POV T'Chaka
The view from the throne room had always possessed a certain ability to quiet my mind.
Mountains stretched endlessly toward the horizon, covered in vegetation so vibrant that, from this height, it seemed to form an ocean of green.
Beyond them, the structures of Wakanda rose among the wilderness, blending tradition and technology in a way no other place in the world could ever imitate.
My home, my kingdom, the legacy so many before me had protected with their lives.
Standing before the enormous window, both hands clasped behind my back, I gazed over those lands while my thoughts remained far away from them.
Hunter and his words returned to my mind again and again. His warnings, his suspicions and, above all, my refusal to listen.
A slow breath escaped me.
I am not a man known for showing mercy, nor am I someone blessed with an abundance of patience. Throughout my life, I learned that a king cannot afford to hesitate when the safety of his people is at stake.
And yet... I had hesitated when I should not have.
Hunter had spoken to me about the Atlanteans long before the situation reached this point. He had warned me about their movements, about certain attacks carried out by inhabitants of the depths and, above all, about something he insisted on calling "Namor's plan."
His suspicions had been dismissed, not because I doubted Hunter's abilities, but because there was no evidence.
The attacks had been small, isolated. Incidents that could be explained in many ways before assuming Atlantis was preparing something against us.
Or at least, that was what I had wanted to believe.
Wakanda had remained on the defensive since long before these lands were ever given a name.
Our ancestors understood something the rest of the world would take millennia to learn: the best way to survive was to remain hidden, to observe, to prepare, and to strike only when necessary.
The non-aggression pact with the people of the depths was older than many of our traditions.
A sacred agreement between two peoples hidden from the rest of the world, separated by land and ocean, who understood perfectly well the consequences a war between them would bring.
I believed that would be enough.
I believed it would always remain that way...
What a naive thought.
Closing my eyes, Hunter's words returned with a clarity that unsettled me.
"If we wait and allow them to strike first, then we will lose everything."
Hunter had stood before me that day, stern and unyielding, as he always was whenever he spoke of a threat to Wakanda.
"They don't have as much vibranium as we do, but they cannot be underestimated. If there is anything in this world capable of threatening Wakanda, Atlantis poses the greatest danger to us."
"Then what do you suggest?" I asked.
Hunter did not hesitate.
"I know you've had your scientists working on an extremely powerful explosive. Something similar to a nuclear bomb."
My expression hardened immediately.
"I know you even had Shuri working on parts of the project without telling her what they would ultimately be used for."
"Boy..."
"Give me one."
My brow furrowed.
"What?"
"One charge," he replied. "That's all I need."
For several seconds, neither of us looked away.
Hunter held my gaze.
"I'll take it to Atlantis."
My expression shifted.
"I'll place it at the heart of their power, where their forces, their weapons, and those capable of leading an attack against us are gathered."
"Hunter..."
"Then I'll wipe it all away."
There was no hesitation in his voice. No guilt or fear.
"We will never have to worry about them again."
When my eyes opened again, the mountains of Wakanda filled my view once more.
For a long time, I believed refusing him had been the right decision. Perhaps it still was, but now part of me wondered what might have happened if I had simply given him that charge.
Perhaps it would have been better to give it to Hunter.
Far better than placing it in the hands of my own son.
My jaw tightened.
T'Challa had become a great man, far greater than I had ever expected. Intelligent, strong, compassionate, and with clear ideals about the kind of king he wished to become one day.
A king who would usher Wakanda into a new era.
And that was precisely why I understood the conflict that mission had caused within him.
T'Challa was not Hunter. He never would be.
Hunter could be given a terrible order and carry it out without looking back if he believed it would protect Wakanda. My son, on the other hand, needed to ask whether there was another way, whether someone could still be saved, whether there was still room for mercy.
And I had placed something in his hands that allowed for none of those things.
A weapon created for one purpose alone.
To destroy.
My eyes closed once more.
Perhaps I had made another mistake.
Before that thought could go any further, a loud noise from outside the throne room made my eyes snap open.
BANG
My brow furrowed.
The two Dora Milaje guarding me reacted immediately. Their bodies tensed as they tightened their grips around their spears and moved several steps forward, positioning themselves at a safe distance in front of me.
Another impact thundered from beyond the enormous doors.
BANG
This time, it was accompanied by sudden movement, something slamming into a wall, raised voices, and an argument I could not make out from where we stood.
Then the doors burst open.
BANG
One of the soldiers assigned to guard the corridor came hurtling through the entrance, crashing onto the floor of the enormous chamber before sliding several feet across its polished surface.
The Dora Milaje raised their spears at once.
I did not move.
The man who appeared behind him was already familiar.
He walked in calmly, accompanied by four other members of his tribe. Large men covered in furs, heavy armor, and carrying traditional weapons advanced behind their leader as though the throne room already belonged to them.
"M'Baku," I said firmly.
His smile widened.
"Admiring the lands that will soon no longer belong to you?"
The soldier who had been thrown into the chamber managed to push himself up with some difficulty before kneeling before me.
"My king, forgive me. We tried to stop them, but they..."
"You have nothing to apologize for."
The man raised his head slightly while my attention remained fixed on M'Baku.
"After all, any Wakandan may stand before their king and challenge him for the crown if they believe they have a rightful claim to it."
M'Baku's grin grew wider.
"At least you still remember our traditions. For a moment, I thought all this extravagance, shiny toys, and technology had made you forget our roots entirely."
A few of the men behind him chuckled.
The Dora did not seem to find it amusing.
I did.
A faint smile touched my face.
"I deeply appreciate your concern for your king, M'Baku."
He raised an eyebrow.
"As a token of my gratitude, I will personally make sure a large shipment of bananas reaches the Jabari lands."
Some of his men stopped smiling.
"Along with your corpse."
My smile vanished.
His remained exactly the same.
For several seconds, neither of us said a word.
Then M'Baku began removing the furs covering his shoulders, followed by several pieces of armor and his mask. His companions took each item from him as he continued toward the center of the chamber.
Eventually, he was left wearing only a fitted garment around his torso and another covering his lower body.
That was when his right leg became fully visible.
Or what remained of it.
Below the knee began a prosthetic built with Wakandan technology. Vibranium, artificial joints, and sensors came together in something our physicians considered an extraordinary achievement.
M'Baku, however, looked at it as though it were a shackle.
"Every day, I spit upon this abomination you force me to carry, T'Chaka."
He struck the prosthetic with his fist.
CLANK
One eyebrow rose.
"Would you prefer one made of wood?"
"Yes. A stick would serve me better."
A few murmurs came from behind him.
M'Baku raised one hand and slowly gestured around the chamber, his eyes moving over the lights and technological systems integrated among the ancient Wakandan decorations.
"All of this... all this technology. All these advancements. Every machine we build to do what our bodies should be capable of doing on their own."
His gaze returned to me.
"They do nothing but make us weaker."
"Then you are free to fight on one leg."
The woman's voice came from one of the side entrances.
Ramonda entered the chamber accompanied by two more Dora Milaje. Her expression held far less patience than mine, and the look she gave M'Baku made it quite clear that she had never bothered hiding how little she liked him.
M'Baku turned his head slightly.
"My Queen."
"Jabari."
She looked him up and down.
"If you despise the thing that allows you to walk so much, no one is forcing you to use it."
A smile tugged at my lips.
There was one small detail Ramonda did not know.
"That is not possible," M'Baku replied.
Ramonda frowned, but my answer came before she could ask why.
"That leg was part of his punishment for challenging me."
That day remained perfectly clear in my memory, including how close I had come to killing him.
"Therefore, he cannot remove it for as long as I remain king."
"And that punishment ends today."
M'Baku took several steps toward me.
His men immediately slammed the ends of their spears against the floor.
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
But before they could begin their chant, an entirely different sound flooded the chamber.
The lights changed at once.
An alarm.
"Imminent attack. Imminent attack."
Everyone stopped moving.
The automated voice echoed throughout every corner of the palace.
"Multiple hostile forces detected advancing upon the coasts of Wakanda. Anomalous water movement detected. Sea levels continue to rise."
Several emergency displays activated in front of us.
"Massive bodies of water are approaching coastal settlements. Immediate evacuation recommended."
M'Baku clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.
"They dare interrupt this sacred rite?"
He turned toward the windows, as though he might somehow see whoever was responsible from there.
"They must truly be desperate to die."
For a moment, I simply watched him.
"You will have to wait."
"I know," he replied, his irritation obvious.
He stepped back, and his men immediately approached to begin placing the furs and pieces of armor he had just removed back onto him.
He did not protest.
There was no need to explain anything.
Wakanda's internal rivalries could wait.
A foreign enemy could not.
"Report," I ordered.
An enormous hologram appeared before us.
Ramonda moved to stand beside me while M'Baku, now nearly fully dressed again, did the same from the opposite side.
The images appeared, and for several seconds, no one spoke.
Water.
That was the first thing we saw.
Absurd amounts of water.
Enormous waves surged over our shores, pushing inland with a force no natural phenomenon should have possessed. Entire villages were being swallowed, buildings disappearing beneath the currents as people fled toward higher ground with the help of our evacuation forces.
But the waves did not come alone.
Thousands of figures moved within them.
Atlantean warriors.
They swam through the currents at speeds few vehicles could match, clad in armor and wielding strange weapons.
Our soldiers were already engaged in combat. Energy blasts streaked across the display as Wakandan forces formed defensive lines around the areas that remained dry, attempting to contain the Atlanteans who continued advancing from the water.
We were fighting on our own soil, and they were slowly turning it into theirs.
"The water is hindering the movement of our ground units," a voice from the system reported. "Several divisions have requested aerial support."
The images changed.
Wakandan transports descended over the flooded areas, extracting civilians while other aircraft opened fire on the Atlantean troops.
One of our combat aircraft swept over an enemy formation and its weapons lit up.
Several blasts struck the invading forces.
The Atlanteans immediately returned fire, unleashing their weapons against the aircraft's hull, but the vibranium structure endured without significant damage.
Another aircraft appeared behind it, quickly followed by another.
Our aerial forces began containing the advance and, for the first time since the transmission began, some of the Atlantean soldiers started falling back.
"Good," Ramonda murmured.
Then it happened.
One of the signals disappeared, and the feed from one of our aircraft went black.
CONNECTION LOST.
I frowned.
Another disappeared.
CONNECTION LOST.
Then a third.
A fourth.
A fifth.
Within seconds, we lost contact with every aircraft in that sector, and that section of the hologram became covered in red indicators.
"What happened?" Ramonda asked.
"Our units were destroyed."
"How?"
"Unable to determine."
Ramonda raised a hand.
"Show me the recordings from the last units."
The hologram responded by playing footage from the final transmission of one of the aircraft.
Gunfire, water, Atlanteans.
Nothing unexpected.
Until the image shook violently.
"Stop the video."
The recording froze.
Ramonda narrowed her eyes.
"Go back."
The footage began rewinding.
"More."
It continued.
"There."
A single frame appeared before us. A small figure could barely be distinguished amid the chaos.
Ramonda moved her fingers and enlarged the image.
It became blurry.
"Compensate for the loss of resolution."
The system processed the recording.
Slowly, the figure became clearer.
A man hovered in the air above the battlefield.
A trident had just left his hand, and small wings protruded from his ankles.
"Namor..." I whispered.
The room fell silent.
Ramonda looked at me for a second before immediately turning her attention back to the image.
"If he's here, then T'Challa and Shuri..."
"It doesn't mean anything," I interrupted her.
Ramonda turned toward me.
I kept my eyes fixed on the hologram. I couldn't allow myself to think about that. Not yet.
"Trust our children."
My voice sounded firmer than I felt.
I had to trust them.
So did Ramonda.
I gestured toward the images of our flooded lands.
"We need to deal with the problem in front of us first."
Ramonda watched me for a few seconds before nodding.
"We'll begin the immediate deployment of all our forces."
The images on the hologram changed as different areas of Wakanda began to appear before us.
"We'll establish defensive lines in every sector still under our control. Send specialized vehicles to evacuate civilians from the flooded areas."
Several routes appeared across the map.
"Prepare every available combat aircraft. I want reinforcements sent immediately to every sector still transmitting reports."
The orders began going out. Units, evacuation routes, aerial squadrons, and reserves started mobilizing throughout the territory.
"You don't expect us to stay behind the defensive lines, do you?"
My attention shifted toward him.
M'Baku watched me with obvious suspicion as his men finished putting his armor back on.
"No."
His expression shifted slightly.
"Take your men and board the aircraft. You can support our forces and help contain the enemy advance."
A smile immediately appeared on his face.
"Yes."
He tightened one of the straps on his armor.
"That sounds much better."
A slight shake of my head was the only response.
Even with Atlantis invading our lands, that man still thought like a Jabari.
M'Baku extended a hand toward me.
"To a great battle," he said.
A faint snort escaped me before I extended my own.
"To a great battle."
We clasped forearms.
For a second, I thought that was all.
When I tried to pull my hand away, M'Baku wouldn't let me.
My brow furrowed as our eyes met.
There was something different in his gaze, something I hadn't seen since he entered the room.
"M'Baku...?"
He violently pulled me toward him.
Everything happened in an instant.
He stepped forward as his free hand dropped toward his waist.
A dagger flashed in the light.
Then came the impact against my abdomen.
My breath caught.
"T'CHAKA!" Ramonda screamed.
The Dora Milaje reacted immediately, lunging at M'Baku, but the four Jabari moved at the same time.
CLANG
The spears collided.
One Dora was forced backward while the other tried to circle around them, only for two of M'Baku's men to block her path.
The entire chamber erupted into motion. Shouts, metal crashing against metal, and guards rushing in from the corridors blended together around me.
Most of it barely reached me.
My eyes remained fixed on M'Baku, who was still holding my hand.
"What... do you think you're doing?" I asked with difficulty.
M'Baku stared at me.
His smile was gone. There was no pride or satisfaction on his face, nor the anger that always seemed to follow him.
Only a strangely empty stare.
"Saving Wakanda."
====
POV LEGION
The inside of the vault shook again, this time hard enough for bits of debris to break loose from the ceiling and slowly fall around us.
My attention shifted to Shuri.
She watched me for a second before nodding.
"Go."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Everything here is under control, and I have the chip," she replied, slightly raising the small device. "I'll contact home and then follow you."
A quick glance around confirmed the situation.
Orka remained completely trapped inside the foam, unable to move, while the barbarians who had accompanied him lay scattered throughout the vault. Some were unconscious, while others could barely move after the beating they'd taken during the fight, especially from the rocket.
"All right."
Reaching into one of the compartments of my suit, I pulled out a small spray and handed it to her.
"Be careful. And use this on the ones who got caught in the blast when I fired the rocket at Orka."
Shuri took the container and quickly examined it.
"Seriously? In a situation like this, you're worried about...?"
BOOM
We both looked up.
"Yeah... I think you'd better go now," Shuri said.
"See you outside."
The engines in my suit rapidly increased their output, and with a powerful burst, I shot out of the vault and began making my way through the corridors.
The closer I got to the exit, the worse everything became. At first, there had only been occasional tremors, but it wasn't long before I started hearing explosions, screams, gunfire, and the unmistakable clash of weapons striking against each other.
This definitely wasn't just a small problem outside anymore.
"SID, what the hell is going on?"
"Sir, a massive attack has been launched against the city."
A frown crossed my face as I turned into another corridor.
"Define 'massive.'"
"Attuma's forces are attacking from multiple sectors. Current estimates indicate several thousand combatants attempting to enter the city."
"Great."
The thrusters surged harder.
"In addition, there are numerous reports of hostile forces already inside the defensive perimeter."
"Inside?"
"Affirmative. All available information indicates that a large number of attackers infiltrated the city beforehand and began their offensives at the same time as the external forces."
An explosion thundered in the distance.
BOOM
The corridor lights flickered.
"So it's not just a siege."
"No, sir. This appears to be a coordinated attack. The external forces are keeping the defenses occupied while infiltrated groups attack from within."
"A siege and guerrilla warfare at the same time," I muttered. "Someone really went out of their way to make sure this worked."
Several minutes later, one of the exits finally came into view.
And what a sight it was.
Atlantean soldiers swam in different directions, trying to reorganize themselves, vehicles tore through the water at full speed, and enormous sea creatures moved between the city's structures.
In the distance, flashes of energy, explosions, laser fire, and groups of combatants clashing throughout different sectors could be seen constantly. Some buildings were already showing clear signs of damage from the fighting.
"Looks fun."
My eyes rolled almost on instinct.
"For a moment, I'd forgotten you were there."
His laughter echoed inside my head.
"I didn't want to distract you while you were fighting. After all, if you get hurt, so do I."
There was a brief pause.
"And I'm not a masochist."
His tone turned mocking.
"Unlike a certain someone."
"I can't wait to find the button that mutes you."
"There isn't one."
"We'll see about that."
Before the argument could continue, the communicator activated again.
BEEP
"Yeah? Byrrah?"
"Legion! There are attacks everywhere. Our forces are completely disorganized, several defensive positions have fallen, and we can't establish a stable line. This is a disaster."
My attention returned to the chaos in the distance.
"Doesn't look like you're exaggerating."
An explosion briefly illuminated several structures.
"And Namor?"
There were a few seconds of silence on the other end.
"He moved the invasion forward."
My expression hardened.
"What?"
"That's not all."
His voice changed.
"Namor... murdered the other council elders."
For a moment, my body went still.
"Why?"
BANG
"To the left! CLOSE THAT ENTRANCE!"
Several shots came through the communicator.
"According to the message he left before departing, he decided it would be better to make sure they were all dead. He couldn't risk the spy still being among them."
Another impact sounded from the other side.
Byrrah breathed heavily.
"And even after that... they still managed to pull all of this off."
Another crash came through the communicator.
"Damn it..."
"Byrrah, listen to me."
He didn't answer immediately.
"Right now, they need a leader. The forces are disorganized, right?"
"Yes."
"Then organize them. Take command of what's left of the army and security forces. Regroup the troops, establish defensive positions, and keep the city standing."
"Third unit, with me!" he shouted to someone before returning to the communicator.
For several seconds, only gunshots and shouted orders came through from the other end.
"You're right," Byrrah said.
Some firmness returned to his voice.
"We have a city to save."
A slight smile appeared on my face.
"Exactly."
"Although we still have one problem."
"What?"
"There are hundreds of barbarians infiltrated throughout the city. Even if I manage to reorganize what's left of the army and law enforcement, those groups will continue wreaking havoc while we're trying to defend the perimeter."
My attention shifted back to the streets.
"Don't worry about them. I'll handle it."
Another silence followed.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "Legion, there are hundreds of them."
A broken column stood in the distance, with another group of soldiers swimming through the streets beyond it.
"I'll be fine. Make sure you do your part."
My right arm shifted slightly.
"I'll take care of mine."
The call ended.
"Wow... quite the tough guy, aren't you?" he mocked. "'You do your part, I'll do mine.'"
He changed his voice slightly, trying to imitate me.
"'I'll take care of them.'"
My hand moved to my wrist and activated the Omnitrix. The dial rose, and each turn revealed the same silhouette again and again.
Ghostfreak.
No matter how many times I turned the dial, his figure remained there.
"Well..."
His voice slowly echoed inside my head.
"Looks like the time has finally come, doesn't it?"
My eyes narrowed.
"Have I ever told you that you're unbearably irritating?"
His eerie laughter filled my mind.
"We tend to talk to ourselves in front of the mirror."
Even without seeing him, his grin was almost tangible.
"You've said plenty of things to yourself."
"Sir."
SID's voice made it easier to ignore him.
My attention settled on the Omnitrix symbol.
"It will be all right, sir," SID said.
For a moment, I said nothing.
"I'll be here with you. So everything will be all right."
A small smile appeared on my face.
"Thank you, SID."
"There is no need to thank me, sir."
After a deep breath, I raised my arm and rested my hand over the dial.
For the first time, Ghostfreak made no sarcastic remark, didn't laugh, and didn't try to annoy me.
My hand pressed down on the Omnitrix.
"Time to be a hero."
====
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? PRETTY GOOD, RIGHT?
WELL, GUYS, THAT'S IT FOR TODAY. IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, WE'LL GET TO SEE OUR GHOSTLY FRIEND HAVE SOME FUN WITH A FEW BARBARIANS.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND COMMENTS.
REMEMBER, WE HAVE A PATREON:
patreon.com/EmptyTag
WHERE THE UPCOMING CHAPTERS WILL BE POSTED FIRST. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEXT ONE WILL BE UP TOMORROW :)
A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO OUR PATREON MEMBERS:
Starkiller075
Delak
Thanks for keeping me fed, guys.
SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES 😘
I'm testing out a new translator; let me know what you think or if you found any errors that need fixing.