Agala combed the battlefield, donning an imperial aura. This was his fiftieth victory on the battlefield and he was only twenty six. Other men would have counted themselves unlucky to have been born during this time of war without end, men whom Agala regarded as men of straw. He, Agala had thrived in this turmultous period. He had quickly risen through the ranks as a result of his exploits in the wars he had fought in and was now a general. One more victory, he thought as he trod upon the palm of a fallen enemy soldier, one more victory and he would become supreme commander of the Kabaka millitary. He smiled as he watched a crow tear out the eyeball of a dead enemy soldier. 'Feast, he thought, feast, you birds of flesh, feast yourselves to obesity, I am pleased to be your host'. He watched his men go about their duty of gathering the fallen of his own men for the funeral pyre with devotion and utmost discipline and smiled again. The iron discipline he had instilled in his battalion was the key to their invincibility in the battle field. Last night had been a blood bath. His battalion had been surrounded by the enemy at all sides in a surprise attack. He had been pleased at the way his troops had immediately rallied themselves, with him giving the orders of course, and after hours of fighting, they had finally gained the upperhand and mowed down the enemy like grass. The surviving enemy soldiers had fled towards the direction of Masa, the last walled town of the Massada tribe. He had lost many men in the battle and quite a good number of his men were nursing wounds, but he was not going to let that delay his siege of Masa. He was sure that if he waited, reinforcements would come from the other generals, but he did not want that. The glory was his and his alone. He wanted to be able to boast of taking Masa single handedly. This was the victory that would prove his superiority over the other generals once and for all. Besides, he was sure that last night's defeat had weakened the enemy considerably. He had to consolidate on his victory fast before the enemy rallied their defences. He was sure that they would not be expecting his attack. They would expect him to wait for reinforcements. He rubbed his palms together and smiled again as he ruminated over the prospect of an easy victory. He parted the covering of Loco's tent and went in.
Loco was his seer. He had spared her life during a raid on her town on account of her gift and had consulted her ever since before any battle. She was seated on a stool, pruning her hair
'Agala, she teased, as rude as ever'
Agala ignored her and poured himself a cup of palmwine from the keg in her hut. Loco was the only person under his command who dared to call him by his name or tease him. He condoned and even enjoyed it, not only on account of her gift, but also on account of his weakness for her youth and spotless beauty. She knew this and exploited this priviledge to the utmost. Agaba had not slept with her because she would lose her powers if she lost her virginity.
'You should call before entering my hut or you will come in one day and find me naked', she said.
'What of that?, scoffed Agala, you are mine anyway, my property. I will take you after this battle'.
'As your wife?', she asked.
'What is that to you?', returned Agala.
Loco feigned annoyance at that and turned to face the wall.
'Look here girl, said Agala, I am in no mood for your coquettry now, tell me, I command you, what the spirits have revealed about my next battle'
Loco knew Agala, he would have her head if she delayed him any longer. She put off her coquettishness and went straight to the point.
'You are a lion Agala, she began, a fearless lion. The deer bows to the lion's claws and the lion bows to the hunter's spear. The lion must therefore beware of the hunter's strike or he will be cut down while hunting deer'.
Agala nodded his head several times in astonishnent. Loco had never told him anything like this before. She had often prophecied victory or revealed the enemy's schemes.
'What does this mean?', he asked.
'Your enemies, Agala, are deadlier than you think, beware'.

Agala left the seer's hut preplexed. Should he change his plans and wait for reinforcements?, he decided against that, he was not a coward. He would go on with the seige no matter what awaited him, glory or death.

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