Part 6 (2)

"Tonight would likely be the third moon since the passing of our late Master, His Highness Kola II." The henchman said.
"And hopefully it would be a full moon, meaning the ancestors have agreed and blessed the choice of the new Commander of the imperial forces and soon the Governor of Okunde." Polo added.
"Yes, correct, Polo the cunning!" expressed uncle Bibi while calling the late Governor's aide-de-camp by his nickname.
Babida listened to the slender warrior and stayed quiet for a while, for he was beginning to visualize how tremendous his mission was.
He felt the level of seriousness it demanded and had goosebumps.
Then finally when his little moment of quiet reflection was over, he jumped into the conversation that was going on between Polo and uncle Bibi.
"Yes, comrades, indeed, tonight shall be the night of my elevation as Commander of the imperial forces." The lumberjack reacted.
"However, I won't be able to accomplish my mission without the blessing of the divinities, your help, and that of the troop in Okunde's garden." He stated with an air of great seriousness.
"My Commander, you can rely on me. I am willing to make the ultimate sacrifice should I have no choice." Polo declared to the logger.
"Same here, My Commander!" Uncle Bibi gave his commitment too.
"I may be a bit old now but I still got something in the tank. Moreover, I would rather die on the battlefield than on the comfortable couch in my chalet." He then emphatically spat out.
An atmosphere of solidarity was hence created and for the young miss Suzie, it was out of the question that she stayed aside.
Her little voice suddenly resonated and took aback the three men in the room.
"I'm coming to the forbidden mountain with you, My Commander." She exclaimed.
The big eyes of the big men nearly dropped from orbit. Their tympanums were in shock, for they couldn't believe what had just come across.
Babida looked at the young maiden and told her: "Sorry, Miss! What did you just say?"
And with even more confidence, she repeated exactly what she had spoken before.
"My Commander, the young miss is trying to say that she will be the first woman in the history of the Batang empire to defend land on a battlefield just like one of your devoted warriors." Polo rephrased the young miss' words.
"Yes, that's exactly that!" confirmed Uncle Bibi.
"Well, therefore there are going to be two headlines tonight." The lumberjack admitted.
"I may go down as the first non-member of the imperial family to ever occupy the position of Commander of the imperial forces. And the young and brave Miss right here shall become the next role model of the young girls in our land." Babida concluded.
The afternoon went on calmly and the sky began to darken, for the evening was about to take over.
The late Governor's aide-de-camp Polo hadn't taken a minute break, even to eat something.
He was so involved in the organization of the transition of power to the new Commander of the imperial forces that he couldn't spare some time for himself.
Babida and his companions, uncle Bibi and the young maiden Suzie had left him and gone back to the guest rooms, so they could get some rest and prepare for what they believed was going to be a long night.
Suddenly, the announcement horn resonated all over the administrative headquarters and Okunde's garden.
Babida, who hadn't seen the time flying by quickly, jerked from the bed and looked through the window.
The logger remarked that the night had completely fallen and a huge and full moon was enlightening the sky of Okunde.
He therefore understood that the ancestors' spirit was hovering upon him and that the divinities were putting into action the plan they had revealed to him.
Toc, toc, toc!
Someone suddenly knocked at the room's door. The woodsman rushed to open it and saw the young miss Suzie accompanied by two imperial Sentinels.
"Greetings, My Commander!" said the imperial guard in front as they made the military salute to him.
"You may come with us. It's time for your official elevation." The imperial sentinel added.
Suzie remained mouth shut and looked even more glamorous with the long golden silk gown and pearl earrings she had worn on.
The lumberjack tried to focus on whatever his comrade was telling him but couldn't help furtively glaring at the beautiful maiden.
However, it wasn't the right time to lose concentration. So he managed to get his mind where it had to be.
"One moment, comrades !" The lumberjack said to the imperial sentinels.
He then walked up to his bed, picked up his Herculean steel axe, and left with his escort.
They stopped by the office of the late Governor's henchman Polo who was along with uncle Bibi, standing and waiting for the lumberjack.
"At last, you're here, My Commander!" He exclaimed.
"Your hour has come." Polo then asserted.
"Let's go to the balcony now!" He said as he moved in front.
And as they marched to the balustrade, they could hear the clamor of an excited troop.
The tumult got even stronger when the imperial warriors at the foot of the administrative headquarters perceived the imposing physique of their next leader Babida the lumberjack.
Yeahhhhh!!!
They screamed with more vitality than at the reading of His Majesty's decree to the extent that the roar did not only reach the limits of Okunde village but went above the northern frontier and woke up the sleeping newborn Monster of the forbidden mountain as well as the nasty bats.