CURRENT LOCATION: SHEHU COMPOUND — FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE MAIN RESIDENCE
The front entrance stood before them, vast and imposing.
Massive carved doors loomed high, their patterns catching the flicker of torchlight. Behind them, the courtyard had gone strangely quiet—as if everything had been pulled inward, waiting.
Sadiq leaned closer, voice dropping into a nervous whisper.
“All the guards must be inside waiting for us… We are gonna die!!.”
Duniya with a blank reaction on his face.
“This is why I said we should have stayed outside,” he replied.
Sadiq gave him a tired look, too drained to argue properly.
They stepped closer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The doors creaked open.
: CREEEEAAAK
Inside—
A hall stretched wide and tall, its pillars rising like trees. Woven rugs covered the ground, lantern light dancing softly across polished walls and carved wood.
No guards.
No movement.
“…This place…” Sadiq whispered, awed despite himself.
He stepped inside, pulling Duniya along.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
CURRENT LOCATION: SHEHU COMPOUND — PRIVATE CHAMBER
Shehu entered as if he owned not just the room—but everything beyond it.
A guard stood beside the door.
Zainab backed away immediately.
“You!!” she cried.
Shehu smiled.
Calm.
Amused.
"Yes .. yes me," he replied smirkingly
Zainab asks a rhetorical question 'What do you want?'
“What do I want?” he said. “I already told you.”
He took a step closer.
“You will be my concubine… my first gift to myself for coming of age.”
He began to circle her slowly.
Measured.
Like a predator.
“Interesting timing, isn’t it?” he continued. “Intruders… on the night of my celebration.”
He stopped.
Looked directly at her.
“One guard mentioned a young boy… and another man,” he said.
A beat.
“You wouldn’t happen to know them… would you?”
Zainab said nothing.
She only retreated.
Shehu’s smile widened.
“No answer?”
Without warning—
He grabbed her wrist.
“Ah—!” Zainab cried out.
“You’re coming with me,” Shehu said.
He dragged her toward the door as she struggled.
“No! Leave me alone!”
They stepped into the corridor.
Guards straightened instantly.
Behind his back, Shehu made a small slicing motion with his fingers.
A silent signal.
Zainab saw it.
Her fear deepened.
Shehu leaned toward the guard captain.
“Capture them instead… they may be useful later,” he said quietly.
The guards nodded.
Three of them fell in behind him as he dragged Zainab away.
CURRENT LOCATION: MAIN RESIDENCE — GRAND HALL
Duniya and Sadiq moved through the empty hall.
Careful.
Listening.
Then—
A scream.
Distant.
Sharp.
“No! LET ME GO!”
They froze.
Duniya’s head snapped toward the sound.
“That voice—”
“That’s my sister!” Sadiq said, shock cutting through him.
He pointed down a corridor.
“It came from there!”
They ran.
CURRENT LOCATION: BACK COURTYARD/ PASSAGE — BATURE VS ROGUE SWORDSMAN
Bature moved first.
A heavy downward strike—
: WHOOOM!
The rogue swordsman reacted instantly.
He kicked his fallen blade upward, catching it cleanly as it spun into his hand.
He dropped into a low stance.
One hand near his waist.
Body angled.
Balanced.
Calm.
The strike came down.
He blocked.
: CLAAANG!!
The ground beneath them cracked slightly under the force.
But instead of resisting—
He guided the blade away.
Redirected it.
Slipped out of the line of attack.
Bature didn’t pause.
He pivoted immediately.
Another attack.
Brutal. Efficient.
The rogue spun backward.
Barely avoiding the edge.
Dust lifted around them.
They stopped.
For a moment.
And looked at each other.
Bature straightened slowly.
Studying his blade.
“Hmm.”
Across from him, the rogue exhaled lightly.
“…Phew.”
But he did not relax.
One hand hovered near his waist.
His body stayed low.
His feet moved subtly, sliding instead of stepping.
“You kn—” he began—
Bature struck again.
WHOOOSH!!
Steel met steel.
CLAAANG!!
The impact traveled through the rogue’s arms.
Without warning—
Bature drove his knee forward.
THOOM!
The strike landed—
But not cleanly.
The rogue’s body shifted just enough.
The force dispersed—
Still—
GBOOM!
He was thrown backward.
He rolled violently.
: FWOOOSH — THUD!
“Urk—!”
Dust burst upward.
He planted a hand.
Rose again.
Low stance.
Balanced.
Ready.
Bature didn’t stop.
This time—
A thrust.
Straight to the chest.
: SHHHK!
The rogue swung sideways.
: CLANG!
But—
Bature released the sword mid-motion.
The weapon spun away.
Before the rogue could react—
A hand grabbed his clothing.
Pulled him forward.
They collided.
Hard.
They fell together.
The rogue struck toward Bature’s elbow—
Bature crushed it downward.
: THOK!
At the same time—
The rogue’s legs drove upward.
Kicking.
Pushing.
Both forces collided.
Bature’s balance broke.
They separated.
Skidding apart.
: SKRRRSH!
They crouched.
Opposite each other.
Silence.
Bature rose first.
A grin forming.
“…Now I see.”
The rogue’s expression tightened.
Bature retrieved his sword.
Still smiling.
“So… you are not just a thief.”
He stepped forward.
Amused.
Certain.
“Tell me… what is a Jarumin Ganuwa doing here?”
The rogue’s face hardened instantly.
…Shit.
CURRENT LOCATION: MAIN RESIDENCE — INNER CORRIDORS
Duniya and Sadiq ran.
Footsteps echoed.
: TAP TAP TAP
“This way!” Sadiq said urgently, pulling him along.
They turned—
Stopped.
Ahead—
Guards.
A cluster of them.
Blocking the path.
Torches flared.
“Allah— oh shit…” Sadiq breathed.
Duniya stepped forward slightly.
“Step back.”
He tilted his head.
Listening.
“How many?”
“I—I don’t know… a dozen!” Sadiq said.
Duniya shifted.
As if to retreat—
Then stopped.
“…No,” he said.
“Your sister is just ahead.”
He drew his sword.
Slow.
Steady.
“I’ll make a way,” he said.
“You are my eyes now. Watch my back.”
Sadiq swallowed.
Fear tightening—
Then hardening.
“…Alright.”
“GET THEM!” a guard leader shouted.
They charged.
: ARRGHHH!!
Duniya stepped forward.
Calm inside chaos.
His breathing steadied.
Sadiq stood behind him.
Shaking—
But focused.
The guards closed in.
“They’re almost in front!” Sadiq shouted.
Duniya moved first.
: FWOOSH
He spun—
His back slamming into the lead guard.
: THUD!
Without turning—
His blade drove backward under his arm.
: SHKK!
The guard gasped.
Duniya grabbed another blade.
Now holding two.
“Your left! — no wait— MY left!” Sadiq shouted.
Duniya clenched his teeth—
Adjusted instinctively—
His blade came down.
: SHRAAAK!
A guard fell.
The fight closed in.
Blades struck.
: CLANG! CLANG!
Duniya used a body as a shield.
Moved low.
Struck sideways.
“More coming from your left!” Sadiq shouted.
A blade came—
Missed by inches.
Duniya struck back.
: THUK!
Another guard dropped.
Then—
A kick.
: WHAM!
Duniya fell to one knee.
Another attack—
Blocked.
: CLANG!
Pressure pushed him down—
He roared.
Forced it back.
“AAAHH!!”
Behind him—
A strike—
“WATCH OUT BEHIND YOU!” Sadiq shouted—
Then moved.
He tackled the guard.
: GRAB!
“Get off me, kid!” the guard shouted—
Sadiq was thrown.
: THROW!
“ARRGH— WOAH!!”
He slid—
Past the guards.
Beyond them.
Duniya heard it.
“Sadiq! Where are you?!”
“I’m at the front!” Sadiq shouted.
“GO! Wait ahead— don’t let them—”
: THUD!
A blow struck Duniya’s back.
He dropped again.
Surrounded.
Sadiq turned.
Frozen.
Torn.
The guards raised their weapons.
Duniya steadied his breathing.
Lowered his head.
Preparing.
CURRENT LOCATION: BACK PASSAGE — BATURE VS ROGUE
“Answer me… what are you doing here disguised as a thief?” Bature said.
He lunged again.
Both hands on the blade.
Raising it high.
A killing strike.
: FWOOM
The blade crashed down.
The rogue raised his sword in defense from the slash—
Then knew.
He couldn’t hold it.
: KRAAANG!
So he let go.
Stepped closer to Bature.
Grabbed Bature’s head with his palm placed at the back of his head.
Struck with a blow using his left hand
Bature didn’t retreat.
He leaned into the blow, using offence as a form of defence
Forehead met fist. CRACK!!
Bodies locked.
“HN—!” the rogue strained.
: THOOM!
They broke apart.
Both landed.
Breathing hard.
Blood ran down Bature’s face.
The rogue spat blood.
No smiles now.
Only recognition.
This was real.
This was a duel.
CURRENT LOCATION: MAIN RESIDENCE — INNER CORRIDORS
Sadiq ran alone.
: PANT… PANT…
This is bad… this is really bad!
He turned a corner—
Then—
: SLAM!!
He hit the ground.
Shehu stood over him.
Smiling.
Zainab behind him.
Held.
Struggling.
“Sadiq…!” she cried.
Shehu grabbed him by the collar.
Lifted him.
“Now… do you want to speak?” he asked.
Zainab broke.
Tears falling.
Shehu watched.
Satisfied.
A guard rushed in.
“Young master!”
“We have captured the second intruder… he appears to be blind!”
Shehu froze.
“Blind…?” he repeated.
A memory flickered.
Rumors.
Whispers.
His smile returned.
Wider.
“I have to say… this night just keeps getting better.”
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