Book 1: Chapter 17 – Seed of Belief

After nearly five days, the group finally arrived at West Beast City. Jabari had learned from Heba that it was a vibrant, bustling city governed and protected by the Western Branch of the Beast-Warrior Institute, making it a beacon of safety and opportunity in the region.

Despite her detailed descriptions, though, Jabari and Inayah couldn't conceal their astonishment as they gazed out of the carriage window. The city stretched before them like a vision from a dream – majestic and teeming with life.

They had once believed the main settlement of the Umeme Tribe to be impressive, but compared to West Beast City, it seemed no better than a run-down village. The streets were lined with towering, meticulously designed buildings, each no less than three stories high, their exteriors adorned with intricate carvings of all shapes, sizes, and designs.

The crowd was a constant, restless tide of people – merchants hawking rare goods, warriors clad in ornate armour, and even Mages in flowing robes that shimmered with arcane symbols. Heba pointed out the countless shops that offered everything from enchanted weapons to rare medicinal herbs.

"All right, let's split up here," Heba announced, her tone brisk and efficient. "Inayah, Aten, and I will get us checked into the Beast Paradise Inn. Jabari, you go with Lateef to sign up for the Beast-Warrior Trials. Find us at the inn when you're done."

Before Jabari could respond, she ushered Inayah and Aten away, leaving him standing beside Lateef. The older warrior said nothing, turning on his heel and walking off without so much as a glance back.

"I guess I'll just follow you then," Jabari muttered under his breath, falling into step behind him. As he trailed Lateef through the bustling streets, his mind drifted back to the day he had killed the Umeme Tribe guard.

He hadn't forgotten the raw power that guard had possessed – how easily he should have been able to end Jabari's life. And yet, Lateef had dispatched that same opponent as though swatting a fly.

The gulf between them was vast, like the chasm between the heavens and the earth.

'One day, I'm going to be that strong,' Jabari vowed, his eyes fixed on Lateef's broad back.

"We're here," Lateef's voice jolted him from his thoughts.

Jabari looked up to find themselves standing at the rear of a long, winding queue of participants. Each group had a child around his age, the youngest no older than ten.

"Out of the way! Shura Tribe coming through!"

The sharp command drew everyone's attention. Jabari turned to see five warriors in gleaming golden armour, sabres at their sides, parting the crowd with sheer presence. Behind them strode seven children dressed in black robes adorned with yellow and green tribal patterns.

"The Shura Tribe is another of the Six Great Tribes," Lateef explained, his tone neutral. "They're widely thought of as the strongest of the six."

Jabari's gaze swept over the group, three of whom stood out immediately.

The first was a striking, dark-skinned girl with long braids cascading down her back. She walked with confident ease, drawing more than a few admiring glances from the boys around her.

Next was a boy, perhaps twelve, with short black hair cleanly faded at the sides. His posture oozed arrogance; his chin tilted upward as though the very air was beneath him. The others in his group gave him a wide berth, their discomfort palpable.

But it was the last figure who captured Jabari's attention – a boy about his age, with shaggy black hair and deep brown eyes that radiated disinterest. His gaze passed over the bustling surroundings as though everything was a dull, unremarkable blur.

"Is he a Mage?" Jabari asked, nodding toward the robed figure walking beside the children.

"Yeah. And the other four adults are all Beast-Warriors," Lateef replied, already moving toward the queue.

The Shura Tribe's presence had left a clear path through the crowd. Lateef took advantage of it, walking directly behind them.

"Hey! No cutting-"

"Lateef Osman, Beast-Warrior of the Khaldun Tribe," Lateef stated coldly, not bothering to look at the man who had spoken.

The would-be protestor blanched and melted back into the crowd, his indignation evaporating into fear.

"Hurry up," Lateef ordered.

Jabari hurried after Lateef, his eyes fixed on the man's broad back with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. "You're really a Beast-Warrior?"

"You thought they'd leave the Princess of one of the Six Great Tribes in the hands of an ordinary warrior?" Lateef replied, his tone cool, as if the answer were self-evident.

Jabari had suspected it ever since he'd learned about the path of the Beast-Warrior – especially after witnessing Lateef's terrifying efficiency when he'd killed the Umeme Tribe guard. But hearing the man's confirmation made it all the more real.

He was walking alongside the very kind of warrior he aspired to become.

As they wove through the crowd toward the front of the queue, Jabari noticed the looks they were getting – expressions of envy, curiosity, and even awe. It was a strange sensation. Growing up in the slums, he'd only ever been met with disdain or indifference. Now, people looked at him as though he were someone worth noticing.

But instead of pride, an uncomfortable tightness settled in his chest. He would have much preferred to go unnoticed, yet Lateef showed no sign of concern for his unease.

At last, they reached the front of the line, where a man dressed in sleek grey robes embroidered with yellow tribal patterns greeted them with a wide smile. His form-fitting tunic highlighted a muscular build, while loose, knitted harem pants swayed with his movements.

Jabari's gaze landed on the moment the two men clasped hands. Having never seen grown men holding hands before, his brow furrowed in confusion as he listened to their exchange.

"Lateef, my friend! It's been too long since our days at the institute," the man said, his deep voice warm and familiar. "How have you been?"

"Kwame." Lateef inclined his head slightly, the corners of his mouth softening into what might have passed for a smile. "I'm well, thank you. I'd stay and catch up, but I've been tasked by my Princess to get this one registered."

Kwame's sharp eyes shifted to Jabari, his curiosity deepening the longer he looked. "And who might this be?"

"Jabari," Lateef answered, his voice steady. "A child from the Khaldun Tribe's slums."

Understanding flickered across Kwame's face. Jabari's malnourished appearance and wiry frame were hardly consistent with what one would expect from a child of one of the Great Tribes. But that made his presence here all the more intriguing.

"A slum child catching the eye of your Princess?" Kwame mused, his lips curving into an encouraging smile. "That's no small feat. I look forward to seeing how you perform, kid."

Jabari accepted the token Kwame handed him, staring at the solid gold medallion in his palm. The surface was engraved with elegant, swirling letters that meant nothing to him. His lack of education left him unable to decipher the inscription, but he remembered Kwame's explanation well enough: on the morning of the Trials, he'd need to hand it over along with his paperwork to be granted entry.

He followed Lateef through the bustling streets toward the inn, his mind preoccupied with the token's weight and what it represented.

"Is there anything you can tell me about the Trials?" he asked, glancing up at the stoic warrior.

"My Trials were a long time ago," Lateef answered without looking back, "but even after all this time, not much has changed. In total, there are five individual tests spread over three days. Each test is graded on a scale from one to five stars. Your final score is based on the sum of those stars.

Although all of the tests are graded, only the fifth and final test is pass or fail."

"The fifth test?" Jabari prompted.

"The Princess already told you, to become a Beast-Warrior, ultimately, the only thing that truly matters is your willpower, that's precisely what the fifth round tests. As long as you pass that, you will officially be admitted into the Beast-Warrior Institute as a student. If you fail, you don't; it's that simple!"

Jabari absorbed the information in silence. Lateef's explanation had put any residual worries to bed – if there was anything Jabari was confident about, it was his willpower!

Just as his worries about the trials lessened, a new question popped into his mind. Without much thought, he couldn't help but blurt it out. "Why were you and your friend holding hands?"

Lateef's steps faltered for a fraction of a second. His jaw tightened as the innocent question sliced through his usual composure.

"We weren't holding hands," Lateef said, voice strained. "It was a handshake. It's a greeting – a sign of mutual respect between two people."

Jabari blinked, tilting his head. "It still looked like you were holding hands," he said with a shrug. "But okay."

Lateef exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to rub his temples. The trials had nothing to do with him, nor had they even started yet, and somehow, he already felt tested.

Before Lateef could respond, a familiar voice broke through the bustling street.

"There you are! We were just about to come looking for you – little Yah-Yah couldn't wait any longer," Heba called out, a teasing smile on her lips as she approached with Inayah and Aten in tow.

Inayah wasted no time, launching herself into Jabari's arms.

"How was it? Are you gonna be a Beast-Warrior now?" she asked, her wide eyes brimming with curiosity as she gazed up at her brother.

"Not quite yet," Jabari replied with a soft chuckle, ruffling her hair. "I still have to pass the Trials first."

"Let's head inside," Heba said, gesturing toward the luxurious inn behind her. "You two can talk all you want once we're settled."

Jabari followed the others through the ornate double doors of the Beast Paradise Inn. The marble floors gleamed beneath their feet, reflecting the golden glow of enchanted lanterns suspended from the ceiling. Plush furniture and rich tapestries gave the space an air of casual opulence that felt worlds away from the slums they'd once called home.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of conversation and laughter. Jabari spent most of it with Inayah, describing everything he'd seen on his walk through the city – the towering buildings, the crowds of hopefuls waiting to register, and the Shura Tribe's intimidating procession.

Inayah hung on his every word, her eyes sparkling as she listened. But as Jabari recounted Lateef's explanation of the Trials, she noticed something change. The excitement that had lit his face began to fade, replaced by a shadow of something far heavier.

"Yah-Yah..." Jabari's voice dropped, his expression tightening with resolve. He squeezed her hand gently. "Just give me time. I swear, I will find a way to heal you before time runs out!"

Inayah's breath caught in her throat. She knew her brother was doing all of this for her sake. And though she trusted Jabari with all her heart, a part of her couldn't believe it was possible.

Heba had shared everything with her: the enormity of the task Jabari was trying to accomplish, the sheer impossibility of it. Inayah had come to accept that her illness might never be cured. And she feared for Jabari – feared that his determination would only lead to heartbreak.

But then she met his gaze. His eyes burned with a conviction so fierce, so unyielding, that something stirred deep within her – a tiny flicker of hope, hesitant but undeniable.

"Come on," Jabari said, standing abruptly. "We need to get some rest. Tomorrow's the first day of the Trials."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving Inayah sitting there, her heart a swirling mixture of fear, guilt, and that stubborn, fragile seed of belief.