Part 8 (1)

The terrifying bats and the newborn Monster were finally decimated and the Batang empire was thus now rid of all known enemies.
The kingdom of pain was in shambles since its ruler Edimo, the god of ruin was mad because of his recent defeat against the defenders of the most coveted empire in the universe by the spirits.
The dark divinity had lost in a short time his two most devilish creatures which perished under the merciless weapons and the cunningness of the men in uniform led by Babida the lumberjack.
Angry, the god of ruin blamed the defeat on the Witches of evil.
Therefore he severely punished them. The luckiest ones received a hundred lashes on the back. The unluckiest ones were deprived of all power and thrown out of the kingdom of pain.
They found themselves weaker than the weakest of humans and they wandered across the globe without aim.
The war had ended and Babida the lumberjack was now the most respected man in the Batang empire after His Majesty Batang V.
And as promised, the Emperor invited him to the lunar palace in Ekule to elevate him from the position of Commander of the imperial forces to the rank of Governor of the province of Okunde.
In the meantime, the ceremony was also an opportunity for him to stop by the young maiden Suzie's house and bring her moral support for the loss of her relative, uncle Bibi, who was also a Commander and dear companion to him.
He planned to make the journey to Ekule with his aide-de-camp, the youngster Baba.
"Comrade, be prepared, for tomorrow by dawn, shall it please the ancestors we shall travel to Ekule for my elevation as the new Governor of this village," Babida told his henchman as they were spending the afternoon together in the latter's office around a cup of coffee.
"At your service, My Commander!" Baba replied while giving a military salute to his superior.
"Well, drink up your beverage and come with me. I have some business I would like to handle before we leave tomorrow!" The woodsman instructed his aide-de-camp Baba.
The two men rose from their seats and left the office.
The lumberjack went with his henchman Baba to the animal market in eastern Okunde, for he needed the biggest and the finest sheep ever.
The woodsman had a pending promise to the ancestors that he wanted to fulfill.
During his time in prison in the underground of the administrative headquarters, when he and his companions, the late uncle Bibi and the young maiden Suzie, as well as a squad of imperial sentinels, were attacked by a pack of five bats, he had invoked the ancestors for help.
Weah, the god of fire, gave the woodsman his most ardent flames that the latter used to burn seriously the flying mammals which consequently died.
However, the logger had given his word to the divinity. During his mediation, he silently promised the god of fire that he would offer him the biggest and the finest sheep ever bred in the empire should the divinity save his life and that of his companions.
Guided by Weah, the lumberjack was ultimately victorious.
The time had then come for him to pay for his debt.
"Good afternoon sir! May I please see your most valuable sheep?" uttered Babida as he entered the property of a shepherd.
"Good afternoon, My Commander! Sure you can." The animal breeder replied to him.
Then he took the lumberjack along with his aide-de-camp Baba to his farm at the back of the domain where over a hundred healthy sheep were eating the grass.
"Oh! Give me this one, please!" said Babida as he fell in love with the fattest and the freshest sheep.
"How much is it?" He then asked the shepherd.
"Ninety Batangi, My Commander." The animal breeder said to him.
"Here is a hundred Batangi! Please keep the change! The lumberjack paid then took the animal and left the farm accompanied by his henchman Baba.
They returned to the administrative headquarters and went straight to the backside with the breed, for the logger wanted to fulfill his pledge before sunset.
Babida ordered the youngster Baba to bring to him a few fagot sticks he would use to make fire and grill the animal, which the latter hastened to do.
While his henchman was on the lookout for woods, Babida cut off the sheep's neck with a sharp hit of his axe. The animal bled profusely and its blood was sucked up by the ground, for the ancestors were pleased.
Baba came back with dry fagot sticks and matches and helped the Commander in chief light them.
A big and ardent fire aroused and served to smoke the flesh of the animal.
Within two hours, the animal was ready to end its voyage in the large bellies of the lumberjack and his henchman Baba.