Part 6 (5)

"Suzie!" shouted Babida as he woke up from a nightmare.
The tragedy of last night resurfaced and he remembered that he left the young maiden on the balcony of the administrative headquarters alone with the late Governor's aide-de-camp Polo and the dead body of uncle Bibi.
He looked through the window and the day had completely risen. So he quickly rushed to the bathroom and geared up.
Done, he wasted no more time, grabbed his axe and walked away. The logger went straight to the balcony and it was empty. The young Miss had departed from there.
He turned to the imperial sentinel that was supervising the corridor and asked him the whereabouts of the young maiden, to which he replied that she had finally left the balcony just right after dawn accompanied by Polo and a squad of his comrades.
The imperial sentinel added that he heard the late Governor's henchman suggesting to the young maiden Suzie that they travel to Ekule and organize a farewell funeral for the late uncle.
The imperial guard went on by saying to Babida that though the young miss was still in shock and had cried all night long, she became reasonable as the night was advancing. Thus, she accepted to leave the balcony and give her cherished uncle a decent burial.
The new Commander of the imperial forces was saddened he couldn't do much to support his companion and crush since he couldn't leave Okunde and go to Ekule because of his imperial mission.
He thereupon went back to his room and invoked the ancestors.
"My forefathers, be praised!" The lumberjack said.
"Last night you elevated me to the rank of Commander of the imperial forces." He confided in the ancestors.
"What a great honor this was!" He then declared.
"The men in uniform were boosted and together we smashed the terrifying bats." The logger pursued his statement.
"However, we also sustained losses among which the fall of a man of great value, a devoted fighter. The Commander Bibi." Babida painfully confessed with a shaking voice.
"But I know as I speak Commander Bibi is up in the sky with you. Thank you for giving him a warm home over there!" The logger concluded his prayer.
He left his room and went to the headquarters hall.
On his arrival in the main room of the administrative headquarters, the imperial sentinels that were surveilling the place, greeted their new Commander in chief with a military salute.
Babida greeted them back and asked them how they were feeling after last night's combat. They confessed to him that his presence on the battlefield had been essential for the victory against the devilish bats.
They told the lumberjack that they felt boosted under his lead and there was no way they would not have defeated the wicked flying mammals.
However, regarding the newborn Monster above the mountain situated in the north of the village, they believed they would need better preparation, for the beast was far stronger than the bats.
Their new Commander assured them that he had a plan and he would soon unveil it to them, to which the imperial guards responded that they had total trust in him.
After the heart-to-heart conversation with the imperial sentinels, the woodsman went outside and walked up to Okunde's garden to meet with the rest of the troop.
Some of the warriors were still dozing in the tents. They had all night long celebrated their victorious defense against the hellish bats' attack.
Babida greeted each of the men in uniform that were on the lawn of Okunde's garden. He congratulated them for their commitment and told them that the gods and the Emperor had certainly appreciated their determination in protecting the land.
Rapidly, the new Commander of the imperial forces Babida was surrounded by tens of soldiers who interrogated him about when the expedition to the forbidden mountain was going to happen.
"Soon. I shall let you know." The logger replied to them.
"Meanwhile, train and be prepared!" He then advised them.
All queries answered, he hence ended his visit to Okunde's garden by instructing his men to resume whatever they were doing before he interrupted them.
And as they were executing his order, the new army superior Commander returned to the administrative headquarters.