The visitor readies himself in a fighting stance, pointing his weapon at me. Impressive. Very impressive. His stance is practically perfect. Feet the right width apart. Legs bent perfectly. Eyes intense and focused. You can usually tell a lot about a fighter by their fighting stance. And the young man looks very formidable... for now.

  “One question. As unlikely that it'll happen but I must ask. What if you kill me? Who would defend Ikwubara from the supernatural?” I ask.

  “I don't...” The stranger thinks about his response for a few seconds. “Care. If you can't beat someone like me then your exploits are nothing more than bluster. Ikwubara will go on without you.”

  Ouch. Those words cut deep. He sure knows how to hurt a fellow.

  “Fine, warrior. At least tell me your name.”

  “I'll tell you my name after the end of our fight.”

  Rain clouds gather above us, turning the once sunny sky, murky grey. A sign of the gods ordaining this fight? Or just part of living in the rainforest? Either way, so cliché.

  He rushes at me to make the first move. For somebody with his bulky frame, he moves like a panther, powerful yet with a certain grace. His every movement is calculated and executed to near perfection. He leaps in the air for a 'superman' thrust with his spear. A simple parry from me was enough to thwart his attack. With him wide open my retort will be swift... What the fu-?

  I fell on my arse and back. Hard. He caught me with a spinning sweep kick that took out my legs. I didn't have time to feel the pain as he goes for the kill with a lunge, straight at my hairy chest. I parry the death blow and return the favour as I sweep kick his legs from under him while getting back on my feet like a gymnast.

  I step away quickly from the downed opponent, lest he decides to sweep kick me for a second time.

  “Not bad,” says the stranger, as he rises to his feet. “But, I expected more from the 'great' warrior wizard.”

  “And I expected more from the highly touted warriors of House Wagadu,” I ready myself in battle stance. Feet bent and bit more than shoulder-width apart. “I suppose that the Wagadu blood is thinning out.”

  That's when he shows that he really is a Wagadu. Those eyes. Those glowing, blood-red eyes. The eyes that gave the men of House Wagadu the name of the 'Golden Demons'.

  A trait passed on the male line that came from the first mansa/emperor of Neo-Wagadu. Whenever they feel an extremely negative emotion like anger, fear or whatever...

  I'd seen it before with the stranger's father... And now I see why the 'Golden Demon' moniker stuck with them.

  The stranger resumes his attack. Our spears meet each other making heavy clunking sounds as we battle for 'dominance'. Even though I deflect his blows, it's not easy and they start to take their toll very quickly. I've never felt anything like it, from a human. Every blow that I deflect from him, shakes my body to the core. Such power. More importantly, great technique. His attacks leave no opening for me to retort. I just can't attack with my spear... unarmed however might be a different story.

  There are a few (and I do mean only a few) openings for me to wrestle him. As his blow from his shaft narrowly misses my head, I grab one of his arms, twist my body into position and give him a hip throw that even my former wrestling instructor would be proud of. Yet, even with the throw, the bastard still manages to punch me square in the cheek. Hard. How the fuck did he manage to do that?

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  My arse hit the grass (again), only now it feels like my face is on fire from that punch. At least he slammed on the ground. That thud sounded brutal, like a fallen tree. Fight over. There's no way he's getting up from that move anytime soon. I just hope he didn't damage my adorable face. I turn and walk away and not a moment too soon as the heavens let loose its contents. When it rains in the montane rainforest, it fucking rains... And I don't want to ruin my shuka.

  “Where do you think you're going?” the stranger says. I turn around to see the stranger standing grim-faced, with his eyes glowing that demonic, neon red colour. My throw didn't even faze him. “It's gonna take a lot more than that to stop me.”

  From out of practically nowhere, the stranger flings some throwing knives at me. Deflecting the knives isn't a problem. I have to admit his knife throwing technique is as good as mine.

  As I deflect what I thought was his last blade, a second blade that was disguised by the previous finds its mark in my right shoulder. The pain bit me like a hungry animal as blood seeps out of the wound and mixes with the rainfall. Khonvoum, how could I not see this trick?

  No time to wonder or feel pain. Like a predator catching sight of weakened prey, he pounces in for the kill. His attacks are even more ferocious. I barely block and deflect. Yet somehow, I keep up with him, despite my injured shoulder.

  “Is that all you got?” he asks mockingly while still attacking. “The 'great' Mikumbi is struggling with a teenager. How pathetic.”

  Damn. He's right. I can barely keep up. This is no ordinary teenage boy. It's like fighting his father all over again. What's worse, he's enjoying the fight. That grimace on his face, a mix of joy and controlled rage.

  His spear slices my left thigh and this time I let the profanities fly out my mouth as I fall to one knee.

  I look up as the rain came down hard like Khonvoum needed a desperate piss.

  The stranger stands still like an obsidian statue of a war god with his spear tips inches away from my neck. His face shows no emotion... actually, there's a little bit of emotion. Disappointment. “I would say that you fought well, sorcerer... but that would be lying. I can't believe my father gave you all that praise. That earth demon and his lava minions must be an absolute joke if he lost to you.”

  I take it back... this kid is better than Anokye. He's one in a million and he's not even fully grown or at his peak. How is it possible?

  “You should've used your sorcery. Then you might have had a chance,” the stranger boasts.

  My eyes lock on to his. “Trust me. You don't want me to use magic.”

  The laugh that came from his mouth was hearty yet threatening.

  “Really?” he says with a raised eyebrow. “Fine... I'll send you to your ancestors.”

  His killing thrust was precise... but I manage to hold back his spear by grabbing the shaft in the nick of time.

  He keeps pushing his spear while maintaining that twisted grimace on his face.

  I can't keep holding back his spear forever. Injured. Losing blood.

  Why doesn't he just kill me? He knows that I'm weak and can barely fight back. Hands wet and slippery.

  This fool really wants me to use magic.

  “Do it.”

  I can't hold him back much longer.

  “No. I mustn't.”

  This rain isn't making things any easier.

  “I'll die if I don't.”

  I breathe deeply through my nose.

  “There has to be another way.”

  Let the energies of the universe fill my very being.

  “There is no other way. Show this upstart why I'm the real deal. Wipe that smile off his face.”

  My turn to smile now. A blast of energy erupts from my body in a bright yellowy-green flash, knocking the stranger on his arse. I stand up looking down at him with glowing eyes and hands.

  “You really shouldn't have forced my hand,” I say.

  I hold my aura covered hand up high. The raindrops gather and form into icicles above me. “This is your last chance to walk away.”

  “Finally,” he says with an excited look. “Let's see what you got.”