce battle for conquest. The heavy casualties delayed him a lot, yet he planned their next move, determined to lead his remaining soldiers to a decisive win.
This doesn't mean that Captain Toure didn't get to have some fun at Base 23. Planting landmines across the desert was like playing Minesweeper in real life, and the best part was that he was kilometers away from the danger. Only the slave soldiers faced the peril of exploding landmines, but their lives wasn't worth much. Captain Toure could always send reinforcements.
The troop reinforcements marched towards Oasis Warrior's Rest under the command of a koru called Gryf. He had heard about the Wild Pup's victory in the oasis, but was not impressed. According to him, it was just fool's luck. Gryf wanted to be the new army leader after the two brigades merged.
"Pups are not fit to rule!" he said. "Pups are meant to serve!"
As soon as he reached Oasis Warrior's Rest, he asked:
"Who's the one called Wild Pup?"
"It be me!" Mulo said.
"Ye'll change yer name to Tame Bitch, after I'se finish with ye!"
"Nevah!"
The two koru were ready to fight for dominance. They moved like roosters before a cockfight. All the other soldiers stood in a circle around them. The tension was palpable as Mulo and Gryf sized up each other, preparing for the imminent clash.
Gryf looked frightening. His muscles rippled beneath taut, scarred skin, grotesquely overdeveloped to the point where they bulged in uneven, monstrous knots. Mulo almost pissed himself seeing so many muscles put together. A part of him was really afraid, but he had learned to control his fear.
All around him, the soldiers were yelling:
"Punish the pup! Fuck him raw!"
Only a few soldiers yelled: "Go Wild Pup!"
Mulo was very surprised to see that one of those soldiers was Sleaze.
With a grim determination, Gryf swung his machete just like death swung its scythe, but Mulo was more agile. He darted around, dodging every attack and only in crucial moments he used his own machete to attack a vulnerable spot and say "Gotcha here!", but he didn't wound Gryf.
After four or five of this "gotcha's", it was clear to everyone that Mulo was the winner.
Incidentally, the battle was caught on camera by a drone, so the Black commanders could see it too. Drones provided a lot of information to the Black commanders, but also entertainment, as working with them felt like playing a computer game.
Later that evening, the commanders made fun of all those slaves going on all fours and wiggling their asses to be scanned by drones, like the submissive dogs they were.
"Yo! Look at this ass!" Captain Toure laughed. "This koru is really asking for provisions!"
"Well, it would be a shame if we pressed this button here!" his colleague said.
The drone released an electric beam that buzzed the testicles of the slave.
"AAAGH!" the koru yelled.
The Black commanders laughed. It was a friendly buzz, nothing serious. An enemy drone would have fried those balls to ashes.
In the darkness of the night, Mulo cuddled next to Sleaze and told him:
"Thank ye for being on my side, buddy!"
"It's better ye than Gryf!" Sleaze said. "Ye may be dumb, but he be dumb as a rock!"
Mulo knew that his victory brought him a lot of responsibilities. He was the leader of a large army now, and the Black Lords expected a lot from him. The weight of their expectations pressed heavily on his shoulders. He kissed Sleaze's head and wished him a very good night.