Part 4 (3)

The three enfranchised arrived upstairs in the Governor's headquarters' hall and were deranged by the shambolic view. The bats' aggression was over, however, dozens of imperial guards' lifeless bodies were strewn over the ground.
The trio leaped over the casualties and headed outside the building. Their trauma swelled as the sun was rising and revealed the horrendous extent of the mess of the going evening.
The hungry flying mammals had decimated and injured hundreds of warriors and civilians whereas just a few of these mad critters' dead bodies were littering the lawn of Okunde's garden.
The troop that had been assembled for the military expedition to the forbidden mountain was utterly disorganized and battered.
Some women of the village had formed an emergency rescue unit and were providing, with limited material, medical care to the wounded.
Suzie spontaneously joined her fellow females and began to assist the survivors in critical condition.
Suddenly, the sound of a horn resonated three times from the Governor's headquarters. In the Batang empire, the instrument was played for major announcements by the provincial rulers to their subjects.
All gazes were therefore fixed toward the administrative building's balcony. Surprisingly, instead of Governor Kola II showing up as per tradition, his aide-de-camp Polo came forward. His face was pale and his eyebrows were furrowed.
The Governor's man of trust unfolded the papyrus he was holding in his right arm and with a frail voice started to peruse: "Message of His Majesty Batang V to the population of the empire. Last night men of great value left us after serving and defending the land with devotion. Governor Kola II was one of them. Like the other braves, he stumbled in the coward bats' attack. His sepulcher will be buried later in the day without a public ceremony by his demand. Thus, until further notice, the military expedition to the forbidden mountain is momentarily suspended. A new Governor will be appointed in three moons."
Polo ended his reading and rolled back the imperial sheet, then he returned inside the headquarters.
The crowd was dazzled. Babida the lumberjack looked at uncle Bibi who was speechless. A cemetery silence reigned for a while as Suzie, imperial warriors and Okunde's inhabitants resumed the relief operations.
The time flew by fast and the sun's rays commenced fading away. It was now afternoon and Babida had taken a leave from the rescue efforts and was away from Suzie and uncle Bibi.
The woodsman was meditating alone in his military tent which was wobbling and menacing to collapse as a result of the earthquake.
It was the same barrack where he was resting the day that imperial guards came over to pick him up and conduct him to the late Governor Kola II who ultimately deprived him of his liberty.
The logger had at last retrieved his beloved Herculean steel axe which was scintillating and laid on the ground on his right. Sitting calmly on the floor with the legs crossed, the torso upright, the eyelids closed and the two hands stuck against each other, Babida called on the ancestors.
"My forefathers, I urge you to prevent your people from another calamity caused by Edimo." Babida spoke to the kind-hearted gods of the Batang empire.
"Last night, the god of ruin once again slaughtered our valiant soldiers and innocent civilians. Our Commander in chief, Governor Kola II, paid the highest price with his life as well and presently there is no one to lead us on the battlefield against the newborn Monster of the forbidden mountain and the ruthless bats". The woods cutter related the dire situation to the deities with a bitter tone of voice.
Done with the supplication of the ancestors, Babida opened his eyes and saw a sparkling butterfly entering the tent and strolling around before landing on his head.
The woodsman felt an intense power getting hold of his muscular body and he went into a trance. Then a voice only he could hear began to talk to him.
"Babida! Babida! Babida!" The hypnotic voice pronounced the lumberjack's name repeatedly to transport him into a mysterious sphere.
"In three moons, you shall become the new Commander in chief of the men of honor. Shall you succeed in destroying the newborn Monster of the forbidden mountain and any other enemy of the land such as the black wild bats, you shall be elevated to the rank of Governor of Okunde." The voice prophesied and shut up.
Babida listened to the divinities' revelation and had goosebumps. He wondered how it was going to happen since he was not a member of the imperial family.