Chapter 56 - The Silent Reckoning
Lusweti and his men split into three distinct teams, each one tasked with a critical objective. The operation had to be swift and silent. They were deep in enemy territory, and every second counted.
Lusweti himself chose the most dangerous route—the streets. There, he would cleanse the filth that walked freely, the mercenaries who brutalized innocents without a second thought. Though fury burned in his chest like molten lava, he locked it deep within. Now was not the time. The streets would run red, but not from recklessness.
He crouched down beside the group of young tunnel runners—the kids who’d bravely helped them navigate this twisted underbelly of Kilwa. "Stay here, hidden," he whispered. "What comes next is chaos. But we will return."
Their eyes, wide and uncertain, nodded back silently. Even the smallest among them held a deep understanding of the danger that brewed in the air.
Team One – Leader Irungu
Mission: Palace Recon and Rescue
Irungu led his unit with grim precision, navigating the narrow tunnels toward the palace’s underbelly. The air grew colder as they advanced, the scent of mildew and iron clinging to the walls. They finally reached the dungeon cells—and what they saw halted them.
There, barely clinging to life, were Mshale and the other four delegates.
Their bodies were gaunt, ribs protruding under torn garments. Bloodied welts marred their skin. Lips cracked from dehydration. Their eyes, once bright with purpose, were dull but still flickering with something faint—hope.
"Open the damn cells," Irungu growled, voice trembling with both fury and reverence.
One warrior knelt beside Mshale, offering water from a leather pouch. Mshale took it weakly, unable to speak, tears trailing down his dirt-smeared face.