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Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: The Call of Command

The air in the camp was heavy — not from smoke or blood this time, but from exhaustion.

Rows of tents lined the training ground, and the stench of gun oil and sweat mixed with the distant scent of burning fields.

Every face told the same story — they'd survived another day.

But for how long?

As dawn broke, the sharp sound of a whistle tore through the silence.

"Everyone, formation! Now!" barked Sergeant Khumalo, his voice carrying authority even through fatigue.

Sbu joined the line with Jobe and Banele, glancing around. Mandla and Shle stood a few meters away — they had been separated into different squads during the cleanup, but the faint nods they exchanged were enough.

The Sergeant climbed onto a platform of wooden crates, his uniform still stained from battle.

> "Listen up! The situation outside our borders has worsened!"

The murmurs started instantly.

> "Mozambique has fallen," Khumalo said, his tone hardening. "Completely overrun. The monsters there—Tier 1 and above—wiped out their forces within a week. Refugees are flooding the border. We can't hold the line forever."

The crowd went silent. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.

> "But that's not the only reason I called you here. Some of you… have changed."

Everyone's attention turned toward the stage.

Behind the Sergeant stood a small group — those who had awakened elements and special abilities after reaching Tier 1. Among them, Mandla and Shle stood side by side, both visibly nervous.

Khumalo raised his arm toward them.

> "These individuals are humanity's next hope. They've awakened powers beyond ordinary qi control. For that, the government has issued new military ranks and responsibilities."

He unfolded a sheet of paper.

> "All awakened will be promoted to Lieutenant level and given command units. All Tier 1 non-awakened cultivators will be promoted to Sergeant level and assigned soldiers under their guidance."

A buzz of surprise spread through the camp. Some looked jealous, others relieved.

Khumalo continued:

> "You will be our vanguard — leading teams to gather citizens, fortify strongholds, and prepare for the great evacuation."

Sbu blinked. "Evacuation?" he whispered to Banele.

The Sergeant answered without hearing him:

> "Yes. The leadership across Africa has agreed — we are uniting. All borders will be abandoned. All nations, tribes, and faiths will gather in one fortified zone. We will stand together or perish apart."

The words hit like thunder.

Sbu felt Lungelo hover beside him, the lion spirit unusually quiet.

"Guess the humans are finally catching up," he said with a smirk. "Took a few nukes, but hey—progress."

Sbu didn't answer. He looked toward the horizon — toward the smoke that still rose faintly where Mozambique used to be — and felt a knot in his chest tighten.

Later, they handed out their assignments.

Sbu's name appeared again, this time at the top of a list he hadn't expected to lead.

Squad 9 — Sergeant Sibusiso Mthethwa

Objective: Gather civilians from the Nhlangano district and escort them safely to the capital.

As the soldiers dispersed, Shle approached him briefly.

"Looks like we're leading different teams now," she said softly.

Sbu nodded. "Just make sure yours comes back alive."

She smiled faintly. "You too, light boy."

Lungelo snorted. "Light boy. I like her already."

Sbu ignored him and stared at his squad file.

Two hundred names.

Two hundred lives depending on him.

He took a deep breath, folded the paper, and looked up at the dim, reddish sky.

> "Alright," he muttered. "Let's start preparing. If we're leaving Eswatini… we're going to make sure no one gets left behind."

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