Morning sunlight broke through the mist, painting the camp in soft gold. Soldiers stretched, cleaned their gear, and prepared for another long day.
Sbu sat on a rock, half-eaten apple in hand, while Lungelo floated lazily beside him, tail swaying like a bored cat.
> "So," Lungelo said, yawning, "you're officially a hero now. Saved the day, got a squad, and a bunch of people worshipping you. What's next? Building a statue?"
Sbu chuckled. "Nah. I was thinking breakfast first."
> "Spoken like a true legend."
---
By midmorning, he gathered his squad.
"Alright, same plan," he called out. "Half of you head east and search for survivors. The rest — meet back here at noon. Lung— uh, I'll be running a qi control session."
He almost slipped. Only he could see Lungelo, and explaining "the talking lion spirit teacher" would definitely get him labeled insane.
As the soldiers scattered, Lungelo grinned.
> "You're finally listening to me, huh? I always knew you were smart."
Sbu raised a brow. "I'm not listening. I'm just borrowing your brain."
> "Ouch. My brain's a premium product, thank you very much."
---
By noon, the group returned, tired but successful — five new survivors rescued, mostly women and children. Lunch was quiet, and when it ended, Sbu clapped his hands.
"Alright, let's train before you all get lazy."
He stood in front of them while Lungelo floated behind, pacing like a coach.
> "Tell them to close their eyes," Lungelo said.
Sbu repeated, "Close your eyes."
> "Now tell them to feel the energy around them. Like the sun warming their skin — that's qi. Lazy, gentle, but everywhere."
Sbu echoed, "Feel the energy around you. The sun, the air — that's qi."
> "Tell the one with his eyes open that he's cheating."
Sbu opened one eye and pointed. "Hey, Mandla, stop peeking. I can feel your eyeballs judging me."
Laughter rippled through the group.
> "Good," Lungelo said, smirking. "Now, have them pull the qi into their dantian — slowly, like drinking water through a straw, not like a drunk gulping beer."
Sbu tried not to laugh. "Pull the qi in slowly, not like… Lungelo said a drunk person."
The squad chuckled, but to their surprise, they started feeling something. Tiny sparks of qi gathered around them — faint lights in the air.
By the second day, people were already improving.
By the fifth, some could make faint flickers of energy visible on their palms.
> "Not bad," Lungelo murmured. "They might not die instantly in a fight now."
Sbu smirked. "High praise coming from you."
> "I'm generous."
---
The days blended into one another. Morning hunts for survivors, afternoon training, nights filled with tired laughter and stories around small fires.
Sbu learned their names — Nhlanhla, Sipho, Khethiwe, Tando, Musa — and found himself enjoying the company more than he expected.
He didn't act like a commander. He shared food, made jokes, and even lost a sparring match on purpose to keep morale high.
> "You're getting soft," Lungelo teased one night as they watched the stars.
Sbu leaned back on his hands. "Maybe. But they fight better when they believe they matter."
Lungelo's grin softened.
> "You're not wrong, Light Boy. The ancestors would've liked that answer."
---
On the fifteenth day, the sky turned crimson at dawn — the signal flare from HQ.
> "Time's up," Lungelo said quietly. "Orders are in. You're heading for the capital."
Sbu looked around at his squad — people who had become more like friends than soldiers.
"Pack it up!" he called. "We leave in one hour. Next stop — Mbabane!"
The soldiers cheered, spirits high despite the looming danger.
As the convoy rolled out, Lungelo stretched lazily and looked up at the brightening sky.
> "Well, let's hope your light's bright enough for what's coming next."
Sbu smirked. "It will be."
---